Need info from anyone familiar with major league soccer!!

[HoreTore]

Ok, so, my team, Vålerenga, have bought an american goalie, Troy Perkins from DC United.

As I have no knowledge of football overseas at all, my question is simple; who is this guy? Is he any good?

[Fragony]

Major lague what? Soccer? Never heard of it

[HoreTore]

I know, they've screwed the name... But hey, they're barbarians, so I feel it can be overlooked.

[seireikhaan]

I know, they've screwed the name... But hey, they're barbarians, so I feel it can be overlooked.

Well, I was gonna go tell you all about Perkins, but I feel rather insulted now, so I don't think I will.

[HoreTore]

Well, I was gonna go tell you all about Perkins, but I feel rather insulted now, so I don't think I will.

Awww....

I'm begging you, Great Master!

[Louis VI the Fat]

who is this guy? Is he any good?

Well if he's going to play for Vålerenga in Norway he can't be that great, now can he?

[woad&fangs]

Troy Perkins is an even better as a goalie than Ronaldino is as a fullback.

[HoreTore]

Well if he's going to play for Vålerenga in Norway he can't be that great, now can he?

We have gotten our filthy hands on some very high quality players over the years, you know... John Obi Mikel was the latest, who played for Lyn.

But does anyone know this guy?

[GeneralHankerchief]

We Americans follow MLS about as well as you Euros do.

Anyway, here's his Wiki bio. Good luck finding something else.

[IrishArmenian]

I'm not familiar with the name, but Americans have produced some fine keepers.

[seireikhaan]

Awww....

I'm begging you, Great Master!

Nah, I was kidding. I don't know squat about this Perkins guy. I have NEVER watched an American SOCCER game. I HAVE watched bits of European SOCCER when I went on a trip to Europe a couple summers ago, which happpened to coincide exactly with the World cup. For those two weeks, it seemed like the only things on tv when I tried to turn it on were: A) SOCCER. B) SOCCER. C) Post-game coverage of SOCCER on the news. D) Naughty, late-night German game shows. E) SOCCER.

So out of sheer volume of it being everywhere, I did glean a bit of what SOCCER is like. And I must say, I'm sticking with FOOTBALL from now on.(The good kind)

[LittleGrizzly]

if i get around to reinstalling football manager i can give you his stats off there, they're usually pretty close....

[KrooK]

OMG why do you americanise this sport.
Its football. Soccer is American stupid name for football.
Football for european sport name is much older than football name for american (ok lets call it that) sport.

I have heard american football league is quite weak - mix of American youngsters and retired stars from European clubs. European clubs are great - 10 times better level makes watching much more interesting. So that kamikhaan - most of Europeans watches football :)


BTW is Mila still playing into Valerenga?

[CountArach]

10 times better level makes watching much more interesting.

Yes so instead of one goal and 5 minutes of excitement... there are 2 goals and 7 minutes of excitement...

[Decker]

Well... I was able to see him live in DC against the Dynamo("extension" team full of ex-SJ Earthquakes players- ma boys) and I'd have to say that he is quite good. I don't know if he's "up" to "European Standards" but he's definitely one of the better goalies in the league (Pat Onstad is the best). DC United made the semi's (like they do every year) and have been a top team in the country since their inception so he does come from a top quality team (by MLS standards and they make the CONCACAF Champions Cup (our version of the Champions League) every year and usually get farther than most US teams.
Here's the team's website:
DC United

I'd actually suggest the Houston Dynamo(excellent if I say so myself)
Houston Dynamo

I personally support the San Jose Earthquakes (who became the Houston Dynamo hence my liking of their team and consider them "my" team and not Houston's "team")
San Jose Earthquakes

GO QUAKES!!! Hopefully we won't suck as much as LA do muahaha

Hope any of it helped

[English assassin]

Ok, so, my team, Vålerenga, have bought an american goalie, Troy Perkins from DC United.

