By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 14, 2019) US Soccer Players - The MLS coaching merry-go-round doesn't stop. Not even long enough to write a story about the state of the MLS coaching merry-go-round. Between the conception of this piece and its execution, the Houston Dynamo announced that they had "parted ways" with head coach Wilmer Cabrera. Cabrera is the fifth MLS head coach to lose his . . .
The Galaxy pushing the MLS rulebook is good for the league
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 9, 2019) US Soccer Players - From its origin as a ten-team startup competition organized with a unique single-entity business structure, MLS has grown to 24 teams in 22 markets with 18 purpose-built stadiums. Through that run, the league tries to balance the need to grow against managing risk. By design, MLS is about navigating the choppy economic waters of . . .
The last day of the MLS transfer window
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 7, 2019) US Soccer Players - There is no argument that the biggest bombshell of Major League Soccer's secondary transfer window was Wayne Rooney. DC's striker announced that he's leaving to join Derby County of the English Championship as a player/coach. Since that move won't happen until January, it doesn't count as a summer transfer window move. The . . .
The stadium game hasn’t changed in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 2, 2019) US Soccer Players - MLS commissioner Don Garber's talking points around the 2019 MLS All-Star Game mostly gleamed with positivity. Major League Soccer is growing by leaps and bounds, adding two teams in 2020 and another in 2021. An announcement of two new teams appears to be in the works. By the time the next World Cup rolls around, the top division . . .
The importance of the MLS All-Star Game
By Jason Davis – ORLANDO, FL (Jul 31, 2019) US Soccer Players - For most, the MLS All-Star Game is little more than an exercise in partner service and a chance to throw a few parties. It's an exhibition. By definition, that limits its importance. Don't try to draw any serious conclusions from whatever happens when the MLS All-Stars face off against Atletico Madrid in Orlando on Wednesday night. . . .
The MLS transfer business is changing
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 24, 2019) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer's move to condense the 2019 schedule and finish the MLS Cup playoffs ahead of the November might have unintended, but completely foreseeable, consequences when it comes to summer signings. It only makes sense. The shorter calendar means that the secondary transfer window will have less of an impact on the . . .
Portland’s difficult season
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 19, 2019) US Soccer Players - The Portland Timbers are in the midst of a difficult season, depending on how you define "difficult". There's no objective way to judge the degree of difficulty for a given MLS season. Even if we attempted to create one, we'd first have to agree on which factors matter most in the assessment. What tops the list? The vagaries . . .
Aaron Long and the Red Bulls way
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 17, 2019) US Soccer Players - It’s that time of year when temperatures hit triple digits and the clubs across Major League Soccer face the question of whether to sell now, sell later, or sell not at all. The league's growing profile means a few things, many of them good. More spending means better players, which means a higher quality of play. That in turn also . . .
Taking the 2019 US Open Cup seriously
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 12, 2019) US Soccer Players - We've reached that point in the US Open Cup tournament when the trophy is close enough that everyone is taking it seriously. For the Major League Soccer clubs still standing, that means no more reserve-heavy lineups featuring players more likely to suit up for the USL affiliate on a given weekend than play in a topflight league . . .
The 2019 transfer season in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 10, 2019) US Soccer Players - The MLS summer transfer window opened Tuesday, with a small burst of fanfare. Only a handful of teams had deals ready to go when the day arrived. None of those deals will make a significant splash, though a few are of the Targeted Allocation Money variety. That means they involve signing players whose budget charge is above the . . .
