retired_dncrchck

http://www.seattlesounders.net/

Wont do you any good, but it has some nice pictures

KingsbayYHPE

That's a good ploy, answering your own question, TS

KingsbayYHPE

If you answer your own questions you're sure of a decent reply...in some cases

Good luck in the A-League. Other guys have started but I'm not sure if they stuck with it.

retired_brittni10

I had a little dabble with the A-League pretty good to be honest, I was Toronto Lynx spent 5 seasons there with a fair bit of success, it just got a bit boring after a while though because non of the MLS clubs were willing to appoint me and the lack of promotion just stops being appealing after a while.

Good Luck though, its an interesting league to manage in

needsometlc

How does that roster thingy really work? Is it like ordinary transfers?

retired_google

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Talent Spotter:
Having played conference teams many times I have decided to spread my wings and took up the job at Seattle Sounders in the US second division. Does anyone have any clue how it works? I assume you can't get promoted as that isn't how the US has its competitions, but I would obviously be interested in hearng the real story. Thanks.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As you've found, there's no promotion/relegation within the US structure. And few topics generate more heated debate among US footie fans.

A-League teams do get to enter the US Open Cup (our version of the FA Cup) and so you can knock off MLS teams and achieve qualification for the CONCACAF tournies. (Technically the two are not connected, but MLS sent the Columbus Crew to the CONCACAF tournaments this year citing their US Open Cup triumph).

Seattle is one of the better teams in the A-League and have some nice rivalries with Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers. Interestingly, all those teams use the names of teams that used to be in the old North American Soccer League, though they are not direct descendants. They kind of capitalized on the fond memories of the NASL that still exist among older fans.

The A-League and the leagues underneath it (the Pro Select League - Division 3 - and the Premier Development League - unofficial division 4) are under the jurisdiction of the United Soccer Leagues. The USL traces its beginnings back to an old indoor league in the Southwest US that sprang up after the NASL collapsed.

The A-League has been around for longer than MLS. Interestingly, when FIFA mandated a Division I league here as a requirement to award us the 1994 World Cup, they tried to get the Division I designation. But, as is unfortunately the norm in US footie, there was a fight between some who wanted to continue to grow the sport from the grassroots and others (like Alan Rothenberg who headed the USA '94 effort) who felt we needed to make a big splash with lots of money to get the attention of the sports media. The latter view is what led to the formation of MLS.

The USL was using a different points system designed to encourage attacking play: you got 4 points for a win, plus a bonus point for scoring 3 or more goals. After several years of this, they found it had not had the desired effect and so adopted the international standard of 3-1-0. Which is sort of an ongoing trend in US footie: at the request of the fans, MLS dumped the shootout, changed the stadium clock to count up, and this year's playoffs will be two-leg/aggregate-goal in the 1st round, single-game knockout after that. The A-League though has been using 2-leg aggregate-goal playoffs (except for the final championship tie, which is 1 game) for a few years.

There's also a very good resource on the history of footie in the US (including the A-League) here

needsometlc

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by andy reynolds:
there's a post that covers that, entitled american major league transfers...its actually fairly short, but explains pretty much everything about rosters. The thing is, though, if you are playing in the A League/ American Second Division, rosters are structured like anywhere else in the world. MLS is the only league with differing rules.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, I'll check it up.

retired_google

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by old fat bald guy:
We geezers do go on about the past. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Between you and iajafer, there's no reason for a history textbook.

KingsbayYHPE

Respect your elders, you Colonial whippersnapper!