FCE keeper glut

[Jason]

I actually think this strategy has served them well. For a long time, though I don't think any longer, players signed contracts with MLS and were allocated to clubs. I'm pretty sure those days are over. But overseas players have come over on free transfers and that's generally suited the type of player who will come over from Europe. Within the league, player movement between clubs occurs more in the way of North American style trades rather than buying and selling. Salaries are rising, though with probably some of the greatest discrepancies in the world, and as revenues increase, maybe the policy will change. But I wonder if lower tier national leagues even in South America and Europe see much movement through transfer fees? I'm guessing some, but not very much.

I think the MLS policy of not paying any transfer fees to NASL or other lower league North American based clubs has been really unfortunate. I think it would really stimulate the growth of NASL or USL Pro if they had a good player that they could sell to MLS instead of losing him once his contract is over. Realistically, a good NASL player would not merit much of a fee, but anything would be valuable to these lower level clubs. And the possibility of sharing a bigger transfer fee if MLS sells him off to Europe could result in an occasional windfall. It would be rare, but it would definitely inspire lower league clubs to hunt for young prospects.

Jason

[alberta white]

I actually think this strategy has served them well. For a long time, though I don't think any longer, players signed contracts with MLS and were allocated to clubs. I'm pretty sure those days are over. But overseas players have come over on free transfers and that's generally suited the type of player who will come over from Europe. Within the league, player movement between clubs occurs more in the way of North American style trades rather than buying and selling. Salaries are rising, though with probably some of the greatest discrepancies in the world, and as revenues increase, maybe the policy will change. But I wonder if lower tier national leagues even in South America and Europe see much movement through transfer fees? I'm guessing some, but not very much.

Selling players up the line is almost obligatory in England. Some clubs like Crewe Alexandria seem to be in existance purley to service the upper League with young talent.

Note the likes of David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Rob Jones, Neil Lennon and the new wonder kid at Man united, Nick Powell.
Heck they even take Man U cast offs and turn them into half decent chippy Welsh Midfielders, like Robbie Savage.

[Opie]

I think the MLS policy of not paying any transfer fees to NASL or other lower league North American based clubs has been really unfortunate. I think it would really stimulate the growth of NASL or USL Pro if they had a good player that they could sell to MLS instead of losing him once his contract is over. Realistically, a good NASL player would not merit much of a fee, but anything would be valuable to these lower level clubs. And the possibility of sharing a bigger transfer fee if MLS sells him off to Europe could result in an occasional windfall. It would be rare, but it would definitely inspire lower league clubs to hunt for young prospects.

Jason

It is not MLS's job to stimulate the growth of the NASL and USL. MLS is a business whose main job is keeping costs down. Paying transfer fees for mediocre talent that ends up in their league anyway is a wasted expenditure. It is much smarter for MLS to spend that money in signing young American and Canadian prospects to contracts instead of them heading to Europe. Like Darren Mattocks for example.

The best talent in D2 ends up in MLS anyway. Etienne Barbara was the 2011 NASL MVP and is now with the Whitecaps. Yordany Alvarez was the 2011 USL-Pro MVP and is now with Real Salt Lake. The creme of the NASL/USL crop always ends up in MLS. Without transfer fees. So MLS is not going to change things.

[alberta white]

It is not MLS's job to stimulate the growth of the NASL and USL. MLS is a business whose main job is keeping costs down. Paying transfer fees for mediocre talent that ends up in their league anyway is a wasted expenditure. It is much smarter for MLS to spend that money in signing young American and Canadian prospects to contracts instead of them heading to Europe. Like Darren Mattocks for example.

The best talent in D2 ends up in MLS anyway. Etienne Barbara was the 2011 NASL MVP and is now with the Whitecaps. Yordany Alvarez was the 2011 USL-Pro MVP and is now with Real Salt Lake. The creme of the NASL/USL crop always ends up in MLS. Without transfer fees. So MLS is not going to change things.

I think your correct in suming up MLS as a business. But a business that neglects its R and D has a habit of falling behind the curve. I also have a problem that I know it to be a business first rather than a sporting competition.
Although I have seen a fair amount of Barbie to accept that he's half decent, and capable of playing in a reasonably high level in Europe. The comment about waiting for mediocre talent to become free feels like justification for a classic piece of race to bottom economics.


Only Five of the Current USA squad play in North American. The MLS model is hardly keeping the cream of North American talent back home.

[madmonte]

It is not MLS's job to stimulate the growth of the NASL and USL. MLS is a business whose main job is keeping costs down. Paying transfer fees for mediocre talent that ends up in their league anyway is a wasted expenditure. It is much smarter for MLS to spend that money in signing young American and Canadian prospects to contracts instead of them heading to Europe. Like Darren Mattocks for example.

The best talent in D2 ends up in MLS anyway. Etienne Barbara was the 2011 NASL MVP and is now with the Whitecaps. Yordany Alvarez was the 2011 USL-Pro MVP and is now with Real Salt Lake. The creme of the NASL/USL crop always ends up in MLS. Without transfer fees. So MLS is not going to change things.

Just found it funny that you said American and Canadian prospects, then proceeded to use a Jamaican, and Cuban, and a Maltese guy as your reference points. But I get the point regardless about NASL guys being looked at by MLS, and the MLS keeping costs down, which they DO indeed have to do.

[Opie]

Just found it funny that you said American and Canadian prospects, then proceeded to use a Jamaican, and Cuban, and a Maltese guy as your reference points. But I get the point regardless about NASL guys being looked at by MLS, and the MLS keeping costs down, which they DO indeed have to do.

Probably should of used Andrew Wenger or Salgado. Although Mattocks hasn't been capped yet for Jamaica. He received a number of good offers from Europe coming out of college and MLS was forced to up their offer to him so he would sign and be eligible for the draft. That was my main point. The money should be spent on players like that.

The points about Barbara and Alvarez wasn't about American and Canadian prospects. They were just used as an example to show that the best players in the NASL and USL end up in MLS without transfer fees.