Greg Shields is also over here playing in the NASL (the league below the MLS) with Carolina Railhawks - still remember that goal against BIrmingham like it was yesterday
Nope. They reportedly played chicken with MLS management, insisting that their proposed stadium be in another part of NYC than where the league wanted it. So MLS went somewhere else with the new team.
It's going to be interesting what happens to the brand now.
Surely they won't have three NY/NJ teams anytime soon though ?
It would be patently ridiculous at this point in time. Although there are a minority of fans that want a setup similar to European cities with multiple clubs in specific neighborhoods (we call them Eurosnobs). I love the game, but that's never going to happen in America. Our market is too full of other sports to have that kind of reach.
The NASL is in no way connected with MLS, although I have no idea how the nu-Cosmos are going to survive without the carrot of MLS to dangle in front of their fans. After having that happen with my club for years, I can't see the club surviving very long, nostalgia be damned. The other clubs in the NASL aren't in MLS cities, so they're fine.
Surely this smacks of a feeble attempt by Man City to raise their profile for commercial reasons in the US. Money talks as ever, think it's a real shame that the Cosmos brand won't get to join MLS and think it's a bit short-sighted by MLS, it's probably the only piece of football heritage the US has. With PL football being shown widely on NBC in the states next season, Man City desperate to try and get close to United's popularity.
No, the reason the Cosmos won't be joining MLS is because they gambled that the popularity of the brand (which isn't as big as you think) would be enough to knock down the expansion fee. They may have money, but people have known for years that the expansion fee for NY2 was $100m plus a stadium plan. That's why they were joining the new NASL - because they balked at MLS' price and were planning on the league caving and offering a discount.
Surely this smacks of a feeble attempt by Man City to raise their profile for commercial reasons in the US.
You make it sound as though they are being quite secretive about what they're doing it for.
I don't think they are being secretive, just desperate to expand their brand for commercial reasons. Not sure how much room there is in the US for another "favourite" EPL team. If you look at baseball, how many teams genuinely cross over into mainstream culture over here, probably only one, the Yankees. I have to bow to the knowledge of @KidFlash who seems very informed about the Cosmos and there intentions, but I just hate that Man City can buy there way into something over what looks like to me a team that has some history and heritage in the US. Surely whatever the background of how the Cosmos are run, they would have an easier time of generating interest in them. Who in the US knows much about Man City? Just my two cents. I was lucky to have watched the first ever MLS game of the then NY MetroStars at Giants Stadium back in 1996 and always thought they missed a trick not using the Cosmos brand. Some of the MLS teams have used the same names, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps.
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Its on ESPN. Ruby looking ok so far. Hope it works out well for the lad.
Or most of the MLS players are midgets!
Played a lovely ball over to Henry just before he was subbed, looked like he's very comfortable on the ball.
It was a permanent signing in the end wasn't it?
Think Mike Ammann later went on to play for them.
Chicago Fire really struggling at the moment too.
Also Toronto (managed by Ryan Nelsen) now have Rob Earnshaw (he scored twice on saturday), Hogan Ephraim and John Bostock playing for them.
http://www.soccerbyives.net/2013/05/breaking-announces-franchise.html
It's going to be interesting what happens to the brand now.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/05/19/portland-timbers-will-johnson-puts-it-plainly-we-dont-give-and-we-fight
The NASL is in no way connected with MLS, although I have no idea how the nu-Cosmos are going to survive without the carrot of MLS to dangle in front of their fans. After having that happen with my club for years, I can't see the club surviving very long, nostalgia be damned. The other clubs in the NASL aren't in MLS cities, so they're fine.
Now, they have nothing but a neat vintage shirt.