Finally, it seems that someone in Europe gets the common sense of the MLS calendar. http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=1320048&wjb
Can you imagine all the poor Europeans cutting their "holidays" short to get back for the weekend match though? Obviously this seems like a preferable solution to poor playing conditions during the winter months, however when do you have the major international tournaments. Do the teams take a break during the WC or Euros like MLS does during the WC? Or do they just play through the tourneys and send their stars off like clubs do now for the AfCoN? Major logistical questions to be answered before this change comes close to happening.
With MLS having a shorter regular season and playoffs/finals for teams that qualify as compared to other FIFA-calendar leagues having a longer regular season with no playoffs, the length of calendar year beginning to end is about the same for both as I understand it. I'd say given the winter break in the FIFA calendar, it would be no different from the MNT break in the MLS calendar other than the players representing their country having to continue playing from season start to season finish. This would work even better for players in the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc. as when they enter vacation when the season has finished, they don't have to take a break in their winter/early spring vacation as they currently do for international tournaments and friendlies during their summer break.
I completely agree with this. I believe the entire FIFA/European calendar is really the problem, NOT the American calendar. If I may rant for a minute... What makes international club football so passionately unique among team sports is the notion of promotion and relegation. (I know, I know, am not starting that discussion because it is not possible at this point in the USA, but just stay with me.) It is the notion that because of your undying support as a fan, your hometown professional team can become champion of your minor and major leagues, then your confederate region, and then god willing the WORLD! Now, while we don’t have traditional pro/reg in the States, we do have the US Open Cup which gives all professional teams in the USA the possibility of berth to the following year's CONCACAF Champions League and therefore the potentiality of competing in the World Club Cup. The idea that my Carolina Railhawks, or even my PDL team the Carolina Dynamo, however unlikely can be World Champions in the Club World Cup, beating out the likes of Corinthians, Barcelona, or Manchester United is intoxicating. That is the stuff dreams are made of. That possibility, for all pro clubs around the world - big or small - is reason football has such passionate fans. It is why every single touch of the ball is so important! It is also why football stands alone as the world’s game. What I want to know is, why is FIFA’s stance to place, in theory, the most important professional football tournament - the World Club Cup - in the middle of the following season so it becomes some meaningless piece of silverware? It is quite frankly an embarrassment. It should be the crown jewel of the international season! Everything throughout the season should build to the raising of that World Championship trophy. That is what everyone is really fighting for, the opportunity to be the best in the world! I believe, the World Club Cup and the 6 Confederation Champions Leagues should for all intensive purposes, be "merged" if you will, into a single World Championship tournament. With the same season long Champions League format in each of the confederations to act as a "group stage" and to decide the regional champions then culminating immediately (not 7 months later) into a knockout World Championship tournament. But it depends on all the confederations being on the same schedule. So I am arguing, the international calendar should begin in late Feb or early March, build up over the summer and fall into a crescendo with the various Pro Leagues (MLS, Premier, Serie A, Liga, etc) finishing in late October. The 6 Confederation Champions League finals taking place in early November, and the Club World Cup/World Champion crowned in late November/early December. Then there would be a two/three month period from mid-December to February for international tournaments, friendlies, and rest. One year, one season, one world champion. Thoughts?
To FIFA, Europe IS the entire world, and they couldn't care less about validating teams in the Americas
That's absurd, nobody cares about that Mickey Mouse Cup because everyone knows that no player from the other 5 confederation champions could even get into the 18 of the reigning UCL champion.
I take it seriously and think it's a major honor for a club to win. Also think the tourney should be expanded at some point.