I'd like to break a little from recent tradition in my column of late where we've been lucky enough to speak with several members of the USL community in recent weeks. While I hope you have enjoyed the interviews and discussions I've been able to share with you folks it's about time I picked up the pen again and shared some opinions with you. Yes, I know, I can hear your collective groan from the various corners of the continent.
You see, the problem is this: we've finally come to a point where the lack of an agreement between MLS and the USL is causing some interesting quandaries. So of course, I just couldn't resist dashing a little something off on the topic, so off we go.
First of all, the lack of an agreement similar to the previous one between MLS and the USL is a positive for the USL. Why? It's rather simple: for once the USL will have a bit more leverage in how their players are dealt with by MLS and there will hopefully be more tangible compensation for the teams in the USL than there was in the past.
Soccer America reported this week that, surprise, many A-League teams want their contemporaries in MLS to treat player acquisitions between the two leagues as they would in any other situation. They believe they should be able to essentially sell a player to MLS or receive something in return. Of course the USL wouldn't be what it is without dissenting opinions from among its members so some member clubs are leaning more towards an agreement that would be similar to the previous one.
On the other side of things, MLS has hit a bit of a roadblock as they head towards their supplemental draft. The problem is this: some of their clubs might want players like Seattle's Brian Ching, Richmond's Marco Ferruzzi, and Rochester's Pat Onstad. With no agreement in place MLS would, theoretically, have to compensate teams in the USL if they wanted to try to pick up players like this in their draft. Chris Economides has already called San Jose to the carpet for potentially tampering with Onstad and the Quakes' interest in the Rhinos' standout keeper has drastically fallen off. Meanwhile, the situation for guys like Ching and Ferruzzi is still up in the air. Right now, however, we're in a situation akin to the Wild West where it concerns player movement between the leagues. This underlines the need for some sort of new working agreement or consensus of opinion.
Second of all, the old deal really did not do much for the individual teams around the league except for certain rules that were adhered to rather loosely. Those rules, as labyrinthine as they were, provided some limited roster protection to A-League clubs by trying to keep MLS away from some clubs' marquee players.
Nevertheless, if the MLS wanted a player badly enough they would find a way to get him. Look at what they did in the situation of Jon Busch. First they put his Hampton Roads club out of business and then promptly went after his next stop in Hershey in an insidious plot between MLS and the Montreal Impact to get Jon and Bob Lilley to each respective entity. In all seriousness, though, there were always loopholes present in the previous agreement for almost any situation.
Last but not least, it's about time the teams and leagues reevaluate where they stand. Things have changed quite a bit in the last few years for all parties involved as the ever-volatile soccer community has grown and changed. There are still folks who think both leagues are on the brink of oblivion while others firmly believe baby steps towards solvency and progress are continuously being made.
However, I do still believe an agreement between MLS and the USL is imperative in the future if for no other reason than to keep an amicable nature between the two entities. Especially looking at lower levels I believe that we need more MLS involvement in the PDL and Super Y League as well as increased efforts by current USL teams to create top to bottom clubs such as the example seen with the Richmond Kickers and their efforts in the A-League, PDL, and Super Y. Before I get letters, folks, the people in Richmond aren't the only ones doing this, I know, they're just the first of many examples that jump to mind.
Personally, I think we're still working on getting the formula right but obviously if we're in a place now where THE star player for the U.S. is selling a certain brand of sugar water known worldwide and the top two leagues north of Mexico are going to be seen rather consistently on television then the outlook really can't be all that doom and gloom. Besides, there is that little matter of making it to a World Cup quarterfinal. I'm certain both entities want to see that kind of progress continue but it will take cooperation. The folks in the supporters' community knows it will take some working together amongst themselves to keep the momentum going and I'm sure the leagues are well aware that they need to follow suit.
Send your comments to the author or
Join us to discuss this article at usldiscussions.com
