2022-2023 MLS off-season transfers (non-TFC)

[Oldtimer]

Post any news here

[jazzy]

Nancy to Columbus THANK YOU BEZ ! The best mgr and underrated mgr last year is getting his just rewards . Now that Saputo amade $$$ from the giant Canucks , Nancy says who the hell will be playing next year ��. The cheap but talented approach can bite back .

[OgtheDim]

French language media in Montreal indicating Nancy told Club Foot he was leaving back in July...

[Mr. Inbetween]

French language media in Montreal indicating Nancy told Club Foot he was leaving back in July...

What?
The cupboard is bearish?
You expect me to re-build... l'equipe...la gang... une autre fois?
Au revoir? A la prochaine?
Mais non. Plus jamais!


IIRC, there is also chatter/speculation it may have gotten close to physical between the two (Nancy & SirMister) at that time; the confrontation.

[Oldtimer]

What?
The cupboard is bearish?
You expect me to re-build... l'equipe...la gang... une autre fois?
Au revoir? A la prochaine?
Mais non. Plus jamais!


IIRC, there is also chatter/speculation it may have gotten close to physical between the two (Nancy & SirMister) at that time; the confrontation.

[moderator mode]
I'm bilingual (and this is just elementary school French), but just a reminder to all that the board rules require all posts to be in English. This keeps the board open to all fans and supporters of TFC regardless of their background or ability to use Google translate.
[/moderator mode]

[noxx98]

https://twitter.com/houstondynamo/status/1600528638683791362?s=46&t=V2WG49CN5GmTio12-xGg4Q
Goodbye old friend. We'll always have that one game right before the COVID shutdown.

[Mr. Inbetween]

LAG.
Kevin Cabral out… for/so in?

[MikeForbes]

Klich from Leeds to DCU as a TAM player.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1601226421703434241?s=20&t=-YWtLDZZR-inldib_ImbCw

[ag futbol]

Nancy to Columbus THANK YOU BEZ ! The best mgr and underrated mgr last year is getting his just rewards . Now that Saputo amade $$$ from the giant Canucks , Nancy says who the hell will be playing next year ��. The cheap but talented approach can bite back .
Supposedly cheese man and the manager hate each other and some speculation the latter wouldn’t return no matter the circumstances.

[ensco]

Interesting CB signing by a better team than us has just happened…

https://twitter.com/neilmdavidson/status/1602333426392219649?s=61&t=cCsYt9KUsnGIsgVtxDyk-g

[Mr. Inbetween]

CB George Campbell, 21, to CFM from ATLUTD.
For about 900K in funny monies?
Worth it/real potential or highway robbery/start the car?

[Mr. Inbetween]

Hmmm...
Maybe CFM is not the ideal MLS model?
Just the 'gout du jour/flavour of the day'
One team/group/ownership seems to see it differently.
I suspect some others do as well.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1602760491583299585

[Mr. Inbetween]

Seems that, according to Jeremy Filosa, Bobby Smyrniotis no longer a CFM candidate.

https://twitter.com/JeremyFilosa/status/1604213269845389312

https://twitter.com/shawn_strat/status/1604583860699791362

[OgtheDim]

Hmm....not sure I saw this potential but I guess discovery rights meant something

https://twitter.com/TaylorTwellman/status/1608988566537015297

[barticusz]

LAFC sign a 20 year Croatian striker - this is the kind of signing I'm hoping for this year. We need a bit of exceptional youth to go with the proven talent we have.

[Mr. Inbetween]

^^
Allegations aside and any question of compensation being within the ballpark.
If this report is accurate, what a shame; a missed opportunity by all stakeholders.
I am able to envision how he could have been a catalyst to grow the game within an untapped North America market segment.
One that in the long-term offers the greatest prospects of possibilities.
He could have been for some an ambassador of the sport in North America for Club/MLS/FIFA; served as a link to WC26.

Instead... more Ronaldo being Ronaldo. His signing seems to be 'just about the money'... money for nothing, no altruistic purpose.

https://twitter.com/kelvinkung7/status/1609014963657666560

[ensco]

I don’t believe a word of this, SKC did not come “ very close” to this Saudi offer, don’t make me laugh.

MLS has to fix this discovery rights and allocation order nonsense, which is choking the league.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Hey ensco…
I suspect it is very probable you are correct.
Still, there have been those baby step signings that have somewhat, though incrementally, changed MLS/Franchisee business perceptions and operations over the years.
For better or worse; debatable.
Sooner or later, there will be the one that shifts the daily MLS paradigm into another realm; a much more internationally competitive one.
The question is when?

[Webdogg]

Hmm....not sure I saw this potential but I guess discovery rights meant something

https://twitter.com/TaylorTwellman/status/1608988566537015297

This tweet is one of the most outrageous lies I’ve ever read.

Though I’ve read everything from 200m (BBC 175m Euro) to ESPN at 75m all per year for three years, to be “Very close” were must planning on giving him the entire SKC team worth slightly less than the $600m he’s going to make?

Imaging Patrick Mahomes as a SKC owner giving Ronaldo 5x what he makes for a team and fan base that is a small faction of what his NFL team is

[OgtheDim]

They probably went in for $40 million & this was the 3rd backup plan - Plan D as it were - so worth 3 discussions.


Remember, we are in for $14 million on Insigne.

[Webdogg]

They probably went in for $40 million & this was the 3rd backup plan - Plan D as it were - so worth 3 discussions.


Remember, we are in for $14 million on Insigne.

Yeah I guess conversations are free. Just shocked that someone could “report” that SKC were “very close” on money and then $200m per year reports come out.

I should not be shocked there’s essentially zero integrity for some people

[ag futbol]

This tweet is one of the most outrageous lies I’ve ever read.

Though I’ve read everything from 200m (BBC 175m Euro) to ESPN at 75m all per year for three years, to be “Very close” were must planning on giving him the entire SKC team worth slightly less than the $600m he’s going to make?

Imaging Patrick Mahomes as a SKC owner giving Ronaldo 5x what he makes for a team and fan base that is a small faction of what his NFL team is
Totally agree. What is Twellman smoking to write that? It’s completely ridiculous on so many levels.

Yes, I’m sure one of the world’s most recognizable players was really considering setting up shop in a flyover state and their offer was so lucrative it was close to petrol dollars.

Who were his sources on that one: Will Forbes and Tactical Manager?

[OgtheDim]

The sources on these would likely be from within the league office. I agree "Very close" is doing a lot of work here but the discussions (2-3) would have taken place just as backup in case the petro dollars somehow fall through.

Regardless, glad he's not in MLS - less awkward conversations.

BTW, the league would have had to know how unclose this was before they set up their schedule - no way they schedule SKC @ Portland on the first day if they think Ronaldo is coming to SKC.

[ensco]

Og, with respect, I don’t think that can be right. Even if I bought the idea that a, say, $40M offer is “very close” (it isn't).

This is a big boy serious billionaire's game. Is there one example in sports history of a six person consortium ownership group actually offering any player in any sport 3x last year's entire payroll to one player?

To the extent I have an opinion, I believe the league has a real problem when an “SKC” is the only MLS team able to talk to a “Cristiano Ronaldo”, and I don’t doubt the incentives this might create for numerous involved parties to tell ridiculous nosestretchers.

The easiest scenario to imagine is SKC attempting a shakedown of a big market team simply trying to talk to him, and suddenly needing this story out there because of anger inside league/team offices around that, none of which would be visible to us. Just wild ass speculation. But the idioitic rules create the conditions for this.

[OgtheDim]

Oh ensco, I'm a lot closer to you then you think.

I know 40 million isn't close - MLS is going to spin this because if they don't, as you said, the power struggle in the league between the "don't want to spends" & the "we are this close if only you idiots would spend some $" groups would just get more inflamed.

And, yeh, its very likely that the discussions where between Ronaldo's people & MLS directly & then SKC saying "ahem, we can afford something here" & it all going sideways fast.

But...I'm 100% sure 2-3 discussions took place & dropped off quick.

[rydermike]

Maybe they were "very close" to having an actual conversation with Ronaldo. But then his agent found out it was SKC and not LA and said no you are not having a conversation with my client.

[rydermike]

MLS has to fix this discovery rights and allocation order nonsense, which is choking the league.

This. All these stupid rules prevent MLS from being a league that they say they want to be (a League in the top 5-10 range). SKC "discovered" Ronaldo. It's laughable that you can add an all-time great to your "discovery list"

[Section 223]

Supposedly cheese man and the manager hate each other and some speculation the latter wouldn’t return no matter the circumstances.
My brother who lives in Laval told me exactly the same thing, Nancy was gone no matter what, but reading posts here recently the jealousy for Joey Saputo is beyond embarrassing Montreal has put out competitive fun to watch team the last few years, on the other hand I find myself leaving BMO midway through the second half because I just get frustrated as to what Manning and Bradley have turned this into, Insigne and Berna is a fantastic start and I will keep my fingers crossed that I can sit through the majority of games this season.

[MikeForbes]

Teams should at the very least be made to publish their discovery lists. I am actually incredibly curious to know who TFC has on their list.

[ag futbol]

The easiest scenario to imagine is SKC attempting a shakedown of a big market team simply trying to talk to him, and suddenly needing this story out there because of anger inside league/team offices around that, none of which would be visible to us. Just wild ass speculation. But the idioitic rules create the conditions for this.
Would be interesting if that was the case. Completely agree on the rules, stupid and should be done away with. The league has to better understand how it can work with certain realities of the world game, not make futile efforts to correct things they have no control over.

[Yohan]

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1608990540410023937

When Twellmann says something, I have my doubts. When Tom Bogert backs up Twellmann's claim, maybe there was something

[jloome]

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1608990540410023937

When Twellmann says something, I have my doubts. When Tom Bogert backs up Twellmann's claim, maybe there was something

Neither is an independent, unbiased journalist; they're both paid by the league. Bogert writes pretty much exclusively for for mlssoccer.com, and he does a good job, doubtless, of getting confirms etc.

But it's a league vessel; he runs with what they allow in the first place. It's a quid pro quo arrangement, so if they want the message out there that KC was a serious player, that's what he'll run. That's how that sort of job works. For many years, in numerous countries, writing "advertorial" stories could get you blacklisted from a newsroom.

Twellman is paid as a commentator by both ESPN and the league. Again, if the league gives him something, he'll run it with "sources tell me."

Neither is a reliable source for something like this, because neither will take any independent steps to verify the information the league gives them. That's the unfortunate nature of quid-pro-quo reporting.

[ensco]

I think sometimes you you have to use a grey cell or two and figure some things out on your own.

Insigne broke by a wide margin the MLS salary record, and plays for a bigger club … and he makes less than 10% of what CR got in Saudi. What is the biggest salary SKC have ever paid, $4M? So I am supposed to believe it when someone says with a straight face that SKC offered someone 10x or 50x that?

Also, jloome is being nice. This is Pravda telling you about Putin’s magnificent performance in Ukraine. I feel sorry for Twellman and Bogert and whoever else they are using to run this story.

Let's now watch and see what SKC does with the money “earmarked for Ronaldo”. This should be amusing.

I wouldn’t be happy as an SKC fan. I would feel I was being taken for an idiot.

[Richard]

To everyone who thought Ronaldo would be playing in Kansas.

KANSAS FOR F**k SAKE.

https://media.tenor.com/b7swbvaVKhUAAAAM/seriously-laugh.gif

[MikeForbes]

Neither is an independent, unbiased journalist; they're both paid by the league. Bogert writes pretty much exclusively for for mlssoccer.com, and he does a good job, doubtless, of getting confirms etc.

But it's a league vessel; he runs with what they allow in the first place. It's a quid pro quo arrangement, so if they want the message out there that KC was a serious player, that's what he'll run. That's how that sort of job works. For many years, in numerous countries, writing "advertorial" stories could get you blacklisted from a newsroom.

Twellman is paid as a commentator by both ESPN and the league. Again, if the league gives him something, he'll run it with "sources tell me."

Neither is a reliable source for something like this, because neither will take any independent steps to verify the information the league gives them. That's the unfortunate nature of quid-pro-quo reporting.

Twellman isn't overly reliable, I would argue that Bogert is the most "in the know" reporter covering MLS though.

[jloome]

Twellman isn't overly reliable, I would argue that Bogert is the most "in the know" reporter covering MLS though.

I would hope so. Given that he writes about half the news stories on mlssoccer.com, he likely has unimpeded access to comments and tips from every team. You'll notice he never breaks a big story more than 24 hours before the official announcement, however. None of them are leaks from sources; they're all handed to him with the team knowing when he's going to run it and what he's going to run.

[Hala Hrvatska]

https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1608934019860926467?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Have said it over and over we need to bring Croatians here. Look for more of this in the future from other teams. This will be an Alimiron situation, the kid is betting on himself.

Petkovic, the striker who scored the tying goal vs brazil, would be a great signing here, has all the tools.

[ensco]

https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1608934019860926467?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Have said it over and over we need to bring Croatians here. Look for more of this in the future from other teams. This will be an Alimiron situation, the kid is betting on himself.

Petkovic, the striker who scored the tying goal vs brazil, would be a great signing here, has all the tools.

I don’t know where it went, but Croatia's 55 man squad was stunning to me. The depth and quality there was on par with anyone in the world. We should absolutely be looking at the young guys knocking on the door there. The Argentine or Brazilian equivalent younger players would require 10-20M transfers and would probably be unobtainable anyway, but this small country's “football factory”, producing similar players, is beyond belief.

[Hala Hrvatska]

I don’t know where it went, but Croatia's 55 man squad was stunning to me. The depth and quality there was on par with anyone in the world. We should absolutely be looking at the young guys knocking on the door there. The Argentine or Brazilian equivalent younger players would require 10-20M transfers and would probably be unobtainable anyway, but this small country's “football factory”, producing similar players, is beyond belief.

