Steve Nicol did a lot in New England but the last couple years weren't enough. (Getty Images)

This is news we have to say we saw coming a long time ago. The writing was pretty much on the wall last year, if not the year before that, and it most certainly came full circle this season. The New England Revolution announced today that they have mutually parted ways with long-time manager Steve Nicol.

Nicol leaves the Revolution after 10 seasons, a league record for tenure with a single club. He posted a career record of 112-108-81, ranking second in MLS in overall career games coached (301) and fourth in wins.

Nicol took the Revolution to six successive MLS Eastern Conference Championship matches from 2002 through 2007, winning four to advance to MLS Cup four times: 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He also led the team to its first-ever cup championship, the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, as well as the SuperLiga 2008 crown to become the only MLS team to win the tournament.

“Robert and I met with Stevie today and we had a productive discussion about this past season and the direction the club needs to go in the future,” said Jonathan Kraft. “We all agreed a change of direction was needed to reverse the trend of the past couple of years. Stevie was a successful head coach and a tremendous ambassador for the Revolution for the past decade and set a high standard for success, leading us to four conference titles in six years. We thank him for all of his contributions.”

The downward trend the Revs had over the last two seasons was the worst in MLS. New England had 60 points in 64 matches between the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

I talked a lot this season about how the Revs were trending in the wrong direction and how Nicol was on the hot seat. After having the worst record in the league, the club did the wise thing to make this change. Mutual or not, it was a move that needed to happen. Over the last three or so seasons, the Revs have in a way been passed up by newcomers in the league. With the owners not willing to spend enough resources on the club, Nicol’s job became more difficult and in a way too much to overcome.

The biggest thing though in this is once Paul Mariner left the Revs, the club went into a decline. I’m not saying he was the sole reason why Nicol and the club did well all of those years, but the partnership between the two was the best in the league.

Who the Revs move on to will be a big question this fall and winter. I would say a move needs to be made quickly with the expansion draft coming up. A couple names pop up like former FC Dallas manager Colin Clark and current LA assistant manager Dave Sarachan.

Hans Backe and New York are on the brink of disaster. (Getty Images)

It has been a while since I last updated my coaching hot seat post. In fact I don’t believe I’ve updated it since Carlos de los Cobos was about to be let go in the Windy city earlier this summer.

There really shouldn’t be too many surprising names on this list below. Some are on it due to the league passing them by in terms of how things are structured now. Others are on here because their owners don’t put enough behind them to help them out. And then there are those that had such high expectations placed upon them at the start of the season.

1. Hans Backe (New York Red Bulls) – In New York, the coaching carousel goes and goes. Backe is really the first coach in a long while to last more than a year with this club and it seems as though two years may be all he will get if this club doesn’t start winning. His offense is fine but he hasn’t been able to put together a solid enough defense over the last year and a half to really make things worthwhile. If things don’t change in a hurry with this club they could somehow miss the playoff this season. It’s hard to believe that this club, with so much promise and talent, could miss the playoffs. Remember when Backe was talking about how important things like the Supporter’s Shield were at the start of the year? Seems like a distance memory now.

2. Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes) – This falls into a two prong kind of thing for me. For one, he and GM John Doyle probably need to go if this club fails to reach the playoffs this year. And two, this club needs a restart in a bad way. Yallop hasn’t had true success in this league since 2003, when times were drastically different and the competition was very thin. The club barely reached the playoffs last year and had it not been for a shocking win in New York and a crazy goal-scoring run by Chris Wondolowski, the team likely wouldn’t have had any hype going into this season. Injuries have played a part of this season for the Quakes for sure but at some point its also coming down to coaching. The club didn’t make any splash going into the season and waited until their season looked to be on the brink of a collapse before they made a move this summer. They’re still in the hunt for the playoffs but just barely. Things need to change regardless though in San Jose.

3. Steve Nicol (New England Revolution) – One of those where the league has passed him by a bit and his owners fail to pour any money into this club to help him out. I think we’re seeing more and more how important it was for Nicol to have Paul Mariner by his side too. Since Mariner left a couple years ago the Revs have been in nothing but a declining position. I bring it up because I see some of the moves Toronto is making right now and they clearly have Mariner’s finger prints on them.

But back to Nicol, he’s a great coach here. Don’t get me wrong, the talent has been there with this club over the years but in a way Nicol has run out of gambles and crazy moves that somehow worked a few years ago that don’t come close now. The Revs need to go on a ridiculous run to reach the playoffs this season and judging the way things have gone this year, it just isn’t going to happen.

4. Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City) – Before KC fans go crazy, hear me out. Vermes did a good job getting his club from a ridiculous road trip to start the season to a place where they could reach the playoffs. Key word there is could. With so many home games left and the club tying many of their first home games against fairly weak sides, it takes a little bit of the excitement out of KC opening that beautiful stadium. I still believe this club is going in a solid direction but I’m not sure Vermes is the right person to lead the charge. I’ve said for a couple months that something is just lacking with this club and its a reason why they aren’t blowing people away with that offense that should be scoring goals by the buckets.

Other not far away:

Frank Klopas (Chicago Fire) – He’s an interim coach, I know, but at some point he’s gotta hand over the keys to this club to someone who knows what they’re doing.

Dominic Kinnear (Houston Dynamo) – The Orange are lucky to be in the Eastern Conference right now, that much is true.

Shalrie Joseph will be called to lead in 2010. (Getty Images)

The winter months can either be good or bad on a Major League Soccer club. Its all really on who leaves the club and who comes in to help out. Take the New England Revolution for instance, each year its seems they lose one big name after another either in a trade, a transfer or just someone not wanting to re-sign with them.

Yet somehow the Revs always seem to bounce back in some form the following year thanks to manager Steve Nicol. But looking at this winter one has to wonder did they lose and give up too much?

Its time to find out as we take another preseason look-in to see how the club is doing and what they need to add before the season begins.

Keepers:

Who they have: Matt Reis, Preston Burpo, and Bobby Shuttleworth.

Notes: On paper right now this group is set but dig a little deeper and the club has to be concerned about injuries issues for at least the next couple months with Reis. That’s why they made the play for Burpo, a solid backup plan if you ask me. Once Reis is back to full health the Revs will continue to be find in this department.

