Prospective Designated Players Fear MSL Salary Cap Does Not Allow Enough Depth

[powerof11]

Spoke to Freddie Ljungberg after the TFC/Seattle match:

...the Sounders playmaker echoed a statement common to many of his peers when stated that great players ultimately want to play with and against other top level talent.

“When I played in a Champions League final or semifinal – that’s what you’d look forward to – going up against the best players. And I imagine it is the same here (for Julian De Guzman). You always look forward to playing against great players. He is a good player who I had never played against before and I think he is going to be a very good player for Toronto.”

And with names such as Thierry Henry, Allesandro Del Piero, Robert Pires and Raul bandied about as possible future MLS designated players, the opportunity is clearly there for the league to add more star powers to the list that already includes Ljungberg, De Guzman, David Beckham and Juan Pablo Angel. As the post match media gathering started to centre on the designated player top, the Sounders vice-captain revealed that he regularly talks with players interested and coming to play in the MLS.

“I have quite a lot of contact with players (from Europe) and former teammates and they all ask about the MLS, as they are considering it. And the only thing that really comes up is that are a bit scared of being the only designated player and all the pressure being put one player. And they say the same thing (in Europe) that is said in North America – a team is not made up of one player, it takes a whole team. So they really would prefer that there would be 2 or 3 designated players on every team. That is one of the comments I get very often when I call and speak to them back in Europe,” says Ljungberg.

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Prospective_Designated_Players_Fear_MSL_Salary_Cap_Does_Not_Allow_Enough_Depth_apr_26_10_article.shtml

[TFCRegina]

We technically have two designated players at TFC...only one of them isn't getting paid for doing the job...De Rosario is a huge producer.

[Admin]

I would rather have 5 players at 400 000 than 1 at two million. Or whatever combination suits your fancy, you know what I mean.

[Havoc88]

Agreed. I'd take 5 De Ros any day of the week!!