What I’m Thankful for in Soccer

 It’s a few days before my favorite holiday of the year, Thanksgiving! Many of us have memories of going around the dinner table and saying what we are thankful for. While I am thankful for a lot of people and things in my life, I would like to take a few moments to talk about what I loved about the last year in soccer.

I am thankful for… Sunil Gulati, president of US Soccer, coming to his senses and hiring Jügen Klinsmann as head coach of the US Men’s National Team. This was a hiring that had been looming for years. While it was unfair to put former coach Bob Bradley in a tough spot, this is the change the US needed. Though they won’t be a top 10 or 15 team right away, this move will pay off in the long run. This hiring (hopefully) will be looked as the starting point in a paradigm shift to a new American approach to the beautiful game.

I am thankful for… the MLS Cup on Sunday evening, which promises to be an exciting game. David Beckham is in his last year of a ballyhooed contract with the LA Galaxy. The Houston Dynamo have some awesome orange jerseys and a team that is on fire. The Galaxy’s Landon Donovan missed the last two US international friendlies so he could rest up for the game, showing how important the MLS has become in the eyes of both national and international players. Another interesting note is that Beckham has won a championship in his final season with his last two clubs. Let’s see what happens!

I am thankful for… what is shaping up to be an interesting winter in the English Premier League. While both Manchester squads have jumped out to a big lead, a couple new teams are fighting for top spots in Newcastle and Tottenham. Even Arsenal has rebounded after a dismal start and Liverpool look a threat again. Another surprising note is that all three teams new to the top level are in the middle of the table. The January transfer window will prove to be a key factor in the title run.

I am thankful for… the high amount of goals that have been scored so far in the EPL. As we head for winter, where goals go down and games are won on brute defense and strong team play, we should appreciate that the fall has given us 43 matches with 4+ goals scored! If teams shore up weaknesses in the transfer windows, then the spring will again show a plethora of goals and great soccer action.

I am thankful for… an upcoming year in which we should see a fierce battle for the Champions League crown, the European Championship, and World Cup Qualifying. World Cup Qualifying won’t really get underway until the summer, but the Champions League will get hot and heavy in early 2012. It may end up being a clash between Spanish and English clubs, but German and Italian clubs will definitely have something to say before all is decided. We have to wait until August for Euro 2012 in Poland/Ukraine, but the build-up will be great as we experts (just run with it) debate over whether a favorite or upstart will take the crown.

I hope you are as thankful for this beautiful sport and for all the family and friends in your life. We have a great year ahead of us and the excitement is just beginning! I wish you safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving!

What if City Won? (November 2011)

As we near the winter third of the season, we are provided an opportunity to review the English Premier League standings thus far. Right now, Manchester City leads the table with Manchester United and a host of others, in chase. However, it looks like a two team race with City the clear favorites.

So you ask, why should I care if City wins? If you’re not a strong fan a particular team, you should take note that since the induction of the Premier League in the early 90s, only one team (Blackburn) outside of Manchester United, Arsenal, or Chelsea has won. One of the beauties of this sport is keeping every team competitive through relegation; one of the blemishes is that parity is still tough to come by because money is such a factor.

Over the summer, Manchester City continued its buying ways by acquiring talents like Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero to add to its already mounting artillery of talent. These moves have helped them overcome past obstacles that stopped them from truly challenging the title. They have not only gelled into a top team but one that has embarrassed respectable teams. This was capped off by a 6-2 humiliation of a befuddled Manchester United squad at Old Trafford a couple weeks ago.

Now, after this break is over, winter comes and teams must adjust for this crucial run. Teams tend to stumble during this period for various reasons. Last winter saw defending champions Chelsea stumble from a strong start to an unsuccessful chase of a stronger Manchester United side. Both City and United started this season by obliterating teams, but United has faltered because of a mysterious decline in team cohesion.

Nevertheless, Sir Alex Ferguson will find a way to re-energize his players in his 25^th season as manager. Whether Roberto Mancini is able to keep his team motivated at a high level all season remains to be seen. What we do know is that if they do take the title, City will break a longstanding run of championships from the almighty three.

Will it really mean all that much though? Yes, it will break a streak of Yankees-like squads from winning, but when you break it down, City has simply joined the ranks of these high-spending clubs. If they win, it will be refreshing for some fans to see a different face on the podium of champions, but it will only strengthen the notion that money is the key to success in professional sports.

