Special Guest Post by Zach Woosley - cross-posted to Ginge Talks the Footy


I'm not feeling particularly inspired this morning. The 2009 MLS Cup Final left a bad taste in my mouth, very similar to the feeling you get from that awful concoction dentist use to "polish" your teeth. I just feel like we were cheated out of a good match by a few controlling factors. I'll do my best to outline these factors and explain my thought process; all is not negative however and I'll be sure to talk about some positives as well. And since I love spaghetti westerns, I think I'll throw that in the mix.

The Good: The Atmosphere

Seattle was a great host for the 2009 MLS Cup Final. The stadium looked great (aside from the pitch, which I'll address later), the crowd was loud and boisterous, and despite a rather boring first half and dreadful extra time, the second half and penalty kicks gave us plenty of tension and drama. I hate penalty kicks, absolutely despise them, but much like the analogy of a car crash, you just can't look away. Last night's were particulary good though. We had Landon Donovan's amazing miss, Edson Buddle and the exhausted Andy Williams both with unfortunately poor efforts that turned the momentum, and finally Nick Rimando, looking particularly Smurftastic, amazing again just as he was against Chicago in the Eastern Conference Final. It definitely could have been a better match, but it felt like a Cup final and had all the drama you expect from a Cup final. What more can you really ask for?

The Bad: The Plastic Pitch

That field in Seattle sucks, but then all plastic surfaces suck. Toronto knows it and are getting rid of the crap. Seattle can't really do anything as they are stuck with the field thanks to time sharing in an NFL stadium. It really doesn't do any good to complain, so I'll keep this brief while still saying what needs to be said...which is this: That was embarrassing last night for Major League Soccer. The ball bouncing and skipping everywhere, passes going off target; it was really poor stuff. It doesn't help that the art of the first touch is often lost in MLS when you make these guys play on what equates to being in a FC Dallas bounce house.

The Ugly: The Assault on Javier Morales.

Not the flashiest player, but much like Schelotto in Columbus last season, Morales is the engine that turns the wheels for Real Salt Lake. He is entertaining to watch and when he left the match early yesterday, RSL spent most of the first half looking listless and lost on the attack. Halftime adjustments by Jason Kries righted the ship, but you have to believe that game might not have needed extra time, let alone PKs, if one David Beckham hadn't eliminated Morales from the match. The first collision I can let go but it's the second tackle that ruffles my feathers. Beckham's assault on Morales' knee was nothing more than a calculated strike to knock arguably RSL's best player out of the match. Morales knew it and he was none to happy with Golden Balls as he limped off the pitch unable to continue. The skill and talent that Beckham has lost has been replaced by petulance, dirty play and a serious case of entitlement. He bellows at referees and rages at opponents and more than one time this season has been the catalyst for escalating on the field disagreements to near full-fledged fights. Worse still, it's rubbing on his Galaxy teammates. Landon Donovan has been especially petualant this season, including his rage filled arm swing and a shout of "F*** YOU!" in the direction of the referee during the Western Conference Final. Last night though, Beckham physically removed an opposing player from the match with dirty tactics...and that is pathetic.


So there you have it: the good, the bad and the ugly of the 2009 MLS Cup Final wrapped up in a couple easy to enjoy paragraphs. Congratulations are in order to Real Salt Lake for winning their first MLS Cup. Now the fun part for Jason Kreis and his players...trying to repeat. Only 122 days to MLS First Kick 2010 and how fitting that it's back in Seattle on their awful turf.

I had tentatively planned to write a companion post to my "Five Reasons the US Can Win" from yesterday, playing the other side and presenting five reasons the United States won't win.

But Ginge stole my thunder.

The esteemed panelist of the Winning Ugly Radio Show and co-host of the Match Fit USA Soccer Show got out in front and played the other side for me. He's more than likely chosen the exact reasons I would have (hadn't gotten to that point yet), so I suggest you head over there and read it.

It fits him better, anyway. He is the Black Cloud™ after all.

Here's the new Match Fit USA Soccer Show; this week, Zach and I take on Joey Saputo and Montreal's expansion hope, MLS ownership issues, American soccer in 2019 (Black Cloud!), the Sons of Ben and MLS supporters groups, and the MLS CBA negotiations.

The show is now part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network! Thanks to all that aided in that effort.



LISTEN the show on the CSRN Media Player

DOWNLOAD the show

The stars are aligning, and the next Match Fit USA Soccer Show is on tap. Zach "Black Cloud" Woosley and I will dissect all manner of topics, including (but possibly not limited to):

American soccer in 2019
Supporters group-front office relations in MLS
The ascension of Mo Edu
Break up the Hunts (MLS club ownership)

The new show should be up on Monday morning, so keep your eyes peeled. I'll also have a big announcement in the evolution of the show, as well as a request for you, the listener.

