The United States Forum
Everything about US Soccer including MLS, USL and the National Team. This forum also focuses on Yanks Abroad (YA) as well as college and amateur soccer and youth participation. If it smells like USA Soccer you'll find it here.
Latest United States, USMNT, MLS and USL Entries
Total Threads: 32 | Replies: 163
Revolution's Joseph in Substance Abuse Program
Category: United States - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Created by: worldfootballbook Create Date: April 27, 2010 Last Comment: April 28, 2010
Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph will not be with the team while he is involved in the Major League Soccer substance abuse and behavioral health program, according to team sources. The Revolution announced Monday Joseph would be taking an “indefinite leave of absence to attend to a personal matter,’’ stating he left the team last Saturday.
At the time, Revolution vice president of player personnel Michael Burns and Joseph’s agent, Ron Waxman, confirmed the leave of absence was not soccer-related, and did not involve contract problems or injury.
Joseph sustained a hip flexor strain before the season opener and has played in only one of the Revolution’s five games. He was listed as probable before Saturday’s game but did not suit up for a 2-1 loss to Colorado.
League policy regarding drug testing restricts comments by team administrators. Said Burns yesterday, “I can’t confirm or deny anything.’’
Joseph, a 31-year-old who has excelled at several positions on the team, joined the Revolution in 2003.
By Frank Dell’Apa
Boston Globe Staff / April 28, 2010
comment | Total Replies: 2
MLS Increases Roster Size to 26
Category: United States - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Created by: KunFan10 Create Date: April 9, 2010 Last Comment: April 12, 2010
NEW YORK (April 8, 2010) – As part of Major League Soccer’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of play, the League has added two additional roster slots per club for Home Grown Players identified and developed by the local club. This creates additional opportunities for top young players in the United States and Canada to gain MLS experience.
In conjunction with the League’s partnership with adidas and its commitment to player development, MLS clubs may also sign Home Grown Players from their youth development programs to Generation adidas contracts without those players having to go through the SuperDraft.
MLS launched its youth development initiative prior to the 2007 season, requiring each team to establish a program separate from the first team with at least two youth teams and a full-time coaching staff. Several of these programs are free of cost to the players.
“Our clubs have made a significant investment in their youth academies and many of those players are ready to take the next step in their development by becoming professionals. We have increased the roster size to ensure that our teams have the ability to sign those players,” said Todd Durbin, MLS EVP of Player Relations and Competition. “This change illustrates our continued long-term commitment to player development.”
Players registered for at least 12 months in an MLS youth program become eligible to sign a professional contract with that team without entering the MLS SuperDraft. These are known as Home Grown Players, and teams may sign up to four such players per year. Since the inception of the Home Grown Player initiative in 2007, 10 players have been added to MLS club rosters with this mechanism.
“With the Generation adidas program and ongoing youth initiatives, adidas has a long-standing commitment to player development in the US,” said Antonio Zea, director of soccer for adidas America. “This roster expansion takes the important step of adding to the number of players getting experience at the professional level and gives up-and-coming players one more opportunity to play for their hometown teams. We at adidas are proud to be partnering with MLS to offer these additional on-field opportunities.”
Each MLS team’s 26-player roster is now structured as follows:
Senior Roster (Slots 1-20)
MLS teams may have 18-20 players on their senior roster. These players will make no less than $40,000 per year and count against the 2010 team salary budget of $2,550,000.
Protected Roster (Slots 21-26)
Teams may have up to six players that do not count against the salary budget. Players on this roster may include Generation adidas players, players earning the 2010 League minimum player salary of $40,000 per year, and two of these six slots are reserved for home grown players who earn a minimum of $31,250 in 2010.
Teams are not required to fill all 26 slots at any given time.
At the same time, MLS increased the portion of a transfer fee that a club receives in the event that one of its home grown players signs abroad. The League also increased the amount of that revenue that can be used as allocation money.
Revenue generated from transfer and loan fees provides an incentive for MLS clubs to invest in their scouting and youth development programs. Previously, an MLS club received 2/3 of any fee collected for one of its players transferring (or being loaned) abroad, with the League distributing the remaining third among all owners. Now, revenue from player transfers and loans will be divided as follows:
Home Grown Player:
* Club receives 3/4 of transfer fee revenue and the League receives 1/4
Generation adidas players & non home grown players acquired in the SuperDraft:
* 1 Year of service: 1/3 to Club and 2/3 to League
* 2 Years: 1/2 to Club and 1/2 to League
* 3+ Years: 2/3 to Club and 1/3 to League
All other players:
* Club receives 2/3 of the transfer fee revenue and the League receives 1/3
The maximum amount of a given transfer fee’s revenue that may be used by a club as allocation money has increased from $500,000 to $650,000. Allocation money may be used to reduce the portion of a player’s compensation that counts against a club’s salary budget in connection with signing players new to MLS, or re-signing existing MLS players to a new contract.
comment | Total Replies: 11
Vieira, Pires, Giuly To Follow Henry To MLS?
