MLS Insider Blog

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

As league play restarts this afternoon, there is no better time to than now to take a final look back at this week’s All Star game. And since this last glance is Matchday 360, it’s definitely the most in-depth look at the annual mid-summer soccer celebration.

Jason Saghini’s crew of videographers always hit the upper 90 with these and this one is no exception. They take us into the locker room, onto the field and back off with intense slow-motion, vibrant color and some cool split-screen transitions. Check it out; it’s definitely worth your time.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

It looks like the Freddie Ljungberg saga in Seattle has come to an unexpected conclusion as the Swedish MF has just been announced as Chicago’s newest Designated Player. Seemingly having been on the outs at Seattle for most of the summer, the veteran of many battles for Arsenal & West Ham United in addition to his season-plus in Seattle had been rumored to land at Red Bull New York as recently as 2 weeks ago.

While Chicago certainly gets credit for being brave enough to make bold changes to the team in an effort to remain in the playoff hunt, one has to wonder if the triple-gamble of signing a pair of talented but temperamental & injury-prone (not to mention expensive) foreign midfielders and placing them in the middle of the field in the middle of the season is the best move.

It’s one hell of a gamble but not necessarily a safe bet. There are only two things that are certain about this move. One is that the Fire brain-trust of Frank Klopas and Carlos de los Cobos are showing the fans that they would rather take a risk than settle for mediocrity. The other certainty? That they will either look like geniuses or suckers when this is all over.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

The All Star break has come and gone but that certainly doesn’t mean that that all the stars are gone. Far from it. As MLS teams return to league play this weekend there is the potential for league debuts from three Designated Players: Nery Castillo for Chicago, Thierry Henry for New York and Alvaro Fernandez for Seattle. In today’s edition of The Daily Jason & Simon break down each possible debut plus the rest of this weekend’s action.

For more MLS video visit MLSsoccer.com.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

Just as one soccer super-power leaves another arrives to fill the void it left behind. So with Manchester United having left the states for a trip down Mexico way Real Madrid is next in line to shine a bit of European glamor upon America’s summer of soccer. Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday and conducted their first practice at UCLA the following day. After training, the icon midfielder addressed the media and even commented on when he began to follow MLS. “When Abel Xavier played here I [began to] pay attention.”

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

I’m not sure what’s going on at the D.C. United academy but they seem to be doing something very right when it comes to developing young goalkeepers. First we had 19 year-old Bill Hamid wowing us all at the beginning of the season with his age-belying, Troy Perkins-usurping play and now we have U-17 keeper Dakota Niedermeier dropping our jaws with a 5-block performance during tie-breaking PK’s in this year’s SUM Cup final.

And to add the cherry on top of the whole thing Niedermeier also scored the final PK for United. If this wasn’t a U-17 match I’m certain a champagne shower would have been directed his way in the locker room but since these kids aren’t even old enough to be drafted maybe they just gave him a Gatorade and a few thankful smiles afterward. As for whoever the academy’s goalkeeping coach is, there may be a few bottles purchased for him by the D.C. United faithful should he continue to produce talent like this.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

Did you read about Freddy Adu not making the grade for Swiss side FC Sion? Is it just me or does it seem like every time you think to yourself “Surely this will be the team that Freddy Adu sticks with” it never turns out that way? From Real Salt Lake to Benfica to Monaco to Aris the guy just can’t seem to latch on anywhere longer than a season. And when he is there he doesn’t seem to get anywhere close to the playing time that you would think a player with his skill (remember the U-20’s in Canada?) would warrant.

Every time we get word of him making a new move to new club -and let’s be honest here, ever since Benfica each one has seemed like a step down from the one before it- I find myself wondering why he doesn’t come to the States. Things certainly didn’t go the way he or his fans may have wanted in Europe but that doesn’t mean he has to keep barnstorming around the continent in search of…well I’m not exactly sure what.

It could be anything from financial gain to an outside chance at Champions League play that is driving him but if the now-cliche, standard American soccer  player’s dream of “playing in Europe” is what continues to push his tour of leagues you will not see on ESPN, FSC or GolTV along then it’s real shame; as a talented, creative midfielder his services would be in high demand domestically. Or perhaps they would have been in high demand. But with every transfer and unsuccessful trial his stock falls incrementally and if he’s not careful he could wind up playing himself out of options.

Now, I’m sure that if it was Freddy’s want he could find an MLS side willing to take a chance and add his well-known name to their roster but at this point he probably couldn’t command the wages he once did. Still at this stage in his career it might be worth a cut in pay for a chance to prove that he can still play; he might have to swallow some pride to do it but like they say, you can always come home.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

As is his custom, Commissioner Don Garber addressed the media during halftime of this year’s All Star game in Houston. Speaking to the assembled media members at the rear of the press box the Commissioner addressed a number of topics, with the juiciest bits being details on today’s MLS Board of Governors and the rumors of Mexican captain Rafa Marquez making a move to MLS.

“We hope to be able have good news with Rafa sometime in the near future,” Garber said. “If we can bring Marquez in, captain of the Mexican national team, a guy who had a great World Cup, a long-time FC Barcelona player, if we can have him in MLS it would really give us I think a big boost of credibility and be really exciting for our fans.”

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

After all the build up, all the parties, all the hype we’re just minutes away from kickoff of the 2010 MLS All Star game. Both the All Stars and Manchester United have just left the field and the stadium is hot with anticipation. The starting line-ups have just been released and both teams look to be fielding strong sides.

MLS All Stars Starting XI:

GK: Donovan Ricketts DF: Kevin Alston, Jamison Olave, Chad Marshall, Heath Pearce MID: Sebastien Le Toux, Javier Morales, Shalrie Joseph, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Marco Pappa FWD: Juan Pablo Angel

Manchester United Starting XI:

GK: Edwin van der Sar DF: Rafael, Wes Brown, Jonny Evans, Fabio MID: Nani, Darren Fletcher, John O’Shea, Ryan Giggs FWD: Gabriel Obertan, Federico Mancheda

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

On last bit from the celebrity game. Mike Chabala, assistant coach for the White team, giving his take on his team’s under-performance and Houston Texan’s wide out David Anderson discussing the team’s anti-orange slice, pro-hot dog training regiment (at my expense). Funny guys on a fun afternoon.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

While roaming around the sidelines of last night’s celebrity game I spied Houston Dynamos Bobby Boswell and Geoff Cameron chatting with a few teammates and hangers-on in front of one of the player benches. I asked if the two of them were game for doing a quick interview but they decided to do me one better and take the mic for their own guest commentary segment.

What did they discuss? Diminutive teammates-cum-would-be-officials Cory Ashe & Danny Cruz, a wager involving a smoothie and a few sarcastic words about how they would call a match versus they way some current commentators do. Proof that given a mic and an opportunity players can be just as opinionated as the pundits.