Author Topic: MLS Thread  (Read 80552 times)

Offline Van Halen

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #120 on: August 10, 2015, 10:01:55 pm »
NYRB vs NYCFC match last night was fantastic good fun. 

The stadium was rockin' and some energetic play all around. 
Funny tifo's from the supporters, good banter, and beer.

Don't care it's not "epl quality" or such (I'll watch LFC for that).  Certainly doesn't cost as much for a ticket.
And in my case it doesn't require international plane fare and a hotel room to attend a match.
So rather than just be a weekend morning supporter at the bar (which I DO love!!) I can get out and enjoy a live match.

Can drink beer in your seats. 8)


Offline TheSoundLady

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #121 on: August 10, 2015, 10:21:01 pm »
The point was really about how much he might earn though. The question being whether players would prefer to decamp to MLS at the end of their careers or drop down the English League pyramid. BWP is an interesting and unusual example of a fairly ordinary English player making the move when he could possibly have made more playing in England.

If he was a regular key player in a Championship side, he'd probably earn more than he does in MLS, which shows that the money argument doesn't really stack up unless you're a superstar. (Obviously there might be other attractions to playing over there.)

The point I was responding to was the opposite actually. That he earns 12k a week in US and could not earn that in the UK at "his level" which was deemed to be League 1 level.

The MLS is a great league and is somewhat taking the country by storm. In Toronto and Seattle you see as many TFC and Sounders jerseys as you do Liverpool and United these days. If the money for BWP was identical in the Championship or at RBNY, I can understand why he'd choose RBNY. He's one of the star players of the whole league. He's perhaps the most important "soccer" player in NYC right now which is pretty crazy considering he's competing with Villa, Lampard, Pirlo.

The MLS protects the skill players a lot more than the Championship does. It's much less physical. They play all summer so the surfaces are miles better than the muddy January pitches at Doncaster and Preston. So what I'm saying is I can see why BWP chose USA.

Plus living in America is pretty great. NYC is one of the world's most exciting cities. And he'll never be compared to SWP or Ian Wright while in NYC. The supporters take him for his own merit. And also I think, personally, that he earns more in MLS than he could in UK, like the post I replied to.

Offline ColdSteel

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #122 on: August 11, 2015, 02:31:51 am »
NYRB vs NYCFC match last night was fantastic good fun. 

The stadium was rockin' and some energetic play all around. 
Funny tifo's from the supporters, good banter, and beer.

Don't care it's not "epl quality" or such (I'll watch LFC for that).  Certainly doesn't cost as much for a ticket.
And in my case it doesn't require international plane fare and a hotel room to attend a match.
So rather than just be a weekend morning supporter at the bar (which I DO love!!) I can get out and enjoy a live match.

Can drink beer in your seats. 8)

I couldn't agree with you more. You don't go to 11th street bar to watch Liverpool games do you? I've been eager to go but with two young kids it's hard.

Speaking of NYCFC fans....

Bunch of idiots. I stopped going to NFL games a long time ago because of people like that. I hope they fuck off.

Pirlo lost possession repeatedly, caught in the tackle five or six times early in the second half alone. Clearly, Marsch had demanded NYRB press him when in possession, and he did look well off the pace.

As for Lampard, getting megged by Grella could not have been enjoyable...

http://bloguin.com/32flags/the-locker/video-no-joke-frank-lampard-got-nutmegged-by-red-bulls-mike-grella.html

That was class.

Offline Van Halen

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #123 on: August 11, 2015, 04:23:37 am »
Hey - ColdSteel - not too often to 11th street.  Love The Boot Room for matches though.
Great vibes at both places, but tend to go to The Boot Room.
Cheers!

Offline darcy171

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #124 on: August 11, 2015, 09:57:45 am »
Quite a few LFC fans (including myself, after a long flight!) heading to FC Dallas vs LA Galaxy this weekend, to see the one and only.

Should be a good game, very tight at the top of the Western Conference....first time I'll ever be hoping Gerrard loses!

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #125 on: August 11, 2015, 11:00:58 am »

Plus living in America is pretty great. NYC is one of the world's most exciting cities. And he'll never be compared to SWP or Ian Wright while in NYC. The supporters take him for his own merit. And also I think, personally, that he earns more in MLS than he could in UK, like the post I replied to.

As I said, there are plenty of other reasons than money for him to play there, yes. It's good for him and good for MLS that he's there.

