Other blogs have done a much better job covering the continuing MLS CBA negotiations. Jason Davis of Match Fit USA has a very good guide to the negotiations. I encourage you to read it.
This issue has been the talk of every MLS fan (or at least those who care). The MLS Players Union is pushing guaranteed contracts and free agency. The MLS owners are pushing back hard and saying no. In my view it is easy to jump on the side of the MLS players and say they deserve these rights and better salaries. While MLS is growing, it still remains a very fragile league. Most teams are still losing money and a drastic change could wreck the foundation of the league.
On the flip side, some things do need to change. The minimum salary has to go up and the salary cap needs to be raised. Giving the players more money will allow them to completely focus on the game and develop in the game. Several players have retired from soccer and pursued other interests. Former United goalkeeper Troy Perkins had to have second job. It just screams amateur league when your players have to take other forms of employment.
I hate how both sides have handled the arguments. The owners have stuck through noses in the air and have said that they will not even entertain the MLSPU's arguments. The MLSPU has turned to FIFPro, the world player's "union," to handle their side of the argument. This group from the Netherlands has been running their mouths saying that MLS violates FIFA contract laws and need to change. Why the hell this group from the Netherlands thinks it has any idea what MLS is like in America is beyond me. My message to FIFPro, stay the hell out of MLS.
Like any labor negotiations it is a nerve racking process that have both sides playing a version of chicken until one or both sides blink and reach an agreement. Or both sides smack into each other and strike. A strike could be devastating to the league and the growth American soccer could cease. Needless to say, if March comes around and I'm not watching D.C. United vs. Kansas City, I will blame both the player's union and the owners for allowing this to happen.
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United Have a Coach, but Questions Remain
Curt Onalfo has been hired by D.C. United after an extensive search that had international names, MLS assistant coaches and even college coaches. Hard to believe that D.C. United is putting their trust in a coach, who was fairly mediocre in Kansas City. The Wizards did make the playoffs twice under Onalfo’s rein, but had a record of 27-29-22. Not exactly the record fans want their new coach to have. It is obvious United is prescribing to the theory that under their organization, Onalfo can be successful. Onalfo does have ties to the United organization before his hire. He was a reserve midfielder for D.C. United in 1998 and 1999. He was also an U.S. National Team assistant coach under Bruce Arena. The transition time at D.C. United should be minimal.
Fans are not likely to take well to Curt Onalfo and patience is thin in D.C. Fans have been frustrated with Kevin Payne and Dave Kasper, who have made questionable decisions getting players. Now they make an unattractive hire and passed over fan favorite Richie Williams. D.C. United really ran out of options and needed to make a decision. Onalfo is not the glamorous choice, but he is an experienced coach. I am willing to overlook his seasons at Kansas City. He is an attack minded coach and Kansas City is not an attack minded team. In their 2000 Championship year they only gave up 29 goals and only scored 47. Here, Onalfo fits right in with D.C. United’s style of play.
Onalfo has some serious holes to fill. At just about every position United has some serious questions. Defensively, the team gave up 51 goals in 2008 (2nd most) and 44 in 2009 (5th most). Bryan Namoff and Dejan Jackovic have been solid, but the rest have been average or below. United has to improve their defense if they are to have any success. Much like last year the starting keeper is a big question mark. Josh Wicks got the job midseason over Luis Crayton with some solid play. However, that was coupled with some dumb mistakes, which included stepping on Freddy Montero in the Open Cup Final. He was subsequently ejected from the match. Offensively, Ben Olsen is gone and Luciano Emilio is likely to be gone. It is unknown whether Christian Gomez, Jaimie Moreno, or Fred will return. On the flip side, United has signed El Salvadorian international Christian Castillo. They also have Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace, who showed promise in their rookie season. United has talent, but there are just too many holes to say that they enough to compete for a championship.
