In the wake of my report on the Red Bull’s quest to sign Mac Kandji and the league’s role in preventing the signing from happening, both MLS deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis and Red Bulls sporting director Jeff Agoos have come out and denied that the league has prevented the Red Bulls from making any acquisitions.
"MLS works closely with the Red Bulls on player negotiations and, contrary to reports, has not blocked any move for any player involving the Red Bulls," Gazidis told SBI in an e-mail response.
Shortly after Gazidis’ denial came a denial from Agoos, who reached out to SBI to offer up his own denial.
"The league has worked closely with us and hasn’t blocked us from any transfer," Agoos said in a phone interview.
Neither Gazidis or Agoos would discuss Kandji specificially, citing Kandji’s status as a player under contract with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the USL.
My response? I stand by the original story and my sources.
Kandji-gate. I think that’s what we can call this fiasco. Because of the way the various players have set up their positions in this incident I anticipate someone will end up taking a bullet to their career here.
After this rollercoaster season, I believe NY fans will want blood if the league doesn’t allow us to become a better team under the current rules. Of course I understand that the league shifts those rules around and reinterprets them just like a game of 3 card monty.
That may allow Gazidis to save his skin. But if it turns out that the league said “no precedent” and NY was complicit even though they were in the right, we may be witnessing the downfall of Agoos.
As NY fans, we’ve taken enough mumbo jumbo rules this season to be outraged if the team was legitimately acquiring this player and the league vetoed it anyway.
To be fair, Ives. You and your sources have made two glaring mistakes in recent history. First, you said Feilhaber was headed to MLS. Then you said that Cory Gibbs was going to LA. Maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to try to scoop everyone else.
This is why I come to this site daily!
Agoos does look a bit like Shemp …
Any Photoshop guys out there? How about this:
The three see-no monkeys, with Garber, Gazidis and Agoos faces super-imposed. Not sure which would be see-no, hear-no and speak-no.
Or maybe the Three Stooges.
I support MLS and its success because it’s “our” league and all that. But sometimes I am, “WTF!?!?” Sometimes I just wanna throw my hands up and say, “F*** that S***!” lol.
oooohhhh how the plot thickens…
Hey Neumannator, I know you weren’t coming at me. Thanks for giving me the chance to say what I needed to say.
*banner or T-shirt
Can’t we start a banner of T-shirt movement or something?
I don’t think we should take the foot off the peddle on this BS. There needs to be better from the MLS and this is a good chance to push for it!
Ives, thanks for holding to your journalistic integrity.
You look at the Gazidis picture on MetroFanatic and he looks a bit rough, like maybe he isn’t sleeping too much lately. Maybe his conscience is finally catching up with him?
Thanks for the response. I was not ripping your integrity, just surprised at the juvenile reaction by Gazidis. I rely on this site for a good percentage of my soccer news and appreciate the hard work.
Ives you so crazy! You go Boy! I take your word any day over the MLS!
It’s a good thing I don’t drink.
Man I’m jacked up!
I would let Ives babysit my child, thats how much I trust him.
Posted by: MasterShake | August 28, 2008 at 10:21 PM
I would let Ives punch my brother-in-law in the face to take my god-child and introduce it to the game with the round ball.
You don’t think it was Lalas, do you!?
I agree with you King, I was just pointing out that they didn’t really deny what Ives was saying. Looking back I wasn’t very clear at all, so my apologies.
I absolutely believe that Ives was right on with his story.
I have been a journalist for more than 10 years. That is a decade of covering the sport of soccer at its highest level, and at its most basic level, from Old Trafford to Farcher’s Grove, from the World Cup final the the Passaic County final. I have honed my skills as a journalist throughout that decade of experience and have not suddenly forgotten how to be a journalist because I no longer write for a newspaper or because my stories appear on a website. I also have not, nor will I ever, lower the journalistic standards of Soccer By Ives for the purpose of driving traffic.
Posted by: Ives | August 28, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Ives, pardon my French, but F’N’ A!! [sorry lads, blog censored the ‘French’]
And trips-R. Bang on. USL puts out good competitive sides. USOC’s show that. The Canadian CCL qualifiying showed that. And I think that CCL itself will show that. Garber and his hacks fear it.
Nevermind, I reread the article.I don’t need anymore detail about the sources. I probably should’ve read the article more closely before asking any questions.
Also Ives, anyone who believes the league over you is a dumbsh*t. They obviously know nothing about the MLS, journalism, and you.
Keep up the good work!
I would let Ives babysit my child, thats how much I trust him.
Keep up the good work Ives.
You are always right.
Ives,
For what it is worth, I believe your story. The league office does not have much credibility in my opinion.
They pull a lot of crap because they don’t think anyone is watching.
