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Author Topic: English Premier League (EPL) Thread  (Read 256433 times)

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Offline che

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Re: English Premier League (EPL) thread
« Reply #240 on: October 01, 2006, 07:01:57 PM »
Well done ManU  :applause:

Offline Toppa

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Premiership (EPL) inferior, says Lalas (MUST READ You're sure to laugh.)
« Reply #241 on: June 18, 2007, 11:27:30 PM »
LONDON – Alexi Lalas helped humiliate English soccer 14 years ago. It looks like he's trying to do it again.
The Los Angeles Galaxy president, who scored when the United States beat England 2-0 in a friendly match in 1993, told British newspapers that Major League Soccer is on a par with the Premier League.

Irked by suggestions that David Beckham is going into semiretirement by joining the Galaxy, Lalas said the only reason the English league is popular is because of American-style marketing.
“The fact that a segment of the world worships an inferior product in the Premiership is their business,” Lalas said in an interview with The Guardian published Tuesday.

“In England, our league is considered second class, but I honestly believe if you took a helicopter and grabbed a bunch of MLS players and took them to the perceived best league in the world they wouldn't miss a beat and the fans wouldn't notice any drop in quality.”

Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey are among the American players in the Premier League, although they play for modest Fulham. None of the American players in England are stars of the caliber of those at teams such as Manchester United and Chelsea.

McBride – the third highest scorer in U.S. national team history with 30 goals – scored nine times last season for Fulham, which finished 16th in the Premier League. His tally was 12 short of Didier Drogba's league-high 21 for Chelsea, and the same as Wigan's Emile Heskey and Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Despite criticizing the Premier League for sloganeering and over-marketing, Lalas claimed that, when he arrives, Beckham will have a higher profile in the United States than Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan.

“The U.S. will never have dealt with an athlete who has had this kind of international impact,” Lalas told The Mirror. “Tiger Woods has that international appeal but, with due respect to Woods and Michael Jordan, David Beckham is at an entirely different level.”

Lalas, a 37-year-old former United States defender, said his country's record at the past four World Cups compared favorably with that of England – England has two underwhelming quarterfinal appearances to one for the U.S. – and suggested almost all those who criticize the MLS have yet to see the league.

However, several British papers were unimpressed by the Galaxy's 3-2 win over Real Salt Lake on Sunday.

“The game was not without moments of quality ... (but) some of the defending from both sides was the type of stuff you watch through your fingers,” according to The Mirror. “It was the football equivalent of a demolition derby.

“The use of possession was alarmingly careless and the concept of marking appeared not to have found its way across the Atlantic.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20070619-0611-soc-galaxy-beckham.html




Alexi Lalas, the president of LA Galaxy and the man responsible for taking David Beckham to Major League Soccer in the United States next month, has suggested that the Premiership is an "inferior product" whose global success is largely down to American marketing techniques.
"There's no accounting for bad taste," Lalas said in an exclusive interview with the Guardian. "That a segment of the world worships an inferior product in the Premiership is their business. English football now has the haves and the have-nots. It's just that the Premiership have become so skilled in presentation. They took a page out of American football and so now they have Saturday Showdowns and Super Sundays. I love it. This is high-calibre marketing - taking an inferior product and improving it through packaging."

Lalas hit out at English criticism of football in America. "The experts in England talk about David Beckham as if he's going into semi-retirement. It's insulting to say Beckham is on his way to Hollywood when he's coming to play in one of the most competitive leagues in the world. There are a lot of stars who would struggle here.
"There's this delusion that if it's English then it's great. But a whole world exists outside of England. That's reflected in the difficulties they had when everyone ran to the Premiership. Maybe it's OK for the fan but, for the average development of the players, their game is struggling."

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2106111,00.html

The Guardian letf out the funniest part of the interview.
Lalas:
“In England, our league is considered second class, but I honestly believe if you took a helicopter and grabbed a bunch of MLS players and took them to the perceived best league in the world they wouldn't miss a beat and the fans wouldn't notice any drop in quality.”
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20070619-0611-soc-galaxy-beckham.html
« Last Edit: June 19, 2007, 02:21:40 PM by Toppa »
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Offline prodigy23

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hmmmmmmmmm.........ok.......no comment!  :devil:

Offline #4

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Alexi Lalas' mouth deserves to be immortalized in a sports talking head hall of fame right next to Jim Rome, Mohammed Ali, Bill Walton and Jack Warner. Just like the rest of them, I'll admit that what he says may be true from time to time, but especially like the rest of them, d Man can talk some real shit!!!

you know how they say... "as my locks get longer, so does my wisdom grow...", well here is living proof, because his intelligence has obviously decreased since he did away with all that hair. ;D

Offline Filho

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makes 2 very decent points.

has an axe to grind..so he uses poor wording. definitely sounds angry and that takes away from his credibility. but he is correct about the power of marketing and the EPL, and he is correct that they borrowed from the Yanks in that regard. It is a league that is not as quality (inferior) as it is marketed to be and the have nots are just not quality. In England some teams just don't even attempt to play technical football. It is hard to say that of La Liga and Serie A. Lalas is not saying the top teams are not great. He is just looking at the league as a whole and even though it exciting as he infers (it's OK for the fan), there are some teams that really come out and just hoof ball. But the EPL markets the whole league as quality..the best in the wrold. It is good for the fans but the English game is struggling. Tae a look at the current English national team. Take a look at how few youngsters are coming through the ranks compared to Spain, Italy, Germany etc..

he may be coming on strong about what he is saying about the MLS but it is more competitive than people seem to think. Too bad he exaggerates a bit, using strong words like inferior etc. cuz the underlying points have merit. I love the EPL..it is exciting because of the speed and physical nature of the game and the attitude of the players. But if I am honest..a very large group of teams don't relly come out and play at the same technical level as mid and lower level teams in other leagues I watch.