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Defense:

Who they have: Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes, Gabriel Badilla, Emmanuel Osei, Cory Gibbs, and Seth Sinovic.

Notes: On paper this seems a little light but the youth there is so solid. I can’t tell you how big of a fan of Barnes and Alston I am. I also like that they went out and got Gibbs this winter too in that trade with the Rapids. Gibbs wants to be in New England and word has it he is a happy camper right now which is good to see for Revs fans.

They may have given up a bunch in the back this winter with Jay Heaps retiring and the trade of Chris Albright to New York but as long as they add one or two more parts back here, which they will, I don’t see a big drop in this club’s defense.

Right now it seems like they could still use at least one more outside back and one more center back for depth reasons.

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Midfield:

Who they have: Shalrie Joseph, Chris Tierney, Sainey Nyassi, Mauricio Castro, Michael Videira, Nico Colaluca, and Pat Phelan.

Notes: They took a beating in this department this winter losing both Steve Ralston to AC St. Louis and trading away Jeff Larentowicz. Honestly the loss of Larentowicz is harder on them as he allowed Joseph to be himself more than anyone out there. However they do have a young guy in Phelan who will help ease the loss of Larentowicz more than some realize.

Unfortunately they have not addressed the loss of Ralston just yet. I know Nicol is looking but the clock is ticking away here and waiting around until the summer to bring someone in to help get the attack going may be too risky. They need an assist machine like Ralston was and right now other than Joseph possibly stepping into that role I don’t know who else will do it here. Maybe one of the rookies like Zac Boggs who will likely end up in the midfield rather than as a forward on the pro level (if they end up keeping him).

Adding a playmaker or some depth on the wings will go a long way here to help this bunch compete in the east.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Taylor Twellman, Kenny Mansally, Kheli Dube, Edgaras Jankauskas, Zack Schilawski, and Zac Boggs.

Notes: The Revs have to bank on a couple things here this season. The big one is getting and keeping Twellman healthy for the season. I think if he can play at least 20 games (or more) this year it will be a positive thing. After that they have to hope Schilawski produces goals or helps create them…not to mention remembering that it was the Revs that picked him, not the Crew.

I still think they need to go after another scorer here. They can’t rely solely on Joseph to do the work this year. Mansally, Dube and Jankauskas have to step up more for them to be successful in the east.

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Overall:

Like I mentioned above we have seen this club lose a lot of quality players over the year but I honestly don’t know how they bounce back from this winter. Don’t get me wrong their draft wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good enough to make people comfortable right away. Defensively I think the club is going to be alright but just like last year they will be in a lot of close games until a scorer steps up or until Twellman is back to his old self.

I’m one that usually drinks the Steve Nicol kool-aid but this winter has me thinking now that Paul Mariner is gone along with Ralston and Larentowicz and the injury issues to Reis and Twellman that this could be a very long year for Revs fans.

A couple more moves may change my mind but I get a sense that the Revs are going into this season just like they are now.

Shalrie Joseph lead the way for the Revs in 2009. (Getty Images)

Sometimes less is more, and in the case of the 2009 edition of the New England Revolution less nearly became a lot. If you would have told me that the Revs would have lacked both Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman for the majority of the season and still made the playoffs this year I would have called you crazy.

Turns out crazy happened. The Revs were lead by Shalrie Joseph’s MVP feet all year long and while I believe Joseph played nearly every spot on the pitch except the one occupied by Matt Reis, the Revs ended up getting into the playoffs and nearly came away with a first round shocker over the Chicago Fire. But a trip to the Windy City over the weekend finally did in this group that saw more injuries during a season then any team that I can recall over the last few years.

Offensively the Revs were one of the worst in the league, just slightly behind the New York Red Bulls and the Kansas City Wizards for fewest goals scored this year. Defensively they were middle of the pack, which is impressive after losing Michael Parkhurst and having guys like Chris Albright sidelined for the majority of the season.

The Revs for some folks probably over-achieved in 2009 based on what they had and the amount of injuries they suffered this year. Steve Nicol proved why he is still a quality coach in this league when he plugged in third-round draft pick Darrius Barnes to the lineup, along with fellow rookie Kevin Alston to fill the void left when Parkhurst left over last winter. If you’d throw out out a blowout or two early in the year there is a change this club could have had one of the best defenses in the league. If Nicol can retain the young nucleus and a couple veterans like Jay Heaps in the back this defense could be good for years to come.

What Went Right In 2009:
Having Shalrie Joseph be the MVP that he is and carry the club pretty much all year was good to see. Finally Joseph is getting the long-overdue recognition for his efforts in New England this year. Some how battling through the injuries and making the playoffs as the third-seed in the east is remarkable. They remained consistent enough to get in the playoffs which should help them out in the coming years as the younger group of players mature with this club.

What Went Wrong In 2009:
You lose your best scorer for the majority of the season its always going to be a long year. Twellman played in two games this year, just two and he scored in both! Throw in the injury to Ralston that sidelined him for the most important part of the season, the final couple months and it is still remarkable they reached the post season like they did. This club clearly lacked some offensive punch without these two and at times their defense was a victim of it.

What’s Next:
I think keeping Jeff Larentowicz in a Revs kit will be a big thing in the coming months. If I am not mistaken his contract is up after this season and believe me this club would take a huge hit without him on the field. Second of all they have to find some reliable offensive parts. Kheli Dube is good but he isn’t a top scorer yet in this league. Also getting Twellman back to full health will be a big priority this winter. It also wouldn’t hurt to see this club spend some money this winter but we know the Krafts aren’t gonna do that anytime soon.

New England comes into town on a fairly hot streak despite the fact they just lost one of their key players Steve Ralston for the rest of the year to a knee injury. The loss of Ralston shakes up their midfield a bit and could put a damper into their offense. Thankfully for Steve Nicol, his club has done well recently defensive wise in slowing down teams like Seattle.

Dallas however will pose a bigger threat offensively that New England hasn’t faced in a few weeks. The hot streak of Jeff Cunningham and company leads many to wonder if Dallas is on the way up even though their playoff hopes henge on going undefeated from here out.

Look for Dallas to press hard in this one early as they cannot afford to even drop points with a draw in this one. New England will have to rely on a swift counter with MVP candidate Shalrie Joseph leading the way.

