Soccer Back on the Horizon

This article first appeared in RedMatchday Magazine, Aberdeen Football Club's award-winning publication, on January 24, 2009.

The countdown to the Major League Soccer kick-off on March 19 began in earnest last week with the 2009 SuperDraft held in St. Louis, Missouri.

Previous first picks have included Brian McBride (Columbus Crew’s choice in the league’s first draft in 1996), the then 14-year-old striker Freddy Adu (2004 – D.C. United), and Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu (2007 – Toronto); three players who crossed over to Europe to further their careers.

This year’s first choice takes the opposing route as Londoner Steve Zakuani joins Seattle Sounders.

As the league’s newest franchise, Seattle were granted first pick to help with their squad expansion. They have already pulled off a major coup by landing last season’s championship-winning head coach Sigi Schmid from Columbus, as well as signing former Premiership duo Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg.

Such additions give kudos to the commitment shown by an ownership group including Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and comedian Drew Carey. The Emerald City has responded enthusiastically with 19,000 season tickets already sold – the highest number of any MLS team.

Zakuani’s journey is one that he thinks will become increasingly popular with youngsters being overlooked by England’s top clubs. Speaking to Fox Soccer Channel after his selection, he said: “I think you will see it (English players enrolling in American soccer scholarships) more and more as MLS gets more exposure and a lot of college kids make it into the league. In England, you can’t play soccer and study at the same time. This is a unique system that still gives you a chance to go professional afterwards.”

The Congo-born striker moved to the UK at an early age whereupon his prodigious talent was spotted by Arsenal scouts. After representing the Gunners at various youth team levels but failing to earn a professional contract, Zakuani accepted a soccer scholarship at University of Akron, Ohio. He terrorised defences during his two years of college play with his threatening combination of height, explosive pace, willingness to run at defences, and coolness in front of goal.

He scored 43 goals in 44 matches in total – a feat which caught the attention of scouts from nearby Columbus, a two-hour drive from Akron, and one that the departed head coach Schmid remembered on draft day. Schmid likens his new protégé’s talents to those of former Rangers player Brian Laudrup.

Zakuani, whose elder sibling Gabriel is currently on loan from Fulham to Peterborough United, is confident that he can make an early impact in MLS. Speaking at the Draft, he said: “I’m ready. I’m going to work hard, catch up to the level of play, and hopefully contribute right away. I think (Seattle) is probably the best team to go to because everyone is new. We’re all going to come in and fight for starting spots.”

Although teams receive four draft picks, one in each of four rounds of selections, those picks are frequently traded away as makeweights in other transfer deals. Mo Johnston, Director of Soccer for Toronto, was the busiest man in the floor during the first round as the Canadians held second, fourth, and thirteenth choices.

Johnston sealed a prime acquisition last month by tempting Dwayne De Rosario back to his hometown after a trophy-laden career with San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo.

Houston adopted the most sagacious strategy in selecting Marcus Tracy with their lowly 56th pick. The Wake Forest University striker pipped Zakuani to the 2008 college Player of the Year award, but he decided to sign a contract with Danish champions Aalborg rather than join the draft.

By selecting Tracy nonetheless, Houston retain his rights for two years and could land the player if an unsuccessful European stint hastens his return home.

Ladies Get In On The Act

The first draft for the newly-formed Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS) also took place in St. Louis last week.

Anyone who witnessed the US defeating Brazil in last summer’s Olympic Final will be aware that the quality of women’s football has improved dramatically in recent years. The gold-winning Americans will be joined by a wealth of international talent as star players from the national teams of Australia, Brazil, China, England, France, Germany, Japan, and Sweden have been quick to sign up, much to the chagrin of Europe’s top leagues.

Having seen the Women’s United Soccer Association accumulate $100m losses in its brief three-year existence prior to folding in 2003, WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci advocates a slow and steady growth this time around. Common ownerships with MLS franchises and the use of shared stadia are highly desired to take advantage of economic synergies.

Seven teams will compete in the inaugural competition beginning on March 29 with three further sides joining in 2010. Fox Soccer Channel is on board to carry a weekly live game and the channel has already started its advertising campaign with US internationals Heather Mitts and Hope Solo promoting “The Beautiful Game”.

The league’s biggest attraction will undoubtedly be Marta, the outrageously talented Brazilian forward who has monopolised the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award since 2006. Marta leaves behind the Swedish league to join Los Angeles Sol; one franchise already sharing ownership and a stadium with an MLS team (L.A. Galaxy).

Antonucci hopes for initial attendances in the range of 4,000 to 6,000, but regardless of the improved quality on offer it is difficult to envisage figures rising above that level.

The continued gentrification of the sport makes stadia increasingly family-friendly and elevated numbers of women and families in attendance at men’s games can only serve to reduce the consumer base for WPS.

