MLS Toronto FC At Disadvantage Because Of Foreign Player Rules

MLS' Foreign Player Rules Puts Toronto FC At Disadvantage

MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis said that Toronto FC (TFC) this season will be at a "further competitive disadvantage because of the MLS rules regarding the signing of U.S.-born players," according to Dean McNulty of the TORONTO SUN. In TFC's inaugural '07 season, it was "restricted to signing" U.S.-born players as "internationals -- the same status as world players -- while American-based teams could sign as many of their home-grown talents as their budgets would allow." TFC had the "ability to sign Canadian-born players, but the disparity in the player pool depth between the two countries proved too wide for TFC to compete on a level with the rest of the league." But Gazidis noted that there was "enough wiggle room that would allow MLS to tweak the regulations to help TFC." Gazidis: "We have opened that up a little bit allowing (TFC) to sign two additional U.S. players this season and a further two more next year." But McNulty notes while it may help TFC in the short term, Gazidis "admitted there needed to be more done to bridge the gap between Canadian and U.S. teams." Gazidis: "The simple solution would be to have the same set of rules in the [U.S.] and in Canada. Unfortunately the way the U.S. (immigration) laws work we can't have a rule that discriminates in favour of Canadian players over and above other foreign nationals" (TORONTO SUN, 3/18).

INT'L ALL-STARS: Meanwhile, in N.Y., Jack Bell reports it looks like English Premier League club West Ham United will provide the opposition at the MLS All-Star Game July 24 in Toronto. While MLS has yet to make an announcement, West Ham would mark the fourth consecutive All-Star appearance for British clubs, after EPL clubs Fulham in '05 and Chelsea in '06, and Scottish Premier League side Glasgow Celtic in '07 (N.Y. TIMES, 3/18).