Old MLS

[Guest Kou]

He'll go to Toronto FC.

[Ananas]

Well... at least we scored.

[Guest Kou]

http://www.thescore.ca/blogs/footy/index.a...nk_someone.html

Funniest thing ever.

[Mr. X]

Chicago Fire president/GM leaves team

Maybe I'm looking into this a bit much, but I'm wondering if something is happening in the Fire offices to make the head coach and now the GM leave. My only concern is that the team stays in contention for the playoffs and does something more than they did last year.

[Darloboy]

TFC just scored to go 2-1 up against Galaxy, makes me a happy bunny

MLS seems to have some decent players, but the standard of defending is piss poor.

-edit-

And now a Toronto defender falls arse over tit and handles the ball, giving away a penalty which is scored >_< I told you so.

Edited April 13, 2008 by Darloboy

[Clawson]

My parents came around for lunch late today so I missed but it's nice to pick up a win even though it was just the Galaxy.

[HailtotheYo]

I like Seattle FC now

This signing is freakin awesome. MLS has really used the "designated player" rule very well I feel. The international stars they've brought over have been a huge success in marketing and play as well.

Blanco

Angel

Beckham

.... now Freddie ?

I really like where the MLS is going. They're also talking about expansion to St. Louis in '11 and Albert Pujols has signed on to the ownership group making the bid.

Edited November 20, 2008 by HailtotheKing

[The Future]

That kit is very nice. The MLS are doing a good job at getting players who still have something to offer instead of being like the Qatar or Saudi leagues where they buy anybody and anyone just for the sake of having a name. Hell even Djemba-Djemba managed to play over there.

[HailtotheYo]

2009 Competition Changes for MLS

Spoiler: Click here to view

LOS ANGELES -- Major League Soccer announced Friday that its competition format, schedule parameters, roster size, playoff format and tournament qualification procedures for 2009.

The MLS Board of Governors approved these changes, recommended after a thorough review process by the MLS Competition and Technical Committees and discussions with representatives from all clubs.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber discussed these changes in his annual state-of-the-league press conference. Audio from that event can be found on the Video/Audio page of MLSnet.com.

"We have thoroughly reviewed our competitive format to ensure that it provides the right framework to continue the progress MLS has made in recent years," Garber said. "There are many factors to be considered and balanced, none of which can be considered in isolation. We believe we are striking the proper balance among presenting a compelling championship quest for our fans, putting our clubs in position to succeed in league and tournament play, and maintaining the sound business sense that has allowed us to prosper in our first 13 years."

Competition elements for the 2009 MLS season are:

Rosters:

Following an extensive review of the operation of the Reserve Division over the past four years, MLS has decided that it will be more efficient to cease operation of the Reserve Division and to divert funds from its operations to more directed programs such as a bolstered senior roster, increased commitment to the Generation adidas program and focused initiatives to provide leading prospects with game experience, whether in MLS or elsewhere. These options are currently being reviewed by an MLS working group.

Each team will be permitted to carry 18, 19 or 20 senior roster players (at its option) within the overall salary budget (the limit in 2008 was 18 senior roster players). In addition, teams will be permitted to carry up to four developmental players (including Generation adidas players) outside of the team salary budget. Any team with more than four Generation adidas players carried forward from 2008 will be grandfathered with respect to the size of their developmental roster.

Schedule:

The 2009 season will start on March 21, one week earlier than the 2008 season. Each team will play 30 regular season games. During the 2009 regular season, MLS will either clear its schedule on two weekends, or play with a reduced schedule over four weekends, to reduce World Cup Qualification conflicts. This, the elongated window of the schedule, and a few additional weeknight games, is aimed at reducing the number of conflicts with FIFA fixture dates that teams have faced in recent years.

Of the 15 teams that will compete in 2009, seven will be in the Eastern Conference and eight will be in the Western Conference, where Seattle Sounders FC is the additional team.

Each team will play every other MLS team home and away, for a base of 28 games. Two additional games against intra-conference rivals will complete each team's 30-game schedule.

Playoffs:

A total of eight teams will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2009. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top two teams in each conference will earn automatic berths. The next four teams in the standings, regardless of conference, will earn wild card berths. This is the same format used in 2007, the last time MLS had an uneven number of teams in each conference.

International Competitions and U.S. Open Cup:

MLS teams may participate in either the CONCACAF Champions League or SuperLiga - but not both.

All U.S.-based MLS teams will participate in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Qualification for the 2009/2010 CONCACAF Champions League will be as follows:

(1) MLS Cup Winner

(2) Supporters' Shield Winner (Columbus Crew)

(3) MLS Cup Runner-Up

(4) U.S. Open Cup Winner* (D.C. United)

In the event that the same team occupies two qualification spots above, then as needed the following team(s) qualify for the tournament:

(5) Next Team in Regular Season Points.

(6) Next Team in Regular Season Points.

(Ties are broken according to the same system used for MLS playoff qualification.)

Given these criteria, the teams qualifying for the 2009/2010 CONCACAF Champions League will be Columbus Crew, New York Red Bulls, D.C. United and Houston Dynamo. Because Columbus will occupy both the Supporters' Shield berth and either the MLS Cup Winner or MLS Cup Runner-Up berth, Houston qualifies as the fourth team with the next most points in MLS during the 2008 regular season.

