But I want to talk about something different. I want to talk about his legacy on the greater American soccer landscape.

Eddie Gaven signed with the old Metrostars in 2003 at the age of 16. He was the original MLS prodigy. He was the first (but certainly not the last) attempt to generate buzz for MLS during its darker days. Freddy Adu would go on to become the youngest player to sign with and play for an MLS team, but Eddie Gaven was the original.

Gaven would go on to make 69 appearances for the Metrostars from 2003-2005 and then he signed with Columbus in 2006. He ultimately made 209 appearances for the Black And Gold and was an integral part in helping them earn two Supporters Shields (2004, 2008) and one MLS Cup (2008). His game didn’t necessarily reflect the flashy hype that surrounded his signing with the Metrostars. He was primarily used as a wide midfielder in Columbus where he tirelessly chased the game from box to box on the flanks without complaint. He scored a handful of goals each season and tallied a few assists as well. By all measures, he has been an above average MLS player ever since he came to Columbus in 2006.

So you can imagine the shock that is still being felt when he suddenly came to the Crew at the age of 27 and said he wanted to focus his attention on the next phase of his life. Professional athletes who retire at such a “young” age are few and far between. That burning desire to play at an elite level is what keeps them going. Although he is young by your typical professional soccer standards, Gaven seems to have lost that burning desire.

And that’s okay.

As the original teen phenom, Gaven got his first taste of professional soccer right around the same time he was preparing to get his drivers license. He started so much sooner than most professional athletes, regardless of the sport. Over the last year or two I’ve had to remind myself of this as I watched him jog up and down the field with that borderline sad basset hound look on his face. Even though he was still a few years away from hitting that “plateau” of 30 years old, he looked beaten beyond his years.

Many people out there (myself included) have criticized Landon Donovan for lacking that same burning desire and simply going through the motions. If the US is ever going to turn into a World Cup contender and a major player in the global market for soccer, it needs players willing to sweat and toil and earn a spot in the starting XI for great teams as early in their lives as possible. They need to be robots who simply want to know when the next game is. It sounds harsh, but look around the professional soccer landscape and you’ll see plenty of great players who started making regular first team appearances before the age of 21. Those players hit the “prime” of their careers right around the age of 26-27.

Eddie Gaven was not one of those players. And that’s OK!

His retirement, however, comes at a very interesting time. The New England Revolution have found their own teenage phenom in Diego Fagundez. At the age of 18 he is leading his team into the MLS playoffs and appears to have a bright future ahead of him. I would be stunned if he wound up retiring at the age of 27 like Gaven. He’ll go on to have a long and prosperous career, whether it’s in MLS or elsewhere. He’ll be one of those “robots” I mentioned.

With Gaven retiring right before New England takes on Kansas City in the Eastern Conference playoffs, it appears we have closed the book on one chapter in American soccer history and opened another. Eddie Gaven’s retirement signals the end of the “teenage phenom” era of MLS and American Soccer. With the arrival of Fagundez and other young players like Columbus’s Wil Trapp, Real Salt Lake’s Luis Gil, and even former DC United winger Andy Najar, we are no longer wowed by young players under the age of 21 starting regularly for MLS teams. Take a look over at Europe and you’ll see guys like 20 year old John Anthony Brooks playing regularly with Germany’s Hertha Berlin. 18 year old midfield sensation Julian Green has been tearing it up with Bayern Munich’s reserves and looks poised to receive his first US Men’s National team call up. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him make a couple appearances with Bayern’s first team in the next year or two. And that team is stacked!

Yes, other teenage phenoms from MLS’s dark past like Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu are still playing and won’t call it quits so soon. But the timing of Gaven’s retirement is still significant in terms of how far we’ve come in terms of expectations for player development in American soccer. There is still a ton of room to grow, but the first step is recognizing the need for players to get meaningful first team minutes early on.

As I mentioned above, Eddie Gaven lost the burning desire needed to succeed at such a high level much quicker than most players. And again: that’s OK! Landon Donovan has also lost that desire to a certain extent given his “sabbatical” last December and his decision to leave an impressive stint at Everton to return to MLS where he is less challenged as a player. However, Gaven will still be the last player we see retire at such a young age. He’s the last of the “old” teenage phenoms if you will; the ones who used up their passion a bit too quickly. Now we’ll start to see young Americans keep that passion kindled throughout long and prosperous professional careers.

Please don’t think of Eddie Gaven as a quitter though. He’s not. He’s simply the last of one generation of American soccer players. He can hold his head high walking away on his own terms.

And he can do so knowing he helped usher in a new generation of American soccer players.

Apologies (not really) if you were hoping for a recap of Sunday’s regular season finale. I got absolutely nothing out of it.

So let’s talk about more exciting things!

We saw some more news about the head coach search trickle through over the weekend via several outlets including the ever vigilant Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch. Anthony Precourt had some things to say, most of which revolved around a desire to pursue Bob Bradley. He also spoke about finding the “right man” for the job which includes someone who will (obviously) represent the team well in the community. That part in particular struck me, but more on that later. Precourt also mentioned that they would spend the money to buyout the right coach. Again, more on this in a moment.

