Tuesday, May 22, 2018

11 Things – Making A Statement

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/919923?referrer_id=2349190

11 Things – Making A Statement

Steel FC pushes into playoff positions, Republic FC spoils Drogba’s party

11. BOUNCE OF THE BALL: The Tampa Bay Rowdies got something of a “New Head Coach” bounce on Saturday night as Neill Collins took charge of the side for his first game on the sidelines after the week’s moves by the club, and while the early goal by Lance Rozeboom didn’t pave the way to a victory against the still undefeated Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in a 2-2 draw at Al Lang Stadium, breaking the downturn in form with points of any kind is still a small turn in the right direction. The Rowdies have slipped out of the top eight after Saturday’s action, and there’s going to be plenty of work to get to for Collins to bring a cohesive side together after its rough run of form, but a road game against the struggling Toronto FC II followed by three home games against sides that currently sit below it in the Eastern Conference standings offer a glimmer of hope that Tampa Bay can find a turnaround in the near-future

(Follow link for full article.)

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/soccer/mls/montreal-impact/galaxy-spoils-impacts-25th-anniversary-celebration

Galaxy spoils Impact's 25th anniversary celebration

Ola Kamara scored the game's only goal in the 75th minute to give the Los Angeles Galaxy a 1-0 victory at Saputo Stadium.

The game marked the 25th anniversary of the Impact’s first game in the American Professional Soccer League, a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 21, 1993. The team’s three championship seasons were recognized. The Impact won the APSL title in 1994 and the team was represented by coach Valerio Gazzola and players Rudy Doliscat, Patrice Ferri and Nick De Santis, who coached the team to an A-League title in 2004. The third title came in 2009 when Marc Dos Santos led the Impact to the North American Soccer League title.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/sports-business/blog/21005968/ingram-wants-nashville-to-begin-mls-competition-in-2020

Ingram wants Nashville to begin MLS play in 2020

Lead owner pumps on the brakes on talk of expansion team starting a year earlier than originally planned

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2018/05/21/ian-ayre-nashville-mls-team-liverpool-fc-ceo/627433002/

Ian Ayre to take over Nashville's MLS club — that's a bombshell, baby

Ian Ayre was announced as the new CEO of the MLS expansion team in a press conference at Nissan Stadium. Autumn Allison, USA TODAY NETWORK- Tennessee

Ian Ayre is the first CEO of Nashville's Major League Soccer club, he confirmed Sunday in an exclusive interview with the Tennessean. And for those who aren't tuned in to the international soccer scene, please understand: This is a major development.

It would have been a laughable concept just a few years ago. It’s a coup for Nashville, team lead owner John Ingram and the MLS. Because Ayre, the 55-year-old former CEO of Liverpool Football Club of the English Premier League, is a big deal.

Liverpool, which he left on his terms in 2017, is about to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final. That’s the height of soccer on the planet. And Ayre, who was voted Premier League Chief Executive of the Year in 2017, spent a decade building that club on and off the field and has signed on to do the same for Nashville MLS.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/05/21/joe-hart-could-switch-premier-league-mls-bid-escape-man-city-nightmare-after-poor-loans

Report: Joe Hart Could Bolt Premier League for MLS

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is set to leave the Premier League club, with the USA thought to be his next destination.

The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to Major League Soccer, as he looks to reignite his career by exiting the Premier League.

Ahead of Pep Guardiola's appointment as City boss, Hart was number one at the Manchester side and had been first choice between the sticks for the previous six seasons. However, the Spanish manager dropped the Englishman for his first game in charge and it has been a turbulent ride for Hart ever since.

The two-time Premier League winner opted to pursue a season long loan with Serie A side Torino, but after conceding the fourth highest number of goals in the league that term, it didn't go down as a successful spell, and Hart returned to City in the summer.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.sportspromedia.com/movers-and-shakers/former-liverpool-chief-ian-ayre-nashville-mls

Former Liverpool chief Ian Ayre to head up Nashville MLS outfit

Ian Ayre has been named as the first chief executive of Nashville’s Major League Soccer (MLS) club, the expansion franchise expected to begin play in 2020.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/article211582814.html

Kansas City Comets indoor soccer team sold to new ownership group

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-mls-to-introduce-new-ceo

Ian Ayre Named First CEO Of Nashville MLS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Internationally renowned soccer executive Ian Ayre was announced as the first CEO of Nashville’s Major League Soccer club on Monday.

