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Guardiola, Porter downplay postgame incident

Sad Porter (ISIphotos)

By FRANCO PANIZO

PORTLAND, Ore. — The scene that immediately followed the MLS All-Star Game’s conclusion was not one that you would typically see after a glorified friendly: Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola wagging his finger to say no to MLS All-Star head coach Caleb Porter, who had outstretched his arm for the routine postgame handshake.

It was an insulting gesture from Guardiola, and one he did not care to discuss much at all during his press conference.

Whether it was because his club blew an early one-goal lead or the fact that there were a few hard and maybe unnecessary fouls from the MLS All-Stars or a combination of both, the uber-competitive Guardiola grew frustrated throughout the MLS All Stars’ 2-1 victory at Providence Park on Wednesday night. The Spanish boss was visibly peeved midway through the second half when Osvaldo Alonso wiped out Xherdan Shaqiri, and his temper only worsened after Will Johnson brought down Bastian Schweinsteiger in the 89th minute.

Not long after, the already-irritated Guardiola heard the final whistle blow and was forced to accept that his star-studded squad had suffered defeat. But he wasted no time after the entertaining battle to say that he would like a rematch in next summer’s MLS All-Star Game.

“I hope they invite us next year so we can try and to make the revenge,” said Guardiola, who allegedly shook hands with Porter in the locker room. “I will prepare a little bit better and we will be sure of what is going on and we will prepare much better. We will do it. I hope our invitation is coming.”

Porter admitted after the match that he was proud of beating someone who he considers one of his idols, but he initially tried to avoid talking about Guardiola’s disrespectful act. The Portland Timbers head coach instead tried to drive the focus towards the result and MLS All-Stars’ performance.

“There’s no reason for me to even talk about it,” said Porter. “Coaches get heated and, certainly, you’ve seen me in games and there was so much good to talk about tonight during the game that for me there’s no reason to make that a story.”

Pushed on the subject later in his press conference, Porter opened up a bit more. He again tried to relate to Guardiola’s position given the circumstances but said that he thought the plays were just tackles that went wrong, which occurs from time to time.

“I thought the tackles that happened were unfortunate and wasn’t like I was happy about them, but there’s things that happen in a soccer game,” said Porter. “There was no ill intent. I understand the frustration completely because they’re in preseason. I’ve been in games in preseason with my teams and you do get sometimes wound up with things like that happen.

“…I understand completely why there was some emotion there, but we certainly didn’t mean to do anything negative in the game and we have the utmost respect for Bayern, their players, Pep – the guy is an idol of mine.”

Porter was not the only one who tried to relate to Guardiola’s position. MLS All-Star striker Thierry Henry, who previously played under the successful Spaniard, also stated that Guardiola’s reaction was normal given what had transpired in the entertaining and at times physical match.

“I was on the other side before and it is what it is. You have to defend (your players),” said Henry. “If that happened to us, I would’ve got up the same way and said, ‘What is this?’

“Nothing more, nothing less.”

Comments

  1. I’m so tired of the Euro managers whining about these tours.

    Porter did the right thing – he respected the players wish to exact revenge on the clubs that have said no to these all-stars, and he respected the Portland fans who came out expecting to see a real match.

    Arena, however, pulling his starters at halftime vs Man U, is mind-boggling. It’s on the MLS coaches to “take it to them”, which will in turn force the Euro squads to play real soccer. Porter showed that last night. Pep saying he wants a rematch is priceless and makes these friendlies great.

    Bc seriously, if you wanna have a truly meaningless preseason, then play against other EPL teams, just like we do in our professional sports. Don’t go out and find hungry overachieving squads and advertise the hell out of it.

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  2. Chivas has been practicing dirty play while they were, during the same game, pretending to be hurt when they were barely touched. These simulations must have been practiced ahead of time. If someone is hurt it is absurd that someone rolls around too many time when it is obvious that the extra rolling around would cause further injury. Both injury simulation and extra rough play as what happens when Alonzo plays should be seriously discussed among referees. It’s a disgrace, and I am glad the discussion is coming up.

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  3. At a time when Bayern is spending so much time and money to increase their presence in the USA, Peps actions and the resulting media coverage won’t go un-noticed back in Munich.

    Pep hasn’t really been fully embraced by the fans yet and I’m sure there will be some who comment that Jupp Heynckes would’ve handled things differently

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    • For standing up for his players? I’m sure they’ll notice, I’m also sure he made some major points in the locker room. If anybody should be chastised is the Bayern brass for putting the players and coaches in this kind of dangerous situations.

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      • Ah, but that’s not what the headlines across the interwebs say today. They use phrases like “flipped out” or “sore loser”.
        Then when you scroll down to the comments they’re all full of homophobic insults and “soccer’s for girls.”
        A few poorly constructed Nazi jokes

        This is not the media event Bayern was looking for.

  4. Pep is likely upset because of who suffered the fouls. I thought their Chivas game was much more physical and chippy, with Chivas getting dirty at times. He didn’t go off I the same way. The only difference I can see is that marginal squad players were being hacked down by our neighbors to the south.

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  5. The only way to justify Pep’s actions is if he thought that the play was too rough and that Porter personally wasn’t doing enough to control his team. If that were the case then why would Pep make late subs for Schweini, Lahm, Gotze, Robben etc? If it is the case that Schweinsteiger got injured it is entirely on Pep for putting him on the field with those evil MLS leg-breakers.

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  6. it was a ridiculous reaction from him but if they made up as Sunil said, i’m over it. S happens. the two tackles were stupid and no surprise it’s from Alonso and Johnson…typical of them. i think the foul from Johnson on Bastian was what did it. 89th minute, MLS is winning, and you know Bastian isn’t 100% and is only on for the fans. don’t come at him like a freight train. oh well.

