With foreign owners and players hailing from nearly every continent, Major League Soccer has shown true international flavor.
And when MLS kicks off its 11th season Saturday, the storylines reflect the league’s efforts to tie itself into the sporting world’s largest community.
This summer’s World Cup in Germany should help invigorate the fan base, although many of MLS’ top American players will miss substantial time while playing in the Cup.
The 12-team MLS is scheduled to grow to 13 in 2007 with the addition of its first Canadian franchise, located in Toronto. Commissioner Don Garber said another expansion team will be added in 2008 and perhaps two more by 2010, including a possible return to San Jose, Calif.
The San Jose Earthquakes’ inevitable departure from the Bay Area saw the two-time MLS Cup champions move to Texas and become Houston 1836 – commemorating the year the city was founded. The name was changed to Houston Dynamo early this month because of concern that the city’s Hispanic fans might recall 1836 more as the year the Mexican Army was defeated and take offense.
When the name was changed, Dynamo president Oliver Luck tried to smooth any ruffled feathers by drawing a parallel between Houston’s English speaking and Spanish speaking communities “who together will create electricity at games unlike any other in MLS.”
Dynamo is a name that was coined by the Soviet Union’s oldest physical training society and still is used by many Eastern European and Russian sports teams.
In New York, the MetroStars were purchased by the Austrian-based Red Bull energy drink company and renamed Red Bull New York, although the team has since begun to call itself the New York Red Bulls.
The Red Bull company will inject some much-needed cash into the team’s plans to develop a soccer-specific stadium in Harrison, N.J., by 2008 and continues the MLS growing process by creating new ownership groups.
The Chicago Fire should garner a lot of attention this season when it becomes the fifth franchise to begin playing in its own soccer-specific stadium. Built in the suburban village of Bridgeview, the 20,000-seat stadium cost around $70 million and should mirror Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, and the Rapids’ Prairie Gateway Project, which is set to open the 2007 season.
The MLS Cup final returns to Pizza Hut Park this season, a year after the Los Angeles Galaxy won its second championship with an overtime victory over the New England Revolution.
The most somber story surrounding MLS came with the death of Galaxy general manager and soccer visionary Doug Hamilton. Hamilton, 44, died of a heart attack aboard a plane soon after leaving San Jose, Costa Rica, where the team was playing Saprissa in a regional tournament reserved for domestic league champions.
PREVIEW
MLS reporter Brian Forbes previews each team in the league:
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CHIVAS USA
2005 record: 4-22-6
Top players: D Carlos Llamosa, F Juan Francisco Palencia, M Ramon Ramirez, F Ante Razov, D Cladio Suarez.
Key losses: M Hector Cuadros, D Douglas Sequeira.
Outlook: New coach Bob Bradley is hoping veterans Suarez and Llamosa can shore up a porous defense and Palencia and Razov can pressure opponents. The midfield still needs some work, and the defensive depth is suspect. Chivas USA should push for a low playoff seed.
FC DALLAS
2005 record: 13-10-9
Top players: M Richard Mulrooney, M Ronnie O’Brien, F Carlos Ruiz, D Greg Vanney.
Key losses: G Scott Garlick, F Eddie Johnson, D Steve Jolley.
Outlook: Dallas started last season on a tear, but faded down the stretch, evolving into a cautious, defensive team that was ousted from the playoffs on its home field by the Rapids. Goalkeeping remains an issue, as does the defense and the attitude of Ruiz, who can go from magnificent to moody to missing in a matter of days.
HOUSTON DYNAMO
2005 record (as San Jose Earthquakes): 18-4-10
Top players: F Ronald Cerritos, F Brian Ching, F Dwayne De Rosario, F Alejandro Moreno, G Pat Onstad.
Key losses: D Danny Califf, M Mark Chung, D Troy Dayak.
Outlook: How much will the new digs in Houston affect a franchise known for overachieving in the Bay Area with a rabid fan base and annoying stadium? Even without Califf, the Dynamo remains one of the most talented teams in the league. Last year’s playoff upset should light a fire.