As for wages, you see him as League One standard, but don't think he could earn a typical League One wage in League One? Not sure about that part.
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #126 on: August 23, 2015, 07:42:42 pm »
Haha after all the Gerrard vs Lampard build up on Sky all week, Lampard isn't even in the squad 😅

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #127 on: August 23, 2015, 09:59:38 pm »
Haha after all the Gerrard vs Lampard build up on Sky all week, Lampard isn't even in the squad 😅

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Offline The G in Gerrard

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #128 on: November 30, 2015, 12:27:11 am »
Not a regular or even occasional watcher of this league but the Dallas v Portland second half was really enjoyable.

Offline skipper757

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #129 on: November 30, 2015, 02:54:03 am »
Frantic ending to the Red Bulls-Crew game.

Crew holding on to a 2-0 aggregate lead.  NY score in the 94th minute and then hit the post (albeit looked offside) in the 95th minute.

Portland-Columbus next weekend for the title.
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Offline Aceldama

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #130 on: December 6, 2015, 11:31:31 pm »
Liam Ridgewell is about to lift the MLS Cup after captaining the Portland Timbers to a 2-1 win in the final. At least two of those goals resulted from hilarious goalkeeping howlers  ;D

Offline The G in Gerrard

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #131 on: December 6, 2015, 11:42:52 pm »
Well done Portland. Columbus were awful.

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #132 on: December 7, 2015, 03:28:38 am »
Well to be honest, the second Timbers goal should have never been given anyway.
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Offline mallin9

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #133 on: December 7, 2015, 01:30:35 pm »
Surreal GK howler in the first 30 seconds, 2nd goal scored after the ball had gone about 2 yards out of play, fans throwing beers on the field and grabbing a portland player while he's taking a corner......CAN YOU TASTE WHAT MLS IS COOKING????

It's painful.  They just implemented a rule that if you miss the MLS all star game you have to miss at least one regular season game, this way guys can't miss out on their premier event.....which is an over-hyped all star game in the middle of their season against whichever EPL team is doing their pre season in the states.  What a league.    Meanwhile $100 million expansion fees are all the rage, no worries about the standard of play or scheduling or creating a competitive league with pro/rel.  Just expansion fees NOM NOM NOMNOMNOM  :D
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #134 on: December 7, 2015, 01:53:10 pm »
Yup, they are going all in for a Miami expansion team with no stadium and properly no fanbase, meanwhile, Sacramento is ready to build a stadium and has a good fanbase but it is not marquee enough for the league.

They are also thinking about expanding the league to 28 teams. It is getting beyond ridiculous to take that league seriously. To put it bluntly, the Russian league would be twice as strong as the MLS with just half the teams :D
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Offline skipper757

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #135 on: December 7, 2015, 02:17:13 pm »
Promotion/relegation isn't going to work when they're still trying to get investors onboard.  Doubt many are keen to be onboard for a team that can be relegated after 1 year.

The best thing that's happened is footy-only stadiums instead of sharing with NFL stadiums.

The MLS is basically in an impossible position to replicate any other league.  The NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL have been around far far longer, and collegiate sports is bigger in the US than the rest of the world combined.  It's never going to be like leagues in Europe.  If it wants to capture fanbases, it needs to think about attracting an American audience, not just replicate a foreign league.

I was also wondering why the final wouldn't be neutral site, and then someone told me that it's for sheer numbers.  A neutral field may not create the atmosphere that you'd want.  It's completely different from having Wembley or Stade de France hosting cup finals because they'll fill 80,000+.  Likewise, getting rid of the playoffs would really hurt attendance for clubs that are out of the running by the middle-end of the season.  Some fans (like in Cascadia) I'm sure would go anyway, but there would be a lot more empty seats if your local side has essentially no shot to win the league.

Ideally, you'd want the MLS to be like any other league, but it simply can't grow in the same way.  Can't think of other major leagues that were established like 20 years ago (no Sky PL jokes please) in a country with at least 3-4 more popular sports.
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Offline Aceldama

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #136 on: December 7, 2015, 02:34:40 pm »
Promotion/relegation isn't going to work when they're still trying to get investors onboard.  Doubt many are keen to be onboard for a team that can be relegated after 1 year.

Lots of people have already invested in USL/NASL teams, promote a few of those and then anyone else who wants to get in has to invest in a new team further down the pyramid. I hate this attitude in US sports where people feel they have to lick the arse of the owner of a team.

