MLS Offseason Anything But Slow

A number of important MLS stories relating to the local teams have come to a head over the last few days and are starting to give soccer fans a glimpse of what 2010 might look like for Chivas USA and the Galaxy.

As is often the case with news, it is a mixed bag of positive and negative. Unfortunately for Chivas USA, they are the team most likely to be impacted in a negative way by recent developments. Not surprisingly, goalkeeping coach Leo Percovich has decided to leave the club to join former Chivas USA Head Coach Preki Radosavljevic as part of the new coaching staff for Toronto FC. He had joined the club in 2008 and worked with goalkeepers Brad Guzan and Zach Thornton, helping further their development and skill level. Percovich leaves a void that will be difficult to fill.

The biggest news related to Landon Donovan. The 2009 MLS MVP was signed to a new contract which would see him stay with the Galaxy through the 2013 season. It is believed that the deal is worth $9 Million, which would make Donovan the highest paid American player in history. Simultaneous to that announcement, English Premiere League side Everton FC is close to finalizing a loan deal that would seen Donovan spend the first quarter of 2010 in England, a move that should help him develop further.

Lastly, MLS and the MLS Players Union have been hard at work trying to hash out a new work contract. As expected, the main sticking point is the salary cap and the possibility of a strike/work stoppage next season is a real possibility. Lets hope everything gets resolved in the coming weeks.