This idea transcends almost all professional sports leagues around the world, and has proven to be the reason that so many leagues have lockouts, greedy owners, and disgruntled players. If anything, the ever-growing financial gap in sports is a representation of the financial gap in society. We have come to a crossroads in both, and future actions will decide if money or sport will prevail.

While it would be great for the EPL to have City as champions for a change, I am hoping for a different result. If it can’t be my beloved Red Devils, then I hope and root for a team on the lower rungs to surprise. This is currently too rare an occurrence, and owners and executives of all professional leagues must realize that money is not as important as true competition. For the sake of all athletes and fans, let’s hope they make changes to preserve the love of the game.

A World Without Relegation (October 2011)

Recently, a story came out about American owners in the English Premier League and how they may want to get rid of relegation. One anonymous source thought that one or two more American owners would cause a vote to create solid leagues that do not relegate or promote teams between themselves.

This got me thinking. First, are the Americans who own teams in this league that selfish that they would change a tradition that has been occurring since well before the formation of the EPL? Second, how would this change the competitiveness of the league? These are two scary questions that I am going to answer in honor of Halloween.

The idea that a few American owners would propose such a change is pretty huge. Relegation is the idea that the bottom three teams are demoted to the league below while the top three teams from that league are brought up to the EPL. The FA, which is in charge of the English soccer leagues, would have to decide who stays in which league. Furthermore, other incentives would be necessary to keep teams at the bottom of the table competitive at the end of the season. Usually, teams in the top half are still fighting for spots in European competitions, but with nothing available for the bottom half, competition may go stale.

Just because this is a foreign concept to US sports fans does not mean it is wrong or ineffective. In fact, relegation should be considered by leagues like MLB and the NBA to make every season even more exciting. Bottom feeders are encouraged to compete through the end of the season and lower league teams are encouraged to finish in the top three so they can face better competition the following season. There is no such thing as an easy game for any team. In fact, facing a team fighting relegation at the end of a season is just as dangerous as facing a team at the top.

Without the concept of relegation in the EPL and its associated leagues, English soccer would suffer immensely. Fewer players would be able to enjoy the spotlight of the Premier League because their teams would remain in lower leagues. Financially, teams could not afford to stay afloat if they did not receive the fiscal benefits of playing at a higher level. Teams in the bottom half would have nothing to really fight for and would suffer lower game energy and confidence. Pillow fight matches would mean lower fan attendance and those games would not be televised. League play would become stale and players would fight to transfer to top-flight teams. There would be no “middle class” of teams. Finally, the EPL would struggle financially from lack of table-wide competition and be forced to either shut down or have fewer teams.

Basically, getting rid of relegation would be the biggest buzzkill to English club soccer history. It would benefit us to consider relegation for American sports; the lack of an open mind to new ideas has become evident in professional sports leagues in this country with lockouts and rifts between owners and players. Instead of trying to imperialize other leagues around the world, we should be receptive to other ideas for keeping competition at its highest level. Viva la relegation!

The Dual Quarterback Conundrum (October 2011)

If you have watched “Sportscenter” over the last year, you will know that the state of college football is not great. Ohio State and Miami (Fl), among others, have had major issues with compliance and players have been suspended and coaches terminated. While the repetitiveness of offences suggests a flaw in the system, I am here to focus on another flaw in the system: dual quarterbacks.

As a native of Ohio, I grew up rooting for (the) Ohio State University football team. I floated along through the Cooper era until Tressel returned OSU to football glory. One constant on the teams that competed for a BCS bid every year was the presence of a capable quarterback. Troy Smith, Craig Krenzel, and Terrelle Pryor come to mind.

Now, Tressel and Pryor are gone, having been inked out for NCAA violations (tattoo pun). With Pryor’s exit, the quarterback battle was left wide open between 26-year old former minor league baseball player Joe Bauserman and much-hyped dual threat freshman Braxton Miller. Interim coach Luke Fickell decided from the first game that he would start Bauserman but bring in Miller for a few series at a time.

If you are reading this as either an OSU fan or the fan of a team that has been in this situation, you probably just cringed. While we do not see this in the NFL, we see it all too much at the college level. A program has just lost its incumbent starter, and has a freshman or unproven upperclassmen in the wings. Instead of just having them battle it out and declare a starter in the spring, the coach lets it linger and it becomes a dual quarterback system.