And when the Premier League is so much more popular in the US than MLS saying the league has to be structured like other US leagues to attract an audience doesn't really wash. MLS could position itself as being modern and different rather than as the runty little brother trying to be like the NFL.

And Japan's J League has been going 22 years and has pro/rel between all three professional divisions  ;)
« Last Edit: December 7, 2015, 02:40:14 pm by Aceldama »

Offline skipper757

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #137 on: December 7, 2015, 03:38:41 pm »
Lots of people have already invested in USL/NASL teams, promote a few of those and then anyone else who wants to get in has to invest in a new team further down the pyramid. I hate this attitude in US sports where people feel they have to lick the arse of the owner of a team.

And when the Premier League is so much more popular in the US than MLS saying the league has to be structured like other US leagues to attract an audience doesn't really wash. MLS could position itself as being modern and different rather than as the runty little brother trying to be like the NFL.

And Japan's J League has been going 22 years and has pro/rel between all three professional divisions  ;)

Unfortunately, the owner thing in the US is a cultural thing. In professional sports, trophies are often presented to owners. That's the attitude. This is why I make the argument that MLS is going to have to be different (at least for now) compared to other leagues. It can't 100% deviate from American sports mania to be just like some foreign league.

The Premier League is more popular but that doesn't mean the MLS needs to structure it the same way. No one wants the MLS to be exactly like the other American leagues but it's also difficult to replicate it after a foreign league.

And the J-League example I'm not sold on.  First of all, would you qualify the J-League as a "major league"?  Even with the MLS' limitations, which league has better players and higher standard of play?  If the MLS' aspirations are to improve in quality, it's going to have to look a lot higher. And that's where trouble starts because every top league is in football-mad countries that have had these leagues forever.  And again, the MLS is competing against too many other competitions.  This weekend was one of the most important for college football and the NFL (NFL games only get more important as time goes on). NBA is in session and as is college basketball. So is hockey.  So are other top football leagues around the world.  Far bigger storylines than the biggest game of the MLS season.

MLS has grown a lot, and there are some great fanbases and stadiums now. DC will get a specific football stadium soon, and I look forward to seeing better atmospheres for the Screaming Eagles. Minnesota should be fun too.

It's just a different world out here. It may eventually be 20-24 teams in 2 tiers. It may eventually have a regular league title and 2 domestic cups. MLS teams may eventually send out stronger sided in the CONCACAF Champions League. But all that takes a very long time.

Could going to 28 teams mess it up? Maybe. But they've done some good things in the last 10 years or so so I'd wait and see.

And the shit officiating and the occasional poor fan behavior is most certainly not exclusive to the MLS.
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Offline Van Halen

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #138 on: December 7, 2015, 04:39:17 pm »
Yeah - MLS is terrible.

Should have seen this MLS match yesterday -- hardly a decent shot on goal, misplaced passes galore by both teams, comical own goal, shitty sideline ref calling offside on a legit goal, passes to teammates going straight out of play, striker skies a toe in from 4 yards, etc.
Oh wait...




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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #139 on: December 7, 2015, 05:30:19 pm »
Congrats to Portland.

My family had season tickets to the Portland Timbers of the old NASL.

I've heard the --next X years--soccer will be booming in the USA and the national side will compete at the World Cup for 40 years.

As long as the USSF runs soccer in the USA, little will change.

The MLS--sorry to say--is nothing more than a post University/College league.

Most of the MLS players are much of muchness. It's about athleticism  because that is what it takes to move through the ranks of youth, club, High school, University/College soccer until one leaves and joins the MLS.

The league has 40% of their annual League budget tied up in 12-15 players.
60% of the Leagues budget goes to the other 500 players in the League.
Stop and think about that for a minute or two.

The league is set up for post University/College players supplemented by ( for the most part) aging European "names". Or getting in a few South or Latin America players from Leagues that pay very little. Once in awhile a decent player will be uncovered. Whoopeee.

Relegation, playing spring to fall, none of that makes one iota difference to the standard of play or the caliber of player.

There is very little development of players regardless of how much smoke the USSF and MLS blow up peoples backsides.

Name the top 5-10 Americans playing abroad who are not goalkeepers and are they starters? There's your answer as to the strength and depth of American players. As much scouting as the top leagues in Europe do, where are the Americans-defenders, midfielders, strikers?

So the USA will put together a team for the Gold Cup or World Cup and they will be decent enough due to the athleticism of the players. But that can take you only so far.

It's an absolute shame that there really hasn't been any real development of players from youth to professional soccer to National Team .