I think this one ends in a draw tonight with the way New England plays defense and the fact that they always seem to find success against Dallas in Dallas. I don’t know if the Cotton Bowl site will really have any affect on the game but it will be a nice turn back the clock kind of night for the boys in the red stripes.

WVH Prediction: Dallas 1, New England 1

In 2009, there has been pieces written on certain web sites and podcasts hosts on shows have said the American player is hurting because coaches within MLS are not up to standard. The big evidence is not one has gone overseas and been successful.

This analogy is completely wrong and I will speak out in Defense of American Coaches.

It took a long time for an American player to play in a top league in Europe and eventually Paul Caligiuri became the first to earn a contract in the Bundesliga in the 1980�s with Hamburg firstly, then Meppen and later Hansa Rostock and finally Freiburg before leaving to help kick start MLS in 1996. It was a milestone for American soccer and so were that generation of players. Now to compare that with American managers it is a completely different kettle of fish in that there are much more player opportunities then head coaching ones. The one similarity is that it�s a major stepping stone once the first coach can do it.

The next big argument that�s been vented against this subject is with the National Team in that some folks think that the USSF should hire a foreign coach instead of an American one. Why? They won�t know the system unless they�ve been in this country a number of years. Steve Nicol would be a perfect example of a foreign coach to take the National Team job because he�s been in the country since 1999 and clearly by looking back at his draft pick choices down the years he understands the American player. However, looking at current American coaches that could take the job there is plenty out there and once Bob Bradley�s reign comes to an end for one reason or another when it does, the top two choices are simple: Dominic Kinnear and Sigi Schmid.

Kinnear has demonstrated why he is arguably the top American coach around at the moment. His club is challenging for honors on a consistent basis, he has a system that is tried and trusted and has created a winning culture at the Houston Dynamo. Part of me wonders if Kinnear was the brains behind the San Jose Earthquakes two titles in 2001 and 2003 when he was the assistant to Frank Yallop? The Dynamo never seems to lack depth and for a club that competes on multiple fronts as they have done the last three or four years you need good depth where players know their roles. Kinnear also knows what type of player he wants in his team. Unlike some clubs in MLS who think signing a Designated Player will push them over the top, Kinnear just needs to add a piece to the puzzle and has publicly stated they don�t want to just sign a DP for the hell of it, only if he can help the Dynamo win.

As for Sigi Schmid, I think it�s fair to say the Galaxy haven�t been the same since he left although Steve Sampson did win the MLS Cup in 2005, but with Schmid�s team. Schmid getting fired when his club was top of the Western Conference is another topic for a another day. Schmid has been a winner wherever he�s been whether it�s at the college level with the UCLA Bruins or at the professional level at the Galaxy, Columbus Crew and now Seattle Sounders. He has also coached the U-20�s in between his stints at the Galaxy and Crew.

Both coaches know the system here in this country from the very depth�s of youth football to the very top level.

Other top American managers? Bob Bradley I will defend all day and all night and am happy the critics have gone into hiding for now. Bruce Arena is another one I am happy to defend because he�s accomplished so much and very quietly, at least until recently, has steadied the Galaxy ship by building from the back and adding steal to the spine of the team. All of a sudden, it seems Bruce hasn�t �lost it� since 2006 as critics have suggested.

Preki has seemed to make the transition from player to assistant to manager very well and has a good eye for players has he has proven this year with the additions of Mariano Trujillo, Bojan Stepanovic and Eduardo Lillingston. Curt Onalfo also seems a very good young up and coming manager who has done well in Kansas City. Lets also not forget Jason Kreis who is learning the ropes of club management in Salt Lake City pretty well and has Real Salt Lake competing every game which the same couldn�t be said under John Ellinger.

I also haven�t mentioned any managers in the USL which is a great exam for all young managers to learn the trade. If MLS has shown us anything as a league, it�s shown us what separate�s the good managers from the one�s who are less talented. It�s always easier as a manager when you have a massive load of money to spend, but with a salary cap involved, it takes a more creative mind to put your team over the top. This just shows a lot of American managers are better then a good number of their European counterparts. The scouting system needs to improve without a doubt and it is with some of the Latin players that have been signed in the last few years.

Eventually an American manager will manage in a top European division. It might be somewhere like the SPL first, and that�s fine. My money right now is on Kinnear.

Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff will try to keep Columbus winless. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Week eight has already kicked off with a bit of a bang with two draws on Wednesday night in Kansas City and in Salt Lake City. The RSL-LA draw was something to talk about for sure while the DC-KC draw was pretty much expected.

Time to shift focus to the weekend however as we have plenty of games on the menu to keep us going. Seven games this week, on three straight days. We have all conference battles except for one match tonight in New York with San Jose and the Red Bulls. Also this weekend we have a couple rivalry games like in Texas between Houston and Dallas. And in the east we get to see a lovely battle with Chicago and New England, two clubs that really don’t like one another.

As always feel free to post your score predictions for this weekend’s action below.

San Jose Earthquakes – at – New York Red Bulls

1. What can San Jose do to turn things around in Giants’ Stadium?

One thing going against San Jose so far this season is not sloppy defense or poor offense it is injuries killing Frank Yallop’s bunch. The loss of Jason Hernandez early on hurt the defense in a big way while having Darren Huckerby out for some time hurt the offense just as bad. Right now it is time for Yallop to step up in the locker room and get his troops back to square one here. He also needs guys to step up on the field like Bobby Convey or Romario Corrales.

In this game they face a Red Bull club that is also just as bad as they are this season so getting on the board early will definitely help. Offensively they just need a spark out of anyone at this point. If someone like Ryan Johnson or Pablo Campos can find a way through the Red Bull defense, which has been very shaky this season we could see a surprise tonight in the Meadowlands.

2. Is this the right time for New York to get things going this season?

One would think that this is the perfect time for Juan Carlos Osorio’s bunch to turn the page on this season and get their act together for once. So far this season we just haven’t seen enough solid play for 90 minutes to think they can do it though. While San Jose is just as bad as they are they haven’t been able to beat bad clubs like themselves this season (the loss to LA proved just that a couple weeks ago).

