Real Madrid to play in Toronto

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by squizz

The ultimate irony here is that there are probably plenty of folks within the MLS brain trust who think that having MLS teams go up against Real (and messing up their domestic league sked to do so) actually makes them look more professional and credible.

Agreed.

And sure, fair enough. Great to have Real Madrid jet into town to play the local side. Off season friendly or no.

But bonus marks, the negative</u> bonus marks are for altering your league schedule ON SHORT NOTICE to allow for it.

The reek of desperation. I mean, Oh-my-Gawd. Can they really be that desperate?

Have they (MLS & MLSE) lost their sense of dignity to the point where league competition becomes 2nd place to meaningless off-season friendlies? "Name" clubs or no?

Gawd...Where's your pride?

Sorry to rant. I honestly think having Real Madrid in for a friendly is a grand idea. Even if you had to cram it into a tight schedule, but if it necessitates altering your league schedule, you know the supposedly competitive reason for your club's existence, to accommodate that friendly you're being disrespectful to YOUR LEAGUE and you should probably give some thought to your priorities.

We're not talking about altering the league schedule to accommodate domestic cup fixtures. We're talking about reducing the league and it's schedule below the importance of a visit by an out-of-season UEFA side.

Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. What are these people thinking?

[Richard]

So they move one league game, so what. How does this move really affect your life?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

If someone invites me, i'll go.

I would be more than happy to pay to see Madrid live, but I prefer it to be on a warm night in Barcelona, sitting in Camp Nou, watching them lose to Barca.

Agreed, but since so many folks are criticizing the Zidane tour, it is fair to say that this Madrid will be very competitive and if you want to see quality football you will get it. TFC will have to play way over their heads to stay with them, but it will be a fine showcase nonetheless. It won't be a throwaway, which is why I say it is a good buy.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Impact

Would not be surprised to see Real Madrid arrive in Toronto with their third string players. After all their going to be playing a third rate team.

See my above for why you are dead wrong. You are going to get a killer Real in Toronto, for sure. Not sure if it is worth 100 bucks, but that is for everyone to decide, and playing at BMO obliges them to jack up prices as the capacity is low.

AS for moving the date of the league game: in the real world guys, intelligence is calibrated by the capacity to adjust to reality. It is a virtue, not a drawback, it shows you are not rigid, square, boring, or dogmatic. A nice friendly, what date? Oh, fine, any other dates? Are you sure?

No, well we'll try to move our league game, no problem.

Intelligence is considered bush league by people who have indelibly bush league mentalities. If you want MLS to look serious, beat Madrid, adjust your schedule to the FIFA schedule and don't play on FIFA dates, pay your development players a proper living salary for a pro footballer (over 60-70,000 US), allow for academy development and for teams to benefit from cultivating youth. And play friendlies against superior sides to see how it is all going.

[Mr.Impact]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

See my above for why you are dead wrong. You are going to get a killer Real in Toronto, for sure. Not sure if it is worth 100 bucks, but that is for everyone to decide, and playing at BMO obliges them to jack up prices as the capacity is low.

AS for moving the date of the league game: in the real world guys, intelligence is calibrated by the capacity to adjust to reality. It is a virtue, not a drawback, it shows you are not rigid, square, boring, or dogmatic. A nice friendly, what date? Oh, fine, any other dates? Are you sure?

No, well we'll try to move our league game, no problem.

Intelligence is considered bush league by people who have indelibly bush league mentalities. If you want MLS to look serious, beat Madrid, adjust your schedule to the FIFA schedule and don't play on FIFA dates, pay your development players a proper living salary for a pro footballer (over 60-70,000 US), allow for academy development and for teams to benefit from cultivating youth. And play friendlies against superior sides to see how it is all going.

