Liverpool FC to play MLS All-Stars? (2009)

According to The Daily Mail, Major League Soccer has approached Liverpool FC in an attempt to get the English giants to play against the MLS All-Stars next summer. The report also proposes the idea of Liverpool playing Italian giants Juventus in Montreal to gauge the interest in Canada.
As much as I like seeing European teams come to the US to play against MLS clubs and all stars, I don’t see the point, besides making money, and possibly raising the profile of soccer in the States. If MLS wins, people view them as being that much closer to the EPL. The reality is that when European teams come over (Celtic and Chelsea recently), they are generally in preseason form, and therefore that much easier to beat. If MLS were to lose, the media in Europe can sling even more mud at MLS, especially if the game is a blowout.
When it comes to raising the profile of the game here, why do we need European sides to do that? I’ve long believed in the idea that if soccer is to become one of the big 4 sports in America, then it will need to do so from within. While players like David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco are nice, the fact is they are not Americans, so they can only do so much for MLS.
...Read more here: http://soccerlens.com/liverpool-fc-t...ll-stars/7972/

The Liverpool vs Juventus was Rumored last year! The game would be played at the BIG O! All this was suppose to be this year with Liverpool playing the MLS allstars in Toronto but seems the League thought it would be more fitting to have Super Power west ham in toronto this year instead!


Anyway...

Can we get a NON-English squad please for once?
Ya, Liverpool is good and all, but their are plenty of good teams in La Liga, Bundasliga (did I even spell that right), Seria A not to mention plenty of other good squads from South America, Africa or Japan and Mexico too!
Anyways... rant off...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SilverSamurai

Can we get a NON-English squad please for once?
Ya, Liverpool is good and all, but their are plenty of good teams in La Liga, Bundasliga (did I even spell that right), Seria A not to mention plenty of other good squads from South America, Africa or Japan and Mexico too!
Anyways... rant off...

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I agree id like to see a team like BARCA...Or Juve play the all stars!!

BUt MExico and South America?.....TFC will be having 2 games against South americas...Mexicos's Elite teams...... And the way the tickets are being ponded off in the ticket exchange there seem to be very little interest in these teams..let alone having them for the MLS allstar game

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RPB_RED_NATION_RPB

I agree id like to see a team like BARCA...Or Juve play the all stars!!

BUt MExico and South America?.....TFC will be having 2 games against South americas...Mexicos's Elite teams...... And the way the tickets are being ponded off in the ticket exchange there seem to be very little interest in these teams..let alone having them for the MLS allstar game

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Mexico isn't South America. ;)
The pawning off the friendlies is pathetic. I'd love to go but I won't be here sadly. Their is a world beyond Europe, but people tend to forget that sadly.
Pachuca will be a good test for the Champions League since they are the 2008 Champs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SilverSamurai

Can we get a NON-English squad please for once?
Ya, Liverpool is good and all, but their are plenty of good teams in La Liga, Bundasliga (did I even spell that right), Seria A not to mention plenty of other good squads from South America, Africa or Japan and Mexico too!
Anyways... rant off...

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AGREED!

Although I would love to see my mighty reds here. . . I woul d much prefer to see a S. American or better yet Carribean team play the alstars or us in friendlies. . .

Teams that have present a "plausible" target as future opponents. CONCACAF Champs league master Pachuca for example. . THATS a good move.


WALK ON

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Technorgasm

AGREED!

Although I would love to see my mighty reds here. . . I woul d much prefer to see a S. American or better yet Carribean team play the alstars or us in friendlies. . .

Teams that have present a "plausible" target as future opponents. CONCACAF Champs league master Pachuca for example. . THATS a good move.


WALK ON

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Pachuca is great indeed. The schedule timing is not though. lol
But that's another topic...

The league gets higher ratings, more exposure and therefore more money for playing EPL teams. People in Europe, particularly England already have little respect for this league, so there is nothing really to lose by playing these teams. However I would also prefer to see some diversity, like our allstars against a Carribean all star team.

Liverpool would have been better then West Ham, but then again so would Watford.
TFC has played Villa, Benfica, and this year Pachuca and Independiente, so they are
trying all flavors for the TFC fans. The all star game needs a higher profile team the thr hammers..Bayern,Ajax,Celtic,Man Utd just to name a few.

