MLS Acceptance around the world

[to70]

In view of the snub by Conte of the MLS players just wondering how much coverage the league is getting outside North America. In Croatia on a popular forum they've started an MLS page.

http://sportnet.20minuta.hr/sportnetklub/nogomet-1/mls-major-league-soccer-320814/

It seems to be drawing a fair amount of interest

[Mister215Guy]

MLS is drawing interest not in a good way. The whole world thinks MLS is a joke and a retirement home for fallen stars. Canada should be disdainful towards the league too.

[Scorpion26]

1 hour ago, Mister215Guy said:

MLS is drawing interest not in a good way. The whole world thinks MLS is a joke and a retirement home for fallen stars. Canada should be disdainful towards the league too.

I don't think Canada should at all...

 

It's a growing league which does have weird rules and the such, but it is growing and getting better. The other European leagues that look down upon MLS have been there for 100s of years. It has a very strong hold in many of these European nations. MLS is not of high standard, but at least it is one of few that is not predictable. The games are not the highest standard, but heck I have watched horrible boring games from European leagues. 

 

When CSA create their own D1 league it will be the samething and same comments that will occur and hell we might get it from MLS hardcores as well. 

[dyslexic nam]

11 hours ago, Mister215Guy said:

MLS is drawing interest not in a good way. The whole world thinks MLS is a joke and a retirement home for fallen stars. Canada should be disdainful towards the league too.

Why, because we are so much better than the world of US footy right now?

MLS may not be a top tier league, but it is the only local offering currently (and will remain so unless and until the CPL gets legs).  And it is moving in the right direction, with the quality of play consistently and incrementally improving.  And this trend will continue as Garber, despite some blindspots when it comes to Canadian interests, continues to grow the league in a sustainable and methodical way.

I love watching the top leagues, and I recognize the gulf in quality.  But that doesn't mean that I am willing to dismiss MLS and shit all over it just because it isn't yet the finished product.  Given the challenges of growing a pro soccer league in Canada and the US, I think the MLS is doing pretty well, and the comments of euro snobs on overseas footy articles does nothing to diminish that.

[Scorpion26]

"MLS... Doesn't matter..."

Geez that's annoying to read, but it does matter it matters to us MLS fans. It is not the best league in the world, but it is entertaining to many of us. I enjoy the games and I enjoying knowing at least that I can't predict who wins the league/championship by the 12th game of the season in some leagues. Or have to despair in knowing my team can't ever win the league in the 100 years or something. I love soccer/football/futbol and I will watch a league made for us in NA region. 

It's my league and I love how it is growing... Just love the game

 

When the CPL happens I am going to love this league as well....

[Macksam]

16 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

Why, because we are so much better than the world of US footy right now?

MLS may not be a top tier league, but it is the only local offering currently (and will remain so unless and until the CPL gets legs).  And it is moving in the right direction, with the quality of play consistently and incrementally improving.  And this trend will continue as Garber, despite some blindspots when it comes to Canadian interests, continues to grow the league in a sustainable and methodical way.

I love watching the top leagues, and I recognize the gulf in quality.  But that doesn't mean that I am willing to dismiss MLS and shit all over it just because it isn't yet the finished product.  Given the challenges of growing a pro soccer league in Canada and the US, I think the MLS is doing pretty well, and the comments of euro snobs on overseas footy articles does nothing to diminish that.

No it is not. It could be moving in the right direction but the salary cap along with the league's DP rules result in a grave misallocation of resources.

[dyslexic nam]

Just my $0.02 (which now gets rounded down to be worthless)...

The salary cap limits growth, but it does so to avoid the kind of gross imbalances that would destroy any semblance of parity and which would threaten the future health of the league.  Thus I see them as a necessary evil and side with Garber on this one.

The DP rules mitigate the limitations of the cap, and allow the more affluent clubs to make investments that enhance their team without imbalancing the entire league.  TFC is an example of how this can be a very positive factor.

 

Is it perfect?  No - far from it.

The cap should be higher.  But it will continue to grow at a rate the league sees as sustainable.  Increasing the overall level of play will be predicated on real increases to the cap.  Those increases will also bridge the gap that exists between marquis players and the league journeymen, which is also an issue with the current pay structure.

 

Bottom line though - the misallocation of resources does not negate the fact that the quality of play is improving - which is the point I made in the sentence with the bolded text.  I have watched MLS since TFC's inception, and I have no doubt that the level of footy in the league is improving - and DP's have been a part of that movement.  There are still issues to be solved, but I stand by my statement that things are going in the right direction.

 

 

 

[Scorpion26]

Again MLS is 20+ years old most if not European Leagues are 100 +/- years old. MLS is trying to become part of the NA blood while Europe it is already in their blood. NA has far more sports that people can enjoy that are in the DNA of the people, don't have to name them since we all know them. Europe has far fewer and Soccer/Football is on top. 

