For all things Fútbol...

[Buzz]

Lukas Modric traded for $44m to Real.

[NeilJLeonard]

Note to KH14:

The Galaxy's 4-0.... ....of the Puerto Rico Islanders in the CONCACAF Champion's League (CCL) is a good indicator of the difference between USA's Div I (MLS) & Div II (NASL). PRI is currently in 2nd place in NASL & considered one of the league's best. The Galaxy's reserve team beat the crap out of them.

Sadly, the gap between the 2 leagues is growing....

NJL

[ioana]

PRI is currently in 2nd place in NASL & considered one of the league's best. The Galaxy's reserve team beat the crap out of them.

I do see your point about the gap between the leagues, but this is too funny. Do teams get promoted and demoted in between the two leagues, like in European championships or are they just different leagues, like the NFL and CFL?

[KHenry14]

Yeah, the Galaxy did dominate the Islanders, with two goals being scored by the team's two 17 year old strikers. The thing is, two years ago the Islanders beat the Galaxy pretty easily, so there was also a revenge factor going on too.

Bruce Arena rolled the dice a bit by playing a roster of exclusively reserve players, but it really paid off. Resting Donovan and Becks, and with Keane unavailable due to the worst Red Card ejection I've ever seen, attacking options on paper were limited. But boy, some guys really stepped up. It was a pleasure to watch.

[KHenry14]

I do see your point about the gap between the leagues, but this is too funny. Do teams get promoted and demoted in between the two leagues, like in European championships or are they just different leagues, like the NFL and CFL?

Nah, it's like the NFL/CFL. No way does MLS teams want to potentially damage their franchise value by getting demoted. Also, the NASL teams generally don't have the infrastructure, like stadiums, that would allow them to compete with the MLS teams. It's not like in England where even second and third tier teams have decent stadiums. Most NASL teams arent in that situation.

[NeilJLeonard]

Nah, it's like the NFL/CFL. No way does MLS teams want to potentially damage their franchise value by getting demoted. Also, the NASL teams generally don't have the infrastructure, like stadiums, that would allow them to compete with the MLS teams. It's not like in England where even second and third tier teams have decent stadiums. Most NASL teams arent in that situation.

NFL/CFL? More line MLB & AAA International League. Same Country, same sport, entirely different league. Where you start is where you stay. The only way up is to pay the freight for a top tier franchise and they ain't cheap.

The entry price to MLS was about $40,000,000 and is now @ $100,000,000. No one is going to pay that to have the honor of being relegated to a lower level and lose all the loot the upper tier shares. Promotion/relegation is a very "foreign" concept to sports in the USA.

Once you get your top tier franchise it stays there no matter how pathetic it's performance. As examples look at ANY top tier team in any of the major North American sports that are in South Florida, except the Heat. Greed, stupidity and incompetence are rewarded.

The teams from NASL and USL that have gone to MLS paid the entry fee to get there no matter their on field performance in their lower division. That, and the hope of a secure fan base and owning your own stadium are all that's needed now.

NJL

[KHenry14]

The other thing is that relegation is a tradition in soccer that goes back 100 years....a non-american tradition. Our sports psyche, both with ownership and with the fans, would not tolerate a relegation system in any sport. But to be honest, only baseball is set up to do it, and with franchises worth upwards of 2.1 BILLION, no way would any owner risk that by instituting relegation.

[NeilJLeonard]

The other thing is that relegation is a tradition in soccer that goes back 100 years....a non-american tradition. Our sports psyche, both with ownership and with the fans, would not tolerate a relegation system in any sport. But to be honest, only baseball is set up to do it, and with franchises worth upwards of 2.1 BILLION, no way would any owner risk that by instituting relegation.

True. Money is THE issue.

Soccer, which is still in it's extended infancy here could be set up for rel/pro, but the price to get into MLS now kills it. It simply will not happen.

NJL

[KHenry14]

Well I was wrong about Clint Dempsey going to Liverpool, he ended up at Spurs. Which makes them a very dangerous offensive team.

[Buzz]

Iniesta won UEFA player of the year award beating both Messi and Ronaldo. Good on him!

[NeilJLeonard]

Well I was wrong about Clint Dempsey going to Liverpool, he ended up at Spurs. Which makes them a very dangerous offensive team.

It keeps him in London, therefore it's a better fit for him...

NJL

[NeilJLeonard]

Good grief! NASL announced today that the 2013 season will be a split season with 2 separate championships. The apertura/clausura arrives in North America.

www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3173

From what I've read on FaceBook this is not being greeted with open arms by the fans of the various teams. We'll see next year how this work out, or if it works at all.

NJL

[Buzz]

Why are they doing that?

[KHenry14]

Evidently to align closer to the normal FIFA schedule....which doesn't make a lot of sense. MLS will NEVER align to FIFA, so one wonders why the NASL thinks it's such a big deal.

[NeilJLeonard]

Evidently to align closer to the normal FIFA schedule....which doesn't make a lot of sense. MLS will NEVER align to FIFA, so one wonders why the NASL thinks it's such a big deal.

We have no idea....

NJL

[Buzz]

Hehehe

[Buzz]

Liverpool's new owners are appealing to fans for patience because of the club's poor start to the season.

[Buzz]

Bunch of WC qualifiers today with England facing Moldova I believe and Rep of Ireland just finishing of Kazakhstan 2-1.

[Buzz]

England won 5-0 and Germany beat Fareoe Islans 3-0. Yep, some real nail biters there...

[NeilJLeonard]

Jamaica 2 v 1 USA. Jamaica's 1st win vs USA. Jamaica 1st in group with 7 points. USA tied with Guatemala for 2nd with 4 points. USA & Jamaica continue with the 2nd leg in the USA on Tuesday. For the USA it is a must win.

NJL