By Tony Edwards – San Jose, CA (Aug 30, 2012) US Soccer Players — In Thursday's column, Tony asks what the Revolution needs to do after Wednesday's collapse, questions the ethics of consulting with a coach under contract to another entity, and wonders if Montreal will raise attendance by lowering ticket prices.
While Wednesday evening's comeback was stirring, was there bigger news around Chivas USA?
The franchise announced that Jorge Vergara and Angelica Fuentes essentially bought out their former partners (and people who were running the club), the brothers Antonio and Lorenzo Cue. Vergara and Fuentes have owned half of Chivas USA since the team was founded. What this means for LA's other Major League Soccer club is a question on the minds of anyone interested in Chivas USA. Yet another revamp? A new stadium? A future that doesn't involve struggling to keep up with their neighbors the Galaxy?
Should New England look for a trade for newly signed Juan Toja?
Ridge Mahoney in the Soccer America Confidential reported that the Revs had the chance to move their newly-signed midfielder. That would seem unlikely, but after Jay Heaps's side threw away a three-goal lead to a team that had only scored 17 goals all season before this game, maybe the Revolution need to look at ways to remake their team defense next season. Revolution supporters will point to the team's better-than-their-record goal difference of -5 as a reason not to do a total rebuild, while others will point to their 6-14-6 record as enough evidence that some things need to change.
Portland ran the idea of trading for Donovan Ricketts past a coach contracted with another team?
The University of Akron’s Caleb Porter, formerly of the San Jose Clash, has been announced as the Timbers’ head coach for next season. But, according to Oregonian columnist John Canzano, the Timbers “…have been so wedded to [Caleb] Porter for weeks now that they even bounced their recent trade of goalkeeper Troy Perkins off the Zips coach before making the move.”
Canzano takes the generous view that the Timbers have a plan going forward. Those who are paying Porter’s salary, such as the University of Akron, might call it poaching. Not to mention that when MLS last sniffed around Porter, Akron gave him a 10-year contract. And, since the Ricketts trade, Montreal has won five in a row with Troy Perkins in goal.
According to the Castrol Index, which player had the most effect on a League game last week?
August was a good month for San Jose’s Alan Gordon, who received his first call up to the US National Team and also started for San Jose in the absence of Steven Lenhart. Gordon, who is fourth in the League with 11 goals (on only 33 shots, compared with Thierry Henry’s 11 goals on 63 shots), led this past week’s Castrol Weekly Index with more than 2200 points. Gordon also leads the season-long Index, which features three Earthquakes in the top five.
Much has been made of Portland not raising ticket prices next year, but which franchise is taking that a step beyond?
Montreal, which announced this week they are lowering season-ticket prices for next season. For the 2013 season, season tickets will cost about 15% less, as the Impact tries to raise its number of season tickets from 8,000 to 10,000 for next season. Montreal set an ambitious average attendance goal of 18,500 for next season.
Tony Edwards is a soccer writer from the Bay Area.
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