The MLS 2010 season came to a close with Colorado Rapids winning the MLS Cup and LA Galaxy winning the Supporters’ Shield. Now that league and cup competitions are approaching their climax, Major League Soccer has gone on a break and waiting for the 16th season to start on March 15th, 2011.

Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will make their MLS debut – taking the total number of clubs to 18. Both the Timbers and the Whitecaps will join the Western Conference and Houston Dynamo will move into the Eastern Conference.

As far as the kits are concerned, adidas is the lone supplier of the kits for all the clubs playing in the league. Because of that, questions are raised about the amount of involvement by the club in the final decision of the kits. For example, when Seattle Sounders’ third kit for 2011 was unveiled, fans and media personnel wondered whether the Sounders actually opted for electric yellow or was it forced upon them.

The general consensus is that, clubs do have a final nod in the decision of the kits they will wear. So yes, Seattle Sounders did opt for electric yellow as their third color only after joining MLS in November 2007.

You can see the 2011 MLS jerseys here for all the 18 clubs participating.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Anybody casually tuning in to Major League Soccer’s Week 32 action and teetering over the great lake of MLS fandom will have jumped right in. The final week of the regular season began with a cluster of teams fighting it out to take up the final three playoff spots. The results and their impact on the playoff bracket were hugely surprising and entirely unpredictable as slip-ups and upsets allowed an unfancied team to leap into the post-season from outside everyone’s assumed candidates.

Chicago Fire confirmed their spot in midweek, defeating Chivas USA in a match which in turn confirmed Columbus Crew as winners of the Supporters Shield. Toronto FC somehow contrived to throw away their strong pre-game position by getting beaten 5-0 by New York Red Bulls. The result was a great send-off for Giants Stadium as the clubs prepares to kick off next season at the newly-built Red Bull Arena.

DC United and FC Dallas failed to take advantage. Tom Soehn’s men were 2-1 up at Kansas City and heading for the post-season when Fred handled the ball on the line, getting himself sent off and conceding the penalty which – when all the confusing permutations had been played out – ultimately doomed DC’s quest to failure. Dallas were beaten in Seattle to end their fantastic run through the second half of the season, while New England went to Crew Stadium, held their nerve, and booked a date with Chicago in the playoffs.

The chokers of the weekend were Colorado Rapids, who missed out on a very favourable opportunity by slumping to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake, the weekend’s main beneficiaries. Thanks to Toronto, DC and Dallas all failing, RSL’s win sent them into a playoff spot which as recently as last week seemed almost impossible. Just goes to show – when you’re mathematically still alive, keep going until you’re not.

With the regular season done and dusted, it’s time for the top eight to get down to business. The playoffs begin tonight (Thursday) in Seattle and ending in the same stadium with MLS Cup Final on 22nd November. Here is your Soccerlens preview.

West: LA Galaxy v Chivas USA

This is exactly the kind of match MLS needs to continue to raise its profile. LA Galaxy are the highest profile team in the league, at least overseas, and the Superclasico is quickly developing into a worthy derby. This is surely helped by the fact that the two teams both play at Home Depot Center, a superb soccer-specific facility, and have been known to trade players across the lobby. Chivas is a young club which has defied the doubters to become a solid MLS concern, playing superbly in the early part of the 2009 season and improving late on to make a last-ditch push for the top of the table.

The Galaxy have taken the league by storm. A draw-riddled unbeaten streak characterised the first half of the season but by the time David Beckham returned from AC Milan the wins were beginning to flow. Folding Beckham back into the side and introducing Chris Birchall has given the side an extra creative edge, relieving some of the burden on the in-form Landon Donovan and allowing him to thrive alongside his English colleague. Their relationship, so fractious in the wake of 19 Entertainment’s alleged shadow takeover of the Galaxy and Grant Wahl’s book, The Beckham Experiment, appears to have developed into something much more productive.

The same appears to be true of Beckham’s relationship with the Galaxy supporters, who will no doubt appreciate the team’s first playoff qualification since Beckham’s arrival in 2007 and finishing first in the West.

West: Houston Dynamo v Seattle Sounders FC

For much of the 2009 season, Seattle have dominated the headlines. Large crowds have accentuated the feeling that the city was a market ready to adopt a top-level football club. Other sports have been suffering in Seattle and the Sounders name has plenty of history behind it.

The club has been marketed well all year and Drew Carey’s habit of appearing on national television draped in rave green can do no harm at all. On the field, Kasey Keller has been a solid backstop for a team which has for several months now struggled to score at home. Despite this, Fredy Montero is the most naturally gifted player in the league and is ably supported by designated player Freddie Ljungberg, former Arsenal youth player Steve Zakuani and target man Nate Jaqua.

However, Houston Dynamo are very reliable. A consistent team coached by Dominic Kinnear, possibly Major League Soccer’s finest, the Dynamo’s efficiency is the club’s biggest advantage. They are superb from set pieces and play confident, clever football on the floor too. The team’s superstar is Stuart Holden, an effervescent Scottish-born US international whose superb box-to-box midfield play has been a highlight for both the Dynamo and the US Men’s National Team this season. A big move surely awaits.

In Andrew Hainault, Juan Luis Landin, Ricardo Clark, Brian Ching, Geoff Cameron and others, the Dynamo have enough quality to make things very difficult for Seattle. Injuries to Landin and Clark could slow their progress but Houston should be consistent enough to see off the Sounders, though you just never know in football.

East: Columbus Crew v Real Salt Lake

In the East, Columbus Crew already have a 2009 title to their name. The Supporters Shield winners were crowned thanks to Chicago’s win over Chivas and go into the playoffs brimming with confidence. They know how to win MLS Cup (reigning champions, no less) and have looked unstoppable for large chunks of the 2009 season. Their squad depth is remarkable for MLS, demonstrated by Steven Lenhart and Jason Garey chipping in with crucial goals while Guillermo Barros Schelotto was out with an injury. Their excellent home record and depth of quality will make them many pundits’ favourites for a second consecutive win.

Their semi-final opponents Real Salt Lake did the business on the final day, defeating Colorado to take advantage of teams collapsing elsewhere. They grabbed an unexpected wildcard slot and will face a very difficult challenge against the Crew. Yura Movsisyan will want to sign off on a high before moving to Randers in Denmark, Robbie Findley has a sharp eye for goal and Kyle Beckerman is one of the finest midfielders in MLS. On their day, they can give anyone a run for their money.

East: Chicago Fire v New England Revolution

Also in the East, New England Revolution pounced on DC and FCD’s last-gasp inadequacy to grab a berth by winning the last game of the regular season. Having qualified in the absence of Taylor Twellman, the Revs are likely to be high on confidence despite one or two notable injuries. Shalrie Joseph, as ever this season, could be the key man. Kheli Dube must also be firing for the Revolution to succeed.

Their opponents may be hamstrung by their lack of consistency and questionable home form. Chicago Fire draw too many matches on their own pitch and the Revs’ gritty football may give the Fire some problems breaking them down. They will be relying on Blanco to unlock the Revs, and he is certainly capable of doing so. The two sides have been inseparable in league play in 2009, but the Fire triumphed in a Superliga tie in July.

The two winners from each Conference will play in the Conference finals in the middle of November before the final showdown in Seattle. So which team will be crowned champions? Columbus Crew’s squad depth is a huge asset because it provides options and flexibility, both ideal for cup football. Houston are also solid and are excellent from set pieces, which could help them dominate the key moments against Seattle. For their part the Sounders will have fantastic support and the confidence of a successful first season. I fancy them to upset the Dynamo.

