By JOHN BOSCHINI
It is something of a judgement day for Glasgow Rangers.
As administrators try to slash $1.5 million from the monthly expenses, several players are set to leave the historic Scottish club. A proposal from players to postpone salaries until the summer was rejected by the administrators and now players are set to submit a final wage-restructuring offer that would result in as few cuts as possible.
Midfielders Gregg Wylde and Mervan Celik have already had their release requests accepted and have left the club. Administrators are doubtful deep enough cuts to wages can be made to prevent further job losses for players and the BBC estimates the total amount of player layoffs could rise to around 11.
A possible source of income for Rangers would be to sell players to countries that have open transfer windows. This includes the USA, Canada, Japan and several Scandinavian countries. Rumors have already begun circulating about American players Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Bedoya potentially coming to MLS, with Maurice Edu a good bet to be sold in the summer.
In order to compete in European competitions next season, Rangers will have to emerge from administration by March 31 but officials at the club are skeptical they will be able to meet that deadline.
Here are some more stories to kick off your Tuesday.
SOCHAUX FIRES MANAGER
Sochaux has fired manager Mehmed Bazdarevic as the French side languishes in last place of Ligue 1 and faces a mounting relegation threat. Sochaux have not won since early November and are five points adrift of safety. The final straw was a 1-1 home draw with mid-table Valenciennes.
Reserve team coach Eric Hely will take over until the end of the season. Bazdarevic was an immensely popular winger for the team in the early 90s but was unable to replicate the managerial success of Francis Gillot, who guided Sochaux to a fifth place finish in 2011.
It remains unclear what the firing means for American forward Charlie Davies, who has made some recent appearances as a substitute for Sochaux since returning to the French club after spending a year with MLS side D.C. United.
RAMIRES SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION
A bit of positive news finally emerged from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea announced a new five-year contract for midfielder Ramires. The 25-year-old Brazil international joined the Blues in 2010 during the reign of manager Carlo Ancelotti. Ramires has scored four goals in 21 appearances this season for Chelsea and is a regular first-team starter.
HAMBURG STRIKER GETS EIGHT-GAME BAN
Hamburg striker Paolo Guerrero has received an eight-match ban from the German FA following a violent challenge against Stuttgart on Saturday.
The Peruvian international was sent off in the 54th minute for a tackle from behind on goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. Stuttgart was already leading 3-0 and went on to win 4-0. Hamburg has come out against the length of the suspension but has not decided whether or not to appeal. The club has 24 hours to file an appeal with the German FA. If the eight-game ban stands, Guerrero will only be available for the final two games of the season.
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What do you think of today's stories? Do you see the situation ending badly at Rangers? Hoping the Sochaux firing leads to more playing time for Davies? Was an eight-game ban too excessive for Guerrero?
Share your thoughts below.
Selling isn’t the issue.
Boca and Bedoya are close to getting laid off.
You can’t control a volcano.
pretty crazy stuff. if i was Bedoya, i would only go to Scandinavia if it is Denmark or Sweden. otherwise, come to MLS. Boca, i’d like him to stay in Europe for the sake of the USMNT, but i want him in MLS too.
Edu will stay in Europe.
“(In fact a salary cap violates one of the key principles of the European Union and under present laws such a concept has no chance of ever being approved.)” – Bobby McMahon on his Forbes.com article about MLS
I wish this wasn’t the circumstances but I think it’d be good for Americans that are at their level to avoid the rugby type style of the SPL
exactly. Im sure he will find a one or 2 year offer from some small French or Italian clubs
a former regular NT member will make way more in Scandinavia than MLS. Fact.
MLS is arguably on paper a top 20 EURO league which would make it better than Sweden or Norway in reference to their leagues. Denmark has a much tougher league. But remember our players are not paid well enough so of course Scandinavia is a popular option.
1) English is widely spoken there
2) Easy or similar league to MLS so a player here whether college or MLS vet may adapt well and not find themselves outplayed
3) Easier road to a much bigger club or league in Europe
now in 5-10 years i doubt you;ll see many young US players heading there to start their career.
If they end up on a good team in Scandinavia, there may be an opportunity to play in UEFA competitions such as the Champions league and/or Europa league.
I understand what your are saying @ Jason. But how can the MLS get any better if USA born players dont stay or come back if an MLS team has the means to pay them what they’re worth?
What if a salary cap was put in place thats proportionate to the league you are in? for example if you are in the championship league your cap would be x amount and if you get promoted to the premier league then your cap gets raised? I’m just posing questions because i have a gut feeling more clubs will be put in financial trouble by trying to “keep up with the jones’s”
Judging by his performance against Italy and the fact that he starts everywhere he goes, Boca has a lot left in him to offer European clubs.
