MLS Soccer = Joke

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

So, MLS has invaded Florida, and I am now exposed to the media coverage. I see that the Orlando team will be without seven of its players for an upcoming game because they have been hailed back to play for their national teams?? I have never heard of such a thing in any reputable professional sport. This is almost like some after-work softball league in which the players may miss a game because of conflicting travel or family commitments.

Not sure how anyone views this as a credible sport when the players have other/bigger commitments elsewhere. Wow.

 

[ZZ828]

The MLS is at fault here. Every other soccer league in the world builds in these international friendly dates and does not schedule games. The MLS is getting right criticized for scheduling these games on international friendly dates.
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[GwinnettNole]

Originally posted by JohnnieHolmesNole:
So, MLS has invaded Florida, and I am now exposed to the media coverage. I see that the Orlando team will be without seven of its players for an upcoming game because they have been hailed back to play for their national teams?? I have never heard of such a thing in any reputable professional sport. This is almost like some after-work softball league in which the players may miss a game because of conflicting travel or family commitments.

Not sure how anyone views this as a credible sport when the players have other/bigger commitments elsewhere. Wow.

So two things-- in regards to the other/bigger commitments-- you understand how international soccer competitions work? Every league in the world has call ups to the national teams for the FIFA mandated "country" games. The US played on Wed and have another match on Tuesday I believe. I actually think this works well for every league in the world than the MLS.....which brings us to the second thing....

The MLS needs a mandated hold during these mandated call-ups. That would solve the problem.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Don't care how international soccer works. I live in the USA and pay the taxes so this team can get a new free stadium and all of the other perks incidental to modern professional sports. If the team is supposed to have players A-K on the field -- and has run ads and promotions featuring those guys -- I should not show up at the game and find that A-G are gone. Good luck selling that idea to mainstream America.
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[nynole1]

MLS is a long way from being seen in the same breath as European soccer but with the way head injuries are going in football, it may get an infusion of top American athletes in this next generation.
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[GwinnettNole]

Originally posted by JohnnieHolmesNole:
Don't care how international soccer works.

Posted from Rivals Mobile

OK

 

[NoleInBama]

MLS, will eventually get it. There has already been discussion of moving the season to coincide with the european seasons. As for International call ups, that just the way it is. Coaches can warn international call ups of certain players and its usually respected.

 

[BillWesJay]

MLS has an incredible showing in the World Cup.

Getting called up to your national team means the league has quality players. I believe these players know a couple dad in advance.

 

[LesClaypool]

Bait thread fail.

 

[TexasGooner]

You just need to remember that in Soccer, internationals are just as important, or more important actually, than club. Someone who only follows American sports may not fully comprehend that mentality. But, I must say, MLS does have it wrong. They have even kept playing during the month long World Cup, where a lot of good players were away from their clubs. All the other leagues take a week off during international breaks and the World Cup is during their offseasons. MLS's schedule doesn't correspond with the rest of the world, because MLS doesn't want to go head-to-head with the NFL. I agree with others, that MLS will eventually get it right......but it is, what it is, for now.

 

[fsUTampa]

If I were you, I'd be more pissed at how Orlando City plays the game. I get they have quite a few injuries, but they have possibly the best player in all of the MLS yet can't do anything because everyone else around him sucks. They know it, so they play extremely passively, and it shows with only scoring 2 goals so far this year (a nice free kick by Kaka that went in on a deflection, and a total SportsCenter Not Top 10 play by the Houston keeper) and I think have a total of 10 shots on goal all season so far. It's a depressingly boring style of play.

 

[phideltflg]

We have professional soccer in the U.S.? Hadn't noticed.
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[fsUTampa]

And as soon as I hit send, Orlando City scores 2 goals within a 2 minute span up in Montreal. Of course, both were pretty much thanks to Kaka, but that's what he does and why they have him.

 

[HardiNole]

Originally posted by ZZ828:
The MLS is at fault here. Every other soccer league in the world builds in these international friendly dates and does not schedule games. The MLS is getting right criticized for scheduling these games on international friendly dates.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

Not true. All of the South American leagues are playing this week and weekend as well as MLS. But I agree that FIFA should release a yearly calendar (which I would assume they already do) that has to be observed by all domestic leagues.
And to address the op, national ream call ups would hardly make MLS a "joke". It would mean that the league is being grown with quality players who are deserving of national team duty for their respective countries. And it is impossible to compare it to any other reputable sport, maybe with the exception of baseball, as national team soccer is played year round and uses the best players in the world. Whereas basketball and hockey use mostly amateurs unless it is the Olympics. The World Baseball Classic however, uses the exact model that you are unhappy with.

 

[GwinnettNole]

Originally posted by TexasGooner:


You just need to remember that in Soccer, internationals are just as important, or more important actually, than club. Someone who only follows American sports may not fully comprehend that mentality. But, I must say, MLS does have it wrong. They have even kept playing during the month long World Cup, where a lot of good players were away from their clubs. All the other leagues take a week off during international breaks and the World Cup is during their offseasons. MLS's schedule doesn't correspond with the rest of the world, because MLS doesn't want to go head-to-head with the NFL. I agree with others, that MLS will eventually get it right......but it is, what it is, for now.

I'm hoping the MLS keep their schedule as is. Keeping up with my football, basketball and soccer teams all at the same time is too much

. Seriously, I think it would be disaster to go up against the NFL, NBA and NHL. During the meat of their season they are only going against MLB.