    “I will prepare a little bit better and we will be sure of what is going on and we will prepare much better. We will do it. I hope our invitation is coming.”

    I read this as him saying he’s going to tell his team to not hold back and will start more of his starting XI.

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  7. The game was all-in-all disappointing. I was surprised when Bayern agreed to play on artificial turf. That kind of surface is not what any self-respecting team should play on. The reason for the peculiar nature of the game was really that Bayern was not used to playing on that surface. It wrecks players’ legs. The reason why Portland won last year was because they used that surface to their advantage as does Vancouver . The players who play on that surface can look for an early retirement because they will have more foot and knee injuries. That’s why the UWMNT is suing. They don’t want to play on artificail turf during their WC.

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    • Literally LOL’d at this one. Must be the only reason Seattle is winning this year too … that fake turf advantage. Remember when NE used their artificial turf advantage to win all of those MLS cups?

      I think we have gone over the data repeatedly. There is no evidence that injuries are more common on real grass or modern artificial turf. 1960s style astro-turf was a different story and a completely different surface. But the flat earth society seems to not understand the difference nor want to.

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  8. Honey Badger don’t give a ****? Well Honey Badger should give a **** because Honey Badger represents the MLS. And Honey Badger did an awful job.

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  9. Alonzo should not be in an all-star game because he is known to perform hospital tackles every time he plays. It should become a criminal act when someone doesn’t have the skill to take the ball away but instead injures the person he plays against. It is the coach who includes him in the line-up who needs to make sure those things don’t happen too often. Once in a while those things are accidental. With Alonzo it is not. He did the same thing during the last Earthquakes game.

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  10. Hahaha Pep just got a little PR lesson from someone above him I’m sure. Let’s see bayern just opened a headquarters in New York to expand their brand in North America, the All – Star game was their coming out party for those casual fans tuning in from the World Cup that liked the German team or a certain player. Pep just tarnished that. How? Well you know us Americans we love mutual respect in sport and we will criticize anyone who disrespects that motto. I’m sure they lost a few fans and a head honcho saw that and relayed the message. Either way that was bad for bayern no matter what that’s a conversation he should have had with Caleb or someone in the MLS in private specially wh he you’re promoting your brand. Your causal fan is not going on blogs to find out what pep said or retracted or downplayed, to them bayern is not welcomed. Great game MLS deserved it they played better for a group of individuals that don’t play with each other often. Second half MLS team was better.

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    • Nope, Pep actually taught everyone a PR lesson. Instead of talking about the result and score, we are talking about him. We’re not even talking about his B team, or the chances they missed. Brilliant PR from a master.

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    • You are correct, sir or madam. Pep ruined the whole “build the Bayern brand in America” PR for good. I, for one, do not want to see Bayern come back to the US again, unless they have a different coach.

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  11. I have to say, it really makes me wonder what Pep thought BM was doing? Did he really think the B(ish) team was going to win? Did he not bother to look at the history of the MLS All Star game to see that in some years the non-team who has had 2 practices together doesn’t gel at all and embarrasses themselves in a disorganized display (like last year) that frequently it is actually a competitive game and MLS actually wins sometimes? Has he never seen MLS refereeing or MLS play? Did he really think that he was showing up to play some random team instructed to go out there “and just not hurt anyone” as their only strategy?

    I was lucky enough to attend this game in person. I don’t know if the TV cameras caught this but there were about 5-6 tackles in the first half where the BM player went down and every single time BM players and staff were incensed that they didn’t get the call. The frustration over Alonso (studs up, late into the ankle … uncalled for and an obvious yellow – but that is what this guy does x10 every single game, so that was pulling back for him) and Johnson’s fairly tame bump (that yes, was a foul but a really soft yellow) started WAAAY before these events and clearly got into BM’s psyche. They thought they were showing up to a coronation event and all they had to do was go to ground to get a call. Instead they got a team that was organized with a will to win … shame on BM for expecting anything less.

    I have no problem with them starting their B team … but don’t expect A team results.

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  12. Can’t believe Pep would disrespect Porter like that. I saw Pep only seemed to talk to Henry after the game too, I guess he was the only one worthy enough to whine to. The tackles weren’t even that bad. Lost a lot of respect for Guardiola last night.

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  13. What the heck is Porter doing sucking up to Guardiola and being all “everything’s cool bro” about this? He should be firing right back at those Euro sissies. Sir Alex would be willing to talk about in the parking lot for gosh sakes. Guardiola and Bastian should stay home and work on their Pinterest if they don’t wanna get fouled.

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    • He’s trying to show the respect that Pep lacked.

      Though next year, I assume Pep will schedule friendlies with the Washington Generals and a U8 team, since that’s the sort of resistance he seems to expect.

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    • Exactly.Young players, second stringers. It’s a competitive match filled with highly competitive people. When you are at the top of the heap, you will constantly be challenged by those below trying to prove themselves. Comes with the territory. Let’s not pretend these players haven’t dealt with this in every practice, every friendly they ever play, etc. The Guadalajara match was acres more physical and contentious, but no response at all from Pep. Course- they won that day.

      Johnson’s foul was a case of 2 players running to the same spot and colliding. Unfortunate, but it happens. Alonso’s was out of line/out pf place in a match like this, but fortunately he made little contact. It happens- sometimes in a game, you simply react. He personally deserved a tongue lashing, but on the whole, the tone of the match was about right.

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      • I’ll add……. I think Pep was out of line, but… it’s not an international scandal, a smear on his career or Bayern Munich. I know I’ve been a D-head in competitive situations and had to apologize later.

  14. The refs blew this game, although I loved that MLS stuck it to those tools anyway. There were lots of uncalled fowls most of which went MLS way. Cahill and others consistently blew thru tackles from behind and plowed thru legs in tackles. All of those would be called and most carded in Euro leagues.