I wouldn't shell out any money until I know who's on the plane Real Madrid "a" or Real Madrid "b" or especially for an orginization like Toronto that don't have a proprer pitch and will be reduced to playing on something put together on short noticed Real Madrid "c"

[ottawaguy2009]

quote:Originally posted by Pawel

What was that? Couldn't hear you from USL and the third division italian teams you play....

ahhhh sh*t. nice!

in all seriousness though, Real Madrid, on a marketing mission more than footballing one, will be bringing some big names. Else why would they come? I mean I suppose their brand, the name: Real Madrid, means something. But people going to this friendly (and the one at RFK - should be massive!) want to see the names and faces they know. Wouldn't be surprised to see at least four big name players come out.

Wondering if MLSE should put this game at the Rogers Centre...?

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

So they move one league game, so what. How does this move really affect your life?

Only in so far as it reaffirms the rather questionable judgment of MLS brass. For myself that has been a worry ever since the development of Canadian soccer became married to Major League Soccer through TFC and now the 'Caps & (probably) Montreal.

We all know fixtures get moved all the time and for a variety of reasons but never because along comes some opportunity for a club friendly against an out-of-season "name" team.

Especially since the schedule adjustment involves TFC, the leagues cash cow. This isn't a fund raising match to save a struggling team or draw new customers to a failing franchise. I'd be willing to allow some sympathy for that argument but it doesn't apply in this case. It's a simple cash grab and MLS has decided the competitive importance of the league takes 2nd place to that.

To my mind it looks bad. Sends the wrong message about where your leagues priorities are.

[Free kick]

As I said on the other forum:

I understand how this schedule change has inconvenienced a great many and that it does little to help the team and the players this season. And, as far as cash grab, yeah I'll buy that. Especially given that they are excluding it from the existing ticket package and pricing it separately. And if the prices are anywhere near what I am hearing, then I am probably out as well.

What i don't buy, is the cynicism that I am reading in some quarters toward the decision to bring in these kind of clubs. You can't tell me that seeing your regular MLS game against, say, the Colorado Rapids is more memorable than see TFC against RM? what are you going to remember in 10 years? The TFC result against RM or the 2009 TFC results against Colorado.

When those CCC Championship clubs ( Millwall was one and the other escapes me) came to Vancouver to play a collection of Canadian USL player. Not only did the Canadian squad win, but as a result of that game, Adrian Serioux and I believe Josh Simpson managed to catch the attention of those clubs and to everyone's surprise, secure a contract. Where would those players be today without having had that opportunity. Most of us thought of Serioux as only a USL player. Prior to that, the best that the Hartrell's could do was sell player to tiny Scandinavian clubs for 50K.

Granted, there probably no one on TFC that RM could be interested in, but the exposure is still there. The experience and exposure for our Cnd players, as a result of this game, is invaluable. As is the profile for the club.

[jimmynow]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

As I said on the other forum:

You can't tell me that seeing your regular MLS game against, say, the Colorado Rapids is more memorable than see TFC against RM? what are you going to remember in 10 years? The TFC result against RM or the 2009 TFC results against Colorado.

but you're seeing it all wrong. This "spectacle" crap is exactly the problem. We are trying to build a league here, a sense of pride in MLS. A one-off game against the Real Madrid reserve team (of course it will be, since the bigger game is against DC United two days later in a 90000 seat stadium) isn't going to do that. It's the same attitude Saputo had about the CCL game at the Big O. Everyone thinks these spectacles are more important than the league. It isn't. I went to Celtic-Roma a few years back at Skydome and I have no memories of it, other than I went to Celtic-Roma. But I can remember the Colorado game in Colorado last year where TFC battled with a depleted roster to win a league game under difficult circumstances.

I actually have no interest in seeing Real Madrid at BMO for inflated prices. It's a friendly, and those are hit and miss games at the best of times. I'd prefer an important league game. If the Madrid game was included in the season tickets, I'd go and enjoy myself, but not more than seeing our Red Bull enemies at BMO getting beaten down. But maybe people who don't have an emotional investment in their league wouldn't understand that.