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point is...he eh lying!  THE EPL is the best marketed league and it is adertied using de american model...take it or leave it.

he eh lying..de epl is not de best in de world, nor is de most excitig, it is de most hyped doh!

Offline Ponnoxx

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 I was watching SkySPorts a time and a man say David Beckham going to join a Mickey Mouse League...Lalas crazy or wha...The only how players stuggling over there is during preseason or if the player is done 30 something and doh fight it again...MLS is a retirement league for Europe...No MLS team could ramp with an EPL team when they in full flight...EPL is properly marketed...Their MLS stars struggle in EPL badly...Beckham had some good years left in him and he made that decision because Real Madrid was playing stupid and not settling his contract...That was kind of a bad mind decision...he shoulda go there when he reach all 35-36 so...Who he will cross to? Landon Donavon... :rotfl: ....Beckham is a great..although he unbalanced Madrid for a while(not his fault but the club's inability to get better defenders)....Beckham on a balanced team is a deadly player...Finally everybody see how good he is.....Lalas please, hush yuh mouth and stop talking crap

Offline Andre

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lalas talking some truth there:

1. EPL is the best marketed and uses the NFL model. look at how they is get some people to wake up early on a sunday morning to watch bullshit like fulham vs. wigan.

2. apart from the top, it like any other euro league. look at how the 2nd tier and below team is get knock out by fc unknowns from eastern europe in the UEFA cup.

i think he on a hype mission to stir interest in MLS though. hence the harsh words.

i done see sky sports news listing MLS standings and leading scorers on their right side.

Offline injunchile

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Lalas made some good points about marketing. He forgot to mention the salaries of MLS players. Money is the bottom line. How can he justify most of the national players plying their trade overseas- especially the EPL.

Offline kicker

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Their MLS stars struggle in EPL badly..

Not true.....

From the time an AMERICAN begins making critical comments about the EPL, yuh know such will be taken with a pound of salt on a TRINI message board because:

For some strange reason, Trinis fail to respect the U.S. acheivement in football and hence disregard any American perspective about football (pure bad mind)

                                         &

Plenty Trinis like they own shares in the EPL.... and for some reason respond very insecurely about any criticism about it...

At the end of the day, the only thing Lalas screwed up with was the word "inferior". The EPL is arguably not "inferior" to any of the major leagues in Europe- On the flip side, it is not really "Superior" either- contrary to the opinion of its fans and advocates.....why is their opinion of it so high? - Great Marketing....convincing the consumer that Pepsi for eg. is of way way better quality than the store brand (when the truth is, if you ever took a marketing class, you would know that the store brand, is often manufactured using pretty much the same ingredients and process as their premier product, but is cheaper only because yuh not paying for branding & certain patents etc.....)...Lalas hit the nail on the head, but "inferior" was a poor choice of adjective. In terms of success and quality of football, the EPL is on par with the best in the world.

His comments about the MLS were typically defensive- an understandably so...He is an American, he believes in and supports his local league and he is an advocate for it.....It have men on this board who draws is get wet when Beenie and Wim dis the PFL (a truly inferior league), and we's give them a bligh- so ease up Lalas nuh.....
« Last Edit: June 19, 2007, 07:40:38 AM by kicker »
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Offline Pointman

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First off let me start by saying that Alexi Lalas is the biggest, overrated, shitsnake ever to lace up a football boots >:( . He more than anyone else should know the power of marketing an "inferior" product because he, Alexi lalas, benefitted from such marketing.

Secondly these leagues are BUSINESSES and marketing is an essential part of running a successful business. The PFL needs to learn this(I can't stress that enough). The EPL is the absolute, best at marketing itself. The EPL is far better than the MLS, where many foreign star players, past their prime, go to stud. I am a staunch defender of the EPL and an avid fan and I suggest that if one were to compare the top, middle and lower tier teams in the Prem to their counterparts in La Liga or Serie A etc the prem would probably produce better results.
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Offline Mr Mc

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point is...he eh lying!  THE EPL is the best marketed league and it is adertied using de american model...take it or leave it.

he eh lying..de epl is not de best in de world, nor is de most excitig, it is de most hyped doh!


come on that is like the owner of a Geo Metro saying people only think the Lexus is better because they have better commercials!

Quote
English football now has the haves and the have-nots.

Is the MLS trying to say that the EPL is made up of has been players/teams? really the MLS is making this claim!  We all know Becks was jus vex, and thought his club and country careers were over when he signed on to the Galaxy.

I know Lalas vex, but oh gosh man yuh have to come better than that.
Its not a foregone conclusion that the EPL is not the top league, Chelsea's Liverpool's and Utd's run in the CL this year give strong evidence that they are right up there with anybody else, so to claim it an inferior product is quite debatable, and not a discussion the MLS would even be invited to.



Offline Bianconeri

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i hadda agree with Lalas on the point of EPL and its marketing strategies...
they have that down cooolllllllldddd!

EPL marketed in such a way that it makes u think it is the best league out there...especially now since we doh get much football here with Spanish, gErman and French football all gettin d axe cause of them chupid ppls at FLOW(i eh wanna get started on them this mornin nah!!)
steups...

but he hadda back up his product which is the MLS ya could say....they bad talkin his investment..so he gonna put up his fists and fight back...

i eh blame him in a way...he vex but say wha...
EPL aint the best anyway ya take it...maybe 3rd with italy...but since thas all we get we hadda cool it

i say Spain first of course and then Germany and italy 2nd then england and france...
the other leagues jus doh have as much financial clout as the EPL...

money talks...

Offline Pointman

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i hadda agree with Lalas on the point of EPL and its marketing strategies...
they have that down cooolllllllldddd!