Jurgen Klinnsman isn't the problem. He can't sprinkle magic dust on players to make them "World Class" or even "European" Standard. Especially when he has limited time to work with players. Sack him or not, it's not the National Team manager who is the problem. It's the entire soccer organization top to bottom.

Imho..of course.

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Offline mallin9

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #140 on: December 7, 2015, 06:27:08 pm »
Excellent, excellent posts from 4pool and Skipper757.  Thanks
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #141 on: December 7, 2015, 06:49:52 pm »

Jurgen Klinnsman isn't the problem. He can't sprinkle magic dust on players to make them "World Class" or even "European" Standard. Especially when he has limited time to work with players. Sack him or not, it's not the National Team manager who is the problem. It's the entire soccer organization top to bottom.

Imho..of course.



In his role as National Team manager, as far as player development goes, you're right, he's not the problem.

In his role as Technical Director, however, he could be doing a lot more. Or, something at all, really.

The USSF gives very few mandates to youth soccer clubs; rather, it makes suggestions upon which it fails to follow up.

In this area, Jurgen could be doing much, much more..

As you correctly pointed out, also IMHO...
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Offline andspecks

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #142 on: December 7, 2015, 07:08:32 pm »
Yeah - MLS is terrible.

Should have seen this MLS match yesterday -- hardly a decent shot on goal, misplaced passes galore by both teams, comical own goal, shitty sideline ref calling offside on a legit goal, passes to teammates going straight out of play, striker skies a toe in from 4 yards, etc.
Oh wait...




I know you're joking, but I'm always shocked at JUST how poor the refereeing in the MLS is. :-X Actually makes the standard in the Premier League look enviable.

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #143 on: December 7, 2015, 08:35:43 pm »
In his role as National Team manager, as far as player development goes, you're right, he's not the problem.

In his role as Technical Director, however, he could be doing a lot more. Or, something at all, really.

The USSF gives very few mandates to youth soccer clubs; rather, it makes suggestions upon which it fails to follow up.

In this area, Jurgen could be doing much, much more..

As you correctly pointed out, also IMHO...

Again, not to totally derail an MLS thread, but imho there is little Klinnsman can do.

The standard of coaching in the US, is near appalling. Kids are being coached by adults who coached American football or baseball. If the kids parents can afford it, they can go to a select team or some sort of Academy where they are coached by Teenagers or college kids who play the game. Sometimes they can get an Ex-pat to coach them. Ex-pats who left the UK because they couldn't get hired there. Or some kid who left the UK for a soccer scholarship and decided to stay to coach.

Then by the time the kid reaches the age that kids in the UK, Europe, South America are getting full Academy offers and much better coaching towards a professional career, ours get to have the fight between Select club or High school. Select club where they should get better coaching if a parent really takes time to learn about the coach. Most parents fall for the-- your kid is great and going to be a star-- so come to our select team. ( what this means is we need your money and we'll see about your kid)

Then on to University because parents like a scholarship. Then with luck an MLS or lower league career. Paid $20,000 a season or so and blow your ACL out for the privilege.  ;)

Where the USSF has failed is in the organization of youth soccer and coaching.

The cream rises to the top at every level. But the cream the USA produces is lacking in top talent. It's all about athleticism as i've said before. Bigger and stronger. One look at the entire amount of USA players Klinnsman has brought in searching for decency should explain it's a lot of muchness.

Where is the creativity?

Where is the striking options who can score 1 in 2? Jose Altidore is the latest who couldn't cut it in Europe and came back to the USA to pad his stats versus less caliber of talent in the MLS.

So, again, imho the USSF has failed in the last 40 years to structure a successful national program to enhance the growth of individuals within the game ( from youth to senior team ) for the betterment "of the game". And isn't that their remit?

They've been to preoccupied with tv contracts, patting themselves on the back, and putting out the next new 5-10 year plan ( even though little has changed in the game in the last 5-10 years or 10-15, or 15-20, etc.). Along with the expansion of the MLS as if more teams = better product.

Anyway, i've said my bit.. ;D
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Offline Aceldama

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #144 on: December 7, 2015, 08:42:05 pm »
And the J-League example I'm not sold on.  First of all, would you qualify the J-League as a "major league"? Even with the MLS' limitations, which league has better players and higher standard of play? 

