MLS News
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Wednesday, 07 January 2015 06:50 |
Steven Gerrard will join the Los Angeles Galaxy in July, the team announced on Wednesday. The 34-year-old Liverpool captain will be brought on as a Designated Player during Major League Soccer's summer transfer window.
Terms of the deal were not made public, as is league and club policy.
Per the Galaxy's announcement, Gerrard said:
I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States with LA Galaxy. The Galaxy are the most successful club in Major League Soccer history and I am looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come. My discussions with Bruce Arena and Chris Klein were extremely positive and the future of the team is very bright. I am committed to helping the LA Galaxy compete for trophies and to having an impact in Los Angeles and I will give my all for the club. In the meantime, I will continue to give everything for Liverpool for the remainder of this season before joining up with the Galaxy.
Bruce Arena, manager of the MLS side, first announced the deal in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, where he confirmed Gerrard's arrival will coincide with the expiration of his Liverpool contract:
We have a club now with a proven history of success. All those things go hand in hand in making LA Galaxy a very attractive team for players such as Steven Gerrard. ... Steven Gerrard arrives in July and by then we will certainly have a plan available. He's a player of quality. I'm not concerned about how he's going to fit in with our team.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant welcomed Gerrard to town in a video on the Galaxy website:
Gerrard recently suggested he would have remained at Liverpool if the club offered him a new deal during the summer of 2014, as reported by James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo (h/t BBC Sport). He is quoted as saying a switch to the Galaxy is a "match made in heaven," per the L.A. Times report.
Football commentator Ian Darke believes Gerrard will be a huge success at the StubHub Center:
Gerrard spent 17 years with Liverpool, where he has won eight trophies, including the 2005 UEFA Champions League, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the 2001 UEFA Cup. He retired from international play with England after the 2014 World Cup. He had represented his country 114 times, the third-highest total in England history, per the Guardian.
No longer a one-club man, it will be interesting to see how Gerrard develops after life at Anfield. The slower pace of the MLS will suit his ageing legs and should allow his tremendous passing range to shine through.
He remains a regular goalscorer, netting four in his last two appearances for the Reds, and he looks set to follow in the footsteps of former England team-mate David Beckham as the Galaxy go in search of further success. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 06 January 2015 07:41 |
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is set to join the L.A. Galaxy after signing an 18-month contract, per Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC. The deal will reportedly be worth a pro-rated $6 million per year. MLS will pick up $750,000 of Gerrard's salary.
At first look, signing the Reds captain is a great move for the Galaxy. Gerrard is a marketable player so LA will sell more merchandise, tickets, advertising and generate more revenue as a result.
However, there are negatives to signing the Liverpool legend. His position on the team is unknown and MLS is a unique league and difficult to understand. The cons will be ranked in terms of how hard these potential issues can be resolved.
Here are five reasons why Gerrard isn't the right fit for the LA Galaxy. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Monday, 05 January 2015 06:27 |
Steven Gerrard looks set to join Major League Soccer, with his most likely destination appearing to be the LA Galaxy.
After announcing that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the current season, Gerrard confirmed that he would be coming to play in America, and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle has reported that he will be joining the Galaxy on an 18-month contract worth $6 million per year.
While the signing will be good for MLS overall, it looks to be a bad decision on the Galaxy's part for a number of reasons.
Having won the MLS Cup in three of the last four seasons, the Galaxy will enter the 2015 season with a Landon Donovan-sized hole in their roster—one they seem to be intent on filling with Gerrard.
The problem lies in the fact that Gerrard is not a like-for-like replacement for Donovan, who normally occupied a wide-midfield role for the Galaxy. Gerrard, who made his bones as an attacking midfielder for Liverpool, has become a holding midfielder in the twilight of his career.
But the Galaxy already have an established center-midfield combination: Marcelo Sarvas and Juninho (assuming both stay healthy).
That means Galaxy coach Bruce Arena will be forced to either push one of the three into a wide position or rotate the three players—neither is an ideal situation.
