After sputtering out of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup in dreadful fashion, the calls for Jurgen Klinsmann’s firing as Head Coach further intensified. A Jeckyl and Hyde performance against Peru and the shellacking at the hands of Brazil in suburban Boston only tossed kerosene on the flames. A large contingent of US fans and media are pushing the Confederations Cup play-in match against Mexico as a “win or be gone” match for Klinsmann.

Underwhelming is one way to describe Manchester United’s start to the new Barclays Premier League season. Seven points after four games and three ahead of last season’s champions all looks good on paper, but the reality is something altogether different.

Whilst the new signings have slotted into the team — Matteo Darmian and Morgan Schnederlin in particular have plugged gaping holes at right back and central midfield — the sense remains that United are still missing the vital components to be successful this season. The opening performance against Spurs left much to be desired, although the team did emerge victorious with a rather fortuitous own goal from the Tottenham defender Kyle Walker. However, of particular concern in that game was the lack of chances created, and critically the form of Wayne Rooney.

SEE MORE: It’s time for the English media to finally appreciate Wayne Rooney’s virtues.

Rooney is a curious case. He was headed for the exit under Sir Alex Ferguson, but upon the manager’s retirement there has a transformation at the club that has seen Rooney emerge with the armband and wielding questionable amounts of influence. Furthermore, as the critical component in the attacking system United deploy, Rooney’s performances have been abysmal, and his failure to grasp his opportunity after turning Ashley Williams during the defeat to Swansea sums up his season: pathetic.

However, Rooney isn’t the only issue plaguing United. The defense with Sergio Romero and Daley Blind as two key players is sub-standard and has been finally exposed against a clinical and creative Swansea side. Romero, in particular, has been a disaster. With the collapse of the David de Gea transfer to Real Madrid, United fans everywhere will be hoping it is the last they see of the Argentinian in goal! Blind has also been susceptible to errors during the opening period, his lack of pace and height make him an easy target for the opposition and he was cruelly exposed during the defeat against Swansea. For a side professing to have lofty ambitions, removing these two players from the starting XI is crucial.

SEE MORE: Mata: De gea will have no problem reintegrating into the squad.

The issue of Louis van Gaal’s management style is also crucial to how United’s games have unfolded. The emphasis is on possession football at a pedestrian pace, but in the Premier League, this will not suffice. A more progressive approach utilizing speed and directness would serve United better, but LVG does not appear to favor such an approach.

This brings me to Juan Mata, a wonderfully creative player, but one whose best position is behind the striker not on the right wing. Whilst he has an assist and a well-taken goal to his name, he slows down the tempo too much on the wing and therefore needs to be re-positioned or moved to the substitute’s bench.

Whilst the season has been underwhelming so far, that does not say it will continue in this vain. With Luke Shaw and Memphis Depay forging an exciting partnership on the left, United should become more penetrative as the season evolves. The acquisition of Bastian Schweinsteiger should provide the midfield with the stardust it has long craved, whilst the return from suspension of Marouane Fellaini will provide more options going forward.

Anthony Martial could be the joker in the pack. Still a novice, his pace and finishing prowess could enlighten this United team and evoke a style of football that has been missing since the end of the Ferguson era. Perhaps this is unrealistic, but by all accounts. this young man is something special. Where better to showcase this ability than the theatre of dreams?

As starts go, United’s has been  pedestrian, but we’re only four games into the season. United’s start to the 1998-99 treble winning season was equally underwhelming; likewise to the 2007-08 Champions League winning season. Whilst there are reasons for concern, United fans should be patient and trust the philosophy of LVG.

Whether it ends in triumph or complete disaster, what is not in doubt is that it will be enthralling viewing.

Ever since its inception, Major League Soccer’s primary goal has been growth, trying to cultivate an untapped sports fan group in this country. They’ve been relatively successful in that venture if you look at a variety of metrics, from number of teams to revenue to attendance.

A large part of that success can be attributed to the Designated Player rule. While people like myself often criticize MLS for their administration of a salary cap system, they have offered enough flexibility through the rule for teams to acquire players they couldn’t otherwise afford. This not only introduced further quality within the team, but a higher level of marketability, especially given the enhanced stature of European soccer on North American television.

In the effort to maximize the effect of Designated Players on growth, MLS teams have embraced a long-held perception: Americans love scoring. The big four sports have all adapted their rules at times to cater to this notion — that the excitement of the big play is what hooks the fan — so more of that ought to be better, right?

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Designated Player rule has been used almost exclusively on signing attack-minded players. Sure, there are a few exceptions to that rule, but for every Liam Ridgewell there is a David Villa, and a Steven Gerrard, and a Robbie Keane,  and … well, you get the drift.

SEE MORE: My love-hate relationship with Robbie Keane.

But is this perception flawed? Is the more frequent occurrence of exciting attacking plays the way to grow popularity in America? Or have we thrown the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to the nature of the sport of soccer?

MLS is well-known to be a physical league, but it’s not known as a league filled with great defending. The lack of talent caused by the salary cap system forces less-skilled players to be more cynical and physical in order to control the opposition attack. It leads to sloppy play, and while goals do abound, they are often met with derision because the defending is so weak.

When you read Jonathan Wilson’s tactical classic Inverting the Pyramid, you experience the idea of call-and-answer. Every attacking revolution was eventually solved through the evolution of defense.

To me, it would actually be historical — and logical — for an MLS team to approach their roster from the exact opposite point as most MLS teams. If you really want to beat all-star attacks like the Galaxy, you have to build an all-star defense.

SEE MORE: U.S. vs. Peru – match preview.

I’m not sure that Don Garber and MLS would allow it, though. This is where the inner workings of the Single Entity are unknown to the public. There are the stories of Toronto getting nixed in the past in their pursuit of Swedish defender Olof Mellberg. It’s tough to know whether that was because of the Reds’ past mismanagement of funds, or whether the league tends to frown upon defensive DP signings.

But let’s assume they would be perfectly fine with that, and a team went out and brought in two world-class central defenders and a staunch central midfielder as well. How would they fare in this league? What if they were successful?

It’s the type of development that might change the league for the better. A mighty triangle holding the fort might allow the attacking part of the squad (presumably a younger, less-expensive group) more freedom going forward.

Or maybe not. Perhaps people enjoy watching Gio dos Santos and Robbie Keane shredding mediocre backlines on a routine basis. It may be fun, but without balance, it seems awfully artificial.

The one topic that unites almost every segment of the soccer world is the need to reform its governing body, FIFA. Unfortunately, the man who is ringing in the changes, one Michel Platini —who officially announced his candidacy Wednesday, has a murky past. He voted for Qatar in the bidding for the 2020 World Cup, and worked closely with former France President Nicolas Sarkozy to help use his influence to Qatar win the vote in exchange for Qatar purchasing $7 billion worth of French fighter jets.

Certainly on the surface, Platini ticks a number of boxes which might ease some minds:

• Former world-class footballer (unlike Blatter who was a pure businessman),

• Overseer of the most established Confederation in soccer (UEFA), and

• A man who has looked to reform some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of European football (such as transfer spending through Financial Fair Play).

But when you scrape below, you’ll start to see some real issues.

When one thinks of scandal and FIFA, the awarding of Qatar 2022 immediately comes to mind. Unless your head has been firmly planted in Middle Eastern sand, you should realize this is an ongoing stain on the sport. Arrests, raids, document seizures, and deportations – these have all become commonplace for FIFA executives in recent months.

And in the midst of all of this, Platini has admitted to voting for the Qatar bid. He has also been one of the strongest proponents to move the tournament to winter to accommodate the extraordinarily harsh temperatures experienced in that region. As a former player, one can understand his desire for player safety. But as the head of UEFA, he must realize the bind his would create in his own region, interrupting the normal league season throughout Europe. And for what, to spread the game to a country smaller than the state of Connecticut (and with only 60% of the population)?

We’re supposed to believe that Platini is squeaky clean in this entire debacle? That he had no part in the shady aspects of the Qatar bid? That he has received no compensation for his consistent support of a World Cup that has cost workers’ lives and which could endanger the health of players in sweltering conditions?

Reports detail which FA’s are planning to support Platini. It is no surprise for Platini to have already lined up his European ducks in a row. But with CONCACAF presumably leaning in the direction of supporting Platini, a real interesting case could develop: the United States.

If the United States and Sunil Gulati support Platini, they will be putting their vote behind a man who thumbed his nose at their own bid for 2022. With all the posturing over Blatter’s corruption, do they really have no concerns about Mr. Platini’s dealings? Do they feel he is the best chance to reform the governing body? Or is it a case of the least of a number of evils?

We saw where this kind of blind support got the US in the past. After years of schmoozing Blatter, he still allowed the corrupt backchannels to undermine the US bid for 2022. Then for their trouble, USSF recently got smacked around in a Congressional Subcommittee meeting because of their presumed ignorance of Blatter’s criminal syndicate. Do they really want back on this train again?

If the US was truly behind reform, Gulati would look to run himself. Instead, he knows that it could cost USSF what it’s built up, namely a pyramid which runs outside of typical FIFA guidelines (i.e. expansion beyond 20 teams, a closed pyramid), and a strong marketing machine which rakes in a ton of money from hosting friendlies and regional tournaments.

So where does that leave us? Back to square one it seems. Maybe we’ll get lucky and Platini will be the slime-clearing crusader he wants us to believe he could be. If he’s not, it will likely be another decade or more before the next faux-reformer gets his or her chance.

The United States is a country that stands for freedom, with a hands-off, free market economy. So much so, in fact, that many a rich person has built their fortune using the rather unimposing economic principles that govern our system. It is also a playground for the robber baron, a place where the con artist can try to pull the wool over eyes long enough to amass his haul, with the hope that he can escape to safe sanctuary before the wolves knock at the door.

Much reform has taken place over the years. The US government, through its various agencies, have tried to tighten up the regulations to prevent things like the Pyramid/Ponzi schemes, insider trading, accounting fraud, and many other types of underhanded chicanery and corruption.

This is what is making the current FIFA scandal so bitter to many Americans.

Whether US Soccer Federation Dan Flynn has knowledge about the corruption that was rife within CONCACAF on American soil or not, his body language during last week’s US Senate panel hearing as well as his inability to answer questions openly, and conferring with his legal representative was not a good look for the US Soccer Federation.

Flynn’s answers were the typical  “cover your tail” fare, claiming ignorance to Chuck Blazer’s lifestyle of excess and CONCACAF’s (and ultimately FIFA’s) deceitful ways.

We do live in a country that lives by the principle of “innocent until proven guilty,” so perhaps Dan Flynn is right.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate a bit.

For instance, US Soccer (and specifically MLS) operates outside of typical FIFA standards for a soccer pyramid. Occasionally Sepp Blatter will remark openly about these issues:

a) the Spring-Fall vs. Fall-Spring calendar;
b) lack of an open pyramid with promotion & relegation;
c) the 20 team limit for a top division (current MLS expansion plans will breach).

One could argue there is an implicit allowance afforded to US Soccer to operate professional leagues with these variances, all for the low price of conformity.

Or maybe Blatter kept Sunil Gulati & co. hanging on by a thread, dangling that ever elusive “next World Cup” carrot for them to chase.

Or maybe not. Maybe US Soccer is so caught up in all of the day-to-day busy work that they never stopped to wonder why Blazer’s cat had his own posh apartment in Manhattan. If we don’t ask, you don’t have to tell, Chuck. All that money just fell out of the sky into your lap, right?

That shouldn’t be acceptable in any organization especially one that bears the name of the country that has gone to many lengths to set standards for ethics and reform in the business world. Does the United States get it right every time? Of course not. It is still a system that empowers the rich to become richer and oftentimes does wrothe poor to remain that way.

But when the actions turn from mere greed to actual crime, the US usually gets it right. In the case of FIFA, CONCACAF, and the miraculously appearing bags of money, USSF appears to have turned a blind eye. Perhaps it’s time to hold them accountable.

You will be hard-pressed to find people involved in soccer in the US (aside from a few of the Owners’ Boxes) who believe that Major League Soccer’s salary structure should remain in it’s current form.

But yet again, MLS is getting it all wrong, this time introducing yet another ambiguously yawn-worthy phrase: “Targeted Allocation Money.” But the worst part isn’t all of that – it’s the fact that yet again, MLS is making changes at the behest of one particular team, the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The mechanism itself is constructed yet again in the swirling, murky swamp that remains the MLS Salary Cap, and does little to help fans understand anything. Which is by design mind of course, because the less fans know, the less the players’ agents know.

The theory behind the evolution MLS’s Salary Cap is to keep mid-level and young players on extremely affordable contracts, while splurging on superstars who bring name recognition…and viewers…and fans to the stadium. The way they have done so has all but stratified the system, with domestic squad players expecting to fight for every penny, while players who have played nary a minute command high seven-figure salaries without the blink of an eye.

In that regard, MLS teams started to find out the struggles of when the bottom tier starts hitting into the top-tier. With the threshold for Designated Player (DP) somewhere around $400,000, players like Eddie Johnson, Osvaldo Alonso, Chris Wondolowski, and Omar Gonzalez have pushed above that line of demarcation. In the case of Gonzalez, it meant that the LA Galaxy had to waste one of the three allowable DP slots on the defender.

So when Giovani Dos Santos became a target for Galaxy management, there was a problem. Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard were already under contract. Teams can buy down salaries with Allocation Money, but clearly the LA Galaxy don’t have $600,000 or so in that currency to buy Gonzalez down below the threshold.

And lo and behold, yet again, the Galaxy give Don Garber and MLS management a phone call. They did so when they wanted to have Landon Donovan become a part of their team. They did it again when David Beckham was available to sign.

Recall that a few months ago, Toronto FC brought in Sebastian Giovinco to be a DP-level midfielder alongside Michael Bradley. The trouble? They already had 3 DP’s. They had to loan out Gilberto to comply with the rules.

Did MLS go and change anything? Of course not. Now, you can point out Gilberto’s contract is north of $1 million, which is likely too large to be paid down in the current mechanism.

What about Seattle and Eddie Johnson? They kill the entire league with attendance figures, and yet when it was time to give Johnson a salary bump, MLS was nowhere to be found to make that happen. If any team ought to be able to justify outspending the rest, it’s the Centurylink Field-filling Sounders. Instead, he was traded.

MLS is a league that has gotten a lot of mileage out of the idea of parity: building a team on a budget and competing for a title even in small markets like Columbus, Ohio.

This rule change immediately benefits the 3-out-of-4 year champion LA Galaxy, and doesn’t give the look of a league that wants to make sure every team has a shot to win. The rule represents a chance for Los Angeles to improve their roster without the sacrifices other teams were forced to make to comply to the rules.

It also stinks because this is all theoretical money anyway. Anschutz Entertainment Group has enough money to pay the roster’s salary many times over. There are plenty of other soccer leagues around the world that watch their best teams take on better players, but without vague, confusing language and a cap that only insures that the miserly teams in poor markets can stay economically viable.

Effectively, the MLS season just got flipped up on its head. The middle-of-the-pack Galaxy, who were likely already an MLS Cup favorite with adding Gerrard, will be even more so. Maybe Seattle can buy down Alonso and purchase their own new DP. Or Salt Lake with Beckerman, or Kansas City with Besler or Zusi (though they still have a DP slot open to use).

In the future, MLS would be wise to start publishing rule changes and salary guidelines BEFORE the season begins.

The way it went down, it sure looks like another case where the Galaxy were given special treatment by the League. That’s a bad look for a league that has repeatedly been blasted over their lack of transparency and apparent bias.

Parity, it used to be a nice thing.

Hardcore soccer fans may appreciate the sport for a number of reasons. As a guy who likes to pay attention to the tactical side, the continuum of style and substance runs the gamut in this sport unlike any other.

No contrast may be more striking than between the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday and the US Men’s 2-1 victory over Honduras last night. If a new convert to the game tuned into FOX Sports 1 last night, they may have received a shock.

The Women’s World Cup final from Vancouver was a fireworks display right from the get-go. It was a fast-paced attack fest from the United States, sucker punching a Japan team and nearly TKO’ing them before they had a chance to launch a riposte. While the latter parts of the match were more tepid in their fervor, the excitement of the moment helped to extend the fever aroused by that early flurry of goals.

Fast forward to last night’s Gold Cup match, and you saw what most who follow the men’s game in this Confederation might call “CONCACAF ball.” It’s rarely pretty, typically feisty, and occasionally nasty. It’s marked by referees that vary from incompetent to quite clearly biased. In these types of matches, a team like the United States must foremost consider survival an important goal as much as scoring goals. That survival takes two forms: a) not getting yourself sent off for a borderline challenge, and b) not getting your leg destroyed by a flagrant tackle that goes unpunished.

SEE MORE — Michael Bradley is US captain, but Bradley has long been the captain.

That leads to a style that often looks disjointed for the USMNT, relying heavily on toothless possession that begets a few key set pieces. If they score on those, they typically win. If they don’t, things go from ugly to wretched pretty quickly.

Fortunately for Jurgen Klinsmann’s bunch last night, they scored on two of them, which outnumbered the singular goal earned in the run of play by Honduras. The Catrachos were the more incisive team, using the counter to expose defenders like Tim Chandler and Ventura Alvarado at the back, while making one wonder if 33-year old Kyle Beckerman has outlasted his stay in the national team.

