Can MLS clubs acquire players anytime they choose... or is there a deadline? For example.. Could a DC united decide to sign a player from X country toward the last couple weeks of the season?
Well, I didn't formally request a copy of the MLS rulebook, but I believe that Rule 1 in the book is the following.... 1. If the league wants to make a move in either picking a player up or selling a player, it will make whatever allocations, whatever roster spots, etc., available that is needed to accomplish that task. In regards to your question, my best guess is that they would need an allocation if they wanted to do a midseason acquistion like this. As a result, if they didn't have one, they could trade with various teams (whomemver hasn't used all of theirs) to get one. However, a player can just sign with the league and go into a dispersal draft of sorts, I think. I guess I really don't know, but regardless, if he is good enough and worth the money, they will draft exception 34(a)23b(3) to whatever rule is in place.
Nice to see you back on the BigSoccer Boards. Anytime anyone uses the words "rules" and "MLS" in the same sentence, be suspicious - very suspicious. MLS is, at best, a "work in progress" and the "rules" have proved to be illusive, and elastic. They are also not transparent - you can't find them and won't be given a copy if you ask for them. I "think" there is a roster freeze date (maybe going into the playoffs) which prevents teams from reconfiguring themselves for the playoffs. Right now, I'll be darned if I can remeber or figure out how I got that idea. MAybe it was a BigSoccer rumor. Maybe I just fixed on that because it seemed like there ought to be such a rule. In any event, that's my impression (but don't bet on it being true.) Example: I follow the LA Galaxy as my club side. At the begining of the season, the League sold LA defender Greg Vanney to the French team, Bastia. I understand that the League then gave Galaxy an "allocation" slot, which Galaxy has not used yet. That is the "slot" that Galaxy hopes to fill with a Korean national team player - if they can ever make that deal. Now, to put your very reasonable question in perspective: Can LA fill that slot now, with only 4 games left in the regular season, or even later, during the playoffs? Darned if I know. I assume that since the team has been playing short-handed the whole year they could fill the slot now - but it sure seems weird that LA could bring in a (potentially) very good player this late in the day. How does this work in the Mexican League? Can the teams change players at any point, or is there a cut off date? Again, good to see you back.
Basically what that means is....a player must be registered by the FMF the day before the start of the season. It goes into details, but that is the message its trying to get across. after the season is over, the FMF general secretary opens and teams can register 4 players. In article 18, its says that during the Apertura and Clausura tournaments... previous to being certifed by the gen. sec. of the FMF a team can register a Mexican-born player only if he has never participated in the first or second division..but they still have to present the required paperwork. Also, if a players (Mexican or international) is injured and ruled out permanantly by the FMF medial committe or dies, the team that holds his contract can register another player. a team can sign anyone to a contract...at anytime.... but being elgible to play is a different issue altogether...
Thanks for the information. Obviously the Mexican League is more mature and has had time to iron these things out. Those of us who are MLS supporters look forward to the day when MLS will also operate under clear cut and dried rules. Until then, we put up with a certain amount of .... ambiguity.
For better or worse.. the FMF's regulations and statutes do allow for it to change when needed. Whether loopholes are abused or not..i think they should be there. It would be a tragedy to have everything (rules, procedures) set in stone knowing that a rule may cripple it. I think in that aspect, the FMF functiones well. There are a lot of internal problems (to be expected). Every season, new ideas are implented, but that is just the process of growing. Some ideas work, and some dont...
Should LA, NE, Chicago or the Metros want a player, the league will bend over backwards and break their own rules to get them their guy. Other teams need not apply. At least it seems that way.