RUMOUR - Alfie Houston-bound?

[winchester_royal]

http://www.dynamotheory.com/2013/11/1/5055234/transfer-target-adam-le-fondre?

Not sure Reading fans would be over the moon if this happened.

[NewCorkSeth]

Very poorly written article.

[sandman]

He's 26, why would he go into semi retirement now?

[winchester_royal]

He's 26, why would he go into semi retirement now?

'Greed. Would be a small step for him, but a giant leap for the MLS.

[The Cube]

I'm not sure if that is the picture I would have chosen for an article about Le Fondre.

[72 bus]

For a bid of 750-900k euros, the bloke is obviously on drugs.

[SydenhamRoyal]

I'm not sure if that is the picture I would have chosen for an article about Le Fondre.

No, but it is the perfect picture if you want to discuss Noel Hunt

[One8Seven1]

http://www.dynamotheory.com/2013/11/1/5055234/transfer-target-adam-le-fondre?

Not sure Reading fans would be over the moon if this happened.

What a load of nonsense.

[paultheroyal]

The big sensation Giles Barnes at Houston

[seahawk10]

MLoLS

[From Despair To Where?]

Much as I find the concept of a squad salary cap very laudable, do they not realise that Le Fondre would in most likelihood have to take a pay cut to play in the MLS?

[blueroyals]

That article made no sense to me. Are you sure they're talking about football?

[M Brook]

www.babelfish.com

[Unbelievable Jeff]

For a bid of 750-900k euros, the bloke is obviously on drugs.

you think he is worth more?

[soggy biscuit]

Why would they try and buy him in Euro's?

[NewCorkSeth]

For a bid of 750-900k euros, the bloke is obviously on drugs.

you think he is worth more?

...

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

there is no way that alfie would leave reading fc to take a step down and play in the mls. he would take a pay cut and be playing in a worse league. if anything he will leave us for a premier league team (if at all).

[Simon's Church]

Can't see this happening, not in a world cup year.

[From Despair To Where?]

Don't get me wrong, I've got a lot of admiration for what the MLS has done in establishing the identity of football in America in the face of the Big 4 and I think it's a great proving ground for young American players, but seriously, as far as foreign players in the league is concerned, it's a retirement home for Has Beens or a slightly more glamorous playground than League 2 for Never Wheres.

[tmesis]

The article talks about him being a "designated player" (DP) where only $350,000 counts towards the salary cap. Each club seems to be allowed three of these, which is how you get Clint Dempsey playing there for $5 million a year, which is about double the entire salary cap for a club. He could easily be paid more there than here (if the club though it worth it - not hugely likely).

It's actually saying it wouldn't be worth paying £4 million for him, and would only be worth it if they could get him for that lower value, but acknowledging that isn't likely.

MLS is a much better league than most here give it credit for, mainly because people believe what notoriously ignorant sports journalists here say about it being a "pub league", conference standard etc. For some reason they believe it's the NASL of the early 80s, with awful football being played by awful teams in front of awful crowds rattling around in giant NFL stadiums.

Crowds are good there, on par with the championship (as is the standard, more or less) and some of the stadiums are pretty decent too. Houston have a pretty decent one.



On the other hand, Houston is ridiculously hot and humid, and I can't imagine English players thriving in that sort of environment.

In short, it's not going to happen.