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  1. #541
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    Quote Originally Posted by ensco View Post
    They mentioned in the Pozo conference multiple times how much time Ali spent in Belgium. Plus the Gayot connection. Plus the locker room references. Those all seemed like clues to me.

    Belgium. Who else from Belgium?

    Ali knows Anderlecht from his NYRB days, he dealt with them on Klejstan.

    A guy on Anderlecht who is unsettled, who isn’t a core player, who is near the end of his deal.

    Andy Najar.

    Signed only through 2020.

    A technical, speedy player. A winger. The kind of guy Manning loved at RSL.

    A guy you would need a top spot in the allocation order to get.

    Dero and Deleon were teammates and would be informed locker room references.

    You're welcome. ;-)
    Yamil Asad comes to mind. Although one wonders why he keeps running though MLS clubs given he fills up the stat sheet

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikmacdo View Post
    Even in his highlight videos from DC United he's playing on the right side. I like the job DeLeon is doing on the right wing, I don't think DeLeon can play left wing either. Najar has 0 assist and goals in 18 games this year?
    He is a right sided player, I corrected that.

    His stats may or may not matter, he is playing on the backline. Depends on what he is being asked to do. Beita had no goals and 5 assists in all of 2017, and played a lot of wingback, theoretically an attacking position, but wasn’t in the way he was used.

    Deleon is a utility guy, not a core piece. We may yet see a fair bit of him at RB.

    I have no idea if Najar is still good. The injury thing is a legit worry. He mostly starts when healthy at Anderlecht. He was amazing when he left MLS, and he is still young.

    I am just connecting a large number of dots. Could be coincidence, sure.
    Last edited by ensco; 03-26-2019 at 07:47 AM.
    “What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”

  3. #543
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    Quote Originally Posted by ag futbol View Post
    Yamil Asad comes to mind. Although one wonders why he keeps running though MLS clubs given he fills up the stat sheet
    DC tried to keep him but I'm guessing the buyout was too big to be a tam player just like how TFC couldn't keep Jansen.

  4. #544
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    Gressel is an interesting one - they stopped negotiating a new contract. He would likely cost us a player. I still think they go with a TAM signing over there. Somebody who moves the needle offensively.

  5. #545
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    still think it will be a left winger.i dont know if it was confirmed that ali went back to Belgium yesterday was it.he may be in SA
    Last edited by reggie; 03-26-2019 at 12:42 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reggie View Post
    still think it will be a left winger.i dont know if it was confirmed that ali went back to Belgium yesterday was it.he may be in SA
    I think Manning said he was going to Europe. Someone find out where he flew too!

  7. #547
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    Now that Alejandro Pozuelo is signed, sealed and delivered, Toronto FC GM Ali Curtis will be going back on the road — reportedly to South America — to see if he can acquire a couple of more players of quality using targeted allocation money (TAM).

    From the Toronto Sun. I guess Manning was wrong about where Ali was headed.

  8. #548
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikmacdo View Post
    I think Manning said he was going to Europe. Someone find out where he flew too!
    I have never watched a Belgium league game. I understand the best Belgium players are playing in the EPL or elsewhere. Is that league on par with Serie B, or the second divisions in the other European countries? If yes, why is TFC harvesting players from a league that is already on par with MLS? (Poz still has to prove himself here).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikmacdo View Post
    Now that Alejandro Pozuelo is signed, sealed and delivered, Toronto FC GM Ali Curtis will be going back on the road — reportedly to South America — to see if he can acquire a couple of more players of quality using targeted allocation money (TAM).

    From the Toronto Sun. I guess Manning was wrong about where Ali was headed.
    There are so many young, gifted, hungry players in Serie B, who could seriously help us.

  10. #550
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    Quote Originally Posted by 69Chevy396 View Post
    I have never watched a Belgium league game. I understand the best Belgium players are playing in the EPL or elsewhere. Is that league on par with Serie B, or the second divisions in the other European countries? If yes, why is TFC harvesting players from a league that is already on par with MLS? (Poz still has to prove himself here).
    The top teams from Belgium are above any teams from the MLS.

