Posted by Jeff Di Veronica • Democrat and Chronicle • December 30, 2009
FEDERATION DEMANDING COMPROMISE BETWEEN TWO LEAGUES
(see updates below)
* 3 PM UPDATE: COMMENTS FROM RHINOS OWNER, ROB CLARK
* 4 PM UPDATE: MY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THIS BEING A TARDY, BUT CORRECT DECISION
* 5 PM UPDATE: USL ISSUES STATEMENT SAYING IT’LL WORK TOWARD COMPROMISE
Here’s the press release from U.S. Soccer …
CHICAGO (Dec. 30, 2009) – The U.S. Soccer Board of Directors voted unanimously on Tuesday to not sanction either the USL or the NASL to operate a Division II professional league in 2010.
The decision was made on the recommendation of the Professional League Task Force, which determined that neither organization on its own was able to provide a viable and sustainable operation during the upcoming season. Both organizations were unable to meet U.S. Soccer’s requirement of a minimum of eight viable teams for 2010.
Despite the ruling, the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors has given both organizations seven days to try to work out an interim solution for the 2010 season.
“After carefully reviewing the findings from the Task Force it was clear there are still too many uncertainties for both organizations, which would be extremely difficult to resolve in a timely fashion that would allow them to prepare for the 2010 season,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “In the best interest of soccer in the United States, we decided to not sanction either league at this point. However, we did encourage both leagues to come together in the next week and attempt to develop another plan which would allow a single league to be approved on a provisional basis. We are committed to finding ways to improve the long-term viability of all leagues and teams and continue the growth of soccer in the United States.”
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RHINOS OWNER ROB CLARK REACTS: “I think we’re forced into a compromise and I don’t think a compromise was necessary. This is not the American way. (The U.S. Soccer Federation is) inhibiting people’s ability to do business. We will have second-division soccer in America in 2010. Unfortunately, the governing body of the sport isn’t doing its part to aid that. We’re going forward with our (NASL) meetings next week in Miami and we’ll try to do what’s best for soccer in North America.”
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THE RIGHT CALL: While I’m ticked off that we’re right back where we were about a month ago and that U.S. Soccer has wasted at least a couple of weeks on this when time is very critical, this was the right call. The NASL isn’t ready. It’s close, probably more ready than the USL, but it’s not ready to be out there on its own yet. And the USL has been reduced to a shell of itself, so right now neither league is good enough. And isn’t that what we’ve been saying on this blog for months? This is exactly what Sunil Gulati asked for a few weeks ago in NYC when he met with reps from each side. He didn’t get a compromise then, so now he’s demanding one. I know U.S. Soccer will tell us it needed the past two weeks to “collect information” on each league, but that’s garbage. This decision should NOT have taken this long. For years, I’ve disliked how much power bodies such as FIFA and U.S. Soccer have, but this is how it’s structured, so we have to deal with it. I know the NASL is trying to change things and I applaud the effort because changes/improvements are needed, but … for now the NASL and USL must find a way to work together. Let’s hope each side sees the big picture here – finally? – and figures it out within a week. Then we have nine months to figure out out a real future for the second division in the U.S. in 2011. This also has me thinking: I wish the Rhinos, who were once MLS-bound and above this nonsense, were in MLS. Clark’s last comment about doing what’s best for soccer in America … well, that is to figure out a compromise by next week!
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USL OLIVE BRANCH? The USL has issued a long statement that I believe essentially is saying it WILL work with the NASL to find a compromise. Hopefully this is the first step in a resolution. Here’s the key language I gleaned from that:
“In support of USSF’s efforts to find a resolution for the upcoming season at its Division II Men’s Professional League level, USL very recently agreed to one of the proposals made by USSF requiring USL-1 and the contemplated North American Soccer League (NASL) to come together for 2010. USL remains willing to proceed with this USSF-proposed scenario in order to enable the 2010 season over the course of the next several days.”
