Klinsmann’s ‘Wish:’ An Eleven Month MLS Season
By Sean Maslin
Deep in U.S. Soccer Headquarters in Chicago there has to be a sign that says ‘Days since Jurgen Klinsmann has said something controversial about Major League Soccer or US Soccer.’ After lying low for a weeks, the U.S. Men’s National Team Coach and Technical Director brought that number back to zero on Wednesday explaining his desire that MLS implement an eleven month schedule.
In an interview with Fox Sports, Klinsmann said, “My wish is that the domestic league here, the MLS, is going to an 11-month season like the rest of the world. Just extending that season of MLS would solve my issue that I have right now but we’re working on it.”
More from MLS News
- Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
- Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
- The Chicago Fire does not deserve your support anymore
- Heading to America: Alexis Sanchez Aims for New Horizons in American or Mexican Soccer
- Ethan Horvath: The Bridge Between Two Worlds in Soccer
That issue that Klinsmann would elaborate on is the lack of fitness. This was apparently during the USA’s 3-2 loss to Chile last week. The United States led twice in the game but were ultimately undone by a poor defensive strategy and players coming off of the MLS break.
“What happens here is that maybe soccer is not as far yet as American football, baseball, basketball where athletes in their off-season basically go then specifically in their own preparation before they join the preseason with their professional teams,” Klinsmann said.
“The MLS season goes nine months, and they should take a month off but then they should then go back to preparing themselves for their next year. A couple of guys haven’t done that and that’s why they are looking a little bit shaky right now. But we’re going to get them back on track and hopefully they learn out of it.”
Major League Socccer representatives were not available for immediate comment.
Currently the MLS regular season goes from March to October with the preseason and training camp starting in late January/February. The MLS Playoffs commence in October and are finished in early December.
So while a player like Gyassi Zardes of the Los Angeles Galaxy might have played for essentially 11 months, someone like Perry Kitchen of D.C. United has been off since late October.
Klinsmann’s idea is not without merits. MLS seems to agree in some aspects, having extended their season two years ago into December. Adding additional playoff teams in 2015 will likely mean that more players will be training and playing for longer periods.
The biggest hurdle that MLS would face in extending the season is the NFL. The league already struggles to get people to watch and attend matches against the goliath that is the National Football League, and to a lesser extent college football. To extend the season further the league would either need to play into December, January, or February. Two of those months are prime football season where MLS would be crippled.
There is also of course the issue of television deals and whether or not they would want the league to feature against such stiff competition. February might be an option but for supporters in Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, and Toronto that means bracing the tundra and watching matches in subzero temperatures.
Klinsmann also does not take into account the lower divisions. Do they also adopt an eleven month season? Will they be able to continue to pay players for additional games? Will the Canadian Soccer Association want to expose their clubs and players to an extended season? There is the greater North American soccer picture that needs to be taken in consideration when making such decisions.
Do you agree with Klinsmann that MLS needs an eleven month season? Let us know!