By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 7, 2021) US Soccer Players - Just three weeks into his first season as head coach at any level, while leading a team brand new to Major League Soccer, Josh Wolff is already ahead of the curve. Expansion teams aren't supposed to win two of their first three matches. They certainly aren't supposed to do that when all of the games are on the road. Wolff is the . . .
Is el Trafico turning into el Superclasico?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 5, 2021) US Soccer Players - Not too long ago, the LA Galaxy was the undisputed king of Los Angeles soccer. When Chivas USA joined MLS in 2005, the club had some competition for that abstract title. That was short-lived as the Galaxy dominated its intra-stadium rivals until Chivas USA folded after the 2014 season. Four years later, the Galaxy had another local . . .
No need to panic three weeks into the MLS season
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 5, 2021) US Soccer Players - Panic rarely makes things better. By its very nature, the word conveys an emotional response to a problem. Letting emotions loose without hanging onto some modicum of logic tends to lead to rash decisions. Rash decisions upend plans, restart processes, and end progress before it has a chance to begin. It's usually best to avoid . . .
Mourinho’s move to Roma
By J Hutcherson (May 4, 2021) US Soccer Players - One of the obvious issues with any concept of a super league is who gets left out. The quick demise of The Super League means we never learned the names of the remaining clubs. We don't know who might have been enticed by a new version of European soccer. Bayern Munich and PSG were quick to distance themselves. So was AS Roma, releasing a statement . . .
Playing at home in MLS and Concacaf
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 3, 2021) US Soccer Players – There's no place like home. That's what a young Dorothy in the film "The Wizard of Oz" repeated to herself as she attempted to return to Kansas. In soccer, like in sports generally, playing at home and before your own fans has been considered a positive. In the pandemic era, home-field advantage and supporters have taken on a whole . . .
Jesse Marsch’s coaching plan
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 30, 2021) US Soccer Players - Just a little more than six years ago, Jesse Marsch was an out-of-work soccer coach. Following a stint as the first MLS boss of the Montreal Impact, Marsch was a young coach with a good representation but not much of a profile. There was no guarantee he had a path to success in Major League Soccer, much less one that would take him . . .
Is LAFC evolving in 2021?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Apr 28, 2021) US Soccer Players - In its short history, Los Angeles FC has been an offensive juggernaut. As an expansion team, LAFC finished second in goals scored and has only upped its game since. They've led the league in goals scored in both 2019 and 2020. None of those seasons finished with an MLS Cup, but LAFC has set itself up as a perennial title contender on . . .
Producing elite soccer talent in the USL Championship
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 28, 2021) US Soccer Players - American soccer has taken undeniable strides when it comes to player development. With that comes an increase in the reputation of the young American player in the hallowed halls of Europe's biggest clubs. It wasn't that long ago that getting players from the United States into high-level European environments turned on the . . .
Will The Super League collapse change European soccer?
By J Hutcherson (Apr 27, 2021) US Soccer Players - It's hard to believe that something that seemed crucial just a week ago is now not much more than a punchline. Imagine the business school instructor trying to use The Super League as a case study a few years from now. "So after an initial leak during Sunday's games, the whole thing was over in 48 hours. Somehow, it involved governments, fans, and . . .
The MLS TV audience
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Apr 26, 2021) US Soccer Players – Soccer has grown in immense popularity in this country over the last few decades thanks to a confluence of factors. The 1994 World Cup, the creation of MLS, and leagues around the world becoming more accessible have helped turn more Americans into fans of the world game. Television was, and remains, key for Major League Soccer's . . .
