The Chivas USA Farewell Tour Thread (2014 MLS Thread)

[HailtotheYo]

San Jose look to be signing RB Pablo Pinto (Uruguay)

Houston's annual late season run to the playoffs probably just got derailed as Tally Hall is done for the season with a blown ACL .... Deric isn't horrible, but they need Hall.

[HailtotheYo]

In the two steps back category it appears the Rapids are going to sign Zat Knight.

[HailtotheYo]

Emanuel Pogatetz likely signing with CLB. The Crew also have the top allocation slot and are very interested in Kei Kamara who is looking into coming back (however he was released AFTER the deadline for the transfer window so he couldn't play until next year).

[HailtotheYo]

In thanks to Curtin for saving their season and doing a phenomenal job with the team that Hackworth couldn't get to kick a ball straight ..... apparently the Union have decided that "FUCK YOU JIM" is the way to go !

I'm hearing more rumblings that Rene Meulensteen will be the next head coach in Philadelphia. @MLSTransfers @UnionRumors

— Kevin Kinkead (@KevinKCBS3)

September 9, 2014

From what I'm told, Meulensteen would have been announced earlier, but the team was still alive in the U.S. Open Cup.

— Kevin Kinkead (@KevinKCBS3)

September 9, 2014

Again, I think they wanted to do this earlier. Not sure what the timetable was, but Curtin was taking the team through the US Open Cup

— Kevin Kinkead (@KevinKCBS3)

September 9, 2014

I mean, if it was done a while ago and they let him know but just didn't want to disrupt anything ... fair enough. But if they didn't ? Oy ....

[HailtotheYo]

Sooooo the Atlanta franchise has taken a big step forward: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/09/10/tottenham-hotspur-executive-darren-eales-named-president-mls-atlanta

Darren Eales (currently the executive direct of Tottenham) will be the club's president and will join later this year.

[Szumi]

Curtin may not be a sexy choice, but man does he deserve the job for all the great things he has been doing lately. Sure, getting Valdes back is a big help, as is the MVP-like form of Le Toux, but Curtin has done phenomenal.

[HailtotheYo]

Oh, and the league will be changing the logo too. Look for it as early as this month: http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/19/blog/post/2027513/major-league-soccer-shouldnt-ditch-its-classic-logo ... Garber stated as such earlier this year but we're coming up on it.

Donovan will miss his last ever chance to play in the Clasico against SJ due to card accumulation. HA

[HailtotheYo]

Garber has signed an extension and will be the Commish through 2018. Personally, I think that's a fantastic move.

[Toe]

So it sounds like Jermaine DeFoe has already made his final appearance for TFC on the pitch, according to Tim Lieweke.

[GoGo Yubari]

They reaaaaally should have just made a profit on him on deadline day and sent him back to QPR. But then, they've never made the playoffs and a healthy, motivated Defoe would have basically guaranteed them that. Maybe they can still break even in January but god, what a shitshow.

(on a semi-related note, the Sounders are the first team to clinch a playoff spot this year.)

[HailtotheYo]

Apparently TFC had offers for all three of their FWDs ... rumors floating that Club America offered 4.5m for Gilberto, and Luke Moore had suitors as well.

HOLY SHIT SELL ONE OF THEM AND GET SOME FREAKING MONEY THAT'S HOW YOU DO BUSINESS AND GET BETTER

Oh, and theglobeandmail is reporting that MLSE want Bob Bradley as head coach and GM of Toronto FC next season. I want him back in the league although I do love having him coaching abroad and helping to further break push the ceiling for American coaches.

Roster freeze deadline is today ... there's always a panic WTF addition or some stupid crap so be on the look out.

On a side note it appears that FOX is listening to its soccer audience. Gus Johnson has "stepped down" as their lead announcer for soccer matches.

[GoGo Yubari]

2014 US OPEN CUP CHAAAAAAAMPS :w00t:

So good to have that title back here where it belongs.

Also Gus Johnson stepping down is great. I mean, it's under sad circumstances but he just isn't the guy. Now if Eric Wynalda can go too that'd be great. Fox should really look to John Strong if they want an American voice as their lead play-by-play man.

[HailtotheYo]

Congrats SEA .... keep winning that USOC and flopping in the playoffs !!!!!!!

This Portland/Olimpia CCL game is fantastic.

[GoGo Yubari]

Rather have that than winning the USOC and being a complete disaster in the league itself like DCU last year.

MLS is unveiling a new logo in NYC tomorrow and then holding a press conference in Sacramento on Friday, probably to announce Sacramento Republic as an expansion team. I'll be happy to get another new expansion team in the western conference, and a California away trip possibility that doesn't involve the San Jose Earthquakes or the LA Galaxy's FOs.

[HailtotheYo]

Rather have that than winning the USOC and being a complete disaster in the league itself like DCU last year.

MLS is unveiling a new logo in NYC tomorrow and then holding a press conference in Sacramento on Friday, probably to announce Sacramento Republic as an expansion team. I'll be happy to get another new expansion team in the western conference, and a California away trip possibility that doesn't involve the San Jose Earthquakes or the LA Galaxy's FOs.

Agreed ... at least it seems to be working out for them for the better in terms of the CCL anyway. This year's club is decent. Guess this is the flipside of the CCL qualification.

And yeah soooo uhhhh yeah, the new MLS logo and such:

The big one, bottom right is the league ..... and as you can see each club will have its own rendition according to color scheme.

and the link to the campaign: http://www.mlssoccer.com/next

...... oh MLS

[GoGo Yubari]

I think the customizable team crests can look cool. The default template looks good on LA's kit, and an RSL supporter made this:

But overall it looks like the kind of crest that an autogenerated club in Football Manager would have.

[DMN in the House]

I think, as a league logo, it's good. Better than what they had, and, as GoGo's post illustrates, there are some cool things you can do with it.

[GoGo Yubari]

This is what the current DC United version looks like on a kit;

So that's actually kind of cool. I'll get used to it pretty quick.

[Berober]

I like it. And yeah, the LA Galaxy one looks nice too

[HailtotheYo]

Yeah, I think the whole presentation and unveiling is what made me kind of have an initial .... OH COME ON !

Honestly I think it's going to catch on much more than expected. The customization aspect will really get the fans into it. I also feel that the league has done something much deeper and will prove to be pretty damned good in the long run.

"Handler and Bruce said the rebrand must be experienced fully before being evaluated and appreciated. There isn’t much to the logo on the surface. But theywould argue that there isn’t much to Apple’s apple, AT&T’s globe or Nike’s swoosh, either, at least at first glance.

“We’re really trying to position this league now as being very different from anything else out there,” Bruce said. “What we will do with the new brand is build in meaning over time.”

Great article with much more info and thought behind the process/outcome: http://www.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/09/17/new-mls-logo-crest-shield-major-league-soccer