Comments

1. Why would DC United trade for Andrew Driver and then leave him exposed? Would be funny if one of the expansion teams turned around and claimed him.

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   • Maybe they did some kind of arrangement to make him untouchable? like Fagundez

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2. Any mock drafts around? other than this from before the lists http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2014/12/3/7325525/mock-mls-expansion-draft-results

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   • It’s so hard to predict since teams can pull a player back after they lose one.

     That means take any one team and they can realistically only lose their best player and third best player on the list.

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3. A team can lose 2 max and they get compensated for any player lost. Why are ya’ll so upset again?

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4. How many expansions teams have joined the league? 12 since it’s inception. So all this talk about this expansion diluting the talent “league-wide” etc. is laughable. The talent and play has gotten better and better year after year. I’ve been watching since 1996 and I admit, sure there are games that are oftentimes unwatchable. But all in all, it’s getting better. More players want to come here, not just for the soccer but also for the lifestyle. That’s a draw. Better coaches are sowing. I think Coyle is a very good coach and I’m excited to see how he does and hope he bring Holden with him. So for the trolls who insist this means the sky is falling, relax. If it bothers you that much – don’t watch and don’t comment. I never understood why fans who have such a problem with the level of play – whey they even watch…

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5. Eddie Johnson is Jeff Cunningham 2.0 . Talented player that nobody wants.

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6. Hopefully Jason Kries doesn’t read from the bottom of his list and draft the wrong person.

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   • Ha! wish it wasn’t true

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7. yet another joke of MLS. Let keep destroying our good teams and diluting the rest.

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   • This comment shows the one thing that concerns me.

     Whiners used to predict doom of the league and sub par play. They really have gotton away from the doom predictions, just focusing on the subpar play predictions. They both were very funny jokes, but they only stuck with the one, at the expense of the other.

     Please stay well rounded.

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8. expansion draft? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH

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   • Hilarious, isn’t it doofus?

     Expansion drafts are commonplace in American sports. NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL have all used them. And with the exception of the NHL (who aren’t far behind) these leagues are all far more financially successful than any European league soccer league ever was or will be.

     You should really study the financial health of the “global game” at some point. It’s not a great system. Which really isn’t a surprise, given their system was devised 80-100 years ago

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9. If the Red Bulls lose Luyindula, they’re really going to need to go out and get a big time creative attacking player

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10. Some seriously good players available. Not world class but many certainly as good as, if not better, than players who have been protected.

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11. Liga MX is considering allowing MLS clubs to participate in Copa MX

    http://www.record.com.mx/articulo/noticias/2837321/futbol+futbol-nacional+copa-mx/analizan-incluir-a-equipos-de-la-mls-en-copa-mx

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    • ESPN is confirming it as well

      http://www.espndeportes.com/news/story/_/id/2249808/la-copa-mx-a-partir-del-2015-daria-cabida-a-conjuntos-de-la-mls

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    • Now THAT would be awesome

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    • Would MLS teams consider adding more games to their schedule? This sounds like Liga MX want the US to host games that usually have low attendance numbers in Mexico.

      This sounds more like an expanded and glorified SuperLiga tournament with the unimportant Copa MX title slapped on it.

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12. This process is a joke and completely unnecessary given that soccer is a global game. The teams coming in can be competitive in the first year without diluting the rest of the league. Given the global market do we really need to water down the product on the field for the other 20 teams so that 2 teams have relevancy? The fact is that Orlando has a team and should make a good transition. Nycfc will have a tough first year. This is okay mls will not crumble and if nycfc is a flop then a lesson is learned and mls made money. MLS should force these teams to build in the lower leagues and move up as if it were promoted. In this manner you create copetition instead of mediocrity on the field.

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    • MLS is run by ex-NFL goobers. They know absolutely zero about the global game.

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      • I see. Because the global game is such a wonderful and sustainable model, right? Way more lucrative, competitive, and sustainable than the NFL… of course… right?

      • Lucrative? Who cares! I’m not financially invested, just emotionally.

        I understand that there is a business side to it but attending games should always be affordable.

      • The great thing about a comment like that is I could make a similar comment and be totally sarcastic.

        Lets try:
        Yeah if only they knew something about the global game. Then it would be run correctly, not like the goobers running the terrible NFL model.

        Man that was easier than even I thought. LOL

        Never stop whining dudes…stay strong !

      • Are you, in reality, Don Garber? Are we all barred from criticizing the beautiful edifice that is MLS? It surely would save us all a lot of time.

      • Yeah, because that is what those two were doing…constructively criticizing. LOL

      • Hey Brain Guy,

        Look at the posts above. They talked about the fairest way to do this process of getting expansion teams into MLS. I contributed, we had a really good conversation.

        There is a huge difference between that and whining that MLS exists…which is what RB and Tony ( and I believe you sometimes you too ?) are doing.

      • You mistake me for someone else. I have never, ever suggested that MLS should not exist. (I’m not sure that’s what RB and Tony were arguing either, but I get your point about tiresome and silly comparisons of MLS to other, more “mature” and presumably more serious leagues.) I have, however, pointed out what I see as serious flaws in the way MLS operates, especially as it pertains to player movement, but I get lumped in with the “MLS is a bunch of amateurs who need to learn from Europe” crowd. I think it is possible to debate the league’s complex rules about player movement — including, yes, the expansion draft — without labeling every opponent of the status quo a whiner.

    • Sure it’s a global game and expansion teams can and will find players elsewhere, but international roster spots are limited, so the global aspect only goes so far. Whether we agree with the number of internationals allowed or not, the limit is there in an attempt to ensure the league promotes the growth and level of the domestic player pool.