    Every time we beat the big teams it puts in the minds of the young players watching that Yes Americans can beat that Euro Trash! Bit by bit we are catching up… Here’s to MLS adding one more DP this year and taking another step towards a League competitive with the European top flights.

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  15. I’m in the camp that hopes that Bayern Munich are not invited back while Guardiola is in charge there. Guardiola crossed a line, possibly multiple ones. He showed a lack of respect in both preparation and not shaking Porter’s hand. That’s fine. There are a lot of great teams out there. We don’t need the bother.

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  16. “I lost all respect for Pep” lol some of you guys act like you’ve never been mad and made a mistake. Get off your high horses.

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    • Yes I get it, one problem though; Pep was promoting the Bayern brand that just opened a headquarters in New York in order to achieve EPL fan status in the states. He knew that and those antics just caused him and Bayern. That’s a costly mistake and I’m sure that’s why he retracted his attitude and downplayed what happened. He is a dunkoff.

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      • Lol you think this is going to hurt the Bayern brand? People in the US will still buy/support the Bayern brand regardless of this incident. Bayern is bigger than Pep

      • No me. I just lost all respect for Pep Guardiola, Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga. For all I care, they can close down their office in New York and never come back. And, Pep Guardiola should stay away from our country if he takes another sabbatical. And to think I was hoping he would be the head coach for the USMNT someday. What a disappointment!

      • LoL
        Sooooo….. I guess one totally disproportionate overreaction deserves another I guess, eh? Maybe you and Pep have more in common than you think?

  17. Pep’s reaction could not have been any better for the MLS All-Star Game as an institution of the league. It validates it as a spectator-sporting event (I’ve heard arguments that its only purpose is a cash-grab).

    This isn’t Pep’s first exhibition game. He knows sometimes you get a clattering challenge from a team looking to prove itself against your banner. The hissy-fit was because he lost a game when he was expecting to stroll through a glorified practice, with our players standing in reverence.

    Now he’s played the classic wrestling heel, with Porter channeling the Hulk Hogan–respect your opponent–good guy.

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  18. It was funny. Porter trying to shake Pep’s hand and the Bayern staff keeping him away like he’s somebody that jumped the fence looking for an autograph.
    At the end of the day Pep is still Pep and Porter is still the guy crying in the bench after failing to qualify for the Olympics,

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  19. Just read an article where Pep said the “didn’t see” the coaches to shake hands. Wow. That is transparent BS. Now he descends another level or two into classlessness.

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  20. To me, this whole incident illustrates one of the major problems with this whole “MLS All-Stars vs. Top Big 4 League Team” format.

    If you’re an MLS All-Star and a team like Bayern Munich is lining up across from you, you know that even though it’s only an all-star game, you pretty much have to play all-out. You’re not trying to show up the other team, but the simple reality is that a team like Bayern is so talented that if you play at anything less than full game-speed, they’ll completely embarrass you. There is simply no way to play at an all-star game-level of intensity against a team that good — otherwise, you end up with some of the ASG results we’ve seen in recent years, which (fair or not) have reflected poorly on the league and the players. Unfortunately, when you play at full speed, fouls like the ones we saw happen. They shouldn’t, and they were appropriately carded when they occurred, but they do occur in almost any professional match.

    On the other hand, if you’re Bayen, you’re in pre-season, playing in a foreign country, with many of your players coming off of their post-tournament vacations. If you’re a player, not only are you not looking to play at full speed, in many cases, you physically *can’t* do it, because you’re just getting back into the routine of training and playing games. Of course, if your opponent is playing all-out and you are only capable of playing at half-speed, that actually increases the risk of injury — hence Pep being extra-sensitive.

    I get that everyone who’s a “real soccer fan” hated the “East v. West” format (because God forbid that an American professional sports league do what American professional sports leagues do…) and really, there’s a 0% chance of ever going back to it now. But really, MLS is lucky that it’s managed to avoid this exact scenario (or worse yet, one in which a foreign player gets seriously injured) for so long. There is very little chance that we avoid it happening again in the future.

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    • In the end it is an exhibition (not really even a friendly … because one team isn’t really even a team). People want to use the result to confirm their own biases for and against MLS.

      To me, the formula for MLS success is clear. Does the coach get the team organized and do they want to play hard (not necessarily dirty or uncalled for hard tackles … lets face it, there was only one uncalled for tackle and it was Alonso’s – Johnson’s was only a yellow because of the BM bench going crazy so close to the ref and ultimately a yellow in this game is meaningless and the ref knows that)? If MLS gets those two things, then it is going to at least be a chance for a competitive game. If they don’t, they very likely will lose badly.

      The reality is that you could take an “All-Star” team from any league and give them 2 training sessions and it will end up a complete grab bag of results against a team that trains together day after day, year after year and was designed with specific pieces (rather than just big names / fan favorites or someone individually having a good year).

      Like all All-Star games, it is just an exhibition. The result really doesn’t matter … yet deep down I am happy that the MLS team was organized and interested in winning last night – made the game MUCH more enjoyable (even had the result been a draw or close loss) than watching them get rolled over like last year.

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    • Yep, that’s kinda the problem. The MLS guys can’t play about 50% without becoming traffic cones to guys like Bayern players. Not playing physical gives them far too much space to exploit. Then what purpose does that serve for either team?

      Really no one should have been sliding in on anyone. Basically should have been played like a game of indoor. Yes, you can be physical but you can’t go to ground.

