Funny how things work.
In the winter MLS news is as hard to come by as a pro-Republican stand up comic. Yesterday a couple relatively significant items moved across news wires.
Admittedly, in the post-12 hours since they moved these items have probably been eaten, digested and processed by the vocarious soccer-sphere. All that are left are the by-products, so I'll turn them into SPAM.
Enjoy.
** Item No. 1 -- MLS tweaks foreign allotment spots from seven to eight.
What it means -- With the possibility of four teams entering the league in the next two years -- San Jose, Seattle definite and Philly and St. Loo long-rumored -- there will be a shortage of players, at least domestically. Eighty first-division caliber players aren't simply going to appear overnight.
This makes sense since it makes more sense for the quality of play to bring in some young players from the Americas, ideally already in professional development as opposed to college players.
The rule also gets rid of the difference between senior and youth internationals, which is wise. Teams can also trade the allotment and the wire story mentions the all-Mexican Chivas team and Arsenal fielding an all-non English first XI. (Wait the Gunners actually had some English blokes out there yesterday in the Carling Cups. Gwah!)
The funny thing is that the best players on Chivas USA -- Guzan, Bornstein, Klejstan, etc. are all American. Go figure.
Long term, this going to open the door for more pros from Latin America to come to MLS, not aging Euros like that Beckham fellow. Think about it, if you're a young kid from Honduras or Columbia, like Juan Toja, would you rather play in your homeland and face threats like kidnapping, riots, etc. or come to America where you can buy a huge tub of Ben & Jerry's at Wal-Mart?
Also, buried in the copy is that Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson and Carlos Ruiz will continued to be grandfathered under the designated player spot for the next two years.
** Item No. 2 -- Red Bulls hire Juan Carlos Osorio for their 452nd coach in 12 years.
What it means -- Remember when I wrote about MLS recycling coaches. They did it again.
Hopefully Osorio is being paid handsomely, because coaching in the Jersey swamp is a coaching graveyard.
The former Fire coach inherits a team with countryman Juan Pablo Angel, rising American phenom Jozy Altidore ... and not much else.
The biggest question for RBNY is if they'll retain Claudio Reyna for the DP spot. Seems like that money would be better used than a broken-down holding midfielder that isn't a gate attraction. But that's just me.
More immediate, is the monumental task of making New Yorkers realize the Red Bulls actually exist. Winning might not even do that.
Good luck.
** Item No. 3 -- CONCACAF Champions Cup Draw.
What it means -- Well, this is DC United's award for being the best during the MLS regular season. Hope they enjoy it.
League champ Houston gets CSD Municipal of Guatemala in a two-leg series. United plays Jamaica's Harbour View. Both MLS teams should win these ties.
The only real threats are Saprissa and Pachuca.
It would be nice for the league to finally win this and get a trip to the Club World Cup, even though that tournament doesn't mean much.
** Non-MLS Item -- Uno-Brow moves to Man City.
What this means -- If you thought I didn't like Sven & Co. before, brace yourself.
The puzzling aspect of this is, why did Shakhtar Donetsk spend 30 million Euros to buy Nery Castillo from Olympiacos, only to loan him out six months later. Perhaps since Shakhtar is owned by Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov. Might have something to do with it.
Realistically, it's likely because Castillo hated Ukraine (a shocker), couldn't comprehend the Cyrillic alphabet and the team was knocked out of the Champions League.
Does the move make City a threat for the PL top four? Ehh. Liverpool would really have to suck.
** Non-MLS Item No. 2 -- Adraaaaaaaaaaaaiaaaannnooooooo leaves Inter for Sao Paulo.
What this means -- Yeah, hmm, let's see. The guy is battling alcohol and conditioning issues and he's going to Brasil, before Carnival? This won't end well.
It says something for Inter -- the closest thing there is to a No. 1 team in the world right now -- that they can dump him for nothing and not lose a beat.
Housecleaning Dept. -- Currently working on the ever popular year-end review thingamabob. Users feedback or suggestions is more than wanted. Come up with a category or a video or anything and send it to me and I'll credit you. hoopscardillo at yahoo.com. Thanks in advance.
