Andy Brassell – from World Football Phone-In, Soccernet and Soccerlens – joined the Major League Soccer Talk podcast to talk about one of the United States’s group stage foes in South Africa: Algeria. After the Desert Foxes’s appearance in the semifinals of the African Cup of Nations, what threat will they pose to their Group C counterparts come June.
{ 0 comments }
On Saturday morning, Landon Donovan will board a bus at Goodison Park, the stadium at the top of the photo amid all the working class houses, and travel about a mile to Anfield, the stadium at the bottom of the photo amid all the working class houses. Escorted by a phalanx of security, Donovan and his teammates will walk into Anfield and then, eventually through he tunnel, onto the field, and into an experience wholly new to Donovan. No matter what happens for the rest of Landon Donovan’s career, no matter what happens in South Africa, no matter whether he returns to the Galaxy or stays in Europe, the following two hours will be among the most memorable he will ever have.
Of all the great European derbies, there are few that can compare to the Merseyside clash. The Old Firm game in Scotland may be rooted in religious rivalry and for a half century the Barca-Real battle in Spain stood in for the civil war after the bullets stopped flying. However, it is the proximity of the Merseyside battle that drives the vitriol. For these two teams, separated by only a park, a cemetery, and 100 years of hate, this game can often define the value of their whole season.
Part of what makes this Derby so powerful is the sound. Both Anfield and Goodison are relatively small, confined stadiums. The crowd at Anfield is right on top of the action, and the noise reverberates around the stadium like shaken pennies in glass jar. For a normal Liverpool game against some random opponent, Anfield is one of the loudest stadia in the land. For the Merseyside game, noise is taken to an entirely new level. The noise at Anfield has feeling. You can sense it in your chest. When Donovan takes a cornerkick, he will be taking it while leaning against a wall of sound. To the extent he will be able to make out anything specific, the dialog would make a pornographer blush.
Ultimately, it is these types of experiences that will make his loan to Everton so valuable to Donovan. Playing with great players, against great players in an electrified atmosphere is something that you cannot get in 2010’s MLS. Maybe one day, but not today. To the extent that Landon under-performed in the World Cup four years ago, one of the reasons why is that he did not have enough experiences like the Merseyside Derby.
The games Donovan has played against Mexico are passionate, but really do not compare to a Liverpool/Everton match up. Ultimately, both Mexico and the US have always known that no matter the result, they were both going to qualify for the World Cup. Beating Mexico is fun mostly because it is so galling to the Mexicans. Losing to Mexico is always disappointing, but rarely devastating. What Donovan will experience on Saturday is of a completely different nature. The fans on both sides are so emotionally committed to the game that they hold nothing in reserve to cushion the blow should they lose.
For us west-coasters, we are looking at a 4:30 am kick-off on Saturday. My advice – set your alarm. With ESPN2 broadcasting the game in HD, it is time to wall –off the TV room, turn the volume up, and let the action wipe the sleep from your eyes. You rarely get to see a game like this with an American playing a position other than ‘keeper. It should not be missed.
{ 57 comments }
As Landon Donovan settles into the Everton, Michael Bradley becomes even more a fixture at the Bundesliga, and Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark leave the US and take big career risks to fight for a position on European teams, many American fans are bemoaning the fate of the MLS. What if all our stars go to Europe? What if the MLS becomes just a developmental league for European teams?
It may be counter-intuitive, and perhaps a little heretical, but soccer in America, and MLS in particular, can thrive as an exporter of quality domestic talent.
As I have said before, there are plenty of great soccer nations that export all their quality players and yet command a fervent following from their fans. Nearly every great Dutch player plays outside of Holland, and that does not make the Ajax fans walk around bemoaning the state of their league. The majority of the Argentina national team plays in Europe, and the River vs. Boca Super Classico in Buenos Aires makes the Galaxy/Chivas Superclassico look like a garden party. And of course, there is not a single member of the Brazil starting XI who plays for a Brazilian club team (with the possible exception of the newly outcast Robinho), but there are still over 400 teams in the Brazilian Football Confederation.
For the casual US soccer fan, they need to know MLS is not some rinky-dink outfit full of future high-school soccer coaches and European geriatrics. Nothing affirms the quality of our domestic league like watching our players be able to compete in the best leagues of Europe. As Donovan, Bradley, Clint Dempsey, and Tim Howard move from MLS, lock down starting XI positions and square off on a weekly basis against the best talents in the world, casual fans begin to accept the product put out by MLS as worthy of their attention and support.