Mainly what needs to go down is some better control in the midfield. No one is servicing the ball into Juan Pablo Angel like last season, which has lead to many questions about this club’s offense. It mainly comes down to quality of service from the wings I think. They just haven’t gotten that so far this season. With how poorly San Jose has been in defense this season this could be the right time for Dane Richards to have a big game.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I’m watching New York’s Macoumba Kandji in this one. He has all the tools and skills to be super dangerous here. I think its a matter of him realizing that too here. Once he and Angel get on the same page consistently this club will really start piling on the goals…and maybe the wins.

Quick Thoughts:

Honestly it is hard to pick a west coast club that is playing so poorly coming over to the east coast to play. Then again both clubs have given us very little reason to believe in them so far this season. Each sit near the bottom of the table with near identical records on the year and even the same goal differential on the year. And oddly enough neither club knows how to score on the road. I think with that the advantage has to go to the homeside, which lucky enough for New York means they should win this one. And in reality they should win this one.

While I am picking the Red Bulls to get their second win of the year I doubt it will be too convicing here either. I also wouldn’t be at all shocked to see a 0-0 result out of these two. Especially considering the fact that New York only has five goals on the year (one of which was an own-goal).

WVH Prediction: New York 1, San Jose 0

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Kansas City Wizards – at – Columbus Crew:

1. Once again, will the Crew finally break through here?

Honestly this looks like the one for you Crew fans. At home against a club that played in the midweek and expended themselves a bit at home in the process. Yeah, it could be the one but will it be. A lot needs to happen and the biggest is for the Crew to close out the game if they get the early advantage. Too many times this season the Crew have gone up early and fallen late due to poor defense or sloppiness in general.

Defensively they should be able to get a better pickup once Frankie Hejduk is back in the lineup for good. Hejduk is said to be fit enough to go on Saturday and that should lift this club a lot with their veteran leader back in the lineup.

2. What can KC do to keep Columbus out of the win column again?

For the visitors they need to control the midfield and shut down Gulliermo Barros Schelotto. Easier said than done but the Wizards have been able to slow him down a decent bit before. Secondly they need better service into their attack and better finishing. I wasn’t overly impressive with how they handled DC on Wednesday night for the better part of the game. They had a decent attack but nothing that would really set them apart in the east. I am starting though to think this club is one good striker away from being a really title contender.

Rattling the Crew early also won’t hurt in this one. Emotions could be high for the Crew since they are still searching for that first win so getting under their skin could go a long way.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I’m looking out for Columbus’ Pat Noonan on Saturday. I honestly feel he is due for a goal or at least an assist with the way he’s been playing as of late. He’s finally fit and I think once he and Alejandro Moreno link up together it could be a good combination going forward for the Crew.

Quick Thoughts:

Yes, I am drinking the Kool-aid that this is the game for the Crew to get their first win. For one they are throwing a big bash to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Crew Stadium and a lot of key guys are coming back to the lineup. Some stars just seem in line but if anyone would ruin it I think the Wizards are very capable of pulling it off. I just think the Crew are too hungry for a win at this point to let another slip by.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, Kansas City 1

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Toronto FC – at – DC United:

1. With Dwayne De Rosario back in the line up, how does TFC stack up against DC?

Without DeRo the Reds looked pretty good, in fact they sort of turned their season around after a bad two game spell against Dallas. Now that DeRo is fit again the club is continuing to play well. Both clubs are coming off a midweek game where each played fairly well so each should be just as tired as the other when it comes to Saturday’s game. The thing for Toronto is, DC has owned them in the past at RFK Stadium.

Toronto needs to work the ball through DeRo early in this one. He has to be the X-factor that controls this game for them or DC will take full advantage of TFC just like they always have at RFK.

2. How can DC control this game from start to finish?

Something DC failed to do on Wednesday was close the game out. That’s been a problem here and there for them so far this season, closing out games. And with Toronto not being a pushover these days finishing out the game in a good manner is a big thing right now for DC, especially since they are the leaders in the east right now.

Keeping the ball in the midfield and getting good runs out of the back from guys like rookie Rodney Wallace will definitely go a long way. We saw on Wednesday that when Wallace makes his runs he can be very dangerous for DC.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I think a big game could come from DC’s Luciano Emilio. He didn’t go the full 90 on Wednesday so he could be fully ready for Saturday’s game. That’s a good thing too as he’s done fairly well over these last two years against Toronto.

Quick Thoughts:

This one really has game of the week potential written on it. Toronto is playing some good soccer these days and DC is right up there with them. Hard to believe that these two are contending for the top spot in the east right now.

I think in the end DC gets the best of Toronto. RFK has never been a friendly place for the Reds and right now I just don’t see that changing. Toronto has been decent on the road so far this year but until they can prove they can win in places like DC it will still be hard to take them very seriously on the road. This one will be tight but in the end DC marches on with a win.

WVH Prediction: DC 2, Toronto 1

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New England Revolution – at- Chicago Fire:

1. Does Chicago continue to get draws here or will a dose of New England be the cure?

Let’s face it the Fire are in a little bit of a rut right now. Yes they aren’t losing a game but they also aren’t winning at the same time. That’s a problem no matter how you look at it, especially when they aren’t closing out games that they should win.

But if last year is any indication, the Fire playing New England is something the Fire look forward too. Maybe the Fire have been overlooking the past few games for this weekend’s clash with the Revs. It comes at a good time too since the Revs are still very banged up and are in a bit of a funk due to the major injuries on their roster.

2. Can we even expect New England to be competitive in this one?

Last year the Fire spanked the Revs all over the place during the regular season and even in the playoffs. With the amount of key guys still out to injuries it is hard to look at New England seriously here right now. I do love a Steve Nicol coached club but right now he is struggling to find a way out of the pile of injuries that is club has, which is understandable.

But to the question, they will be competitive in this one. Its a rivalry game for one and you know Nicol is posting scores from last year in the locker room this week to get the guys pumped up.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

No one more to watch than Chris Rolfe for me. For some reason Rolfe has had New England’s number in the past and I doubt that will change at all this season.

Quick Thoughts:

Its really hard to pick New England right now. I want to but I just know it would be a waste of a pick with the amount of injuries this club has. Its a shame too because when healthy they are still a very good club. Thing is they don’t have the depth to do much right now and offensively they just aren’t scaring anyone. On the flip side Chicago has as good of an offense as anyone in this league and defensively they are pretty sound right now.