Gerrard has already indicated that one of the reasons he is leaving Liverpool is his desire to be a starter game in and game out, something that might not happen at the Galaxy.
Arena could try and go with a 4-5-1, but neither of his current midfield options is an ideal No. 10. And a five-man midfield would also disrupt the forward pairing of Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes—one that showed tremendous potential in 2014.
Gerrard will also be turning 35 years old before joining the Galaxy—an age at which many players begin to rapidly decline. And as the saying goes, Father Time is undefeated.
The cost of Gerrard's contract, as well as his high-profile status, would also likely give Arena problems. By the time of Gerrard's summer arrival—no small problem on its own—the Galaxy will already be in midway through the season.
At that point, Arena will be forced to make the impossible decision to either use Gerrard as a substitute (not ideal considering his salary and status) or push Gerrard into the starting XI and disrupt the chemistry that should be well established by July.
For years, Major League Soccer has sought to raise its international profile by signing prominent players. But in many cases, it hasn't worked out well. The David Beckham experiment, which did eventually lead the Galaxy to two MLS Cups, struggled in its early years as the Galaxy failed to make the playoffs in Beckham's first two seasons. Beckham then spent his offseasons on loan at AC Milan and was even booed by LA fans upon his return.
The New York Red Bulls have also seen the bitter side of recruiting high-profile internationals with the failed signings of Rafa Marquez, Juninho (the former Lyon player, not to be confused with the Galaxy's Juninho) and, most recently, Tim Cahill.
With Juninho and Cahill in particular, Red Bulls coach Mike Petke awkwardly tried to shoehorn both into his lineup before realizing neither fit. Juninho left the club without finishing a single season and Cahill ended his 2014 MLS season as a $3.5 million-per-year substitute.
Gerrard will also be settling into a new club, new city and a new country for the first time in his professional career. Both Gerrard and his wife are natives of Liverpool and have never been forced to acclimatize to a new environment or new club before.
For the league in general, the signing seems to be a good bit of business. Gerrard is a widely popular player and, with his arrival, jersey and ticket sales will likely flourish.
But for the Galaxy, at $6 million per year, it seems like an awfully big gamble—one that's based far more on publicity than concerns on the field.
Follow me on Twitter @JohnDHalloran
Follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmericanTouchline Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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Friday, 02 January 2015 00:49 |
Now that the inevitable is finally over with, New York City FC is under more pressure to put a winning product on the field starting in March.
Frank Lampard is officially a Manchester City player until at least the end of May. There is absolutely nothing head coach Jason Kreis or director of football operations Claudio Reyna can do about it now.
Instead of lamenting every time Lampard steps on the pitch in a Man City shirt, fans of the club should embrace the challenge presented to club's brass.
Now seems like a good time to remind everyone with an opinion on this topic that Kreis built Real Salt Lake out of nothing into a consistent contender in the Western Conference.
Kreis also prepared for the lack of Lampard's presence by selecting Ned Grabavoy in December's Expansion Draft. While he may not possess the quality of the English international, Grabavoy was a rock in the defensive half of midfield for RSL before leaving for the bright lights of New York City.
With two months left in the offseason, Kreis has the opportunity to go out and find another player of Grabavoy's quality to shore up the defensive part of midfield.
The months leading up to March's opener should also be a time for Kreis to bring more depth to the squad, which is something the club should take advantage of during the January transfer window.
Looking outside of Lampard's potential position in the team, NYCFC is set up for success at other positions. David Villa, the other big-name designated player inked by the club, will be around in March to lead the line in the season opener against Orlando City.
In the back four, players like Chris Wingert and Jason Hernandez are more than capable of turning the NYCFC defense into one of the better units in the Eastern Conference.
There is also plenty of talent on the rest of the roster, as Kreis was wise with his decision-making throughout the numerous acquisition drafts at the start of the offseason.