In the winter MLS news is as hard to come by as a pro-Republican stand up comic. Yesterday a couple relatively significant items moved across news wires.
Admittedly, in the post-12 hours since they moved these items have probably been eaten, digested and processed by the vocarious soccer-sphere. All that are left are the by-products, so I'll turn them into SPAM.
Enjoy.
** Item No. 1 -- MLS tweaks foreign allotment spots from seven to eight.
What it means -- With the possibility of four teams entering the league in the next two years -- San Jose, Seattle definite and Philly and St. Loo long-rumored -- there will be a shortage of players, at least domestically. Eighty first-division caliber players aren't simply going to appear overnight.
This makes sense since it makes more sense for the quality of play to bring in some young players from the Americas, ideally already in professional development as opposed to college players.
The rule also gets rid of the difference between senior and youth internationals, which is wise. Teams can also trade the allotment and the wire story mentions the all-Mexican Chivas team and Arsenal fielding an all-non English first XI. (Wait the Gunners actually had some English blokes out there yesterday in the Carling Cups. Gwah!)
The funny thing is that the best players on Chivas USA -- Guzan, Bornstein, Klejstan, etc. are all American. Go figure.
Long term, this going to open the door for more pros from Latin America to come to MLS, not aging Euros like that Beckham fellow. Think about it, if you're a young kid from Honduras or Columbia, like Juan Toja, would you rather play in your homeland and face threats like kidnapping, riots, etc. or come to America where you can buy a huge tub of Ben & Jerry's at Wal-Mart?
Also, buried in the copy is that Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson and Carlos Ruiz will continued to be grandfathered under the designated player spot for the next two years.
** Item No. 2 -- Red Bulls hire Juan Carlos Osorio for their 452nd coach in 12 years.
What it means -- Remember when I wrote about MLS recycling coaches. They did it again.
Hopefully Osorio is being paid handsomely, because coaching in the Jersey swamp is a coaching graveyard.
The former Fire coach inherits a team with countryman Juan Pablo Angel, rising American phenom Jozy Altidore ... and not much else.
The biggest question for RBNY is if they'll retain Claudio Reyna for the DP spot. Seems like that money would be better used than a broken-down holding midfielder that isn't a gate attraction. But that's just me.
More immediate, is the monumental task of making New Yorkers realize the Red Bulls actually exist. Winning might not even do that.
Good luck.
** Item No. 3 -- CONCACAF Champions Cup Draw.
What it means -- Well, this is DC United's award for being the best during the MLS regular season. Hope they enjoy it.
League champ Houston gets CSD Municipal of Guatemala in a two-leg series. United plays Jamaica's Harbour View. Both MLS teams should win these ties.
The only real threats are Saprissa and Pachuca.
It would be nice for the league to finally win this and get a trip to the Club World Cup, even though that tournament doesn't mean much.
** Non-MLS Item -- Uno-Brow moves to Man City.
What this means -- If you thought I didn't like Sven & Co. before, brace yourself.
The puzzling aspect of this is, why did Shakhtar Donetsk spend 30 million Euros to buy Nery Castillo from Olympiacos, only to loan him out six months later. Perhaps since Shakhtar is owned by Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov. Might have something to do with it.
Realistically, it's likely because Castillo hated Ukraine (a shocker), couldn't comprehend the Cyrillic alphabet and the team was knocked out of the Champions League.
Does the move make City a threat for the PL top four? Ehh. Liverpool would really have to suck.
** Non-MLS Item No. 2 -- Adraaaaaaaaaaaaiaaaannnooooooo leaves Inter for Sao Paulo.
What this means -- Yeah, hmm, let's see. The guy is battling alcohol and conditioning issues and he's going to Brasil, before Carnival? This won't end well.
It says something for Inter -- the closest thing there is to a No. 1 team in the world right now -- that they can dump him for nothing and not lose a beat.
Housecleaning Dept. -- Currently working on the ever popular year-end review thingamabob. Users feedback or suggestions is more than wanted. Come up with a category or a video or anything and send it to me and I'll credit you. hoopscardillo at yahoo.com. Thanks in advance.
Labels: MLS, odds and ends, Soccer
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