[Cheeta]

^I think these promotions are quite good actually. Bit of fun for all interested. My problem is that when you adjust your competitive schedule to accommodate a promotional event, regardless of your intentions (as jimmynow mentioned) you are belittling the importance of your league.

The one-off promo trumps the league fixture. Playing your league match because a secondary condition. What does that say about the maturity of this league?

I'd bet a mortgage payment if Boca Juniors where doing a tour and Livingstone wanted to reschedule a league fixture to play Boca in a friendly the Scottish FA would tell them to bugger off. League matches will proceed as scheduled. Great idea. Hope you can make it work but you'll have to find a way to fit it into your existing schedule.

And yet, MLS doesn't place as equal an importance on their league fixtures as the mighty Scottish 1st Division. Oh, man.

[TFC07]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

So they move one league game, so what. How does this move really affect your life?

Maybe you should ask this question on RPB forum instead of here.

[Guest HamiltonSteelers]

quote:Originally posted by jimmynow

I went to Celtic-Roma a few years back at Skydome and I have no memories of it, other than I went to Celtic-Roma. But I can remember the Colorado game in Colorado last year where TFC battled with a depleted roster to win a league game under difficult circumstances.

That's a helluva point. Celtic played with very few of note and Roma did play Totti. But from a pure footballing perspective, you're spot on.

I can remember some wonderful moments watching the Hamilton Thunder a few years ago at home, on the road... rather vividly.

Other than the overpriced nosebleed for a game that was purely for the money, I'd rather see something with meaning than another exhibition.

Unless the touring team can guarantee a real game with a proper best XI.

Which reminds me of the Villa friendly. Villa up 2-0, Toronto pulls back 2, and O'Neill subs on Carew, Agbonglahore and I cannot remember the third... and really showed the chasm in class. But that became a pride issue for Villa so we ended up inadvertantly with a competitive match of sorts.

I'd rather see TFC bring in the champions of Finland who would play their best XI and get a competitive match rather than a 90 minute walkabout. But even that's no guarantee for a competitive match.

[Richard]

quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

Only in so far as it reaffirms the rather questionable judgment of MLS brass. For myself that has been a worry ever since the development of Canadian soccer became married to Major League Soccer through TFC and now the 'Caps & (probably) Montreal.

We all know fixtures get moved all the time and for a variety of reasons but never because along comes some opportunity for a club friendly against an out-of-season "name" team.

Especially since the schedule adjustment involves TFC, the leagues cash cow. This isn't a fund raising match to save a struggling team or draw new customers to a failing franchise. I'd be willing to allow some sympathy for that argument but it doesn't apply in this case. It's a simple cash grab and MLS has decided the competitive importance of the league takes 2nd place to that.

To my mind it looks bad. Sends the wrong message about where your leagues priorities are.

So what if it is a cash grab, good for them for making an effort to accommodate this opportunity. How many Torontonians would otherwise get an opportunity to watch even Real Madrid's B team play live, especially against their beloved TFC. Question remains, even if you choose to ignore the Real Madrid game yourself, how does moving one MLS league fixture change anything really?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

I am amazed by the ignorance of some of you on this board, and this is coming from a Barça club member and hater of Real Madrid. Complain for real reasons, not false ones.

First, it is not a "cash cow" or "money grab" or whatever stupid tag you want to put on it (supermarket processed food is a money grab). If it really were they would not play at BMO, obviously. They probably would not play in Canada, as we are a small fragment of the US market and our press cannot give a visiting side the US dimension of the match either. Madrid's merchandising in Canada is probably considerably weaker even proportionally than in the US, since Madrid has a historical Latin American following. There is no considerable following of Spanish foolball in Canada even, it is probably way down amongst followed leagues. So the fact they are coming is lucky, because it is not the best economic deal for them (the fee is indifferent, what is important is the marketing value).

