Which european league is the MLS most like?

[General]

I started drawing comparisons between the Championship and MLS due to the high volume of former stars who've moved to both leagues with either something to prove or to withdraw their last pay packet.

I then realised, whilst MLS has had the likes of Henry, Beckham, Keane etc and it still appeals as a pay packet to top stars for when they're at the end of their career all those players despite not really being able to compete week in week out in the premiership seem to all flourish a bit more in the U.S, something I'm not sure many have done in regards to the championship.

I am aware that the Championship is actually the fourth largest league in terms of cash flow in Europe after the premier league, la Liga and I think Serie A (although perhaps bundesliga?).. And so even with the Championship having comparisons is it actually unfair to say they're a similar level and is the MLS actually more like perhaps a second division on the continent, or perhaps the Scottish League?

I have seen a bit of the MLS due to interest in wanting to see how the likes of Gerrard and Lampard, Pirlo etc are doing, but they still seem to be an old boys club who're finding things relatively easy despite their old age and some of the quality in the MLS is to be fair atrocious...

Any ideas on which league we can compare MLS to? It obviously is coming on leaps and bounds and will start to improve the quality with home grown players (although I still expect the best to go to Europe).. but that's a while off. Most of the USMNT squad ply their trade in Europe I believe if not at least got their training here.

[westcliff white]

what are you trying to compare? finanaces, competivity....

[Keynsham]

The Croydon Municipal Sunday League Division 3...

[FortCollinsFulham]

I just wanted to post before someone mentions Bradley Wright-Phillips leading the league in scoring once.

[MJG]

L1 with a dash of quality from the over 35's here and there.
I sometimes watch a game and wonder if Kit Symons has written a defensive coaching book and all the team are working from it.

[jarv]

Sussex county league :005:

[fulhamben]

I just wanted to post before someone mentions Bradley Wright-Phillips leading the league in scoring once.

3 times isn't it?

[westcliff white]

i watched NY City v DC United the other day was very poor quality

[Slaphead in Qatar]

Qatar all stars league is only marginally less competitive than mls  086.gif

[FulhamDC]

i watched NY City v DC United the other day was very poor quality

Not the best game to watch.  DC United isn't very good and plays a poor, defensive style.  Our (I'm a DC United season ticket holder) best outfield player, a central defender, Steve Birnbaum, was away on national team duty.  Had he been there, we might have held on for the draw.

Because of the rules on salaries and player movement in MLS, it's really impossible to compare the league to any other, anywhere.  There's a salary cap, which you can exceed for three players, that heavily favors "rich" teams.  I know there's a divide between rich and poor in every league, but in MLS, it's pretty extreme.  IN MLS, Frank Lampard at NYCFC makes more money than the entire DC United team, combined.  So does Andrea Pirlo, so does David Villa.  Player Movement is also severely restricted.  Tim Ream has been making noise like he wants to return to MLS, if he does, he can not choose where he wants to play.  He will have to go through the "allocation order", a ranking of the teams that will have the right of first refusal for Ream's contract.  Because of these rules, and a few others, the level of play varies dramatically from team to team.  You know - from bad to atrocious. 

[westcliff white]

Thats the same everywhere regarding not the best game to watch, but based on that game and the one between the Galaxy and the Rapids the standard is league one at best.

[FulhamDC]

If you want to judge a league based on two games, sure.  Some matches are much better quality, some are even worse than that NYCFC - DC United match.  That was sort of my point, the league has no balance at all.  Fulham's first year back in the championship I was at our away match at Reading.  Had I judged Fulham on that one match, I'd probably be following some other club now.

[Fulhamerica23]

MLS is holding the USMNT back. I've seen three MLS games this year, two 0-0 draws and a 3-1 win. All poor quality. It isn't good. I don't watch it on a regular basis, but can be a good night out if it's the right stadium and right teams. I'd compare it quality wise to Belgium/Netherlands that type of league. Good young players that should be getting out soon, but if you're 27 and playing there, it's a problem if you wanna develop a national team out of it.

It's no surprise, maybe besides Landon Donovan, that the great US players have all played abroad and done very well. And even Landon was well beyond the MLS in terms of quality. Walked into Everton that season and was arguably their best player. You look at the team now: Brooks, Johnson, Cameron, Bedoya, the first names on the team sheets...it's not surprise they've spent most of their prime abroad.

MLS is crap.

[JOND999]

MLS is unwatchable.  and I'm an American.  the league lacks precision and pace.  it's sloppy.  slow.  boring.  very little ambition or risk-taking, which is odd.  such would at least make the league at least fun to watch.

[westcliff white]

If you want to judge a league based on two games, sure.  Some matches are much better quality, some are even worse than that NYCFC - DC United match.  That was sort of my point, the league has no balance at all.  Fulham's first year back in the championship I was at our away match at Reading.  Had I judged Fulham on that one match, I'd probably be following some other club now.

It's two different things to compare supporting a club on one game and judging a league on knew game.

New York City have the biggest or one of the biggest budgets and they were no better than DC for quality. That's only two games in the last 2 weeks but over the last 18 more the sky have shown a lot of games and overall the quality is shocking

[vancouver]

The Salary Cap severely lowers the standard of play.

as any Above Average Canadian Player, or American Player can make way more Overseas.

So you end up with all the average L1 and L2 quality Domestics and second rate SA players with a Handful of DP's who could play in the Premier League.

However many Very Talented youngsters are Coming thru(Larin, and that Alphoso Davies Lad in Vancouver) And the standard is getting better every year.


The League Sits Between the bottom half of the championship, and top half of league one quality wise.

[Mince n Tatties]

The Two Bob Rovers One legged over 60s 15 aside Monday Morning League on the Isle of Dogs.

064.gif Woolly you need help

[Mince n Tatties]

Isthmian league Div 1 South.

Tooting n Mitcham 5 v LA Galaxy 0
Come on you Terrors... 049:gif

[FortCollinsFulham]

I just wanted to post before someone mentions Bradley Wright-Phillips leading the league in scoring once.

3 times isn't it?

Only a measly, single golden boot. Crazy eh?

[H4usuallysitting]

The Veteran Ladies Netball League