The more talent we export, or more precisely, the more MLS talent is craved in Europe, the more esteem MLS will garner among US fans. As US players head off to Europe, US soccer fans are affirmed in their decision to follow the teams that can create that type of quality. As the US fans learn, through the experiences of our US players, about the culture and atmosphere of European soccer teams, they will want to replicate that atmosphere here with our domestic league.
Most importantly, the success of soccer in America has far more to do with the success of the US National Team than it does Major League Soccer. Do you want to see full MLS stadiums this summer and fall? If the US team has a decent run in South Africa, it will make a MLS ticket one of the hottest tickets in town. For the US to do well in South Africa, its best player must spend a lot of time in Europe playing against the best the world has to offer. I don’t think anyone seriously argues with that (if you do, I have the US/Honduras game from last month featuring a mostly MLS team on my Tivo to show you). Will Donovan, Clark and Holden be better players this summer after their European experiences? There is little doubt they will be.
Sometime in the coming years, the US will hopefully produce a truly world class outfield player – a player who may start in MLS, but will go on to play an important role for one of the great teams of Europe. The moment when some US player takes off their Kansas City Wizards or Columbus Crew uniform and puts on their Real Madrid or Manchester United kit will be one of the great moments in MLS history – the moment when the MLS will have truly arrived as a great league worthy of the casual sports fans’ attention.
{ 42 comments }
On this edition of the Major League Soccer Talk podcast, I talk to Dave Clark.
Dave covers the Seattle Sounders at SounderAtHeart.com, but while we talk about the Sounders’ past and upcoming seasons, the main focus of the podcast are two pieces of analysis Dave’s recently published: a look at MLS versus USL results, and a view of league strength in terms of international squad representation.
{ 4 comments }
Steve Ralston heads home to St. Louis
Earlier today, AC St. Louis of the new NASL announced the signing of Steve Ralston as a player and assistant coach for their upcoming inaugural season. The former New England Revolution and MLS original decided to leave the Revolution after a new contract could not be worked out. He returns to his home town of St. Louis as the NASL’s highest profile signing to date.
As recently as last Thursday, the veteran midfielder was still considering signing with the Revolution for a ninth consecutive season. However, he informed the team later that day he would be moving on. Speculation had Ralston signing elsewhere in MLS, though that move might prove risky for any team to make for a 35 year old coming off a devastating knee injury. Apparently the deal in St. Louis must have been discussed throughout January, in the time since his MLS contract ran out at the end of 2009, with Ralston using that offer in his negotiations with the Revs.
Ralston leaves MLS as one of the last remaining members of the class of 1996. After six years with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, he moved to New England in 2002 following the dispersal of players after the Mutiny were contracted from the league. His longevity in the top flight of American soccer left its mark on the MLS record book, with Ralston toping the list for games started (372), games played (378), minutes played (33,143), and assists (135) in the league’s 14 year history. While he never won an MLS Cup, he participated four times with the Revolution. Ralston also leaves MLS as a seven-time All-Star and three-time Best XI selection.
As exciting a signing this is for AC St. Louis, it is sad day for MLS to lose one of its remaining original players. His importance to the Revolution was without question, and was especially evident when he went down to injury late in the 2009 season. At an age where most players are showing a decline in speed and skill, Ralston’s veteran play provided stability to an already strong Revolution midfield. It will be difficult to for him to fully regain his abilities following his latest injury, but his quality would still allow him to be an important part of most MLS teams.
The move from MLS to the NASL by Ralston certainly does not signal the beginning of heavy roster poaching by the new league. However, it does signal that with their return as a brand-name, the NASL wants to capture the attention of the American soccer audience. The addition of a US Men’s National Team and MLS veteran today makes it clear that the league looks to make a splash in 2010.
{ 6 comments }
Rumors of Donovan making a permanent move to Everton have started to surface. (Photo: ZumaPress)
As Landon Donovan continues to make an impact on the blue half of Merseyside, we are starting to read the first reports of Everton’s desire to make the short-term loan a permanent move.
This weekend, Donovan made another start for the Toffees, playing the first 75 minutes of Everton’s visit to Wigan Athletic. Donovan was out of the match when Tim Cahill scored Everton’s only goal in their 1-0 victory, moving them into ninth place in the English Premier League.
