Andrew Moran M LA (loan from Brighton) b.2003

[SkStu]

I don't know. If I was to put on my other sporting hat as a Connacht supporter...Connacht finished down near the bottom of the table last season. But, in 2016, they came from nowhere to win the whole thing.

Much as that's unlikely to happen again next season, if I was told that the league was being split into two tiers with promotion and relegation I'd likely be dead set against it. But, in football, where my team would be Hibs and that jeopardy already very much exists for them, I accept it. So I do think there's a historical element to it.

in isolation, a sport with a limited number of teams, you can get that it would make sense for there to be limits on how far you go and little attraction in promotion/relegation for the sake of it - so I understand there's a basis there. Accept that completely. The debate in LOI circles for a very long time was also whether there should be one division or two - now we are talking two or three interestingly.

But if you step back and look at NA sports as a whole system it is designed around maximizing revenue for rich owners rather than sport in the truest sense, no? P/R is one example, the concept of post-season is another, the number of breaks during a game, the "best of seven" idea (this is the only different concept that has actually produced some great sporting moments imho)...

[Razors left peg]

in isolation, a sport with a limited number of teams, you can get that it would make sense for there to be limits on how far you go and little attraction in promotion/relegation for the sake of it - so I understand there's a basis there. Accept that completely. The debate in LOI circles for a very long time was also whether there should be one division or two - now we are talking two or three interestingly.

But if you step back and look at NA sports as a whole system it is designed around maximizing revenue for rich owners rather than sport in the truest sense, no? P/R is one example, the concept of post-season is another, the number of breaks during a game, the "best of seven" idea (this is the only different concept that has actually produced some great sporting moments imho)...

I do like sports out here in general, theres no doubt that its 100% about entertainment and money rather than sport. The consistently make rule changes and even league structure changes based on TV revenue. Fans are more like customers. You go to a NBA game and theres a guy beside you eating popcorn like hes just at cinema.

I visited Old Trafford 3 weeks ago, and it really brought home the difference between the sporting cultures that I had honestly even forgotten about myself, even though Utd are such a commercial club themselves.

Moran going to the MLS would be a disaster. He'd be far better going to L1 for a year if it came down to that.

[Razors left peg]

Yeah, but with the greatest of respects, you were born there you poor mite! Auld Razor choose to move there. Left the land of saints and scholars(TM) to try and connive those poor Valley strippers into 2nd & 3rd mortgages and profit from their sexy stupidity to go live it up with Jack and Leo courtside at the Staples Centre (dramatization: may not have happened

Strippers are people too!!!

[Eirambler]

Headed to LAFC on loan it seems. Even if he does well there it will be hard to guage whether that's worth anything in terms of his standing with Ireland. If he's no good over there, we can probably forget about him for the foreseeable.

[Razors left peg]

Headed to LAFC on loan it seems. Even if he does well there it will be hard to guage whether that's worth anything in terms of his standing with Ireland. If he's no good over there, we can probably forget about him for the foreseeable.

When is he actually joining. The season ends in October and doesn't start again until March so a loan at this stage of season doesn't make a lot of sense.

[elatedscum]

Reported to be a short term loan until December 31st

[elatedscum]

When is he actually joining. The season ends in October and doesn't start again until March so a loan at this stage of season doesn't make a lot of sense.

LA likely to make the playoffs? I think they take place in November with a final in December.

[Exgrad]

Dissapointing, but not suprising i guess after two poor enough championship loans. Can't see what this does for his career tbh.

[Eirambler]

Not much, other than he'll hopefully get game time in a less physical league. But arguably it's his physicality that he most needs to improve and he has shown no signs to date of making a conscious effort to bulk up - him being so easily brushed off the ball in the lead up to the Senegal goal was just awful, you couldn't have him anywhere near an important qualifier with that weakness in his game.

I'd agree that this move has likely come about as a result of a lack of a better available option as much as anything.

[Exgrad]

Yeah would say that cameo v Senegal would have out him out of picture as far as Heimer is concerned, and a 4 month loan to MLS won't change that.

[Razors left peg]

LA likely to make the playoffs? I think they take place in November with a final in December.

Yeah didnt think of that.

On the bright side, even though I hate how LAFC were just created a few years ago they do seem to be run better than most. Their stadium is at least purpose built for football and does have the feel of an English football stadium, whereas most MLS are just US sports stadiums. They weirdly have very passionate fans (this is the main part I dont understand). Most the fans seem to be Chivas USA who transferred to LAFC after Chivas was disbanded.

I might try get to a game if hes playing regularly, but it is a bit soul destroying seeing him go to MLS at this stage give how brilliant he was as an underage player. I thought he was a cert to "make it"