EPL marketed in such a way that it makes u think it is the best league out there...especially now since we doh get much football here with Spanish, gErman and French football all gettin d axe cause of them chupid ppls at FLOW(i eh wanna get started on them this mornin nah!!)
steups...

but he hadda back up his product which is the MLS ya could say....they bad talkin his investment..so he gonna put up his fists and fight back...

i eh blame him in a way...he vex but say wha...
EPL aint the best anyway ya take it...maybe 3rd with italy...but since thas all we get we hadda cool it

i say Spain first of course and then Germany and italy 2nd then england and france...
the other leagues jus doh have as much financial clout as the EPL...

money talks...

steeeuuuppps  ::) that is a ridiculous statement!!
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Offline Tenorsaw

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The drugs he on real good.  He not in reality mode.

Offline Bakes

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Their MLS stars struggle in EPL badly..

Not true.....

From the time an AMERICAN begins making critical comments about the EPL, yuh know such will be taken with a pound of salt on a TRINI message board because:

For some strange reason, Trinis fail to respect the U.S. acheivement in football and hence disregard any American perspective about football (pure bad mind)

   
There's a lot of truth in what you write here...but I don't think you address Ponnoxx' point...MLS/American players struggle badly in England.  John Harkes had a decent career at Sheffield Wednesday, and Keller, Friedel, Hahnemann and Howard have had stellar GK careers.  Outside of Brian McBride who is an absolute stud...no other American position player has really distinguished himself.  Reyna...please.  Beasely likely won't be back with Man. City, Onweyu was supposed to be the next best thing at defender....he's out of a club right now...Bobby Convey is playing so-so ball...Bocanegra, Dempsey (Fullham) and Corey Gibbs (Charlton), DeMerit (Watford) are all up and down.  The list goes on.


Now...

That said, it's a credit to the direction in which the USSF has been going, and to MLS itself that they have so many young players with an opportunity to play in the EPL.  Contrast that with TnT...we now will have three in one fell swoop as of August.  Yet Trinis love cry down the Americans as you say.  Obviously they're doing something right.

Offline Bakes

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point is...he eh lying!  THE EPL is the best marketed league and it is adertied using de american model...take it or leave it.

he eh lying..de epl is not de best in de world, nor is de most excitig, it is de most hyped doh!


come on that is like the owner of a Geo Metro saying people only think the Lexus is better because they have better commercials!

Quote
English football now has the haves and the have-nots.

Is the MLS trying to say that the EPL is made up of has been players/teams? really the MLS is making this claim!  We all know Becks was jus vex, and thought his club and country careers were over when he signed on to the Galaxy.

"haves and have nots" simply mean there's a lack of competitive parity...which is spot on.  You have a cluster of rich teams near the top followed by game, but largely inferior teams in the middle...followed by a perennially moribund lot struggling at the bottom.  But this is also true of many other leagues....MLS no different.  Ask Lalas how many titles Phillip Anschultz' teams won...

That said, Lalas' claim to fame is that he signed Becks.  That and his hair (at one point).  The guy was an overrated foul-machine as a player, and he's an overrated media starlet masquerading as a GM.

Offline Bakes

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i hadda agree with Lalas on the point of EPL and its marketing strategies...
they have that down cooolllllllldddd!

EPL marketed in such a way that it makes u think it is the best league out there...especially now since we doh get much football here with Spanish, gErman and French football all gettin d axe cause of them chupid ppls at FLOW(i eh wanna get started on them this mornin nah!!)
steups...

but he hadda back up his product which is the MLS ya could say....they bad talkin his investment..so he gonna put up his fists and fight back...

i eh blame him in a way...he vex but say wha...
EPL aint the best anyway ya take it...maybe 3rd with italy...but since thas all we get we hadda cool it

i say Spain first of course and then Germany and italy 2nd then england and france...
the other leagues jus doh have as much financial clout as the EPL...

money talks...

Nonsense.

Offline Peong

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EPL aint the best anyway ya take it...maybe 3rd with italy...but since thas all we get we hadda cool it

i say Spain first of course and then Germany and italy 2nd then england and france...

EPL might have to further split that 3rd place tie with Portugal.
Maybe get pushed down to 4th.

Offline grskywalker

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This coming from the first and last American to play in Italy (dropped on account of being shitty) :rotfl: He would have never made it in the EPL. Marketing aside the MLS standard sucks, shelling out big buck for 17 yr FREDDIE ADU WHO? Bringing in retiring players does not raise the standard of the MLS, it is used only as a means to sell tickets.

When you come down right to it the EPL is about the high level of professional football on that field, and that LALAS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT

Offline Pointman

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EPL aint the best anyway ya take it...maybe 3rd with italy...but since thas all we get we hadda cool it

i say Spain first of course and then Germany and italy 2nd then england and france...

EPL might have to further split that 3rd place tie with Portugal.
Maybe get pushed down to 4th
.

Like Miami men have first dibbs on all de good weed coming into de US from JA and dem places boy ::)
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Offline capodetutticapi

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so why spend so much money on beckham,did he not acquire his skills from someting inferior.i tink that lalas should invite any epl team to play his galaxy.see what happens.
soon ah go b ah lean mean bulling machine.

Offline Bakes

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This coming from the first and last American to play in Italy (dropped on account of being shitty) :rotfl: He would have never made it in the EPL. Marketing aside the MLS standard sucks, shelling out big buck for 17 yr FREDDIE ADU WHO?

Locking up Freddy was a good bet on the part of MLS...obviously the man showed enough potential for Inter to want to throw 3/4 mil at him at age 12, and marketable enough that Nike also locked him up to a long-term deal.  MLS locked him up two years later when his star was still shining high in the sky.  He was exactly what the league needed, young (to appeal to the US sport's growth base), remarkably poised, confident and articulate for his age (marketable), and American (what better way to market the game to young Americans...specifically teens who will badger their suburban parents to take them to the games).

 Bringing in retiring players does not raise the standard of the MLS, it is used only as a means to sell tickets.