I rather have parity in a league than know which teams 6 or less teams will be winning the league each year. With Parity their are still chances for teams to become a dynasty its rare which I believe makes it that much more incredible to see compared to seen a dynasty in Europe. I have been supporting Arsenal since I was young and it is always heartbreaking to see them fail to win league, but I wonder about those West Ham fans, Lazio fans, Real Betis fans, Werder Bremen fans, and more. What is their team goal honestly,? what is it do they cheer for each year? How can any of the fans be optimistic in their team winning the league?

The Leicester was an oddity last year and I doubt will repeated anytime soon. I know it's in their DNA, but come on.

MLS is our league and should get full support. Although they've been side stepping the Canadian issues.

CPL in the future will become our league as well and should get our support. I hope they've have Cap and parity rules the day in that league as well. 

 

[1996]

I don't know how many who post things about the MLS were around during the old NASL that lasted in North America more or less between the early 1970's until it's last year in 1984 it's last season. The old NASL was the last for lack of a better word big time league in North America until the MLS came around in 1996. I know there were other leagues in North America between the old NASL demise after 1984 season and the start of the MLS in 1996, however, none of those leagues had the budgets of the old NASL and the MLS and even the playing level of these two leagues so that's why I used the words big time. What led to the demise of the old NASL was the overspending, having no salary cap teams spending wildly, the NASL thinking that just by spending and spending the league would one day rival the other sports leagues in North America, they basically did not know their place and who they really were in comparison's to the other  sports leagues in North America and that's why the league eventually folded. The MLS came along and learned from the old NASL mistakes and that's why they are still around and are rather healthy, they know who they are and what they are they have a realistic understanding of their place right now in the North American sports scene and that's why they are still around and gradually growing. If the MLS goes crazy and forgets who there are by removing the salary cap or even increasing the player salaries to a level that they know they can't afford at the moment then you might see the old NASL problems rear their ugly head, therefore, there is a reason the MLS is run the way it is economically all you have to do is look back at the how  the old NASL was run into the ground and into it's end.

[Toje]

MLS news is basically non-existent here in the Czech Republic in 'print' media.  It does seem to get a little more coverage online. 

For example, this story 'For the first time in history two Canadian clubs are in the SF of MLS'

https://www.sport.cz/fotbal/ostatni/clanek/825877-v-semifinale-mls-jsou-poprve-kanadske-kluby-gerrard-zrejme-ukonci-karieru.html

However, if you ask a football fan if they know anything about the MLS, they might say Beckham, Gerrard or the LA Galaxy. That is it.

[ted]

On 2016-11-08 at 5:53 PM, Mister215Guy said:

MLS is drawing interest not in a good way. The whole world thinks MLS is a joke and a retirement home for fallen stars.

Can we see some citations on this supposed "fact".

I can make up "facts" as well: The whole world would rank MLS as somewhere between the Eredivisie and the Scottish Premiership and China probably has more "fallen stars" on payroll than MLS.

 

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

On 2016/06/01 at 3:10 PM, to70 said:

In view of the snub by Conte of the MLS players just wondering how much coverage the league is getting outside North America. In Croatia on a popular forum they've started an MLS page.

http://sportnet.20minuta.hr/sportnetklub/nogomet-1/mls-major-league-soccer-320814/

It seems to be drawing a fair amount of interest

...and not a "jebem ti mater" in sight, so they all seem to be getting along.

Not sure how you go about comparing MLS to the SPFL in Scotland or Eredivisie in Holland. Yes, MLS teams are probably still well behind the Old Firm and Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV in budgetary terms and playing standards when the obvious outliers like high profile DPs are factored out, but how about clubs at the other extreme like Hamilton Accies and Excelsior Rotterdam that sometimes struggle to draw a four digit home support? Don't think it's outrageous to suggest that a top MLS side like TFC with three World Cup quality DPs on board could more than hold their own against most opposition in leagues like that even with some of the weak links that tend to be there defensively due to the salary cap.

[Unnamed Trialist]

A couple days ago, Monday think it was, they had a full page in Sport, a major sports daily in Spain, on MLS and all quarterfinal ties, with an interview with Villa. He said he enjoyed the league, thought TFC was better and deserved to win, and said people have to understand they are still building a franchise it's just been two years. Very balanced comments. I wonder if they put that  report in because of the US elections.

I don't think MLS should worry about what others say or think. There are plenty of leagues that are not well considered by the top footballing nations, and that is not going to change, unless you see Russian or Turkish teams regularly winning European trophies, most football fans, journalists prefer to have their biases and need to be forced into changing . Saying Giovinco is really good at TFC is not the way to do it.

The only way to change the way MLS is perceived is to improve the quality and results for the benefit of its own fans, and those watching, in NA and abroad.

Winning a CCL trophy and going to the World Club Cup, a good start. Unfortunately, this is the only way to judge a team right now in direct competition. Finding a way into Libertadores would be even better.

I mean, I can watch any of Spain, EPL, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, plus MLS, on my tv package. I don't care to watch any except some Liga and some EPL, only if I am interested in a team or a player. I watch a bit of Serie A for certain players. And MLS.

