Football is not only present in most other countries around the world, but is their main sport and often integrated into their culture.

The subject of the strike was based around the player’s contracts. Already earning well below the average salary for a football player, MLS had the option to cancel their contracts at any time – even if the player was simply going through a bad run of form – and there would be no compensation. To cancel the contract of a football player in Europe could run a bill into the millions and is not a viable option. For over thirty years player power has increase dramatically and whilst it’s refreshing to see the MLS humbling these players – it’s not the reality of the situation.

This highlights another problem – it’s the MLS that owns the players, not the teams. This collective bargaining agreement follows the model of the other American sports, a model that no other footballing country employs. Isn’t it slightly ironic that the US can socialise their sports team but not their healthcare?

If the New York Red Bulls were to sell their top player then MLS receives the money and it will be shared amongst all the teams in the league. What incentive does this give to the teams? No incentive, no innovation and MLS will continue to lag behind even the smaller European leagues – hard to believe for a country, that when they put their mind to it, can do fantastic things. This socialist nature restricts progress of any one team and prevents the creation of super-teams – the chances therefore of MLS having a top 20 team is a long way off.

Another hindrance to their ability to export is their youth development. Collegic players only turn professional when they are around the age of 23. Whereas this may be an ideal age to bring players through in the NFL – at that age there are already world-class players in football. Fabregas, Messi, Ronaldo and Rooney have already been playing at the top level for five years by this point.

Footballers are starting earlier and earlier and this is something MLS has to address. American children pick a sport early in their lives, which unfortunately for MLS, tends to be traditional sports such as American Football, Baseball or Ice Hockey – this is where the American’s will have to break tradition.

MLS needs to do its own bit and has been criticised for not targeting the right demography – Miami Fusion was a casualty in 2002 of which some attributed by failing to reach out to Hispanic members of the community, instead just recruiting white, middle-class players.

The fact that I’m writing this in March with the season upon us suggests problems with the MLS calendar. The MLS season runs from March to November, cutting straight through the summer months – a sensible choice to prevent clashing with the NFL and the potential freezing temperatures parts of the US endure during the winter months. On the flip side – the potential exposure to high temperatures in a league not renown for technical ability poses the question are we seeing the best of MLS players?

The calendar also impacts the transfer window. Signing players in January is their best bet to get them ready for the next season, but January is not a time when clubs want to sell players, let alone their best ones. MLS currently recruits more internally than they do from abroad, but this is a fundamental problem that needs to be addressed if they want to get inline with the Europe.

There are some problems that MLS can’t solve overnight. ‘Soccer specific’ stadiums will take years to build but when available will ensure that the teams don’t find themselves playing in front of 30,000 people in a 80,000-seater stadium. The Red Bull arena in New York is a good start however.

With the limited budgets available in MLS it may also be wise to stick to their current conference system of East and West especially as there are more and more teams entering MLS every year. The rise in team numbers may also introduce the promotion/relegation, which in turns introduces a more competitive nature to the sport – after all there are no winners without losers. These are things that will evolve and whilst MLS is still in its infancy must put up with.

The last issue is the salary cap. Each team has an allotted amount to spend on wages per season, with the exception of two players of which they can spend more on – the Designated Player ruling (Beckham ruling). While this allows the league to attract top players and get into Sepp Blatter’s good books it also creates a split in the squad. For example David Beckham would be playing with players that earn around $50,000 a year – the gap is too large and has and will continue to create problems within teams.

It sometimes feels that MLS is fighting an unwinnable war in their bid to make football a mainstream sport in America. Tradition and culture is not on their side, but they must do all they can to ensure that MLS is not another NASL.

MLS is due to expand further from 16 to 18 teams in 2011 and it’s imperative that growth continues in this fashion for years to come. Efforts must be spent on the politics of the current system but more important there must be an alignment with Europe both in culture and timing.

The American’s have been guilty of re-inventing the wheel when it comes to football such as the 35 yard shootout and the countdown a la NBA – but now they have the best interest of the game in their heart when will they use their brain to make MLS reach it’s potential?