The NYCFC boss also has the opportunity to enhance his squad through the MLS SuperDraft, where the club has the second-overall pick. Three of the last four No. 2 picks have already made a solid impact in MLS. Darlington Nagbe, Darren Mattocks and Steve Birnbaum have all turned themselves into quality players, which is a positive sign for NYCFC.
Another angle of the Lampard deal that some haven't considered yet is the potential loanees coming across the Atlantic from the Etihad Stadium.
With Manchester City being the parent club of NYCFC, we can assume that at least a few players will play for the MLS side in 2015. The specific players have not been determined, but one has to think NYCFC will get a better grouping as compensation for Lampard's extended stay on the blue half of Manchester.
The most difficult situation of them all over the next two months will be the handling of fan concerns. With Lampard staying at Manchester City until the end of the English Premier League season, many fans are questioning the direction of the club.
One player may not define a club's identity in its first season, but the Lampard situation could have long-term effects on NYCFC if the situation is not handled correctly.
One way all of the negative attention from the fans can be silenced is by winning games early in the season. Instead of creating buzz due to a negative situation, the club could create positive headlines with a fast start out of the gates.
With that in mind, the pressure will be heaped on the shoulders of Kreis even more before he takes the sideline for his first game in charge of the club. Kreis is no stranger to winning in MLS, but he hasn't faced this much pressure in his managerial career.
If NYCFC fails to get off to a strong start during the first few months of the season, the backlash from the fans will grow and even a late arrival by Lampard might not cure the blues.
There is no doubt NYCFC is under an immense amount of pressure to perform with Lampard not in the squad at the moment. But all hope should not be lost just yet for the club's inaugural campaign.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Monday, 29 December 2014 07:17 |
When Major League Soccer's expansion franchise New York City FC signed English midfielder Frank Lampard as one of their designated players for the 2015 MLS season, it seemed like a great move for the club and MLS in general.
But because Lampard was signed in July and NYCFC was not scheduled to begin playing until the 2015 MLS season, Lampard was loaned out for the remainder of 2014 to Manchester City.
Initially, the move seemed to make perfect sense. NYCFC is owned by the same group that owns Manchester City and NYCFC would want Lampard to stay active over the next six months until the 2015 MLS season began.
However, now that Lampard's loan stint is nearing an end, there has been wide speculation (via The Mirror) that he will be staying with Manchester City after the New Year—a move that would be terrible for both NYCFC and MLS.
When Lampard was first signed by NYCFC, the old adage about MLS being a "retirement" league was trotted out again. Lampard, while a legend with Chelsea, was out of contract and, at 36 years of age, his top-flight club career seemed near its end.
However, one of the primary factors in Manchester City's desire to keep Lampard after the New Year has been his success this season with City. In 17 appearances this fall—almost exclusively in a substitute's role—Lampard has scored six goals.
But because Manchester City is owned by the same group that owns NYCFC, an extension of that loan could quickly alienate many potential NYCFC fans in America.
MLS fans—rightly or wrongly—are very sensitive about the stature of their league compared to European leagues. And an extension of Lampard's loan—likely to cause him to miss the beginning of the 2015 MLS season—will be seen as evidence that Manchester City is NYCFC's "parent club."
There's no arguing that Manchester City is the better club and anyone doing so would look like a fool. However, it is vitally important to NYCFC's long-term success that they do everything possible to avoid looking like a farm team for Manchester City.
For many reasons (the United States' historical lack of top-flight soccer, the fact that MLS is not played over the winter, immigration patterns, a lack of tribalism and MLS' initial lack of quality), American soccer fans generally have multiple club alliances. It is not uncommon for an American fan to have an allegiance to an MLS team, as well as a team in the EPL, La Liga, the Bundesliga and Serie A—all at the same time.
But if NYCFC becomes known as Manchester City's little brother, American fans who root for Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and other teams in England will become loath to support NYCFC.
And MLS should know better—because they've been here before.
