First, I want to thank everyone who has checked out and plugged the blog so far. Gameday MLS is dedicated to far too much coffee and my many hours spent on bigsoccer.com.
Soccer has always been a huge part of my life, but after tearing my ACL it hit me I wasn't going pro as I had dreamed (well, that and the fact that my college career lasted a season)
Luckily, writing is what I now do for a living and this blog gives me an excuse to stay close to the game. Im pretty busy during the week, but I will update here as often as possible and listed below are a few items to expect in the coming weeks:
Upcoming features:
1. Chicago firing on all cylinders (an interview with Luis Arroyo)- I talk with sports writer and blogger Luis Arroyo for his take on the new owners, designated player rules and all things Blanco in the windy city.
2. On the field: Joe Vide heads west- For all the NYRB fans out there, I speak with newly departed defensive midfielder Joe Vide about his time with RBNY, what it was like to play alongside Claudio Reyna (for about 20 minutes) and his expectations with the San Jose Earthquakes.
3. From the stands: Chicago- In this new segment, fans respond to campaign to brand Seattle MLS. Will the Sounders remain the face of Seattle soccer? Long time Seattle sports journalist Jose Romero weighs in with his thoughts.
Comment responses:
Comments #1-3: Apologies for the errors. I was a big Ruckus fan in the late 1990s and I suppose Ive had trouble moving on. In all seriousness, this story was written on the road and I will make a greater effort to comb over my stories before posting.
For the record, I think Hanauer is committed to preserving tradition. I can understand how the Sounders brand may be associated with minor league soccer, but the right marketing can fix that. If fans in my neck of the woods (central Florida), then it cant be that minor.
Ultimatley, the key is speaking up and often. If enough fans voice their concerns and vote “Sounders” on the website, the name will stick.
Steve,
Thanks for your comments on the site.
I was really impressed by the Fire in their second leg against NE. As opposed to my Red Bulls, who played ugly long ball after going behind, the fire stayed composed throughout and definitely had the better of the match.
I hear NYRB has been sniffing around for Osorio, but If he stays the beautiful game is safe in the windy city. As for Seattle’s situation, the team has been granted territorial rights for all Sounders players. For those who are not called up to MLS, word is the USL team may stay together and head for another market.
Anyway, check out my next piece on Chicago—up next week—and I hope you keep tuning in!
Deep thoughts topic of the week: World Cup Qualifying- who will lead our team?
After this week's WC draw, we finally know our opponents for WCQ (either Dominica or Barbados) While these names do not exactly strike fear in to the heart of US fans, a sterner test could lie in a group Guatemala and Trinidad should the first round go as expected.
Reading over the underwhelming responses to this draw, it seems qualification is now assumed a formality for our team. Andrew Wiebe of the Daily Kansasian writes
"For regional royalty like the U.S., the gap in competition and a charitable draw makes qualification straightforward. Play to its potential and qualify easily. Play to the level of its opponents and qualify slightly less easily. By virtue of superior talent and depth, the U.S. has qualified for five straight World Cups and seems sure to make it six."
As someone who watched the US struggle mightily in qualification over the years, I am proud to say we are deeper and stronger than ever before. By the same token, one failing of the first year of the Bob Bradley era was the failure to identify a captain.
Without clear leadership to mold our young players (Landon it aint), I wonder how our young players react to horns honking all night outside of their hotel in Guatemala city or dodging bags of urine in Azteca. My point is we need a strong personality in the locker-room to get these players fired up and ready to play.
My pick would be (drum roll please): Carlos Bocanega.
After learning his trade in MLS, Big Los now squares off every week against the best attackers in the premiership. For me, any player who has hacked down Michael Owen has the guile and experience to marshal a backline against Carlos Ruiz and Co.
A vocal and commanding presence at the back, Bocanegra has emerged as a mainstay in the US lineup and locker room. On a team of emerging talents, his up front style and commanding presence at the back will be a key cog both on and off the field.
