Wow, as a New Yorker, I'm a Red Bulls fan first (but I love Chivas USA second for playing the most attractive soccer in the league), but I have to say I find it disturbing that NY is ranked fourth when they have really played some boring, uninspired soccer this season.
I think the #4 ranking says less about their quality and a lot more about how this season has paled thus far in comparison to last season. Where are Houston, DC and Chivas USA? These teams were fun to watch last season, have mostly the same players (or better) and yet have completely disappointed thus far.
To me, it seems the top three teams in the power ranking this week are legit and in the right order... and then there is a huge gap down to the rest of the field...
My conclusion is that the salary cap needs to be increased pronto and the minimum salary needs to be raised to $100k next season, because that's the only way we're going to raise the quality level of MLS. If MLS was able to keep the top American talent from the last two offseasons, the product this year would be much more interesting to watch -- I'm talking about players like Charlie Davies, Joe Lapira, Ellis McLoughlin, Jared Jeffrey, Greg Dalby, Gabe Ferrari, Tally Hall, Jay Needham, Eric Brunner, Kamani Hill, Eric Lichaj, Sal Zizzo -- they could potentially have been playing here instead of immediately flying the coop to Europe.
Jay Needham and Eric Brunner didn't go to Europe (although Dominic Cervi did), but Needham and Brunner both passed on MLS because of the low minimum wage
2 comments:
Wow, as a New Yorker, I'm a Red Bulls fan first (but I love Chivas USA second for playing the most attractive soccer in the league), but I have to say I find it disturbing that NY is ranked fourth when they have really played some boring, uninspired soccer this season.
I think the #4 ranking says less about their quality and a lot more about how this season has paled thus far in comparison to last season. Where are Houston, DC and Chivas USA? These teams were fun to watch last season, have mostly the same players (or better) and yet have completely disappointed thus far.
To me, it seems the top three teams in the power ranking this week are legit and in the right order... and then there is a huge gap down to the rest of the field...
My conclusion is that the salary cap needs to be increased pronto and the minimum salary needs to be raised to $100k next season, because that's the only way we're going to raise the quality level of MLS. If MLS was able to keep the top American talent from the last two offseasons, the product this year would be much more interesting to watch -- I'm talking about players like Charlie Davies, Joe Lapira, Ellis McLoughlin, Jared Jeffrey, Greg Dalby, Gabe Ferrari, Tally Hall, Jay Needham, Eric Brunner, Kamani Hill, Eric Lichaj, Sal Zizzo -- they could potentially have been playing here instead of immediately flying the coop to Europe.
Jay Needham and Eric Brunner didn't go to Europe (although Dominic Cervi did), but Needham and Brunner both passed on MLS because of the low minimum wage
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