2014 MLS Thread

[IMG]http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/mls.jpg[/IMG]

Teams:
[IMG]http://www.teamworkonline.com/mls/mlslogos2.gif[/IMG]

Note: NYCFC and Orlando City will be joining next season as expansion sides

[B]Current MLS Champions:[/B] Sporting KC
[B]Current Supporters Shield Champs:[/B] NY Red Bulls
[B]Current Open Cup Winners:[/B] DC United

[B]Teams Competing in the 2014-15 Champions Leagues:[/B]
Sporting KC, NY Red Bulls, Portland Timbers, DC United

[B]Big Story Lines for 2014 season:[/B]
1) Michael Bradley and Jermaine Defoe joining TFC and the potential of TFC becoming a "mega team"
2) SKC Winning the championship
3) How will Dempsey play and will Sounders finally win it?
4) After success last year will NY Red Bulls win the championship
5) Possible return of American players to the league
6) Jason Kreis leaving RSL for NYCFC

2014 MLS Draft is hosted on Jan 16th
- Will Post more in a few days on this


[B]Player Movement scorecard(Copied from BigSoccer forums, not mine)[/B]
Chicago Fire

In:
Lovel Palmer (traded from RSL)

Out:
Arevalo Rios (option declined)
Paolo Tornaghi (waived)
Michael Vidiera (option declined)
Corben Bone (option declined, drafted by Philadelphia)
Daniel Paladini (option declined, rights traded to Columbus)
Joel Lindpere (option declined)
Logan Pause (option declined)
Kellen Gulley (option declined)
Maicon Santos (option declined)
Chris Rolfe (option declined)
Shaun Francis (option declined, draft to SJ)
Wells Thompson (out of contract)
Yazid Atouba (option declined)

Chivas USA

In:
Mauro Rosales (trade from Seattle)
Andrew Jean-Baptiste (trade from Portland)

Out:
Mario de Luna (loan terminated)
Jaime Frias (loan terminated)
Edgar Mejia (loan terminated)
Julio Morales (loan terminated)
Patrick McLain (option declined)
Steven Purdy (option declined)
Daniel Antunez (option declined)
Marvin Iraheta (option declined)
Josue Soto (option declined)
Jose Manuel Rivera (option declined)
Ante Jazic (out of contract)
Tristan Bowen (trade to Seattle)
Jorge Villafana (trade to Portland)

Colorado Rapids

In:
Marc Burch* (re-entry draft)
Martin Chavez (traded from San Jose)

Out:
Diego Calderon (loan ended, purchase option declined, confirmed not returning)
Martin Rivero (loan ended, purchase option declined, in negotiations)
Jaime Castrillon (option declined, confirmed not returning)
Steward Ceus (option declined, confirmed not returning)
Hendry Thomas (option declined, in negotiations)
Brian Mullan (option declined, in negotiations)
Jamie Smith (option declined, in negotiations)
Anthony Wallace (out of contract)
Brenton Griffiths (in negotiations)
Kory Kindle (in negotiations)
German Mera (in negotiations)
Danny Mwanga (in negotiations)
Atiba Harris (traded to San Jose)

Columbus Crew

In:
Waylon Francis (Herediano)
Matt Wiet (Homegrown, Dayton Dutch Lions)
Brad Stuver (Waiver draft, MLS pool)
Daniel Paladini* (trade from Chicago)
Steve Clark (signed from Norway/SEA)
Ross Friedman (homegrown)
Matt Walker (homegrown)

Out:
Eddie Gaven (retired)
Aaron Horton (waived)
Matias Sanchez (waived)
Drew Beckie (option declined)
Glauber (option declined)
Kyle Hyland (option declined)
Danny O'Rourke (option declined)
Konrad Warzycha (option declined)
Andy Grunenbaum (traded to SKC)
Chad Marshall (trade to Seattle)

FC Dallas

In:
Ryan Hollingshead (2013 SuperDraft holdout)
Adam Moffat (traded from SEA for Cooper)

Out:
David Ferreira (option declined)
Ramon Nunez (option declined)
Erick (option declined)
Jackson (trade to Toronto)
Kenny Cooper (traded to Seattle)
Victor Ulloa (out of contract)
Ugo Ihemelu (option declined)

DC United

In:
Davy Arnaud (trade from Montreal)
Sean Franklin (re-entry draft)
Bobby Boswell (re-entry draft)
Fabian Espindola (re-entry draft)
Eddie Johnson (traded from SEA)
Nana Attakora (re-entry draft)
Jalen Robinson (homegrown)