Let’s break down the names that are out there at this time. I’ve gone over some of these in the past, but it’s worth revisiting them now that we have some new updates. For a point of reference, here’s the two articles I’m referencing…

MLS Soccer: http://www.thecrew.com/news/2013/10/precourt-confirms-coaching-interest-bob-bradley-other-high-profile-candidates

Soccer America: http://www.socceramerica.com/article/54475/columbus-is-racking-up-coaching-candidates.html

Gregg Berhalter

Resume: Former US International who was just dismissed by Swedish club Hammarby in July.

Berhalter was a great player for the US and LA Galaxy later on in his career, but getting dismissed by Hammarby doesn’t do much for me. Next!

Jesse Marsch

Resume: MLS veteran who coached Montreal Impact during their inaugural season and was fired to make room for Marco Schallibaum. He was also reportedly a finalist for the Chicago Fire job back in 2010.

Marsch wasn’t exactly awful in his one year at Montreal. There were signs of promise at the end of the season, but not enough to convince Joey Saputo to keep Marsch. There’s a lot  of talk that Marsch would be a good fit for Columbus, but he doesn’t exactly get me revved up for the future; not like some of the other candidates I’m about to go over.

Frank Yallop

Resume: 2 MLS Coach of the Year awards (2001, 2012), 2 MLS Cup titles as a coach (2001, 2003), 8-9-3 as head coach of Canada from 2004-06

You won’t find a coach on this list with more MLS pedigree, that’s for sure. That might seem like an impressive resume, but here’s how his record breaks down chronologically

(Wins-Losses-Draws)

San Jose 2001-04: 64-45-32

Los Angeles 2006-07: 24-25-13

San Jose 2007-2013: 62-62-51

Notice how his record tails off as the rest of the league grows up and learns how to play. Yallop is the classic example of a bad coach being recycled around the same league over and over. Not only that, but Chris Wondolowski’s 2012 season is the only time a Frank Yallop team has ever been recognized for its offense. His goal differential in LA was +6 (89 scored, 83 allowed) and during his second stint with San Jose, which lasted SIX years, was a whopping +1 (233 scored, 232 allowed).

He may have pedigree (never mind that it came in the Dark Ages of MLS), but his teams will put you to sleep. Next!

Bob Bradley

Resume: 1 MLS Cup title as a coach (1998), 2 US Open Cup titles as a coach (1998, 2000), took over the US Men’s National Team in December of 2006 and lost to Ghana in the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup

This is the name that has everyone talking. Bradley is still the head coach of Egypt but he’s unlikely to return barring a miraculous comeback in the second leg of their World Cup qualifying playoff with (who else) Ghana.

Look, I get it: Everyone loves the man. His time at Egypt has revealed a lot about his character. But that doesn’t guarantee he’ll make a great coach for the Columbus Crew. Yes, he had success with the Chicago Fire in their first couple seasons, but that was no ordinary expansion team in 1998. That was a stacked team that won with Bob Bradley, not because of him. And while we’re on the subject, we last saw Bradley in MLS back in 2006; two years before the Crew won the double. That’s an eternity in this league. And just as with Yallop, Bradley’s teams don’t exactly keep you glued to your TV screen. Next!

Brad Friedel

Resume: Former Crew and USMNT goalkeeper who’s still currently employed by Tottenham Hotspur

I’ve talked about Friedel before. I’m not a huge fan of players jumping right into a head coaching upon retirement. Yes, he’s has his coaching license from UEFA instead of US Soccer and he does own his own academy in Cleveland, but he’s too much of a gamble with no actual coaching experience.

Tab Ramos

Resume: MLS and USMNT veteran who coached the US U-20 at the World Cup this past summer

Now THIS caught my attention. This came out of nowhere, but if it’s true that he has interview it has the potential to be a major coup. Ramos’s US U-20 may have crashed out of the group stage at the World Cup, but they drew the Group of Death with Spain, France, and Ghana. A lot of coaches would see that group and play with 11 men behind the ball hoping to poach one off the counter (a la Mr. Bradley).

Not Tab Ramos.

He played an aggressive 4-3-3 and had his team go toe-to-toe with each of these international giants. His eye for young talent would be huge for the Crew going forward. Wil Trapp started all three of those World Cup games, so Ramos is familiar with his ability. If Anthony Precourt won’t splash the cash for designated players, then the next best thing is to get real young, real quick. Ramos is the perfect candidate for just such a strategy.

There’s only one candidate I like better than Ramos at this point and I’m guessing you already know who it is…

Guillermo Barros Schelotto

Resume: Former MLS Regular Season and MLS Cup MVP, all-around Columbus Crew legend

The more I read what Precourt said about what he’s looking for in a coach, the more I think that Schelotto is the only man for this job going forward. Yes, I’m wary of former players quickly turned coach, but Argentina’s first division is one massive pressure cooker that regularly spits out world class talent. In his first ever coaching gig, Schelotto has taken Lanus as high as fourth place. Precourt says he wants a guy who will represent the team well off the field and Schelotto has been quite clear about his love for the city of Columbus and his desire to return. Columbus is coming off one of its best seasons ever in terms of attendance. Imagine how much closer we’ll get to Goal 10K if Precourt comes out right before Thanksgiving and announces that the most successful player in the team’s history is taking over as head coach!