  11. #551
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    Quote Originally Posted by 69Chevy396 View Post
    I have never watched a Belgium league game. I understand the best Belgium players are playing in the EPL or elsewhere. Is that league on par with Serie B, or the second divisions in the other European countries? If yes, why is TFC harvesting players from a league that is already on par with MLS? (Poz still has to prove himself here).
    MLS is absolutely not on par with Belgiums top tier. Their league is rated 8th in the world by FIFA. Their lower table teams would probably give any MLS side a proper spanking.

  12. #552
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    Belgiums Jupiter league is on part with Portugal, France, Netherlands it's a secondary top league

  13. #553
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    Definitely better than Serie B

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    Quote Originally Posted by 69Chevy396 View Post
    I have never watched a Belgium league game. I understand the best Belgium players are playing in the EPL or elsewhere. Is that league on par with Serie B, or the second divisions in the other European countries? If yes, why is TFC harvesting players from a league that is already on par with MLS? (Poz still has to prove himself here).
    Belgian league is better than MLS by quite a bit. The top teams have quite a bit of money and participate in European competition. They’d safely win MLS every year.

    In 2015, the average salary of a Belgian league player was € 253586, which would count the minnows as well. Anderlecht was on € 600000 on average. That will have risen quite a bit in the past few years.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stegosaurus View Post
    Belgian league is better than MLS by quite a bit. The top teams have quite a bit of money and participate in European competition. They’d safely win MLS every year.

    In 2015, the average salary of a Belgian league player was € 253586, which would count the minnows as well. Anderlecht was on € 600000 on average. That will have risen quite a bit in the past few years.
    Thanks

  16. #556
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    Quote Originally Posted by 69Chevy396 View Post
    Thanks
    No problem. I’m not going to look up Genk’s salary recently, but there’s been huge cash injections into the Belgian league over the past 5 or so years, so it wouldn’t surprise me that average salaries for top teams are well over a million bucks.

  17. #557
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    My interview with Ryan Telfer (now on loan with York 9 FC) at the York 9 FC Pub night held last night in Brampton.
    http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoront.../19york078.htm

  18. #558
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikmacdo View Post
    Now that Alejandro Pozuelo is signed, sealed and delivered, Toronto FC GM Ali Curtis will be going back on the road — reportedly to South America — to see if he can acquire a couple of more players of quality using targeted allocation money (TAM).

    From the Toronto Sun. I guess Manning was wrong about where Ali was headed.
    In manning's tsn interview he said Ali is flying out last night to finalize a player deal. Never said where he was going.

    He then said they hope to sign a player from Europe in a couple weeks. So neither the sun nor manning are wrong. Ali could be flying to south America for that first player acquisition.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 69Chevy396 View Post
    I have never watched a Belgium league game. I understand the best Belgium players are playing in the EPL or elsewhere. Is that league on par with Serie B, or the second divisions in the other European countries? If yes, why is TFC harvesting players from a league that is already on par with MLS? (Poz still has to prove himself here).
    Manning said they see the Belgian league as similar in quality, style and physicality to MLS. They believe players will transition well to MLS.

    Belgian league produces lots of talented players who move onto bigger leagues. In addition, Vazquez and Ciman both did well there and now Pozuelo and their back up DP in Hanni.

  20. #560
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    Buffery's article tonight interestingly said TFC is grooming Richie Laryea into a RB and signs are positive. So that may rule out a RB signing, and him and Deleon likely as RB back ups.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DinamoTFC View Post
    Manning said they see the Belgian league as similar in quality, style and physicality to MLS. They believe players will transition well to MLS.

    Belgian league produces lots of talented players who move onto bigger leagues. In addition, Vazquez and Ciman both did well there and now Pozuelo and their back up DP in Hanni.
    If we had a team like Genk we would steamroll MLS.

