April 14th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
Ah another weekend of MLS action is in the books and interest already seems to be at midseason form: that is to say people are losing interest as evidenced by the attendance. Perhaps it was DC’s midweek loss that rendered the best in MLS for another year inferior to an upper mid table Mexican side? (although to be fair DC looked over two legs to be better than Pachuca. Houston however, looked vastly inferior to Saprissa the Costa Rican champions who have for years had a special talent to make MLS sides look bad) Or was it that simply put it is a long season and a buzz hasn’t developed yet this season? [Read more →]
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April 10th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
Marco Etcheverry was the symbol of United’s early dominance of MLS
No offense to our readers who support MLS’ other thirteen and soon to be fifteen teams. These franchises are developing the persona to be considered a “club” by international standards as we speak. In some cases like Houston the process is quicker than in other places like New York. However, DC United reached “club” status very early in MLS’ existence and have led the way for years in the league. Wearing the DC United badge and colors means something to most players: it’s not just another MLS team, when you suit up for the Black and Red you inherit all the pride and luster that has been developed in that uniform. You play for the shirt, not just for a paycheck and championship with an assorted group of players. [Read more →]
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April 7th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
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April 4th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> 1 Comment
It was a Mexican Superstar, Luis Hernandez that led an MLS side to its last Continental Triumph
As has been discussed recently on CSRN’s American Soccer Show, MLS Talk and on this website we’ve been fed what amounts to league driven propaganda (presumably to attract new investors to the game which is a good thing) that the standard of MLS is consistently improving. With the two top MLS sides facing down the barrel of a gun at elimination at the semi-final stage of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, let’s look at MLS’ history participating in competitions with teams from other leagues outside the United States in FIFA/Federation sanctioned events. (ie., non SUM created and marketed events) [Read more →]
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March 30th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
MLS’ season opened earlier this year than it has since the league dropped the schedule from 32 games down to 28 and then back up to 30. In typical MLS style however, the opening weekend seemed to coincide with other prominent events on the American sporting calender so “First Kick” became the exclusive province of hard core football fans in the country, which is never enough to support and sustain a professional first division. ( A teaser for an upcoming post about MLS this week) [Read more →]
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March 12th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
I must say I have listened with much amusement the last few weeks as people have tried to convince me that the influx of foreign talent to MLS and the outflow of younger Americans from MLS or in some cases skipping MLS entirely is a good thing for Soccer in this country. That view is in my estimation completely misguided and fool hearty. Keep in mind the initial aim of MLS was not create a mini Bundesliga or Premier League on our shores but to build a player pool or unparalleled historical depth and quality for the U.S. Men’s National Team. [Read more →]
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February 29th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
The Fort Lauderdale based Miami Fusion played in MLS from 1998 thru 2001. The club were finalsits in the 2000 Open Cup and won the 2001 Supporters Shield. In this very special episode of the podcast we look back at the Fusion with longtime South Florida Sun Sentinel columnist Jeff Rusnak. [Read more →]
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February 27th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> 1 Comment
I get annoyed when I hear fans of the US Soccer program state that we need to put more young players in the English Premier League. Yes, we need to put more players in Europe, but no we do not have to put more young, developiong players in the Premier League. [Read more →]
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February 26th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> No Comments
Donadoni was among the early top shelf foreign signings for MLS
The last two years we have been subjected to loads of conversation, some of it even bordering on propaganda as to how the league is constantly improving. While from a technical standpoint the league seems to be getting better, the results of MLS clubs in competitions against foreign clubs as evidenced by Houston’s thrashing at the hands of Gambro Osaka of the J-League this morning is as poor as it has ever been. This piece is not meant to advocate the position that MLS is not improving, because deep down I believe it is, but it is meant to ask the critical questions that seem to be not asked because so many of us want the game to succeed and are scared to bring up some very obvious points of discussion. [Read more →]
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February 22nd, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> 1 Comment
On a night when the LA Galaxy despite a herculean effort from one David Beckham managed to embarrass themselves yet again and legitimately call into question the standard of play and development in the United States, the reigning league champion Houston Dynamo did to Sydney FC exactly what the Aussie club had done to the Galaxy a few months ago: humiliate them in the first half and in the process rescue some measure of pride for an embattled league.
Unfortunately some in the European press do not pay attention to MLS beyond the circus that is the LA Galaxy. So as the Galaxy continue to struggle in foreign competitions it will be easy to pick on the MLS for many of its detractors both home and abroad. Ruud Gullit himself may have been guilty of this in the past. But Gullit should have taken in the second match of the semifinals as a scouting operation. If he did watch the second match he now knows how wide a gap exists between the bottom feeders of MLS, like the Galaxy and the top like Houston. Dom Kinnear has a system in place where he can plug in just about any player of his choosing around the core of Dwayne Dersorio, Brian Ching and Wade Barret (yes he is a core player as he was in San Jose) and make the thing work. LA, and other MLS teams save New England do not have that luxury.
How can a team coming off a three month closed season look so scary good, as the Dynamo did last night? How can a team that hasn’t played a competitive match since November and has lost several players this closed season have such chemistry and flow to where from minute one it looked like they were in midseason form? Dom Kinnear is not only a brilliant coach, but his players have a pride in the shirt, a pride in the club that most MLS players never develop for their club.
The Dynamo were simply scintillating last night. Sydney FC did not win the A-League this season, but were one of the better teams. But the gap in class between the Dynamo and Sydney is what you would expect between a LaLiga or Premier League side and a lesser side in a smaller league in Europe, or according to some critics an MLS side. The gap in quality, technical and tactics was striking, after watching a first match (which I missed part of because of my other sporting obsession: Miami Hurricanes Basketball) with very little to offer in the way of compelling football, the Dynamo rescued everyone’s night and the image of MLS for those who bothered to stick around for the second game.
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