I think something will give.Originally Posted by brad
I think something will give.
Last edited by Ultra & Proud; 01-08-2014 at 10:52 PM.
Interweb folks talking noise about having 3 DPs (mix of regular & young like we have now) and a fourth reserved for domestics designed to retain or re-attain top American/Canadian talent. Since that'd get Gonzalez off the DP books I could see LA liking that idea. Probably Seattle too. Plus it would help grow the league. More noise over Dempsey and Bradley than Henry, Keane, and everyone else not named Beckham combined.
Last edited by Ultra & Proud; 01-08-2014 at 10:51 PM.
Gilberto could flop. Or be sold. I'd rather have options with Laba now, unless someone offers a trade or fee that TFC can't refuse.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
I think it is more likely it will just be magic obtuse allocation money to pay Laba down to non DP status. That way you don't open extra DP slots yet.
That would be a short term solution though. TFC could not afford (in salary cap terms) to pay down his salary with allocation beyond this season, unless we sell one of our existing players. Even then, using up over 300K in allocation to pay down Laba's salary would come at the expense of 1-2 potential starting calibre players.
I kinda agree, which is why I'm thinking a new contract, either with a 2 year loan until the DP necessary transfer fee is off the books, or a short term loan because MLS will announce in the next CBA a 4th DP.
DM's and Box to Box midfielders are gold in MLS.
A Laba/Bradley midfield would tear every single other 2 player midfield in this league to shreds. Having watched Bradley, I think he is the creative box to box we are looking for. Couple him with a destroyer of Laba's quality and our possession might get up to 65% a game.
no you are totally right, but it does two things, which is why I think it might be likely.That would be a short term solution though. TFC could not afford (in salary cap terms) to pay down his salary with allocation beyond this season, unless we sell one of our existing players. Even then, using up over 300K in allocation to pay down Laba's salary would come at the expense of 1-2 potential starting calibre players.
TFC needs a winning season. Having Laba, Bradley, Gilberto, Defoe, and DeRo plus the pieces we already have, gives us a strong attacking threat and a strong midfield. It gives TFC the best chance to have one season where the Playoffs are in reach right now.
MLS I'm sure would like to see that.
It also gives a chance to make sure that Defoe and the others don't have season ending injuries, pull a Beckham and screw off to Europe on half year loan deals or just turn out to be crap in the league.
For those two reason I suspect at least till summer at the very least they will keep Laba using allocation and then either re-evaluate or start shopping him after his playing with the likes of Bradley, and Defoe.
Put Laba and Bradley in, with Osorio and Rey/Jackson with Defoe and Gilberto/Dike upfront and toss in DeRo at minute 60 to play havoc on tired legs with Bradley's service. TFC could be a dangerous club and Toronto needs that.
Last edited by Kaz; 01-08-2014 at 11:36 PM.
The other angle here - with Bradley on board - the Don is going to want us to have a good season. He won't won't to see Bradley on a bottom feeder team, and he most certainly will want to see him in the playoffs. Same applies to Defoe I suspect (on a lesser scale).
These big name DP's are as much marketing tools for the league as they are about the football.
All of that points toward the Don throwing is a bone. I suspect if we want to keep Laba and can make the argument that it makes us a better team - rules will change or allocation will appear to make it happen.
Moderator
You might be on to something there. I mean, it certainly sounds like a scenario a team like New York or LA could get away with.
How about this: The league, after years of dwindling attendance from a team that set records in it's first few years, tells MLSE to sort itself out and agrees to waive certain cap restrictions to ensure the acquisition of new top-flight talent to the club.
Bradley back playing in MLS is a huge deal for the league that desperately wants the very best American and Canadian players to stay here rather than move overseas.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
Didn't we buy down both O'Dea and Eckersley both $500k+ down with allocation ? this might be possible
Yes we did. Eck a bit but O'Dea was on almost $700K which is right around where Laba is at. Must've been near $400K combined.
