<div style="width: 445px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a title="Fireworks over DC by marc.benton, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27302612@N03/3688731031/"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3688731031_83fa6d8e51.jpg" alt="Fireworks over DC" width="435" height="500"></figure></div></a>Photo by Marc Benton</div>
As <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/01/millions-hitting-the-roads-skies-for-july-4-holiday-weekend/" target="_blank">39 million drivers</a> begin to celebrate their long weekend and fireworks fans tremble at the glut of explosions about to dominate the sky, soccer fans have an even bigger reason to celebrate. &nbsp;Looking at the MLS and international soccer schedule this weekend, there is no lack of quality, readily available matches to watch. &nbsp;In fact, I will go out on a limb and say this is the best weekend for MLS fans ever.
Why do I say that? &nbsp;Here are a few reasons:

Huge number of televised games: On a good weekend, an MLS fan can catch two national English language games on Fox Soccer and ESPN2, one Spanish language game on Galavision, and maybe one local game if they live in a local market. &nbsp;This weekend (which I am including Monday) there are five national English games and one Spanish game: Philadelphia v. DCU on Soccer Night in America; San Jose/NY, Colorado/Houston, RSL/New England, and LA/Seattle on ESPN2; and Chivas/Chicago on Galavision. &nbsp;That’s unreal and very welcome.
Many of the matches will be critical to playoff berths: Roughly halfway through the season and we have a few matches that will be key for playoff positioning. &nbsp;Philadelphia will look to remain atop the East while DC United looks to make a strong playoff push with its new lineup. &nbsp;Columbus could conceivably move atop the East with a win in Dallas. &nbsp;RSL, with multiple games in hand, can begin to climb back atop the West on Monday if they beat New England. &nbsp;And Los Angeles versus Seattle pits the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Soccer Night in America: Pick a subplot from the DC United v. Philadelphia Union match. &nbsp;Can Dwayne De Rosario impress in his first game with DC? &nbsp;Will Brandon McDonald play and help the DC defense? &nbsp;Is this a budding rivalry, with the two cities about three hours apart on I-95 and rivalries in other sports? &nbsp;Is Veljko Paunovic as good as he has looked so far and is he this team’s difference maker? &nbsp;And will the Union, who are about a goal a game on the road, stymie the DC offense? &nbsp;This will be a great game.
Nutrilite Canadian Championship: While the match-up may seem very familiar (the teams played each other on Wednesday), the winner of this match will get a CONCACAF Champions League berth. &nbsp;And the last time they played in the NCC, the match was called due to weather, so this will be an intense game.
Plenty of non-MLS games to watch: The Women’s World Cup continues this weekend highlighted by USA/Colombia on Saturday at noon (ESPN) and Brazil/Norway on Sunday. &nbsp;On July 4th, Mexico will face Chile in a competitive match shown on Univision &nbsp;as part of Copa America; Brazil and Argentina will also have matches this weekend.
What match-up are you looking forward to most this weekend?