Category: United States - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Created by: chelsea4ever Create Date: April 6, 2010 Last Comment: April 6, 2010
France Football reports this morning that the Barcelona striker has indeed been in contact with MLS officials about a move to the United States this summer, but he's not the only French star drawing interest from the league. The report notes that Patrick Vieira, Ludovic Giuly and Robert Pires are also mulling over the idea of playing in Major League Soccer. Meanwhile, former AS Monaco president Jerome de Bontin claims that nearly two-dozen French players have contacted him in regards to wanting to join the growing league.
"The MLS, I'm tempted," Pires was quoted as saying. "Each time you asked me the question, I said yes. For me, this is the league to be discovered, one that is growing. I want to discover another culture."
Pires, 36, will finish his contract with Villarreal this summer and is mentioned in connection with a move to the Philadelphia Union. The long-time Arsenal player was named by Pele to the FIFA 100 list in 2004 and represented France 79 times from 1996 until 2004, when a dispute with France coach Raymond Domenech brought his international career to an end. Prior to that, he was a part of the country's side for their triumphs in the 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000, and two Confederations Cups (2001 & 2003), and also played in the 1996 Summer Olympics and Euro 2004.
Giuly, 33, currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain. He captained Monaco to the Champions League final in the 2003-04 season and was bought by Barcelona shortly thereafter. During his time at the Nou Camp, he helped the club win La Liga twice and the Champions League once. He also played for AS Roma and Olympique Lyonnais in his distinguished club career. Internationally, Giuly was on the France squad that won the 2003 Confederations Cup; he made a total of 17 appearances for his country between 2000-2005.
Vieira, 33, is another former Arsenal legend, having made nearly 300 appearances for the club from 1996-2005. Also a member of the FIFA 100, he spent the latter half of last decade in Italy with Juventus and then Inter before signing a six-month contract with Manchester City this past January. His international resume includes appearances on the France squad for the 1996 Summer Olympics, three World Cups ('98, '02, '06), three European Championships ('00, '04, '08) and the 2001 Confederations Cup. He has made over 100 appearances for France since 1997 and was last called up internationally for a friendly in June 2009.
comment | Total Replies: 1
Mo Edu, Mo' Problems for Hamilton; England Next?
Category: United States - Yanks Abroad
Created by: TheLasVegasGenius Create Date: April 3, 2010 Last Comment: April 4, 2010
Maurice Edu scored the winner for Rangers today against Hamilton, making his case for inclusion into Bob Bradley's final 23-man roster for South Africa.
The American international struck for the Light Blues in the 11th minute, his goal proving to be the difference in an otherwise uneventful 1-0 victory at Ibrox.
But the question that is surely on the mind of many USA supporters is this: Has Maurice Edu done enough to be considered one of the first choice midfielders come June 12?
Based on his form for Rangers since returning from injury, I would have to say yes. Michael Bradley, for all his considerable skill, has been wildly inconsistent for Borussia Mönchengladbach this season, though there is something to be said for how he responded to being benched early in the season.
Ricardo Clark, who has partnered with Bradley before to mostly positive results, has yet to get a match in with Eintract Frankfurt due to injury. While he is expected to see the pitch again very soon, there are questions regarding how match ready he will be.
Based on present form, it would be foolish to question if Edu has done enough to make the final roster. Whether he continues his recovery to the point of being in Bob Bradley's starting eleven remains to be seen.
comment | Total Replies: 14
MLS Expands Designated Player Rule
Category: United States - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Created by: ultraroma Create Date: April 1, 2010 Last Comment: April 4, 2010
NEW YORK - Fans who dream of watching the likes of Thierry Henry, Raul and Ronaldinho on an MLS field at the same time can wake up. That dream is a reality. MLSsoccer.com has learned that the league is set to update the Designated Player rule to allow every MLS club to sign two DPs. Teams will also have the option to purchase a third DP slot.
The league is expected to make an announcement this morning. In a mechanism that works similar to a luxury tax in other professional sports, an MLS team seeking a third DP slot would be required to pay $250,000 that would be evenly shared as allocation money with all the other MLS clubs that do not have three DPs.
The Designated Player rule, popularly referred to as the “Beckham” rule, was first introduced in 2007. It allowed MLS teams to pay a “designated” player above the club’s league designated salary budget.
Each DP player signing will now count as $335,000 toward a team’s salary budget and $167,500 if the DP is signed mid-season. According to the league, the $335,000 figure represents approximately 13 percent of a team’s salary budget. Previously, teams were charged $415,000 against the salary budget per DP. A team can also use its allocation money to bring that salary budget hit down to just $185,000.
MLS confirmed that these new rules will be effective immediately. Also, unlike the previous DP rule, which expired at the end of the 2009 season, these new DP rules carry no expiration date.
It is worth noting that DP slots cannot be traded between teams, nor can a team acquire a 4th slot or more. Also, DP slots can be used to sign existing MLS players. And in one more twist, if a Designated Player is transferred to a club in another country, the MLS team will recoup the money spent on the DP before the league transfer split kicks in.
According to the league, the Galaxy’s Landon Donovan will count as a DP while New York will be compensated with $70,000 of allocation money for the second DP slot the club acquired two years ago.
It all seems like a mathematical and administrative nightmare at this point, but it should make a few dreams come true for fans.
comment | Total Replies: 10
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