I don't consider Laba expendable at all and hope we can keep him as a non-DP. Will be distraught otherwise.
Answer to thread title
This is the MLS...
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
I REALLY hope they can keep Laba and Bradley together. That's one hell of a central midfield.
Laba quickly became my favourite player last year, really hope Tim B figures out some MLS loophole fuckery to make magic happen.
FWIW Rollins tweeted TFC is "looking at possibility of loaning [Laba] out of league" for 2014. He'd return a regular player in 2015.
One year until the CBA, I hope we can hold on.
Under the same rules LA got to keep Juninho and SKC for Zusi and Besler, in an effort to retain key players, I believe TFC should be able to utilize this same fund. Its just a transfer fee.
I think that Bradley coming to MLS (USA) is part of a bigger picture - prep for World Cup closer to home as well as in world class facilities up at KIA training.
Hoping it turns into a loan arrangement so Laba not cast aside for DP Slot.
I believe that I saw at some point that allocation $ could only be used to buy down contract at the inception of the contract. Not sure if they renegotiate Laba if that would then allow them to use allocation $ to buy down.
Not sure that I would want to see Laba go out on loan for a full year or more .... probably just better to trade him at that point. He is already a year into a 4 year deal. Wasting a year or two more of that contract with him playing out on loan seems counter-productive .... get some assets for him now assuming you can get a fair trade offer.
I'm sure they'll work something out. In the worst case scenario that Laba has to go, I'd still be pleased to have Bradley as his replacement.
Toronto FC baby...best team everrrrrrrrrr -Jozy
I hope it doesn't come to that. I like what @Ultra & Proud ; was saying upthread. I think / hope Garber'll sub-categorize the DP formula.
We could see young/senior international DPs and young/senior domestic DPs. Or indeed, in Bradley and Dempsey you have true 'league' DPs - all they require is someone to pony up the dough.
Although when you get to this point it becomes somewhat farcical (hasn't it ever been thus ?).
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
1. Retention fund is suppose to be used to pay for a player's salary. I don't know if you can use it for transfer fees. 2. Zusi and Besler et al have been key players for years, while Laba has done dick all, so don't qualify.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
Just a thought...
Can you "Loan" a player to their National Team?
For instance, can we loan Bradley to USMNT during World Cup, thereby removing his DP hit from our cap for that month or so?
Would that make it easier to pay down Laba's DP contract the rest of the season? (because you wouldn't need to pay it down during the period Bradley is gone)
Not really sure how the intricacies of the MLS Salary Cap work... although I guess nobody really knows!
nope
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
Just find a way to keep everyone!
Let's be greedy !
Gilberto is the real thing, no way he is going anywhere.
A source told me that but I followed it up with an "I don't know about that."
Feels like the timeline is wrong. From everything else I've heard, it sounds like Bradley fell on TFC's lap out of nowhere.
Moderator
^ That sorta makes sense when you consider that nobody outside of the club knew about the deal with Bradley until only very recently. You can't leak any information if you don't have it yourself. So I guess the scenario would go that MLS approaches Bradley with no location yet finalized for him to play at, and Toronto just happened to be the lucky club to pick him up. Was he shopped around to other teams? Were we given first shot at it? Was he auctioned?
Lots of questions could be asked, really. And to be honest, the more I think about the recent news the more I think the league will give it's approval for us keeping Laba on top of everything else.
Last edited by Cashcleaner; 01-10-2014 at 02:13 AM.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
Word is Bradley was still in contention until Roma signed another midfielder, at which time he became surplus to requirements and available.
At least two other teams in Italy wanted him, and one or two in the EPL.
His agent let the MLS know he's was available. The league let the teams know he was and asked who was interested. We were, Philly were, and maybe one other team. We were the only team willing to pay the kind of money it takes.
Ives said of Philly's approach something to the extent of "Philly's offer is like saying I'm interested in a Bugatti but only willing to pay for a Civic"
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