But for me the favourites are LA Galaxy. It is said by English football supporters that momentum is essential for a playoff campaign, and if that holds true then the Galaxy hold the cards. They have big name players in David Beckham and Landon Donovan, both of whom possess immense quality, a winning attitude and, it appears, a new-found respect for one another. The pair are on form and, with a reliable defence behind them and worthy support acts elsewhere, they could lead LA to a title win before the former England captain heads back to Milan.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

31 weeks down, just one to go. Major League Soccer’s 14th season has had its ups and downs, goalkeeping errors and bad refereeing taking the shine off a year which gave us a superb rookie class, some wonderful goals and more surprises than Portsmouth’s directors’ box. The Beckham Experiment threw the focus on David Beckham’s return from Milan and the Red Bulls…well, they sucked.

The season has been characterised by great goals, stoppage time drama and Garber-bashing, often deserved. While it would be a stretch to declare the opinion that strides have been made by MLS in 2009 to be consensual, I think credit is due and the future is bright.

The play on the field has been exciting. It’s quick and physical, but the league has enough skillful players to give games an technical edge. This is a good league, and its continued progress is encouraging. It just feels like football, perhaps the legacy of Ivan Gazidis.

It’s not perfect. FC Dallas supporters are still highly critical of its owners – the same owners who have, in Columbus, threatened the hardcore supporters with sanctions because of their bad language. But, in general, the league seems to be pulling in the right direction. 2010 and 2011 expansion can only further that effect.

When tonight’s match between Chicago Fire and Chivas USA reaches its conclusion, the Fire’s 30 games will be complete and everyone else will be staring down the barrel of their last match of the regular season. Columbus Crew’s squad depth has seen them to the top of the table and home advantage in the playoffs. Houston Dynamo have been in touch all season and join them, while a resurgent LA Galaxy have benefited from improved squad balance and a blossoming on-field partnership between Beckham and Landon Donovan.

In their debut season, Seattle Sounders FC have been inconsistent but more hit than miss, riding the abilities of Fredy Montero all the way to the post-season. Chivas USA have gone about their business quietly but efficiently and currently top the West.

Chicago can book their place this evening but have missed several opportunities to strengthen their position. With Chivas hunting home-field advantage and even the Supporters Shield, it won’t be an easy task. Colorado Rapids are also currently in a playoff position but have been too reliant on Conor Casey’s last minute penalties of late. At this stage both should make it.

But spanning the dotted line is a cluster of four teams on 39 points. Toronto FC currently sit in pole position, but along with Colorado are vulnerable to the three teams below: New England Revolution, DC United and FC Dallas. So who’s going to triumph this weekend and top The 39 Club?

Toronto FC

TFC started the season well and coped admirably with the loss of their head coach early on to keep themselves in touch with the leaders. The inevitable plateau did arrive, but the Canadian team have plugged away and kept the positive results piling up. They go into their final game in a playoff spot, meaning their destiny is in their own hands. The same is true of Chicago and Colorado, but if you asked the Revs, DC or Dallas I’m sure they’d swap.

The supporters have said an emotional goodbye to Danny Dichio and there can be no more fitting tribute to their first ever goalscorer than to embark upon a playoff campaign.

Ordinarily, one would argue that Toronto have the easiest task of all the clubs chasing playoff spots. A trip to New York Red Bulls has promised three points for most visitors this season, but it’s always foolhardy to underestimate the power of a sense of occasion. Saturday’s tie will be the Red Bulls’ final game at Giants Stadium before the Red Bull Arena opens its doors in 2010. And who knows, maybe Thierry Henry will be the star attraction.

New England Revolution

Having written off the Revolution early in the season, I’m delighted to see them in with a shout of post-season qualification. The coaching set up at the club has been something of a double act, with head coach Steve Nicol and his right-hand man Paul Mariner steering the Revs through a much-improved second half of the 2009 season. Mariner has now departed, returning to work with Paul Sturrock as the new first team coach at Plymouth Argyle after a long stay in North America.

The long-term injury problems of Taylor Twellman have slightly taken the bite out of the Revs attack but several key players have made themselves indispensable. Shalrie Joseph is the club’s most dominant player, while Kheli Dube and Steve Ralston have contributed vital goals all season long. Kevin Alston has been particularly impressive getting up and down the right wing.

The Revs do have the advantage of playing the final game of the weekend and will know exactly what they need to do. But they have the toughest task of all the teams on 39 points, travelling to the almost impenetrable fortress of Crew Stadium to face Columbus, who – depending on Chivas USA’s results – could still need a result to win the Supporters Shield.

DC United

United are a really interesting case. Major League Soccer’s most storied club, the legends remain but their powers are on the wane. The squad is a mix of aging stars and promising youngsters, and the blend has been used badly by coach Tom Soehn in a season which promised much. That’s not to say the players haven’t let him down, but United have been undone this year by teams that have power and pace and have exposed DC’s possession-based, slower football. Ben Olsen’s best days are behind him, but Jaime Moreno has another season in him from the substitutes’ bench. The younger players, like Chris Pontius, Danny Szetela and Santino Quaranta, should have the opportunity to quicken up the side and return them to glory. Under Soehn, it seems a distant dream.

United’s ambition at the start of the season was to challenge on three fronts. Their MLS form has struggled and has not been made easier by a constant run of games through the late summer in CONCACAF Champions League action and their attempt to retain the US Open Cup. The latter reached the last obstacle but Seattle Sounders swaggered into RFK for the final and took a deserved and dramatic victory. At the time of writing, United’s CCL draw with Toluca leaves them needing a favour from San Juan Jabloteh to make the quarter finals.

United have a challenging final fixture. Travelling to Kansas City is rarely easy and the Wizards are playing with a certain freedom at the moment and dangermen like Josh Wolff, Davy Arnaud and the intriguing Zoltan Hercegfalvi have the potential to play spoiler for DC. But a win puts DC in a strong position and it’s time for the team to stand up and be counted.

FC Dallas

In the early days of the season FC Dallas looked like one of the weakest teams in the league. But when Kenny Cooper went on Gold Cup duty with the US and sealed a move to 2.Bundesliga before his return, the team rallied. Their form in the second half of the season has been a huge improvement on the first, and while their surge into playoff contention has been carried out quietly it has been punctuated by a few spectacular, high-scoring games.

Striker Jeff Cunningham has been scoring for fun since Cooper’s departure and, with Dave van den Bergh supplying the ammunition and Dax McCarty buzzing around the midfield to allow David Ferreira to flourish, FCD have been an exciting team to watch in the last few months. They’ve put six past both Kansas City Wizards and LA Galaxy and are currently on a four-game winning streak which has included key wins over playoff rivals Real Salt Lake, New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids.

Unfortunately for FCD their final fixture couldn’t be much more difficult. They travel to Qwest Field to face Seattle Sounders, a team which will be celebrating playoff qualification at the first attempt in front of its home supporters. The fact that there will be no pressure on the boys in rave green may or may not work in the Texans’ favour, but either way they’ll need to be right on top of their game to keep alive the impossible dream.

The situation is sure to be fascinating. TFC are in the box seat and play New York, but the Revs will not be relishing a trip to Columbus. DC and FCD are both capable of winning their games. With the possibility five teams battling it out for two spots, the MLS weekend should be a real cracker.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

A few weeks ago I wrote a post examining the prospects of the most likely challengers for MLS Cup. By not mentioning New England Revolution, I had quietly written the off – quite logical, given their poor start and the continued absence of Taylor Twellman – and condemned them to a season of disappointment and introspection.

I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I’m pleased to be eating humble pie on this one.

The Revolution got off to an unsure start in the 2009 Major League Soccer season, defeating only the abject duo of San Jose Earthquakes and FC Dallas before finally securing a noteworthy win against DC United at the end of May.

A six-game winless run threatened to derail their season and the continued absence of Taylor Twellman became an excuse rather than an explanation. Winless streak snapped, inconsistency reigned until the points started to rack up in the middle of July.

And now, the Revs are flying. They’re proving the doubters wrong and – ominously for the rest of the league – hitting winning form at just the right time.