When you come down right to it the EPL is about the high level of professional football on that field, and that LALAS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT


Uhmmm, excuse me perfesser...but isn't "sell[ing] tickets" what marketing is all about?  Selling the brand too of course...but you just unwittingly conceded that they're employing sound marketing.  Unfortunately the public has been slow to buy it...but the tide seems to be turning.

As ah man who grow up watching "FA Cup" and "Road To Wembley" every Sunday...I'm one of the biggest proponents of the EPL and would rate it above both Serie A and La Liga...but the lack of parity, or should I say the DISparity in the league kinda undermines that argument.  That said, in our haste to attack the red-headed idiots, let's not get too carried away and start making our own selves sound too much like that babbling retard.

Offline Ponnoxx

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It had a list or something on this forum a time...Anyhow...Toppa...MLS seperating itself from PFL in my book because of fitness and a better marketing plan(understandable)...The skill of the league that distinguishable in my opinion...If you look at the Mexican league or the Argentine league you could see that all the players are at a higher level...I get vex when Beenie and Wim bad talk the PFL because , I mean what they expect ...PFL big issue is to get people out their houses to go to games....Generally Trinbagonians very polar and (this is not a word eh what the hell) waggonistical that they don't support anything until other people take notice...America has made tremendous strides in football but they remain stagnant for all the progress they gained...I say this simply because Football from top to bottom is the same...Good basic Football...I mean you can't ask for anything more but I think that is the reason why they are not respected as much...You go to MLS, USL, PDL and Super-Y and they all play alike....Just who more athletic makes it to the top...This is a good thing because it shows that all American players  on a decent technical level...Until you see an American player born in AMerica with American grandparents hitting man body dancie-like fakes, cheeky shots, no look pass, executing serious control  and even just beating for the hell of it, They will never be respected....Well I guess you could say unless you see PFL players develop the kind of fitness needed at the highest level they will never be respected either...which is true....Football is cultural....We too lazy to emphasize superior fitness and them to methodical to step out the square that they are in...Technique and Athleticism alone can't win World Cups...African players grow up with less resources than our players but they are not lazy and push their athletic potential to the max....Why you think Foreign clubs does take our players? Cheap, something different because a man with good technique could always be found(think about it), and does usually look athletic(not always the case)...They does think if they get the player fit enough...with his skill he would be a big player and plus he cheap....We players lazy and don't usually push themselves....Football is cultural...tell a Trini reach 1'oclock and he reaching 15 minutes pass....Go T&T

Offline royal

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Mailbag: Is MLS really as good as the EPL?


Bigger than MJ and Tiger?Alexi Lalas has always been known for using his head, whether clearing balls out of danger on defense or using it as a canvas for the goatee and long hair that made him a marketing success, but some people may start to wonder if the Los Angeles Galaxy president took a few too many knocks to the noggin after he claimed the talent in MLS "wouldn't miss a beat" if placed in England's famed Premier League.
Lalas made his comments in response to opinion coming out of Europe, and especially David Beckham's native land, that the England international and recent Real Madrid star is heading to the United States to enjoy a glorified retirement tour with the Galaxy. For the coup de grace, Lalas added that Beckham will have a higher profile in the United States than the likes of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

So what's your take, SportsNation? Is Lalas crazy? Will Beckham be the biggest celebrity in American sports? And has MLS really improved to the point that it's at least comparable with some of the best soccer Europe has to offer? We'll post selected responses.


VOTE: How would the best MLS team fare in England?


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Ryan (Solon, OH): Alexi Lalas is going to kill American soccer. I've lived in America my entire life. I watch the EPL, along with the leagues in Italy, Spain, and Germany ... to compare the MLS to the EPL is like saying there is no difference between college and pro BASEBALL. The best MLS teams MIGHT be able to get by in the Championship over in England, but in the EPL they'd be in the bottom 5 easily. The MLS is starting to get better, but people like Lalas are going to keep it as a joke.


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Ben (Oklahoma City): Are you kidding me? Let's not kid ourselves. This is like saying the European basketball league is on par with the NBA. It just isn't. The soccer clubs in Europe have been around since before the Red Sox were playing the Yankees. I think the MLS has enormous potential, but if you think the MLS cup is anything like the UEFA Champions League, then you are clearly deluding yourself.


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Josh (Santa Clara): I think that MLS teams could compete in the Premier League. They certainly wouldn't be on par with teams like Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool or Arsenal. But I could see them beating West Ham or Fulham. The way Newcastle's been playing, FC Dallas might be able to take them. Unfortunately, Beckham won't be the biggest celebrity in American sports IN the U.S. He might be the biggest American sports celebrity outside the U.S. Perhaps unfairly, the MLS lacks credibility; they need to sign a few guys like Fowler and Zidane who can give the league some instant credibility in terms of talent. Getting the most marketable player in the world--although does things for popularity of the sport, which is huge, does not do anything for perceived credibility.


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Matt (Avon): Alexi Lalas has always been a huge proponent for American soccer and he?s also been known to say stupid things. This is one of those stupid things. The quality of the MLS is increasing drastically as can be seen with teams like Kansas City not really hurting horribly from the loss of a player such as Eddie Johnson and his amazing hot streak. While you hear players like Juan Pablo Angel be surprised at the quality of football we play here in America. But we are not on par with EPL it just isn't the fact yet. Beckham is the biggest global celebrity there is. Micheal Jordan gives him a run but I think Beckham wins out whether its people loving him or hating him he is known everywhere. But He won't be the Biggest Sports Celebrity in the US. Soccer is still a 2nd or 3rd tier sport to most of the American public. So even the greatest celebrity in the world probably won't be the #1 name just do to the access to the sport. Lalas is speaking out for his love of the American game and out of frustration from all those people claiming Beckham is to good to go to America. He may have gone a little to far but his point is Beckham won't be wasting his talents coming here and that is true.


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Ken (NYC): The existence of this 'forum' is proof that Lalas got exactly what he wanted, publicity. My advice is to ignore him and perhaps he'll go away.