This May Be the Best MLS Weekend Ever

This May Be the Best MLS Weekend Ever - World Soccer Talk

<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a title="Untitled by 917press, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/917press/5762806099/"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/5762806099_147c0c7e67.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332"></figure></div></a>Photo by Sam Teigen</div>
Earlier this month DC United let midfielder Fred leave for Australia as a free transfer, signaling to the league that they would be in the market for a creative, play-making midfielder. &nbsp;Today they got their man. &nbsp;In a shocking move, DC sent midfielder and former captain Dax McCarty to New York for five-time All Star Dwayne De Rosario. &nbsp;Straight up.
Weirdly enough this is the second time both players have been traded this season. &nbsp;McCarty was acquired for DC in the offseason during the Expansion Draft in a trade widely hailed as a steal for DC. &nbsp;McCarty, who had just finished a stint with “Team Cupcake”, was seen as a rising star in the league and was immediately given the captain’s armband by Ben Olsen. &nbsp;However, after solid start to the season, McCarty struggled in his center midfield role and was replaced first by Branko Boskovic, then Fred in the DC midfield. &nbsp;By moving to New York, McCarty has a chance to hit the restart button and thrive in a possession passing system with Hans Backe. &nbsp;The key for New York is the amount of money they save by trading DeRo now; depending on the terms of the deal they could save enough money to acquire a position of need (cough cough keeper).
DeRo, he of five MLS Best XI selections and four MLS Cups, moves to DC from New York after leaving Toronto on April 1 for New York. &nbsp;Since joining the Red Bulls, he has two goals and four assists. &nbsp;The trade suggests that DC United is going for broke and feels the Eastern Conference is weak enough that they can make a run in the second half of the season, when their schedule gets arguably easier. &nbsp;De Rosario plugs into their midfield nicely and gives the Black-and-Red a scoring threat they lacked in the middle. &nbsp;His presence will also help keep Chris Pontius wide and with Charlie Davies in front and Pontius and Najar on his side, this DC attack could take a major step forward. &nbsp;Another key though will be DeRo’s presence in the locker room; this is a young team being built with the hard-nosed attitude of coach Ben Olsen and the Canadian’s past attitude problems could be a bad fit here.
Ironically&nbsp;this may not have been the most important trade for DC United today. &nbsp;Earlier, DC acquired San Jose defender Brandon McDonald for allocation money. &nbsp;The 25 year-old defender had taken Ike Opara’s spot in the ‘Quakes XI this season and instantly adds depth and a more physical defender to DC’s much maligned back line. &nbsp;In one day, DC may have become, with Philadelphia and New York (and Columbus?) as favorites in the Eastern Conference.
But what do you think?
[polldaddy poll=5186283]

DC United Swaps Dax McCarty for Dwayne DeRosario

DC United Swaps Dax McCarty for Dwayne DeRosario - World Soccer Talk

<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3636011324_0f19a6a91e.jpg" alt="radiohead." width="500" height="375"></figure></div>Photo by rula</div>
What, you may ask, is Robert thinking. &nbsp;Instead of a straight-forward and honest discussion and analysis of this weekend’s MLS action, he resorts to a cheap blogging trick and uses a popular band to help make his article different. &nbsp;What does a popular moody British rock band have to do with American soccer, and is he just doing this because he had his Radiohead Pandora station on while writing?
The thing about Radiohead’s music is that often times the subject of the song is misleading. &nbsp;Take, for example, Karma Police, one of their biggest songs. &nbsp;If you listen to the words and music, it sounds like an otherworldly treatise on the importance of doing good to others, lest the universe exact revenge. &nbsp;In reality, the song is an inside joke between band members promising revenge if they got too uptight. &nbsp;That is what this weekend’s action was like in MLS – so many of the results were misleading. &nbsp;Is Dallas better than Colorado and Philadelphia now the favorite than the East? &nbsp;Possibly, but not likely. &nbsp;In fact, the results of their individual matches were the factor of multiple factors that would not be replicated if the matches were played two weeks from now. &nbsp;So while the results this weekend were relevant, they are somewhat misleading in most cases. &nbsp;Just like many Radiohead songs, the meaning is deeper than the surface glance. &nbsp;That is why every match will be accompanied by an appropriate Radio song title.
So for the first time in MLS Talk history (and with credit to <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/simmons/index" target="_blank">ESPN’s Bill Simmons</a> for popularizing such things), I offer a summary of the weekend’s action as described by Radiohead.

