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View Full Version : The Latvian League... a hiddden source of Talent?



Bombonera
04-11-2010, 10:05 AM
No offence to anyone, but considering the fact that we have a strong currency (yup, the CAD is worth something these days..) and we now have a grass field, why in the world are we hiring out of the Latvian League?

THere are a lot of players out there (particularly in South America) that would would play for $'s and whose names can actually be pronounced.

WHat in the wide world of sports is going on here? What am I missing? :flare:

deeznutz
04-11-2010, 10:06 AM
I call for a TFC FAN fund raiser to sign someone from the EPL maybe a whole team! ;)

nfitz
04-11-2010, 10:11 AM
MLS players are paid in US$ aren't they? Surely this would make Canada a more difficult sell given that the spending power of players living in Canada has dropped so much in the last few years.

Might help MLSE spend a bit more though ... if they can avoid the cap.

Bombonera
04-11-2010, 10:14 AM
THe strong CAD means that regrdless of currency, the player costs us less. We live and pay for our tickets, Beer, etc., in CAD.

nfitz
04-11-2010, 10:17 AM
Yes it does ... ; but with the cap limitations (which are set in US$) then we can't spend more on players (except DPs). And the player who was earning US$100K last year that was worth CAN$110K is now only getting CAN$100.

torontocelt
04-11-2010, 10:23 AM
No offence to anyone, but considering the fact that we have a strong currency (yup, the CAD is worth something these days..) and we now have a grass field, why in the world are we hiring out of the Latvian League?

THere are a lot of players out there (particularly in South America) that would would play for $'s and whose names can actually be pronounced.

WHat in the wide world of sports is going on here? What am I missing? :flare:



In the uk if you want to sign a guy outside of the EU who does not have an EU passport the player has to have played for his country a certain % in order to get a work permit. What are the rules for players coming here? The reason I ask is these players do not seem to have to have represented their country to come and play in NA? I take it this rule does not exist here?

Bombonera
04-11-2010, 10:26 AM
Regardless... What is up with these signings? Both players apparenly rep'd by the same guy? What is this a 2 for 1?

I kind of Like Gomez and Sangyang (MR. Red Card), but weren't they also a rather strange 2 for 1 that came out of nowhere?

Gambia, Latvia, now what?

LesH
04-11-2010, 11:01 PM
No offence to anyone, but considering the fact that we have a strong currency (yup, the CAD is worth something these days..) and we now have a grass field, why in the world are we hiring out of the Latvian League?

THere are a lot of players out there (particularly in South America) that would would play for $'s and whose names can actually be pronounced.

WHat in the wide world of sports is going on here? What am I missing? :flare:

The bolded remark sounds insulting for people with roots in Eastern Europe, even if they have an "easy name for you".
It's easy to pronounce any name, you just need to have the will to do it. :rolleyes:

And yes, there are a ton of talent in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe plus the countries formed after the USSR broke to pieces.
In some second divisions of equal quality with MLS - of course not Latvia, but maybe Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and first divisions of weaker football countries there are a lots of very good players conform MLS standards who are making no more than $100,000 per year.

A very important aspect is that eastern European leagues are a lot more physical than latin American leagues.
A typical eastern European player has native football skills (technique!) in between the north & central western European players' and South-American players', and physical qualities also between these two opposites.

Everybody knows north & central west Euro players are physically lot more strong than South Americans, who of course technically are a lot more skilled.

Any conclusion for anybody if it's worth or not to seriously scout in central and eastern Europe's former commie countries?

Serb_Star
04-11-2010, 11:26 PM
This thread is kind of ignorant, why does it matter what league he comes from? good players can come from anywhere.

This reminds me of when Man United got Vidic and people we're saying "who? why did we get this no-name from some no-name club?".

SiguenzaFC
04-12-2010, 01:00 AM
both rabies and usanov played in Latvia but how did they get discovered? we dont got any scouts so we must be using a scouting network service.

If so, TFC should look everywhere. There is even an Indian player at KC who -from what Ive read- is gonna be a really good MLS player Sunil Chetri (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunil_Chhetri)

The 6 yard box (http://the6-yardbox.blogspot.com/)

Shakes McQueen
04-12-2010, 01:19 AM
So, one of them has played one game (a day or two after being acquired), and the other has yet to kit up for us - and we are already criticizing where we got them from?

I understand that sensitivities are high, given how bleak this season looks, but come on. This is patently ridiculous.

I wish we would trial more players from South America, but I also have no problem with signing players from fucking Timbuktu, if they can get the job done.

- Scott

UltraSuperMegaMo
04-12-2010, 01:35 AM
THe strong CAD means that regrdless of currency, the player costs us less. We live and pay for our tickets, Beer, etc., in CAD.