Ayre formerly served as CEO of Liverpool Football Club of the English Premier League, one of the most respected and successful soccer clubs in the world.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.90min.com/posts/6066379-joe-hart-could-switch-premier-league-for-mls-in-bid-to-escape-man-city-nightmare-after-poor-loans

Joe Hart Could Switch Premier League for MLS in Bid to Escape Man City Nightmare After Poor Loans

​​Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is set to leave the ​Premier League club, with the USA thought to be his next destination.

The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to Major League Soccer, as he ​looks to reignite his career by exiting the Premier League.

Ahead of Pep Guardiola's appointment as City boss, Hart was number one at the Manchester side and had been first choice between the sticks for the previous six seasons. However, the Spanish manager dropped the Englishman for his first game in charge and it has been a turbulent ride for Hart ever since.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/21/impact-original-lloyd-barker-reflects-25-years-soccer-montreal

Impact original Lloyd Barker reflects on 25 years of soccer in Montreal

(Follow link for full article.)

https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2018/05/21/nashville-mls-expansion-club-snares-ex-liverpool-ceo-ayre/

Nashville MLS expansion club snares ex-Liverpool CEO Ayre

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.rslsoapbox.com/2018/5/21/17372590/mls-youth-transfer-fund-real-salt-lake

What MLS’s new Youth Transfer Fund could mean for RSL

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/former-liverpool-ceo-ayre-hired-by-mls-nashville-expansion/article_b7a099d1-9efa-51eb-8de8-be5a66365f39.html

Former Liverpool CEO Ayre hired by MLS' Nashville expansion

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3506748/nashville-mls-franchise-hires-former-liverpool-ceo-ian-ayre-to-run-club

Nashville MLS franchise hires former Liverpool CEO Ian Ayre to run club

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/21/kick-galaxy-visit-montreal-bwp-schools-atlanta-nashville-update

Kick Off: Galaxy visit Montreal | BWP schools Atlanta | Nashville update

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.wsmv.com/story/38241802/mls-stadium-currently-in-design-bidding-process

MLS stadium currently in design bidding process

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -

Metro Nashville is moving forward with designing its new Major League Soccer stadium.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2018/05/21/fc-cincinnati-mls-expansion-announcement-coming-soon-detroit-sacramento-austin-columbus-louisville/630156002/

On 700 WLW, Bill Cunningham mentions a possible FC Cincinnati-MLS announcement.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/21/nashville-mls-expansion-team-introduce-ceo-former-liverpool-exec-ian-ayre

Nashville MLS expansion team introduce CEO, former Liverpool exec Ian Ayre

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/21/new-nashville-ceo-ian-ayre-lauds-mls-its-really-coming-its-own

New Nashville CEO Ian Ayre lauds MLS: "It's really coming into its own"

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/ex-liverpool-boss-ayre-named-nashville-mls-chief-exec-id8404263.html

Ex-Liverpool boss Ayre named Nashville MLS chief exec

Ian Ayre, former chief executive of English football power Liverpool, was named Monday as CEO of Nashville's Major League Soccer expansion club expected to begin play in 2020.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/former-liverpool-ceo-ayre-hired-by-mls-nashville-team/article_b7a099d1-9efa-51eb-8de8-be5a66365f39.html

Former Liverpool CEO Ayre hired by MLS' Nashville team

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2018/05/21/Facilities/Pinnacle.aspx

MLS' Garber Impressed By Attention To Detail At K.C. Training Facility

MLS Commissioner Don Garber attended the grand opening of Sporting K.C. and U.S. Soccer's new shared training facility, Pinnacle, and said it shows a "focus on excellence" and "high performance in all areas of the business that is just really remarkable," according to Sam McDowell of the K.C. STAR....

(Follow link for full article.)