Fully agreed. Lots of talent. Even in the quarter final win over Brazil, the keeper Livakovic was from dinamo zagreb, the assist and goal came from dinamo zagreb's Orsic to Petkovic. Even one of the goal scorer's vs Canada Livaja is from the Cro league and hajduk split.

And the Toronto market has Croatian history in Metros Croatia...but we don't seem to want to buy Croatian...instead we look to overpriced and very underwhelming Venezuelans for example, or Americans. Manning and BB have zero connections to Croatia so I expect we won't look there...but am not suprised, we can't even scout our own backyard well as guys from here end up in places like Montreal and come back to haunt us.

Lots of bang for our buck if we look to the Croatian league...many gems there at a fraction of the cost.

[ag futbol]

I don’t know where it went, but Croatia's 55 man squad was stunning to me. The depth and quality there was on par with anyone in the world. We should absolutely be looking at the young guys knocking on the door there. The Argentine or Brazilian equivalent younger players would require 10-20M transfers and would probably be unobtainable anyway, but this small country's “football factory”, producing similar players, is beyond belief.
I fully agree. And without attempting to offend anyone, I will say the broader region’s ability to produce world class athletes from such a small population base is unreal. Yugoslavia‘s dominance at basketball in the 80’s comes to mind.

[Hala Hrvatska]

I fully agree. And without attempting to offend anyone, I will say the broader region’s ability to produce world class athletes from such a small population base is unreal. Yugoslavia‘s dominance at basketball in the 80’s comes to mind.

Croatia's silver in 92 to the Dream Team was amazing (in the midst of war no less). Drazen (rest in peace legend) Petrovic paved the way for the euro guys dominating now in particular from Serbia, Slovenia (Doncic), though Cro has underperformed in basketball for some reason....football though, dominant.

[NK Toronto]

https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1608934019860926467?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Have said it over and over we need to bring Croatians here. Look for more of this in the future from other teams. This will be an Alimiron situation, the kid is betting on himself.

Petkovic, the striker who scored the tying goal vs brazil, would be a great signing here, has all the tools.

In general I agree with your sentiment however in the case of Biuk he has not been able to get regular playing time with Hajduk, who it seems have given up on him. This signing is a gamble that I am not sure I would take.

In terms of Petkovic I think he would be a good fit however I looked up his salary and he makes just under a million USD at Dinamo so he would need to be a TAM signing.

[Hala Hrvatska]

In general I agree with your sentiment however in the case of Biuk he has not been able to get regular playing time with Hajduk, who it seems have given up on him. This signing is a gamble that I am not sure I would take.

In terms of Petkovic I think he would be a good fit however I looked up his salary and he makes just under a million USD at Dinamo so he would need to be a TAM signing.

Biuk might have went for the money and he is either going to make it or turn into a Halilovic and a bust. Might have taken the money and ran for it...short term gain but a long term career ender.

Petkovic would be excellent here. Strong in the air, hold up play, skilled...but yeah, makes a lot at dinamo, they play CL footie...and he is playing on the NT...he comes here, and its the end of his NT career no doubt...I doubt Dalic looks here...(especially after Herdman's "eff Croatia" comments...lol).

[ensco]

Croatia's silver in 92 to the Dream Team was amazing (in the midst of war no less). Drazen (rest in peace legend) Petrovic paved the way for the euro guys dominating now in particular from Serbia, Slovenia (Doncic), though Cro has underperformed in basketball for some reason....football though, dominant.

This is truly an offseason digression ... Drazen Petrovic does not get his due. I lived in NY during his prime, saw a lot of him. No player was shooting the three for real, as the primary weapon, until him: not Jordan, not Bird, not Reggie Miller.

Petro was a big big part of creating the game that is the modern NBA. I still remember where I was when I heard the news about his death.

Mostly for this reason, I would be thrilled to see a "Petrovic" at TFC!! But cannot imagine anybody on the WC roster coming to Canada after what happened with Herdman - that was a much bigger story there than here. I think we need to look at the guys who just missed making the 55 man squad, I bet that is where the good fishing is.

[NK Toronto]

Biuk might have went for the money and he is either going to make it or turn into a Halilovic and a bust. Might have taken the money and ran for it...short term gain but a long term career ender.

Petkovic would be excellent here. Strong in the air, hold up play, skilled...but yeah, makes a lot at dinamo, they play CL footie...and he is playing on the NT...he comes here, and its the end of his NT career no doubt...I doubt Dalic looks here...(especially after Herdman's "eff Croatia" comments...lol).

One thing no one talks about on this forum is the role living in Toronto has on player signings, and in my view is a detriment in attracting talent.

Toronto has a cold climate, high taxes, and is incredibly expensive. A player like Petkovic can live like a king on a $1MM USD in Croatia. So to even attract players at his level you would need to pay upper TAM or lower end DP salaries. However he is not a name talent so he wouldn't sell tickets like the two Italians. This I believe is why TFC has such difficulty in bringing in foreign players.

We see this all the time with the Raptors and Jays. The only way Toronto teams can attract free agents is to overpay.

[OgtheDim]

Toronto is more expensive then LA or New York?

[NK Toronto]

Toronto is more expensive then LA or New York?

LA offers year round sunshine, and NYC has a milder climate. Both are global cities that have a certain cache. Toronto is not.

[OgtheDim]

LA offers year round sunshine, and NYC has a milder climate. Both are global cities that have a certain cache. Toronto is not.

OK, I get that bit....we are also not Miami.

&

Where would people rather raise a kid? (also a certain cachet)

Point is, there are things about Toronto that are attractive to a certain type of person in a certain family situation who is making a certain amount of income.

I get why a 21 year old out of US college Bball wouldn't want to come here.

[JoesphNdo]

There's no evidence that we struggle to attract talent any more than any other team in MLS and plenty of evidence of the opposite

And if cold is a deal breaker for you than you aren't signing for new York or a good chunk of any teams in the league

[NK Toronto]

There's no evidence that we struggle to attract talent any more than any other team in MLS and plenty of evidence of the opposite

And if cold is a deal breaker for you than you aren't signing for new York or a good chunk of any teams in the league

Then why do we constantly have to overpay to sign players? Toronto is not a selling point the way LA or NYC is. Just look at the Raptors. The team has never been able to attract an elite player despite having a reputation of treating players well.

In order for TFC to be a consistent winning team they will need to focus on developing their own home grown Canadian talent to form the base of their roster. Local guys from Southern Ontario will want to play here, close to family and friends. In this area the club has not done well.

[JoesphNdo]

Then why do we constantly have to overpay to sign players? Toronto is not a selling point the way LA or NYC is. Just look at the Raptors. The team has never been able to attract an elite player despite having a reputation of treating players well.

In order for TFC to be a consistent winning team they will need to focus on developing their own home grown Canadian talent to form the base of their roster. Local guys from Southern Ontario will want to play here, close to family and friends. In this area the club has not done well.

We don't need to overpay to sign talent. The successful years were build on a backbone of low cap hit high quality players which gave us more depth than any team in the league had ever had at that point. Not many teams get a Vasquez level talent without a dp slot. Or could field a defence like morrow, beitashore, mavinga, moor and still have quality up and down the field and on the bench. What you're saying just doesn't hold up for Tfc.

We simply do not struggle to attract or retain talent. Few to no teams in the league seen more consistent at attracting talent than we are. We are horrifically mismanaged and our cap management has been, bar a few years, awful but it's just provably untrue that attracting talent is an issue

No offense to the places, but this is a sport where the elite talent in the globe line up to move to Manchester and Liverpool. The quality of life in Toronto is not losing us any talent.

[ensco]

The quality of life in Toronto is not losing us any talent.

I agree with this.

I also agree with the opposite, the city doesn’t attract people who don’t have a connection to it (and I think this is a surprise to many Torontonians).

[jloome]

I agree with this.

I also agree with the opposite, the city doesn’t attract people who don’t have a connection to it (and I think this is a surprise to many Torontonians).

So.... it seems KC really did make a play for Cristiano Ronaldo. But if you read the details, it's so laughably naïve it's astonishing they're willing to admit it publicly.

Basically, they were working a) on an assumption he's getting $75M a year from the Saudis, which is much lower than I've heard elsewhere, and;
b) that they could offer him a deal where nearly all the value came from non-waged based commercial holdings. In other words, they were going to throw properties, sponsorships, ownership stakes in other firms etc.

The guaranteed cash would've made him "the best-paid player in the league" over Lorenzo Insigne, it says. But the mere fact that they're even comparing the annual money suggests the actual cash value of this was probably nowhere near what the Saudis offered. Also, it appears every one of Ronaldo's "advisers" was involved in the discussion, but never the player himself.

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mcdowell/article270632212.html

[ag futbol]

I agree with this.

I also agree with the opposite, the city doesn’t attract people who don’t like have a connection to it (and I think this is a surprise to many Torontonians).
Is the reality we don’t want to admit simply what we’re simply a much safer Chicago? Which is to say, a nice city that has charm but not really world class. Like you’d visit and people would say good things but if you missed it, you wouldn’t particularly dwell on it.

Shame, because if we actually planned properly though the boom years of the last decade we’d probably actually be reaching for a true world class level. So much money flowed into the city for real estate investment it would have only taken a meaningless sliver of that (and some slightly better building standards / community development plans) to really put a mark on this place. But short termism rules the day, regrettably.

[Richard]

So.... it seems KC really did make a play for Cristiano Ronaldo. But if you read the details, it's so laughably naïve it's astonishing they're willing to admit it publicly.

Basically, they were working a) on an assumption he's getting $75M a year from the Saudis, which is much lower than I've heard elsewhere, and;
b) that they could offer him a deal where nearly all the value came from non-waged based commercial holdings. In other words, they were going to throw properties, sponsorships, ownership stakes in other firms etc.

The guaranteed cash would've made him "the best-paid player in the league" over Lorenzo Insigne, it says. But the mere fact that they're even comparing the annual money suggests the actual cash value of this was probably nowhere near what the Saudis offered. Also, it appears every one of Ronaldo's "advisers" was involved in the discussion, but never the player himself.

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mcdowell/article270632212.html

Nothing short of the following two items would have moved the needle with Ronaldo.



Given a franchise license at 50% or more discount at current market value. Vegas still available?
Play for an LA team

[ensco]

So.... it seems KC really did make a play for Cristiano Ronaldo. But if you read the details, it's so laughably naïve it's astonishing they're willing to admit it publicly.

Basically, they were working a) on an assumption he's getting $75M a year from the Saudis, which is much lower than I've heard elsewhere, and;
b) that they could offer him a deal where nearly all the value came from non-waged based commercial holdings. In other words, they were going to throw properties, sponsorships, ownership stakes in other firms etc.

The guaranteed cash would've made him "the best-paid player in the league" over Lorenzo Insigne, it says. But the mere fact that they're even comparing the annual money suggests the actual cash value of this was probably nowhere near what the Saudis offered. Also, it appears every one of Ronaldo's "advisers" was involved in the discussion, but never the player himself.

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mcdowell/article270632212.html

OK this is becoming completely #$&@ing absurd. Can these reporters not do math? How can they let Vermes get away with this crap?

Whatever it is that MLS and SKC are trying to do here - some of us didn’t just fall off the turnip truck.

The idea that some zoom calls means anything, let alone that they were “very close”, is absolutely nuts.

We all know MLS economics and we all know that what Insigne got was pretty crazy based on league economics. We also all know that Ronaldo got 15x what Insigne got.

We don’t need a PhD to know how “close” they were, whatever they may think or may be saying. It ain’t what they are saying.

The interesting question is, why are they doing this? I suspect the audience may be Apple, who may have been told a load of horse manure about how players like CR were likely to consider MLS.

[Hala Hrvatska]

LA offers year round sunshine, and NYC has a milder climate. Both are global cities that have a certain cache. Toronto is not.

Miami is where I'd be in any sport if I was a star and had choices. No state inc tax, great weather and lifestyle.

We can win here but a big problem is how badly we are mismanaged.

[Smokecell]

The SKC report lost credibility for me the second they said it was close. Unless I've been totally mislead ever since following MLS, literally every salary rule/mechanism in the league was designed to prevent these exact types of deals. There is no chance that SKC were able to offer anything in the ballpark of the Saudis when considering pure salary and no sponsorships etc.

[JoesphNdo]

I think for the right player (Not Ronaldo now, his brand is worth 10% of what it was a year ago. Say maybe Messi now, or if they somehow had a chance at an Mbappe in their prime) MLS could pony up something in the ball park of cash equivalence to what we're seeing Ronaldo get. There's precedence with this, with Beckham getting a huge stake in an MLS franchise comped - that alone could be worth close to what the Saudis are paying Ronaldo right now in real $ value. I think if they could sign Messi right now they'd be willing to give some extraordinary things in return and his net worth may rise by close to what Ronaldos will in Saudi even if it's not in cash.

What has absolute 0.0% chance of being true is that SKC were ever where he was going. MLS will only going to do that for a giant market team, basically only New York or LA. They need to be somewhere where they can seriously move the needle where the built in audience for stadium and especially now, Apple TV subscribers, is astronomical and there's only really two places that are big enough and Kansas sure as shit isn't one of them.

What I could believe is SKC kicked some tires to see if they could possibly broker a deal with a goal of getting something for their discovery rights from an NY or LA team, but post Piers Morgan interview/being sacked by his club/being dropped by his country and not to mention the allegations against him? His stock has dropped. No way MLS would come close to what he got. No way at all.

