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Zizou

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Steve Goff has the following thoughts on the possibility of Zinedine Zidane coming to MLS:


*Why would Zidane want to play in MLS?

It's a fresh start. America is far from Europe. Anschutz has a lot of money. Materazzi does not play for Columbus.

*Why would MLS want Zidane?

He would be the best player in the league. Period. You can certainly make the argument that Zidane is one of the 10 best players in the history of the sport. He's not as popular as Beckham, but he's better. Beckham brings mostly style, Zidane brings mostly substance.

*Can MLS/AEG afford him?

Yes, of course, but do they think it's worth the investment? He clearly does not attract the same mainstream marketing potential as Beckham. He would come to play football. That's it. Would that be enough to satisfy MLS?

*Okay, is this REALLY going to happen?

Ah, the big question. Like with all potential high-profile moves, there are a lot of hurdles to clear. It's a longshot -- repeat, LONGSHOT -- but there are people who believe they can facilitate a deal. The channels of communication appear to be reopening, which is a good sign. Whether it all comes together remains to be seen. We should know more sometime next week.


It would certainly be interesting to have Zidane in the league. There is no doubt he would have a major on field impact, and I actually have a higher estimation for his potential off the field import than Goff. It would certainly raise the profile of the league internationally. (Speaking of that, how unhappy do you think all the Beckham haters in the UK are after seeing David pull off a hero show in Spain? Hell, today he gets applauded off the field by the home fans after getting a straight red card. Ten years from now folks in England are gonna look back and wonder why they didn't appreciate the lad more.)

I guess I'd have to say I'd like to see it happen. If he does decide to join MLS I hope Zizou can deal with the fact that he is going to start out being known as "head butt" guy. Every writer and TV reporters is going to remind folks that they might remember ZZ for his World Cup escapades, and most folks here won't know him for anything else. Can a former World Footballer of the Year handle that?
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