The recent changes to the Major League Soccer schedule and competition format are hardly the
only ones impacting professional soccer teams in North America.
Coinciding with the MLS SuperDraft, U.S. Soccer and CONCACAF announced major changes to the
CONCACAF Champions League and U.
The changes to the CONCACAF Champions League may have slipped by some due to all the MLS
SuperDraft news. The new format breaks into four positives and three negatives. Travel for most
clubs will be reduced, for the clubs in the Preliminary Round that advance it can drop by about
10,000 miles through the elimination of two cross-continental trips (there was a scenario last year
where Seattle could travel 4700 miles one way in the Group Stage).
Big time changes are ahead for the CONCACAF Champions League. A change that will certainly help
out a couple MLS sides this summer.
Starting this summer, the two-leg preliminary round – in which 16 teams would face off in a
home-and-home series – has been eliminated. Instead, all 24 teams in the event will be drawn
straight into the group stage.
We'll see more Portland and Seattle in 2012 but less Houston and Dallas. (Getty Images)
I feel like I am back, at least for the most part. The last month or so I've taken a slight back
seat around here to enjoy the holidays, be with family, friends and others but most importantly to
take some time for myself.
In my 2011 season preview, I predicted that Toronto would struggle for the first few months under
its newest leadership structure (new general manager and head coach) but toward the end of the year
start to look like a promising ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.
Sounders Will Likely Have To Contend With Herculez Gomez During CCL
US international Herculez Gomez has reportedly joined Santos Laguna, the Seattle Sounders'
opponent in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. Santos Laguna is currently playing in the
Mexican Primera's Apertura final.
Colorado announced this afternoon that Managing Director Jeff Plush is leaving the club. Depending
on which report or rumor you believe Plush either resigned (ESPN), amicably split (press release),
or was fired (poster's inside sources). Regardless the Rapids will now need to find a new Managing
Director and a new Head Coach.
Welcome to The Yorkies' regular off-season rumour roundup - "The Rumoumeter". Too busy to keep your
TFC ear to the ground every week? Just stop by the site and we will quickly show you what rumours
are hot - and which ones have hit the back burner. Some of the rumours have weight - others little
more than whispers; we take their temperature with.
2012's first competitive match will be on 7 March at 7 PM Pacific as the Seattle Sounders face
Santos Laguna at home. Their next match in the CONCACAF Champions League will be a week later down
in Torreon, Mexico at 5 PM Pacific on the 14th. The 7th will in fact be MLS night in the CCL as the
early match will be the Los Angeles Galaxy at Toronto FC.
Brek Shea won my MVP vote. (Getty Images)
I've been holding off on posting my year-end picks for all of the MLS awards until this week.
The week of MLS Cup seemed to be as good of a week as any to post this material. With nothing else
going on (aside from a US game tomorrow) it just seemed like the right time.
MLS announced today their Best XI today in a teleconference where Don Garber read the names. MLS
Reserves had similar names on the list, but not quite an exact match. The MLS Reserves set up its
own criteria and considered all players under it.
Considered these selections was the effect these players had on their team, their individual
efforts, statistical prowess, presence in the locker room and ultimately how good they were
throughout the season.
Well, that time off was a grand total of 3 days. Within the last hour the Rapids have announced
that Gary Smith will not be returning as head coach in 2011.
Smith was out of contract and it had been reported a month or so ago that Colorado and Gary had
agreed on financial terms for a new contract.
I believe that sports should be a meritocracy, that is the only way they can have any meaning,
otherwise they are subject to the same random lottery that the rest of life is.
The only way you can separate the good from the average from the bad is through repetition,
through a lengthy process that separates the wheat from the chaff.
During tonight's MLS Playoff match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas, the "Curse of
CONCACAF Champions League" was brought up. FC Dallas has had to play more matches than NYRB this
season and came into the match looking a bit fatigued. Since the CONCACAF version isn't as
lucrative as the European version, it is getting the reputation as being a drain on teams.
