The MLS is disgusting

The MLS is a disgusting football league. I don't mean it as a compliment. I just watched part of the Philadelphia Union and Nashville playoff match. The fundamentals, markings, shots, and penalty efforts were abysmal. Why? Because the MLS is an Americanized effort at a sport that's not meant to be Americanized. Here's what they SHOULD do:

1. Promotion and Relegation - the MLS likes to "expand" teams. This is different to how practically every other league in the world does football. You've got the USL and NASL. Promote and relegate from there.
2. The seasons are wrong - the teams start in the spring and finish in the fall. This puts the transfer windows out of order because most leagues in the world start in the fall and end in the Spring. This would put the transfer windows in sync.
3. Academies instead of drafting - most football leagues in the world have football academies. Children as young as 8 go into these academies and learn football skills. They play others in that age group until 18 when their senior team has to decide whether or not to have them on the senior team. The MLS drafts as though it's the NFL. It's not the NFL, this is football. You can't just draft players and expect them to be top class

These are just 3 ways the MLS can stop being the joke of the world.

 

Another thing with the MLS I'd change is this. In England, there's what's called the football association cup. THat's where all the major leagues (national league to the PL) play each other in a tournament. They do get settled usually by extra time and penalties. The cup winner is always almost as big as winning the PL cuz you were the best in all the leagues.

 

They do this. The "equivalent" to the FA Cup in the U.S. is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

There are MLS youth academies. They aren't as extensive as academies in Europe, but they do exist. It took a while to start building them and maybe they will continue to grow. Who knows.

As far as the seasons, most of the western hemisphere plays their club schedule similar to the MLS. The top leagues in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina begin their seasons in the summer and end by December.

I'm not a fan of MLS. I don't think it is quality play. I do think they have grown slowly and steadily since their inception. Still have a ways to go.

 

Didn't know they had that. I am curious why the Western Hemisphere plays on that schedule. I would imagine it makes the transfer windows a bit more difficult apart from anything else. I hope the academies grow. That's the best way to produce young talent imo.

 

I wonder if the schedule is set the way it is because South America is south of the equator opposed to Europe being north of the equator.

I don't think it is has that big of an impact on the transfer windows. The Euro teams are at in-season during the January window while the West is between seasons. The summer window is between seasons for Europe and in-season for the West. Some challenging decisions for sure, but that is for all teams.

 

I suppose that could be it. That would make sense. Also, another thing the MLS should get rid of is the homegrown thing they have imo. And yeah, that would make sense also with the transfer windows. Just difficult cuz a player that's known to be leaving a club would finish his season with said club rather than immediately heading to the other club usually.

 

Well, Atlanta United hired Frank De Boer and he could not implement a European style of football b/c he didn't have the talent to execute it. And theres the whole ball of wax. The style of play reflects the lower level of talent, random mix of ages, and experience. The best MLS clubs would finish at the bottom of English Championship and thats optimistic. The money here just isn't the same and the talent therefore flows to Europe and stays there. At best, the MLS is going to be a developmental/ feeder league for Europe.

I know its hard for Europeans to fathom this but "football" in the US is behind the NFL, college football, NBA, MLB, and maybe even NASCAR in popularity. The only people interested in the MLS playoffs going on now are the fans of those cities. Everyone else that enjoys "football" has already switched their attention to Champions League and the Premier League. it makes sense. Would you watch an English basketball league?

 

True enough with all that. I think what's needed is to start turning athletes more to Euro style football.

 

My kid is in a Chelsea affilated rec league in Atlanta. Even in the US, Chelsea has more money to spend and cred than the local MLS club.

 

Hey, good luck to him! That sounds exciting.

 

He's young but I can already see the difference in teaching methodology. When I was his age, I played too. We just kicked the ball as far as we could and chased. lol. They've got these kids spread out and passing the ball around.

 

That's why they're usually good on the European level with how they train them young.

 

I’m a a soccer novice but why do women’s soccer in the US seem so much more successful then the men. And it was wonderful the Canadian women brought home the Gold . The high school feeder system must be as good for men as it is for women going into the college ranks or do you think men have baseball & football as a talent drain away from soccer .


Best of luck to your son Atlanta Cowboy .

 

I think because, on the men's side, there are more paths that are considered "glamorous" in the US than football to pro sports.

 

Women's soccer isn't a big thing in most of the world. Clubs like Barca and Chelsea provide women's teams as a sort of charity and nod to feminism. There is no money in it. Nobody is watching it on tv or paying big bucks for seats.

In the US, we have been feeding the title 9 trough for decades and our success in women's sports is the result. In short to your question, there is way less competition worldwide in women's soccer. The "success" of our women's national team on the international stage is simply a commentary on the lack of quality and emphasis most of the world places on women's sports in general.

 

I wish it would just fold. The MLB and NBA can follow suit.

 

Have you been to Chicago in February? How about New England? This isn't like playing in Manchester where it's 2C and the locals act like it's the Ice Age. It's -10C and a foot of snow. Playing "footy" in that is next to impossible, and if you think attendance is bad now just see how many show up for that.

I wonder, maybe you know, when European leagues began having academies? They cost money and I don't think the MLS makes enough for teams to have them.

The problem with relegation, while incentivizing, is no one attends USL and NASL games. Again, where is the money going to come from to pay guys with MLS contracts who just got relegated? No one is going to give you millions for a transfer like in Europe.

The bottom line to all of this is soccer is the number one sport in Europe. Here it's 5th, on a good day. The MLS can't operate under the European model as long as the vast majority of Americans don't give a damn about it. The money just isn't there.

 

I'm at the bar, but I may cut out early to help a friend interview a friend at 815 local time, and then return when the interview is over. May be at his hotel.

 

I actually like the MLS as a live event. The players are honorable and easy to root for. Its a fun fan experience. Its affordable for the whole family. If you aren't familiar with the English Premier league and European soccer, you won't know the difference in quality as a fan.

In Atlanta, the MLS team outdraws the Falcons at MBS stadium.

 

I think it is because of the weather. Kinda of hard to play in New England or Toronto when it is -20 degrees below 0 without the windchill factor. Also summer time is kinda of dead time for US sports other than baseball so it fills a void in American sports.