At least the MLS has it right for the December Qatar World Cup

 

[LikeaG5]

It's a joke of a league for more than just scheduling. With more of these MLS teams having some relationship with Euro clubs, I'd figure U21s would be sent out on loan. Having it the equivalent of double A would have me more interested.

 

[cfbfan23]

Why do they call the team, Orlando City, instead of Orlando?

 

[kc78]

MLS is getting better and better, and we're starting to get really good international players in their prime looking at our league (Take Giovinco in Toronto as an example). He's a very good player who plays for Italy's National team who had opportunities to play almost anywhere, and chose to come to the MLS.

Beckham made players stand up and take notice, Beckham made just as much money in the US as compared to what he had made previously in Europe. There's a ton of money to go here, even with MLS being a much smaller league than our other leagues. We now have Kaka still playing great football, Frank Lampard (Who is still good enough to be starting for Manchester City), Villa, Keane, etc....choosing the MLS. Granted at this time its primarily towards the end of their careers, but they can still play for bigger leagues. Ronaldo has also mentioned wanting to be here when his contract is up.


With those caliber of players taking notice and the MLS starting to get tv time all over the world now, and their fans watching, we're going to start to see more players in their prime choosing the MLS. I also agree that soccer will start to get more of the US talent as the appeal of the sport grows amongst youth and parents stop letting their kids play football over injury concerns. I believe in the next 15 years, you'll see the MLS grow to be a very competitive league top to bottom. Its already my second favorite professional league to follow behind the NFL. I love that Orlando now has a team, and the rest of the team doesn't suck, but its an expansion team, there are some holes and a lot of learning each other that has to take place. We'll be much better by mid-season.

With all of that said, the MLS does need to fix the international scheduling. It sucked watching Orlando play depleted (If we have a full team we win that game rather than draw), the same goes for Toronto having to play without two of their DP's in Bradley and Altidore losing a game to Real Salt Lake that they would have probably won otherwise. Its hard though, to fix it you have to flip the schedule and go head to head against the NFL. Nobody wants to do that.

 

[NoleInBama]

Originally posted by cfbfan23:
Why do they call the team, Orlando City, instead of Orlando?

its to make it more authentic. Real Salt Lake after Real Madrid, Sporting Kansas City after Sporting Lisbon, Orlando City after Birmingham City. Gives it more of a football feel.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

MLS would have to get really creative to could align to the European leagues seasons. Way too many MLS clubs are located in the northern part of the US to be counting on playable conditions in winter.

 

[NoleInBama]

Originally posted by Formerly Rockymtnole:
MLS would have to get really creative to could align to the European leagues seasons. Way too many MLS clubs are located in the northern part of the US to be counting on playable conditions in winter.

I get that. But they play american football in winter, and many MLS stadiums are soccer specific It could work.

 

[kc78]

There's a big difference in trying to play American Football in snow and playing soccer in snow. Soccer just doesn't work in the snow.

 

[kc78]

Many soccer teams include city in their name, so they follow that convention. For example, from the EPL we have the following teams:

Manchester City, Stoke City, Swansea City, Hull City, Leicester City and that's just in the EPL.

So I don't know that you can compare it to the garbage naming that is Real Salt Lake or Sporting Kansas City. Both of those teams have tried to connect directly to two teams who they really have no connection to in Real Madrid and Sporting Lisbon. If they had any real connection, then I'd be fine with it, but they're simply trying to sound like other successful team names that are fairly unique.

 

[Manch.]

I agree with teams using "Real" or "Sporting" monikers next to their city name is garbage and laughable. Birmingham City was founded in 1875, so I have to laugh when I see the name Orlando City SC, like OCSC has some connection with a club that is over 140 years old. The name Orlando Soccer Club has a nice ring to it!

I think FC for Football Club, like Football Club of Barcelona, Football Club of Bayern Munich or Manchester United Football Club does NOT equal New York City FC (I believe the "City" moniker is acceptable for NYC) or Toronto FC because the league's name is Major League SOCCER, not football and at least Orlando got the SC (Soccer Club) part correct!

The MLS is trying to make a name for themselves, then they should start separating themselves from other leagues, even if they are partnered up with a European club (NYC FC and Manchester City are partners).

A few years back, I would watch 10-15 hours a week of the English Premier League and zero hours of the MLS, as I viewed the MLS as a very low quality product and was a graveyard for aging European has beens. The MLS had it right when they put teams in cities where the product would thrive, like Seattle and Portland. The crowd intensity at a Portland/Seattle match will rival that of any other rivalry in the other major sports, including Red Sox/Yankees, Red Wings/Blackhawks, Seminoles/Gators, Celtics/Lakers, Eagles/Cowboys.

Today, the MLS is getting a more diverse set of players, and the players that are decent are getting younger and younger and the product is getting better and better.

I am still an EPL snob, but I am watching the MLS more and more, and I will actually DVR games when Seattle or Portland are on (I can not stay up that late when west coast games are on).

 

[kc78]

I don't relate Orlando City to Birmingham City any more than I relate them to any of the other numerous soccer teams with City in their name. As far as I know there is only one Real outside of the MLS, and Sporting Lisbon makes sense as they are actually a sporting club who participates in numerous athletic events, with soccer being their main one.

I would be fine with Orlando being simply called Orlando SC, however there are some fairly strong ties to Stoke City even though none are official outside of it being Adrian Heath's former team. But with that said, I'm not surprised they used the City moniker as he's been with the team from the start. I don't know the story behind it, but its not an uncommon naming convention at all.