Landon Donovan: Why MLS Needs Him to Stick Around for Another Season

Landon Donovan's indefinite hiatus from soccer has been well documented. For the sake of MLS and its potential growth, it had better not overlap the 2013 regular season. With four titles and an opportunity to be the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League, the Los Angeles Galaxy are on the verge of becoming a “super club”—a distinguished entity in the world of soccer.But without the most decorated player in recent memory, the Galaxy lack the talent and notoriety to become the team MLS so desperately needs. MLB has the New York Yankees. The NBA has the Los Angeles Lakers. The NFL has the Dallas Cowboys. MLS needs the LA Galaxy. Fans maintain dynasties are to the detriment of sports. The television ratings state otherwise.  The 2012 NCAA Championship—which pitted basketball powerhouses Kentucky and Kansas against one another—earned a five-percent increase from the 2011 championship that saw Duke defeat an underdog Butler team. The last time the Yankees were in the World Series, the fall classic averaged 19.4 million viewers.  Compare that to the 12.7 million that watched the San Francisco Giants sweep the Detroit Tigers this year. An average of 18.1 million viewers watched the Lakers win ...

10 Stars Who Can Lead MLS into the Future Without David Beckham

With David Beckham’s exit from Major League Soccer, the rumor mill has once again begun to whirl with speculation as to which international star the league will bring in next. And while Kaka is the leading rumor, MLS may be unlikely to take another flyer at an aging international after the mixed results it has received from Thierry Henry and the outrageous disaster that was the Rafa Marquez era in New York. So, here are 10 potential MLS stars who could be ready to step into the spotlight for the league.Begin Slideshow

Kaka and the 5 Biggest Names Linked with 2013 Moves to MLS

With David Beckham now just a guy who used to play in America, the world football community is left speculating which international superstar will be the next to make the leap to the United States and MLS. Make no mistake, the Beckham experiment was a success for the league, the Los Angeles Galaxy and the player himself. Thierry Henry and a host of other international names would not be in America today if there weren't a viable, healthy league to play in.  Who is the next guy? Is it Kaka? American soccer fans sure hope so.While he has recently affirmed his dedication to stay at Real Madrid, the 30-year-old may not have the choice if he actually wants to get on the field. The best thing for Kaka would be to move to a club where he can get more time. Certainly Los Angeles will be a great fit for him, whenever he decides to come. There are some other names as well, as outlined in this video, with the most obvious being England superstar Frank Lampard, who is out of contract at the end of the year with Chelsea. Could some of his former teammates be making the trip with ...

Why MLS Needs Landon Donovan More Than Ever Now That David Beckham Is Gone

With David Beckham’s time in Major League Soccer now done and dusted, the perennial offseason chatter about who will be the next big MLS designated player is in full swing. But Landon Donovan, the most accomplished player in MLS, may not be leaving the league to join another club overseas like Beckham.He may just decide to leave the game altogether. Even though he is still only 30 years old and in a good run of form, MLS and USMNT legend Landon Donovan has talked repeatedly about retiring this offseason. The fact of the matter is, no matter what high-profile designated players MLS may or may not bring in this offseason, Donovan is still arguably the most important player in the league.The current list of MLS DP’s is as follows: Julian de Guzman, Landon Donovan, Thierry Henry, Alvaro Fernandez, Rafael Marquez, Fredy Montero, David Ferreira, Alvaro Saborio, Eric Hassli, Fabian Castillo, Diega Chara, Torsten Frings, Danny Koevermans, Robbie Keane, Mauro Rosales, Hamdi Salihi, Kris Boyd, Freddy Adu, Shalrie Joseph, Javier Morales, Osvaldo Minda, Marco Di Vaio, Jerry Bengsten, Oscar Boniek Garcia, Barry Robson, Kenny Miller, Tim Cahill, Federico Higuain and Christian Tiffert. Other than Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and possily Thierry ...

5 Reasons MLS Can Continue to Grow in Popularity This Christmas

This Christmas, MLS Commissioner Don Garber finds a more popular league under his tree, so let’s take a look at the five players who helped wrap and deliver that present. First, we need to define terms. Popularity is one of those more fuzzy words that can mean pretty much whatever anyone chooses it to mean (which itself is a Christmas gift for writers of seasonal twaddle). Typically, popularity sort of means something having to do with a state of being well-liked. For a soccer league in the land of the NFL, NCAA BCS, NBA, MM (March Madness, but rolling with the acronym theme), MLB, NHL and even PGA, couldn’t popularity also just mean a state of recognized existence? For purposes of this Christmas-season slideshow, it can and does. But then even recognized existence is too vague. Soccer, which is occasionally referred to as football, is as global as Rudolph's flight path. Recognized existence in the U.S. and overseas are different things. This brings up the 800-pound gorilla in an elf-sized room. Being known internationally and being respected internationally are also altogether different things. So another category of popular player is who brings MLS the most international respect. We’re only doing ...