So it really boils down to what Precourt values the most. Ramos may be able to build a better team, but GBS can coach up the current team and provide an emotional lift to the entire fan base like no other candidate out there.

As long as it’s one of those two, I’ll be thrilled going into this monumental off-season.

Life goes on.

There are a lot of objections for why it can’t work. Some say Americans just don’t understand it. Some say it won’t accomplish anything. Then there’s the biggest objection of all: the teams that get relegated won’t survive. I don’t believe this is the case, at least not for every team in MLS. I have my reasons and I’m going to attempt to state them as clearly and as objectively as possible. I do support the cause after all.

The theory goes something like this: MLS Team X gets relegated, fans stop showing up, the team loses its cut of MLS’s “lucrative” TV deal, the owners run out of money, and the team is forced to fold because they can’t make enough money to keep the lights turned on. Let’s take this one step at a time.

Step 1: Fans Would Stop Showing Up

I do not believe every team in the league would see its attendance suddenly plummet 90% because they started playing in the NASL. Portland and Seattle in particular have extremely loyal fan bases. Would their fans also be the most distraught at the reality of being relegated? Absolutely. But their loyalty to their team is also the strongest and they would still be able to bring 10,000-15,000 fans through the gates for each NASL game.

Not every team would bring that many fans through the gates though. The two most viable relegation candidates over the past couple seasons have been Chivas USA and Toronto FC. The former has averaged roughly 8,200 fans per game this season while the latter is approximately 18,400 (Source: here). Chivas USA probably would see such a drop off as to render themselves financially unstable. But then again, nobody seems to think they should continue to exist in their current form. Without relegation, they continue to be propped up by the sweat of other fan bases.

Now let’s say Toronto’s attendance drops by 50%. That’s still roughly 9,000 fans per game in the second division where the average attendance is about 3,000-4,000. They can afford to stay just competitive enough to win their promotion back into MLS a year later. Are the fans upset? Sure. But it only takes one season to get promoted and win them back.

The overall average in MLS is approximately 18,500 so that argument for Toronto should work for most of the middle-of-the-road teams. Again, you just need enough fans to get you through one season. If your favorite team can’t even pull that off, then perhaps soccer is not as popular in your area as you’ve been led to believe. Perhaps the sport hasn’t grown nearly as much as we’re constantly told.

Step 2: The Team Loses Its Cut Of The MLS TV Deal

This is actually true, but let’s put into perspective just how much money this amounts to if the deal is split evenly among the 19 teams. The three year deal signed in August of 2011 is reportedly worth $10 million per year. That’s a total of $30 million for 19 teams. That comes out to $1.58 million per team. The salary cap is approximately $3 million. So before you take into consideration the amount of income made from attendance, a jersey sponsor, a stadium sponsor, etc you can pay for half of your roster if you’re coming in under the cap. Assuming your favorite team is smart and has ironclad sponsorship deals for the jersey and stadium, you’ve still got a steady source of income and you only need to bank on about 8,000-9,000 fans in attendance to help keep things afloat for one year.

But what about DP salaries? Someone has to pay those right even if they don’t count against the cap, right? True. Plenty of relegated teams all over the world deal with selling off their star players to make ends meet. MLS teams can man up and do the same. Not only that, but you can make a legitimate argument that the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls (your multi-DP powerhouses) will never be in danger of relegation. That’s how this whole thing works. You spend on good players, you win, and you don’t get relegated.

Now, MLS has struggled mightily against lower division teams in the past during the US Open Cup, but I think it’s fair to say that if an MLS team was forced to hold onto what would essentially amount to its reserve team, they would still have enough talent to compete for their spot back into MLS a year later.

And of course, all of this assumes you’re getting zero TV dollars from the NASL because they technically don’t have a TV deal. But if your team has been relegated, then that means there must be promotion as well. The Championship over in England’s second division has a TV deal with BeInSport to show their games regularly in the US. Why? Because at the end of the season, there are promotion spots on the line and there’s nothing like watching teams battle for those precious few spots. I truly believe within a year or two of implementing promotion/relegation, the NASL would be attractive enough to earn a national TV deal.

Step 3: The Owners Run Out Of Money And Can’t Afford To Keep The Lights On

This is the big one. This is the one everyone likes to harp on.

“But if the team gets relegated, the owners will stop making money! This is why we can’t have relegation! It’s too much risk!”

