Tonight in Philadelphia the MLS All-Stars take on Chelsea, which marks the unofficial halfway mark of the Major League Season. San Jose Earthquakes are the surprise leaders of MLS and could be on their way to winning the Supporters Shield and even more importantly possibly hosting MLS Cup. Back in March, Soccer Banter asked some of our favorite soccer minds to predict the 2012 MLS Season and figured it was fitting to see how they were each doing. One of the questions was - which overage players the US Men's Olympic team would roster...and we now know how that turned out! Check out answers to other questions from Alexi Lalas, Bobby McMahon, Kristan Heneage, Marc Connolly, and Travis Clark. Besides poking some fun at their answers, check out some odds and ends from the first half of the 2012 MLS Season.
Hans Backe has previously been accused of not supporting American players, but this season after trading Juan Agudelo, he has put a lot of faith in Dax McCarty and Connor Lade, and both players have repaid the manager and then some. McCarty and Lade might be asked for an ID at any R rated movie, but what they lack in stature, they more than make up for in work rate and ability on the ball. McCarty has been a revelation for the Red Bulls in the center mid position – dropping deep to get possession off defenders, linking up with attacking players, and providing timely tackles. Lade, a rookie out of St. John’s University and Red Bulls Academy product, has played numerous positions on the field with equal success. Though he could pass as a ball boy, no one can question the positive impact he has had on the Red Bulls season. With the potential addition of Tim Cahill, could Backe be moving away from faith in two promising American players? Let’s hope not.
A player plying his trade on the west coast that should be getting a bit more attention is San Jose Earthquakes central midfielder, Sam Cronin. The fourth year pro has 18 starts for the league leading Earthquakes, and though Chris Wondolowski rightfully receives most of the headlines, it is Cronin who is pulling all the strings. He is a simple midfielder, plays quickly with creative passes, and is willing to do work on both sides of the ball. His play should catch the eye of Jurgen Klinsman, and at the very least, earn a call-up for January camp.
Hans Backe has previously been accused of not supporting American players, but this season after trading Juan Agudelo, he has put a lot of faith in Dax McCarty and Connor Lade, and both players have repaid the manager and then some. McCarty and Lade might be asked for an ID at any R rated movie, but what they lack in stature, they more than make up for in work rate and ability on the ball. McCarty has been a revelation for the Red Bulls in the center mid position – dropping deep to get possession off defenders, linking up with attacking players, and providing timely tackles. Lade, a rookie out of St. John’s University and Red Bulls Academy product, has played numerous positions on the field with equal success. Though he could pass as a ball boy, no one can question the positive impact he has had on the Red Bulls season. With the potential addition of Tim Cahill, could Backe be moving away from faith in two promising American players? Let’s hope not.
A player plying his trade on the west coast that should be getting a bit more attention is San Jose Earthquakes central midfielder, Sam Cronin. The fourth year pro has 18 starts for the league leading Earthquakes, and though Chris Wondolowski rightfully receives most of the headlines, it is Cronin who is pulling all the strings. He is a simple midfielder, plays quickly with creative passes, and is willing to do work on both sides of the ball. His play should catch the eye of Jurgen Klinsman, and at the very least, earn a call-up for January camp.
In the week that he was supposed to lead the MLS All-Stars against Chelsea, Peter Nowak is instead in the news for filing a lawsuit against Philadelphia Union for wrongful termination. He was removed as coach of the Union after starting the season with a 2-7-2 mark - is that not enough of a reason to be let go? He traded away Sebastien Le Toux, Danny Califf, and Danny Mwanga all during the 2012 season - is that not enough of a reason to be let go? With his lawsuit filed, the Union are now releasing more information on why he was fired, and it does not paint the former Polish international in good light, but also draws questions to why the Union took so long to remove him in the first place.
When the New England Revolution hired Jay Heaps, many questioned his credentials, but at the MLS All-Star break he has quieted most of the doubters. The Revs have already surpassed last seasons win total and have somehow turned the cavernous Gillette Stadium into a tough place for away teams to get a result. He has added some quality attacking players to the side and in turn it has made the Revs enjoyable to watch with Lee Nguyen as one of the breakthrough stars so far this season. Imagine if the Krafts were willing to build a soccer specific stadium and add a big name Designated Player, times really would be great for Revolution fans.
With Geoff Cameron’s impending move to Stoke City, one wonders which center-back that moved from MLS to England in 2012 will have a brighter future with the USMNT – Cameron or Bolton’s Tim Ream? Oddly enough the two players have even more in common as both played in the Atlantic-10 conference - Cameron at the University of Rhode Island and Ream at St Louis University. Both players are comfortable on the ball, though Ream might be a better passer than Cameron, while the Rhody alum might be favored in a physical battle. Could the future USMNT center-back pairing be two players that played four years of college soccer at the mid-major level?
When the New England Revolution hired Jay Heaps, many questioned his credentials, but at the MLS All-Star break he has quieted most of the doubters. The Revs have already surpassed last seasons win total and have somehow turned the cavernous Gillette Stadium into a tough place for away teams to get a result. He has added some quality attacking players to the side and in turn it has made the Revs enjoyable to watch with Lee Nguyen as one of the breakthrough stars so far this season. Imagine if the Krafts were willing to build a soccer specific stadium and add a big name Designated Player, times really would be great for Revolution fans.
With Geoff Cameron’s impending move to Stoke City, one wonders which center-back that moved from MLS to England in 2012 will have a brighter future with the USMNT – Cameron or Bolton’s Tim Ream? Oddly enough the two players have even more in common as both played in the Atlantic-10 conference - Cameron at the University of Rhode Island and Ream at St Louis University. Both players are comfortable on the ball, though Ream might be a better passer than Cameron, while the Rhody alum might be favored in a physical battle. Could the future USMNT center-back pairing be two players that played four years of college soccer at the mid-major level?
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