Got that Bob? Make it official!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
MLS heads north- a look inside soccer in Seattle
After a stirring 4-0 drubbing of the Atlanta Ruckus in the A-league championship finals, the Seattle Sounders added yet another title to their trophy laden history. But perhaps most exciting for soccer fans in the northwest was the recent confirmation that Seattle will play host to MLS’s 15th franchise.
With the starpower of Drew Carey, the logistical brilliance of Microsoft’s Paul Allen and the stability of Sounder’s owner Adrian Hanauer, the sky is the limit for this yet to be named team, the question with such an array of characters however is how will it be run?
For Hanauer, whose involvement with the Sounders began watching games at Seattle’s old King dome, MLS is only the latest twist in a dream which began at the tender age of seven.
“I never missed a game”, he recalls. “I also went to the after game parties, and all of the soccer camps. It was a very influential part of my childhood,”
Determined to share this experience with others, he “jumped” at the chance to make soccer a success in Seattle. After first becoming involved with the Sounders seven years ago, he says his “super competitive” fueled success on and off the pitch
“When I got involved, the club was losing 850k per year. This past year, we lost approximately 350k. This has been a steady improvement from year to year. A group of committed owners have made up these losses, because of their love of the game and the community.” he said.
Despite the difficulties of running a minor league franchise in a major league market—a task he likens to “hand to hand combat”, Hauaner is optimistic that the leverage and contacts gained with the Sounders will prove invaluable in meeting the team’s goals.
After selling over 7,000 season tickets in the first fifteen days of his new venture, one goal well underway is the selling out the lower bowl of QWest stadium for 2009. But with fan expectations riding high, will they accompany big names on the pitch?
“I'm not a believe that there are very many coaches out there who sell tickets and are hugely marketable. explained Hanauer. “As for a designated player... we will wait for the right opportunity.”
With roughly 2.1 million dollars to spend on players, the Sounders will have blend of more well known players, and young players who we attempt to develop. A big believer in culture and system, Hanauer says Sounders players will need to be part of the unique culture of soccer in Seattle.
After acquiring first refusal to draft Sounders players’ for the 2009 season, Hanauer also expects to retain the majority of the Sounders’ front office personnel.
“Players will have to WANT top play in Seattle. he said. We will play an attacking style of play. We will play with a lot of speed... offensively and defensively. We will spend a lot of time analyzing and knowing all of the college players and current MLS players. Additionally, we will spend a lot of time in other parts of the world scouting and building relationships.”
Hanauer is adamant that the right players and staff are crucial to branding soccer in Seattle. For hardcore Sounders fans, this means keeping Seattle’s rich soccer traditions alive thru the name with has become a legacy. Since the days of the NASL, this market has associated the name “Sounders” with soccer, but question marks still remain over the face of the new franchise.
Since expansion efforts began in 2004, numerous petitions have circulated by Seattle soccer supporters after a statement in the press by Hanauer:
"My feeling is that we need it (possible MLS team name) to be something huge and new, and not have it just be that the (current) Sounders are adding four players and moving up to MLS. That's not to say there won't be a way to keep some of the tradition and refer to that nostalgia. But I'm leaning toward a new brand."
When asked how MLS will impact tradition, Hanauer explained that while nostalgia and branding are reasons to keep the name, lingering perception of the team as a minor league brand for fifteen years could handicap marketing efforts. “We will never abandon the history of the Sounders in Seattle. he said. “We will deal with this in different ways with/without retaining the Sounders brand,” he said.
While firmly rooted in tradition, Hanauer also says Seattle MLS franchise will draw from successes and best practices from franchises in MLS as well as from around the world.
“As you have seen, we are already working on a fan involvement program which will allow fans to be involved in major decisions within the club.... including the ability to vote me out of my job after 4 years. he said. “This is a system used around the world, so we are not averse to going out and finding the best practices, anywhere we can find them.”
With the starpower of Drew Carey, the logistical brilliance of Microsoft’s Paul Allen and the stability of Sounder’s owner Adrian Hanauer, the sky is the limit for this yet to be named team, the question with such an array of characters however is how will it be run?
