Soccer

MLS season in jeopardy

Chris McGlynn MLS, Soccer

MLS officials sent a message to its players today. The league owners rejected every single request from the Players’ Union for free agency in the MLS. I wrote a little while back about how the league needed to decide which direction it would head in. As of right now, it seems like the owners are going to stand firm and resist all change. Unfortunately for American soccer fans, it is looking more and more likely that a work stoppage is coming for MLS.

After this complete dismissal of the players’ proposal for free agency, I would not even remotely surprised to see a strike. The athletes might not get to set all of the rules for how the league runs, but they were blatantly disrespected by the owners’ response. Steven Goff reported that the owners offered one proposal to the players, only one. And the offer was ridiculous. The owners were willing to grant free agency to players who met a very specific set of essentially unachievable requirements. Players over the age of 32 would be able to become free agents under this proposal, assuming he had player at least 10 years for his club. Those specifications are absurd in just about any sport, but even more so with soccer based on how frequently players switch clubs.

This proposal was nothing more than throwing fuel on the fire for the owners. They did not take the demand for free agency seriously and insulted the players in the counter offer. The quote now floating around for an unnamed MLS insider underlines the owner’s resistance. “It is shocking. [It is] almost as if owners want a work stoppage. They view players as incidental to MLS’ growth.” (Via Bleacher Report). Any professional sports league unwilling to recognize that the players are the driving force of the success is doomed for failure. Clearly, there is tension between the players and owners and it is highly unlikely they will be resolved before Friday’s scheduled kickoff for the new season.

This is going to stunt the growth and popularity of MLS big time. Coming off of one of the most exciting World Cups in recent memory, a large number of the members of the US Men’s National team coming to play domestically this year and two brand new expansion franchise set to feature some of the world’s biggest stars, this was supposed to be a huge year for MLS. If the league fails to deliver at all, or experiences a drawn out ordeal, fans will turn away feeling betrayed. All of the pent up excitement will die out as American’s once again look elsewhere to find their sporting fix. If the league fails to understand the gravity this season holds for its further development, then it is only a matter of time before the wheels fall off.

I have made the point already that the league needs to choose a direction to head in for the coming season. They have all of these plans for expansion through 2020 but if MLS is unable to find a way to accommodate players and get them on the field then all of that future expansion is for naught. Sure, the players might be acting a little selfish and focusing on their best interests, but they are the ones out on the pitch every week. They also understand how important this season could be to the next step in growth for the MLS popularity. They comprehend how vital they are to making that all happen so they are going to fight for what they want.

There might still be a couple of days but mark my words: MLS will not be ready to kickoff by Friday. It might only take another week or so past there, limiting the damage and missed games, but there is no way that the league will find an agreeable solution in time. For fans of MLS, this comes as a major disappointment. The reality is that the league needs this season to happen. It cannot afford to lose the season to a strike. The players have the majority of the leverage. Soon enough, MLS will have to fold. My guess is that by the end of next week we will see some sort of tentative agreement in place. It likely won’t solve everything, more just act as a band aid to get the season up and running. The owners sent one message. The players will likely send one back: we are willing to wait. The ball is in your court MLS, and the clock is ticking.

Top five most successful sports cities

Chris McGlynn Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, Soccer , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As a continuation from yesterday’s piece, I thought it might be interesting to reflect back on the last 15 years of sports champions. More specifically, I am ranking the top ten sports cities in the US since 2000. This includes the five largest sports leagues in America, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS. The rankings will mainly rely on championships won by a single city but I will also take into account appearances in the finals as well. Let’s see if your city cracked the top five.

#5 Chicago: 3 total titles in 6 total appearances
Chicago actually has fewer titles than San Antonio but gets the nod for the extra finals appearance and diversity across more than one sport. Chicago is home to the two-time finalist Fire of the MLS in 2000 and 2003. The Bears also claim the Windy City as home. Even though this NFL team hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 1985, they did make it to 2007 Super Bowl. Despite the Cubs century long struggle to win the World Series, the White Sox claimed a title in 2005. The other two titles came from the NHL side. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013. Chicago has seen championship berths from the spread out across these 15 years. The Bulls, despite all the success in the 90s, have not made it to the finals since the turn of the century.

#4 Miami: 4 total titles in 6 total appearances
Florida’s major city clocks in at number four largely due to the success of the Miami Heat during this decade. The Heat made it to a NBA-record four straight NBA Finals, winning the middle two. The Heat also locked up a championship back in 2006 as well over the Dallas Mavericks. So yes, most of the credit goes to the NBA team but the baseball team based in Miami has a World Series title as well. The Marlins, who back then were only the Florida Marlins but still played in the city, won the 2003 World Series over the New York Yankees. The titles from two different sports gives Miami a boost. Now if only the Dolphins could help the city out. Soccer could be springing up as well soon as David Beckham seeks to set up a MLS expansion team. For now though, Miami is nowhere close to jumping over the top three cities on the list.