The second point: I don't know why Mr. Impact and others, you have to flaunt your illiteracy. At least do us the favour to read the posts by people who know what they are talking about. Real Madrid will not take a B or C team, they take an A team. Not because they are under contract to do so, but because the league starts three weeks later and by early August they have to be close to form. They had a disastrous year, will have a new president, a new coach, new signings, and all the squad will be competiting for spots. Real Madrid on August 7 will be lethal and will come out roaring, I have no doubt about this. This is simple to understand, it is simple fact as well, and slagging the friendly because you "think" they won't have a full squad is proof of an inability to read.

If you have a real reason to complain about the friendly, apart from all the invented ones that are simply untrue, go for it. I suspect prices will be very high, and the whole idea of being around Madrid supporters is pretty disgusting, I wouldn't go for the smell of chorizo and hair grease alone. Now that is a good reason.

[ottawaguy2009]

quote:Originally posted by jimmynow

but you're seeing it all wrong. This "spectacle" crap is exactly the problem. We are trying to build a league here, a sense of pride in MLS. A one-off game against the Real Madrid reserve team (of course it will be, since the bigger game is against DC United two days later in a 90000 seat stadium) isn't going to do that. It's the same attitude Saputo had about the CCL game at the Big O. Everyone thinks these spectacles are more important than the league. It isn't. I went to Celtic-Roma a few years back at Skydome and I have no memories of it, other than I went to Celtic-Roma. But I can remember the Colorado game in Colorado last year where TFC battled with a depleted roster to win a league game under difficult circumstances.

I actually have no interest in seeing Real Madrid at BMO for inflated prices. It's a friendly, and those are hit and miss games at the best of times. I'd prefer an important league game. If the Madrid game was included in the season tickets, I'd go and enjoy myself, but not more than seeing our Red Bull enemies at BMO getting beaten down. But maybe people who don't have an emotional investment in their league wouldn't understand that.

c'mon man. be happy for Canadian soccer. Real is not obligated to come to Canada to play TFC. They could have played against Seattle or Real Salt Lake (bad example!) or anywhere for that matter. Just be happy that this world-famous club recognizes the MLS and TFC well enough to play against them. I'm sure European hockey clubs would do the same if Detroit or Pittsburgh was touring Europe.

[BearcatSA]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

If you want MLS to look serious, beat Madrid, adjust your schedule to the FIFA schedule and don't play on FIFA dates, pay your development players a proper living salary for a pro footballer (over 60-70,000 US), allow for academy development and for teams to benefit from cultivating youth. And play friendlies against superior sides to see how it is all going.

I share these concerns about the MLS strategy as bigger long term issues. That said, some may argue that Garber et. al. run their league better than Bettmann runs his: I realize that's not pertinent to this particular thread, but it's food for thought.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by BearcatSA

I share these concerns about the MLS strategy as bigger long term issues. That said, some may argue that Garber et. al. run their league better than Bettmann runs his: I realize that's not pertinent to this particular thread, but it's food for thought.

I seriously believe these are the next key steps, and am glad to see on the FIFA dates they are getting somewhere, reducing league matches. Running an academy to develop players internally, thus undercutting the draft concept (only good for NCAA players anyways), raising minimum salaries, competing. MLS is very close, and a friendly here and there against a powerhouse can't be bad for them.

[Trident]

quote:Originally posted by Pawel

omg really? you played a meaningful match against italian opposition? cause if you didn't, which I don't think you did, no one brought up international records the way you meant it try again

Who cares about Italian teams? the fact is, we, Montreal, have been the only [modern] Canadian Clubs to play international opposition in a serious context, with outstanding results I might add.

And you brought up international games when you mentioned how we've played italian teams in friendlies, that opens the door to any and all international competitions.

[Mr.Impact]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

I am amazed by the ignorance of some of you on this board, and this is coming from a Barça club member and hater of Real Madrid. Complain for real reasons, not false ones.

