Montreal Impact Sign 2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Players for MLS Roster
Bryan Arguez - Photo by Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net
Among the Montreal Impact’s expansion draft selections last Wednesday was defender James Riley from the Seattle Sounders. The Impact then traded him to Chivas USA for forward Justin Braun and midfielder Gerson Mayen. Mayen had been on loan to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for part of the season playing 9 games and scoring one goal.
While the Impact were scouting Mayen another player caught their eye, according to MLSsoccer.com, former U-20 US international player Bryan Arguez. The MLS website states that Preston Burpo had scouted Mayen for Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. In the process he watched Arguez who he felt was the best player on the field for the Strikers. The Impact signed Arguez before the NASL season finished but kept the news quiet in order to protect their draft strategy.
Arguez is only 22 years old yet has seen time with DC United, Hertha BSC, Miami FC, Estoril Praia and the Strikers. He logged in 2065 minuets with 19 appearances this season, scoring 1 goal with the Strikers. Arguez was an important player in the midfield for the Fort Lauderdale team and was targeted by the Minnesota Stars as one of the key players to shut down in the NASL Championship series.
The Impact has previously said they would look at all avenues for players including the NASL.
Comments are closed.
Interesting signing. I hope that Mookie (Arguez) is finally going to live up to his potential. When that kid was 15 or 16, it looked like he was gonna blow up and be a big time player.
The kid is still only 22. Hopefully he has matured and has become more self-disciplined; there have been rumors about his inmaturity and lack of discipline since he signed with DC United. Same story for his time with the US U-20′s.
One of the things that fascinates me about this signing is that a no-nonsense guy like Jesse Marsch is willing to take a shot on him. Marsch doesn’t play around. So the kid must have matured.
As if the maturity and self-discipline issues weren’t enough to make this interesting, ponder this–
I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that Mookie is a Traffic manged player. At least I thought that he used to be. That is why when the Hertha Berlin deal wasn’t working out for him and he came back home, he signed with Miami FC, Traffic placed him at Estoril Praia and he played for Ft. Lauderdale.
I could be wrong about this.
What I do know is that MLS is notoriously stingy when it comes to paying US second division clubs compenation for players. Somehoe, I got the feeling that Traffic wouldn’t let itself be yanked around. The Strikers might not have gotten anything for him but I’d be surprised if Traffic didn’t–as well they should have if they still owned his managment rights.
Just let it marinate a little… Pure speculation on my part.
I’d just love to know if a transfer fee was receieved or if he walked on a free transfer.
Did Traffic get something for him? Or is it that he signed an exclusive deal with them where they were are the hook for a guaranteed salary like some of the other former and current US Youth internationals, and now they don”t have to pay him because Montreal will.
When the MLSPU discloses player salries next year, I’ll be interested to see what he is making. His Generation Adidas salary back when he signed with MLS was inflated becasue of he held that status. His career got derailed since then.
Anybody with any insights on the subject or any sort of credible s peculation–please share it. I might have to tune into the Miami Ultra’s podcast and ask those guys what sort of intel that they might have about Arguez’ deal.
http://www.strikers.com/index.php?id=111&newsid=1571
Terms of the deal are not disclosed and yes, I believe he was a Traffic signing. That’s how he went to Portugal which didn’t work out either. I have no idea if he is still under contract with Traffic or not.
^JP Rodrigues, the Guyanese international, perhaps????
Over 200o minutes. 19 appearances. 1 Goal.
Good signing?
FIFA Agent Rules do not allow an agent or agency to sign a player for more than 2 years. For example, a player signs with an agent and the agent is able to get said player a 5 year deal. The agent should sign the player for the entire length of the contract right? Unfortunately the answer is no.
Judging by the amount of time Arguez spent with Traffic/Miami FC it could very well be possible that he did not resign with Traffic, found a new agent, and thus negotitated a deal with Montreal directly.
This is pure speculation but I would venture to say Arguez signed on a free transfer.
Taken from the FIFA “Regulations Players Agents” manual
Article 19 – Representation contract
3. The representation contract shall be valid for a maximum period of two years. It may be extended for another maximum period of two years by a new written agreement and may not be tacitly prolonged.
Another example is the contract extension of Matt Glaeser. The Strikers announced his extension earlier in the season. Yet, we never heard news of a contract extension for Arguez.
Sorry for making this a long response but I wanted to get that part in about FIFA regulations.
MNSOCCERFAN: Bryan was used more as a holding midfielder. He’s not the type to join in the attacking phse of the game.
Very true Armando. He played very much like Wasson did two years ago and as Taka did this season. He is a very skilled player. As Yanki has said, it’s more been about his commitment, not his talent level which is high. He’s still young and hopefully still learning and willing to grow.
I know in MLS there is a players union that releases what the players wages are. Is there a players union for the NASL? We can’t find anything about what a player makes in the NASL. The clubs seem to have all the power. So we have no idea what players like Arguez made. Is there even talk of a union? Would they join with the MLSPA?
I heard the salaries in the NASL are quite low compared even to the old A-League and USL-1, where some D2 players even chose not to play in MLS for financial reasons. 12k to 18k seems to be the average quoted salary. But unless the players form a union, we will never known.
@yankiboy – Traffic also has to be careful. Yank around MLS and they are finished in the United States with the NASL. MLS really controls the USSF. So they have to play nice.