Out:
Syamsir Alam (option declined)
Dwayne DeRosario (option declined)
Lionard Pajoy (option declined)
Carlos Ruiz (option declined)
Marcelo Saragosa (option declined)
James Riley (option declined)
John Thorrington (option declined)
Daniel Woolard (option declined)

Houston Dynamo

In:
David Horst (traded from PTFC)

Out:
Brian Ching (retired)
Alex Dixon (option declined)
Andrew Driver (option declined)
Cam Weaver (option declined)
Michael Chabala (option declined)
Calen Carr (out of contract)
Bobby Boswell* (out of contract, drafted by DC)

Los Angeles Galaxy

In:
Baggio Husidic (Hammarby)
Samuel (loan, Fluminense)

Out:
Colin Clark (option declined)
Laurent Courtois (option declined)
Sean Franklin (option declined, drafted by DC)
Pablo Mastroeni (out of contract, retired)
Jose Villareal (loan to Cruz Azul)

Montreal Impact

Out:
Alessandro Nesta (retired)
Paolo Del Piccolo (waived)
Maximilliano Rodriguez (waived)
Sinisa Ubiparipovic (option declined)
Davy Arnaud (trade to DC)
Zarek Valentin (out of contract)
Nelson Rivas (out of contract)
Andres Romero (out of contact)
Daniele Paponi (out of contract)
Andrea Pisanu (out of contract)

New England Revolution

In:
Paolo Del Piccolo (waiver draft)
Brad Knighton (trade from Vancouver)

Out:
Chad Barrett (option declined, draft to SEA)
Charlie Davies (option declined)
Ryan Guy (option declined)
Tyler Polak (option declined)
Matt Reis (option declined, retired)
Clyde Simms (option declined)
Donnie Smith (option declined)
Luis Soffner (option declined)
Juan Toja (option declined)
Juan Agudelo (out of contract)
Kevin Alston (out of contract)
Darrius Barned (out of contract)
Bilal Duckett (waived)
Matt Horth (waived)
Gabe Latigue (waived)

New York Red Bulls

In:
Bobby Convey (from TFC)

Out:
Kevin Hartman (option declined, retired)
David Carney (option declined)
Brandon Barklage (option declined)
Heath Pearce (out of contract)
Fabian Espindola (option declined)
Marcus Holgersson (mutual consent)

Philadelphia Union

In:
Corben Bone (re-entry draft)

Out:
Chris Albright (out of contract, retired)
Don Anding (waived)
Greg Jordan (waived)
Kleberson (waived)
Oka Nikolov (waived)
Michael Farfan (transferred to Cruz Azul)


Portland Timbers

In:
Jorge Villafana (trade from Chivas)
Steve Zakuani* (re-entry draft)

Out:
David Horst (traded to Houston)
Ryan Miller (option declined)
Dylan Tucker-Gagnes (waived)
Brent Richards (waived)
Ryan Johnson (out of contract)
Milos Kocic (out of contract)
Brad Ring (out of contract)
Sal Zizzo (traded to SKC)
Frederic Piquionne (out of contract)
Sebastian Rincon (out of contract)
Andrew Jean-Baptiste (trade to Chivas)

Real Salt Lake

In:
Jordan Allen (homegrown)

Out:
Yordany Alvarez (option declined)
Brandon McDonald (option declined)
Josh Saunders (option declined)
Khari Stephenson (option declined)

San Jose Earthquakes

In:
Brandon Barklage (re-entry draft)
Shaun Francis (re-entry draft)
Jean-Baptiste Pierrazi (free agent?/AC Ajaccio)
Atiba Harris (traded from Colorado)

Out:
Ramiro Corrales (retired)
Nana Attakora (option declined; draft to DC)
Dan Gargan (option declined)
Evan Newton (option declined)
Marcus Tracy (option declined)
Peter McGlynn (option declined)
Cesar Diaz Pizarro (option declined)
Mehdi Ballouchy (out of contract; draft to VAN)
Justin Morrow (traded to TFC)
Rafael Baca (transfer to Cruz Azul)
Martin Chavez (traded to Colorado)

Seattle Sounders

In:
Stefan Frei (trade from Toronto)
Tristan Bowen* (trade from Chivas)
Chad Marshall (trade from Columbus)
Kenny Cooper (traded from FCD for Moffat)
Chad Barrett (re-entry draft)
Corey Hertzog (re-entry draft)

Out:
Philip Lund (waived)
Michael Gspurning (option declined)
Marc Burch (out of contract, drafted by Colorado)
Blair Gavin (out of contract)
Mauro Rosales (trade to Chivas)
Steve Zakuani (out of contract, draft to PTFC)
Adam Moffat (traded to FCD for Cooper)
Eddie Johnson (traded to DC)