Maybe some of our response to the “good enough” performance last night was biased by our observation of that women’s final, of how soccer can be when it’s pleasing our senses to the greatest extreme. Or maybe it was just “good enough.” Who knows?

The good news is that most of us went from the high of whatever soccer event turned us on to the sport, to that next match that wasn’t so exhilarating. And we still hung on.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about the apparent Russian roulette mission US Women’s National Team Head Coach Jill Ellis and her team were embarking upon – riding the disturbingly out-of-form Abby Wambach until either a) she found that form, or b) the team was bounced from the 2015 Women’s World Cup.

Fortunately for American soccer fans, and more-so for the USWNT players who have put in countless hours of time honing their skill (largely underpaid for such endeavors, I might add), Jill Ellis moved on.

The story quickly became a retasked Carli Lloyd, handed the danger-woman role on set pieces and in the run of play as the focal point of most attacking maneuvers. It worked brilliantly — largely because Lloyd took that chance and pounced like we’ve never seen before.

Ellis has gotten a lot of the credit for the tactical switch. Whether it was serendipity or the most shrewdly devised maneuver to free Lloyd, it was the player who provided the true genius.

Recall that Lloyd was panned in the press by her former coach, Pia Sundhage. Perhaps the comments had a little validity; it wasn’t until given the chance to bury the penalty kick against Colombia that Lloyd’s confidence set into full tilt.

Most likely Sundhage’s comments were far from Lloyd’s mind as she was preparing for the Final. But when it was all over, she made it clear that, however challenging it may be to coach her, it is well worth it to experience the joy of a title.

You never know, the Women’s National Team may have found the same fortune with Wambach playing the pivotal role. Like any sport soccer has a mental component. We watched Abby miss a couple of glorious chances against Australia. One could argue that in the midst of a Carli Lloyd-esque hot streak, Wambach buries those chances.

Those are the breaks in sports. Tom Brady’s career launched at the expense of Drew Bledsoe, and analogously Lloyd’s eternal place in the hearts of Americans was sown in the decline of one of the best before her.

Let’s not forget Abby, either. She did have a great hand in this World Cup victory, getting the only goal in the victory over Nigeria. More importantly though, she’s helped us realize the natural progression every National Team must eventually make.

Perhaps the best thing to do is not to label the team as “Abby’s” or “Carli’s” at all. That especially goes for the people who run the Federation, who may be inclined to hang onto one era a little too long because of the commercials or the number of shirts sold.

Instead, let’s make sure this stay’s America’s team.

While the Gold Cup is starting a month later than usual, the meaning for this confederation remains the same: who is the big dog between Mexico and the United States.

Maybe the other nations in this region will feel aggrieved by that statement, but the results are clear. Since the tournament’s inception, Canada (in the year 2000) is the only other nation to have hoisted the Cup. It has been an entertaining biennial undercard for the ultimate grudge-match in World Cup qualifying.

It’s also an odd tournament in the regard of being the only major region in FIFA that doesn’t rotate the competition’s host nation. It’s quite convenient that the United States is money-flush as well as the type of melting pot that allows all nations to represent very well at their matches. This is evidenced by Mexico having the home-crowd feeling when they face the Americans in this tournament.

In this edition of the Gold Cup, Canada has been granted a partial home status, as Group B will play one match date at BMO Field in Toronto.

Let’s dive into the Groups to see what’s in store once the tournament kicks off on July 7th in suburban Dallas.

SEE MORE — Check out the Gold Cup TV schedule for viewers in US.

GROUP A:

July 7th (Frisco, TX); July 10 (Foxborough, MA); July 13 (Kansas City, KS)

United States

Qualified: Automatic/Host Nation

Head Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann

The Red, White, and Blue come into the tournament on quite a high. Defeats of the Dutch and Germans on European soil earlier this month have provided some hope that Jurgen Klinsmann hasn’t lost the plot completely.

The US is still trying to forge its style and identity in the post-Landon Donovan era. It was a fast four years between the “Go Go USA” goal in South Africa and being snubbed for Brazil. And just like that, America’s most beloved (and perhaps best ever) player was a part of history.

The team never really got past that in Brazil. Yes, they advanced to the knockouts. Yes, they gave Belgium all they could handle. But a country expecting to see evolution out of Klinsmann’s tenure has seen the German legend to resort to pragmatism against the best teams in the world. It just so happens that those tactics often work in the blood-and-cleats nature of CONCACAF, as well.

In 2013’s Gold Cup, Donovan scored 5 goals in carrying the US to being Champions. This time the onus will be on Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley to fill the leadership void left by the long time talisman.

There is also the question of offensive output, which was somewhat lacking in Brazil. There will be eyes on Jozy Altidore and Aron Johannsson to see which of these two forwards can step up and be reliable in international matches.

Player To Watch: Michael Bradley

The Toronto FC midfielder is in the midst of his prime, and is the type of two-way player that can take over a tournament like this. Klinsmann has viewed Bradley as an advanced midfielder at times, something that hasn’t always suit his style of play. But he will need to find his form in this relatively difficult group.

Panama

Qualified: 3rd Place, Copa Centroamericana

Head Coach: Hernan Dario Gomez

The Canal Men were a bit of a surprise in getting past Mexico in the 2013 Semifinals and ultimately provided a stern test for the Americans. While they weren’t able to secure the ultimate victory, they displayed a bravado that carried them deep into World Cup qualifying, only to have a couple of costly goals against cost them a trip to Brazil.

A physical team with good speed down the wings, it’s tough to see Panama enjoying the same suc cess this time. Still they should earn a spot in the quarterfinals if they can play either the US or Honduras tough.

Player to Watch: Blas Perez

The big target forward is still the most dangerous man for Panama, despite the fact the F.C. Dallas striker is well into his 30’s now. His physical presence and clinical finishing causes opposing center backs to take notice, opening up room for Luis Tejada or Gabriel Torres to attack. Either way, you can’t fall asleep on the Panamanians because they can make you pay quickly.

Honduras

Qualified: 5th Place Playoff, defeated French Guiana

Head Coach: Jorge Luis Pinto

Yet another tough team in Group A, Honduras comes into this Gold Cup on the heels of a disappointing World Cup where they failed to grab even a point in a tough Group E. They will certainly be looking to reassert themselves as a CONCACAF power.

This time, they will have to do it without Roger Espinoza, who withdrew himself from the squad due to mental and physical fatigue. They’re typically a hard-working, physically demanding, defensive team. Without Jerry Bengtson and Carlo Costly to pick up the goals, the big question is who will pick up the slack.

Player to watch: Anthony Lozano

The Olimpia 22-year old has been the only consistent source of goals for Los Catrachos in 2015. The attacking midfield for Honduras is strong and should kick in their share of goals. But for a team needing a player to step up as their top forward heading to qualification, Lozano is a prime choice. Perhaps a solid Gold Cup could help him get attention from European clubs or from MLS.

Haiti

Qualified: 3rd place, 2014 Caribbean Cup

Head Coach: Marc Collat
The Haitians are an underdog in this tournament for sure, and their chances for even a single result against three of the tougher teams in CONCACAF are unlikely. American viewers will recognize a few of the names (former Kansas City defender Mechack Jerome and former Colorado goalkeeper Steward Ceus for two).

Maybe the best news for Haiti is that they don’t face the US right away. If they can make some waves against Panama, perhaps they can sneak their way through. Good luck with that.

Player to watch: Kervens Belfort

Belfort is a 23-year old striker in the Cypriot First Division, playing for Ethnikos Achna F.C. He has scored 10 goals for his country, and tied for the most goals in the Caribbean Cup. It will likely be an uphill tourney for the entire team, and while this guy may be their best chance to shine, it’s a long shot for sure.

GROUP B:

July 8 (Carson, CA); July 11 (Houston, TX); July 14 (Toronto, ON)

Canada

Qualified: Co-Host/Automatic

Head Coach: Benito Flores

The Canucks are an interesting enigma in these tournaments. They always seem to have a few solid MLS players, and a couple of guys in the English leagues, but not enough leadership or quality to ever challenge.

But each year that passes brings newer faces, and every incarnation provides hope that a core will develop and bring the team success. Performing well in the Gold Cup would be the first step towards the true goal, to qualify for the World Cup down the road.

A new group of young talent in Tesho Akindele, Cyle Larin, Jonathan Osorio, and Samuel Piette provide some excitement heading into July. They’ve won four straight, giving some momentum, but Costa Rica and Jamaica will be tough nuts to crack.

Player To Watch: Tousaint Ricketts

It’s a lot to ask for Larin and Akindele to being carrying this team already, so Ricketts will be relied upon to be the primary forward for Canada. It’s difficult to see Canada escape the group stages regardless, but if Ricketts can help the team take 3 points against El Salvador, maybe they can survive into the knockouts.

Costa Rica

Qualified: Champion, 2014 Copa Centroamericana

Head Coach: Paulo Wanchope

The Ticos were on quite a ride the last couple of years. They enjoyed a strong World Cup campaign where they took the Dutch all the way to penalties. But things haven’t been so peachy for Costa Rica since, though their winless-in-six streak has seen a consistent string of top 20 teams.

They often go with a 5-man defensive system, which puts the pressure on Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell to create the opportunities. Alvaro Saborio has been the long-time forward for the team, but at 33 years of age they will be looking for David Ramirez to share the role up top.

Player to Watch: Joel Campbell

Costa Rica (and the club that owns his rights, Arsenal) continue to wait for the 23 year old Campbell to finally come good on his ability. He’s a dynamic winger who has plenty of talent, but eventually needs to have that amount to something for either club or country. Perhaps this tournament gives him his chance to put it together.

Jamaica

Qualified: Champion, 2014 Caribbean Cup

Head Coach: Winfried Schafer

The first of the two teams that participated in Copa America, Jamaica is hoping to forget their trip to Chile. Sure, they were competitive in holding powerhouses Argentina and Uruguay to 1-0 victories, but they failed to score a goal or register a point. They will certainly be looking to get off on the right foot.

But even that will be tough starting out against World Cup quarterfinalist Costa Rica. Much of the team remains from their South American sojourn. They have some great talent, and a couple of weaker CONCACAF teams in Canada and El Salvador could be the remedy for their attacking woes if they don’t get too frustrated against the Ticos.

Player To Watch: Rodolph Austin

For a team licking its wounds from a rough Copa America, they will need strong leadership and defensive fortitude. Austin is a tough defender, the type of guy who is indispensable against a team like Costa Rica. Stability will be key to get Jamaica on track, and Austin provides that backbone for the Reggae Boyz.

El Salvador

Qualified: 4th Place, 2014 Copa Centroamericana

Head Coach: Albert Roca

A team that has advanced to the quarterfinals in the previous two Gold Cup tournaments, El Salvador is a squad comprised mostly of players from their domestic league. They defeated neighbor Honduras 1-0 in the 2014 Copa Centroamericana, and are a formidable opponent even if they lack big name players.

Their ability to pass from this group will probably hinge on their match with Canada. They are a team that can keep it close against the second-tier CONCACAF teams like Jamaica and Costa Rica, which could help them find a result against the bigger boys and gain entry to the knockouts.

Player to Watch: Andres Flores

The Salvadorian captain has been relegated to a bench role at the New York Cosmos this year, after several years at Isidro Metapan. An attacking midfielder who can line up centrally or on the right, he needs to be the outlet for El Salvador to spring counterattacks and set up Rafael Burgos.

GROUP C:

July 9 (Chicago, IL); July 12 (Glendale, AZ); July 15 (Charlotte, NC)

Mexico

Qualified: Automatic

Head Coach: Miguel Herrera

Here we get to the second of the favorites for this tournament, and El Tri still hasn’t fully recovered from their ordeal in advancing to Brazil 2014. Surprisingly for many, Miguel Herrera remained on as the head coach of the team, even after they were minutes from missing out on 4th place in the Hex.

Between their two summer tournaments, this is the one that matters most. Herrera saved most of his heavyweights for the Gold Cup, choosing a “B” team for the Copa America. Winning the Gold Cup would give El Tri new life in getting to the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia, necessitating a playoff with the United States.

In Copa America, the Mexicans performed admirably to draw host Chile (who have advanced to the Final), but weren’t able to win either of their other matches against Bolivia or Ecuador. Bowing out of Copa America wasn’t the end of the world, allowing Herrera to focus squarely on the real task.

The Mexico-US rivalry has sided squarely on the American side of the border, which started with a big result at Estadio Azteca back in 2012. That’s something El Tri wants desperately to change. The 2011 Gold Cup left everyone wondering if Mexico was the top of the CONCACAF heap, but Jurgen Klinsmann quickly led his team to the upper hand in this matchup.

Group C should be no problem for Mexico, as they clearly got the easiest draw. Guatemala can be a pest, but it’s tough to see them causing many headaches.

Player to Watch: Giovani Dos Santos

Mexico has several high profile players, but most interesting to watch this go-around is Dos Santos, who is rumored to be in negotiations with Major League Soccer. This is a great opportunity to show off for the league, helping to raise his value – perhaps even to gather interest from Liga MX or other European Clubs.

A second striker, dos Santos can be a primary playmaker for Mexico, if his head is on straight. He needs to foster his connection with Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, help Mexico dominate Group C (as they should), and then let the momentum carry them into an expected grudge match-up against the USA in the Final.

Guatemala

Qualified: 2nd place, 2014 Copa Centroamericana

Head Coach: Ivan Franco Sopegno

The Chapines are a scrappy bunch that always seems to embody the attitude of their captain, MLS veteran and long-time crap-stirrer Carlos Ruiz. As with many of the third-tier CONCACAF teams, most of their players ply their trade domestically, with the most notable exception being Seattle Sounders’ midfielder Marco Pappa.

One would think that they’d be a shoe-in for second place in the group, with the outside chance that Mexico falters and leaves them an opening.

Player to Watch: Carlos Ruiz

The one-time MLS MVP who was traded for the right to take Landon Donovan is still making his way in the football world, and he’ll almost certainly be starting up top wearing the armband. He’s a gritty forward who finds a way to nick a big goal even when the rest of his team isn’t quite good enough to compete in the big game. Can El Pescadito still do it, even at 35 years of age? We’ll see.

Trinidad & Tobago

Qualified: Runner’s Up, 2014 Caribbean Cup

Head Coach: Stephen Hart

Trinidad and Tobago have had a difficult year in terms of PR, being the home turf of corrupt executive Jack Warner. The team will want to keep their minds off of that business, and on the pitch where they have a tough task ahead.

Like Guatemala, there are a few names you will recognize. Kenwyne Jones has been a Premier League target forward for years (albeit a reserve most of that time).

Joevin Jones and Cordell Cato have held down versatile wide roles in Chicago and San Jose, respectively. But aside from a few players scattered throughout Europe, most of the roster is built with players from the Trinidadian league or throughout Central America.

With Kenwyne Jones involved, you have to think they will play a physical game up front with speed wide. The only question is whether that will be enough to tide them over.

Player to Watch: Kenwyne Jones

He’s the most dangerous guy on this squad, a guy who can get into defenders’ heads and bang in a few goals in the process. He’s fun to watch, when he gets service. If he’s on an island up top without anyone to provide him chances, he’ll be awful lonely, and the Soca Warriors will fall by the wayside.

Cuba

Qualified: 4th Place, 2014 Caribbean Cup

Head Coach: Raul Gonzalez Triana

To be honest with you, Cuba provides the intrigue for every Gold Cup for which they qualify. Why? Because most of their players are relatively unknown, since coverage of the Caribbean Cup as well as the early 2018 World Cup Qualifying is relatively meager. Not to mention the fact that as soon as a player leaves Cuba, they’re all but done with the team (see Ozzy Alonso).

There are some veterans of the team who are again here, primarily Yenier Marquez who is 36. But given the squad’s lack of experience in international league play, it’s tough to believe they have any real shot to succeed in this tournament.

Player to Watch: Ariel Martinez

Martinez is the only other player besides Marquez on the squad who has scored in a Gold Cup, picking up three against Belize in 2013 (though Jose Ciprian Alfonso and Jaime Colome are both available for call-up after the Group Stage). The Cubans will need players like Martinez to step up if they have any real chance of sneaking out of Group C.

If you went out in the streets and fired off guns in the air on the day Sepp Blatter resigned as FIFA President, you were obviously premature in your celebration. Or mistaken. Or maybe both.

You see, Uncle Sepp has become that senile man we all love to invite over for Christmas dinner, allow to unwrap his latest tie, but then return him to the senior-care facility that his 79-year old, dementia-ridden mind needs to survive.

Either that, or he’s a megalomanical, power-thirsty tyrant of a rich man who rules without true oversight.

Or maybe both.

His fiefdom is one built on paying off enough friends to keep him unscathed, himself well-kept through the exorbitant fees demanded by FIFA to land the World Cup.

What may be most amazing at this point is that FIFA hasn’t forced the endgame for this relic already. Has Blatter threatened to lower the boom on all of his cronies, should they thrust the knife in his back to save their own bacon? You can bet the guy who can’t seem to recall resigning will all of the sudden have a perfect memory of all the illegal transactions that took place under his watch. And of course, you can be sure that he tried to stop all of this corruption – at least that’s what his story will be to the investigators.

That leaves the Executive Committee and Confederation chiefs no choice but to let Blatter continue to call the shots (and fly in private jets while eating meals that make Chuck Blazer’s look like a bowl of Ramen). Can you blame them for not all-of-the-sudden developing a conscience for doing what’s right?

