name your Canadian MLS roster

[Jason]

I thought I'd throw this out for a topic. Let's say that a Canadian city was getting a MLS club in 2006. How about trying to come up with a hypothetical roster made up of Canadian USL players?

While I think it would be entirely possible that DeRosario, Will Johnson, and Winston Marshall could be traded to this hypothetical Canadian club, try to not include them in your list.

Goal: Greg Sutton -- USL best keeper

Def: Adam Braz

Def: Gabe Gervais -- many USL awards

Def: Nevio Pizzolito -- would he give up the big $ he gets in the winter in the MISL?

Def: C.J. Pesznecker -- my dark horse pick

Mid: Felix Brilliant

Mid: Jamie Dodds

Mid: Martin Nash

Mid: Steve Kindel

Fwd: Jason Jordan -- USL D1 MVP

Fwd: Matondo

Subs:

Liam DeSilva D, Andres Arango D, Steve Kindel MF,

Mike Franks GK, Jeff Clarke MF, Alfredo Valente MF, Kevin Harmse D

Jason

[Polish_LYNX_Fan]

I see some Lynx guys.

I would also think players like De Ro and maybe Radz coming to a canadian city. Maybe not in the expansion year ( especially Radz since he is still making good $$$) Maybe we can get some Canadians wasting away in Europe and get them here for a chane to play week in week out.

[ditty]

quote:Originally posted by Polish_LYNX_Fan

I see some Lynx guys.

I would also think players like De Ro and maybe Radz coming to a canadian city. Maybe not in the expansion year ( especially Radz since he is still making good $$$) Maybe we can get some Canadians wasting away in Europe and get them here for a chane to play week in week out.

It may just be me, but I don't see Radz returning to Canada anytime soon, ever post-retirement. He seems thoroughly Euro and personally I don't see the guy settling in Canada, though I guess his folks still live here.

[Kurosawa1555362267]

I would definitely try to add André Haineault as a sub on defense. He was great in the U20 and the game he played with Montréal toward the end of season he was better than Gervais.

Also Antonio Ribeiro from the Montreal Impact, he showed some really good things after Grande signed in Norway. Give him 2 years and he is going to be a great player.

[Rocket Robin]

great topic...I was thinking about posing a question like that for the last month about a Canadian MLS team talent wise no matter where it would play. I suppose they would be allowed five imports like the other MLS teams but have to stay in budget.

If they couldn't move up the standings after a few years because of a weak player pool, would they (meaning their $$$ driven owners) try to get an exemption of more foreign players to fill the stands?

Any roster would weaken the USL Canadian teams if they lost two or three players each.

[SeanKeay]

Add arrango to the squad.. and joey m... those are the two lynx players i would add.

maybe robbie

[Johnnie Monster]

I believe DeSilva is a Yank IIRC.... and he's certainly not MLS caliber.

[David C.]

If salaries aren't an issue, a few of our Scandinavian-based players might be worth considering, as well. Tyler Hughes, Chris Pozniak and Sandro Grande (if he never gets off the Viking bench) come to mind. Maybe Reda too, if things don't work out for him in Denmark.

[youllneverwalkalone]

quote:Originally posted by ditty

It may just be me, but I don't see Radz returning to Canada anytime soon, ever post-retirement. He seems thoroughly Euro and personally I don't see the guy settling in Canada, though I guess his folks still live here.

Not to Calgary, that's for sure.

The other Calgary guy who started this thread needs to get Martin Nash off the list. He played like dung every time I saw him this year and his hair is awful. Talk about football mullet gone wrong.

[Guest Ed]

quote:Originally posted by Johnnie Monster

I believe DeSilva is a Yank IIRC.... and he's certainly not MLS caliber.

Well, he doesn't have an English accent so he probably sounds like a Yank compared to many of the Whitecaps vets.

He is from Alberta, born & raised.

[SeanKeay]

Radz coming back to toronto could happen, after he is done his soccer he will come back forsure. His family is here and just loves toronto. If the mls was here in 2007, i wouldnt be suprised to see radz play.

I can also see alot of scandinavians come back to play, some will stay but not the ones who go year to year with a new team that gets religated.

Also someone people have forgot about, Maybe because he was injured this year but Edgar Bartholomeau. When i saw him in his one game in mls, he was probobly the best player on the field. He definatly has what it takes to go back and play.

Hey and what about will johnson

[canso]

FC Toronto - The Ex Men

-----Stamatopolous--------

----Reda------Marshall--

Asante---Serioux-----Bartolomeu

----------Grande----

Peeters----DeRo-----DeJong

---------Radzinski------

Bench:

Karimi GK

Hughes

Kappos

Rosenlund

Johnson

[Polish_LYNX_Fan]

I'm druling and I think I might be getting hard just seeing this team

[Daniel]

Grande is making $150k+ a season plus car and home. Probably similar for some of those players.

[Cheeta]

Kinda a fun topic, agreed there.

On the subject of money, anyone remember what the MLS player salary cap is?

Would like to mention that Canadian MLS entries would have the advantage of having a better chance of holding onto their domestic players. At least over the American teams. Not much chance of US based teams trying to pick up non-star Canadians. Suspect this would help keep the wages down. Not much. But a little. (If that's good or bad I'm not sure).

Rocket Robin brings up a very good point about depleting the USL rosters. For MLS Canada rooters (and I'm marginaly one) I suspect this is viewed as short term pain.

Can't see a roster made up of 1st Div players competing in MLS in a fashion of football we'd all like to see. Surprised Braz has only been mentioned the once given the positive reviews he's received from most corners. And as it stands I believe MLS squads are still allowed their 3 imports plus development players. An all-Canadian squad would be shocking. Welcome. But shocking.

Fun topic.

[zacRWE]

This is a modest lineup, but it "could" be possible, what do you think?:

gk- Hirschfeld

Zagar

d- Hainault

Arango

Braz

Lyall

Williams

mf- Gervais

Brilliant

Aristodemo

Dodds

De Jong

f- Johnson

Jordan

Belotte

I figure we would fill some subs or others with forigners, but this would be our Canadian content?

I didnt want ot pick too many players from the Caps or 'pact cause the likely spot for MLS expansion is Toronto?

[Gordon]

I did some looking at MLS salaries for a thread I was briefly involved with eleswhere and, although I forgot the exact cap number, the average MLS team has 2-3 making approximately 200,000-250,000 USD, another three making between 100,000 and 200,000 (under 150,000 usually, especially if 3 at 200,000+ level) a 5-6 between 50,000 and 90,000 (again, most closer to 50,000 than 90,000) and then approximately 1/2 dozen bench players doing 30,000 - 50,000). Again, just averages not specifically true of any one team.

[Ryan Keay]

Here's my 28 man roster, with salary cap restrictions and MLS development roster in mind:

Keepers:

Greg Sutton

Theo Zagar

Josh Wagenaar (DEV)

Defense:

Marco Reda

Gabe Gervais

Chris Pozniak

Tyler Hughes

Adam Braz

Andres Arango (DEV)

Andre Hainault (DEV)

Winston Marshall (DEV)

Kevin Harmse (DEV)

Mids:

Adrian Serioux

Dwayne De Rosario

Patrick Leduc

Robbie Aristodemo

Jamie Dodds

Edgar Bartolomeu

Jason Di Tullio (DEV)

Sita Taty Matondo (DEV)

Strikers:

Tomasz Radzinski

Will Johnson (DEV)

Wyn Belotte (DEV)

In addition, I leave two spots in mid, one spot up front and one at the back for the four foreign slots. Theres room for one of them to be at MLS max salary. Plus I add one youth international player to play up top for the team.

A few guys I would consider from Europe that I didnt put in here cause I wasnt sure if they'd return, but theres a possiblity of it happening, and would go straight into my team:

Lars Hirschfeld

Jason De Vos

Sandro Grande

Ali Gerba

Plus, of course, there are always the possibility of surprises.

As it is, Im a little iffy about the starting back four and I really don't like the depth my team has in mid, but given the parameters I dont think its a bad team.

For the record, theres no anti-Vancouver bias going on here. Im operating on the assumption of a Toronto team and guys at the bottom roster are better to be local to the team cause really, for the wages MLS pays its lower rung players, moving across the country is a lot to ask.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Ryan Keay

Here's my 28 man roster, with salary cap restrictions and MLS development roster in mind:

Keepers:

Greg Sutton

Theo Zagar

Josh Wagenaar (DEV)

Defense:

Marco Reda

Gabe Gervais

Chris Pozniak

Tyler Hughes

Adam Braz

Andres Arango (DEV)

Andre Hainault (DEV)

Winston Marshall (DEV)

Kevin Harmse (DEV)

Mids:

Adrian Serioux

Dwayne De Rosario

Patrick Leduc

Robbie Aristodemo

Jamie Dodds

Edgar Bartolomeu

Jason Di Tullio (DEV)

Sita Taty Matondo (DEV)

Strikers:

Tomasz Radzinski

Will Johnson (DEV)

Wyn Belotte (DEV)

In addition, I leave two spots in mid, one spot up front and one at the back for the four foreign slots. Theres room for one of them to be at MLS max salary. Plus I add one youth international player to play up top for the team.

A few guys I would consider from Europe that I didnt put in here cause I wasnt sure if they'd return, but theres a possiblity of it happening, and would go straight into my team:

Lars Hirschfeld

Jason De Vos

Sandro Grande

Ali Gerba

Plus, of course, there are always the possibility of surprises.

As it is, Im a little iffy about the starting back four and I really don't like the depth my team has in mid, but given the parameters I dont think its a bad team.