As I have no knowledge of football overseas at all, my question is simple; who is this guy? Is he any good?

He's no Marvel.

(stand's back, waits for Gregoshi...)

[Proletariat]

OMG why do you americanise this sport.

This is pretty funny. Soccer is becoming Americanized at about the same rate escargot is. As much as I enjoy the World Cup and would like to be wrong about this, soccer isn't ever going to catch on here.

[seireikhaan]

OMG why do you americanise this sport.
Its football. Soccer is American stupid name for football.
Football for european sport name is much older than football name for american (ok lets call it that) sport.

I have heard american football league is quite weak - mix of American youngsters and retired stars from European clubs. European clubs are great - 10 times better level makes watching much more interesting. So that kamikhaan - most of Europeans watches football :)


BTW is Mila still playing into Valerenga?

Heh, I never once claimed American SOCCER was any better than European SOCCER. Additionally, I thought I made it fairly clear in the last post, but anyways, I completely understand that most of Europe loves SOCCER. I was just saying that for me, watching a SOCCER match is has the equivelant entertainment value of watching paint dry, even when its the much better, European game.(well, ok, I'll admit that I WAS entertained when Zidane headbutted that guy in the world cup, but that was about it)

Btw, its hardly 'americanised'. Practically nobody in the USA likes SOCCER, regardless of who's playing in the MLS. We're rather too busy watching FOOTBALL.

[Rhyfelwyr]

American football is a joke, in some matches I saw on Channel 5 they had what looked like American Football markings on the pitch, there wasn't even a penalty box!? And this is the top league...

Obi Mikel is ****, he can't stay on the park for 10 minutes without trying to break somebody's legs.

And well said KrooK.

[Decker]

American football is a joke, in some matches I saw on Channel 5 they had what looked like American Football markings on the pitch, there wasn't even a penalty box!? And this is the top league...

Obi Mikel is ****, he can't stay on the park for 10 minutes without trying to break somebody's legs.

And well said KrooK.

Well it's certainly not the EPL. And the fact that it's not very popular here means that they have to share their stadiums with Football and Baseball teams. And ironically the USL (semi-pro league) teams are the ones that actually have their own stadiums with solid fan base's and in most cases get bigger crowds than MLS lol. Such is life eh?

[Louis VI the Fat]

The proper name is association football. Soccer is shorthand for association. Both British and American English use an abbreviation of association football, so either both or neither must be said to use an incorrect name.

Footy is doing just fine in America. It is not massive, it probably never will be. It's not rubbish either. They always send a decent team to the World Cup. I still remember last year's 1-1 draw against those rabid dogs from hell, eventual finalists Italy. Fantastic game, great battle.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I know the USA can always produce a strong national team, but many nations in Europe are like that where for whatever reason they have a strong national side but poor club football. Ireland being one example. They may reach the QF of the World Cup, but St. Patrick's Athletic will not be reaching the QF of the Champions League.

[IrishArmenian]

Most of the solid American players are in Europe-- Dempsey, Howard, Hayduk, Hanneman, Keller, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Feilhaber, Convey, etc.
Same with the good Irish players: Duff, Given, McGeady, Johnny (O'Shea), Keane, Dunne etc. In fact, I cannot think of a current Irish national player who plays domestic football.

[Decker]

The proper name is association football. Soccer is shorthand for association. Both British and American English use an abbreviation of association football, so either both or neither must be said to use an incorrect name.

Footy is doing just fine in America. It is not massive, it probably never will be. It's not rubbish either. They always send a decent team to the World Cup. I still remember last year's 1-1 draw against those rabid dogs from hell, eventual finalists Italy. Fantastic game, great battle.

We shoulda won that game. I think the refs helped them win and also gave an unnecessary red to Mastreoni (spelling) and Pope, but what can I say, Italy pays better

And so true Irish. Not to mention that it seemed that for a while half of France's team came from Arsenal lol.