What does this mean for all of us, the fans of soccer around the world? That depends on the criminal investigations currently underway. Based on his statements today, it might lead one to believe that he’s pretty sure that he is in the clear.

If his cronies believe that he will skate, Blatter then has the power play he needs. Turn on him and he’ll make sure you come along for the shame-filled ride. Stay the course and enjoy the ill-gotten (and ill-deserved) rewards.

The game is what suffers, as we see the conclusion of the turf-riddled Women’s World Cup and face the prospects of unbearable heat in Qatar in 2022. Sure the game will go on, but not without the disgraceful bilking of millions from countries whose people largely can’t afford it.

I’m a Rochesterian at heart. I went to college there, had family that retired from Eastman Kodak, loved Nick Tahou’s, and of course, treasure Abby Wambach.

Having said that it’s pretty clear that the best forward this generation has known is taking the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) on her shoulders, for better or for worse.

When you watch this USWNT, you get the impression that the talent level is so much greater than they’ve shown in the group stages of the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Whether it’s the shoehorning of players into unfitting tactical roles, or an uninspiring 1st half against Sweden where the entire team looked lost without Wambach, the plan appears to be “Abby or Bust.”

If it is a ploy by coach Jill Ellis, hoodwinking the bigger fish into a false sense of security over the American’s attacking plan, it sure is working because not even longtime fans of the team have much confidence at this point.

“Abby or Bust” might even work. That’s one of the dangers of criticizing the team for it’s current course. Wambach has been so good in the past that a goal like Tuesday night’s vs. Nigeria could set her straight and send the team onto their first World Cup in 16 years.

One of the reasons you could question that happening has been her clear disdain for artificial turf. Almost everyone would prefer grass, but her continued vocal criticism of the surface makes you wonder how much of the 90 minutes she spends thinking about it. Even a split-second hesitation in an attacking movement means the difference between perfection and a dribbling header wide.

But as Americans, we like our leaders. Wambach is clearly the leader on the USWNT. While the play often builds through Lauren Holiday and Megan Rapinoe, and while Alex Morgan has gotten her share of targets, most of the final balls are directed Abby’s way. That design has led to a bunch of success in the past, primarily to multiple Olympic Gold Medals.

And at this point, it’s probably the only design that has a shot at lifting the Cup in this tournament. It’s too late to be instituting a different tactical plan – we saw the mess it made against Sweden.

This juggernaut was sent on its way long ago. After winning Group D, they accomplished the first objective. In a week or so, we’ll find out if the WNT can reach its ultimate goal, or if it falls short with much second-guessing.

Good gracious, I feel like I’m somewhere between Cloud 9 and the Nuthouse. And that’s a good thing.

June is typically a wacky, wonderful month for the soccer fan. Being a year removed from Brazil 2014, it can leave you with a false sense of calm, as if you might be able to have a quiet month away from the soccer tube.

But then you flip on the opening match of the Women’s World Cup, and all of the sudden you’re addicted. Of course, the Women’s World Cup is always a plus for an American like myself since it’s a tournament we actually have a chance to win. Abby Wambach & Co. haven’t been entirely convincing in their first two matches, especially their most recent draw against Sweden. But still, you know that if they find their stride, they’re one of the favorites.

In general, the Women’s tournament has given us its share of memorable moments. Watching Ivory Coast push and push against Thailand only to fall just short was exhilarating and heartbreaking at the same time. Seeing players crumble in the emotion of wanting a result so badly, to almost taste it, but then to have a crossbar turn it away … it’s something unique to international soccer. It makes the expansion to 24 teams worth the extra matches (and the unavoidable blowouts).

Being the hardcore soccer fan that I am, I decided to sneak in a viewing of the Copa America opening match on beIN SPORTS. On the surface, host Chile facing Ecuador doesn’t sound like the match to sell a tournament. But it was riveting, marked by precision passing maneuvers from the Chileans, parried by swift counterattacks by Ecuador. I immediately had to hit the “Record All New Episodes” button on my DVR to make sure I didn’t miss a minute.

I wish I could toss in some Euro 2016 qualifying. But as quaint as some of the nations like Luxembourg and San Marino can be, there tends to be a lot of giant smacking the little guy in the qualification process. Or perhaps even some qualifying from the African Cup of Nations, or early Asian World Cup qualifying. Let’s just saying that the difficulty in finding broadcasts of those tourneys in the U.S. is probably a good thing for my sanity.

One pitfall of all of this (and working a day job) is that I’m slightly behind on my watching, which makes social media a real pain because I HATE spoilers. One of these days, I will have to concede defeat and move ahead to real time viewing.

And you can almost forget about an MLS match showing up on my screen, let alone the U.S. Open Cup. If you’re like me, you’re stoked that CONCACAF has staggered the Gold Cup into July. On a related note, I’ve just ordered more hours in the day from Amazon Prime. Hopefully the drone doesn’t get shot down by Father Time on the way to my house.

That kind of insanity is what this silly season we know as the summer international break is all about. Enjoy the Summer of Soccer, while it lasts.

Last year, Brazil seemed listless at times against Croatia and drew Mexico on home soil.

This year, the Canadian Women’s National Team has the same 4 points, albeit in even less convincing fashion.

Granted, the Canadians aren’t the heavy favorites the Selecao were going into the men’s tourney last year, but there were definitely those who felt that the home crowds would instigate Christine Sinclair & Co. into a showing that could go toe-to-toe with the best.

Instead, recent years have seen home teams riddled with tightness, perhaps the inability to overcome the immense expectations. In Germany in 2011 or Brazil in 2014, it was the lofty goals of teams that not only could win it, but should in the minds of their rabid supporters.

In Canada, though, it seems less about “win or else” but “win so the sport can grow.” That may be too much to ask of a squad with a couple of excellent players (Sinclair, Sophie Schmidt) but with other positions that have fallen short under the microscope of the entire country.

This was especially evident in their opening victory, where their back 4 gifted the Chinese with several chances to open the scoring on the counter. Canada was able to benefit from China’s pragmatism and lack of finishing, earning and converting a questionable penalty in the final minutes.

The Canadians seemed to come to life yesterday after New Zealand struck the crossbar with their own chance from the penalty spot. Kiwi goalkeeper Erin Nayler frustrated Canada with some timely saves to preserve the draw.

That leaves the Canucks on a likely path through to the Knockout Stages – a draw against the Netherlands would be enough. But it shouldn’t be this difficult for a team of Canada’s ilk. No, they aren’t the machine-like Germans or the technically-proficient French (two teams that granted their early exit 4 years ago).

But winning Group A should have been a mere formality for Canada. Heck, it’s still the most likely outcome. But unless their performances improve in quick fashion, another incarnation of will conclude with disappointment for the host nation.

We’re two months into the 2015 Major League Soccer season, and it’s tough to say that the league’s new TV deal has done much to live up to the billing.

Last year brought a lot of excitement as MLS locked down time slots on Sunday’s at 5pm and 7pm with ESPN and FOX, respectively. Additionally, Univision Deportes committed to Friday night matches every week, even going so far as to provide English language commentary on the SAP feed.

The steady diet of domestic soccer was supposed to provide stability and a destination for viewers to frequent every weekend. And it has, for those who have gone looking for it.

So what may be some of the issues with the coverage thus far?

Teams Featured: The teams that have been selected most often to be on the national broadcasts haven’t been optimal. It’s understandable for the league to want to create buzz about the two expansion teams, as New York City FC and Orlando City SC have both appeared five times. The other team that’s appeared five times thus far? The Chicago Fire.

On the other hand, the top four teams in the league have shown up much less – Dallas (three), Vancouver (zero), DC (two), and New England (three).

Goals Lacking: Coincidentally, the three teams that have appeared five times are all clicking at less than a goal scored per game. This past weekend at least produced some goals for viewers, with Dallas and Seattle both leading the way.

But MLS has a reputation for physicality and a lack of quality in attack, leading to more traditional “Route 1” play. That’s soccer for you, but when you’re up against the NBA and NHL Playoffs, it would be tough sledding even if you fielded FC Barcelona’s XI.

Univision Deportes Broadcast Quality: Ramses Sandoval and Paul Caliguiri have taken a beating on social media, and rightly so. Their calling of the matches has been gaudy and amateurish most of the time.

That circumstance makes the nonexistence of the SAP feed on Unimas in many markets a Godsend for most viewers. Non-fluent speakers are better off listening to the hum of the Spanish language broadcast than to suffer through Sandoval and Caliguiri.

And clearly it stinks to have to say that about Caliguiri, who has his place in American soccer folklore. But he needs a better play-by-play partner and to provide significantly more direction and purpose with his calling.

Overall Quality Of Play: This links into the first two points, but is different.

Montreal’s CONCACAF Champions League loss to Club America again brought the salary cap into the social media conversation, and the league must begin to realize this may be the true driving force behind so-so ratings.

The league has done a lot to bring American internationals back to the league, spending a pretty penny in the process. They’ve also given a nominal rise in the cap.

And while it’s prudent to maintain a spending limit to keep the league finances stable, MLS must begin considering whether other alternatives make more sense.

For instance, Major League Baseball uses a luxury tax setup, where overspending teams are taxed above a set threshold. The funds are then distributed throughout the other teams. This scheme would seem appropriate to consider, given the disparity in financial commitment for the teams.

Promotion: Finally, the networks don’t seem to give enough credit to soccer. It’s a sport that many millions play in America, but ESPN and FOX have never seemed to fully tap into that base. Of course the mainstream press attitudes about soccer don’t help, but those are dwindling as the old guard moves on.

This was always going to be an uphill fight for MLS, and the answer must be perseverance. The networks are invested in the sport at this moment, but if the product doesn’t begin to match the price tag, it won’t be pretty. MLS cries poor at the labor bargaining table, but fewer and fewer are convinced that is the case.

If I had written a story about the Philadelphia Union a week ago, I might have rightly considered them the worst team in Major League Soccer. However, a victory and a draw over New York City F.C. has at least bandaged some wounds. But a team in 2014 that had a playoff position in their grasp still has some major questions.

The strange thing is, the squad based in Chester, PA could actually have the talent to compete for MLS Cup, at least by my estimation. Depth is certainly an issue, but there are some excellent players in Philly’s squad.

But with all that, there was a wrench in the Union works up until recently.

The Union thought they were buying a proven leader last summer as they lined up Algerian goalkeeper (and World Cup veteran) Rais M’Bolhi to take up between the posts. In the grander picture, it became a move that still provides punch line after punch line for pundits around MLS. Not only was M’Bolhi a big ticket item, he was a big ticket item at a position of abundance in the United States – and on the Union.

M’Bolhi came in and supplanted Zac MacMath, a 2011 first round SuperDraft pick, and also vaulted Andre Blake, the first pick overall in 2014. While the SuperDraft isn’t the quickest or most reliable way to add quality to your side, early picks often provide the best chances to gain solid achievers in the league. Few teams spend early draft picks on goalkeepers anymore, let alone two in four seasons.

I doubt it needs much explanation on how illogical it would then be to trump both of those investments at that position on a high priced Designated Player. Add it up, and that comes to three resources a team can use to develop its quality, or at the very least, its depth.

Certainly the estimated $500,000 salary is the most glaring, and M’Bolhi’s performances and attitude have done nothing to justify that costly maneuver. A major gaffe in the fall of 2014 cost the Union a shot at making the playoffs. Finally after a disappointing loss to Sporting Kansas City two weeks ago, Head Coach Jim Curtin pulled the plug.

The real irony is that John McCarthy, the Union’s goalkeeper in both Saturday’s 1-0 victory and tonight’s 1-1 draw against NYCFC, likely earns around the league minimum (salary numbers should be released by the MLS Players Union in May). He was the Goalkeeper of the Year in USL for the Rochester Rhinos last year, but theoretically was available for a song to all 20 teams for 2015.

So after a coveted Designated Player slot and two high SuperDraft picks, the Union got by with a guy they could have signed for little.

That’s not to say that McCarthy is going to be the next US international star goalkeeper – Andre Blake ought to be starting when he returns to fitness. But maybe the philosophy that thinks spending precious resources on the goalkeeper position is finally quieted (cough Nick Sakiewicz cough).

If not, maybe in the future they’ll at least try not to use them all in the span of a four-year period.

Just when you thought it was going away, MLS Live is back. And while it could be better, the internet streaming package offered by Major League Soccer ($75.99 for the full season) is a product worth considering.

In 2014, MLS came to an agreement with ESPN on streaming rights, which was bundled with their current television deal. But as the 2015 season approached, the MLS Digital announced that they would be reclaiming the internet package, apparently due to difficulties at ESPN in monetizing their streaming platform, ESPN3/WatchESPN.

That meant MLS Live was back, and for the most part, there are few changes in the interface. Let’s go through this system part by part to discuss the service.

Fee: The biggest change potential subscribers will notice is the price. It was about a 10-15% increase in price over 2014, depending on when you purchased your subscription. Additionally there are fewer matches streamed via MLS Live due to the increase in matches aired on ESPN and FOX networks (2 per week, plus a match on Univision).

Platforms: As was the case last year, you can use this on your PC, Apple product (TV, iPhone, Ipad), Chromecast, Roku, or on Android devices. Since the long term existence of this product is in question, it’s not a surprise they haven’t incorporated additional devices (such as gaming platforms or other tablet devices).

Reliability: On the PC, I’ve rarely had a problem with MLS Live. Streaming works very well in that interface. On my Roku 2 (which is a wireless device), I can experience some buffering delays on matchday. Since other streaming apps work seamlessly via Wifi on my device, my assumption the delay comes from the server.

Additionally, I tried streaming some of the NASL opening night matches via WatchESPN on my Roku. The quality of the HD stream was excellent, even though some of the camera work and commentary was less professional than MLS’s locally produced streams.

Interface: The PC interface is relatively simple to use. You can choose to stream a single match, or up to three matches on one screen (if you have the required bandwidth). For the primary match in your window, you have a great deal of video control. You can pause, rewind 10 seconds, and hit the “slow motion” button to go frame-by-frame. You can also click on the time bar to back up or move ahead in larger intervals. Closed captioning is also available with a single click.

You can also turn the scores on or off, which is great if you prefer not to be spoiled. If you do turn on the scores, the time bar gets annotated with icons to help you find important sequences. You also get match report data and lineups.

Multiple Match Viewing: The alternate screens are not large, but they are big enough to get the gist of what’s happening. You can also swap midstream between matches to magnify the game of your choice. The two alternate panels have a subset of the player controls.

On Demand Replays: After the match is over on the PC, you get a choice between the full game or a condensed replay (~ 20 minutes long). On other platforms you can choose either of those, or select a shorter highlight package.

Archives: You can watch matches as far back as 2010. It’s up to you whether you find 5 full seasons worth of archived footage useful.

Overall: It may not be fair to compare MLS Live to WatchESPN, but MLS opened themselves up to that analysis once they were unable to make it work on ESPN’s service this year. Chris Schlosser and crew have put a lot of work into making MLS Live a good streaming service for the league’s product.

Would it have been better on WatchESPN? There is little doubt in my mind that the additional device support and unequaled stability of The Worldwide Leader’s product would have opened the league up to a whole new bevy of viewers, especially the younger demographic.

For those who can’t get enough domestic soccer, the price is quite affordable. But suffice it to say, most of us will be anticipating the service moving to WatchESPN, preferably for 2016.

If it hasn’t been clear to you over the last decade or two, get used to this idea: in American soccer, it’s either the MLS way or the highway.

Yesterday marked the announcement of Minnesota United FC (MNUFC) making the big move from the North American Soccer League up to Major League Soccer for the 2018 season. Dr. Bill McGuire, MNUFC owner, was able to bring the state’s Twins (MLB) and Timberwolves (NBA) ownership groups on board to successfully bid for a franchise.

With the announcement has come articles numbering the days to NASL’s 2nd Division implosion. MNUFC is a powerhouse of that league, no doubt – though not quite the gem the New York Cosmos are made out to be.  Still, Minneapolis/St. Paul is a signifcant market for MLS to claim. Getting MNUFC could certainly weaken the NASL, no doubt about it.

Just like every other independent (non-MLS Reserve) team in the lower divisions, MNUFC had aspirations of being in the top division. Who can fault a club that can align the resources to meet MLS’s hefty demands? Teams from Sacramento to Pittsburgh all wish their metropolitan markets (and just as important, their pocketbooks) suited Don Garber and the MLS owners.

But let’s face it, losing a team like MNUFC isn’t the NASL’s real problem. Their Achilles heel is that MLS doesn’t like them very much.

A week ago, Bill Archer at Big Soccer wrote about the MLS/NASL battle. reporting on the dissolution of a potential relationship between MLS and the NASL, which would have brought the leagues closer together in their dealings. In that article, the New York Cosmos is cast as the main culprit behind the downfall of that pact, leaving MLS to bargain (and ultimately align) with 3rd Division USL.

At the moment, there is a turf war. You have MLS and USL on one side, NASL on the other. In a growing soccer country, there are markets galore. Phoenix, Detroit, San Diego, Nashville, Memphis, St. Louis, Cincinnati, which of those might be the next Minneapolis or St. Paul? Yet the NASL is already being doomed by many writers. Why?

I’m not here to predict the future. But if NASL does fold, it won’t be because of one team changing alliances. It’s because they’ve been shut out of the system by MLS.

