AC St. Louis Fills A Big Gap

Professional Soccer has often been a spottingly available product across North America, and MLS, as a Premier Division, cannot fill the gaps by itself.  This is where USL has often filled in, in the past, although USL has often been perceived as small market, for good reason in many cases. The reformed NASL aims to change that.

The North American Soccer League 2.0 (Special Edition, Director’s Cut, etc) has stepped up where USL had failed previously.  While many of the teams in the NASL remain small market teams, there has been some significant progress made, specifically with regards to the new clubs entering the league (St. Louis, Atlanta, Tampa and a jumped up Baltimore).

Major League Soccer and USL had previously failed to succeed, or even enter, in certain major markets in the United States and Canada. In all of the cases of folded teams, we have numerous examples in the wasteland which is the southeastern United States, and of course, “Western Canada” (read as Alberta).  In the case of non-starters, we have St. Louis, among others.  But regardless of case, the reason for failure has largely been due to poor business plans.

It seems that NASL seeks to learn from the mistakes made by both the MLS and the USL.

Evidence can be found with the new club in Edmonton, known at this point as FC Edmonton (a name which I hope they keep, it has a nice, crisp feel to it).

Where the Drillers have failed before, FC Edmonton seeks to succeed. It seems the ownership and management understand the need for a successful team in what could be considered a barren wasteland for the beautiful game. They certainly have shown an understanding for the Prairie psyche, and are establishing a youth academy in order to reach out to talented youngsters across the three provinces. What is most promising is what seems to be the commitment to winning, and the acquisition of pedigreed coaching in Dutch-Canadian Manager Dwight Lodeweges.

Other smart moves taken by NASL can be found with AC St. Louis.

It has already been documented on this website that AC St. Louis has acquired Steve Ralston from the Revolution, in both a player and coaching role, but one cannot emphasize the importance of such an acquisition. The talented player will undoubtedly be important in what could be a rocky start for the expansion side. Even more important though, is his role as a coach as well as a player. It is little secret that once players get over the hump of 30 years of age, their abilities start to decline quite quickly.  Ralston is well over that hump and will be making the transition from player to coach, and potentially manager one day.

Essentially, NASL (AC St. Louis in particular) is making an investment for the future in this acquisition, and sending a clear message that they’re serious about sticking around.

We can also talk about the Florida market and the attempt by NASL to lock it up with teams in Tampa and Miami. One should note that MLS has left this place a soccer wasteland.

Essentially, NASL has filled the gap of pro soccer in mid-major markets in North America. This will allow for more professional opportunities for youth across the continent and allow for longer term development. Why is it able to succeed where USL has failed? Simple branding. The North American Soccer League is a brand which remains one of the strongest in North American football and it will play an important part in filling a major gap in the availability of association football in North America.

In my next piece, I will discuss the importance of capping MLS at 20 teams and which markets should fill the final positions.

Franco should be a hero in Mexico/PA Sports Image

I understand this is a website dedicated to MLS and US Soccer, but please indulge me in this moment of personal privilege about our neighbors to the south and our neighbors to the north.

Guille Franco opened his Premier League account yesterday, playing for a less competitive West Ham side than former Mexican striker Jared Borgetti did in Bolton a few years back. I bring this subject up, because Franco has been the subject of much racist hatred in Mexico since Ricardo LaVolpe brought him into the national team in 2004. Franco, from where I sit was one of the best Mexican players in the later part of LaVolpe’s reign but the fact that like his manager, he was born in Argentina caused anger and showed the worst sort of nativism among certain parts of the Mexican fan base and press.

Hugo Sanchez, upon assuming the job in the wake of LaVolpe’s sacking pledged not to select any naturalized players. Thus, Franco was not considered again for the squad until Sven Goran Eriksson was the manager, and did not again play a key role until Javier Aguirre took over this spring. Aguirre’s knowledge of Franco was less based on his play for Monterrey in the Mexican League in the earlier part of this decade, but his play with Villarreal, whom Aguirre managed against several times in Champions League deciding fixtures with Athletico Madrid.

Mexican Football isn’t regarded with the respect it should be in England. Jared Borgetti, who ironically enough, very openly poured scorn on Sven Goran Eriksson decision to feature naturalized players, was considered a first rate flop at Bolton. Borgetti’s failures furthered the already negative perception surrounding Mexican footballers in England.