Five american players play in the EPL, Five, Four are MLS players. Also stop saying Europe, say the top five-Seven. MLS is the future and if the USMNT is going to grow its because MLS is growing as well. MLS owns the contracts and just like any league or club, they want market value for the player. When plays go to Scandinavia THEY BECAME STUCK, Only Davies manage to go to an higher league. How many other players couldnt get behind Scandinavia, a lot. This Idea MLS needs to sell them, just to sell them, is a mindless idea. Why will a company, MLS is a company, sell their product less then what it is worth. Its like you are spending money on a used car, fix the car up, and then sell the car for less, then what you payed for it. Also your point entitled to US pool, isnt MLS an American league? so of why shouldnt they want to bring american players in? You should examine your main point better.
MLS and Scandanavia won’t pay hefty transfer fees for these players.
My God, four players. What an accomplishment. How many Americans play in the EPL total, not including Americans born or who grew up overseas?
Sure the MLS’ profile is rising, however have you ever wondered how many other players in the MLS might have gone to Europe had the MLS not inflated the price for the transfer?
Again, I know MLS is a business. I hope the MLS grows and succeeds, however the MLS shouldn’t feel that it’s entitled to the US player pool.
The challenge for Gers is that they need to get some cash now so they need leagues that have open transfer windows. That’s MLS and Scandanavia I believe. Waiting for England’s transfer window to be open is too late.
Now, how many MLS teams can afford to pay both a hefty salary for one of these players AND a transfer fee (even if it’s a fire sale price)? I’d think not many . I’m not familiar with everyone’s cap situation but it seems to me that Vancouver isn’t in that situation. For Black-mouth you’d need a DP slot and allocation money.
Also, they’re all US Nationals. So the allocation order would matter. Vancouver using their slot on Nguyen…that means they’d have to trade for a slot or hope that everyone else passes on the player.
In terms of the talent, there are lots of teams in MLS that could use any of those 3 American talents. And with WC qualifying heating up, I think any of the 3 could justify taking a little less pay in order to be more accessible to JK and the NT staff and camps. But I just don’t see that the combination of allocation money, big bucks (all but Bodoya would require DP money I’d think) and then the selection order create just too many barriers. For instance, NYRB could use Bocanegra but would probably prefer to hold out for a possible GK and clearing the cap room would be…challenging. DCU is near the top and could have used either Bocanegra (he’d have been perfect for the team) or Edu but give the signing of Dudar (a veteran CB from Europe) and then Hamdi Salihi (a DP), they really couldn’t afford either unless the league subsidized their salary.
“Its a shame about rangers & Pompey.” It really is. I don’t know about Rangers but Pompey was grossly mismanaged. One could argue that a salary cap type system would allow for a grossly mismanaged club to exist where in a free market system these clubs would be punished. A salary cap would fix the “problem” or potentially allow the gross mismanagement to continue. It would be better for the fans of Portsmouth but potentially unfair to other team’s fans.
I could see them letting Bocanegra go on a free transfer because of his age and salary. Edu is easily worth a couple of million if not more on the transfer market. Rangers may be able to get some sort of transfer fee for Bedoya but probably 1 mill at the most. Potential suitors could be lower level EPL or Championship teams or even a team from Holland. If they let Bedoya go on a free I wouldn’t mind seeing him go to Red Bulls as a DP.
Does anyone know why transfers are not allowed for players whose team is in administration (and thus the players might not receive pay), even if the transfer window is closed? Seems there might be an exception in this case? Are there ever exceptions when the transfer window is closed?
Every MLS GM knows that Bedoya is a promising talent, regardless of whether or not he has name-recognition with casual fans. That’s their job.
Really name one American player that has played in Scandinavia that has led to him playing in the EPL. I can name four players, one a couple of months ago, that MLS has sold straight into the EPL. The image of MLS is growing in England and with that their is a better chance of a player having a higher success playing in the BPL, from MLS.
They pay more, thats true, I cant argue with you on that point. However USMNT players get paid well in MLS.
Did I ever say the Scandinavian leagues are better than the MLS? They may not be better, but they certainly are more accessible to the other European leagues than MLS. Judging by the number of Americans who have opted for the Scandinavian leagues, I’d say a number of American players would agree.
Fair point. I was going based solely on the quality of the play, but yeah, money will obviously be a factor.
Scandinavia is not BETTER THEN MLS, only someone who doesnt watch football would say that. The SPL is not even better then MLS, thats why I wanted Edu to go to Franch last transfer window.