But why the hell should anyone care about MLS sitting in Spain? We have Eurosport with the full weekly MLS deal, they've put the worst quarter final match on repeats all week (Colorado-LA), no idea why they would not put on NYCFC-TFC but suppose it is a question of rights or stupidly thinking people want to see Keane and Dos Santos, who knows. I have no idea how many people watch, but I doubt there are more than a few dozen who watch like I do, really following a team. Mostly must be boredom of not finding another match on. We get Gol TV putting on women's champions league when other men's matches are on at the same time, who knows what they get out of it. 

[Mister215Guy]

The CPL should launch ASAP before Canada is dragged down in quality by MLS. The US team has gotten significantly worse the past few years and is likely to miss the World Cup for the first time since 1990. And with the election results, Canada should stay as far as possible from the USSF or MLS or anything our hideous neighbours control.

[Kibby]

1 hour ago, Mister215Guy said:

The CPL should launch ASAP before Canada is dragged down in quality by MLS. The US team has gotten significantly worse the past few years and is likely to miss the World Cup for the first time since 1990. And with the election results, Canada should stay as far as possible from the USSF or MLS or anything our hideous neighbours control.

Ok stop the trolling already, unless of course you're not.. then wow.

[1996]

I don't know who this guy is but please can someone get this person to stop already, it's getting a little tiresome really.

[jpg75]

16 hours ago, Mister215Guy said:

The CPL should launch ASAP before Canada is dragged down in quality by MLS. The US team has gotten significantly worse the past few years and is likely to miss the World Cup for the first time since 1990. And with the election results, Canada should stay as far as possible from the USSF or MLS or anything our hideous neighbours control.

I don't know why, but there's something about this guys trolling that i like. It amuses me the way the Jackoffasaurs amused Cartman.

[Unnamed Trialist]

4 minutes ago, jpg75 said:

I don't know why, but there's something about this guys trolling that i like. It amuses me the way the Jackoffasaurs amused Cartman.

Me too, great spirit, slag the Americans at every opportunity. Blindly. Be worse than they are. Wonderful.

What is more, if they don't make Russia we are going to have to go our own way as no way they'll open up MLS to Canadians, that fully just path will be shot down by a hysterical USSF.

[Mister215Guy]

I'm not trolling. I'm just a new Canadian fan that's extremely pissed off at the USA since the election. MLS is considered a joke and not a proper league and right now Canada should steer away from it and decrease dependence on MLS to develop players.

[rob.notenboom]

1 hour ago, Mister215Guy said:

I'm not trolling. I'm just a new Canadian fan that's extremely pissed off at the USA since the election. MLS is considered a joke and not a proper league and right now Canada should steer away from it and decrease dependence on MLS to develop players.

Just in case you are not aware (and I suspect that you are not considering you've stated that you're American but have recently moved to Canada ... apologies if I'm wrong) you should really do some reading about the War of 1812. It's just the historical event that you could nostalgically couch many of your statements.

[jpg75]

4 minutes ago, Mister215Guy said:

I'm not trolling. I'm just a new Canadian fan that's extremely pissed off at the USA since the election. MLS is considered a joke and not a proper league and right now Canada should steer away from it and decrease dependence on MLS to develop players.

Don't break character, it's poor form. Keep going, be relentless and stick to the script.

[Mister215Guy]

"Just in case you are not aware (and I suspect that you are not considering you've stated that you're American but have recently moved to Canada ... apologies if I'm wrong) you should really do some reading about the War of 1812. It's the fulcrum by which you could nostalgically couch many of your statements. "

What does the War of 1812 have to do with this? The US military isn't good enough to beat Canada and Trump is a coward who's all talk and no substance.

[rob.notenboom]

1 hour ago, Mister215Guy said:

"Just in case you are not aware (and I suspect that you are not considering you've stated that you're American but have recently moved to Canada ... apologies if I'm wrong) you should really do some reading about the War of 1812. It's the fulcrum by which you could nostalgically couch many of your statements. "

What does the War of 1812 have to do with this? The US military isn't good enough to beat Canada and Trump is a coward who's all talk and no substance.

Because it's important to support your narrative with our one military victory over the US even if it was over 200 years ago and actually wasn't Canada's military victory but Britain's. But those are inconvenient and irrelevant details to the truly committed. 

[matty]

Trolly McTrollerton aka @Mister215Guy tell us again about how A-league and Chinese Super League are better. I'm bored and want to laugh

[rkomar]

43 minutes ago, rob.notenboom said:

Because it's important to support your narrative with our one military victory over the US even if it was over 200 years ago and actually wasn't Canada's military victory but Britain's. But those are inconvenient and irrelevant details to the truly committed. 

It was actually the incompetence of the old American generals still around from the War of Independence that lost them the war.  On the plus side, the Americans learned the importance of a standing army, and haven't looked back since.  So, yeah, I highly doubt we'd get the same result today.