Don’t worry Ives, everyone believes you over those hacks.
Ives, this is why you’re the best American soccer Journalist. I don’t know why anyone would believe the MLS after all the lies they’ve told us.
I trust you Ives, but it still would be nice to know a little more about you’re sources.
Are they inside MLS or NYRB? I totally understand if you are not comfortable in telling us specifics.
Phil, anonymous sources are a normal part of sports coverage. Whether it’s coaches, GMs, players or agents, they all reside in a tightly-knit community where speaking on the record isn’t a luxury they can always afford.
In the end it’s up the writer to judge whether the information is true and whether the sources are honest. The better the judgment and better the sources, the better the information.
Gadzidis is crapping in his boots right now
Phil,
It’s pretty clear that Ives’ source is anonymous to protect his job. For all we know it could be Agoos himself.
If true, this is a huge cover-up that could blow up in MLS’ face. Jokes always abound that rules are made up as they go, but a lot of fans were hoping that things like that were becoming a thing of the past.
Just to clarify, that was in response to ManicMessiah, not Ives …
Sure, and what Bill Clinton did not lie when he said he and “that woman miss Lewinsky” did not have sex, because they she actually {censored} him.
Nuemmanator, here is my response to that:
I have been a journalist for more than 10 years. That is a decade of covering the sport of soccer at its highest level, and at its most basic level, from Old Trafford to Farcher’s Grove, from the World Cup final the the Passaic County final. I have honed my skills as a journalist throughout that decade of experience and have not suddenly forgotten how to be a journalist because I no longer write for a newspaper or because my stories appear on a website. I also have not, nor will I ever, lower the journalistic standards of Soccer By Ives for the purpose of driving traffic.
Feel free to copy and paste that wherever it needs to go.
MLS is not used to media scrutiny. Keep up the good work Ives. Exposure like this will only force the league to become more transparent and give each individual team more autonomy
Honestly, it’s entirely possible that Agoos and Gazidis aren’t lying at all, but rather using some well prepared language to skate around the issue.
If the Red Bulls never officially put in for the transfer then the league would not have had to officially block them from doing anything.
Ives, you do yourself no favors by citing anonymous sources.
Damn Ives laid down the law! Keep up the good work Ives
Tell Kandji it was nothing personal, I just needed to redecorate Ivan & Jeff’s love pad …
Yeah, I’m sure the MLS saw the backlash and had to do something about it.
I’ve watched Kandji in Atlanta for the past two seasons and he is the real deal, as well as many road games through USLLive. He will be a very good player in the MLS, and could develop into a superstar with the right talent around him.
The USL is no trash league like the MLS wants it to be – the fact of the matter is that in 10 games, I would be willing to bet that USL teams would win about 4 of them consistently, and it is getting better year by year. Keeping players liek Kandji in the USL will only help it.
The block would make no sense. Atlanta struggles financially. This would help Atlanta recover some money, while sending top talent to the MLS. Kandji is, without a doubt, the most exciting player in the league. And he can be one of the top players in the MLS as well.
ESPN Soccernet has even featured this guy.
Anyway, I’m a good friend of Kandji’s and it would be good to see him take his game to the next level. The only reason he is inthe USL is because of his remarkable story of how he came to this country and how he was discovered.
Do they honestly think MLS fans will believe them over you?
Spin Doctors. If they didnt block it, they wouldnt need to defend themselves.
Hang tough, Ives. Interesting story and one that is important to the league for a lot of reasons, oft discussed on this board. Credibility and transparency being the two things that jump to mind.
Cheers,
Btw, the difference between print media and this site is one is shrinking, and the other exponentially expanding. Guess which, Czar Ivan …
When Garber and Agoos were denying they were liars, did they do so between slurps on each others’ little goleadors?
Next season? If I don’t see him in a Red Bulls uniform by tomorrow I’ll be pissed. The window is still open. Ives isn’t wrong – he’s right. If they didn’t do it they would have talked about it. They are full of it.
Notice the similarity in the language used. I smell a “better play your cards right” situation happening.
Ives,
Glad to hear you’re sticking to the story–any chance you want to respond to Gazidis’ obvious slight to this site?! Rock on.
“It’s difficult to respond to blog entries where unknown sources are referenced – and of course blogs are driven by hits, not necessarily by the same standards as print media.”
Agoos needs to just come clean…this is ridiculous
Just like the league to cower under the anticipated backlash. I don’t remember the last time Ives was wrong. This isn’t a rumors site.
If I don’t see Kandji in a Red Bull uniform next season I’m gonna be pissed.
I feel like I won’t know the real story until 2035 when I flip to chapter 5 in Ives’ memoir.
Ives, don’t make me wait that long.
-Mike
Wow. Must be damn good sources.