It is true there is a risk of losing money as a result of being relegated. I’ve addressed that concern for the most part in the first two “steps”. But would the teams lose so much that the owners run out of money? Let’s recap who some of the current owners in MLS are…

Seattle: Hollywood Producer Joe Roth (Majority), Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen (Minority)

LA Galaxy: Anschutz Entertainment Group (Majority of LA, 50% of Houston Dynamo)

New York Red Bulls: Red Bull GmbH (Red Bull Energy Drink)

Toronto FC: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

Chivas USA: Jorge Vergara (Founder of Omnilife/Herbalife supplements and movie producer)

New England Revolution: Bob Kraft (Owner of the New England Patriots)

Portland Timbers: Merritt Paulson (Son of former Goldman Sachs CEO “Hank” Paulson)

FC Dallas: Hunt Sports Group (Owners of the Kansas City Chiefs)

Look closely at that group of people? Do these people/groups have their entire wealth tied up in an MLS team? No. They bought their respective teams with the change leftover from their actual sources of wealth and income. The same holds true for individual owners like new Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt, who, like most MLS owners, makes his fortune in venture capitalism.

None of these owners bought into MLS to make money. They bought into it because they wanted to buy something fun with the money they earned from the more profitable ventures they own and operate. We’ll never know for sure, but it’s very likely half the teams in MLS don’t actually turn a profit. That means some of these people/groups are losing money on their “investment” in their respective MLS teams. Yet the teams still exist and the players still collect their paychecks on time. That’s because they can dip into their other ventures for the money to sign the checks and keep the lights on. This is especially true for MLS owners who also own NFL teams. You don’t have to be a business major to see that someone like Bob Kraft could own nothing but the Patriots and the Revolution and still make enough from the former to keep the latter afloat for several years.

Now, do these rich men and women enjoy losing money on their MLS teams? Not at all. That’s why they set up MLS in its current closed, single entity format. If they’re going to lose money, they want help from their fellow millionaire/billionaire pals to recoup their losses. They can afford to take losses on their MLS teams, but why should they have to?

The point is they have the ability to, even if they don’t want to. They could easily see their MLS team get relegated to the NASL and start bleeding money. But most of them have enough to keep their current rosters intact for one season which, again, is all it takes to play your way back into the top if you’re good enough. If they choose not to do so and instantly decide to cut their losses they can sell their team to another wealthy person/group willing to buy the team on the cheap, invest just enough to play their way back into MLS in one season, and find themselves back in the black shortly.

Am I oversimplifying this? Yeah, I probably am. Does my theory work for every single soccer team in the US? No, it probably does not. But that doesn’t make it any less valid. Sports teams are backed by some of the wealthiest people/groups in the world. That’s how they’re able to exist. Then there’s teams like Nashville FC, who are simply owned by their most loyal fans. They’ll pay to see their team play no matter what division they’re in. We don’t need to worry about them either.

The implementation of promotion/relegation would open a whole new world for soccer in the United States. Promotion creates new investment opportunities for men and women looking to do something productive with their hard earned dollars. Relegation maintains the integrity of the competition being put on display before our eyes. It holds those same men and women accountable for the performance of their teams and their treatment of the local fans whose HARD earned money brings the sport to all corners of this vast, great nation of ours.

It is the key to realizing our dream of joining the ranks of the greatest soccer nations on Earth. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It can and, with a little luck and commitment from the right people, it will be done.

With Glen Johnson back in the starting lineup, this was supposed to be our first look at Liverpool’s truly “Best XI”. Lucas Leiva wound up missing the match due to the birth of his child and Jose Enrique was a late scratch. Still, Brendan Rodgers went to the 3-5-2 he has utilized for the last couple weeks while Johnson was injured. There were signs this wasn’t a great formation for this team in their 3-1 win over Crystal Palace two weeks ago, but Saturday’s draw really exposed the problems it presents.

I saw two big concerns in particular…

Problem 1: The Wing Backs

The biggest issue with this 3-5-2 formation is that it puts quite a bit of responsibility on the shoulders of the two wing backs. Against Newcastle this turned out to be Aly Cissokho and Glen Johnson. They both found themselves rushing to get forward to support the attack, only to be caught way out of position tracking back in defense. Ultimately the wing backs are responsible for being the only truly “wide” players in the formation and they have to cover the entire length of the field. Johnson and Cissokho didn’t look capable of doing so and neither Jose Enrique two weeks ago.

Their inability to get back also seemed to create some confusion among the three center backs as to who needed to be where and when. Yohan Cabaye’s first half goal was certainly a spectacular shot, but he had the space and time to shoot because Liverpool couldn’t figure out who needed to step into his path.

Part of it was obviously due to their man advantage, but Liverpool looked much more comfortable defensively after Luis Alberto replaced Mamadou Sakho in the second half and they went back to a traditional 4-man back line.

Problem 2: Central Midfield

Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson were constantly chasing Newcastle around in the first half, thanks in large part to the confusion created by the wing backs. Newcastle were able to easily keep possession because there was tons of space for them to switch the field. Part of the reason they had such space was because Gerrard and Henderson were getting sucked out wide to support Johnson and Cissokho.

Then there’s the issue with Victor Moses having to play a central midfielder between Gerrard/Henderson and the two man strike force of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez. He was easily bottled up by Newcastle and saw his speed (his greatest asset) neutered by his new position. Liverpool were able to create more chances in the second half once he pushed out wide and had space to take his defender one on one or cut inside to play Sturridge/Suarez into the box.

