Wednesday's Daily: Discount MLS
With J Hutcherson
So it's come to this. New England crashes out of the CONCACAF Champions League while exposing the incredible lack of depth in MLS, and Toronto has an appeal to avoid having to play a League came minus nine regulars rejected. What exactly is Major League Soccer trying to prove?
If it's that their fans will pay for subpar soccer, they're well on their way to making the point.
This has been a season where several teams have openly talked about fixture congestion combined with the drop off in talent further down the roster. Add to that the League's continued insistence that they're beyond the mandate of the international calendar, and you get a week of teams playing nowhere near their capabilities.
Why this isn't as embarrassing for MLS as it is for the coaches, players, and fans remains an open question. It's certainly downgrading competitions. New England, last night's biggest loser in CONCACAF Champions League preliminaries, also basically ceded the US Open Cup by fielding mainly reserves in the semifinal.
New England and Houston* ended up stressing the irony in the League's own SuperLiga final. The one competition that MLS owns, and therefore takes seriously enough to suspend League play for participating clubs. That final became more about the bonus money between the two teams shouting the loudest about squad depth, played out wide open in part because there was no need to stress the facade of having a game plan.
Stress the obvious point, one repeated by other coaches. You can't play this type of multi-competition schedule spread out before and after the MLS season with small squads and restrictive signing policies.
In other words, to play at this level you have to pay. MLS won't allow that, and the result is non-representative sides playing and losing meaningful games.
On TV
US Open Cup final on Fox Soccer Channel: DC - Charleston at 7:30pm. CONCACAF Champions League preliminaries: Hankook Verdes - Cruz Azul at 8pm on TeleFutura (1am on Fox Soccer), CD Marathon - CD Isidro Metapan on TeleFutura at 10pm, and Puerto Rico - Alajuelense at 11pm on Fox Soccer. All Times Eastern
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Curbishley quits as West Ham boss -- from BBC Sport's Simon Austin: A statement on the club's website read: "We can confirm we have accepted Alan's resignation as it is in the best interests of both parties."
Sale of Liverpool likely to be sooner rather than later -- from The Times' Oliver Kay: They must decide by January whether to try to prop up their regime for a further six months, or to sell.
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Americas
Cuban mystique awaits visiting U.S. soccer team -- from The Miami Herald's Michelle Kaufman: The condition of 80-year-old Pedro Marero Stadium and the potential crowd remain shrouded in mystery.
United Takes Aim at Open Cup With Serious Approach -- from The Washington Post's Steven Goff: "This club is about winning championships," General Manager Dave Kasper said.
MLS' D.C. United stands in way of Battery's quest -- from The Charleston Battery's Andrew Miller: "The fans make it a very difficult place to play if you're with the visiting side, and that hostility always made it fun to go in there and play."
It's 'extreme hardship' -- from The Toronto Sun's Dean McNulty.
*Original had Chivas USA. Apologies.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it. All links are provided as a courtesy. Neither this site nor its authors are responsible for the content of third-party links.