      Oddly, Henry did tons of physical stuff and Pep didn’t say a word about it.(or the camera didn’t show it.) Maybe it was because Henry took out a youth team backup rather than a starter. =/

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  21. All Star games are a foreign concept to foreign coaches. When multiple players on your oppeonents team hurts your team in a friendly then you blame the coach for not controlling his or her players. Problem is that with an All Star team, the coach is as much of a coach as Donovan is a USMNT player. Pep didnt understand that and took it out on the wrong guy.

    Also, some of the MLS players saw this for something it wasn’t. Alonso was trying way too hard in a game that didn’t mean anything. And I am not saying don’t always play your best, but in a game like this you should never leave your feet. Seeing that would anger any coach. While most coaches would have shaken Porter’s hand at the end, almost all big European teams would also complain about the MLS playing to hard. Its almost as if Pep did us a favor by bringing all the negative attention on himself and taking it away from Alonso and Johnson.

    Still a classless move by Pep ignoring the handshake, and I think he realized that after and tried to make up for it with asking to come back. Hopefully he does, because Pep is very respected in the soccer community and foreign teams may be closer to alligning with his point of view then with the general point of view of the USA. Which would be bad for future MLS All Star games.

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    • Sounds like the MLS players were in the wrong here! Its just a friendly and they are trying to injure pre season players. MLS really taking a step backwards this week

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      • Those were not malicious with intent to injure tackles, just over zealous. And with all the attention this handshake incident is getting and beating Bayren, it’s actually more of a step forward.

      • Silly comment. FC Bayern was expecting the MLS All-Stars to bow down on hands and knees and kiss their feet and let them have an easy win. The Bayern boys tried their very best to come across like nice humble guys during their PR tour, but Pep Guardiola, one of the biggest pains in the game, was not able to hold his temper after being thoroughly out-coached and schooled by Caleb Porter and Pep ruined all the PR by lifting the curtain on his true unlikable nature and the team: Filled with arrogant personalities who are pampered by Bundesliga referees who constantly give them favorable decisions making them almost impossible to beat in league play. It’s easy to see why Jose Mourinho cannot stand Pep.

      • +1 The Braunschweig University of Technology did a scientific study a few months ago that found FC Bayern among Germans is the least liked team in the Bundesliga. This is true.

      • Maybe you should actually watch the game to see for yourself, instead of relying on what the game “sounds like.”

      • Lol … yeah, poor little defenseless Bayern. Normally when they play there are no fouls committed out of reverence … the horror of having to suffer through a competitive exhibition game was just unfair.

        I highly doubt the players see it that way.

      • “Trying to injure”… see, this is why this is such a balanced and rational discussion. Any time you have a team the size of Bayern Munich, you have fans who treat it like a church denomination.

    • The first half was fine. If anything Henry was not sliding in to tackles but he was not backing down either.

      In the second half the game opened up and goals were scored and you have guys who just had their in-season switch turned to on. there were two, I repeat two had fouls that were correctly punished with yellow cards. It wasn’t a hackfest and to make it seem that way shamefully downplays the decent play of the MLS guys in the half. They upped the speed in the second half and I think that just got the blood flowing a bit. I am not saying the tackles were smart but they weren’t career enders either.There wer far nastir tackles in their Chivas game and waaay more of them than last night.

      Look the rest of the world can align with whoever they want. I am tired of apologizing for the way we play the game here and for pandering for their acceptance. These games are a no win situation MLS. If we win – it’s preseason, the refs, I still hate MLS. If we lose – it’s preseason, MLS sucks, I still hate MLS. Whatever.

      This result means jack squat. two fouls happened – yeah, Pep got mad but don’t see why he needed to get THAT mad, especially when Chivas did far worse. In the end it was fun game and some feelings were hurt and luckily no one suffered any serious injury. We move on. Those who support their own league in their own country will continue to do so and maybe win over a few more fans. Those who don’t, and like other people’s stuff more than their own, will also continue to do so. MLS remains.

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    • I tire of this constant split personality that too many fans have. Does anyone really want MLS to go out and not compete in games like this? Absolutely there is a gentleman’s line in a game like this (and Alonso crossed it … but way less times than he would have in a MLS regular season game), but as a player there are instinctive things you do when competing. I guess you can go out there with the mindset that it is just “a practice” and let some Euro team roll over you … I think you are going to have a hard time selling such a set up to anyone as acceptable though.

      The reason the NBA all star game is stupid is because it ends 154-145 with neither team playing any defense and a few guys ball hogging and trying to make highlight dunks. I guess if we want to go back to the days of 6-6 and 9-4 All Star games, we can do the same thing (but that will have to be E vs W because no Euro team is going to agree to not bother to play defense). Same thing with the NFL Pro-Bowl. They play it after the season, put in all sorts of non-contact rules, guys play half speed except for the QBs and receivers and just attempt to run up the score to entertain. MLB is less so, but because since baseball is rarely a contact sport, the only real gentleman’s rule there is you don’t throw at batters intentionally (and you try to pitch everyone you have … which leads to one guy being off his game that day and losing the game).

      I for one think the all-star game is unnecessary, but since the league seems totally intent on having the event then do we really just throw a bunch of “name” guys out there and get all upset when 1 or 2 harder than you’d like to see fouls happen in 90 minutes? As a Euro team coming over to play in the game, you’d think they would at least do a little homework to know what the deal with the game is and that the MLS hodgepodge who had 2 training sessions together is going to try to win (which is what we as fans want … nobody likes to watch games like 2010, 11 or 13 when MLS loses by multiple goals in games that really are not competitive in any way.

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  22. Pep has every right to be pissed. Football wise this game is about as beneficial to them as filming a commercial. They have nothing to gain except maybe a couple of new fans which, by the way, can be easily accomplished by talking about how much the league has grown recently. People eat that sheat up. MLS needs to be thankful they show up and act with class and professionalism.

