Photo: Paul Rudderow
Note: PSP is looking for a volunteer to write our Thursday news roundups. If interested, please email dwalsh@phillysoccerpage.com.
Philadelphia Union
As the season has progressed, it has become harder and harder to find quality Union content. Many Union writers have slowed or stopped their Union writing over the course of the season. So, sorry for the lack of links lately.
The Union play Minnesota this weekend.
Local
Some local high school rankings.
MLS
NASL was denied Division 2 status for 2018. The future of the league is now cloudy, with at least one owner only committed to NASL if it remains Division 2. Most likely, the US-based teams will defect to USL, the Canadian-based teams will head to the new Canadian league, and NASL will fold, but time will tell. NASL’s statement.
Atlanta will make their Mercedes-Benz Stadium debut.
The MLS Academy arms race is on, and the league’s rules are shockingly undefined.
MLS doesn’t need to bring stars in, it needs to export stars out. MLS really needs to fix their selling rules.
Around the globe
Bobby Wood saved the USMNT with a late equalizer in Honduras. The US remains in control of its own destiny, needing to only beat the two weakest teams to secure an automatic birth.
Saudi Arabia and South Korea booked their spots in the World Cup, while Australia will play Syria for the right to play the 4th place CONCACAF finisher. Hopefully this doesn’t become an issue…
UEFA qualifying roundup. Africa’s spots remain up for grabs. CONMEBOL saw chaos.
The Messi contract situation is, well, messy.
Highlight of the day
Syria’s historic stoppage time equalizer. Watch this one with sound – goosebumps for sure.
Is it really a surprise about the lack of Union news? Time and again the Union have failed to capture any headlines during downturns by the big four city sports teams. Now they are bleeding the ferocious fan base they counted on for 8 years.
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It’s a shame about NASL, but the signs it was over started last year. It was all but done when the USL was also given division 2 status for this year.
Still waiting for the pro/rel crowd to explain why “clubs” that want P/R can’t find investors with a lawsuit pending but USL can. Better yet, why is NASL crying about their investment they’ve already made? Just look at it as a mass relegation to D3 and figure out a way to get back up.
Maybe it’s time to realise that the U.S.market is tough and say what you will but MLS and USL have figured out the model that works. Now is the time to push the federation to fix the youth system and the players association to let them change the rules. MLS would be smart to lax the free agent rules for the right for their academies to have some form of training and solidarity fees. This happens then it might make it easier for Sunil to change the rules.
I’m not a pro/rel truther but I think the NASL mess has more to do with politics than that MLS has found “the model.” From what I’ve read, it sounds like blame can be found on both sides. NASL has been stubborn, insisting to go it alone. I think the league’s goal was to displace MLS as the top tier. That’s clearly not going to happen. But US Soccer has not been as helpful as it could be to help organize a genuine tiered system. Forget Pro/Rel. I’d like to see a practical league structure for Div. 2 and 3. I’d love to see the bigger clubs in USL and NASL gathered into a larger div 2 league with smaller clubs in lower divisions. Would be even better to try promotion and relegation between those divisions to see how it works. Open it up a bit and organize and I bet attracting investors will get easier.
There’s certainly circumstances on both NASL’s side and MLS/US Soccer’s side that probably all contributed to this. And while I’m not happy about NASL’s demise, it was clearly set up sloppy, without real financial stability, and failed to capture markets that USL did with flying colors.
They wanted promotion into the top tier as if that would save their league or keep it viable… but only what, 2-3 teams would get promotion per season? Their teams are all barely holding on, defecting, and recognize the disorder of that league.
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The tier standards set out by US Soccer were somewhat tough, but if you’re operating a business in this country (because the teams are exactly that) they need to have that sort of backing and investment. NASL cut so many corners and cried foul when they couldn’t produce a viable business plan.
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My hope is the best elements of NASL make their way into the Canadian/USL tiers and provide the legit stability needed to attract investors, fans, advertisers, and all the following we dream of in this country for this sport.
There’s just no way that P/R happens and NASL just won’t recognize that. Silva isn’t about growing the second tier, he’s about skipping over the expansion process. Why would a league that’s built so many assets suddenly let teams in by beating inferior competition? MLS has a plan and it’s implementing it with sound results, as is the same for USL. NASL just can’t figure to grow the league first. After they got the D2 sanction they just haven’t done enough to keep the sanction and you can see Silva never had any attentions with the bogus T.V. offer.
“the US remains in control of its own destiny, needing only to beat the two weakest teams to secure an automatic berth.”
Panama is one of the two weakest teams???