The only slightly interest thing for future signings is, the Apple TV subscription is available worldwide, right? If so it does open the MLS TV revenue stream into a much larger potential market. One signing doesn't change that, but that *could* be used to justify some pretty big $$ spending at some stage if they think they can get people outside US/Canada watching, especially running summer not against any big European leagues. It's unlikely to generate much in the short term but does add some interesting lines of thought when it comes to the long term economics of the league and perhaps some tolerance for some high risk, high reward long shot moves from a usually conservative league

[jloome]

The interesting question is, why are they doing this? I suspect the audience may be Apple, who may have been told a load of horse manure about how players like CR were likely to consider MLS.



The only slightly interest thing for future signings is, the Apple TV subscription is available worldwide, right? If so it does open the MLS TV revenue stream into a much larger potential market.

Yeah, perhaps they were using him and Messi as examples of guys kicking the tires. "We were just talking to CR's people last week!" Meanwhile, Illich, the KC owner, is probably as disconnected from the day to day as most owners and was believing his own financial hype.

Then he leaks that they "took a serious shot at this" without probably even knowing the details and they have to justify it to a local print reporter.

Vermes is probably cringing every time this is raised.

[OgtheDim]

Incoming over generalizations

https://twitter.com/MattDoyle76/status/1610049539385298945

I like Doyle but a guy can't be in depth about every team - its not possible.

[Canary10]

The SKC report lost credibility for me the second they said it was close. Unless I've been totally mislead ever since following MLS, literally every salary rule/mechanism in the league was designed to prevent these exact types of deals. There is no chance that SKC were able to offer anything in the ballpark of the Saudis when considering pure salary and no sponsorships etc.

So it was £175 million a year/about $210 million American. Sporting KC was “close” to that? That’s a laugh. Can’t believe they printed that article. It was cute that they we’re going to bring in Patrick Mahomes to “seal the deal.” Would that name mean anything at all to Ronaldo? I doubt it. He’s no Drake!

[ensco]

I think for the right player (Not Ronaldo now, his brand is worth 10% of what it was a year ago. Say maybe Messi now, or if they somehow had a chance at an Mbappe in their prime) MLS could pony up something in the ball park of cash equivalence to what we're seeing Ronaldo get. There's precedence with this, with Beckham getting a huge stake in an MLS franchise comped - that alone could be worth close to what the Saudis are paying Ronaldo right now in real $ value. I think if they could sign Messi right now they'd be willing to give some extraordinary things in return and his net worth may rise by close to what Ronaldos will in Saudi even if it's not in cash.

What has absolute 0.0% chance of being true is that SKC were ever where he was going. MLS will only going to do that for a giant market team, basically only New York or LA. They need to be somewhere where they can seriously move the needle where the built in audience for stadium and especially now, Apple TV subscribers, is astronomical and there's only really two places that are big enough and Kansas sure as shit isn't one of them.

What I could believe is SKC kicked some tires to see if they could possibly broker a deal with a goal of getting something for their discovery rights from an NY or LA team, but post Piers Morgan interview/being sacked by his club/being dropped by his country and not to mention the allegations against him? His stock has dropped. No way MLS would come close to what he got. No way at all.

The only slightly interest thing for future signings is, the Apple TV subscription is available worldwide, right? If so it does open the MLS TV revenue stream into a much larger potential market. One signing doesn't change that, but that *could* be used to justify some pretty big $$ spending at some stage if they think they can get people outside US/Canada watching, especially running summer not against any big European leagues. It's unlikely to generate much in the short term but does add some interesting lines of thought when it comes to the long term economics of the league and perhaps some tolerance for some high risk, high reward long shot moves from a usually conservative league

I disagree with the speculation that MLS will give Messi or anyone hundreds of millions in franchise value.

On the Beckham deal. At the time franchise expansion fees were $10M, and they gave hime the option to buy a team for $25M. His salary was $32M for 5 years. The franchise thing was a sweetener, it was not something that was intended to have the kind of value it wound up having, MLS had no idea how bad a deal that deal would turn out to be.

Even if they did it again, the equivalent today would see them giving Messi or Ronaldo or whomever the option to buy an MLS team for $800M or something.

[Mr. Inbetween]

I am not as irked as some about the absurdity of the Sporting KC / Ronaldo to MLS Story.
Sure, at a 200M/YR contract, I completely agree it is a ridiculous proposition and consideration.
That chatter should be positioned in the annals of managerial face-saving doublespeak as 'a stretch goal'.
Close? Nope. Maybe in a hand grenades and horseshoes sense.
Hard even for me to fathom this amount for MLS; that calculus is just so astronomical/impossible at this time.
Yet, at this discussion's core, at a 75M/YR target, not so much.
I think that number was reasonable and MLS/Franchisee doable.
Even though 'pushing the envelope' of financial creativity.
Lolo has recently taught me never to say never and to realize where there is a will, there is a way.
Would not be the first time MLS has shifted or murked their goalposts on their salary rules and mechanisms.
Made 'business' sense for me on several levels for a host of association football reasons.

[Blindside16]

https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1608934019860926467?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Have said it over and over we need to bring Croatians here. Look for more of this in the future from other teams. This will be an Alimiron situation, the kid is betting on himself.

Petkovic, the striker who scored the tying goal vs brazil, would be a great signing here, has all the tools.

Petkovic would be a great signing but I doubt that Zagreb would let him go very easily. He is under contract till 2024 and would cost around $8-10 million if you believe transfermarket

[JoesphNdo]

I disagree with the speculation that MLS will give Messi or anyone hundreds of millions in franchise value.

On the Beckham deal. At the time franchise expansion fees were $10M, and they gave hime the option to buy a team for $25M. His salary was $32M for 5 years. The franchise thing was a sweetener, it was not something that was intended to have the kind of value it wound up having, MLS had no idea how bad a deal that deal would turn out to be.

Even if they did it again, the equivalent today would see them giving Messi or Ronaldo or whomever the option to buy an MLS team for $800M or something.

You may be right, and probably are, but I do wonder. Don't forget, they need only give a % of a franchise, not the whole thing, and the sponsorship and image rights opportunities in the US are significantly higher than in Saudi (And these are revenue streams that can keep being realized after retirement, there is significantly more value from being a name in the US vs one in Saudi).

Mainly I think that IF MLS think they can push Apple TV subs beyond US/Canada don't be surprised if they do some pretty earth shattering things. This Apple TV gamble could be anywhere from a disaster to the thing that turns MLS into a global league (Not this cycle, but eventually), that's how wide the spectrum of outcomes are here. The league may suddenly throw some caution to the wind in a way that would surprise us in order to make it work. We shall see.

But I think we can all agree there was never any possibility of Ronaldo in an SKC jersey, ever. There was more chance of the Brazilian one signing there today than Cristiano

[Canary10]

It made me laugh that the article mentions a few times that if SKC did this again the player would have to make sense for the team and the city. As if Ronaldo checked off all the boxes of good sense.

[Yuushalinsky]

So, Cho's probably a great player - one problem is that he'd basically be the Korean Atomic Ant for us at 154 CM. If we were playing that style, it may not be as big an issue but if I would like a larger striker given we have two Top XI caliber wingers.

[ag futbol]

So, Cho's probably a great player - one problem is that he'd basically be the Korean Atomic Ant for us at 154 CM. If we were playing that style, it may not be as big an issue but if I would like a larger striker given we have two Top XI caliber wingers.
Agreed. The issue with this team right now is other teams pack the box with defenders and murder us on the counter. Need a true target in the box to clear space and a faster midfield presence to deal with the issue.

[ensco]

So, Cho's probably a great player - one problem is that he'd basically be the Korean Atomic Ant for us at 154 CM. If we were playing that style, it may not be as big an issue but if I would like a larger striker given we have two Top XI caliber wingers.

??

Wiki says he is 188cm, 6 foot 2 inches. In person he looked taller. He looked great in the air.

My question would be, looking at his wiki, that he may not have done enough over time to warrant a big fee, and that Lorenzo and Bernie need (and deserve) someone more proven in the role. We are not a club that could bring a signing like this along slowly.

[Yuushalinsky]

??

Wiki says he is 188cm, 6 foot 2 inches. In person he looked taller. He looked great in the air.

My question would be, looking at his wiki, that he may not have done enough over time to warrant a big fee, and that Lorenzo and Bernie need (and deserve) someone more proven in the role. We are not a club that could bring a signing like this along slowly.

Did I look at the wrong guy? That's my bad tbh

[MikeForbes]

LAFC with 5 DPs and 7 or so max TAM players. Basically being allowed to be the Bayern/Man City of MLS.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1610460857611481090?s=20&t=FGkm7JD3I-QPeO6bOYfvug

[jloome]

Austin signs 25-year-old Finnish international centre half.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/austin-fc-sign-finland-international-center-back-leo-vaisanen

Seems like the kind of guy we should be trying for.

[reggie]

Austin signs 25-year-old Finnish international centre half.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/austin-fc-sign-finland-international-center-back-leo-vaisanen

Seems like the kind of guy we should be trying for.

he is too young not american enough and not expensive enough for tfc

[NK Toronto]

Austin signs 25-year-old Finnish international centre half.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/austin-fc-sign-finland-international-center-back-leo-vaisanen

Seems like the kind of guy we should be trying for.

You need to have a competent scouting staff in place to uncover decent quality foreign players in lower leagues that are willing to come to MLS. TFC doesn't have one.

If you are just signing big name DP's and existing MLS players who are already known, then why even bother to have a scouting staff?

[jloome]

Think we can call the Mattheus Klich to DC rumor solid, given that they said goodbye to him at the end of Leeds' home game versus West Ham.

Solid player, definitely elite in MLS terms.

[OgtheDim]

If anybody knows the exact details of ANY MLS teams' scouting department, please let us all know

i.e. The assumption Austin has a great big scouting group because they got this guy is....a leap.

I would have thought LAG's would be great - then I read that Vanney had to create the analytics department there.

[James17930]

You need to have a competent scouting staff in place to uncover decent quality foreign players in lower leagues that are willing to come to MLS. TFC doesn't have one.

If you are just signing big name DP's and existing MLS players who are already known, then why even bother to have a scouting staff?

Like Jesus Jimenez?

You're extrapolating too much here dude. There are tens of thousands of quality football players out there in the world. Toronto can't be on top of every single one of them.

[ensco]

The “younger quality European” is an extremely tricky channel of the market, one that we have tried to navigate, and one that we have never succeeded in (Stefanovic, Bostock, Aketxe). It's not easy - LAG blew $6M million on the Cabral transfer, and just gave him away 18 months later.

But it is one I would expect BB to have tried to play in by now, given his relationships in Scandinavia, France, Egypt…

[NK Toronto]

Like Jesus Jimenez?

You're extrapolating too much here dude. There are tens of thousands of quality football players out there in the world. Toronto can't be on top of every single one of them.

Jimenez had 1 goal since the end of June and lost his starting job to Akinola in August, who also had a lousy year. Jimenez makes just under a mill in salary. So far this has turned out to be another bad signing.

[noxx98]

https://twitter.com/LAFC/status/1610807165307977728
No such thing as a bad two year deal. Good pickup for LAFC.

[James17930]

Jimenez had 1 goal since the end of June and lost his starting job to Akinola in August, who also had a lousy year. Jimenez makes just under a mill in salary. So far this has turned out to be another bad signing.

But at the beginning of the year it looked like he was going to lead the league in scoring. It was still a very good find by the standard you're setting.

But yes, he's unsettled now. Hopefully they can figure out what to do with him this year.

[NK Toronto]

If anybody knows the exact details of ANY MLS teams' scouting department, please let us all know

i.e. The assumption Austin has a great big scouting group because they got this guy is....a leap.

I would have thought LAG's would be great - then I read that Vanney had to create the analytics department there.

The point that I am trying to make is that since the championship contending years TFC has had a terrible track record in signing international players. Is this on scouting or on management? I suspect it ultimately is on both.

Back in the winning years TFC was able to sign quality internationals on reasonable contacts. Players such as Vazquez, Mavinga, Cheyrou, Hasler and Benezet come to mind, all of whom made notable contributions to the club's success.

You need to supplement your roster with these types of players to win in MLS. You can't solely rely on DP's, as we witnessed last year. Why we can no longer find these types of players is a mystery to me.

This in my opinion has been the club's biggest failing since Vanney left. And so far I see no evidence that things have changed in the BB era.

[OgtheDim]

The point that I am trying to make is that since the championship contending years TFC has had a terrible track record in signing international players. Is this on scouting or on management? I suspect it ultimately is on both.

Back in the winning years TFC was able to sign quality internationals on reasonable contacts. Players such as Vazquez, Mavinga, Cheyrou, Hasler and Benezet come to mind, all of whom made notable contributions to the club's success.

You need to supplement your roster with these types of players to win in MLS. You can't solely rely on DP's, as we witnessed last year. Why we can no longer find these types of players is a mystery to me.

This in my opinion has been the club's biggest failing since Vanney left. And so far I see no evidence that things have changed in the BB era.


Fair enough - I think a lot of 2015-2017 was built on connections from Bez & Vanney & TL.

I just have no clue if ANY MLS team has a good scouting department.

[rydermike]

The hardest part about scouting for MLS is probably just the uniqueness of roster qualities. Within the same lineup you have world class players (let's call them 5 stars), solid tier two players (let's call them 3 star players) and journeymen/below level players (lets call them one stars). How is one of those 5* players who is used to playing with other 4* and 5* players going to handle teammates so far below the level he's used to (the DP buying in risk), how is that 3* player going to adjust from being a solid player in a 3* league to joining a team with some 5* above his level (ie. a Jimenez type). How are those 1* players going to deal with instead of jumping up to a 2* league, moving to a league that also has some 3-5* players in it (ie. the CPL to MLS guys going from playing with and facing CPL guys to facing Gareth Bale and playing with Insigne).