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    • Be thankful they showed up!? Ummm I don’t think the MLS has any trouble getting elite European competition for this event. You know why? Those teams want the money and advertising. If Bayern didn’t want to come back, it’d be no tears shed.

      BTW…it was an entertaining game and he’s complaining about two yellow card fouls that weren’t even that bad.

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    • BS

      If you have nothing to gain from an invitation to a friendly, don’t accept it…period. They have something to gain, if not on the field, then enough off the field in money, marketing and exposure in a growing market that they took the game.

      This is simple. Alonso should not have made that tackle. Ire for that should be directed at Alonso, not a manager that had a couple days to work with the players and is is just trying to put on a good show for the league. Will Johnson’s foul was much more tame and really no big deal. It’s unfortunate that a great play may have picked up an injury, but there really wasn’t much in that. Bottom line, the ref let some fouls(mostly minor) go earlier that were getting a couple people riled and then when there was actually one foul to have a legitimate complaint about, the reaction was over the top.

      I see it as one bad tackle that probably shouldn’t happen in an exhibition match and a big, unprofessional overreaction to that one tackle. The game itself was well played both ways, was entertaining, and was not at all dirty generally speaking.

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    • Then why was Pep begging for a rematch in the post game presser? Just good PR? Maybe but I doubt it.

      Pep thought he could trot out his B team and the MLS side was going to be a bunch of practice cones for him to win 8-0. Didn’t work out that way and he was mad.

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    • Dumb @$$, Bayern just opened an office in New York and are trying to build their brand in the US. MLS does not need Bayern or the Bundesliga, which, by the way, is the least competitive league in the world.

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      • Bayern can pack that office up and GTFO. US Soccer will do just fine without their finger waving attitude.

      • Yeah, glad Bayern and Pep are being exposed for being babies. You came to US to grow your brand, even though it doesn’t need growth. Go play on Bein Sports, which, yes, I can STILL not get on HD in 2014. Excellent choice, super top notch business folks.

  23. What game were you watching? There were two fouls the entire game, basically. And it is true that the less skilled player makes up for his deficit by being rough. But that wasn’t really what happened last night. MLS played with vigor and frustrated the OBVIOUSLY better team. (I mean, holy schiesse! You sub in Götze and Swchweinsteiger and Müller in the 80th minute? And THEN sub in Robben? Ridiculous.)

    It’s a meaningless game that obviously meant something to the players on the field. Guardiola, though, was transferring his frustration at losing entirely on the “hard fouls.” I know the guy is a legend, and he doesn’t want to lose to “hack” journeymen footballers.

    But I believe Zlatan, who has been coached by the greatest coaches of all time, who called Guardiola a “spineless coward.”

    Also, Pep, what’s up with the casual-Friday outfit! Disrespect to America!

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    • He is a loser without a doubt.

      Classy when he fights downhill battles and wins..but that doesnt show character.

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    • are you KIDDING ME?!?!!?
      Those men were on vaca and hadn’t landed no more than 8 hours before they played. He substituted them “last minute” because this game wasn’t that big of a deal, just a way to expand the brand and that’s it. we haven’t even started our season yet. Btw, Pep was upset from the time Shaquiri was challenged. so it had nothing to do with HAVING lost, he was vex because one of his boys was foolishly tackled once, and THEN one of his boys, having not too long gotten off of the plane, is injured. all because of overzealous players trying to prove a point. HA. And since when is dressing how you see fit “disrespect to america”??? no one told you all to take a friendly so seriously. no one told you to employ stupid fireworks and tout this as a bigger deal than it was. it was an all star game. those are NEVER that serious. maybe the A Team SHOULD have come out and started. and wiped the floor with y’all like ManU did to Galaxy! lay off the narcissistic big headed attitude that your country is so famous for.

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      • Simple solution, do not ever come back and play in this narcissistic country. You can believe that MLS and its projected growth will be fine not allowing “humble and classy” teams like BM come get a paycheck. Unlike most European turd fans, the BM marketing dept knows where the money lies and where the future is, but hey why dont you and your team go F yourself.

      • Then don’t play them! If it isn’t a big deal, don’t play them. I don’t wanna see diving Robben or fetal Schwhiny out there. I love Shaqiri, he tried, actually took a few hard fouls and wasn’t a bitch about it. Ugh, I now hate Bayern because fans are trying to defend Pep being a turd to Caleb.

  24. He wants to come back now. Awwww. So all that crying about nothing? Yup.

    Turns out the head coach of BM does post whining emails about soccer in this country. See above. I would have never guessed that.

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  25. The bigger issue was the refereeing. Typical mls ref display, which apparently is an edict from above. Lets games get out of hand.

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  26. I agree that not shaking his hand at the end was a bit childish, but at the same time don’t think that Porter is completely innocent here. As a coach it is your job to take control of your players, and all he did as a reaction to what happened was sit sheepishly on the sideline with an “it wasn’t me” face. Poor coaching, if you even want to call it coaching.

    Reply
    • They aren’t really his players. With the exception of maybe one. Alonso is always on the edge with his challenges. I’m a Barca fan before a MLS fan but I pretty much list ALL respect for Pep with his treatment of Porter.

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      • You are so wise. I agree, my boys aren’t doing the best but we have playoffs. You get in and anything can happen. Of course, in the far superior Bundesliga, you can literally bet on two teams having a chance to win…every single year. I hope FJ and Monchengladbach pull one off of Bayern.

  27. Love how salty everyone feels right now. What’s wrong with an mls all star / bayern rivalry anyway?? Bottom line though – anyone who thinks that pep has something to prove against MLS.. Think again. For a while.

