AC St. Louis Scrambling to Save Team – Ralston to Return to MLS
Steve Ralston - Photo by Jeremy Olson - Digitalgopher.net
Word today from AC St. Louis is that Steve Ralston may be heading back to MLS, possibly within a week. Several teams have been interested in picking up the MLS veteran’s contract and AC St. Louis is desperate to keep the team afloat by drastically reducing their payroll.
Ralston was a marquee player for AC St. Louis and the NASL. The St. Louis native had previously spent 14 years in MLS and was capped 36 times for the US National Team before joining his hometown team AC St. Louis where he held the position of player/assistant coach. He was AC St. Louis’ first signing but didn’t start a game until the last week of May after recovering from ACL surgery.
In another cost-cutting measure, head coach Claude Anelka has also been holding meetings with some rostered players who are not from the St. Louis area. IMS was told that AC St. Louis is attempting to “buy out” those players’ contracts. USSF D-2 Pro League contracts are guaranteed for a season once a player signs for a team and starts preseason training. Many D-2 contracts also cover housing costs for out-of-town players and this could be a move to reduce those costs as well. With guaranteed contracts, the team would be obligated to pay the players unless they reached a settlement. However, if the team folds the players would all be released from their contracts and become free agents.
The exact number of players offered a buyout is unknown at this point. But the D-2 team has at least 12 players under contract who currently do not make their home in the St. Louis area. They are: Mark Bloom, Hagop Chirishian, Troy Cole, Jeff Cosgriff, Alec Dufty, Gauchinho, Manuel Kanté, John Lesko, Ryan Moore, Christian Nzinga, Anthony O’Garro, Gilbert Pogesyan.
AC St. Louis was contacted but said they were not aware of either of these stories and had no comment.
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So the shredding of AC St. Louis begins. This does not “save” the team it destroys it from within. You remove the out of town talent and your marquee player, you lose morale and ultimately fan support.
No matter what happens in 2010, it is clear that AC St. Louis is nothing more than a memory for 2011. One can thank Jeff Cooper for a business plan that lasts less than 7 games.
I wonder how many other NASL teams out there are having second thoughts now that their leader is vanquished? These teams are not making money, and with this economy, it will not get better in the short term.
Let’s hope that World Cup will bounce some interest and spirit back into D2 soccer.
Sad. Really sad! This is where a strong league will require some more stringent oversight. NASL needs to get a grip on such ownership that doesn’t really care, or else they’ll be nothing more than a league with a revolving door for teams being around for 1 or 2 years then folding.
Or alternatively the moves create a stronger local identity within the club and this inspires the community to continue giving them great support.
Remember this is a first-year organisation so there are lots of teething problems to get ironed out. It takes time to build the relationships required to put a club on a firm foundation and it’s a learning process all the way, so while this story looks bleak from the cozy confines of a TV couch the survival of the team will be the proving ground of the sport for the next generation.
Surviving until the World Cup starts shining its halo effect is paramount because this will give the boost which allows some breathing space until the league can evolve again for next season.
As Alex Ferguson might say: “it’s squeaky bum time.”
Time to show some resolve in the face of the onslaught!