Comments on: CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : SECOND TIME AROUND

By: Maurice O'Donnell

Maurice O'Donnell — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:24:42 +0000

Hi guys, I loved reading your comments! As assistant coach to Joe Public in this competition, I wouldn’t quite agree that teams didn’t take it seriously, or at least most of them! When we played New England in Trinidad, I felt it was complacency ontheir part coming to play us, and that they didn’t show us respect, and with us winning 2-1 on the night, I also think that this lack of respect deepened, as they thought with the return leg in Boston, they would just have to turn up to win and go through! Well, we were also aware of hoiw they were thinking, and we used that to our best advantage, and the result said it all. Over the two games, we deserved our win. However, there is no doubt that in the group stages, we were punching well above our weight, but we’ll never forget the 1-0 win we had in Mexico, against the eventual winners, Atalante. I hope you all enjoy this seasons competition, and I wish Atalante the best of luck in the World Club Cup.

By: Chest Rockwell

Chest Rockwell — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:04:57 +0000

P.S. If it’s not obvious, I find this competition very fascinating. Sure the level of play is inconsistent, and the refereeing was appalling last time around, but the games are almost always packed with drama (late goals, upsets, red cards, etc). And really, if fans of MLS and other CONCACAF leagues can’t show interest in this tournament, then soccer in CONCACAF will never get any closer to what it is in Europe and South America. I’m not saying this tournament will overtake the Champions League or Copa Libertadores, but it can progress with support and interest.

By: Chest Rockwell

Chest Rockwell — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:02:03 +0000

I think we’ll see a different (and better) showing from MLS clubs this time around. Houston, who did the best out of the MLS clubs, is in the group stage again, and have the depth to balance CCL and MLS play. They also have a physical, direct approach that throws off Mexican and Central American teams (evidence: Puerto Rico and Montreal, both playing defensive, ultra-direct, and aggressive, massively overachieved). I wonder about Columbus; with their early struggles and Schelotto’s age, I wonder if they won’t rest him in some of these games. Odds are they’ll still be trying to play catch-up in the MLS standings, so you have to wonder where their priorities will lie.

DC United looks likely to drastically improve their showing. They have more depth, are more secure defensively than they were last summer/fall, and seem fitter. NY, on the other hand, looks likely to disappoint. There just aren’t enough smart players on the Red Bulls roster, and Osorio will probably tinker his way into defeat. They will need a great draw to get through (like, say, Nicaragua’s Real Esteli or perhaps a Panamanian or Trinidadian side). TFC is also in a good spot to get through, and they look to me more likely than NY to get to the group stage.

At worst, I think MLS clubs will be 1/4 of the group stage teams, and out of them I see Houston and DC getting through. Of course, that’s assuming the draw isn’t as brutal to them as it was to DC last year. TFC could also get through. Columbus might be a stretch barring major improvement, and NY seems like a lost cause at this point.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:32:21 +0000

Undrafted to show up and argue about the meaningless CCF in 10,9,8,7,6….

I wonder if the MLS Commissioner would make further public statements about international club tourney like last summer. It would be interesting to see if MLS clubs have learned from the first one.

By: Chris B

Chris B — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:45:08 +0000

MLS teams SHOULD and will do better because unlike the REVS who you always point out won’t be already exhausted from superliga and the MLS season and won’t be (fingers crossed) fielding injury depleted teams like the REVS. Oh yeah, did you see those goals that Joe Public kid scored? He will never score such perfect goals again!

By: The Footballer

The Footballer — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:21:49 +0000

It’s absolutely idiotic for teams to not take this seriously. That’s be like, in baseball, winning your division but then not taking the playoffs seriously. How retarded is that. Teams should always aim to win the world championship. That can only be achieved by winning the CCL first.

Also, if you take away a USA spot, you don’t have to reallocate it. Just have 23 teams instead of 24. The highest seeded preliminary team would then go directly to the group stage. That’s it.

By: Berlin

Berlin — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:12:55 +0000

I love this tournament and hope to see it continue to grow. With the FMF out of CONMEBOL this is a great opportunity for them to focus on the competition and start applying pressure to MLS to field first team squads.