    Reply
      • Yeah, well Pep’s team got smoked after the the first 10 minutes, and that’s the bottom line, however, both Alonso’s and Johnson’s challenges were terrible. If anyone thought that the bayern first team couldn’t walk all over the mls, you’re mistaken, but it was a nice all-star game

      • We’re not saying we are world beaters or that game meant more than a friendly. If anything you’re the one saying that, but those tackles – while bad and punished with the yellow cards they deserved – were not terrible. They were yellow card fouls and they drew yellows. Sheesh!!

      • umm Kevin…that WASN’T the first team. the first team didn’t land until what, a few hours before???

    • I agree. Pep didn’t care about this game at all. If he did, he might’ve taken ten minutes to shave and tie it up.

      Reply
      • The question that NOONE is asking.

        Were the players hurt ? At all ?
        The tackles were weak in my opinion. Late sure, but not exactly tough tackles.

        It was just BM whining about losing. Nothing more. Nothing less.

      • Cry me a river! Schweinsteiger routinely goes fetal position in mid air! None of his limbs got stuck on the ground causing an awkward angle for injury. He got bodied up with contact. Johnson stopped his momentum on contact. Would have been another thing if he ran through his contact. Schweinsteiger just said the hell with it and left the field!
        It was like Pep sent in the cavalry and unleash the power of BayernM to save the day. The cavalry ran out if time and lost!
        It was a sad ending and the players who everyone wanted to see stuck around to thank the fans for their support circling the field showing appreciation. After Pep was telling his big guns to leave the field.

      • Yea he was injured but that foul by Johnson is something you see 5-10 times in a normal match. No intent there just slightly late and ran into Bastion. Way overblown.

      • If one off your players who hasn’t played since the world cup, plays all of 8 minutes and leaves the field after a silly challenge and you would respond how? Hopefully not as classless but I am not sure if it is really overblown at that moment.

      • How is that a silly challenge?? If that’s the case than every challenge is a silly challenge, and Bayern should have just come and had an open to the public practice session where they control everything…Oh, and injuries happen in practice as well.

      • Maybe you do the smart thing and recognize the on field reality (the game was not the cakewalk Pep may have wanted) and then you choose not to play a player who just flew in 12hrs earlier and hadn’t played a game since the WC.

      • You call the MLS games normal matches. There is way too much injurious play. Sooner or later people will be wise to the fact that these injuries are expensive. Look at the Earthquakes. They had a great season in 2012. 2013 was not worth mentioning because 5 of their star-players had to be in rehab for half of the season, one of who was Shea Salinas. Two of his ribs were broken by Rafa Marquez. The Earthquakes had to revise the way they played under Yallop. So they haven’t quite recovered from 2012. Injury has a great deal to do with how well a team plays in the long run.

      • They studied this a couple of seasons ago; our injury rates are almost identical to every other second-tier league.

      • Schweini, wanted back into the game and Pep told him to go into the locker room! I know this because it happened right in front of me!

  28. I agree Pep was classless the way he acted to Porter. Btw Porter just like every American showed way too much respect to Pep but you guys gotta admit that was fun to watch. This All-Star game for a friendly was as serious as they get. I hope they do invite them back because I will tune in for sure but I get what you guys mean about not bringing them back.

    Reply
  29. The game was good and friendly. Compared to the cup it was like little kid tackles. Ya , not the smartest but they were nothing. Pep was wrong and disrespectful to the wrong person. Like the broadcasters said after, MLS is in mid season and at full go. Our guys were ready to make a statement and we did. US futbol is on the rise and think that klinsmann did a good job at the cup. He did not butter it up and pointed out the faults. Skill and technique is the future for the US..

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    • I don’t think much of a statement was made here. Not many outside of North America even knows about this game, and those that know, accept it for what it is, a pre-season friendly.

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      • Maybe next time bayern comes. We can put some springs under the field and give them knee pads like WWF wrestling, and play fake patty cake and make it look real. I watched and people there paid for a real game. Or maybe bayern can just flop like most of them that were in the cup did. But u look at all the US games. Our guys got battered and blooding and got up and kept going. Cause that’s how we do here. Come to play or stay home. Can’t handle the heat get out the kitchen..

      • Jimbo…it was a FRIENDLY. Bayern Munich is a TOP TEAM. You keep talking about the WC like that was the be all that ends all. Nah. That was a once every four year event. It wasn’t even our A squad that played. the point was that it was a non important match that didn’t warrant this level of foolishness. i mean the all star squad were fouling bayern throughout the game. in any case, i am glad it is behind us and we can get ourselves on track for the start of the season. #MiaSanMia!

      • ahmmm any FCBayern fan would know and would have looked forward to seeing that game. I live in Bermuda and when they announced this after the WC I was SOO happy. And i did accept it as a preseason friendly, until it wasn’t friendly anymore.

      • Because for haters, the reverse is never true. For them, a European victory is absolutely a statement that the league sucks. It only becomes a meaningless exhibition when they lose.

      • It was meaningless and it wasn’t a fun game to watch. If people pay money, they want to watch good soccer. I would be surprised if the Bayern management accepted another game in Portland with artificial turf that already disturbed Klinsmann. Thierry Henry reportedly has it in his contract that he won’t have to play on that kind of surface. I think he only played becasue he wanted to meet up with old friends.

      • I think you do not know what you are talking about. He’s played on it twice and called it the best artificial surface and that it is damn near like grass. But hey Birgit, don’t let facts get in the way of you pissing and moaning and conspiring. Whatever, Bayern plays their full squad they win, hands down. People defending Bayern are the exact same people that turn folks off from soccer.

  30. I’m not sure that Caleb Porter could have done anything about those tackles. It’s possible as the commentators said that the coaches talked and had a gentleman’s agreement not to have their players commit those type of hard fouls. If that’s the case it’s possible the Caleb Porter talked to his guys but maybe someone wasn’t listening or in the heat of the game played how they normally play. Judging by the surprise look of Porter on the sideline I don’t think he was expecting his players to commit those hard fouls.

