AJC Soccer Insider: MLS rules may be Eales’ biggest challenge
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By
Doug Roberson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Darren Eales will face several challenges as the president of Atlanta’s MLS team, which will begin play in 2017.
Though he graduated from Brown and played professionally in the U.S. he has lived and worked in his native England since 1997. He spent the last four years as executive director of Tottenham Hotspur in England’s Premier League.
So, here’s a quick checklist of things for Eales to do:
• Re-adjust to a different country.
• Learn the new region of said country.
• Learn to live in a new city in said country.
• Learn a different culture in said city in said country.
• Learn intricacies of new league.
• Develop a relationship with new owner.
• Figure out how to take advantage of new stadium.
• Work with fans to develop a team name.
• Hire a technical director.
• Put together a new team.
• Oh, and he and his wife are expecting twins.
Now, that’s a long, somewhat shocking, list … and it’s not complete.
But, other than the new city and most likely the twins, all of those challenges would have been faced by anyone hired to run Arthur Blank’s club.
So, by no means are the challenges that Eales will face immense.
He’s obviously a smart, skilled man. He’s a lawyer who studied at Cambridge.
He has helped provide Spurs a positive direction both financially and in the Premier League table, goals which can be mutually exclusive.
So, the business side of Atlanta’s new team shouldn’t be difficult for him. If you understand a country’s culture – and Eales should because he graduated from Brown and played professionally here — the fundamentals of running a business in England will be similar to running one in America.
So what will be his most difficult challenge?
No, it won’t be grits, saying y’all or navigating Atlanta’s traffic.
As it is for most, navigating the sometimes arcane, often player personnel rules that MLS uses may be biggest issue.
“It’s a shift from working in the Premier league to MLS,” said Fox Sports soccer reporter Kyle McCarthy.
Unlike most of the world’s soccer leagues, as well as the other professional sports leagues in the U.S., players, particularly standout players that sell tickets, can’t be bought with what would be considered a normal efficiency.
The single-entity ownership structure MLS uses can result in one team thinking it’s going to get a player, like Chicago with Jermaine Jones, only to find out they are going somewhere else. That’s just one example, but it illustrated that simply wanting a player isn’t the same as getting a player.
Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl notes that traditionally the teams that have succeeded in MLS tend to be ones that have been coached by and had general managers who knew the league well enough to deal with these rules.
Eales has some knowledge because he has been a part of a negotiating team that sold former Spurs standouts Robbie Keane, Clint Dempsey and Jermain Defoe to MLS, and bought DeAndre Yedlin for Spurs.
But there’s a difference between being on the outside in one-channel actions compared to overseeing the development of an entire MLS roster that will be put together through free-agency, an expansion draft, a Super Draft, free-agency and youth development. Some, such as former Galaxy coach, Ruud Gullit, could never grasp the system’s intricacies.
That’s where the 2 ½ years that Eales has before the team begins play in 2017 should help. Also, he can lean on Jim Smith, the Falcons vice president of marketing, who was formally president of the Columbus Crew.
It seems that Eales is already doing his homework.
During his interview for the job, he had already done research on MLS executive and players, a sign that he is going to come into the league prepared.
Interesting decision
It’s too early to tell if this is just one random decision or a sign of things to come for soccer, but a four-star wide receiver has given up football to concentrate on soccer.
Drake Davis, from Fork Union, Va., is the No. 10-rated wide receiver in high school with offers from Alabama and Florida State, among others.
But he is turning them down.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if more teenagers, or their parents, don’t start to make a move from American football to futbol. Though still far behind the NFL, the pay in MLS is getting better. Teams from around the world are scouting our country more thoroughly, which means more opportunities. Lastly, soccer players don’t take the lifelong beating that football players do.
We will see if Davis’ decision has a long-range impact.
Champions League
The Champions League action begins this week and of the 12 games on tap four are worth watching:
Real Madrid vs. FC Basel. Don’t sleep on the Swiss. Three years ago, this team knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League. In four of the past five Champions League tournaments, Basel has advanced past the group stage.
Plus, Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is being all moody about Manchester United buying best friend Angel di Maria and stating that the Reds, which sold him to Real Madrid, will always be in his heart.
