News: MLS Coaching and Front Office - News & Discussion Thread 2025-26

Exec survey part two:

World Cup impact: one exec thinks there will be a trickle down effect over several years. Another thinks it will benefit player recruitment as players will see MLS facilities and eat in local restaurants and "this might work for me". Another is worried about the political situation.

MLS needs to capitalize on the World Cup: there's a feeling they should have changed calendar at least a year earlier and they've "missed the boat". They hope they can benefit from the publicity. Journalists will be hungry for stories.

Will MLS take an aggressive approach to signing World Cup players? Mixed response.

Pochettino's impact on MLS: he's promoted the league and he's backed it up by calling up MLS players like Freeman, Arsten, Luna and Berhalter.





Given the Messi effect which big names might sign for MLS: a few will sign over the next few seasons, most will be over 30 but there may be a good young African. Harry Kane is a possibility in a couple of years. 13/21 would sign Ronaldo at the right price. Salah De Bruyne, Lewandowski, Casemiro and Jimenez were named.

Flipping the calendar: all the usual stuff was raised. It'll be easier to buy and sell players. Some winter games will be pretty unwatchable but it will be worth. Training between games in northern climes will be tough.

Is the league going in the right direction? Yep. Most execs want big changes in the CBA.

“We're at a point where most people around the table are nodding their heads in agreement that it's time for substantive change,” one exec said. “For years it was only Garth (Lagerwey) screaming in the GM meetings, and now everybody's kind of screaming the same thing. So I think we're getting there.”

Another pressed the need for the league to increase the pace of change:

“There's so much opportunity to improve this league faster than we do,” one CSO said. “I also do understand and get that the annual finances of every team are a real challenge right now. The revenues just simply aren't there. The reality is that improving and going in the right direction as a league will probably end up needing to cost more money. I do get it's a challenge. But I just think we could move significantly faster. … It feels like at least we're having the right conversations that we probably haven't had in a number of years.”

 

What should a new salary cap structure look like in the new MLS? They try and summarize with a couple of comments. The crux:
- maintain a competitive balance, ite a unique feature of the league;
- simplify the rules with maybe a cap and a floor;
- all but one aren't interested in a luxury tax;
- keep the DP rule but allow more investment across the roster;
- more flexibility.

Should MLS have full cap transparency? NFL cap details fascinate fans and generate engagement. 2/3 of execs favor more transparency. One is worried about publicizing your strategy when your trying to compete with other teams (and leagues).

Does MLS benefit from super teams? generally yes. It doesn't do MLB any harm. However you have to avoid stratification where you end up with 22 teams playing for nothing.

Garber's successor: a visionary that can deliver. Someone that understands the American market but understands that soccer is a global game. Brave and media savvy. Some one with "a better balance between football, politics and innovation.”

 

Apple deal ending: the Apple deal was too long. Some feel it wasn't working. Kickoff times need to be worked on. The 7:30 standard is a major pain (yay!).

“My issue is adjusting the game times. Our games should be at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., so that when the European games finish and people go home they can watch MLS."

Removing the paywall is great but Fox bumps matches for college sports. In terms of talent, Dax McCarty was singled out for praise (interesting) also Gio Saverese for the Spanish output.

We need more coaches over "know it all" ex-players. "Peter Vermes should be given a blank check".

 

Is that last line a dig at Bobby Warshaw?

 

I wish Peter Moore had gotten a shot at commissioner but he's probably too old now.

 

He’s talking about time zones, so I think yeah, Columbus counts.

 

matches up north in cold weather at 2pm will be much, much better than those same matches at 7:30.

Has the league said that they’ll change match times to earlier in the day? To me it’s just common freaking sense, for most of the year and most of the clubs, but if there has been an announcement, I haven’t seen it.

 

They're doing that this year.

 

They should just let individual teams decide, unless it's a nationally broadcast or "game of the week" type match. Kickoffs between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday were perfect for Yankee Stadium as it wasn't too late for kids, adults could watch the match then go out for dinner, and there were still express commuter trains to the burbs. 7:30 was just a little inconvenient for everyone.

 

I don't know about other clubs, but when the Sounders polled people that attend games what day and time they prefer the overwhelming favorite was Saturdays around 7pm.

 

Seriously. He's one of the rare football exec's who is also a genuine supporter. And he is damm good at the business side as well. He might have been as important to getting Liverpool back in the top tier of World Football as Jurgen Klopp was.

But I suspect you're right that he's enjoying his semi retirement in Santa Barbara a little to much.

 

The MLS released the team-by-team list of available GAM following the roster compliance date. With some notable exceptions (such as Philadelphia and the LA Galaxy), the Western Conference teams are mostly GAM hoarders and the Eastern Conference teams are mostly GAM spenders.

 

The point I was trying to make, but worded poorly, is that Philadelphia is out of step with most of the East by being GAM rich, while the Galaxy are out of step with most of the West by being GAM-broke. Atlanta stands out as being both GAM-poor and not performing well.

 

The next YA prospect to fail in Europe?

 

Probably the heat death of the universe. Or the next Kevin Cabal. Whichever comes first and is the bigger disaster.

 

I counted 9 teams with over $4M.

Thats a lot of money.

If they’re waiting for the Euro season to end, and they probably are, we are going to see a noticeable influx of talent after the World Cup.

 

Teams are also trying to figure out how to build younger and less injury-prone teams to endure 1.5 seasons next year. Maybe a GAM spree and a fire sale on older, frequently injured players later in or after this season? *shrug*

 

The won't be 1.5 seasons next year. There will be two half seasons with a short break between followed by a 2+ month break.

 

Orlando City SC and Head Coach Oscar Pareja mutually agree to part ways | Orlando City

Wow, wonder what were the odds on him being the first coach sacked heading into the season?