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
2005 record: 13-13-6
Top players: F Landon Donovan, D Todd Dunivant, F Herculez Gomez, G Kevin Hartman, D Tyrone Marshall, M Peter Vagenas.
Key losses: D Pablo Chinchilla, M Guillermo Ramirez.
Outlook: The defending champions still are reeling from the tragic loss of general manager Doug Hamilton, who died of a heart attack earlier this month. How much will that affect the team? And can the core players put together another stellar postseason run once the likes of Donovan return from World Cup duty?
REAL SALT LAKE
2005 record: 5-22-5
Top players: F Jeff Cunningham, G Scott Garlick, M Chris Klein, F Jason Kreis, M Andy Williams.
Key loss: Clint Mathis, M.
Outlook: Will the acquisitions of Cunningham and Klein and the health of Kreis give Salt Lake enough punch to make a run at a playoff spot? Maybe, but the midfield still is in need of players who can help shore up the defense in front of new goalie Garlick.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
CHICAGO FIRE
2005 record: 15-13-4
Top players: D Ivan Guerrero, F Nate Jaqua, M Justin Mapp, F Chris Rolfe, M Thiago.
Key loss: M Jesse Marsch.
Outlook: Loaded with young talent with a nose for the goal, the Fire advanced within a game of the MLS Cup final last season. A defense that surrendered 50 goals must improve. A new, soccer-specific stadium should provide an extra boost. Chicago also has enough allocation money to make a big splash soon.
COLUMBUS CREW
2005 record: 11-16-5
Top players: G Jon Busch, M Eddie Gaven, D Chad Marshall, M Kyle Martino, M Sebastian Rozental.
Key losses: F Edson Buddle, M Simon Elliott, D Robin Fraser, F Cornell Glen, M Chris Henderson, D Chris Wingert.
Outlook: Tremendous in 2004 and timid in 2005, the Crew has been overhauled by new coach Sigi Schmid without sacrificing most its core players. A deadline deal for Gaven gives the Crew a dynamic midfielder, but the losses of Buddle and Glen leave them thin up top, and Elliott’s departure takes some toughness out of the midfield.
D.C. UNITED
2005 record: 16-10-6
Top players: M Freddy Adu, D Facundo Erpen, M Christian Gomez, M Joshua Gros, F Jaime Moreno, D Brandon Prideaux.
Key loss: M Dema Kovalenko.
Outlook: Little has changed for the 2004 MLS Cup champions – and that may not be a bad thing. United has some question marks in goal, but can put 10 solid players on the field to compensate. This team should go deep in the playoffs and could regain its darling status if Adu breaks out in his third season.
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
2005 record: 11-9-12
Top players: M Davy Arnaud, D Nick Garcia, F Eddie Johnson, M Sasha Victorine, F Josh Wolff.
Key losses: M Diego Gutierrez, M Chris Klein, M Preki.
Outlook: Veteran coach Bob Gansler is hoping a roster shakeup breaks the trend of last season’s disappointing run. The Wizards lose a big midfield cog in Klein, but this team looks scary after adding Johnson to an attack already blessed with Wolff’s skill.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
2005 record: 17-7-8
Top players: M Clint Dempsey, M Shalrie Joseph, F Pat Noonan, D Michael Parkhurst, G Matt Reis, F Taylor Twellman.
Key losses: None.
Outlook: New England broke its mold last season by starting hot, lighting up opponents with a fluid attack and winning the East. With many of its stars expected to miss a good chunk of the season at the World Cup, which Revs team will be standing in the end?
NEW YORK RED BULLS
2005 record: 12-9-11
Top players: F Edson Buddle, M Youri Djorkaeff, M Amado Guevara, M Chris Henderson, D Steve Jolley.
Key losses: M Eddie Gaven, F Ante Razov, F Sergio Galvan Rey, M Michael Bradley, D Tim Regan.
Outlook: Just when pundits were lamenting the Red Bulls’ lack of scoring options, they landed Buddle in exchange for Gaven. Guevara balked on his earlier hints to leave the club, and his new immigration status means he no longer takes up one of the four coveted senior international roster spots. The midfield chemistry between Guevara and former Rapids star Henderson could be the X-factor.