For Hanauer, whose involvement with the Sounders began watching games at Seattle’s old King dome, MLS is only the latest twist in a dream which began at the tender age of seven.
“I never missed a game”, he recalls. “I also went to the after game parties, and all of the soccer camps. It was a very influential part of my childhood,”
Determined to share this experience with others, he “jumped” at the chance to make soccer a success in Seattle. After first becoming involved with the Sounders seven years ago, he says his “super competitive” fueled success on and off the pitch
“When I got involved, the club was losing 850k per year. This past year, we lost approximately 350k. This has been a steady improvement from year to year. A group of committed owners have made up these losses, because of their love of the game and the community.” he said.
Despite the difficulties of running a minor league franchise in a major league market—a task he likens to “hand to hand combat”, Hauaner is optimistic that the leverage and contacts gained with the Sounders will prove invaluable in meeting the team’s goals.
After selling over 7,000 season tickets in the first fifteen days of his new venture, one goal well underway is the selling out the lower bowl of QWest stadium for 2009. But with fan expectations riding high, will they accompany big names on the pitch?
“I'm not a believe that there are very many coaches out there who sell tickets and are hugely marketable. explained Hanauer. “As for a designated player... we will wait for the right opportunity.”
With roughly 2.1 million dollars to spend on players, the Sounders will have blend of more well known players, and young players who we attempt to develop. A big believer in culture and system, Hanauer says Sounders players will need to be part of the unique culture of soccer in Seattle.
After acquiring first refusal to draft Sounders players’ for the 2009 season, Hanauer also expects to retain the majority of the Sounders’ front office personnel.
“Players will have to WANT top play in Seattle. he said. We will play an attacking style of play. We will play with a lot of speed... offensively and defensively. We will spend a lot of time analyzing and knowing all of the college players and current MLS players. Additionally, we will spend a lot of time in other parts of the world scouting and building relationships.”
Hanauer is adamant that the right players and staff are crucial to branding soccer in Seattle. For hardcore Sounders fans, this means keeping Seattle’s rich soccer traditions alive thru the name with has become a legacy. Since the days of the NASL, this market has associated the name “Sounders” with soccer, but question marks still remain over the face of the new franchise.
Since expansion efforts began in 2004, numerous petitions have circulated by Seattle soccer supporters after a statement in the press by Hanauer:
"My feeling is that we need it (possible MLS team name) to be something huge and new, and not have it just be that the (current) Sounders are adding four players and moving up to MLS. That's not to say there won't be a way to keep some of the tradition and refer to that nostalgia. But I'm leaning toward a new brand."
When asked how MLS will impact tradition, Hanauer explained that while nostalgia and branding are reasons to keep the name, lingering perception of the team as a minor league brand for fifteen years could handicap marketing efforts. “We will never abandon the history of the Sounders in Seattle. he said. “We will deal with this in different ways with/without retaining the Sounders brand,” he said.
While firmly rooted in tradition, Hanauer also says Seattle MLS franchise will draw from successes and best practices from franchises in MLS as well as from around the world.
“As you have seen, we are already working on a fan involvement program which will allow fans to be involved in major decisions within the club.... including the ability to vote me out of my job after 4 years. he said. “This is a system used around the world, so we are not averse to going out and finding the best practices, anywhere we can find them.”
Thursday, November 22, 2007
MLS 2007: Looking forward (and back) to the future
After a season of record attendance, rapid expansion and a new television contract, 2007 will likely be remembered as the year MLS finally came of age. From the arrival of global trotting superstars like David Beckham and Juan Pablo Angel to the on again off again playoff saga in LA, most fans would have a difficult time selecting the league’s most exciting headline this season. But despite the drama on and off the field, few would have chosen another predictable final between New England and Houston.
With league expansion gathering steam, this now annual contest between two of MLS’s most consistent sides raises interesting questions about how salaries, designated players and ultimately a move away from the single entity structure will affect each club.
For some teams this will come
in the form of advertising dollars and name players and coaches, while others will emphasize home grown talent. But as each team prepares for the future, I spoke with a veteran journalists from each market to preview what lies ahead for 2008 and beyond.