“Jigsaw Falling Into Place” (FC Dallas 3, Colorado 0):<a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/f-c-dallas-3-0-colorado-rapids-mls-analysis/12256" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/f-c-dallas-3-0-colorado-rapids-mls-analysis/12256" target="_blank">Earl got it right in his article on this site</a>; Dallas wanted this match more. &nbsp;They were facing a Colorado team that had coasted through the first three weeks, were missing two of their best players, and may have been looking ahead to their battle with Real Salt Lake. &nbsp;Dallas was desperate for a win, and it showed. &nbsp;They dominated the match from the first whistle and after a few weeks of struggles, everything fell into place for them. &nbsp;Even Brek Shea looked good as a fullback, advancing up the sides to open up the Dallas attack. &nbsp;I mentioned this before, but I continue to be impressed with Fabian Castillo. &nbsp;His finishing isn’t quite there yet, but his speed and ball skills are very good. &nbsp;Enjoy having him on your team Dallas fans.
“2+2=5” (Seattle 2, Chicago 1): Just as 2+2 equalling 5 doesn’t make sense and symbolizes the man telling you what to think, so Sigi Schmid continues to try and convince MLS fans that O’Brian White is the answer for Seattle up front. &nbsp;And on Saturday night he was right. &nbsp;Schmid started three forwards and had White as the middle man, and he responded with a goal and an assist. &nbsp;Realistically, this team needs a healthy Fredy Montero to be effective and a threat in the West, but maybe White is a short-term answer for this team. &nbsp;Chicago trips up finally this year and maybe this is the beginning of their slide to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, as many people predicted in the preseason. &nbsp;Their date with Portland next week will be a telling match.
“Fake Plastic Trees” (Philadelphia 1, New York 0): Much like Tim Ream’s mistake in this game, this song has been described by Thom Yorke as “a breakdown of sorts”. &nbsp;The downside of really promising young players is that they tend to occasionally remind you that they are young players, and it can happen at the most inopportune times. &nbsp;New York will be fine, but this one has to sting a little. &nbsp;As for Philadelphia, a little confidence is a dangerous thing. &nbsp;This team has a major scalp on its mantle and despite having some talent holes, the confidence from a quick start can easily turn into becoming the surprise team of the year. &nbsp;<a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/philadelphia-union-1-0-new-york-union-pounces-on-rare-tim-ream-mistake/12264" target="_blank">See more from Daniel on this match.</a>
“No Surprises” (Real Salt Lake 2, New England 0): The song’s title is a good description of this result, it was RSL again taking care of business. &nbsp;What was a surprise were the players on the field. &nbsp;The Claret-and-Cobalt played a number of second-string players to allow their starters a little breather, while Steve Nicol mixed up his lineup due to the suspension of A.J. Soares and Petrovic’s return from injury. &nbsp;What also may not have been a surprise was that for the second New England match, one of the teams was reduced to nine players, except this time it was the home team that saw more red. &nbsp;Shalrie Joseph and Pat Phelan were given their marching orders late in the match, as was Will Johnson with two yellow cards.
“Lucky” (DC United 1, Los Angeles 1): <a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/la-galaxy-1-dc-united-1-chippy-game-ends-in-controversy/12269" target="_blank">I’ve covered this match in my game write-up yesterday</a>, but I couldn’t resist using this song title for the game. &nbsp;It is bizarre that Charlie Davies is your current Golden Boot leader with four goals, and two of them have come from controversial penalties. &nbsp;I mentioned this in my article, but you have to like how LA played if your a Galaxy fan. &nbsp;Maybe they should have extended their lead earlier, but with no Donovan this team played well and created some good chances. &nbsp;For DC, it may be time to be a bit worried. Despite the good result, this team keeps showing an inability to finish (except for penalties) and has some glaring defensive breakdowns every match.
“Paranoid Android” (San Jose 1, Toronto 1): Much like this Radiohead song, which is a mix-and-match of different musical stylings and homages, both of the teams are trying to establish an identity, as this game showed. &nbsp;For Toronto, life after DeRo and the implementation of total football has seen some growing pains, flashes of brilliant play mixed with some less than brilliant play. &nbsp;This was shown perfectly in this match as the Reds went ahead in the 27th minute on an Alan Gordon goal, but then had to play defense the rest of the match. &nbsp;They gave up an equalizer ten minutes later to uber-loanee Simon Dawkins and relied on Stefan Frei to hold on to the tie. &nbsp;San Jose still does not have a home win in three attempts this year.
“Let Down” (Chivas 0, Columbus 0): Two struggling teams show why they are struggling as this match saw more yellow cards (8) than shots on goal (4). &nbsp;Chivas held more of the possession but still played a defensive strategy and relied on the counter for opportunities, of which there were few. &nbsp;On a positive note for both teams, they earned a point and a shut out. &nbsp;But neither gave much reason for their supporters to be optimistic in the near term.
“My Iron Lung” (Houston 3, Vancouver 1): Just as My Iron Lung was Radiohead’s response to their mega-hit Creep, this match was a reaction to Vancouver’s high-scoring ways. &nbsp;The Whitecaps lead the league in goals scored but as often happens to a high-flying offense, sometimes that forward push leaves a weaker backline exposed. &nbsp;The match could also be described as the result of the ‘Caps last match, for they were missing usual starters Gershon Kossie and Eric Hassli on red card suspensions. &nbsp;This match saw three goals scored within five minutes, as Bobby Boswell assisted on the Dynamo’s first goal in the 37th minute and scored the second in the 42nd. &nbsp;In between those goals Camilo put a laser shot over Tally Hall’s head to put Vancouver on the scoreboard.

