The countdown to the 2014 Major League Soccer season hit an important milestone this weekend, with most teams beginning their respective training camps. It has already been 50 days since Sporting Kansas City beat Real Salt Lake in MLS Cup 2013, and there are yet another 40 days before the new season kicks off.
Before Sporting and the Seattle Sounders get things started on March 8th though, I would like to share some of my thoughts as the new season (eventually) draws nearer. Note: A lot can happen in 40 days, especially when the first five of them coincide with the tail end of a transfer window. But as players are getting back on their training grounds, here are, as Peter King of Sports Illustrated would say, “Things I Think I Think”.
1. The Eastern Conference will be the better conference for the first time since 2008
To clarify, the Eastern Conference has gotten better over the last few seasons, to the point where they were arguably stronger than the Western Conference in 2013. But in 2014, there will be no contest whatsoever.
As I see things right now, the five playoff teams in the East will be (in predicted order of finish starting from the top): Kansas City, New England, New York, Toronto, and D.C. In the West I see, from first to fifth, Portland, Colorado, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, and San Jose.
The East has five sides that all have a legitimate chance of topping the conference. In the West however, Portland and Colorado are the only sides that stand out. Eastern teams have been the clear winners this offseason and the conference as a whole is on the rise. This is the year the Eastern conference will firmly re-stake its claim as the best.
2. San Jose’s new look will have a lot of chevrons and a touch of red
On Thursday the San Jose Earthquakes will be unveiling a new logo in celebration of the club’s 40th anniversary. The new look comes a season ahead of their move into a new soccer-specific facility.
Since the New Year, the club has put up new graphics on their website in advance of the logo unveiling. The most prominent of these, a blue and black chevron pattern descending along the side panels of the site, is a big change from their current look.
It is also worth noting the addition of red as a highlight colour on the website. It is almost certain from the introduction of the colour that it will be part of the new logo. How it will be incorporated though is anybody’s guess.
3. 66% of Canadian teams could be really bad
And for once, Toronto FC will not be part of that group.
The Montreal Impact started the 2013 season earning 16 of a possible 21 points. They ended it earning only four of their last possible 21 points and barely making it into the MLS Cup Playoffs. In their only postseason game they were slapped 3-0 by the Houston Dynamo. The Impact have not brought in any new faces to replace their core of players, most of whom are getting deep into their 30s. The legs came off in July last season, but it could be even earlier this season.
Vancouver’s offseason has been laughable, following the departure of Camilo Sanvezzo and the failure to land Andre Blake on draft day. Vancouver still has an exciting young trio of attackers in Darren Mattocks, Kekuta Manneh, and Erik Hurtado. But their defence still relies on old faces, and David Ousted has shown in his brief tenure in Vancouver that he is not a starting goalkeeper. If none of their forwards can do a good enough Camilo impression Vancouver could find themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference table come October.
4. Those aren’t your old Seattle Sounders
After a season that was considered disappointing by their lofty standards, the Seattle Sounders have officially hit the reset button. Out are the likes of Michael Gspurning, Mauro Rosales, and Eddie Johnson. Coming in are Stefan Frei, Chad Marshall, and Kenny Cooper.
But to me they don’t look any better.
Johnson and Cooper are like-for-like swaps, as are Frei and Gspurning. Seattle’s defence did get some proven names, but their midfield lost just as many.
Seattle has thrown away its proven performers in the hope that its high-priced stars (I’m looking at you Clint Dempsey) can live up to expectations. Apparently they traded away their logic as well.
5. Pablo Mastroeni should just admit that he’s the new head coach of the Colorado Rapids
Because hearing that he is “overseeing the team” while they train is a really bad cover up.
Mastroeni retired this offseason and was very quickly brought back into the Colorado Rapids organization which he spent the bulk of his career with. He was appointed as a special assistant to the club’s technical director.
But let’s get real here. Mastroeni was a well-respected player who at 37 years old is right around the age of lots of other head coaches in the league. He loves his club and they love him. Why can’t they just give him what he wants?
We all want the season to begin. And it will. But for now I hope this read will suffice. Until next time footy fans…
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