The Soccer Thread (IV)

Probably SOP for any such situation. If they don't pursue it, it sets a bad precedent for the next time. Still slimy, though.

 

Milan is saying that if initial diagnosis is correct that he will likely be out for six months. Gooch may be out until beginning of May.

 

Alright, coming back to this after a couple days.

Obviously, I'm not contending that Chicago isn't cold. What I am contending is that football is played in some awfully cold climates, and it survives just fine. It's not as though Sunderland in January is especially hospitable.

Now. Are people more willing to sit outside in a country where the sport is more established? Yes, they are. So that's a consideration MLS has to make.

But as far as top international players being willing to play here as long as they can stay in the mix for their international side, I give you David Beckham, whom Fabio Capello threw out of his side when he went to America, and whom Fabio Capello has said he will leave off the World Cup roster if he's not playing in Europe.

I think the MLS' approach to transfers will also hurt any such efforts; players want to know that they can leave if they get the opportunity to move up.

Pastor, I was not aware that the Supporter's Shield got a team into the Champions League, so mea culpa on that one. But promotion playoffs and CL playoffs really aren't quite the same as deciding the championship based on the table. (Though I'm sure you've heard the trivia bit about the single most lucrative club game in the world?)

There's certainly no distaste for knockout competitions, as there are numerous ones in every country. (the mighty Hawks, for example, will play this season in the FA Cup, the FA Trophy and something called the Hampshire Senior Cup, in which they beat a team from four divisions down 6-1 on Tuesday. Last year, there was also a Conference League Cup, called the Setanta Shield, for teams in the Conference National, North and South. You can guess what happened to it.)

I do think part of the logic for not having a postseason playoff, at least not an extensive one, is that you need to know when the season is going to end. You can't have the European league season stretching on for another month, because it will inevitably conflict with something. FWIW, I think the typical contract language doesn't allow something like that -- though it's not as though that couldn't be changed.

 

Why ANYONE would go to the Stadium of Blight in any weather is beyond me.

 

At least they can still watch Premier League football there.

 

Not completely true.

Beckham's only longterm exclusion from the national team was after McClaren took over as manager.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_beckham

Beckham was recalled to the national team when his only team was the Galaxy. Capello did make clear that he preferred Beckham play at a higher level if he expected to make the World Cup team. A fair demand, considering the rest of the England squad would be playing in quality leagues, and also considering Beckham's age and thus greater need to see high-level competition.

At the same time, it must be noted that Beckham playing at that higher level in Serie A began in MLS' offseason, and was extended because Beckham - to no one's shock - really liked having a quality team around him in a country that lives and breathes soccer. In addition, perhaps Capello didn't want to show favortism toward his former Madrid player, and knows how Beckham gets motivated by slights?

As for MLS and national team opportunities: I understand that Mexico doesn't have the same status as The Country That Invented The Game, but Claudio Suarez and Cuahtemoc Blanco both got themselves back into the national team thanks largely to their play in MLS proving they still had the ability to compete. Suarez, not nearly as much, of course.

I don't think playing in MLS is a good proving ground for most. But it's not the complete rest home (Carlos Hermosillo, Roberto Donadoni, Lothar Matthaus, etc.) it used to be.

 

Yeah, alright, fair enough. Misremembered my history there. Point remains, though: He won't play for the national team if he's not playing in Europe.

As for whether he should be going to South Africa ... I have mixed feelings. Capello apparently likes his veteran influence, but I don't want him starting ahead of someone who's actually better. But that's why it's a 23-man squad.

 

He's definitely a squad member at this point, useful to bring on late, especially if you need some crossed pinged in.

But he seriously needs someone to take him aside and tell him to shave off that horrible beard.

 

Holy shit, look who's back!

On the other hand, maybe he's just getting an early start on his Holiday Neckbeard.

http://www.dickbird.org/HNB/HNBhome.htm

 

Becks doesn't need to play in Milan to stay in shape. He needs to play in Milan so Capello doesn't view him as playing in a minor league.
A lot of that is just Capello's prejudice. If Becks didn't play in Italy, he'd be back in camp in late Feb/early March and playing regular games each week until it was time to go to camp for the Cup. The calendar has nothing to do with it. It's strictly Capello's contention that MLS isn't good enough for him.
(On which point, he can kiss my ...)

 

May have missed this a couple pages back, but:

Grant Wahl on South Africa as a place to travel and live:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/10/13/wc.travel/index.html