++ [ originally posted by GOAT ] ++
But what was this all draft thing Serge? Is it true that he in fact signed with the FA and not the club and then refused to play in, what club was it, and then went to Washington?
I read somewhere that the MLS buys the players and then does a draft :undecide:
Good, I'm glad somebody asked me about this.
In all american sports, they hold what is called an amatuer player draft.
Here, in a nutshell is how it works, and I'll use Serie A as an example.
Let's say that all players who were not owned by individual teams played in high school, college, or youth programs where they could be draft eligible.
So that would eliminate teams plucking young players and "loaning" them out to other teams.
The draft works like this. Let's say that the records of these teams stay the same throughout the year, and Empoli finishes with the worst record in Serie A.
When it is time to sign or select a player for their respective team, the team with the worst record gets the first selection in this draft, therefore having the best chance to select who they feel is the best player available. The selection process continues until the team with the best record, Juve,makes their selection. Once that team makes it's selection, that "round" of drafting is over. and the next round begins the same as before, until the set number of rounds are completed.
In the MLS, like all other major sports in the US, there's no such thing as a "transfer", where players can switch teams on a whim and all it would usually cost is cash.
Here, we make trades. They usually consist of players and or draft selections in order for teams to acquire new talent.
Case in point.
Let's say that Adu, for instance, was eligible to be selected in Serie A, and Juve wanted to get him. Well, since they are picking last in the 1st round, there's virutally no way, unless the other 17 teams have a serious brain-freeze, that he'll be able to be selected by Juve.
So, Juve makes a "trade" with Empoli, say, DP, Tudor and their selection in the first round (18th) for Empoli's selection (1st), to which they would draft Adu and acquire his services.
That's how it works here in the US, and I'll tell you what, when the NBA or NFL draft comes on, there are some big-time TV ratings.
As far as Adu and the MLS is concerned, because Adu wanted to play near his home in Maryland, DC United made an arrangement with Dallas,who currently holds the first selection in the draft, to trade that pick to DC for what is called a "major player allocation"
Now, what does that mean. Well, do you remember when Carlos Valderrama came to play in the MLS?? because he wasn't draft eligible, since he was already a professional, he was allocated to a team that had a strong latin american following, in this case, it was Los Angeles. They do that all the time, such as a popular german or polish player being allocated to Chicago, an Italian player going to New York, or an English or Irish player going to Boston, simply because it will get more people in the seats, and because those fans are , more often than not,supporters of those respective National teams as well. Teams are only allowed 1 of these per season, but Dallas will get two because of the arrangement made with DC and MLS.
I hope this explains the American system of teams acquiring young talent for their respective orginizations, and I hope this sheds more light on the Freddy Adu situation.
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