Monday's Daily: Set Up

With J Hutcherson -- Let's hope Major League Soccer leadership asked for something other than a power tie, suspenders, and hair gel for the holidays, because the last thing this League needs is to decide they're 80's guys and this is the time for the big play. Namely, continuing to put the US Soccer Federation and, by extension, CONCACAF and FIFA on notice that MLS sets the schedule in North America.

Travel back to the actual 80's, and we have the North American Soccer League finally deciding outlaw status wasn't worth their beloved 35-yard offside rule. That's what FIFA ended up threatening to return the American soccer experiment to international standards. It took a couple years for the NASL to actually comply.

MLS is currently adopting an interesting position. Almost all or none against a world soccer bureaucracy that normally prefers actually following their dictates.

In a World Cup Qualifying year and an official FIFA tournament summer, MLS is talking about limited schedules, flex time for clubs who want to beg off a couple of games if they're facing significant international absences, and anything but actually following the rules.

For those out there who can't wait for FIFA to overstep and end up facing off with MLS under US jurisdiction, what exactly would that solve? Wouldn't it be better to just setup this League to follow international specifications?

As SoccerTimes' Bob Wagman works through it's possible to play the '09 season while observing the international calendar. MLS knows that. Pretending like this is an issue beyond the best and the brightest in American soccer is silly. Just like it was in years where the League could trot out the 'no control of venues' excuse.

Thirteen seasons in, MLS has basically removed itself from its original role in developing talent for the US National Team. In many ways, the League is now a general soccer promoter in competition not only with the National Team, but with it's own core product. As developments go, it's not exactly one where the League can step back and point to decisions that went beyond self-interest.

Professional sports normally end up with that mindset. In North America, that comes without the problem of an international sanctioning body. Eventually, FIFA will choose to pay attention.

Moving on, the Wall Street Journal has an article on general sports ownership that's worth your time.

On TV

Fox Soccer Channel has Blyth Spartans - Blackburn in the FA Cup at 3pm. InterLiga on Fox Sports en Espanol: U.A.G. - Morelia at 8pm and Toluca - Pachuca at 10:30pm. All Times Eastern

The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe

Derby deny takeover bid rumours -- from BBC Sport: And Pearson denied reports ex-England boss Steve McClaren, now at Dutch club FC Twente, is to be the new manager.

Furious Cole Set For Talks -- from The Express' Tony Banks: Cole’s discontent is another blow to Scolari, who has had to fend off rumours about splits in the dressing room and rows.

. . . and thanks for the memories -- from The Herald's Graeme MacPherson: It was the slowest, most benign pitch invasion of all time.

Clough right to bide his time at Burton as contemporaries struggle in spotlight -- from The Independent's Sam Wallace: The list goes on.

End of Inter Milan love story nigh for Adriano -- from The Times' Gabriele Marcotti: But the wedded bliss doesn’t last.

The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Americas

Beckham insists he's in Italy to play for Milan not England -- from The Daily Mail: "I love my team, the LA Galaxy, but this for me is a great experience."

Stadium financiers are keeping ball in the air -- from The Deleware County Times' Alex Rose: "The market’s fine," he said.

Huckerby: I wish I still played for City -- from The Eastern Daily Press' Keiron Pym: "Not a day goes by where I don't wish I was playing for Norwich, but I also know that those days are gone," he says.

Europe or MLS? -- from The Toronto Sun's Gareth Wheeler: On the surface, a move to a no-name team in Denmark hardly screams prestigious move.

New year bring hope for new MLS team in South Florida -- from The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Jeff Rusnak: On Friday, local soccer promoter Eddie Rodger confirmed that Honduras will play a friendly against Chile on Jan. 18 at FIU.

The United Saves Of America -- from The Cumberland News: Caig was to discover to his cost that even in the autumn of the former England captain’s career, no one bends it like Beckham.

Cotton Bowl no longer prime soccer territory -- from The Star-Telegram's Tobias Xavier Lopez: The only problem with that theory is... like every other sport, soccer also has better places to be.



Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves.  Please, tell me all about it.