Sporting Kansas City

In:
Sal Zizzo (from PTFC)
Andy Grunenbaum (traded from Crew)

Out:
Jimmy Nielsen (retired)
Kyle Miller (waived)
Brendan Ruiz (waived)
Federico Bessone (out of contract)

Toronto FC

In:
Jackson (trade from Dallas)
Gilberto (Portugesa)
Dwayne DeRosario (re-entry draft, signing confirmed)
Justin Morrow (traded from SJ)
Jordan Hamilton (homegrown)
Michael Bradley(DP)
Jermaine Defoe(DP)

Out:
Danny Koevermans (out of contract)
Michael Thomas (option declined)
Bobby Convey (traded to NYRB)
Darel Russell (option declined)
Robert Earnshaw (option declined)
Justin Braun (out of contract)
Stefan Frei (trade to Seattle)

Vancouver Whitecaps

Out:
Lee Young-Pyo (retired)
Greg Klazura (waived)
Joe Cannon (option declined)
Brad Knighton (trade to New England)
Simon Thomas (option declined)
Brad Rusin (option declined)
Jun Marques Davidson (option declined)
Daigo Kobayashi (option declined)
Tommy Heinemann (option declined)
Corey Hertzog (option declined)

This post will be reserved for the Rumor Mill(any rumor really)

Some Rumors so far
1) Xavi to NYRB or possibly NYCFC?
2) Maurice Edu to Philly? Jermaine Jones back to MLS?

Dammit was hoping Toronto was in champions. Does anybody know if Utti from timbers still with team?

D.C. United trades 1st slot in allocation & Ethan White to PHL for 6th position in allocation & Jeff Parke. Philly angling for Maurice Edu

[QUOTE=netsfan549]Dammit was hoping Toronto was in champions. Does anybody know if Utti from timbers still with team?

D.C. United trades 1st slot in allocation & Ethan White to PHL for 6th position in allocation & Jeff Parke. Philly angling for Maurice Edu[/QUOTE]


TFC still has a chance and who ever wins the canandian cup will enter. Could be a mls Canadian team or a amateur Canadian team. Canadian teams don't compete in the US open cup sinces its for US teams only

FCD finally has a new manager! :banana:

FCD is still a massive train wreck! :(

[QUOTE=knickballer]TFC still has a chance and who ever wins the canandian cup will enter. Could be a mls Canadian team or a amateur Canadian team. Canadian teams don't compete in the US open cup sinces its for US teams only[/QUOTE]

Thanks, hopefully theyh get in. I want to see them against a mexican team

Chara no longer a DP from this season on.. just saw this tweet

welcomes Adolfo “Bofo” Bautista to the Red-and-White!

[QUOTE=netsfan549]Chara no longer a DP from this season on.. just saw this tweet

welcomes Adolfo

[QUOTE=knickballer]Chivas USA lol.


Hate to continue talking about TFC but I'm glad they are making this splash. It's only going to be great for the league if they end up becoming a "mega team" and have the ability to be the hottest team in town and draw in millions of canadian fans.

To think in one offseason they got Bradley, Defoe, Gilberto and DeRo. Not sure how they afforded it.[/QUOTE]


I think MLS increased cap but not being reported. THis is great for league hopefully they will be able to draw fans to stadiums on road

[QUOTE=netsfan549]I think MLS increased cap but not being reported. THis is great for league hopefully they will be able to draw fans to stadiums on road[/QUOTE]

Salary cap increases by 5% yearly but maybe they have alot of cap allocation? Who knows.

[QUOTE=knickballer]Salary cap increases by 5% yearly but maybe they have alot of cap allocation? Who knows.[/QUOTE]

I will def be going to Red bulls vs toronto game

I think i'll root for NYC FC. I really don't have a strong affinity for the Red Bulls, and it will be closer to me to go to games (just jump on the BQE) when the stadium is finished.

Where will they be playing to start?

[QUOTE=niko]I think i'll root for NYC FC. I really don't have a strong affinity for the Red Bulls, and it will be closer to me to go to games (just jump on the BQE) when the stadium is finished.

Where will they be playing to start?[/QUOTE]


Yankees stadium


INCREIBLE! Xavi ha aceptado de ir a jugar en los New York Redbull despu

Lawl, you really think one of the best players for Barcelona and Spain would join MLS :facepalm

[QUOTE=netsfan549]Yankees stadium


INCREIBLE! Xavi ha aceptado de ir a jugar en los New York Redbull despu

[QUOTE=niko]UGH, that sucks. Why not City? Go from Queens to Queens, makes no sense to make people go to the Bronx then move to Queens.[/QUOTE]


Yankees and Manchester city both own the team..I am guessing we will be able to watch them play on Yes network

[QUOTE=netsfan549]Yankees and Manchester city both own the team..I am guessing we will be able to watch them play on Yes network[/QUOTE]
UGH, they are owned by the Yankees.

