We’ve heard the complaints all week, and rather all year, about the congested MLS schedule. Today in his blog, MLS Commissioner Don Garber addressed that very issue. He like many of us were upset to see a showcase game last week with LA and Chicago lose its luster over the amount of players called into international duty.

He said it was a testament to the league’s quality, and while I agree with him on that it still could have been avoided with proper planning.

When scheduled, the date was one of a limited number during the year that the Galaxy could host an ESPN2 Thursday night game. It is often very difficult to forecast early in the year who will be called up for national team duty. But that is only part of the issue.

The real issue is the ongoing challenge of playing MLS games during the FIFA international fixture dates.

With international club and country competitions occupying many mid-week slots during the season, we simply would not be able to fit our 30-game season into our current window that extends from the last weekend of March through end of November if we did not play MLS games on the FIFA dates.

Our options include reducing the number of tournaments in which our teams participate and/or starting the season in the beginning of March, when weather and low attendance create issues in many markets.

During the next few months leading up to our November Board of Governors Meeting during the MLS Cup Weekend, we will be looking at our ongoing scheduling challenges. While it is not practical to reposition our entire schedule, we will be focused not just on the FIFA dates, but also the number of tournaments played by our teams. Unless we make some changes, we will face even more challenges in 2009, with an uneven number of teams (the addition of Seattle brings us to a total of 15) and with the FIFA Confederations Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup taking place in the middle of our season.

Good at least they will address it. Or so they say. In all honesty they should do what most have been calling for a while now. Move the schedule up to start in March and forget about some of these meaningless tournaments like the Pan-Pacific Tourament. Not to mention they have to find a clearer balance between the clubs who participate in SuperLiga and the CONCACAF Champions League.

I know they don’t really want to move things up earlier into March but I think they have to at this point. They won’t redo the schedule to be like most of the world, which in all reality is fine because MLS is more of a summer league than a fall-to-spring league. The money for one just doesn’t make sense for MLS to play from August to May like most leagues. Then there is the weather issue. Sure in March it will still be cold in most MLS towns. That can be avoided with proper planning too, plus some people actually like soccer in colder weather.

Begin the year at the start of March and end the season when you do now. This should allow the league a little bit of extra space for those international dates and for those extra club tournaments.

What do you think? Push the schedule up or keep it like it is but make only minor changes? I don’t even mention the other (switch to a Euro-style of schedule) because I just don’t see it ever happening here…like promotion/relegation…which is another topic for another day I suppose.

The first round of preliminaries are nearly over, one match is left to be played today (Pumas v Harbor View). You can thank the oncoming Hurricane for the delay. But let’s recap the first round of games.

Deportivo Jalapa (Guatemala) 1 – 0 San Fransisco (Panama)
Joe Republic (Trinidad and Tobago) 2 – 1 New England Revolution (USA)
LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica) 1 – 1 Puerto Rico Islanders
Cruz Azul (Mexico) 6 – 0 Hankook Verdes (Belize)
Tauro (Panama) 2 – 0 Chivas USA (USA)
Montreal Impact (Canada) 1 – 0 Real Esteli (Nicaragua)
Metapán (El Salvador) 2 – 2 Marathón (Honduras)

Obviously we have one club that is easily through to the group stages at this point. Mexican side Cruz Azul had little trouble with Hankook Verdes. In fact they could pretty much not show up for the return leg next week and still go through.

The two USL sides (Puerto Rico and Montreal) played well. Montreal narrowly scored a home victory in front of a packed Saputo Stadium. The Islanders may have gotten the best result though of any USL/MLS club, the 1-1 draw on the road sets them up nicely to advance to the group stages. Think about that for a moment, a USL side in the group stages. The possibility of two USL sides in the group stages would be pretty cool. Then again so would four MLS sides.

New England is still safe to advance despite the loss. They should be able to bounce back in the return leg next week.

Chivas will struggle to advance to the group stages. Which is sad really. Their depth just isn’t up to par and losing on the road in Panama definitely hurt this club.

I will admit I am trying my best to get into this tournament. Maybe once the group stages begin it will be a bit easier. What did you make of the first round of games here? Anything stand out to you?

First off, sorry for the late start today (and yesterday even), I’ve been battling a lovely cold this week so hopefully that has all passed here as we head into the weekend. All 14 clubs are involved in action this weekend starting with a rare Friday Night Lights game tonight out in the Rocky Mountains. Then we head into the usual weekend menu of five on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Its great that all these games have some sort of playoff implications to them at this point in the year. Nearly every club is still in the hunt to some degree. Some clubs are probably starting to slip into desperation mode here as we only have nine games (or eight after this weekend) left on the year.