Alright people. I know some of you were none too happy with Ginge's responses to the 2019 questionnaire last week, and the man took a bit of a beating because of it. I made the point that his answers looked all the more depressing because he chose not to expound on them, thinking that perhaps a little explanation would mitigate some of the anger.

I might have been wrong.

Ginge felt the need to explain himself, and I highly suggest all interested parties go take a look. I have a feeling you won't be disappointed...

Musings of the Black Cloud Enemy of American Soccer

Programming note for all of you interested in USL-1; Ginge is holding a live blog at his site tonight for the Austin Aztex v. Puerto Rico Islanders match.

Those of you that are regular readers will known that I've jumped on the Islanders bandwagon. Ginge has thrown in with the Aztez. Should make for some fun...

Join us at Ginge Talks the Footy at 7:45 EDT.

Typo on the time when I posted this; it's now corrected.

Ten years is a long time. Rather, it seems like a long time, but is here and gone before we know it. While a lot of things can happen in ten years, more often than not, it's simply not enough time for any fundamental change to actually occur.

Who knows where American soccer might be in ten years? Will MLS be a major player on the American sports scene? Will the USMNT be a world power in international competitions? Will American players be significant contributors for big clubs abroad?

Unfortunately, I'm fresh out of my prescience pills. While it's clearly impossible to know what American soccer will look like in ten years, we at MFUSA like to pretend. To that end, I have asked three of the most intelligent people I know, representing three different countries, to answer a few questions on where they believe American soccer might be in 2019.

First, let me introduce the respondents to the questionnaire:

Andrew Bucholtz: blogger, Sporting Madness and contributor to the 24th Minute (Canada)

Chris Nee: blogger and podcaster, twofootedtackle (England)

Zach Woosley: panelist, blogger, co-host, Winning Ugly Radio, Ginge Talks the Footy, MFUSA Soccer Show (USA)

Keep in mind the respondent's country of origin as we go through the questionnaire.

In May 2019,

1. The USA will be ranked ____.

Andrew: 8th. That doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be the eighth-best country in the world, but I expect the national team to continue their CONCACAF dominance and combine that with some good World Cup results, especially in 2018 if it winds up being played on American soil. Under the current points system, that should be enough to get them into the top 10.

Chris: 6-8th. I think US soccer is improving but there is a roof on its prospects which will take longer than ten years to overcome. It's generally going in the right direction and I think in time, when the youth system is tweaked and MLS consolidates, the USA will break into the top five.

Zach: 15th.


2. (number) American players will be first team choices for Champions League clubs.

Andrew: Six American players will be first team choices for Champions League clubs. This is a tough one to call, especially given the broad array of clubs that wind up in the Champions League each year. However, even with an improved MLS, there will still be American players going overseas, and several of them could wind up as first-choice players at many of the smaller clubs that crack the Champions League.

Chris: I don't see why it shouldn't be in double figures. Landon won't be the greatest American forever and the next group to break through may be better mentally disposed to going to Europe and succeeding. He's certainly capable. Again, as the quality of MLS improves, players like Montero will succeed in Europe.

Zach: One American player will be a first team choice for a Champions League club.


3. MLS will be equal in quality to (foreign league).

Andrew: MLS will be equal in quality to the German Bundesliga. I'm not sure it will be able to overtake the top-three of Italy, England and Spain, but I could see MLS make its way up to where it's equivalent to the German league, with some legitimate stars (the equivalent of Ribery and Klose are in Germany at the moment) mixed in with a larger group of good, but not exceptional players.

Chris: Eredivisie (Holland)

Zach: MLS will be equal in quality to English League One.


4. (number) current choice national team players for England, Germany, Argentina, or Brazil will be playing in MLS.

Andrew: Eight current choice national team players for England, Germany, Argentina, or Brazil will be playing in MLS. I predict these players will mostly be from Germany and Brazil; Brazilian players would be big draws for MLS, and there's a wide enough cast involved in their national team that some of the MLS types will get a chance at some point; I'm not sure if any of the MLS players will be key fixtures in the German or Brazilian teams, but most of them will earn caps here and there and perhaps some of them will become first-choice selections. As well, the Germans have always been more content than other nations to let their stars play abroad (Klinsmann, Hamann, etc). The English players will mostly stay at home, like today, and the Argentines will mostly wind up in the EPL or in Spain.

Chris: I reckon maybe five. I can see another Beckham situation (without the nonsense) where a lingering England international plays his last year in the US but retains his place in the squad. Germany as a nation needs to improve, but if it doesn't I think maybe a couple of fringe players might try their luck in MLS. Argentina and Brazil - I think younger prospects might stop off in the US on the way to Europe, and there's no reason why success there would not get them selected.

Zach: Zero.