The quality disparity is so unique compared to other leagues where talent is more even, it has got to be difficult to really predict. Sorry if that was confusing/didn't make a ton of sense. The idea made sense in my head, but translating it to actual words was a bit complicated

[NK Toronto]

The hardest part about scouting for MLS is probably just the uniqueness of roster qualities. Within the same lineup you have world class players (let's call them 5 stars), solid tier two players (let's call them 3 star players) and journeymen/below level players (lets call them one stars). How is one of those 5* players who is used to playing with other 4* and 5* players going to handle teammates so far below the level he's used to (the DP buying in risk), how is that 3* player going to adjust from being a solid player in a 3* league to joining a team with some 5* above his level (ie. a Jimenez type). How are those 1* players going to deal with instead of jumping up to a 2* league, moving to a league that also has some 3-5* players in it (ie. the CPL to MLS guys going from playing with and facing CPL guys to facing Gareth Bale and playing with Insigne).

The quality disparity is so unique compared to other leagues where talent is more even, it has got to be difficult to really predict. Sorry if that was confusing/didn't make a ton of sense. The idea made sense in my head, but translating it to actual words was a bit complicated

I hear what you are saying, but that is a challenge faced by every MLS club. Other teams in MLS are able to find quality internationals, and we used to be able as well, but not in recent years. Why? Was it the departure of Bez and Vanney? Curtis was a disaster but he is long gone. Maybe the club needs to revamp its entire soccer infrastructure, starting with a separate and fully dedicated sports director and a new scouting staff?

[reggie]

I hear what you are saying, but that is a challenge faced by every MLS club. Other teams in MLS are able to find quality internationals, and we used to be able as well, but not in recent years. Why? Was it the departure of Bez and Vanney? Curtis was a disaster but he is long gone. Maybe the club needs to revamp its entire soccer infrastructure, starting with a separate and fully dedicated sports director and a new scouting staff?

it is kinda broke.the fact that manning is the prez for 2 teams is a joke

[Oldtimer]

Please stay on topic here (non-TFC MLS transfers). As much as we may envy some teams' moves, this isn't a Bill Manning or TFC scouting thread.

[Mr. Inbetween]

If accurate, this is an interesting development in contrast to the exodus theme recently experienced at CFM.
Perhaps, the gravitas of their new coach?

https://twitter.com/Kevin_teya/status/1610489884812382210

[jloome]

If accurate, this is an interesting development in contrast to the exodus theme recently experienced at CFM.
Perhaps, the gravitas of their new coach?

https://twitter.com/Kevin_teya/status/1610489884812382210

I think he would have trouble getting anywhere above $1M a season anywhere else. He's a good player but he's not a dominantly good player. He was good at Celtic, he was good at Tottenham, but competently good, not "take the team on my back" good. He had a few moments like that at Montreal.

If they made him a TAM offer it makes sense.

I was looking at wages for 30-year-old plus top-level players in Britain and it's easy to forget most are still seen as journeymen and squad players... just good enough to do so at the top level. After the starting 11, salaries go down very quickly for players over 30. If he's not quick enough for the Premier League anymore, then the Championship or SPL are only going to offer probably $5-15,000 a week, which is about half what Montreal will probably pay him.

So it makes sense financially, I imagine.

Good player though.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Once again, admirably stated.
You wear another/this other hat well.
Have you thought about applying to TFC’s Scouting Department?
I suspect they/we could use you right about now.
:)

[rydermike]

Sasha Kljestan retired

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1611060566566764545

[OgtheDim]

Martinez to Miami - DP slot taken up.


https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1611142670516092928

[ensco]

Sasha Kljestan retired



Let's rename the tunnel in his honour.

[ensco]

Martinez to Miami - DP slot taken up.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1611142670516092928

You sure he would get DP money? The Altidore deal in NE last year was a TAM deal, and that didn’t go very well…

This would finally be Miami bringing in somebody smart from a marketing pov in that market btw. Mexicans, Englishmen, Spaniards, Ecuadorians, do little to move the needle there. Its the bigger South American countries that have big expat communities there. Like Venezuela.

[ensco]

Also… Miami , hmmm… could we somehow be in the mix for Campana here? Meant to ask that when the Cho rumours were floated a couple of days ago… at least we know Campana can play in MLS.

[MikeForbes]

Wanyama back to the Club Feet.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1611448416004866048?s=20&t=eUy7Gf_RyJlByzCcZJrTGQ

[jloome]

Wanyama back to the Club Feet.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1611448416004866048?s=20&t=eUy7Gf_RyJlByzCcZJrTGQ

Wow, still a DP. That's a surprise. He's a good player but they seemed to have moved on from that. Probably the influence of Losada, who would know him from Beerschot and Europe in general.

[jloome]

Also… Miami , hmmm… could we somehow be in the mix for Campana here? Meant to ask that when the Cho rumours were floated a couple of days ago… at least we know Campana can play in MLS.

Not unless they landed a Messi-level DP. If Giroud went there, maybe, as Neville likes to play a solo striker. But he had 11 goals and they signed him to a DP deal, I believe. He's a good player, big and strong, soft touch, looks older than his years.

Maybe they have him on a u22 DP? I think he qualifies.

[rydermike]

https://twitter.com/BrentfordFC/status/1611422347260530692

[jloome]

https://twitter.com/BrentfordFC/status/1611422347260530692

Having watched quite a bit of his play, I will be extremely surprised if he ever plays 10 minutes in a competitive game for Brentford's first team, or one at the MLS level for that matter.

He has many deficiencies in his game. His passing is woeful, his movement minimal. He can cross a ball and he can hit a deadball, and that's about it. And he's athletically not even close.

I truly wouldn't be surprised if this was as much doing a favor to Miami's Next team as getting him better/more training.

[Webdogg]

Having watched quite a bit of his play, I will be extremely surprised if he ever plays 10 minutes in a competitive game for Brentford's first team, or one at the MLS level for that matter.

He has many deficiencies in his game. His passing is woeful, his movement minimal. He can cross a ball and he can hit a deadball, and that's about it. And he's athletically not even close.

I truly wouldn't be surprised if this was as much doing a favor to Miami's Next team as getting him better/more training.

It’s definitely a favour. Nobody not named Beckham can go from off-season condition at a third tier North American club to mid-season EPL reserve list. Third tier NA is what 5th tier in England?

The only way he should be able to step foot inside Gtech stadium is if he bought a ticket. Imagine being the guy who lost this spot?

[ensco]

You watch. He will play, a bit anyway. League Cup or something. This is business.

The Qataris paid $150M or some such to Beckham for a half-assed ambassador gig at the WC.

If Brentford get even one game witn David Beckham in rapt attendance, meeting the team in the room etc, cameras firing… it will pay for itself 10x in exposure and “Beckham” jersey sales

[ag futbol]

Article in the paper today about levonte johnson (Canadian, drafted late in the 1st by Whitecaps, MAC Herrman finalist).

What I find interesting is this guy has won wherever he’s played and literally scrapped himself off the bottom playing for bad US schools and climbed the ladder eventually to Syracuse and is one of their top players.

Just my $0.02 but that sort of fight probably will make him a good professional. Suspect he’ll be much better than many of the players selected before him.

[Oldtimer]

Sasha Kljestan retired




Let's rename the tunnel in his honour.

Newer people won't get that but it's quite a funny comment.

[Yuushalinsky]

ahh the smell of [MONTREAL SUFFERING]. Kamara requesting trade.

[ensco]

The Athletic has a big story today on all the ins and outs of CR's decision to go to Saudi.

Pretty in depth piece, runs to 18 pages if you print it. Lots of sourced discussion on his conversations with Chelsea, Bayern, Real Madrid....

Anybody care to guess how many times it mentions SKC?

[jloome]

ahh the smell of [MONTREAL SUFFERING]. Kamara requesting trade.

Hmmm... the fitness freak coach who prefers young players isn't going to start him? Shocker.

Basically, as much as fans seem to love him, the dude has always been a locker-room cancer because he won't shut the fuck up. I'm sure he thinks, at 39, that Losada has never been the striker he is, and is young, and doesn't know him as well as he knows himself... and a billion other rationales that don't justify whining publicly about roster business.

[jloome]

The Athletic has a big story today on all the ins and outs of CR's decision to go to Saudi.

Pretty in depth piece, runs to 18 pages if you print it. Lots of sourced discussion on his conversations with Chelsea, Bayern, Real Madrid....

Anybody care to guess how many times it mentions SKC?

Zippity Dippity?

Hell, they're plugging 'Guaranteed Green Cards' now, a promise that could get them into legal trouble, as I'm fairly certain they're not allowed to make it.

(Professional footballers nearly all fall under the 'exceptional talents' rule, so it's likely true. But I'm still pretty sure it's not legal, because of past scammery.)

It's so crass and penny-ante.

Rich Hall, the great American comic and documentarian (who some of us might remember from SNL for a year and Not Necessarily The News for eight more), has lived in Britain for 20 years. In a podcast interview this week, He compared doing comedy in the UK to the US based on where he was during the interview: In London, it's in a theatre, because humour is seen as an art form. In a U.S. city, it would be in 'The Chuckle Hut', and the audience would be more concerned with the price of jalapeno poppers.

Has anyone at Apple or MLS actually ever listened to a great announcer wax poetic? Instead, we get a 'bro' lineup of ex-athletes who will repeat the same trite shit and jingoism. I never thought I'd say "Thank God for Luke Wileman..." but...

(He's staying on, I understand, as the local voice, and will be carried as the parallel 'Radio' voice on Apple TV).

[OgtheDim]

Wileman's cue cards "must talk about this in the first 20 minutes" is annoying as heck.

Max Bretos isn't too bad & the other 2 PbP guys announced are decent enough

BUT


3 Pbp for the full league?


Somethings not right here.

[Smokecell]

Wileman's cue cards "must talk about this in the first 20 minutes" is annoying as heck.

Max Bretos isn't too bad & the other 2 PbP guys announced are decent enough

BUT


3 Pbp for the full league?


Somethings not right here.

I think that buried somewhere in the press release it mentions the full roster of PbP will be announced 'soon'.

EDIT: sorry I think this is what I was referring to, which is admittedly vague:

he complete on-air broadcast team and the full production plan for MLS Season Pass (https://www.mlssoccer.com/season-pass/) will be announced prior to the start of the 2023 MLS season, which begins Feb. 25.

[jloome]

Wileman's cue cards "must talk about this in the first 20 minutes" is annoying as heck.

Max Bretos isn't too bad & the other 2 PbP guys announced are decent enough

BUT


3 Pbp for the full league?


Somethings not right here.

I think people are missing that they're keeping all the local broadcasts. That's why they've announced a parallel local radio stream for each club, because they're going to carry the audio from the local, and in cases where they use the national coverage team, people can substitute their local team if they prefer.

They haven't explained this well, but 18 announcers total is a two-game team. One will be overarching host, one will be announcer of the game being covered, one will be color, two-to-three will be the 'halftime' panel.

So basically each game will take six-to-eight of their team being involved.

This sounds to me like they're going to have two-to-three "games of the week" which will be the ones free to ALL Apple TV subscribers and use their newly announced team. Then the other broadcasts will feature the local team.

So in essence it's the same as the old pay-per-view package they had, but with a couple of national broadcast games added and a full studio show.

This seems to be the direction. I could be wrong.

[OgtheDim]

I think people are missing that they're keeping all the local broadcasts.

Almost every local broadcast team had a "thanks and goodbye" moment.

[Canary10]

The Athletic has a big story today on all the ins and outs of CR's decision to go to Saudi.

Pretty in depth piece, runs to 18 pages if you print it. Lots of sourced discussion on his conversations with Chelsea, Bayern, Real Madrid....

Anybody care to guess how many times it mentions SKC?

The money was close though.

[jloome]

Almost every local broadcast team had a "thanks and goodbye" moment.

Really?! I've seen TWO.

Wileman has already confirmed he's staying, and Apple said yesterday a parallel local radio play-by-play would be available. Given that most radio play by plays are done by the team's announcers...

Also, the numbers only make sense with locals, unless Apple is going to hire a new team in every city. Think about the logistics versus cost of that, when they already have established presences.

It makes no sense, as far as I can see. They'd need to hire 64 announcers, which would be insanely expensive compared to renting them freelance from an existing broadcaster. TV broadcasters make six-figure salaries at the national level.

But I worked for a very cheap outlet and they have bags of dough, so who knows...

[OgtheDim]

Oh wait....the broadcast discussion is off topic for this thread...

[OgtheDim]

OK, a roster thing - about Nashville

They have sold 7 of their 8 international slots

https://twitter.com/benwright/status/1613273923965145106

[jloome]

Charlotte are really improving this offseason. Enzo Copetti and Ashley Westwood (assuming he stays healthy) make them much more dangerous and better going backwards, too.

[Areathrasher]

The Fire have sold Duran to Aston Villa for a fee of up to $22M

https://twitter.com/JeffreyCarlisle/status/1614979638048219136?s=20&t=96odD7iYJdFJtOxoOM0kOA

That's mad.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Nuts! Yet murky; with a sell-on 'potential'? Still...

https://twitter.com/TFCNU2/status/1614989725177360389

[MikeForbes]

The Fire have sold Duran to Aston Villa for a fee of up to $22M

https://twitter.com/JeffreyCarlisle/status/1614979638048219136?s=20&t=96odD7iYJdFJtOxoOM0kOA

That's mad.

Stuff like this is really going to get noticed by agents all around the world. MLS has really started to come on as a league that can get you to Europe.

[jloome]

The Fire have sold Duran to Aston Villa for a fee of up to $22M

https://twitter.com/JeffreyCarlisle/status/1614979638048219136?s=20&t=96odD7iYJdFJtOxoOM0kOA

That's mad.

Escalation in Premier League transfers with all the billionaire owners. IT's so out of hand even the presidents of other leagues are commenting on it being unsustainable.

The 14.75 million pounds they paid Chicago is less than Nottingham Forest paid for Neco Williams, who isn't good enough to play in the premiership.