In 2004, Chivas USA was formed. At the time, the club seemed like a great idea. Owned by the same group that owned Liga MX club Chivas Guadalajara, it seemed to make perfect sense to put a club with a Latin flavor in the heart of Los Angeles with its high concentration of Hispanic immigrants.
But as MLS found out, the Chivas brand actually harmed the club's ability to draw in fans, especially those of Mexican descent who had traditional ties to other Liga MX clubs—and Chivas Guadaljara rivals—like Toluca, America, Tigres and Cruz Azul.
However, it seems that NYCFC's owners seem to have a similar blind spot.
When the club released its inaugural jersey last month, it was nearly identical to Manchester City's.
To a large extent, this is a problem MLS has brought upon itself. MLS Commissioner Don Garber has admitted that he was the one who sought out Manchester City to form a second MLS franchise in New York. And, considering the fact that City paid $100 million for the rights, it initially seemed like a huge win for Garber and the league.
Now, however, the league, and Garber, could be stuck with a big problem. These public relations missteps, which include the possible Lampard loan extension, the jersey—and the fact that NYCFC's games will be played in a baseball stadium for the foreseeable future—have already become an embarrassment.
And while a Lampard loan extension may be good for Manchester City's title hopes, it's also likely to do lasting damage to NYCFC's relationship with American soccer fans.
Follow me on Twitter @JohnDHalloran
Follow me on Facebook www.facebook.com/AmericanTouchline Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Saturday, 27 December 2014 16:58 |
Despite being less than a month old, the Major League Soccer offseason has already seen a ton of action.
Numerous acquisition drafts have been held, and a few clubs have ventured into the international market to sign players.
One of the busiest teams over the last few weeks has been Sporting Kansas City, who are in the middle of a much-needed rebuild following a late-season collapse in 2014.
Some of the familiar faces like Matt Besler, Graham Zusi and Dom Dwyer will still be around for the 2015 campaign, but plenty of new names will make up the supporting cast around the three stars.
One of the biggest moves of the offseason so far came on the day after the MLS Cup Final, when the 2013 MLS Cup champion sent defensive stalwart Aurelien Collin to expansion side Orlando City.
While some may have been surprised by the trade, Sporting KC needed to make changes in the back four, which made countless errors throughout the final two months of the regular season.
Collin had to be moved because of issues with the salary cap, per a report from MLSSoccer.com. But Sporting did get a strong player in return, as Jalil Anibaba was sent to the club after Orlando City selected him in the expansion draft.
Not only can Anibaba slide in at center-back next to Besler, he can also play the two full-back positions. Bringing in a versatile defender was a key move for the club, who faced plenty of defensive shortcomings with replacements in the starting 11 in 2014.
Sporting Kansas City also made a drastic change behind the back four, as both Andy Gruenebaum and Erik Kronberg were let go and acquired by San Jose and Montreal respectively in the first stage of the re-entry draft.
With their two top keepers from 2014 offloaded, Sporting were able to go out and sign Chilean 'keeper Luis Marin. The 6'2" goalkeeper will presumably act as a mentor to 21-year-old Jon Kempin, who was the Most Valuable Player of the Homegrown Player Game during All-Star Weekend.
Kempin should be the man in between the pipes for the long term, but he isn't ready just yet to take on a full season in MLS. Tim Melia was also brought in off waivers to provide a bit of experience to the goalkeeping corps.
With the experienced Marin in goal, Sporting should see an improvement in play at the position from the 2014 lineup of Gruenebaum, Kronberg and Kempin.
Manager Peter Vermes has also made improvements to his midfield, as the club brought in James Marcelin and Bernando Anor in December.
Marcelin, a Haitian international, is used to the style of play in MLS, as he played for FC Dallas and Portland in the past.
The 6'2" defensive midfielder should provide a bit of a punch in the middle of the park next to Benny Feilhaber, who enjoyed a terrific 2014. With a defensive-minded player in the central part of midfield like Marcelin, Feilhaber should have a license to move forward more to propel the attack.