I believe they pay more…
Unless its the top 6-7 leagues, Europe is MLS level. As far as selling players, look at Tim Ream.
I think Boca will have more than a few offers to play in a major league in Europe, but — PIPE DREAM ALERT!!! — I’d love for him to come to the Red Bulls!
Yeah, I don’t see why going to Scandinavia is a better move than coming to MLS. Just because it’s in Europe? Whatever.
Scandinavia leagues are not better then MLS. I like the ideea he’s coming back. MLS is way better then the SPL.
I understand MLS is a business, however I think the MLS has hindered the opportunity for many US players to go to Europe as much as it has helped.
For someone like Bedoya, who was previously involved in the Scandinavia league, it would probably be in his best interest to go back to that league rather than come stateside. I think Boca and Edu should do what they can to stay in Europe. If they go to the MLS I honestly don’t see either leaving the MLS.
You mean, if MLS signed them it might hold them to their contracts, and make transfers in its own interests?
I also think it would be an interesting question whether players jettisoned mid-season by Rangers would be in the mood for commitment-lite as you suggest. They might in fact want a reliable paycheck and their employer’s commitment to steady employment, after all this. I mean, Bedoya just got there and has barely played….meanwhile he’s disappeared from the NT radar. Though I could see him just going back to Scandinavia, a MLS move would also make sense from the perspective of creating a stable platform to make your 2014 case.
A: Someone who wants what you’re selling more than another buyer.
I’d love to see the Fire bring Bocanegra back to his original club – we could use a vet in defense like him (I’m not crazy about Gibbs). But Boca probably still feels that he can play in Europe and wants CL football – so I don’t see it happening.
Edu is probably too talented and young to just traipse back home, or give away cheap, which I why I presume he’s not on the lists of Rangers transfer-potentials I’ve seen. In contrast, Bedoya has still not made it yet and Boca is either cresting the hill or headed down it.
I’d not be surprised to see Bedoya go Scandinavian and Boca to MLS, but Bedoya may come here if he wants to really gun for the NT.
I’m not anti-MLS, but MLS would take these guys in, and then if any European club comes knocking, MLS will try to flip them at an almost outrageous premium. They’d be better off staying in a European league, or dare say, sit out the reason of the season. Otherwise Boca and Edu would probably be stuck in the MLS for the remainder of their careers.
Since they wouldn’t be returning to Rangers it’s probably not a ‘loan’.
They’ve done it unintentionally with DP’s why not temps?
I believe the club wants to sell some players in order to get some money in the door.
Who has first nibs on Carlos Bocanegra, Alejandro Bedoya, and Maurice Edu?
NYRB could use all or any of the three.
I am suprised more players did not ask to be released. If I understand correctly they could then go and sign anywhere not just with clubs in countries that have open transfer windows. I would think that might be of more interest.
There are some leagues in europe that should consider a salary cap. But it will never happen. Its a shame about rangers & Pompey.
When everyone knows you have to sell, who is going to offer to pay more than a pittance?
The bigger question is whether any MLS club would pay enough for Boca and especially Bedoya to make it worth Rangers’ while (even in their current situation.) And, no club’s going to pay them close to what they’re making now.
I believe Bedoya would be better suited to grow in the MLS for a couple of seasons and get some PT. However, I think Carlos could still find success in Europe on a midlevel or upper midlevel team.
Don’t see it. MLS only takes loans when they have offers to buy. It sort of makes sense, though it’s probably something they’ve outgrown. Also, unlike Boca (and even Edu), Bedoya doesn’t have the household cachet to land him a large contract back in MLS. But I doubt any of them will have trouble finding something.
Would MLS be willing to sign these guys on short-term deals? Allowing them to move back to Europe in the summer window…
It would be totally awesome if these American greats returned home!
Bocanegra and Edu should have no problem find European clubs….Bedoya probably should go to Scandinavia or MLS….He’s had the bad luck injury bug lately or little to no playing time….
Sochaux should have canned him before the winter break.
They barely have a chance at staying in Ligue 1 next season but I expect them to be relegated mathematically by the end of this month. If they do in fact get relegated, they’ll be in Ligue 2 for awhile.
Is it really realistic that Boca and Bedoya come to the MLS? I don’t think either has expressed an interest in it, not that I think it would be a bad thing for either one of them, though I would rather see Bedoya head back to Scandinavia.
(SBI-Agree with you that it doesn’t seem likely, but those are the rumors making the rounds. Vancouver folks seem to think they have a real chance of landing Bocanegra. I just don’t see it.)