Just saw this posted on yahoo: MLS expands rosters, number of foreign players Seems like a good move seeing how little room the Revs had to work with when decimated with injuries earlier this year.
I'm not digging this second paragraph. There are already signficiant considerations being offerred to the entering teams to allow them to be competitive in terms of roster aquisition without giving them new and more importantly special roster treatment above and beyond what the other teams get. Between 5 TIs, 4 SIs, and players exempt from roster classification (dev and P40 contracts), either of the two expansion teams could easily field 100% foreign squads. I'm not seeing how that is helpful in terms of equal competition rules for all teams and development of US players.
ESPN is reporting the same thing. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=316465&cc=5901. I knew some changes were on the way.
It's only a temporary move: the additional TI slot being offered to both Chivas and RSL are for two years, at which point they'll fall in line with the rest of the league. Interesting thing though: clubs can trade TI slots, so hypothetically, Chivas and RSL could get more than what the league mandates. Yes, I can see the concern for clubs being able to field all foreign sides, but the bulk of the rosters will be "American" players. If anything, MLS just expanded the accessibility of the league, especially in terms of younger, foreign players. For example, they could take a player like Dorman, sign him to a contract as an TI, then allow him to transfer to a club in England. It could be good for Dorman, it could be good for the Revs, and good for the league if they could get a modest transfer fee for him. Granted, this is all hypothetical, but it's but one way to illustrate how the league can kill two birds with one stone: expand the rosters, catering the needs of all clubs, while allowing greater opportunity for youth development. I for one see opportunity, and little immediate cause for concern.
OK, so a couple of questions... How will the additional 4 players be classified? - is it simply the result of an additional SI and 3 TI slots or will these 4 foreign players be part of the existing 18 man senior roster with 4 more DV players rounding out a reserve squad. How much will the salary cap be increased to accomodate 4 more players? - I imagine it would have to go up considerably to account for and additional SI ($150,000) and 3 TI's ($75,000) plus the increase in the bottom salaries recently negotiated in the contract.
now we're back to the term transitional internationals? didn't the league get away from that and just go with youth and senior this past year. anyone know if we're getting back to a y.i. classification with this announcement? if you're into conspiracy theories......couldn't this suggest to you that: 1. concessions are being made to chivas. 2. help is being made to l.a. who may lose a significant portion of their fanbase if they can't come up with some counter hispanic faces. 3. the league is paving the way for club america to make a serious bid next season for 2006. now, i'm pseudo into these theories. part of me thinks that rsl is riding the coat tails of chivas for this ruling. part of me thinks that if it were rsl and oklahoma city coming into the league and chivas in '06...that we wouldn't see these changes at 'this' very moment. that being said, team depth will be greater (let's hope) and coaches and front offices for all the teams will be able to fully utilize whatever connections they've built to now....around the globe. anyone else pickup on the release saying that its 'under 24'? y.i's are 'under 25' right now also, it'll be interesting to see the rules on foreign players if 'reserve teams' come about...league-wide. lastly, the gazidis quote: 'We want to be sure that we continue to elevate the level of play in our league'....i find interesting. i'm hoping that it means that by making rosters deeper (in general) that the games don't suffer when a team gets hit hard with injuries during the season...and not...mls will be better if we allow more foreign players into the league (i.e. we're not finding u.s born or naturalized talent at the skill level and/or rate that we expected) oh yeah, any word on salary cap going up? pro-40's are on the league's (or sponsor's) dime right? are developmental players on the team's dime right now?
P-40 and DV players do not count against the teams CAP. I did read some place that DV players will be getting a "substantial" raise. The 4 new roster slots are most likely all going to be DV roster slots. The playing around with number of SI's and TI's is a pro-Chivas move (PERIOD). If it grows the league who cares. With rosters of 28 teams now have enough players to field a Reserve squad. It will be interesting to just how MLS structures this--withing MLS only or will teams get to play A-League and PDL teams as well.
If this is the case, I have some real concerns about this. If the senior roster stays at 18 and we increase the number of foreign players on the senior roster, the number of American players will be decreased. This is not a good plan, IMHO.