About the Revs

New England Revolution are one of Major League Soccer’s great ‘nearly’ teams. After losing out to LA Galaxy on home soil in the 2002 MLS Cup Final, the Revs have the unenviable record of adding another three consecutive MLS Cup Final defeats between 2005 and 2007. The Galaxy ensured lightning struck twice in Texas in 2005 before the new Houston Dynamo franchise defeated New England in 2006 and 2007. To date, New England have still not won MLS Cup, though the honours list does feature the 2007 US Open Cup and the 2008 Superliga. MLS Cup in 2009?

The Revolution have been managed by some big names from world football, including Frank Stapleton and Walter Zenga. The current head coach is former Liverpool player Steve Nicol, who has been in charge since 2002.

When a coach has been in his job as long as Nicol, his team begins to play in a consistent style and get a reputation. In this case, that means ‘Nicol-ball’. Critics of the Revolution’s style of play argue somewhat unfairly that the side is defensive and unattractive, especially when they go a goal ahead. It is undeniable that New England can park the bus, but they play some decent stuff on occasion and even their defensive football isn’t necessarily unattractive.

Nicol-ball is sometimes criticised because, for all its functionality, it has brought no success in MLS. But it has got the team close on four occasions, including one runners-up spot for Supporters’ Shield, and that should not be dismissed too easily.

Stuttering start

Having defeated the Quakes in Week 1 and Dallas in Week 3, the Revolution embarked on a six-match winless streak which included losses to Houston Dynamo and Toronto FC and a 6-0 hiding at the hands of Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto. DC United and New York Red Bulls were then beaten before an embarrassing defeat to Kansas City Wizards kicked off another three-game winless run. At that point New England looked some distance short of playoff quality, but huge improvement was just around the corner.

Five wins in the last seven have dragged the Revolution kicking and screaming into serious contention, and indeed into a playoff spot at the time of writing. Chivas USA, Dynamo, Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake are all strong sides, but have been dispatched along with San Jose in the last few weeks. Toronto snatched a draw at New England’s Gillette Stadium, and the Galaxy hosted the Revs in the middle of their own resurgent run and ran out 2-1 winners.

When I prematurely wrote New England off, my post received a comment warning me that if Taylor Twellman could be kept fit I would be proved wrong. It makes sense: Twellman has scored over 100 Major League Soccer goals and his return to the USA from Germany coincided with the Revs’ run of four MLS Cup Final appearances between 2002 and 2007. He was also named the league’s MVP in 2005. Sure enough, the Revolution have proved me wrong – and yet Twellman has played only 109 minutes this season (but scoring twice). So what’s happened?

Shalrie takes responsibility

Several Revolution players are in excellent form at the moment. Kenny Mansally gets plenty of time on the ball, Steve Ralston is his usual reliable self and Kevin Alston is making a name for himself bombing up and down the right wing and linking up with the forward men. Most recently, Zimbabwean striker Kheli Dube has been in a rich goalscoring vein.

But one man has put himself on Twellman’s level over the years, and he’s been in scintillating form in 2009. Shalrie Joseph is a Grenadian midfielder who has excelled in the Revs side this season despite playing much of it out of position. His versatility is a real asset and he has been used by Nicol as everything from defensive midfielder to makeshift striker. And this year, he’s been the Revolution’s imposing talisman, dominating matches and helping his side turn around their fortunes.

Linking well with Ralston and Alston in particular, Joseph has the statistics to back up his superb play this term. In 16 starts and three appearances as a substitute, he has scored six goals and made eight, a return fitting of his reputation and status. New England have really needed him to shine this season and he’s delivered that plus interest.

With nine games to go, New England are finally in great shape for a playoff spot. Columbus continue to look strong and should take one of the top two spots in the East, but DC United are nosediving and Chicago are always vulnerable at home. With late-season momentum on their side, you’d be a fool to bet against the Revs. You can quote me on that.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The rash fouls and referee rants started early in MLS this year.

There were seven sending offs this past weekend in relatively unimportant MLS match-ups. In the contest between the hapless Galaxy and Chivas USA, the referee red-carded LA’s US international star Gregg Berhalter in his MLS debut for hauling down a player with a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and ejected the Galaxy’s Alan Gordon (dissent) and Chivas’ Paulo Nagamura with two yellow cards apiece.

The Sounders’ Kasey Keller was ejected for handling the ball outside the box, and San Jose’s Shea Salinas jettisoned from the Fire match. Houston’s Mike Chabala was booked with reckless challenge and punted, as was Carlos Johnson of the floundering NY Red Bulls.

The plethora of cards early in the season might represent a crackdown by the league. The ejections were for several offenses, but it’s clear the players were testing the water because of MLS referees’ reputation for inconsistently calling games.

MLS is a fast, athletic league and technical players valued, but not protected. There’s no shortage of quality players, but also no shortage of marginal players who’ll do whatever it takes to win the ball. Most compromised are skilled players likely to score or outplay, often from foreign leagues where the emphasis is more technical.

There are also trophy tackles by ambitious young players, such as the assault by FC Dallas’ Adrian Serioux on David Beckham. With quality players at a premium in MLS, some protection for more technical players may be warranted.

Lack of player discipline challenges referees

Chris Albright, a former national team player currently with the New England Revolution, is a veteran of the American game and has won three MLS Cups with the LA Galaxy and DC United.

“The referees are working on it,” said Albright after practice Wednesday. “I think a lot of the issue is not many of the referees here have played at a high level and not been around the game, it’s not woven through life here as it is in Europe so those referees have a better feel. Our guys are catching up, the players and referees are working out the kinks, still have a ways to go, but just having a better feel is the biggest issue.”

“We’re a physical league so we have to be careful to try to keep it clean,” said Albright. “But that being said, you just can’t go throwing guys out left and right – that’s why it all comes back to feel, it all comes back to understanding what’s going on in the game, what time it is, how much time is left, and if there was more intent in a foul.”

The sometimes arbitrary nature of cautions has game-changing consequences in MLS. Last season a referee ejected Jeff Larentowicz in the 7th minute for a cleats-up tackle with no player contact and that decision resulted in a 4-0 loss to the Chicago Fire. The following week, the same referee punished Houston’s Ricardo Clark for a cleats-up tackle with physical harm but only gave him a yellow. The affect of these conflicting decisions gives the referee less authority down the road.

The referee’s job seems straightforward until things run afoul.

1) Let them play – Let players work things out, govern themselves, gifted athletes, they want to play at the highest level.

2) Control the game – Let players know their boundaries from the beginning. The first raised elbow gets a card. Result? In theory, no more raised elbows.

Why do these two philosophies go wrong? Dogmatic adherence to one or the other as opposed to a good feel of the game.

Philosophy #1 gone wrong – If player A’s sub is warming up on the sidelines and player A doesn’t make an impact in the next few minutes, he can find himself without a job. So player A comes in hard, then player B pulls a jersey, then players C and D go from bad to worse. Then the referee is forced to pass out cards for offenses he previously overlooked just to keep the game under control.

Philosophy #2 gone wrong – The referee becomes the 23rd player, showing cards early to make his point then refrains from cautions in the second half, suddenly aware that 9v10 players makes a poor game.

How to improve the consistency of the calls

Andrea Canales at Goal suggests increasing the talent pool for US referees through a short-term exchange program with foreign referees. Bringing in experienced foreign talent is a good idea, but only for the long term, as short–term referees will likely increase the inconsistency between games and referees.

Another suggestion is to lighten up on the diving calls, which MLS referees make quickly and effectively; diving in MLS pales in comparison to South American leagues where it’s cultivated as an art. Comparatively, is it that wrong for a targeted player to preempt an attack from a sub-par player at first touch?

If the referees relax their strict standards here a little, they may not have to eject players and call for trainers as frequently. In a long-established league, this might not be necessary, but with the wide variety of talent circulating in MLS, it may be worth offering the best players a little more protection.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Our last column, inspired at 2AM, carefully selected winners for MLS season openers. Some were slightly off, and today we discuss why these results went topsy and what to expect down the road.