#3 Tri-State: 6 total titles in 15 total appearances
This seems like it is cheating a little bit but it is hard to differentiate New York and New Jersey. Despite being called the New York Giants, Jets and Red Bulls, all of these teams play in New Jersey, along with the Devils. Either way, The Giants locked up two Super Bowl titles in 2008 and 2012. The Red Bulls made a Cup run in 2008, falling short to Columbus. The Yankees won two World Series titles in 2000 and 2009, the 2000 one over the cross-town rival Mets. The Yanks also made the 2001 and 2003 Series. On the ice, the Devils have two Stanley Cups from runs in 2000 and 2003 to go along with losses in the 2001 and 2012 final. Even the Nets, who back then played in Jersey, made consecutive title appearances in 2002 and 2003. Worth noting, New Jersey based teams have accounted for 4 titles in 9 appearances while New York teams only have 2 championships in 6 showings. Looks like Jersey is holding up their end of the deal…

#2 Boston: 9 total titles in 18 total appearances
You know a city is dominant when they have more finals appearances than there are years in our criteria. Boston’s 18 championship runs is one less than the number one team on this list. The cities 9 titles are incredible though. The largest contributor has been the Patriots, with Super Bowl victories in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2015 and losses in 2008 and 2012. The Red Sox have held up their end of the bargain as well, delivering 3 World Series titles in 2004, 2007 and 2013. The Celtics and Bruins even locked up a title each in 2008 and 2011 respectively. The little known fact is that Revolution actually have contributed the second most title appearances, with five. The issue is that they have come up short every time in the MLS Final. Still Boston’s titles are very impressive. They just couldn’t edge out number one.

#1 Los Angeles: 14 total titles in 19 total appearances
Wow. 14 titles in 15 years. It’s no wonder stars love going to Los Angeles. With teams in every one of the sports being considered but football, LA probably solid chances of succeeding but still 13 championships in 15 years in unprecedented. The LA Galaxy have brought home 5 MLS Cups in 7 attempts in 2002, 2005, 2011, 2012 and 2014. The Lakers have the same numbers with their titles coming in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010. The Kings have been stellar of late, nabbing two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. The Anaheim Ducks grabbed a trophy on the ice in 2007. The Anaheim Angeles added a World Series title in 2002 as well. When one city has three different teams winning titles in a single year (2002), there is really no discussion. This city has truly become Titletown since the year of 2000.

Disagree with the list, tell me who you think should have been included and who should have missed the cut.

Klinnsman’s stinging criticism

Chris McGlynn MLS, Soccer, USMNT

The US Men’s National team manager made headlines last night after a press conference with FOX Soccer in which he took yet another shot at MLS. Jürgen Klinnsman criticized the league’s nine-month season claiming it severely hurt player development and fitness. He urged MLS officials to alter the season to be structured as an 11-month season, comparable with the rest of the world’s leagues operate. He felt that the inadequate training that MLS players are subjected to is a major reason for last week’s loss to Chile in an international friendly. “The MLS season goes nine months, and they should take a month off but then they should then go back to preparing themselves for their next year. A couple of guys haven’t done that and that’s why they are looking a little bit shaky right now. But we’re going to get them back on track and hopefully they learn out of it,” Klinnsman explained. While his words are another stab at MLS, Klinnsman might have a point.

The US went to half against Chile winning the match 2-1. The Chilean team stormed back and scored twice in the second half to come away with a 3-2 win. It was an international friendly, so it really doesn’t mean anything, but the United States is still fighting to prove that it belongs on the world soccer stage. Klinnsman was not wrong that the US looked a little out of shape in the second half of the match. He made the comparison to other major American sports, pointing out the expectations set forth for them. Klinnsman said, “Soccer is not there yet where the NFL or the NBA or the NHL are in terms of peer pressure. They don’t have that same sense of accountability here in the U.S. that they would have in Europe.” He is right. MLS is not there yet and the nine-month cycle probably is not helping.

The American soccer system has, for whatever reason, resisted conforming to the world format of soccer. The 11-month structure gives players time off during July and into August. My best guess is that MLS authorities have recognized that the summer months tend to be rather slow as far as sports go. The NBA and NHL wrap up in June and the NFL is in the lifeless part of its cycle, leaving just Major League Baseball. Competing with just one sport during those months makes it much easier for the league for the league to draw viewers and sponsorships. Unfortunately, MLS, as a result, finds itself out of sync with the transfer window that every other country uses. It leads to a confusing mismatch of off seasons that forms a disconnect. This means that while US teams are trying to build their rosters heading toward the season, as they are right now, the European leagues have ended their transfer period. It no longer allows players competing in league around the world to make the jump to the MLS right when teams are looking to add valuable pieces. It instead seals off MLS clubs from building to the potential that it could. This might not have been Klinnsman point but it plays into his argument.

