The worst thing about CONCACAF is that almost all the decent refs are excluded from officiating any game between a US team and a Mexican team. I'd honestly rather have a Mexican ref than most of the clowns CONCACAF assigns to these games.
Whelp it was a fun run. Union should focus their energy on the playoff push and not worry about leg 2.
We can't use the "we are in preseason" excuse now. We lose in CCL and Leagues Cup. Won't be surprised if we lose the All Star game and Campeones Cup too. Liga MX is just a better league than MLS and I am okay with that. MLS is becoming a league that is developing young talent and sending them off to Europe. I'm liking that more than trying to be one of the best leagues. It helps the USMNT in the short and long term goal more.
They also have a league game 4 days after leg 2. After tonight’s loss that game against Orlando is more important in my book.
2021 CONCACAF Champions League Home team first, times are ET Semifinals First leg results: First Leg Wednesday, August 11 Monterrey (MEX) 1-0 Cruz Azul (MEX) Thursday, August 12 Club America (MEX) 2-0 Philadelphia Union (USA) 2nd Leg Wednesday, September 15 Philadelphia Union (USA) v. Club America (MEX) 9:00 pm Thursday, September 16 Cruz Azul (MEX) v. Monterrey (MEX) 10:00 pm The final is October 28 at the higher ranked team.
It’d be nice if more young Americans were desperate to win a CCL and MLS Cup before going to Europe. Hard to build up to that level of prestige when we’re still at a point where, for instance, leaving a good MLS team for a club like Red Bull Salzburg is highly attractive.
That’s the point. Merely playing in the UCL even with a club that’s not a contender barring maybe a miracle run has more pull than playing for a top MLS team.
Yes. It does. For players all over the world. It puts eyes on you. The training is at a higher level, play is at a higher level. I'm not sure I would want a player who didn't have those ambitions.
Right. But at the same time there should be plans and attempts to make MLS and the CCL more prestigious in their own right. I want players to value the league and their place in it. I want the decision to go to a modest club in Europe not to be as automatic even if that’s ultimately where the wind blows.
Next year is probably the best chance for MLS clubs that they've had in a long while. No America, no Monterrey, no Tigres. Pumas are pretty weak right now.
It is probably a per club thing as well. LAFC have made it clear that they want to be a selling club. That is made obvious in their scouting, acquisition, and youth development programs. They also want to put a high quality product on the field. The reality is that for most players MLS is not going to be more prestigious it will be a means to an end.
I'm not sure why one would follow any club or league if they don't think it can become more prestigious then it currently is. That's kind of the point of sports.