The quarterback position is probably the most important in football because the mistakes of the signal caller are magnified and the pressure to perform is more immense. When being put in a new situation, mistakes are expected, but adding to that the idea of another quarterback coming in is just plain silly. It does not allow for one quarterback to become comfortable in the face of adversity, nor does it allow for him to get in a flow, get loose, and get up to speed.

This is obviously not the recipe for success or building confidence. Neither quarterback feels comfortable and the bad performance by one adds pressure on the coach. This negative energy trickles down to all members of the team and hurts confidence for the next game. Many times, the fan base and media are calling for the young prospect, but the coach feels he is not ready, as in the case of Ohio State this year.

Once Bauserman struggled, fans called for his head. It had already been the roughest offseason in Ohio State history, so this was a throw-away season anyway and there was no reason not to play Braxton Miller. Now that coach Fickell has declared Miller the full-time starter (after Ohio State struggled under Bauserman), the Buckeyes are playing a little better. Though they are 3-3, Ohio State had a big lead on Nebraska before Miller got hurt and Bauserman came in and failed to keep the lead, showing that Miller was the right choice.

So, as an OSU fan, I can say that I have been frustrated with this season. Sure, the offseason drama did not help, but that was more digestible than a “Fickell” decision on the quarterback position at the beginning of the fall (I’m on a roll!).

Coaches beware: take heed of history when thinking that a dual quarterback situation is a good idea, or will benefit either player. Psychologically, this is a position that needs the backing of the coach, team, and fans, and trying to share that with someone else does not work. Make a strong decision, but evaluate constantly and then if a change is needed, stick with that. Your fans will thank you.

At a Crossroads: The Story of US Soccer (October 2011)

As we head into another international break from club soccer, I wanted to discuss a few players who are bound to excite and raise hopes for American soccer fans. Sam’s Army already received a jolt with the hiring of Jürgen Klinsmann earlier this year, but some young players will certainly get our hearts racing. If the Americans are to be taken seriously in Brazil in three years, several things must happen. Klinsmann must develop a cohesive system of play that emphasizes passing, unity, and smart decisions. Furthermore, the following players will have to play at their top level to help the Americans move deep into the tournament.

Juan Agudelo, F: Agudelo is not new on the scene, but he is the possibly dominant forward that Americans have been waiting for (and dreaming about). He has excellent finishing abilities and instincts, while his ball skills are rather impressive. Only 18 years old, he could develop into the face of US Soccer for the next decade or so.

Jozy Altidore, F: Jozy’s success may go hand-in-hand with how Agudelo performs on the international stage. Altidore has been the lone ranger at the top of the formation and has been inconsistent. He has shown the ability to finish, but can disappear in games and will not win a lot of 50-50 balls. With Agudelo alongside at the top, he may start to show his true ability and become one of the better strikers in recent memory.

Clint Dempsey, M: Dempsey has been probably the most fun and frustrating to watch for American soccer fans. He has had the most success of all US players on the club scene, as he is a star player for Fulham in England. However, on the international stage, Dempsey has left something to be desired. He has the talent to be a star, but tends to fall into the European mindset of diving to draw a foul and will spend too much time complaining to the referee. For the Americans to save face on the international scene, Dempsey needs to become the much-needed leader of this team and start creating opportunities for the goal-scorers around him.

Brek Shea, M: While out with some friends for Klinsmann’s debut against Mexico, we were very impressed by Shea’s ability to create scoring opportunities. Given his tall stature and bright hair, we nicknamed him, “Big Bird”. He has been just as helpful to this team as the actual Big Bird was to me when I was learning the alphabet as a child. If he can continue to develop and take some pressure off Dempsey, the Yanks can start building a strong, respectable midfield.

Gale Agbossoumonde, D: Though he may not play as large a part in the next World Cup as the other players I mentioned, he has by the far the best name. His development has been slowed not by injuries, but by a stupid contract signed with a greedy sports agency. Thus, he has had rare opportunities to play and hone his skills, but his potential is very promising. If he can impress Klinsmann, he could provide some support to Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra to, at the very least, form the best-named back line in soccer history. Oh, and by the way, that’s Gah-lay Og-BOSS-ooh-mon-day.

There are obviously a lot of other factors that come into play besides the players mentioned above. Others must step up, and Klinsmann must unite this team to mimic the best in the world: Spain, Netherlands, Germany, etc. The 2014 World Cup will most likely be the last for legends Tim Howard and Landon Donovan. Moreover, it could set the program back or could put the Americans on the international scene for a long time. There is a plethora of developable young talent and US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati finally has his head coach in Klinsmann. The pieces are finally falling into place and I can say, on behalf of other American soccer fans, let’s hope this is it.