To an extent it’s indicative of business today. Out with the Mom & Pop, in with the merged conglomerate. I think we’ve become somewhat immune to this in the public, developing a tolerance to the news of BigCo being bought up by BiggerCo, and eventually driving LittleCo out of business. The lower overhead costs of the merged means the ability to undercut the market price. Once the competition goes, the free market dynamic is compromised.

The US Soccer Federation sees the crowded sports market as reason enough to believe in the single entity. Keep costs down and the league succeeds. Overspend and goodbye soccer.

Does that hurt the soccer consumer in the US? That all depends on who you ask, whether it be an MLS executive, a Cosmos owner, a player in either situation, or the average fan of either or these enterprises. They all have different interests, some aligns, some competing.

But as the days pass, the entities that dare to defy MLS are having the pressure amplified.

Even Jurgen Klinsmann is now cast as a rogue villain out to ruin the good thing MLS has going. Every Yanks loss is met with hopeful smirks from analysts that the German will be run off by the Federation. When the US was killing it in 2013, they loved him. Then he suggested MLS needed some changes, and now he’s a heel.

That’s the theme, it seems. Cross MLS, and your days will be numbered for you. The league continues to expand its size and power in the US and Canada, and it appears the health of the sport in North America will be dependent upon its continued success.

And for the unbiased consumers, we can only hope it’s the right path.

The growth of soccer in the United States is something that can be easily taken for granted. We’ve seen the disastrous fallout that occurs when leagues overextend themselves, lacking the financial support to reach the lofty strata they desire to attain. Last week’s flurry of Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations in Major League Soccer brought this mode of thinking back to the forefront, as players and owners faced the real option of postponing the start of the 2015 season over labor costs. Fortunately for fans of the domestic league, the Players Union and Ownership eventually agreed upon a deal; albeit one that yet again favors the owners.

But this is a mere sandbox in the vast playground of professional (and semi-pro) soccer in America. And while the head honchos Don Garber, Bob Kraft and Philip Anschutz are quite content building a large, multifaceted castle, the others who desire a piece of that real estate aren’t playing nice.

The agreement over the MLS CBA ended the prospects of the North American Soccer League filling a potentially large gap in the country’s soccer consciousness. Certainly Bill Peterson and the D2 level NASL were anticipating the chance of a work stoppage, and hoping to market their league in the vacuum left by MLS’s absence.

Of course this would be a dream scenario for NASL from another perspective. They continue to set their sights on the top division’s status. Peterson and company have openly talked of wanting a true soccer pyramid which supports promotion and relegation, and have even hinted about exploring D1 classification down the road, if MLS isn’t willing to enter the fold.

That brings us to D3, which has undergone quite a transformation in the last couple of years. Once a smattering of marginally successful regional favorites (Harrisburg, Richmond, Rochester, to name a few), USL (nee USL-Pro) has aligned with MLS for the primary purpose of providing competition for the D1 league’s reserve teams.

In recent months however, it has looked more like subjugation than alignment. USL’s rebranded logo followed in MLS’s footsteps in allowing customization for every team. And more importantly, USL has started to deal NASL a little of its own medicine by publicly discussing the possibility of rising to D2 standards.

What does all this mean? It looks like an awful lot of dysfunction, and it’s hard to imagine it’s good for long-term stability of the pyramid.

Many MLS supporters are unhappy with NASL’s rogue nature and that’s understandable. MLS itself has drawn a line in the proverbial sand, planting most of their recent franchise launches in existing NASL cities – New York City (Cosmos), Miami (Strikers), and Atlanta (Silverbacks). It’s not as simple as a promotion, as ownership of the existing teams would have to meet MLS’s sizable franchise fee. Joey Saputo was willing to pay that price in Montreal. These other owners are not, and since they are working in markets that MLS prizes, well, Garber and company will just go around them.

Even now we’ve seen USL entering prospective NASL markets, like Oklahoma City. Will more of that come down the line?

But most troubling is that this is a “pyramid” sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). USSF has ultimate governance over the situation, and yet Sunil Gulati and his organization appear to let the sniping continue without comment or action.

There are tiers in a pyramid for a reason, and clubs that desire to move up – and have the resources to sustain their existence – should be afforded that opportunity. I don’t think anyone disagrees with that.

Where the disagreement comes is the way it should happen. Those who favor more traditional dynamics think a club’s performance should dictate ascendancy. But that would devalue the early investment of the founding owners, trying to start a successful league in that flat, formless sandbox. Just about everyone believes MLS must succeed for soccer to conquer the crowded sports landscape, and purely performance-based promotion and relegation could compromise the sustainability of the top level division.

In my mind, USSF needs to address the state of affairs in how to grow these tiers appropriately. The MLS/NASL/USL three-tiered system has plenty of opportunity to be successful for the foreseeable future.

But without leadership imparted from the federation level, it seems that the bickering and in-fighting will only continue. This animosity is unhealthy. Left in its current state, the likely outcome will be MLS and USL forcing NASL into a corner. Some iconic legacy teams could meet an unfortunate demise, and the pyramid will be no stronger for it.

MLS’s flawed Single Entity policy is increasingly difficult to justify for the budding league.

On Twitter, I have seen more and more MLS pundits sitting firmly behind the MLS Players Union, wanting to see them hold strong and fight for free agency.

This is an interesting position for these pundits, who over the years have been quite staunch in a belief that I would characterize as “MLS Knows Best.”

Allocation order? “Sure, MLS knows best.”

Seattle getting Dempsey? “Ok, MLS knows best.”

Of course, the real synthesis of this belief comes from the most polarizing topic of all:

Promotion and relegation? “Hell no, because MLS knows best.”

So you can see that the vigilance with which these writers and podcasters have been supporting the players isn’t exactly following form. Don Garber’s crew has been vigorously against free agency, saying that franchises fighting for talent would drive up prices.

MLS’s flawed Single Entity policy

Within that talk is masked the entire need for the Single Entity, and that is preventing rogue, deep-pocketed clubs from overbidding on talent. Some will argue that leveraging the risk of loss evenly among many owners is a major reason, but at this point it is minor. The league is raking in money through media contracts, and there has never been more interest in expansion.

Supporting players’ rights to move freely in a competitive market directly contradicts the Single Entity structure. This could mean that there is a bit of a change in the blind consideration that “MLS knows best.” Perhaps the average MLS pundit has finally realized the brokenness of the status quo, and thinks this is the best opportunity to see it destroyed.

OPPOSING VIEWPOINT: MLS owners have leverage in CBA talks with resolute Single Entity structure in place

It used to be that Roster Rules existed to benefit smaller teams. But the evolution of the Designated Player has altered the paradigm. Today, aside from sheer luck, only the big spenders can acquire the best players.

The drafts are outdated, yielding teams what normally amounts to squad players (save your occasional Graham Zusi). Instead, the way to build a great team is to buy talent – and to work the archaic system.

For instance, the New York Red Bulls found a way to acquire Sacha Kljestan, even though they were a playoff team in 2014. A few traded assets to Montreal yielded New York the top Allocation Ranking, the mechanism used for distributing returning USMNT players (unless it’s not, of course…see Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley). It’s tough to believe anyone who follows MLS could see this as fair to Montreal.

Without Single Entity, New York would acquire the player – or maybe they wouldn’t. For instance, the LA Galaxy may have instigated a bidding war with the Red Bulls. In MLS, many despise this kind of development.

Of course the Galaxy, reigning Champions, were rumored to have interest in Kljestan. Keep in mind they had already lined up Steven Gerrard to join in the summer. Can you say, “The rich keep getting richer?”

For Montreal’s trouble of being worst in MLS, they get a couple of spare parts, a little money, and a crapshoot of a top pick in the MLS Draft – all the while the heavyweights load up with talent. Isn’t it clear to see that even with Single Entity, the have or have not paradigm has already arrived?

The Single Entity derives unwieldy rules that drive people away from the domestic league. Right now, a soccer fan can pick any Premier League club and the hierarchy makes sense. The big clubs have money, and the big clubs get better. There isn’t any stupidity surrounding drafts and orders.

I fully believe that the Single Entity wasn’t meant to be a long-term staple of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. Much like a preschooler’s training wheels, eventually the youngster has to take their lumps without such safety mechanisms. The freedom can be scary at times, but eventually the child learns to pedal within their limitations in order not to crash and burn.

MLS needs to be in a similar situation. Of course, the league will grab hold of Single Entity kicking and screaming until some outside impetus drives them to change.

Can it be the MLS Players Union? Maybe, but I’m not convinced. Truly, I never grappled with the idea that these players take the owner’s to the brink. Eventually bills will need to be paid, and I’m not thinking that Sheikh Mansour and Bob Kraft will be the ones eating PB&J to make ends meet.

So then, what other outside agent could force MLS’s hand?

The best answer is the Federation President, Sunil Gulati.

The Federation could step up and order MLS to drop Single Entity. They could threaten sanctioning, saying that the structure inhibits the sport’s growth in the United States. Where Single Entity arrived as a short-term stabilizing force. Instead, it evolved into a long-term profit-extracting scheme.

But Gulati has no interest in removing these reins. Gulati the Economist is a proponent of the structure, and he has been a long-term advisor to Kraft. The math isn’t difficult to perform. Is it difficult to imagine a grand conflict of interest in the entire situation?

Choosing a side in the labor battle doesn’t necessarily dictate your position on Single Entity, of course. There are just fewer and fewer reasons to believe that the system isn’t simply in place to make a select few even richer.

When MLS announced the new television carriage deal, one of the most promising aspects was the out-of-market streaming rights. ESPN insisted on procuring those rights, with reported plans to deliver via the ESPN3/WatchESPN platform. This would have been a welcome change from MLS’s pay-service, MLS Live, as early reports suggested current ESPN3 subscribers would pay nothing further.

Alas, that won’t be happening, at least this year. A week ago, it was announced that MLS Live is back, and for higher prices. Time ran out for ESPN to monetize the service for those without authentication from their ISP or Cable provider, so MLS has pulled it back. And if your current arrangement led you to believe you’d get free MLS streaming in 2015, you’re out of luck.

The TV deal represented a step forward for MLS, especially in the area of dedicated TV time slots. Time slot uncertainty was considered a contributing factor to low Nielsen ratings, and so the league must be applauded for this development. When you added the potential for free streaming, it provided a lot of hope for major growth in viewership in 2015.

But it sure feels like MLS is missing the boat with an opportunity to connect to the younger “cord-cutting” generation. More and more people are consuming their sports through streaming devices such as Playstation, Xbox, Roku, Chromecast, or even their laptop or tablet.

Additionally, the World Cup is a primary route of entry for the average American to pro soccer. Joe American may not be interested in their local club, but he or she may have learned about Michael Bradley playing in Toronto or Clint Dempsey in Seattle. You can bet they’re playing those teams on FIFA 15.

This is where MLS is truly different from the big four sports – even if you have your local favorite team, it’s not unreasonable to follow your favorite American internationals at their club.

It’s understandable that MLS wants to make money from its out-of-market package. But for those who were excited to receive those matches at no cost, it stinks. It’s even more annoying when considering the current labor situation, with the potential for a work stoppage.

To alleviate these concerns, the league could have split the out-of-market package this year between ESPN3 and MLS Live. That would have allowed ESPN3 subscribers to watch for free, and offer MLS Live for those without ESPN3 access. This wouldn’t be without some precedent – the NHL offered great discounts on their out of market package in 2012 when half the season was lost to a lockout. Perhaps the league couldn’t justify keeping MLS Live around for a fraction of the typical subscribership.

To me, it’s a bad PR move for MLS with its loyal fans. To hint towards free out-of-market viewing for many people, only to essentially renege, leaves a bad taste. Hopefully those fans come back and subscribe to MLS Live.

If you thought by now that Major League Soccer would have eliminated the confusion over American international allocation, you’d be wrong. The truth is, they’ve thrown us for yet another loop.

Word is that Jozy Altidore is on his way out of Sunderland, and out of all the potential destinations, MLS is the destination offering Altidore the highest salary of all.

First off, I must admit that it must be gratifying for the MLS Players Association to watch the league cry poor, and then see them overpaying for an underperforming Altidore. Any competent player’s union would use this to their advantage (competent being the important word in this situation).

But we’re back to the league flittering back and forth on decisions and rules. And by my estimation, it’s one of the primary issues that turns off soccer fans from the league.

If you are unfamiliar with the process, American internationals playing outside MLS are treated differently than international players. International players are claimed through the Discovery claim process, where teams submit names of players to the league that they intend to sign.

With Americans, the league has long decided that one of the best ways to ensure parity was to give the lowest finishing teams the best chances to get these players. The Allocation order was developed, and teams in reverse order from the previous year’s finish would get the opportunity to a) choose a returning US player, b) trade their spot, or c) pass.

That’s the way it worked until a couple of years ago. With Clint Dempsey, the rules changed. Portland had the first Allocation spot that year, but in a backroom deal MLS worked out a method for prosperous Seattle to acquire Clint Dempsey. The explanation at the time had to do with the salary of the player – “a designated player of a certain threshold.” It was flimsy, but it stood because MLS has the authority to change the rules as it goes.

The ruling was again used when Michael Bradley came back, heading to cash-flush Toronto FC (again with a salary over the threshold). The appearance in both the Dempsey and Bradley cases was that Seattle and Toronto were the only teams interested in those players. A number of fans in markets not-so-lucrative continued to raise their voices with discontent. Certain markets seemed to be favored by MLS, with Los Angeles, Seattle, and Toronto heading that list.

Then in 2014, things got thrown askew again. Jermaine Jones came to the States on one of these big-time DP salaries, but this time two teams wanted him. Chicago and New England entered a blind draw behind closed doors, with the Revolution getting the nod in seedy fashion. Again, fans screamed about the lack of transparency.

That brings us to Altidore. Altidore’s presumed salary will be north of $5 million per year, which would likely be above that threshold. But ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle is reporting that MLS will return to using the allocation order. According to Carlisle’s source, “[For Altidore], it’s not about dollars. MLS is right to want a clear, consistent process. The blind draw was a bad look for the league.”

This again looks troubling for MLS. First of all, the report states that two teams are interested in Altidore: Toronto and Portland. With the blind draw instituted with Jones, Toronto and Portland would have a 50/50 chance. Currently, Toronto is higher in the Allocation order.

This gives the appearance that MLS is choosing the method that suits their desires. Clearly the Jermain Defoe experiment failed north of the border. So Toronto is currently looking for a European quality forward to replace the English international. The Allocation order would put Toronto in perfect position to take Altidore.

The kicker would be Portland looking to deal up in the order. They could.

But in a single entity league, where every team is owned within, it gives a strong appearance of murkiness. In other league models, you would have teams actively competing on the open market to outbid each other for Altidore’s services. And even if a reverse order was used to level the playing field, you would suspect Toronto and Portland to do everything they could to ascend the order.

Yet in this league, you are more likely to think that one team (or the other) will relent, and accept defeat without much of a fight. That does nothing to promote competitiveness. Instead it leaves fans upset, thinking their team is not acting of their own accord.

Let’s be frank though – the idea of the league ensuring parity is long gone. When you advocate a SuperDraft to help establish parity, but then allow the League Champion to sign Liverpool’s club legend Steven Gerrard, there’s something wrong.

What it says is that parity is a myth. The Allocation order is admirable but greatly flawed. They should have used it in the other cases, if only for consistency. Instead MLS gets a bad rap, changing rules and policies on their own whim, and consistently leaving fans – especially fans in smaller markets – with a bad taste in their mouths.

He’s the greatest coach that Major League Soccer has enjoyed – and maybe the country altogether.

Bruce Arena helped turn MLS’s glamour squad into a bona fide champion three times over. Before that, he helped the US Men’s National Team to its best World Cup finish in the modern era (not to forget its most disappointing as well). In American soccer, Arena has basically done it all.

So what now? He could continue on in Los Angeles, where the Galaxy renaissance truly began upon his arrival.

Or perhaps he could finally tackle the challenge his domestic superstar avoided – Europe.

Some may laugh, others may agree – but if there’s an American-born coach who would be equipped to handle the big jump in stature, it would be Arena.

In the City of Angels, his success appeared easier than it likely was. Arena had to deal with a wide array of players. He melded a Premier League legend (David Beckham) with a Brazilian workhorse (Juninho). He kept the nation’s most celebrated player (Landon Donovan) on course when the demons started taking his passion from him – even giving him a chance to take a break without missing much of a beat. He even took at shot at acquiring the league’s first openly gay player (Robbie Rogers) and helped him return from retirement into a major piece of this year’s Championship as a left-back.

Not to mention he did all that while having to manage a relatively strict salary cap. In order to make such a situation work, Arena had to have a keen eye for talent in the academy and in college.

These are all traits which would work well overseas for Arena, with one big difference – he wouldn’t have all the confusing rules and caps.

The timing could be right as well. With Donovan retiring, Los Angeles is at a definitive turning point. If 2014 MLS MVP Robbie Keane also moves on, either new superstars will need to emerge from within, or the powers that be will need to find the next Beckham or Keane.

In other words, Arena might not be up for a rebuild, even if the next DP’s are already lying in wait.

Yet that doesn’t mean a move to Europe is in the cards, either. We’ve seen the struggles American players have in getting respect in European leagues, and we can assume the same can be said for American managers. One thing Bruce could have going for him is some well-known Europeans vouching for him in Beckham and Robbie Keane. When you can manage those two egos, and throw Donovan into the mix as well, you’ve done something special.