Red Bulls feel closer all of a sudden.

Anybody else sad to see camilo go? cuz i am

[QUOTE=kaiteng]For what he did? No. 2.2 mil$ stuffing in Caps' mouth for a guy who basically tears his contract apart and walks away? :facepalm

I'm sad for Robbo and the Caps though.[/QUOTE]


I love watching him play true talent there..


Apprently Forlan rejected offer from MLS.

Don't really know what Philly was doing with that selection. Don't understand that logic at all and Blake to me sounds completely overrated. Best goal keeping prospect in the past 15 years? LOL, This is the MLS and college soccer and the guy can easily bust.

Worst of all the guy is what 24? Hardly the age for a prodigy and Zac MacMath is actually younger and was considered a can't miss GK prospect as well. I also heard they have one of the top keepers in their youth academy as well.

Just seems strange moving up to the first overall pick and selecting a position that they didn't need :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE=knickballer]Don't really know what Philly was doing with that selection. Don't understand that logic at all and Blake to me sounds completely overrated. Best goal keeping prospect in the past 15 years? LOL, This is the MLS and college soccer and the guy can easily bust.

Worst of all the guy is what 24? Hardly the age for a prodigy and Zac MacMath is actually younger and was considered a can't miss GK prospect as well. I also heard they have one of the top keepers in their youth academy as well.

Just seems strange moving up to the first overall pick and selecting a position that they didn't need :confusedshrug:[/QUOTE]

I'm a Union fan and I didn't like the pick either. Apart from the fact that MacMath is only 22 and a year younger than Blake, we have a homegrown prospect in Zack Steffen who's being projected by a lot of scouts as a prodigious talent with the potential to be the GOAT US keeper. He was consistently outperforming MacMath as a 16 year old when he came to train with the Union.

That being said, I sort of understand the Blake pick. Apparently the Union aren't confident that they'll be able to sign Steffen because they think he'll have big money offers from teams in Europe and they're not at all happy with how MacMath has played. Getting Blake on a Generation Adidas deal means that he won't count against the cap and MacMath can be traded away for allocation money to help acquire a good foreign DP and/or make way for Maurice Edu.

I am intrigued by the other first round pick, Pedro Ribeiro. He's a versatile 6'4" Brazilian midfielder who's apparently really good on the ball. He could have been a top 5 pick but teams were hesitant to take him because he'd take up a foreign player spot.

Did you hear that New York Cosmos just signed Vancouver's first round pick, Andre Lewis? Tough week for the Whitecaps, Camilo forcing a move away from them and their top 10 pick getting stolen away by an NASL team. :lol

Also, what's happen to Patrick Mullins dropping to 11th to Rev? The dude had one of the best college soccer career ever, winning Hermann Trophy two years in a row, the first time in 40 years.

Seems teams opt to choose what they saw during combines rather than college records.

[QUOTE=Grinder]I'm a Union fan and I didn't like the pick either. Apart from the fact that MacMath is only 22 and a year younger than Blake, we have a homegrown prospect in Zack Steffen who's being projected by a lot of scouts as a prodigious talent with the potential to be the GOAT US keeper. He was consistently outperforming MacMath as a 16 year old when he came to train with the Union.

That being said, I sort of understand the Blake pick. Apparently the Union aren't confident that they'll be able to sign Steffen because they think he'll have big money offers from teams in Europe and they're not at all happy with how MacMath has played. Getting Blake on a Generation Adidas deal means that he won't count against the cap and MacMath can be traded away for allocation money to help acquire a good foreign DP and/or make way for Maurice Edu.

I am intrigued by the other first round pick, Pedro Ribeiro. He's a versatile 6'4" Brazilian midfielder who's apparently really good on the ball. He could have been a top 5 pick but teams were hesitant to take him because he'd take up a foreign player spot.

Did you hear that New York Cosmos just signed Vancouver's first round pick, Andre Lewis? Tough week for the Whitecaps, Camilo forcing a move away from them and their top 10 pick getting stolen away by an NASL team. :lol[/QUOTE]


According to reports MLS owns him

[QUOTE=netsfan549]According to reports MLS owns him[/QUOTE]

MLS has admitted that Lewis is a Cosmos player but they have an agreement to get him on loan/work out a possible transfer.