In fact, I'll give anyone here odds that Jhon Duran scores more premiership goals in his career than Brendan Aaronson does. The kid is a dead cert to make it at the top level, even if it winds up being at Villa or another second-tier top club.

[rydermike]

https://twitter.com/BrentfordFC/status/1611422347260530692

Romeo Beckham made his debut for Brentford B against a ninth tier team, but the funny thing is David Beckham was in attendance, after a huge gathered he had to jump a fence and leave (photos in link) :lol:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64234563

[Mr. Inbetween]

Escalation in Premier League transfers with all the billionaire owners. IT's so out of hand even the presidents of other leagues are commenting on it being unsustainable. The 14.75 million pounds they paid Chicago is less than Nottingham Forest paid for Neco Williams, who isn't good enough to play in the premiership. In fact, I'll give anyone here odds that Jhon Duran scores more premiership goals in his career than Brendan Aaronson does. The kid is a dead cert to make it at the top level, even if it winds up being at Villa or another second-tier top club.

Some clubs, like Chelsea with Mudryk, may experiment with and try a more favourable [ Terms? ], currently or soon to be in fashion, 'Amortized' over an extended period [8.5 Years] contract route/solution? I believe the NHL/NFL/MLB may have a few experiences with this practice.

[Mr. Inbetween]

^^
Run David, run!

[Richard]

The money in the premier league is absolutely nuts. What I find baffling is how billionaire owners(not oil states) haven't yet lobbied for actual wage/transfer caps in the UEFA region. FFP is a complete joke.

That said Chelsea is in a unique situation, they were banned from making any transfers for a window and also had all of the their debt wiped off the books. It's like if you went into football manager and created a new team with a starting budget of $500m pounds, and several billion in cash reserves.

If Newcastle make top 4 this year you could easily see them spend $300m next summer, they are another team that have a lot room for spend according to FFP.

[JoesphNdo]

The money in the premier league is absolutely nuts. What I find baffling is how billionaire owners(not oil states) haven't yet lobbied for actual wage/transfer caps in the UEFA region. FFP is a complete joke.

That said Chelsea is in a unique situation, they were banned from making any transfers for a window and also had all of the their debt wiped off the books. It's like if you went into football manager and created a new team with a starting budget of $500m pounds, and several billion in cash reserves.

If Newcastle make top 4 this year you could easily see them spend $300m next summer, they are another team that have a lot room for spend according to FFP.

FFP was never about equity and was always about trying to stop teams from breaking into the elite club. But it doesn't even do that well.

[reggie]

looks like okello is at the miami camp...good luck to him

[ensco]

looks like okello is at the miami camp...good luck to him

Cover in MF in case they don’t get Messi

[Mr. Inbetween]

^
https://media.tenor.com/R_u_Yq_RjlgAAAAM/ha-popcorn.gif

[OgtheDim]

Next chapter in the continuing story of US soccer honchos being passive aggressive dickweeds...

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1615723033452240896

[ag futbol]

Also in Inter Miami / TFC related news:


https://miamitotalfutbol.substack.com/p/sources-canadian-midfielder-noble

Feels like a Jay Chapman esque career arc.

[jloome]

Also in Inter Miami / TFC related news:


https://miamitotalfutbol.substack.com/p/sources-canadian-midfielder-noble

Feels like a Jay Chapman esque career arc.

So far, other MLS clubs love trying to prove TFC wrong by signing young guys who were cast off before playing for the first Team in the league.

So far, very few of them have proven sensible. Raheem, but even he took a while to settle into just being a wingback.

Who else? It's hard to think of any who've made it. OB White went to Seattle but reinjured his knee and had to retire. Sam Cronin had few more good years in Colorado (he was a great, great passer of the ball, a real technician who never reached his above-MLS potential).

Nick Hagglund, but he was already a four-year player by the time he left us.

Who have we lost where it REALLY looks like we lost a youth prospect who would've helped us? My memory for this sort of thing is shit, so I'm genuinely asking if anyone can remember any.

There are guys we shouldn't have shed who were useful or just plain good in MLS -- Lovitz, Hasler, Beitashour, Williams, Frei -- but the only two young guys we've lost recently that pissed me off, Shaffelburg and Petrasso, weren't that young. They're 23 year olds; in the Premier League, if you're not good enough by 18-21 these days, you usually end up playing at a lower level.

Any real youth prospects that did better elsewhere?

[JoesphNdo]

So far, other MLS clubs love trying to prove TFC wrong by signing young guys who were cast off before playing for the first Team in the league.

So far, very few of them have proven sensible. Raheem, but even he took a while to settle into just being a wingback.

Who else? It's hard to think of any who've made it. OB White went to Seattle but reinjured his knee and had to retire. Sam Cronin had few more good years in Colorado (he was a great, great passer of the ball, a real technician who never reached his above-MLS potential).

Nick Hagglund, but he was already a four-year player by the time he left us.

Who have we lost where it REALLY looks like we lost a youth prospect who would've helped us? My memory for this sort of thing is shit, so I'm genuinely asking if anyone can remember any.

There are guys we shouldn't have shed who were useful or just plain good in MLS -- Lovitz, Hasler, Beitashour, Williams, Frei -- but the only two young guys we've lost recently that pissed me off, Shaffelburg and Petrasso, weren't that young. They're 23 year olds; in the Premier League, if you're not good enough by 18-21 these days, you usually end up playing at a lower level.

Any real youth prospects that did better elsewhere?

Do we count Mark-Anthony Kaye?

[jloome]

Do we count Mark-Anthony Kaye?

Yeahhhh... I guess he qualifies.

That's a tough one. When we let him go, he was an arrogant ass who wouldn't listen to coaches. They basically considered him uncoachable, at least in terms of getting better enough to be a pro.

His USL time really swung his head around. He's talked about the fact that TFC was right at the time, that he needed a wake up call.

In fact, by us releasing him relatively early, he probably improved his chances. Those who hung around for years like Chapman and Hamilton just stagnated at their existing level.

[ag futbol]

Yeahhhh... I guess he qualifies.

That's a tough one. When we let him go, he was an arrogant ass who wouldn't listen to coaches. They basically considered him uncoachable, at least in terms of getting better enough to be a pro.

His USL time really swung his head around. He's talked about the fact that TFC was right at the time, that he needed a wake up call.

In fact, by us releasing him relatively early, he probably improved his chances. Those who hung around for years like Chapman and Hamilton just stagnated at their existing level.
The other side to that story is Kaye didn’t see a path to be a pro in Toronto and basically forced a management’s hand “start me or trade me” was the ultimatum given, or something like that.

Tough to say he was strong given where his peers ended up.

[OgtheDim]

Callens to Girona....

https://twitter.com/FelipeCar/status/1615817777268375559

[ensco]

Cronin… had few more good years in Colorado (he was a great, great passer of the ball, a real technician who never reached his above-MLS potential).

OK since no news, digression time. Cronin. OMG I loved that player. You are understating this. Cronin was the biggest roster mistake in TFC history. Preki sold him for nothing the year after he went second overall in the draft (and the reasons Preki did that, well, you can probably find the speculation on reddit about that).

Sam immediately became an automatic starter for SJ and they won the Shield two years later. That team had Wondo, Big Bird (Lenhart), I have very vivid memories of them. Poor SJ that year lost in the playoffs to an inferior Galaxy team by coughing up the second leg, having won away at LA in the first leg.

I just looked it up, he continued to start every game there and then in Colorado for 5 years after that. He was an all star btw, in 2015.

It'll probably be decades before we see a decision on a young player as bad as the Cronin decision.

[jloome]

OK since no news, digression time. Cronin. OMG I loved that player. You are understating this. Cronin was the biggest roster mistake in TFC history. Preki sold him for nothing the year after he went second overall in the draft (and the reasons Preki did that, well, you can probably find the speculation on reddit about that).

Sam immediately became an automatic starter for SJ and they won the Shield two years later. That team had Wondo, Big Bird (Lenhart), I have very vivid memories of them. Poor SJ that year lost in the playoffs to an inferior Galaxy team by coughing up the second leg, having won away at LA in the first leg.

I just looked it up, he continued to start every game there and then in Colorado for 5 years after that. He was an all star btw, in 2015.

It'll probably be decades before we see a decision on a young player as bad as the Cronin decision.

Yeah, now that you point out how well he did in the league after I guess I did understate it.

To me, the real loss there was to Cronin. He was better than MLS, he just was. His technical ability as a hybrid 6/8 was crazy; he could step out of way of two tackles and drop a ball pretty much anywhere on the pitch. He could tackle, he was strong and tough. He just lacked a little speed and athleticism. But so did Oso at one point.

I really thought by year three he'd at least be at one of the secondary Euro leagues on the way to a major career.

Instead we traded him and this league eats talent. Less so now, but the hybrid style of play, the travel, the general lack of experience of the coaches and managers relative to other leagues... shit like that is why. Some crookedness too, if the stuff about the manager's agent contacts and signings was true. Was Saric brought in as a result? He was fucking terrible.

[BritSOL]

Yeah, now that you point out how well he did in the league after I guess I did understate it.

To me, the real loss there was to Cronin. He was better than MLS, he just was. His technical ability as a hybrid 6/8 was crazy; he could step out of way of two tackles and drop a ball pretty much anywhere on the pitch. He could tackle, he was strong and tough. He just lacked a little speed and athleticism. But so did Oso at one point.

I really thought by year three he'd at least be at one of the secondary Euro leagues on the way to a major career.

Instead we traded him and this league eats talent. Less so now, but the hybrid style of play, the travel, the general lack of experience of the coaches and managers relative to other leagues... shit like that is why. Some crookedness too, if the stuff about the manager's agent contacts and signings was true. Was Saric brought in as a result? He was fucking terrible.

Don't know how true this was, but I remember a story about the 1st game against San Jose with Aron Winter in charge. He remarked about Cronin being really good and the sort of player TFC should target!

[Canary10]

Don't know how true this was, but I remember a story about the 1st game against San Jose with Aron Winter in charge. He remarked about Cronin being really good and the sort of player TFC should target!

They told that story at one of the SSH open houses. He was told Cronin used to be a TFC player and Winter was like oh, shit.

[jloome]

https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/mls/2023/01/19/sounders-ink-jordan-morris-cristian-roldan-to-5-year-deals.html

Sounders doing business properly, as usual. Morris is now inked until age 33 and will likely retire with the club, barring another injury.

[los sonadores]

Rapids midfield becomes a little more crowded for Priso to get playing time.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/colorado-rapids-sign-connor-ronan-from-epl-s-wolverhampton-wanderers

[jloome]

Rapids midfield becomes a little more crowded for Priso to get playing time.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/colorado-rapids-sign-connor-ronan-from-epl-s-wolverhampton-wanderers

Yeah, I noticed he got some playing time in their game the other day, but didn't start. Decent younger player they've signed.

[barticusz]

How's for LA Galaxy losing Grandsir too. There are some major holes in a lot of teams this offseason. I would wager that Philly is looking like a really good bet to win the cup as although they've transferred out some key guys they continue to produce actual quality academy kids who step in and own their position consistently. Not something we've experienced outside of Oso.

[los sonadores]

Interesting this because of all the direct references to Orlando’s scouting activities. We rarely hear about this stuff at TFC… which is not at all to say that it doesn’t happen here, just that some of us are unclear about scouting in general since the days when the league rather than the clubs did (and imposed) the majority of the scouting.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/the-story-of-orlando-city-s-telenovela-chase-for-martin-ojeda

[jloome]

Ballou Tabla gets another shot at the big time, relatively speaking. Signed to the Turkish First Division side Manisa FK.

https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/article/five-beautiful-ballou-moments

[Kamp Berg]

LAFC picked up another backup keeper with the surname Romero. Weird.

[Mr. Inbetween]

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1619833606054240256?t=i4xpC1MnZbptBhsSlfWYig&s=19
Forest want Brenner and he wants the move. Could be devastating for fcc

I sense the potential for a Cyle Larin sitch developing to play out. Let's see what sort of cajones his agent has. 48 hours (+4) or so and counting down...

https://twitter.com/LaurelPfahler/status/1619832529099563008

[leedsandTFC]

and therein lies the problem with building around young talented players.

the second they do well enough, you have to sell em.

[Mr. Inbetween]

and therein lies the problem with building around young talented players. the second they do well enough, you have to sell em.

Yes, but some of these situations, though not a majority or most, I will concede, could be mitigated if the MLS Club could at least offer such players world marketplace competitive compensation. This could help facilitate and allow the league to evolve in other various symbiotic segments into a better destination of talent and quality play.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Was certainly sure this transfer was broached by jloome? Maybe in another thread? Anyways, ATLUTD, who knew? Team Slytherin! What a way to snake a deal. Their management's got some game. A tactic TFC might be able to use? A little less Hufflepuff?

https://twitter.com/YanniRamone/status/1620114990534651904

[Yuushalinsky]

Was certainly sure this transfer was broached by jloome? Maybe in another thread? Anyways, ATLUTD, who knew? Team Slytherin! What a way to snake a deal. Their management's got some game. A tactic TFC might be able to use? A little less Hufflepuff?

https://twitter.com/YanniRamone/status/1620114990534651904

Big poach from Atlanta - though as I understand it they wanted a loan-to-buy deal. That has to be for a reason.

[Mr. Inbetween]

If Rooney's being sincere, Bono is competing for the starting job at DC.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/01/30/wayne-rooney-everton-coach/


Buried in there is the news that Robbo is set to return to MLS as Rooney's assistant.. [insert gif of him doing windmill goal celebration here]

Also buried in that same pine box is the suggestion that Ravel Morrison is likely moving on. Havin' talks! By mutual agreement or transfer?