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2018/05/mls-attendance-is-still-complicated.html

MLS attendance is still complicated

(Follow link for full article.)

https://blog.sfgate.com/soccer/2018/05/21/oakland-pro-soccer-committed-to-bringing-pro-soccer-to-oakland/

Oakland Pro Soccer committed to bringing pro soccer to Oakland

Why Oakland for pro soccer? For Benno Nagel the answer is clear.

“I think Oakland for soccer makes a lot of sense on a lot of levels,” said Nagel. “If you announced that tomorrow at 3 pm Club America and Chivas were going to play at the Oakland Coliseum and tickets were on sale for 24 hours, you would sell it out. That’s how big soccer is here.”

His organization, known as Oakland Pro Soccer, has been trying to bring a professional soccer team to the city for over a year. Nagel believes that for any pro soccer team to ultimately be successful in Oakland, they need to focus on social good to improve the community while weaving themselves into the fabric of ‘The Town.’

“If you look at Sacramento Republic and FC Cincinnati, Detroit City, Chattanooga or Atlanta United: It’s not necessarily the league [that makes them successful] it’s more the vision behind it,” he said.

“We always say Oakland is a big city but a small town,” Nagel continued. “The reason we got a lot of people interested in what we were doing was because we brought them into the conversation and asked then ‘What do you want to see?’”

Oakland Pro Soccer is separate from USL 2 East Bay, which has announced it will bring a second division pro soccer team in the United Soccer Leagues somewhere in the East Bay by 2021. They made news in March when they offered to buy part of the Oakland Coliseum complex from the city and construct a soccer stadium on the land.

“We only want the best for Oakland and the best for the community here,” Nagel said only wishing success for the USL 2 East Bay. “If that’s us doing it great. If it’s someone else doing it with the same vision that we have that is awesome.”

Nagel grew up in Oakland and attended Bishop O’Dowd High School before playing in college at San Francisco State. After graduating he played for several semi-pro Bay Area teams before moving to the sidelines at 26 years old.

The decision led to the coaching staff of Holy Names University in Oakland and then the US Development Academy in Fresno. He then took an internship working with FC Twente’s women’s team staff in Holland. Next, he moved to the Dynamo Zagreb working at their boy’s soccer academy that launched the careers of pro soccer players Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, and Eduardo.

His time in Zagreb finally took him to an assistant coaching position with Rayo OKC, which played one season in the North American Soccer League in 2016 in Oklahoma City. After being away from the Bay Area for several years, Nagel returned home while brainstorming on what his next step in soccer would be.

His first idea was to found a high-level semi-professional team in Oakland and the East Bay with former Oakland A’s executive Andy Dolich. Later, Nagel connected with Peter Wilt who has successfully launched teams in Indianapolis and Chicago. In late 2016 he encouraged Nagel to explore the idea of bringing a pro team to Oakland instead.

“Wilt asked me ‘What do you think about Oakland for a professional soccer team?’ and that was really the starting point for everything,” Nagel recounted.

Nagel’s started working closely with Edreece Arghandiwal, a branding professional, and together they co-founded Oakland Pro Soccer. The organization partners include Mike Geddes, the managing director of Street Football World USA and the Common Goal campaign which encourages all pro soccer players to commit one percent of their salaries to non-profits. Another partner is Aaron Dolores who created Black Arrow FC which has worked to introduce soccer to the African American community.

In the May of 2017, Oakland Pro Soccer launched its Twitter and Facebook pages while continuing to network with the local soccer community in the city. During their outreach the organization connected with real estate developers interested in building a soccer complex as part of a broader development in Oakland if they could secure a location in the city.

Last year Oakland Pro Soccer engaged in preliminary talks with the city about developing a soccer complex. “We felt if we could get a stadium then we would figure out the league that would be best for what we wanted to do,” Nagel said.

Following up on their momentum Oakland Pro Soccer held a kickoff event in October 2017 to introduce their project to the general public.

But they hit a roadblock last November when the city of Oakland informed them that they would be unwilling to facilitate a search and acquisition of land in the town, which included possibly acquiring a piece of the Coliseum complex.

