Our GOAL US writers break down MLS regular season return, Landon Donovan's NWSL job and a popular soccer show
Has the summer of soccer now officially ended? The Olympics, Euros and Copa America all wound down. European leagues are back to their full flow. And after a month-long hiatus due to Leagues Cup, MLS is back too.
Normal service, it seems, has been restored.
There's a certain comfort in the predictable calendar of the soccer world in the coming months. MLS teams face a straight sprint to the playoffs. A captivating Leagues Cup final added some extra jeopardy to the campaign, with pressure now piled on Columbus Crew to complete an MLS-cup double. But the competition in the U.S.'s top division won't make it easy.
Elsewhere, a controversial coaching decision has been made in the NWSL, while everyone's favorite soccer series – well, a favorite for some, anyway – is reportedly coming back.
Our GOAL US writers break down the return of Ted Lasso, MLS's sprint to the playoffs, NWSL coaching and more in the latest edition of… The Rondo.
USA TodayWho impressed you most from MLS' return weekend?
Tom Hindle: Marco Reus, no doubt. LA Galaxy is already one of the top contenders for MLS Cup, they just needed someone who can come on and offer a spark when things aren't going well. Enter an elite attacking midfielder who can score and create in bunches. Reus set up one, scored another, LA wins. That might just happen a lot more in the weeks to come.
Ryan Tolmich: The easy answer here is Inter Miami. No Messi, no problem, despite playing an Eastern Conference contender in FC Cincinnati. Even with a DUMB Tomas Avlies red card, Miami were still too good for Cincinnati. The deck was very much stacked against them, but the Herons didn't even break a sweat. They're cruising to the Supporters' Shield and, after this weekend's performance, they have to be MLS Cup favorites, right? Messi will be back soon – hopefully – and, when that happens, it could be scary hours for the rest of the league.
Jacob Schneider: Dare I say it… the New England Revolution? Where the hell did that performance come from? A 5-0 pummeling of CF Montreal marked their best match of the season. The playoffs are slowly looking to be something in their grasp, and it's truly astonishing. Some quiet shouts to the Seattle Sounders on the road, the Portland Timbers for their stunning comeback against City and the Earthquakes for their result over Real Salt Lake, too.
Alex Labidou: Has to be Reus right? He completely changed the complexion of the Galaxy's match against Atlanta United – turning a snoozefest into a Hollywood ending. A goal and an assist within just 28 minutes off the bench on your debut is just insane. There will be questions about where he fits in the starting XI with a tight-knit group already there, and you always have to worry about health with the 35-year-old, but Saturday's debut was up there among the best in MLS.
AdvertisementGettyWhat can the Crew do to keep their superteam together?
TH: Win MLS cup, and then pray that the influence of Wilfried Nancy is strong enough so that everyone wants to stay. The Leagues Cup win is a fine start, and it clearly meant a lot to the coach and the club. But MLS Cup is the big one, the opportunity for the Crew to go from fun and good to watch to legit superteam. Get medals around necks, then we will see. If they do, Nancy stays. If not, look out.
RT: Pay up. Multiple times. Back up the Brink's truck to convince Cucho Hernandez that he can become an MLS icon if he stays in Ohio. That may not work, unfortunately, as he's said he wants to go to Europe, presumably to further his national team hopes. Give him enough money for him to worry about that a little less, and build around him for the next decade as he enters his prime. Sell him on legacy and trophies, too.
Do whatever it takes. Nancy will probably be a bit tougher to convince, admittedly. While the Crew have to worry about a decent European team poaching Cucho, they may have to fight off the world's best to keep their coach. The Frenchman is bound for Europe sooner or later, but the question is when? Can they pay him enough to convince him to delay it? They'll hope so, as they should try and keep him through the 2025 Club World Cup.
JS: Honestly, the way to do it is to not change a thing in terms of structure. Their scouting has been sublime, their development at the MLS NEXT Pro level is levels beyond the rest of the league and their dedication to their craft on the pitch is second to none.
Now, there are factors such as whether Nancy and Hernandez stay – both will likely be linked with winter moves away from the club. It's hard to picture them holding on to both, especially Nancy, who is bound to take the next step into Europe.
AL: Pay Wilfried Nancy more. Pay him double if you have to. He is a culture-setter, having exceeded expectations at both Montreal and Columbus during his time at the helm. Interest from Europe is inevitable, but don't let the 47-year-old be tempted away. Remember, there’s no cap on what you can pay coaches, so don't let this opportunity slip, Crew.