Of course, Arena wouldn’t be the first American manager in Europe. Bob Bradley has managed at Stabaek in Norway since the spring, earning them a midtable finish in his first year. There’s no reason to think Arena couldn’t fare as well or better.

In my mind, it would be most likely that Arena stays on board in LA. His family is there, and his son Kenny is an assistant. If you saw the postgame festivities, you saw that the Galaxy have become an Arena family affair, and that might very well be tough to leave.

In other words, it might take a European club coming after him. And as I said earlier, with his contacts within the world game and his accomplishments, he ought to be at least considered.

But like his retiring vice-captain, Bruce Arena may be content to be the big fish in the small pond. It has suited Donovan well in the regional circles of MLS and the USMNT, and definitely Arena will have the respect of most knowledgeable American soccer fans. The question may be, whether he wants to see if he can forge the respect of a wider crowd and the world.

Our readers have already read a few stories about the Klinsmann/Garber mud-slinging affair. Don Garber finally took the bait, as Klinsmann had spent the better part of 6 months goading him into a war of words.

For instance, Klinsmann begrudgingly took a whole host of MLS players to the World Cup, only to watch them put in some of the ugliest performances the side has ever seen. Yes they got out of the Group Stage, but it wasn’t pretty. Oh, and out of all the MLS players he did take, he left behind Garber’s pride and joy, Landon Donovan.

This past week, more poking. The media has given Klinsmann a willing megaphone to shout at Garber and MLS, and he did. He even went down the pro/rel highway, which is the MLS equivalent of the nuclear option. Garber had no choice but to fire back.

While this may be a good hornet’s nest from the age-old PR standpoint, “There’s no such thing as bad press,” it really does nothing for development. It’s just a bunch of words meant to stir up passion in each man’s adversary.

Klinsmann has little influence over the course of MLS – unless Garber sees some fruit in all the mud being slung.

Reading between the lines, Klinsmann’s frustration is that MLS is more about profile and less about development. Griping about Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley is productive, if one thinks that the money spent on these players’ salaries would be better served elsewhere. TV ratings for MLS haven’t changed much even after these mega-signings for the league.

So let’s move to the pro/rel issue briefly. It’s not happening. Klinsmann knows that, at least not in the foreseeable future. But he also knows that you can never get to pro/rel without having an advocate, and without taking some preliminary steps. Klinsmann is the biggest pro/rel advocate the pyramid has seen in years.

The first step is not even splitting up the single entity, but rather ensuring every team has its own owner-operator. We don’t even have that in this league, with the Houston Dynamo still being owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group. Now that Chivas USA has been sold and mothballed for a couple of years, Garber’s next step would be to aggressively seek out a new owner for the Dynamo.

Additionally, the league must clean up its acquisition system. Garber needs to lead the way in challenging owners to be more aggressive and less collusive in the acquisition process. Whether that means free agency for players or not, the rules are meant to be set up so MLS teams don’t fight over players. That kind of jostling may cause issues for smaller market teams to lure players, but this is a natural progression for a league that needs to increase its marketability.

That may cut to the heart of the issue, not only for Klinsmann but also for MLS and Garber. Right now, the biggest teams in MLS aren’t enough of a draw. For MLS to make the gains they want, they may need to resign themselves to the development of have’s and have-not’s. That’s something MLS has avoided in the past. But look at overseas leagues, and which teams get the big ratings on the national scale. It’s the have’s.

In MLS right now, the have’s (Seattle, Los Angeles and presumably NYCFC) just aren’t good enough. Not good enough to attract prime ratings. Not good enough to win the CONCACAF Champions League.

Maybe MLS needs a team with Dempsey AND Bradley. That’s not likely under the current rules. It’s also near impossible, given the above-market salaries paid to these players.

Garber and Klinsmann both have different primary functions, but there is a cooperation that needs to happen down the road. Right now, Klinsmann sees a league that tends to remain comfortable in its shell of a salary cap, with limited player movement and a lot of parity. Perhaps this prodding by Klinsmann will provide a little impetus towards beginning the process of growing up. That’s something Garber talks of wanting, but we’re still waiting to see the progress.

Rumors abound that American international Geoff Cameron is being courted both within the Premier League as well as on the continent. ProSoccerTalk links Cameron to a number of clubs, the biggest name being traditional Serie A contender Lazio.

But recent moves to big clubs have hampered many an American abroad. From Clint Dempsey to Jozy Altidore, Maurice Edu to Michael Bradley, a move up the prestige ladder isn’t always a guarantee of good times. It’s something that should make Cameron think twice about taking a step up.

Cameron featured for the Potters as soon as he made the move to England, but thus far in the new campaign he has not played a minute for Mark Hughes. While Cameron gained a transfer to England on his performances as a central defender at the Houston Dynamo, then manager Tony Pulis inserted Cameron at right-back in his four central defender setup.

Last year, Hughes stuck with Cameron at right-back after the departure of Pulis. But in the summer he signed a natural fullback in Phil Bardsley which has pushed Cameron to the bench, at least for the time being.

There are other Premier League sides interested in Cameron. But each of those clubs – primarily Southampton, Sunderland, and Hull City – would be lateral moves at best. Lazio, who at one time were consistent challengers for Champions League spots in Italy, would certainly be a big jump up for the suburban Bostonian.

That is the type of situation that would impress USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The German has long stressed the importance of players challenging themselves at the highest level. Lazio’s history of aspirations towards greatness would likely please Klinsmann.

Another important aspect could be the chance for Cameron to slot in at one of his natural positions. PST reports that would be possible at Lazio, as well as some of the other interested EPL clubs. With Ryan Shawcross, Marc Wilson, and Robert Huth at Stoke, Cameron’s chances of getting time centrally are scant.

So why not move?

While Cameron rides the bench at Stoke City right now, Bardsley was not very impressive with the Black Cats the last couple of years. He has also had issues with discipline off the pitch. Perhaps with hard work on the training ground, Cameron could regain the spot at right-back again.

It’s also been well documented the difficulties American players have had bedding in at a new club. We saw this in Italy last year, with Michael Bradley leaving Chievo a hero and becoming surplus to requirements at Roma. His best shot for playing time approaching the World Cup came from a transfer back to North America, at Toronto F.C.

Cameron may be best served moving within the Premier League, especially one that will play him centrally. He is well acquainted with the players and style within the EPL, and should quickly mesh into a side such as Southampton or Hull City. It’s true that both of those teams could be in for a fight to avoid relegation, but there are no guarantees for the Potters to remain safe either.

Sunderland are also reported to be interested, and that would be an intriguing proposition. They also employ embattled US striker Jozy Altidore. Perhaps a fellow Statesider on the squad would help settle Altidore, who really needs to regain the form he once had at A.Z. Alkmaar in the Eredivisie.

Whether it’s remaining at Stoke, moving within the Premier League or sliding into a more prestigious side like Lazio, Cameron needs to judge the situation wisely. Bigger money can be tempting, but it doesn’t always result in a happy ending.

After impressively accruing over 100 points in the Championship last season, there is a palpable sense of optimism that Leicester City can once again reaffirm their Premier League status over the coming months.

As with any promoted team, transfers and experience are two fundamentals in ensuring Premier League survival. Leicester has signed Matthew Upson and Marc Albrighton during the close season, while the key transfer thus far remains Leandro Ulloa for an undisclosed club record fee. In one sense, they have bought experience, but realistically speaking signing Premier League cast-offs like Albrighton and Upson will simply not suffice. While their gamble on Ulloa looks just that, a gamble, it’s one that could prove decisive come May.

Leicester’s opening five fixtures don’t offer much in the way of hope; Everton (home), Chelsea (away), Arsenal (home), Stoke (away) and Manchester United (home). Whilst the fixture list is kinder thereafter, it is conceivable that they may be pointless after five games and already facing an uphill struggle. Nonetheless, Leicester has many things in their favor, namely their solid spine which was the third best defense in the Championship last season. The exuberance and panache of Kasper Schmeichel is an added bonus and he has matured into a keeper of some substance over the last couple of seasons. Meanwhile, the organizational aspect of the Leicester defense is something that Wes Morgan delivers on with calculated and impressive performances.

Further forward, so impressive in the Championship last season, the onus will again be on Danny Drinkwater, formerly of Manchester United, to control the tempo and maintain possession for Leicester. Alongside Matty James, he must impose his game immediately for Leicester to stand any chance of surviving this season. The forward line is a source of major concern for fans of the Foxes. David Nugent, while a consistent Championship player, is not at the required standard for Premier League football, while it is anyone’s guess how Ulloa will adapt to the rigors of the Premier League. However, with the window still open, I would expect Leicester to be active over the coming weeks. Leicester has also succeeded in shifting a lot of players off their books that would have struggled in the Premier League. Lloyd Dyer and Sean St Ledger to name two. The retirement of Kevin Phillips represents the loss of an experienced voice in the changing room. Players like Upson must take on this leadership role over in the coming months.

In assessing Leicester’s prospects, one must factor in the influence of  manager Nigel Pearson as the coach. He has entrusted his players with a free flowing, pass rich philosophy that could succeed in a similar manner to Swansea two seasons back. A staunch advocate of the 442 system during the successful campaign last season, it would represent a major surprise for Pearson to change tactics prior to the commencement of the season. Yet, the possibility remains that Leicester may opt for a shift to the 3-5-2 formation as the players at their disposal fit this system perfectly. Nevertheless, I fully expect Leicester to attack Everton through their conventional formation on the opening day.

Leicester’s pre-season form has been impressive, particularly their victory over Bremen. Confidence can go a long way to impacting on how a season begins. Manchester United under Moyes being the most pertinent example. Assuming Leicester manage to pick up some points during their first five games, I believe it is within their capabilities to mount a successful campaign on their first season back in the big time. With a clever motivator and tactician in their ranks and with a sense of unity and purpose from last season’s impressive triumph, I can foresee a successful return to the top flight for the Foxes.

Prediction: 15th

For the latest Foxes news, analysis and opinion, bookmark the Leicester City team page.

It’s been such a great ride, this World Cup. We still have two matches left to consume, but the TV ratings have been through the roof, and the buzz for soccer has never been stronger around the United States.

Now comes the hard part. The battle begins anew very shortly.

If we want to see this country become a soccer nation, it’s not going to happen with a bunch of one-off articles in Forbes or the New York Post. It’s not going to happen with World Cup TV commercials like the one from Kia that claims that soccer only matters once every four years. And I also don’t believe it moves forward when sites like Deadspin segregate soccer into a completely separate entity called Screamer. How does that break down the walls?

The truth is, I’m not sure how it’s going to happen.

I had a debate recently with a soccer reporter about this. Sometimes I unfairly target the media with this notion that they conveniently carve out soccer into this niche box, never to commingle with the popular sports of the time. He had a point in this. It’s poor business to give soccer any more than it deserves. If you’re running a site tied to sponsors, are you really going to stick your neck out and potentially lose viewers or readers — especially when you have big contracts with the Big 4 Sports? I’d have to say, “No” is the realistic (and unfortunate) answer.

So it seems that it comes down to us, the soccer-loving public.

One thing is certain for soccer lovers in America. During the World Cup, we’re united behind the Red, White, and Blue. During the remaining 3 years and 10+ months, we’re anywhere in the continuum from non-World Cup apathy to hardcore European soccer fans to hardcore American soccer fans, and everything in between.

We have to engage on how to bring this all together more often. Typically we get caught up in the angst of roster rules and salary caps and promotion/relegation. Those are important topics, but they are also stumbling blocks on the road to getting soccer off of Page 6 of the Sports Section (if it’s in there at all).

The fractures in this soccer universe are real, but they are also conditioned. For instance, the fact I use “soccer” grates at certain people from the get-go. I call it football as well, but these are semantics. It’s the same sport.

I can’t sit here and make a European soccer lover like Major League Soccer. Conversely, a person who thinks the world of MLS isn’t going to agree that implementation of the FIFA guidances on League and FA structure is the way to go.

Instead we need to be together in fighting the ever-surging wave of soccer apathy, and the narratives that the old guard in the media cling to even today. This mentality slowly erodes, but it still seems very present in society today.

How do we hasten this process? That’s an answer that’s unclear, but my gut says that we have to work through the divisive nature of the American soccer landscape. Clearly we will have to do the hard work because the mainstream media will not carry this torch without proof it will fly with the masses.

So keep talking about soccer to your friends. Keep supporting leagues, whether it be the EPL, MLS, or other – especially on television. Reconsider supporting your local team, given the fact the US is expansive and you may not have one.

It’s easy to get complacent with this, but we need to renew our energy towards influencing the norm. We’re in an unfortunate climate where revenue and TV ratings dictate the narrative. How can you do your part to facilitate the rise of soccer in America? It’s something we’ll likely be asking ourselves for many years to come.

Watch the following tactical analysis video to better understand how Germany was able to nullify France and prevent them from getting back into the game after Germany scored the early goal in the World Cup quarterfinal.

During the video below, there are several key points made that better illustrate how Germany excelled, and how Die Mannschaft was able to frustrate the France national team, and prevent them from becoming as much of a threat as they were in the earlier rounds.

Tactics Corner is presented by PixiClip. Whether you’re a soccer coach or fan, PixiClip is an interactive whiteboard that allows you to upload images, draw sketches, and share replays with friends. PixiClip is free and easy to use.

In the Group Stages of the World Cup, there were three teams that gave up only a single goal to their opponents. One of those teams was Belgium.

So to think about the Americans’ play thus far heading into this game, one has to be concerned. Yes, they were able to get two goals each against Ghana and Portugal, but against their toughest opponent Germany, they looked punchless on the counter. On Monday, the Algerians showed what a razor-sharp counter game can do to a possession team like the Germans, making American fans wonder why their guys were ineffective in the final Group G match.

The easy talking point heading into Belgium vs. US is whether the Americans can reconnect the dots they failed to link up against Germany.

First of all, against Germany the goal was to simply limit Die Mannschaft’s goal scoring, essentially using Portugal’s ugly goal difference against them. One could follow that Jurgen Klinsmann had little desire in pushing forward and causing holes to form in the defense.

On paper, Belgium is a side of great quality, with many top European players but whether it’s the inherent divisions of an often divided country, or the inherent divisions caused by ego, Belgium has looked more like Portugal than Germany in this World Cup. They’ve dominated their often weak opponents in possession, but are often unable to make their final third count.

That brings us to the US counterattack. If Belgium is going to dominate possession, the US must expose a Belgian defense that may be missing Thomas Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany through speed and surprise. Here are a few ways I could see doing this:

1) Use Deandre Yedlin at right midfield – The young Seattle player is clearly not ready for primetime at right back. But when you put him in the midfield, you minimize his chances at getting gutted on a run into the box. You also can ask him to sit deeper, and use a player like Michael Bradley or Jermaine Jones to feed him into space. If he can get behind Jan Vertonghen, a center back deputized on the left, it may create some real difficulties for a Belgian back line.

2) Use Aron Johannsson up top – this may be a match where Johannsson’s wise diagonal runs and speed can be of effect. If Belgium decides to play the high line, the AZ Alkmaar forward may be the type of guy who runs onto a through ball from Bradley. While Clint Dempsey has a nose for goal, he can function in that capacity cutting in from the left.

3) Trust Bradley to get the job done – This tournament has been the “Bag On Michael Bradley Carnivale.” Yes, he’s frustrated everyone rooting for the Red, White, and Blue. But he’s still a guy who, on his best days, is the US’s most pivotal player. He does it all in those moments. It would be easy to think it’s time to move Bradley back into a deeper role and push out Kyle Beckerman for Mixx Diskerud (and that might work), but when you’ve bluffed your hand this long, it’s time to keep going.

With this matchup, the US has a chance to go all “Bob Bradley” on Belgium and succeed. A sharp counter thrust could mean the difference between the Quarterfinals and a trip back home.

Watch the following tactical analysis video to discover what changes Holland made during the game that had a profound outcome on the final result of the World Cup Round of 16 match.

Controversies aside, there were several key changes that Louis Van Gaal made that changed the game as well as the change that backfired for Mexico coach Miguel Herrera.

Watch the video for the Netherlands-Mexico game below. And if you enjoy this one, watch the other ones for Germany-USA and Chile-Spain. And subscribe to the World Soccer Talk YouTube channel for more videos.

Mobile app users, watch the video here.

In this the latest edition of World Soccer Talk’s Tactics Corner, World Soccer Talk’s Earl Reed looks at the USA versus Germany match.

The US escapes the “Group Of Death” after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Germany. What was Jurgen Klinsmann thinking in this match, and how did Germany get after the United States in order to grab the victory and secure First Place from Group G? We look at these topics and more in this installment of the Tactics Corner.

Salvador has played host to some of the tournament’s most exciting games, so a lot was expected before the meeting of these European neighbors and it didn’t disappoint particularly if you were of a French disposition. France dominated the early proceedings with Benzema shooting narrowly wide on five minutes. After a brief lull, France took the lead through a fantastic header from Olivier Giroud on seventeen minutes. Manufacturing the corner himself, Giroud rose superbly to head past the Swiss keeper Benaglio who could only help the header into his net. Worse was to come for the Swiss as the French extended their lead less than a minute later through Blaise Matuidi. Capitalizing on a defensive error from Behrami, Matuidi pounced and placed the ball inside Benaglio’s near post. Benaglio’s culpability in the goal compounded one of the primary themes of the tournament thus far, the low standard of goalkeeping.

