MLS vs English 1st division

[Crazy_Yank]

This is a pretty interesting read from an expat Brit now living in the US. I agree with pretty much everything he said. Basically he compares and contrasts MLS and the English 1st division because he feels the standard of football is the same. He does give MLS players props for being more technically gifted than their 1st division counter parts.

http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/2004/jan07.htm

[Gordon]

The relevant paragraph as far as I am concerned is:

"First Division games (like almost all soccer matches in England) are conducted at break-neck speed, the players haring around like rabid dogs, foaming at the mouth, frantically hunting down the ball. In comparison, MLS soccer is far more serene; the players looking more like elderly men meandering through the gardens of their Home than like super-fit, energy-charged athletes. On my first trip to watch the Columbus Crew, I thought I was watching an exhibition match, before my American companion, a regular at the Crew Stadium, confirmed that it was a competitive game."

The journalist has only seen one first Division game in his life and is hardly in a strong position to try to judge based on this. Anyone looks to be better and more skillful than they are the slower the pace.

Now, I've only seen MLS on TV, but I have seen a couple of dozen games live in the old English Second Division. The level of play is about equal IMHO, but that was pre Bosman, and pre foreign player influx. Which makes it about the equivalent of the lower half of the current first and and second. Thats about where I'd put the MLS. I think San Jose and Chicago could stay in the First, but not compete for promotion. Most of the rest would be in Second Division, some challenging for Promotion, except for Dallas, who would be relegated to the Third.

In a slow game, I look like Liam Brady as a playmaking midfielder, in a game played with some pace, I look like a 42 year old ex high school keeper pretending to be a midfielder.

Basically, while I am sure this article will get great play amongst american soccer fans, it is no more credible to me than the Agentine poster who comes on this board and raves about Davide Xausa. Neither match what I see with my own eyes.

[amacpher]

quote:Originally posted by Gordon

The relevant paragraph as far as I am concerned is:

"First Division games (like almost all soccer matches in England) are conducted at break-neck speed, the players haring around like rabid dogs, foaming at the mouth, frantically hunting down the ball. In comparison, MLS soccer is far more serene; the players looking more like elderly men meandering through the gardens of their Home than like super-fit, energy-charged athletes. On my first trip to watch the Columbus Crew, I thought I was watching an exhibition match, before my American companion, a regular at the Crew Stadium, confirmed that it was a competitive game."

Does he think the same thing when he watches ZIDANE play?? The 'break-neck speed' is only needed to compensate for the lack of skill! He makes it sound like its something good! Unless there's some ball control involved, I'd rather see 22 chipmunks and an acorn on a football pitch!

[argh1]

Ohhhhh, where to start.I kind of like the warm , cold weather theory. Should I assume Scottish or German winter soccer is at break neck speed or that the Mediterranean based teams are extremely slow and technical.That must explain why Real Madrid usually finish far ahead of Lokomtiv Moscow in Champions League play[)]

The refs calling a tighter game and the more genteel , aesthetic view of soccer in the U.S of A compared to the macho , roughhouse view of the game in England...ahhhh...hmmmmm,ahhhh ......I give up..must be the summer, winter thing I've noticed the same genteel play of Central Americans and Mexicans;)

Not to be a smart arse but isn't the main comparison between MLS and Division 1; is that either players are on the downside of their lenghty career getting a few more years in ,or younger players hoping to catch on in a higher league. With possible exceptions for those who just want to play, and close to home if possible.

[Canuck Oranje]

The "break neck speed" comment doesn't concern me as much as "like elderly men meandering through the gardens of their Home" comment. I have seen both Dutch Premier league and Brazilian league games live among others. None would remind me of either comment. In fact, both leagues surprised me with the pace at which the fine delicate play took place.

Over the years, I have also become convinced that TV doesn't give an accurate perception of pace in a game. In the end, the only way to really know which level of play is higher is in head to head play.

Having said that, I would put my money on Div 1 because they pay better and are able to attract the better players as a result. But then you would expect that comment from an economist.

[Cheeta]

Interesting topic.

I'll echo Gordon almost word for word. Nothing realy that I can add except that I don't think there is a sport where the difference between the various levels of quality isn't measured by the speed and pace at which it is played at the various levels. Adjusting to that pace, "enthusiasm", and just over all lack of time with the ball (generaly, and unharassed when in possesion) is the biggest challenge players coming up face. We constantly hear this.

And while it's not uncommon for players coming up to show well for a few games initialy it's very common to see that initial promise fizzle out as the number of games played quickly grows. Adrenaline running out? The fitness question? I don't know. But Division 1 has chewed up and spat out many a promising lad. Yanks and Canucks alike. It would barf back more excepting they've got so many bloody teams and there will always be room with the bottom feeders.

If MLS was open to skilled labour from NAFTA, I think the league would look very, very, different very, very, quickly.

Getting back to the writer's perception myself being used to watching the English and Scottish game which everyone seems to hate, I can't help but feel the same way. MLS dose seem at times to lack a certain enthusism about itself. Quite often. I won't even go into the quality issues. Ah Hell, maybe just a little. MLS is a league subsidised on Biblical proportions populated with players who're sheltered into jobs by league by-laws. This isn't something to be ashamed of. It has a noble and I think generaly thankless purpose. But it dose not in any way improve the quality of the league.

[sstackho]

quote:Originally posted by Gordon

The relevant paragraph as far as I am concerned is:

"First Division games (like almost all soccer matches in England) are conducted at break-neck speed, the players haring around like rabid dogs, foaming at the mouth, frantically hunting down the ball. In comparison, MLS soccer is far more serene; the players looking more like elderly men meandering through the gardens of their Home than like super-fit, energy-charged athletes. "

The relevant paragraph as far as I am concerned is:

"On the other side of the Atlantic, my First Division debut was at Reading, where I saw the home side destroyed by an exceptionally skillful Crystal Palace striker named Andy Johnson."

Come on AJ! Come on Palace!

[amacpher]

quote:Originally posted by sstackho

The relevant paragraph as far as I am concerned is:

"On the other side of the Atlantic, my First Division debut was at Reading, where I saw the home side destroyed by an exceptionally skillful Crystal Palace striker named Andy Johnson."

Come on AJ! Come on Palace!

*LOL* But I actually think this is the key sentence:

The answer is a complex one ... but my bet is that it has something to do with the respective origins of the two games and the cultural positions they occupy in the two countries.

The author seems to have some doubt when writing this sentence ("my bet is ..."), but actually there can be little doubt that this is the reason! As everyone knows, England gave the sport of soccer to the Western Hemisphere. I believe starting in the Rio de la Plata (aka. River Plate) region (which would explain the early international success experienced by Uruguay). But since this occurred before air-travel and TV, latin American and Europe were essentially two different worlds. This led to different interpretations of the rules of the game (shoulder charging was illegal in Latin American but legal in Britain, etc.). Plus, due to the lack of open space in the River Plate region, a pick-up game there would typically be 20 v 20 instead of 11 v 11. So you better not pass the ball when you get it or you might never see it again! And of course this was the complete opposite of the British style... Since the USA is a mix of these two cultures, it only makes sense that the MLS falls somewhere in between the two cultures from a football perspective.