I think this one goes to the homeside pretty easily. Still too many key guys missing all over the field for Nicol and in the end Chicago just has more talent on the field.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 3, New England 0

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FC Dallas – at – Houston Dynamo:

1. Is this the time that Houston starts to turn things on here?

I think last week was a good indication as to how well Houston will start playing here. They controlled a lot of the game against New England and even though this is a rivalry game I still think Dallas has a very small shot at beating Houston in Houston. Stuart Holden is proving he can carry the load for the Dynamo in the middle and really that is something great to finally see.

2. How can Dallas sneak in and get the three points?

Luck may be one way but in all reality they need better midfield play. They have guys getting balls in the box but not to Kenny Cooper and not in ways that allow this club to be good on offense. Its kind of like having too many chefs in the kitchen. Its just messy. Plus defensively Schellas Hyndman still hasn’t figured out which combination of players works well enough to hold teams off.

Let’s not forget Houston has practically owned Dallas in this series. Only one Dallas win in three years between these clubs.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

If Dallas is to get any sort of success in this one it may have to come from Dave van den Burgh. He’s been a big lift to this club on the wings so far this year and I’m sure folks in New York miss his service too. Dallas needs a big game from him is they want to get on the board in this one and come out with any kind of points.

Quick Thoughts:

The El Capitan series kicks off for 2009 but it just doesn’t have that same bang to me as it has in recent years. Maybe it is the lack of De Rosario for Houston that is doing that to me or maybe it is because Dallas is a tough club to get behind these days. I don’t know what it is but its a good rivalry nonetheless even if Houston has won most of the games in it.

I think Houston will start to roll here with this game. They showed a lot of promise last week in their win at New England and I think it will continue this week at home against Dallas. I see Houston getting on the board early with Brian Ching and never looking back from that.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Dallas 0

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Real Salt Lake – at – Chivas USA

1. What will it take to knock off Chivas?

RSL is a club that can do it really. They get Javier Morales back in the midfield after his suspension and that will help. The thing is I’m still not totally convinced this club can do anything of note on the road. Three games on the road this year for RSL and they haven’t even mustered a single goal. That isn’t very good. Its showing that their defense really isn’t as good as advertised. Against a club like Chivas that exposes weaknesses easily RSL has to clamp down in the middle of the park in order to shut Chivas down.

The thing that Chivas is doing well right now is spreading their attack out to multiple people. Plenty of guys have goals this season for this club and that is always tough to defend. On any given night one guy could be the hot hand and as a defender that can be very tough to defend. RSL has to get more out of guys like Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave. But in all reality they need a bigger game out of Kyle Beckerman and Clint Mathis in the midfield.

2. What does Chivas need to do to control this game?

From the start Chivas just needs to continue playing their style of soccer. Its worked for them through eight games and there is really little reason why it won’t continue to work tomorrow night. Preki has gotten the most out of this bunch so far this season and I wouldn’t expect anything different now that some veterans like Sacha Victorine are coming back. Plus it doesn’t hurt if Sasha Kljestan continues to improve on his form. I thought last week he got himself involved a lot more and that can only lead to bigger and better things for this club if he continues to show interest here.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I think a guy to watch has to be the AmeriGoats’ Maykel Galindo. He will likely be coming off the bench still but look for him to be a second half sub that could give this club a boost late in the game. If he can regain that form he had two seasons ago this Chivas club could go from really good to something amazing.

Quick Thoughts:

Another potential game of the week here leads me to wonder if we will ever see RSL show up on the road this season. Chivas has been a very good home club these last couple of seasons while RSL has stunk up the place outside of Salt Lake City. Plus was anyone really that impressed with the way RSL finished the game at home against LA on Wednesday? I know they didn’t get a call go their way but still if you can’t close out LA at home then something must be up.

I’ll keep saying it, until RSL shows me they can do it on the road I won’t pick them when they are visiting. Plus this is a big stretch for Chivas I believe. They’ve made it this far and I know Preki will want them to continue pushing forward in attack and continue getting these wins. I like Chivas is this one. It will be close but I think Chivas at home in a physical game should do it.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, RSL 1

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LA Galaxy – at – Seattle Sounders FC

1. Will LA continue to improve on the last two results?

Four points in the last two games would normally mean a club is doing something right. Plus not to mention how Bruce Arena’s club got the draw on Wednesday. That should be a big boost going into Seattle on Sunday. They need to carry that momentum into Qwest Field in a big way and get the expansion Sounders off their guard early in this one. LA is showing they have a decent club right now. Let’s not forget here that they haven’t lost a lot of games this season…but they’ve again only win a single game too. If they can rattle the Sounders early with something from Landon Donovan they could see another positive result.

2. What will Sigi Schmid do without Fredy Montero?

Well Montero is suspended for this one from his cheap shot a week ago. Probably a good thing too because he really hasn’t done a lot for this club in recent weeks in my opinion. Schmid needs to get more out of guys like Nate Jaqua anyways. More than likely rookie Steve Zakuani will be in place of Montero and we will see a decent amount of offense through him. Which hasn’t been a bad thing so far this season.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I want to see more out of Seattle’s Sebastian Le Trox here. So far he’s been involved a lot in the attack but has only produced an assist on the season. I’m still waiting for him to break out a little bit and start scoring some here for the Sounders. Against a young defense like LA it could be a good time for that.

Quick Thoughts:

This game will probably be more competitive than most think. LA’s defense is really starting to come together I think but that’s only if the young three (Gonzalez, Franklin, and DeLaGraza) play well and on the same page as veteran Gregg Berhalter. Like I said if they can get under the skin of the Sounders early and take the crowd out of it as well they could be in for a good battle.

In the end however I think Seattle takes the points from this one. Seattle has a few more weapons up top and defensive are better in the midfield than LA is right now. It will be tighter than most think but I see Jaqua sticking it to his old side.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, LA 1

A lot of clubs are still in need of some wins here, especially LA and Columbus who are both winless so far this season. A couple other clubs are hoping to change their luck with a win this weekend as well while others are hoping to stay on course with their current run of play so far this season.

As always feel free to leave your game predictions below.

Columbus Crew – at – Toronto FC:

1. Can the Crew finally get over the hump against their main rivals?

One thing remains the same so far this year, Columbus is not the same club it was a season ago. Main reason is the depth has come in question along with the lack of toughness that exsisted last year with a club that didn’t see a whole lot of injuries to key guys. If there is ever a time to get things going in the right direction it is on the road against your rival. Thing is with key guys possibly still sitting this one out it could be another week before Columbus gets over the hump here. That may be a week too late in the end.

