Arena: MLS may schedule breaks for international matches

Oct 31, 2008 - 12:39 AM By Simon Lewis PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CARSON, California (Ticker) - Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena believes Major League Soccer will adopt breaks in its schedule for international soccer in time for the 2009 season.

The MLS season currently continues uninterrupted from March to November with teams having to take the field without players missing on national team duty, even if that means a number of key team members are absent from league fixtures.

The Galaxy expect David Beckham back from a two-month loan at AC Milan in time for the start of the season in early March, only to lose the England midfielder for an international friendly on March 28 and a World Cup qualifying game on April 1.

"That's something that we faced this year," Arena said of the potential absence. "We face it with (striker) Landon Donovan also and there are a lot of teams in MLS that face it as well, and it occurs all over the world.

"I would tell you this, that MLS (is planning) on resting on international fixture dates and will not be playing on every international fixture date in 2009."

Any change to MLS policy would have to be implemented at the league's Board of Governors' meeting during MLS Cup week in Los Angeles in mid-November, although it is believed MLS executives would not be able to suspend league activity for every international fixture date officially designated by world governing body FIFA.

Arena also said he believed the MLS' Designated Player rule, which allows teams to add up to two players to their rosters with the bulk of their contracts not counting toward the team salary cap, could also be amended to give clubs with such players, such as Beckham, Chicago's Cuauhtemoc Blanco or New York's Juan Pablo Angel more latitude. It has been argued that teams that have signed DPs have actually been penalized by their inability to strengthen their rosters further within the cap.

"I understand that that's a possibility," Arena said of a possible modification. "I can't say yes or no either way. I'm hopeful that that's something that the Board of Governors can consider. I think in the case of the L.A. Galaxy for sure, our designated players add a lot to the league and especially if you look at attendance numbers when we travel on the road.

"I think with the financial benefit to the entire league with a David Beckham and to a certain degree with a Landon Donovan is phenomenal. However, having two of those so-called designated players on a roster at the same time handcuffs you a bit in terms of your roster. I would like to see teams that go out and invest in designated players reap some of the benefits that are well deserved in making those kind of moves."

The Galaxy had appeared to be set to lose Donovan, the MLS regular season leading goal scorer, to a European club after the United States' all-time leading goal scorer expressed his desire on Sunday to further his career in either England or Spain. Yet Arena said he did not think the 26-year-old, also linked with a move to German powerhouse Bayern Munich, would be leaving any time soon.

"I honestly believe Landon Donovan is going to be playing with the L.A. Galaxy in March," Arena said. "We fully believe that and I tell you this: we're adamant that we've got to get this club headed in the right direction and one of the easiest ways to get that accomplished is to have two great players like Beckham and Donovan with the Galaxy.

"We certainly desire and want and demand them both back and I'm very confident both David and Landon will be on the field with the Galaxy in March of 2009."