Rivaldo leaving Olympiakos...could he be the next DP?

Woa- this is the guy I really wanted to see in NY.

However, he would be great in a number of cities. He's still a very good player. If he didn't lead Greek league in scoring this year, he was close.

New England- please go for this guy. Might finally wake up the Portugal base (ok-Rivaldo's Brazilian...but sometimes it translates....)

Figo- who may also be available- would be likely better for that market (attendence-wise).

 

Rivaldo did score over 10 goals this season, the Greek league is sightly better than MLS. He might not be for two year deal. Maybe Dynamo or Toronto FC might use him, he could be the playmarker or a striker for any those teams.

 

Hmm... normally I wouuldn't want to see my team sign anyone 33 or older, but Rivaldo might be an exception.

 

Rivaldo Available

Rivaldo (yes THAT rivaldo) is now available for free transfer. His contract with Olympiakos has run out and they did not resign him.

He had a press conference today and annoucned that he will not be returning next year. Basically what happened is the owner of the team offered him an insultingly low contract and he got pissed. He will not even be attending celebrations for the championship that Olympiakos won this year. He said that it was not about the money but about the promise.

He was very emotional and even cried during this conference.
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This is bad news for me and the Greek league but potentially good news for MLS.

Rivaldo, although 35 years old is still able to take a game and win it on his own-- he did it many times this year. He will probably want just a little bit over 1 million dollars a year.

What MLS teams have not used their DP and could use a good AMF?

 

Re: Rivaldo Available

Toronto FC. Recently Mo Johnston came out and said that they may very well be using the DP spot this summer after all. Since the fans have shown such great support, the organization is looking to pay them back. And since MLSE (a billion dollar ownership group that counts the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors as its assests) owns the team, money will not be a problem. However, Rivaldo's age, might be. At age 35, how many more years does he have left? Who ever we sign, I think it has to be for about 3 years, since it will give us a chance to compete for the title while having the designated player still with us. In 3 years, do you think Rivaldo will be productive?

 

Re: Rivaldo Available

he will always have his touch but his speed is going away... i know he has one more year in him but i dont know about three

 

Re: Rivaldo Available

I'd say TFC, DC United, or if they could get a DP spot via a trade, Chivas USA.

 

Re: Rivaldo Available

Rivaldo may have lost his speed but he is still a fantastic player who single handedly won the double for olympiakos. His desire is still there and his passing which opened up defences was incredible.
People who have'nt seen him play can't judge him and talk about him being "passed it".
He's still bloody awesome and can still carry the whole team!!! The guy's naturally gifted, ask anyone who has seen him play for olmypiakos

 

Re: Rivaldo Available

They didn't win this double this year.... (though I assume you meant one of the past two years)

I'd be worried about signing Rivaldo for the second half of this year. His age definately shows and I don't think he'd be as good without a decent off-season. That said, a team like TFC would probably be a good fit for him -- they deserve to have a "name" player and his excellent touch would probably help them score some goals.

 

Let him go to Qatar.

 

It is?

 

He would be great for the MLS

Figo and Fowler should come also

 

Definately want him in MLS.

 

The top teams are anywhere from slightly to significantly better than MLS. The rest would have trouble facing a decent MLS side.

 

Rivaldo at DP money would be a waste. If someone put together a Schelotto type of deal it'd be worth a flier, but dropping DP money on someone who is going to be turning 36 seems high risk to say the least.

 

I agree, we have to stop wishing for old players, let's not make this league a over the hill league, please, he might still have some gas left on his tank but if you start bringing players over 33 this league will always be a retirement league, I say 32 tops. no Figo, no Rivaldo, etc.. some exeptions may apply like Zidane tha still played for RM and the Nationl team. let's make it a league where younger players want to come and play.....so let him and every too old to play in good euro leagues players go to japan or qatar.

 

why not? a team that needs his talent can use him for about 2 yeaars and dump him.

 

All you guy's saying he's too old have'nt seen him play this season. He was bloody awesome and scored some fantastic goals. O.K so the guy doesn't have the speed but his vision, opening up defences with his pinpoint passes, and his dedication are still there.He scored over 17 goals alone this season and he had 40 000 fans singing his name in each match. They were pleading him to stay and cries of outrage at the chairman who was letting him go, not bad for a player considered too old for your league!!!!!
Rivaldo is still a world class player and it would be a privilage for any team to have this player. People who have been passing negative judgement on him on this forum don't know anything about this player. Foe ********'s sake he would be a huge asset for any team and could win matches singlehandly.

HE'S ********ING AWESOME AND WILL BE WORTH ANY AMOUNY OF MONEY.......................HE'S PRICELESS.

 

Wait a minute waaaiit a minute!!!! I'm 35! I'm not OVER THE HILL!!!!!!! Quit saying that people!.................it hurts.

 

Rivaldo is one of the best players of all-time(better than Zidane imo). And if he came to the US he would become the best player to ever play in MLS. And from what I've seen of him the last two years he still has the ability to be the best player in MLS. I'd do everything possible to bring him here. He's the type of player that I'd watch no matter who's playing.

 

Rivaldo's current (expired) deal was for around $2.5M annually. There are conflicting reports as to whather Olympiakos offered the same amount for 2007-8 or "about half". Either way, he turned it down. Assuming that they offered the lower amount (somewhere in the $1.2-1.3M range) that's how much Rivaldo turned down. I'd doubt he's gonna sign with an MLS squad for non-DP salary, especially given that Olympiakos will be in the UEFA CL again next year (starting in the Group Stage).

Also, rumour is that rival Greek club AEK is active in pursing him.

 

We are talking DP salary.

 

Ok ill straighten out a few things here as im probably the only one here that follows the greek league.

First off about the greek league being better than MLS. No.. its not at all. Organizationally the league is in shambles. Its completely corrupt and as you can see by the Rivaldo situation the owners are all morons. In the league there is the big 4 that always qualify for CL and UEFA cup, that is the only competition the rest are horrible. Those four teams are Panathinaikos (pao), Olympiakos, AEK, and POAK. The top 2 teams from greece go to the champions leage and # 3 and 4 go to Uefa cup.. This year Olympiakos won the league (10th time in the last 11 years) and AEK got second. PAO and Aris are going to the UEFA cup.

The roumor about him going to AEK is just that. It has been kicked up by the greek media to sell papers.. trust me that will not happen.

Rivaldo will either retire, go to brazil or come to america.. he wont go to qatar or anything becuase if he was gonna do that he would have done it in 2004 when he went to greece. He has enough money now and wants to stay somwhere to settle down. He thought that it was going to be greece and he even brought his family over. I can really see him coming to MLS as it would allow him to have pretty much the same set up he did in greece. He will play his heart out (trust me on this one i can prove it) and be worshipped by the fans. And he will be able to live out his days with his children getting a good education and all that good stuff.
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All of this information comes from me being a huge fan of olympiakos (see my avatar) and thus a close follower of my idol rivaldo.


ps. Rivaldo scored 2 goals and had 2 assists in his final game on sunday... and that was the day AFTER the press conference when he annoucned he would not be returning. If this does not show that he plays full out every game i dont know what does.

All said Rivaldo, although 35 years old would be a great addition to MLS and would NO DOUBT sell tickets to whatever team is smart enough to sign him.

 

Yeah, I think I want Rivaldo now. Better than most other options I've heard for TFC so far. Robbie Fowler, Tomasz Radsinski, Paul Stalteri would be good, but I'd rather go with Rivaldo.