After a successful defense of it’s title on Sunday, two time champs Houston Dynamo seemed a logical first choice. And when it comes to the Dynamo, noone knows this side quite like veteran Dynamo Journalist Glenn Davis.
After a weekend of celebration in DC, our chat made for an interesting insight in to the working of a championship culture.
“I believe that the way the salary cap is set up you are building teams are built in three years cycles” he explained. “I truly believe the management style in Houston and New England has kept people around by building a family type atmosphere and a culture of success.” he adds.
Citing factors such as the expansion drafts, player salaries and new recruits, Davis points to the impact of head coaches like Steve Nicol and Dominic Kinnear, whose consistent influence have kept teams together by showing them there is more to soccer than just finance.
“It’s the little touches like picking a player up at the airport, explaining their role on the field and getting them acquainted with their teammates. said Davis. “The point is to show players there is more here than making 30 grand more somewhere else. There is a system in which you will play and be taken care of.” he adds.
This model of coaching comes as a stark contrast to the “super club” philosophy adopted by the Las Angeles Galaxy. With the appointment of Dutch star Ruud Guillt, David Beckham in midfield and Landon Donovan at the front, the Galaxy has constructed a side with abundant star power, but will Guillt be going to the ACC tournament to scout players?
“Its exciting from an awareness perspective, but intriguing from the standpoint of heres a guy who has coached teams that when you have a problem you throw a few million at new players. Well, thats now how it works in MLS.” he said.
Despite a telekinetic sense of hairstyle, it remains to be seen how the inexperienced duo of Guillt and Cobi Jones will function as a unit. Given Guillt’s past clashes with players, Davis questions whether he can hold a locker room together.
“Lets not forget the league has not had a great deal of success with foriegn coaches.” he added. “Players for former metros coach Frank Stapelton for example, used to say in he would try to prove how good a soccer player he still was in practice as opposed to a coach”
Contrasting Guillt to a guy like Steve Nicol—who coached and played for several years in the PDL and A-league, Davis feels understanding the American player is a crucial addition to the playing pedigree of any coach. “Here we have a guy that did it at the highest levels in Europe. But how will he be able to understand the thinking of a kid making twenty grand out of college? This is something I will ask him on my radio show.”
From a league wide perspective, L.A’s marketing approach also seems to represent a dramatic departure from the model adopted by Houston—who Davis says were offered Blanco, who has frequented Houston for surgeries and court dates over the years, before Chicago—both on and off the field.
Though impressed with Blanco’s production this season, he questions whether his age and fitness will hold up against the wear and tear of the league next season.
“I dont think the need for a DP was as great in Houston” he said. “I think they club felt confident in what they had as opposed to a market like Chicago which needed a spike both on and off the playing field.”
While paying tribute to the DP rule in generating league wide buzz, there are only a few teams that are investing in their product and team.
Singling out an organization like Kronke sports—who he labels “an accumulator of sports properties”, Davis predicts teams unwilling to spend money on their product will fall behind as the league moves away from the single entity structure.
“Here we have a team with a new stadium, but are not relevant in their own community” he said, “On the one hand, they talk of going global, but they don’t even get decent coverage in the newspaper.”
Referencing a “big three” of Houston, DC, and New Englands’ of the world, Davis says there are only a few clubs which are set up to compete for championships in MLS.
“In Houston, it is the community connection that is working here. It is reaching out to people, making relationships in the media and fans and generating confidence in the players”
Dispelling fears of a loss of pariety in future years, Davis welcomes the prospect of more money, media and better players in larger markets—who he feels will challenge smaller teams to raise the bar.
“Lets face it, right now we have some deadweight in this league. he said “This is America and fans will not simply shell out for an inferior product. Keeping up with the competition doesn’t just mean on the field, but how we can we successfully each team markets their product.”
With league expansion gathering steam, this now annual contest between two of MLS’s most consistent sides raises interesting questions about how salaries, designated players and ultimately a move away from the single entity structure will affect each club.