2. What does Toronto need to do to get over the coaching change?

So far they’ve done things right. They had the switch late last week, got the win over Kansas City on Sunday and now they’ve had a full week under the interim boss Chris Cummins. The main thing in a coaching change is try not to change much at all in training and in the lockerroom. I really see Toronto being okay for the time being since Cummins has been there with the club all along.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

For me a guy to watch on Saturday is Columbus’s Alejandro Moreno. He’s finally healthy and as we saw last week he is finally dangerous once again for this club. Moreno is the type of guy that can be such a pest and that had been something the Crew were missing most of the start of the season. If he can get them on the board early in this one it could be a good afternoon for the Black-and-Gold.

Quick Thoughts:

The good old Trillium Cup heads north to Toronto. While Toronto is pretty hot from last week’s two home victories they still have to figure out a way to get over their main rivals in Columbus. In seven league matches the Crew have owned the Reds in each match, including the 1-1 draw earlier this year. Had it not been for the own-goal late by Gino Padula, the Crew would have walked away with their first win of the year. Crazy how own-goals have a way of hurting a club more in the following games than in the game that it happened.

Columbus needs this win in a bad way but I just don’t see it yet. Unless they get Moreno being the pest that he is and Frankie Hejduk pacing up and down the wings and in defense I just don’t know if Columbus can get the three points on the road here. I do think they are still good enough to get another draw out of this one and that’s what I am predicting. Toronto has the talent in place to win this one but offensively they still haven’t put away a club yet. Columbus is good enough offensively to stay with Toronto and I see the Crew grabbing a late goal this time around to get the road point.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 1, Columbus 1

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FC Dallas – at – DC United:

1. What does DC need to do at home to control this game?

Basically in the middle of the pitch they need to make sure guys like Pablo Ricchetti or Dax McCarty don’t handle the possession for Dallas that much. Those are two key guys for Dallas in the midfield and when Dallas plays well like they did in the first half of last week’s game at Chivas (before the Sala red card) it was due to the possessional play out of Ricchetti, McCarty, Andre Rocha and Dave van den Burgh. Dallas has some talent in the midfield that if given the time they can create some dangerous plays for guys like Kenny Cooper.

2. What does Dallas need to do to win this game?

First of all they have to mentally get over the hump in RFK. Dallas has not won at RFK since 2005. Second of all they need to go to their goal scorer in Kenny Cooper. Getting him active early and often will go a long way against a defense that DCU has that has been shaky at times this season. Dallas has shown improvement over these last couple of games and could catch a break against a DC club that does go soft for a stretch or two during the game. If they can find the right times to defend when needed and then attack when the chances present themselves they could leave RFK a winner for once.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

DC has to be riding high off their win over New York last week. If anyone is going to carry the banner in this one for the boys in black it will be Ben Olsen. His toughness and leadership are more than enough to get the three points at home against a Dallas side that isn’t all that great on the road.

Quick Thoughts:

Both clubs could easily use the points here but I like DC in this one. They do show signs that they will go cold for stretches of the game but Dallas’s defense hasn’t improved enough with the rest of their club yet to make me want to pick them just yet here. Once the defense catches up to the rest they could be a very solid club. DC should have enough momemtum leftover from last week to carry them in this one. I see Luciano Emilio and rookie Chris Pontius having a good evening in this one.

WVH Prediction: DC 3, Dallas 1

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Seattle Sounders FC – at – Chicago Fire

1. What can the Fire do to get back on the winning track here?

Let’s not forget here that Chicago has been playing so-so soccer here lately. Two wins and four draws on the year isn’t bad but they are still the only undefeated side left in the league. With that said they host one of the best sides in the league this weekend in the Sounders FC. Chicago has to control the pace of this game from the start and not allow Fredy Montero, Steve Zakuani and Freddie Ljungberg to control the game for the visitors. This game has potential to be very wide open in the midfield with how each club plays. Blanco has to set the tone of this game early and get MLS Player of the Month for April, Brian McBride involved as early as possible. Seattle still has some questions in the back and McBride is as good as they come for testing any defense in the box.

2. Can Seattle pull one off on the road?

The Sounders have to hope that the Fire are a little more tired than they are since the Fire hosted Club America in the mid-week (Seattle had a USOC play-in game on Tuesday). Seattle has played well on the road so far this year with a win and a loss. Their loss to Chivas was a very close game for the most part so you have to think that Sigi Schmid is doing something right here. If Seattle can control Blanco, Marco Pappa and John Thorrington in the midfield they should be able to do well in this one. If not they will have more pressure on their backline.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I want to see when Chris Rolfe is on the pitch what happens with the Fire. If he starts he has the skills to be dangerous and if he comes off the bench he will have the late game speed and energy to close things out for the Fire.

Quick Thoughts:

Easily the game of the week. Two of the league’s best square off. Chicago really needs a win though to be honest. They are the league’s only undefeated club left but draws only get you so far in this league. Seattle as we all know have looked very impressive but I want to see how they handle facing another of the league’s best. It didn’t go well for them last time around in LA against Chivas.

To me this one smells like a draw. Chicago is good at home but they tend to drop games that they shouldn’t at Toyota Park for some reason. Seattle is dangerous enough to stay in games and even put home some attacks when the Chicago defense could go to sleep (think the KC game). Seattle goes up first in this one I think with Chicgo coming from behind again for the draw. Blanco won’t be tossing any more jerseies in to ref’s lockerroom this week.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 1, Seattle 1

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Real Salt Lake – at- Colorado Rapids:

1. Can Colorado put it together for a full 90 at home for once?

One thing is certain about this Colorado club, they have the talent to be really good here. Thing is they just haven’t figured it out how to do it at home yet. They dropped points at home last week to LA in a game that totally controlled. Against a rival that is playing well like Salt Lake they cannot afford to go cold for stretches of the game or RSL will get hot in a hurry as we saw last week.