MLS Week Four As Analyzed by Radiohead

MLS Week Four As Analyzed by Radiohead - World Soccer Talk

<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a title="Toronto Skyline from BMO field by GregRob, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregrob/4561815791/"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/4561815791_35854c6f31.jpg" alt="Toronto Skyline from BMO field" width="500" height="375"></figure></div></a>Photo by GregRob</div>

 
Team: Toronto FC 
Coach: Aron Winter 
Last Year’s Finish: 9-8-15, 35 points. &nbsp;Eastern Conference: 5th
Toronto’s offseason can be described in one word – tumultuous. &nbsp;The team couldn’t win the media cycle because every time it had a positive offseason development, it took a step back. &nbsp;They brought on Jurgen Klinsmann to serve as an advisor to management, but dragged their feat in hiring a head coach and general manager. &nbsp;They finally hired knowledgeable football people for both roles, then they were shocked to learn their best player was in Scotland trying to get a new contract with a new club. &nbsp;Everything about this team screams rebuilding, and with a vision for the club now in place, the 2011 season looks to be one of transition for the Reds.
New head coach Aron Winter and general manager Paul Mariner both have incredible soccer pedigrees, and they have immediately begun to bolster a club whose depth was decimated in the offseason. &nbsp;Most of their signings and trades have an international flair, no doubt to allow Winter to play a more “Dutch” kind of soccer. &nbsp;However, with the biggest named players engaged in contract disputes and a formerly bloated roster in transition, Toronto could fall out of the playoff race quickly and hope to avoid an early 2012 draft pick with a late season rally.

