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Bye Bye Aviators - It's Been Nice To Know You


leekoo

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Hopefully the players can continue and see out the season. That will give the USL time to find a sensible ownership group. The mistakes made by this group were so glaring that it may encourage a potential investor:

Players to ponder USL offer

By SCOTT ZERR -- Edmonton Su

An initial offer to the Aviator players from the USL did not draw a favourable response late last night.

According to team captain Kurt Bosch, the players were offered 13 contracts at $1,000 per month and another five at $500 per month. Those figures would mean the departure of the team's most notable names, including imports Jaime Lopresti and Jose Luis Campi, as well as former Drillers Nik Vignjevic, Sipho Sibiya, Chris Handsor and Bosch. Other prominent players like Gordon Chin, Chris Lemire and Sean Fraser would likely draw more money from other clubs by being declared free agents or through a dispersal draft.

"At this point, the consensus is that we would not go for that," Bosch said last night.

If they choose to accept an offer, the onus will be on the players to decide who will receive the 18 contracts being offered.

Bosch said the USL wants a decision from the plyers by 11 a.m.

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quote:Coming up in the schedule is 8 home games

Ultimately, that may be what helps keep a team in Edmonton.

If the USL looked at the schedule and saw a glut of away dates, they'd probably pull the plug right away.

But, Team Edmonton only has three roadtrips left (the Toronto/Montreal trip being counted as one). Therefore, if they move the home matches to Clarke, drop ticket prices to $10, and bring in some bleachers (heck, even allow some lawn chairs), they can finish up the season on the cheap.

The players would have to take a cut. But, if they want to play in Edmonton, they're going to have to suck it up. The players in Calgary did it last year and a team's still here.

If it can be shown that the season can be finished off reasonably enough, there might be some hope.

Best of luck to the Northlands! We've got our fingers crossed down here.

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With so many games remaining in the season the easiest thing to do would be to keep the team floating until the end and hope for a real owner next season, not a group of dumb ass investors. It would really suck trying to reschedule games that teams have against Edmonton. The ycan't just award 3 points to every team that would have played them, even if that would have been the result.

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Guest Georgio

Sad indeed!

I really hope the player's consider sticking it out, without the more expensive players, just to keep the team going until new investment approaches. You have to believe that another investment group would approach this - because everyone can see, albeit in hindsight, that the plan was not viable.

Here's hoping for an Edmonton team in 2005, and Canadian soccer remaining that much better off with some sacrifice from some Edmonton locals. Calgary locals did it for Alberta and Canada, so can Edmonton. Local Edmonton players, particularly those who were not playing much, could see this as an opportunity to prove themselves. Bosch, reconsider ... because the consenseus you speak of as I am assuming is from the leaders or most influencial players of the team who are the highest paid, and by no fault of theirs, are looking out for themselves. You, the rest of the local Edmonton players, and whomever else you can rally, are in a position to recieve support from your home community.

People like Conrad Chala and even some Saskatchewan boys who have a good education and could have bailed in Calgary but chose to stick it out and Calgary owes them a debt of gratitude. And we have yet to see how it will turn out a year later but atleast there is still pro soccer in Calgary.

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quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

If they choose to accept an offer, the onus will be on the players to decide who will receive the 18 contracts being offered.

Wow. That puts the players in an awkward position, doesn't it? Sounds like a reality TV show -- who will get voted off the island.

Wouldn't it be better to get a coach or manager first and let them choose the players?

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fishman

Posted - 07/20/2004 :  19:57:17    

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Early reports coming off of the radio have the USL and a majority of Aviator players reaching an agreement.

No news yet on the facility or other details, but this is encouraging.

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