For some teams this will come
in the form of advertising dollars and name players and coaches, while others will emphasize home grown talent. But as each team prepares for the future, I spoke with a veteran journalists from each market to preview what lies ahead for 2008 and beyond.After a successful defense of it’s title on Sunday, two time champs Houston Dynamo seemed a logical first choice. And when it comes to the Dynamo, noone knows this side quite like veteran Dynamo Journalist Glenn Davis.
After a weekend of celebration in DC, our chat made for an interesting insight in to the working of a championship culture.
“I believe that the way the salary cap is set up you are building teams are built in three years cycles” he explained. “I truly believe the management style in Houston and New England has kept people around by building a family type atmosphere and a culture of success.” he adds.
Citing factors such as the expansion drafts, player salaries and new recruits, Davis points to the impact of head coaches like Steve Nicol and Dominic Kinnear, whose consistent influence have kept teams together by showing them there is more to soccer than just finance.
“It’s the little touches like picking a player up at the airport, explaining their role on the field and getting them acquainted with their teammates. said Davis. “The point is to show players there is more here than making 30 grand more somewhere else. There is a system in which you will play and be taken care of.” he adds.
This model of coaching comes as a stark contrast to the “super club” philosophy adopted by the Las Angeles Galaxy. With the appointment of Dutch star Ruud Guillt, David Beckham in midfield and Landon Donovan at the front, the Galaxy has constructed a side with abundant star power, but will Guillt be going to the ACC tournament to scout players?
“Its exciting from an awareness perspective, but intriguing from the standpoint of heres a guy who has coached teams that when you have a problem you throw a few million at new players. Well, thats now how it works in MLS.” he said.
Despite a telekinetic sense of hairstyle, it remains to be seen how the inexperienced duo of Guillt and Cobi Jones will function as a unit. Given Guillt’s past clashes with players, Davis questions whether he can hold a locker room together.
“Lets not forget the league has not had a great deal of success with foriegn coaches.” he added. “Players for former metros coach Frank Stapelton for example, used to say in he would try to prove how good a soccer player he still was in practice as opposed to a coach”
Contrasting Guillt to a guy like Steve Nicol—who coached and played for several years in the PDL and A-league, Davis feels understanding the American player is a crucial addition to the playing pedigree of any coach. “Here we have a guy that did it at the highest levels in Europe. But how will he be able to understand the thinking of a kid making twenty grand out of college? This is something I will ask him on my radio show.”From a league wide perspective, L.A’s marketing approach also seems to represent a dramatic departure from the model adopted by Houston—who Davis says were offered Blanco, who has frequented Houston for surgeries and court dates over the years, before Chicago—both on and off the field.
Though impressed with Blanco’s production this season, he questions whether his age and fitness will hold up against the wear and tear of the league next season.
“I dont think the need for a DP was as great in Houston” he said. “I think they club felt confident in what they had as opposed to a market like Chicago which needed a spike both on and off the playing field.”
While paying tribute to the DP rule in generating league wide buzz, there are only a few teams that are investing in their product and team.
Singling out an organization like Kronke sports—who he labels “an accumulator of sports properties”, Davis predicts teams unwilling to spend money on their product will fall behind as the league moves away from the single entity structure.“Here we have a team with a new stadium, but are not relevant in their own community” he said, “On the one hand, they talk of going global, but they don’t even get decent coverage in the newspaper.”
Referencing a “big three” of Houston, DC, and New Englands’ of the world, Davis says there are only a few clubs which are set up to compete for championships in MLS.
“In Houston, it is the community connection that is working here. It is reaching out to people, making relationships in the media and fans and generating confidence in the players”
Dispelling fears of a loss of pariety in future years, Davis welcomes the prospect of more money, media and better players in larger markets—who he feels will challenge smaller teams to raise the bar.
“Lets face it, right now we have some deadweight in this league. he said “This is America and fans will not simply shell out for an inferior product. Keeping up with the competition doesn’t just mean on the field, but how we can we successfully each team markets their product.”
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