Nancy's success also underscores the glaring lack of diversity in MLS coaching ranks. Last offseason, there were 10 coaching openings in the league, and only one coach, Chris Armas (of Puerto Rican descent), came from a Black or Latino background. Nancy remains the ONLY Black coach in the league. In a league in which at least three coaches are on their second job – two of whom aren’t even in playoff positions – that's unacceptable.
Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY SportsDid the San Diego Wave's hiring of Landon Donovan make sense?
TH: No, not really. San Diego has been really poor this year, and after a few months marred by off-field chaos, they probably needed an experienced head coach who could come in, right the ship, and get this talented squad where it really should be. Donovan may know San Diego well, and he may have had his moments in USL, but he isn't a particularly good coach – nor is he relevant in the women's soccer space. There's an argument to be made here that a credible face at the center of it all could settle things down – especially given everything Donovan has said about mental health and steering the players through the season. But if results are a priority, this is the wrong guy.
RT: There's a tiny amount of logic to it. Donovan is a soccer legend, and one with close ties to San Diego. He's been the face of soccer in the city and, because of that, he's in tune with the local culture. His stances and principles shined through during his time in charge of San Diego Loyal and he's totally comfortable being the face of a team.
It brings us to the question, though: if this were the reverse, would a men's team hire a women's coach with limited experience to take over one of the world's elite teams? That's not to say that Donovan isn't a good coach or that he won't do well. It is to say that the process is flawed if women's teams are still turning to coaches based on name recognition and not what they've actually shown they can do in the women's game.
JS: Not one bit, and it almost feels disrespectful on a level. However, the Wave have had a rollercoaster of a season, and this may not even be the weirdest peak. They re-signed Casey Stoney to a new deal in January after winning the regular season in 2023, only to sack her after a poor start?
It made no sense at all for them, especially with it coming out of the blue. It was then followed by a series of allegations against club President Jill Ellis. Add into the mix that Ellis has now come forward and said that she wasn't considering Donovan as an applicant until he nominated himself, and there's just so much about it that makes no sense. The NWSL is a premier women's soccer league, and to have one of its major-market teams appoint a manager with zero experience coaching women, and his only coaching experience was at the USL level? it's just odd, and for the players, it has to be rather uncomfortable.
AL: In short, no. Having covered Donovan as a reporter, he was always enjoyable to work with. But on surface value, this doesn't make much sense. Now, can Landon prove the naysayers wrong? Sure. But considering the NWSL is like the Premier League when it comes to top-level women's soccer, there were likely dozens of more qualified coaches who paid their dues and earned the right to coach in this league. The Wave aren't an expansion team, they should be one of the best clubs in the league. Landon, arguably still the greatest USMNT player of all-time, deserves a role in MLS or U.S. Soccer. Not in the NWSL.
Manchester City SocialWhat's your reaction to Ted Lasso reportedly being renewed?
TH: I don't care.
RT: All soccer is good soccer, and Ted Lasso is a lot of people's idea of soccer. I have friends that know nothing about the Champions League, but love Roy Kent. My dad's girlfriend proudly told me she knew what relegation was because she learned it from the show. Ted Lasso is a crucial entry point for so many people to learn about the game and, perhaps, start following it for themselves. American soccer still needs those entry points and it certainly still needs the sort of cultural influence Ted Lasso provides. Is it for everyone? No, but for the people that it does hit, it's a key doorway to a lot of the concepts, personalities and storylines that make us soccer sickos love the sport as much as we do.
JS: Simply put: Hell yeah. The show is fun. The characters are likable, the plot is silly and the writers are brilliant. In a world in which there's so much nonsense on the outside, the time you get to sit down and watch an episode of Ted Lasso for the first time is so, so enjoyable.
AL: FOOTBALL IS LIFE. Listen, didn't love Season 3 of Ted Lasso. There were numerous plot holes and cheesy wrap-ups that didn't vibe. But overall, you can't question the show's cultural impact. It makes soccer accessible to the normies. You know the people who don't play FIFA, FC, or whatever the bleep it's called these days, or have a counterculture side that can only be scratched by buying a Frankfurt kit at an insane cost. Season 4 could be an opportunity to right the wrongs of Season 3. Even if it feels like a money grab … ultimately OK with it.