Again, most of it was due to the advantage they had, but when Luis Alberto checked into the game for Sakho the team looked much more confident about their individual responsibilities. Assuming everyone is healthy, this is what the formation should probably look like…

Mignolet

Johnson – Agger – Sakho – Enrique

Lucas

Henderson     –     Gerrard

Suarez     –     Sturridge     –     Moses

If you put Suarez out wide and Sturridge in the middle, you don’t have to rely upon Johnson and Enrique to support the attack as much. Suarez’s work rate is pretty high even when he has to defend and does some of his best work cutting in from the outside. The same holds true for Victor Moses on the other side of Sturridge.

There’s still time to sort the tactics out before the trip to the Emirates Stadium in two weeks. West Brom comes to Anfield next and they will present a good opportunity to sort out any issues. A win in that particular game is now sorely needed since Arsenal and Chelsea won handily over the weekend. Liverpool’s Top 4 chances are still good, but their hopes at competing for an actual title are dwindling and a loss at home to the Baggies would almost certainly spell doom.

Here’s hoping we see a return to the 4-3-3!

Next Saturday’s final game of the 2013 season presents plenty of opportunities, even though the team isn’t going to the playoffs. New England will still have something to play for as their playoff fate has yet to be determined. They will be hungry for a win. This is a good thing and can provide a valuable experience for the younger players on this team. The biggest beneficiary is Wil Trapp, assuming Brian Bliss chooses to do what I’m proposing.

Let Wil Trapp take over for Federico Higuain as the team’s designated “playmaker”.

Saturday’s loss to New England full exposed Trapp’s greatness weakness: his strength or lack thereof. It’s easy to say he just needs to grow into his man body and hit the weight room and then he’ll be fit to play his holding midfield role. But Trapp’s best qualities actually make him a viable option as a traditional “No. 10″; a playmaker linking the forwards and the rest of the midfield. Obviously Higuain thrives in this role, but Trapp is only 20 and I think it’s worth giving him the responsibility of distributing next weekend against New England. He has great vision, he’s responsible on the ball, and his technical ability (first touch, dribbling, etc) might actually be second only to Higuain. We already know he’s struggling as a holding midfielder right now, so why not experiment and see what he’s capable of in a different position?

I’d love to see Bliss trot out one of these potential lineups…

Lampson

Barson – Gehrig – Marshall – Hyland

Tchani

Finlay          -          Speas

Trapp

Schoenfeld     –     Finley

OR

Lampson

Barson – Gehrig – Marshall – Hyland

Tchani     –     George

Trapp

Meram     –     Finley     –    Speas

The diamond 4-4-2 up top is probably more realistic since Bliss has little creativity with his tactics, though maybe he’ll change things up for the final game of the season. By all accounts, Kyle Hyland has had a decent season with the reserves as a left back and it’s worth trying to find out what he’s capable of against first team competition. I’m still not a huge fan of Aaron Schoenfeld, but his goal on Saturday earns him an encore in my eyes. The rest of these lineups (except for Marshall obviously) makes up the U-25 core of the team that’s essentially auditioning for their future with the team and possibly a new coach.

Unfortunately not even YouTube has a video of Wil Trapp highlights from his time with the US U-20 team at the World Cup this past summer, but possibly his best performance was as captain against France in the group stage. He had several decent shots from distance and did a great job providing a link between his fellow midfielders and the 3-man forward line that the US used throughout the tournament. I think if you put him behind a 3-man line of Meram-Finley-Speas you’d be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Something tells me we won’t see Trapp is such an advanced role, but I think it’s a position he is well suited for and there’s really only one way to find out for sure. I have absolutely no idea what to expect from a lineup perspective next weekend, but those are my two preferences. The team has managed to squander any potential from Justin Meram as a true winger and/or striker and Ryan Finley hasn’t had nearly enough playing time this season for us to determine his potential.

I really hope we’ll learn something new about Trapp next weekend, but who knows.

Columbus Crew fans had a mini panic attack on Friday afternoon when Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch reported that Crew legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto had interviewed with both the Crew and new expansion team New York City FC.

It’s that second part that I want to focus on. None of us can really be shocked Schelotto interviewed with Columbus, given his status among the team’s history. I’m not so sure the Hunts would’ve brought him in this early (if at all) but new owner Anthony Precourt hasn’t wasted any time. What shocks me is the thought of Schelotto becoming the next head coach of the second New York team that MLS has desired for so long and has bent its own rules (specifcially those about needing a soccer specific stadium to join MLS) to accommodate them. The powder blue New Yorkers will make Seattle look like a red headed stepchild in the eyes of MLS HQ. Would Schelotto really be put in charge of such a team from the start?

I’m not so sure.

To me this sounds like Schelotto trying to get some leverage and put pressure on the front office in Columbus. And I can’t fault him for it either. For all we know, Precourt isn’t willing to shell out big bucks for a head coach. Schelotto deserves a good deal though. He’s had enormous success with Lanus in Argentina in a very short amount of time and it wouldn’t shock me if he started attracting interest from smaller sides around Europe. We all loved Schelotto for his vision on the playing field and that vision was the result  of his desire to not only practice the game, but study it as well. He is that rare great player who knows the game so well that he can go on to become an equally great coach.