If you haven’t been convinced so far then the game against Chelsea should have been the final display needed to sway your mind that Darren Fletcher is now one of the top midfielders in the English Premier League. Without him, United have no cover of the back four; causing big games to slip away so easily – last season’s Champions League final a prime example.

 This is Darren Fletcher’s eighth season for Manchester United. Initially deployed on the right hand side of midfield in his early Manchester United career, it’s taken a while to realise his truth worth to the team – he’s now even started to weigh in with goals; two against Manchester City and an unforgettable one a week ago against Everton.

For nearly two years now there has been a noticeable improvement to the Scotland captain’s game – offering bundles of energy in the centre midfield with an added bite. The improvement has been attributed this to his work in the gym, with the United staff claiming that he’s the only one, except Cristiano Ronaldo, who has managed to get their gym workouts perfectly integrated into their weekly routine and development as a football player.

Fletcher’s game though is a lot more than that. He possesses excellent positioning, awareness and determination. On the ball his control and passing skills have improved; enabling him, when he wins the ball back, to quickly set his team onto the offensive. All this is underlined by the fact that Darren Fletcher is Manchester United’s most consistent player.

The above could equally describe Owen Hargreaves. Hargreaves also offers a greater level of flexibility to a team still trying to find their feet in their new system. He can play at right back, like he has done for England. Right midfield like he did for Manchester United against Chelsea in the Champions League Final however there is no doubt that his best position is in front of the defence, closing off attacks and pressing games in the middle of the field.

Whilst there may be questions raised whether or not he can get back into the England team, his flexibility surely makes him a candidate for the 23-man squad.

At club level, Alex Ferguson has another one of those ‘hard’ decisions to make – what midfield pairing should he use? Fletcher has already proven this season that he can reach the levels Hargreaves once did and besides this question is presumptuous that Hargreaves will fully recover from his injury. To play them both may require removing a striker or an attacking element from the midfield. Partnering either one with Anderson or Scholes may be Ferguson’s preferred choice to balance the side.

Ferguson may not have to choose between them however. Playing them both could see his side set up similar to the formation the Brazilian national team adopts. Two central midfielders in front of the defence allows both the full backs to bomb forward. Evra has hit the ground running again this season for Manchester down the left flank linking up well with whoever has played in front of him. The right flank has lacked the same drive but with two anchoring midfielders it gives Ferguson the option to pick Rafael or Fabio in that position in a less risky strategy.

It also allows the third midfielder to have a license to concentrate on attack. Rooney has been, at times this season, isolated when playing up front alone. It could be said that bar Ryan Giggs, none of the midfielders have really made a good enough attacking impression this season. The 3^rd pick in a three-man centre midfield for Manchester United however can neglect his defensive duties knowing he has the best two defensive centre midfielders in the country next to him.

Brazil, for example, will not ignore the former Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldinho until the last minute. Higuian’s recent surge for Argentina in the qualifiers has put him in the running for next summer and Joe Cole has recently come back from injury and is in contention, after 11 months, for the England national team. It’s all up in the air –even for Spain, the European Champions. 

A squad that allows Cesc Fabregas to sit on the bench is without a doubt a squad of luxury. The Spanish midfield is possibly the strongest we’ve seen at any level in a long time. Their ‘Plan A’ – their passing game – is formidable. 

There will be times, however, next summer where they will have to look to ‘Plan B’. David Silva is a great attacking threat down the left, and can also play off the striker, like he does for Valencia. Santi Cazorla is also available as is Juan Mata who may be useful as a direct approach to combat teams such as Brazil. 

Jesus Navas is another option for La Furia Roja. A quick, tricky and direct winger – there’s no doubt in his quality and had it not been for personal circumstance he’d surely have followed a career path similar to that of Daniel Alves – showing just a few weeks ago his quality when he helped Sevilla inflict Real Madrid’s first loss of the season. 