      Between that and the salary cap, it’s not easy for these clubs to just go out and buy a team that will be competitive without taking some players from existing clubs. It could be done with a combination of USL players and signing American players back from foreign leagues (though that has issues as well with existing MLS clubs owning the MLS rights to many players that are not currently playing in the league), but it’s far from easy and probably not practical when we have multiple expansion clubs coming into the league.

      The rules are overly complex and opaque and they are far from ideal at this point, but it’s not as simple as saying they can go out and get there players elsewhere without changing several rules/conditions. Growing pains…

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    • If this is correct, isn’t it easier to replace a max of two players per team than filling an entire team from the global player pool? Not to even bring up league rules when it comes to fielding domestic players… not sure your anger makes a whole lot of sense…

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13. According to twitter, NE gave allocation money to both teams to have them not select Fagundez.

    I hope NYC get macmath, luyundula, Patrick Mullins and George John.

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    • What’s stopping them from selecting him anyway?

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      • legally bound paperwork

    • I Dunno what condition George John will be in… He has his contract option declined by Dallas already and he didnt play the whole year. Honestly Keel might be a safer bet if they want a CB out of Dallas.

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      • John just underwent a 3rd knee surgery like 3-4 weeks ago. Keel also just had a surgery done. The FCD back line is pretty beat up.

        2015 FCD back line may look like the end of 2014 –

        Watson, Loyd (played CB in college), Hedges, Hernandez

        Benitez, I think retires but may sign a 1 year deal for cheap depth. Expect at least 1 CB to be signed as Zimmerman is made of glass.

      • Yeesh, lucky to have Hedges and Loyd. Zimmerman has done fine when he actually played but ya I have noticed he gets hurt a lot.

        Thanks for the update about John. I was vaguely aware he wasn’t in good shape but I didn’t know why.

      • Marvell Wynne might be a good depth pick-up. Can play center or fullback, speedy as heck when healthy.

      • Didn’t know George John had a knee surgery. He had been one of the big surprises for me on this list, now it’s understandable. It wasn’t all that long ago when he seemed like the next player to get picked up by an EPL team. How times can change.

14. Ives, can you explain why Fagundez can’t be selected even though he is unprotected?

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    • From what I read I think the Revs payed them both not to take him while leaving him unprotected.

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15. So what did the Revs give up? The trade deadline is passed, so it should have been published. A player? Draft picks? Garberbucks? The central office saying ‘don’t take him’ (which should have applied to both Fagundez and Hamid) it should be good, he’s a very good MLS player, and would probably be the first guy taken. There needs to be some transparency on that.

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    • Yeah I dont get that at all.
      He is the first pick, unless…..nope I got nothing.

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      • it’s stupid that you can just work out a deal and get your better players exempt on top of the 11 everyone can get exempt.

        It would be hilarious if NYCFC just said “screw it, we want Diego afterall”

    • I guess he is looked at as home grown.

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16. Allowing teams to only protect 11 players is unfair to the teams who have done a good job building depth on their roster over the past few years, and unfair to allow the expansion teams to pick up such quality players as some of the ones left unprotected. A few years ago 11 was enough for teams to protect because they did not have nearly the depth they do now. Orlando City and NYCFC are going to have a field day with the expansion draft, and I predict both of them to be very good next season as a result.

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    • Teams get money for their loses. So they can buy them back or get better players. next year is going to fun.

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      • I don’t think that is so. I’m happy to be corrected, but I don’t think there is compensation for picks in this draft.

      • Per the article above, teams who lose players will be compensated with allocation money. You stand corrected.

      • Still think in today’s MLS (with deeper more talented rosters) allowing teams to protect somewhere between 12-14 players would strike a better balance between enabling teams to keep their team together and allowing the expansion teams to pick up useful players.

    • I see a lot of talent out there too, but i am having a hard time putting together a starting eleven that is as good as the top teams. They might just go from zero to one of the deeper teams.
      MLS is already going to be very competitive next year. LA is already worse, Seattle will need to find replacements for the defenders they have lost and will most like lose, etc.

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      • Sure, you’re not putting together a cup winning starting 11, but it’s a global market, there are starters available, combined with dps and internationals (both teams have at least nine international spots, they both picked one up from DC today, plus any others) MLS is all about having those role players, so it’s not impossible.

      • I hear ya.

        I would rather have them competitive from day one like most of MLS anyway. Give them Dylan R or Leo Gonzo…the Sounders keep the other and both teams have guys playing with a little less depth or a backup need to fill. Better than the Sounders protecting both and OC or the Dueces getting a starter who is worse than the Sounders backup.

      • You can’t make a play-off team from the expansion draft, that’s for sure. As I recall, the Sounders 1st year play-off team used the expansion draft guys *mostly* as depth. You got to make a lot of solid signings from elsewhere.

    • Can you say homegrown players…….

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    • Wow.

      Reminds me of the NFL expansion drafts when Jacksonville and Carolina came in. Teams weren’t allowed to protect many players and the expansion teams loaded up and were immediately competitive. In fact, in year two both made the playoffs and Jacksonville just came up short of making the Super Bowl. The NFL’s response was a few years later when Cleveland Browns 2.0 came around they let teams keep alot more of their players and the Browns got nothing of value and sucked hard for a decade.

      Basically, MLS is giving NYCFC and Orlando a good team to start with. This should enrage most other teams.

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      • The rules are silimar to previous years… just more teams/players to choose from.