Arguez probably was a free transfer. I don’t see money to made with D2 players going to MLS at this point. Most of these players aren’t really a sought commodity and MLS will never pay another significant transfer fees after Kandji. They usually were already in MLS and badly want to return. And the NASL would be wise to make the path back to MLS as easy as possible. It will look good to incoming talent that they are a stepping stone to MLS. No offense, but no one wants to be stuck in D2 if they can help it.
Dave, you are pretty much correct on all accounts. I just wonder who “we” is when you say, “We can’t find anything about what a player makes in the NASL..”
There is no union and yes, you are correct the players on average used to make more money then they do (on average) these days. There are a few players that are doing all right but I would say that average is between 15K and 25 K. Many are allowed the use of apartments while playing for the team.
I believe this may have changed for MLS the last CBA, but NASL contracts and USL contracts were guaranteed once the season started until the end of the season. So unless a player did something to breach his contract that money was guaranteed. I know that was not the case with MLS.
While you make a point about NASL being the small fish and not making waves, running a team in 2nd division is not cheap either. In the past the money for 2nd division has not been there for players transfers. You seem to suggest that NASL or USL in D3 should just will over a player to MLS if they desire them just because they are the big fish. Lower division’s have needs that are just as big if not bigger than MLS teams and should be rewarded for developing or maturing talent.
So let me ask you this Dave. Put yourself in this situation. You own a team in the NASL and have found a player who is making significant contributions to your team. He is helping you draw fans to your games which is a tough sell in MLS and even tougher in lower division soccer. He is also helping your team to the top of the table. He has drawn the attention of a few MLS teams, but you are losing nearly a million dollars a year on your team as most D2 teams are. In your earlier scenario you say a NASL team should make the path as easy as possible for the player to move to MLS. So as an owner you are just happy as can be that your player under contract is going to sign with MLS for nearly nothing? Why? And your gain for having that player move up is? Reduced attendance, lowering your place in the standings?
The truth is most team do encourage and help their players move up. The ONLY advantage to that is that if a team gets a reputation for moving talent along they will have more talented players want to make that a stop on their way to the big leagues. That’s pretty much the scenario today and probably will be for a while. That’s not to say it’s fair or correct. Hopefully these things will get ironed out in the next couple of years…if division 2 can does not go out of business due to high operating expenses and little return. Then MLS can go looking for their talent playing competitive rec ball somewhere. I’m sure that rec ball will make the path to MLS as easy as possible.
I think there is a bigger question thing. As 2nd and 3rd divisions in the US and Canada are trying to find their spot, how are they significant in the big picture of soccer development in their country and how can we maintain a healthy feeder system? At the time lower division is almost more of an entertainment league than a feeder league although I think there were improvements in that regard this season. If MLS wants that flow to continue and even improve there will be an investment cost for them as well in one way or another. Otherwise that flow will not improve but shut down. And that my friend is a loss for soccer in our country.
@Yankiboy: “Hopefully he has matured and has become more self-disciplined; there have been rumors about his inmaturity and lack of discipline since he signed with DC United. Same story for his time with the US U-20′s.” He should fit right in up in Montreal. I think that “immaturity” is what one of the stars on their new shield represents. #OccupyHeadphones! You know life sucks when you move from south Florida to Montreal!
PS: It is fun with stuff about Montreal being in the news. Daughter #1 translates all the press releases from French into English for me–and she enjoys doing it. I have some good kids!
@ Brian – “We” in a general sense. The soccer community. None of us know what any player in the NASL makes. We only know what MLS players make because of the union. I know what Donovan makes, but haven’t a clue what Barbara did.
As to your question. The problem with your scenario is that you are not going to see talented players commit to long term contracts with D2 clubs. Not at such rumored paltry salaries and playing against inferior competition.
So as a NASL owner , I have to know that my talent is going to move on because I can’t pay them what they are worth or offer them a higher level. I am sorry, but that is the reality. MLS faces it all the time with Europe. There are no more Impacts, Rhinos, Sounders, and Timbers paying good money in D2 now to keep MLS quality players. The big teams are now in MLS and we see what is left. A bunch of struggling teams, some without even owners. The NASL has no choice, but to keep the path to MLS open as possible in order to prove a stepping stone to something bigger. Play hardball, and you’ll players avoid signing in your league.
D2 and D3 clubs have little leverage. When the MLS vet minimum was at 20k to 30k in the mid to late 00s, a number of minor league clubs could offer similar salaries. Now because of the MLS new CBA, the vet min is at 42K in 2011 and growing. The next CBA will see it rise a lot more. The gap has grown between MLS and D2/D3. So D2 and D3 is now left with mostly players MLS doesn’t want with the occasional hidden gem. MLS itself is now finding other avenues for players other than D2 and D3. Through its academies and reserve squads. Back 10-15 years, it seemed like numerous players moved up from USL to MLS. Those numbers seem much less now even though MLS has expanded both in teams and roster space.
I am not saying it is fair, but it is the economic reality if you invest in a minor league soccer club. You don’t buy them looking for fame and fortune, do you?
Speaking of this subject, I am curious as to your take on what Tim Holt recently said. That we would see more USL-Pro clubs announce affiliation agreements with MLS clubs. And that more MLS teams would own PDL teams. And what about David Down’s own interest in establishing a working relationship between NASL and MLS? Doesn’t it look like we are heading toward a system similar to what baseball has? You worry about compensating NASL and USL clubs for players, but what if we are heading to a minor league affiliation where they wouldn’t have to worry about costs? This might be the only way to keep costs down and to make some money for being a feeder league in the minors.
BTW, MLS contracts are guaranteed thanks to the new CBA.
It works for Baseball and Hockey, so why not try it with soccer