From here the Swiss were left in a conundrum, seek an immediate response or accept their faith and put a halt to the French attacking waves. They opted to attack the French and had a goal ruled out for offside on twenty-seven minutes. However, the Swiss period of domination lasted a mere four minutes, and was halted abruptly when Djourou brought down Benzema with a clumsy foul inside the penalty area, replays suggested the referee made the right call. Taking the kick himself, Benzema’s powerful penalty was fantastically saved by Benaglio and with a gaping net Cabaye somehow managed to blast the rebound off the bar.

The game settled down for a period, but on forty minutes a lightning counter attack by the French saw Mathieu Valbuena tap in from a Giroud cross for a third French goal of the first half. Dominating possession and filled with pace and power the French continued to dictate play until the half time whistle.

The Swiss replaced the lamentable Behrami at the beginning of the second half, having already replaced the injured Steve Von Bergen with Senderos during the opening ten minutes. However, those expecting a revival would be disappointed as the first fifteen minutes of the second half was scrappy from both sides. On sixty-four minutes Switzerland missed a glorious chance through Mehmedi, which summed up their evening. The French called Giroud ashore for talented Pogba and within five minutes he provided a sumptuous assist for Benzema on sixty-six minutes. The stadium erupted with cries of Allez Les Bleus as the French continued to dominate a poor Swiss side. The only concern for the French was an injury to their centre-half Sakho who was replaced shortly before their fourth goal. However, worse was to come for the Swiss as Sissoko tapped in on seventy-two minutes to make it five. The Swiss were simply shocking, with both centre halves particularly woeful and astonishing occurrence considering there impressive qualifying record for the tournament.

As games go, this was perhaps as one-sided an encounter as one is likely to see during the entire tournament, with the Swiss simply woeful in defense. A consolation goal arrived for the Swiss on eighty minutes courtesy of a Dzemaili free kick. While another goal arrived for the Swiss on eighty-seven minutes courtesy of a neat finish from the industrious Xhaka. Yet, for anyone not watching the game the gulf between the sides was greater than the final score line suggested.

France are certainly a team that possess the pace, power and crucially quality to challenge for the trophy at the business end of the tournament, However, for Switzerland their next game is crucial, win and they are through which on tonight’s performance seems highly unlikely.

Before the World Cup began, Spain had an 89% probability of advancing from Group B, while Chile had a 40% chance. Against Spain, Chile beat the odds with a fantastic first half performance in front of tens of thousands of cheering fans at the Maracana Stadium.

But what specific tactics did Chile employ to prevent Spain, the defending world champions, from winning the game?

Watch the following tactics corner for a detailed analysis of what Chile did to knock Spain out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Mobile app users, watch the video here.

Today we witnessed the complete performance from one of the world’s finest footballers Arjen Robben in a 5-1 Netherlands win over reining World Champion Spain. Work rate and desire were just two of the key components of an eye-catching performance from the Netherlands outstanding number eleven. Initially beginning by playing off the equally majestic RVP, Robben roamed around menacingly leaving the Spanish back four with something to ponder from the outset of a dramatic encounter. Continuing on from his wonderful season with Bayern, Robben utilized his speed and guile to pressurize Pique and Ramos into errors in the opening twenty minutes.

However, the concession of a questionable penalty was perhaps the critical moment of this encounter. With the Spaniards dominating possession and squandering a wonderful opportunity to double their advantage through David Silva, Robben availed of the drop in intensity of the Spanish and began popping up on both flanks, but crucially frequenting the penalty area more regularly. His movement after RVP’s sumptuous equalizer provided the prelude to what would become a procession in a momentous second half performance.

In assessing the performance of Robben, it is worth mentioning the magnificent contribution of Daley Blind or more precisely his pinpoint delivery from his radar like left foot. Robben’s first goal on 53 minutes came from another mesmeric ball from Blind, yet the finish was simply stunning.  His composure in controlling and then placing the ball beyond the hapless Casillas was wonderful. This moment was particularly poignant for Robben and one sensed the pain of 2010 and that miss in the final was being exercised in that moment.

From this point on, Holland and Robben in particular usurped their European rivals and began working spaces superbly. Roaming from wing to wing, Robben began terrorizing the Spanish defenders and created the space for RVP’s strike against the crossbar. Once the third goal went in Spanish heads dropped and Robben came into his own. Utilizing clever positional play and strategic thinking, Robben began exploiting the cumbersome movement of Pique and Ramos, but also Busquets. As the Spanish heads fell further into desolation, the Dutch filled with attacking intent sought to utilise the guile of Robben on every opportunity. Creating chances for Sneijder and RVP, Robben began showing a side to his game that has continuously evolved since his move to Bayern.

The fifth goal was a thing of beauty and illustrated why Robben deserves to be mentioned in any conversation regarding the world’s finest footballers. Showing exquisite pace to defy the best efforts of Ramos, Robben illustrated why he is one of the world’s finest by firstly drawing the hapless Casillas to his knees and then having the composure to place the ball deftly into the Spanish net. As a fan of football, I must confess it was one of the finest goals I have witnessed in recent times and illustrated everything that is great about football and Arjen Robben.

In assessing the performance of Holland, one must laud the collective element of the performance, but acknowledge the genius of their number eleven. Footballers are branded with different labels and Robben in particular has had to endure unwarranted criticisms over the years, however his performance tonight emphasized his value to Holland and the game in general. How many footballers would impact a game to the extend Robben did earlier? His grace and guile for his two goals was fantastic, but what struck me about his performance was his work rate for the team, any player can have their moments, but to be considered great you have to be able to influence the biggest games on the biggest stage. Robben pulverized a previously impregnable Spanish defense in a performance that has undoubtedly set the standard for this year’s tournament. So much for the much talked about competitive rematch of the 2010 final.  Over to you Cristiano!

Widely heralded as favorites for this summer’s World Cup, Brazil appear to have unshakable momentum owing to last summer’s impressive Confederations cup triumph. However, the suspicion remains certainly from this writer’s perspective that emerging from their group may be the most difficult obstacle they encounter during the tournament.

A group containing Cameroon, Croatia and Mexico was widely dismissed as relatively straightforward for the hosts upon the completion of the draw; however upon closer inspection the truth is somewhat different. All three of the aforementioned teams have disappointed over recent years (Mexico’s Olympic triumph apart) and this tournament represents the perfect opportunity to re-establish themselves on the hierarchy of the footballing world. In addition, the weight of expectation on the hosts may prove difficult to bear, although last summer’s confederations cup triumph would seem to signify they are capable of reaping the rewards of such expectancy. However, make no mistake the confederations and World Cups are two entirely different challenges and therefore a cloud will hang over the Brazilian squad until they suppress these worries.

In the context of the group, the opening game will quickly determine Brazil’s prospects in the tournament. In Croatia, they are facing one of Europe’s elite teams which haven’t quite excelled as they should have over the last six years. Although they will be missing their pivotal marksman Mario Mandzukic for their opening encounter, they still possess the ability and crucially belief to upstage the hosts. Another factor to consider is their midfield which contains Modric, Kovacic and the Barcelona bound Ivan Rakitic. In the hosts they are facing a Brazilian team without the sparkle of previous tournaments and in Fred they have a striker who frankly should be nowhere near the squad. Seriously can you picture a team winning a World Cup with a striker called Fred!

The other two participants in the group have disappointed repeatedly over the last number of years. Cameroon in particular were appalling at the 2010 World Cup and qualified this time from one of the weakest groups imaginable. However, they are beginning to emerge as a potent unit and the recent dispute over pay will foster a team spirit that will be difficult to quench. In Webo they possess a striker who has had a fantastic season in Turkey and their exciting midfield with potential tournament superstars Matip and Salli could cause their opponents some serious headaches. Mexico too needs a big tournament to augment their 2012 Olympic triumph. Their form post 2012 was atrocious and but for a change in management they would have missed out on this summer’s tournament. Possessing both speed and goals this Mexican outfit will be a tricky opponent for each team and could in my opinion top the group provided they win their opening game. Aquino and Herrera could illuminate the tournament and Hernandez will be a danger provided he manages to stay onside.

Another point to note in respect of Brazil’s opponents is the number of players who will view the tournament as their opportunity to put themselves on the transfer window. Hernandez, Mandzukic and Song are but three of a host of players from these countries that will be seeking pastures new after the tournament. Admittedly, this Brazilian squad should navigate their way through a dangerous group, but if they don’t you can’t say you weren’t forewarned. Should they progress then they will be definite favorites to lift the trophy on home soil, but emerging from this group may be their hardest assignment!

Since its inception, the Premier League has witnessed some phenomenal teams. Some are universally celebrated, but others never garner the attention they truly deserve. Remaining impartial, my breakdown of the top five teams was not decided solely by what the teams won. My fundamental criteria was the manner in which they played and the enjoyment they delivered to football supporters around the world.

5. Newcastle United (1995-97). At number five in my list comes the Newcastle team (1995-1997) that were labeled the ‘’entertainers’’ by the public. Their capitulation of the title to a youthful, Manchester United team obviously still wrangles with Magpie supporters today, yet to leave them off this list would have been unimaginable. The attacking brand of football this team played captured the imagination and support of the football neutrals and their style has not been replicated by any team since. The signing of Les Ferdinand brought the team to another level and their football at times during the Autumn and Winter of 1995-1996 is among the best the Premier League has ever seen. Many people will lament their inability to defend, but that was part of their ‘’greatness’’ – attack, attack, attack. Their finest hour undoubtedly came in the Autumn of 1996 when they dismantled Manchester United 5-0, with Phillippe Albert sealing the win with one of the iconic Premier League moments.

4. Chelsea (2004-06). Immediately upon taking the role, one could guage that the club would be transformed forever. Creating a magnificent team ethos, Mourinho succeeded in orchestrating a line-up that tore the Premier League apart. With players such as Frank Lampard, John Terry, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff playing magnificently, they put the other nineteen clubs in the league to shame. Playing a calculated, but entertaining brand of football, they managed to gain a strangle hold on English football that they previously had only dreamt off. European success was to remain elusive, and those two epic semi-finals in 2005 with ultimate champions Liverpool still remain a source of frustration for the iconic team.

3. Manchester United (1993-94). This team played with such power and single-mindedness that watching them made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Perhaps the most combative and powerful team of Ferguson’s era, they played in a manner that only focused on winning and never played for a draw. Utilizing the brilliance of Cantona, United played football that hasn’t been replicated since. They relied on a wonderful team ethos to dismantle their opponents, having reliable back-ups such as McClair and Sharpe, ensured that no one rested on their laurels. Their greatest moment arguably came in the FA Cup final versus Chelsea where, thanks to two Cantona penalties, they emerged victorious on a 4-0 score line. Their European performances, most memorably against Galatasary where they threw away a two goal advantage, soured their legacy somewhat, but they will always be fondly remembered by United fans as the first great team of the Ferguson era.

2. Arsenal (2003-04). I debated whether they deserved to finish at number one, but their lack of a European trophy dictated their position. Surviving any season undefeated in this day and age is almost unimaginable, but this is exactly what this team did. Their greatness was their unflinching resolve coupled with arguably the best player in the world during that era — Thierry Henry. Having two World Cup winners in central midfield was an additional bonus, as was the colossus Sol Campbell at the back. They left all in their wake and sealed their triumph at home to Leicester City on a day that Arsenal fans will always saviour. The highlight from that season would be their North London league triumph, despite only drawing the game. A low point would be their European exit by Chelsea, yet they will always be recalled as the only undefeated team of the premier league era.

1. Manchester United (1998-99). A team, packed with arguably the greatest Manchester United midfield of all time, played some breathtaking football in a season that had it all. Their form prior to Christmas was average. Losing at home to Middlesbrough was an obvious low point, but they showed their true character by remaining undefeated in 1999 up until November. The addition of Jaap Stam and Dwight Yorke provided them with the power to tackle three competitions. Relying on unrivalled resilience to see off Liverpool and Arsenal in the cup and Juventus in the Champions League semi final, they were on the brink of immortality. Victories over Spurs and Newcastle sealed the league and cup double, but the stoppage time victory over Bayern has stood the test of time as the greatest comeback ever. Their resolve and spirit sealed their place as the top Premier League team thus far, whether we see their like again remains to be seen.

The impending departure of Nani from Manchester United evokes more questions than answers. Undoubtedly talented, arguably the most skilful member of the present United squad, Nani is an enigma. His departure from the Premier League is certainly a negative in terms of entertainment, but unfortunately given a player of his calibre, his departure will not grab the headlines other transfers of lesser known players nominally garner.

Monaco and Juventus are the two clubs most prominently linked with the player, whose asking price of £8.5 million is ridiculous in comparison to the fee Liverpool paid for Stewart Downing a couple of years ago. However, not to be derogatory towards Downing, Nani is frankly a far superior player.

The curious case of Nani is that he will forever be in Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow. From the moment he signed for Manchester United in the Summer of 2007, his every step has been compared and contrasted with his fellow Portuguese colleague. Such comparisons were unfair then and even more so now. A player such as Ronaldo is arguably one of the all time great European footballers, up there with the greatest players in history. Nani is good, very good, but he is not at that level.

So is a move away from Manchester United correct at this stage of his career? While he has achieved a tremendous amount during his at Old Trafford, one has to question if he would be better served moving to an emerging European force such as Monaco or a club looking to leave their mark on the Champions League in Juventus. If their current spending splurge is anything to go by then Monaco are set to become one of the major powerhouses of European football over the years to come. With the club still heavily indebted who is to say United can maintain their present form in the current climate, with Chelsea and Manchester City breathing down their necks. Nani must determine if being a squad player is enough to satisfy his talents or will a move finally provide him with the necessary push to let him finally achieve his undoubted ability?

The European game today is bereft of two-footed players able to score, dribble and pass; Nani is one such player who can do the lot. His stagnated progress over the last year and a half is partially down to injury and partially down to poor team selection. Seriously how could one make the case for Antonio Valencia or Ashley Young to be picked ahead of a player this talented on a weekly basis? Football is a sport today where past achievements are quickly forgotten. If Nani wants to be truly remembered as the player he believes he is then a move is undoubtedly the best thing for his career.

Next season is a crucial one in the career of Nani. No longer a young player, he must begin to showcase the ability that he so clearly possesses to justify a move to either of the aforementioned clubs. Having skill is one thing, replicating it on the pitch during a European game or away to a struggling league side is the hallmark of a great player. While Nani has done this to an extent throughout his career, his flash nature has seen him often do the opposite on many occasions also. This inconsistency is the reason why many United fans will not lament his departure as they should. Players of Nani’s ability are rare, truly rare in today’s footballing climate. Therefore while he may move on from the Premier League, we can be certain it won’t be the last time we will be seeing Nani in the near future.

As the transfer season is now in full swing, one player that will arguably be crucial to the plight of several leading Premier League teams is James McCarthy. A skilled midfielder who has certainly achieved all he can at Wigan, the question as to where he ends up next season must be occupying the minds of numerous managers across Europe.

Nowadays the actual skill level on display from the vast majority of central midfield players is limited in comparison to players of 5-10 years ago. Seriously can anyone justify Tom Cleverley’s inclusion in the England and Manchester United teams over the last twelve months? I use the Cleverley anecdote as the basis behind my argument as to why McCarthy may be perhaps the most in-demand central midfield player this summer. As cultured as he is gifted, if he was English he would be celebrated by the Fleet Street press in a similar vein to Jack Wilshere.

Over the last year, his game has evolved tremendously to the extent that he is now a central figure on the international stage and dominated Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick during the Irish English friendly a week ago. His use of the ball, i.e. the ability to keep possession, is a skill that the vast majority of players in the Premier League currently lack. Not inclined to crave attention or praise from the press is the sign of a player who is comfortable in his own ability and his pass completion statistics for the 2012-2013 season were equally impressive.

Frankly speaking, what manager of a top six club wouldn’t be interested in a player that would cost under £10 million, doesn’t give the ball away, is two-footed and can score, tackle and defend? Certainly if I was given the option of taking Cleverley or McCarthy I know who I would pick. This is not to take anything away from the ability of Cleverley. He is a fine player, but he is not a Manchester United player. McCarthy is the type of player who, if surrounded by more talented players, will flourish and for my money become one of the dominant central midfield players of the Premier League for years to come.

His next club will be interesting as it appears he will be afforded several options. The smart money would be on him moving to Everton. Yet I suspect either Spurs, Arsenal or United will make him an offer. A player of his ability should be gracing the European stage and therefore, I’d suggest he will end up at one of the three aforementioned clubs. Whether he reaches the heights I referenced earlier remains to be seen, but players of his ilk don’t come around too often and I suspect we will be hearing a lot more about McCarthy over the months and years to come.

As the sun sets on another enthralling Premier League season, Arsenal are once again vying for Champions League football. Is this a surprise? No. Is this unacceptable? Yes.

Clearly, investment is a word often associated with Arsenal, but for many wrong reasons. Losing their best and only world class player to the eventual champions was a bitter pill to swallow and frankly their season has progressed in a manner that reflects the loss of their key man.

At the beginning of each season, their manager boldly asserts that they are genuine title contenders but as continues to be the case, their challenge falters by mid-October. The problems within the club are deep-rooted, but can they be rectified and if so how?

