Major League Soccer has announced the seven players to be added to the total list of MLS All-Stars for the purposes of satisfying the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement and some of the picks are curious to say the least.
Freddie Ljungberg and Robbie Rogers were two of the seven, and the two biggest head-scratchers. Three Seattle Sounders were among the seven chosen, though the seven weren't actually chosen but were in fact the seven highest remaining vote-getters based on combined voting involving fans, media, players coaches and general managers.
Here are the seven:
Jimmy Nielsen, Kasey Keller, Joel Lindpere, Robbie Rogers, Freddie Ljungberg, Fredy Montero and Conor Casey.
So how does Ljungberg make it in the midst of a nightmarish season?
Simple really. He received so much of the popular vote, boosted by the combination of his own star status and the size of Seattle's fan following, that he made it on ahead of several more deserving players. Robbie Rogers clearly rode the wave of an impressive 2009, which apparently led voters to ignore the fact that Eddie Gaven is having a significantly better season than Rogers for Columbus this season. Montero and Keller were other selections boosted by strong fan voting.
The fact that Nielsen and Lindpere, two newcomers to the league, were able to make this squad is a testament to the respect they have already earned around MLS.
What do you think of these selections? Would you like to see MLS find a new formula to determine these selections? Which player do you think was the biggest snub now that we have 32 "All-Stars"?
Share your thoughts below.
Exactly what “model” does the rest of the world use? The last I checked most every country runs their league a little different, whether it be number of teams, time of year, midseason breaks, 2 seasons in one year. Enjoy what you got, give constructive input to make it better or just stop watching and reading about it.
The players get bonus money for making the All-Star Team. The reason the league picks way more MLS players than will actually play is that the All-Star game used to have MLS players on both teams involved (East vs. West, mostly). When the league wanted to switch over to the new format (MLS vs. Big Foreign Team), the players union said, “Okay, but we don’t want you to take bonus money away from half of the guys who would’ve been All Stars.”
Hence the bloated list: the same number of players get named All Stars as before–and thus get paid their bonuses–but only half as many play the game.
Hey Kev, its been really great having you on the website.
you are a joke.
What the heck does Saborio have to do to get some love from MLS?! The most shafted player in MLS as far as the All Star game is concerned.
Sacha Kljestan scored today in a Champions League qualifier. 1-0 to Anderlecht.
The All-Star Game has no stakes, nor does it mean a thing. It has not provided much of a spring board for a MLS kid trying to make waves and impress European clubs, and while it is exciting for some MLS fans and good for the preseason Europe teams, it isn’t really for the players either…
It is to increase domestic exposure of the league, the brand MLS, and reputation based selections make sense to fulfull that purpose. Now, if this was a serious competitive game (ex. East v West) with something at stake, then these picks would be silly. However, if you are trying to awaken more potential fans to the product of football in the states, you give them marketable, recognizable names that they have heard of/want to see/ or could name. Freddie will bring out old Arsenal fans, sounders fans, etc…whilst most casual US fans know RRogers. It’s a publicity and a business move, not a footballing one, which is the intent and goal of the entire match.
Maybe he just really wanted to play in the all star game and this was the only way for him to get into the game???
Cmon now, how can you argue against Keller? He has made so many huge saves this year. The leaky defense he has had to deal with would make any keeper look bad. He has been playing just as well as he did last year for awhile now.
It just occurred to me: if this is the Mickey Mouse league, are these late additions the 7 Dwarfs?
As huge Sounders fan, I voted only for Montero and Gonzalez (not that Gonzalez had a prayer but just because he’s hardworking solid player.
No way Kasey Keller or FL10 deserve to go.
No matter: MLS All-Star game is mere appetizer for Seattle’s first ever CCL match that follows that night.
+1
i am unclear on this, too. if they are not going to play, but it is part of the CBA, there must be some other benefit bestowed upon the players for this “honor.” what is it? a used Vuvuzela? a 20-piece bucket from “the Colonel?”
i understand labor agreements have strange provisions, but what is the cost to the league?
But commenting on it isn’t apparently.
Whoops, incomplete pass: ironically, Ljungberg is the only Sounder who will be available for the All-Star match and he’s certainly the least deserving for his childish antics.
Ironically, Ljungberg is the only Sounder who will be available for the All-Star match.
Make that 8 assists. That is tied for second in the league.
What does KC’s new stadium have to do with it
Really? Montero has worked extremely hard for the last few months and has scored or assisted a Sounders goal in the last 7 or 8 games straight. Keller let in 3 bad goals in 2 games played. He has been lights out for awhile now. Zakuani is 4th in the league with 7 goals while Montero is right behind him and leads the team with 7 assists.
