The first round of MLS playoffs (aka MLS Conference Semi-finals)Â always spurs heated discussion about its playoff format as well as the League's two conference structure.

Let's take an overview of various playoff format options and League structures for Major League Soccer. There should be three objectives to a playoff format and League Structure:

1) Crown a worthy champion

2) Entertain the fans

3) Maximize revenue for the teams and League

No matter what playoff format is used or what tweaks are made to improve it, a percentage of fans will criticize it and offer other imperfect solutions.

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The United States will face perennial world soccer power Italy on Wednesday in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, and making it to the knockout stage of the tournament has been behind the backbone of a stingy defense. Click to continue reading...

It wasn't that long ago I did a piece on Jakarta Casual TV saying that the Young Lions were better off packing their bags and moving to Malaysia as that was the only way they were going to add the competitive bite that was necessary to their future development.
That was posted two days after a 1-1 draw with Super Reds, not a bad rsult as it happens, but look back at the run they were on at the time. Click to continue reading...

When a conference on supporter involvement in English football includes speakers from Barcelona, UEFA, the F.A. and non-league football clubs, you know something unusual is going on.

This isn't the Leaders in Football conference of a couple of weeks ago, but it might have been just as important: Supporters Direct's annual conference concluded last week in Birmingham, and it seems to have cut to the heart of the question of how and why supporters should be involved in the governance of their clubs.

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With this being Toronto FC's first realistic challenge at the bottom of the MLS playoff picture, Toronto fans are experiencing the frustrating yet forgiving parity that comes with this league. Championship playoffs and football are chalk and cheese as far as we are concerned but that's a complaint for another day - we will play with the hand dealt in MLS. Click to continue reading...

When: Tonight, 7:30pm
Where: USF Soccer Stadium
Tonight's match is a clash between Big East Red Division rivals. USF (6-1-1 overall / 2-1-1 Big East) is currently second in the division while the visiting Bearcats (7-3-0 overall / 2-2-0 Big East) sit fourth. The Bulls are ranked number six in the NSCAA poll and hold an all time edge in the series over Cincinnati 7-6-3. Click to continue reading...

WPS personnel experts surely know more than overworked journalists, but from first glance here, Philadelphia seems to have put together a ferocious backbone in just three picks. Lori Lindsey is a quiet but effective central midfielder, Jen Buczkowski showed plenty of potential in Sky Blue's playoff run, and Nikki Krzysik is a proven young player. Click to continue reading...

As I haven't blogged in a while on here, I thought it was time to do so and the most fitting topic seemed to be discussing Arsenal's start and my thoughts for the rest of their season.

It seems that before the season had begun, everyone had written off Arsenal. They were slated for losing two of their most experienced players to Man City (Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor) and for not replacing them.

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Everton have retained their backbone as manager David Moyes continues to do a splendid job with the Merseyside outfit. Should the saga of Joleon Lescott to Manchester City come to a conclusion in the next few days, the Blues should have a fair amount of money to spend on reinforcements.

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Good riddance, I say. So glad that he signed for City today. Never did rate him that much, really.

I personally feel that last season when Rafa was chasing him, it was more about Gerrard wanting Barry, his England team 'mate'. The excuse was Parry was slow in making the decision but we could speculate that Rafa did not really want him at Anfield.

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