State of the States | January, 2012

With the holiday season in our rearview mirrors, the MLS pre-season is about to kick into gear. Likewise, the USMNT returns to action with the annual January camp and friendlies. But we begin with the different roster trajectories of the two biggest names in American club soccer…

The Perils of Success

It seemed that the price of the Galaxy’s 2011 success would be an off-season dismantling, headlined by the long-rumored departure of David Beckham. But here we are, in the heart of the transfer season, and Beckham looks like he may extend his stay in LA. Likewise, many of the key cogs that looked to have attracted interest from other quarters were quietly signed to new contracts or departed on short-term loans.

Not that the off-season hasn't been damaging for the league’s marquee side. Juninho has been recalled to his homeland from his epic loan spell and Omar Gonzalez picked up a long-term injury on loan in Germany, damaging both his hopes of a summer transfer and of breaking into Klinsmann’s first-choice USMNT.

Red Bull Revamp

All of which makes the story of the Red Bulls’ off-season so much more intriguing. Initially, it looked like the only big departure for the other “big” MLS club would be Marquez in the wake of their disappointing early playoff exit. Now we have word that Tim Ream is stirring significant interest in England, and Joel Lindpere, arguably the Red Bulls’ most effective player over the last few seasons, seems to be signaling that he wants out as well. Tack on Henry skipping most of pre-season to hang out in his former digs in London, and you wonder if 2012 will bring more of the same reek of failure that’s haunted the franchise from the very beginning of the league.

That said, the Red Bull FO has been dropping hints that they’re bringing back some young American starlets from abroad. What remains to be seen is if said influx will extend to a league-wide phenomenon and whether the training stint-turned-transfer Tim Ream saga is an isolated incident. A number of young MLS players have trained abroad this off-season, and Donovan’s return to Everton, followed by Henry’s return to Arsenal, may signal an increasing trend for both burgeoning and established stars to extend their playing seasons, much in the manner that USMNT boss Klinsmann has suggested he would like to see happen.

Camp Cupcake

Speaking of the man in charge…The boss may change, but the annual gathering of the best of MLS and Scandinavian-based Yanks remains the same. While the majority of call-ups were expected, there are some intriguing new (Zusi, Sapong, DeLaGarza) and returning (Clark, Feilhaber, Parkhurst) faces to watch…if you can find an outlet to watch them on. No English-language US television coverage for the January friendlies seems like a step backward. True, the audience for a second-tier squad playing second-tier opposition may be a limited one, but it’s an audience you want to serve in the buildup to an important summer of qualification matches.

Looking Ahead

Given the lack of on-field action for MLS and the USMNT, December was relatively quiet. Next month, however, should prove more busy.

• The MLS SuperDraft class doesn't look a particularly strong one, so will we see more interest in foreign acquisitions and young domestic talent based abroad? The influx of Colombians is certainly noticeable thus far.
• What effect will the transfer window have on sapping MLS rosters? Do any more of the big names on loan suffer injuries like Gonzalez?
• We've seen the names for the January camp. Can anybody make enough of an impression on Klinsmann to break into consideration for the regular squad?

Well, that about wraps things up for the State of the States this month. Tune in next month as MLS rosters begin to shake out and preparations for World Cup qualification get under way…

Michael S. Hund is the creator of the Fullback Files, a blog covering DC United, the US National Team, and Major League Soccer.