McBride: Still With Fulham, On Olympic Team

Don't pinch me. No way I want to wake up from this dream.

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=771770

 

Say again? Has nothing to do with Fulham. He's out of contract, remember?

What it is is a problem few had foreseen. There's no way he's gonna play for TFC but they see a chance to either keep him off competing clubs' roster or get a real nugget of a deal for him and arent going to easily give that up.

It also points out the problems in him going to Chicago. They have a set roster and team chemistry built and it's working. Why disrupt that by sending away one of the key elements in that team, as well as get him into the mix and have to develop new playing tactics.

Even in Columbus there isnt a lot of interest in getting him back, anymore. Alejandro Moreno plays McBride's role on the offense, and it is working out pretty well. Everyone's comfortable with each other.

If he gets on the Olympic team, good for him. But it's looking more and more like Brian is going to have to sit out the rest of the MLS season. That will give Garber and MLS time to twist Toronto's arm.... and dont think he wont!

 

All I can say is that this pisses me off. I would have made it a top priority to get to a game in which McBride was playing and I'm sure I'm not alone. MLS is missing out; the fans are missing out. This clearly shows that this is a bad rule-they should probably put a cap on the age of the player (also, why have a special rule for US MNT players when MLS now has a team in Canada)

I'll be happy to see McBride on the Olympic team, but I have to wonder if it doesnt have something to do with demands on our other top players from their clubs and from WC Qualifiers.

 

The MLS needs to rethink both the allocation and discovery rules. The MLS should be making it easier for US players to come home not giving them more hurdles to jump through than players from other nationalities. To this point the allocation rule has outlived its usefulness. Its initial purpose of attempting to spread the US talent pool equally throughout the league to make the league balanced, competitive and marketable was at worst an admirable idea in the beginning. Now however, I find it completely ironic that any MLS team can negotiate with any current or former international player with the glaring exception of those from the US. Of course the last statement is only true if a player has not had a discovery tag placed on them that is! The MLS has the salary cap in place to keep the league competitive from top to bottom. The allocation rule needs to be revised so that current or former US internationals are able to enter the MLS with the same negotiating rights as internationals from other countries.

The discover rule has its own issues. In the land of the free and the home of the brave I find it laughable that an MLS team can scout a player and fill out paperwork that essentially bars other MLS teams from signing that player without some form of compensation being paid to them. It’s the equivalent of employers going to the local university looking at a students report card and filing a discovery claim that would force another employer to pay them if they decided to hire the student out of college. The discovery rule needs to be changed to cover only those players that have gained some benefit from a club by participating in their youth systems or development squads.

 

This is Chicago's fault. They know McBride only wants to play there (quite reasonably), so they're hoping to get him without giving much up. They won't give up crappy Justin Mapp or Chris Rolfe? Seriously?

 

As much as I like Brian McBride I would not give up a 25 year old Rolfe or a 23 year old Mapp to get him for basically one year either.

My question is what has Toronto done to deserve anything for his services? I don't have a problem with Toronto and I am not a fan of the Fire so I really don't care if one team gets better and the other worse. However, the idea of any club benefitting by doing nothing becasue the MLS has a bad rule in place I find a joke.

Reportedly Toronto is going to recieve some allocation money from San Jose because they discovered Darren Huckerby too. I am sure the great amount of effort Toronto put into scouting in ENGLAND warrants this payment and that San Jose is ever greatful to Toronto for putting Huckerby on their radar.

 

I predicted from the start that:

1. McBride would play in the Olympics as one of the overage players. The 20-Aug WCQ at Guatemala is too important to deplete our senior team more than the losses of Adu, Altidore, and Bradely already do.

2. McBride wouldn't play in the MLS this season. Between the Olympics and situation in Chicago, it makes far more sense to make the change in the MLS offseason, when Chicago can take the time to think about how to build a team with both Blanco and McBride. The trading will be easier in the offseason, too.

 

I dont think anyone alluded to concerns about McBride. We all know he can and will take care of himself. When it comes down to it, professional soccer is all about the fans; it simply doesnt exist without them. The fans want to see McBride play before it's too late. He should be playing, MLS should be marketing him, and the TV commentators should be telling his story (althouh few if any are worthy of the task).