“The city said we would love to do this but we can’t,” said Nagel, explaining that with the ongoing negotiations of the A’s was Oakland’s priority.

Another stumbling block for his organization was which pro soccer league to join.

USL 2 East Bay acquired the territorial rights for the United Soccer League in the East Bay late last year. Oakland Pro Soccer has had some contact with USL 2 East Bay and has been impressed.

“When you start looking at Mark [Hall] (the owner of USL 2 East Bay) and his background, and what he is trying to do and proposing it’s really exciting,” said Nagel. “He’s going to make soccer better here.”

The organization had been in touch with the NASL, which lost its US Soccer Federation sanctioning last year. A few weeks ago Rocco Commisso, the owner of the NASL’s New York Cosmos pledged 500 million dollars to restart and fund the league. “Yes we have had contact, and there is a lot of interested in Oakland and the Bay Area market in general,” said Nagel. “But there hasn’t been any movement because they still don’t know what their timeline is going to be.”

They also have had conversations with the proposed third division National Independent Soccer Association, founded by Peter Wilt. However, the NISA’s status is in doubt after Wilt said he was leaving the league. It also does not have any announced teams or sanctioning by the US Soccer Federation.

During the process, Oakland Pro Soccer even had conversations with Major League Soccer about possibly being a candidate for expansion after the current round of teams are decided in 2024. “They would prefer San Francisco because it’s a bigger market, but they understand the challenges that come with building a stadium in San Francisco,” Nagel noted. “They would be interested in an MLS Oakland team in the future if a stadium deal were put together.”

In the near term, Oakland Pro Soccer has focused on building the soccer community in Oakland even without a team. They will host events during the World Cup, community tournaments and volunteer service days improving soccer field in the city while waiting for the bigger picture to develop.

“We’re trying to figure out what is the next best step. Our goal remains to bring the highest level team possible to Oakland,” Nagel confirmed. “We’re looking to bring pro soccer to Oakland with whoever is committed to doing that.”

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kw7o1/rowdie_takeaways_week_10_tbr_v_pit/

Rowdie Takeaways Week 10: TBR v PIT (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Great work! We need more player strategy discussions on here.

A few points:

You were spot on with Portilos. He needs to focus a lot more to stay on the pitch. I tought a lot of the Rowdies sloppiness was due to the damp conditions, a week of chaos and a new line-up. They seemed to tighten up as the pitch dried up in the second half.

Collins: I've seen the player manager scenario before in MLB, Hockey (IHL, AHL) and the old MISL indoor soccer. So I'm cool with the change but would love to see Collins back out there. Great move on his part to bring back Morrell. The Rowdies offense was too slow and predictable. This is probably why you felt they were consistent woth the Real performance and Collins is waiting for them to buy into a new system.

I'd put Flemmings up front as a quick strike option and use it just like PGH did on Sat. Control is great, but not too much. Do we ever set plays from the middle?

Ownership rumors? You have em, I want em!

Stadium: First of all, kudos to our operations staff. I had a small issue at Will Call and they more than went out of their way to take care of me when they could have chosen to do less and say sh*t happens. We also need to recognize their great support of local youth soccer. The Rowdies are really invested in the community, and they are creating thousands of lifelong fans!

I doubt we'll see anything more than the led boards in the near future unless the city makes a few well positioned and economically priced investments. Here are a few thoughts:

1) the harborside stands are fine and in good shape. The viewing angle is perfect. Not a bad seat in the house. I'd much rather watch a match at AL Lang than RayJ and even more so than the Trop, all because of the pitch of the stands.

2) I've seen this elsewhere. Add 3-4 rows of seats in front of the wall/yellow seats. Make them nice and charge a premium.

3) Same vein, pull the pitch in closer to the harborside stands and the mob to tighten things up, bring the action closer, and give more room to the midfield stands. Combined with the new premium seats, fans will be right on the action.

4) Remove the dugouts... Sort of. Take the roof off the harborside and make it into the away squad bench with the classic curved glass roof. The Rowdies bench/seats can be further down, and easily moved for concerts. The Mob side dug out should accomodate an on-pitch corporate box. The one above 303 is always used so the expansion is warranted.

