By Mark Vincent Lincir
It’s never too early to make some predictions on how the rest of MLS’ 2010 campaign will unfold.
D.C. United Coach Curt Onalfo won’t make it to see his club get relegated at season’s end (it will happen…MLS and USSF will partner to make relegation possible unless D.C. United do something to make themselves loosely resemble an MLS team). The former Wizards coach will fall victim to the new MLS coaching turnstile. It used to be that clubs would hold onto coaches forever despite their shortcomings (i.e. Ellinger at RSL). Not anymore. Individual owners and too many capable coaches make times tight for guys who can’t put up wins on a consistent basis.
Real Salt Lake will not repeat as champs. Sorry to the folks in Utah, but it won’t happen. If Landon wouldn’t have sky-balled his pk, it wouldn’t have happened last season. But now, with a target on your back and too many balanced teams in the west, it’s not just improbable, it’s impossible. P.S. – somebody show up for some games, I’m tired of seeing empty seats at Rio Tinto on television!
Edson Buddle will break Roy Lassiter’s single-season goal-scoring record. It might mean he gets left off of the United States World Cup roster, but we’ve been waiting for somebody to break Roy’s record for well over a decade…and given the whole season, Edson will do it.
The Galaxy will win MLS Cup…from start to finish they will establish themselves as the best team in MLS. I will have to eat a lot of my words as Bruce guides them to the Cup in Toronto. It’s good news for the people in LA and all around, because the Galaxy should always be good.
FC Dallas will stop playing and nobody will know. Why can’t anybody get into following FD Dallas? Watch a game on television and there are empty seats everywhere! Who’s your favorite FC Dallas player? Who cares…they rarely win, play generally unattractive soccer and can’t get me motivated to sit through 90 minutes of them. Somebody do something!
Chivas USA won’t make the playoffs. I liked Martin Vasquez as a player and want to see him do well as a coach…but watching Chivas USA this season is tough. They’ll most likely lose Bornstein for a month (no big deal, just had to say it) and will have to gel quickly in order to make everyone forget about Preki and jump on the Martin bandwagon.
Seattle will lose its coach…but it’s not what you think. After Coach Bob makes a mess out of the World Cup, Sigi Schmid will be named the next United States National Team Coach. He deserves a shot and if Coach Bob doesn’t get the U.S. out of it’s group, he will be gone. Sigi has done well in Seattle and they’ll be able to land another coach no problem…but it will be a change that might come shortly after the 2010 season comes to a close if not before.
Toronto will make the playoffs. They have to make it! How long can they sell out games and have arguably the most passionate crowd in MLS and not make the postseason? They even have real grass at BMO now! Come on Preki! Come on guys! Play better.
Philly better start winning or they’ll be playing in front of nobody in their new stadium. Can you imagine Philly becoming the FC Dallas of the East? I can’t either, it hurts too much. The team is playing horribly, Nowak has the guys running after games…what a mess? Is Nowak a good fit? I don’t think the club has the luxury of waiting an entire season to find that out. New team, new stadium…way to much pressure to be overly patient. I love the teams colors…just don’t love watching how badly they play.
There will be plenty of excitement this season…and a two week break during group play of the World Cup to give MLS teams some time to get it together. Otherwise, there will be plenty of players and coaches who started the season that won’t be fortunate enough to finish it.
1. Anyone who knows Lincir, knows he is whacko, so you are right Rooney!
2. Here are some legit MLS predictions:
The World Cup will not effect too many teams, since most of the 23 players are in Europe. Losing landon will hurt LA, but they will be OK. Philly will be horrible if Califf goes.
The league is so wide open this year, it will be hard to make a good prediction right now. I know that there are 2 teams that are doing bad now that will be in the final 4 at the end and there will be 2 teams in the top 4 now that wont be around at the end.
The most boaring team to watch in MLS is Colorado. Always a 1-0 score line and all of thier goals come on PK’s. They have no attack what so ever.
Buddle WILL NOT break the record. LA does not draw enough PK’s and he does not take the PK’s for them. The player that is keeping that team going now is Chris Birchall…he is legit.
Last, here is my theory on empty stadiums: The key to selling tickets is having your stadium downtown or in a trendy part of the city (Seattle, Toronto). That is the key. You will kill yourself trying to appeal to youth soccer people. Go for middle age drinkers who are looking for the cool thing to do. Houston needs to do this with thier stadium. Dallas and Colorado are learning this lesson the hard way. If these stadiums were downtown (Or dallas was in arlignton) they would sell tickets, no doubt. Even LA and Chivas are struggling selling tix because of the location.
Cheers
Hey Galaxy Homer:
You don’t give RSL enough credit. The team is playing sharp. Much, much better than last year’s team at this point of the season.
And get off the “what-would’ve-could’ve” band wagon about the 2009 championship: “if Landon hadn’t sky-balled his PK…” Whaaaahh! RSL is the champion, fair and square. Live with it Galaxitives!
And about the stadium being empty, pahleeeze… we are #6 in the league right now in attendance (http://www.mls-daily.com/2010/03/2010-mls-attendance.html) after playing two games in very lousy weather.
Go RSL!
I still think you’re whacko Lincir, but you bring up some good points. I say your 75 percent on target. And what’s up with the Vincent thing?