By Tony Edwards - San Jose, CA (Jan 17, 2012) US Soccer Players -- In Tuesday's edition of the Five Questions, US National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann talks competition and Tony presents a case study in using Major League Soccer's model in another part of the world. Also, Wilmer Cabrera's exit as U-17 coach and Open Cup changes.
Where is the latest soccer league to follow MLS' business model located?
India might be Robert Pires's swansong, as the former Philadelphia target has signed with the new Indian Premier League for more than £300,000 for the 7-week season.
Based on MLS' business model, the six-team league (all in the state of West Bengal) has a hard salary cap and at least one “icon” player whose salary will be significantly higher than their teammates'. The players are 'auctioned' off at a live draft, then the season runs from February to early April. That's not a misprint, the season is less than two months long. Ok, maybe not so much MLS, a league that has worked very hard to be in season for most of the year and cover all of North America but the US southeast and the Canadian planes.
Why is one of the more successful U-17 coaches not on the job any longer?
Wilmer Cabrera isn't really sure. He rejected a one-year extension of his contract, saying to Soccer America that up until this point, he's had two-year extensions and that maybe the US Soccer Federation had “different plans.” Hopefully the “talks with an MLS club” come to fruition and we see Cabrera on the sideline or running a youth academy again soon.
What does National Team Coach Jurgen Klinsmann think its going to take for the United States to "compete with the world's superpowers?"
“It takes a 24/7 commitment. Simple as that.” Jose E. Garcia's article (and online continuation) with Klinsmann is wide-ranging and gives an overview of many of Klinsmann's talking points, including the length of the MLS season, youth player development, and building on the foundation left him by Arena and Bradley.
How many caps did Eddie Robinson earn during his 11-year professional career?
The newly retired Dynamo defender scored during his only appearance for the National Team. Robinson only played for the franchise that became the Dynamo. The former Tar Heel won four MLS Cups (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007) plus a Supporter's Shield during his career. He'll join the Dynamo’s front office, coach their U-16 team, and contribute to broadcasts.
What is different about the US Open Cup this year?
Where to start? The NASL clubs are participating, all 16 MLS teams are in, and the field has been expanded to 64 teams (half of them professional and 16 PDL, plus 6.5 NPSL teams, plus USASA and US Club qualifiers). MLS teams join the fun in the third round (which includes geographical match-ups) and can play each other in the fourth round. Nicely, the competition wraps up in early August.
Now, if the US Soccer Federation would like all the professional clubs to take the competition more seriously, perhaps they could consider increasing the cash award for winning the tournament to more than its present $100,000. The winners also get a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League, worth more now that CONCACAF has ended the preliminary round and will start all teams in the group stage.
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