Soccer is a wonderful game, evoking a barrage of euphoric and painful emotions throughout a regular league game, but for Arsenal fans this season has been a thoroughly gut-wrenching experience. Being humiliated in the domestic cups by lower league opposition is hard enough to take, but add in a number of over-paid footballers and you have a serious problem.

How have Arsenal been allowed to disintegrate into a team happy to secure fourth place, when they became the only team in the modern era to complete a regular season undefeated. Investment categorizes their plight, or lack thereof. With the most expensive season tickets in the entire Premier League, revenue shouldn’t be an issue for the club. Yet it has certainly contributed to their gradual decline over the past number of seasons.

However, in spite of poor investment and the failure to replace world-class footballers with equally gifted players, something else is at the root of the problem at the club. And unfortunately that is the manager. I am the first to accept all the tremendous things he has brought and given to the English game, but his failure to address this horrible slide into mediocrity has been painful to watch.

A hallmark of his early years in the role was an innovative tactical system and an eye for a player that other managers could only dream of possessing. Unfortunately these gifts have gradually deserted him and now he is becoming more of a liability for the club than one could ever have envisioned.

And now the club has been hit by The FA suspending striker Olivier Giroud for three of the last four matches of the season. Where will Arsenal’s goals come from?

Would a year without Champions League football benefit the team in the long run? Certainly it would free them of unnecessary expectation and allow them to focus their efforts on mounting a serious title challenge. If this was to occur, would the injection of a new manager bring with it a new ethos to resurrect the fortunes of this historic club?

A certain Scottish manager currently working in Merseyside is out of contract in the summer and would represent a bold and innovative appointment. His ability to mould teams in his image and produce quality football marks him out as the ideal candidate to lead Arsenal out of their current mediocrity.

Clearly Arsenal are an excellent soccer team, but the general malaise that has set in over the last two seasons is difficult to rectify and only through an overhaul of the manager and a host of under-performing players will they return to challenging seriously for the Premier League title once again.

[polldaddy poll=7057341]

-US plays football for a decent portion of the first half,

-US holds its own (with an optional goal to lift the spirits of American fans and players alike),

-US bunkers in after the intermission,

-US has breaks go against them,

-US goes down,

-US departs the opposing nation without points (or a disappointing draw).

From http://www.incondicionales.com.mx/

But on Tuesday night, those last three lines went off script. Mexico did not get breaks, the US was able to maintain its grasp on the nil-nil scoreline, and they traipse back to their respective domains with a point to show for their effort.

There were elements of this game that show promise for Klinsmann in this grueling competition. Last week, the well-publicized Sporting News article written by Brian Straus aired the criticisms of Klinsmann conveyed by a number of players and people close to the team. Anyone who had watched the recent qualifiers had drawn most of those conclusions anyway, but Straus did the work to verify those weaknesses within the camp.

It may be difficult to gauge the article’s true effect, but there are some signs of adaptation. For instance, regarding the idea of not knowing the lineup until matchday, Doug McIntyre tweeted on Monday that the team was already aware of Klinsmann’s selections.

There may also be some hints that Klinsmann has realized his deficiencies when it comes to tactical planning – especially when entering a hostile arena. Here are some observations of changes in the way the US approached this match, compared to some previous attempts to steal points on the road in WCQ’s:

– He abandoned the notion of high attacking mids in the wide play. Graham Zusi and Herculez Gomez aren’t by nature sturdy defending midfielders, but their posture was always to fall in with the “2 banks of 4” mentality that helps maintain some spatial sanity in the insanity known as Estadio Azteca. And unlike the match in Colorado, Zusi had some good defensive moments – one being a tackle just outside the 18 on Andres Guardado, the other a running intervention of a ball Angel Reyna was ready to head into goal late in the 2nd half.

– Because of wide midfield tactics, rather than advanced wingers, it allowed Klinsmann to maintain the dual central mid combo that worked well against Costa Rica. This time it was Maurice Edu partnering with Michael Bradley, due to the injury to Jermaine Jones. Edu had a decent match defensively, but did have two iffy moments. First he committed an ill-advised challenge of Javier Aquino near the 6 which often invites CONCACAF referees to point to the spot; the second, a set piece where he allowed two Mexican players to have an opportunity to attack a far post ball unchallenged (Chicharito miscued the volley wide to bail out the mistake). Aside from his defense, Edu was also ineffective in finding routes out of danger. His failed attempts to escape with the ball became a difficulty, and meant pressure from El Tri was nearly constant from the 70th minute on.

– The two forwards, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey (and later Eddie Johnson) were quite often on an island. That didn’t seem to be a huge deal. I was unimpressed early by Altidore’s ability to be a target forward, but then when Johnson came on, I realized that Jozy had been doing a much better than the Seattle Sounders’ forward could provide.

– The bad challenges in the final third were kept to a minimum. There were a couple, highlighted by substitute Brad Davis’ ill-disciplined hackdown of Guardado in stoppage time. There were some tactical fouls, yes. But in recent friendlies those conceded free kicks have often been their undoing, and they limited the Mexicans to 4 free kicks on the night.

– And lastly, there were some standout performances by players who were required to step up. Omar Gonzalez had his best match so far in the US kit. Matt Besler was also strong around the area. DeMarcus Beasley proved the serviceable fill-in at left back that Bob Bradley hoped for in 2009. He wasn’t perfect, but he largely got the job done. And at long last, Brad Guzan had his chance to shine. While only asked to make 3 saves, his command and organization were evident throughout. The fact Gonzalez and Besler were able to play confidently speaks to Guzan’s role in this result.

Having said all of that, did anyone really feel as though the US had this salted down? I know I didn’t. Mexico lost some hope around the intermission, and the Americans’ willingness to bunker in only served to heap more pressure on the shoulders of El Tri.

Make no mistake though, luck was involved in this result. Javier Hernandez typically buries his chances at Manchester United, but couldn’t profit from some good opportunities in this one. Giovani Dos Santos floated in and out of this match, often frustrated. And Guardado and Javier Aquino had their dangerous moments, but could never couple a good cross with the necessary finish by the forwards.

This tended to feel more like a wasteful Mexico rather than a staunch and sturdy American stonewall. That shouldn’t take too much away from the feat – it was a team without natural fullbacks, an experienced center back pairing, and it’s captain and goalkeeper. But it should serve to temper any idea that Klinsmann has got it figured out yet. On another night one might have seen a quite lopsided result based on the flow of the play.

And so this result may be a percentage result – sometimes the chances fall your way, other times you end up on the wrong end of a scoreline. In the end the gameplan was carried out. It may not be the way Jurgen Klinsmann envisaged back in July of 2011, but it’s one that puts the US a point closer to Brazil.

From US Soccer Facebook stream

But this was Denver, Colorado. It was 2013, and that year’s month of March was particularly intense as far as winter storms go. And it was an era of US Soccer that was proving to be particularly troublesome to the team and its supporters.

What transpired was a scene that should be burned into the minds of American soccer fans. One could argue the match should have been postponed before it even started. But you have to wonder if both parties involved knew it favored them both for the match to carry out on the evening of March 22nd.

– For the United States, between a disappointing road loss to Honduras, a multitude of  injuries, and the public airing of personal gripes from 11 anonymous players on the team, the best way to quell the growing discontent was to get it out of the way. It was going to go down on Friday night, one way or the other.

– And as far as Costa Rica was concerned, what better time to face a better team than when turmoil is raging? The US had crumbled on the road with leads recently, and while they were at home they were still fielding second or third choice players (such as Demarcus Beasley at left back). All of the negativity that had embroiled the Americans made this a ripe opportunity to prey upon their vulnerability.

And so the whistle blew, and it snowed. And snowed. And snowed some more. The grounds crew grabbed their shovels and cleared the lines, and the accumulation quickly returned. Their effort on the night was remarkable, trying to facilitate the completion of the match. Jermaine Jones’ looked more like an old man with the snowflakes dusting his dark hair. The fans on hand were reveling in this stadium turned winter wonderland.

As for the players, they simply gutted it out. They went to ground in shorts and short sleeves, unfazed by the chilly powder. When the Match Commissioner had determined that enough was enough, the players converged on referee Joel Aguilar and convinced him to play out the remaining 35 minutes.

The scoresheet shows a 16th minute goal from Clint Dempsey and a few yellow cards. But that fails to paint the true picture. The tapestry of red, white, and blue – with a great bit more white than usual – leaves an indelible image of a defining moment in U.S. Soccer history. On the surface it was a pedestrian 1-0 victory over a CONCACAF Hexagonal rival; but those who held out for the final result were treated to a match to remember.

A scarf came in handy on this chilly night…

On Saturday evening in the Delaware Valley, that tandem netted the lone goal of the match, as McInerney converted on a Le Toux corner kick to earn Philadelphia the three points against visiting New England.

The biggest shock out of either of the starting lineups was the exclusion of goalkeeper Matt Reis due to injury. Bobby Shuttleworth put on the padded shirt for the Revolution, a guy who has been waiting in the wings as Reis inches toward the end of a fine career.

The first half was a relatively zestless affair. Both teams were very concerned with maintaining their shape and not leaving themselves exposed. Perhaps the best chance was from Jerry Bengtson, played through down the left by Lee Nguyen in the 35th minute. Bengtson shot from just inside the 18 yard box, but the low attempt was turned away by Zac MacMath.

A scary moment came very early in the match. A free kick from the right-footed Nguyen struck Danny Cruz in the head and deflected over. The winger went down and the medical staff came out. In this day and age of concussion awareness, the Union staff took precautions with Cruz and brought on Michael Lahoud in his place.

The second half had more excitement as New England took a less aggressive approach with their pressing. As they sat in to absorb Philadelphian pressure, the Union began to dominate the possession. Coach John Hackworth responded to this change in approach by bringing in Antoine Hoppenot for Michael Farfan. This shifted the formation to more of a 4-3-3, heaping the pressure on the Revs to thwart more pure attackers.

The first sign of a breach came from Michael Lahoud, who found himself just inside the 18 yard area with the ball. He created space for himself and shot. The ball took a partial deflection, but also needed a fine diving save by Shuttleworth to keep it out of goal.

Two minutes later in the 76th minute, McInerney earned his second goal of the season. Le Toux smashed an in-swinger from the left corner, and Shuttleworth may have been better off attacking the ball – instead he retreated to his line. The ball fell straight to McInerney, who headed it directly at Shuttleworth. The keeper saved the effort, but the rebound was juicy and the young striker half-volleyed the ball off a defender and in.

Jay Heaps tried to reorganize his team to get the equalizer. He pulled off Kevin Alston for a fresh Chris Tierney, and had him play as a pure left midfielder in a 3-5-2. The Revs failed to register a shot on goal in the second half, though Bengtson barely missed the top left corner late in stoppage time from a golden chance.

New England (1-1-0) suffered their first loss of the season after their recent 1-0 victory over Chicago. The Revolution will open their home schedule a week from Saturday against Sporting Kansas City. The Philadelphia Union (2-1-0) have jumped to second place in the Eastern Conference on this current 2 match winning streak. Originally scheduled for a week off, the Union will host Pumas UNAM in a friendly on Saturday evening before returning to their MLS schedule at Red Bull Arena on March 30th.

The Guardian reported today that Tim Howard suffered two bone fractures in his back while manning the goal for Everton F.C. during a recent FA Cup match against Oldham. This injury obviously hurts his club the Toffees, but it also puts his country in an awkward position.

Tim Howard and Bill Hamid – Photo Credit: Paul Frederiksen via Compfight cc

Aside from January Friendlies, Howard has typically been a clear choice as the #1 keeper for the US. Many of his understudies have changed over the years – from Keller to Hahnemann to Guzan to Hamid and a few others. Under current coach Jurgen Klinsmann, Howard has started every match of significance without even a hint of evaluating options in meaningless friendlies (besides the Camp Cupcake matches in January).

The knee-jerk reaction would be to panic, but realistically the options Klinsmann has are pretty solid. Brad Guzan has done everything he can to help his relegation threatened club Aston Villa, and theoretically he has been on a big stage. He took the field in a 3-0 victory over Egypt in the 2009 Confederations Cup. So at this point, one would have to think that he is the odds-on favorite to man the pipes for the Costa Rica and Mexico matches (if not longer should Howard’s recovery be lengthy).

Of course the name Brad Friedel gets brought up in situations like these, and he remains a fine keeper into his 40’s. But if I were in Klinsmann’s shoes, it’s time to let Guzan prove his value. You never know what could happen down the road, and if you need a keeper to step in for the 2014 World Cup, why not give Guzan the experience of two pressure-packed matches to show his stuff? Can you count on Friedel to still be donning the gloves next season and beyond?

The way I see it, the away match to Mexico is at best a draw, and probably a loss. This is the best time to live or die by Guzan’s sword. Give Guzan the start against Costa Rica, but I’d consider using a guy like Carlos Bocanegra to pair with Omar Gonzalez in the backline. This would give Guzan an experienced line organizer in front of him, and take some of the pressure off. This might also help Gonzalez in the process, to be shepherded by such a noble captain as Bocanegra.

If I were Klinsmann, I’d bring in Guzan and Nick Rimando to the March squad, with Bill Hamid as the emergency option. I’d only call on Rimando should there be a major issue against Costa Rica, i.e. the rare circumstance that Guzan would crumble.

I think we should look at Howard’s injury with some sadness for the fine American keeper, but also consider it a golden opportunity to nail down that important backup option. Brad Guzan has paid his dues, and it’s time for him to become America’s next quality netminder.

Coming Home

The story of this match for the Philadelphia Union was the return of Sebastien Le Toux. It was a cinch that he would start, but the questions were, “Where?” and, “In what formation?” Le Toux was the lone forward in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The Farfan twins flanked Keon Daniel in the attacking midfield, and that left Jack McInerney and Conor Casey to bench work. Newcomer Jeff Parke dropped straight into the lineup, pairing with Amobi Okugo in central defense.

The Next Chapter For KC

Some offseason moves have left KC plugging a few holes in their lineup. Their back 5 was their one area of solidity, a defensive corps that has been relatively static for two years.  Jimmy Nielsen kept net with a Chance Myers-Aurelien Collin-Matt Besler-Seth Sinovic backline. The losses of Kei Kamara and Roger Espinoza to the Barclay’s Premier League were met with the purchase of Ecuadorian striker Claudio Bieler, and the acquisition of Benny Feilhaber from New England. Peter Vermes stayed with his usual 4-5-1, using Bobby Convey and Graham Zusi as flanking midfielders to Bieler’s forward position.

Hello 2011?

The entire match had to leave Union fans remembering 2011, at least from an attacking viewpoint. The team had one of its strongest matches from an attacking perspective since the departure of Le Toux. It could be a function of their opponent – last season, the Union put 4 goals past Kansas City, and thus Sporting may be a good matchup for the Union.

From the get-go the Union looked dangerous. Gabe Farfan forced Nielsen to make a solid save in the 4th minute, and the left winger spent plenty of time pestering Myers down KC’s right side. In the 17th minute, it was some interplay between Gabe Farfan and Keon Daniel that set up the Union’s opening goal. Daniel faked a pass to Farfan down the left flank, and quickly floated a ball behind the KC defense. Le Toux controlled the ball near the penalty spot, and powered a shot off Nielsen and into the goal for the 1-0 lead.

Le Toux then had another great chance one-on-one with Nielsen 6 minutes later, but the French forward scuffed his shot to the left of goal. The 25th minute saw Raymon Gaddis hacked down just outside the area by Collin, drawing a yellow. The resulting free kick by Michael Farfan from the left forced a great save by Nielsen.

KC Wakes Up

Philadelphia appeared to be in control through the half-hour mark, but that was when Sporting began to exploit the Union’s attacking intent. A warning shot was fired on a through ball in the 31st minute, as Parke had to clear the chance away from Convey.

Some sloppy coverage led to the equalizer within 5 minutes of halftime. Convey was able to swing a cross in from the left, and Bieler got the ball down out of the air to a wide open Feilhaber. His laser shot was stopped by MacMath, but the rebound came out 3 yards in front of the young keeper. Zusi was in the right position to send the bouncing ball into the top half to knot the score at 1.

Second Half To Sporting

The first 15 minutes of the second half were guarded for both teams. The game changed in the 66th minute though, three minutes after Convey was brought off for Sapong. Sapong drew a free kick about 25 yards from MacMath’s goal as Sheanon Williams dragged him down. Zusi swung in the free kick, and Uri Rosell flashed a few yards in front of MacMath. The Spaniard headed the ball past MacMath to grab the lead at 2-1.

As the Union chased the game with attacking substitutions (McInerney for Gabe Farfan and Roger Torres for Michael Lahoud), Kansas City pounced on another opportunity. This time, Bieler earned his first goal in the light blue. Myers cut a ball back from the right flank to Bieler just inside the area. He controlled it, and had enough time to place his shot to the far post. The third KC goal put an end to the Union’s hopes, and gave Sporting a good road victory to open the season.

Sporting Kansas City (1-0-0) will travel to Rogers Centre in Toronto to face TFC on Saturday next week. The Union (0-1-0) will also be on the road Saturday, and will look for their first victory against the Colorado Rapids. Both teams have some room for optimism. KC was not dominant, but were clinical and got their new Designated Player on the score sheet. Philadelphia looked dangerous and played well against a better team. If their finishing improves and limit mistakes, they could work their way into playoff contention.