The personal circumstance in question here is that Navas suffers from chronic homesickness. Somewhat ironic for a gypsy, Navas cannot spend too much time away from the Andalusian region. This has caused him to miss out on Sevilla’s tour of the USA and he has had to return home early from Spanish national team camps.

At only 23 years old, it could simply be that Navas has jut not grown up yet; this begs a further question. Do footballers struggle to adapt to real life circumstances because they’re somewhat institutionalised into the game? Navas has been part of the Sevilla set up since the age of 16 and life outside the walls of the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is may be considered alien to him. 

Recently, however, Navas has vowed to get over his phobia: 

“To play for your country is the greatest thing and I hope to be able to, too. I have to be calm and make my decision. I have to continue taking the right steps.” 

There’s no doubt what it means to Navas, but the question is how is he going to break the psychologically barrier? It might be a question of maturity, or a particular bond to his home life that he will have to break. Whether this condition can be cured in time for next year’s World Cup remains to be seen. Spain may not be crying out for a winger but they could do a lot worse than have Navas in their squad to try and capture their first World Cup.

That’s all I remember from his first season; cameo displays in the last twenty minutes where he would make and be given a plethora of chances – he’d take a few of them as well. It was the ease in which he’d beat a player that was so breathtaking – at just 17 people were already starting to talk.

Five years later and Leo Messi is a regular in the Barcelona team and in contention for the Ballon D’Or again. Highlights have included three La Liga titles, two Champions League wins and a Copa del Rey, which completed the treble last season. These titles have come with some unreal performances along the way – especially one night at the Bernabeu.

I wrote about how Del Piero received one of the highest accolades in football – a standing ovation at the Bernabeu for his displays last season, but for a player from Barcelona to receive it is something else – only Ronaldinho had achieved such feat in recent years. The Bernabeu know their football and can accept when they’re in the presence of greatness.

I think Leo Messi is the most gifted footballer currently playing the game. His touch, low centre of gravity and zero back-lift combined with his excellent footballing brain and his confidence in placing his shots instead of hammering them make him one of the most deadly and prolific players in today’s game.

I’m a Manchester United fan and a massive fan of Cristiano Ronaldo – but there is something that Messi offers that draws me in even more so. I’ve always wondered which is better; a player that is unpredictable and therefore unstoppable, or a player like Messi who is slightly more predictable, but nevertheless, unstoppable.

The ‘Maradona’ tag has been lambasted around too often. Pablo Aimar, Javier Savola and many others have accrued to this name but after much analysis it’s clear to see Messi comes closer than all of them. He’s even replicated Maradona’s two (in)famous goals. Beating the same amount of players and running roughly the same distance for his wonder goal and for the other, using his hand. Let’s be fair though, Messi is a great player in his own right.

If Maradona is the acid test at International level then Ronaldinho holds that mantle for his time at club level. Comparisons of his impact can be made to Ronaldinho having achieved the same at club level.

Nicknamed the “Messiah” he saved Barcelona a few times last season. The Champions League game against Shaktar the most memorable – 1-0 down with 15 minutes to play – enter Messi.

It has quickly become Messi’s team following the departure of Ronaldinho – and his levels of performance for his club team are not in question here – the ultra critical eye will look towards his tenure with the national team.

Last month in his hometown of Rosario, Messi was frustrated as Argentina lost to Brazil. He showed clear signs of disappointment due to the lack of quality from his team mates. It’s fair to say Argentina aren’t the best side in the world at the moment but would Maradona have acted in the same manner? Something which Messi has to learn when playing for his country is that he has to take on more responsibility.

Messi’s tendency to stay out wide could be considered a limitation. Cristiano Ronaldo for example often swaps flanks, goes down the middle and appears in the box. Messi does sometimes drift but he spends the majority of the game out on the right wing. This limitation may occur due to the nature of his Barcelona team, regardless it does restrict his impact on a game from time to time. It’s not a problem when Xavi and Iniesta are pulling the strings but the boy who moved to Spain at 11 to treat his growth hormone deficiency must adapt all over again because great players pull through no matter the circumstance.

Messi recently said he admired Rooney’s passion for the game.

