Thursday, December 17, 2009

This is What is Wrong with MLS Rules: FC Dallas puts Van Den Bergh on trade block

Ives Galarcip ntoes that FC Dallas is shopping Dave Van Den Berg. Now, I don't necessarily have a problem with that, lots of teams do it. The problem is that FC Dallas declined to exercise the option on Van Den Bergh's contract, which essentially means that Van Den Bergh is a free agent. But MLS rules say that FC Dallas retains his rights. That is just bloody stupid.

For the non-soccer readers out this, this is comparable to you have a contract with a company for one year and an option by the company to extend that contract for another year. Now imagine that this company, after the first year determines that while they were happy with your work, they simply don't have the money to pay you the salary that would be required in the option, so they say, thanks, but we aren't picking up the option. It sucks but that is the reality. Now imagine further that this company that no longer can afford your services has the right to accept or reject any job offers you receive!! In the rest of the world, soccer and non-soccer, if the company doesn't pick up that contract, you are free to seek employment elsewhere.

But in the crazy contract world of MLS, FC Dallas still retains the right to accept or reject bids for Van Den Bergh even thought they don't want to employ the man any more.

In a nutshell, this is one of the three major problems the MLS Player's Union has with MLS contracts and it is against FIFA rules, labor law, and not to mention just basic common sense.

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