Firstly, hello, and welcome. Sit down and put your feet up, what I’m going to be covering today is a lovely story about an expensive retirement home. Some say it’s where men go to live out their last days, others say it’s a modern, and growing – the place to be. I’m talking about none other than the American League. The MLS (Major League Soccer, or football if you have a clue about anything). The MLS is a league that has its good qualities, its erm, comfortable setting, and even more comfortable funding. The latter is what may appeal to the older players, the legends if you were. I imagine an overly eager American arse-kisser standing outside the changing rooms with a glitzy brochure in each hand, when a player reaches his mid to late 30’s:
“So Drogba… Huge fan by the way! We can set you up in this wonderful new
mansion, the view is terrific, and well it’s America – the greatest country on
Earth, super! Here’s a million dollars, a revolver, and a puppy. Jeepers, it’s
really you!”
I mean, am I being too dramatic? Probably not, let’s be honest I can’t be far from the truth. Liverpool was met with the American dream when their Captain ‘Stevie G’ was poached by the almighty grabbers of the old. The Yanks offered Gerrard a £16.8 Million Malibu mansion to help him feel right at home… A 6 bedroom, 9 bathroom, luxurious masterpiece. Close to the beach, gyms, saunas, you name it. The guy got it all. He wasn’t tempted by the competitive feel of the league, or the wage increase, the prestige? No, don’t be silly. He was tempted by a house, and an increasingly comfortable lifestyle for him, his wife, and his 3 daughters.
They’re not soft, though. Gerrard broke merchandising records for his club LA Galaxy after joining, making Lampard’s departure shrivel in his ever present midfield shadow, sorry I had to get that in there. The Americans love their merchandise, and with an ever growing fan base – the poaching of older club legends will only spark the interest and bring more fans in.
Not everyone sees the MLS as a retirement league, the Americans have spat out a cluster of talent: Tim Howard, Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and erm *cough* Altidore (The Unsung American hero). These are just a few of the names that crop up, however all but Howard eventually went back to America, nobody would pay up on the wage front after they reached their peaks. So is it a vicious circle?
Donovan also went on to give reviews on both
Lampard’s and Gerrard’s introductory seasons, which were cut short: I mean, am I being too dramatic? Probably not, let’s be honest I can’t be far from the truth. Liverpool was met with the American dream when their Captain ‘Stevie G’ was poached by the almighty grabbers of the old. The Yanks offered Gerrard a £16.8 Million Malibu mansion to help him feel right at home… A 6 bedroom, 9 bathroom, luxurious masterpiece. Close to the beach, gyms, saunas, you name it. The guy got it all. He wasn’t tempted by the competitive feel of the league, or the wage increase, the prestige? No, don’t be silly. He was tempted by a house, and an increasingly comfortable lifestyle for him, his wife, and his 3 daughters.
They’re not soft, though. Gerrard broke merchandising records for his club LA Galaxy after joining, making Lampard’s departure shrivel in his ever present midfield shadow, sorry I had to get that in there. The Americans love their merchandise, and with an ever growing fan base – the poaching of older club legends will only spark the interest and bring more fans in.
Not everyone sees the MLS as a retirement league, the Americans have spat out a cluster of talent: Tim Howard, Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and erm *cough* Altidore (The Unsung American hero). These are just a few of the names that crop up, however all but Howard eventually went back to America, nobody would pay up on the wage front after they reached their peaks. So is it a vicious circle?
"They've been perceived [to have played] well but it's not easy. The Premier League's the fastest in the world but the pace of the MLS is probably faster than you realise. There's heat, there's a lot of different issues. But I think both of them will come back next year and play much better than that.” Donovan said the arrival of the English pair, along with names like Andrea Pirlo and David Villa at NYCFC and show how far the league has come since David Beckham joined the Galaxy in 2007. If you like Landon mate, if you like.
He does make good points though… The constant American heat is unlike anywhere in the world, like Spain for example, I’m sure David Villa has never felt the heat when playing for Athletíco Madrid, or Kaka hailing from the renowned cold lands of Brazil. Do you think the MLS is rising to the top, or is it just a cosy little paradise for retiring footballers?
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