(10-22-2017 09:33 AM)PurpleReigns Wrote:  

(10-22-2017 01:46 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Steve Gans, Paul Lapointe, and Eric Wynalda have all officially announced they are running for US Soccer President.

Lapointe has a bold vision that includes pro rel for everything but MLS

Wynalda wants to end the "elitist attitude" in US Soccer, and promises equal pay for the Women's National team. Also promises to turn MLS into a "functional, profitable league"

Gans wants to eliminate pay for play and wants to work as a team.


The early read is that Eric Wynalda has a lot more support than many thought, he is a very good speaker, and was very blunt in pointing out that the USSF has a "soccer problem" not a "Financial problem" Gans is serious, but he's going to have a hard time convincing everyone that his background is strong enough to show that he can fix things on the technical side. Lapointe is seen as an outsider.

The Donovan situation is the true wild card here. Does he choose to run offering a higher profile player than Wynalda to be the face of US Soccer, or will he back out. It is expected that LD and Gulati will not run against each other, meaning if one announces, the other will step aside.

Does “elitist attitude” include no more pay to play or?


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He's proposing major changes to US Soccer for sure. He said he wants to change the Youth System, which reads as if he wants to get rid of pay to play.

He also wants to move MLS and the other leagues in the United States Pyramid to the European Calendar of August to May. There's been a lot of talk about MLS needing to consider this anyway given the league's struggles in Champions League play, and the fact they are often forced to play through all the major international tournaments without many of their stars. But I don't see the higher ups in MLS Being receptive to that at all...

MLS is in a difficult position here if Wynalda was to become a serious enough candidate that he could beat Gulati. The league can't really publicly endorse Sunil Gulati after the disaster of qualifying, yet they are almost certainly would want someone more supportive to run given the current options. I think that's why we keep hearing the Donovan talk. MLS knows its untenable to stand behind Gulati, but the other choices right now are all proposing major overhauls to the league. It would be ideal for them if they had a candidate with MLS ties that would be receptive to the US Soccer community at large running.