By MATT STYPULKOSKI
Former New York Cosmos great Pelé believes his old club has some work to do in order to achieve its past success.
The Brazilian forward spoke with the New York Post for a story published Thursday, in which he said the Cosmos may require a move to the “top league” – perhaps a nod to MLS – if they hope to return to their former glory.
“I think there is no other way,” Pelé said. “Cosmos they have a big name because of the past, then they should be a big team, too. They should be in the top league, because the name Cosmos is known all over the world. It’s important to have an excellent team and win championships.’’
In addition to a potential MLS move, Pelé also cited the Cosmos’ need for a stadium, star players and winning ways to regain their relevance.
Playing in Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium, Pelé said, is not befitting of a club known around the world. His old teammate, Franz Benckenbauer, agreed, saying that a new stadium “would be an important pillar” for the club, while recognizing that actually getting one built presents some challenges.
Pelé also spoke to the crucial role that marquee players hold in the Cosmos equation. Though, he is encouraged by the likes of Raul and Marcos Senna joining the club, he believes that the addition of more stars is still necessary to match the firepower that he, Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto and Giorgio Chinaglia brought to New York in the 1970s.
“They have now two good players in Raul and [Marcos] Senna,” Pelé said. “But I say this is not enough to make a good team: They must have excellent players.’’
“That’s why I tweak Cosmos fans on here.” = I’m a troll. And it’s not just on here.
Finally the truth comes out, MLS needs cosmos and cosmos must go to MLS.
Who will win the case.
Is he saying the Cosmos need to specifically be in MLS or is he saying that
the Cosmos deserve a shot at D1?
MLS is the only D1 league in the US so it’s kind of the same thing.
There is a rube here, but it’s not who you think it is Cosmosfan
Pele is right,that if the Cosmos want to achieve the SAME level of success and popularity they had in his day, that signing great players, winning and being in the spotlight are what needs to be done. None of this is rocket science. The NY Post article puts the context of the discussion to the reader much better than this lede and summary here.
The good news is the Cosmos are in the same market as a franchise who’s entire existence is to promote an energy drink brand and be a small part of a global marketing gimmick (Red Bull) and a franchise who is a complete shell corporation to move money and assets from Manchester City to New York (and Melbourne and Japan) to avoid UEFA FFP laws and to promote the Manchester City FC brand. You truly have to be a sell out rube of the highest order to throw your undying support behind something like that.
The Comsos will be just fine, they will play good football, win trophies, be good to their fans and build their club into something better. All things self respecting football fans enjoy and respect. Pele is right to dream big, and he is right that better players, a stadium, winning and playing in the spotlight (top division) are all components for greater popularity.
I don’t have a dog in this fight as I’m not from the area, but I would think as a fan of the Cosmos, you would want them to play at the highest level possible and compete for the most prestigious trophies available in their region.
I don’t particularly like the fact that RBNY is owned by Red Bull, or that NYCFC is a “sister” (hell they’re barely the red-headed step child) of Man City, but Red Bulls does have a really nice stadium in the area, and I’d bet money that City finds a way to get one as well.
A good game-day atmosphere and playing against the best teams in the region are what I’d be looking for in a soccer team, not a flashy name.
*I understand that NASL contends that there isn’t a pyramid in US Soccer and therefore they aren’t the “2nd tier”, but until an MLS team leaves to become an NASL team or more players from NASL play on the national team than MLS, I’ll view it as a 2nd tier league.
USSF ranks professional leagues into three divisions with MLS being the top division. NASL’s argument is basically that without promotion/relegation, the top division is not a true top division as the term is normally understood in the mainstream soccer culture. NASL is technically correct, but as a practical matter, MSL was assigned the title to the top division by USSF so for better or for worse MLS is the top league in this country. The single entity structure of MLS, however, presents Cosmos with a difficult choice. They could try to buy their way into the “top” division (the MLS), but it would require them to surrender their independence, because the MLS does not have independent clubs – just franchises of a single entity. It is not an easy choice.
