Comments on: CONCACAF Champions League Week 6 in Review

By: Jonesta

Jonesta — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:38:12 +0000

Screw the CCL, the average person doesn’t know about it because of the anti-soccer media that has been in place for years. I have never seen a Champions League add here in the states so how are those other than the hardcore soccer fan supposed to know about it? Thank God ESPN is starting to come around on soccer and we can now see more and more matches every year, but until we overcome the current generation in power’s hate of soccer this stuff won’t be common knowledge (that time is fast arriving though). The CCL has nothing to offer MLS teams to perform well as it stands right now, and with the low salary cap and roster size (and lack of a reserve league, the single biggest mistake the league has made, and one I hope to see rectified soon) when it comes down to it, it makes more sense to worry much more about league matches at this time than CCL.

At the ripe old age of 14 MLS is starting to worry our dirty neighbors to the south and their constant need to bash the league is evidence of that fact. In a few more years with a few more changes to the league structure, MLS will overtake FMF as the dominant league in the region just as the USA has overtaken Mexico as the dominant national team. It’s funny how you start to hear the hate coming from those that fear to be overtaken, but to me the noise is beautiful, it means we are doing something right…Long Live MLS!

By: Mexico is WAY better

Mexico is WAY better — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:54:10 +0000

Those Central American teams can’t afford a reserve league either and have much lower salaries than your league. Yet, they still defeat your teams.

Your league sucks. Plain and simple.

By: GK

GK — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:50:02 +0000

MLS has a degree of success as a business model for an entertainment industry product. From the SUM perspective, there are marketing campaigns, superstar development, ownership ‘profits’, and TV rights. From the Fan perspective, the on-field quality is in constant flux. Some players are improving, others are not, while a few remain constant. There are playoff hunts, derbies, and brand loyalty. Is the league giving the fans what they want? Are the fans giving the league what it wants? Do the corporate profits go toward growing the markets or deepening the rosters/quality? Is the measure of success contained within a league only or does it include legitimate confederation competition? MLS is not on par with FMF, but is that a necessary comparison? 15 years into existence and the amount of support, degree of interest (see discussion threads), and depth of passion for a team or league is in good shape. It continues to improve in some respects and has yet to saturate the psyche with community involvement, youth programs, and ’success’ both as a valuable business and quality entertainment.

By: timmyg

timmyg — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:20:22 +0000

Lets not forget Toronto FC who lost to Puerto Rico, and the New York Red Bulls who lost to W. Connection in the qualifying stages.

Puerto Rico never won a match, while W. Connection couldn’t advance from what was arguably the weakest group.

By: dan

dan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:29:08 +0000

The MLS is still a young league and the reason the Mls rests its starters during the CCL is simple they can’t afford the reserve team that other leagues can afford because of the salary cap. Plus right noe i could care less about the CCL, The MLS needs to build all there fanbases to ensure the leagues future. It is on the right track though.

By: dan

dan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:17:49 +0000

not as weak as your momma

By: Mexico is WAY better

Mexico is WAY better — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:18:33 +0000

Only Houston advanced last year, DC bombed before that. Fix your update. You were thinking of 2008.

And Kartik, how is that league the most successful? There’s no way.

Anyway, it is sad how fans continually make excuses for the league. Mexican teams have only 8 of 20 teams going to the playoffs, their playoff chase is even tougher. So don’t gimme that “playoff chase” excuse. Plus fixture congestion means nothing– Columbus won the SS AND made the CCL QF. They dealt with “fixture congestion” and still succeeded.

But it is true that the league doesn’t have to succeed internationally, because its fans are clueless. Name one European fan who doesn’t know about the Champions League. Yet here, the fans have no idea. That’s sad beyond words.

The league is an embarrassment to world football.

By: mdb

mdb — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:39:37 +0000

@riosoccer & @kartik:

First, kartik is right about the fixture pile-up being a problem. Riosoccer, I’ll bet you’ll see that most teams in the champions league and europa league will play 3-4 different players in their midweek international matches in comparison to their weekend league matches.

However, what is missed by all above are two very important economic factors that make this a real problem:

1. The MLS salary cap makes it impossible for MLS teams to match the depth of most CHampions league teams, Europa League teams, or even most Mexican teams (as Kartik points out). The best teams can rest their best players and still beat a mid table team without breaking a sweat. The exception that proves the rule is Liverpool. It’s economic struggles have made it impossible for it to build the depth it needs to overcome its current injury bug. That is why Liverpudlians are freaking out right about now.

2. The economics of the CCL are insignificant. As far as I can tell, there is no REAL financial incentive for MLS teams to go for the CCL. Whereas, European teams bet the farm on the millions of euros they get just for participating in the Champions League, let along advancing out of the group stage or to a final (which comes with a 45million euro pot).

Until one and or both of those economic factors are changed, don’t expect MLS teams to change their approach to the CCL.

By: MLS is a joke

MLS is a joke — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:19:46 +0000

B team hahaha

MLS a joke

Pumas fields a U-20 Squad and still finishes 1st in there group

hahahahahhahahahahahahh

By: riosoccer

riosoccer — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:36:47 +0000

Ouch, Kartik! The cold hard facts of reality. Sad but true, brother. Most Americans probably don’t even know a CONCACAF Champions League even exists. Why should the league/Houston care when the playoffs are here and the money is coming in?
I still don’t buy that fixture pile-up. All European teams play the same players during the weekday travels of Europe as they do in the domestic league. What Man U won’t play Rooney this weekend against Liverpool? Are our boys that unfit to play 2 games in a week or just that inexperienced to know when to play in a game and when not to? I’ve seen a lot of stupid decisions of MLS players while watching CC League games.
So whats the answer to my, and maybe your Kartik, question of how do we get MLS to go after international club wins in legitimate games.
Question two: how do we beat those Mexican teams??