Here’s what we’re kicking around today:

• No One Likes the New MLS Playoff Format

• Thoughts on Gregg Berhalter

• San Diego FC’s New $150M Performance Center

The New MLS Playoff Format

This year the MLS decided to change up their playoff format moving to a best of 3 series. As an American who watches soccer across the world, I find myself asking why the MLS has to reinvent everything. The rules and formats are pre-defined, just look at every other league across the world. Now that we are through a good chunk of the playoffs, the overall uproar of negativity around this playoff format has increased.

The poll bellow was voted on by over 3400 people on X. You can see that people aren’t loving the new format. If we ran this poll prior to the playoffs results likely would’ve been similar.

So why did the MLS go with the Best of 3? There’s no real disclosed reason. More games means more money for the league. So the answer is likely that simple. The playoffs also land in an awkward calendar spot right in between two international breaks. If you hate this format don’t worry because it will likely change. Much like the old MLS penalty kick format this seems to be a playoff format trending in the wrong direction.

It’s interesting that MLS legend, Mike Magee prefers the single elimination but would rather a best of three than the home and away.

USMNT Managerial Thoughts

With the international break kicking off there is an important USMNT role to talk about.

Gregg Berhalter.

When comparing the US performance at the World Cup to similar “developing soccer” countries, we underperformed. When comparing the US managerial role to managerial roles in these other countries ONE big thing stands out. EXPERIENCE.

Let’s take Morocco for example. Morocco had an amazing World Cup run led by Manager Walid Regragui. Walid won 5 trophies in 7 seasons and the African Champions league all as a club manager.

Or how about Japan? Manager Hajime Moriyasu won 3 J-Leagues and 3 Japanese Super Cups before becoming Japan’s manager.

Now let’s look at Gregg. Gregg’s first head coaching gig was with second division Swedish side Hammarby IF, where he spent two years before being sacked for “lack of attacking play”. He then spent five years as head coach of Columbus Crew where he made the playoffs in 4 of 5 seasons and lost in the MLS Final to Portland in 2015. 7 years as a club manager, zero titles. So how did he get the most coveted job in American Soccer?

We don’t know but his brother, Jay, was an executive at US soccer for over 20 years and likely played a big role in his hiring. Every other option the US had for the managerial role had a better PPG average then Gregg in the MLS. At least the USWNT knows how to hire the best.

We play Trinidad & Tobago in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations league this week. It should be two easy wins for our squad that is missing a few key players but has most of the core group together. Another test for Gregg… our analysis awaits.

San Diego FC’s Performance Center

Alright if there’s one thing you need to know about us at Nutmeg Soccer it’s that we’re incredibly bullish on soccer in America. We think it’s going to be massive. Way bigger than it already is. So when a team pours $150M into a brand spanking new performance center, we get giddy.

And that’s what the MLS’s 30th franchise is doing. Last week San Diego FC broke ground on a state of the art performance center that will house the clubs operations including their Right to Dream Youth Development Academy. The 125,000 sq ft campus will include:

• 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art sports performance facility shared by the first team and academy teams.

• Five full-sized soccer fields, including three natural turf fields and two synthetic turf fields.

• Residential academy for male students between ages 12-18

• First MLS team to offer a privately operated school combined with the residential soccer academy

And the renderings of it are sick!

Tweet of the Week

A thread of MLS stadiums created by AI if they were part of famous regional landmarks.

Goal of the Week

Because what other goal would it be?

Quick Hits

• Matt Miazga wins MLS Defender of the Year (Link)

• Christian Pulisic sustains minor injury, will miss USMNT games (Link)

• Emil Forsberg transferring from RB Leipzig to NY Red Bulls (Link)

• Massachusetts legislation are expected to review plans for a soccer specific stadium for the Revolution (Link)

• NY RedBulls opt not to renew the contract of Trow Lesesne (Link)