It is an easy choice but instead MLS chose not to invite Cosmos to join. Then Cosmos pretended that they were too good for MLS and had somehow chosen not to join. Then they unveiled plans for a huge stadium in a great location while actually playing in a college stadium on the side of a highway in Hempstead.
Right — because the 1970s-1080s Cosmos of Ahmet Ertegun and Steve Ross were all about sweetness and light and loyalty and not a bubble that burst when the deep pockets that paid their bills forgot that you need an actual league, with actual competitors, to legitimize your own standing. The shortcomings of RBNY and the Mankees are obvious, but they don’t make their respective groups of supporters “sell out rubes” any more than the fact that the Knicks and Rangers are owned by MSG makes their fans “sell out rubes.” One can root for a team regardless of, and in even in spite of, its owners. Your image of the Cosmos has more to do with the Cosmos of Downing Stadium than with the Cosmos of world fame.
As I’ve often said, the Cosmos are more obsessed with their “brand” than either of the other NY area teams. Guess that makes you a sellout rube too.
Why are there still articles about the Cosmos? I’m sorry Pele, and the 200 Cosmos fans out there…it’s not happening.
Cosmos is just a name now. It’s not a true brand. MLS is not about to give NY a third team in the next decade just because a few people want it. RBNY and NYFC have major backing, major money, and a real fan base.
The NASL is a decent 2nd tier, but that’s it.
Old man yells at cloud.
I like to shake my fist at mountains.
I LOVE LAMP
Pele’s old club was defunct in 1984. This current incarnation is a bunch of hipster fanboys and soccer moms making the trek to Hempstead to watch has-beens and MLS rejects play minor league soccer in a college stadium while ownership trots out Pele and touts totally unrealistic plans.
Ouch. Pithy. Stover should read this one in a “mean tweets” session.
I am so full of hate.
I hate the Cosmos.
I hate the NASL.
I hate Erik Stover.
I hate Long Island.
I hate my mom.
I hate myself & everything about me.
I hate that I hate.
And I hate that I love that I hate.
I hate everything.
I lie on a cold tile bathroom floor at night weeping with little octogonal tiles imprinting in my flesh, hating myself for posting on SBI about all the things I hate.
It’s not hate, it’s contempt.
I do actually have contempt for some of the things you mention, including octagonal tiles (but not my Mom or myself). “Full of hate” is quite a stretch though.
As you know, Slow, I loved the Cosmos as much as anybody back in the 70s and 80s, and it would have been great to see them resurrected when MLS came on the scene. But as a result of a long series of missteps by both MLS and the various individuals and entities that have owned the Cosmos brand, they have simply missed the bus. It’s kind of painful for an old Cosmos fan to see it, but they continue to overestimate the value of their “global recognition” and its relevance to most present-day soccer fans. Until and unless some semi-miraculous event — e.g., a bazillionaire buying both RBNY and the Cosmos and renaming the MLS franchise Metrocosmos FC — the Cosmos are, sadly, doomed to the periphery and singing Springsteen’s “Glory Days.”
If Cosmos bought out RB and played at RBA (with a different name for the stadium of course) I wouldn’t have a problem with it. And I actually don’t have a problem with the current Cosmos (though I don’t really see the point) except that so many of their fans trot out the theories that they rejected MLS, they’re too big for MLS etc. They’re going to win the Open Cup and then the Champions League. That’s why I tweak Cosmos fans on here.
The Cosmos “brand” isn’t meaningful outside the US and, even here, it isn’t that big. Not surprising since the Cosmos’ heyday is now 35-40 years ago. I’m a little too young for the original Cosmos, and I’m sure it was cool back in the day, but things have moved on.
Now this is the space to watch today. Gotta go and prep the popcorn…
Pelé added, “The sky is blue.”
Play in a decent stadium in the top tier, instead of making lots of noise and unrealistic plans? What a concept! The only problem is that *two* NY-area teams already figured that out.
Well only one NY team figured out the decent stadium part.