Key Roster Additions: As we speak, management is adding players, trading yesterday for forward Alan Gordon. &nbsp;The club gave up potential starting midfielder Nick LaBrocca, but midfield is the one area where the team has some depth. &nbsp;Gordon will likely start in a Winter 4-3-3, although he is not exactly an impact player. &nbsp;The Reds’ offseason pickups are primarily young drafted players and European retreads. &nbsp;Maybe the biggest name of the bunch is former Ajax academy player Javier Martina. &nbsp;Martina is another striker signing but one Winter hopes can lead by example with his knowledge of the system Winter hopes to install. &nbsp;Just one problem – Martina has never scored a club goal and has little first team experience.
Although the team was active in the Superdraft, it gave up its first pick to Vancouver for Nathan Sturgis. &nbsp;Although Sturgis has extensive time in the U.S. youth system, he has little actual MLS playing time and may be a depth player more than anything. &nbsp;In the draft, a player to watch is third round pick Joao Plata. &nbsp;The diminutive Ecuadorian impressed scouts at the MLS combine but his size and poor play towards the end saw his stock drop. &nbsp;He may be one of the surprises of the draft.
Key Roster Subtractions: The team unloaded a host of players in the offseason who were underperforming or making too much money for the cap. &nbsp;Recognizable players like Mista, O’Brian White, and Fuad Ibrahim were made available for the expansion draft or outright released. &nbsp;The Reds did make a trade in the past few weeks, sending second-leading goal scorer Chad Barrett to Los Angeles for allocation money. &nbsp;Even with depth lacking in the position, the team decided to go in a different direction.
Projected Starters: Assuming Winter goes with the 4-3-3, he should have a solid core of players that can work within his system. &nbsp;In the back, keeper Stefan Frei is a solid to good goalkeeper, and should be a strength of the defense. &nbsp;The backline is in chaos when it should be more solid. &nbsp;Team MVP Adrian Cann is renegotiating his contract after walking out of camp angry over his salary and possibly inspired by the Dwayne De Rosario tantrum. &nbsp;When he comes back, he will partner with Nana Attakora. &nbsp;The wings will be new faces, either youngsters or international players.
The midfield is the most dynamic part of this team. &nbsp;Stars Julian De Guzman and Dwayne De Rosario return and need to continue playing well for Toronto to make a playoff run. &nbsp;As we saw last year, De Rosario scoring goals will not be enough for the team, De Guzman needs to provide more help on offense. &nbsp;LaBrocca had been playing as a holding midfielder but his trade opens a spot for Sturgis or another player.
Newcomer Javier Martina, as mentioned above, will be relied upon for knowledge, but not experience, as a forward in Winter’s system. &nbsp;The experience will come from returning forward Maicon Santos, who contributed four goals last season and will need to contribute more. &nbsp;The third forward and the other guy out wide could be Jacob Peterson or newcomer Alan Gordon.
 
Player to Watch: There are two players to keep an eye on, and for very different reasons. &nbsp;Adrian Cann, assuming he signs a new deal and returns to camp, had his bluff called by management. &nbsp;How does he respond to the embarrassment and the status as a higher-paid player? &nbsp;The second player to watch is Maicon Santos. &nbsp;The Reds really need some points from their forwards, and if he is the center forward in the 4-3-3, he should have plenty of opportunities to score.
Predictions: The offseason was simply a nightmare for this team. &nbsp;The fans were mad at management, the players were mad at management, the management went through an entire change, and now Toronto is basically hitting the reset button. &nbsp;This team may be one of the more talented teams in the Eastern Conference, especially if they do sign the rumored EPL-experienced player. &nbsp;But there is so much dysfunction that it will take more than a few months to work it all out and put a quality product on the field. &nbsp;At least they will be exciting – the leadership and brain trust on staff are excellent and will bring an attacking style of soccer to BMO Field. &nbsp;I can see this club acting like some European clubs who, seeing that they would be just wasting money staying in the top flight, go down a division, regroup and refinance, and come back stronger. &nbsp;Toronto will take their lumps this year, but if all goes all planned they may be one of the Eastern Conference favorites in 2012.
Prediction: 8th place Eastern Conference

MLS '11 Preview &#8211; Is Toronto the League's Worst Team?

MLS '11 Preview - Is Toronto the League's Worst Team? - World Soccer Talk

MLS '11 Preview – Is Toronto the League's Worst Team?