5. The MLS record for an outgoing transfer will be ____ dollars.

Andrew: The MLS record for an outgoing transfer will be 15 million dollars. This will likely be for a young rising star in the mould of Maurice Edu or Jozy Altidore, and it will likely be from one of the big EPL clubs.

Chris: $10-15m

Zach: The MLS record for an outgoing transfer will be Alitdore's $10 million fee.


6. The MLS record for an incoming transfer will be ____dollars.

Andrew: The MLS record for an incoming transfer will be 12 million dollars. Probably for a Brazilian star in one of the bigger media markets, such as L.A. or New York. (Note; this presumes an actual transfer, not just signing designated players without current contracts, so Beckham isn't counted here).

Chris: $10 million (Chris originally begged off this question, but I managed to get a guess out of him)

Zach: The MLS record for an incoming transfer will be $500,000 dollars.


7. The USA will have reached the knockout stage in ____ of the last 3 World Cups ('10, '14, '18).

Andrew: The USA will have reached the knockout stage in all three of the last 3 World Cups ('10, '14, '18). It depends a lot on the group draws, as always, but they should come into each cup in a strong position from CONCACAF qualifying and should make it through the group stage each time.

Chris: Three, depending on group draws.

Zach: The USA will have reached the knockout stage in 1 of the last 3 World Cups ('10, '14, '18).


8. The USA's best finish in the last 3 World Cups will have been ____.

Andrew: The USA's best finish in the last 3 World Cups will have been a loss in the quarterfinals. There's a good chance they could get to the quarterfinal stage twice. I don't think they'll be quite strong enough to get to the semifinals by 2018, but you never know, and home-field advantage could help a lot if it materializes.

Chris: Semi-final, in 2018. Mark my words.

Zach: The USA's best finish in the last 3 World Cups will have been first round of knockout stage. USA Soccer isn't built to succeed in the World Cup, it's built to succeed in the Gold Cup and against Mexico.


9. There will be (number) American managers (total) in England's top three divisions.

Andrew: There will be five American managers (total) in England's top three divisions. All of these will be in the Championship or League One; I can't see an EPL side being ready to hire an American by that point. That's not that the American managers wouldn't be qualified; I just think English sides at all levels will still be reluctant to go with Americans by this point.

Chris: I don't see this as a major area of progress, but maybe one or two. Coaching in MLS will become more attractive and lucrative before England gives US coaches a try.

Zach: There will be zero American managers in England's top three divisions. There are no up and coming American managers. Period.


10. Professional soccer will have surpassed (another sport/no major sport) in popularity.

Andrew: Professional soccer will have surpassed the NHL in popularity in the United States. Baseball, football and the NBA are safe, but the NHL is rapidly losing status as a national sport and becoming more based around local enclaves of fans. Meanwhile, the amount of soccer fans in the U.S. is growing all the time. Many of them follow overseas soccer mostly at the moment, but that interest will likely transfer to MLS as the league continues to grow and improve.

Chris: NHL (Chris begged off this one originally as well, not being intimately familiar with North American sports).

Zach: Professional soccer will have surpassed hockey in popularity.

I think these results say a lot about how the prospects of American soccer are viewed from different vantage points; Zach, an American, was clearly the least optimistic. Both Andrew and Chris were reasonably positive, while the Englishman is clearly the highest on American chances in the World Cup.

Both Zach and Andrew are intimately more familiar with MLS, so it might be proper to put more stock in their MLS-related answers; though being informed means nothing when it comes forecasting the un-forecast-able.

Just a note: I planned on answering these myself, be ultimately decided against it, mostly because this post is entirely too long already.

What are your answers? Which respondent do you agree with most, and which one do
you think has it all wrong?

*UPDATE* Welcome SBI readers. Hopefully you'll add us to your daily circuit, or subscribe to the RSS feed. Ginge also appreciate all of the love you have given him; if you want to berate him futher, you may also do so at Ginge Talks the Footy, his own Euro Snobby blog (haha).

Did I mention that there's a MFUSA podcast? Take a listen and leave your thoughts.

End of shameless shilling.

This week on the Match Fit USA Soccer Show, Jason and new co-host Zach Woosley discuss the United march effort, the MLS All-Star Game, U.S. Open Cup, Blanco and the ref, Philly's name announcement, and The Don on Twitter.

The show should be up on iTunes shortly, so please subscribe with the link at the top of the page.

The show is here for direct download.

In a gesture that falls squarely under the heading of "the least I can do", I would like to pass on an invitation to join Ginge over at Ginge Talks the Footy for a live blog of the TFC-Sounders match, starting at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

I'll be stopping by to act the fool, and I suggest you come for punch and pie.

Okay, no punch and pie. But there will be an entertaining live blog, commentary from yours truly (perhaps), and more soccer than you can shake a stick at.

See you then. Oh, and be nice to Ginge, it's his first time.