2. Does RSL have any more goals left in them?

Six goal games are usually followed by one goal games. At least from what I’ve seen in the past they have. RSL has the offense to do some serious damage and the league has taken note of that for sure by now. Thing is they haven’t done it on the road yet. However with the way Colorado closed out last weekend’s game against LA, there could be potential for another outburst from this club.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Colorado’s big leader Pablo Mastroeni has to step up in this one since it is a rivalry game. If he can set the tone early for the Rapids that could be a key thing that leads the homeside to a vital victory over their rivals.

Quick Thoughts:

This one also has the makings of game of the week material. The Rocky Mountain Cup has been a very hot contest these last two seasons and I see this year being no different. I’ve said before I want to see RSL get consistent road play and with the way Colorado plays at home there is no better time to start than now. They need a big game out of Yura Movsisyan and guys like that. On the flip side Colorado needs Conor Casey to step up and lead the way in this one, just like he has time and time again so far this season.

In the end I see a Colorado going through by the slightest of margins. RSL will keep it close and physical but thanks to a goal by Omar Cummings, Colorado will see three points while RSL will be left wondering how to win on the road yet again.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 1, RSL 0

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Chivas USA – at – San Jose Earthquakes

1. Can San Jose actually turn things around here against the league’s best?

On a tight field San Jose could turn their luck around easily but it will not come easy against a Chivas club that has been proving themselves to the league over and over again this season. I thought Chivas did well to overcome last week’s loss to Toronto with the home win over Dallas. It was a good turn around after the season’s first loss. San Jose hasn’t been able to bounce back yet from defeat like Chivas has here.

San Jose has to get a better turn around out of guys in their defense. Either it’s age or injuries that are causing this bunch to be so sloppy this season. I think the key has been the loss of Jason Hernandez. Without their most stable defender the Quakes have give up a lot of goals already this season (tied for second-worst in the league).

2. Will Sasha Kljestan ever come out of his current funk?

Amazing fact that Chivas is playing so well this season without some key guys on offense and without quality play from Sasha Kljestan (no goals and no assists so far). This would appear on paper to be a good game for him to break his spell and actually do something of note for this club. I guess failing to land a deal in Europe really set him back a bit. You’d think he would kick it up even a notch more to get that big deal for this summer.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I’m watching the AmeriGoats’ Justin Braun who is back and healthy. So far Chivas has spread out their attack enough that a lot of people are scoring, I think this is Braun’s game to get on the board.

Quick Thoughts:

Normally I wouldn’t go with Chivas on the road in a place like San Jose but the way the Quakes have played so far this season doesn’t give me enough reason to pick them every week like I would like to. Chivas is too talented of a club to not get three points in this one I think and if Kljestan can join the party all the better in Chivas-land. I think San Jose can stay in this game but in the end good defense will trump bad defense and that’s why I am going with the visitors.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, San Jose 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – LA Galaxy

1. Will Bruce Arena’s club finally get on a winning path here?

Honestly with the way New York dropped last week’s game to DC at home I think this is an excellent time for LA to get their first win of the season. With Landon Donovan playing as well as he is this seems like a perfect game for it to happen. Plus New York’s offense hasn’t given anyone a reason to believe they will play all that well on the road anyways here. So far they haven’t scored a single goal on the road this season.

2. What needs to go right for New York?

To go right they need better play out of the midfield. It is as simple as that. Going against a fairly weak midfield in the Galaxy, New York should have plenty of chances to spread the field out and find guys like Juan Pablo Angel in the box. This club is going to want to prove that last week’s result was a fluke. And to be honest they have to prove that it was a fluke or Juan Carlos Osorio could find himself out of a job very soon.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

No other person to watch in this one than Donovan. He has carried this club on his back so much this season and I wouldn’t expect anything less in this one. With a shaky defense in New York I think Donovan could find himself in some big spots on Saturday evening.

Quick Thoughts:

This one will either be really fun to watch or just really ugly to watch. I can’t put my finger on which it will be. New York hasn’t been anything special on the road this season and LA has shown they aren’t terrible or great all at the same time this season. I think Bruce Arena’s club gets their first win on Saturday but not by much as New York makes it interesting late in the game.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, NY 1

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Houston Dynamo – at – New England Revolution

1. Will the Revs respond to their 6-0 defeat?

Losing that bad in one half is never an easy thing to swallow. It’s also never easy when you have to face a club like Houston in the following week. Just as we saw last week when you have such a young club on the field and so many key defensive injuries some goals are eventually going to pile up. I didn’t expect six that quickly though. I see the club responding pretty well for a while in this one but it has to come offensively, an area that hasn’t been that impressive by this club so far this season.

2. Can Houston finally beat New England in regular season play?

If there was ever a time to get their first win over the Revs it would be this weekend. All-time in regular season games the Dynamo have not beat the Revs, even at home. But as we all know Houston has beat New England when it mattered most in the MLS Cup twice.

To get their first win they need their big guys stepping up and making the impact early on the road while New England is still figuring out how to get over the 6-0 loss to RSL.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I think this could be a big game for Houston’s Brian Ching. One thing we all know the Dynamo do well is get free kick situations and if Brad Davis or whomever is taking the kicks can find Ching in the box it could go very well for the visitors on Sunday.

Quick Thoughts:

I can’t see a Steve Nicol club getting downed two weeks in a row in that kind of manner that they lost last week in Salt Lake. Thing is it is tough to bet on their young defense stepping back up without a veteran like Jay Heaps or Chris Albright leading the way like normal. Missing a veteran in the back and having mostly young players can be like playing with dynamite. I think Houston should be able to go in and get some road points here. I just have trouble betting on a club that is missing so many key players in the back.

WVH Prediction: Houston 1, New England 0

A lot of end-of-season awards in Major League Soccer are just as tight as the playoff race. I’ve been tracking the Rookie of the Year and MVP races for some time now but I figured I would weigh in on all the awards for once since we are in the final few weeks of the season.

MLS MVP Award:

1. Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus Crew: His club may be playing well without him but his numbers still make a serious case for MVP this season. He should be back soon, which can only mean his soccer IQ on the field will enhance the Crew even more here.
2. Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy: 19 goals in just 21 games. I think that may be all I need to say here. Earlier I thought his production wasn’t enough for the MVP this year but I am thinking otherwise now.
3. Shalrie Joseph, New England Revolution: He and his club may be stumbling but that should all work itself out once the Revs clinch a playoff spot.
4. Darren Huckerby, San Jose Earthquakes: If this were a half-season MVP I would probably have a tough time picking between Schelotto and Huckerby. Both have been stellar in the second half of the season. Huckerby has only been here for a half season, just think what he can do for a full year.
5. Juan Pablo Angel, New York Red Bulls: He’s forth in goals this season in the league but I don’t think that will be enough to get him this award this year.

