Said on GameNight tonight that a Howard transfer was a "travesty" for MLS, called it ludicrous that the one thing the league needs to do - build the league through its stars - they're not doing. Of course, all my support to Howard, but if I'm not going to see him play week in and week out what does it matter?
Shep must think we are all stupid like him. This is a man who is a players agent and he says Timmy Howard should not go . I am sure if Shep was his agent thats the advise he would be giving Timmy. Give me a break, Shep is talking out of the 2 sides of his mouth. Shep would say anything that he thinks Metro Stars fans want to hear. Its about the only way he holds his job. He is terrible and getting worse everyday.
Shep was talking in terms of what was best for the league, not what was best for Timmy. Im sure that if he was in Tim's situation he would leave on a dime. I agree with him, if I was the league I wouldn't sell. But there's also so much you can do to keep a guy and since Timmy is already close to the max(if not THE max) there's nothing more the league could offer him, so there's really nothing they can do BUT sell. Making Tim stay would only sour things up and in the long run Tim may not want to resign once his contract is up in retaliation and they'll lose out on transfer money.
I think a better definition of "travesty" is the officiating in tonight's game. You can't blame MLS for this. Why don't you call Shep and ask him to point out in the next telecast what they could have done differently? The League's biggest "stars" are Donovan, McBride, Mathis and Beasley and guess what....they're still with MLS.
And if I was making the same argument a month ago (and guess what...I have!) you would've put Howard on that list. One man down is still one man down. We don't know what will happen to Mathis either. (You're right. I oughta get Shep on the phone more often. )
What are you talking about? Have you seen the ads, posters, games, etc. We've got a plethora of young stars, of which Tim is one, and if he (or any of the others) can get a multimillion dollar transfer to Manchester United, that is not a travesty, but a success story.
Get use to the idea of the MLS being a farm team for the stronger divisions! As long as there is a salary cap in place in the MLS, players are always going to be lured to leagues where they can get the big bucks (pounds, yen, marks, pasos).
Shep is a big DUMMY! The guy is trying to make himself look good to the Metrostars supporters which is not working and will never work. How the guy is doing TV telecasts next to the best soccer commentator this country is beyond me. It's not like a no-name German club is offering to buy the guy. The young kids coming up to replace the veterans are very skilled and charismatic. Guys like Mathis,Donovan and Beasley leaving won't be as big a problem as a lot of people are making it to be. Timmy will give Friedel a run for his money a lot sooner than people think.
Two words: Manchester United. I'd like MLS to hang on to their stars, but come on. This is the ultimate no-brainer.
Shep is a fool! First of all, I'm sick and tired of hearing that the league is "only" 8 years old. So what? Just like kids today, who mature faster than ever, so should this league. It's time MLS got with the world program. The sooner the league grows up, the better. If MLS wants to be taken seriously internationally, it's got to begin playing the transfer game for real. Second, if the U.S. doesn't want to lose its stars, there's an easy answer. Lift the cap, get some fresh ownership and money in the league to pay the American players good wages, and go out and sign some international superstars and bring them over. You don't have to allow clubs to go crazy like the NASL, but there's room on each team for one or two big shots. When expansion occurs and the league eventually doubles, you're going to need to fill those rosters anyway. Why not try to do it with some of the best? Third, start marketing the league all over the place. This country has more marketing savvy than any other. MLS needs to hire some brain-power in the advertising area. (Is there a soccer equivalent to Pete Rozelle out there to run the show?) Finally, specific to the Tim Howard matter, the one thing the U.S. is breeding like rabbits are fine goalkeepers. It's the one soccer export we can give to the world that can be easily replenished. Don't sweat it.
Keep all the field players at home, sell all the keepers to the highest bidder. It's the one position I feel truly benefits from going abroad. For now.
Shep or schlepp? First of all,.....Shep is an ex-con. Secondly, Tim's transfer is a win, win, win situation. Firstly, MLS will get some cash and some great PR for the transfer. Maybe the rest of the world will take MLS a little more seriously with clubs like Man. U. calling around. The transfer is great for Tim. He will be able to tend goal for a great club in a great league and earn considerably more money with United than he would have with MLS. Could you imagine how bitter he would be if he was denied this opprotunity! In this sense, MLS really had no choice. Man. U. gets a great keeper with huge upside. He is only 23/24. In 7-8 years he will be in his prime! They can now rid themselves of Barthez. Like Bruce Arena with Jeff Agoos, I do not know what Sir Alex saw in Barthez.
