the trouble caused by those who own Cruz Azul ('firing' all their players), and the fact that many of their players walked out has caused a rift between Mexico and Conmebol. Many of the players who walked out were those registered to compete on Copa Libertadores (and cannot be replaced)....Unless a solution is quicly brought up, Cruz Azul could be forced to retire from the competition.South American officials have already claimed this whole ordeal is damaging the respect and credibility of the Libertadores...Besides, Mexican participation in Libertadores ended this year (according to the present deal) The CONMEBOL willingness to re-up is up in the air....The big question would be ....can we take advatage of this and be the ones in their place? (it's only about $1 million in 'bribing' the Venezuelan teams into making two spots available to MLS teams <after playing against them fair and square of course> and having CONMEBOL accept us
Sorry to break it to you but Mexico allready re upped there deal with Venezuela. I believed it was for 5 years.
MLS is in cheap mode right now, I can't see us realistically making a bid for Copa Libertadores rights until 2007, 2008...maybe as long as 2010. I'd like to see us get youth and reserve teams before we go balls to the wall and try to get Libertadores rights. Beyond that, I'm not sure whose rights we could even attempt to buy out because Mexico will always get the Venezuelan ones. Peru? Bolivia? I'm not so sure they'd be interested in selling out their rights--it would likely depend on who needs the money at the time.
Whatever chance we had, the Columbus Crew just blew.......... Since the game's not on TV, I'll just give the result, they lost to a freaking Panamanian team 2-1.
As soon as we show that our inclusion will make $millions for the organizers of this tournament, we're in. Rules? Slots? Ha! Money talks, the rest is all just window dressing.
I agree. Although MLS teams may be able to compete with SA clubs, our rosters are not deep enough to be able to withstand the rigors of a full tournament concurrent with MLS league play, especially with the travel that would be involved. Also, we need to stabilize stadium situations before we try this. Southlake just doesn't do the Lib justice, nor does Gillette covered in snow in Feb. Even if an MLS team were successful, would SA argue that our single-entity system unfairly loaded one team with talent? As much as I love the Copa Lib, and want MLS teams to do well in international competition, I think it should remain a South American tournament. If Mexican teams were denied entry to Copa Lib, we might be able to turn Concacaf Champions Cup into a nice little continental competition, and put an end to those awful Mexican challenge series ideas.
quit cryin' about it. it's just one game. YOU didn't see it. you don't know how good or not so good the Panamanians are. it was the crew's first competitive match. it doesn't make or break anything.
I just don't think that we deserve to be in libertadores cup, LOOK we get spanked really badly by poor concacaf clubs
Huh? A single-entity systems does the opposite of loading one team with talent. That's just the point--Mexican teams aren't denied entry to Copa Libertadores, because they pay their way in with money. They just renewed their contract for 5 years and have almost won the whole thing with Cruz Azul. Their inclusion in the tournament is starting to become tradition. Over the next five years or so we're going to have to deal with winning CONCACAF Champion's Cup etc....until we get more stadiums. But can anyone imagine River Plate vs. Metrostars in New York? Or Boca Juniors vs. LA Galaxy in LA? Or Tigres vs. Dallas Burn in Dallas? That would be the $hit.
Dude, look outside, the sky is falling. We've already won the CONCACAF Cup twice--with LA and DCU. Our season doesn't even start until next month---the teams are still in pre-season. Around 2007-2010 we'll find our way into the Libertadores, with even better teams that we have now.
That doesn't mean they won't accuse us of doing so. I realize they're on for 5 more years, but it can't hurt to hope that over those years the relationship will sour. Can we look any futher ahead than 1-2 years?
Hey Dude my response is to the thread. Is it 2007-2010 ? No it ain't . This MLS teams new in Oct 2002 they will be in this competition, so your excuse means nothing
With the economy of South America, they are not in a position to be rejecting good Mexican money to get into the tourney. Venezuela is really the only big South American country that doesn't give a $hit about soccer. As mentioned, even lower tier countries like Peru and Bolivia would not exactly be jumping at the opportunity to sell out their rights. I think the long term way to get in is to keep having success at the international level with MLS players, however feasible that is. The USA national team constantly turning down Copa America invites also doesn't help out our standing with CONMEBOL.
