Ferdinand with some rude comments about the MLS

[Pachuco]

Some pretty rude comments from Ferdinand about the MLS. I know it's not the best source, but if it's true, then I'm a little annoyed. WTF does he know about soccer in north america? if Beckham said this, I could understand it since he's lived it and can actually form an opinion.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/man-ut...-galaxy-230117

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand says David Beckham was wrong to join LA Galaxy.
Ferdinand told the News of the World: “I wouldn’t have gone, that’s for sure. But everyone’s motivations are different. I would never have gone to America to play football if I was his age. Never. No way.
“Even if you win the league there, what does it mean? It doesn’t mean anything. I don’t think he’s going to change football at all there, they’re not interested.
“No disrespect, but that’s the truth. But everyone’s different and I respect that.”

[Damien]

He's right about Americans being disinterested... but over time...

[Ladies Love Julius James]

He's entirely correct. Beckham still has football left in him why come to league that wouldn't mean much if you win it. See no one cares that Clownbus won the league last year but those Hudson street wankers. No one would care if Beckham wins.

[Shakes McQueen]

News of the World and Tribal Football are both terrible sources, guilty of making shit up all the time. I wouldn't necessarily place much stock in this story as being true.

I still remember last season, when Tribal Football claimed BMO Field was imminently getting the same brand of grass pitch installed, that Arsenal has at the Emirates.

- Scott

[Brooker]

maybe i'd be mad if i actually cared what that manu scum had to say.

i like my league. i dont need him to tell me how good it is.

[Shakes McQueen]

He's entirely correct. Beckham still has football left in him why come to league that wouldn't mean much if you win it. See no one cares that Clownbus won the league last year but those Hudson street wankers. No one would care if Beckham wins.

But why even bother being a TFC supporter then, if you consider winning the league they play in to be a completely meaningless accomplishment?

Winning the MLS Cup isn't on the same scale globally as winning the Scudetto, obviously. But saying winning the league is meaningless as a general statement, is just European football snobbery bullshit (assuming Ferdinand even said it - see above).

Beckham came to MLS, because he was getting old, and thought his best days were behind him after his lackluster tenure at Madrid. He came to supposedly be an ambassador for the sport in North America, and try to grow the sport's roots here. He didn't come for the chance to put the crown jewel in his trophy cabinet, in the MLS Cup.

- Scott

[loconet]

What's rude about it? What he says is reality. Judging by the title I thought he had said worse.

Americans (and most Canadians) in general don't really give a flying shit about the sport compared to the rest of the world. I think there is a trend towards changing that but we're not there yet. I always doubted that Becks would have been able to make a huge difference in that respect.

There are many leagues around the world where the quality of of play, fan base, world wide "respect" is superior than the MLS so he is right when he says that for someone like Becks, winning the league here really doesn't mean much. MLS is still a relatively young league. In some time, that will change.

But who cares what he thinks. I still enjoy the league and TFC

[Ladies Love Julius James]

He came here because he thought he had no gas left in the tank and for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. At AC he realized he still has it and wants to play at a more competitive level.

[BC101]

good ol Rio.... Tell it like it is. No one gives a fuck outside of Toronto DC and like Chicago(sort of) and i guess Houston draws some people out?

[Ladies Love Julius James]

Toronto only would care IF they won it, that's a fact. Same with all the other clubs that have a nice fan base which is like Chicago, DC and maybe Houston

[BC101]

oh i meant in terms of regular turn out and somewhat media coverage.. City Tv to their credit spends sometime on it when its going on and sportsnet ofcourse is all over it. The cities i mentioned only got mentioned cos they had SG's of note... BB, S.E.,S8 and whatever houstons fellas are called... Oragina....

[billyfly]

MLS - it is what it is.

I'm interested to see what FIFA and the 6/5 rule (if it passes) do to the highest leagues (EPL, La Liga, Serie A etc..)

[Pachuco]

What's rude about it? What he says is reality. Judging by the title I thought he had said worse.

Americans (and most Canadians) in general don't really give a flying shit about the sport compared to the rest of the world. I think there is a trend towards changing that but we're not there yet. I always doubted that Becks would have been able to make a huge difference in that respect.

There are many leagues around the world where the quality of of play, fan base, world wide "respect" is superior than the MLS so he is right when he says that for someone like Becks, winning the league here really doesn't mean much. MLS is still a relatively young league. In some time, that will change.

But who cares what he thinks. I still enjoy the league and TFC

The MLS is 14 years old. So relative to that, I think the MLS is doing quite well. It's pretty ignorant to say that people here are not interested. It takes time to grow a league.

[Shakes McQueen]

The MLS is 14 years old. So relative to that, I think the MLS is doing quite well. It's pretty ignorant to say that people here are not interested. It takes time to grow a league.

Exactly, and in the case of North America - we aren't just growing a new league, we are growing the sport itself as a viable professional product.

As for the MLS Cup - it's an important achievement to MLS fans, such as myself. If you don't care who wins it, then there is no point in following Toronto FC. Major League Soccer is our team's domestic league, and the MLS Cup is the trophy you get for winning it. And I care about who wins it - especially when it isn't us.

