Evolution rather than Revolution for the MLS

Major League Soccer has certainly changed a lot since I first started watching it in mid-late nineties. In those days the games were played at American football stadiums and hardly anybody seemed to take the game seriously. Gone are the days of the likes of Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos throwing on an out field jersey and going up front when Chicago Fire needed a goal.

The league seems far more professional and far more steady than in those inaugural years. The leagues expansion to 15 teams due to be 18 by 2011has saw the league become more competitive. The only difference between MLS and the bigger European leagues is that the MLS is split in to two conferences due to the distances between teams.

A lot of hard work has gone in to developing the sport in a country that already has American football, hockey, baseball and basketball. All four of those sports are ahead of football or soccer as they call it in the States in peoples attention. Its been a long hard slog for everybody involved in MLS to gain the attention of their home nation. However it looks like the league and soccer is finally taking off in the country.

This has been helped by the recent performances of the USA national team. Their teams performance at this year’s Confederations Cup in making the final even made the fourth page of one of the better known America papers. Although critics have been quite harsh when its come to World Cup qualifying, with the team being criticised for grinding their way to the finals.

The rise of the league has also been helped by a change in rules in 2007 that saw the MLS teams allowed up to 8 foreign players per squad. This was introduced to further internationalise the league. Although this may harm the growth of the young domestic player, it has raised the level of play in the league. This new rule allowed players such as Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel, Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and of course England superstar David Beckham to arrive in the MLS.

The arrival of Beckham as we all know was seen as a major coup for MLS and a chance for Beckham to spread the gospel of brand Beckham to another continent. In truth his arrival may have raised the profile of MLS, but Beckham needed America more than America needed Beckham. Beckham’s love affair looks to be over with MLS, but others such as Argentinian midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto have thrive. The former Boca Juniors star has became an important figure for Columbus Crew.

Foreign coaches and players have helped developed the young American players and brought a professionalism to the game that was previously absent from the formerly poor MLS teams. The likes of Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey and Hull City’s new signing Jozy Altidore have came through the MLS youth ranks in recent years and have benefited from the better coaching standards.

Another recent development is the rise of the homegrown American coach. The likes of ex players Jason Kreis at Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo’s Dominic Kinnear are examples of promising young coaches who have picked up techniques and skills from imported coaches. Coaches such as ex Liverpool player Steve Nicol who has been a mainstay at New England Revolution.

With or without Beckham MLS has a bright future. More and more purpose built stadiums built throughout the country and crowd figures are up. A good performance at World Cup 2010 could help the popularity of the sport grow even further and that can only be good for the worlds favourite game in one of biggest countries in the world.