Avoiding the Drop

As we finish out another year, a lot of people start to look back on the year that was and provide retrospectives. Well I’ve got a terrible memory and would probably leave out about five or six awesome moments from 2009, so rather than do that, I’m going to look ahead and mix in some predictions with some stuff I personally want to see in the sport. Some will probably be far fetched, some will be just me dreaming, and I’ll try and mix some realistic stuff in there as well.

First though I’d like to take the time to thank all of you who stop by and read this blog, we’ve been going at it for almost a year now and I think we’re all impressed by the number of you who take the time out of your day to stop by and read this little thing. So thank you. I’d promise big things coming in the months ahead, but we don’t have any big plans, we just plan on continuing to produce the same content you’ve (hopefully) come to enjoy. Now, onto the list.

1. Seeing the USMNT win the World Cup

Hahaha. Sorry, not even I can actually be serious about that. I’m not even sure what I’d do if the US won the World Cup. It would be the single most shocking moment in my life. It would change the sports landscape in this country forever, it’s also not going to happen in 2010. What I really want to see is the US get out of the group stage, and maybe win their first knockout match. That’s not asking too much considering their group, but it’s still something that you can’t be 100% on with this team. They did get lucky and have an impressive game against Spain in the Confederations Cup, so maybe South Africa is a good place for this team to play.

2. I want FIFA to acknowledge that technology can be used to better the game.

For the most part, soccer is a game that prides itself on keeping the simplicity of the game in tact. Almost every other sport has undergone major changes in the last 20 years, some of those changes have worked, some have not. They’ve all happened for one reason though: Athletes on the whole have gotten bigger, faster, stronger and it’s getting harder to keep up with them on close plays.

While a lot of people don’t want things like replay (namely Sepp Blatter) technology is so quick these days that there could easily be a system of replay implemented that doesn’t ruin the flow of the game. We see replays of controversial calls on TV almost instantly after they happen, and from multiple angles. What’s happening while we’re seeing those replays on TV? Players are standing around, arguing with the ref, setting up for a free kick/penalty, etc. it wouldn’t ruin the flow really at all.

At the same time though, the human element would be lost. We would have never talked about Thierry Henry and his goal that sealed a World Cup spot for France, or any other number of controversial calls that get lots of press. So maybe the lack of replay actually gives the game a little bit of it’s aura.

3. More Parity Across Europe

The one thing that seems to have happened this season in the EPL is the lack of outstanding teams. Just a few years ago you knew the Big 4 was going to finish in the top 4 in some order, and the rest of the league would fall into a somewhat predictable order. That idea has totally been thrown out the window this season. There isn’t a single strong team and any team can pull out a surprise win or draw on any given day. I’d imagine this has a lot to do with the bad Economic state the world is in.

I don’t want to see complete parity like a salary cap or a 5+6 rule, or anything close to limiting the teams, but if we could see some disruption of the power structure across Europe, it’d make for some very interesting games.

4. Chelsea’s transfer ban upheld.

We won’t know what happens with this till probably around March I’d imagine, but I really hope it’s not reduced to a slap on the wrist and a small fine. This isn’t to pick on Chelsea fans either, no matter what club got the ban I’d want to see it actually executed. So many times in Europe teams get hit with penalties only to see the big clubs squeeze their way out of them and the small clubs get beat up by their mistakes.

This really wouldn’t hurt Chelsea that much either, but it’d send a message to them and a lot of other clubs that they can’t muscle their way around a deal  because they’re a big time club.

5. US Soccer figures out what the heck is going on with their leagues.

I’m not quite sure what’s going on with the whole USL and NASL mess, but it needs to be fixed. Thats not even the biggest issue in US club soccer though, come January 31st we could see a work stoppage in the MLS. While the second division isn’t as big a deal to the big picture, having the top flight in the US not playing in a World Cup year would be disastrous.

This is the season that the MLS needs to make a strong push at gaining more fans. The common sports fan will become more interested in the game meaning more people will be more likely to attend or watch an MLS game, but if the league’s not there then the future of the sport in the States could suffer. There are many more problems with the MLS that I could surely delve into but for now, lets just make sure the league is running this coming year.

6. Financial issues getting handled

This falls into the same sort of thing that #3 does, but I’d like to see clubs like Portsmouth getting their act together and learning some fiscal responsibility. I know it’s hard and sometimes the previous regime has saddled clubs with some poor financial moves, but this is the time clubs and owners need to realize that they shouldn’t spend 20 million on a guy based upon potential and overlooking other issues. (Looking at you Aquilani)

Hopefully with the financial crisis, owners are realizing they can’t just throw money around like it’s nothing and will look closer at who they’re bringing in so that a year down the road there isn’t a massive fire sale.

That’s about it, I’m sure I could come up with more (Like Arsenal winning a trophy!) but most of you don’t care that I want to see things like that. So what would you like to see this year?