[burlington Red]

Big poach from Atlanta - though as I understand it they wanted a loan-to-buy deal. That has to be for a reason.

that chap is a very good player, physical with an eye for goal. Didn't quite work out for him at Celtic. Their manager Ange prefers more fluidity in his front line and that didn't quote suit him. Funny thing is a lot of Celtic fans are sad to see him go. When he played he was effective and was a good plan B for them, got some important late goals as well. I can see him being a success in mls. Funny thing is Celtic have replaced him with a similar sized South Korean striker, so maybe he and the manager didn't see eye to eye, I know he was unhappy about not being a regular starter.

[Mr. Inbetween]

IDK what happened.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Still don't know what happened.

[Mr. Inbetween]

LAG Management/Araujo Agent/Barca Management... who's responsible? Someone... what time is it? It's 13:59:20, send that transfer agreement document fax to FIFA... Someone else at FIFA...uhhh? We received it at 22:59:20... whoops... someone getting fired?

https://media.tenor.com/h-ikzqECokcAAAAM/fucked-up-youre-done.gif


https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1621289333167718400

[Mr. Inbetween]

Now that the Winter Transfer Window for Europe's key leagues is essentially closed... let their rumours for Pre-Contracts and the upcoming off-season Summer Transfer Window begin. Latest chatter. Vardy to MLS and Messi, persistent, though likely a stalking horse feint, still... to MLS/Miami.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Disaster? Will someone's head roll? Who is to blame? LAG? Barca? Nope... seems the fault is with the MLS! NOT GOOD!

https://twitter.com/mundodeportivo/status/1621581593562202116

https://twitter.com/JeffreyCarlisle/status/1621583554311507968

https://twitter.com/offjavi/status/1621584881045364736

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1621591082642427910

https://twitter.com/UgoOsinobi/status/1621591913517256706

[OgtheDim]

That is the sort of mistake somebody should be put on a performance improvement plan over - unless there was a technical glitch & both your backups also failed, you simply can not make those mistakes administratively at this level.

[Mr. Inbetween]

That is the sort of mistake somebody should be put on a performance improvement plan over - unless there was a technical glitch & both your backups also failed, you simply can not make those mistakes administratively at this level.

By most accounts not a technical issue. So 'someone' at MLS should be responsible. I was also thinking... maybe it was also a message opportunity by FIFA... tsk, tsking MLS. So you want to play with... be among or considered with the 'big' boys? You have to be better; to be with the best. You will have to experience some growing pain decisions to earn that membership; to be at that/this/our level.

[jloome]

Vancouver finalizing deal for top keeper in J-League.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230204/p2g/00m/0sp/036000c

[MikeForbes]

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1622391236798676992?s=20&t=5LJD8FXjVLKTVro97cDlcg

[ensco]

“MLS office campaign to show Apple suits that their big pitches that Messi and Ronaldo are serious targets, continues….”
(Neglects part where Saudis will offer 5x what Miami will.)

If I were Messi, I would go for the cash or go home to Barcelona.

[Canary10]

That is the sort of mistake somebody should be put on a performance improvement plan over - unless there was a technical glitch & both your backups also failed, you simply can not make those mistakes administratively at this level.

In fairness, almost the exact same thing happened to Hakim Ziyech, so it can happen at big clubs too. Although they were probably too busy signing the incoming transfer documents to care.

[ag futbol]

“MLS office campaign to show Apple suits that their big pitches that Messi and Ronaldo are serious targets, continues….”
(Neglects part where Saudis will offer 5x what Miami will.)

If I were Messi, I would go for the cash or go home to Barcelona.
I think short of a Beckham-esque package, this is probably what happens. But you never know, he’s won everything there is to win. Maybe the continued desire for top-level football isn’t there like it used to be. If money isn’t his overriding decision maker and he’s thinking lifestyle, maybe a trip to Miami is in the cards.

[Canary10]

I think short of a Beckham-esque package, this is probably what happens. But you never know, he’s won everything there is to win. Maybe the continued desire for top-level football isn’t there like it used to be. If money isn’t his overriding decision maker and he’s thinking lifestyle, maybe a trip to Miami is in the cards.

He's not won the EPL. That's where he should go.

[ag futbol]

He's not won the EPL. That's where he should go.
I think for someone from South America like Messi, this wouldn’t be high on the list or thought of the way we picture it.

[Canary10]

I think for someone from South America like Messi, this wouldn’t be high on the list or thought of the way we picture it.

It's the biggest league in the world with teams with bottomless pits of money. That's a draw isn't it?

[ensco]

I would like to see Messi at Toronto FC. Failing that, Sporting KC. Failing that, Barcelona.

Those are my views.

[Canary10]

I would like to see Messi at Toronto FC. Failing that, Sporting KC. Failing that, Barcelona.

Those are my views.

Sporting KC for sure if not TFC. Patrick Mahomes will seal the deal.

[ag futbol]

It's the biggest league in the world with teams with bottomless pits of money. That's a draw isn't it?
My observation from travelling around South America is La Liga is the most prominent European league offing on TV. Champions league also huge (and probably the one club thing he really needed to tick off his list). The mantra of EPL being the purest and most competitive offering doesn’t particularly live in their psyche.

Would a Spanish speaker in a country with a sometimes testy (putting it mildly) relationship with England think he needs to play there? My best guess is no but happy to be proven wrong.

[Hala Hrvatska]

My observation from travelling around South America is La Liga is the most prominent European league offing on TV. Champions league also huge (and probably the one club thing he really needed to tick off his list). The mantra of EPL being the purest and most competitive offering doesn’t particularly live in their psyche.

Would a Spanish speaker in a country with a sometimes testy (putting it mildly) relationship with England think he needs to play there? My best guess is no but happy to be proven wrong.

Definitely not. The South Americans love la liga. Technical football...and its Real or Barca for them as the ultimate. Weather, lifestyle, language ( the Brazilians adapt quickly with Portuguese/Spanish similarites). And they see all the CL wins as well.

Full disclosure, am a liga fan (and Real Madrid fan) so am somewhat biased...but Real is loaded with South Americans. Barca has some still.

Messi has a place in Miami also, so am assuming he'd consider it. Close enough to get to Argentina as well to get there when they want.

[Canary10]

My observation from travelling around South America is La Liga is the most prominent European league offing on TV. Champions league also huge (and probably the one club thing he really needed to tick off his list). The mantra of EPL being the purest and most competitive offering doesn’t particularly live in their psyche.

Would a Spanish speaker in a country with a sometimes testy (putting it mildly) relationship with England think he needs to play there? My best guess is no but happy to be proven wrong.

Yeah maybe in his case. EPL is the biggest league in the world, that's really my point. Sporting KC is the place to be anyway.

[burlington Red]

Definitely not. The South Americans love la liga. Technical football...and its Real or Barca for them as the ultimate. Weather, lifestyle, language ( the Brazilians adapt quickly with Portuguese/Spanish similarites). And they see all the CL wins as well.

Full disclosure, am a liga fan (and Real Madrid fan) so am somewhat biased...but Real is loaded with South Americans. Barca has some still.

Messi has a place in Miami also, so am assuming he'd consider it. Close enough to get to Argentina as well to get there when they want.


are they, think they have maybe 3 in their whole squad, although I do stand corrected if wrong on that. Man utd for example have 6 south americans in their squad. You are right, that historically south americans do prefer la liga, but players go where the money is, and these days that is PL. Of the Argentian side that started the world cup 5 play in PL, only 2 in Spain

[Mr. Inbetween]

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang seems to be available. MLS, LAFC one of the possible destinations.

https://twitter.com/mlsnetwork/status/1622606261291216897

[Canary10]

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang seems to be available. MLS, LAFC one of the possible destinations.

https://twitter.com/mlsnetwork/status/1622606261291216897

I think any team is nuts to go near him.

[Hala Hrvatska]

are they, think they have maybe 3 in their whole squad, although I do stand corrected if wrong on that. Man utd for example have 6 south americans in their squad. You are right, that historically south americans do prefer la liga, but players go where the money is, and these days that is PL. Of the Argentian side that started the world cup 5 play in PL, only 2 in Spain


Real's South Americans....key ones in Militao, Vinicious, Rodrygo, Fede Valverde, and have others on loan as well like Reiner....bought a 16 year old Brazil wonderkid Endrick recently but will stay there for 2 years then come to Madrid.

Players will go where money is, like psg as well but Real and Barca too...at least Man city got nailed for breaking all kinds of financial regulations....and no doubt Chelsea wil as well...absolutely ridiculous sums paid for fernendez and mudryk. And psg is obviously not following any fair play rules with Mbappe, Neymar and Messi...Hakimi....Ramos....

[ensco]

Re Messi, if he is going to play in a lesser league, and it's not Saudi for the cash... why not Newell's?

I mean I know the security situation there isn't perfect, but he can hire guys. From a sentimental POV, I mean, imagine....

[Hala Hrvatska]

Real's South Americans....key ones in Militao, Vinicious, Rodrygo, Fede Valverde, and have others on loan as well like Reiner....bought a 16 year old Brazil wonderkid Endrick recently but will stay there for 2 years then come to Madrid.

Players will go where money is, like psg as well but Real and Barca too...at least Man city got nailed for breaking all kinds of financial regulations....and no doubt Chelsea wil as well...absolutely ridiculous sums paid for fernendez and mudryk. And psg is obviously not following any fair play rules with Mbappe, Neymar and Messi...Hakimi....Ramos....


Real also sold at the start of the year Case to man u (brought in Tchoumeni from France as his replacement and Marcelo was finished but I think went to Greece...so last year, 5 key South Americans starting...4 this year. Tobias is another Brazilian, looking to be the RB next year...is reserve now

[Hala Hrvatska]

Re Messi, if he is going to play in a lesser league, and it's not Saudi for the cash... why not Newell's?

I mean I know the security situation there isn't perfect, but he can hire guys. From a sentimental POV, I mean, imagine....

I think the wife prefers Barcelona...or Miami.

[jloome]

https://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/699824/pozuelo-maakt-verrassende-transfer

A report says Poz is going to a Turkish league team.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Re Messi, if he is going to play in a lesser league, and it's not Saudi for the cash... why not Newell's? I mean I know the security situation there isn't perfect, but he can hire guys. From a sentimental POV, I mean, imagine....

He has stated that it is a dream of his to return to his hometown boyhood club. IIUC, has a 'Compound' there. Visit yes, live like that, maybe not. On the other hand, has business interests in Spain, Boutique Hotels, so a return to Barca, even for a match and then retirement in Spain would not be out of the question; believe still has his nice home there. Family is most familiar and likely comfortable in this setting. IIRC, he is only renting his Paris home which is close to PSG; BTW, IMO France is not Latino Life accommodating. I think the MLS Miami rumour is real. Daddy Messi and entourage love rucking up these shenanigans. Then there is The MLS/Apple/Miami-KC Black Card Package Template that has been alluded to and somewhat leaked. For Messi perhaps 35% ownership or value of Miami FC; Forbes #11 @ 600M USD, therefore about 210M USD. Also, the idea of CR7 to KC, however odd, supports the ongoing notion of Messi to Miami. If anything, it demonstrates that a Mega Star Player contingency has be gamed out to a degree. As a city, Miami is 'relatively' safe and an easy air travel conduit to Argentina or Europe; and still an oasis to the rich and famous. Family life would not be too bad there; maybe some happy wife, happy life consideration. Unclear ownership rumours of a villa and an entire Porsche designed apartment building floor! there also exist. So other than all this being part of Daddy Messi gamesmanship, a typical stalking horse feint, I would suggest possible... perhaps even probable.

[jloome]

Noble Okello is on trial with LA Galaxy.

[ensco]

Noble Okello is on trial with LA Galaxy.

Greg Vanney brings in every single guy that he used to work with, if he is at loose ends, for a look.

Bob Bradley, not so much (although Romero and Diomande are in that bucket).

Just observing. No big opinion on what is right.

[noxx98]

https://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/699824/pozuelo-maakt-verrassende-transfer

A report says Poz is going to a Turkish league team.
He posted an Instagram story yesterday flying first class on Turkish Airlines. Wouldn't be my first choice on where to play, but get that bread.

[rydermike]

Not MLS-transfer, but could see him coming to MLS now

Gloire Amanda terminated his contract with Austrian Bundesliga side Austria Klangenfurt today. Given it got terminated today, he's unable to join any team who's transfer window closed on January 31 (since he'd have needed to be a free agent while their window was open to join after it closes). Maybe an MLS move is in the cards for him since he terminated it now and the MLS transfer window is open

He's Canadian, played with Whitecaps 2, and was the 2020 NCAA player of the year

[jloome]

Not MLS-transfer, but could see him coming to MLS now

Gloire Amanda terminated his contract with Austrian Bundesliga side Austria Klangenfurt today. Given it got terminated today, he's unable to join any team who's transfer window closed on January 31 (since he'd have needed to be a free agent while their window was open to join after it closes). Maybe an MLS move is in the cards for him since he terminated it now.

He's Canadian, played with Whitecaps 2, and was the 2020 NCAA player of the year

Given his pro record so far, I'd think USL seems more likely. But maybe someone takes a flier. 1 goal in two years at age 24 is not a great number for someone who was so prolific as a youth.

[jloome]

LAFC is on the verge of signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to a DP deal.

https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/football/angleterre/foot-aubameyang-proche-d-un-depart-vers-la-mls-20230206

[jloome]

Isco coming to MLS, allegedly.

https://www.goodisonnews.com/2023/02/06/isco-seduced-by-mls-move-more-than-everton-only-few-options-left/

[leedsandTFC]

seeing these other euro players coming to mls, really glad we managed to get insigne and berna.

[jloome]

seeing these other euro players coming to mls, really glad we managed to get insigne and berna.

Aubameyang should score 20 in his sleep in this league.

