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nascarguy
09-02-2008, 02:49 AM
so I say this Who want's the commissioner's to be fired let start making banners

http://web.mlsnet.com/commissionerspeaks/ (http://web.mlsnet.com/commissionerspeaks/)

The commissioner Speaks about fifa international dates. See link above or read below.


Fans should know that like them, I was disappointed that several star players missed last week’s Primetime Thursday Chicago Fire v. Los Angeles Galaxy MLS game on ESPN2, as a result of being called up for national team duty.

Clearly, it is a testament to the quality of the players in MLS that David Beckham, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Landon Donovan, Eddie Lewis, Marco Pappa and Gonzalo Segares all played for their national teams the day before that Thursday match.

When scheduled, the date was one of a limited number during the year that the Galaxy could host an ESPN2 Thursday night game. It is often very difficult to forecast early in the year who will be called up for national team duty. But that is only part of the issue.

The real issue is the ongoing challenge of playing MLS games during the FIFA international fixture dates.

Many supporters and media members continue to question why MLS schedules any games during FIFA fixture dates, particularly those designated for World Cup qualifying. It’s a fair question, and unfortunately, there are no easy answers.

With international club and country competitions occupying many mid-week slots during the season, we simply would not be able to fit our 30-game season into our current window that extends from the last weekend of March through end of November if we did not play MLS games on the FIFA dates.

Our options include reducing the number of tournaments in which our teams participate and/or starting the season in the beginning of March, when weather and low attendance create issues in many markets.

During the next few months leading up to our November Board of Governors Meeting during the MLS Cup Weekend, we will be looking at our ongoing scheduling challenges. While it is not practical to reposition our entire schedule, we will be focused not just on the FIFA dates, but also the number of tournaments played by our teams. Unless we make some changes, we will face even more challenges in 2009, with an uneven number of teams (the addition of Seattle brings us to a total of 15) and with the FIFA Confederations Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup taking place in the middle of our season.

nascarguy
09-02-2008, 03:18 AM
this need to go out to all the mls supporter group

Shakes McQueen
09-02-2008, 04:53 AM
Why did that "blog" by the Commissioner make you demand his firing?

As frustrating as the scheduling situation is, he at least acknowledged that it's an urgent problem, and said they were going to look at doing something about it for next season.

MLS has a lot of quirks and problems that make me want to tear my hair out (low salary cap, goofy allocation rules, horrible officiating, etc.), but the reality is that Garber has presided over an unprecedented level of growth and stability in MLS.

I have confidence that these issues will be ironed out over the next several years. The league itself is less than two decades old - these annoying problems are to be expected.

I'm not trying to "defend" Garber - personally, I think his refusal to reschedule TFC's upcoming Chivas match, without giving even a reason, is a real dick move. Just trying to provide some perspective.

- Scott

Oldtimer
09-02-2008, 07:30 AM
Garber put his reputation on the line to give a franchise to Toronto despite getting a lot of flack for the decision. So if you don't like him now, remember that MLS (which was set up to support the US Team) would never be here in Toronto if it weren't for him.

We don't like all of his decisions, and the MLS FO is heavy-handed at times, but we would be watching from the outside in if most US soccer executives had been in charge. So remember that whenever you feel upset at him.

Oldtimer
09-02-2008, 07:32 AM
From an earlier post I made on Garber:

Not only do you have the example of the NASL, but under the MLS's first Commish, Doug Logan, the league nearly went under. It took Garber several years to turn things around. Here's some ways Garber did things right:

(1) elimination of North-American specific stupidities: clock counting down backwards, running shootouts (as opposed to PKs), not allowing tied matches.

(2) Quick action to eliminate money-bleeding clubs when the league was facing bankruptcy. His ruthlessness saved the league.

(3) Founding SUM (Soccer United Marketing). The media rights that SUM gets from the World Cup broadcasts in the US, Mexican League matches, SuperLiga, US National team games has brought in made MLS financially stable and now profitable. Before SUM, you couldn't watch the World Cup live in the US and many games weren't even carried.