Getting more specific regarding player acquisition and player development vastly differs from the US to Europe. The youth soccer system in Europe most notably does not include college soccer. Most European teams sign players to contracts as young as 16 and simply loan them to other teams in lower divisions to gain experience. College soccer is a great program in the US, but the level of competition and the availability of resources are well below that of youth systems in Europe. The development process simply is not strong enough to make it a top choice for the world’s best players. However, I think the culture of college soccer could change. In a world where college basketball players only spend one year in school and college football players frequently leave after their junior year, MLS could begin to see a shift to this model. Three out of the top six picks selected in the MLS SuperDraft were students who were leaving school early. That might not seem like much but it is a start.

The simple fact is that this isn’t basketball, hockey or football. Soccer does not have the nationwide popularity the other major sports do. It could come eventually. American soccer is growing in popularity and support. We saw that this past summer with the 2014 World Cup. MLS is slowly beginning to allure more fans with rising attendance rates and larger television deals. I have mentioned the impact that the stars of the 2014 World Cup for the US could have on MLS popularity. This is a big year for MLS. It has all the right ingredients to take another large step in the direction of being nationally recognized as a major US sport as well as a competitive domestic league on the world stage. Does the MLS need to switch to an 11-month system to really push its success? Maybe. I don’t think it would hurt and it would certainly help with getting on the same page with the National team manager. If you ask me, eventually they will have to, if the league truly wants to be taken seriously. Klinnsman has a point. Change is needed in MLS. It is coming. Just not as soon as he would like.

The state of the Red Bulls

Chris McGlynn MLS, Soccer

It started with Thierry Henry announcing he would not be returning. From there, the 2014 Red Bulls slowly fell apart. Head Coach Mike Petke was dismissed. Erik Alexander and Abroise Oyongo were traded to Montreal. Even Tim Cahill left for China. This team will resemble nothing of the 2014 version. That might not be a bad thing though. It was clear that it was time for change in New York. They have some pieces to build around in Bradley Wright-Phillips and Dax McCarty. Here is what has changed and what could happen next surrounding this MLS club.

Everything starts from the top down; Jesse Marsch replaced Petke. This is not Marsch’s first MLS gig as he headed the Montreal Impact in their inaugural season in 2012. Previous to that, Marsch had worked under former US Men’s National team manager Bob Bradley as an assistant for the 2010 World Cup and 2011 Gold Cup. Having some experience will be key if the Red Bulls want to even come close to matching last season’s success. The bigger issue for Marsch is that he probably still does not have his entire roster in place.

Marsch’s squad may have lost Oyongo and Alexander in the trade with the Impact but they did receive an allocation spot and midfielder Felipe Martins. Martins is a huge asset, as he will be the one running the midfield. He finished eighth in MLS last season with ten assists on the year. New York did not waste any time in using the allocation spot either as it snapped up Sacha Kljestan from Belgium’s Anderlecht. Kljestan has a history in the MLS, as he was actually an all-star in 2008 for Chivas USA. He also has 46 caps for the US National team. This might not be a huge splash, but he will be an experienced player ready to work and provide valuable leadership to New York.

Additionally, the Red Bulls have plenty of room to improve. With Henry and Cahill leaving, New York now has two designated player spots available to fill some major holes in the starting eleven. DP slots are available for teams to sign players that fall outside the threshold of the salary cap. The fact that Red Bulls have two of them is a big deal. That means they have the wiggle room to bring in big name talent. New York was in play for US international Jozy Altidore when it was clear he wanted a return to MLS but he is headed to Toronto instead. Rumors are that Marsch and company are looking for a top striker to pair with Wright-Phillips and probably a defensive back to help solidify the defense alongside Roy Miller.

New York could target a few different players. A young, yet difficult to acquire option would be Billel Omrani from Marseille. The 21-year old only has 4 appearances this season for the French side. He is a taller option at six foot flat making him an asset on crosses into the box and set pieces. He could be a good compliment to Wright-Phillips and a player for New York to keep around for a while. Another more feasible option would be attempting pry Anthony Stokes from Celtic. Stokes has been a great scorer and set up man at the forward position. He will likely not be too keen to leave the Scottish side he has played for since 2010, but the 26 year could be a very good fit next to Wright-Phillips in the Red Bulls attack. Can’t overlook as well his experience playing for the Republic of Ireland. International caps are very valuable, no matter who they are for.

On defense, the Red Bulls would be smart to target Tommy Smith from the English Championship team Ipswich town. The 24-year old is an international player for New Zealand and has the versatility to play left or center back. Another potential pickup would be 28-year old Danny Simpson from Leicester City in the Premier League. Simpson was part of the Manchester United youth academy as a teenager and the 28-year old would bring lots of experience to New York with his 107 total Premier League appearances.