1) NY Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders

Result: Seattle 3-0 New York
Prediction: New York 3-2 Seattle
Excuse: Seattle is a strong team, Sigi Schmid a champion coach, the fans passionate, the owners pulled the stops, but this result was better than chemistry. Hot young striker Fredy Montero triggered the magic and joyfully scored two goals and an assist. Even the glib announcers were blinded by the polish in this playoff bound team. They ate New York for lunch.

There is no excuse for New York. This was appalling. New Yorkers are heartless and largely responsible for the global economic collapse, borne of greed and corruption. They deserve this hopeless team. Learn from it.

2) Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo

Result: 1-1
Prediction: Columbus 3-1 Houston
Excuse: Loss of faith in virtue (see above). In a well-played game, it came down to the classic battle of two kings facing off. Brian Ching scored for Dynamo, Guillermo Barros Schelloto for Columbus. See them both in the playoffs.

2) Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas

Result: Chicago 3-1 Dallas
Prediction: 2-2
Excuse: 2AM, tequila. Cuautehmoc Blanco and Brian McBride are older, but not heading to pasture anytime soon. They both scored, Blanco ten minutes after entering the field at 79 minutes. Justin Mapp left his mark, Chris Rolfe will, and Chicago will be in the playoffs.

Dallas will struggle again this year, but Kenny Cooper’s blast from 60 yards distinguishes him from other MLS players – he’s the #1 reason to watch Dallas play. It might have been only one goal, but it was worth two.

3) Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards

Result: Toronto 3—2 Kansas City
Prediction: Toronto 3-1 Kansas City
Excuse: None, pretty much called it. Amado Guevara scored 2, Jim Brennan the other, and Toronto won its first season opener in its three-year history and it’s fifth away win. Expect to see more and their first trip to the playoffs. As predicted, the Wizard’s Davy Arnoud made the difference with two goals, but wins will be few and far between for KC.

4) New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes

Result: New England 1-0 San Jose
Prediction: San Jose 2-1 New England
Excuse: Quakes were disorganized and should have done better, unable to tally even though three of the four Revs defenders were rookies. The replacements kept it simple and persevered, but their future depends on the fitness of sidelined Steve Ralston, Taylor Twellman, Gabriel Badilla, Mauricio Castro, and two incoming players from Ghana. That’s a lot of X factors for the Revs and a thumbs-down for the Quakes.

5) Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA

Result: Chivas USA 2-1 Colorado
Prediction: Colorado 2-0 Chivas
Excuse: Paulo Nagamura not on radar. He is now, after scoring two second-half goals for Chivas in an ugly, physical match. Omar Cummings scored for the Rapids, but both these teams must improve to reach sea level.

6) DC United @ LA Galaxy

Results: 2-2
Prediction: Galaxy 3-2 United
Excuse: None. Donovan comes from behind with a header and a penalty. LA will prosper this year, DC will not. See LA in the playoffs with David Beckham. Put money on it.

7) Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders — to be played March 28

New Prediction: Sounders 3-1 Salt Lake
Old Prediction: Salt Lake 2-1 Sounders
Excuse: See above. Still looking forward to the Javi and Kyle show.

USL-1 Puerto Rico Islanders blow past MLS in CONCACAF tournament.

March 17, the USL-1 Puerto Rico Islanders trounced five-time CONCACAF champion Cruz Azul 2-0 in the CONCACAF semifinals with goals by Nicholas Addlery and Sandy Gbandi and clutch saves by Bill Gaudette. The Islanders face Santos Laguna (2-1 Atlante) April 28 in the return leg and could earn a berth in the FIFA World Championship.

They USL-1 Islanders danced past last MLS hold-out Houston Dynamo (3-0 loss to Atlante) and long outlived New England Revolution, DC United, and Chivas USA in the tournament. USL-1 Montreal Impact, cut down in the semi-finals, also went beyond every MLS squad but Houston.

How did this happen? How did these players fly under MLS radar? Coach Colin Clarke previously coached FC Dallas, keeper Bill Gaudette played for Columbus Crew, and striker Nicholas Addlery was a DC United reject. How did two teams from a lower league accomplish this with so little fanfare?

Revolution coach and former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol shared his thoughts with us.

LE: How do you explain how USL went beyond MLS in the CONCACAF tournament?

Nicol: I think it’s a fantastic result. For them to be where there are and get the results they are, it’s fantastic. The coach they have in [Colin] Clark — he’s been around, he was smart as a player and he’s smart as a coach, he has them well organized. Clearly their opponents are better paid, supposedly better qualified to win matches, but it shows you that some heart and good organization — and some ability as well — can take you a long way.

LE: Did the packed schedule hold MLS back last year or are Montreal and the Islanders really talented?

Nicol: I don’t think the MLS schedule had anything to do with it. They did well in their own right, shown that they’ve got ability, they’re well-organized and they’ve got heart. You put all these things together and it takes some beating.

MLS awards franchises to Vancouver and Portland in 2011, promises two more in 2012

After awarding contenders Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon MLS franchises, MLS Commissioner Don Garber promised two more clubs in 2012, mentioning St. Louis and Ottawa by name.

The proximity and fanbase of these northwest cities may have played into the decision, but more likely the deep pockets of investors and the likelihood of soccer specific stadiums in uncertain financial times factored heavily in the equation.

The Vancouver Whitecaps investors are by Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and Steve Nash. Nash is a two-time NBA MVP and like Mallet, (former president of Yahoo!) is an investor in Women’s Professional Soccer. Vancouver is hosting the 2010 winter Olympics and contracted to renovate the BC Place stadium from 60,000 to a 20,000 seat soccer specific stadium at a cost of $360 milion for the event. The stadium will have a retractable roof and a centrally hung scoreboard, the first in MLS.

Montreal was favored over Vancouver earlier this winter, but Montreal proposed the 13,000 seat Stade Saputo, which doesn’t line-up with the more ambitious MLS plans. The Vancouver deal went through at $35 million, not the $40 million fee. Saturday the Whitecaps sold four thousand season tickets out of 16,500 in just three hours.

Portland agreed to renovate PGE Park to the satisfaction of MLS, and has the wherewithal to do it. Owner Merritt Paulson and his father former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, that currently own USL Timbers, are well-heeled and have the background. Merritt Paulson was previously the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development at NBA Entertainment.

“The Portland City Council’s recent approval of the framework for the renovations of PGE Park was a key factor in Portland becoming our 18th team,” said Commissioner Garber.

Photo Credits: Traynor, KB Hall via Flickr.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The MLS season opens with fireworks Thursday night for the Seattle Sounders inaugural game at Qwest field against New York Red Bulls.

The Seattle Sounders management did everything right to create a model club, including stealing 2008 MLS Cup Champion coach Sigi Schmid from Columbus Crew.

The supporters group, FC Alliance can vote out the general manager, currently Adrian Hanauer, every four years if 20% of the members sign a petition, an idea lifted from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Comedian/owner Drew Carey put full media spin behind the club, which sold 22,000 season tickets and 32,400 seats for the opening game. “We’ll have this big drunken march down to the stadium before the game begins,” said Carey.

The inevitable and highly suspect predictions:

In a league where parity is king, it’s pointless to discuss MLS Cup at this point, so without further ado, here are the predictions for the season openers:

Thursday, March 19

New York Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Red Bulls 3-2

The Sounders have Kasey Keller in net, but designated player Freddie Ljungberg, recovering from hip surgery, might not take the field. Young Columbian Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua are the strike force, and with central defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, this team could be a threat on short notice.

Juan Carlos Osorio reinvented the Red Bulls with 15 foreign-born players to support Juan Pablo Angel, the top MLS goal scorer (14), who is fit and re-signed. Dynamic midfielder Dane Richards will be assisted by 33 year-old Albert Celades, former Barca and Real Madrid midfielder.