Qualification for SuperLiga 2009 will be as follows:

The top four teams, based on regular season record, who are not competing in CONCACAF Champions League in 2009, will qualify for SuperLiga 2009. Given these criteria, Chicago Fire, New England Revolution, Kansas City Wizards, and Chivas USA have qualified for SuperLiga 2009 based on their records in 2008.

I like going back to the '07 playoff format now that the league is unbalanced again. The schedule tinkering is a job well done as well. Being more aware/compliant/lenient/etc with Fifa scheduling and international play is a great step for the league. Also, having teams only eligible for either Concacaf OR Superliga but not both is a good thing. It gives maximum exposure for the league and best opportunity for the players.

[gunnar hendershow]

I don't know how I feel about stopping the Reserve Division. I can understand its cost, but I always think a healthy Reserve Division is part of a strong league.

[HailtotheYo]

yeah I'm mixed on that. What I hope would come from it, would be a better relationship with the USL. I know it will never happen but holy crap it'd be great if there was a promotion/relegation system between the two leagues.

Granted, there is A LOT of growing that both leagues have to do but one can dream.

The teams (well, many of them anyway) still have their U-21 etc teams and there's still generation Addidas.

[Green Demon]

Obviously having a good reserve team division in the long run would probably help the MLS, but I think they have been putting a lot of effort into establishing youth academies. I think those in the long run will have a much greater impact then the reserve teams have had and the reserve teams can always be brought back in the future if the demand is there.

Also it is good to see Landon Donavon go on loan to Bayern Munich right now and at worst expose his talent to Europe if he doesn't make a more permanent move with the team in the summer window.

[HailtotheYo]

MLS Cup today.

Nice crowd, coming across as a pretty decent atmosphere.

NY is starting out strong, already a couple of really nice chances.

[Green Demon]

I missed the beginning of the game but it had been a pretty good back and forth game so far with Columbus taking the early lead on a Javier Moreno goal.

Edit: Well this game just got exciting New York ties the game up and then Columbus answers not even nearly the next time down the field.

Edited November 23, 2008 by Green Demon

[HailtotheYo]

Sounders Expansion picks:

Jeff Parke NY Red Bulls

James Riley San Jose

Nathan Sturgis Real Salt Lake

Tyson Wahl Kansas City - Defenders

Brad Evans Columbus

Stephen King Chicago

Khano Smith New England

Peter Vagenas Los Angeles - midfield

Nate Jaqua Houston

Jarrod Smith Toronto - Strikers

Parke, Jaqua, Evans, and Sturgis are the only names that really mean anything. The team they're trying to build seems to be pretty balanced. Hopefully Keller won't have to be a God in the net to make them competitive early on.

[HailtotheYo]

Interesting

While certainly a good sign, not something I'd expect to happen.

[Green Demon]

You had me excited for a second cause I thought it was a player signing for the MLS. But anyways it has been good to see MLS players and staff make the move to Europe because for now it can show some players that the MLS can be a stepping stone to Europe right now. In the long run I would hope that the MLS would try to keep it players and staff but if it helps build the reputation of the league then I am all for it.

[HailtotheYo]

"Former Columbus Crew goalkeeper Brad Friedel set a record on Nov. 29 by making his 167th consecutive Premier League appearance." - mlsnet.com

That's pretty sweet.

Adu apparently wants to play for Tottenham now (he was a fan as a kid .. errr, a younger kid).

Jozy is getting some time at Villereal and Bradley is seeing time at M'gladbach.

There's others out there as well but it's good to see these guys doing things over seas.

I want to know what we can do (read: MLS) to keep the mid teir guys over here. Sure, guys like Howard/Friedel and the like are above where the MLS right now. But come on, Micheal Bradley isn't THAT good and could be playing here making the US game better as a whole. It isn't like he's lighting it up over there (or M'gladbach for that matter, they're last in the table). It seems that in that kind of situation it would be better to stay here rather than go abroad.

[Marcos]

I want to know what we can do (read: MLS) to keep the mid teir guys over here. Sure, guys like Howard/Friedel and the like are above where the MLS right now. But come on, Micheal Bradley isn't THAT good and could be playing here making the US game better as a whole. It isn't like he's lighting it up over there (or M'gladbach for that matter, they're last in the table). It seems that in that kind of situation it would be better to stay here rather than go abroad.

I doubt there is anything you lot can do for at least the next few years to stop all your talent moving from the MLS to Europe. It doesn't matter who it is, even for the ordinary football ( ) player, the European leagues are where they want to be. Take the Bradley example, he decided that playing for someone like Gladbach was a better chance for him to show other European clubs what he can do, rather than if he staying in the US. As I said I don't think you can get out of this situation for a while yet, and I continue to believe that many European football fans see the MLS as the place where old and past it football players go to be over paid for their greatly receding talents, and I can see why many think that after taking a look through some of your squad lists.

[HailtotheYo]

Firstly, please don't think that ALL MLS fans have a glorified view of what the MLS is. I know its place in the grand scheme of things, but I also know the potential of the American market. Beckham is a prime example of it. When you get past the "glitz" of it all, he still had plenty to offer as a player. Blanco and Angel are also examples of players viewed as "past it" that clearly weren't done.

That's where my question comes in though. I KNOW the MLS has its restrictions not only in how it's viewed, but how it practices its business. That's what I'm asking, what can be done to start this cultivating here ? The national teams are making great progress in this regard and the designated player rule is a step in the right direction. Seriously though, a guy like Bradley isn't "better" than many of the guys that are here in the MLS ...