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American Soccer |OT2| Party Like It's 1999.

C

Cornballer

Member
- Grant Wahl: Insider Notes: MLS increases TAM, wants two expansion teams at a time
We reported last month that MLS was likely to increase its Targeted Allocation Money, and the league has made it official Wednesday, announcing that $32 million in TAM money is being added league-wide over the next two years. That's $800,000 more per team per year, and it’s specifically targeted toward improving the quality of players four through seven on rosters, right below the Designated Player level.
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In MLS expansion news, I’m told the league is prioritizing having two teams come in at the same time in the next expansion rounds, the better to keep scheduling and conferences even. That would mean Atlanta and Minnesota in 2017 and LAFC and Miami in 2018. Minnesota would need to play in a temporary stadium in 2017, and I’m told one possibility is the Minnesota Twins baseball stadium (which is grass).
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M

Meier

Member
Interesting news for United States National Team supporters. According to a Sport5 report, Gent MF Kenny Saief will be called up to USA NT.
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https://twitter.com/Raphael_Gellar/status/674992210589405184

A little info on him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Hasan_Sayef
Kenneth "Kenny" Hasan Saief (Arabic: حسن كينيث "كيني" سيف, Hebrew: קנט חסן "קני" סייף, born 17 December 1993) is an American-born Israeli-Druze footballer who plays for KAA Gent in the Belgian Pro League.

Saief began his professional career with Bnei Sakhnin in 2011, before he was transferred to Hapoel Haifa one season later. The next year, he moved to Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona and reached the final of the Israel State Cup. Saief made only two appearances however, which resulted in a transfer to Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon. There he gained more playing opportunities, attracting attention of Belgian Pro League team K.A.A. Gent, who signed him for a 3-year deal on 8 August 2014.
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Gent are through to the next round of the Champions League -- he's started 4 UCL games and appeared in one other as a sub. He's scored 2 goals this season for Gent in the league and started 8 out of 18 games (full stats here: http://us.soccerway.com/players/kenny-seif/172140/).
 
C

Cornballer

Member
I did some digging over on Big Soccer. The language on some of those tweets is odd - sounds like he 'expects to be called up', so it's not a guarantee. Some speculation that he's just using the US as leverage to get back into the Israeli set up, but he might be useful to have for the US. He's played youth games for Israel, so he would have to file a one time switch to be eligible.
 
C

Cornballer

Member
- ESPNFC: United States to play Iceland in January friendly, according to sources
The U.S. national team is expected to open its 2016 schedule with a January friendly against Iceland in Carson, California, multiple sources have told ESPNFC.

The Iceland match would take place on Jan. 31, and it would be the first of two games a mostly MLS-based U.S. squad would play near the end of the annual year-opening camp. The second match is slated for early February, also in the western United States. And a source has indicated that Canada is the potential opponent.

Neither game has officially been confirmed. A U.S. Soccer spokesman said Thursday that venues and opponents for the Americans' first two matches of the year still weren't finalized.

Training camp will open Jan. 4 at the StubHub Center in Carson. With MLS (and potentially a few European-based) players in their offseason, the early focus will be on fitness. The original plan was to convene in Arizona for fitness work before moving to the Los Angeles area head of the games, but that idea has since been scrapped.

The U.S. squad will be comprised of about 25 players. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann is expected to pick a veteran-heavy side, with several U-23 national teamers also included. The U.S. U-23s will face Colombia in a two-leg playoff in March for a spot in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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shoplifter

shoplifter

Member
^^ it was a good deal for us. We traded down and sent some allocation to Colorado and got 830+ minutes for it, then sent him on for some allocation in return. I don't think he fit well into our system, but he did a serviceable job. He just wasn't what we needed.



Meier said:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...on-Garber-and-TV-camera-at-MLS-Cup-final.html

This is pretty funny.
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Savannah is a cool chick. I'm just glad that the media hasn't moved on to 'that guy and his kid' that were next to her because I sure as hell don't have time to deal with it.
 
M

Meier

Member
shoplifter said:
Savannah is a cool chick. I'm just glad that the media hasn't moved on to 'that guy and his kid' that were next to her because I sure as hell don't have time to deal with it.
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Lol, I thought I recalled you having that avatar for longer. Is this a common occurrence for you and your son?
 
C

Cornballer

Member
- Steven Goff: MLS suspends Jermaine Jones for 6 matches, which may also impact World Cup qualifiers
MLS on Friday suspended midfielder Jermaine Jones for six matches, a ban that, if he remains in the league, would also prevent him from playing in two U.S. World Cup qualifiers next spring.

The suspension — which covers both club and national team games because it involved abuse of a referee — goes into effect when Jones returns to action, whenever and wherever that may be. He is out of contract with the New England Revolution and weighing options abroad.

If he returns to MLS, the suspension would start when the regular season kicks off in early March and overlap with the World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala late that month. By signing elsewhere, and resuming play earlier in 2016, he would serve out the ban before the U.S. matches.
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shoplifter

shoplifter

Member
Meier said:
Lol, I thought I recalled you having that avatar for longer. Is this a common occurrence for you and your son?
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This? No, but he is pretty smart about the game and tends to 'get it.' He actually told me he was doing it because the officiating crew ruined the game rather than because we lost.

The pic in my avatar is him pissed off at Jermaine Jones for being a general douchebag repeatedly during a match last year.

In Nordecke, he's allowed to sing and do pretty much whatever the other supporters are allowed to do. He just knows that it's kept there and nowhere else.
 