A Tale of Two Manchesters (September 2011)

It has been a good start for several teams to this 2011-2012 Premier League season: Stoke, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Newcastle United all have multiple wins under their respective belts. But no two teams have come out flying at a faster pace than the two squads from Manchester. Both City and United have enjoyed lots of goals and wins to make this an early two-horse race for the title.

Because the home stadiums of these two teams lie a mere four miles apart, the Manchester derby has always been heavily contested. There is a long and storied history of the meetings between the two, and recent years have done nothing to take away from this. As much as United have been at the top of the league, the overall series is only just in the Red Devils’ favor.

More than just wins and losses, the crossover between the teams has added kindling to the fire of this rivalry. Recently, transfers between the teams have been almost non-existent. One move of note is the signing of Carlos Tevez by City after he had two very successful and prolific seasons at United. After Tevez helped United win the Champions and Premier Leagues, he traveled the short distance from Old Trafford to City of Manchester Stadium in what was considered utter betrayal by some United fans. However, no one from the Red Army will admit that they weren’t somewhat happy when Tevez gave City troubles about wanting to transfer home to Argentina.

Another case of loyalty-switching occurred earlier in the 1900s with Sir Matt Busby. Busby played for two United rivals: City and Liverpool, but may be most well-known for how he revived United and brought them to the forefront of English soccer. Even more, after the tragedy of the Munich Air Disaster, he reassembled the team and united the Manchester faithful. The work done by Sir Busby on behalf of United must have sent daggers into the hearts of City fans, as most of them have passed on.

Since the creation of the Premier League, Manchester United have been at the top of the table almost every season. Thanks to the purchase of City by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, City have seen a flurry of spending in the last three years to bring in high profile players. Though the derby is always intense, it has not carried the implications that it does this season.

While City come out blazing every week, United seem to not only match but also surpass the efforts of those in the light blue jerseys. After City beat Tottenham 5-1 to take the top spot, United came back to beat Arsenal 8-2 later in the day. After City drew against Fulham this past weekend, United held on to beat Chelsea in their toughest, but most controversial, match to date. As you can see, this season’s race promises to bring us a new battle between two teams who have been long-time rivals because of geography; now they’ll be duking it out with more than just pride on the line.

Rivalry Not New, But Fierce As Ever (September 2011)

While each team has historic rivalries with other teams that are considered more bitter than this one, fans and players of both teams will tell you that no other rival has come close to bringing the intensity that Manchester United and Chelsea have brought against each other over the past several years. In sports, history weighs heavily on every team; it brings undue pressures, lofty expectations, and lots of media attention.

Over the last decade in the Premier League, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal have been at or near the top consistently. Recently, the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City have peeked their heads while Liverpool and Arsenal have dealt with bumps in the road. Chelsea and United, however, have stayed strong by way of big acquisitions and youth development to stay neck-and-neck. Since Arsenal won the league in 2004 by going undefeated, the trophy has traveled back and forth between Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, where it currently resides.

While some have argued that the lack of variation in champions has shown a plateau in the EPL, there is no lack of excellent soccer. Chelsea and United were so dominant that in 2008, after a hard fought battle in the Premier League race, they both reached the Champions League Final as the two best teams in Europe, with United giving Chelsea the blues in penalty kicks to take the title. Furthermore, during Chelsea’s title defense last season, United were able to start the season with a prolonged stretch without a loss to see saw the momentum of this rivalry back to northern England.

This Sunday’s matchup, to take place at Old Trafford, is the first of two games that will prove pivotal in deciding this season’s champion. Both teams reloaded for this year’s title race. Chelsea added forward Juan Mata, young phenom Romelu Lukaku, midfielder Raul Meireles, and new manager André Villas-Boas. Meanwhile, Manchester United somehow strengthened a squad that went to the Champions League Final with winger Ashley Young, defender Phil Jones, and an infusion of promising young talent.

Not only will both teams be fighting it out until the end (with the likes of Manchester City by their sides), but they could be on a collision course in the Champions League as well. There is no doubt that fantastic soccer will be played any time these two meet up, but a healthy display of yellow cards and a busy referee are sure to be at Sunday’s match as well. Yours truly will be taking in the match with a pint at his local soccer pub, and he recommends you do the same. This is not one to miss!