I base this observation on statements made by the Fire GM a few months ago; I have no first hand knowledge. One thing that just might offset any negative impact of just adding DV roster slots while increasing the number of SI's on the number of Americans is that they will be increasing the pay of DV players to something more acceptable (number has not been released). Since DEV roster players can play in regular matches it's really going to be whose playing better that gets playing time--not what roster a player is on. The whole idea of 4 SI and 4 TI's I suspect was hotly debated and it will be interesting to see just how teams will be using these options. My guess is that this is an MLS ploy to allow teams the ability to pander to the ethnic element in their regions. I know that it's been tried before with marginal success but MLS knows that it's got to find a way of getting the non-MLS soccer fan into their stadiums. Improved on field play and more young ethnic talent might just bring in more bodies. Time will tell.
No, they scrapped the "Youth International" classification, but have kept Transitional International -- that's what Dorman, Baker and Brillant were last year.
I believe it has to do with the fact that nearly 100 new players will be needed for next year. Going from 24 to 28 is 4 new players for each of the ten teams = 40, plus two expansion teams at 28 each is 56, for a total of 96. Are there 96 American players that are MLS-ready, without wiping out the A-League? They also hinted at bringing in a few "big name" SI to increase exposure.
Hummmmmmmmmmm, Why does it have to be so complicated? Why not just set a salary cap and let teams buy whomever they want? I might be missing something, but I don't see the reasoning behind all these different classifications of players.
A lot of leagues do this (Serie A, for example, if they still do it?) so their domestic league is made up of a bulk of domestic players, and not full of teams with all foreign players. It works out for some leagues, others choose not to, like Spain- how many Spanish players are on Real Madrid? Raul?
Yes, but that doesn't explain why the two expansion sides get an additional 2 TIs. Is it really possible that there are not four more american players as deserving of those slots as there are foreign players? I seriously doubt it. (I had a nice long post about this prepared a few nights ago, but zapped it and didn't think it was worth the effort).
serie a allows unlimited # of foreign players per team, but only one non-eu player can be bought a year. milan have kaka, dida, shevachenko, serginho, and cafu as non-eu's. la liga allows 3 non-eu's. with the advent of the european union, i dont believe they can say only domestic players or limit other eu players. only turkey and south american leagues (not all) require a certain number of domestic players. as for real, they also have morientes, helguera, salgado, pavon, raul bravo, mejia, celades, and casillas who are all spanish with around 4 of those being regular. a better example would have been arsenal, only 2 english players.
Do you think Chivas/RSL will get a sniff of any of the USMNT pool players on Friday? The only chance they have to be remotely competitive next season is through foreign players. Those 2 additional TIs are not forever, only for 2 years, while the franchises develop.
That is an interesting idea that I hadn't considered. However, almost every year, several national team pool players do come back to the league from overseas, and we've already been hearing about potential returnees. I'm not worried about them being uncompetitive, I'm worried about them being so benefitted by the process that is intended to level the playing field that they gain an unfair advantage. I suppose we'll have a better idea of which it is about halfway through next season.
If they were getting 2 more SIs, I'd say it was unfair. But getting 2 more of Baker/Brillant/Dorman types is not going to make them world-beaters.
Though almost nobody ever takes note of it - that's exactly what happened in 1998. How many times have you heard of an expansion team winning a professional team championship? Not very common.
You're right, though, Jeremy. Either way, we'll know for sure after a few games, and anything before is just speculation. Even if they pick up Mathis, for example, he may not have any more impact than he had for the Metros at the end of the 2003 season. But speculate on... what else is there to do in the off season?
Exactly my point. I think the concessions to the expansion teams are greater this time around, although to date with fewer league shenanigans and a lot shallower expansion draft.
yeah, I meant to agree with you, but I quoted the wrong post. Anyway, IMO 1998 was a sham (as was that year's championship) - but The Bob has been on the receiving end of more than his share of those. This year's doesn't seem to be as overwhelmingly slanted. The crop of exposed players isn't as large and it's hard to imagine that either of the expansion teams are going to be the beneficiacies of players of Nowak's (best MLS player ever?) or Kubik's caliber. But then again, who knows...?