Premiership race is hotting up….

The race for the premiership title is getting really interesting after this weekends results. Man Utd lost, Chelsea lost, and Liverpool had a resounding win against Aston Villa. Everybody thought that Man Utd had the title won, but it’s fascinating to see how things can turn around so quickly. Fulham not only took three points from Man Utd, but they also made a huge statement to the rest of the league. Manchester United are not invincible.

Liverpool on the other hand are on a surge. They have won their last 3 games by a combined score of 13-1, all against top quality opposition. Steven Gerrard is now considered the very best player in the world, according to Zinedine Zidane. He does have everything a midfield player would wish for. He has a great engine, an ability to play on both the defensive end and offensive end, and he has a knack of carrying the team on his back. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times Gerrard has turned a game or won a game on his own. Think about all those European nights, from the Champions league final to the most recent display at Anfield against Madrid. He’s one of the best to have played in a Liverpool shirt, but we all wish he could perform the same heroics for England.

Easter weekend is always important. I remember when Blackburn beat Man Utd and went on to win the title in 1995. This year will be no different. It’s going to be an exciting time to watch soccer….

Pacific NW – new hotbed for MLS soccer

Seattle came first, then Vancouver, and now Portland is going to be introduced as the 18th team in MLS. Seattle has made a huge statement in regards to the infrastructure, organization, and business operations it has put together. They now have a team to front all the off the field work that has been done. Vancouver and Portland are great choices. They have the history and the support to develop two great franchises, and with their close ties to Seattle, they have the means to get advice and help needed to supersede what was accomplished here. The bar has been set very high.

The most exciting element for all of the former players and fans who experienced the tenacity of the NASL and USL games, is the reintroduction of these great rivalries. MLS can see the potential in this energizing corner of the US and Canada, and this natural competitiveness among these three teams is something that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

What a start for MLS in the NW…

I think I speak on behalf of everybody who was at the game last night – it was fantastic. The build up to the game both on the streets and in the press was impressive. The city of Seattle truly got behind the team, and the noise and excitement in the stadium was palpable. The only question mark that lingered was how the team would play. They answered the call, and played their part in the festivities. From back to front, they dominated a poor NY team. They were faster in all areas of the field, quick in the tackle, and used the energy in the stadium to propel them forward from the first whistle to the last. The back line was solid, stifling the NY offense. Without deep runners from midfield, NY was unable to unbalance Seattle. In the end it was comfortable. The midfield took advantage of some lazy defending from NY, dominating the inside and outside. I counted four NY players walking back at one point when Seattle was on the attack. You cannot play away from home with six players on defense.

The pressure is now off. The team can revel in the glory of their win, and can enter the next game with a huge amount of confidence. Salt Lake need to come and defend strongly across the midfield, and play with greater speed. Quest field is big, but NY didn’t take advantage of their space. Seattle was always able to get back in position before NY could develop their attack, whereas Seattle took great advantage of the open space, terrorizing NY on the flanks.

Now the cat is out of the bag. Teams know how Seattle plays, and can create their game plans accordingly. But the reality is, when Montero gets a chance in front of goal, he is going to score. The focus for opposition teams is how to score themselves, because without the ability to put the ball in the back of the net, teams will struggle to even get a point.

Weekend football

What a game, and what a result for Liverpool against Man Utd. It seems the Red’s can do no wrong this week. They have smashed eight goals past Madrid and Man Utd, arguably two of the biggest, richest, and most well regarded clubs in the world. I think Utd are still the favorites for the title, but with Chelsea winning, it makes life very interesting in the EPL. My grandfather’s team, Everton, continues to build momentum, gaining a good win against Stoke. Leeds also got a win against Swindon, pushing them a little closer to the automatic promotion spots.

The weather in Washington yesterday did not help the soccer on show. I coached the ODP kids with Gary White on Sunday morning before taking a bus with my youth team, out to Pasco. The pass was covered in snow, we had to put chains on, and our game was delayed 1.5 hours. We didn’t even try to get over the pass after the game, deciding to head south to Portland, and then back up north on I-5, a pleasant 6.5 hour drive. Leaving at 9.30am, and returning at 1am for one youth game is crazy.

I need to fuel my competitive nature. I am in the process of building up my distance running for a potential triathlon in the summer, but soccer fitness is so different

Big week ahead….