United missed the playoffs for the second year and a row on the last day in heartbreaking fashion. Some fans have spelled doom and gloom about the team for the coming years. United has faced worse times. From 2000 to 2002 the team never made the playoffs and finished in the bottom of league. This slump has seen D.C. United compete for silverware and won the Open Cup in 2008 and has some very talented players. The team was even at the top of Eastern Conference early in the season, before a late season collapse. United’s aging veteran players and a congested schedule played a key role in that demise. Onalfo doesn’t have to worry about a congested schedule or as many aging veterans. He will just have the MLS season and potentially the Open Cup if they qualify.
Onalfo has his work cut out for him. With so many potential changes, it is easy for some teams to label next year as a rebuilding year. That doesn’t necessary fly for United. The fans and organization want success. That success may be judged by just getting into the playoffs. Right now I see United falling right in the middle of the pack. They will be in another dogfight for the playoffs. However, MLS is notoriously unpredictable and we could see United make an unexpected return to glory much like 2004. Read More!
RFK Stadium: An American Soccer Icon
RFK Stadium will probably always be associated with the American football team the Washington Redskins. Many great Redskin players have come through the halls at RFK, and it will probably forever hold a special place in Redskin's fans hearts. However, after 1996 when the Skins moved out, many probably thought RFK's best days were behind them. Little did they know, that another unlikely sport would give RFK a second life.
Let's face it, RFK is far from the most glamorous stadium in the world. In fact, it is literally falling apart. However, the stadium has housed many national team games and club events. Of course RFK was one of the venues for the 1994 World Cup, and the home stadium of the most successful MLS club D.C. United. It is the oldest stadium still hosting games for American soccer, and has been since the NASL days. The stadium has played host to one of two MLS Cups where the home team was playing. It has been host to the 2004 Eastern Conference Final against D.C. United vs. New England. The game was widely regarded as the greatest game in MLS history. The area has also hosted many national team games, including what is sure to memorable one against Costa Rica this past week.
The stadiums characteristics also make it unique to American sport. There is of course the bouncing stands that make the games on television look like you plopped yourself in a South American derby. There is the metal and concrete structure that allows sound to vibrate, making even small 20,000 crowds seem like 40,000. The stadium has a characteristic all to it's own and the fans in Washington have done a fantastic job supporting both club and country. Before Seattle, before Toronto, there was the Barra Brava, La Norte, and the Screaming Eagles. They adapted creative cheers, chants and used the stadium's unique characteristics to build RFK into a fortress for Major League Soccer games. They have been doing it 14 years, as well. Even during the dark years, the fans in D.C. still came out and showed passion toward their team.
Which brings us to the last game of World Cup Qualifying. The game was essentially meaningless, and many D.C. fans probably gowned that they got stuck with the final game of World Cup Qualifying. For a while there it did look like this game would have some influence on the U.S.'s qualification, but in the end it didn't. Oh, how things changed in a week. We of course had the traumatic fatal car crash that left star forward Charlie Davies and one other hospitalized, as well as the death of the female driver. Fans paid tribute by holding the number 9 up during the ninth minute of the match. We also had Honduras, who needed a U.S. result in order qualify for their first World Cup in 27 years. Then there was the match. The U.S. went down 2-0 in the first half, as it looked like it was going to be a disastrous result for the U.S. Then came the drama. Michael Bradley scored a scrappy goal to bring the game closer. As the game closed and Costa Rica began their usual time wasting, it appeared 94th minute goal Johnathan Borstein goal to tie the game up, and send the stands into euphoria. By the way if you haven't seen some of videos taken in stands, here you go.
All credit to Jason Davis of Match Fit USA for finding these.
The crowd was into the match from the beginning. All the supporter's groups lead chants and the entire felt intense as every U.S. fan was sucked into the game. The fans literally felt like they were on top of the field, and even Bill Simmons of ESPN remarked on the crowd at the game. It was a fabulous night for American soccer, and caped off an emotional week for American soccer. I wonder if the U.S. Soccer Federation could become the permanent owners of RFK and make it there national stadium. However, this probably a pipe dream, considering the city owns the stadium and would most likely never sell it under an circumstances
When it comes to American soccer facilities these days, most are small "soccer specific" venues. Don't get me wrong, this is most certainly the direction American needs to go at this point in time. We simply can't have MLS teams playing in big venues and only drawing 20,000 or so. However, one stadium has stood the test of time and become a unique part of American soccer and sports in general
When the city does decide to scrap RFK, most likely to make room for a new Redskins stadium, I wonder who will show up. Obviously Redskin fans will be there, but it would not shock me if a large number of Washington soccer supporters make to trip to watch the stadium see it's last days. The topic has even bounced around to have RFK become the official U.S. National Team Stadium. It is a nice idea, but I doubt that will happen. I just hope to keep enjoying RFK stadium while it lasts. Read More!