[leedsandTFC]

Aubameyang should score 20 in his sleep in this league.

kidding, aren't you?

has looked washed and uninterested for a while, would be going to LA for the lifestyle.

those sorts of players no longer cut it in MLS. 34 in june, with attitude issues (chased out of 3 teams in 18 months).

would be livid if we were replacing arango, a proven striker in his prime that is an MLS success, with a washed aubameyang who's been at 3 clubs in the past 2 years (unless it wasn't a DP contact, of course).

[jloome]

kidding, aren't you?

has looked washed and uninterested for a while, would be going to LA for the lifestyle.

those sorts of players no longer cut it in MLS. 34 in june, with attitude issues (chased out of 3 teams in 18 months).

would be livid if we were replacing arango, a proven striker in his prime that is an MLS success, with a washed aubameyang who's been at 3 clubs in the past 2 years (unless it wasn't a DP contact, of course).

He had 11 goals in 18 games at Barca last summer. He looked anything but washed. And how someone's doing at Chelsea these days doesn't indicate much.

I remember when he left Arsenal for BArca, everyone said he was washed then, too.

If he gets good service he's still pretty clinical and this is not the Premier League.

[leedsandTFC]

He had 11 goals in 18 games at Barca last summer. He looked anything but washed. And how someone's doing at Chelsea these days doesn't indicate much.

I remember when he left Arsenal for BArca, everyone said he was washed then, too.

If he gets good service he's still pretty clinical and this is not the Premier League.

he's been chased out of 3 teams in 18 months, and is 34 in 4 months.

this is a guy who relied heavily on pace.

if they can get him focused, fit and concentrated, it might work, for a year? more than likely will be a failure, tho.

[jloome]

he's been chased out of 3 teams in 18 months,

Yeah... I'm not sure being the victim of a brutal home invasion robbery that leaves you with a broken jaw and a terrified family is quite being "chased out" of Barcelona. They were rather eager to leave. And Chelsea paid E12M for him just five months ago. So clearly, the manager of the day wasn't eager to "chase him out."

They've just switched to Potter and he's been gash again, but so has the whole team.

This guy scored 11 goals in 18 at Barcelona less than a year ago. He's a little better than the average MLS striker. But yeah, who knows how age and interest will affect it. He'd certainly turned off at Arsenal, although to his defense, he claimed at the time that Arteta didn't even talk to him about it, just went into a fit one week and that was it. And he has a rep for that sort of flighty shit.

The evidence on hand suggests he'll do well.

[leedsandTFC]

Yeah... I'm not sure being the victim of a brutal home invasion robbery that leaves you with a broken jaw and a terrified family is quite being "chased out" of Barcelona. They were rather eager to leave. And Chelsea paid E12M for him just five months ago. So clearly, the manager of the day wasn't eager to "chase him out."

They've just switched to Potter and he's been gash again, but so has the whole team.

This guy scored 11 goals in 18 at Barcelona less than a year ago. He's a little better than the average MLS striker. But yeah, who knows how age and interest will affect it. He'd certainly turned off at Arsenal, although to his defense, he claimed at the time that Arteta didn't even talk to him about it, just went into a fit one week and that was it. And he has a rep for that sort of flighty shit.

The evidence on hand suggests he'll do well.

He's had one decent spell in the past 18 months and is a nearly 34 year old striker who relies heavily on pace.

Not to mention, been frozen out by 2 teams in a year.

All these are the hallmarks of a poor signing.

Of course mls is often a place where players sonetimes find and reinvent themselves. Just doesn't strike me that this is where he is at this point.

We'll see soon. I'd far rather have arango, even as a dp.

[noxx98]

I think Auba would do well in MLS for a year or two, but I also wouldn't want him on TFC.

[Section 223]

kidding, aren't you?

has looked washed and uninterested for a while, would be going to LA for the lifestyle.

those sorts of players no longer cut it in MLS. 34 in june, with attitude issues (chased out of 3 teams in 18 months).

would be livid if we were replacing arango, a proven striker in his prime that is an MLS success, with a washed aubameyang who's been at 3 clubs in the past 2 years (unless it wasn't a DP contact, of course).
I recall a heated debate on this board when Bernadeschi was rumoured to be interested in signing, think that worked out ok, truth is you never discount any player that is come from big sides like Arsenal Barcelona and yes Juventus , contrary to some opinions this league is still not that good, Former Premiership stars and European champion Italians toy with MLS defenders.

[Canary10]

He's had one decent spell in the past 18 months and is a nearly 34 year old striker who relies heavily on pace.

Not to mention, been frozen out by 2 teams in a year.

All these are the hallmarks of a poor signing.

Of course mls is often a place where players sonetimes find and reinvent themselves. Just doesn't strike me that this is where he is at this point.

We'll see soon. I'd far rather have arango, even as a dp.

I totally agree with this. He's been locker room poison on his last three teams. He's looked terrible at Chelsea. And I get that Chelsea is a weird case these days, but he's showed the same pattern everywhere. If LA got a half a year out of him they would be lucky.

[burlington Red]

I wouldn't want him, I know his record a year ago was good at Barca, but so was Ronaldo's at Utd, yet this year he could barely move let alone finish chances for them. Age can catch up very quickly, niggling injuries much harder to shake off. When you are banging in goals for fun, certain quirks or attitude issues can be overlooked, tolerated even, but when you are struggling, those attitude issues can cause unrest in the locker room, effecting team morale, as we saw with Ronaldo before he left Man utd. Maybe this move might rejuvenite him, and he gets his goalscoring mojo back. As a betting man I'd have strong doubts about that though.

[leedsandTFC]

I recall a heated debate on this board when Bernadeschi was rumoured to be interested in signing, think that worked out ok, truth is you never discount any player that is come from big sides like Arsenal Barcelona and yes Juventus , contrary to some opinions this league is still not that good, Former Premiership stars and European champion Italians toy with MLS defenders.

Player who is 28 vs nearly 34, is the difference

[jloome]

I totally agree with this. He's been locker room poison on his last three teams. He's looked terrible at Chelsea. And I get that Chelsea is a weird case these days, but he's showed the same pattern everywhere. If LA got a half a year out of him they would be lucky.

<<but he's showed the same pattern everywhere>>

Dude, he literally hasn't. He went to Barca and scored 11 in 18. That was only six months ago. If the guy isn't robbed and beaten, he's probably still there scoring goals.

Some strikers just don't settle in England. Plus, he's 33. I also haven't seen any "locker room poison" stories, just Arteta disliking his effort and Auba saying "he hasn't even talked to me." THat was right before Barca, which was six months ago.

I'll give you he's been terrible at Chelsea, but perhaps he's not up to that level competitively anymore and expects to fail because of his time at Arsenal.... all of which is moot. He scored 11 in 18 at Barcelona six months ago; he's a better-than-MLS striker.

[leedsandTFC]

<<but he's showed the same pattern everywhere>>

Dude, he literally hasn't. He went to Barca and scored 11 in 18. That was only six months ago. If the guy isn't robbed and beaten, he's probably still there scoring goals.

Some strikers just don't settle in England. Plus, he's 33. I also haven't seen any "locker room poison" stories, just Arteta disliking his effort and Auba saying "he hasn't even talked to me." THat was right before Barca, which was six months ago.

I'll give you he's been terrible at Chelsea, but perhaps he's not up to that level competitively anymore and expects to fail because of his time at Arsenal.... all of which is moot. He scored 11 in 18 at Barcelona six months ago; he's a better-than-MLS striker.

he did settle in england though, was a good player for arsenal for years.

and drop off for players that rely heavily on pace can be very fast, see ronaldo.

we'll see soon if they sign him, i guess!

[jloome]

he did settle in england though, was a good player for arsenal for years.

and drop off for players that rely heavily on pace can be very fast, see ronaldo.

we'll see soon if they sign him, i guess!

Ronaldo is 37, and would still score 30 goals in MLS.

We're a decent league now, ala Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Scotland. But we're also a skill-heavy league -- skill on the ball, far less tactically disciplined, and technically quite naive.

A good technical player, who understands the cut-off angles that are blind to defenders, who knows how to move against the movement of the rest of a team, who can bounce between two central defenders until he has subtly pushed them a bit too wide... that guy doesn't need a lot of speed in our league. He just needs service, and LAFC has tons.

But maybe he'll come in disinterested. That was the knock in England, that he really didn't seem to want to be there. Which I can understand. When I was kid living part of the year in Africa and part in England, I'll be blunt about how depressing English weather and some social elements could be.

Angola had all sorts of problems, but it also had the nicest people on Earth, fantastic weather, beautiful beaches.

If you're a pro footballer with enough money that you could afford to live anywhere, England can wear on you. Kevin De Bruyne, who lives in London for his career right now, was quite blunt in an interview with the Guardian before the World Cup about how quickly he'd be leaving once his career was done.

Auba is at the end of his career, a guy in his thirties with a family. It might be that living in LA is a refreshing change of scenery.

[leedsandTFC]

Ronaldo is 37, and would still score 30 goals in MLS.

We're a decent league now, ala Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Scotland. But we're also a skill-heavy league -- skill on the ball, far less tactically disciplined, and technically quite naive.

A good technical player, who understands the cut-off angles that are blind to defenders, who knows how to move against the movement of the rest of a team, who can bounce between two central defenders until he has subtly pushed them a bit too wide... that guy doesn't need a lot of speed in our league. He just needs service, and LAFC has tons.

But maybe he'll come in disinterested. That was the knock in England, that he really didn't seem to want to be there. Which I can understand. When I was kid living part of the year in Africa and part in England, I'll be blunt about how depressing English weather and some social elements could be.

Angola had all sorts of problems, but it also had the nicest people on Earth, fantastic weather, beautiful beaches.

If you're a pro footballer with enough money that you could afford to live anywhere, England can wear on you. Kevin De Bruyne, who lives in London for his career right now, was quite blunt in an interview with the Guardian before the World Cup about how quickly he'd be leaving once his career was done.

Auba is at the end of his career, a guy in his thirties with a family. It might be that living in LA is a refreshing change of scenery.

3 clubs in 18 months, a second 34 year old DP who'se been frozen out of 2 clubs in a year.

dress it up however you like, it's a real change from what made LAFC a success and would be frankly a big step back.

we've been worrying about having a few key players aged 30-32, imagine if 2 of our DPs were 34, bad situation.

what was the last successful mls team with 2 dps in their mid 30s?

la galaxy 2014?

also, ronaldo is currently struggling in the saudi league, yet to score an open play goal.

[Section 223]

Player who is 28 vs nearly 34, is the difference
I don’t know , Champions League winners are lead by two 35 year olds Benzema and Modric, this is MLS , a 34 year old is no concern at all for me

[leedsandTFC]

I don’t know , Champions League winners are lead by two 35 year olds Benzema and Modric, this is MLS , a 34 year old is no concern at all for me

yes, and there's a reason modric and benzema are still at real madrid and not being frozen out of multiple teams in the past 12 months+shipped off to mls.

[leedsandTFC]

https://twitter.com/LAGalaxy/status/1623021438230994944

zavaleta re ups at the galaxy

[Canary10]

<<but he's showed the same pattern everywhere>>

Dude, he literally hasn't. He went to Barca and scored 11 in 18. That was only six months ago. If the guy isn't robbed and beaten, he's probably still there scoring goals.

Some strikers just don't settle in England. Plus, he's 33. I also haven't seen any "locker room poison" stories, just Arteta disliking his effort and Auba saying "he hasn't even talked to me." THat was right before Barca, which was six months ago.

I'll give you he's been terrible at Chelsea, but perhaps he's not up to that level competitively anymore and expects to fail because of his time at Arsenal.... all of which is moot. He scored 11 in 18 at Barcelona six months ago; he's a better-than-MLS striker.

He was dropped by Arteta due to disciplinary issues.

He left Barca because he was robbed? That's one story. Others have said it Lewandowski coming in and his playing time reduced. Also no one likes his "demeanour."

And he got dropped fast by Potter.

I don't know. 3 teams in 18 months seems like a pattern. I wish he'd go to Club Foot to be honest. Would be a good replacement for Kei Kamara.

[jloome]

He was dropped by Arteta due to disciplinary issues.

He disputed this. His version was that Arteta never approached him, never disciplined him and never had a single conversation with him about it. He just dropped him and let it filter back to him that it was due to his "attitude."

I'm not saying he's correct, just that Arteta's version was Arteta's version.

I read all the stories at the time, and there were no official sources or other players taking sides in this. Although, it certainly did seem from how obvious it was to the media that Aubameyang would've known he was on the hotseat for not training hard enough.

Kamara is allegedly back at Club Foot. A story last week had him saying he was taking the deal while actively looking for another job. It sounded delightfully toxic.

[burlington Red]

Ronaldo is 37, and would still score 30 goals in MLS.

We're a decent league now, ala Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Scotland. But we're also a skill-heavy league -- skill on the ball, far less tactically disciplined, and technically quite naive.

A good technical player, who understands the cut-off angles that are blind to defenders, who knows how to move against the movement of the rest of a team, who can bounce between two central defenders until he has subtly pushed them a bit too wide... that guy doesn't need a lot of speed in our league. He just needs service, and LAFC has tons.

But maybe he'll come in disinterested. That was the knock in England, that he really didn't seem to want to be there. Which I can understand. When I was kid living part of the year in Africa and part in England, I'll be blunt about how depressing English weather and some social elements could be.

Angola had all sorts of problems, but it also had the nicest people on Earth, fantastic weather, beautiful beaches.

If you're a pro footballer with enough money that you could afford to live anywhere, England can wear on you. Kevin De Bruyne, who lives in London for his career right now, was quite blunt in an interview with the Guardian before the World Cup about how quickly he'd be leaving once his career was done.

Auba is at the end of his career, a guy in his thirties with a family. It might be that living in LA is a refreshing change of scenery.


I always assumed he lived in Manchester, that's a hell of a commute for training each day if he does live in London. Have you got a link to that interview by any chance, be interested to read that. I know he's taking his coaching badges, so I'll assume he'll go wherever he gets work when he's finished playing.

