In my previous blog I posted about the lengths of break that MLS teams take compared to other teams from across the world. Now coming up with a list of complaints and no solutions is useless and annoying to me. Below are two solutions that I have come up with that anyone would help the MLS. For any solution the first question raised is going to be the weather problem in MLS cities compared to Europe. (We will use the same teams as last time: MLS Teams: LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Sporting KC; Manchester United, English Premier League; Barcelona, Spanish La Liga; AC Milan, Italian Serie A; Nottingham Forrest, English Championship; Tigres UANL, Primera de Mexico) As you can see below for most of the cities it is not that big of a difference in the winter months.
Monthly Average Temperatures:
|
TEAM
|
H/L
|
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
|
ManU
|
H
|
43
|
43
|
48
|
52
|
59
|
64
|
67
|
67
|
62
|
56
|
48
|
44
|
|
L
|
34
|
34
|
36
|
39
|
45
|
50
|
53
|
53
|
50
|
45
|
38
|
35
|
|
Bar
|
H
|
55
|
57
|
60
|
62
|
68
|
75
|
81
|
82
|
78
|
70
|
62
|
57
|
|
L
|
40
|
41
|
44
|
47
|
53
|
60
|
66
|
67
|
62
|
54
|
46
|
42
|
|
AC M
|
H
|
40
|
46
|
55
|
63
|
71
|
79
|
84
|
81
|
75
|
64
|
50
|
41
|
|
L
|
28
|
32
|
37
|
44
|
52
|
59
|
63
|
62
|
56
|
47
|
38
|
30
|
|
NF
|
H
|
40
|
45
|
50
|
54
|
60
|
65
|
70
|
70
|
64
|
57
|
49
|
46
|
|
L
|
34
|
34
|
37
|
39
|
43
|
48
|
52
|
52
|
50
|
45
|
39
|
36
|
|
Tigres
|
H
|
67
|
72
|
81
|
86
|
90
|
94
|
94
|
95
|
89
|
83
|
75
|
69
|
|
L
|
48
|
51
|
58
|
65
|
70
|
74
|
74
|
74
|
71
|
64
|
56
|
50
|
|
KC
|
H
|
39
|
45
|
56
|
67
|
76
|
85
|
90
|
89
|
80
|
68
|
54
|
42
|
|
L
|
22
|
26
|
36
|
47
|
57
|
67
|
72
|
70
|
61
|
49
|
37
|
26
|
|
SEA
|
H
|
47
|
50
|
54
|
59
|
64
|
70
|
76
|
76
|
71
|
60
|
51
|
46
|
|
L
|
37
|
37
|
39
|
43
|
48
|
52
|
56
|
57
|
53
|
47
|
51
|
36
|
|
LA
|
H
|
68
|
69
|
70
|
73
|
74
|
78
|
83
|
84
|
83
|
79
|
73
|
68
|
|
L
|
48
|
49
|
51
|
54
|
57
|
60
|
64
|
64
|
63
|
59
|
52
|
47
|
Now there are also some traditional MLS teams that play in colder weather cities. Below are two that I consider to be the worse for temperature to play soccer in.
|
TEAM
|
H/L
|
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
|
COL
|
H
|
45
|
46
|
54
|
61
|
71
|
81
|
88
|
86
|
77
|
64
|
52
|
43
|
|
L
|
18
|
20
|
26
|
34
|
44
|
53
|
59
|
57
|
48
|
36
|
25
|
17
|
|
MTRL
|
H
|
22
|
24
|
36
|
52
|
65
|
75
|
79
|
76
|
67
|
55
|
41
|
37
|
|
L
|
04
|
07
|
19
|
32
|
43
|
53
|
58
|
55
|
47
|
37
|
27
|
11
|
The two cities above, plus possibly more, make it very hard for the MLS to change their schedule to match that of Europe and the FIFA calendar. That being said there are options available that can make the MLS more competitive in keeping the US talent and also bringing in foreign talent.
The first solution that I came up with was to stretch out the season a couple more weeks on each end. This year MLS is starting around the second weekend in March. If you move that forward to the end of February then you can add a game or two at the front end. Now on the back end if you had the finals on the second weekend of December this would give you almost another month of playing time. With the top five teams making the playoffs and a total of six needed game days. Even with the added amount of time needed for the playoffs you can still add regular season games. The whole purpose of stretching out the season would be to make the regular season a little longer and so that you can play a complete balanced schedule. This will just add two regular season games but also give more time to play a few friendlies, take an off week every so often, and take a break when National Team tournaments come around, i.e. World Cup and Olympics.
The second solution that I came up with is the creation of a winter league in either Florida or Southwest or both. This would be primarily for players that are not injured, able to secure a loan or transfer to Europe, or players invited to National Team camps. Just thinking about this off the top of my head you could start a week or two after the finals and run for about six to eight weeks, ending about the end of January. Then take another week or two off and come back for preseason training. This would allow teams to continue to be together and train together while giving the coaches a chance to look at their younger players in game situations that don’t count for the regular season or playoffs. You can have a staggered start for teams also. For teams that don’t make a playoffs (plus the loser of the first game) on one date then after the finals the playoff teams. Play a total of just 10 games or so. Enough to keep the rust off but not so much that it hurts players and keeps them out of the regular season.
Major League Baseball has used the Arizona Fall League and Caribbean Winter League for years as chances to get younger players more playing time and help them work on their development. Another good thing about this is that the coach would be able to see their players and know what players need a break here and there. They know how hard the players work during the regular season. If a player goes on loan or training with a European team then the coach does not know how much work they were able to get in.
