Steven Cohen Interview

I recently got Steven Cohen to answer a few questions for the blog. His work with Kenny Hassan on their daily radio show has to be admired, even if you don't agree with them. Their discussions span across the world and they have built a large base of highly respected and entertaining correspondents. Below are the answers to a couple questions.

Steven, thanks for answering a few questions for the blog.

1) As a Chelsea supporter, you may be partially biased, but which model do you think provides the most exciting league format, Premiership big four or MLS salary cap parity?

Personally I still prefer Premiership big 4 model. Beyond the big 4 is really the issue though. With the European leagues you have teams fighting for Europe whether it be the Champions League of Europa League and then of course the all important issue of relegation which means that throughout the season you can probably find 6-7 games every weekend that have a compelling story and consequence.

2) Do you feel that the current economic climate which has led teams such as Portsmouth in to crisis, that the MLS league format has gained further legitimacy?

Yes and no.

Yes, because it shows, along with the other well run US sports leagues how you run a league where everyone can and should make money. To this point MLS has stuck to its guns and is progressing down a tried and true path.

No, because at the end of the day MLS is not the NBA, NFL, NHL or MLB. The financial nature and structure of single entity means that the league will always be 98% journeymen.

You can change the rules every once in a while to accommodate David Beckham, or Blanco, Lopez, Ljungberg and Angel but let’s be honest, it is not enough. We watch the Premiership, La Liga and Serie A to watch the stars. It is why I watch the NBA and NFL...those guys are the best at what they do for their sport. This is not true of MLS.

My feeling is that after 15 years the rules of single entity should have been relaxed...it is time to let clubs sink or swim. If Joe Roth in Seattle wants to spend his personal fortune in making the Sounders the best team in the world he should be allowed to. What i cannot stand is that I still feel that the rules are changed and bent to suit the LA Galaxy...the league needs the Galaxy to win to give the league legitimacy which I disagree with.

It is a much better story that Real Salt Lake with a great young manager in Jason Kreis and with super players like Beckerman and Findley beat the star heavy LA Galaxy. The league is only looking at it from the point of view of trying to make the Galaxy one of the world's super clubs and that if they had won they would have got Beckham and Donovan on Leno and Letterman whereas Leno and Letterman are not interested in Beckerman and Findley.

The Galaxy will never be a super club but that is a question and answer for another time.

3) How is your radio partnership with Kenny Hassan different from the relationship with your previous co-hosts?

It is mainly different because we are very equal partners in the business as well as on the radio.

He is always well prepared and well rounded and it takes a lot of pressure off of me. Geber could really only try and be funny or talk about Liverpool. The show as it is today could never have accommodated Geber because he was too lazy and would not do the work or watch the games and thought that reducing the show to a frat boy exercise served the show well.
Howard was great but too anti-America and actually just simply anti anything that was not Manchester United. Kenny is really good.

4) It seems that your interest in MLS has increased gradually over the years, what has helped foster or grow your interest in the league?

My biggest argument about MLS was that there was nothing to talk about. What I mean by that is that the MLS season would begin, the games would be played but between the games there was nothing of any interest to talk about from a neutrals perceptive.

One thing i will say for Beckham is he gave us stuff to talk about. That is when it changed for me.

His arrival, his injury, his second season and his abject lack of interest and motivation, his laziness and his general lack of giving a shit about the league and the country was golden. Landon coming out and saying what he did to Grant Wahl for Grant's book was beyond golden and by the way 100% true. The fact that Landon was forced to swallow it is unfortunate because everything he said about Beckham at the time he said it and based on what Beckham had delivered thus far was 100% true. It made Landon in my eyes a bigger man etc...

We talk about the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga Monday - Friday because it is so easy because there is a soap opera that follows the game. Until Beckham got here we did not have that with MLS.

The America soccer fan in my opinion also grew up massively this season with its approach to Beckham. Beckham and his people thought he could simply phone it in. The American soccer fan this season told them in no uncertain terms that he could not and you saw his attitude change 180 degrees because of it. MLS is growing up and it’s really good.

Also when you look at RFK, Toronto, Seattle and even LA you are seeing serious crowds, serious noise and serious fans. It is much easier to follow something and be interested in something when there is an atmosphere about it. When i look at some of these stadiums i finally say to myself that i would like to be there.

5) If you were allowed to make one change to Major League Soccer, what would it be?

Relegation/Promotion. Simple as that...it would revolutionize American sport.

The one thing you hear and read American sports journalists talking about when they do talk about soccer are relegation and promotion. "What if Donald Sterling had to contend with being relegated to the CBA...now that would be great." It seems to me that the one thing that even the most anti-soccer writers are keen on is relegation and promotion. This notion of being rewarded for being the worst is wack!!!

6) Do you feel that the United States will eventually have rivalries as great as Rangers/Celtic, Boca/River, Man U/Man City, Real Madrid/Barcelona, or will the size of our country keep us from ever having such geographic rivalries?

Not really to be honest and the answer is in your question. The country is too big. Not enough people travel to follow their team and the size of America does not really allow for it.

That said it is come on leaps and bounds. You would expect a nice rivalry between Phili, NY and DC starting next season and certainly with each city being drivable to.

On the west coast with LA/Chivas, San Jose, Seattle and of course Portland and Vancouver in 2011. So the league is making steps to create these rivalries and that should be applauded.

That said...we do not want rivalries like Celtic and Rangers in this country. Rivalries based on religion and sectarianism...no thank you.

Finally, I am a big fan of Curt Onalfo and i hope he does great things with DC United this season and i love that he has put together a coaching staff of all ex DC United players and all ex DC United players who won titles with DC United.

Good luck in 2010 and thanks for asking me to contribute.

Cheers,
Steven

Thank you for your time Steven and we hope to get you to answer more questions in the future. I strongly suggest people go to www.worldfootballdaily.com and sign up for the premium plan. The price you pay for the amount of content you get is nothing. It makes my hour I spend driving to and from work each day a lot easier.
-Black and Red on Both Sides