    Belgian league has far better players, far higher average salaries, etc. Belgian teams tend to have quality young Belgian players (who won’t be going to MLS) and a bunch of mercenary players plying their trade or flops from other leagues who are dominating (VV, Pozo).

    It’s not an equivalent. Not even close. It’s just a good place to buy Belgian league players of the year who aren’t young or Belgian and pay them more.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DinamoTFC View Post
    Buffery's article tonight interestingly said TFC is grooming Richie Laryea into a RB and signs are positive. So that may rule out a RB signing, and him and Deleon likely as RB back ups.
    He’s 24, not a youth player. Nice to see we will still get a Creavalle/Jackson experiment again this year...

  23. #563
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    Quote Originally Posted by stegosaurus View Post
    If we had a team like Genk we would steamroll MLS.

    Belgian league has far better players, far higher average salaries, etc. Belgian teams tend to have quality young Belgian players (who won’t be going to MLS) and a bunch of mercenary players plying their trade or flops from other leagues who are dominating (VV, Pozo).

    It’s not an equivalent. Not even close. It’s just a good place to buy Belgian league players of the year who aren’t young or Belgian and pay them more.
    Genk and a couple others might finish in the top 5 in MLS because MLS has so much parity, but they would definitely not steamroll MLS clubs. The leagues are much closer then you think especially with the addition of TAM. Many MLS teams are fielding a roster where the average player makes 700 k - 1,000,000 USD. Sporting KC is a great example. MLS overall is probably a better league because of its size but even with the condensed size of the Belgium league, their quality of match’s are only slightly better. MLS is so underrated.

    In terms of quality, Belgium A is close to the same tier as LIGA Mx.

    And it’s not like Genk would just walk in and win the treble. TFC 2017 not ranking in the top 150 but Club Brugge ranked 65 on fifty thirty eight is such a JOKE
    Last edited by Defoe; 03-27-2019 at 05:48 AM.

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    MLS isn’t as good as the Belgian league! I mean it's not that close.

    The big difference is the team speed, especially with the younger players. The Hamiltons and Akinolas there are from every corner of the earth, and seem like Olympic level sprinters.

    Plus it's the first stop for about 25 guys like VV and Pozo, guys who didn’t quite get the in the big leagues.

    SKC's payroll is $10M, and it's scouting/academy/player acquisition setup probably costs another $5M. A club like Anderlecht is spending $25M on payroll and another $10-20M or something on player development.

    Those are big gaps.

    Genk looks pretty similar to a mid level Mexican team to me.
    Last edited by ensco; 03-27-2019 at 05:45 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by ensco View Post
    MLS isn’t as good as the Belgian league! I mean it's not that close.

    The big difference is the team speed, especially with the younger players. The Hamiltons and Akinolas there are from every corner of the earth, and seem like Olympic level sprinters.

    Plus it's the first stop for about 25 guys like VV and Pozo, guys who didn’t quite get the in the big leagues.

    SKC's payroll is $10M, and it's scouting/academy/player acquisition setup probably costs another $5M. A club like Anderlecht is spending $25M on payroll and another $10-20M or something on player development.

    Those are big gaps.

    Genk looks pretty similar to a mid level Mexican team to me.
    You noted Anderlecht but Anderlecht players are the highest paid in the league by far, with an average gross annual salary of €600,000, followed by Standard Liège (€366,000) and Club Brugge (€365,000).

    Acedemies in Belgium are without a doubt better but the top end talents are in favour of MLS and the salaries are close. MLS does a good job of importing stars like Ibra, Martinez, Rooney which isn’t something to shrug your shoulder at because they literally change games vs young developing players prone to mistakes.

    Exciting league, probably a small tier above MLS but it should be noted that I said there isn’t a large gap which is correct. It’s faster pace in weather that isn’t blazing hot, true. But If you think there is a large gap you are both way off
    Last edited by Defoe; 03-27-2019 at 06:09 AM.