Danny Cepero, who scored the first goal by an MLS goalkeeper in his very first game, will continue his own fairy tale by substituting for Jon Conway, still suspended. The Bulls won their last preseason match 2-0 with Crystal Palace, with goals by Khano Smith and Mathew Mboto.

Saturday, March 21

Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo
Prediction: Columbus Crew 3-1

The Crew remain intact with 2008 MLS assist leader (19) and league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelloto, Robbie Rogers, and defenders Frankie Hejduk and Gino Padula.

Although Houston coach Dominic Kinnear still has national team striker Brian Ching, he lost goal scorer Dwayne DeRosario, recently suffered a humiliating defeat in CONCACAF, and striker Kai Kamara was just suspended for the first two matches for inappropriate comments. Midfielder Stuart Holden is expected to make miracles happen.

Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas
Prediction 2-2

The Chicago Fire will succeed as expected with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Brian McBride and Chris Rolfe, but the individual efforts of Dallas Kenny Cooper, Dave van den Bergh, and Dax McCarty will throw off their game.

Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards
Prediction: Toronto 3-1

Toronto has a team set on scoring and Captain Jim Brennan and Dwayne DeRosario will make it happen along with Pablo Vitti, Chad Barrett and Danny Dichio. The fans want goals and the fans will get goals with this roster.

Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnoud, and the rest of Kansas City will be hard pressed to keep TFC from running up the score.

New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes
Prediction: San Jose 2-1

San Jose has a versatile midfield of Bobby Convey, Arturo Alvarez, Darren Huckerby, and Ramiro Coralles, and Cam Weaver can tally goals.

The Revolution lost three big players over the winter and replaced them with untested rookies while dealing with serious injuries to goal scorers Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman. Shalrie Joseph, Jay Heaps and Chris Albright will control the back, but this team needs attacking players. Although the Revolution have troubles, they keep their spirits up by humiliating their coaches.

Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA
Prediction: Rapids 2-0

Jason Kreis kept the Rapids intact with linchpins Omar Cummings, Conor Casey, Colin Clark, and Pablo Mastroeni, and beat the Sounders in preseason. Sasha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein, and Ante Razov will toil for Chivas but it may not be enough.

Sunday, March 22

DC United @ LA Galaxy
Prediction LA 3-2

LA will come off solid, thanks to Bruce Arena, who shook the team up top to bottom. Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, and Dema Kovalenko will score goals without David Beckham, but still need to solidify a backline, particularly with the absence of new keeper Donovan Ricketts due to injury. DC also may be handicapped by the absence of their keeper Louis Crayton due to injury, but Francis Doe, Thabiso Khumalo, and Santino Quaranta will provide a show in the top half of the field.

Saturday, March 28

Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Real Salt Lake 2-1

Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan, and Kyle Beckerman give Real Salt Lake the stability and creativity to challenge the new Seattle Sounders, while still producing episodes of the Kyle and Javi show.

National teams drop in the clutch

The women’s national team failed to win their third straight Algarve Cup, handing it over to Sweden in penalty kicks after the 1-1 tie. Shannon Boxx scored for the US in the 90th minute.

The men’s U-20s fell 3-0 to Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Championship final, but secured a spot in the U-20 World Cup in Egypt with their 2-0 win over El Salvador.

FC Barca resurfaces near 2010 Philadelphia franchise

A few days before bowing out of the proposed Barca Miami franchise, Barca president Joan Laporta toured the site of the stadium being constructed for the approved 2010 Philadephia MLS franchise. Don Garber told Sports Business Journal, “the team has secured more than 6,000 season ticket deposits and two sponsors a year before kicking off,” but Philadephia is looking for partners. MLS Philadelphia CEO Nick Sakiewicz said that Delaware County and Pennsylvannia put up $77 million and expects Jay Sugarman, the majority owner-operator, and his fellow investors to produce the $38 million balance.

“FC Barcelona has expressed for some time an interest in Major League Soccer financially and strategically,” said Don Garber. “They spent a great deal of time with us looking at Miami and are continuing to look at opportunities around the league.”

Photo Credits: W. Jarrett Campbell/Triangle Soccer Fanatics

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

A picture says a thousand words, a video says more. Debate even flared at the Washington Post about the skirt controversy.

Arena recharges Galaxy roster to fly with or without Beckham

Whether David Beckham stays or goes, the LA Galaxy will stagger on. Forging ahead, this week Bruce Arena jettisoned five (and more on the way out) young players from last season’s squad to make room for journeymen – keeper Donovan Ricketts, midfielder Dema Kovalenko, forwards Mike Magee and Jovan Kirovski, defender Tony Sanneh and rookies Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLaGarza.

Bayern Munich apparently purchased the ticket for Landon Donovan’s flight back, so after ruffled feathers are smoothed, say June, July, the Galaxy could be a competitive team.

The Milan/Galaxy ruckus is a bonus to MLS. Beckham is doing exactly what he’s supposed to do — spotlight soccer in the slick center stage of American sports. Now he’s found someone more attractive. The public can pretend they don’t care, do the “we’re growing as individuals” thing, but they’ve been jilted and feeling a little miffed.

Don’t underestimate indignation. It’s sailed ships.

So how should MLS deal with Beckham if he comes back to the circus that is the LA Galaxy?

Select one:

a) make contracts optional
b) raise the salary cap proportionate to the national debt
c) restrict cannabis from the locker room
d) socialize MLS wages

MLS reserves slashed – opportunities cut for young players

The shortage of capable young American players that afflicted the Galaxy is partly due to excessive NCAA restrictions on college programs and now exacerbated by the November 2008 MLS decision to guillotine reserve squads throughout the league.

That decision was spurred by the lack of funds for salary and staff to the extent squads rostered office staff and volunteers for reserve games. The decision reduced rosters from 28 to 24, with first team squads increasing from 18 to 20 with four developmental players.

We spoke with Jay Heaps about the cutting of the reserve squad. Heaps, Duke graduate and defender for the New England Revolution, took the Revs to four MLS Cups, played every minute of all 30 matches in 2008, and is team representative to the MLS Players Union.

LE: How does cutting the reserves benefit training and team operations?

Heaps: It doesn’t affect the day-to-day that much. Obviously, you’re going to miss out on some players. It would be great if we could have 28 players and have a reserve league, but I don’t think it’s financially viable right now. Last year we were signing players for one game and flying them into a trip and that’s it. It wasn’t the intended goal the league had when it set out — which is the right thing. I think the reserve league will be something they look to, but right now it’s a little premature in that we just don’t have enough numbers right now. Once we get to a position where we have the financial stability that we have 29, 30 guys on a roster you can create two teams and really do well.

LE: How do you feel about that decision?

Heaps: It’s better how it is now but in the same breath, there’s going to be a couple players lost that may have been that 25th guy, 26th guy that takes a little bit more than a couple months training to make a team. Like Jeff Larentowicz — he’s a perfect example — or Chris Rolfe, guys that were on developmental contracts that may not have been around if there wasn’t a reserve league. It would be a real shame if there were a couple of those guys that fall through the cracks.

LE: So it’s a bit of a loss.

Heaps: It’s a bit of a loss, but at the time we weren’t doing it the right way. Taking a year off from it and getting back to what makes it work and creating that is what we need to do.

Preseason games define starting 11

The preseason is on in MLS with scores running up and down in friendlies with NCAA, Mexican, Argentine, Chinese, USL, PDL, and other MLS teams as the coaches jockey players in various positions.

Under coach Jason Kreis, Real Salt Lake is undefeated in four preseason games and has yet to allow a goal, splitting time in net between Nick Rimando and Chris Seitz against NCAA, PDL, and Chinese Shandong Luneng Taishan, embarrassed 8-0.