“When he loses, it hurts and those are the sort of players you want to be playing with.

“I can understand the pressure on him, but to be honest, from what I have seen, Rooney is the sort of player who would thrive playing under pressure.”

That’s built in to Wayne Rooney it’s not something you learn, but something you have and the same could be said about Maradona. The question is, when it goes down to the wire can Messi put in that performance or score that goal that makes the difference on the International scene? Only then will he be considered truly one of the best – but time is on his side.

But you’d have to doubt Messi at your peril as he takes in a good goal scoring record to Argentina on Saturday where lowly Peru will undoubtedly struggle with a player that’s in a different league.

There have been well-documented players who have played for their adopted country. The reasons for this are that they are influenced where they grow up and can arguably become a bigger part of them than their native country where their roots lie. Zidane, of Algerian descent, is probably the biggest case of this. Born in Marseille to Algerian immigrants, France has clearly benefited from the cultural connections between North Africa and France.

There are, however, a few countries that have produced more than one or two stars and have become somewhat of a supply chain. Two countries that have contributed hugely are the Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe and South America’s smallest state, Suriname. These countries have provided France and Holland respectively with conveyor belt of talent of which is a strong feature of their modern day make-up.

Guadeloupe is French owned Caribbean Island with a population of just short of half a million. Thierry Henry is amongst the most famous who are of Guadeloupean descent; Lillian Thuram, Louis Saha and William Gallas also have family connections to the area – the latter having as close non-footballing tie to Guadeloupe.

Suriname is predominantly a Dutch speaking country and claimed by settlers in the 17th century. Relying heavily on African slaves to work in the primary nature of their trade, the link to football has now emerged. Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Patrick Kluivert, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Aron Winter, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – the list goes on. Most of Holland’s best players from the last 20 years are of Suriname descent, players who complement the ‘Van Bastens’ and the ‘Koemans’.

Whereas France and Holland have benefited it’s maybe a shame that these players didn’t create a super team in their regions of descent. Currently Surinam does not have a strong national team however Guadaloupe have become a threat in the CONCACAF region, reaching the semi finals of the Gold Cup in 2007 – would they have won it with Henry et al?

There is however, a distinct difference between the two countries – their domestic leagues. The Premiership, since its formation has enjoyed great success – the Eredivisie not so much, sparingly producing serious Champions League contenders, their last – PSV Eindhoven in 2005. With Dutch talents often gravitating towards Europe’s top leagues they are able to gain different and valuable experiences; educating them to play against different opposition.

Capello’s reign as England manager has allowed him to demonstrate his professionalism and tactical astuteness. Selecting a team from a strict pool of players, the transition wasn’t going to be easy from club to international management but he has managed to create a system that allows the players to express themselves whilst also being pragmatic and accommodating young players into the squad.

Capello looks the correct man to lead England to their first World Cup since 1966, but has he been at a disadvantage from the start?

Winning the World Cup requires more than a good team of players. It requires luck, individual talent and favourable conditions. Most of these factors are out the hands of the manager or even the players – but there is something that could have prepared England better? One thing missing from England’s relative successes of the 80′s is the distribution of English players in foreign leagues.

The Brazilian team almost play exclusively in Europe. With this they are able to mix their Samba skills with a European education to become complete footballers and on the international level it shows through their adoption of a faster, more physical game.

Spain benefited last year when they won the European Championships. Players such as the outstanding Torres and Fabregas both ply their trade in England and offer that something different.

Frank Lampard had more than an opportunity to move to Inter when Mourinho took the job last summer and there have been similar calls for Steven Gerrard to make the jump. Whereas both may have reasons to stay, it’s arguable that both players are good enough to play anywhere. The reluctance to test themselves is a shame, especially since they have both been playing in England for a decade.

Players such Chris Waddle and Gary Lineker are players who have benefited the national team from going abroad, with Gascoigne, Walker and Platt following them post Italia ’90.