David Beckham: Why MLS Will Attract More International Stars Now That He’s Left

David Beckham was the first big-name, international star MLS was able to attract. But he won’t be the last. For some, Beckham represents the pinnacle—the brightest star MLS will ever be able to land.  They are wrong. MLS still possesses the infrastructure, talent and credibility to attract more international stars in the not-so-distant future. True, Beckham played a role in MLS’ recent growth—namely the change in salary cap restrictions and an immediate spike in MLS attendance.But Beckham was not the be-all and end-all to the development of soccer in the United States. The game has seen a rise in popularity since the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994. America transformed from a soccer-illiterate nation to one that pays $250 million for the rights to broadcast the English Premier League. Recent polls show that that popularity will continue to increase, so it should come as a surprise to no one when the next international star decides he wants to take his talents to MLS. For elite talents, there is an array of factors to consider when joining a new league. The most common are the compensation, level of play and the market. MLS does not possess these factors in spades. Not yet, but recent trends indicate it will. No one is ...

David Beckham: Is the Star Still the Most Bankable Footballer in the World?

David Beckham's best days as a footballer are behind him, but he remains one of the most bankable players in the game. The ex-Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and LA Galaxy star is now looking for a new home after having played his last game for the MLS-based team. Here, Bleacher Report examines Brand Beckham's history to see if he will remain the same bankable player for his next move.  But make no mistake about it; football has never seen a player like David Beckham. He isn't the best player the game has ever seen, he isn't the most talented player the game has ever seen and he certainly isn't the most skilful player the game has ever seen. He might just be, however, the hardest working player the game has ever seen—on or off the pitch. For such a "limited player" his career has been simply incredible.  Beckham made his début in the less auspicious background of the Goldstone Ground against Brighton and Hove Albion in September 1992.  Few would have predicted that this 17-minute cameo would be the beginning of a golden path to becoming the world's richest footballer.From there he would go on to become an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson's team ...

MLS Transfers: Recapping and Analyzing the New York Red Bulls’ Busy Week

After a frantic week of MLS transfers, the New York Red Bulls must ascertain whether Fabián Espíndola, Jámison Olave and Kosuke Kimura can help deliver the first title in franchise history.  With less than a month in office, new sporting director Andy Roxburgh has left his mark on the team. A multitude of trades have been completed in hopes of bringing the MLS Cup to New York.Even in the offseason, the Red Bulls manage to entertain.On Monday, New York traded allocation money to Real Salt Lake in exchange for defender Jámison Olave and forward Fabián Espíndola. On that same night, the Red Bulls traded allocation money and the homegrown rights for defender Bryan Gallego to the Portland Timbers in exchange for defender Kosuke Kimura and a second-round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. On Thursday, New York traded forward Sébastien Le Toux to the Philadelphia Union in exchange for forward Josué Martinez and allocation money. That’s three bold moves in the span of four days. Netting 57 points and clinching the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference is not enough. Roxburgh is determined to build a championship-caliber team. The question is: What do these trades mean for the 2013 version ...

MLS Moves: How a Larger Deal Could Bring Luis Fabiano to D.C. United

The rumors of D.C. United interest in Luis Fabiano sound fantastic, with transfer fees far above what the MLS team can afford, yet there are ways in which the Brazilian striker could find himself wearing United's Black and Red next year. Fabiano currently plays for Sao Paulo. That club reportedly would want seven million euros for his transfer, which at current exchange rates would be just over $9 million. D.C. United is sending representatives to South America, but little has been made public about the aims of the trip. Here’s what we know: Fabiano has been an explosive scoring threat everywhere he's played. Also, Sao Paulo has him on contract through 2015. Beyond that, and the knowledge of D.C. United personnel headed to the South American continent, it is all rumor and speculation. Neither club has announced formal talks, nor even acknowledged that the United trip will include a stop in Sao Paulo. Let’s assume D.C. is interested in Fabiano, and the 32-year-old Brazilian international is at least one of the targets of this trip. Why would the MLS club even knock on that door, knowing in advance they can’t afford the transfer? Sao Paulo isn’t likely to cut anyone a break on the price. Fabiano has scored 23 goals in ...

Roberto Di Matteo Perfect for Montreal Job

 Less than 24 hours after his Chelsea side suffered a one-sided loss to Juventus in the UEFA Champions League last month, coach Roberto Di Matteo found himself unemployed. Some have questioned where Di Matteo will end up next. He admits he and his family are happy in England. But he could leave. Some have suggested that he will move to Italy. That seems unlikely,  as he has never coached in Italy and coaches generally do not start in Serie A without having proven themselves in the lower ranks of Italian soccer. Granted, Di Matteo did win the UEFA Champions League, the biggest prize in Europe. But Serie A clubs are looking for coaches who can take a team over a full season and not just a short period. Di Matteo isn’t likely up for any elite job in Europe. Thus, perhaps a good way to rebuild his reputation would be in Major League Soccer. There is one team in the league that has a vacancy and would be a perfect fit for Di Matteo—the Montreal Impact. Monteal’s two best players, defender Alessandro Nesta and forward Marco Di Vaio were just getting their careers started in the middle of the 1990s ...