The New York Red Bulls beat River Plate 2-1, with the go ahead goal scored by Dane Richards. Red Bulls unlikely trialist Aklie Edwards equalized with an own goal and Andrew Boyens made it right in the 73rd minute with a left-footed blast. River Plate was led by former DC United Marcello Gallardo, but largely fielded by reserves. Juan Pablo Angel rested for this match but signed an extension with the Red Bulls through 2012, when he turns 36. In the last two years, Angel scored more regular season goals than any other MLS player.

The regular season starts March 19 with the Red Bulls test-driving the upstart Seattle Sounders at home. Seattle sold over 20,000 season tickets and brags it can sell 15,000 more at the door. Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero found chemistry and together scored 12 goals in six preseason games. More and more, the Sounders – with Kasey Keller, Freddy Ljundberg, Sanna Nyassi, and central defender John Kennedy Hurtado – are looking like contenders.

The Sounders will host Chelsea July 18 at Quest Field. This is Chelsea’s fourth visit to Seattle, the first in 1967 and last in 2004 when they defeated Celtic 4-2.

Last remaining MLS squad struggles to remain in CONCACAF tournament

Houston Dynamo will be fighting for survival in the away leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals March 3 in Cancun after their 1-1 result at home with Atlante. In the 34th minute, Bobby Boswell flicked in the header that left the Dynamo ahead and overconfident until Gabriel Pereyra evened the score with an away goal in the 83rd minute.

Barca waffles on Miami bid, Claure confident

FC Barcelona made statements backing away from it’s bid for a Miami franchise, citing the risk of a $40 million price tag in a shaky economy. But co-investor Mauricio Claure reportedly returned to Barcelona to celebrate with his partners when MLS awards the franchise, possibly by next week.

In response, Montreal and Portland (Oregon) restated they’re ready and eager to establish an MLS franchise should Barca back out.

Houston stadium deal looking up

Boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya, co-owner of the Houston Dynamo, announced they’re on the verge of securing a downtown Houston soccer specific stadium.

“We’re very, very close,” said De La Hoya. “So close that we can taste it, that’s how close we are. I am very optimistic that we can have, hopefully, a stadium within the next two years ready to go.”

Results:

CONCACAF: Houston Dynamo 1-1 Atlante

WPS and PUMA Uniform Unveiling

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

This article was originally published on American Soccer News and is reprinted here by their permission. Please visit their website for the latest American soccer news.

As Major League Soccer (MLS) expands from 14 to 18 franchises by 2011 and more beyond, the league is betting on youth academies to supply the growing need for talent. While other franchises already have youth academies up and running, the New England Revolution launched its first U-16 and U-18 teams just this spring.

Mike Burns, the Revolution’s Vice-President of Player Personnel, predicts that “over the next 10 to 15 years, I think you’re going to see the landscape of youth soccer in this country change as dramatically as it has basically, since club teams were introduced in the New England area.”

MLS currently requires clubs to provide one U-16 and one U-18 team, but some have teams that span from U-20 down to U-12. “DC, Chicago, New York come to mind as three MLS teams that have started youth teams years ago. So to be real honest, they’re a little ahead of the curve, but we feel like we’re going to catch up fairly quickly, or at least that’s the intent,” says Burns.

The Revs‘ two youth teams set the foundation for a more serious route of player development more closely resembling that of the U.K. and Europe, where it is an established business. The market here is ripe; John Burrill, Director of Mass Youth Soccer Association, estimates 2007 overall registration at 181,000 and club registration at 7,250. But the success of youth academies abroad is tied to international culture, education, and geography. The new U.S. academies, which plan to offer a professional route, must accommodate U.S. culture, develop new relationships with the existing club structure, and moreover, instill credibility in the investment and return of player development.

Robbie Mustoe is an English midfielder who played in Premier League Middlesbrough for 12 years, briefly coached in its academy, and now works as an ESPN commentator (including the European Championship) and with the Boston College soccer program. “In England and Europe it’s kind of married together,” he says of the youth academy culture. “There’s a route, an avenue forward for these players to go through – right through the ages – to join as a full time academy player. Every day they’re working, they finish high school, and then they may have an option to become a professional player. That’s how it works in England, if it can ever work here, I don’t know.”

In England, the desire to play professional football is instilled in most young boys and the educational system accommodates their development. Students graduate high school at 16 and not nearly as many attend four-year college as in the U.S. There are multiple major clubs with complete and highly competitive youth programs in close proximity, and teenagers use England’s extensive network of public transportation to get themselves to their fully-funded club practice. In contrast, in Massachusetts, players in rigorous college preparatory programs and their parents struggle through hours of gridlocked suburban traffic, consuming scarce time and skyrocketing gasoline prices to attend pay-to-play club practices. Soccer may be the sport, but college is the endgame.

English academy structure sets a standard for training and scouting

Lee Robinson, Head of Sports Science/Education at Premier League West Bromwich Albion FC and former Academy Director of Cardiff City FC, explained the two primary objectives of English academies:

“1) [Create] players to play in senior team (little investment, do not have to buy them for millions!), and 2) Create players to sell to bigger clubs.” At Cardiff, Robinson assisted in the development and sale of Chris Gunter, 17, to Tottenham for $3 million and Aaron Ramsey, also 17, to Arsenal for $5 million.

But Robinson believes MLS “have got it wrong as players 16-18 will already be with clubs and will create resentment if they leave club to go with an MLS academy. You need to get clubs around you too, but into MLS programs, not create problems.” In his experience, if a player “has been tapped up by a bigger club and you have offered him a contract, then you will go to a tribunal if the two clubs cannot agree on a fee . . . this can be a very difficult situation indeed.”

This matter of bigger, richer clubs cherry-picking the best players from smaller clubs has always been a problem overseas and one likely to be seen in the U.S. as well, as the Academy league grows. There is a UEFA ruling requiring compensation for players under 16 years of age, and LA Galaxy coach and former U.S. mens national team coach Bruce Arena feels a similar compensation rate will improve academies in the United States. “Well yeah,” he agreed, “one thing it will certainly do – it will help clubs to get better. For sure, yes.”

Alfonso Mondelo, MLS Director of Player Programs, sees the U.S. compensation situation differently, as the current club structure is pay-to-play. “Once a player is being charged for development, that’s compensation, but if a player is paying to play, the club is not entitled to any compensation,” he opines. “So if it’s a club that does not charge a player, there could be some sort of compensation, but if a player is paying to play, the club is not entitled to any compensation according to the FIFA bylaws . . . If there is a player on scholarship that is not paying to play for that club, then there’s some kind of developmental fees that the club will be entitled to.”

Extended developmental process recognized as critical

English clubs operate on different models, but within a structure and on guidelines that the Premier League has laid down for them. Robinson pushes young players to experience higher levels as a developmental process, in contrast to other “results driven” coaches that allow only proven products to compete with the first teams. Unfortunately, he sees the majority of U.S. coaches of all ages having this “winning mentality,” and fundamentally misunderstanding the development process and selecting all the best players just to have good records. This June, the English Football Association (FA) encouraged this development philosophy by banning competitive U-8 leagues due to “the urgent need to improve skills and technique among young English players.”

The franchise academies compete in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy League along with select pay-to-play club teams. The Academy league currently has approximately 75 teams across the country with nine in Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts playing in the Revolution’s group. The players are permitted and encouraged to play for their high schools, but are prohibited from playing in state cups and Olympic Development Programs. According to Alfonso, players are only signed for one year, as opposed to two in England, and at the end of the season every player becomes a free agent. The Academy league doesn’t use the promotion and relegation mechanism that currently marshals the Massachusetts Premier League (MaPLE), from which also has sprung the developmental Massachusetts Soccer Conference (MASC), a youth soccer club without relegation.

