MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
New Year, New MLS Thread!
I haven't been more excited for the coming MLS Season than I've been in years. The Crew has been saved. Today they announced Caleb Porter as new coach and Tim Bezbatchenko as new president.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/...enko-president
It sounds like the house cleaning in the Front Office has begun and season ticket sales today have been brisk to say the least. All indications are that the new owners will be officially announced soon and they have come to play.
FC Cincinnati joins the league and I can't wait until the first Hell is Real derby match.
LA Galaxy have hired Crew Legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Atlanta United have hired Frank de Boer as coaches.
So who else is getting excited for the next MLS Season?
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Those are big moves for the Crew. Now that I’m back in Ohio my goal is to come down for 2 or 3 games this season.
I like the Galaxy hire. They have 4 DPs and are desperately trying to offload Gio which I pray happens.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BuckeyeRed27
Those are big moves for the Crew. Now that I’m back in Ohio my goal is to come down for 2 or 3 games this season.
I like the Galaxy hire. They have 4 DPs and are desperately trying to offload Gio which I pray happens.
With FCC joining the league and the new Crew owners, it seems weird to have two Ohio teams in the same league committed to building first class organizations.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Congratulations! Porter is a gem, as any Akron fans already know.
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I would think Season Tickets will sell out fast.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kingspoint
Congratulations! Porter is a gem, as any Akron fans already know.
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I would think Season Tickets will sell out fast.
I still remember when Porter was first hired at Akron. I was a student at the University of Akron Law School and my law professor brought him into our class to introduce him to everyone. Between the Haslams and Porter, I suspect I-71 will see quite a bit more traffic on game days.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yachtzee
New Year, New MLS Thread!
I haven't been more excited for the coming MLS Season than I've been in years. The Crew has been saved. Today they announced Caleb Porter as new coach and Tim Bezbatchenko as new president.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/...enko-president
It sounds like the house cleaning in the Front Office has begun and season ticket sales today have been brisk to say the least. All indications are that the new owners will be officially announced soon and they have come to play.
FC Cincinnati joins the league and I can't wait until the first Hell is Real derby match.
LA Galaxy have hired Crew Legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Atlanta United have hired Frank de Boer as coaches.
So who else is getting excited for the next MLS Season?
Frank Deboer is a big deal? He was suspended for doping as a player and lasted 4-5 matches as a manager with Crystal Palace and then blamed the squad. He also briefly "guided" Inter. It is safe to say his future career in managing will come outside the UEFA champions league - outside top European clubs. There will always be Chinese, Arab and US teams in thrall to his late 90s dope-assisted playing success.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Betterread
Frank Deboer is a big deal? He was suspended for doping as a player and lasted 4-5 matches as a manager with Crystal Palace and then blamed the squad. He also briefly "guided" Inter. It is safe to say his future career in managing will come outside the UEFA champions league - outside top European clubs. There will always be Chinese, Arab and US teams in thrall to his late 90s dope-assisted playing success.
I mentioned it more as "Reigning champion Atlanta United has a new coach." I don't know enough about Frank de Boer to form an opinion. I was actually surprised. I thought Atlanta United was going after GBS and expected him to be hired there. Interesting thing is that GBS was rumored for both Atlanta and the Galaxy, but did not appear to be the first choice for either (Galaxy wanted Caleb Porter). One would think it would have been natural for him to go to Columbus, where fans still worship him as a god from his playing days. However, I had heard that the new Crew ownership had inquired, but they were rebuffed and immediately put their full time and attention into getting Porter. Then rumors had him going to Atlanta, but then they hired de Boer, so then the Galaxy jumped in. I was actually surprised that Atlanta didn't hire GBS, since he's Argentinian and has built a pretty good resume so far.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Betterread
Frank Deboer is a big deal? He was suspended for doping as a player and lasted 4-5 matches as a manager with Crystal Palace and then blamed the squad. He also briefly "guided" Inter. It is safe to say his future career in managing will come outside the UEFA champions league - outside top European clubs. There will always be Chinese, Arab and US teams in thrall to his late 90s dope-assisted playing success.
The upside to him is he's steeped in Ajax: youth product, player, youth manager, manager.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
I am somewhat concerned about the age of the team FC Cincinnati is building. They’re on track to have one of the oldest rosters in MLS. Most of these guys seem like they can absolutely still go, but I don’t know that there’s a ton of upside potential anywhere.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Caveat Emperor
I am somewhat concerned about the age of the team FC Cincinnati is building. They’re on track to have one of the oldest rosters in MLS. Most of these guys seem like they can absolutely still go, but I don’t know that there’s a ton of upside potential anywhere.
By being older, a good atmosphere gets established. That has always been the million-dollar question when it comes to first-year franchises: you are setting up the 2nd and 3rd seasons, so how much of a Veteran presence do you want the first season? Too much youth and bad habits get established. Too old and there isn't enough talent there the 3rd season. Free Agency changes everything, but I personally would try to nip the bud early when it comes to bad habits. I think the Sixers went through that recently in the NBA.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
MLS Schedule released today. The Crew and FCC play both legs of the Hell is Real Derby in August, with one match being nationally televised during Rivalry week.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/schedule/2019/announcement
Personally, I find it a bit odd that quite a few teams play home and away within a short period of time. I feel like they missed an opportunity to bring some order to the schedule and really play up the conference opponents by having teams play each conference opponent once before playing the rematch. Makes it better for competitive balance. It would also be nice if they had designated some match days as "conference" match days and some as "interconference" match days.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
OMG, Portland hosts FC Cincinnati on St. Patrick's Day! The beer will be flowing.
Talk about unbalanced, Portland's first 12 games are at home, while they have a 10-game road schedule in Aug-Sep.
They didn't finish reconstruction of their stadium on time, so I assume they put a band-aid on it and will finish it during August and September.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kingspoint
OMG, Portland hosts FC Cincinnati on St. Patrick's Day! The beer will be flowing.
Talk about unbalanced, Portland's first 12 games are at home, while they have a 10-game road schedule in Aug-Sep.
They didn't finish reconstruction of their stadium on time, so I assume they put a band-aid on it and will finish it during August and September.
I think you read their schedule backwards.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kingspoint
OMG, Portland hosts FC Cincinnati on St. Patrick's Day! The beer will be flowing.
Talk about unbalanced, Portland's first 12 games are at home, while they have a 10-game road schedule in Aug-Sep.
They didn't finish reconstruction of their stadium on time, so I assume they put a band-aid on it and will finish it during August and September.
I think you have that the other way around. Portland starts on the road. They'll be in Cincinnati on St. Patrick's Day.
Re: MLS 2019 - The Crew is Saved and Hell is Real
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yachtzee
I think you have that the other way around. Portland starts on the road. They'll be in Cincinnati on St. Patrick's Day.
OK. I forgot how soccer lists home and away backwards with the home team on top.
Makes sense as they don't make structures out of wood anymore where it's best to do them in the heat of Summer is best for the settling of the wood. They will keep working through the Spring and hopefully be done by their first scheduled home game on June 1st. Should be for a fun playoff chase, at least. Good momentum if they can reach the playoffs.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
dabvu2498
I think you read their schedule backwards.
The beer will be flowing in Cincinnati.