The full field is set for the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, and while we don't know
who awaits the Seattle Sounders, we know it won't be easy. The Sounders will face one of the three
group winners, one of two Mexican teams or the Los Angeles Galaxy. Last year, the draw was released
on Nov.
Colorado went to Mexico hoping that they could steal a win. Santos obliged them by starting their
reserves. Then we found out the Rapids started half of their reserves and that was the end of that
hope.
Colorado controlled play for much of the first half, but every time the ball got to the attackers
it died.
Active without a club or unknown
Chris Brunt
Doug DeMartin
Mauro Fuzetti
AJ Godbolt
Willy Guadarrama
Santiago Hirsig
Eddie Johnson
Nikos Kounenakis
Michael Kraus
Ryan McMahen
Michal Mravec
JT Murray
Anthony Noriega
Ofori Sarkodie
Sam Scales
Ryan Smith
Ivan Trujillo
Lance Watson
MLS
Stephane Auvray - New York - Came off the bench and played 7 minutes in New York's 2-0 loss to KC.
Tomorrow night the Rapids play their final group stage game of the Champions League in Torreon,
Mexico against Santos Laguna. With a win Colorado will clinch 2nd place in the group and a spot in
the quarterfinals. With an extremely unlikely 4 goal win they will win the group. A draw or loss
does not eliminate them, but it leaves their fate in the hands of Real Espana and Isidro Metapan
who play on Thursday.
Tomorrow night the Rapids play their final group stage game of the Champions League in Torreon,
Mexico against Santos Laguna. With a win Colorado will clinch 2nd place in the group and a spot in
the quarterfinals. With an extremely unlikely 4 goal win they will win the group. A draw or loss
does not eliminate them, but it leaves their fate in the hands of Real Espana and Isidro Metapan
who play on Thursday.
FC Dallas and Toronto FC met yet again this season tonight in the CCL. (Getty Images)
It is hard to believe but also pretty damn cool to think we could very well have four Major
League Soccer clubs in the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. We already have one in
the Seattle Sounders and after this week we could have three more.
Major League Soccer has taken some major strides during the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League,
but as the final games of group play approach, there is still work to be done before crowning this
campaign as a great success.
Only one MLS team, Seattle, has clinched a place in the knockout stage so far, but that could
all change Tuesday night.
The Colorado Rapids couldn't solve the Real Salt Lake question on Friday, but with results on
Saturday gifting the team a trip to the playoffs, coach Gary Smith now faces a squad dilemna.
Does he play the starters at Santos Laguna on Wednesday, or does he go with the reserves
againg?
Smith has been conservative in use of his starters, relying on backups for CONCACAF Champions
League matches.
"Date With Sounder at Heart": Now With Free Tickets
Just in case you weren't convinced before, we can now share that in addition to some specials
guests, Saturday's "Date With Sounder at Heart" in the basement of Temple Billiards will also
include some free tickets to give away for next Tuesday's CCL finale against Monterrey.
I want MLS to keep its balanced schedule after Montreal and the 20th team enter. If it does not
keep that balanced schedule it should be because of travel and not because playing 38 games is too
much. I understand there is US Open Cup and CONCACAF CCL for some clubs but that is why we have
larger rosters.
That the Seattle Sounders will set another MLS attendance record is not really news. In fact,
they already have the single-season MLS attendance record. In the game against DC United, the
Sounders broke their old record, which they set in 2010 when they broke the record they set in
2009. Sense a pattern?
By ADAM SERRANO
Hector Jimenez has been living life under the radar in his rookie season, but when the
midfielder from the University of California has had his chance to see action, he's grabbed a hold
of it.
Jimenez was instrumental in the Galaxy's 2-1 victory over Morelia in the CONCACAF Champions
League, helping to create the winning goal.
Seattle lifted their third straight USOC last night, others should take note. (Photo via Seattle
Sounders Communications)
First off, congratulations to the Seattle Sounders FC on their third straight US Open Cup title.