If MLS is major then so is J League, although I would personally argue neither are anywhere near, if you want a direct comparison it's the nearest one and they have pro/rel. If anyone passes through this thread who has watched both leagues they can compare standard of play but I haven't and I very much doubt you have either. Judging by the players who have made it in Europe the J League has produced better players, there hasn't been a Kagawa or a Honda come out of MLS.

Offline Romeo Sensini

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #145 on: December 7, 2015, 09:01:45 pm »
I know you're joking, but I'm always shocked at JUST how poor the refereeing in the MLS is. :-X Actually makes the standard in the Premier League look enviable.
CONCACAF refs are probably among the worst in the world. Some of the calls during international matches are hilarious.

I think the MLS and their teams have to take some blame for the lack of investment in academy systems. They are moving away from the college route and teams are stepping up their academies, but there is still dreadful talent development in this country, like 4pool alluded to. For the 6 million per season that is being invested in the likes of Gerrard and Pirlo, that could be filtered back into the league academy development.

The current dip in the USMNT is due to the shit development of the '86-'89 age bracket, which should be hitting their prime now (Altidore, Adu, Szetela, etc). Then you have the likes of Subotic and Rossi, who chose to play elsewhere. At this point, just let Klinsmann's contract run out and save the money. I really don't see what magic any other manager could do with this current squad/selection for the upcoming WC cycle. Unfortunately, the immediate post Dempsey/Donovan era will be bleak.

Offline skipper757

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #146 on: December 7, 2015, 09:06:11 pm »
If MLS is major then so is J League, although I would personally argue neither are anywhere near, if you want a direct comparison it's the nearest one and they have pro/rel. If anyone passes through this thread who has watched both leagues they can compare standard of play but I haven't and I very much doubt you have either. Judging by the players who have made it in Europe the J League has produced better players, there hasn't been a Kagawa or a Honda come out of MLS.

Of course MLS is not really a major league. The point is to follow the top leagues right?  That's where MLS runs into trouble. J-League probably is in better shape (historically and structurally) to do that. 

MLS needs to target the top leagues but that's where it runs into trouble.
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Offline mallin9

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #147 on: December 9, 2015, 05:03:20 pm »


The standard of coaching in the US, is near appalling. Kids are being coached by adults who coached American football or baseball. If the kids parents can afford it, they can go to a select team or some sort of Academy where they are coached by Teenagers or college kids who play the game. Sometimes they can get an Ex-pat to coach them. Ex-pats who left the UK because they couldn't get hired there. Or some kid who left the UK for a soccer scholarship and decided to stay to coach.

Then by the time the kid reaches the age that kids in the UK, Europe, South America are getting full Academy offers and much better coaching towards a professional career, ours get to have the fight between Select club or High school. Select club where they should get better coaching if a parent really takes time to learn about the coach. Most parents fall for the-- your kid is great and going to be a star-- so come to our select team. ( what this means is we need your money and we'll see about your kid)

Then on to University because parents like a scholarship. Then with luck an MLS or lower league career. Paid $20,000 a season or so and blow your ACL out for the privilege.  ;)

Where the USSF has failed is in the organization of youth soccer and coaching.


Sadly this is all too true.

IMHO the death of the NCAA (amateur athletics for billions of dollars) is the only thing that can truly shake up US Soccer.  Until they're removed from the equation.......more of the same
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #148 on: March 7, 2016, 01:01:49 am »

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #149 on: March 30, 2016, 12:31:30 am »
The US have the chance to avenge their 2-0 away defeat to Guatemala earlier in the week in the reverse fixture of their World Cup Qualifier - that's just kicked off, here (the US really could with winning this or it's looking unlikely they'll qualify for the World Cup '18):-

http://www.atdhe24.net/events/2016-mar-30/usa-vs-guatemala-1508618.html

http://www.flashscores.co.uk/football/north-central-america/world-cup/

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #150 on: March 30, 2016, 01:17:50 am »
US won 4-0 at home vs Guatemala.

Current group leaders Trinidad & Tobago beat the marvelous Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6-0 at home in the other group match.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2016, 02:21:44 am by oojason »
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Offline Lone Star Red

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #151 on: March 30, 2016, 05:31:07 am »
The #FireJurgen clan were out in full force on Twitter this week. He is maddening and frustrating and confusing at times, especially with his lineup selections.

But I feel like having the highest win percentage of any U.S.  coach ever should be worth more in fans' eyes. But I am also not deeply invested in every U.S. match that is played like a lot of people are. I did watch tonight's match against Guatemala since the stakes were high and I have no idea how we lost to them on Friday, they were just atrocious tonight.
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #152 on: March 30, 2016, 01:25:01 pm »
US won 4-0 at home vs Guatemala.