Anor comes to the club from the Columbus Crew, where he scored six goals and provided one assist in 27 matches during the 2014 season. The Venezuelan is expected to bring more to the club on the wing.
Although Zusi did have a decent season in 2014, Sporting lacked a second consistent contributor on the wing, which led to more focus on Zusi than expected.
The biggest move of the offseason for Sporting came on December 17, when the club signed Dwyer to a contract extension. The Englishman was a breakout star in 2014 with 22 goals after a successful loan spell in 2013 at Orlando City.
Behind Dwyer on the depth chart, there was also some player movement. C.J. Sapong was shipped off to Philadelphia, while Sporting brought in Krisztian Nemeth as his replacement.
All six of the acquisitions made by Sporting during the early part of the offseason will make an impact on the 2015 campaign. And the club are far from done in the transfer department.
It is widely believed the club will bring Roger Espinoza back from Wigan Athletic. An October report from the BBC claimed Espinoza was homesick and ready for a move back to Sporting Kansas City.
Club CEO Robb Heineman also made it clear on Twitter he would not have a problem welcoming Mix Diskerud to the club, which would be a nice addition to the Sporting midfield if it happened.
While some clubs have made a few key signings in the first month of the offseason, Sporting have pursued players with a purpose in order to erase the disappointing 2014 finish from the minds of their fans.
With a solid foundation already built for the 2015 season, Sporting have the chance to come out strong as a contender in the Western Conference. If they add a player like Espinoza and a few other pieces, they could even be in the discussion for the conference championship when preseason predictions are made.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Saturday, 27 December 2014 10:22 |
Roma stalwart and Italy international Daniele De Rossi is considering a switch to New York City FC, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia).
Empire of Soccer's Dave Martinez also claims that De Rossi is also garnering interest from the New York Red Bulls.
De Rossi has been linked with other clubs over the past couple of years, including Manchester City of the English Premier League, per Huw Silk of The Telegraph.
However, the 31-year-old also has one stipulation. He'll only leave if Roma wins the Scudetto this season. The Giallorossi are only three points behind league-leaders Juventus after 16 games.
De Rossi has a house in the United States and spends some of his vacations across the Atlantic. A move to the U.S. wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the midfielder.
The World Cup winner nearly left the team a few years ago, but he decided to stay after Roma lost to city rivals Lazio in the 2012/13 Coppa Italia final.
New York City FC could use a player of De Rossi's ilk. He's an excellent box-to-box midfielder who can break up any oncoming attack and transition the play forward. He can also play as a center back if necessary.
One of NYC FC's designated players, Frank Lampard, is set to stay on loan at Man City, according to David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror. However, De Rossi would probably join in the summer, considering his Scudetto promise.
De Rossi earned his 100th cap for Italy against Croatia on November 16. Only five other players have ever reached the century mark. He's played in nearly 350 league games for Roma and is Serie A's richest player. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Friday, 26 December 2014 21:54 |
When the Houston Dynamo unveiled Erick "Cubo" Torres as their newest signing Tuesday night, team president Chris Canetti had the perfect words to describe the move.
"This is a monumental signing," Canetti said in the team's press release announcing the deal for the electric 21-year-old Mexican forward.
Torres will join up with the Dynamo after a six-month loan spell at his former club, Chivas de Guadalajara.
When he enters the fray in Houston, Torres will become the marquee name in the lineup, who Houston fans have been waiting to see for a long time.
The Dynamo have always had productive players in attack like Brian Ching, Will Bruin and Brad Davis. But the popularity of those three players combined will not match the recognition Torres receives when he begins his time in the Lone Star State.
For years, Houston has been searching for a player to attract the massive Hispanic audience in the city. By obtaining Torres from Chivas, the Dynamo have done just that.
Not only did the Dynamo need Torres to create a more passionate fanbase than they already had, the acquisition will help new manager Owen Coyle adjust to the league faster.