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Rob (New York): You can not even say that MLS is even close to the EPL. A MLS all-star team could probably not even beat a mid-level team like Everton or Tottenham. If Cristiano Ronaldo played in the MLS he would score 100 goals. The real test for MLS teams is to play in the Champions League or UEFA tournaments to see how they far against the best football clubs in the world. EPL is equal to the Major League Baseball. MLS is equal to Double A Minor League Baseball.


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JD (Washington DC): I'm all for supporting the US and the MLS, but Alexi Lalas has no clue what he's talking about. He's just trying to hype up the MLS and Beck's move. In reality, if ANY MLS team had to play a typical schedule of an EPL team, they'd be dead by week 10. FA Cup, EPL League, possibly a CL or UEFA Cup game.... Please. The best team in the MLS can't compare with a good EPL team. A bottom dweller, maybe. But even then ... those lads are way more physical than ours.


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Glen (Aurora): Not a chance, not even close. The Premiership is FAR superior to MLS. I'd probably put MLS on par with League One in England, with a couple of the top teams maybe in the Championship. I think Alexi has taken one to may crosses off the noggin here.


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Mike (San Diego): Some of the best MLS players could compete in the EPL, but not a lot of them. The EPL is much much better than the MLS. However, Lalas might have something right about Beckham, he is already a world-wide figure, and his popularity in the US (the world's largest celebrity market) will continue to grow.


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Jon (Darien, CT): David Beckham in no way will ever compare to Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan in terms of profile and international impact. He is a washed up, ever-overrated player who will garner some hype for a short period of time upon arrival. The largest spotlight on Beckham will undoubtedly come in form of a reality TV show of he and his wife on E! before the ratings force it to be shelved and he is benched on another team soccer team.


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Mike (New York): Lalas is a little delusional here. The best MLS teams could handle the bottom half of the Premiership, but would have great difficulty with the top half. Look no further than Juan Pablo Angel scoring at will in MLS while being benched at Aston Villa.


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Chicago: Lalas isn't far off. There is no doubt that world class clubs such as ManU, Chelsea, and Arsenal are far ahead of any team in the MLS. However, there is not only a big gap at the top of the premier league (can anyone remember the last time Wigan won the Premiership?) but also, these three are far ahead of most teams anywhere in the world. When examining the overall composite of MLS teams to the entire composite of Premier League teams, including teams like Newcastle, Boro, Charlton, and Pompey, the MLS is about as good as the EPL. The MLS needs to take a lesson from the EPL, and allow promotion and relegation, as well as to do away with salary caps. Don't restrict the money coming in; at least wait until you have it to restrict it.


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Manuel (Houston): I keep up with all of the European soccer leagues and the MLS, and I would have to say that the MLS cannot even come close to compare with the Premier League. Watching the MLS is frustrating because of how bad the players are and how sorry their inability to execute simple tactics is. Sometimes the games get so frustrating that I flat-out change the channel because I'm yelling at the television because of the dumb mistakes they make all the time and how they never shoot from outside of the penalty box. Almost all of the goals are either headers or really close to the goal. They pass it too much inside of the penalty area. If you are that close you have to shoot!


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Matthew (Peoria, IL): Hey, his point is that the English media are the joke, not the MLS. They all puff their chests about how good the EPL is and how good England is, but England hasn't done much better than the U.S. over the past 20 years of soccer on the International Level. EPL has 4 good teams, the rest are just average, that?s what he's saying. Better Competition Top to Bottom in MLS.


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Mark (Cincinnati): "Lalas added that Beckham will have a higher profile in the United States than the likes of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods." This is the one that made me spit my drink on the monitor. A sport has to be relatively popular before a star of Tiger or MJ's caliber can then elevate it to greatness. Beckham playing for the galaxy will be grabbing all the headlines on page 8 of the sports section.


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Daniel (Cincinnati): Lalas has no business comparing David Beckham to Tiger Woods. The individual achievements of these two legends far outweigh any collection of accomplishments by David Beckham. David Beckham is a worldwide superstar and may be just as popular as those two icons, but he never transformed his profession the way that Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have done for their respective sports. If we want to compare a Futbol player, let?s talk about the likes of Pele, not a spice girl.


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mehul (Dallas, TX): David Beckham will clearly be the best player in the MLS and is paving the way for many other internationals as a viable option for a league to play in. With that said, the English Premier League is on a class of its own, where the world's best go to play. Alexi's comments are the equivalent of saying European basketball leagues are on par with the NBA. There is a reason why Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker play in the NBA, because it is the best league in the world. There is a reason why America's best soccer players including Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Demarcus Beasley, Brian McBride, and others try to make it in the EPL. Alexi Lalas is simply trying to make a shocking comment to seek more attention for his club. Beckham has come to the U.S. because of the Hollywood lifestyle and because he is not the same player he once was. Although he can still strike the ball on corners and free kicks better than anyone, he is not the great all around player that many perceive him to be. He will be a huge attraction for soccer in the U.S., but Alexi Lalas is clearly way off on this one.


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Franco (Miami): Lalas, may be trying to help Beckham keep his place in the national team and also refusing Real Madrid the ability buy out the contract of Becks. But he's insane. The EPL is much stronger, the MLS is more comparable to the Scottish one.


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Steve (NYC): Juan Pablo Angel has a MLS record 9 goals in his first 7 games. This is a guy who was on the Aston Villa reserve side at the end of his EPL league. I wonder if all the people that are working their butts off to grow the league just cringe everytime this idiot opens his mouth.


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Jose (Wallingford): Michael Jordan 6 Time NBA Champion & Finals MVP 5 Time NBA MVP 2 Gold Medals NCAA National Champion Winner of the Naismith and Wooden Awards. Tiger Woods 12 Majors (second all time) David Beckham Married to a Spice Girl.


