Who knew that there is one week of football left in the MLS. And the big story in the league was how 45-year-old Didier Drogba refused to play for Montreal when he learned we was not going to be in the starting lineup.
Playoff-bound Montreal coach Mauro Biello has made up with the washed-up Drogba. But let's be clear: Drogba would never have pulled this move at his former stops. He knows that it simply doesn't matter for his career or really anyone's career what happens in meaningless MLS matches.
This event highlights how players who starred in Europe view the league. You may have missed Andrea Pirlo's recent comments about the league.
Said Pirlo: "I love the style of sport in America. Here you come to the stadium with your family and the victory comes second. What counts first and foremost is the sense of people coming together."
This in a country that brought you Donald Trump. Yet Pirlo is right. The family atmosphere in MLS stadiums is legendary, as this blog can attest to from games in Colorado, Orlando and Chicago this season. You can sit and enjoy the match and talk to the people next to you about the weather, politics or how your kids are doing. That's what Pirlo is talking about.
Furthermore, only three teams fired coaches in season. To be fair, the ineptitude of the league is a major reason for this. New York Red Bulls will finish atop the Eastern Conference despite blowing five, count them FIVE two-goal leads in draws. Normally those 10 dropped points would matter but the quality in the MLS is so low it didn't. No one is paying attention anyway.
MLS coaches love that nothing is on the line for them. There's very little pressure to perform in the league - or in the country - for anybody. The United States finished fourth in the Gold Cup and retained coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The U.S. fourth-place finish in the Copa America consisted of three wins and three defeats. Consecutive fourth-place finishes are considered "success," apparently.
The football culture in the U.S. is more than accepting of mediocrity and no one respects the MLS. Even this old guy is back scoring goals.
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