Attn. Transatlantic peeps...

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:33 am

Apart from the Rodney Marsh bits it is tremendous.

Pele is one greedy bastard.......but his erections are rock hard.

Village Idiot · Post by **Village Idiot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:51 am

Mmmm... the first yank I remember seeing play was Tab Ramos like 10 years ago at Betis, and after him I can only conjure up Keller at Rayo... strange we got so few yanks in the Spanish league.

The problem is that the MLS is decidedly a very low standard league, and won't change midterm due to the (necessary) transfer and wage restrictions. Getting involved in CONMEBOL competitions instead of playing for tin cups against Jamaican and Barbados teams would help too.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:34 am

americantrotter wrote:Ummm. Bruce, i said that. There is no true American Superstar which is why most English have a hard time accepting that any other player from the states would be decent.

Absolute bollocks. If a players good enough then he will be recognised as such regardless of where he comes from.

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:50 pm

I contend that is bollox. By your standards Americans have proved themselves then. Yet why are equal talents left in the US? Mainly because they are seen as risks. That will not change until there is a Superstar to change opinions. Add in the fact that the footballing world is more wary of a US player than one from an otherwise unheard of nation.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:07 pm

americantrotter wrote: Add in the fact that the footballing world is more wary of a US player than one from an otherwise unheard of nation.

I disagree, the footballing world is prepared to look wherever it needs to. The fact remains that if a player is good enough he will be signed by a club. Your notion that clubs are put off a player on the grounds that he's an American are simply ridiculous. You may think that you have players over there who could hold their own in the EPL, the people who's job it is to assess them clearly think otherwise.

communistworkethic · Post by **communistworkethic** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:17 pm

I think, AT, the flaw in your argument is that they are "equal talents".
By virtueof clubs not taking a punt on them it would, as BR suggests, indicates that the scouts are saying that they are not up to the job.

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:45 pm

okay then. we'll have to agree to disagree. There are players in England and Europe doing quite well. There are other Americans of equal talent who arent in Europe. Now, you can say it's because they arent as good, but I would say that is not the case. I've seen these players on a consistent basis. I knew McBride would succeed before anyone gave him a sniff in England. So while I will take my talent evaluating with a grain of salt as I am not a scout. i will kindly reject the theory that Europe's scouts are the opinion to stand by with American players.

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:50 pm

I can't really comment here. However bad American players may be, Canadian players are considerably worse - as is proved constantly in CONCAF. It will still take a few years before North America produces any superstars IMHO because football is simply not what the best athletes do. The sport is growing though and one day....

Village Idiot · Post by **Village Idiot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:56 pm

Main thing is that with the current economic structure, nobody can earn a decent living as a footballer in the States. In that other Dempsey thread somebody posted his wages and they were ridiculous for our standards, an we were talking one of the top players of the league!

But if the MLS wants to survive, it has to keep tabs on the club's economies, so until football grows in the States and is able to attract money and better talent, I don't think they will produce superstars regularly (there's always the odd talent).

CrazyHorse · Post by **CrazyHorse** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:58 pm

I always thought that CONCAF was prison blend coffee....

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:59 pm

CrazyHorse wrote:I always thought that CONCAF was prison blend coffee....

No, no no - that's ConCafé.

communistworkethic · Post by **communistworkethic** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:01 pm

Montreal Wanderer wrote:
CrazyHorse wrote:I always thought that CONCAF was prison blend coffee....
No, no no - that's ConCafé.

Isn't that Starbucks?

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:06 pm

CONCACAF

whatever it is, it's crap.

CrazyHorse · Post by **CrazyHorse** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:08 pm

I always thought that CONCACAF was Horse-chestnut blend coffee....

- Coat on standby -

Village Idiot · Post by **Village Idiot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:09 pm

Screw CONCACAF and try to enter CONMEBOL competitions. I'm pretty sure they'd oblige you, even if only for the pleasure of stuffing the big mean imperialistic yank clubs.

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:10 pm

Actually the US got univited after beating Argentina one year.

They really do need to concentrate on playing better teams. Actually they should play more teams in Europe, because that is where they struggle, and who they generally struggle against.

Village Idiot · Post by **Village Idiot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:12 pm

Argentina is an incredibly overrated national team, imho.

But nice to know that. Anyway, the US needs to play more quality teams. Problem is that playing European teams during their offseason not gonna help much.

Best thing would be imho to enter teams in Copa Libertadores and Copa Suramericana.

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:16 pm

Village Idiot wrote:Argentina is an incredibly overrated national team, imho.

I expect a few West Ham fans might agree with you now.

Village Idiot · Post by **Village Idiot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:20 pm

Trophy signings are always a bad thing.

Dujon · Post by **Dujon** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:00 am

I'm sure it will happen, AT. After all, with 300 million residents there's got to be some talent banging around the place.

In a way, the U.S. of A. is similar to Australia, in that there is a number of competing (and successful, much better paid) sports. Nevertheless, even with such constraints, Australia now has quite a few players in the Premiership (even Bolton's got a young lad in the junior ranks) and a bucketful playing in Continental teams.

I think though that the Aussies got off their backsides and went to Europe to gain experience - with all the risks comcomitant to such ventures - they did not sit waiting to be scouted here. Many, of course, came back home with their tails between their legs due to lack of sufficient skill (or finances - who knows).

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