The season is still roughly 6 weeks away so Marsch will have plenty of time to make some moves to solidify his roster. The Red Bulls are in a position where they could leave one of the DP slots open as well in hopes of landing a player in the summer transfer window. Either way this team is still far from a completed product. Keep an eye out for more new faces to make their way to New York in the coming months.

Defoe for Jozy: A rare trade in the world of soccer

Chris McGlynn EPL, MLS, Soccer, USMNT , , , ,

It is rare in soccer that a trade is executed, even more so when it involves two international strikers switching continents. The MLS has plenty of intra-league trades but it is uncommon for one to happen with an EPL team. Yet, Tuesday Toronto FC and Sunderland announced they were swapping forwards as Jermain Defoe would be heading back to England and Jozy Altidore would be sent to Canada. The two are at very different junctures in their careers as they make the move back to the leagues where they each started their professional careers. Time to take a second look at how Altidore and Defoe wound up being part of this deal.

Defoe has been playing in the professional soccer system since he was just fourteen years old. He began with Charlton Athletics’ youth squad in 1997 before latching on to West Ham in 1999. By 2000, at only seventeen years old, Defoe made his first appearance with West Ham’s senior team. He was loaned to Bournemouth though for the remainder of the season. When he returned, Defoe became a mainstay for West Ham and he wound up registering 29 goals in 93 appearances. Defoe had become a hot commodity by 2004 and was transferred to hometown Tottenham Hotspur mid-season. It was around this same time that Defoe earned his first call up to the English senior squad. Once at Tottenham, Defoe really began to shine. He scored in his debut against, ironically, Portsmouth, whom he would later join for a season in 2008. He scored 43 goals in his first 4-year stint with Tottenham. He played 2008 in Portsmouth, scoring 14 goals in just 30 appearances. 2008 also marked a big year for Defoe on the international stage. He scored his first ever goal in competitive match and eventually became a regular on the 2010 England World Cup team. After the year with Portsmouth, he returned to Tottenham for another 4-year stint, scoring 47 more goals for the London side. By 2013 though, Defoe was getting a bit older and the MLS had come calling. More specifically, Toronto FC made a big push to land the English international. After signing Defoe, Toronto immediately loaned him back so he could remain with Tottenham until the start of the MLS season. Once playing in North America though, Defoe came out firing. He scored two goals in his first appearance for the team and ultimately scored 11 for Toronto over the course of the season. Now the 32-year old is heading back to the EPL where he had all sorts of success. Defoe sits 14th all-time with 124 goals in his career with a great chance to move a little further up that list.

On the other hand, England has been where Jozy Altidore has struggled the most. The New Jersey native started out playing for the IMG Academy as a teenager spending time with the U-17 national team. In 2006, the Metrostars, who are now the New York Red Bulls, took Altidore in the MLS SuperDraft. He spent most of that season earning his high school diploma and thus did not make his debut until August. Jozy quickly became a fan favorite in the greater New York area and would become the youngest player to ever score in the MLS playoffs by a staggering margin. In 2008, Altidore left MLS when Villareal, in Spain, bought him for an MLS record-shattering $10 million. Villareal loaned out Altidore over the next few seasons to Xerez, Hull City and Busaspor. Jozy never developed into the prized striker Villareal hoped for as he never scored more than 1 goal in a season. Villareal then shipped him to the Dutch team AZ Alkmaar, which ended up being a resurrection for Altidore’s club career. He was having plenty of success on the international level, having been an important part of the US’ Confederations Cup Finals run in 2009. Playing for AZ, Altidore scored 39 goals in just 67 appearances, sparking some major interest in England. Concurrently though, Jozy hit a dry spell at the international level, not scoring for nearly two years in a USA uniform. Shortly after getting on track for the National team in 2013, Altidore made a move to the English side Sunderland. Jozy once again struggled to find his way; Altidore only managed 1 goal for Sunderland in the 42 appearances he made. It was well known that Altidore was looking for a fresh start once again, and now he has one back in the league where he first garnered fame.

Both teams will be happy to bring in these new players. Defoe is a proven goal scorer who can spark a Sunderland team that has struggled to beat the keeper this season, as the club ranks second to last in the league in scoring. Toronto will be able to add a younger player in Altidore and drum up more popularity in bringing back another US international player to MLS. Altidore will join Jermaine Jones, Omar Gonzales, Mix Diskerud, Kyle Beckerman and Clint Dempsey and will play alongside Michael Bradley in Toronto. At this point, not many US international players are playing outside of MLS. We will have to see what this movement does for the team. Defoe has his chance to likely finish his career in England now. Altidore is getting another chance to start over. In the short run, I have to think that Sunderland are happy with the deal they landed. Toronto might get more out of it down the line but for the present, the English side definitely got the better hand in this one.