Don, they are blowing an opportunity to help the MLS and US soccer - it is a waste.

 

I'll take him on RSL. too bad he would never come. although I would tempt him with the new stadium and great fan base...and he still wouldn't come.

http://www.rslstadium.com/construction.html

 

oooooh, appears andypalmer has been doing more than just working on upgrading his Facebook page. i remember him posting that a long time ago as well.

fart smeller, that andy.

 

Does anyone feel a little bit squeamish about hard-working, playing-through-pain McBride on the same team as whining, diving, gutless Blanco?

 

McGod

~ Know you all probably read more than me, but saw "McBride Deal In 'Stalemate'" by Greg Lalas (pasted below) yesterday. If only the Revs could pick him up!

Negotiations between Chicago and Toronto over the fate of Brian McBride seem to have stalled.

A month or so ago when it was announced that Brian McBride was set to return to MLS, a wave of excitement crashed over the league. Despite the fact that Toronto FC had first dibs to him, the ex-Fulham striker said he wanted to play in Chicago, his hometown, and most observers assumed a deal between the Fire and TFC would quickly get done.

That was six weeks ago. Now, a source with close knowledge of the situation tells Goal.com the negotiations between the two clubs are at a "stalemate." In fact, the source has serious doubts about whether the deal will get done at all, as Chicago does not want to gut the young nucleus of their side and Toronto does not want to give up such a valuable commodity for nothing.

Supposedly, in exchange for McBride and possibly another player, TFC has asked variously for Justin Mapp, Chad Barrett, or Chris Rolfe, or some combination thereof. But, the source says, "honestly, I don't think Chicago wants McBride that badly."

So does this signal that a deal isn't going to happen? Not necessarily. This is MLS, and things like this often seem to get done, one way or another.

But it's not surprising to hear Chicago may not be as enamored of McBride as everyone originally surmised. Although he is the consumate professional and in fantastic shape, the former Fulham striker is now 36 years old. He doesn't have too many years left. Allowing young talented players like Mapp, Barrett, or Rolfe go would be risky for Chicago. It would become regrettable if the Fire didn't win a trophy or two with McBride.

Furthermore, even if McBride winds up with back in MLS, he will miss a chunk of time right away while playing with the US Olympic Team. Goal.com has learned from sources within the league that McBride will be one of Olympic team head coach Peter Nowak's three overage players.

Despite all the possible negatives, there are plenty of positives to keep Chicago pushing for McBride's services. He is a national hero who would provide the Fire with both a world-class finisher -- 32 goals in 139 appearances for Fulham -- and, along with Mexican superstar Cuauhtemoc Blanco, a second huge draw at Toyota Park. If the deal gets done, Chicago would immediately be seen as favorites to win the MLS Cup.

McBride previously played for the Columbus Crew from 1996 to 2004. He scored 62 goals for the Crew, and led them to the 2002 U.S. Open Cup championship.

 

RE: McGod

sorry! looks like thread started w/that article!

 

McBride deal may happen

Chicago now has some incentive to get McGod soon. Carr has been injured

http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx ... oId=773766

 

RE: McBride deal may happen

According to Steve Goff:

"Chicago's acquisition of the rights to veteran striker Brian McBride from Toronto is in the final stages. Chad Barrett and other considerations are heading north. Of course, McBride would not be available to the Fire until after the Olympics. ... "

 

RE: McBride deal may happen

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/8 ... ride-trade

sweet. nice to see him back on the field.
i wish him good luck.

 

Seems McBride is back home! Yay!

Going to get my Chicago Fire McBride jersey...
-T

 

I’ve followed McBride’s professional career from the moment he signed with my hometown Crew, through his loan spells, and onto Fulham, where I became a huge fan of the Whites. He is a class act and my favorite professional athlete (any sport).

His current move, while expected and understood, is akin to joining the Blue Poo in my book. This is truly a sad day for Mrs. Jux and me. The Crew made efforts to sign him last summer and this year, but it was not meant to be. The saga has been recounted on too many sites for me to recant here.

I wish he and his family the best and hope that he wins the same number of MLS cups with the Fire that he did with the Crew.