Will we see more of Conor Casey with the US National Team? (Getty Images)

Good evening folks, I hope everyone is having a good day. Now that we are in the evening it is time once again for some links and thoughts. I only have two items tonight and really only one link.

My first thought of the night centers around the US Men’s National team and their upcoming friendlies this month in Europe. Bob Bradley should announce in the next couple weeks his roster for both the Denmark and Slovakia games.

Most people believe Bradley will use these games, as well as a couple more in January and probably in March to really fill out his roster for next summer. Both Denmark and Slovakia present their own challenges and I will try to go into that on another post down the road. The big concern right now is in the back for the US and up top. Injuries play a factor in why Bradley needs these friendlies to fill the holes as does playing time with one’s clubs.

Most figure it will be a good mix of MLS players, those not in the MLS Cup hunt, and a sprinkle of European players since the games are on European soil. More than likely Bradley won’t be able to get his biggest needs met this month though because of the MLS playoffs. Guys he will want to see more of like Stuart Holden, Chad Marshall, and even Sacha Kljestan are all still playing with their clubs in hopes for a MLS Cup.

Now things could happen and clubs could lose which may help Bradley. More than likely he will call a few surprises from the league here and some are hoping for players like Jeff Cunningham or even a Robbie Findley to be called to try out at striker. I honestly don’t want either called for that role. Sure both had a good season but they seem more fit for a January call at home than a call right now on the road. I really want to see more of Conor Casey or Kenny Cooper with Jozy Alitdore up top than Bradley trying out Findley for a game.

These two games are important since they are in Europe but I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see Bradley put out a B squad more than an A squad here. At the end of the day I just hope the squad put on the field does well and gets a quality result on European soil.

Continue Reading…

Empty stands were a common sight at Pizza Hut Park this year. (Getty Images)

I hope everyone is getting use to the longer days again after the time change this weekend. Nothing like getting darker a bit earlier again here but that’s just how it goes. I have a few goodies to discuss tonight leading off with a big time look at something former Chicago Fire GM Peter Wilt sent Alexi Lalas a few years back. After that I have an update on a U-17 player possibly turning pro and the defense of Tom Soehn.

Back to Peter Wilt though. Buzz Carrick at 3rdDegree wrote a big story on this earlier today and he implied this material towards FC Dallas. I think not only FC Dallas front office members need to look into this but so do a few other clubs in the league. It stems from a email that Peter Wilt wrote Alexi Lalas right before Lalas took over as the GM of the old San Jose Earthquakes back in 2004.

Basically it is 12 keys to running a franchise along with 10 secrets to sell MLS. Obviously Lalas never really took half of these items to heart as he was canned by the Quakes and then the Red Bulls and then the Galaxy all within a couple years. But the items listed are certainly valuable that a lot of clubs outside of DC, Houston, Seattle, and Toronto need to pay attention to.

Now I won’t go and list everything off here but there are some key points that would certainly improve a lot of clubs attendance numbers and possibly their on-field production. One that jumped out at me was “Get people to CARE about the sport, team and league”. It seems far too often teams aren’t going after the real crowd that does care about those three things. I’ve always said a way to fix the attendance issues to is to market to your own, meaning market to those that already love the sport not just the mom and pop crowds that we’ve seen for years. Look at Toronto and Seattle for example do you think they market to the soccer moms out there? Hell no, they quickly marketed this new club to those hardcore fans who then were able to amp up the excitement to those less hardcore about the sport.

Another that jumped out to me was in the secrets to MLS area. Wilt said to use the phones and emails to get folks back. Now I know a lot of folks hate cold calls or junk email but believe me they do work in ways that you’d never believe if done correctly. Especially with email and the internet. We live in an email world these days and I can’t tell you how many clubs I get emails from that don’t give ticket info and what not. I know ticket salesman don’t have the easiest of jobs but I think at the end of the day you have to try and some clubs just don’t try hard enough.

I really don’t believe it is rocket science to get people to come to MLS games. Wilt had the right idea before he was canned in Chicago. Some clubs just get it and others continue to fall behind the bar.

Continue Reading…

Just a few bits and pieces tonight. I’ve gotten a couple thoughts on some club’s playoff chances along with some info on Blanco’s future in the Windy City and some thoughts on an interesting interview with Peter Wilt.

First up the playoff talk. Most of you know I mention Sportsclubstats.com when I talk about playoff chances for each club. I followed that site regularly last year and again this season, so far it’s been pretty good at showing how each club is doing and what they need to do to get in the playoffs.

Well, another interesting site has popped up. Playoffstatus.com has an interesting MLS section on a few different things including playoff chances. They break things down a little differently and probably not as flashy as the other site but still worth looking at if you get the chance.

Below is what they have for playoff chances.

I know the font is a little small towards the bottom so I will explain it a little more.

The red X means the club has no shot in hell at making the playoffs (New York), the numbers in red with a percentage mean the club has no control over their own destiny at reaching a certain playoff spot, while on the flips side a number in green means the club does control their own destiny. One would argue every club controls their own fate no matter what but we will go with what they have for this time for argument sake.

Most interesting thing that I gathered from this is Chivas’ chances to crash the western conference automatic bid party this year. They were a lock the first months of the season to do so before their summer decline but now they could be back on the way up. It also doesn’t hurt that they have a real easy schedule from here on out (home games against New York, San Jose, KC; and a road trip to Chicago who owns one of the worst home records).

Still plenty of soccer to be played and nothing is really locked up except for New York’s elimination from the playoffs this year.

Continue Reading…