I am sure that Shep is going to hear from some of his clients on this one. Shep as a players agent supporting a leagues right to pay a player about 270 when he can get a much better deal somewhere else. That is not the actions of a good players agent. ( but then again would you buy a used car from Shep, no way Jose) Also Shep wants to stand in the way of a young player who may become a huge star at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Why was it that JP Dellacamera had nothing to say did he not have any feelings on this subject. I think Shep watched Tommy Smyth on MLS half time and wanted to go bang against Smyth. This way he would win brownie points with Metro managment and the fans. Sorry Shep we know where you are really coming from, we even remember you playing with the Cosmos.
I was flabbergasted when Shep said that. MLS is not close to any of the major leagues in Europe in status, competition or (most importantly) money, and the league has to recognize that. This isn't "selling off young stars", it's recognizing the economics of the game and realizing that this move is (a) incredibly good for Howard, and (b) a step toward global respect of MLS as a serious league, which in the long term improves the talent pool as more players come here to improve their chance of hitting the big time. If MLS was in it just to sell talent, we wouldn't have Donovan, McBride, Beasley, or about a dozen other players in the league right now. So it sucks for us that it was Howard, and not any of those others, who got this deal -- doesn't make it a valuable deal all around.
First off - Shep needs some serious make-up he looks green and creepy. When HDTV becomes the norm he will only look greener and creepier. Second off - Donovan, Mathis, and Beasly are solid players. If they were as good as everyone is saying they are they would already be gone as is Howard.
Shep is right in a sense. MLS should try to keep some of its stars so that they can be a league full of domestic stars. But, the chance to move to Man U is a very rare thing. Even if Timmy isn't on the first team from the start, he could be loaned to another team in the EPL. Inter did the same thing with Frey. They loaned him for a year, sold Peruzzi, and gave him the starting spot. Sure Toldo is the starter now, but Frey is currently playing for Parma. Same goes with Pirlo.
shep normaly walks around looking something like a hells angel. his hair is combed just for MSG broadcasts.
It doesnt take much to ruffle feathers here. What Messing said was it was a great move for Tim Howard but not for the league. What he meant was for the fans of the league. What he says is right one of the best players in the league is leaving the league. Its great for Tim but sucks for the ticket paying customer. When you go to a metros game you will be seeing a lesser talent in goal for the same ticket price. Many of you on here are hypocrites. You were the same people bitching about the lack of quality players on the metros weeks ago and now all of a sudden you have no problem with the best player on the team leaving in the middle of the season. I can just see it next month when the new goalie lets in a soft goal and all of you are bitching about that goalies talent. Save it .
Re: Re: Shep must've been reading my posts Our Man behind the bar at Nathan Hale's concurs. He thought Shep was a wanker for making that spiel. A chance comes to play for one of the top teams in the world, you take it. If you're a player,you take it. That said, Tim kept us in the match till we got our legs back in the 2nd half. Getting the point was a team effort, but I have to wonder if another keeper could have kept us close enough to get the job done. We'll find out soon enough.
He said the Confed Cup was a meaningless waste of time and it was ridiculous to be taking MLS guys out of their league games for it - or something to that effect.
If you think about it, it really is a waste of time and a setback to our league. Its nice that there are these tourneys that we can constantly measure our team with the best, but at some point(and specially our league) we have to say enough is enough. And I dont think Shep, or MLS is alone in this. Every club team in every league thinks this, and they are on VACATION when these tourneys take place. Imagine if it was right in the middle of their season where 1/2 of their team misses 8 games? Its not only confed cup, its gold cup. world cup and soon it will be copa america, so now EVERY YEAR the best players will go missing for 1-1 1/2 months. Seems kinda like a rip off to the fans, clubs, league, and possibly even the players. The only one that wins is the USSF.