MLS needs to build road reputation
Wednesday, 27 August 08, 09:42 PM
It wasn’t a great day for the MLS on Tuesday, as both Chivas USA and New England lost their CONCACAF Champions League qualifying round games. Both were on the road in Panama and Trinidad, respectively, for first leg matches.
Chivas is in the most trouble heading home with a 2-0 deficit, while the Revolution managed a penalty to claim an away goal that could prove extremely valuable.
These are the types of games that have the potential to really help the MLS as a league. Winning in international club competitions does a lot for reputation, but it’s also incredibly hard. Just take a look at the U.S. men’s national team’s win in Guatemala City last week. Everything is against you on the road, or so it seems.
I was talking to a 16 year-old kid the other day named Spencer Richey for an article I’m working on. Spencer is a keeper in the full-time U.S. national team residency program down in Florida. I’m going to post some of the transcript later on because it’s interesting, but one of the things he was telling me was how brutal the trips they take to different countries are. He says even at that level, the fans, the refs, the atmosphere put everything against you, and it’s extremely hard to come out with a result.
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Manchester United and the Berbatov Effect
Tuesday, 26 August 08, 04:44 AM
It’s hard to understand why Tottenham is handling the Dimitar Berbatov issue this way. First of all, they have most likely overvalued him at 30 million pounds, although most likely that’s because Manchester United possesses formidable financial capabilities and they believe that the Reds will spare no expense in obtaining a piece they deem crucial to securing another Premiership crown.
My fellow Soccer Examiner deemed in this post that Berbatov is not a need for United. Allow me to agree, as they hold the pieces right now to a team that can win titles. Berbatov would be, however, a luxury, and a luxury that in the long run would make the squad better, more potent up front and able to take a little of the pressure off of Cristiano Ronaldo to both control the game in the midfield and provide a majority of the scoring.
And luxuries my dear friends, for those of you familiar with the club, are not in short supply at Old Trafford. That’s why I still believe you will see this go through.
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