As always feel free to pipe in your predictions below. Continue Reading…

I mentioned yesterday that it wouldn’t take long before we hear Sacha Kljestan’s name being mentioned by several European clubs for a transfer move. Today we get a report that Dutch club FC Twente is interested in the Chivas USA midfielder.

He could join former England boss Steve McClaren at Twente if they can make an offer MLS will accept. Expect that offer to be in the $2 to $4 million range from the reports I’m reading like this one from SBI.

I’ve been told that there are a couple other Dutch clubs that are interested in Kljestan after his performance against the Dutch Olympic team a week or so ago in that 2-2 draw. No word yet on a club other than Twente at this time but anytime you go on the international scene and play as well as Kljestan did you are bound to get some offers like one potentially from Twente.

Is it Kljestan’s time to move across the pond? Maybe, I would like to see him here for another year but as I mentioned before his time will come sooner rather than later to make the jump to a bigger league.

What do you make of this news? Good for Sacha? Think the season could get any worse for Chivas if they were to lose their best player?

I really had no intent of finding these photos today but felt they were worth passing on to everyone. Its some construction updates to some of the World Cup Stadiums in South Africa. Looks like they are well on their way to play host to the 2010 World Cup.

I won’t post too many but I will provide what it looks like now and what it is expected to look like in the end. I think early on my favorite might be the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Nothing like attending a game and then being able to go to the beach shortly after. Beautiful views from there I believe.

Most of these stadiums look pretty nice I must say. Any of you heading to Africa for the World Cup in a couple years?

Continue Reading…

Sir Bob has released his 20-man roster for next week’s World Cup qualifier in Cuba (Sept. 6) and for the home match in Bridgeview, Ill., against Trinidad and Tobago (Sept. 10).

GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan.

DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce, Frankie Hejduk, Danny Califf, Steve Cherundolo*, Michael Orozco, Marvell Wynne.

MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu, Eddie Lewis, Sacha Kljestan.

FORWARDS: Brian Ching, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson.

*suspended for Cuba game

Let the “Where’s Kenny Cooper” chants begin. Honestly I am over him not being called these days. I’d almost rather see Edson Buddle get the call at this point. I’d still like to see Freddy Adu or Jozy Altidore get the call but I suppose since they are getting settled with their new clubs it makes sense for Bob not to call them at the moment.

What do you make of this roster? Happy? Hating Bob? Let’s hear it.

A lot has been made of the players this summer who have left Major League Soccer for higher wages in Europe. I figured since today was a slower news day I would take a look at the next group of guys that could potentially cash in on a move across the pond.

Feel free to give your thoughts on a player listed here or bring up a name that isn’t being talked about that could see a move across the pond.

I will do this in a couple different sections too. Players who could go now or have tried and players who are more in line to be the next Brad Guzan or Maurice Edu.

Players Who’ve Tried:

1. Kenny Cooper, FC Dallas: We all know Coopers attempts this summer to go to either Rosenborg or in Cardiff City. FC Dallas said no way to any and all transfer fees, even the really nice ones like Cardiff’s $4 million offer. I think we all know his name will be thrown out again come winter, even though his club has a couple options left on his contract AND they are still actively working to get him a new deal.

2. Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy: We’ve heard him say he wants to try his hand at Europe once more. I would say if this whole deal with Bruce Arena falls apart you could see him throw his name out a bit more. But in all reality he is a whipped man at home and he doesn’t appear ready to leave his wife and TV star Bianca Kajlich behind just yet. I think its more of a thing if her TV career falls in the tanks, you could see him go. For me its a ‘never-say-never’ kind of thing with Landon and Europe.

3. Taylor Twellman, New England Revolution: He tried to leave and it didn’t happen. Sort of like what Dallas did with Cooper. Said no way and good day. I think Twellman’s injury status this season and the Revs quality play may help him out if he still wants to leave this winter. The Revs know they can win without him, but the biggest question will be if anyone still wants him. I’m sure they do but it may not be as high of a value as it could have been back in January.

4. Shalrie Joseph, New England Revolution: The man should be in the big-boy leagues but he isn’t yet. He nearly went to Celtic at one point and I would not be shocked to see him try to go once again if he isn’t happy. If the right deal comes along you could see Joseph land a nice contract with a good team in Europe. I think that’s what he is waiting on if he still has European aspirations.

5. Pablo Mastroeni, Colorado Rapids: He wants to go after this year and he will. It is just a matter of where. I’d kind of love to see him get traded this year to an actual contender and see him get a MLS Cup before he goes. Continue Reading…