For the long run I think the idea of a winter league in the US would be more beneficial. It will give the coaches and players more time together and improve the quality of play. Even if two teams would like to combine forces and just produce one team then it would help all parties involved. The main idea is to keep the players playing and not taking such a long break between the end of their season and the beginning of the next.
On October 10, 2011 US Men National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann made comments about the length of the current MLS season. I didn’t think too much about it until news keeps coming out about MLS players going on training stents with European teams or just working out on their own. Sporting Kansas City’s own CJ Sapong said as much during his interview with Yanks Abroad about his call up to the USMNT. Now why is Sapong working on improvements taken from the USMNT coach own his own or at the max with just a few people? For the development of the league and US players something needs to be done. I did some comparisons of MLS Teams (LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, and Sporting KC), European Teams (Manchester United, English Premier League; Barcelona, Spanish La Liga; AC Milan, Italian Serie A; Nottingham Forest; English League Championship) and Mexican Team (Tigres UANL, Primera de Mexico).
Below you can see how much difference the number of games and length of breaks taken throughout the world is and why it seems that MLS players take so much time off. The first thing that many people know is that FIFA’s world football calendar runs August/July to April/May. MLS does not run this way but they are the only major league. Mexico runs two separate seasons with the top eight teams going into a home and home aggregate playoff. They take a small break in winter and a longer break in summer.
Calendar year 2011
|
TEAM
|
GAMES PLAYED
|
LEAGUES
|
DAYS BREAK
|
LAST GAME/ FIRST GAME
|
|
ManU
|
62
|
Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, FA Community Shield
|
70
|
UEFA Champions League/FA Community Shield
|
|
Nott Forest
|
53
|
English League Champions, FA Cup, Carling Cup
|
87
|
English League Champions/English League Champions
|
|
Barcelona
|
60
|
La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup
|
77
|
UEFA Champions League/Super Cup
|
|
AC Milan
|
50
|
Serie A, UEFA Champions League, Super Cup, Coppa Italia
|
75
|
Serie A/Super Cup
|
|
Tigres UANL
|
42
|
Primera de Mexico
|
76
|
Primera de Mexico (Clausura 2011)/ Primera de Mexico (Apertura 2011)
|
FIFA Season 2010/2011
|
TEAMS
|
GAMES PLAYED
|
LEAGUES
|
DAYS BREAK FROM 2009/2010
|
DAYS BREAK TO 2011/2012
|
|
ManU
|
60
|
Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, FA Community Shield
|
90
|
70
|
|
Nott Forest
|
53
|
English League Champions, FA Cup, Carling Cup
|
87
|
81
|
|
Barcelona
|
60
|
La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League
|
104
|
77
|
|
AC Milan
|
51
|
Serie A, UEFA Champions League, Coppa Italia
|
105
|
78
|
|
QPR
|
49
|
English League Champions, FA Cup, Carling Cup, Barclays Premier League
|
96
|
97
|
MLS
|
TEAMS
|
GAMES PLAYED
|
LEAGUES
|
DAYS BREAK FROM 2010
|
DAYS BREAK TO 2012
|
|
Seattle
|
49
|
MLS, CONCACAF Champions League, US Open Cup
|
127
|
126
|
|
LA
|
46
|
MLS, CONCACAF Champions League, US Open Cup
|
120
|
107
|
|
Sporting KC
|
39
|
MLS, US Open Cup
|
146
|
131
|
As you can see from this small sample size the MLS teams play a significantly fewer games then their European counterparts and take a much longer break in between their seasons. Even if a team is playing in the MLS Playoffs and CONCACAF Champions League their break is still long.
What is there to do about the significantly long breaks for many players? Is this something that the MLS should be worried about? Does it affect the players that are off for 140 days or so? Does it ultimately hurt the League in the way of prestige, talent, competitiveness? There are so many questions that can be asked and solutions that can be guessed on. Some of the more fortunate players are afforded the opportunity to train with a European club or even go on loan to a European club. But are those few players getting the most for their time or would it be better spent with their club here in the MLS? This is a problem that MLS will need to look at sooner rather than later.
Veteran's day is upon us and it is time for those to honor veterans whether they be young or old.
It has seem that people the last decade have really taken an appreciation for veterans and given them the respect that they deserve. It would seem like it should be that way but it hasn't always been that way for some reason. Yeah more then half the veterans might not of actually put their life on the line but 99% of people don't even serve in the armed forces, so take that into consideration when you might see someone who did serve but didn't do much and you jus blow them off or show them disrespect.
When I was was younger it just always seemed like the only veterans I possibly knew we're my grandpa's age when in reality they are all over the place and as I get older I find that out more and more each year but a lot of them don't always go on and on about it. They figured they were just doing their job and why should they receive praise for that.
I am a lot like that. I personally served six plus year in the Marine Corps Reserves with a year of that being activated during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. I didn't do hardly anything besides what was asked of me and I tend to not go out seeking rewards or praise for what I did. I most times don't really know what to do when somebody finds out I was a vet and thanks me for my service because as soon as they do my mind immediately goes to the men and women that actually gave their lives for our country.
Even people like my great uncle who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor when he was stationed on the U.S.S Oklahoma and was thrown from the ship during the attack as he was headed towards church service. He was also later involved in the Midway Conflict. he survived all that was just recently passed away this year.
It is people like him that all of us, even other veterans, that I think we should be celebrating and honoring the most. But that isn't the way things work and it is still a great honor to be recognized on days like this.