The success of the Premiership therefore has become a dent against the national team. Whilst English clubs continue their assault on the Champions League, the Three Lions struggle to obtain a stranglehold on the international scene. No one can force the England players to move abroad but expanding their reach into Europe may be the final ingredient for a long awaited World Cup success.

The current Barcelona team exemplifies this. Guardiola allows all 10 outfield players to participate in the game – give the ball and make runs into spaces. Iniesta and Messi are experts at this simple play despite their abilities on the ball, a true testament of a great footballer.

It is a former Barcelona player that brought this play to Barcelona under Frank Rijkaard. Football is currently missing him, especially AC Milan in the permanent absence of Kaka. Ronaldinho was one of the best players at bringing his teammates into the game – purposely to draw away attention from his own game so he could also find space in which to hurt the opposition.

It’s been a torrid two years for Ronaldinho. The 2006 World Player of the Year has come under heavy criticism as he continues to drop off the radar. Some may blame his off the pitch lifestyle but others are simply angry that they have been robbed of one of the most dazzling players ever to play the game. His spell at Milan has been much of the same as the last season at Barcelona. Unfit and in turn slower and less able to pull off that miraculous skill we were treated to week in week out. There’s also the other element of Ronaldinho. He’ll take the ball, control it perfectly and then lay it off to a team member. Watching him lately though he seems once he’s made that first pass it is job done. The fitness really is key here – a drive to get on the end of a pass and to find space – Ronaldinho has lost this.

Milan medical staff has received high praise – if anyone can get him fit then it’s Milan. At the end of last season however, we were still stuck with the same Ronaldinho – one who is not only unwilling to track back, but sometimes incapable of doing so, much to the misfortune of his teammates, even the smile had disappeared.

People have often wondered if his time was up and he was past his best. His attitude showed signs of nonchalance, instead flying back to Barcelona seemed to be the reason he played football in the first place – for the lifestyle.

You can imagine the excitement then that built up inside of me then in a recent pre-season friendly against Boca Juniors when I saw Ronaldinho receive the ball in the middle of the pitch, turn and the proceed to sprint towards the goal – a quick turn of pace, immaculate ball control skills and then a one-two with Pato unfortunately ending up with the move breaking down.

Regardless of the end result, it’s about the ‘Give and Go’ – it’s about Ronaldinho finishing the same move he starts. Now that Kaka has moved on the role down the middle of the pitch for him is all but set up for him – this is Ronaldinho’s last chance to shine. I may be jumping the gun here and Ronaldinho may just fade into the background, but I am, at times, a purist. In the Boca game I saw not only the drive to ‘Give and Go’ but the disappointment rather than frustration that he didn’t do better. More importantly though I also saw a smile. The same one as I saw in Cataluña? Let’s hope so.

When: 28th July 2009, 7pm kick off.
Where: Home Depot Centre, Carson, Los Angeles, California, USA.

My original view of MLS was that it was hot on the heels of Europe – growing at an exponential rate, possibly resulting in a highly competitive league within the next decade. I believed this to be true through certain media hype, but also because it’s the United States of America and when they do something they normally do it well. However, after 15 years of growth I was quite surprised in the lack of quality football on show – maybe I caught MLS on a bad day?

The match came after in a week in which the USA were beaten by Brazil in the Confederations cup after knocking out arguably the best team in the world, Spain. So there are good American players – unfortunately I was limited to only a few on show on that particular Sunday.

The LA Galaxy centre-back Omar Gonzalez looked to have a commanding presence against a normally potent Dynamo attack, but in all honesty Houston were not firing on all cylinders – I’m sure Ade Akinbayi was thinking the same as he watched from the bench.

The left-winger for Houston, Corey Ashe, looked a tricky customer but had no end product – common I thought with a lot of Premiership players who are forced to go and play in a lower league to further their careers. MLS does not claim to be on par with the Premiership and I’d agree with comments I have heard that it is somewhere between the bottom of the English Championship and the top of League One.

