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Juan The Time is Right!

Before I get emails calling me a hypocrite for the contradiction in the above two blurbs, I would like to point out that the Premiership is an established league and considered by most as the best league in the world. The MLS on the other hand is one of the worst and in need of help from abroad.

The younger talent here will learn from the cheap (and not so cheap - Beckham will be on $250 million.) imports and in a few years you may have a league and a national side filled with some of the world's best. Back in England, it has been a case of cheaper foreign players getting the nod over home grown talent. Players of equal ability! Over inflated transfers have not helped either. Chelsea's willingness to pay ridiculous amounts of money to sign English youngsters such as Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Shawn Wright-Phillips, Wayne Bridge, Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole has also had an effect. Hold on Chelsea fans... Rooney and Rio's transfer fees were also ridiculous. Rooney's transfer fee paid to Everton could probably buy every team in League two! (I hear Macclesfield is lovely this time of year). The knock on effect? In January, Aston Villa paid over nine million for Ashley Young. Nine million!

Sing for your Supper!
It's been a well known fact that football players are highly overpaid. Some even earn 200 thousand dollars a week! [In Ronaldo's case, $280k/week, is it not? - Ed.] That's obscene. Recently Pompey flapper and ex-England vampire (he's scared of crosses) David James, has called for a restructure. Either he's on tuppence a week and is jealous or he thinks he's been playing well recently (highly unlikely). Either way the stubbly stopper has raised a wonderful point. Big wages do not guarantee a big performance. What do you get for your money when you travel six hours in a car filled with smelly friends? Friends who insist on repeating the latest Prodigy record all the way up the A1 until your Friday night hangover has been replaced by a permanent buzzing. Well... if certain big-time Charlies have had a night on the sauce or don't feel the need to exert themselves as the season draws to a close, as they sit comfortable in mid-table... you get stuffed 3-zip and get to hear that Prodigy record another ten times without the 3 points to ease the suffering. Not even manky coffee at the Watford Gap service station can help.(it's actually nowhere near Watford... stupid I know!)

How often do you hear managers complaining that there was not enough effort? Or that they were "disappointed with the work ethic" - hmmm who said that every week? (I know, he's gone... let it drop Jimmy)

It's time for a proper pay structure and a salary cap. We win... you win. The fans leave happy and you... big-time Charlie, you get to buy the Hummer H3 you will drive once and the diamond encrusted cheese grater you've had your eye on. This would certainly stop those lazy April outings. The half-hearted tackles and the hoof ball. When did you last get a pay rise for being average? Me neither!! The young players would also benefit as too many get too much far too soon and it destroys their potential (and their personalities). Big earners at 17 with a big attitude to go with it.

Time to sing for your supper and let the whole football community benefit.

by Jimmy Cops, NewYorkBrits

So it has begun! Players from Europe arriving to turn the MLS [Major League Soccer] into a proper league. No offence to the players already here but...it's been rubbish, League Two footy in comparison with England and Spain. The news that Juan Pablo Angel is joining the Red Bulls is fantastic for American soccer fans. He will join Terry Cooke, Daniel Dichio, Carl Robinson, David Beckham and Claudio Reyna.

While Dichio, Cooke and Robinson are not nearly as good as the others they are better than what's on offer here and will help to improve the standard of the game. In Robinson's case, he can teach the rest of the Toronto midfield how to tackle (or foul), that's non-existent in the current game here.

The MLS are doing this in just the right way without splashing the cash. Dichio joining Toronto this week is a sign of that. Come one and all is the message and I think they just might. And before all you Americans curse the invasion as a one-fingered salute to American soccer and its players, consider this... the better the talent, the more the up-and-coming American players will learn. The standard will improve and the US National Team will reap the benefits. U.S.A World Cup winners 2014...anyone?

May the Best... English team win!
I have decided that I would like Man U to win the lot. The Premiership, the Champions League and the greatest Cup competition in the world... the F.A Cup. Now let me tell you why!

When Man United took to the field for their thumping of Roma in the last round of the Champions League, they started the game with nine players from the UK and Ireland. The second half appearance of Kieran Richardson made that ten AND they had youngsters Eagle and Cathcart on the bench. Young English players getting a chance at one of the world's top clubs these days is fantastic. Chelsea may have a few but the nucleus of their squad is imported, as is that of their neighbours to the north, Arsenal, who over the years have had to loan out their young English talent for them to get a game.

Arsenal's loss I say as Liverpool enjoy the talents of Jermaine Penant and David Bentley at Blackburn has developed into an excellent player. Regrets Arsene? C'mon you've had a few...sing a long now.

A few years ago there was a real fear that home grown talent would suffer as cheap imports littered the league. Man United's demolition of Roma is a sign that that could be at an end. Although it pains me to even consider wanting them to win, (I am still bitter and have a pure hatred towards Ronal... no, I can't do it, that cheating little urchin) I will... for the kids!

newyorkbrits.com