The league pays the wages, players don't cost the team anything. I guess the strong CAD off sets JDG salary some, most of which is paid by the team.


I kind of Like Gomez and Sangyang (MR. Red Card), but weren't they also a rather strange 2 for 1 that came out of nowhere?

They were touted allover the league by their agent. The MLS has strong connections to West Africa.

It's very easy to say that TFC should sign more player from South America, forgetting that Vitti was something of a disaster, but I think none of us actually have an real insight into the complexities of bringing players to league from abroad.

Cashcleaner
04-12-2010, 06:50 AM
The bolded remark sounds insulting for people with roots in Eastern Europe, even if they have an "easy name for you".
It's easy to pronounce any name, you just need to have the will to do it. :rolleyes:

And yes, there are a ton of talent in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe plus the countries formed after the USSR broke to pieces.
In some second divisions of equal quality with MLS - of course not Latvia, but maybe Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and first divisions of weaker football countries there are a lots of very good players conform MLS standards who are making no more than $100,000 per year.

A very important aspect is that eastern European leagues are a lot more physical than latin American leagues.
A typical eastern European player has native football skills (technique!) in between the north & central western European players' and South-American players', and physical qualities also between these two opposites.

Everybody knows north & central west Euro players are physically lot more strong than South Americans, who of course technically are a lot more skilled.

Any conclusion for anybody if it's worth or not to seriously scout in central and eastern Europe's former commie countries?

I gotta agree with LesH on this. I know that Latvia isn't exactly a soccer powerhouse, but neither is Canada and yet we've got a few outstanding players here and there. If a player has the talent and initiative, and wants the opportunity to play for Toronto FC, I'd say their country of origin has little to do with anything.

Lucky Strike
04-12-2010, 07:35 AM
No offence to anyone, but considering the fact that we have a strong currency (yup, the CAD is worth something these days..) and we now have a grass field, why in the world are we hiring out of the Latvian League?

THere are a lot of players out there (particularly in South America) that would would play for $'s and whose names can actually be pronounced.

WHat in the wide world of sports is going on here? What am I missing? :flare:


The bolded remark sounds insulting for people with roots in Eastern Europe, even if they have an "easy name for you".
It's easy to pronounce any name, you just need to have the will to do it. :rolleyes:

And yes, there are a ton of talent in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe plus the countries formed after the USSR broke to pieces.
In some second divisions of equal quality with MLS - of course not Latvia, but maybe Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and first divisions of weaker football countries there are a lots of very good players conform MLS standards who are making no more than $100,000 per year.

A very important aspect is that eastern European leagues are a lot more physical than latin American leagues.
A typical eastern European player has native football skills (technique!) in between the north & central western European players' and South-American players', and physical qualities also between these two opposites.

Everybody knows north & central west Euro players are physically lot more strong than South Americans, who of course technically are a lot more skilled.

Any conclusion for anybody if it's worth or not to seriously scout in central and eastern Europe's former commie countries?


I gotta agree with LesH on this. I know that Latvia isn't exactly a soccer powerhouse, but neither is Canada and yet we've got a few outstanding players here and there. If a player has the talent and initiative, and wants the opportunity to play for Toronto FC, I'd say their country of origin has little to do with anything.

Not to pimp myself and my thoughts, but something I wrote a little while back may help to understand both viewpoints.


I think it's important to read the followng when discussing incoming transfer targets and rumours. I believe it would help avoid a common argument in these cases. And please understand, it's not meant to insult or offend anyone. Here goes:

There are two approaches to signing players and it can be frustrating to read and discuss because advocates of each, both don't understand the other position and it becomes like an Abbott and Costello routine.

Position #1: We should get players from X place in the world (say South America, to use a common example) because they're inexpensive or their style of play would suit us/help the team.

Position #2: It shouldn't matter where players come from so long as they're good and help the team.

Position #1 doesn't actually, truly care where a player comes from, but is simply pointing out that they think the team would be further helped by signing a South American player (to continue using the example) because you get good talent for your money, which is important in a cap world. There exist other similar rationales as well to explain advocating signing a player from a particular region of the world.

Position #2 largely believes in/understands the same principles as Position #1 but just doesn't specify so in its analyses/arguments. Position #2 often (but not always, so don't jump on me :D) misinterprets Position #1 as being "ethnically driven" (touchy term but I couldn't think of another one) or being prejudiced (the word has negative connotations, but I mean here it in the sense of "preference" and not imply there's any malice such as racism or xenophobia) for and/or against a player from a certain region of the world.

Position #1 simply believes Position #2 doesn't get the subtle distinctions they are making when in fact both parties are in fact in agreement with each other.

Recognize yourself in either of these? Hope this helps.