The news that Schelotto was in New York does present a bit of a wrinkle in this search for a head coach in Columbus. If New York (and potentially more MLS sides) are legitimately interested in him, then Anthony Precourt suddenly finds himself in a significant predicament. Many of us would love to have Schelotto in charge of the Crew, but we would also understand if he wound up staying in his native Argentina. But to watch the Crew turn him down and then see him wind up in New York, Dallas, or maybe even Chicago would churn all of our stomachs inside out and we’d be inclined to point our wrath at Precourt. After all, how could the Crew willingly low ball a team legend and watch him sign up with a direct competitor? There would be legitimate mutiny among not just the hardcore supporters, but casual fans who have stayed away since 2008-09 as well.

It’s going to be a long off-season, but also a very important one, so be prepared to hang on every bit of news like this going forward.

I’m still not entirely sold on Bliss and so I’m going to do the rational thing and create a “pros” and “cons” list to determine if he should in fact take over after the 2013 season concludes.

Pro: He Pushes The Right Buttons

There can be no denying how much more motivated this team has looked ever since Bliss took over for Robert Warzycha. By all accounts the players are more loose in training and that in turn has produced a much more confident group come game day. The question is: how much of this is attributed to Bliss and how much is attributed to the departure of Warzycha? Would any other coach have been able to produce the same results? It’s “chicken vs. egg” question, but it’s also worth considering when discussing the possibility of Bliss taking over permanently.

Con: Conservative Tactics

Brian Bliss is getting results on the field, but he has done so with very little tactical imagination. He has trotted out a very traditional 4-4-1-1 with Federico Higuain tucked in behind lone striker Jairo Arrieta and natural forward Dominic Oduro out wide on the right. Robert Warzycha trotted out this same lineup on several occasions and I was really hoping we’d see something new from Bliss. Oduro isn’t a midfielder and as a result Chad Barson/Josh Williams end up on an island when it comes to defending the flanks. Ultimately I’d like to see someone with less conservative tactics take over this offseason.

Pro: He Helped Build The Current Roster

Since Brian Bliss was a technical director before taking over, we know what he is capable of in terms of scouting and discovering talent. You can’t say that about half of the teams in MLS whose coaches spend more time deferring such duties to a technical director or GM. Bliss is the man who found and helped sign Federico Higuain. He also gave us the aforementioned Arrieta and Oduro as well as 20 year old Wil Trapp, who came up through the academy.

Con: He Helped Build The Current Roster

For every Higuain on Bliss’s resume there’s a Glauber and a Matias Sanchez. We spent much of this season complaining about how, in the end, most of the players on this roster simply aren’t good enough. Well, Bliss is responsible for that as well. He brought in guys like Tony Tchani, Tyson Wahl, Aaron Schoenfeld, etc. One has to wonder if he is capable of finding 20-25 good players and not just half a dozen.

Pro: He’s Cheap

Bliss was once an interim head coach for Kansas City, but other than that he has spent much of his post-playing career as a technical director. He won’t command very much in terms of salary, even if the Crew do manage to sneak into the playoffs. I’d like to see the organization look outside of former MLS coaches and players, but that will likely cost more in salary than whatever Bliss negotiates.

Con: His Attire Is Cheap

I love the guy, but he looks like he bought his game day attire off the sales rack at Kohls. I’m sure he wasn’t making a ton as technical director, but surely it was enough to afford some nice suits.

Verdict

At the end of the day, I think there is someone else out there who can take this team to new heights under the new ownership group. This may be the biggest offseason in the team’s history. There is an opportunity to conduct a thorough search for a new head coach and even a new GM/President. If Anthony Precourt and Co. get this offseason right, there’s no reason this team can’t compete for the Supporters Shield and a CONCACAF Champions League spot right away next season. I would love to see an international candidate take over. Bliss can remain on staff as a technical director and explain the roster construction rules to whoever takes over for him. Guillermo Barros Schelotto has already been asked about it and shrugged off speculation saying he’s happy in Argentina and would like to fulfill his current deal which is set to expire in June of 2014.

Bliss has done a great job in the interim role, but at the end of the day I don’t think he’s tactically proficient enough to be in charge of the team going forward. To be perfectly honest, the only reason I’d want to keep him around as technical director is if an MLS outsider comes in to take over. He’s had too many misses when building this roster over the last five years. I want to see exciting, unconventional hires across the board this offseason. I’d like to see this roster blown up now, right after the team has been sold to new ownership.

This is truly the dawning of a new era in Columbus and that means it’s time to take bold risks. It’s time to go off the beaten path. It’s time for a new direction.

I could continue to harp on how bad of an idea Liverpool’s new three center back system is. If I wanted to, I could talk about how super awesome Daniel Sturridge is. Heck, I probably SHOULD be writing about how it’s okay for us to go ahead and believe that title No.19 is quickly becoming a legitimate possibility.

But that’s boring and there’s a million places you can go for such talk. I’m here to talk about the real issues.