[jloome]

I always assumed he lived in Manchester, that's a hell of a commute for training each day if he does live in London. Have you got a link to that interview by any chance, be interested to read that. I know he's taking his coaching badges, so I'll assume he'll go wherever he gets work when he's finished playing.

I can't find it. I thought it was the Guardian but theirs was a similar piece, albeit a little less strongly worded; they may have been off the same presser or junket interview.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/26/kevin-de-bruyne-manchester-city-belgium-world-cup-home-life

I remembered it as London but it was probably Manchester. He talked about not liking to go out because he can't go a hundred yards without having to sign an autograph, and how when he was young, living in London was depressing for someone of his character. (Ok, that might be why I remembered it as London, as he started out at Chelsea).

[burlington Red]

I can't find it. I thought it was the Guardian but theirs was a similar piece, albeit a little less strongly worded; they may have been off the same presser or junket interview.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/26/kevin-de-bruyne-manchester-city-belgium-world-cup-home-life

I remembered it as London but it was probably Manchester. He talked about not liking to go out because he can't go a hundred yards without having to sign an autograph, and how when he was young, living in London was depressing for someone of his character. (Ok, that might be why I remembered it as London, as he started out at Chelsea).

cheers for that, makes sense ie the Chelsea and London part. He's not the party type, very much a family man, so London might have been a bit much for him, plus he wasn't playing much either, although he seems fairly contented in that interview you give above. I was gonna add, with him doing his coaching badges, he could do a lot worse than hanging on at City and doing what Arteta did, but with the trouble that City are in right now, maybe not.

[jloome]

cheers for that, makes sense ie the Chelsea and London part. He's not the party type, very much a family man, so London might have been a bit much for him, plus he wasn't playing much either, although he seems fairly contented in that interview you give above. I was gonna add, with him doing his coaching badges, he could do a lot worse than hanging on at City and doing what Arteta did, but with the trouble that City are in right now, maybe not.

He seems quite aloof, which would make a good manager. His comments in that piece about Belgium at the world cup were quite prescient, too. Probably did not endear him to his international teammates however.

[jloome]

Eriq Zavaleta re-signs with the LA Galaxy.

His good fortune never ends, it seems. What luck that they are a little short at center half when the guy responsible for signings with Chris Klein out suspended is...

Oh. Never mind.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Eriq Zavaleta re-signs with the LA Galaxy. His good fortune never ends, it seems. What luck that they are a little short at center half when the guy responsible for signings with Chris Klein out suspended is... Oh. Never mind.

Zavaleta and Armas seem to each carry The Seven Gods of Good Fortune with them.

[Canary10]

Looks like Auba is going to LAFC on loan for the rest of the PL season. So we'll see how he does.

[jloome]

Looks like Auba is going to LAFC on loan for the rest of the PL season. So we'll see how he does.

Hercules Gomez's take was it's a mistake. He said at the right team, where he can just be a number nine poacher, he'd score tons of goals in MLS. But Cherundolo expects his striker to press the backline, and he's never been willing to play defense really.

Probably a good point. They'll probably end up using him like Bale as a late scoring threat.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Looks like Auba is going to LAFC on loan for the rest of the PL season. So we'll see how he does.

IMO, that may not be the real concern. Some reporting suggests Chelsea is willing to pay all his wages during the loan; unclear if it is for rest of the contract, to July 2024 or just until July 2023; next window. Even if LAFC just pays a discounted/token amount, the transfer should be perceived problematic. Factions of LAFC and Chelsea Ownership have dealings together; share business interests. That could be considered a conflict or at the very least not in the spirit of any financial fair play. Although, latest is that Auba wants to stay in Europe.

[leedsandTFC]

https://twitter.com/CFCPys/status/1624099836495638542?t=hAN0YoSVA1KJ-ORtRvuv0Q&s=19

Sounds like aubameyang wants to stay at chelsea, ac milan and barca interested in the summer.

[rydermike]

Noble Okello now going on trial with New England (after previously trialling with Inter Miami and LA Galaxy

https://twitter.com/AlxRuiz15/status/1624859823031595008

[leedsandTFC]

Noble Okello now going on trial with New England (after previously trialling with Inter Miami and LA Galaxy

https://twitter.com/AlxRuiz15/status/1624859823031595008

on to trial with his 3rd mls team, i reckon he ends up in cpl.

[ag futbol]

There’s still a chance to salvage a good career here. But he’s really got to put his foot in the gas. Looked too comfortable at TFC.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Oops! PB still has to hone some of his reporting skills?

Translation: 'A former #TFClive finds a buyer. He will be on familiar ground with Delgado, Mavinga and Raheem Edwards'.

https://twitter.com/pbernier10/status/1625092385989398528

[ag futbol]

Not sure if this fits under TFC or non-TFC but Sam Adekugbe is looking for a loan after his club has cancelled its season in Turkey (multiple MLS teams interested). Too bad, as he would have been perfect prior to our recent signings.

I’d like to see him try another league in Europe. Honestly think he’s the most underrated player on the CANMNt roster.

https://theathletic.com/4192690/2023/02/13/turkey-earthquake-canadian-soccer-players/

[Mr. Inbetween]

^
Further details...

''According to a source familiar with Adekugbe’s situation, Hatayspor’s players and agents have been told by the Turkish Football Association that they are free to sign with any team interested in seeing them on a short-term loan until the summer. Crucially, foreign players would not be considered foreign players when signing loan deals (in Turkiye), potentially widening their options. The source said Adekugbe has been in talks with the Istanbul-based Turkish teams for a loan deal and it is likely he will sign with one of those teams. Adekugbe’s contract at Hatayspor runs until June 30, 2024.''

https://thehitc.com/earthquake-in-turkey-tests-canadian-teammates-brotherhood/

[jloome]

Looks like Auba is going to LAFC on loan for the rest of the PL season. So we'll see how he does.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/16/graham-potter-doing-chelsea-no-favours-ignoring-aubameyang

Good piece on the debate there. The argument from the writer is that Potter refuses to play him because he's a pure 9 who won't press. But the writer argues he's Chelsea's best finisher.

As for his three goals this year, he notes he hasn't played since Nov. 3. If you don't play -- and he's been left out of their CL squad -- you can't score.

[ensco]

I was just looking at Galatasaray's roster (trying to figure out how Adekugbe fits in) and I hadn't quite appreciated the caliber of players there generally:

Fernando Muslera I knew, but... Mauro Icardi, Juan Mata, Dries Mertens, Nicolo Zaniolo. Gomis, Giovinco's strike partner from Saudi, is there too. Gomis has 46 goals in 64 games over two stints there.

I mean, holy crap, what a move for Adekugbe. TFC/MLS would have had no shot compared to a team like that.

I understand the Petretta thing better now. Sam was never coming.

[Yuushalinsky]

So Messi IS coming to MLS.

[Mr. Inbetween]

So Messi IS coming to MLS.

Not according to Fabrizio Romano. Still, seems that some kind of momentum, media tempest, is building; from possibility towards probability. That sound in the distance some may be hearing is the beeping of an MLS Brinks Semi-Trailer backing-up.

[Yuushalinsky]

Not according to Fabrizio Romano. Still, seems that some kind of momentum, media tempest, is building; from possibility towards probability. That sound in the distance some may be hearing is the beeping of an MLS Brinks Semi-Trailer backing-up.
unfortunate that our home match with them is early this year but what're you gonna do

2024 Messi tickets are gonna be money for SSH if this does go through

[burlington Red]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/16/graham-potter-doing-chelsea-no-favours-ignoring-aubameyang

Good piece on the debate there. The argument from the writer is that Potter refuses to play him because he's a pure 9 who won't press. But the writer argues he's Chelsea's best finisher.

As for his three goals this year, he notes he hasn't played since Nov. 3. If you don't play -- and he's been left out of their CL squad -- you can't score.

Potter had that same exact issue at Brighton, team played good football but struggled to score. Look at Brighton now under a new manager, knocking in goals for fun with pretty much the same squad Potter left. Re CL, Chelsea now are 10th in league, 10 points of the last CL spot. For a team who have spent $600 million in last 2 transfer windows, that's criminal if they don't make that. It's one thing, having a defined footballing principle, but sometimes you need to be flexible,a bit more pragmatic and work with what you have until you can get the exact player you want. Chelsea have 2 goals in their last 6 games.

[Canary10]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/16/graham-potter-doing-chelsea-no-favours-ignoring-aubameyang

Good piece on the debate there. The argument from the writer is that Potter refuses to play him because he's a pure 9 who won't press. But the writer argues he's Chelsea's best finisher.

As for his three goals this year, he notes he hasn't played since Nov. 3. If you don't play -- and he's been left out of their CL squad -- you can't score.

I saw another article that Chelsea is trying to move to young, hungry players and Auba doesn't fit that...also the disciplinary issues. Saturday's lineup should be interesting.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Sometimes, at a certain instant, a tipping point, a story begins to take on a life of it's own; momentum is a funny thing, as is the Pygmalion Effect.

https://twitter.com/dhiqrullah007/status/1626279169045803014

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21418561/david-beckham-transfer-lionel-messi-inter-miami/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=sunsporttwitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1676640038 (http://https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21418561/david-beckham-transfer-lionel-messi-inter-miami/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=sunsporttwitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1676640038)

[Canary10]

I saw another article that Chelsea is trying to move to young, hungry players and Auba doesn't fit that...also the disciplinary issues. Saturday's lineup should be interesting.

Auba not even in the team today. He’s toast with Chelsea.

[Mr. Inbetween]

https://twitter.com/GdeGustavo83/status/1627026949099909120

[jloome]

Auba not even in the team today. He’s toast with Chelsea.

This was Potter literally yesterday:
https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/17/graham-potter-sends-message-to-pierre-emerick-aubameyang-over-chelsea-future-18302314/

I realize I'm probably coming off as an Aubamayang fan -- I'm not -- but this whole story seems to be continually odds with what people are actually saying publicly.

Potter literally claims publicly he has NO disciplinary issue with him and he still considers him an important team members.

‘Of course, Pierre is in our squad, he remains an important player for us, he’s worked hard, he knows the situation at the moment.
‘Nothing’s set in stone, his attitude has been really, really good. We’ll make an assessment as we go forward.’

But... he clearly has issues with him and isn't playing him.

I swear, neurotypical people drive me mad sometimes.

So explain this one to me, fellow Norvician (okay, more ancestral in my case, but I digress). Is this politicking, because someone above him at Chelsea DOES like Aubamayang?

[Canary10]

This was Potter literally yesterday:
https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/17/graham-potter-sends-message-to-pierre-emerick-aubameyang-over-chelsea-future-18302314/

I realize I'm probably coming off as an Aubamayang fan -- I'm not -- but this whole story seems to be continually odds with what people are actually saying publicly.

Potter literally claims publicly he has NO disciplinary issue with him and he still considers him an important team members.

‘Of course, Pierre is in our squad, he remains an important player for us, he’s worked hard, he knows the situation at the moment.
‘Nothing’s set in stone, his attitude has been really, really good. We’ll make an assessment as we go forward.’

But... he clearly has issues with him and isn't playing him.

I swear, neurotypical people drive me mad sometimes.

So explain this one to me, fellow Norvician (okay, more ancestral in my case, but I digress). Is this politicking, because someone above him at Chelsea DOES like Aubamayang?

Didn’t Tuchel coach him at BVB? I think he was the reason they got him, then Tuchel was axed shortly after. And Potter was stuck with him.

[jloome]

Didn’t Tuchel coach him at BVB? I think he was the reason they got him, then Tuchel was axed shortly after. And Potter was stuck with him.

But that doesn't explain the political line, does it? Why isn't he just being blunt about to find him another place to play, or the attitude stuff? Maybe Potter's just not a "wash our clothes in public" sort of guy.

You can imagine if this was Arteta or Klopp.

[Canary10]

But that doesn't explain the political line, does it? Why isn't he just being blunt about to find him another place to play, or the attitude stuff? Maybe Potter's just not a "wash our clothes in public" sort of guy.

You can imagine if this was Arteta or Klopp.

Yeah I’m not sure. Maybe what you said about Potter is true. He seems to be that kind of guy.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Is Bill Hamid's availability status odd? I expected a MLS club would have signed him by now.

https://twitter.com/BillHamid28/status/1628159245886664704

[Yuushalinsky]

Is Bill Hamid's availability status odd? I expected a MLS club would have signed him by now.

https://twitter.com/BillHamid28/status/1628159245886664704

I would think it's quite odd tbh...

[Mr. Inbetween]

Seems RM did not work out with DCU/Rooney.

https://twitter.com/SoccerInsider/status/1628792736915628041

[Canary10]

Seems RM did not work out with DCU/Rooney.

https://twitter.com/SoccerInsider/status/1628792736915628041

Why did they ever sign him? So stupid.

[Bushmancan]

Just puts bigger pressure on our boys to win on Saturday. That DCU team is a mess.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Why did they ever sign him? So stupid.

Second chance; reclamation project? A belief in a former teammate? A sense and want to help by Rooney despite the baggage.

[ensco]

Seems RM did not work out with DCU/Rooney.

https://twitter.com/SoccerInsider/status/1628792736915628041

It's funny, you know, Morrison was one of the few legit players to take the pitch against Canada in that clinching Jamaica game last spring, I was afraid of him, given the talent he has... and he was awful in that game. Just dreadful.

He's probably training now with Gregory van der Wiel.

[Mr. Inbetween]

... He's probably training now with Gregory van der Wiel.

That would be something to see at VFC. Though, I suspect GvdW is in more of a bad place than his previous past. Now recently divorced with rumors that his ex, mother of his daughters, is dating Mbappe; the PSG connect makes that blow even more oof.