Current group leaders Trinidad & Tobago beat the marvelous Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6-0 at home in the other group match.

Pretty sure they played the Cavern in 68.
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Offline oojason

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #153 on: March 30, 2016, 06:37:38 pm »
Pretty sure they played the Cavern in 68.

The play their own anthem before kick-off mate ;)
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #154 on: April 12, 2016, 04:41:41 pm »
MLS nearly folded in 2001 - FC Dallas president Dan Hunt



Major League Soccer, now in its 21st season and home to 20 clubs, nearly folded in 2001, according to FC Dallas president and co-owner Dan Hunt.

In an interview with "ESPN Soccer Today" on 103.3 FM in Dallas, Hunt said that the league -- having just completed its sixth season amid millions in operating losses -- had essentially decided to cease operations before his late father, Lamar Hunt, convinced his fellow owners to carry on.

"My very first phone call when I was working for the family ... November of 2001, we're in the [Kansas City] Chiefs' offices," Hunt told the show. "It's my dad Lamar, brother Clark, myself, John Wagner. It's my very first day on the job and we're having a league call in November and the league folded. On my very first day on the job, it went out of business.

"They were preparing the documents and that was it. My brother looks over at me and in typical big brother fashion goes, 'Congratulations, you've been hired and fired on the same day' with a big smile, although it wasn't quite big enough because the situation was pretty grave. My dad was able to call everybody, get 'em back, and within 48 hours everybody was back all in.

"And now you have a league today where the number of people who want to buy a franchise and build a soccer-specific stadium is more than I think we'll probably ever have in this league. I don't know where it winds up, people ask me all the time. I think the NFL number of 32 [franchises] is great for a lot of different reasons."

In the winter of 2001, MLS had just 12 clubs, with the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny struggling so badly that they would ultimately be contracted. But Hunt insists that his late father, as he did in the 1960s as an owner and principal founder in the old American Football League, managed to rally enough support to keep the league alive.

"Yeah, I mean that was it," Hunt said. "It was, 'Call the bankruptcy attorneys and then we're going to fold the league.' And I think maybe they called some attorneys; in fact I know they probably did. And my dad, though, just like the old days of the AFL, I mean literally the AFL was going out of business every year and he would talk people into staying for one more year."

Lamar Hunt owned both the Columbus Crew and the Kansas City Wizards in those early MLS days. In the interview with Soccer Today, Dan Hunt marveled at where the league is health-wise now by comparison, insisting that significant expansion is realistic.

"There's been that mission statement of being one of the best leagues in the world out there by 2022," Hunt said. "... Talking about another 10 years where you're at 2026, the league is obviously going to be a lot bigger and it could be that 32 teams I talked about, or it could be 28.

"I think we have to be mindful in the expansion because of the talent pool. I don't think it's a very good idea for U.S. Soccer to increase the number of international players in the league at this time. It's just my belief because I want to develop American players."

Among the reasons for Hunt's optimism, he says, is the number of "people calling [and] lobbying for franchises all the time."

Hunt said: "And the international demand for our TV rights is pretty amazing actually. It sort of, I would say, surprised us all and I'm excited about that opportunity.

"The TV rights need to grow here domestically, that's really important. [But] I think the market globally could be as big potentially as the domestic market and that'll be a really great place for Major League Soccer."
Either we are a club of supporters or become a club of customers.

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #155 on: April 20, 2016, 11:30:54 am »
@TomNJones on Twitter

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Fuck the Daily Mail.
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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #157 on: June 17, 2016, 03:07:12 am »
Not going well for New York City FC - they lost to NASL's New York Cosmos in the 4th round of the US Open Cup last night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iMHnzrjvnE


Cosmos will play at home vs New England Revolution in Round 5 of the US Open Cup - http://www.nycosmos.com/

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Offline Lone Star Red

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #158 on: September 8, 2016, 07:17:48 pm »
Reports of Landon Donovan coming out of retirement:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-donovan-20160908-snap-story.html

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Offline Aceldama

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Re: MLS Thread
« Reply #159 on: September 8, 2016, 08:31:54 pm »
This is what he looked like at a training camp prior to the 2014 world cup:



After two years with his feet up his athleticism will be completely shot. I'd be shocked to see him make a big contribution in what's left of this season, play offs included, there's a maximum of ten games.