"MLS has an agreement with Lewis and the Cosmos for him to join MLS and Vancouver, provided certain conditions are met," MLS vice president of player personnel Lino DiCuollo said. "In the event the Whitecaps want to retain the player, as of the roster compliance date (March 1), then he will be with them on a loan or after a transfer from the Cosmos."

[url]http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/01/17/mls-vancouver-whitecaps-confirm-arrangement-new-york-cosmos-over-draftee-and[/url]

[QUOTE=kaiteng][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/qUbUbbV.jpg[/IMG]

Juventus offered 1 million for Sporting Kansas City's home-grown 16-years-old defender Erik Palmer-Brown. SKC turned it down.

Good job. USA Soccer should better not let another promising youngster go to other countries ala Giuseppe Rossi.[/QUOTE]

He has no path to Italian citizenship or any other European citizenship for that matter so there's zero similarities to the Rossi situation. It makes no sense for SKC to sell the kid either. He'd have to wait till he's 18 to join Juventus' full time and SKC would have no incentive to develop him.

[QUOTE=kaiteng]Young foreign players can earn citizenship if they play in the club's country long enough, can't they? He is just 16. By the time he blossoms into a potential superstar he could have a dual citizenship and opt not to play of the country he was born.[/QUOTE]

Balotelli was born in Italy and couldn't get citizenship till he was 18. Also, Palmer-Brown has represented the US in competitions before without being eligible for another country so that makes him ineligible for any other country that he could potentially acquire citizenship in.

Erik Palmer-Brown would have 0 chance at playing for Italy. If he had Italian heritage then possibly there might be a chance but I doubt he'd be on the Italian radar when they are known for producing class defenders.

Interesting the transfer fee was for a million. It would have ranked probably in the top 10 of largest transfers in the leagues history but for KC it's not worth it since the MLS would have received majority of the transfer fee(probably 2/3) Better to have the kid play for the team and not count against the cap while he's a HG signing then in a few years possibly sign him and actually have majority of the transfer fee received by the team.

BTW, the first ever Intra-league loan happened with Tony Cascio going to Houston Dynamo. Lets see if intraleague loans happen and it's a decent way for teams to get some talent in positions of need.

[QUOTE=kaiteng]He has only been with U-18. Senior national team is another story. Players who played for one youth national teams opt to represent others as senior all the time.[/QUOTE]

It doesn't happen as much as you'd think. Only if there's a heritage link you usually see it happening. Example some players with heritage from the ex-yugoslavia tend to play for Western European youth NT but then switch to their "blood line"(to put it in simpler terms) or the situation with players of North African descent representing French youth teams then switching to North African for senior representation.

You rarely see it happen if the player has no links to the country though.

If Union finalizes Maurice Edu signing, base salary between $480,000 and $600,000,

I love what galaxy are doing

[url]http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-galaxy-usl-pro-team-20140128,0,3132039.story#axzz2rnXZWiYQ[/url]

Usmnt to play at red bulls arena

Like the additions of Convey, Eckersley and Armando Lozano (Great depth moves)

We also locked up Olave to a new contract which is great.

Didn't get that big named player I wanted, but I assure you, RBNY are filling that 3rd DP spot this summer..

lol, I just realized Eckersley was once on Man U and won Man U's reserve player of the year award. Still only 23 and played for a shitty Toronto team last year. He could be a steal.

Do you guys think mls miami will work?

Victoria Beckham could probably get in most MLS sides.

[QUOTE=netsfan549]Do you guys think mls miami will work?[/QUOTE]
I hope so. MLS is a much more respectable league today than when the Fusion were around.

I'm skeptical on the Miami team given the past history of MLS teams in Florida(albeit in a weak era)

If anything the MLS should see how Orlando does in the first 2-3 years in the league then give a decision to Miami.

Miami(and Florida in general) aren't a good "sports town"

BUT this Miami team will have a marketable appeal and will have a celebrity buzz which is ideal for a city like Miami. That and they'll probably go after popular players internationally.

Even though Florida is probably known more as a (college) football state, the highest attendance ever for the state was a soccer match: [url]http://www.sunlifestadium.com/news/71124-fans-for-brazil-vs-honduras-sets-state-of-florida-record[/url]

I think a lot of people here genuinely appreciate the sport of soccer. However the same could be said of baseball, and look at how the marlins have fared lately.

I don't think that people really care about the celebrity stuff. If the team sucks and the tickets are overpriced then I don't think people are going to want to pay money to sweat their asses off and to see washed up players get their ass kicked every time. Even if Beckham and Jennifer Lopez or Will Smith are in attendance. But if the team shows a legitimate desire to compete and acquire talented players, then that's a different story.

With the huge foreign born hispanic population who loves soccer, I can see an MLS team working here.