By IVES GALARCEP
MLS Week 29 helped shake up the Supporters’ Shield race, with significant results affecting both conferences and the latest episode of The SBI Show looks back at all the action.
Episode 231 of The SBI Show looks back at the big wins by Seattle and Montreal, as well as the losses by Chicago and D.C. United that have serious questions being asked about both. We also touch on the latest in the MLS coaching carousel.
Co-host Garrett Cleverly and I also discuss the CONCACAF Cup preliminary roster for the U.S., and the latest updates on the team as it shapes up ahead of the decisive match against Mexico.
Give Episode 231 of the SBI Show a listen after the jump):
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What did you think of the show? Which team do you see winning the Supporters’ Shield? Agree with some of the recent coaching employment decisions in MLS? See the U.S. beating Mexico on Oct. 10?
Share your thoughts below.
Thanks for the show, folks…
Colorado Rapids Topic:
They’re my team, and I agree with Ives almost point for point.
I’ve always been a Mastroeni fan as a player–I loved how he played, actually–but I thought it was a bad hire to begin with, considering all of our young, potential offensive talent at the time. I still think Mastroeni can develop as a coach, but he needed a squad almost exactly opposite from Colorado’s to be immediately successful. That’s why I think you give him another year on a short leash, add to the fact he is a Rapids leader and legend, and he’s only had one full offseason to learn the ropes and work with the team. Bringing on someone who can help the offense isn’t a horrible idea, and it’s one that I think Pablo agreed with.
I think we’ll see the fanbase start to get more bloodthirsty rather early next season if we don’t show signs of improvement.
Not complaining – I was just responding to Ives’ seeming casual dismissal of a real question. He’s probably right with regard to Giovinco, who was with one of the best teams in the world. Still, if other players who can’t make the bench in other leagues can come to MLS and not only start but do well, what does that say about the level of play in MLS.? I think that warrants serious discussion. Kei Kamara is one example. Lletget is another. He was released by his club, presumably because he wasn’t as good as the other players at West Ham. Pelosi is doing well. Feilhaber, to me, is killing it since his return from a league that many MLS fans assume is not as good as MLS, or at least is comparable. Look at Mike Grella: playing in League 1 in England, but appearing like one of the better strikers in MLS now. We can write it all off to the individual situation, or we can consider the possibility that the pattern of guys returning from “lesser leagues” in Europe or from riding the pine in recognizably better leagues in Europe, returning to do so well in MLS says something about the level of play in MLS. Has MLS really substantially improved when a guy like Klestan can come back from being a somewhat consistent starter in the Belgian league and look line one of the better attacking mids in the league? When guys like Llettget and Pelosi can be consistent starters and real contributors when they couldn’t earn a contract elsewhere? I think that’s a real question that would make for some serious analysis, and a good article.
Kljestan was on the best team in Belgium, had 8 goals in 2014 (3rd most on the team, most in the midfield), played in Champions league
Pelosi is a starter but on a team that’s probably not making the playoffs. To me he’s just been alright. The leg break certainly effected his progress.
Feilhaber wasn’t all that great when he first came back for the Revs, then it took awhile to even become a starter for SKC.
Grella is having a solid year, and that’s limiting the minutes of a former England national team player in SWP, who hasn’t walked into a starting role.
Shaun Maloney didn’t exactly set the league on fire. pun intended, from the Championship, Doyle’s been alright, but not doing anything like Kamara
Mix hasn’t had an easy time, Jozy certainly had a higher scoring rate in Holland, Bradley as well for that matter
MLS is probably slightly below Championship level but it’s still a mixed bag that depends a lot on the players situation
Lleget did not have an option “to stick it out another year”. When his contract was up. he was told he would probably be released from the club. Sometimes clubs will resign a marginal player who has had interest from other clubs, as his contract winds down, solely to get some kind of transfer fee or loan out. This may well have been the case with Lleget, BUT the Galaxy invited him to train with the team on their preseason trip to Ireland and Sweden in February., liked what they saw and offered him a contract starting at the end of the EPL season when his contract expired, so no transfer fee. It was during the time the Galaxy were abroad that the CBA was ratified and the allocation and discovery lists were reset. The Galaxy had discovered Lleget but the New England Revs were first to list him as in the new discovery lists, but they had no intent to sign him. The Galaxy paid 50K for his discovery rights, far less than his transfer from West Ham would have been, but had the Galaxy waited until the Revs make a decision to not sign, he would have then been available to the rest of the teams in the MLS. The Galaxy decided he was worth enough to take a chance at 50K, but not the 100-200K, that West Ham, and EPL team would have asked as a transfer fee in February/March
“Mc’s out there, you better stand clear!”
man, the Green Eyed Bandit and Parrish may be my favorite group of all time.
Ives’ rant in this podcast about how Giovinco’s performance in MLS while not starting at Juve is no comment in the level of play in MLS, raises a serious question: how do you explain the success of other players in MLS, who couldn’t start in other leagues, like Sebastian Llettget? I’m no Euro-elitist or MLS hater, but there are a number of players who have transferred into MLS from other leagues where they haven’t even been making the 18 and have been standouts in MLS. What about Kei Kamara? Ives seemed to explain his MLS success and Premiere League ambivalence by referencing his fit into the Crew team. That doesn’t explain Lletget’s success. LA isn’t set up around him. Pelosi is starting regularly at San Jose, and playing well, but he was playing on the youth team at Liverpool. I also think this leads into a discussion of Klinsman’s national team selections. For example, we have a number of players starting in the English League Championship who get selected after MLS folks, Liga MX folks and even Bundesliga 2 players. Does anyone think that Ream or Lichaj, Danny Williams or Spector wouldn’t be starting and highly successful in Any of those leagues?So what does that say about the level of play in MLS, and Klinsman’s choices or biases? I think that is a real question that can’t be blown off by accusing those who raise of just belittling MLS. Would love to hear Ives follow up on the real questions that can be asked here.
I’ll take a stab at this while Ives is sharpening his knives…
You’re talking about top teams, not only in the leagues they’re in, but world wide. Ives’ point about Giovinco was solid. He was loaned to Parma and Empoli during his spell at Juve and was consistently one of the best players on the pitch. 101 apps in 3 seasons with 28 goals is no slouch in Serie A.
Llegett is a special case, because West Ham isn’t generally thought of as a top team world wide. What they are, though, is a very solid midfield and one that Big Sam likes to try to keep together no matter what team he’s at. Seb was making progress and was starting to get the odd look-in, and if he’d stuck it out for another season or two, who knows where he’d be…
The issue is the base salary for regular players is probably way less than most if not all of the top 10 leagues across the world. A rising tide lifts all boats, and spending big money on big names can only help grow your league so much. Bigger money, higher quality across the entire league.
Not sure what your point is really. He’s said many times, including here MLS is not on par or close to the top 4 leagues. The question is where exactly does MLS fall in line after that.
Ream, Williams, and even Spector were in the last US camp so I don’t know what your complaint is really anyway. Personally I’d say the Championship is above the level of MLS. However that doesn’t mean every single player getting minutes in the Championship is a better option then the best in MLS.