USSF threatens "replacement players" for Feb. qualifier

Oh my God, are you kidding me? We go on and on about how we'll overtake hockey, and now look at us.



AND they canceled the Janruary friendlies? Jaysus and Bogorah.



I want to laugh, but I can't.

 

As this board's chief alarmist, I feel it is my solemn duty to...

Brush my teeth and quietly go to bed.

 

Why is it that the sports that cannot afford to pull this **************** (and subsequently, the two sports I love the most. ) are the ones that are most pigheaded in these situations?

 

Replacement players? What are we talking about here--Canadians? Hatians?

 

The same problem US Soccer has always had with the various amateur soccer governing bodies not being in step with MLS and the professionals.

When you don't generate a ton of money like the NFL, all the various fiefdoms just want to GUARANTEE their share of what money there is. They have no interest in the uncertainty yet potential wealth of the future (if they all commit to a long-term partnership working from the youth ranks upward, which MLS is mostly doing by itself right now), thinking only that revenue will drop no matter what. So they seek to lock in a guaranteed sum/percentage before the iron entirely cools off.

That ultimately may destroy professional ice hockey in North America.

 

I for one see pieces of the sky falling.

 

I like this. If the players have a right to strike for a new contract, then employers have a right to replace them.

Tonight, I'll have to through the players thread and see who is mad at the USSF for using their rights while supporting the players using theirs.

Sachin

 

i'm sure we could find 20 BS posters who'd be interested in donning the USMNT jersey and travel to T&T to play. sign me up as a second half sub who doesn't mind coming off the bench in about the 78th minute.

our performance could be one of heart and inspiration, but more likely would be a preformance that would cause both sides to come together to get the real players on the field and qualify the US in hex games 2-8,9or10.

 

That sound you hear in the background is Bruce Arena banging his head against the wall.

 

Does Ryan Coiner still post on YA? Let's use him as a scapegoat and all neg rep him and send him nasty pms until he can't take it anymore and forces the rest of them to strike a deal.



******** YEAH!!!

 

Poor effort at tounge in cheek.


Read the edit.

 

I don't know all the details of negotiations, but it would seem like the situation is a toughy. Right now each side probably thinks it has a leg up on the other.

The players probably think a potential loss of World Cup revenue gives them the advantage, but they may be discounting the fact that the vast majority of the USSF operating budget comes from the grass roots.

The federation may feel like they have the players' careers in hand, but in the current national team 95% of the players are either too old to care about big moves abroad, already have them, or are young enough to play for another country. Remember, the VAST majority of Americans qualify for dual or alternate citizenship in another country.

Even the African-American players. Liberia and Ghana have offered dual citizenship to all African-Americans. How well would we do with Gaven in Ireland, Adu in Ghana, Szetela for Poland, etc. Obviously, none of those players are really in play for '06 but hopefully you get my point.

Here's to hoping these guys start respecting each other and get it right. Going into qualifying with no warmup matches is not good. Not good at all.

 

What happend?Seriously what happend? WHos fault is it. Is it because players want money what?This could be big trouble if they dont get a deal done.

 

I hope both sides realize they can't let this happen.

 

Well there is always an agreement but, how would we qualify if we have to use College players especially going to Mexico they can beat us 8-0.

 

We all lose. That's the story here, as it is with many bilateral monopolies. Forgoing two tune-ups against good competition - two games that players like Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, Eddie Gaven, and Ricardo Clark needed to get acclimated to Bruce's system - is going to hurt us in the long run.

Frankly, there are positions on this roster that need turnover. There are very good options just waiting to step in. All they need is an opportunity. Options like Alecko Eskandarian and Edson Buddle who could really fill a need on the US team will now have to wait at least 6 more months before even getting a sniff on the US roster. Because Bruce aint changing ship in the Hex.

I don't blame either side for using whatever leverage they have in negotiations. On the surface, the USSF has a lot more leverage. They can live, quite nicely in fact, without the Men's team in the World Cup. The players, OTOH, really only hurt themselves.

I hope this is resolved quickly.

 

How the ******** could they let this go a whole year without resolution?