Coyle, who comes to MLS after managerial stints at Burnley, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic, has already compared the young Mexican to Daniel Sturridge in a conference call, per MLSSoccer.com.
It has been made clear by that statement Coyle has his guy up top in an already dangerous attack, where Bruin and Englishman Giles Barnes were the top scorers during the 2014 season.
When Torres becomes a member of the squad during the second half of the 2015 season, the Dynamo will have three players on their roster who are coming off 10-plus goal seasons.
Now that Torres is a part of the Houston squad, it will be able to challenge for a playoff position in the Western Conference. With the addition of New York City FC and Orlando City in 2015, Houston and Sporting Kansas City were shifted to the West.
When the conference realignment was first announced, some thought Houston would be doomed in 2015 because of the stifling defenses put out by the likes of LA, Real Salt Lake and Seattle.
In Torres, Barnes and Bruin, the Dynamo possess a three-pronged attack, which can go head-to-head with any defense in the league.
On top of the tremendous forward trio, Davis and Boniek Garcia will still be manning the flanks. Davis and his feared left foot produced 11 assists in 2014, while the Honduran Garcia brings balance to the midfield on the right flank.
Add in a World Cup veteran in Ricardo Clark in the middle of the park, and a few solid full-backs in the starting 11, and you have a strong team ready to take the field to kick off the Coyle era.
Not only does the signing of Torres mark the start of a new era in Houston, it also marks a new beginning for MLS.
In recent years, the league has seen stars like Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones come stateside after long spans of success in Europe. But the one problem that was never addressed was the locking up of younger domestic players.
A prime example of this is Tottenham's signing of DeAndre Yedlin, who was a star in Seattle over the last two seasons at right-back. Failing to keep Yedlin at home was a blow to the league, but it recovered well with the signature of Torres.
The final goal of the league is to be a primary destination for stars from all around the world. But before they can attract players in their prime from the European leagues, the 20 MLS clubs must sign young North American stars.
MLS has already begun to make strides in South America, but key players like Kaka, Federico Higuain and Pedro Morales were established before making a move to the United States and Canada.
The league has done a solid job attracting young American players through academies and the MLS SuperDraft, but there are still plenty of American-born players who opt to go overseas to begin their careers.
One factor that will play a big role in keeping the younger Americans at home is the draw of the United States men's national team. If players like Wil Trapp, Matt Hedges, Luis Gil and others can impress in the next year for the Yanks, it will do wonders for the image of MLS.
MLS has set a major precedent for itself over the next few years by committing to Torres, who is one of the brightest rising stars in CONCACAF. If the league is willing to dish out more money to other young North American players, it could become one of the premier leagues in the world over the next decade.
The league certainly has a long way to go before it reaches that point, but sometime in the future, we could look back on the Torres signing and agree with Canetti that it indeed was monumental.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Wednesday, 24 December 2014 13:21 |
Major League Soccer and the U.S. men's national team had a memorable 2014. The World Cup produced some magical memories and heartbreaking moments that no one will ever forget. An American legend also walked into the sunset after an incredible career.
As the year comes to a close, this slideshow will highlight the top 10 moments in U.S. soccer in 2014. They will be graded on the historic and present-day impact on the sport in the United States.
Here are the top 10 moments of 2014 in U.S. soccer. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 23 December 2014 01:30 |
Major League Soccer is entering a new era in 2015, as Thierry Henry and Landon Donovan will no longer be around to display their talents on the pitch.
Filling the void of the two stars will not be an easy task, but the designated-player rule does make things a bit easier for clubs to go out and find new talent.
Although acquiring outside talent is popular, some clubs opt to reward their current players with designated-player contracts. The latest example of this is New York locking up Bradley Wright-Phillips for the long term after the 2014 season ended.
With Wright-Phillips' signing in mind, here is a look at seven other current MLS players who are deserving of a designated-player contract. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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