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Well, I thought I'd start a new game, and Frank sent me to DC United in the USA.
I'm thoroughly confused by a lot of the terminology used in the MLS. I think I'll go back to my other save!
Does anybody here understand what goes on the the MLS?
For example, I tried to sign a scouted player, and it was going on about various kinds of draft (Superdraft I remember, can't remember the others). I mean, what the hell is all that about?!
I've never been able to work it out, I really can't understand the need for a draft system when there isn't exactly a thrivng college game (outside the female game).
I can only assume it makes teh game easier to understnad & assimilate for our former colonial cousins.
Good luck with the lack of relegation, money & meaningful competition though.
The idea, more or less, is to provide parity, so there isn't, in theory, a domination of one or two sides for the entire existence of the league. Dynasties, as they're called in professional sports in North America, are not as sought after as parity is. At least, that's what the leagues try to tell the fans.
So, in order to provide a semblance of parity, a draft system was introduced into sports. It's been around for longer than I've been. The team that finished in the lowest position in the league receives the first pick in the MLS draft, with the champions picking last. (The rest is in the article) Picks can be traded for players, other picks, or a combination thereof.
I am a yank and a proud one even if our "soccer" league is a little dumb at least our talent pool is growing.
Anyways, MLS is very different than any other national leagues. In the MLS the league accually owns all the players and the league is VERY centrally controled. Its even to the point that teams really dont do there own scouting, the league does and so all teams have about the same information.
The reasons behind this... Soccer in the US has failed in the past. So in order to keep this from happening again the new league thought it best if it gave each team very limited flexability to screw up. It also helps because alot of us on this side of the pond will only go to games if the team wins games...(sad but true...though my favorite team sucks annually and I still go to games) So the parity helps every team have a shot at winning. And lastly the league is new so it doesnt have the strong infustrucure that the european leagues have. So holding a draft is easier since there really isnt a much of a youth program in MLS though that is slowly changing.
Anyways, that and the typical USA playoff system to find a champion instead of just having the team with the best record be the champion are the big differences in the MLS. Not to mention that like the other US sports they also trade players instead of selling them. So you have to give someone us usually in order to get someone else instead of just throwing money at another team.
I hope that helps explain our crazy system at least a little. To be honest, it is only the tip of the iceberg.
P.S. We dont have relegation as there isnt enough teams to bother with it yet. Not to mention that a person spending millions on creating a team doesnt want them to be "AAA" (baseball terminology) as there is no money for teams that are not in the top flight.
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