North American Pro Soccer 2019

[Gothamite 16,539]

So Atlanta are your champions.  And now we turn the calendar page. 

 

2019 is going to feel very different in New York City at least, without our captain. 

 

So... who ya got?  

[Gothamite 16,539]

The FC Cincinnati expansion draft is tomorrow, and clubs have released their lists of protected and unprotected players:

 

Here's what FC Cincinnati has to choose from in its MLS expansion draft (Cincinnati.com)

[DG_Now 9,359]

The only name that stood out to me was Kei Kamura on Vancouver. Him and a ton of veteran free agents (Beasley, Parkhurst, Feilhaber).

[Gothamite 16,539]

Worth pointing out that some clubs offer up high-priced players because they don’t think expansion clubs will pick them up, and they can protect their younger and cheaper talent. 

[MJWalker45 3,634]

On 12/10/2018 at 7:58 PM, Gothamite said:

Worth pointing out that some clubs offer up high-priced players because they don’t think expansion clubs will pick them up, and they can protect their younger and cheaper talent. 

Kamara has been kicked out of two three teams in a row due to attitude.

[Gothamite 16,539]

Good point. The draft can also be used to relieve a club of some of its problems.  

 

If he doesn’t get picked by Cincinnati, maybe they’ll get lucky and Miami will want him next year.  Expansion opportunities abound. 

[Sykotyk 731]

9 hours ago, Gothamite said:

Good point. The draft can also be used to relieve a club of some of its problems.  

 

If he doesn’t get picked by Cincinnati, maybe they’ll get lucky and Miami will want him next year.  Expansion opportunities abound. 

Saw that FCC took him.

 

[McCarthy 10,745]

They're going to trade Kamara to Colorado for an international roster spot. 

[sohiosportsfreak 290]

Gonna be exciting! I'm going to try my best to go to both games involving Cincy and Columbus

[MJWalker45 3,634]

On 12/10/2018 at 8:26 PM, MJWalker45 said:

Kamara has been kicked out of two three teams in a row due to attitude.

Make that three in just over two years . . . and five minutes.

[Brian in Boston 1,286]

Kei Kamara's agent should try and land him a celebrity spokesperson's role with a short-term apartment rental company. 

[Digby 3,068]

What's the record for the player who's been on the most different MLS teams? I've got Kamara at 7, and that's being conservative and excluding his separate Crew stint as well as his FCC stint.

[Brian in Boston 1,286]

6 hours ago, Digby said:

What's the record for the player who's been on the most different MLS teams? I've got Kamara at 7, and that's being conservative and excluding his separate Crew stint as well as his FCC stint.

 

Nate Sturgis spent time with at least 7 MLS franchises. He played with the LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake, Toronto FC, Houston Dynamo, Colorado Rapids, and Chivas USA. Like Kamara, he did a couple of stints with one club - I want to say Houston.

 

Chad Barrett's another guy who suited up for 7 MLS teams: Chicago, Toronto, the Galaxy, New England, Seattle, San Jose, and Real Salt Lake.

[Digby 3,068]

Chad Barrett! That’s the name I was thinking of when I was looking up Kamara’s record, but couldn’t think of it.

[MJWalker45 3,634]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-fury-concacaf-usl-1.4943874

https://ottawasun.com/sports/soccer/mls/ottawa-fury-fc/fury-fc-fighting-for-its-survival-after-concacaf-ruling

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/ottawa-fury-fc-says-concacaf-seeking-bar-playing-usl/

 

Concacaf has decided that it doesn't want Ottawa Fury playing in the USL and has told the CSA that they are blocking Ottawa from playing in the USL in 2019. Most people on the Ottawa side of the debate, which includes the USL, say the issue is that the new head of Concacaf wants Canadian teams playing in the CPL and not the USL. Since both seasons start within the next 3 to 4 months, Ottawa would be forced to sit out both campaigns and could possibly fold. Sadly, the CSA had already signed off on Ottawa playing in the USL knowing they were opening a new leagues this spring. If the Canadian Soccer gods are cool with this, Concacaf should butt out. If they manage to win this fight and force Ottawa to the CPL, will Concacaf try the same tactic with the MLS clubs? 

[mr.negative15 740]

Keeping in mind this has been brewing for some time I'm not surprised to hear it.

 

I donno, I suspect that Ottawa will play in the USL this season and then move to the CPL next year with the new Montreal club. 

 

It happened with TFC2 not all that long ago that Canada Soccer tried to force them to play in League1 Ontario and it all was worked out. 

[mr.negative15 740]

Speaking of Canadian soccer and Montreal....

 

There some rumblings out there that Joey Saputo is looking to sell the Impact to someone who will relocate them and "move" or "re-establish" the Impact in the CPL. 

Part of the reason for this is trying to be "the big fish in the small pond", part of this is based on the belief that the Impact supporter's really only care about getting to the CCL and seeing as the assumption is that Canada will get another .5 CCL spot once CanPL starts (So the CanPL champion will play in the qualifying tournament) the Impact could get there regularly.

 

Personally, I think there's a huge flaw in all of this.

Leaving MLS hinders their ability to sign the big names. 

 

That'd also kill Alex Bunbury's chance at getting a CPL team in Montreal (as I alluded to in my previous post)

[mr.negative15 740]

 

Yup....seems like Ottawa will play 2019 in the USL and be pushed to get to the CPL in 2020

 

I really went down the rabbit hole this morning and frankly, I don't like what I've found. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the CPL and I really want it to succeed (I bought Forge FC season tickets) but the idea is floating out there that Whitecaps, TFC and Impact should all sell their MLS clubs and move to the CPL.

I don't want to see that and I can't see MLSE wanting to do that with TFC.

[Digby 3,068]

What is possibly to be gained by anyone in forcing those three to CPL? 

[Gothamite 16,539]

2 hours ago, mr.negative15 said:

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the CPL and I really want it to succeed (I bought Forge FC season tickets) but the idea is floating out there that Whitecaps, TFC and Impact should all sell their MLS clubs and move to the CPL.

I don't want to see that and I can't see MLSE wanting to do that with TFC.

 

28 minutes ago, Digby said:

What is possibly to be gained by anyone in forcing those three to CPL? 

 

Absolutely nothing.

 

I can see the CPL wanting to have all Canadian lower-level clubs playing in its competition, not in the US minor leagues.

 

But the CPL won’t be near the level of MLS, and those clubs already playing in the top flight should stay there if they want.  Regardless of what internet commenters think.