Brad Smith

Not really a surprise. Shame it's a loan but hopefully he does well out there and they want to take him on a permanent basis next summer.

One of those that we never really saw anything from, either through lack of opportunity or badly time injuries. Every club has a few. I wish him well in his career and not a lot else to say really.
 
Hard to judge the standard of MLS, might have been better to send him to the championship where it's easier to keep an eye on how he's doing. But there seems to be more and better players heading over that way and more money involved in that league, so perhaps it'll be a good move.
 
northstandmark said:
Hard to judge the standard of MLS, might have been better to send him to the championship where it's easier to keep an eye on how he's doing. But there seems to be more and better players heading over that way and more money involved in that league, so perhaps it'll be a good move.
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Hell get game time it is a physical league with some sprinkle of prem level quality. If he does well he’ll probably stay. I don’t think he will be back either way
 
The top MLS teams (and Seattle is one of them) would probably give AFCB a good match on any given day. Seattle draws good crowds, 35-40000. It won't hurt him career-wise if he does get playing time, although it will be a big change. But, he has already done a big move from Aus.
 
Toronto John said:
The top MLS teams (and Seattle is one of them) would probably give AFCB a good match on any given day. Seattle draws good crowds, 35-40000. It won't hurt him career-wise if he does get playing time, although it will be a big change. But, he has already done a big move from Aus.
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Can't really agree that top MLS sides would give us a real game - certainly not on a regular weekly basis. When I have been over the other side of the pond and gone to games I reckon the standard is about lower Championship level, the fitness levels and lack of intensity would let them down. However they would certainly rank above Scottish Prem lge.
 
Bradley Wright-Phillips is always the elephant in the room when talking about the quality of the MLS. A League 1 player in England but a record goal scorer in the MLS. True, some players fit to one league better than another and playing for one of the better teams against some of the poorer opposition will have helped him. Still, it does make you wonder.

On the other hand, the SPL is much maligned, especially those teams outside the big (currently) one, yet Aberdeen took the 7th best PL team to extra time yesterday. Whilst I understand cup ties can be a different beast, sometimes I don't think the gap is as big as some people think.
 
kirsikka said:
Bradley Wright-Phillips is always the elephant in the room when talking about the quality of the MLS. A League 1 player in England but a record goal scorer in the MLS. True, some players fit to one league better than another and playing for one of the better teams against some of the poorer opposition will have helped him. Still, it does make you wonder.

On the other hand, the SPL is much maligned, especially those teams outside the big (currently) one, yet Aberdeen took the 7th best PL team to extra time yesterday. Whilst I understand cup ties can be a different beast, sometimes I don't think the gap is as big as some people think.
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And then you see Aberdeen's best striker recently sign for a National League team. I think there's all kinds of contradictions you can find when comparing the relative strenghts of different countries' leagues
 
Can only speak as I find but I saw Hearts v Kilmarnock last season and I was genuinly amazed at how poor it was, skill levels, fitness, teamwork. Neither would survive in The Championship based on what I saw.
I can see how in a one off cup tie they might get somewhere but not on a 40 odd game long season.
 
Tinpot Club said:
And then you see Aberdeen's best striker recently sign for a National League team. I think there's all kinds of contradictions you can find when comparing the relative strenghts of different countries' leagues
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True. However, that doesn't mean the Salford are a better team than Aberdeen or playing at a higher standard. It just means they were able to offer a higher wage.

For the SPL to truly improve it would require Celtic to cede some power and money which would also result in ceding success for the greater good of the whole game there. Therefore, it will never happen and the SPL will just stumble along with some ok teams and some poor ones.

I'm sure Celtic fans would say why should they and that's a fair point but if you want an interesting and competitive watch that may attract an international audience and thereafter more tv money you need to think outside yourself a little.

Meanwhile, I think the MLS is a poorer league than many MLS fans think it is but, conversely, I think it's better than it's detractors make out. The dilution in US talent caused by current incessant expansion means there are some very poor players out there at the moment. Long term, who knows but Brad will be long retired by the time that kicks in.
 
redharry said:
Can't really agree that top MLS sides would give us a real game - certainly not on a regular weekly basis. When I have been over the other side of the pond and gone to games I reckon the standard is about lower Championship level, the fitness levels and lack of intensity would let them down. However they would certainly rank above Scottish Prem lge.
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Unless a lot has changed in the past year when I gave up on MLS I’d agree.

In attack some might be Premier League but defensively some are Conference level at best.
 
redharry said:
Can't really agree that top MLS sides would give us a real game - certainly not on a regular weekly basis. When I have been over the other side of the pond and gone to games I reckon the standard is about lower Championship level,
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Um . . . Millwall? Wigan? We've probably lost more than we've won against League 1 teams since our promotion to the PL.
He just said some top sides would "give us a game", not that they would avoid relegation over a Premier League season.
 
canadiancherry said:
Um . . . Millwall? Wigan? We've probably lost more than we've won against League 1 teams since our promotion to the PL.
He just said some top sides would "give us a game", not that they would avoid relegation over a Premier League season.
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Yes, but we play our reserves against these sides !
I still reckon the best MLS side would really struggle against us whether it would be a one off cup game or a full season. there just isn't the quality or intensity of play there.
 
redharry said:
Yes, but we play our reserves against these sides !
I still reckon the best MLS side would really struggle against us whether it would be a one off cup game or a full season. there just isn't the quality or intensity of play there.
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Except we both know who Eddie will play in a one-off cup game (not our strongest XI). I agree about the full season though.
 
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