Evidence of this was that neither team possessed a player capable of holding onto the ball and controlling the game. The lack of organisation got me thinking where the emphasis on tactics lies in the MLS. With the American variation of football focusing heavily on the Quarterback it surprised me they placed no emphasis on the ‘Pirlo role’, instead choosing to knock the ball long.

Closer comparisons to American sports could be made with fans however. The chanting did occasionally create a good atmosphere but was too friendly for what I’m used to in a football match – there was little pressure on the players and intermittent support. Compare that to the relentless pressure cooker of grounds in Europe then we’re talking about two different sports. The emphasis seemed to be based more around the event of the football match rather than the 90 minutes itself.

The sideshow that day involved – yes, you guessed it – David Beckham. Rumours were that when David Beckham returned he’d get a cold reception. Landon Donovan recently questioned the England star’s motivation, but one can see how it may be hard for England’s all time outfield record caps to get himself ‘up’ for an MLS game. The fact is that David Beckham has seen it all before; at Upton Park after the 1998 World Cup and on grounds around the country for years following – in comparison the Home Depot Centre is a walk in the park for him.

The focus of the MLS and unfortunately of my report (not much mention of the game itself) may be indicative of the problem Ben Cohen recently raised in that the MLS are too dependant on particular players. The wage structure is a clearly sign of the importance the Americans place on their team and is noticable when their two main players are missing in the case of LA Galaxy. Football is a team game and the importance of one or two individuals should not dictate the view of the team and sport.

Result: LA Galaxy 1 – 0 Houston Dynamo
Dunivant 24′

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“Manchester City’s culture is about cash”.

I was finding it hard to express how money could be the primary factor in a club’s culture, but Ferguson just has that way with words doesn’t he?

I’m a Manchester United fan and I do agree with Alex Ferguson but please don’t stop reading – bear with me. Not only do I agree with his statement but I also feel that this is the same for most top-flight English teams – money is becoming their culture. It’s a subject I feel strongly about – the fight English clubs have to secure talent from South America and Europe has now been made much easier thanks to their financial supremacy.

The English Premier League now boasts an abundance of talent, attracting the world’s top players. For every Rooney there’s a Torres – for every Carragher there’s a Vidic and it is this compliment (or intrusion) of foreign talent that has enabled English clubs to rise back to the top – something our European counterparts can’t seem to accept. My question is why do they continue to object to the nature in which England have come to dominate European football?

After all, Spain and Italy have always had unrivalled access to the top talents in South America; Kaka and Messi are prime examples of this. The matter of fact is that English clubs never had a chance in signing these players as they were always going to be heading to the Mediterranean to ply their trade. With this in mind, and the national team’s demise, England had to find a way to compete.

A fine example of this is Ronaldinho. Close to signing for United, Barcelona came in at the last minute and sealed the Brazilian. Manchester United were in no worse position than Barcelona at the time, in fact probably a better team, but it was the culture of Barcelona and the previous connections with other Brazilians and South Americans that gave Barcelona the edge. Back home in Brazil, Barcelona are one of the teams that the players dream to play for; always have been, always will be. In addition the Barcelona culture (i.e. the nightlife) was right up Ronaldinho’s street. In comparison – a night out in Manchester? Maybe not so appealing.

England has not caught up culturally. London is a European hotspot and even it still struggles to attract top players – with many of the teams situated away from the capital the pull for these foreign players is even weaker.

Example one – Daniel Alves. Chelsea gave him the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, offering big money to Sevilla and big wages. Despite this Alves held out for a move to Barcelona, where despite a slow start he has fitted in very well – something he may have failed to do at Chelsea despite their cosmopolitan nature.

Money didn’t talk in January when Kaka refused to join Manchester City despite the embarrassing fee – again the heart spoke louder.

Is it then a matter of English clubs having to find another way to compete?

As I wrote about recently England have the monopoly on Europe’s top young talents. Signing the players at that crucial stage eradicates the culture of the county as they are ecstatic that they’re on the money they’re on. This is in turn means that players are coming over and staying and in ten years it’s going to be more normal for these foreigners to come over. By the time European clubs have corrected this law, English teams may already have their foot in the door.