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MLS Preseason Update

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By TRAVIS CLARK

The MLS regular season is just weeks away, and clubs across the country are in deep preparation for the 2010 season.

Arizona and Florida are the two mains destinations for February training camps as clubs look to escape the cold weather closer to home. D.C. United, Toronto FC and Columbus will spend time training in Bradenton, FL over the next few weeks, while Kansas City, Chicago and Real Salt Lake are setting up shop in Arizona.

The Philadelphia Union are currently training in Browns Summit, NC, and will play a scrimmage against the University of North Carolina this coming Saturday. Peter Nowak's squad will be without new acquisition Michael Orozco from Wednesday as he departs for national team camp at the Home Depot Center.

Chicago's new coach, Carlos de los Cobos, is getting a close look at his new club in Phoenix, AZ. A busy schedule will also take the club to Guadalajara, Mexico, Jackson, MS and New Orleans, LA. Their first preseason friendly is scheduled for February 15 with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Down in Bradenton, the Columbus Crew already have one friendly in the books. The Crew took care of business against the U.S. U-17 team over the weekend, winning 8-0. Bright Dike and Dilly Duka, the Crew's two first round draft picks, each tallied a goal in the rout.

Houston also kicked off their preseason schedule with a 6-0 win against Houston Baptist University on Saturday. The Dynamo get to stay close to home for most of February, save for a few days in Florida for the Disney Soccer Soccer Classic.

Defending champions Real Salt Lake are one of the last club's to get started — players aren't required to report until February 10 for physicals and fitness tests. They'll soon take off for two weeks in Arizona before heading to South Carolina in March.

What do you think of the preseason? Can't wait for the season to start? What is your team doing?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. The game is on March 19th and it is a Charity Shield match because the proceeds go to charity….you following? The Rapids will be donating money to the Haiti disaster relief fund.

    They have one week down in Arizona.

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  2. It’s going to be a long year for me. Szetela is out 4-6 weeks with a torn meniscus, and no other player seems to be in the books for the DC front office. Not the best off season.

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  3. MLS used to do a mandatory preseason in the early years either San Diego for west coast teams or Florida for East coast teams. Then for a few years MLS madwe all teams meet in Ft Lauderdale for a few weeks. Most teams hated it because back then you saw the same teams 4 times during the season so why bother making it 6 total with preseason games together. So they went their own way for training. Now that teams are only facing each team twice a year its ok to see them in preseason to get familiar with players and team style of opponents.

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  4. Are you saying staying in Chicago during the winter wouldn’t take a toll on the players. There is a reason people retire to Florida and Arizona, because they are tired of the winter up north taking a toll on them.

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  5. Florida and AZ are lame.. lets quite trying to copy other leagues and hold spring training somewhere else like San Diego, Texas, New Orleans or Carolina or in Central America or Europe.

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  6. I don’t know if you noticed, but Colorado is freaking cold in March. That training center in Arizona is used by a lot of different teams.

    Rapids are going to England to train with Arsenal because Kroenke is the top shareholder with Arsenal. And, you know, why not?

    I don’t know how much the guys get out of being out there, but I hope that while they’re at Emirates they work on the big thing that Arsenal is good at: PASSING.

    I think, in the end, the trip will prove its worth by what the squad brings back.

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  7. I think they’ve also got a week or two down in the Arizona training center too, before they go running off to go train with Arsenal.

    Maybe Wegner can show them some of his “beatiful triangles”.

    The Charity Shield should be (barring an unlikely lockout) on the 19th of Feb. I’ll be there!

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  8. That would be great if MLS can create a spring training-type atmosphere and culture as the MLB has done in Arizona and Florida.

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  9. Since nothing was mentioned about the gaLAxy’s preseason, they will be playing a friendly on the 10th of March @ cal state Fullerton vs a team from Costa Rica who’s name I can’t pronounce. Puntasomething

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  10. Traveling allow players to not think of home and to just focus on preseason training. Plus, it helps players to get more familiar with one another off and on the field.

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  11. why do teams go all over the place for pre-season? Chicago Fire are going to Arizona, Guadalajara, Jackson MS, and New Orleans and not counting the trips back home in between… is all that traveling really necessary?? I’m sure it takes a toll on the players.

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  12. MLS pre – season is sooooo long! RBNY started like the first week of January. The season opener is March 27! Its like longer than baseball’s spring training. Where is Tchani?

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  13. I think the date was moved back to Feb 14th or around there… considering workstoppage would be falling on your own sword for the MLS and US professional soccer, I am not worried as I dont think either side will cut off their nose despite their face…

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  14. Colorado’s headed to London in a few weeks, plus they have a Charity shield match (whatever that is) against Seattle before the season starts.

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  15. Sounders announced they are playing the MLS bound Portland Timbers in a preseason Charity Game March 11th.

    That will be interesting to see how many fans there are at a game like that. $10 tickets ( $5 for kids ) should bring them in. How many come up from Portland ?

    Let’s get this season started..watching Landon’s Everton-Liverpool game on Saturday was brutal beyond words. I think he created too many chances compared to the rest of the team so they quit passing him the ball.

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  16. Repeat after me: BRIGHT DIKE, BRIGHT DIKE… oh dear lord are the fans going to have fun with that one. It’s even better then that African youth player: Banana Toure!

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  17. Hey Ives,
    -just letting you know that the quakes will also be in Arizona.
    -Recently beat Real San Jose 3-0
    -Lastly, they plan on training on Tottenham Hotspur’s grounds in North London

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  18. Will there even be a 2010 MLS season? What is going on with the Players Union and the collective bargaining agreement negotiations?

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