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DC United president fined for critical comments

Oct 29, 5:53 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP)—D.C. United president Kevin Payne was fined $5,000 by Major League Soccer, then apologized Thursday for criticizing the league and three of its teams.

The MLS said Payne was punished for “public comments deemed detrimental to the public image of the league” and pointed to an item posted on The Washington Post’s Web site this week. Payne was critical of the conservative playing style of Colorado, New England and Real Salt Lake in quotes posted on the site.

Payne said the tactics create “a lot of games in our league that I can’t watch.”

D.C. United failed to make the playoffs after going 9-8-13. New England and Real Salt Lake are playing in the Eastern Conference finals.

“I deeply regret some of the comments I made in an interview published earlier this week. In trying to explain the, sometimes, unfair expectations on the head coach of D.C. United, I made critical comments of Colorado, New England, Real Salt Lake and the league. Those comments were unprofessional,” Payne said in a statement released by his team after the fine was announced.

“I have apologized to those teams and individuals privately and now do so publicly,” Payne said.

Updated Oct 29, 5:53 pm EDT
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8 Comments

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  1. David
    8. Posted by David Sat Oct 31 2:46pm EDT

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    mls needs players who can break through the conservative defensive style of most teams. all during the playoff chase teams played it safe, except for Dallas. it's a shame they didn't make it. now we'll have the same crap off season. any player in mls with talent will leave for europe, and not even top european sides. mls needs to grow up, spend more money, return the reserve league in some form, improve support for younger players' development, and sign more skilled foreign players. we have enough scrappy players in the league now to last us a lifetime.
  2. Samson
    7. Posted by Samson Fri Oct 30 1:39pm EDT

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    finally somebody said it...its those idiots that run New England(why do they even have a team up ther) and the d!cks that own Dallas that are holding the league back
  3. paul
    6. Posted by paul Fri Oct 30 1:03pm EDT

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    LOOK at the MLS number of TIES - including DC United - Ties are for girls - ties are like kissing your sister - wake up and do something...Payne needs to also whine about his own team that sits back and plays not to lose rather to try to win...
    In the pros - it is all about NOT LOSING reather than winning - except look at Sigi and Seattle - he has no pressure on him with a rookie side and very little MLS years of experience so he can gamble and play attrcative attackign soccer while the fat cats are SO AFRAID to come out and attack...
    RSL sat back ALL YEAR - so boring to watch - and would attack in last ten minutes but luckily got into the playoffs with so many last game on-the-road teams losing...
    The MLS mentality needs a swift kick to wake them ALL up and stop whining - if anyone deserves to whine it is us fans that sit through TIE games and all is happy crap...
    have some balls bigger than size 5 and attack your frigging pansies...
  4. Mulonde
    5. Posted by Mulonde Fri Oct 30 12:34pm EDT

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    It doesn't make sense to punish a man who is saying the truth. Payne was just echoing what is keeping soccer lovers away from watching games in the MLS. I am from Colorado but believe me the team is so boring to watch. He is so right. These tactics are a cancer to American soccer that needs to be addressed. In order to get better and grow, the MLS should be willing to accept genuine critism like Payne's. If one watched the national soccer team play, he or she would agree with Payne. The game is good but it lacks flare. Fining Payne is silencing true soccer lovers who are committed to the game.
  5. str8J
    4. Posted by str8J Fri Oct 30 5:36am EDT

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    ,,!,, DC, as a City, the capitol, and as a team...NYRBullssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss :D
  6. charlese
    3. Posted by charlese Thu Oct 29 7:36pm EDT

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    Conservative play of American soccer is what keeps the purists like you away and the low scores
    and conservative play keeps other Americans away
  7. DC_UNITED
    2. Posted by DC_UNITED Thu Oct 29 7:06pm EDT

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    Kevin Payne you should get fired, gasper and Tom Soehn as well.
    Dc United failed to make the playoffs once again, it is all your fault.

    Bunch of losers, is what you are!

    William H.C Cnang, please sell the team, you don't give a @#$% about it team!
  8. DC_UNITED
    1. Posted by DC_UNITED Thu Oct 29 7:03pm EDT

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    Kevin Payne you should get fired, gasper and Tom Soehn as well.
    Dc United failed to make the playoffs once again, it is all your fault.

    Bunch of losers, is what you are!

    William H.C Cnang, please sell the team, you don't give a @#$% about it team!
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