USL Up for Sale, What's Next?
In case you haven't heard, the United Soccer Leagues is up for sale. MLS has been linked as a potential buyer of the franchise. There are many scenarios at play here, but the worst of all would be the death of USL. American soccer as whole is in serious jeopardy without the USL.
You may be thinking, that America already has a top league and why does a little minor league matter? Well it means everything to development of American soccer in more ways than one. Think about it, every single major sport in America has a minor league. Baseball, hockey, and even basketball have minor leagues to which players can develop. Even if basketball does probably rely on the college game more. Yes, I understand that football doesn't have an established "minor league," but consider what college football is used for. I'm sure that given the opportunity to develop a minor football league, most teams would relish at the idea. Hey, it beats paying your top draft picks millions of dollars, when they could very well be a bust. However, there is too much money in college football to change that.
Also the minor leagues allow the sport to grow and develop outside of the major cities that house professional teams. Areas like Charleston, Austin, and Raleigh could probably not host a major league soccer team, and so they have minor league teams. They are cheaper to run than professional, but allow the sport to extend its hand into these areas. Without it these areas have no available soccer to go see live, and could very well continue to be niche sport in America. MLS may not like the non-cooperative attitude the USL has taken, but it understands the vital role it plays in the development of American soccer.
On a another note, the USL gives way to most innovative thing in American sports soccer has, the U.S. Open Cup. Even considering how little attention the tournament, I love the U.S. Open Cup. Maybe it is because it appears to be the only tournament my team has a chance of winning anymore, but it is the ultimate David vs. Goliath in American sports. With a little work this tournament could become one of the premier tournaments in U.S. soccer. They just need to advertise it a little bit, and forcing the only website that gives the tournament the light of day to change its name is not smart. However, if the USL fails, because no one is buying then this tournament really no longer matters. Which would be a shame.
This sale most certainly adds doubt to the USL's future. Are there really any entrepreneurs looking to buy a second tier soccer league, with very little chance of escaping that status. Of course if MLS buys that will solidify USL's position as a second tier league, and some have hinted that it could bring the promotion and relegation so many Eurosnobs people have been calling for. Not very likely, considering all the pitfalls promotion and relegation still faces in this country. If MLS does buy the USL, it could become a farm league for MLS. This could allow for a unique developmental league similar to the MLB. This could add depth and structure to MLS sides and solve the developmental question. Read More!
U.S. vs. Mexico: Review and a Look Ahead
Well, that sucks. After all the momentum, all the build up, it ends like that. In all honesty, despite the lack of the possession through long stretches of the game, this was probably the best we have ever seen the U.S. play in Azteca. I don't think we have ever led in Azteca in the history we have played there, or at least in recent history.
The first goal by Davies was something that I did not expect so early in the game. It is was a beautiful play made possible by Donovan, and Davies just made a great finish to put the U.S. up 1-0. After that Donovan disappeared, and I rolled my eyes thinking it was another instance of Landon dissappearing in big matches. That was until this news broke. It makes the assist all the more impressive, and gives an excuse for his lethargic defending on the second Mexico goal.
The first Mexico goal was a cracker, but it doesn't excuse the fact that there was no pressure at all on the shot. This is equivalent to the DeRossi goal in Confederations Cup game against Italy. No one steps up to block the view or get a body in front of shot and the player has a wide open look on goal. This has to improve if we are to even consider competing on the international level. The main culprit on that goal was Carlos Bocanegra, who failed to step and cover the left side on the second goal. Can someone please explain to me why he gets continued starts or why he is the captain of the team?
