Major League Soccer 2023: Now With League-On-League Violence

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
Crazy. Messi could play in KSA for 2 years and then pay cash for Inter Miami.
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
SoSH Member
Apr 21, 2010
5,502
Wow, looks like they pulled it off!

View: https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1666436645082497027


He wanted to remain in Europe for another season but, after no satisfactory offers were received, he had the straight choice between Inter Miami or Al-Hilal.

He was heavily tipped to be favouring a move to Saudi Arabia, where he would have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the league in a deal that could not be matched financially.

But Messi was ultimately tempted to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami for a variety of reasons including lifestyle, and a deal with big brands that extends beyond football.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65832658
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
In other MLS transfer news, RSL is being back Chicho Arango. Helluva get for Salt Lake.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731

Senator Donut

post-Domer
SoSH Member
Apr 21, 2010
5,502
Tom Bogert reporting that Jozy is getting bought out.
Amazing, has to be the first MLS player to have been bought out on two separate occasions.

As an aside, since they are often lumped in together, Omar Gonzalez has been just fine for the Revs this year.
 

speedracer

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
3,832
So I wonder what the most effective way to put this in nested spoilers is

DC United down 1-0 to Salt Lake at half
having had the keeper lobbed from beyond midfield

leading on xG 1.0 - 0.2

playing with 10 men
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
This is from a week ago, but this kid is apparently a very good prospect, one of the strongest in his birth year (2007). And a left back! He's been playing regularly for the reserves, and if he really progresses we might start seeing a lot of him by the 2025 season.

He's an academy recruit from central Connecticut (Unionville).

View: https://twitter.com/NERevolution/status/1668289480879398914
 

Pesky Pole

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2001
2,468
Phoenixville, PA
Here’s the better clip with multiple angles. I can’t tell you how many of these I watched him hit in the crowd. And both teams hit woodwork in stoppage time. Crazy finish.

 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,770
Pittsburgh, PA
I like that the british announcer says his name as MART-in-ez, continuing the fine tradition of british announcers not knowing or giving a shit how to pronounce non-anglo names.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
I’m not sure why every contending club passed on Kamara & he ended up in Chicago, but thankfully he did. What a total professional at scoring goals.

Guti with 2 assists. He really shines as the creative hub, which means displacing Shaq…which isn’t possible with his massive wages and another season to run.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
The Fire are dining Ousamne Doimbia, a 31yo CM from Lugano, on a half-season DP contract. He sounds like an all action #8, which the Fire can definitely use. I guess this is a benefit being part of a network - you can pass around players to fill needs in the fly. I hope?
 
Last edited:

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
The Guti-Kamara bromance is probably the best thing going with the Fire this season.


Also, it’s wild that Cade Cowell is 4 months younger than Guti because Cade is definitely the bully who takes Brian’s lunch money.

66440
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,770
Pittsburgh, PA
This seems like, ummm, not the publicity the league wants as it kicks off the Messi era.
The article itself has been updated to remove any mention of an investigation, and I'm unable to find any details on what it is they're investigating. I'd assume it's this, for which charges were dropped in 2021 for lack of information to pursue the charges (other sources have said he was "cleared" of the charges). After his arrest, though, he never again played for Everton and his contract expired without any offers in the past 12 months.

Some diligence calls to the Manchester police are probably due, but at some point unless there's substantial evidence of crimes that for whatever-reason UK police couldn't pursue on a technicality or something, I don't see why it should prevent him from continuing to have a career.
 

Jimy Hendrix

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 15, 2002
5,846
The article itself has been updated to remove any mention of an investigation, and I'm unable to find any details on what it is they're investigating. I'd assume it's this, for which charges were dropped in 2021 for lack of information to pursue the charges (other sources have said he was "cleared" of the charges). After his arrest, though, he never again played for Everton and his contract expired without any offers in the past 12 months.

Some diligence calls to the Manchester police are probably due, but at some point unless there's substantial evidence of crimes that for whatever-reason UK police couldn't pursue on a technicality or something, I don't see why it should prevent him from continuing to have a career.
The differences in what can be reported and printed in the US and UK make it likely that more details of whatever that was would come to light, so DC United would need to get real clarity on the situation.

The man certainly has a right to live his life, but that does not make it a wise PR decision to sign a two years unfit attacking midfielder for whom there will be the phrase "accused child sex offender" in the article when you could simply sign another attacking midfielder for whom articles about the signing will not include that phrase.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,770
Pittsburgh, PA
The guy is not long removed from having been the centerpiece of a team that qualified a nation of 300,000 people for the World Cup, and 10 consecutive years as an every-week starter in the EPL. I think we can assume that at 32 he's probably not incapable of being 90' fit for MLS within short order.

Seems like the kind of player a team like DC United should be willing to buy low on. If his options are as few as they appear to be, he might even be happy to just play for a non-TAM max, like $650k, just to be out there kicking a ball in anger again. The risk-reward seems pretty good for a team in their position.