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Luis (Washington, DC): Anyone who thinks Tiger Woods has a greater international profile than David Beckham has no clue what they're talking about and should just be ignored. Beckham, and other international stars like Ronaldinho, are on another stratosphere compared to US sports stars. I do agree that Beckham won't be the biggest star in the US from an American perspective. As for Lalas, he is an idiot. I think a top MLS side, plus some added depth (the biggest shortcoming in MLS right now) could survive in the EPL, but would be near the bottom of the table. MLS compares very favorably to the Championship.


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Toby (Baltimore): How many MLS players have moved to the EPL and achieved even a modest level of success? Three or four? The fact that EPL teams aren't scouring the MLS for young talent, and the fact that the MLS is scouring the EPL and other Euro leagues for old talent speaks volumes. MLS players lack the class, pace, and talent of their counterparts in Europe. It's not a knock on them, but rather a testament to the superiority of the EPL. Lalas is the PT Barnum of the MLS and I commend his efforts. However, a dumb statement made with best intentions is still a dumb statement.


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Ben (Dener): Lalas' comparison of the two national teams is in disregard of so many other factors. USA has an incredibly easy route to the World Cup every fourth year, competing against teams like Guatemala and Canada. Qualifying in Europe is far more grueling and the top English players often play 70-80 games in a World Cup year. Half of the team is either hurt or physically drained. Also, England don't lose to teams like Iran in the World Cup. USA got to the quarterfinals once after playing a very favorable schedule. Let's not put them up there with England just yet.


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Kyle (Chicago): If the MLS could compete w/ the EPL than why are the best American players overseas? Not only the EPL, but the leagues in Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, etc. are superior to the MLS in talent and quality of play. The challenge for the MLS is to keep the best American players here, but personally I'd rather see our MNT players in England and throughout Europe playing in an international environment against better competition. The more Americans playing in Europe, the better our national team will be.


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Mike (Virginia): First off I think most everyone on this board who are saying that MLS teams could not compete the EPL are Delusional. I don?t agree with Alexi, not every MLS team could compete in Europe (Columbus Crew for example) But I certainly do believe that teams like N.Y. RedBulls, DC United and a few others would do very well over there. Man U, Chelsea, whoever, doesn?t matter, we can beat them on any given day. You saw Chelsea barely beat DC United when they came on their American tour. So people open your eyes American soccer and the MLS are on par and we are no longer the underdogs we can beat anyone in the world period.....and I?m not even an American.


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Johnathan(New York): Lalas isn't far off the mark. Obviously MLS teams don't compare to the premier league giants, but it isn't a stretch to say they are close to a lot of the table.


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Mark (Chicago): The EPL may be a bit overrated for the bottom 10, but that certainly does not mean that MLS is on par with the EPL. There might be one or two MLS teams every year that would survive EPL relegation (which puts me amongst the kindest poster on this thread), but none of those squads would ever compete for Europe. The standard is far better than most give credit for (ask the players and coaches who have played in both leagues or Chelsea who was downed by an MLS All-star squad that never played together before) and the league is more competitive as far as being less black and white between the haves and have nots, but Lalas rambling speech is nothing more than headline grabbing. His comment about the helicopter is accurate, but a far greater percentage of EPL players could handle MLS than vice versa! Lalas? most accurate comments involved the evolving global nature of club football, which in time will lead to a cross-continental Champions League. While the EPL teams to play a ton of games, it is not uncommon for top MLS sides to add up to 15 more games to their slate a season between US Open Cup, MLS Cup Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions League, and friendlies of all kinds versus European and A-league squads.


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Daniel (New York): I think Lalas is a brilliant marketing guru. This should spark some interest in the MLS at a crucial time of growth for the league. Outlandish - Yes, but his comments will definitely make some people watch. We are embarking upon a remarkable time in world football where parity will reign supreme.


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Bill (Boston,MA): Lalas is incredibly far off in comparing the quality of play in the MLS to that of the EPL. While the MLS has clearly improved recently, there is NO way that any team in the MLS could stay in the Premiership. However, if the MLS continues to improve at the rate it is, there is a chance that some of the teams could reach a level to compete in the Premiership in a few years. While a player the quality of Beckham certainly improves the image of the MLS, this announcement is incredibly premature, and insults many of the teams in the Premiership.


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Nate (Santa Barbara): Why is anybody listening to Alexi? Anyone who knows anything about soccer in this country knows he's the "Don King of US Soccer." He runs his mouth cause he's smart and wants to keep the attention on his sport. Good talk or bad talk, he just wants you talking about MLS.


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Clifton (Washington, DC): I somewhat agree with most of the posts here that Lalas is overstating the quality of soccer in the MLS compared to the EPL. However, I feel that is just what the MLS needs to boost the value. If comments by Lalas keep appearing on the main page of ESPN, maybe your typical fan will start to listen and check out a game. I think this league has come very far since its inception after the 1994 World Cup and will only continue to grow. I don't know if Beckham will be bigger than Tiger or Jordan, but his face will be MLS Soccer for the next 5 years. If he comes over and is successful in the MLS, I think this is the snowball that turns the MLS into an avalanche of popularity. At the games he plays in, he will sell out most stadiums. Getting the new fans to the game will exponentially increase, and that is how you grow a sport the quickest. While some may disagree that soccer will never be as popular as baseball or football in America, I think twenty years down the road they will be biting their tongue. Soccer will take over those sports when the money is there in the MLS to compete with the big sports. That is when America's best athletes will lace up the soccer cleats rather than baseball or football shoes, and Americans will dominate Soccer on an international level just as they dominate every other sport that pays well. Beckham is going revolutionize American soccer. Just you wait and see.


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Bort (Liverpool): I think that if Lalas means that a good MLS team would hold their own in the EPL as a whole I think he is correct. If he means that a good MLS team is as good as the top 4 EPL teams or would beat them I think he is crazy. However, after the top 4 or so teams there is a huge dropoff in quality in the EPL and there are MLS teams who are as good or better than the weak EPL teams.


