Major League Soccer (MLS) Thread

9th biggest attendance for a MLS match. 

In terms of overall attendance of a soccer game in the US, its way down there.

I was just thinking in general about MLS, what's the career trajectories for managers in the league? Obviously if you're a good enough player you can get a move to Europe but you never see a Kreis or any of the more successful MLS managers do the same. 

It seems to be the only progression is to be the US manager maybe

When you say Europe do you mean a top European league? Or just any shitty far flung European league?

Sean wrote:I was just thinking in general about MLS, what's the career trajectories for managers in the league? Obviously if you're a good enough player you can get a move to Europe but you never see a Kreis or any of the more successful MLS managers do the same. 

It seems to be the only progression is to be the US manager maybe

UK and Ireland are probably no goes at a decent level since Americans are automatically seen as football retards over here, and they're not going to travel thousands of miles to manage some shit cunts in the Conference or equivalent strength leagues like the SPL.  I think they might struggle to get work permits here as well.

As for the rest of Europe, there aren't that many jobs available good enough to be worth moving continents for.  No top club is going to go for someone unproven outside of the US and Canada who doesn't already have a link with the club.  How many of them even speak the requisite languages?

If someone from MLS won the CONCACAF Champions League I reckon a decent sized club might sit up and take notice.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/19/blog/post/2342342/major-league-soccer-has-made-progress-after-20-years-but-still-work-to-do-writes-rory-smith Greatest piece about an European coming to America since Tocqueville. 

As for managers in European, Sean, American managers have it tougher than American players. Berhalter (now with Columbus) was in Sweden a couple of years ago with Hammarby in the second division, the first time an American was a manager at an European side. Bradley is with Stabaek now, and so he's the first to be with a first division team. And he did well the couple of years he was with Egypt, until he got forcefully finger blasted by Ghana in the first leg of World Cup qualifier. 

Think we have a couple of smaller time coaches as well in Germany. Imma have to look it up, but I thought someone was with the Nurnberg youths, and that the Dortmund II was American as well. But they are also dual citizens, so easier for them over there. 

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Yeah, David Wagner is the man. He was born to an American military dad and German mother, much like most of the Germamericans on the national team squad. He played 8 times for the US too, but spent his entire professional career in Germany. 

Learning a new language isn't the biggest of deals for the managers, either. Most of the them over here probably know a bit of Spanish, because we have so many speaking players over here. And Bradley learned Egyptian quickly while in charge there (helped that he took an old assistant from US who is Egyptian), and he knows Norwegian as well.

Egyptian is still a language? How did anyone understand him?

Understand him? Hieroglyphics aren't spoken.

Who mentioned Hieroglyphics? Egyptian hasn't been spoken since the late 17th century.

Who mentioned speaking Egyptian to the players?

I knew someone would point that Egyptian part out

Yeah my bad. Too many pain killers.

Scuba Steve wrote:http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/19/blog/post/2342342/major-league-soccer-has-made-progress-after-20-years-but-still-work-to-do-writes-rory-smith Greatest piece about an European coming to America since Tocqueville. 

As for managers in European, Sean, American managers have it tougher than American players. Berhalter (now with Columbus) was in Sweden a couple of years ago with Hammarby in the second division, the first time an American was a manager at an European side. Bradley is with Stabaek now, and so he's the first to be with a first division team. And he did well the couple of years he was with Egypt, until he got forcefully finger blasted by Ghana in the first leg of World Cup qualifier. 

Think we have a couple of smaller time coaches as well in Germany. Imma have to look it up, but I thought someone was with the Nurnberg youths, and that the Dortmund II was American as well. But they are also dual citizens, so easier for them over there. 

--

Yeah, David Wagner is the man. He was born to an American military dad and German mother, much like most of the Germamericans on the national team squad. He played 8 times for the US too, but spent his entire professional career in Germany. 

Learning a new language isn't the biggest of deals for the managers, either. Most of the them over here probably know a bit of Spanish, because we have so many speaking players over here. And Bradley learned Egyptian quickly while in charge there (helped that he took an old assistant from US who is Egyptian), and he knows Norwegian as well.

I also read this and was going to post a quote from earlier today too:



That's spot on. I'm always a little perplexed about how much hate MLS gets for pretty much no good reason.

Saying that though, I hate some American soccer terminologies with a passion.

"Outside back"

More correct though than when an English commentator says half back (position from the WM). But there are definitely some stupid sayings. Clean sheet is much better as well than shutout.

I wouldn't say it's much better. Shutout makes sense. Your defense was able to shut out the opponent's offense.

Meant that (I left that part of for some reason) I prefer it. Shut out makes just as much sense, but to me clean sheet just sounds better.