  26. #566
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    Quote Originally Posted by Defoe View Post
    You noted Anderlecht but Anderlecht players are the highest paid in the league by far, with an average gross annual salary of €600,000, followed by Standard Liège (€366,000) and Club Brugge (€365,000).

    Acedemies in Belgium are without a doubt better but the top end talents are in favour of MLS and the salaries are close. MLS does a good job of importing stars like Ibra, Martinez, Rooney which isn’t something to shrug your shoulder at because they literally change games vs young developing players prone to mistakes.

    Exciting league, probably a small tier above MLS but it should be noted that I said there isn’t a large gap which is correct. It’s faster pace in weather that isn’t blazing hot, true. But If you think there is a large gap you are both way off
    No. Those salary figures are from 2015. It’s now 2019.

    Thinking pace is somehow dependent on the temperature of a country... dude, it’s winter half the year here and TFC is slow as molasses. The Belgian league plays while we’re covered in snow and it hasn’t benefited us in any way in terms of pace.

    Absolute nonsense and you don’t watch the league so maybe you shouldn’t bother.

  27. #567
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    Quote Originally Posted by stegosaurus View Post
    No. Those salary figures are from 2015. It’s now 2019.

    Thinking pace is somehow dependent on the temperature of a country... dude, it’s winter half the year here and TFC is slow as molasses. The Belgian league plays while we’re covered in snow and it hasn’t benefited us in any way in terms of pace.

    Absolute nonsense and you don’t watch the league so maybe you shouldn’t bother.
    Thinking that pace is not dependent on a countries climate is moronic.

    I’ve watched both leagues. If you want to see the difference in MLS pace, watch an MLS playoff match this November or games played at 8-14 degrees. This isn’t some conspiracy theory that temperature changes the game play and it’s not complex for most people. Playing in the winter also has its challenges.

    LIGA mx has slower pace league then Belgium A as well. Are they a worse league? They are probably similar.

    There acedemies are better but MLS is at a point where many teams can field a starting 11 where average players salary is 600 k + on but the DP spend on top end strikers is actually higher.

    What is your actual point though? Because mine is that there isn’t as big of a gap as you think. Belgium league A and Liga MX are in a tier slightly above MLS. I think most people would agree with that.
    Last edited by Defoe; 03-27-2019 at 07:28 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stegosaurus View Post
    If we had a team like Genk we would steamroll MLS.

    Belgian league has far better players, far higher average salaries, etc. Belgian teams tend to have quality young Belgian players (who won’t be going to MLS) and a bunch of mercenary players plying their trade or flops from other leagues who are dominating (VV, Pozo).

    It’s not an equivalent. Not even close. It’s just a good place to buy Belgian league players of the year who aren’t young or Belgian and pay them more.
    What are you saying? I'm not trying to convince anyone that it's same level or equivalent. I am repeating what Manning said in an interview. The staff believe its similar in different ways, especially the physicality part which will help a player like Poz to transition to MLS.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stegosaurus View Post
    He’s 24, not a youth player. Nice to see we will still get a Creavalle/Jackson experiment again this year...
    People bloom at different ages or steps in their life. Anything is possible. If he serves his purpose as depth RB then good, if he doesnt then they will make changes which is why they are leaving a player acquisition open for the summer.

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    Genk will likely be in Champions League next season so I think they win MLS. If they played MLS with Pozuelo, they win MLS handily. I think Genk and the other Europa League Belgian teams are in the running for top 5 spots in MLS with Atlanta in there somewhere. Players 1 to 5 might be comparable in talent between these teams and the top MLS teams but the 9th, 10th and 11th players in Belgium are much better technically and physically.

    That said, there's more parity in MLS so if the bottom five MLS teams played the bottom 5 Belgian teams, MLS probably comes out ahead. These results probably hold true for secondary leagues like Scotland, Greece, Switzerland, etc.

    I watch games when Gent plays because I follow Jonathan David and the level of Belgian league is very good.

 

 

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