Howard was great as usual, and there wasn't a whole lot he could do about either goals. He has proven time and time again that he is quality keeper in the world. That is no shock for sure.
The referee was bad, but was he bad enough to effect the game? No. We need to stop just assuming, no matter how awful the referee's are in CONCACAF that they make the difference in the result of the game. If we don't play well for ninety minutes we will lose against top teams.
Overall it was a dissapointing day in U.S. soccer. American soccer fans are probably used to it, and our probably more focused on the road ahead then dwelling too long on this game. I haven't really looked into how the main stream sports guys (PTI, Around the Horn, etc.) have said. Frankly, I don't want to.
Player Ratings
Howard- 8
Bocanegra- 4
Bradley- 5
Onyewu- 7
Cherundolo- 5
Dempsey- 5
Davies- 7.5
Donovan- 6
Ching- 4
Clark- 6.5
DeMerit- 6
Subs- N/A They all didn't see much of the ball, and didn't really leave an impact
As we exit Azteca, the standings in The Hex sure have gotten tighter. 3 points separate 1st and 4th place. That is unbelievably tight, but it doesn't really put the U.S. qualification in serious jeopardy. The U.S. have four reaming matches, home against El Salvador, away against Trinidad and Tobago, away against Honduras, and finally home against Costa Rica. We should beat El Salvador at home and then comes the best chance for us to get a win on the road against Trinidad and Tobago. This our chance to separate ourselves from the pack and secure a spot in qualification. 8 points over the final four matches (2 wins at home and 2 ties on the road) should be enough to qualify, but a win on the road against Trinidad would make the process much quicker. Read More!
USSF Launches 2018/2022 World Cup Bid Site
In an effort to try to bring the World Cup to the United States in either 2018 or 2022. The USSF has launched a website dedicated to helping get support for a U.S. World Cup. Whether or not this will actually make a difference every U.S. fan should at least sign the petition. Plus you get a free sticker.
It looks like 2022 will be the most likely chance for the U.S. to get another World Cup. The 1994 tournament arguably paved the way for the development of Major League Soccer and the growth of the National Team. No doubt another World Cup in the U.S. could significantly boost the game. Read More!
U.S. vs. Mexico Prediction
What? The hat? Just seemed like the perfect summary of my feelings toward the Mexican National Team. I wish they had more hats that summarized my feelings. I also wish they had the full picture of the kid giving the salute, but whatever.
This match has analyzed to death by several other blogs, and I don't feel like a long post for this game would be worth it. I am going to give a simply prediction on how the game is going to go. It is of course hard to balance relativistic expectations with what I hope will happen. I have dreams of the U.S. trouncing Mexico 2-0 at Azteca. The coverage of the game would be shown all over the world. The Mexico fans would return to their cave after the jubilation following the 5-0 win the Gold Cup Final. Personally, I think a draw would be sufficient enough for most U.S. fans and players. Do I think that the U.S. will get a positive result in Azteca?
No. Believe me I hope that the U.S.will beat Mexico, and as soon as the match starts I will believe that the U.S. can beat Mexico in Azteca. However, right now it is the day before the game and reality is setting in. On to the prediction.
The first half will be encouraging for the U.S., and Bradley will pull out an aggressive lineup for this game. He has been putting very aggressive lineups in several games including the Confederations Cup games. I think that will stay true in the Mexico. Bradley will be looking to catch Mexico early on, in hopes that Mexico will be overconfident on home soil. The U.S. will get the first goal, but due their aggressive setting will give it a goal late in the first half. He and the U.S. will leave the field with confidence that maybe they can pull a draw out of the hat.
The second half, however will be tougher for the U.S. The smog and altitude will set in, and the U.S. will give it a goal 2-1 Mexico. After that I don't foresee any other goals as the U.S. will try to get back in to no avail. Late in the second half, a truly exhausted U.S. team will give up a goal. 3-1 is how it will end, and the Mexican fans will celebrate ignoring the truly glaring problems with their national team. A respectable showing for the U.S. all things considered, and reason to be encouraged for the future. It may not be the Expect a full review and a look into the future of World Cup Qualifying, after the game. Read More!