(4) Focus on SSS. He didn't build the Crew stadium, but he saw the potential and brought it to many other markets.

(5) The start of a move away from Single-entity: Designated Players, clubs retaining 2/3 of transfer fees, mandated team academies that can send players to the first team - all Garber initiatives.

(6) Trying to encourage a more authentic atmosphere - Garber was particularly impacted by his visits to Toronto. To his credit, he's learned from us.


Things Garber is not responsible for:

(1) Marketing to Soccer Moms. It's the Owner/Operators who have chosen that approach, and through their control of the Board of Governors forced through the "family friendly" image. Garber doesn't want to alienate families (they buy tickets too), but he's smart enough to see that hardcore support doesn't come from there. His attempts to shift the focus have met a brick wall from resistant Owner/Operators.

(2) Racist idiot Crew fans throwing bottles on the pitch. We know where to draw the line, however apparently there are cities where common sense fails to prevail.

(3) The realities of the US market. Yes, being media-savvey is very important in the US. I wouldn't fault him for that, rather he is to be commended. This isn't England, where footie is an established part of the culture.

Fort York Redcoat
09-02-2008, 08:02 AM
Good points OT and I agree that firing him on the basis of scheduling alone sounds extreme but that schedule will need to be addressed. From our point of view why should we care if other teams can't afford to schedule games earlier in the season? TFC would still be sold out and so would their longsleeve merch for early March play. Garber's has done a lot. Now he should keep striving to improve the league while so much attention and potential for suuccess is here.

I_AM_CANADIAN
09-02-2008, 08:08 AM
If anything, that article makes me like Garber more. He says they will address it, maybe it means rescheduling matches on a game by game basis (say if you have more than three players off on duty, it's rescheduled), but he said they will do something about it.

The salary cap does need to go, or at least be raised for the time being, and you can bet they'll do something about that as well. Most of the sh*tty things about MLS were introduced before Garber got here, and he's worked to make this league so much better than it was even three years ago. He introduced the designated player slot, he's marketed this league in Europe so it's take more seriously, he got rid of all the league's ghey Americanized rules, he got rid of the money pit teams in Florida that had no fans, he gave us Toronto FC and the international format MLS All-Star Game and more.

He's clearly on the right track, he shouldn't be fired by any means.

Shakes McQueen
09-02-2008, 08:12 AM
From our point of view why should we care if other teams can't afford to schedule games earlier in the season?

From Chivas' point of view, why should they care if we have 9 people on International call-ups for their match?

Garber should take our concerns into consideration, just as he should take the concerns of small markets like Columbus into consideration.

- Scott

Fort York Redcoat
09-02-2008, 08:20 AM
Chivas shouldn't and don't care about our concerns. They should be concerned about getting national squad talent on their roster to help fill all those empty seats I saw at the weekend.

Shakes McQueen
09-02-2008, 08:24 AM
Chivas shouldn't and don't care about our concerns. They should be concerned about getting national squad talent on their roster to help fill all those empty seats I saw at the weekend.

While that is a good zinger (and it is :D), it doesn't really address the point I was trying to make, haha.

- Scott

flatpicker
09-02-2008, 08:27 AM
I'm not sure if now is the time to get rid of him.
I'll admit, I am not convinced that he is the person to lead MLS to the next level.
But he has done some good things so far in developing the league so I will reserve judgment for now.
But we definitely need to see some changes happen in the near future if we want to be competitive with other leagues around the world.

Fort York Redcoat
09-02-2008, 08:33 AM
OK. Riddle me this- Has the league ever tried starting the league earlier or is he supposing that a mediocre crowd will turn dire if they started the season 3 weeks earlier? Honestly. This is a league-wide detrement that we all can't stop and enjoy the international experience and instead have to choose. One could say MLS is only taking from themselves when they take anything (or anyone) from the international spotlight.

Oldtimer
09-02-2008, 08:36 AM
OK. Riddle me this- Has the league ever tried starting the league earlier or is he supposing that a mediocre crowd will turn dire if they started the season 3 weeks earlier? Honestly. This is a league-wide detrement that we all can't stop and enjoy the international experience and instead have to choose. One could say MLS is only taking from themselves when they take anything (or anyone) from the international spotlight.