Z

ZZMitch

Member
You guys gunna be following the Euros at all?

Usually I root for Greece in European competitions but for the first time ever I can actually root for Albania! I can't remember the last time Albania was in a legit tournament. We will probably get crushed but it will be an experience.
 
S

smokeandmirrors

Banned
ZZMitch said:
You guys gunna be following the Euros at all?

Usually I root for Greece in European competitions but for the first time ever I can actually root for Albania! I can't remember the last time Albania was in a legit tournament. We will probably get crushed but it will be an experience.
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Iceland and or Wales for me.
 
A

ActStriker

Member
ZZMitch said:
You guys gunna be following the Euros at all?

Usually I root for Greece in European competitions but for the first time ever I can actually root for Albania! I can't remember the last time Albania was in a legit tournament. We will probably get crushed but it will be an experience.
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I just root for schadenfreude
 
A

ActStriker

Member
makingmusic476 said:
Between all the TAM and DPs, I really don't get why they don't just streamline everything by replacing it all with a much higher salary cap. Say $25 million.

I understand why the designated player rule was seen as necessary when they were trying to get Beckham, but such players aren't anomalies anymore.
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Then everyone's gonna start demanding higher pay across the board, which the league doesn't want.
 
D

Dr Campino

Member
So yesterday was the TFC holiday brunch. It was my first event as a season ticket holder, and it was great! I was in line for food right by the door and Steven Caldwell came in with his kids, and I said hey and got a handshake. A bit later Jonathan Osorio and Ashtone Morgan showed up, and I wound up getting pictures with all three.

I brought my sister with me, who has been to some games and does genuinely like TFC, and she was staring at Caldwell the whole time, haha.

DQKCqOW.jpg
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KiajfNR.jpg
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There was also a photo booth, and right before I got a picture with Oso and Morgan, they were in there taking their series of pictures. There was a screen on the outside of the booth where anyone outside of it could see what was happening inside, and when they came out, it took Oso a minute to figure out that we all watched that hilarity. He just about died laughing when it did hit him. The poses were great and I definitely wish I took a picture of that.

Overall, terrific time, and on the way into and out of town I got a glimpse of the construction at BMO. That new roof is going to be sweet.
 
A

Askani

Member
I think I'm pretty happy with the Justin Mapp signing. He should be a good addition. I like him over Jacob Peterson for sure. I might even like him over Zusi. I don't know, maybe that's too strong...but I've cooked on Zusi some lately.
 
C

Cystm

Member
Is Carl Robinson going to stay with Vancouver? He's turned them around and has done so without breaking the clubs bank.

I think he'll head to club like Norwich or Sunderland in January, if Van doesn't offer him more money.
 
C

Cornballer

Member
I don't think it was ever intended to be free. Are you guys upset about the tech being used or the price?


Also, initial Copa America schedule is out.

The USMNT opens at Levi's and Argentina is playing there a few days later. Should be expensive and I hate the venue, but I'll make the trek.

EDIT: Heh, a friend of mine as we were discussing tickets:
Almost easier to go to the game June 11 in Philly than head down to Santa Clara on a Friday
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C

Cystm

Member
You all hear about this?

Abby was asked about Klinsy:
“Oh man, I would definitely fire Jurgen,” she replied. “Sorry Sunil, sorry U.S. Soccer.”

Simmons asked her to elaborate why. She responded: “First of all, [Klinsmann] hasn’t really focused, I feel like, enough attention on the youth programs. He says he has, I don’t think that he has.”

She went on: “The way that he has changed and brought in these foreign guys, it’s just not something that I believe in.”
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Mix responded:

mixdiskerud

Wow Abby,

I guess there are pros and cons in limiting the base for selection.

You have just singled out a few of us. But why? Why are we your single oddballs?

Think about who you try to disenfranchise. Because if you see us as the group to disenfranchise, then at least let it be known who we are.

Stats and history will show - "our group" has more than others produced volunteer and defending soldiers for what, by us, is willingly chosen and gathered to be worth protecting: Your nation.
Wish you would accept it as ours too.
I know we're not quite equal. From "your group of people" the country's Commander in Chief need to be selected. However, other than that - you and I share something not unique, but constitutionally earned, a birthright to defend this nation as an American. Wherever we go. Led by whoever has earned, by democratic process, his/her right to lead, on or off the field, in peace, in war, in practice, or in any other kind of pursuit of your happiness.

Enjoy your retirement. But stay active. We all need you. Oddballs or not.
Mix
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M

Meier

Member
Cornballer said:
I don't think it was ever intended to be free. Are you guys upset about the tech being used or the price?
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The insinuation was absolutely that it'd be "free" in that it'd be a part of the ESPN3/WatchESPN service that you get with your cable subscription. Here is the quote when it was announced:

Major League Soccer’s out-of-market package, currently serviced through the MLS Live and MLS Direct Kick packages, will be available to a wider audience via ESPN3, ESPN’s live multiscreen sports network currently in more than 92 million homes, and WatchESPN, available to fans who receive their video or Internet subscription from an affiliated provider. Featuring more than 200 MLS matches each year, the MLS out-of-market package will also be available via over-the-top services such as Google Play, iTunes Apple TV, Roku and others.
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If that wasn't the plan, they should have been more implicit about it. There would have been absolutely no reason to publicize any sort of switch from the current format to this other one unless there was a tangible difference or benefit for consumers. There is a level of expectation that NBC has set and that is every game available online.

How do they expect to catch up to the Premier League in popularity if they're lagging behind them in literally every regard in terms of media exposure?
 
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