5) long term, even if built on top of the wall. Put a few Standing Rows in above the Mahaffey goal with some cover on it. Also, a permanent shelter behind the midfield to accomodate storm evacuations would be great.

Thanks for letting me riff here, but all could be easilly done with a small investment from the city and help secure thelng term health of the club. MLS will come, but it might be awhile.

I think the idea is to make a 20,000 seat stadium and the argument is do you build onto Al Lang which was the proposed deal by Edwards to the MLS, OR do you take over the Trop because the Rays leave in a couple years or so?

I honestly think the MLS, if they were smart, would base their league like the Premiere League and have relegation and promotion. I doubt it’ll happen soon if at all but the idea of having the USL be a true second division and have MLS stakes on the line could drive more interest in soccer in the US.

I’m gonna dive into the Edwards reports this week and generate some theories but the general idea is that his health is an issue and he’s looking to sell the Rowdies. If true, a new ownership group coming in could change the trajectory of the franchise. It puts this current squad in a weird state of limbo because there’s been a concerted effort over the last few years to make the Rowdies a win right away team.

IMHO The game experience at the Trop would be miserable. The stands have the worst angle of pitch for viewing I have ever experienced in baseball. The complete opposite of current trends to make fans feel like they are part of the experience. Something the current stands at Al Lang do very well. I also think the iconic location would play in better if they tied the end of the stands in better with the view. There's no reason to leave it empty and not add a couple of rows or a standing area. If they follow the spirit of my earlier comment they could easily add 2,000 to reach the 20,000 mark woth room to grow a little more in the future.

Looking forward to hearing more, thanks again for your great writing and work!

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2018/05/21/23/39/20180521-feat-usoc-miami-united

Miami United Plant Firm Roots in Shifting Soil

Miami United FC are just one game away from facing an MLS side in the 2018 U.S. Open Cup – find out how this NPSL club avoided the pitfalls that sank prior attempts to grow grassroots soccer in South Florida.

Soon after arriving in Miami in 2005, Roberto Sacca noticed something missing. There was plenty of soccer talent around, but a dearth of professional teams. So, a few years later he and a group of friends started up a club of their own: Miami United FC.

“We created the team as a joke,” Sacca said while preparing for a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round trip north to take on the Jacksonville Armada. “Then, of course, we have to put up the money and purchase a franchise. NPSL [National Premier Soccer league] was the cheapest but my friends, who were supposed to put up the money, didn’t, so that’s why I did it.”

From the days of the Miami Gatos in the early 1970s, soccer franchises have struggled in South Florida. Sacca, who grew up in Sicily, heard all the doubters loud and clear. “When we started, everyone was telling me, ‘Rob, you’re crazy,’” Sacca said. “Miami Fusion [of MLS] had failed. Miami FC too, with Romario [former Brazilian World Cup winner], you remember?
“In 2012, there was nothing here. Then, the first tryout, we had 120 guys and we selected 20. We started growing and, in 2013, we were champions of Florida. In 2016, we brought Adriano [former Brazil international] here to help us put Miami United and NPSL on the soccer map. The tryouts we did with Adriano, we had 400 people – players from all over the world: Brazil, Venezuela, France, Trinidad & Tobago – they came from all over.”

Adriano: Fanfare & a False Start

Former Inter forward Adriano Leite Ribeiro arrived with a flurry of publicity, but was clearly at the end of his playing days. Sacca, though, did not consider the acquisition a failure. “It was a positive experience,” he said. “Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it and he left. But we got a lot of recognition and reached people all over the world. And, last April 27, Miami Dade County declared Miami United Day and gave me the key to the county. That was the best recognition I’ve ever gotten.”