First, it is not a "cash cow" or "money grab" or whatever stupid tag you want to put on it (supermarket processed food is a money grab). If it really were they would not play at BMO, obviously. They probably would not play in Canada, as we are a small fragment of the US market and our press cannot give a visiting side the US dimension of the match either. Madrid's merchandising in Canada is probably considerably weaker even proportionally than in the US, since Madrid has a historical Latin American following. There is no considerable following of Spanish foolball in Canada even, it is probably way down amongst followed leagues. So the fact they are coming is lucky, because it is not the best economic deal for them (the fee is indifferent, what is important is the marketing value).

The second point: I don't know why Mr. Impact and others, you have to flaunt your illiteracy. At least do us the favour to read the posts by people who know what they are talking about. Real Madrid will not take a B or C team, they take an A team. Not because they are under contract to do so, but because the league starts three weeks later and by early August they have to be close to form. They had a disastrous year, will have a new president, a new coach, new signings, and all the squad will be competiting for spots. Real Madrid on August 7 will be lethal and will come out roaring, I have no doubt about this. This is simple to understand, it is simple fact as well, and slagging the friendly because you "think" they won't have a full squad is proof of an inability to read.

If you have a real reason to complain about the friendly, apart from all the invented ones that are simply untrue, go for it. I suspect prices will be very high, and the whole idea of being around Madrid supporters is pretty disgusting, I wouldn't go for the smell of chorizo and hair grease alone. Now that is a good reason.

If you think that Real Madrid is going to risk injury to their million dollar players, playing on a makeshift playing surface, then you're demented. Real Madrid doesn't have to cross the ocean to find competitve teams.

Furthermore, they're playing in DC 48 hours after. You said it yourself, The US is where they want to concentrate their marketing efforts. Thats where the stars come out.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

Real Madrid will not take a B or C team, they take an A team. Not because they are under contract to do so, but because the league starts three weeks later and by early August they have to be close to form.

Also, other top division clubs who have come over North America in recent years, have not exactly fielded B or C teams.

Its amazing how it is when some suggestions or ideas take hold, not matter how much evidence to the contrary exists or emerges, those suggestions still linger. Specifically, the one that says that "so and so" club will certainly field a "B". Before, these tours started a few years ago, that's what I thought as well; that since these games were pre-season for or off season the euro clubs, there would be no impetus to feature top players and risk injury. But that's not really what has actually happened. For the most part we have seen starters figure prominently in these games aside from Man U's tour a while back where I seem to recall some complaints from US fans in this regard.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by jimmynow

but you're seeing it all wrong. This "spectacle" crap is exactly the problem. We are trying to build a league here, a sense of pride in MLS. A one-off game against the Real Madrid reserve team (of course it will be, since the bigger game is against DC United two days later in a 90000 seat stadium) isn't going to do that. It's the same attitude Saputo had about the CCL game at the Big O. Everyone thinks these spectacles are more important than the league. It isn't. I went to Celtic-Roma a few years back at Skydome and I have no memories of it, other than I went to Celtic-Roma. But I can remember the Colorado game in Colorado last year where TFC battled with a depleted roster to win a league game under difficult circumstances.

I actually have no interest in seeing Real Madrid at BMO for inflated prices. It's a friendly, and those are hit and miss games at the best of times. I'd prefer an important league game. If the Madrid game was included in the season tickets, I'd go and enjoy myself, but not more than seeing our Red Bull enemies at BMO getting beaten down. But maybe people who don't have an emotional investment in their league wouldn't understand that.

Well at the inflated priced that are being talked about, I will probably take a pass as well. And that's fine if you and i are not interested because there are a lot of others out there who are interested. Judging from the the informal and unscientific sampling that I have heard.

