Dear MLS: Change The Schedule Or No More CCL

Yup.
(Credit: Robert Mora)

Once again, MLS teams crashed out of the knockout stages of CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) in absolutely embarrassing style. Surprise, surprise. We all know why: the schedule is awful. MLS teams are in preseason and their usual opponents, Mexico's Liga MX clubs, are in near-peak mid-season form. No team, no matter how great the league, is capable of competing in a big tournament in preseason form. 

It doesn't matter how thoroughly they prepare, their fitness level won't be high enough, their technique will be rusty, and the team chemistry won't have had enough time to gel. When your opponents are almost at their peak, it's game over before the opening whistle even blows. Granted, that's no excuse for getting blown out 4-0 (WTF Galaxy???). Defending shouldn't be THAT bad; that's some Scheißdreck no matter how early in the season.

You said it, Bruce.
(Credit: USA Today Sports)

Regardless, MLS teams can't reasonably be expected to compete under such scheduling. Team budgets have grown and so has the quality of players. More top and middle talent is brought in every year. The talent gap between MLS and Liga MX isn't that wide now, so that really isn't much of a factor anymore. The only thing stopping MLS is the schedule. It must be fixed.

There are two ways to go about this: get CONCACAF to change the CCL schedule to be fairer for both our leagues, or change the MLS schedule to match the rest of world soccer. Considering CONCACAF is in line with the FIFA International Calendar and the rest of the world's club soccer, it seems absurd to ask them to change it for us. The onus to change should be on MLS.

Not being in line with the rest of the world doesn't only hurt us in CCL; it hurts us on the international level, and it hurts our domestic season too since foreign players are coming in on a completely different schedule. It does us no good to be out of sync with the rest of world soccer. It only brings us harm.

Yeah...
(Credit: USA Today Sports)

Yes, I understand the arguments for our schedule. Playing soccer in the winter snow in New York, Boston, and other northern cities would be kinda crazy. But playing in the July heat all over the South is pretty damn crazy too. Either way, there's a couple crappy months. Why not at least be in line with the rest of FIFA? Heck, MLS could even take a cue from the Bundesliga and have a mid-season winter break to avoid the cold misery. 

Whichever way, the schedule must change or MLS will continue to embarrass itself internationally in CCL. MLS can not afford to have its reputation continue to be damaged every year. Although the good word-of-mouth and scuttlebutt for MLS gets better every year as more foreign players come and see how the league really is, and the ever-improving talent gradually raises the level of play, it feels like all that progress for MLS's reputation is nearly undone every year in CCL. For the league to grow to into one of the top leagues, for the league to financially grow to be a powerhouse here at home, and for the league to be able to bring in more and more top talent, its reputation must improve. And it must improve now. 

Therefore, I say to you, MLS and Don Garber, until the schedule changes, no more CCL. Either change your schedule or get CONCACAF to change its schedule, but until either happens, we should not participate in CCL. Too much damage has already been done. Stop the bleeding. We must heal. 

We've seen more than enough of this.
(Credit: Robert Mora)