Given the choice between watching the men’s or women’s game, it is hard to imagine too many fans shelling out for the latter.

MLS Cup Final

This article first appeared in RedMatchday Magazine, Aberdeen Football Club's award-winning publication, on November 29, 2008.

Columbus Crew ensured that their first MLS Championship Final appearance last Sunday was a celebratory occasion as they prevailed 3-1 over New York Red Bulls at Home Depot Centre in Los Angeles. In doing so, Head Coach of the Year Sigi Schmid’s side became the first Supporters’ Shield winners, awarded to the team with the best regular season record, to clinch the title since Los Angeles Galaxy in 2002.

In keeping with the regular season, Guillermo Barros Schelotto was the key to the Crew’s success. The veteran Argentine tormented the Red Bulls throughout and played a telling role in all three goals. It was fitting that the League MVP also received the MLS Final MVP award to add to his imposing collection of trophies. His contribution has been immense in turning around a franchise which missed the play-offs in each of the previous three seasons.

That Columbus were in town to contest the final was never seriously in dispute. Kansas City Wizards were dispatched in the Eastern Conference semi-final with relative ease before a stiff Chicago challenge was overcome by a rousing second half display. By contrast, New York were supposed to have been eliminated long ago. Despite suffering a 5-2 thrashing at Chicago in the last week of regular season fixtures, they were able to hang onto the eighth and final play-off spot thanks to results elsewhere. With one more point than Colorado Rapids, the Western Conference’s fourth-placed team, Red Bulls slid across to the West and survived trips to Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake en route to an unlikely title shot.

With supporters of both finalists facing a cross-continental trip, expectations for the season’s showpiece event were somewhat pessimistic. In fact, an electronic messageboard on the I-405 freeway close to Home Depot Centre still advertised tickets the day before the game. Nor was there any sign of travelling soccer fans in the nearby beach towns of Orange County and South L.A. over the weekend, except for one lone Red Bulls fan pedalling along the Hermosa Beach boardwalk. But fears of a funereal atmosphere were quickly dispelled as soccer-lovers from around the country turned up to provide a kaleidoscope of colour and a carnival atmosphere.

On first impression one would have thought Houston Dynamo were involved given the amount their orange-clad followers in attendance. Jerseys from all of the other twelve MLS clubs were on display with the exception of New England Revolution – no surprise given that only 5,200 of their fans could be bothered attending their home play-off game against Chicago. The real soccer fans of Southern California turned out in their original green-and-gold Galaxy tops; a remnant of a more successful era before club executives revamped their shirt for marketing purposes. There were even a handful of Seattle Sounders shirts on display. Freddie Ljungberg’s new team will become the league’s fifteenth franchise when they debut next season.

As kick-off approached, the supporters groups of Columbus and New York marched to their designated areas at opposite corners behind the north goal. Pockets of Crew fans could be found scattered around the stands as around 1,000 followers made the trek from Ohio. Though outnumbered, the few hundred Red Bulls fans were certainly not out-sung.

New York’s path through the play-offs was characterised by resolute defending, effective counter-attacking, and colossal amounts of good fortune, but the first half against Columbus proved to be different. Juan Carlos Osorio’s side may have finished 18 points behind their opponents in the regular season, but they enjoyed the bulk of play with wide-midfielders Dane Richards and Dave Van den Bergh providing a regular supply into the penalty box for Juan Pablo Angel and John Wolyniec.

Schelotto’s first major contribution came on 31 minutes when Columbus took the lead against the run of play. The former Boca Juniors man robbed a hesitant Van den Bergh near the touchline before setting Alejandro Moreno free down the right with an instant pass. The Venezuelan international raced clear before firing his shot beyond New York goalkeeper Danny Cepero into the far corner.

Richards hauled New York back into the match on 51 minutes. The Jamaican winger’s direct running created space on the right for Wolyniec and the veteran striker gratefully received possession before netting a deserved equaliser. Sadly for the Red Bulls, the game’s pivotal moment was to turn the match against them while they still celebrated. A minute later, Schelotto floated a needlessly conceded corner onto the head of Chad Marshall and the towering defender found the net for the seventh time this season.

Columbus were now in complete control. Schelotto rifled one long range effort off Cepero’s crossbar before creating the clinching goal on 82 minutes. His delightfully weighted chip allowed overlapping full-back Frankie Hejduk to complete the scoring. Hejduk, the team captain, returned to the spotlight soon afterwards to take possession of the newly created Philip Anschutz Trophy from MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

Schelotto may have won six league titles during a trophy-laden spell at La Bombonera, but he was still exuberant to receive his championship medal. He said: “Today is just as important as the first.” Fans of Columbus Crew will hope that this is not the last.

Pictures from Home Depot Center are available here.