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David (Cleveland): I have to agree that the Lalas isn't being too wild in his comparison of MLS and EPL. Look at some of the basement teams in the EPL, they are filled with the same retreads and slobs that are in the MLS. Now I don't think that Lalas was really comparing any American club to ManU or Arsenal, but we need to remember that those are world wide teams that have a fan base larger than the population of England. It?s just like comparing some of the MLB cellar dwellers to a top team in Japan, not far off/


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Alex (Los Angeles): Why does Alexi Lalas have to say such a ridiculous thing just when the US was starting to gain momentum for the Beckham coming? Unfortunately, Lalas has no credibility as his Galaxy is struggling in the table right now. It's a shame Beckham will have to put this issue right next time he speaks to the media. Although Beckham is extremely popular at the moment, I don't think it overrides Jordan's popularity while he was playing his career. Hopefully Lalas thinks before he speaks next time.


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Matt (NYC): The English national team and U.S. national team have very little to do with the competition level of the MLS and EPL. The fact that the majority of the best players in the world play in either La Liga, Seria A, or the EPL shows that these are the elite leagues in the world. The Bundasliga is also top flight. Yes, there are the big four in the EPL, (Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal) but even Everton, Spurs, Pompey, or Newcastle, would wipe the floor with the best teams in the MLS. These players are playing 40-60 games over a 10 month season. The MLS elite players are average players in the EPL and stars in the MLS. If Chelsea can win all but three or four game in the EPL, They would run off amazing streaks in the MLS. The highest paid American in the MLS is Donovan who makes just around $1 million. Meanwhile, Ronaldo on MAN U is banking 10-15 times that. That is elite. The sport is huge there which is why ratings and support is huge, which creates need for top flight competition. The MLS doesn't have any of those things the way the EPL has them. One day, maybe the MLS will be the 5th or 6th most popular sport but it will never compete with the EPL.


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Kyle (Boston): April 24 MLS Columbus vs Los Angeles: 5,424 Attendance May 19 EPL Manchester United vs Chelsea: 89,826 Attendance Sure, MLS is on par.


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Logan: I understand why Lalas reacted the way he did, however inaccurate his assertions may be. As a huge Liverpool supporter, I watch a lot of EPL games. MLS, while it has improved, is simply not on par technically. Possession is inconsistent and, I must agree, the defending largely suspect. I would say it is on par with the Championship League in England, with maybe one or two teams able to compete in the bottom half of the EPL.


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James (Austin, TX): I have to agree somewhat with what Alexi actually said, that MLS players could move to the EPL and fit right in. Of course an entire MLS team would have trouble not being relegated if they were to move into the EPL, but I don't think our better teams (Houston, New England) would necessarily be automatic drops; I think they could hang with the Charltons, Watfords, West Hams of the EPL. Just look at how easily Dempsey has begun to make his mark for Fulham. After he was able to crack the line up for some playing time, it took about 4 games for Fulham fans to start wanting to see him in the starting XI.


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Toronto: I can't believe what i've read on some of the responses. Exhibition games are completely pointless for crying out loud, these European teams come out for show and not compete, this is their off season so why should they really care if they win or not? The MLS is far from being the same level with the EPL. I grew up in Singapore being an Aston Villa fan and i'm happy for Angel to be doing well for New York. But go figure, a lot of these former European guys were not that great in Europe and now excel because the pace is far more slower than that of the EPL. To think a MLS team could compete in the EPL is a total misunderstanding of the game. Yes maybe one of these teams can beat an EPL team once out of 10 tries. But there isn't any team in MLS that can actually compete for a Champs League or UEFA Cup spot. I suggest a lot of these posters and viewers who think the MLS is on par need to review their comment and situation, its like saying College Basketball teams can play with the NBA teams. There is a huge gap in terms of skills, natural talent and coaching.


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Troy (Denver): Does this latest Lalas incident and the attitude of the English press perhaps hint at another issue here... the English's deep-seeded prejudice and disdain for the idea that American soccer might actually be capable of producing some exceptional talent? Clearly, at this point, MLS's overall quality just doesn't compare with the Premier League's. It doesn't come close to the Premier League's popularity, spending power and ability to develop young players. It is making strides, however, and I wonder if the English press will ever be able to admit that. Not sure Lalas is the best spokesman for American soccer, but kudos to him for sticking up for it.


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Peter (Pittsburgh PA): To compare the FA Cup Final attendance to a regular season match is flat out ridiculous. Lalas was trying to make a point that outside of the top 4 teams, the EPL is not that great and the MLS teams could compete. MLS will never be on par with the big leagues of Europe, but the quality is getting to the point where they can compete.


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Eric (West Deptford, NJ): In regard to Mark's comment about Lalas being wrong about Beckham being bigger than Woods and Jordan, I must say you did not understand what Lalas was saying. You are comparing the three at the U.S. level, while Lalas is talking about internationally. And internationally Beckham is regarded right up there if not above those two. As far as the MLS, while it is gaining ground it is not yet up there with the EPL.


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Jeff (Macon, GA): What's even more delusional is the comments made by the idiots who believe the 300 million Americans are the only people on the planet. The other 5.7 billion people slobber all over photos of David Beckham. Also, anyone who thinks golf is a sport, is an idiot. If you want to talk overrated, let's talk Tiger Woods. The guy is on the same par as a player who won 12 majors on the pro bowling tour. Is David Beckham equal or better than Michael Jordan? Nope. Will he add something to the game that will make it better than before. Yep. And that's how he is equal to Jordan. The American soccer game will be better because of him. As for MLS being on par with the EPL, this emphasizes the need for mandatory drug testing in MLS.


