With Seattle winning the Open Cup and if rules go like last season they have a spot in the CL next year, Galaxy could clinch a spot if they win the SS or reach the MLS cup final. However winning the Open cup or being runner up in the MLS cup final means you have to play a qualifier. Does the thought get you excited?
That would be awesome...I've been watching the games and I'm getting tired of cheering for Houston, Columbus, and DC. I actually believe we have a better roster than those teams to be able to compete in this tournament.
i like the idea that the Gals would be eligible, what that means the Gals accomplished during the season. what i don't like, however, is actually participating. this adds a number of games and a good deal of tiring travel. if the size of the roster is not increased, i'd rather we didn't participate. it means more injuries, more fatigue and losing MLS games, it's not a good thing. the idea that our team would have the chance to prove itself against the best in our confederation is certainly an interesting and attractive concept. that said, however, MLS teams are going to continue to be hamstrung as against the best teams, including most Mexican league teams, by our roster and salary cap limitations. if we're never on a level playing field, is it a good idea to compete? additionally, CONCACAF Champions League isn't like UEFA Champions League. participation in UCL means substantial amounts of money for the club. participation in CCL means substantial amounts of money for Jack Warner and basically nothing for the clubs, unless the club wins CCL and then goes on to some purse in the FIFA Club World Cup. further, the stadium facilities/playing conditions and standard of refereeing MLS teams have to contend with is often deplorable, unlike UCL. so i look at this and i see that there's likely no monetary reward. there's some chance at a prestige reward, but MLS teams are systematically disadvantaged. moreover, participation in CCL for MLS teams has sometimes really hampered their league results. it makes me question whether any MLS teams rationally should decide to participate. i'd love the idea of the Galaxy winning it all and advancing to the FIFA CWC, but the chances are not high, the reward for falling even one game short is non-existent, and the risks of participation are high.
One thing to consider is that the CBA is up after this year, so we have no idea what the salary cap and roster size will be for next season. If the league opens the purse strings a little bit, it might make it easier for MLS teams to compete in the CCL while in the middle of the league season. Another million dollars of cap space and another 4-6 roster spots would make it a lot easier to handle both tournaments simultaneously without going all "D.C. United" on everyone....
Superliga sucks! The Mexican teams always come from their vacation and they see it like a warm up for their league. The funny thing is that they come off shape and don’t take it seriously, but they always win it =/
ha! true, i admit, it's a buzzkill. i've just been watching what has been happening in other teams. last year was worse when essentially the same teams were doing both superliga and CCL. with a roster as, well, elderly as ours and therefore at risk of injury, we walk a delicate line between being a quality side, and being a side where bryan jordan has to start on a regular basis. absolutely. if MLS and the I/O's agree to substantially up the cap and increase roster size, that would go a long way. $1MM increase in the cap would be fantastic. i mean, i'd rather see the spending ceiling be higher, but i don't think it's realistic based on how much money the league makes (as far as we know). what i'd like to see is an increase in the per team subsidy from the current approx $2.4MM to something closer to $3MM and then allow teams to supplement and spend up to $4MM, with 2 DP's not counting against the cap. and we need some kind of real reserve league to get the younger players substantial minutes. this year without a reserve league has been bad, IMO. look, i want the Galaxy competing in the CCL, i just want us to have a chance to do well and not fall flat on our faces. i think of all the friendlies over the past couple years, especially those against USL and not very good asian teams that beat us, and i don't want a repeat.
If you guys think Garber will be on the side of the rest of us who support increase in the salary cap and increasing the number of DP slots just read the following: http://beta.sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slug=ap-mls-globaloutlook&prov=ap&type=lgns so in other words don't get your hopes up cos this guy thinks he should get a Nobel Price in economics for how well he (mis)handled the Mls
The last three years have taught me this: Don't get too excited about things until they become a reality. Yes, even with all the fixture congestion, I would love to see LAG in CCL play. But, I will not get my hopes up or focus too much on CCL until they are officially in. I don't like the taste of disappointment.
It'll be interesting if the players union pushes for more player slots. I would guess the teams would have to be pushing to expand the roster, not the players. The stance of the uinion is to have a higher cap with higher minimums salaries, so adding more roster slots dilutes the average player salary...something the players might not want.
I'd like to see a special roster allocation for the teams in the CCL. The current CBA keeps the roster size low. If teams participating in the CCL were allocated an additional 2 or 3 roster spots it would help a lot.
So it looks like the Crew will win the SS, meaning making the CL the Galaxy have to make the MLS cup final or finish 2nd in overall standings and hope Crew/Seattle make the final.
Well, there you go. We HAVE to win MLS Cup. Because if we don't, we'll be punished and put in the SuperLiga again....