Salgado hints at MLS retirement

Blackburn Rovers veteran right-back Michel Salgado has suggested he could end his career in the US, when his new contract ends.

On January 27th, he signed a one-year contract extension meaning he'll remain at Ewood Park until the end of the 2011/12 season. But in an interview with the Lancashire Telegraph, he revealed that he's considered ending his career in the US or Australia.

"I wanted to finish my career either in the USA or Australia for more experience in my life, but there is a new deal and I never know when I am going to finish here."

Since signing for Rovers in August 2009, he's become a first-team regular at right back and has settled in Lancashire: "You have to enjoy life in England in the north. It is different, it is not Madrid but you have to enjoy it. When you come to a new country you have to realise you have to settle in that country, and it is you."


While I'm not sure what "it is you" means, Salgado has become a fan-favourite and he's definitely a well-liked man in the local area. When I visited the Blackburn training ground this season, I recall him greeting every journalist with a handshake and asking how they were etc. So if he does go Stateside, they'll be getting a good egg.

Philip Wright-Lewis
@P_W_L

Girly stars not going to MLS

Two of the girliest men in European football, Robbie Savage and Diego Forlan, have been linked with moves to the MLS recently.

Despite sharing similar hair-styles and both looking like dinnerladies, there is surprisingly very little else they share in common.

Savage had been approached by Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps, and despite being impressed by their "presentation", has decided that he'd rather stick to winding us up via the BBC.

He said on Twitter: "It was a massive call but I've worked hard in the media to get where I am and took good advice from people. So it's going to be media full-time in August or another club."

Meanwhile, Robbie's evil twin Diego Forlan, was rumoured to be weighing up a move to Seattle Sounders. Manager Adrian Hanauer paid tribute to the winner of the 2010 World Cup Golden Ball, saying, "We have watched and admired the play of Diego Forlán for a number of years, and we would be thrilled to have a player of his quality join Sounders FC."

He has since denied the link though: "There is no substance to these current reports that Sounders FC is negotiating with Atlético Madrid and the player to bring him to Seattle."

Spurs are also rumoured to be interested in the Uruguayan striker. Manager Harry Redknapp was the victim of a street robbery in Madrid, where he was scouting Forlan, last week.

Continental street criminals have been recently been preying upon unsuspecting Premier League managers; this incident coming only months after Sir Alex Ferguson was mugged of £7m by a homeless Portuguese man.

Philip Wright-Lewis
@P_W_L

Kick-off...

Welcome to MLS Blighty: the first UK-based blog about the MLS the internet has seen!

That might come as a surprise to you, as it definitely did to me.

Despite the fact that some of Europe's finest footballers have graced the competition (no John Rooney, that definitely does not include you), such little is known about the league on this side of the Atlantic.

The common assumption is that the MLS is effectively a lucrative retirement home for Europe's has-beens, looking to wind down their career playing low-paced football all to the tune of a ridiculous wage.

I think this is an unfair assumption, and the USA's performance at the 2010 World Cup proves that there's more to their domestic league than bonkers team names and a sprinkling of vintage talent.

With Bob Bradley, the national team manager, being linked with a number of top English jobs in the summer, it's obvious that people are starting to take US football seriously, as popularity for the sport in North America continues to grow.

This blog is a British-flavoured view of MLS happenings, for footy fans on both sides of the Atlantic. Enjoy.

Philip Wright-Lewis
@P_W_L