Our Predictions

Please feel free to share your predictions for the upcoming season below. Get ready, here comes MLS 2013!

Previous attempts at soccer leagues in America ran into financial pitfalls, and so the league built itself upon a certain amount of austerity. Even with the guarded spending MLS had its own share of dire financial straits a few years into its existence, forcing the league to pull back two Floridian franchises and restructure some ownership situations to bear the brunt of the shortages.

In 2007, after things started looking better for the league, MLS pushed through a needed bit of legislation. A rigid cap kept teams from breaking the bank, but Don Garber and the league saw an opportunity to increase the domestic and international profile. It would involve doing something the North American Soccer League of the 70’s and 80’s did – bring in aging, big-name international stars.

Of course the genesis of the Designated Player Rule was primarily to allow AEG and MLS to lure David Beckham to the North American continent. Before 2007, the salary cap was a composite cap on the total salary of the team. There were no restrictions on one player’s salary, aside from obviously needing to field an entire squad within an approximate $2M budget. The Designated Player Rule gave each team the chance to sign a player to any agreed-upon amount, with that player only counting $400K against the salary cap. Of course, with any rule there are exceptions, and in the case of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Landon Donovan was already making well over $400K per season. MLS grandfathered Donovan’s salary such that the Galaxy did not have to go to any great lengths to accommodate Donovan and Beckham (two other players, Dallas’ Carlos Ruiz and KC’s Eddie Johnson, also fell into this exemption, but only Dallas used this exemption to their benefit, signing Denilson to a DP salary).

At first, teams could trade their DP designation to another team, allowing a team a maximum of two. That was relaxed to two DP spots in 2010, with a $250K “tax” to add a third. More recently, a young DP (under 23) was introduced, theoretically to allow teams to bring in young international players who can develop into stars for MLS.

It’s not easy to know much about the salary status of players within MLS at this time of year. Around May, the MLS Players Union will release their salary list, which gives a glimpse into the salary situations within MLS. But MLS does have a page which lists Designated Players, and it appears to have been updated recently. Here is a list of all DP’s in the league currently (YDP = Young Designated Player):

CHI: Sherjill MacDonald; CHV: Osvaldo Minda; CMB: Federico Higuain; DCU: Rafael (YDP); FCD: David Ferrreira, Fabian Castillo (YDP); HOU: Oscar Boniek Garcia; LAG: Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan; MON: Marco Di Vaio; NER: Jerry Bengston; NY: Tim Cahill, Thierry Henry; PHI: Freddy Adu; POR: Diego Valeri, Diego Chara; RSL: Javier Morales, Alvaro Saborio; SEA: Christian Tiffert, Mauro Rosales, Shalrie Joseph; SJE: Chris Wondolowski; SKC: Claudio Bieber; TFC: Danny Koevermans; VAN: Kenny Miller.

A few things to consider:

– As of now, there is only one team in MLS that is on the books for three DPs, and that is Seattle Sounders. They took on Shalrie Joseph’s contract from Chivas USA, eating up their final spot. Teams like Toronto, DC United, New York, and Los Angeles who went all in on 2 or 3 DPs have decided to take a “wait and see” approach, to find the right fit.

– There are currently only two Young DP’s, DC’s Rafael and Dallas’ Fabian Castillo. Suffice it to say that clubs in MLS are likely still trying to decide the best tactic for using this exemption to

bring in younger talent.

– The only team without a Designated Player at the moment is Colorado.

So what to make of this trend of fewer DP’s in general? There have been a lot of DPs that have worked out poorly. If you are going to tie up $350,000 of salary cap in each DP, you’d better get something special.

Many teams have had to make tough decisions about the cap. I have a feeling this may be a clear sign that teams are feeling a pinch within the auspices of the current cap. Salaries continue to rise for the average player, and without an adjustment of the cap you may see continued shuffling of talent.

Does the cap need to be raised? Does a whole new way of capping the league’s salary structure need to be investigated? When we hear about a growing league, one would think that teams would be more willing to add Designated Players. That’s not happening, at least within 5 days of the beginning of the 2013 season.

But this isn’t a crisis or anything. I think it’s actually a sign that teams are learning the joys and pitfalls of having players that break out of the set salary structure. Teams like Los Angeles, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle have gotten the most out of these special players, while there are teams like Kansas City, San Jose, Colorado, and Houston that have found success with hardly a DP to their credit.

So the DP rule is certainly a continued help in getting top players, but teams must be careful not to eat up their budgets with unworthy players. The lack of step change in terms of the cap makes the quality of the DP signings for each team that much more crucial; that teams look for a player that seem to improve the players around him, or provides enough skill to vastly outperform a player they can get for fewer bucks. The DP questions that I see going into the 2013 season:

1) Will LA and NY fill that 3rd DP slot? Since they have tended to set the standard for making the biggest splashes in the transfer market, seeing them add another big name each could vastly swing the balance of power in each conference.

2) Will questionable DP salaries like Freddy Adu, Shalrie Joseph, and Kenny Miller be rectified one way or the other – either by better play, or by sale?

3) Can teams exploit the Young DP salary more effectively, to bring in dynamic, marketable young players that afford them more flexibility under the cap?

What do you think? Has MLS done well with the Designated Player Rule? Should they revisit the way top players enter the league? Is the Salary Cap appropriate at the moment? Join the conversation and comment below.

The Generation adidas program morphed from the old Project-40 program, and according to a press release from 2006:

Generation adidas, which was established ahead of the 2005 MLS season, is Major League Soccer’s youth player development program designed to identify and nurture the elite youth soccer talent in the United States. The youth players who join MLS as part of the Generation adidas program receive unprecedented opportunities to develop their game and hone their skills at the professional level in Major League Soccer. In addition to training and playing on a weekly basis with one of Major League Soccer’s 12 professional clubs, Generation adidas players will also receive educational grants to further their college education.

If you take a look at the Class of 2006 at that same link, you can see the program started off in strong fashion: Altidore, Kamara, Kljestan, McCarty, Ianni, Wynne. There were some other players that don’t have the same reputation as those six: Jacob Peterson, Willie Sims, Nathan Sturgis, Blake Wagner, and Jed Zayner. So out of 11 players from the initial GA class, 3 are now in Europe, a couple are high quality MLS players, and the rest are either journeymen in MLS or out of the league altogether.

Every GA class seems to have its Sacha Kljestan (a solid contributor who has or probably will make their way to a good European club) and its Willie Sims (who appeared 9 times for New England and has wandered around the lower leagues for years). It’s tougher to gauge recent classes as well, because many of these kids are still under the age of 22. We in American sports tend to consider 22 to be quite young with the best yet to come. In international soccer realms, 22 is right at the beginning of a players’ prime.

Perhaps that’s where Generation adidas gets a bad rap – and it’s not really the program’s fault, but more the culture in the United States. At 21 years old, the oldest of the GA players are not getting into the pro system early enough. Often the younger players are not quite ready for the first team at most MLS clubs, so they end up either on the bench, in a reserve team that gets many fewer matches, or not even playing at all. Training with the club does help, but real match experience is very important.

With all of that, scouting isn’t perfect, and you’re always going to have an element of signing players to GA contracts that don’t live up to the billing.

So why do players not get enough experience? There are a few factors.

– Fighting for position. The two GA forwards taken in 2010 by the Philadelphia Union, Danny Mwanga and Jack McInerney, fought that philosophy. With Sebastien LeToux and Alejandro Moreno ahead of them in the depth chart, only Mwanga got significant playing time in his rookie season. When Moreno left, the club brought in Carlos Ruiz. Again, playing time was impacted, primarily for McInerney. Finally in 2012, after Ruiz, Le Toux, and Mwanga had all been shipped out of town, McInerney got his chance to shine. He scored 8 goals in the second half of last season.

So what did the Union do in the offseason? Reacquire Le Toux and select Conor Casey in the Re-Entry Draft. They also have another GA forward, Chandler Hoffman, and speedster Antoine Hoppenot. It remains to be seen if McInerney will see regular minutes after a breakout 4 months.

– Delaying Graduation. Eventually, a GA player must graduate. That can be mighty costly for a team that is in a tight salary cap situation. Steve Zakuani was a GA player entering the league in 2009 – he made a base salary of $65K, and guaranteed compensation of $163K. None of that counted towards Seattle’s cap number because GA players are exempt. He graduated after the 2009 season, based on factors that aren’t quite clear but seem to be appearances, minutes, goals, and other performance factors. In 2010, Seattle was forced to take $80K of base and $178K of guaranteed compensation on their books (caveat: the MLS economic system is confusing, and it’s not clear whether base or guaranteed compensation is the number that matters in terms of the cap).

I’m not sure if a team has ever come out and admitted trying to limit the parameters that trigger graduation, but if I ran a team, the thought would certainly cross my mind. Either you gamble that a player will improve enough with playing time to make it worth the cap hit, or you leave him to never have the chance to improve.

– Lack of quality. I don’t know who selects the players who receive GA funding, but they can get it wrong too. If a player just doesn’t cut it, and appears to be of insufficient quality to ever crack the first team, the player will collect his contract and ride the pine.

Of course there are plenty of times when a player succeeds because of the system. Omar Gonzalez and Brek Shea are great examples of players who pan out. In Shea’s case, F.C. Dallas has received a handsome fee from Stoke City for developing Shea. Roger Espinoza was also in his class, and went to Wigan Athletic on a transfer. There are quite a few others players on that list who are serviceable veterans in MLS, and some that fizzled.

It leads to the question of what would be better? How would we improve Generation Adidas? I’m not sure. You could consider punishing teams who select GA players only to allow them to go to waste on the bench – clubs may they decide to stop selecting the players altogether.

One idea that I have is trying to incentivize teams who develop their GA players to their fullest extent. MLS could set a standard date for graduation from Generation Adidas – say 3 years. In the third year, a panel could rate the graduating players, and salary cap exemptions could be extended a year for the top 3 or 4 players. It would give the teams a chance to evaluate their options with the player, either a long term deal or a chance to sell them on for profit.

But in my opinion, the current GA system is a little punitive towards teams that do give the players a chance. It’s as if teams must weigh a player’s chances of being a regular starter within three years, or it’s not worth chancing the short-term lack of production and long-term cost.

With all of that, I would have to say that Generation adidas is only as good as the talent entering the program. As long as there is a Darren Mattocks or Jozy Altidore that benefits MLS through the program, it will continue in some form. I just hope that MLS and US Soccer can find a way to improve the rate of top footballers who graduate from GA.

What do you think? Are you happy with the way the Generation adidas program is working in its current form? Do you have any ideas how it can be improved? Comment below and give your feedback about the way MLS handles the young player.

After watching Monday night’s somewhat fortunate victory over Reading, I was left with a keen sense of frustration at the inconsistent nature of the Manchester United wide men currently at the club. Obviously the performance of Nani exuded attacking flair and skill that was a delight to witness, but unfortunately as is the case with Nani this does not happen regularly enough. However, it is my belief that Nani at even 70% of his maximum performance is a far better alternative than Messer’s Young and Valencia at this present juncture.

In the case of Valencia, his performances this season have simply been disgraceful. How can a player training every day and paid a significant sum be only able to use his right foot? The total inept nature of his performances has seen him resemble a Sunday league player, although this would be probably harsh to a large majority of Sunday league players out there. His performances for United have regressed at an alarming rate and unfortunately I just cannot see any light at the end of the road for Valencia. The end is nigh for Antonio and how he is still getting game time is beyond me.

Moving on from the disappointment that is Valencia, leaves me with the serial underachiever that is Ashley Young, his arrival was greeted by many pundits as a masterstroke, but nearly eighteen months on from his move, what has he actually done? His much lauded final ball and ability to score goals, that marked him out as a star in the Villa team has seemingly disserted him and now we are witnessing a player that looks totally clueless when he appears on the pitch. His miss last night from two yards out epitomises the lack of quality in his game and I am at a loss in understanding how a player so revered two years ago, now resembles a shadow of his former self.

For years United has been home to some of the games finest wingers. Old Trafford has marvelled at the skills of players like Best, Coppell, Beckham, Giggs and Kanchelskis, yet now the patrons are treated to the most inconsistent trio of wide men to ever grace this wonderful arena. Obviously the impending signing of Zaha should evoke a more sustained response from United’s trio, but Nani aside the other two have thus far failed to highlight their value to a side needing all players on the top of their games if they are going to be a factor in the later stages of the Champions League.

Inconsistency is a word that is often bandied about in relation to football, but on this occasion it perfectly describes the performances of United’s three wide men this season. The unpredictability of football is such that one or perhaps even two of these players may have terrific end of season runs, but sadly their form does not suggest this will come to pass. This season has witnessed United play the diamond formation on occasion and this is simply a response to the form of the above mentioned trio. If United are to reach the later stages of the Champions League, then these players will finally have to remind people why they arrived at Old Trafford in the first place and join the pantheon of greats that have gone before.

We begin the march towards Season Eighteen of the United States’ and Canada’s top division, Major League Soccer!

We here at MajorLeagueSoccerTalk.com cannot wait for the commencement of the next chapter of this great league. We want to bring forth a quality prologue to the drama and action that dictate the 19 teams’ chances at hoisting MLS Cup 2013. Will the Los Angeles Galaxy repeat as MLS Cup Champions? Will San Jose be able to live up to the increased expectations from their superb 2012 run? Will the New York Red Bulls and new Head Coach Mike Petke finally find the right formula for the ultimate success? Or can Peter Vermes overcome some key departures to get Sporting Kansas City back to the top? We can’t wait for Sporting to square off with the Philadelphia Union on the afternoon of March 2, opening play for 2013.  Until that moment, we will preview what is to come.

In years past, our previews have been primarily team-by-team profiles. If you want that kind of analysis, our podcast will take that approach in breaking down every club, from Chicago to Vancouver. While we do find value in breaking down roster moves, tactical tendencies, and season outlooks for each organization, sometimes it can be good to break out of a rut and give something new a shot.

So this year, our Preview articles will be based on broader topics. We feel there are a number of items to discuss that allow us to branch beyond individual squads. From a bevy of new coaches taking control of teams, to the constraints of the current salary structure in MLS, we feel this provides an opportunity to bring out more of the nuances in the league. It also gives us a chance to preview other competitions – NASL as well as the Centennial edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Of course, we will conclude this approach to March 2 with our usual comic relief, the always beloved staff Predictions. We’d like to say that we were on top of the Earthquakes’ Supporters Shield surprise, but it’s tough to find anyone on the web who had that shocker picked.

And if you have a topic you’d like us to devour, feel free to comment below. While we feel we’ve planned out a bunch of excellent concepts, we want to respond to our readers’ cravings. Drop us a line and we’ll try to make it happen.

So look out tomorrow for our first post, and then expect more form the usual cast of characters. The new season is almost here, and we’re ready for some football!

They had to start out on the road, in probably the most daunting environment they will face. Honduras declared Wednesday a National Holiday in order to allow their citizens to prepare for this match against these Gringos from the North.

They then had to face temperatures in the 90’s. The starting XI was filled with players plying their trade in Europe or the US – not a single player from Liga MX where things stay much milder in the Winter.

With the Hex starting in February, shoved in the middle of the European calendar, the players abroad didn’t come into Camp until Monday – they only had two days together before the match at Estadio Olimpico.

And finally, they were without their most recognizable figure. Landon Donovan had taken the entire winter off from soccer, and made it clear he was out for at least the February match in San Pedro Sula.

Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, from Stadiumvibe.com

Of course, the best often overcome these types of conspiring difficulties. On Wednesday, that was not the case. New England Revolution forward Jerry Bengtson popped home a ball just outside the six after a defensive lapse by the US, and the Catrachos opened play with a 2-1 victory.

Things looked up for the Americans just after the half-hour mark. Jermaine Jones played a looping through ball to Clint Dempsey, who volleyed the ball past Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares. That 1-0 lead was short-lived though, as left back Juan Carlos Garcia executed a wondrous overhead kick to level the score for Honduras.

The US backline looked shaky throughout the match, due to the fact that it was the first match where Geoff Cameron and Omar Gonzalez manned the center of defense together. Gonzalez is certainly the future of the US backline, and maybe this introduction was a year late. Ah, another thing that conspired against the US – Gonzalez’ freak injury while in Germany (caused by his US backline mate Tim Chandler) likely postponed his ascendancy for a year.

That final goal from Bengtson with just over 10 minutes to play exposed the inexperience of the defensive pairing. A ball was played through to Houston Dynamo midfielder Oscar Boniek-Garcia, who beat both Cameron and Tim Howard to the ball. He was able to slip a pass towards the goal, and Gonzalez reacted too slowly to the situation. Bengtson streaked in to put it in the back of the net from a few feet out.

It will be easy to second-guess much of what Jurgen Klinsmann put out on the pitch today. As I listed above, there are also plenty of excuses why it might not have mattered. All we’re left with are the facts – the US just was not good enough in this match. They lacked the ability to dictate the play. When they did have opportunities to control the match, pressure in the final third snuffed things out, much like it did against Canada in the friendly a week ago.

It will be a long month until the next international weekend. The Americans will face Costa Rica at high altitude in Colorado, and then drop down to Mexico City to face El Tri. Maybe by that time Donovan will reconsider his position with the team. The team should have 3-4 days together to prepare for Costa Rica, and all of the players will be in season. And the weather should be much more temperate.

In other words, the circumstances should not conspire as much against the US. In other words, no more excuses.