Thanks to the heavy and comprehensive 4-0 quarterfinal defeat inflicted by FC Dallas on CONCACAF Champions League No. 2 seed Arabe Unido on Thursday night, the chances are excellent that 50 percent of the competition's semifinal field will be comprised of MLS clubs, who would also occupy different sides of the bracket.
That scenario hasn't unfolded since April 2013 when the Seattle Sounders and the LA Galaxy both fell to Mexican opposition in the semis by one- and two-goal margins, respectively (on aggregate).
Mexican clubs could likely prove the opposition in this case, as well – one of Pumas or Tigres going up against Vancouver or the NY Red Bulls and Pachuca with a chance to face Dallas – and if you're an MLS fan, you're looking forward to this head-to-head even more than previous seasons.
That's because it will be fascinating to see just how the roster changes and added depth in this new TAM era of MLS (check out Ben Couch's column on this later Friday) will size up against the ultimate measuring stick: Mexican club competition. Targeted Allocation Money (aka TAM) was designed to help MLS clubs recruit better talent for the heart of their rosters – as in the case of new FC Dallas winger Roland Lamah, who added more than a dose of quality in Thursday's victory – in order to better match up against their Mexican counterparts in the Champions League.
And it's this FC Dallas team, stronger and deeper this year than even last year's treble-chasing side, that inspires confidence that this could be the year for MLS. The Arabe Unido result was nice, but the true test will only come when the Mexican squads roll into town in the coming weeks.
Another Star to Seattle?
Rumors from Italy on Friday morning have the Seattle Sounders closing in on Keisuke Honda, a move which if it materializes would present manager Brian Schmetzer with a host of interesting decisions and challenges.
Honda can line up at attacking center mid, as a second forward and playmaking from wide left. And while his skill is sublime and his vision and set-piece mastery is world-class, he's not covering a ton of ground during matches.
So the question becomes: Can the MLS Cup champions afford to have the attack-minded Clint Dempsey, Nicolas Lodeiro and Honda all on the field at the same time with forward Jordan Morris? What strain would the resulting additional defensive load place on the center mids and back line? At that point, the Sounders' first line of defense would essentially be Ozzie Alonso. What impact would that have on the fullbacks going forward and their ability to provide width to the Sounders' attack?
Any coach will tell you that an abundance of talent is never a bad thing. But they'll also tell you that having a balanced team is essential.
When Supporters Mean Everything
It's a commonplace in sports these days to read comments from players and executives heaping praise on their fans for their support and the atmosphere they provide. There's invariably a dose of hyperbole mixed in and it feels like every sports team has the "best fans in the world."
But Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley is not one for sports cliches and hyperbole. That makes what he told Kurt Larson in a Toronto Sun post published Friday all the more impactful. Rumors have always surfaced of European interest in the USMNT captain, and Bradley admits "it would have been easy to take off," but last year's playoff run cemented his desire to stay in Toronto:
"After seeing what this club means to our fans I’m more determined than ever to make sure the biggest days at TFC are still coming ... I’d never been more proud to call TFC my club. I genuinely mean that. I have more of a connection with our fans, our city, this club than anywhere I’ve played [Herenveen, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Chievo Verona, AS Roma].”
“Where will I be in five years? I hope I’m in Toronto," Bradley told the Toronto Sun. "I realize every day how lucky I am. That isn’t lost on me."
High Stakes in Costa Rica
As predicted, the USA beat St. Kitts & Nevis and with the 4-1 victory moved into the "Classification Stage" of the CONCACAF Under-20 qualifying tournament on Friday night. But the victory wasn't enough to avoid a clash in the next round with rivals Mexico, who have steamrolled the competition so far.
Here's the way the "Classification Stage" works: Four automatic berths to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in South Korea will be awarded to the top two finishers of two round-robin groups consisting of three teams. By virtue of finishing in second place in Group B during the first group stage, the USA is heading into a final grouping that includes Mexico (top team in Group A) and the top team from Group C, one of El Salvador or hosts Costa Rica.
The USA were able to overcome a 1-0 loss to Panama and still survive the first group test. With only two matches left, another misstep could cost them a ticket to the big stage. The margin for error is slim.
Sparing a thought on Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri's firing at Leicester City? It's pretty evident it was a relegation-based move with the team just one point outside the drop zone in England. The Italian didn't all of a sudden become a terrible fit for a team which he led to a historic title and the cusp of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal berth. But the prospect of falling out of the top-flight can lead to such decisions. Just look at Bob Bradley's experience at Swansea.
Bring it back to MLS, where we've seen a handful of coaches endure disappointing seasons over recent years: Pablo Mastroeni in Colorado, Ben Olsen in D.C. and Carl Robinson last year in Vancouver, where the Whitecaps rewarded him with a contract extension after missing the playoffs. Those MLS teams opted for consistency, sticking to a plan and allowing for development and maturity of their younger coaches.
You can make long-term plans in MLS. Former Mexican national team coach Miguel Herrera called it one of the attractions of coaching in MLS and it's probably one of the aspects that appealed to Gerardo "Tata" Martino when he made the move to take over Atlanta. That kind of stability is hard to sustain in other leagues when the specter of relegation and potential budget upheaval stares you in the face.
Fashion Statement
Here's a way to boost goalkeeper jersey sales: Throw in a pair of goalkeeper gloves which makes for a standout look on matchday. Just check out this FC Dallas fan on Thursday night:
