t's with these May International Club Friendlies? | The Boneyard

t's with these May International Club Friendlies?

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I get home last night, turn on the TV, and thought I was watching a replay of Man City @ Toronto form last July/August until the announcers started talking FIFA raid. How/why on earth are City, Spurs, Valincia, etc... playing mid-week games across oceans just after finishing their regular seasons 3 days ago? And they were playing their regulars a solid half if not longer.

That said, City v Toronto was an entertaining game to watch. Score probably should have been 7-3 City instead of 1-0. Neither team could finish some good opportunities and Toronto's GK made some big saves (one with his face).

They had an interesting, all be it brief, discussion on where MLS would rank against English leagues. Twellman (sp?) did mention, according to Houston's coach (who has coacehd in EPL, other european leagues, and MLS), that MLS was on par with the middle of the pack League Championship clubs in England (so Nottingham Forest, Darby County, Leeds United). I found it interesting, and about what I would have figured. He also said it is silly to try and compare the MLS to European leagues when they are the 2 league in their own continent (Mexico's top league).
 
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I get home last night, turn on the TV, and thought I was watching a replay of Man City @ Toronto form last July/August until the announcers started talking FIFA raid. How/why on earth are City, Spurs, Valincia, etc... playing mid-week games across oceans just after finishing their regular seasons 3 days ago? And they were playing their regulars a solid half if not longer.

That said, City v Toronto was an entertaining game to watch. Score probably should have been 7-3 City instead of 1-0. Neither team could finish some good opportunities and Toronto's GK made some big saves (one with his face).

They had an interesting, all be it brief, discussion on where MLS would rank against English leagues. Twellman (sp?) did mention, according to Houston's coach (who has coacehd in EPL, other european leagues, and MLS), that MLS was on par with the middle of the pack League Championship clubs in England (so Nottingham Forest, Darby County, Leeds United). I found it interesting, and about what I would have figured. He also said it is silly to try and compare the MLS to European leagues when they are the 2 league in their own continent (Mexico's top league).

It's so hard to compare. Toronto spends $20 mil a year on Bradley, Giovinco and Altidore and no more that 3.4 mil on the rest of the roster. The rosters are so top heavy. You have guys getting 150k a game, playing next to guys who make 60k a year or even less. I don't know if there are many leagues around the world that have such a massive wage disparity.

This year MLS rosters are limited to 28 players. Last week, against the Revs SKC could only dress 17 players and one was the backup keeper so it's really like 16. With intl call ups and injuries 28 is barely enough to keep a team going. If MLS teams had to play in the Championship with MLS roster and cap retrictions, with two matches a week on regular basis, I would think that they would suffer tremendously.

The other thing MLS is hindered by is the Federation limiting the number of international slots. As long as it's mission is to develop the American player
then it's going to be like that until the talent pool takes a great leap forward.
 
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