Like which professional wrestling villain is more comparable to Luis Suarez.

Suarez is despised by just about everyone who doesn’t support Liverpool (and even some Liverpool supporters have been turned off by his summer antics) but at the end of the day he’s still must-see TV. He’s arguably the third best player in the world. He loves to go to ground easily around the box. He’s got all the ingredients to be a classic wrestling villain. Let’s see how he stacks up to the some  of the greatest villains in wrestling history, with their ranking according to a recent WWE list (which can be found here)…

*Full Disclosure: I’m 25 years old, so unfortunately you won’t find any discussions of Sgt. Slaughter or Killer Kowalski in this list*

Vickie Guerrero

Excuse me…Excuse Me…EXCUSE ME!!!

Technically she never enters the ring, but the former GM of Monday Night Raw is incredibly annoying. “Annoying” is probably the one word that best describes Luis Suarez. Guerrero is always being interrupted by the crowd and constantly has to ask for everyone’s attention to get her message out. Suarez also tends to find his runs into the box interrupted by defenders and often has to plead with the referee for some attention.

Iron Sheik

This is about as old school as it will get in this discussion (other than my top pick, who will be revealed shortly). An over the top stereotype, the Iron Sheik loved to run his mouth and still does quite  a bit on Twitter these days. He was often the embodiment of America’s political enemies. Suarez doesn’t really fit in here except I think there’s a bit of an element of racism in the way he is treated. Plenty of players dive as often as he does, but in general I think Hispanic players bear the brunt of the wrath of the general public. There’s an unfair association with diving and Cental/South America and Suarez embodies that association.

Kane

No comparison here, I just wanted to give a shout out to (Spoiler Alert!) the Undertaker’s brother. Kane is absolutely terrifying and let’s no man intimidate him. Luis Suarez does not have any such characteristics.

Randy Orton

Orton’s nickname is “the Viper” and Luis Suarez is often viewed as something of a snake. I don’t disagree. Both of these men love to lie low and strike at the most opportune moment.

Edge, The Rated-R Superstar

Edge is just a flat out unlikable d-bag. Most people outside of Liverpool’s loyal ranks would probably tend to agree. His finishing move (SPEAR!) is a little too physical for the likes of Suarez, but the level of contempt among the general population for both is pretty comparable. Edge often likes to whine when he doesn’t get his way and Suarez was pretty whiny over the summer when he tried to force his way out of Liverpool.

Chris “Y2J” Jericho

Now we’re getting closer to a legitimate comparison. Jericho’s ego is one of the largest in the history of professional wrestling (and that’s saying something) and Suarez showed us a glimpse of such ego during his summer drama. Both of these men love to troll their haters and seem to feed off of the hatred. They are the best at what they do and are incredibly entertaining, no matter how despicable they may behave at any given time.

Ric Flair (1…2…3…WINNER!!!)

Here’s my pick for the most accurate comparison. Flair is an all-time great among the wrestling ranks. Suarez still has a way to go in his career, but his ability easily belongs in the Top 5 of current footballers. Like Jericho, Flair fed off the negative energy and entertained even the most ardent of his haters.

The biggest trait they both share is their “sneakiness”. Flair resorted to downright dirty tactics and did whatever it took to win. Likewise, Suarez has earned his reputation as a diver and is no stranger to dirty tactics (see: Branislav Ivanovic’s arm). It is the combination of this “sneakiness” and their ability (both of which are simultaneously connected and completely separate) that makes such a match made in infamy.

Both of them also have a…here it comes…FLAIR for the dramatic!!! Goodnight everybody!

What do you think? Is there another wrestling villain out there who is comparable to the polarizing Uruguayan?

I’m crazy in that I have a dream of promotion and relegation coming to the United States. I believe wholeheartedly that every town in the United States able to field a soccer team deserves the opportunity to play their way into the big time. A fundamental part of such a vision includes 100% independence for all of those teams.

Recently Tim Holt, the president of the United Soccer League-Pro, reiterated his desire for his league to form an affiliate relationship with MLS. This season has seen MLS teams like Philadelphia and Kansas City become affiliated with USL Pro sides Orlando and Harrisburg respectively. As part of such an affiliation the MLS teams sent their bench warmers down to these USL Pro teams for playing time. In other words, Orlando and Harrisburg became the AA-affiliates of their respective MLS overlords a la professional baseball in this country.

I hate this. A lot.

I’ve long thought Orlando was worthy of joining MLS, although the hoops the league is making them jump through makes me rethink such a vision. They’d be better off following the path of Indy Eleven and the New York Cosmos: they should join the less restrictive North American Soccer League. But I digress. My point is that setting professional soccer in the US up in the mold of professional baseball is the wrong way to go.

Columbus (and most of the other current MLS sides) saw fit to simply field a reserve team and play a home and home with Dayton Dutch Lions rather than use a current USL Pro side as a storage closet. Now Holt has said he thinks it would be a good idea for MLS teams to go ahead and simply field a “B team” that competes within the USL Pro. I’m fine with that as well. At least all teams involved can maintain their own independence, even if promotion into the NASL and MLS isn’t available for them.