<div style="float: right;margin-left: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/san-jose-earthquakes/image/10039446?term=Dwayne+De+Rosario" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/10039446/san-jose-earthquakes/san-jose-earthquakes.jpg?size=234&amp;imageId=10039446" border="0" alt="TORONTO - SEPTEMBER 25: Dwayne De Rosario of Toronto FC celebrates his goal against San Jose Earthquakes during a MLS game at BMO Field September 25, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)" width="234" height="274"></figure></div></a></div>
Toronto FC is the type of club that MLS would love to be successful.&nbsp; They have a loyal and dedicated fan base, Toronto is a growing soccer market that hosted the 2008 All Star Game, and the team has a good core of players almost made a playoff run last year.&nbsp; Despite all this, the club’s offseason has been an absolute debacle to date.&nbsp; And with today’s Dwayne De Rosario news, a bad offseason could be turning even worse.
As an update, MLS 2010 Best XI player Dwayne De Rosario was caught on camera practicing with Scottish club Celtic this morning.&nbsp; De Rosario is under contract and Toronto FC today <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/despite-tfc-denials-de-rosario-trains-celtic" target="_blank">released a statement</a> saying he has not been given permission to train with any club.&nbsp; Celtic management is praising his training and it looks like they could offer a deal in the approaching transfer window (although all transfer rumors must be taken with a grain of salt).
While I am sure the rest of this story will be revealed in the coming days, it is a damning indication of the current chaos of the Toronto front office.&nbsp; If the details of the story are true and the club’s best player went for a tryout without their knowledge, it is a huge breach of contract by the player but also stunning the club had no idea where he was or what he was doing.&nbsp; Clubs should not have ankle bracelets on their players, but someone somewhere with connections in the organization should have heard something before now.&nbsp; Jurgen Klinsmann is incredibly connected, someone must have dropped him a line at some point!
Which leads to my second scenario – the club has known what is happening and wanted to keep it a secret.&nbsp; If that’s the case, then misleading fans by denying any knowledge of the training would be a huge blunder.&nbsp; As I said, this is speculation based on the facts as have been reported.
But none of this is surprising after the offseason in Toronto, which has to leave TFC fans frustrated and confused.The team is the only one in MLS that does not have a head coach and general manager after last season’s firings, and the lack of direction is showing.&nbsp; Hiring Klinsmann was supposed to provide credibility to the front office, but there have not been any visible signs of his impact on the organization.&nbsp; Earlier this month Klinsmann said the team would be “clearing up” the GM and head coach situation before Christmas.&nbsp; Here’s hoping they are negotiating with two great surprise picks after this delay.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/toronto-fc-does-the-unthinkable-it-listens-to-fans/10399" target="_blank">It’s not like fan-management relations are at an all-time high.</a>
On the field this team has had one focus – clearing cap space.&nbsp; While this is not a terrible goal in general, the direction is has taken the club is not a good one.&nbsp; So far this offseason, TFC has released or declined the options on eight players, traded one (Joseph Nane) to Colorado, and had one (O’Brian White) taken by Vancouver in the expansion draft.&nbsp; In player acquisitions, they have gotten one player – Nathan Sturgis.&nbsp; So while the team has gotten less expensive, the depth has been drastically hit.
So where does this leave Dwayne De Rosario?&nbsp; He is the team’s second DP, so if he is transferred to Celtic the club frees up a decent amount of money and a second DP space.&nbsp; This would allow them to begin making a complete overhaul of the roster with a goal of using the Superdraft and a key DP-signing or two to make this club a competitor in the weaker Eastern Conference.&nbsp; But again it goes back to management – what has the front office done to give fans confidence in the team?&nbsp; It will be interesting to see what TFC looks like in March 2011.

Toronto FC Continues Its Befuddling Offseason with De Rosario Controversy

Toronto FC Continues Its Befuddling Offseason with De Rosario Controversy - World Soccer Talk