Well in time you'll learn to temper your expectations. Just 13 years ago we participated in our first World Cup in 40 years. The professional league has only been around for 8 years..... We can't automatically think we're going to rule the world so soon....especially when our teams are in pre-season form.
Isn't the Copa Libetadores a South American tournament? I think it is and this is just a pet peeve of mine, but Mexico or the USA shouldn't compete in a CONEMBOL tournament, we are in CONCACAF. Thats just my opinion.
Besides Venezuela it's highly doubful that any of the other Conmebol members would sell their Libertadores spots. The thing with Venezuela is that unlike the other 9 countries, soccer is not its national sport, baseball is. Look, even the weaker teams like Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru have high hopes in the tournament, they can dream, besides, Peruvian teams has reached the final twice, so the Ecuadorians; Bolivians always have solid runs, specially at home at the high altitude of La Paz. There's no way they're selling their spots. The possibility that I see for MLS, and I'm sure the Mexicans are thinking the same thing, is down the road convince Conmebol to get at least 1 or 2 official spots in the tournament. As other people has said before in this thread, it's all about the money, although the target should not be the other 9 countries, but the powers that be in Conmebol, those guys would sell their mother for the right price.
about the deal with Ven. teams First of all, i think most (if not all) of the money Mexico pays to enter the cup goes to the Venezuelan clubs who put their spots in play by having home and away matches with the Mexican clubs... IF CONMEBOL is annoyed that the prestige of their tournament is being hit too hard by the actions of some Mexican front office guy who thinks a soccer team works exactly like a corporation, they could exclude the Mexicans from competing. Second, the Mexican get their investment back by not only playing the PRE pre or pre lib in American soil, but by also selling or loaning players to Europe. After all, after the Champions League and UEFA cup, the Lib is the most important international competion, and therefore the most important window for those European scouts coming to this side of the world....Why else did Blanco, Palencia, Almaguer, etc had a chance to play in Spain?
Re: about the deal with Ven. teams This is exactly why long term we need to try and find a way into it.
Finally, if MLS had the chance to participate they do not necassarily have to place their champion and 2nd place team in the competition....Here's an idea: have those with a somewhat manageable stadium situation compete for 2 spots (i guess those teams would be the Galaxy, Crew, Revolution and Rapids) As time goes on, things could change and we'd have more teams (like the Metro-hopefully- and Dallas) with stadiums and hence ability to compete.... By the way, I do not think LA or Columbus would be terrible playing in South America... I can see them doing a decent job right now (on the current edition of the cup) To whoever said Columbus was awful for losing to a Panamanian team...does this mean whenever we beat a Mexican club we are better than them and deserve automatic qualification to the LIB? NO, all i meant to say by starting this thread was that : -there is a window of opportunity (not great but there) -that i really do not see this as a great finacial gamble (actually we could get cash off by : selling players/ selling tickets if we play a good team or one with many fans in the area/advancing - and that we would no embarrass ourselves (as someone said) playing
What the hell is MLS waiting to get into Lib.cup.I am sick of watching shitty South American teams playing each other year after year. You'd get me out to stadium if had river plate came out to play, otherwise I find MLS just too boring,lame crowds and I can't stand them playing during the summer. I don't stay at home during the summer to watch games,I go to beach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing, it makes sense that since you're tired of watching these $hitty South American teams playing each other year after year that you would be much more likely to watch a boring MLS team play a $hitty South American team. My favorite part of your post was when you told us where you go over the summer. Excellent post! To all people who think MLS is boring and the fans are lame by all means don't come to the games.
CONCACAF CUP is rubbish. The real deal is COPA LIBERTADORES and the MLS and US SOCCER should do whatever it takes to get into that tournament, even though the MLS teams would probably get spanked. I love seeing River, Boca or similiar teams of that caliber play in here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yes thats right the MLS needs the Latin support!!!!