I just realized I left out the quote about people being bitter about the MLS getting better.

I like using Spanish terminology since I have no idea how I would tell someone the deference between an enganche, volante offensivo, and mediapunta in English.

Release the Kraken is still standard US soccer terminology correct?

Wow. RoboCubo just saved Guadalajara from being dead last in the relegation table. Guadalajara was losing 1-0 in like the 70th minute and Torres came on and scored a brace.

Pains me that he'll be playing in MLS this summer and not at Guadalajara.

Well it's about time they started playing him. Because it was so weird that they fought for his loan when Houston purchased him and then they were only him in Copa matches. 

Whacky weekend. Revs a hot mess, and NYC and Orlando pacing the East. NYCFC looked rather decent at home, villa was quite a joy to watch. Seattle also dropped the ball at home against ten man San Jose, which was a bit confusing. 

And attendance after 18 games this season is 25,000. Pretty strong, but it will come down some, as NYCFC probably won't pull 43,000 a game (think they are capping it at 33k), and Orlando definitely not getting 62,000 a season. But that does include United's home game, which was a putrid 11k. And Toronto won't play at home for a while as they finish the renovations to make it 30k, and San Jose open up their new stadium next weekend, so no more playing at a college campus. 

And Minnesota will be confirmed as the 23rd MLS club here shortly. Probably for 2019 or 2020. And hopefully Sacramento makes 24 at the same time.

Is there any limit on the number of teams that will be allowed in the league?

I don't think there is a limit but in the past they've said 30 teams is "too many".

Will they just cap the league or create a lower division?

What a coincidence, yesterday I was going to ask about the always increasing amount of teams in the league but my tablet ran out of juice before I could press the send button and I was too lazy to go back into the thread.

Oh and check out Greg Garza at the 44th second.




Oh and America, you had one job...

I don't think there is a FIFA limit -- though they have made it known that they prefer 18 teams in the top division. There was suppose to be a stop at 24 (Garber previously they would pause at 24), but he basically said the other day that they will look into even more teams pretty much right away (the idea of adding more teams, not necessarily adding them right away). 

But I think it'll be different than what I said the other day. Minnesota is definitely in, which I assume will be 2018. But then bump Sacramento into the next round, with Miami joining Minnesota. The league is giving Miami until the end of the year to sort all their issues out. And with the Ronaldo news, that arrival would make perfect sense (basically the story goes that he will run out his contract at RM, then head over here after the World Cup. He'd be 33 at the time, and Miami is the perfect spot for him). 

Grant Wahl mentioned that way down the road, they might get to 40 teams, and then they would have two separate divisions, and that there could be movement between those two. But he didn't call it pro/rel, and that number is years down the road anyway. I gotta imagine that once they get to 26-30, that there will be a drastic change in the setup of the league. But when they are getting $100m (right now) for new teams coming in, their is little incentive for them to stop.

Which major cities are lacking teams right now?  San Francisco, Phoenix, Houston?

Houston has the Dynamo and Owen Coyle! You said cities, but MLS cares more about media markets (TV) and San Fran, Oakland and San Jose are all counted as one, even though SJ's new stadium is 40+ miles from San Fran proper. But San Fran has never shown much interest, and they definitely wouldn't get a team if Sacramento did. 

Phoenix would be the biggest then, but they have also never really shown much interest. They have a newer USL side, but there are many more deserving cities in my opinion. 

http://www.stationindex.com/tv/tv-markets

Detroit would be an obvious choice too if they went up to 40 or so.

Isnt Detroits media market covered by Columbus though?

Plus wouldnt it make sense to have at least two teams in close proximity to each other to stoke up a rivalry?

Can't believe I forgot about the Dynamo, they have Brad Davis.  I remember watching him wreck Philadelphia with his set-pieces.

In in in theory, yes closer rivals would be ideal. A team in Oakland, San Fran and San Jose would be great from a rivalry standpoint. But it wouldn't work for a couple of reasons. One being that right now, that would be over-saturation in terms of number of teams and number of fans. It is still soccer and it still is the US. Also, US fans like teams that cover areas as opposed to specific spots. Like how it's the New York Jets or Giants even though they play in New Jersey. Same with Washington R*dskins and Maryland. We aren't as specific as other places around the world. 

And Detroit is 200 miles from Columbus, so definitely not close enough. They could definitely support a team there if the city wasn't in dire straits financially. 

Yes, Brad was the bane to Philly's only playoff appearance.

Colorado compounded their early season issues by selling Deshorn Brown (who to be fair wanted a go in Europe, and was probably at his height in terms of value) and getting Kevin Doyle in his steed. Wooden spoon a great possibility in the Mile High this year.