I don't get jackasses who say the MLS and MLS Cup don't matter, just because neither has the international prestige of the top-flight European leagues. We are young, and growing.

- Scott

[Pigfynn]

It's funny how a lot on here are saying nobody in North America gives a shit. When what you really mean is no major media is covering it. Saying nobody cares about it is pure ignorance. Compare MLS attendance numbers to the world as a whole and we fair pretty well. Millions of people care about the sport here, it's simply about steering them towards the MLS.

[OneLoveOneEric]

I don't think it was ignorant at all. I agree with you that there is vast potential for people to become interested in MLS. But right now, Rio's pretty close to the truth. Obviously there are people that care about MLS, but it's a pretty small slice of the pie right now. Rio never said anything to suggest that MLS would NEVER be important.....

[Pigfynn]

I don't think it was ignorant at all. I agree with you that there is vast potential for people to become interested in MLS. But right now, Rio's pretty close to the truth. Obviously there are people that care about MLS, but it's a pretty small slice of the pie right now. Rio never said anything to suggest that MLS would NEVER be important.....

" I don't think he’s going to change football at all there, they’re not interested. "

[t.o_moose]

who gives a shit what Rio Ferdinand thinks? What the fuck does he have to do with this league?

now if Garber or someone on this continent were to make comments like this, then we should be concerned

plus, any time MLS is mentioned outside of this continent, it just creates more interest in the league.. positive or not.

[OneLoveOneEric]

" I don't think he’s going to change football at all there, they’re not interested. "

Right. Beckham won't change football here. Not nobody will.....
And I think we all agree that no one person can change this league.

[Pigfynn]

I think it's clear he's saying that we (in north america) are NOT interested in soccer

[Ladies Love Julius James]

It's funny how a lot on here are saying nobody in North America gives a shit. When what you really mean is no major media is covering it. Saying nobody cares about it is pure ignorance. Compare MLS attendance numbers to the world as a whole and we fair pretty well. Millions of people care about the sport here, it's simply about steering them towards the MLS.

Then compare tv ratings, merchandise sales, media exposure, and television revenue.

[OneLoveOneEric]

And I would have to agree, that the majority of North America is NOT interested in domestic soccer.

[Shakes McQueen]

And I would have to agree, that the majority of North America is NOT interested in domestic soccer.

But that doesn't mean anything, in regards to the viability of the sport here, or how meaningful the MLS Cup is.

The sport is growing. Revenues are growing. Demand for franchises is growing. The MLS Cup matters to fans of the teams in the MLS.

If the MLS Cup doesn't mean anything to you (not meaning you specifically), then I can safely say you aren't a Toronto FC supporter. It's as simple as that.

If 50 years from now, MLS is still small potatoes, and fans and TV ratings haven't grown, then I will consider Rio's alleged comments to be valid. His alleged comment that the MLS Cup is meaningless, is straight-up European football snobbery.

I wonder if fans of teams in the Swedish Premier League see their domestic league as "meaningless", simply because it isn't the EPL, or the Serie A.

- Scott

[loconet]

... It's pretty ignorant to say that people here are not interested...

You don't agree that compared to the rest of the world, North Americans don't really care about the sport as much? Are you serious? .. I think that's what Ferdinand was referring to. I'm sure he didn't qualify that statement absolutely.

[OneLoveOneEric]

But that doesn't mean anything, in regards to the viability of the sport here, or how meaningful the MLS Cup is.

The sport is growing. Revenues are growing. Demand for franchises is growing. The MLS Cup matters to fans of the teams in the MLS.

If the MLS Cup doesn't mean anything to you (not meaning you specifically), then I can safely say you aren't a Toronto FC supporter. It's as simple as that.

If 50 years from now, MLS is still small potatoes, and fans and TV ratings haven't grown, then I will consider Rio's alleged comments to be valid. His alleged comment that the MLS Cup is meaningless, is straight-up European football snobbery.

I wonder if fans of teams in the Swedish Premier League see their domestic league as "meaningless", simply because it isn't the EPL, or the Serie A.

- Scott

Can't disagree with anything you've said there! Well put.

[jabbronies]

Winning the MLS cup doesn't mean anything in the Soccer world. It's like winning the 3rd division championship in England, or or First division in Australia. No one is interested. The news of it happening won't go past the country that league plays in.

He's totally right to say what he said. The only reason you come to America to play is to regain glory that you've lost in the big leagues like EPL, La Liga, Serie A.
And by regaining that glory in America, you can probably hang out with mega movie stars and such.

[reggie]

maybe he should worry more about why the meca of soccer (england) has not won anything for 50 years...

[towersofsalford]

maybe he should worry more about why the meca of soccer (england) has not won anything for 50 years...

as a opposed to north americas dominance in world football?

[Shakes McQueen]

as a opposed to north americas dominance in world football?

We aren't the ones taking pot shots at the football league in their country.

- Scott

[towersofsalford]

We aren't the ones taking pot shots at the football league in their country.

- Scott

it will be just like ice hockey of nfl style football here, people love it and play it, but it a small minority, MLS is not as popular as some in it would like to think.