There are some great games coming up this week in the world of soccer. In the Premiership, Liverpool plays Manchester United, pitting #1 against #2. This game will have huge implications on Liverpool’s title hunt. Do they have what it takes to beat the best team in Europe, maybe the world, on the back of such a big performance in the Champions League. These are the challenges that the best teams overcome. Man Utd have done it many times over the years, and have another opportunity to put them one big step closer to the Premiership title. If Liverpool can snatch a win, it makes things interesting. Man Utd still have to play Aston Villa, Tottenham, with the final two weekends involving Arsenal and Man City.

On the other end of the table, Newcastle play Hull City, in another massive game with completely different implications. Newcastle are one of the richest clubs in the world, and relegation to the Championship would be devastating. They have a good team on paper, but like in years past, they never seem to maximize their potential. Michael Owen is back, and this should give them a great boost in their push for survival.

My team Leeds United play Swindon at Elland Road this weekend. They are in the playoff position in League One right now. Promotion is vital for this dormant giant. Their off the field issues appear to have been resolved. They need to put together a great run now, to give them the chance to move up. With crowds of 25,000 plus still in attendance, the fans deserve to see top level football once again.

For great soccer gossip and information on English and European soccer news, go to BBC Football.

Finally, Seattle Sounders FC play NY Red Bulls in their inaugural game this coming Thursday. The game is sold out, and the city is buzzing for the new franchise in town. The hype is fantastic, but it is results which matter, and it’s the results which keep people in their seats. A successful Sounders team will have a great impact on soccer throughout the area. Kids and coaches alike will be energized from top flight soccer at their doorstep. This excitement will hopefully infiltrate the school yards, parks, and soccer fields across the state. I will be an eager spectator and an interested observer.

Champions league football….

What a week it has been for soccer. The Champions League has been incredibly exciting yet again. Four English teams are through to the quarter finals, with a repeat of last years all English final a distinct possibility. Some results are eye-opening. Liverpool destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield, and Bayern Munich continued their domination over Sporting Lisbon with a 7-1 win on the back of a 5-0 first leg result. Some games were a little more tense. Chelsea squeezed through after a tight 2-2 tie against Juventus, as did Arsenal, winning in penalties.

The question now lingers – who will play who in the quarter finals. The draw for the quarter finals is on March 20th.

The Sounders are now gearing up for their first game. It has been a long pre-season, with much coming and going (including me). But the big game against NY is just around the corner and the game is sold out. If nothing else, the Sounders commercial success is turning heads around the country. Even a tough economic climate has not dampened the mood in the Pacific NW. Maybe it’s the crystal blue skies and the sun that is putting a smile on everyone’s face. The proof of it all will come next week. Can the Sounders fulfill all that has been promised and adjust to all the expectation on the pitch?

Maintaining our priorities in the world of youth soccer.

Youth soccer is massively popular, and incredibly competitive. I am involved in youth coaching, and love it. I love seeing the smiles on the players faces when they make a great play or score a goal. I love seeing the development both in their skills, their understanding, and most importantly, their character. Soccer, like many other sports, develops incredible personality traits which cannot be learned anywhere else. Kids at a young age learn how to push themselves to be successful, understand the meaning of hard work, improve confidence and communication, and learn to work in a team environment. As a player, I was competitive, and I haven’t lost any of my motivation when standing in my coaching shoes. But the focus is different.

As a coach, your number one priority is the kids, and their enjoyment of this wonderful game. We are here to serve them, to create an environment where they can prosper, and use soccer as a tool to teach life lessons both on and off the field. Unfortunately, youth soccer is slowly becoming a business. This is a natural evolution considering the money involved, and the demand for success. We need to make sure this deviation does not harm the players. Remember, without the players and thus the parents, the business model can be flushed down the toilet.

The focus should be as follows -

Player
Parent
Coach
Club

If we keep to this model, and keep our priorities in line, then the club will naturally prosper from energetic players, happy parents, and motivated coaches. It is those clubs that focus solely on results and immediate success who will be hurt in the long run. As a parent, I would hope that you would want your child to be involved in a club that is about development, and building strong foundations for the future. We can all adjust our tactics and our personnel to score goals – the long ball game is becoming more rife in youth soccer. But, is this developing the individual abilities of the player? I don’t think so. The long ball is a tactic that must be used at times, but as the sole method of play, I think it puts a cap on a teams ability to be successful in the long run. Open communication and honesty to the parents and players regarding a coaching philosophy, allows them to make a decision of which place is best.

I think if the player is put number 1, the decision will be an easy one to make.