Its a feat that has to be commended since three-peats in sports happen so rarely anymore.
The Saturday night showdown between FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids was not so much a rematch
of the 2010 MLS Cup as it was a desperate 90 minutes for two teams stumbling toward the
playoffs.
Colorado came in winless in its last five MLS matches (0-3-2) and Dallas arrived on a string of
getting shutout in three straight matches.
In MLS the Seattle Sounders have yet to have a game in league play that didn't matter. Only the
tail end of last year's CCL is at all similar. During that run the Sounders were able to get
valuable playing time for Mike Fucito, Tyson Wahl, Alvaro Fernandez, and Zach Scott - players who
weren't keys to the 2010 season, but have become so for MLS 2011.
Saw this quote from Sigi Schmid in regards to Colorado Rapids manager Gary Smith staying at home
this past week for the Rapids CCL trip to Honduras. Can't say I disagree with this either. Even
though the Rapids won their game, the head coach should have made the trip. It will be interesting
to see if any excuse from Smith finally comes out this weekend.
So, yeah, about that whole post where I said the Rapids will be beat by Metapan and the roster
selection was not great. Well Colorado proved me an idiot with a 3-1 win last night. The reserve
squad, lead by Steve Guppy and augmented by Wells Thompson and Tyrone Marshall, pulled together in
a tough environment and dominated the scoreboard.
There cannot be a true Galaxy fan alive today who does not love them some Brazilian. A Brazilian
apparently named Vitor, specifically. Twice now I've seen game rosters with that name and tried to
figure out if the Galaxy signed some new player. But when you see our magical little Brazilian elf
on the field, there is no doubt it is Juninho.
More Morelia than Galaxy fans in the stands tonight - a bit of a sad commentary on Los Angeles
soccer fans, I'm afraid and half the stands are literally off limits to fans anyway - but at least
the majority of fans here are likely to go home happy.
No goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, striker Robbie Keane (um, apparently resting for Ireland's Euro
2012 qualifiers next week) or fragrance salesman David Beckham (he's suspended) for the Galaxy
tonight so, no chance of LA beating a top tier Mexican team and staying in the CCL I'd wager.
Colorado faces Isidro Metapan tonight in El Salavador at 8pm MDT. The game is delayed until 10:30pm
on FOX Soccer Channel but can be watched live on the CONCACAF Champions League site. The supporters
groups are gathering at the British Bulldog for this one, presumably to watch the live stream on
big screens.
Colorado faces Isidro Metapan tonight in El Salavador at 8pm MDT. The game is delayed until 10:30pm
on FOX Soccer Channel but can be watched live on the CONCACAF Champions League site. The supporters
groups are gathering at the British Bulldog for this one, presumably to watch the live stream on
big screens.
Win and the Seattle Sounders set themselves up to win the Group. A tie ensures advancement. A
loss would put way too much meaning on the final game against CF Monterrey. Tonight's game might
actually be the second most important of the remaining year. It seems odd saying that, but the
regular season is nearly in the playing out the string mode, so games against CSD Comunicaciones
and the Chicago Fire will go a long way to defining the non-League season.
The Seattle Sounders can cement a place in the CONCACAF Champions League knockout stage with a
win or a draw when they take on Comunicaciones in Guatemala. The game is a rematch of a 4-1
Sounders victory in the opening game of group play, when Michael Fucito scored twice while Seattle
was down a man.
Sigh. Another game, another lack of attack until its too late, another failure to win. The Rapids
spent a good 60 minutes doing essentially nothing in the offensive third, and by then they were
down 1-0. They showed some life in the last 30 minutes and were somewhat unlucky not to find two
goals, but at the same time they were lucky to get one.
Doesn't want to face Pumas either
THE BUZZ:The only real prize for the winner of tonight's match will be for overly optimistic Goats or Robins
supporters (yes, we are trying call TFC "The Robins" for sh*ts and giggles) to pretend for one week
longer that they have a playoff hope.