<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/new-york-red-bulls/image/9486007?term=Don+Garber" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9486007/new-york-red-bulls/new-york-red-bulls.jpg?size=380&amp;imageId=9486007" border="0" alt="HARRISON, NJ - AUGUST 03: MLS Commisioner Don Garber speaks to the media during a press conference to introduce Rafa Marquez to the New York Red Bulls on August 3, 2010 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Red Bulls)" width="380" height="260"></figure></div></a></div>
Prior to the MLS Cup Final on Sunday, Don Garber held court today to discuss the good, the bad, and the future of MLS.&nbsp; Much of what he said is in no way surprising, but he did shed some light on some hot topics in the American soccer world –
Reserve League and Youth Development: MLS is seriously investing in youth and making it easier for clubs to develop their own players beginning next season. &nbsp;In 2011 rosters will be expanded to 30 players and the limit on signing homegrown players will be lifted; this year, clubs could only sign four. &nbsp;Prompted no doubt by the success of homegrown players like Andy Najar and the need for the national team to develop prospects (as well as saving money on signing players), MLS is certainly signaling its need to get younger. &nbsp;Of the 30 roster spots on each club, six will be reserved for players under 24 and their salaries will not count against the salary cap.
Additionally, Garber confirmed a poorly kept secret and announced the return of the <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/commissioner-reveals-details-reserve-division" target="_blank">Reserve League</a>. &nbsp;The league would consist of three six-team divisions. &nbsp;Each team would play ten matches and the players would be eligible to play on the senior team, just as in England. &nbsp;The MLS website notes that two current stars (Wondo and Omar Cummings) honed their trade in the prior Reserve League. &nbsp;Obviously this is a change MLS fans had been pining for and it shows that the league is serious about putting money into the developing young stars.
Salary Cap: The salary cap in 2011 will be $2.67m, not counting designated players and homegrown players. &nbsp;In addition, Garber discussed financial incentives for clubs that advance in the CCL. &nbsp;Garber revealed he and the board have had discussions about giving financial incentives to clubs who advance to certain stages in the CCL, with increasing amounts the farther they advance. &nbsp;Most importantly, this money can be used towards salaries, above and beyond the current cap.
Playoff System: Garber addressed the concerns about the playoff structure and said he never expected the Eastern Conference champ in ’10 to come from the West. &nbsp;He shared that, in addition to conference alignment, the current playoff format would be up for discussion by the board. &nbsp;However, he stressed that the playoffs were here to stay.
Best XI: Congratulations to Donovan Ricketts; Jamison Olave, Nate Borchers, Omar Gonzalez; Landon Donovan, David Ferreira, Javier Morales, Sebastian Le Toux, Dwayne De Rosario; Chris Wondolowski, and Edson Buddle for being named Best XI of 2010. &nbsp;The only real controversy is that Donovan was listed as a forward in eligibility, but made the squad as a midfielder.
What do you think about the return of the Reserve League, the squad and salary expansion, playoffs, or the Best XI?

Don Garber Addresses the Nation

Don Garber Addresses the Nation - World Soccer Talk

<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/podcast.jpg"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/2014/02/podcast-520x350.webp" alt="podcast" width="520" height="350" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-94878" sizes="(max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px"></figure></div></a>
In addition to being one of the most recognizable players in the history of Major League Soccer, Dwayne De Rosario is off to a hot start for Toronto FC: four matches, four goals. Unfortunately for Toronto FC and its supporters, the totals in the team’s points column have not been as good. On Monday, Dwayne joined me to talk about that, the transition to new coach Preki, as well as the importance of the new pitch at BMO.
But more importantly, Dwayne joined me to talk about World Malaria Day (April 25), which will be this coming Sunday. Dwayne has a long term association with <a href="http://www.unitedagainstmalaria.org/">United Against Malaria</a>, a foundation that brings together soccer teams, celebrities, global health organizations, governments, corporations and public citizens with the goal of eliminating malaria deaths by 2015.
The first step toward that goal is reaching the United Nations’ target of universal access to mosquito nets and malaria medicine, a goal the organization wants to reach by the end of this calendar year.
To help, <a href="http://www.unitedagainstmalaria.org/">UAM</a> is getting the support of celebrities like Bono, Ashley Judd, Anna Kournikova, Mandy Moore, and Molly Sims.
From the soccer world, Kolo Touré, Michael Essien, Sunil Gulati and Landon Donovan are supporting the cause.
Donovan appears in the following PSA:
For more information in UAM, you can visit <a href="http://www.unitedagainstmalaria.org/">http://www.unitedagainstmalaria.org/</a> ahead of Sunday, April 25: World Malaria Day.

Dwayne De Rosario: MLS Talk Podcast

Dwayne De Rosario: MLS Talk Podcast - World Soccer Talk

Latest news from Dwayne de Rosario. Find out about all the news related to Dwayne de Rosario on worldsoccertalk.com

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Dwayne de Rosario - Page 2"

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DC United Swaps Dax McCarty for Dwayne DeRosario

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