Ultra Peanut - tell us what you know about Ike Opara, please. He any good? Sad to see him go?

You ever hear anything about Tim Ream anymore?

Me either. Money is the only reason to languish at the bottom of some shitty EPL club.

That got me to look up how Bolton is doing... Ouch. Closer to relegation than to promotion. That club has had a rough few years.

Going abroad is a rough decision for everyone. I tend to agree though. If it's not a good situation you're moving into, it's best to stay in your domestic league where everyone knows you.

Especially in Matt's case I would say. If you can go to the next level in Europe then great but some Eurosnobs act like Matt should be happy to suck the dick of the EPL gods just to be relegated by some shitty club or even worse be on the bench because most of those coaches change every week.

QPR won't be languishing at the bottom of the table forever, though. They have that oil money ownership. They're just not as cash crazy as Abramovich or City's owners.

They will be at the top of the Championship maybe?

Opara for a second round pick. Vermes and Co. killing it. If he stays healthy that's a steal.

If they do, it won't be for long. The owners are too ambitious and have too much money in the club already for that to be acceptable. Look at where they were just a few seasons ago.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu...02/Disney1.jpg

The schedule has been announced for the 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic, which will open with a matchup between the Columbus Crew and Toronto FC on Saturday, February 9 (see full schedule below).

Six MLS sides – Columbus, Sporting Kansas City, Toronto, Philadelphia, Montreal and D.C. United – will participate in the tournament, as well as Orlando City Soccer Club (USL) and the Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL). The teams will be divided into two groups, with each side playing three games before a final day to decide first, second, third and fourth place.

Group A will consist of Orlando City, Philadelphia, Toronto and Columbus. Teams in Group B will include the Tampa Bay Rowdies, D.C. United, Montreal and Sporting KC.

All games will be played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.

Saturday – February 9, 2013

1 pm: Columbus Crew vs. Toronto FC

3 pm: Montreal Impact vs. Sporting Kansas City

6 pm: Orlando City Soccer Club vs. Philadelphia Union

8 pm: D.C. United vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

Wednesday – February 13, 2013

1 pm: Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew

3 pm: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Montreal Impact

6 pm: Sporting Kansas City vs. D.C. United

8 pm: Toronto FC vs. Orlando City Soccer Club

Saturday – February 16, 2013

1 pm: Montreal Impact vs. D.C. United

3 pm: Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC

6 pm: Orlando City Soccer Club vs. Columbus Crew

8 pm: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Sporting Kansas City

Pro Soccer Classic Championship Day

Saturday – February 23, 2013

1 pm: Group A Fourth Place vs. Group B Fourth Place

3 pm: Group A Third Place vs. Group B Third Place

6 pm: Group A Second Place vs. Group B Second Place

8 pm: Group A First Place vs. Group B First Place

Meh, if they doubled their point total right now they would not be out of the relegation zone.

That doesn't change anything about what I said.

You are saying they would get back to...the place they are now...where they are failing.

So basically even though they are in the top league...and failing...if they went down to the Champ league they would spend a bunch of money to get back to the top league...

Why are they not doing good now?

Did you see this doc on them? That organization is clown shoes. Just spending money only goes so far...you have to be smart as well. See NYRB as opposed tot the successful Galaxy.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R5xAmAjZ1mY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Why would Matt Besler want to play there except for money.

They decided to employ Mark Hughes?


People can talk shit about money, but for a player that has a short career, it matters. A player in the Premier league will make in a month or two what he'll get paid the entire season in MLS. And if it doesn't work out, you can always come home. Plus the chance to play in London? That'd be hard to turn down...

I somewhat doubt the story, tbh. I think he'd have serious work permit problems.

[edit]

For reference, he makes around $100,000 a year at SKC right now. At QPR, he'd be on what, around 15,000 pounds a week? Plus a guaranteed contract. I know you have to factor in taxes and cost of living, but that would tempt anyone.

Yea I absolutely concede money...I am not trying to discount that at all but I am not buying it other than that. Great team...great facilities...on the USMNT radar not going to get shuffled around or politico'd out.

Oh, I agree. The biggest problem with a player like him going to England is no one knows him. A manager that is there right now buys him, but what happens when that manager gets fired in 6 months? He's back to being nobody. If the manager doesn't like him, or brings in someone else to replace him, he gets two years with the reserves.

At least the bigger names can get loaned out or sold. But for players like him, you just get lost in the system. They're not on enough money to matter. At least here he'll have supportive managers, and if he ever runs into issues, they'll be other clubs willing to pick him up. That's why having a strong domestic league is so important.