Mondelo advocates the development approach, noting the franchise youth academies, “are not in the business of having to win a Championship.” Alfonso believes the fully funded aspect of a franchise academy will help support the best players, the clubs “taking them not just because they can afford to pay for the training, but based on their ability.” MLS allows each academy to determine its own level of overall investment, but requires them to fully cover the costs of the selected players.

Irish-born Ed Kelly is a former U.S. national team player, head of the New England Eagles FC, and head Boston College soccer coach for 19 years, during which time he coached Charlie Davis, formerly with the Boston Bolts and recently signed with Hammarby. Kelly sees the Academy league, where club coaches won’t have to worry about relegation, as a remedy to the “win at all cost” mentality. He said, “You’re talking about development. Some of the [MaPLE] games are so bad because people are so paranoid about getting promoted or getting relegated, and they forget about playing soccer. They forget what they’re in business for, as far as developing players.”

But it is a business, and Kelly witnessed the club compensation conflict emerge around Davis when he was transferred to Hammarby. “Charlie Davis left Boston College to go to Hammarby, and Hammarby sent to papers to me and to [the club] to sign releases, but the Bolts would not sign the release and they demanded that they get compensation, and Charlie had to give them $10,000 of his [own] money so he would sign the release. Tri-Valley and Delco signed off, but the Bolts did not sign off . . . their view on it was that he was a scholarship player, that they funded him when he was playing for them for a year or two.”

Strong academies require substantial funding

Fully developed, youth academies require massive investment in terms of personnel, facilities, transportation, and materials, which are shared with the first team and reserves. West Brom’s Robinson states that annually “clubs can invest anything between GB500,000 up to 10 million [annually] depending on club.” Overseas, higher costs are often driven by the purchase of international youth talent, currently a hotly debated issue as it is seen limiting roster opportunities for native players, and thus the development of national team players. Robinson’s aim is to create local talent and support them with two or three notables from outside the area.

England native Peter Bradley is the director the PDL Crusaders and Mass Premier Soccer (MPS), which is building three facilities with multiple indoor and outdoor fields in the suburbs north, west, and south of Boston. Bradley is heavily invested in the development process of boys and girls from the very early years and also scouting, much in the way of the larger English clubs.

Moreover, Bradley claims MPS is the top U.S. provider of MLS and overseas professionals, having sent over 30 players in all, including Joseph Ngwenya and goalkeeper Troy Perkins. He spoke about the needs and objectives of academy directors. “They want to see players like Wayne Rooney come through. Then eventually if he’s sold for $10, 15, 20 million, then job done – we’ve brought this boy up from eight, he’s now being sold for $20 million – that now substantiates our academy program for the next X number of years . . . Where’s the next Michael Owen? Where’s the next whoever it may be? We have to find him, because otherwise you can’t have your nice turf fields and your nice staff and your going to lose your athletic trainer and you’re going to lose your doctor . . . The bottom line means that the club must make one to five player sales [annually] to support the club.”

When asked whether MLS academies will be in the business of developing players to sell them, Mondelo sees that as a possibility. “There are selling clubs and this is how they survive, and they might not even be first division clubs,” he said. “If they’re in an area where they have access to a lot of players, they take those players and develop them, and their goal is just to be able to move them on to sell them to higher clubs. That could be done if kids could be signed at a young age and they could keep the contact for a number of years. That model I think works in the United States. So, I think yes.”

MLS clubs are searching for new ways to fund salaries required to attract and keep quality players, who are notoriously underpaid and can make far more overseas. But overseas clubs earn substantial revenue from merchandise sales, a response to a long-term fan base not yet existing in the United States, and MLS ticket sales are only now reaching into the black. The New England Revolution, however, have resisted the lure of an expensive designated player and instead brought in young players from as far as Gambia and Zimbabwe, as close and Newton and Wellesley, and under the leadership of English coaches Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner, topped the entire league for two months earlier this season. Despite their success, salaries run from $12,900 for a developmental contract, and from $33,000 on the first team with six players making over $100,000 and only two more beyond, Shalrie Joseph and Taylor Twellman, topping $300,000.

Revolution academy structure follows MLS guidelines

Although MLS has general guidelines, each academy has a certain amount of autonomy in how they configure their youth academy. Says Mondelo, “We recognize that each club is different and each one has its own intricacies, so we leave it pretty much up to them what’s going to work in their market, and how they can get this up and running.” There is no required investment and MLS makes no contribution except for sponsoring the SUM U-17 Cup, picking up travel expenses and team fees.

Per MLS Academy guidelines, the Revolution are allowed to “protect” three players per year, which allows the players to bypass the super draft. Protected players can retain amateur status, attend college full time, and play with the club in the summer. When they graduate, they can play for any international team they are eligible for, but if they sign for MLS, they will play for the Revolution, which would own their rights, only in MLS. That means should the player be transferred, the Revolution would keep a large part of the transfer fee, which Mondelo currently estimates at 60-70%. Another MLS requirement is that the player must be involved with the club for two years before he can be protected. That means the Revolution are nearly two years away from protecting their first players.

Comparable to overseas contractual regulations, there is an MLS restriction that only allows clubs to protect players living within a 75 mile radius of the training facility, considered Gillette Stadium until the Revolution build their soccer specific stadium and training facilities elsewhere. However, “we can have anyone we’d like play for our youth teams,” says Burns. “As far a protecting the player, that’s accurate. Not in terms of who plays for us, though.” Such a player, if found valuable, could relocate, as is often done abroad. Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham, and Fulham all operate in London so the competition for young talent is fierce; young prospects can be encouraged to relocate.

“Middlesbrough has a high percentage of players from their youth academy,” notes Mustoe. “When I say high percentage, I’m only talking about 20% of the roster. So on the roster of a 25 first team squad, they might have five that came through the academy. But other clubs are not as good as that and they might have only one or two players that came through the academy.”

On June 24, the Revolution announced the rosters for the two teams of their program, headed by Mario Prata, with players from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Although the Revolution’s primary objective is to find a couple players to move onto the first team, Burns sees other benefits for players. “It provides a platform to be scouted not only by MLS coaches, but also by playing in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy . . . it’s going to provide an opportunity for these kids to be scouted by college coaches as well as professional coaches.” In this way, the Revolution is softening the perceived risk of a professional soccer career to concerned parents, assuring them their boys will be encouraged to pursue a secure future via college.

The debate over college soccer has high stakes

Most U.S. MLS players have college degrees, but overseas many players in their teens, no doubt encouraged by the lure of high salaries, step right into professional contracts. But MLS salaries are not so magnetic and native players rarely consider pro soccer a “career choice.” Acknowledging the degree as the endgame, most coaches and players concede the college soccer route inadequately prepares top players for a professional career. In fact, when asked how the U.S. should create players for the World Cup, Doug Williamson, Assistant Director of Coaching Education and Development for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) responded, “I think you have to do it outside the college environment . . . If a young person today wants to become a professional soccer player and has that goal, their best option is to get involved in the academy development programs and to look at options other than the college environment . . . The odds of becoming a professional player going through the traditional college route in this country are really poor.”

So, Fulham’s $4 million transfer fee for the Revolution’s Clint Dempsey may not have turned heads overseas, but the cash-strapped MLS looked back at the sketchy kid playing in the dirt in Nacogdoches, Texas, considered the thousands of boys careening around patchy fields across this country, and found a way to proceed through a professional approach to player development.

Also See: Youth Football in the US, Youth Training – USA v Germany and How can we help American youth training for our previous coverage of American youth football.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When the Columbus Crew won the 2008 MLS Supporters Shield (the award given to a club with the highest point total in the regular season) and subsequently their coach Sigi Schmid won the MLS Coach of the Year award, it eloquently summarized the very odd and unusual MLS season.

For starters, the Crew didn’t even make the play-offs in 2007 despite a very liberal – some may say ridiculously high number of teams, then eight out of thirteen – qualifying standard.

