With J Hutcherson
A competition in need of a reputation starts in earnest later today. As with its template in Europe, the new CONCACAF Champions League opens with qualifying rounds before reaching the group stage.
Credit CONCACAF for the bold move, if a few years later than expected. Dumping the shifting schedule and short run off games that was the CONCACAF Champions Cup has made sense for years. If the organizers are able to keep a standard calendar and not fall for the Siren call of tweaking the format, they should have something.
We already know that there are enough quality clubs across CONCACAF to give each other games worth watching. In that regard, lucky us. Better still if CONCACAF comes down on the meaningless friendly schedule that erodes the impact of facing the big names of CONCACAF in meaningful games.
Seeing an MLS club facing off against a big time Mexican League opponent should be just that, big time. Instead, it's commonplace to the point of irrelevancy. Any revenge games or scores that need to be settled should be done at the highest level of competition. If it takes a few seasons for the clubs involved to get back together, even better.
It's an important move for Major League Soccer if they have sense enough to embrace it past whatever dollars they might generate from yet another friendly or glorified competition.
Soccer fans don't need another made-up cup played out in the United States. We need something not only worth winning, but worth defending. That should be our own Champions League. It starts in a few hours.
On TV
CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round on Fox Soccer Channel: Joe Public - New England at 8pm, Tauro - Chivas USA at 10pm, and Cruz Azul - Hankook Verdes at 1am.
Carling Cup on Setanta: Coventry - Newcastle at 2:30pm. Copa Sudamericana on Fox Sports en Espanol: Libertad - Defensor at 8pm and San Luis - Deprotivo Quito at 10:30pm. Colombian League on GolTV: Nacional - Cali at 9pm. All Times Eastern
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Berbatov seeks Spurs crisis talks -- from BBC Sport: The London club are threatening to let Berbatov "rot in the reserves", according to reports.
Chelsea close in on £28m deal for Real Madrid star Robinho -- from The Daily Mail: The Real Madrid fans still took time to turn on the Brazil international and accused him of being a mercenary, having made his desire to leave for London public.
Andriy Shevchenko is welcomed with open arms by old friends at AC Milan -- from The Times' Russell Kempson: Silvio Berlusconi, the Milan owner, is a friend of Shevchenko and was a prime mover in the return of the prodigal son.
Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson putting experience to good use in Carling Cup clash -- from The Telegraph's Rob Stewart: With that history, Wilson will have little trouble convincing his charges at the 7,691-capacity Victoria Park that they can pull off a shock result against top-flight opposition.
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Americas
M.L.S. Teams Hit Road for Respect -- from The New York Times' Jack Bell: “I think we play a European-type schedule but not with European-type squads,” Houston Coach Dominic Kinnear said.
MLS Teams Must Win Champions League -- from Goal.com's Billy Walsh: The games are scheduled so the Revs and Goats need to make the most of them.
Ten things to note from MLS Week 22 -- from Soccernet's Steve Davis: And there's the message MLS sends every week by not stomping out such petulance.
Ruiz ready to join Toronto FC -- from The Toronto Globe and Mail's Larry Millson.
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