They tried it the year before TFC entered. Attendance was terrible.

Fort York Redcoat
09-02-2008, 08:40 AM
They tried it the year before TFC entered. Attendance was terrible.

Fair enough. That's disappointing. It seems I'll have to wait till the rest of the league can be as successful (in the stands) as our club to give our national side the respect it deserves.:noidea:

CoachGT
09-02-2008, 09:32 AM
While I understand people being pissed about this weekend and not postponing the game, Garber has been good for the game in North America and generally good for us as well. MLS didn't have to change the international rules last year, he's been supportive of the soccer specific stadium in Toronto (well, not that he really has much choice there) and he has taken the time to talk to the Toronto supporters groups and learn. Things that can be worked upon - making it easier to get soccer games put onto the radio for fans in markets like Toronto (SUM seems to make things more difficult); staying out of transfer decisions like the NYRB decision last week (and, yes, NYRB are shite, but the decision still isn't right); looking at the collective bargaining agreement and coming up with a more workable solution (bigger roster and more money) and moving teams from markets that are obviously facing difficulties (where attendance has been well documented elsewhere in the forum). Not to mention the officiating - like us, nobody in the league seems happy with the quality of referees, including the US soccer media (yes, there is one).

I'll take him at his word that the international schedule will be addressed, and I hope that we see a single table at some point soon.

But there isn't just cause to suggest that moving him out will do anything to help things in the short or long term.

Stencils
09-02-2008, 09:50 AM
I voted yes, but that's a qualified yes. Let me...qualify it.

I think the MLS is in the beginning of a transformative stage. Granted I'm no MLS historian, but there's a kind of...vibe that I feel about all the news being reported and statements being made. There's a cusp somewhere out there and we're flirting with it. Over that cusp is...something, but it's not where we are now.

I think Garber really needs to see this more than he is. He's making concessions to the Canadian market based on what he's seen from TFC, but he's got to play fair ball with the US teams too and loosen some of those purse strings just a little. I dunno. Maybe I'm misreading it. Garber's done a good job, I just hope he evolves WITH the league and doesn't hold it back.

werewolf
09-02-2008, 09:55 AM
Garber may have done a good job evolving the league with some common sense initiatives, but its becoming time that a 'soccer' person takes over to continue to grow the league into a solid worldwide product. We have all seen what happens when a supposedly good business man in a sport that isn't in his background hangs around too long... *cough* nhl *cough*

Axeman
09-02-2008, 10:06 AM
OK. Riddle me this- Has the league ever tried starting the league earlier or is he supposing that a mediocre crowd will turn dire if they started the season 3 weeks earlier? Honestly. This is a league-wide detrement that we all can't stop and enjoy the international experience and instead have to choose. One could say MLS is only taking from themselves when they take anything (or anyone) from the international spotlight.

I prefer starting earlier and risking low attendance than withdrawing from competitions which help grow the game in North America and might isolate the league even more.

nascarguy
09-02-2008, 10:25 AM
i say do away with the allstar game or move it to after the mls cup.

Carts
09-02-2008, 10:26 AM
What Don Garber needs, and what the MLS needs is a 2nd in command, with the title of 'Director of Football Operations' (ok, they'd say 'soccer operations')...

This person would be a known football individual, who would advise Garber on the specifics of the game in making decisions... My guess is they already have people doing this (Garber said to me personally that he is advised on all soccer decisions) but they need this person to be in the public eye...

Don has done an excellent job... The schedule is a major problem, and he has admitted it is... What the league, and the Commissioner's office needs is a bit of PR to improve their image, because currently all of the good work he has done for the league appears to be forgotten, or overlooked by hardcore fans because he is not a 'soccer' person, he's a businessman...

Carts...

joel
09-02-2008, 10:48 AM
I don't really agree that it can't be fit in, do teams really need one week between games and 2 weeks off all the time? It seems to me in other week there is a game every week + 2-3 midweek games a season.

