Six weeks.
That’s the mandatory amount of offseason time for players in Major League Soccer.
For the teams that don’t make it to the final weekend of the season those weeks are even longer, but six weeks is the current length.
It might not seem like enough time for players that not only endure a 34-game regular season MLS slate rife with Open Cup matches, club friendlies – and for some, international dates – but many of the players on the Union will tell you that when it comes to the offseason, six weeks is too much time before the kickoff of a new campaign.
“I think it’s too long,” goalkeeper Zac MacMath told philadelphiaunion.com. “Two-and-a-half months, which is pretty much what it is, is too long for players to take completely off. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t make the playoffs [this past season] so we don’t have a few more weeks to play. But it’s too long and I think it’d be nice if we we’re playing a little bit longer.
Given the average MLS season in recent years lasts longer than a 162-game Major League Baseball season, longer than an 82-game NBA and NHL season and you could play nearly two NFL seasons in the amount of time an MLS season lasts, it’s a shocking realization that players rather the training over the respite.
“Sure I like to visit the family and do a little bit of rest after a long season,” said defender Sheanon Williams. “But then I want to jump right back into it. I’m sure a lot of the guys will still be around Philly and want to do something, so I’ll definitely be around the guys and trying to get better over the offseason.
Williams is one of a handful of players that have made YSC Sports in Wayne, the Union’s youth academy facility their home away from home this offseason as players both in MLS and out routinely host pickup matches there to stay sharp.
And in many ways…to scratch the itch.
“I mean if it was up to me – I love the game of soccer and it goes by so quickly, you don’t really think about having any time off,” said defender Ray Gaddis. “It will definitely be relaxing and enjoyable to see my family. I’ve been away from my family for a little bit. But I’m a competitor and it tears me up not playing every day.”
March will be here before we all realize and the start of the 2015 MLS campaign will kick off for the Union under the guidance of a new technical staff, a new vision and a few new faces on the pitch.
Compound that with the addition of two new clubs joining the fray in New York City FC and Orlando City SC and one would think that proper planning to make sure this is a season that pops would be worth the wait.
But for many players around MLS, apparently it can’t arrive soon enough.
Contact Union digital editor Kerith Gabriel at kgabriel@philadelphiaunion.com
Do you think the MLS offseason is too long?