How ironic that Guille Franco, who many El Tri supporters would not claim as one of their own could well be on his way to changing that perception for good, and allowing more opportunities for the likes of Carlos Vela and Gio Dos Santos who are already on EPL squads to flourish. Franco appears to be well on his way to undoing the negative stigma that Borgetti helped to further in England.

Racism and Xenophobia are somewhat rampant in Mexico, whether Mexicans want to admit it or not. Guille Franco, from where I sit, is an incredible person to have put up with the abuse while representing El Tri and still been willing to embrace Mexican culture and Mexico as a nation. He deserves to be seen back home as a conquering hero following his goal yesterday at the Stadium of Light.

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Today’s playoff Superclassico has me, like so many others super psyched. But given what I have written above, I worry about the potential racial and ethnic connotations of such a matchup, and such a derby. Rangers v Celtic, and Hibs vs Hearts type ethnic, religious or racial divisions aren’t what America is about. It was in this context that the NASL was very strict in not allowing ethnic named teams into the league, with the (reluctant) exception of the Toronto Metros-Croatia.

I urge everyone attending the match today to cheer for your side, but please don’t make it about us (Galaxy-Gringos or non Mexican Latinos) versus them (Chivas- Mexicans). If that sort of factionalism develops, the game and MLS loses.

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The United Soccer Leagues announced on Thursday that they will be opening a Canadian office in Ottawa. The USL headquarters is in Tampa, but with over two dozen Canadian sides competing in USL leagues, the move makes sense from a USL perspective.

However, I regret to once again raise the issue of FIFA sanctioning and cross border leagues. While USL is sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association, the two USL First Division clubs in Canada recently approached the USSF to help mediate the dispute they and other members of the Team Owners Association is having with the league.

USL’s official administrative foray into Canada could further render the CSA and the Canadian Soccer League totally useless. While some posters here will claim that Wales, Monaco, Liechtenstein, New Zealand and others all fall under the same category as Canada does in its participation in foreign leagues, the extent of Canadian influence on MLS and USL, the two US based professional leagues is without precedent on the planet.

I have outlined these issues before and quite frankly do not have the patience again to outline the numerous reasons MLS, USL, and the Canadian based clubs appear to be skirting FIFA regulations on this matter.

Let me state this clearly. I am all for Canadian participation in MLS and USL. I believe the achievements of TFC, the Whitecaps, the Impact and several PDL clubs in Canada speak for themselves. But my worry about the legality of the continued cross border merger of football, and the failure of FIFA regulations to be properly enforced (for example, the three Canadian teams in USL and MLS should NOT be eligible to represent Canada in international competitions unless the CSA drops its sanctioning of the CSL) could lead to more trouble down the road if FIFA under new leadership, suddenly decides they want to crack down.

While the Canadian National Team has been eliminated from securing its first World Cup qualification since 1986, this has been an otherwise banner year in Canadian Soccer. Toronto FC has been a few terrible (and dare I say blatant) officials calls away from making the MLS playoffs as a second year franchise. The Thunder Bay Chill became the first Canadian champions of the PDL by upsetting Laredo in the finals. Vancouver has won yet another USL title, and Montreal currently has the most points of any CONCACAF Champions League participant.

With Canadian fortunes so clearly on the upswing, while club football in the United States is quite honestly stagnant in quality (in other words MLS and USL have gotten a boost from their Canadian sides to claim the leagues are actually improving in standard) should Canada become the focus of any future MLS expansion? Will this be tolerated by FIFA and the USSF? Does football have a stronger future north of the border as a spectator sport than in the peculiar sporting culture of the United States?

Jim Brennan from MLSNET.com

While the Canadian National Team has been eliminated from securing its first World Cup qualification since 1986, this has been an otherwise banner year in Canadian Soccer. Toronto FC has been a few terrible (and dare I say blatant) officials calls away from making the MLS playoffs as a second year franchise. The Thunder Bay Chill became the first Canadian champions of the PDL by upsetting Laredo in the finals. Vancouver has won yet another USL title, and Montreal currently has the most points of any CONCACAF Champions League participant.

With Canadian fortunes so clearly on the upswing, while club football in the United States is quite honestly stagnant in quality (in other words MLS and USL have gotten a boost from their Canadian sides to claim the leagues are actually improving in standard) should Canada become the focus of any future MLS expansion? Will this be tolerated by FIFA and the USSF? Does football have a stronger future north of the border as a spectator sport than in the peculiar sporting culture of the United States?