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.”