I think they are too generous with their game spacing. The EPL lets teams reschedule matches if they need to, and sometimes they have to eat a shite time to re-do the game as a result. At least the league acknowledges that there are other competitions and rescheduling is always an option. Like this week Man Utd played the supercup game and there match v Fulham has to be resceduled..why is this so hard for the MLS?

nascarguy
09-02-2008, 10:56 AM
I have only been watch the mls for 2 year and I'm willing to give this league 4 more year. Then heads need to role if nothing is done

giambac
09-02-2008, 10:59 AM
I don't want the commisioner fired.

We have our own problems here. Let'd clean up our own home and work on things we can control. Clean house here. Take care of business here. People seem to want to tackle the world and solve every problem

The biggest problem is our own team.. Let's concentrate on making this team better.

Cashcleaner
09-02-2008, 11:17 AM
I'm as big a critic of Garber as the next guy. but even though he's league commissioner, it's not like he doesn't have masters of his own to serve. I'd say a lot of the problems we do find with the league are institutionalised - simply put, it's the system itself and not the man that needs changed.

Fort York Redcoat
09-02-2008, 11:24 AM
Works both ways, Cash. If we have a strong leader already measured by the changes he's made, what's a little more to improve the sport here? I hear ya it's not as easy as him ordering sugar in his coffee but he is the man to start the ball rolling ( or take it from us and run with it.):)

Shakes McQueen
09-02-2008, 11:26 AM
I have only been watch the mls for 2 year and I'm willing to give this league 4 more year. Then heads need to role if nothing is done

Isn't six years sort of an arbitrary line to draw in the sand?

As long as the league continues to grow in attendance, get better talent-wise, and fix some of it's lingering issues, I'll be happy.

- Scott

nascarguy
09-02-2008, 11:33 AM
yeah ok let start with mlse head office there the one with the money hell maybe we could fix it all if we got new owners that know how to run a soccer team.

but we need to fix the mls rules that are stoping mo and there gm in the mls from signing good players and the owners need to step up and put down real grass and buy bmo field from the gov.

Detroit_TFC
09-02-2008, 11:43 AM
Garber answers to the MLS owners. Remove him and the owners will put in another schmo. Possibly a schmo who is even more removed from the sport than Garber. And for what?

nascarguy
09-02-2008, 11:43 AM
Isn't six years sort of an arbitrary line to draw in the sand?

As long as the league continues to grow in attendance, get better talent-wise, and fix some of it's lingering issues, I'll be happy.

- Scott
I will too but this league with never be anything like the epl or any league in the uk. so I hope poeple know that

jabbronies
09-02-2008, 12:12 PM
I have only been watch the mls for 2 year and I'm willing to give this league 4 more year. Then heads need to role if nothing is done

Agreed. The MLS has really only changed in the past couple of seasons. The introduction of the DP, Soccer Specific Stadiums, and the slight increase in Salary Cap has definatley made the league better.

These 3 things are starting to stable themselves out right now - more teams are taking advantage of the DP, Soccer Specific Stadiums are almost league wide or are in the process of happening.

The next phase of the league - starting next season? - will be an interesting one. The league needs to address Cap, Internation Dates and single table. These issues need to have resolutions now (in the off season) in order for the league to grow in the next 2-4 years. If we are to attract the best talent and keep them here (Edu, Adu, Altidore, Wynne) then we need to start paying them properly.

2-4 years is when shit needs to be in full efffect. In 2-4 years Beckham, Blanco, Angel, Scheshitto and other DP's will be gone and if the league doesn't have anything in place to make up for these losses, then I'd say fire Garber.

I_AM_CANADIAN
09-02-2008, 12:14 PM
Were you expecting this league to be as big as any European league after only 12 years of existence? If so, you're fairly delusional. It probably never will be as big as the EPL, and I'm fine with that. So long as the league continues to improve, it's all good.

This league doesn't have the money to suddenly eliminate the salary cap and let every team throw tens of millions of dollars at players. That's not the way it works. It's going to be a gradual process.

AL-MO
09-02-2008, 01:08 PM
Lets Protest this too!! :confused: