McBride to TFC?

[SR]

From the article below:

"I take great pride in the fact that my last appearance for Fulham saw the club maintain its Premier League status,” McBride said. “I leave with some wonderful memories from my time at Fulham, and the club will always be in my heart.”

McBride played for Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew from 1996-04 and was a seven-time All-Star. If McBride signs with MLS, Toronto would have the first chance to sign him. However, Toronto could sign him and trade him."

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AuSdaRNQroK7mAitNzDt_h6dbgM6?slug=ap-fulham-mcbride&prov=ap&type=lgns

[tmcmurph]

That was some run Fulham finished up on. 4 wins in the last 5 games, winning when down 0-2 in one of them, beating the FA cup champ Portsmouth in the last game all to stay up on a goal differential on Reading. Sweet. Almost as good as Havant & Waterlooville.

I think at 35 Toronto should trade for some younger players. They have enough of the over 30 gang already. I'm not saying they can't play great ball at 35 but you are looking at 2 maybe 3 years and injuries take so long to heal at that age.

[Loud Mouth Soup]

Word is McBride wants to go to Chicago.

[kcisoul]

Well said tmcmurph im also getting tired of the over 30 club at tfc. Also getting some young players would be great, id say sign and trade him. IS there any young players in Chicago?

[VPjr]

^ Not sure if they could fit another American on the roster without dropping someone from the current roster but if they could extricate Calen Carr from Chicago (and maybe a pick or two in the draft), I'd send them McBride. With McBride up front, Chicago would have to become the overwhelming favorites for the MLS Cup.

I imagine he would want DP money. that might make it challenging.

[themodelcitizen]

Saw it on another board, but do Chicago still have Will Johnson's MLS rights? could trade for those + draft picks.

[KAS]

quote:Originally posted by themodelcitizen

Saw it on another board, but do Chicago still have Will Johnson's MLS rights? could trade for those + draft picks.

I think that MLS teams only keep rights for two years. Otherwise, Columbus would still have McBride's rights. Players returning to MLS go through this allocation list. TFC got Conor Casey this way, even though I'm sure he wanted to go straight to Colorado.

I hope Mo gets something useful like allocation + first rounder, but I don't want McBride. We may need an upgrade at striker (and he is that), but he doesn't want to come here and he will soon be 36.

I think Mo has been trying abit too hard to win right away and that is why our team is loaded with old players. Much of TFC's squad is only 2-3 years away from retirement. I would accept DeRo coming home, but any other players should be low/mid-twenties. Aging and non-essential internationals like Marshall, Cunningham, and Dunivant should be traded for younger players - preferably young Canadians. I hope we can get a twenty-something DP as well.

[youllneverwalkalone]

I think Dunivant is only 27.

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by KAS

I think that MLS teams only keep rights for two years. Otherwise, Columbus would still have McBride's rights. Players returning to MLS go through this allocation list. TFC got Conor Casey this way, even though I'm sure he wanted to go straight to Colorado.

I hope Mo gets something useful like allocation + first rounder, but I don't want McBride. We may need an upgrade at striker (and he is that), but he doesn't want to come here and he will soon be 36.

I think Mo has been trying abit too hard to win right away and that is why our team is loaded with old players. Much of TFC's squad is only 2-3 years away from retirement. I would accept DeRo coming home, but any other players should be low/mid-twenties. Aging and non-essential internationals like Marshall, Cunningham, and Dunivant should be traded for younger players - preferably young Canadians. I hope we can get a twenty-something DP as well.

Not sure McBride has much of a value within MLS outside of Chicago for odvious reasons. In the last 3 years he's made 10x whatever he made in his MLS career before that and he made it in English pounds not American dollars. If he's not happy with how things turn out he'll simply retire.

And totally agree about Trader Mo mortaging TFCs future for this years results and for selfish reasons. If I'm not mistaken Trader Mo used allocation money from last year to build this years team. Moneys which having now been spent won't be available for the '09 season.

Expect the salary cap is going to rise substantially but that tide will raise all MLS boats equally.

[Crazy_Yank]

Chicago will get him. MLS will tell Toronto what they are getting.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

If what is on offer from Chicago isn't to TFC's liking due to the lack of leverage given McBride may simply opt to retire I suspect TFC are not obliged to use the allocation ranking to claim him if they don't want to.

[kyam]

quote:Originally posted by Crazy_Yank

Chicago will get him. MLS will tell Toronto what they are getting.

They might do that to a team like Salt Lake or Columbus, but TFC is too much of an asset for MLS to upset, especially since TFC ticket sales are essentially subsidizing the rest of the league (since a % of TFC's high ticket prices are given to the league).

IF MLS "Tells" Toronto what they will receive, MLS will be offering a can't refuse package, because dealing with TFC is a whole new ball game. Its not like any other small time MLS franchise.

You maybe a Crazed Yank, but even crazies need to take reality into consideration: No league in their right mind will go against Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), they are bastards, with a net worth of $1.5 Billion US. Thats worth more than the entire MLS combined.

[AvroArrow]

The league has a history of finding ways to get things done when it comes to player movement.

Will the MLS be more marketable to fans if McBride is in the league? Yes. Where does McBride want to play? Chicago.

Hence, the league will find a way. The only consideration is how fair it will be for Toronto.

[coppercanuck]

Toronto won't give Fire a free McBride

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/soccer/fire/1006813,CST-SPT-fire15.article

Frank Klopas' own career trajectory took him from the United States to an accomplished career in Europe, but he always wanted to complete his pro career close to home in Chicago.

So the Fire's technical director knows exactly what Brian McBride is thinking as the Arlington Heights native considers his options after leaving Fulham of the English Premier League late last month.

''I can kind of feel like I've been in Brian's shoes a bit because I got the chance to play internationally and then return to Chicago,'' said Klopas, who played in Greece before starring for the Fire in 1998-99. ''It's important for us to understand what needs to get done to make it happen for him and bring him here.''

As the McBride sweepstakes continue to pick up steam, it's increasingly likely that the three-time World Cup veteran will wind up in a Fire uniform sometime this summer. That is, if Klopas and the Fire front office can put together a package enticing enough for Toronto FC to take the bait.

Toronto holds the allocation rights to McBride but likely will pass on trying to sign the 35-year-old forward, instead opting to pass him and an inescapably large contract on to the Fire, likely in exchange for one of the Fire's talented young players. It's a deal Klopas is eager to get done in the coming weeks, although McBride can't join the team until July 15.

''Everyone knows we're definitely very interested,'' Klopas said. ''Our current situation is that, yes, we're trying hard to make it happen and bring Brian here.''

With the McBride situation in limbo, the Fire (6-3-1) returns to action against FC Dallas (3-5-4) today in Frisco, Texas.

McBride's agent and brother, Chicago attorney Matt McBride, said this week that contract talks with the league are still in progress. He added that a number of international clubs also have expressed interest recently in signing his brother.

''There have been some other European clubs, but right now we're focused on getting Brian back to MLS,'' Matt McBride said.

The question then becomes how much the Fire is willing to give up to acquire McBride, already roundly praised by current Fire players and coaches for his skill and leadership abilities in the locker room.

Rumors already have linked Fire midfielder and 2006 MLS Best XI selection Justin Mapp to the deal, but it's likely that other players such as Wilman Conde, Chris Rolfe or Chad Barrett will come up in the discussion.

Klopas admitted the Fire is hesitant to jettison one of its core younger players in a straight-up swap for McBride, who likely would give the team two to three years before retiring.

''If Toronto is going to say, 'We want Justin Mapp, or that's it,' then it's never going to happen,'' Klopas said. ''Because as bad as we want it to happen, we don't want to give up someone we feel has a tremendous future. We can only do so much.''

Still, Toronto GM Mo Johnston told Canadian reporters last week that the team was ''sitting on a little pot of gold here'' with the allocation rights to McBride and that the team is ''exploring every avenue.''

When asked what he would want in a trade for McBride, Johnston said, ''We're looking for something very big,'' according to CBC Sports.

[Crazy_Yank]

quote:Originally posted by kyam

They might do that to a team like Salt Lake or Columbus, but TFC is too much of an asset for MLS to upset, especially since TFC ticket sales are essentially subsidizing the rest of the league (since a % of TFC's high ticket prices are given to the league).

IF MLS "Tells" Toronto what they will receive, MLS will be offering a can't refuse package, because dealing with TFC is a whole new ball game. Its not like any other small time MLS franchise.

You maybe a Crazed Yank, but even crazies need to take reality into consideration: No league in their right mind will go against Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), they are bastards, with a net worth of $1.5 Billion US. Thats worth more than the entire MLS combined.

Ha!! They did to both New York and LA. Both are far bigger markets than Toronto and owned by men/companies with more assets than Maple Leaf Sports.

[RS]

quote:Originally posted by Crazy_Yank

Ha!! They did to both New York and LA. Both are far bigger markets than Toronto and owned by men/companies with more assets than Maple Leaf Sports.

The days of MLS pushing the teams around are over.

It's a lot harder for the league to "decide" the best interests of each team for them when there are more than three ownership groups like in days past.

[Rivaldo]

I think McBride wants to play in the Olympics, so don't expect anything to happen for a while.

[Jason]

I'm pretty sure TFC would be interested in acquiring more international roster spots in exchange for McBride.

Jason