I don't like seeing Mexican and South American teams in friendlies because there is always a possibility that we can face them in some sort of competition every year. European teams, on the other hand, will never visit Toronto for anything but friendlies.

that newspaper article is dated 15 december 2007.....

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Originally Posted by Mikey

that newspaper article is dated 15 december 2007.....

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Good point. The original newspaper article that served as the source for the SoccerLens Blog was dates Dec. 15, 2007. But I think the blog is correctly dated June 23, 2008.

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Originally Posted by DOMIN8R

According to The Daily Mail, Major League Soccer has approached Liverpool FC in an attempt to get the English giants to play against the MLS All-Stars next summer. The report also proposes the idea of Liverpool playing Italian giants Juventus in Montreal to gauge the interest in Canada.
As much as I like seeing European teams come to the US to play against MLS clubs and all stars, I don’t see the point, besides making money, and possibly raising the profile of soccer in the States. If MLS wins, people view them as being that much closer to the EPL. The reality is that when European teams come over (Celtic and Chelsea recently), they are generally in preseason form, and therefore that much easier to beat. If MLS were to lose, the media in Europe can sling even more mud at MLS, especially if the game is a blowout.
When it comes to raising the profile of the game here, why do we need European sides to do that? I’ve long believed in the idea that if soccer is to become one of the big 4 sports in America, then it will need to do so from within. While players like David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco are nice, the fact is they are not Americans, so they can only do so much for MLS.
...Read more here: http://soccerlens.com/liverpool-fc-t...ll-stars/7972/

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I agree totally Hal. Very important post here.
I love Liverpool, have seen them at RC a few years back.
But I think you are right on the money by suggesting teams from other international leagues come to play here.
Playing other CONCACAF division squads makes for a healthier platform from which to head on into international competition.
The 'big 4' squads from the top leagues do not provide anything more than entertainment for the international fans across the globe, and huge $$$ for the Hicks/Gillete/Berlisconi set.
This is a great thread you started Hal, let me know when/where I can give you some dosh.
KD.

KD, where you staying away from the board because I was using your picture as my avatar? Now that I'm using Nascar's image you decied to come back, right?

We'd have Liverpool this year if it werent for....(Oh I give up)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DOMIN8R

KD, where you staying away from the board because I was using your picture as my avatar? Now that I'm using Nascar's image you decied to come back, right?

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Was that me?
Man, I'm more handsome than what was commonly believed.
KD.
Hey, how 'bout an RPB calendar for next year. An open competition with 12 lucky fellas voted on by the membership.
The theme?
The favorite activities of the RPB Calender Boys.
KD.

I'm guessing Liverpool in Montreal because of the George Gillett connection... (ie. Canadiens). It might be a good thing to have Gillett increase his footy profile in Montreal if he is indeed going to partner up with Saputo to bid for a MLS team.

Nothing to prove in Montreal. Montreal is already an amazing soccer city. I have a funny feeling that the Impact in MLS would be more successful than TFC, for sure from a TV POV, anyway. (I don't live in, and did not grow up in, Montreal, btw)

I have in my hand today's sports section from the Montreal Gazette. Page 1 - long, prominent features on yesterday's Impact game, and the Spain-Italy game take up 75% of the front page. Page 2 - hockey (Sundin talk). Page 3 - Alouettes training camp. Pages 4 and 5 - all soccer - two long Euro stories (about Huddink and Arshavin) plus a high quality "news and notes" from the Impact beat reporter on world football.

Overall - 60% of first 5 pages devoted to soccer. This only 3 days after the NHL draft, and with the biggest Habs deal in years (Sundin going to the Habs) in the works.

By way of comparison, the percentage of soccer in first 5 pages of today's Toronto Star sports section - approx 20%.

Even with Jays and Raptors stories in there, with the Leafs sucking while the Habs are Cup contenders, the Star still had more hockey coverage than the Gazette.

Montreal and Miami are the two most soccer-mad cities in North America. Neither is in MLS. Go figure.

WOOTabe

TFC is playing Pachuca.
Look at how little interest there is compared to Aston Villa last year.
The market dictates that EPL teams are the best for filling a stadium.
An Italian team like Juve might do as well, but a Mexican team just doesn't draw the same -- unless the game is in the southern U.S.