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Junior (Temecula): Lalas is totally ignoring the fact that MLS teams have trouble beating Mexican clubs in the CONCACAF Champion's Cup. Before he starts comparing the MLS with the EPL, the MLS needs to start playing in the Copa Libertadores (Sth America's version of the UEFA Champion's League). See if they can handle the level that the Argentine & Brazilian clubs play. I doubt it. Mexican clubs consistently perform well in that tournament and they're not anywhere on level with clubs from England, Italy, or Spain. There's no comparison between MLS and Europe. MLS is the minor leagues...nothing more, nothing less.


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Dave (Edmonton, Alberta): That?s like saying the CFL is on par with the NFL. The MLS is attracting players at the end of their careers; which is why you hear many European/South American stars saying they would like to finish their career in the MLS. Ronaldo has said he would like to do so as has a few other aging stars.


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Johannes(Greenville, SC): People who say that the MLS is on par with the EPL need to travel across the pond and actually attend an EPL game. This has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I lived in Germany for 19 years and I would not even think of saying that the German Bundesliga is on par with the EPL. Come on now people lets keep it real here. The MLS is a minor league compared to the EPL. Let me know when the MLS has an average attendance of 60,000 and not 6,000. This should not even be a discussion


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Mike (Houston): I'm an MLS and Houston Dynamo fan from Texas. I also lived in London and had a Chelsea season ticket for 3 years from 2002-2005. I also spent 6 months in Vienna and watched a good bit of bad Austrian Soccer. I think the MLS could put its top in the Champions league, lose but score in the qualifying round, go to the UEFA, win a game or two in the group stages but likely not get past them. This makes about as good as the Austrian league, the Hungarian league, the Bulgarian league... you get the idea. Our best would challenge for the a top 15 spot in the Premiereship. Our second best gets relegated.


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Joseph (Los Angles, CA): I grew up in Spain and have friends from there who visit from time to time. We'll watch an MLS match and they'll actually giggle if not laugh outright at some of the defending and passing! The EPL league is greatly over-rated here in the US, but it still stands that the best MLS team would be one of the worst in the Premier League. (In the same way that Man U, Chelsea or Arsenal would hardly make the UEFA places in the Spanish league.)


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soccernet


Is this a marketing ploy by Lalas ? because it is getting a lot of airplay
« Last Edit: June 19, 2007, 11:08:19 AM by royal »

Offline RGarcia

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First off let me start by saying that Alexi Lalas is the biggest, overrated, shitsnake ever to lace up a football boots >:( . He more than anyone else should know the power of marketing an "inferior" product because he, Alexi lalas, benefitted from such marketing.

I second yuh too that... Lalas could not kick a ball with a srting tied on to it. thats does not make him a bad person in making decions on football. But sometime he is talk some shitt that i do not knwo if he does realize what he saying until he done F%(kin talking.... another one is Eric Wynalda that does talk some mess too 

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Offline grskywalker

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This coming from the first and last American to play in Italy (dropped on account of being shitty) :rotfl: He would have never made it in the EPL. Marketing aside the MLS standard sucks, shelling out big buck for 17 yr FREDDIE ADU WHO?

Locking up Freddy was a good bet on the part of MLS...obviously the man showed enough potential for Inter to want to throw 3/4 mil at him at age 12, and marketable enough that Nike also locked him up to a long-term deal.  MLS locked him up two years later when his star was still shining high in the sky.  He was exactly what the league needed, young (to appeal to the US sport's growth base), remarkably poised, confident and articulate for his age (marketable), and American (what better way to market the game to young Americans...specifically teens who will badger their suburban parents to take them to the games).

 Bringing in retiring players does not raise the standard of the MLS, it is used only as a means to sell tickets.

When you come down right to it the EPL is about the high level of professional football on that field, and that LALAS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT


Uhmmm, excuse me perfesser...but isn't "sell[ing] tickets" what marketing is all about?  Selling the brand too of course...but you just unwittingly conceded that they're employing sound marketing.  Unfortunately the public has been slow to buy it...but the tide seems to be turning.

As ah man who grow up watching "FA Cup" and "Road To Wembley" every Sunday...I'm one of the biggest proponents of the EPL and would rate it above both Serie A and La Liga...but the lack of parity, or should I say the DISparity in the league kinda undermines that argument.  That said, in our haste to attack the red-headed idiots, let's not get too carried away and start making our own selves sound too much like that babbling retard.

Way boy BAKE, YUH ON MEH CASE TODAY BOY! Question? When last did Freddy make the news since the season start? Where is he anyway?. At least in the EPL they wait till you have accomplished on the field before throwing out the big bucks.
Again my point is the quality of the product being sold/marketed, you remember them teams in England were born out of the communities they represented, not by any big shot company. Back in the day when liverpool and them use to come out it was just the red jersey and red pants and the number on the back and club crest no visible sponsors and the stadiums packed to capacity. They came to see good competitive football, now fast foward to MLS and it is clear everything else is in place and the football is mediocre.

Offline Mr Mc

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Rob (New York): You can not even say that MLS is even close to the EPL. A MLS all-star team could probably not even beat a mid-level team like Everton or Tottenham. If Cristiano Ronaldo played in the MLS he would score 100 goals. The real test for MLS teams is to play in the Champions League or UEFA tournaments to see how they far against the best football clubs in the world. EPL is equal to the Major League Baseball. MLS is equal to Double A Minor League Baseball.

Lalas dam fast and out of place, and by his own logic the EPL is beating the MLS at their own marketing game if their product is so inferior.
You dont have much going for yourself if the only way to make yourself look better, is to bad talk the other guy.

Offline Filho

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Lalas is NOT comparing MLS to the EPL..so all who getting worked up about that just wasting their time. You might still diasgree with him..but please read and comprehend. Man saying the EPL doh live up to its own hype....fullstop

Offline Tongue

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this article is being discussed here http://worldsoccerdaily.myownsiteonline.com/ and Lalas is going to be on to address some of what he tork bout.

 

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