Others in the discussion:

Javier Morales, RSL; Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Chicago; Kenny Cooper, FC Dallas; Jamie Moreno, DC United; and Sacha Kljestan, Chivas USA.

Newcomer of the Year:

1. Darren Huckerby, San Jose Earthquakes: No doubt that Huckerby will win this one. In nine games with the Quakes, he has scored six goals. Not to shabby.
2. Andre Rocha, FC Dallas: A bit of a homer pick for me but I’ve loved Rocha’s play on the field this season. At times it’s been tough to watch but most of the time he has been a solid addition to the Hoop’s midfield.
3. Rohan Ricketts, Toronto FC: There has to be a bright spot in a dark season for the Reds, that bright spot is Ricketts.
4. Jorge Rojas, New York Red Bulls: Let’s face it, since the addition of Rojas the Red Bulls have looked like a whole new club. He’s a big reason for that.
5. Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew: This Olympian has given Sigi Schmid a nice addition on the wings.

Others in the discussion:

Jamison Olave, RSL; Louis Crayton, DC United; and Francisco Lima, San Jose Earthquakes.

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Rookie of the Year:

1. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution: Some think that Dube isn’t the front-runner anymore, I think otherwise. Then again, this year’s award may be anyone’s guess at this point.
2. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew: I still like Iro could sneek in and win this award. But will the voters feel the same way?
3. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo: Expect to see more of him in the final weeks of the season.
4. Justin Braun, Chivas USA: He’ll get more minutes as well which could really help him out in this award race.
5. Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy: Some have him as the front-runner but I think he played himself out of that a while back. Could he sneak up again though is the question?

Others in the discussion:

Roger Espinoza, KC Wizards; Stephen King, Chicago Fire; and Steven Lenhart, Columbus Crew.

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Goalkeeper of the Year:

1. Jon Busch, Chicago Fire: Best stats in the league, to his credit though his defense in front of him is pretty darn good too.
2. Joe Cannon, San Jose Earthquakes: Cannon is a very close second right now for me in this race. Should the Quakes get in the playoffs he will earn a bunch of votes for this in the process. And rightfully so.
3. William Hesmer, Columbus Crew: Hey his club is still top dog in the league, and he is a reason for it.
4. Matt Reis, New England Revolution: I still think Reis is one of the best keepers in the league. From time to time he isn’t able to show it because of faulty defense.
5. Pat Onstad, Houston Dynamo: Onstad is in that same category as Reis. Solid every year.

Others in the discussion:

None, really outside of Busch and Cannon there isn’t much of a race going on here.

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Defender of the Year:

1. Gonzalo Segaras, Chicago Fire: There’s little doubt in my mind he will win this award this season.
2. Michael Parkhurst, New England Revolution: We know what Parkhurst can, but can he work his way to the top of this list?
3. Wilham Conde, Chicago Fire: People love Segares and hate Conde at the same time. Its a shame too because Conde is a beast.
4. Chad Marshall, Columbus Crew: Speaking of a beast, Marshall is one of those guys that probably is due for a National team call-up.
5. Bobby Boswell, Houston Dynamo: Think DC is wishing they hadn’t traded Boswell before the season?

Others in the discussion:

Jimmy Conrad, KC Wizards; Bakary Soumare, Chicago Fire; Jamison Olave, RSL; and Wade Barrett, Houston Dynamo.

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Coach of the Year:

1. Sigi Schmid, Columbus Crew: Once the Crew wrap up the Supporter’s Shield so does Sigi wrapping this award up. Or has he already done so? Maybe.
2. Preki, Chivas USA: His club may have had a rough year but you cannot deny how well Preki has handled it all this year.
3. Frank Yallop, San Jose Earthquakes: Can Yallop get his club to be the first expansion club to reach the playoffs since Chicago did so back in 1998?
4. Dominic Kinnear, Houston Dynamo: Two MLS Cups and possibly one more on the way? Simply remarkable if you ask me.
5. Steve Nicol, New England Revolution: Nicol has navigated his club through a heavy schedule.

First up some All-Star news, we all know who the first XI are for Major League Soccer in this month’s game against West Ham United. But now we are hearing a couple more names that will be added by All-Star coach and New England boss Steve Nicol.

Soccer America is reporting on it’s website this morning that New York’s Juan Pablo Angel, Houston keeper Pat Onstad and Rev’s midfielder Steve Ralston will get all-star calls from Nicol. Onstad and Ralston are not surprises but Angel’s inclusion is a bit of a surprise considering Angel has only recently returned from a hamstring injury. Maybe Nicol is giving the 2007 All-Star MVP the benefit of the doubt on a season filled with injuries. Still, its a shock and hopefully not true as I can think of about three or four strikers that would be more worthy based on this season alone than Angel.

The way this all works from my understanding Nicol gets a few picks of his own to round out the roster and MLS Commissioner Don Garber gets one or two “Commissioner Picks” to finish up the team. No word yet on who Garber is going to select.

In other news, to follow up on the Scott Sealy trade to San Jose I was passed down some numbers that are quite shocking to see in regards to this trade.

We all know why Kanasa City pulled the plug on this deal, they needed some cap space for Josh Wolff and so they traded for some allocation. A source tells me the Quakes gave KC an allocation larger than $125,000 for Sealy. Yeah, that’s a lot of money for a guy that doesn’t even make half that amount in a year.

Also, that’s more than $60,000 for each of the two goals he has scored this year. That’s just a bit too much for a forward who is planning to leave MLS after this season and is likely to miss time due to World Cup qualifying with Trinidad & Tobago later on this fall.

I think this move falls into the same category as another move the Quakes did this season with striker Peguero Jean-Philippe.

Other related Quakes news, San Jose has waived midfielder Joe Vide yesterday. Vide didn’t impress the Quakes all that much this season and thus was cut. Tough break for a guy that showed a lot of promise a season ago in New York. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked to see him back in New York, word has it assistant coach Richie Williams is a big fan of Vide, so he could get a look there. Though with all the new players coming into New York that may not happen.