Now, if there were any substantive evidence at all of the asserted child sex abuse, obviously they should and would run away. But I think Hitchens' razor also needs to be in play here - that which can be asserted without evidence, can also be dismissed without evidence. The PR team can say "the police investigated, they found nothing, we investigated, we also found nothing", and move things on. I don't think it would even be a blip in this country, given what things athletes here have done with demonstrable evidence attached, and nevertheless been forgiven, even when playing a much bigger sport.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
We have a hard time understanding how absolutely forbidden it is to discuss such accusations in the UK when these inquiries are pending. Everton could only say that a “senior player@ was facing inquiry so everyone thought it was Fabian Delph. The Everton boards told posters bluntly that anyone discussing would be banned because the board could face defamation and privacy- invasion charges.

maybe unfairly the same secrecy surrounded the decision not to charge.

Siggy was a divisive figure in his last season. He wasn’t too far removed from a 6-goal 12- assist season (IIRC) but his numbers had dropped and he was a post-box defensively. He didn’t commit himself in the tackle. There may well still be a player there but he may struggle with the physicality of MLS. I would t be surprised if he’s the kind ofguy who had one great game or moment every 3,4,5 games and struggled to have a positive impact otherwise.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
This is a big one. I’m obviously scarred from Heitz and am prone to think career Euro types have a steep learning curving coming into MLS director jobs. But Borrell has maybe the most impressive youth development track record around - from working with Messi at La Masia to directing Liverpool’s academy to focusing on bedding in youth for Pep. Borrell clearly knows how to spot and bring along prospects.

 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
Jim Curtin signs a 3 year extension to stay in Philly.

BOOOOOOOOO
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,373
Chicago
Just turn on Fox, and do I hear the voice of Tony Meola on commentary of Atlanta-Philly?
I only watched a few matches last year, but the voice sounds familiar
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
The Sounders scored the other night to defeat Houston 1-0. Might not seem like a big deal, but they had gone more than 400 minutes at home without scoring a goal. An infuriating team.

They are in third in the West, though everyone has games in hand on them. They are never healthy and Morris and Broldans being gone for the Gold Cup has been crippling.

Anyway, I was really hoping Jim Curtin would hit the market and Seattle would throw a shitload of money at him. Alas.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
Anyway, I was really hoping Jim Curtin would hit the market and Seattle would throw a shitload of money at him. Alas.
There was some tweeting from a decently reliable Chicago supporter that the Fire had back channel discussions with Curtin. Apparently, Mansueto felt Curtin could be signed, but there was no sense Curtin was set on leaving Philly.

Pure speculation, but Curtin was probably listening to hear what was out there and leveraging that interest in negotiations with Philly. Fair play to him. I have no idea where the Fire go now.
 
Last edited:

Jimy Hendrix

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 15, 2002
5,846
There was some tweeting from a decently reliable Chicago supporter that the Fire had back channel discussions with Curtin. Apparently, Mansueto felt Curtin could be signed, but there was no sense Curtin was set on leaving Philly.

Pure speculation, but Curtin was probably listening to hear what was out there and leveraging that interest in negotiations with Philly. Fair play to him. I have no idea where the Fire go now.
Would you want to go from Ernst Tanner picking your groceries to Georg Heitz?
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
Would you want to go from Ernst Tanner picking your groceries to Georg Heitz?
Heitz is out of contract this winter, so the pitch to Curtin was - you’re in charge, you build the front office & the squad.

I really don’t know what Mansueto will do. He’s installed Heitz at Lugano, too, so I suppose he could be kicked over there full time.

It’s telling that the Fire didn’t replace Ezra with a permanent manager and only filled the open DP slot with a half-season contract. Everything is set up for a clean sweep and a new crew to come in. It will be really, really disappointing if Heitz stays.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
It’s telling, and sad, that you couldn’t think of doing NYC-NYRB at MetLife.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,731
Nashville were without Zim and rested Mukhtar last night, but the Fire will take the points with glee. That 12 points from the last 5 matches for Chicago.

Stumbled across this rad mural at Haymarket Square just now.

67164
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
SoSH Member
Apr 21, 2010
5,502
Interesting story developing in Philadelphia:

View: https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1678883022391721987


Mbaizo is a green card holder, but he cannot get visas for his family to join him. Latif Blessing was in a similar situation and was able to surrender his green card and apply for a P1 visa, which allows him to bring his family to America. However, that means Blessing no longer counts as a domestic player for the Revs.

I’m not sure if Philadelphia is unwilling or unable to acquire an additional international slot to accommodate Mbaizo’s request, but MLS rules have created an odd incentive structure where clubs are better off isolating their players from their families. SKC also got caught on the wrong side of this when Blessing obtained his green card, but roster rules mandated that a certain number of international players be protected in expansion drafts. LAFC then got Blessing through that process.