    I can understand Pep Guardiola being upset. It’s pre-season, he wants to protect his players, and this was basically a friendly/an exhibition match. I don’t agree with his actions or those of his coaches that refused to shake Caleb Porter’s hand. In my opinion that was a bit classless. Had they shaken hands that probably would have been a good time for Porter to apologize for his players actions while showing mutual respect.

    I don’t have a problem if Bayern come back next year. They’re an excellent soccer team and except for what I consider a few cheap fouls by MLS players it was a good game. It’s ridiculous to curse out Bayern and Pep Guardiola for being upset over the cheap fouls. I’ve seen MLS games with similar fouls and I’ve seen teammates and coaches get upset over those fouls.

    If Pep Guardiola had shaken Caleb Porter’s hands would people still be cursing him and his team out? Again in my opinion it was classless what Pep Guardiola did. And Caleb Porter’s class showed as he tried to shake hands thereby showing respect to the Bayern coaching staff and Bayern players.

    Reply
      • Just don’t agree. I think Ozzy was a bit reckless and frankly wouldn’t have mind if he were pulled, but Johnson’s foul was really tame and the rest of the team was clean. I just don’t see how you can call.out “the league” for being “classless”, but I’m willing to hear your explanation if you have one.

      • Yes because the math on two wrongs works differently for you The problem is those tackles were not as bad as you and Pep made them out to be. You play mid season guys you get a game. Bayern will see tackles much worse than this in their regular season play. It got rough but no where near US-Mexico “friendly” rough so let’s not blow things out of proportions here.

        As far as you making the play of a few players the league’s problem…yeah let’s not blow things out of proportions here.

    • It’s a catch 22, most of us play soccer hard but if you’ve ever been in a friendly situation — I played a couple when we were eliminated in big tournaments — you’re usually told to not go crashing people with tackles in a game that doesn’t count. Presumably Pep expected that level of intensity and we showed up to play a real game. He held Porter responsible for not dialing it down. But the postgame comments suggest a realization that this particular game is played hard, and that he’d like to come back and have it out again.

      Reply
      • Sorry Imperative Voice. While I’m not proud of it as an MLS supporter, that was way dialed down by MLS standards.

      • That’s why the referees need to agree that we are not playing tackle football here. This is not a tackle as you like sport and the object is not to hurt somebody. Go to tackle football if you want to see damage. I presume the league is really in favor of seeing costly injuries if nothing is done about it. I have seen too many people wind up with ACL problems etc. Badstuber had just returned from a two-year hiatus because of that. And when Alexi Lalas, among all people, says that Bayern shouldn’t come to play US soccer if Guardiola behaved the way he did, he is off-base as well.

  31. A lot of people lost respect for Pep tonight. He still talked to Henry after the match, and, yet, he was probably the most physical player on the field.

    I think Pep didn’t realize how serious MLS would take the game, and two questionable fouls shouldn’t cause you to go full a-hole.

    Reply
      • Sure. But last night, Pep was the other kind of goat. Yes the guy is great and the result does not mean anything. But Pep’s behavior turned the event into something else entirely and he may be the G.O.A.T for you (he’s successful but not that successful for me as there other guys ninth game that have done some awesome work) but I am sure the Bayern marketing guys are not a big fan of what he did last night – you know leave that poor impression in a market that you are trying to break into in a bigger way.

      • GOAT? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. NIce standards. Pep is a coddled dweeb who spent his playing career injured and captained Barcelona to nothing worth remembering (they were utterly mediocre CL fodder during his captaincy-in-absentia, for those.too young to recall). He now makes a living inheriting spectacularly talented players who have already won everything there is to win together prior to his arrival. Make no mistake, it’s not easy to inherit expectations… but he’s midget Phil Jackson until he actually transforms a team from scratch without the benefit of the world’s best players (that someobdy else procured and developed).

        Nice work if you can get it, I guess. But GOAT? WOW!

      • Thank you! He promotes a certain style of play, but he inherits talented team. The Barcelona team he inherited had won the Champions League under Frank Rijkaard and added talented players as well as brought the talented payers from the youth team. We also know that Bayern won EVERYTHING and was young and clockwork before he got there.

      • “Those people”, i.e. American soccer fans, are the reason Bayern Munich is playing in the MLS all-star game.

      • We are talking about Alonso here … I don’t think he knows how to “chill”. He does that same thing x10 in most games, so that was chill for him.

        Johnson’s yellow was only because it was late in the game and BM’s coaching staff were so upset. There was very little there, but I can accept the soft yellow and move on.

  32. Of course they downplayed it. Because Porter has class and Pep the A Hole probably got yelled at in the locker room by The Kaiser for being classless…

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    • You think so? I think it might be that Porter might have gotten a talking to from Gulati. If anything, the rough play from MLS might give big teams some pause from taking part in future MLS All-Star games.

      Reply
      • Because of course Porter told the MLS players to go out there and break some Bayern legs…

        Or was this a case where the coach of the Globetrotters got mad because the Washington Generals didn’t act out their assigned role as human traffic cones to be dribbled and passed around?

      • Doesn’t really matter. If big teams think their players are going to get hurt over a pre-season friendly because their opponents are going to get overzealous, you’re going to see a lot of them say thanks but no thanks, or what it might do is cause MLS All-Star teams to really tone it down from now on, which would unfortunately lead to games nowhere near as entertaining as this one.

      • Except MLS haters will never pause for a second to point out how much MLS sucks whenever the All Star team loses to European competition. If I was an All Star who has had to listen to this garbage for years, I would be playing to prove a point, regardless of whether it’s a friendly or not.

