MLS View From Across The Pond

[Thomas]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/05/riqui-puig-signing-la-galaxy-biggest-summer-mls-history

[Oldtimer]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/05/riqui-puig-signing-la-galaxy-biggest-summer-mls-history

It's been true since at least TFC signed Giovinco that most MLS clubs have been chasing younger talent. Glad to see the UK press finally catching up. :D

[jabbronies]

MLS could make their life easier by raising the salary cap and authorising clubs to spend more. One could argue MLS is now holding itself back.

Although I agree with this, hearing it from PL/European pundits is a bit tiresome. They are devotees of the European leagues that run huge deficits which don't seem to be slowing down. Big clubs are now starting to feel the financial implications of free and open spending. Small teams are only able to compete for relegation. Players who are clearly starters are sitting on benches because teams are just focused on stockpiling talent "for a rainy day"

But I agree MLS needs to raise the cap - but they need to be creative about IMO. An overall raise of the cap is needed - perhaps to a level where the majority of the starting 11 can be closer to TAM level players - but still maintain DP slots for those over the top signings.

[ensco]

I think MLS needs to invert the logic of the cap. It is causing way too many young players to still go the Europe.

Insist that, say, 5 players can be paid no more than $200K each. Also insist that 5 players be American or Canadian. They don't need to be the same 5 players. After that… anything goes.

[Initial B]

^Hmm, right now, the limit is 8 international players, which leaves 18 US/CAN players to make up the roster difference. No way the Player's Union changes that. One of the purposes of MLS is to develop domestic talent. Back when the league had 18 teams (assuming that the international slots would all be starters), that would leave 3 spots per team (54 players total) to start and develop each week. But now at 28 teams (and with more clubs using their international slots on developing talent), that's 84 players per week. I think a better choice would be to codify that there must be at least 3 domestic players per game per team on the field at all times, and raise the number of international slots per team to 10. For salary cap, set the ceiling at the league's highest club salary and the floor at the lowest. That would be around $10/$20 million. Get rid of TAM, keep GAM and the DP slots and I think MLS would give any Liga MX team a run for their money.

[Oldtimer]

^Raising the number of international players would need both USSF and Canada Soccer approval. There's no way that will happen.