MLS Week 15 Review: The American Exception?

By: Daryl | July 15th, 2007

Beckham and his LA shirt I know we should all be celebrating the advent of the Designated Player rule and everything it brings to MLS (like Becks and Blanco) but I do have one small quibble. What about the American players? The rule is intended to up the standard of play in MLS and get more big names in the league, but it could also put a glass ceiling on the careers or hasten the departure of the more talented American players. Guys like Eddie Johnson will be considered DPs as of 2008, which handcuffs the Wizards in terms of who else they can recruit. The same will apply to any other American in the league earning over $400,000 like Freddy Adu and Landon Donovan.

Obviously MLS needs big name foreigners to increase attendance and exposure, but it also needs to hold on to those homegrown players, both to give the league a distinctly American flavour and also because the league was supposed to be all about promoting US talent. As argued very convincingly here there should probably be an exemption for American players. The one (two maximum if you trade for it) DP rule means that players who may be worth more than $400,000 a year will be put in the same category as Beckham, even if they’re only earning $500,000 instead of Beckham’s megabucks. What happens when New York want to sign Jozmer Altidore to a bigger contract? They already have two DPs (and Reyna is also American) so the most they can offer the kid is $400,000. Enough to eat of course, and the sort of salary I can only dream of, but that limit may be the reason MLS lose Altidore in the future.

I understand the DP rule is all about keeping the leagues financially viable and not going all NASL on us, but I’d still favour a DP exemption for all US players. Or maybe a limit above the current individual wage cap for a certain number of American players on each roster. For example, what if each team was allowed to have 3 American players paid up to $1 million a year each (with the league still only taking responsibility for the first $400,000 of course.) We may see little tweaks like this appear down the line, especially with 2007 being only the first year of the DP rule. But again, this is part of what makes MLS so fascinating, all the little idiosyncrasies coupled with MLS being in a constant state of evolution.

But as well as signing Designated Players, the league also plays matches. Here are The Offside MLS Awards for Week 15:

Best Team in MLS: Houston Dynamo
The orange jerseys crushed another team 4-0 on national television, the victims this Thursday being Chicago Fire. It was a particularly harsh baptism (of Fire of course) for new Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

Best Defence in MLS History, Sort Of: Houston Dynamo
After a goalless draw with Toronto, the Dynamo’s unbeaten streak is now 10 games and their time without conceding a goal is an MLS record 695 minutes.

MLS Coach Who Know His Best Players When He Sees Them: Preki
The rookie Chivas coach put all his recent Copa America absentees straight back into the first XI, and got himself 3 points at home to Columbus Crew. Eddie Gaven was unfortunate enough to score the match winner with a 69th minute deflection past his own keeper that went down as an OG.

Best Reflexes: Eddie Johnson
EJ returned from a semi-impressive Copa America to score the winner for Kansas against poor RSL. He brought a long ball from Burciaga down with his chest, and went mano et mano with RSL keeper Nick Rimando. He shot came back off the post, but EJ looked so aware and composed in burying the rebound I’m half-convinced that’s exactly what he intended.

Least Popular Man In Colombia: Steve Ralston
In a league that takes assists pretty seriously, Ralston’s achievement in passing Carlos Valderrama as the all time assists leader with 115 is noteworthy. Colombians will want to forget this game then, especially as Juan Pablo Angel took out his frustration at the 1-0 defeat by elbowing Michael Parkhurst in the nose and getting himself a red card.

Best Comeback: FC Dallas
3-0 down away to a rampant DC United with 40 minutes to play FC Dallas pulled this out from nowhere with a goal from Carlos Ruiz and two from Juan Toja. That’s why Toja is in the MLS All-Star First XI.