Seattle fan here – I didn’t vote for him or any other Sounder. Though if I could still vote I’d have to consider Zakuani.
God knows I’ve been wrong before, but:
MLS names these extra seven for some unknown reason – and calls them all stars. But they aren’t going to play. So yes, naming Ljungberg is ridiculous, but he’s not going to play.
Besides, it’s an exhibition game. Who really cares? Are you complaining about the reserves Manchester United will be fielding?
The All Star game is a waste of time
Lindpere is deserving.
Eddie Gaven is in fact more deserving than Robbie Rogers this year, I am also impressed with Lindpere and Zakuani
Defeats the point, it’s supposed to be merit-based. How would it be fair that TH gets his bonus over somebody who’s been playing well all season?
I didn’t see any comments on the clause, “for the purposes of satisfying the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement “.
REALLY?, that was an important point to the players? to name 32 All Stars?
If I was the league honcho, I would have to agree to put that bonus to better use than the Lujenbergs of the world…a younger borderline star would be a better investment/use of shares of funds.
I’m a seattle fan, and I know FL doesn’t deserve to be there, and I don’t think Montero does either with his year so far. Even Keller, who has been playing better recently, had a pretty bad beginning of the season. I would replace all three with Steve Zakuani, who has had a stronger influence than any of the other 3 players so far this year.
What does this even mean? Your comment is confusing and pointless to say the least.
I would like to think that format includes, after the first 11 chosen by the fans, 2 choices by the MLS Commissioner and the rest of the picks decided by the coach, who will actually field the team. Then an official “Second Team” or “Honorable Mention” of everybody else who didn’t make the first 23.
But I would think the coach of the MLS all-stars should be able to pick the “best” available players under contract to the MLS at the time of the All-star game. So why isn’t Thierry Henry not part of this team. Saying that he didn’t play earlier in the season for the MLS would preclude his selection is just plain silly. He is an MLS player now and a good player, and still is a good player, no matter where he played before!
W-O-W
Strong. Nice to see him get on the sheet… even if it is against the Welsh PL champs.
And why wasn’t Golden Balls selected?
Freddie must have complained his way on the list.
Article doesn’t really clarify how the different voting groups are weighted though, just assumes that the fan vote pushed him in. I don’t doubt that it did, but I just think that the voters in the game (coaches, players, GMs, and the media) would have left Freddie off.
I think all the fuss in these comments is funny, why even care? this list of 7 inactive “all stars” is probably in the Union contract so more players can get bonuses; the league doesn’t care who gets it and niether do I.
I think the year mentioned in the story is wrong. Robbie Rogers had an impressive 2008.
More like the employee that told his boss to eff off in a department meeting and has been AWOL since (and still collecting a paycheck for that matter).
Just proves that Garber will bend over for any big name.
good for Kljestan, I wish him the best of luck
Saborio for sure. He has been very good all season. This “inactive” list of players should leave out fan voting and be strictly players/coaches/media. It would be much more fair especially because it means something financially to the players.
It is the league that determines how inactive All-Stars are selected. If it is the fans that “voted this stuff in” then that is only because the league allows it to be so. Ultimately the fault for a poor selection falls to MLS itself.
Yeah! You’re right! I’ve never heard that before! Very insightful, man.
I totally agree. Saborio deserves to make it with how he has played all year long.
When Seattle played in Philly, a couple buddies and I yelled “Fall Down Freddie” every time he got near us. We have very close seats.
Anyway, some euorsnob yelled back at us after a few times “At least he played in Europe!”, like that was supposed to shut us up. My friend yelled back “No, he fell down in Europe!” Good times… 🙂
Pretty good at falling down you mean.
Exactly, I care enough to watch the game but I don’t stress on how players get picked or what message this sends. It is an All-Star game, play it and move on. You think the British press are going to be so impressed by this game they will take our league more seriously? No. Let’s just enjoy the game and hope for entertainment a decent ref.
Also, these guys don’t play in the game. They just get the bonus that comes with being named an all-star.
I am pleased to see Robbie Rogers make the 32. He is quietly helping the Crew to a another big season-this time with strong defense and was a big part in the build up and prep for the USMNT.
Um….Jimmy Nielsen is from KC. And he deserves to be there.
Skippy, I used to follow the other sports’ all-star games, now I don’t. Maybe the home-run derby once every 5 years, or the same for the slam dunk contest. But as a 38 years long fan of Fussball/Soccer/Calcio/Futbol/Football/etc. (who grew up in ze Fazzerland watching “Die Mannschaft”–as Americans like to say–I have to admit I get “up” for the MLS all star games, especially in the present format.
No apologies.
Seattle fans skewing the results by stuffing the ballot box? Inconceivable.
i’d like to see them name at least one from KC. They looked good against Man U.