Miami United FC compiled a 3-2-3 record in its first NPSL season in 2013; won the Sunshine Conference with a 7-3-0 record in 2014; went unbeaten in 2015 (6-0-4) and 2016 (9-0-1); and hit the 7-4-1 mark in 2017. This year, Miami United are off to a 3-0-2 start in the NPSL, and also advanced past the First Round of the Open Cup for the third time in three tries.
Colombian David Ochoa, 26, leads the way on the field, tallying five goals as Miami United beat locals FC Kendall 5-2 and Miami FC 3-1 so far in the Open Cup. “Every year we get better, and this year we have the strongest team in our history,” Sacca said. “We have a couple of young talents already being scouted by Serie A in Italy. Ochoa is very talented, fast, a very strong player who can play in Serie A, for sure. Gabrielle Privitera is 19 years old, from Venezuela. He doesn’t want to go on to college, and a couple teams are interested in bringing him to the next level.”

Ochoa played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and was recommended by Ferdinando Di Mattheis, who helped bring Giuseppe Rossi to Europe, and also coached Miami United. “Ochoa is a phenomenon, I was surprised he hasn’t been in MLS,” Miami United coach Gerardo La Vieja Reinoso said. “He has the characteristics for Europe, he’s technical and grandote [physical presence], you know what I mean? He has football in his blood. Give him freedom and he resolves situations.
“Privitera is also talented, speedy with the ball at his feet,” the coach went on about the raft of impressive players at his disposal. “He’s young and he’s growing, he has the ability to create, and he can be a good player.”

Reinoso, a star with Independiente in Argentina in the ‘80s, continued his playing career in Chile where he made a connection with former Chilean FA executive Miguel Nasur, now president of Miami United. “Maybe nobody knows [Reinoso] here, but he’s a legend in South America,” Sacca said. “He has the character we need. He’s like one of the players, he trains with them. You see him putting his heart in this project.”

Miami United has knocked off one former North American Soccer League (NASL) team in Miami FC, who went to the Quarterfinals of last year’s Open Cup, and will likely be considered the underdog against Jacksonville, another former NASL team. “Jacksonville is going to be tough,” Sacca said. “Like Miami FC – one of their players gets paid what we have for our total budget, players and office staff.”

Work by Day; Soccer by Night

Miami United has an annual budget of about $500,000, high for a semi-pro/amateur team, according to Sacca. “We are investing in developing a dream for the players and, hopefully, we can give some players an opportunity to go to the next level,” Sacca said. “Basically, the Miami area has a lot of talent. The only thing missing is the mentality. Some players don’t find the right spot. There are a lot of teams around now so we’re working the last few years in selecting the best players in the area and helping them out with a little reimbursement per month. In the past I was bringing in players from Europe, but I realized we have to change the mentality of players here and let them feel they’re in a very serious club, so we can bring a professional mentality to them.”

Miami United’s players don’t consider their Cup victory over Miami FC an upset, according to forward Vinicius Tupan. “Actually, I think Miami United is much better than Miami FC,” Tupan, 22, said. “We played better than they did.”

Tupan works construction by day, then joins the team for training at Ted Hendricks Stadium nightly. Tupan and Miami United defender Daniel Navarro were born in Massachusetts and grew up in Brazil, playing together at Nacional in Curitiba as youngsters. “For sure, this team is going to grow year by year and, maybe, we’re going to be a big team,” Tupan said. “We already are, right? The objective is to do well in the U.S. Open Cup and, maybe, play against an MLS team [possibly Orlando City SC] and maybe we can be a tough game for them. All games against Miami United will be tough.”

Miami United has outlasted many of South Florida’s soccer enterprises, including MLS’ Miami Fusion (1998-2001). Sacca, for one, is eager for the American top-flight to return under David Beckham’s direction. “I always believed in this project,” Sacca said of Beckham’s approved plan to bring an MLS franchise to the Miami area – and just one win away from his own team facing off with a top-tier pro side in the Open Cup. “I mean, the only difference between MLS teams and our teams, is some of our players are working in the morning. But we know that we can compete with them, absolutely. If we go to Orlando City or Kansas City, you’re not going to see them kick us, 4-0. If we lose, fine, but the difference is not going to be that much.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/news/20180521/former-liverpool-fc-exec-named-nashville-mls-ceo

Former Liverpool F.C. exec named Nashville MLS CEO

No comments:

Post a Comment