Donovan’s fifth appearance (fourth in league) was decent if non-descript, yet it provided further evidence of the American’s quick assimilation into the league. The biggest of piece of that evidence: Donovan again starting ahead of winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, who had a successful run of matches before Donovan was brought in. Though it is too soon to say whether he has done this: Unseating the Russian international would be an accomplishment.
While Mikel Arteta’s continuing recovery may make it difficult for Donovan to continue seeing as much playing time, a permanent move for the Galaxy attacker would help Everton with the depth problem they have been plagued by over the last two seasons. But even if Everton and Donovan desire to make the deal permanent, Major League Soccer may not be on the same page.
{ 35 comments }
After World Cup 2006, we observed a remarkable growth in the sport here in the United States. I am proud to have been associated with the EPL Talk Network since the fall of 2006, and to have been the founding writer of this website, MLS Talk. As someone who has been deeply passionate about my football since the early 1980s, Christopher Harris gave me an opportunity of the lifetime, something that has allowed me to transform almost three decades of passion into a career. I will forever be indebted to him and the EPL Talk Network.
When we launched the MLS Talk website and podcast in early 2007, the excitement about David Beckham’s signing in MLS was reaching a fever pitch. That year, we were able to cover the US National Team win its second consecutive CONCACAF Gold Cup, Mexican Football from a local vantage point, as well as MLS’ golden season, its best since the late 1990s, with Houston’s dynamic second straight title, Beckham, Blanco, Angel and all the rest. Yanks Abroad and the US U-20 team was also a focus of our coverage in 2007.
In 2008, we reached new heights, with increased MLS coverage, new writers, and an increased range of coverage. We began covering USL and College Soccer heavily, as well as having the honor to cover the USMNT in person for friendlies versus Mexico and England. We also covered the US U-23 teams Olympic qualifiers in Tampa, and spent a great deal of effort tracking our top youth national team prospects from Bradenton, across the globe.
During the summer of 2008, I received my personal greatest honor as a writer, when the Guardian, my favorite British newspaper listed my MLS Talk article on David Beckham’s troubles in Los Angeles, as their “favorite thing this week,” on the newspaper’s football page. That year, we also became the first blog exclusively covering American soccer to be listed on the UK’s, News Now service.
The following year brought increased traffic and focus to MLS Talk. We were able to add several talented and recognizable writers to our staff in addition to increasing our scope of coverage to include the woman’s game and in-depth analysis of finances and television ratings. From any perspective, 2009 was a banner year for MLS Talk.
The USMNT’s run in the Confederations Cup, CONCACAF news from other nations in the region, World Cup qualifying, and the growing influence and scope of Americans playing abroad became a big part of our focus in 2009. We also saw growing interest among non Latino fans in Mexican Football, and we covered that as well.
The scope of MLS Talk has grown as our readers, listeners and writers have become more diverse. We’ve done our best to reflect the growing cosmopolitan nature of the American soccer fan while continuing to focus on the domestic game with a critical lens.
As we enter a World Cup year, MLS Talk will be more indispensable than ever for fans of the beautiful game here in North America. Richard Farley, who takes over the MLS Talk Podcast and a substantial amount of my writing duties, will continue our good work, while further developing the understanding that we are developing of the world game. Richard watches more football from abroad, and understands the game better than any other American based blog writer, that I have worked with.
Finally, I want to thank all our readers and listeners. When we began covering American Soccer, first on EPL Talk in 2006 and then with the launching of this site in 2007, it was considered by many an ambitious endeavor. But thanks to you, the readers and listeners, we proved that an ever growing number of fans around the globe desire consistent coverage of the American game, without the sugarcoated optimism that was prevalent from many other sources of coverage.
We have aimed to provide insightful, thoughtful analysis, which often times is mischaracterized or misinterpreted by a few message board writers and some of our readers. My opinions have been often mischaracterized by those who do not take opinions in context or fail to read entire articles, or those who seem to have missed my many supportive articles about various subjects that I am accused of “hating.”
Despite this, I think we have had a substantial impact on the way all aspects of football in North America is covered, and the type of analysis that fans are looking for. I will continue to contribute to our sister site, EPL Talk through the conclusion of this summer’s World Cup, but after in excess of a thousand postings on this site, since it was founded with me as the only writer, I say goodbye.
Best of luck to our talented writers and new podcast host, Richard Farley on making 2010 even better than the years that preceded it for MLS Talk.
{ 14 comments }