For the record, theres no anti-Vancouver bias going on here. Im operating on the assumption of a Toronto team and guys at the bottom roster are better to be local to the team cause really, for the wages MLS pays its lower rung players, moving across the country is a lot to ask.

It would also be interesting to see who would make up the foreign contingent. Going by your projection, I would think that quota would be best used on a quality, well recognized defender since at present you would have less experience at the back compared to other areas. Of course, getting devos would solve much of that problem.

[Bxl Boy]

Here's the evidence how MLS will do harm to Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, the two best run teams of Canada for the moment...

[Bxl Boy]

Here's the evidence how MLS will do harm to Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, the two best run teams of Canada for the moment...

[Ryan Keay]

quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

Kinda a fun topic, agreed there.

On the subject of money, anyone remember what the MLS player salary cap is?

Would like to mention that Canadian MLS entries would have the advantage of having a better chance of holding onto their domestic players. At least over the American teams. Not much chance of US based teams trying to pick up non-star Canadians. Suspect this would help keep the wages down. Not much. But a little. (If that's good or bad I'm not sure).

Rocket Robin brings up a very good point about depleting the USL rosters. For MLS Canada rooters (and I'm marginaly one) I suspect this is viewed as short term pain.

Can't see a roster made up of 1st Div players competing in MLS in a fashion of football we'd all like to see. Surprised Braz has only been mentioned the once given the positive reviews he's received from most corners. And as it stands I believe MLS squads are still allowed their 3 imports plus development players. An all-Canadian squad would be shocking. Welcome. But shocking.

Fun topic.

The MLS Salary Cap is 1.7 million US$ at the moment, and that applies to the 18 man senior roster. The MLS "Max Salary" is 280k, but all that really means is that a player can count no more than 280k to the roster. If the club investor-operator (or whatever MLS calls its de-facto owners) is willing to take a hit above and beyond the 280k, they can sign players making more than that. Donovan makes nearly a million, a couple guys from Chivas USA make over a million amongst others who make more than the cap max.

As for imports, MLS squads are allowed to carry 4 "senior internationals", foreign players over the age of 24. They are also allowed 3 "transitional internationals", foreign players 24 and under. Teams are allowed to trade these TI slots to other teams though. On top of the 18 man senior roster there is a ten man development roster for players 24 and under. These players do not count towards the salary cap.

Not too complicated now, is it?

[Ryan Keay]

quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

Kinda a fun topic, agreed there.

On the subject of money, anyone remember what the MLS player salary cap is?

Would like to mention that Canadian MLS entries would have the advantage of having a better chance of holding onto their domestic players. At least over the American teams. Not much chance of US based teams trying to pick up non-star Canadians. Suspect this would help keep the wages down. Not much. But a little. (If that's good or bad I'm not sure).

Rocket Robin brings up a very good point about depleting the USL rosters. For MLS Canada rooters (and I'm marginaly one) I suspect this is viewed as short term pain.

Can't see a roster made up of 1st Div players competing in MLS in a fashion of football we'd all like to see. Surprised Braz has only been mentioned the once given the positive reviews he's received from most corners. And as it stands I believe MLS squads are still allowed their 3 imports plus development players. An all-Canadian squad would be shocking. Welcome. But shocking.

Fun topic.

The MLS Salary Cap is 1.7 million US$ at the moment, and that applies to the 18 man senior roster. The MLS "Max Salary" is 280k, but all that really means is that a player can count no more than 280k to the roster. If the club investor-operator (or whatever MLS calls its de-facto owners) is willing to take a hit above and beyond the 280k, they can sign players making more than that. Donovan makes nearly a million, a couple guys from Chivas USA make over a million amongst others who make more than the cap max.

As for imports, MLS squads are allowed to carry 4 "senior internationals", foreign players over the age of 24. They are also allowed 3 "transitional internationals", foreign players 24 and under. Teams are allowed to trade these TI slots to other teams though. On top of the 18 man senior roster there is a ten man development roster for players 24 and under. These players do not count towards the salary cap.

Not too complicated now, is it?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

The best thing that could happen with a TO franchise would for the team to negotiate a new rule for the MLS: Canadians will no longer be considered foreign anywhere in the league, and Americans will not be considered so in the new TO team and any other future team in Canada.

[Andrew W]

Almost as interesting as the content of the roster is how the roster will be constructed.

MLS Rules and Regs

As one can see (if they read the rules in the link) there are many ways in which a roster can be compiled. Obviously, by reading the information, some of those definitions will have to be tweaked if a Canadian team is to operate with inverse rules from what is currently the norm for the American teams. As well, at the end of the day, the single entity setup will have an impact on how this roster is assembled.

While it is difficult to speculate who would be available from players currently in Europe and the USL (due to contract situations), the content of the roster will depend primarily on the philosophy of the team's soccer operations department (ie, coaches and general manager). My best guess is they would want a senior team that can compete immediately but a reserve squad of players that need time to develop and may offer the best results in the long-term.