This doesn’t just boil down to my personal ideology though. There’s a developmental benefit to Columbus fielding a “B team” instead of having Dayton (or even Pittsburgh) be their minor league bitch. Kansas City saw their young draft pick Dom Dwyer dominate while with Orlando, but he has yet to take off since being recalled from there. The quality of play across the board in USL Pro isn’t quite up to par with that of MLS (though Larry Johnson makes a compelling case otherwise over at Massive Report) and playing time against such competition isn’t necessarily a good thing for the player’s development. Fielding a “B team” also means the Crew can impose their preferred philosophy/playing style on their younger players without interruption. A minor league affiliate may not necessarily want to play the same way the Crew do and thus the player’s development is hindered even further.

If the Crew are going to completely remake themselves into a world class organization, there has to be one plan in place from top to bottom. That can’t happen if players are consistently being shipped back and forth between Dayton and/or Pittsburgh. Let the younger/reserve players continue to play with one another as the do now and develop some chemistry. Moving them down to a random team simply for the sake of giving them playing time is useless.

Unfortunately it seems likely such affiliate partnerships will eventually take hold and we’ll see more and more MLS teams shipping their fringe players off to strange teams in strange places and harm said players’ development severely. I hope Anthony Precourt and his new front office staff think long and hard about this issue whenever it comes up during the off-season. He’s made a great first impression so far and maintaining the team’s independence (while allowing USL Pro teams to do the same) would earn him a lot of respect in my eyes as a loyal Crew supporter.

Every time Luis Suarez touched the ball I was on my toes, hands clasped together as I focused in on the play developing. For all his faults, he is still must-see TV even after a long suspension. Of course, Liverpool’s defense kept things interesting as well. Which brings us to the point of this post. There were some things I couldn’t help but notice after the final whistle blew, starting with…

The 3-5-2 Won’t Work Against Good Teams

Sunderland are a bit deceiving because they’ve got so much individual talent, yet they can’t seem to get it organized and on the same page. Liverpool were fortunate to concede just one goal with their new three man backline of Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel, and Mamadou Sakho. The wing backs (in this case Jose Enrique and Jordan Henderson) were caught too far forward way too often and Sunderland were quick to take advantage from the opening kick. They were able to get wide way too easily and if the opponent had been Tottenham or Arsenal or even Everton, the consequences would have been more severe.

I realize there’s a surplus of center back talent at the moment, but I really would like to see Brendan Rodgers get back to a four man back line with two true fullbacks.

Luis Suarez And Daniel Sturridge CAN Play Together

I think part of it was due to the fact that they were a true striker tandem playing off of one another, but they looked incredibly in sync for just their second appearance together this season. I had my doubts, but that’s also because I still want to see the 4-3-3 formation that was being used prior to the Sunderland game.

Even if one has to play a more traditional “winger” role and only one can be a lone center forward, the future looks bright with both of these guys on the pitch at the same time.

Mamadou Sakho Might Be The Best Addition Of The Summer

You could certainly make a case for Victory Moses, especially after seeing him all over the attacking third against Sunderland, and Kolo Toure has been steady at the back, but my pick is the French center back. He frustrated Jozy Altidore right from the start. Last season Liverpool struggled with large, powerful strikers but Sakho had no issues handling the American international. He also looked very composed whenever he was on the ball and had some decent distribution coming out of the back at times.

I’m still waiting for Kolo Toure to get himself injured, but it’s good to know Sakho is capable of shutting down big target forwards when called upon.

A Central Midfielder Is January’s Top Priority

Lucas and Steven Gerrard looked pretty good, but they were facing Sunderland and guys like Mesut Özil and Christian Eriksen won’t be as easy to shut down through the center of the park. Whether he’s a more central figure in a 4-3-3 or a wing back in the 3-5-2, Jordan Henderson hasn’t progressed the way we thought he might after his strong finish to last season. Joe Allen must be struggling mightily in training because he can’t buy himself any playing time right now. Yes, Coutinho can be considered a central attacking midfielder, but Liverpool really need another box-to-box guy.

Personally, I would’ve loved to see Etienne Capoue in there but the Reds will have to look long and hard come January for an enforcer to make the back line’s job easier. Lyon’s Maxime Gonalons and Benfica’s Nemanja Matic are worth keeping an eye on.

The Schedule Is Liverpool’s Best Friend

Liverpool’s next three are Crystal Palace, Newcastle, and a very tricky West Brom before the big showdown with Arsenal. Six points against Crystal Palace and Newcastle is mandatory to keep title hopes alive as neither of those sides really present much of a challenge. We can all see what a trap West Brom is right before Arsenal, but a draw there wouldn’t be terrible. There are lots of wins to be had after the trip to the Emirates; three of the four opponents after that are a dreadful Fulham, Hull City, and an underachieving Norwich with a trip to Goodison Park sandwiched in the middle.

Three December matches with Spurs, Manchester City, and Chelsea will ultimately show us how high this team can climb, but until then there are loads of chances for three points.

“Walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone!”