Robert Hay

The first round of the MLS re-entry draft is in the books, and the result of the new process to improve player movement among clubs is......meh. Every club had a chance to select the 35 players who, due to time in the league and contract status, were available for selection. All but two passed until […]

The West Coast is getting USL PRO representation next year with the announcement of the new LA Blues franchise, set to begin play in 2011. The club, which had been rumored for about a month to be the newest franchise for U.S. soccer's new third division, will play in Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium and […]

In the wake of Thursday's loss to Qatar in maybe the only place U.S. soccer can lose to them (the FIFA boardroom), many American soccer fans tried to rally their spirits by immediately turning their focus to the 2026 World Cup process. An initial glance at the state of play right now for the World […]

The final list of MLS players eligible for the new re-entry draft was released today, and many of the more famous players were the same ones on the expansion draft list from last month's draft. As a reminder, players with a certain amount of service time with a club who have had their option declined […]

By now you have likely heard that the United States lost its bid to host the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a country with a population smaller than Latvia but who promised FIFA a truly revolutionary and peace-bringing World Cup. What you may not know is the vote was not even remotely close. The United […]

EPL Talk Network Live Blogging can be seen by clicking here. The time for waiting is over. The final arguments are being made during the night in Zurich (and I'll leave it to your imagination what "persuasion" means in Zurich) and all that's left is the nervous waiting. So, here's your guide to the World […]

Less than 48 hours from now, we will know whether the U.S. bid for the 2022 World Cup was a success or a failure. In Zurich the U.S. delegation is counting votes, firming up yeses and feeling out no votes. One advantage the U.S. has is star power, something a country like Qatar has to […]

Let me step back from my normal neutral MLS observer/blogger and enter fan mode for a few minutes. I think this is the best way to analyze the Ben Olsen hiring. As a DC United supporter, I am ecstatic that Ben Olsen is the new head coach of the club. His resume as a DC […]

The United States has been the favorite to win the 2022 World Cup bid since it dropped its 2018 bid to clear the way for a European nation. Going up against a Middle Eastern country, two Asian nations that previously hosted, and an island nation with little soccer culture, the U.S. has the money, media […]

A little more than a week after Colorado, an original club, won its first MLS Cup and less than a week before the U.S. potentially wins a second World Cup bid, I am optimistic about the progress of American soccer overall. The progress made since the 1994 World Cup has been incredible, and the U.S […]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The last week has been a barrage of news and rumors in the world of MLS, and the next few weeks will likely be the same with the 2018/2022 bid announcements and re-entry draft. But for one day, let us step back and give thanks for all of the good things that […]

MLS Talk has been buzzing all week about the proposed changes to the 2011 season and the reaction to the most recent playoffs. Some of this is spurred by Don Garber's press conference and MLS Cup halftime show; some by the abysmal TV ratings and odd playoff pairings; and some by simmering tension over format […]

As part of his second state of the union at halftime of the MLS Cup, Don Garber revealed that MLS would be considering shifting the season from spring-to-fall to the FIFA-endorsed fall-to-spring schedule. While this is not the first time MLS has considered shifting its schedule, Garber said that the rethink was pushed by FIFA […]

Not even 24 hours after crowning its champion, MLS was back to business by requiring its clubs to list its protected players for the expansion draft. The expansion draft is just one of several drafts taking place this offseason for MLS, and the unprotected list for this draft has some interesting names. Most notably is […]

Beginning at 8:30 Eastern, MLS Talk will be live blogging the 2010 MLS Cup. Join us here to discuss the players, coaches, BMO Field, ESPN, and everything else around the fifteenth MLS Cup. Insightful analysis will be welcome, as well as humor and pop culture references. I look forward to chatting with you at 8:30 […]