http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/dc0730stoitchkov.html ...leaving Ivanov and Nelsen as our only Senior Internationals. Part of Goff's story has panned out. I'm hoping the other part does, as well.
Just from a developmental standpoint, I deplore how many green card holders there on on MLS rosters. Since the number of teams hasn't expanded, the effect is to reduce the number of roster slots for native born citizens who learned the game in the States (as opposed to guys like Stoichkov and Etcheverry). That said, Hristo getting a green card clearly helps DCU. I think the Pavon deal is getting more likelier by the minute. That also raises the issue of who on the 18 man roster would be cut. I'm guessing it would be Chino.
he's good and all, btu do we really want someone named "shit" to be on our team? imagine the metroscum fans: "You're shiite and you know it . . . shiite and you know it." What can Kaka say to that?
What's up with the red (or is that maroon) jersey Hristo is wearing in the pic on MLSnet.com I didn't know you all had anything but a black and a white. Just curious.
Congrats Hristo! Wow! A Green Card for Stoitchkov - it will look nice with all the yellow and red cards he's collected over the years.
Well, we're not getting Kaka. If Pavon is anything like he was 2 years ago, he will be a HUGE step up from our current crop of non-scoring forwards. The red jerseys were worn against Blackburn last week.
excellent. maybe you should ditch the white and wear the red when not wearing black. i.e. "the red and black"
First off. It is Black and Red. Black, then Red. This name is hokey, I don't like it, but I CAN and WILL defend it. For those of you too young or too old to remember: the first match ever played in MLS was DC United at San Jose. The uniforms worn by the fabled "Black and Red" for that match were as follows: Black top, Red Shorts. This set was worn for roughly 1/3rd of the matches the "Black and Red" played the first season and a handful in 1997 also. Hence, the term is steeped in...well, maybe wading in tradition. And for the record, our relatively new third top (the one some call Maroon and some call Red) is actually PINK. We're the Pink and Black. Get your facts straight people! Cheers, Tim
Personally, I prefer to think that the foreign players improve the quality of play and would only replace the player at the end of the bench who could probably stand the game time in the A-league. I believe that improving the quality of play will do more for MLS than keeping the 18th roster spot for a marginal US player. What is Chino's status? Is he following the Faria model or is he having visa problems. It would be tough to lose a family member and then your job.
I've fallen and I can't get up! No, that's Etcheverry reaching for him to stop him from falling. He dropped his walker. In all seriousness, that old bulgarian could still kick any of our asses and outrun the mob of our friends (although my friends would probaby just sit around and say "Wow, Stoichkov kicked your ass. Cool.")
I disagree. First off, the only thing that's going to help development is developmental rosters, not developmental slots. Secondly, in order to earn a green card, a foreign player has to have some very non-tenuous connection to the United States. Specifically, Etcheverry and Stoitchkov have demonstrated sincere commitment to helping develop soccer in this country. So they get a pass in my book. Frankly, if you want to help development in this country, the answer is not cutting out green card holders, it's increasing roster sizes, instituting reserve teams and expansion, in that order. I don't know--the latest on Pavon is that he's waffling because he wants to play in Mexico next year. Unfortunately for him, I think you're right--Chino is a likely cut. Nobody else gives you the combination of roster space and much-less-than-optimal production. The thing about Chino is that I like him. He's all heart, he bleeds black-and-red, and you always get 110% effort out of him. It's a shame, but he just really isn't an MLS-quality player--at least not for this team.
From a legal standpoint it is unlawful to discriminate against permanent residents, ie green card holders, for employment purposes. The only exceptions are those jobs where citizenship is required by federal or state law. So MLS is just complying with the law by not counting green card holders as internationals. Speaking from personal experience getting a green card is a pretty ardous process for most people, so I think the actual impact that this has on MLS is likely pretty minimal. The 'youth / international' slots that allow the likes of Alegria to not count as internationals probably have a bigger impact on young US players, if anything.
I'm not advocating discrimination. And there are some green card holders who came to the USA at an early age. But the USSF supported the creation of MLS primarily to develop US soccer talent. The more green card players there are, the fewer roster spots there are for native citizens. Let's look at DCU just as an example: Kovalenko, Stoichkov, Etcheverry, Geddes. Add in the TI's (Quintanilla and Alegria) and the SI's (Nelsen, Ivanov) and that means 1/3rd of the roster are primarily guys who were born outside the USA and developed their game outside the USA (Nelsen and Geddes push that a bit) and only Kovalenko and I think Geddes aren't inelligible to play for the USA. Again, I'm not arguing green card holders are bad people or MLS should discriminate somehow. I just wish there weren't so many green card holders in MLS. The way it operates in MLS, the green card is often a loophole around the SI limit (much like subbing your GK is a loophole around the 4 subs).