Being drafted by a Major League Soccer club far from guarantees the launch of a professional career. In many cases, the young men selected in last week's SuperDraft must prove they can outperform established veterans in order to realize their dream of earning a roster spot, a locker, and a jersey.
This Saturday, Jan. 26, Major League Soccer clubs are permitted to begin preseason training. Not all teams will take the field on that day, but during the next two months, each team's 2008 roster will begin take shape. First Kick, which is the official moniker for the first weekend of the MLS regular season, is March 29 and 30, but several clubs will play in significant tournaments prior to First Kick.
Because many MLS teams travel abroad this time of year, preseason schedules change frequently, journalists and soccer fans are encouraged to check the club web sites and www.MLSnet.com to keep tabs on upcoming friendly matches.
The upcoming 2008 MLS season follows arguably the most successful professional soccer season ever in the United States and Canada. The inclusion of the Designated Player Rule garnered headlines worldwide with the likes of David Beckham, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Juan Pablo Ángel joining MLS clubs. Along with the arrival of the Designated Players, newcomers such as League MVP Luciano Emilio, Juan Toja, Maurice Edu, and others made a significant impact on the field. The debut of Toronto FC in 2007 was regarded by many sports business experts as one of the most successful professional sports team launches in recent history. Toronto's BMO Field was one of two new soccer-specific stadiums that debuted in 2007, along with Dick's Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids.
Looking ahead, the 2008 preseason begins with many new and interesting stories. Among those to follow include:
The pursuit of new international players
• What countries is your team scouting?
• Are they plotting to sign a Designated Player?
• Who will be the next great "find," like Juan Toja or Luciano Emilio?
Roster competition
• Which positions are the most hotly contested?
• Does camaraderie suffer when fighting for jobs?
International friendly matches
• What can be learned from these games?
• Do the results matter?
Open tryouts
• Who are these longshots?
• How do the coaches weed out the field?
Starting from scratch - San Jose Earthquakes
• How is preseason different for the newest MLS club?
• What are coach Frank Yallop's goals for this year?
• Can the 'Quakes break the expansion hex? The three most recent expansion teams (Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA in 2005 and Toronto FC in 2007) went a combined 15 wins, 61 losses and 18 draws for a combined 61 points.
The first day of preseason training for each MLS club is below:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago Fire - Feb. 6
Columbus Crew - Jan. 28
D.C. United - Jan. 28
Kansas City Wizards - Jan. 28
New England Revolution - Jan. 30
New York Red Bulls - Jan. 26
Toronto FC - Feb. 1
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
Chivas USA - Feb. 4
Colorado Rapids - Jan. 28
FC Dallas - Feb. 4
Houston Dynamo - Feb. 1
LA Galaxy - Feb. 4
Real Salt Lake - Jan. 26
San Jose - Feb. 4
Below are some highlights of the 2008 MLS preseason:
Pan-Pacific Championship (Feb. 20 - 23)
A new international club tournament pits North America against Asia and Oceania in the ideal location - Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. In the inaugural edition, two-time MLS Cup Champions Houston Dynamo and SuperLiga finalist Los Angeles Galaxy will represent the United States. Houston will face a top Australian club to be determined through the Hyundai A-League playoffs. The Galaxy will play Gamba Osaka, Japan's 2007 Nabisco Cup Champions. There is no better time for soccer fans to make a Hawaiian getaway ... tickets are on sale now: http://www.ppchampionship.net/tickets/
The Pan-Pacific Tournament schedule follows:
Wednesday, Feb. 20
LA Galaxy vs. Gamba Osaka (Japan), 6 p.m. local; 11 p.m. ET
Houston Dynamo vs. TBD (Australia), 8:30 p.m. local; 1:30 a.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 23
Third-place match, 6 p.m. local; 11 p.m. ET
Final, 8:30 p.m. local; 1:30 a.m. ET
More information is available at:
http://www.ppchampionship.net/index.php
CONCACAF Champions Cup (March 12 - April 29)
This club competition decides the region's champion and only berth in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup in December. Two-time defending MLS Cup Champion Houston Dynamo and two-time defending Supporters' Shield winner D.C. United look to build upon their successful runs in last year's tournament, where both lost heartbreaking semifinal series to top Mexican teams.
Here is the schedule for the two-leg, total goals quarterfinal series that feature MLS Clubs:
(All times Eastern)
Wednesday, March 12
D.C. United vs. Harbour View (Jamaica), 7 p.m. local at RFK Stadium
Houston Dynamo vs. CSD Municipal (Guatemala), 10 p.m. ET at Robertson Stadium
Tuesday, March 18
Harbour View vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. ET at RFK
Wednesday, March 19
CSD Municipal vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m.
If D.C. United advance, they will face the winner of the quarterfinal series between Pachuca (Mexico) and CD Motagua (Honduras). If Houston Dynamo advance, they will face the winner of the quarterfinal series between Atlante FC (Mexico) and Deportivo Saprissa (Costa Rica). The semifinal series take place April 3-10 and the two-leg final will be held April 24 and May 1.
More information is available at: http://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champscup/
Sueño MLS
Open tryouts meet reality TV in this Hispanic-focused, national search for soccer talent. Last year Univision, the largest Spanish-language network in the United States, helped support Chivas USA's efforts to sift for a diamond in the rough while airing segments of the process on its highly-rated Sunday show, Republica Deportiva. The result of a month-long evaluation of more than 2,000 players was the discovery of Jorge Flores, a 17-year-old Mexican-American high school senior and part time church cleaner. Flores went on to make Chivas USA's senior roster and play for the U.S. Under-20 National Team.
This year, Sueño MLS expands to include two MLS teams: Chivas USA and FC Dallas. Details about the tryouts will be announced on Univision's Republica Deportiva on Sunday, Jan. 27. For more details visit www.suenoMLS.com.
Carolina Challenge Cup (March 15, 19, 22)
The Charleston Battery of the USL First Division hosts this annual classic at its authentic soccer haven, Blackbaud Stadium in Daniel Island, S.C. This year the tournament features the New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC, and the San Jose Earthquakes along with the underdog and home team, Charleston Battery.
The fifth consecutive year of this round-robin competition consists of three doubleheaders, and the three MLS clubs will train in Charleston all week. To purchase tickets, call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit http://www.charlestonbattery.com.
