Here's something to think about. Apparently, Newcastle United has almost an entire 11-man team of starters composed of French players. https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/french-abroad.564799/page-30#post-27129401 Compare and contrast.
Remember back a few weeks when there was a discussion about rasicm in soccer due to a friendly between AC Milan and Pro Patria in Italy where the entire Milan team walked off the pitch to protest racist abuse by the Pro Patria supporters directed toward Milan's Kevin Prince-Boateng? Well, the same thing happened Jozy Altidore during a Dutch Cup match between AZ Alkmaar and Den Bosch. The only difference this time was when the referee wanted to call the match, Altidore insisted that the match continue and AZ Alkmaar won 5-0.
Arsenal, Newcastle and whoever milking a player agent connection is completely different than an owner and coach publicly announcing that its their policy to sign a certain color/race/religion/musical preference.
It's also depends on what the labor laws are for the UK. It might be well within a teams rights to discriminate however they want (although unlikely). At the same time the team isn't 100% French players. The whole deal with Chivas is IF they go through with what they want to do. Right now they can spout off all they want, but it's somewhat meaningless until they actually follow through with it.
With Espinoza gone and now Kamara, maybe we can start giving KC their gift basket for 2009 again. http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/kei-kamara-signs-on-loan-628813.aspx
Beckham has signed with PSG. http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/...with-transfer-move-to-paris-st-germain-013113
I might be a little crazy, but I think it's a great move for him. He's going to have to prove he belongs in the starting 11, if he's not able to I think he'll be able to be a solid impact sub. He's a pretty class player, with the only thing I ever disliked was his constant complaining to the refs. He's never been all that well rounded of a player, but the things he was good at, he's truly excelled at.
I think he's only going there to get one more trophy from a different country. PSG is in 1st place with a +26 GD. Ibra is tearing it up, and adding Beckham to the rank should just ensure that they win the league. I'd be more impressed if Beck's final "challenge" was to join a middle of the table team and help them get to the top.
PSG is still in the CL, and I'm guessing he's more interested in winning that then winning League 1. PSG certainly isn't a CL powerhouse when you look at a lot of the teams still in it.
I read that he was donating his salary to charity. While on the surface that's admirable, I started thinking that maybe the money angle for him is spreading his "brand" to Paris for future business ventures. Beckham berets anyone?
He doesn't have to donate his whole salary to spread his influence there. On a mostly unrelated note, I just became friends with a footballer who plays in League One (or whatever it's called) in France, I think. FC Sochaux-something? That was kind of random...
Was this another one of your dates, like the guy who claimed to have been involved with bringing RSL to Utah?
It's likely a move to keep him from having to pay exorbitant French taxes (like 75%) on his other income, which is where he makes most of his money anyway. Speaking of Beckham, check out this letter supposedly from an 8th division Norwegian team to Beckham's agent, soliciting Beckham's services. I don't know if it's real or not but it's definitely hilarious.
I had read that the tax isn't necessarily enforced. Regardless of the reasons, it's still a nice thing to do, and it certainly won't hurt his brand in the slightest. It seems like lately that higher profile players are in it more for trying to cash out on a big check rather than playing for the love of the game. It's a nice change of pace to see someone donate the pay instead of adding it to their already large wealth.
You have to give Beckham credit for such a generous move, regardless of the underlying reason. It does give him a new angle on his complaining the ref - 'Mon dieu Ref! You're taking food out of the mouths of the poor orphans with that bad call..'
Sochaux-Montbéliard. Best team in Franche-Comté. They're set to avoid relegation again this year. Probably. Gonna be awesome. That's where Charlie Davies was playing when he had his accident. Also, Red Bull Arena looks a lot like Sochaux's stadium
That's not saying much when the only other two cities of note are Besancon and Belfort, both soccer powerhouses just waiting to breakout and challenge for the Ligue 1 championship. Franche-Comte, french for BF Nowhere. Kind of like living in Delta, Utah.
Yeah, I guess that joke needed a little context to land. I think Besancon and the amateur club in Belfort would probably be pretty ecstatic with a division 3 championship.
And here I was thinking, some of these people need a life....why in the world would these people know anything about French recreational soccer
Not that anybody who posts regularly on an MLS discussion board can ever claim that someone else "needs a life," and I don't feel the need to justify my interests to anyone, but I used to live there.