Second of all, in the off-season, the Crew made only minor modifications to their roster, with the only significant addition being a journeyman holding midfielder Brian Carroll, obtained via a trade from the expansion San Jose Earthquakes.

Third, given the dismal results in the two previous years, Sigi Schmid’s hold on the job appeared tenuous, as Columbus finished dead last in 2006 and his coaching acumen was constantly questioned by the whatever dwindling fan base the franchise retained.

Former Boca Juniors Legend Schelotto Leads the Crew

Instead, the Crew proved its critics wrong and stormed out of the gate, led on and arguably off the field by an Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The thirty five year old Boca Juniors legend, with a haircut harking all the way back to the British Invasion of the mid-60′s, became a general on the pitch, presiding and directing over the much younger Crew attackers, a pair of the 21-year old wingers Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven and a veteran center forward Alejandro Moreno. As the result, Columbus scored eleven more goals and improved its goal differential from minus-five to plus-fourteen.

But whereas pre-season expectations of the heartland team were tempered, the opposite was the case on both coasts.

Red Bulls Change Matadors

In New York, an experienced Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio, took over the New York Red Bulls squad that did make the play-offs in 2007 but was knocked out in the first round under the guidance of the recently fired USA national team coach Bruce Arena.

Living off his reputation earned at the 2002 World Cup, Arena was given a fat contract and virtually unlimited, by the American soccer measurements. funds to establish a power house deserving of its hometown in the capital of the world. Never the one to turn down lucrative donations, Arena spent close to $3 million to bring in two free agent stars, an ex Aston Villa and River Plate striker Juan Pablo Angel and a well-traveled ex Manchester City-Sunderland-Rangers-Wolfsburg-Leverkusen midfielder Claudio Reyna. In the league where an entire team was officially operating under a $2.3M budget, Angel and Reyna came under a special exception called the “Designated Player” provision, something colloquially known as the “Beckham Rule”. (Each MLS team was allotted one DP but could trade with another team for the additional second spot)

Armed with a higher payroll than any MLS team at that point, Arena was expected to dominate the league but only managed 43 points (the 2007 Supporter Shield winner DC United had 55 on a much smaller budget) and a plus-2 goal differential.

When the oft-injured Reyna proved to be a colossal bust, NYRB was knocked out of the play-offs by a much more cheaply assembled New England team, managed by an 1980′s Liverpool stalwart Steve Nicol. Under fire for his performance and for the waste of approximately $2.5M on his old University of Virginia player Reyna, Arena’s was the first head that rolled and, for a small compensation, Osorio was brought in from the Chicago Fire.

Juan Carlos leaped an opportunity twice in the span of six months, as he only came to the Fire from Colombia’s Millionarios half-way into 2007. In Chicago, his half-season reign was considered an achievement and New York jumped at a chance to recruit its former assistant.

Sexy Football but Same Results for LA Galaxy

The West Coast was similarly bristling with anticipation. As the MLS propaganda never got tired of saying, in 2007 the LA Galaxy and its owner Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) have indeed managed a major coup – they have signed the most famous footballer in the world, the Posh Boy himself, David Beckham. The only problem was that Becks arrived with a bum ankle and missed a number of crucial games in the final stretch of the 2007 campaign. He was available for the very last contest in Chicago but LA went down by a 1:0 score and the AEG forced out its coach Frank Yallop, who was himself brought in only a year earlier.

(The coaching carousel continued with Yallop going to the San Jose Earthquakes, opening for business that very month).

Under a bombastically fatuous General Manager (Director of Football) Alexi Lalas, another major coup was launched. Seeking “sexy football”, AEG has hired a former two-time World Player of the Year Dutchman Ruud Gullit. Beside once having been a truly great pro, Gullit has managed a number of European clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle and Feyenoord and was fluent in English.

Given the glitz and the glamour of the two metropolitan giants, far less attention was being given to the 2007 finalist, the two far less glamorous but two very hardworking squads – Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution.

Houston was returning most of his line-up, sans a temporarily departed Nate Jaqua (7 goals in 2007) while Revolution’s only name loss was a released veteran forward Pat Noonan.

Once the play on the pitch commenced, however, the expectations weren’t always met.

While Columbus, Chicago and New England got off to a good start in the East, New York tumbled out of the gate. Reyna reverted to his oft-injured self and Angel must have received the same contagion, coming down with all sorts of maladies. Osorio’s juggling of players and line-ups didn’t produce either and New York had a rough going in the spring of 2008. early injuries and the eventual $10M transfer of Josmer Altidore to Spain’s Villarreal was another shock to New York’s system.

In the West, Gullit’s Galaxy began to assert itself a few weeks into the season and became the most exciting team on the field. Unfortunately for LA, the excitement had good and bad components. Its offense was averaging an almost unheard-of three goals per game but its defense was nearly as porous.

Still, a couple of months in, LA was seen in first place, a drastic departure from its previous MLS annuals.

New York was languishing in the standings. Looking at it in their rear-view mirrors were the aforementioned Columbus, Chicago and New England.

Out with Gullit, in with Arena

Then something snapped in LA. Its offense continued to be scoring reasonably well, but its defense was proving to be incapable of stopping anyone. The team went on a long winless streak. Its players began to rumble about Gullit’s coaching methods and, finally, the damage became irreparable. Gullit was pushed out of the door and replaced by Bruce Arena. So high was the admiration of Arena’s by the AEG’s head Tim Leiweke that Leiweke gushed about the former US gaffer in the most glorious terms possible when appearing on the national telecast shortly after Gullit’s departure.

With the Galz slipped out of the first place by then, they were still very much in the play-off picture, had the season ended at that moment. Arena, of course, was expected to push for the top spot that the Galaxy only recently vacated. For that, he received additional reinforcement in the form of a 34-year old US international winger Eddie Lewis, who had spent the previous season with Derby County of the English Premiership.

Nonetheless, showing repeated ineptitude, Arena coached Galaxy to less than one point per game and, when the 2008 was over, the Galaxy was back to its usual last place, even losing the goal differential to the expansion San Jose.

As noted prior, San Jose’s coach was one Frank Yallop, a former man in charge of the Galaxy.

As, once upon a time, was Sigi Schmid.

Returning to the East Coast : for a while, Osorio’s job seemed in as much jeopardy as of his West Coast counterpart. In New York’s last match at Chicago, Juan Carlos’s club needed a win to insure itself of the last play-off spot in the East but instead his men were hammered 5:2 by the in-form Chicago Fire. Only a last day defeat of the DC United at the hands of the league leaders Columbus Crew pushed the Red Bulls into that last spot. Backing into the play-off didn’t stop calls for Osorio’s firing but he was given a euphemistic chance to prove himself again in the playoffs.

Playoff Contenders

Chicago, New England and Kansas City were three other East Conference contenders.

There were a few more surprises. With the Galaxy self-destruction, the fourth year franchise Real Salt Lake scored on the last minute of its last match and made the knock-out stage for the first time ever.

Without much drama, the two time defending MLS champion Houston topped the West in the points total.

Chivas USA, a team ravaged by injuries throughout the season, still managed to finish a respectable second.

The league was gearing for the MLS Cup and the LA Galaxy, by then having gotten rid of Lalas as well, was gearing for its never ending rebuilding.

Three coaches (Gullit, plus Colorado’s Fernando Clavijo and Dallas’s Steve Morrow) lost their jobs.

Landon Donovan won the scoring title.

Columbus’s Chad Marshall won the Defender of the Year.

Chicago’s Jon Busch won the same award for top Goalkeeper.

The MVP vote is to be announced later with Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, Fire’s Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto the three finalists.

Also See:

The 2008 MLS Season Preview (Liviu Bird)

MLS, LA Galaxy and Ruud Gullit – A Very Long Way from ‘Sexy Football’ (Marco Pantanella)

Youth Football in the US (Dan Leo)

From Soccerlens.com - Football News