Dortmund vs. Arsenal. The Gunners are getting Dortmund at the right time. Marco Reus is out with an injury, but the Germans are always tough and seem to simply reload even after selling or losing star after star. Forward Danny Welbeck will likely make his second start for Arsenal after his last-minute move from Manchester United. He played well for England last week, but it doesn’t seem that his form with the national team ever carries over to his club.
Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City: The game to watch. The German giants, with a roster full of players who won the World Cup and champions of Germany’s Bundesliga vs. the Premier League champs, with a roster full of the world’s best players.
Ajax vs. Paris SG: This is more of a sentimental choice. It can be argued that without Ajax’ dominance in the early 1970s, when it won three of its four European titles with a focus on flowing football, the game wouldn’t be what it is today. The team hasn’t made it out of the group stage in the past four years, a sad indictment of how the rest of Europe’s leagues have passed the Eredivisie, which must export stars rather than import them.
Plus, you get to watch PSG’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which is worth the price of admission.
MLS and Atlanta
How MLS players with ties to the metro Atlanta area did this week:
Joe Bendik (@jtbendik), Toronto, GK, Kennesaw
Played 90 minutes and made six saves in team’s 1-1 tie with Chicago on Saturday.
Next game: Will host Chivas USA on Sunday.
Mark Bloom (@markbloom21), Toronto, D, Marietta
Played 90 minutes in team’s 1-1 tie with Chicago on Saturday.
Next game: Will host Chivas USA on Sunday.
Alex Caskey, D.C. United, M, Dunwoody
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 1-0 loss to New York on Wednesday.
Next game: At Waterhouse on Tuesday and at Chicago on Saturday.
Ricardo Clark, Houston, M, Jonesboro
Played 90 minutes in team’s 2-2 draw with Columbus on Saturday.
Next game: At Philadelphia on Saturday.
Warren Creavalle (@warrenspeak), Toronto, D, Acworth
Played 59 minutes in team’s 1-1 tie with Chicago on Saturday.
Next game: Will host Chivas USA on Sunday.
Sean Johnson (@sjohn25), Chicago, GK, Snellville
Played 90 minutes and made five saves in team’s 1-1 tie with Toronto on Saturday.
Next game: Will host D.C. United on Saturday.
Alec Kann (@akann90), Chicago, GK, Decatur
Did not make the 18 for team’s 1-1 tie with Toronto on Saturday.
Next game: Will host D.C. United on Saturday.
Steven Kinney (@stevenhkinney), Chicago, D, Norcross
Did not make the 18 for team’s 1-1 tie with Toronto on Saturday.
Next game: Will host D.C. United on Saturday.
Chris Klute (@chrisklute), Colorado, D, Silverbacks, Clayton State
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 2-2 draw with Portland on Saturday.
Next game: At Real Salt Lake on Friday.
Jack McInerney (@jackmcinerney9), Montreal, F, Alpharetta
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 2-2 tie with Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Played 90 minutes and had two shots and an assist in team’s 2-1 loss to New England on Saturday.
Next game: Will host New York on Wednesday and is San Jose on Saturday.
Joe Nasco (@joenascogk18), Colorado, G, Silverbacks
Didn’t make the 18 because of last week’s red card in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Portland on Saturday.
Next game: At Real Salt Lake on Friday.
Michael Nwiloh (mnwiloh6), Chivas USA, D, Conyers
Didn’t make the 18 for team’s 4-0 loss to Sporting KC on Friday.
Next game: At Toronto on Sunday.
Walker Zimmerman (@thewalkerzim), Dallas, D, Lawrenceville
Didn’t make the 18 for team’s 2-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday. He is suffering from a left hamstring tear.
Next game: At L.A. Galaxy on Saturday.
“Soccer is a lifetime passion of mine, and to have the chance to come to Atlanta and build a club from the ground up is extremely exciting,” said Eales. “I’m going to have the rare experience of getting to know the fans from the outset, and I’m eager to engage them in the process, from naming the team to creating an incredible atmosphere at our matches. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to have the support of a respected owner in Arthur Blank and the chance to field a team in a brand new state-of-the-art facility. MLS is going from strength to strength, and really making its mark, so it’s a privilege to be part of its expansion. I’m looking forward to being a part of MLS Atlanta and helping to make this a great success story.”
players from overseas. Especially since Donovan is done being "elite". Yeldin is a great up and coming talent, but since he plays right back, he isn't in a position that a casual fan will notice off ESPN highlights since he won't be doing any time of goal scoring. 
