Friday's Daily: Pushing For New
With J Hutcherson
Credit the ESPN coverage last night for not falling all over itself about a stadium when the playoffs were in the balance for both teams. That's a change from the expected with Major League Soccer, where real estate sometimes gets the better of League and club personnel.
Though the Sandy stadium is without question a success and a rival to the Home Depot Center and what the Red Bulls are building in Harrison, the League is far enough along where what really matters is winning.
If DC United can't manage a late push and get into the playoffs, they're going to become the poster child for ill-conceived rebuilding. If things go bad for RBNY, they're going to be right there with United.
Real Salt Lake's shuffling of players might have been topped by Toronto, but the point is the same. Clubs need a core, especially in a low-capped league like Major League Soccer. That's what has built New England and Houston.
Some teams might want to argue otherwise, but a few of the answers for the Revs and the Dynamo were not obvious and on other teams those same players would have likely been pushed out. DC is receiving substantial criticism for tinkering with a side that was arguably a player or two away from an MLS Cup, but that's become the obvious model for too many MLS teams.
Push as many players as possible through your system, and hope that enough stick to form a core. Then push through even more to see if you can find answers at the remaining positions.
Whether or not that counts as parity, it creates a situation where too many clubs are average by MLS standards. This remains a League that created the DC dynasty, the great LA teams in the 90's, and the San Jose turned Houston squad that is arguably the best in MLS history.
Unfortunately, the new model is one of churn and destabilizing what might have worked given the time. Call it the Mathis point, RSL's longest serving player if you don't count the years he wasn't there.
Moving on, Bill Archer at BigSoccer has the likely reason Tottenham and San Jose are now officially partners.
On TV
No live games today. All Times Eastern
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Richard Scudamore gives short shrift to Platini criticisms -- from The Times' Kaveh Solhekol: “It doesn’t matter if you are foreign, whatever that means. It’s about how well you run your club."
Asia warms to 39th-game proposal -- from BBC Sport: "You cannot stop fans from wanting to watch the best games, and the Premier League is one of the best football products in the world," he said.
Cold war with Iceland leaves West Ham's future in doubt -- from The Guardian's Andy Martin: Gudmundsson was removed from the chairmanship of Landsbanki by the Icelandic government and is estimated to have lost £230m when it was nationalised.
Chelsea launch £16m legal fight over John Mikel Obi transfer deal -- from The Daily Mail: The club,however, stressed today that their refund claim is against Lynn and Andersen and has nothing to do with United.
Daniel Levy braced for backlash from Tottenham supporters ahead of AGM -- from The Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson: Others subjects at the AGM are likely to include the ongoing delay to announce plans for a new ground and also the club's new partnership with Major League Soccer team San Jose Earthquakes.
Kicking beats: Football's unlikely popstars -- from The Independent's Rio Ferdinand: Ferdinand is far from the first footballer to take a punt with his vocal cords.
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Americas
Country First: Some Players Must Pick -- from The Washington Post's Steven Goff: "My dream was always to play for the U.S. national team."
RSL's first in Sandy: Party's over, time to start playing -- from The Salt Lake Tribune's Michael C. Lewis: "So, there's still six points out there."
Emerging Morales puts his stamp on opener -- from The Deseret News' James Edward and Dan Rasmussen: Mathis was in the starting lineup against the Red Bulls, making him the only RSL player who participated in RSL's first match at Rice-Eccles Stadium and RSL's first match at Rio Tinto Stadium.
TFC will fight to the finish -- from The Toronto Sun's Dean McNulty: He believes that the Reds can come back to Toronto for its final home game Oct. 18 at BMO Field against Chicago Fire with its destiny in its own hands.
Impact gives thanks for a few days' rest -- from The Montreal Gazette: With two games left, Montreal needs one point to advance to the quarterfinals of the 16-team event.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