As far as the emotional investment in the league, well come on. They have been handing out a championship trophy in this league for barely more than 15 years. You just can build that brand recognition and emotional attachment for something that just doesn't have history and quite honnestly, I think that a lot of that talk that I hear is often contrived. Master golf, UEFA chmapions league World series, Stanley cup, UEFA chamions league, EPL...etc etc all have a history and wide spread recognition and following. As much as i wuld like to see an MLS cup, personally, I am much more emotionally attached to the CCL and with its possibility of playing in Club world cup.

MLS is IMO doing very well as a soccer league and it is worth supporting, but its biggest problem is just what I have alluded to. And it explains why you often see a lot of empty stand in away matches. So I don't buy this crap that we are long starved to win the MLS cup and nothing else must be done that could in even the slightest way be perceived as jeopardizing our chances.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Impact

If you think that Real Madrid is going to risk injury to their million dollar players, playing on a makeshift playing surface, then you're demented. Real Madrid doesn't have to cross the ocean to find competitve teams.

Furthermore, they're playing in DC 48 hours after. You said it yourself, The US is where they want to concentrate their marketing efforts. Thats where the stars come out.

Good theory on the injuries, Mr. Impact. By that theory no team should ever play a friendly to avoid injury. In fact, they shouldn't practice either. Give us a few more pearls.

As for the surface, another inane comment. All teams in Spain play cup games on makeshift surfaces vs lower division teams, including field turf, and mud baths. The only team to refuse in recent memory was Depor, all the rest including Madrid have gone into lower division pitches, artificial or real, nice or not.

As for DC, well there may be a point there. But it could go both ways, they will likely have 5-6 subs and either sub in a star in one spot or sub out a star early or at the half in another. If TFC does not get to see Casillas that is only a shame for the girls, because the keeper won't get many shots as it is.

But as for the stars who are must see, who are they at RM? If you can tell me for sure who the star players are that everyone wants to see from Madrid, I can try to guess if they'll play in Toronto. I mean, the leading scorer is Higuain: are you folks yapping about B teams really worried about seeing or not seeing Higuain?

(All these tours and their fees are tied to the visiting team fielding certain players for sure, starting certain players for sure, and including a certain number amongst certain names, that sort of thing).

((Madrid just signed Pellegrini the Villareal coach today. They seem to want to bring in Kaka, and old favourite of Florentino Perez. They dream of Cesc or Xavi Alonso, they a creative mid more than a holder though. Since Valencia has to sell something Madrid might want Villa, but Silva is another possibility. They have promised to emulate Barça and pay more attention to the academy players, since they have lost so many talented ones in the last 5 years. They have to sign a new sub keeper. Rudd may not be healthy yet. They are going to shake up the squad considerably so it is not at all clear what team they will have, how to line them up, how many kids will be in the mix, how many Spanish players a lot of fans don't pay attention to, Silva being an example. You go because you know it will be a talented block and they'll play good football, because the only individual who is at all flashy or inspiring on the current squad is Robben and the chances of him being injured are always at 50%)).

[Vancouversoccerman]

Aside from some of the points made, here's something to consider: Do you really think there's a player in that TFC locker room who isn't looking forward to playing Real Madrid? There are very few professional footballers who get that privilege to compare themselves against the biggest club in the world. It's the type of glamour game these players will remember long after they retire.

Besides the money-issue, big friendlies like these are also a pretty good carrot to wave in front of young players you hope to sign. It's a big boost to your prestige as a club.

As a fan, you're damn right I'd be happy if Real Madrid was coming to town, even if it meant a schedule change. It's an opportunity to see some of the best footballers in the world, even if they don't play their whole starting 11. I enjoyed watching them play D.C. United in Seattle a few years back, and I'd do it again in a second.

[Time_for_2014]

We've been waiting to have our soccer bounce up within all Canada. We’re even mad when it comes to TV broadcast that relates to Canadian soccer. I think we cannot question if a friendly would be good or not. I'm sorry but they're all good to promote soccer within Canada!!!

[Manuel]

Looks like Kaka is now a Real Madrid player.

Will this now make anyone not interested change their minds?