      • The big Euro teams will never say “thanks, but no thanks”. The coaches don’t schedule these, the teams do because they want $ and viewership from the growing US market. BM was spreading their brand here and a few tough tackles will not keep their business end talking heads from salivating at US coin. On the bright side, I thought it was a very entertaining match.

      • The money is why they come. So I don’t think broken legs of players will make a difference. You can always buy new players. But if you lose the North American soccer market to teams like Arsenal and Manchester United, over the long haul you will be uncompetitive, because teams in other leagues will have the money to buy players and Bayern won’t. And its not like Bayern is going to make inroads into Latin America (Barcelona and Real Madrid) or into Asia. So really, they (and the Bundesliga) are already pretty far up that creek.

      • Nah. Whatever “talking to” might have happened would’ve come from Garber not Gulati… and it would’ve been drenched in laughter.

      • I’m a Timbers fan, and I can tell you Porter does relate with Pep on this: just watch any Sounders-Timbers game, you will see Nagbe, one of the most talented players in the league, get hacked and kicked repeatedly by Alonso.

    • I doubt he got yelled at, what you’re seeing is Pep’s spirit. This was a friendly and you don’t usually go around chopping wood at friendlies. He might have expected Porter to control it (haha, a Porter team under control, that’s funny). So he was cranky. He’ll get over it.

      Reply
      • It was not a friendly. It was the MLS All Star game. And I’ve seen European teams commit way worse fouls in friendlies. Pep had a hissy fit because he got beat. HHHHHHAAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAAA

  33. I never want to see FC Bayern come to MLS again for a long time because of this classless display from the coaches. I never want to see PG here ever again. Completely disrespectful.

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      • Yeah lets not even mention the sick ass pass that got Landon the goal. What I noticed is the love handles Landon has. Wanna talk about classless the way he celebrated in front of the Bayern Munich fans.

      • Nope. Negative. Donovan was not classless. He scored he gets to celebrate. Or what is this? For a bunch of pansies so if you score we should allholdhands and sing! Hahaha
        All games should be ties so Pep’s feelings arent hurt too.

      • Haha, yeah the Bayern “fans” most of whom have probably never set foot in Germany in their lives.

      • If the requirement for being a fan of a team was that you had to have been to the country, so many teams would have a lot less fans.

      • My girlfriend loves stand up and improv so I’m around it all the time… trust me, you’re not funny.

      • Classless to celebrate in from of BM fans?? Show me a player that hasn’t done that??

        Love handles? Get a life.

      • what’s this? was there a bayern munich fan section that I missed? looked to me like they were spread all over the stadium. are you one of those guys who is looking so hard for things to criticize “landycakes” about that you invent stuff in your head?

      • Btw Alex did Jurgen not get us out of group play? How many goals does the all star Landon have this year? Its like whenever he does something you guys make such a big deal and he shouldn’t even be at the game

      • Agreed, and this is also a pretty lame example of this joke but it’s no older than the Frank stuff that gets posted here all the time. That was old months before this Landon stuff.

      • Btw I looked it up. He only has 4 goals this year. 3 of them were in the following week he got cut. His old. His days are over.

      • You do know the Bayern fans criticized Landon the whole time he was in bayern. So he can celebrate in front of them all he wants. And bob bradley got us out of the group too and we also lost in extra time. You sound like a 2014 bandwagon fan right now

      • He also apparently invented motivational speaking and cheerleading. Something Americans never knew how to do until his eminency blessed us with his presence

      • An easy group? No such thing. You realize Slovenia won their euro quali group by allowing a total of 4 goals…conceded 3 to Bradley’s boys in one half. Bradley’s team also had to overcome 2 honest goals disallowed to win their group for the first time in 60 + years, winning their final group stage game ever to do it, in epic fashion no less. Do you know how many goals the USMNT has scored in all final group stage games combined? Look it up.

      • Neither group was easy, but can you really argue that the one they had in 2010 was even comparable? And than the round of sixteen opponent? I don’t think Klinsmann is perfect but the 2014 World Cup was progress.

      • Dude… you are all over the place with your bad facts here beachbum… very unlike you. What are the “three goals Bradley’s boys scored” versus the “honest goals disallowed”. Rework your math please. This is just confusing. Somehow it has to net out to two goals, not three.

        And Christ that group was awful. You have flat out lost it if you think we weren’t spoiled sick to draw that cannon fodder. Slovenia did NOT win their group as you have stated, and qualified as runners up in one of the all time sad sack UEFA groups ever assembled. Allowing 4 goals against those teams is no accomplishment at all.

        What levels will people sink to in order to belittle the accomplishment of our team getting out of a real Group of Death.

        Tisk tisk, beachbum!

      • Zardes and Keane have 20 goals between them halfway through the season.

        I wonder how they scored those goals? Ball probably just fell out of the sky at their feet, right?

    • Shut up dude!!!! Cause the mls is just a descrase to fussball.Pep was worried because aint like the mls, European football is actually hard.

      Reply
      • Somebody call the Waaaaaambulance. It’s hard! Wah! We lost here because it’s hard there! Wah! Funny how your spelling of soccer makes is look like pussball. Wah!

    • Dude, I’ve had a couple games where I’ve been chopped one too many times and just walked straight to the sideline after the game.

      I’d accept the invitation because BM is an elite team and the themes rivalry and revenge figuratively raise us to their level. You can’t buy this publicity. Can you see the potential global media interest in a sequel? I’d go play em in Munich if need be.

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    • Completely agree. He will better prepare his team next year, what a load of BS. As if the MLS teams ever get to prepare enough to make up for the fact that they are representing numerous teams. Last night Porter’s system was better and was more exciting. Don’t ever invite them back MLS

      Reply

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