ΒΕΤΤΙΝG NEWSLETTERS: Kick Off: Don Garber inks extension as Obafemi Martins eyes his own deal & USL PRO playoffs kick off

Kick Off: Don Garber inks extension as Obafemi Martins eyes his own deal & USL PRO playoffs kick off

Here are the top 15 stories everyone's talking about this morning:

1. GARBER NOT GOING ANYWHERE

There was good news all round for Don Garber as the MLS Commissioner revealed that not only had he signed a new contract extension, way back in January, that will keep him in the job until the end of 2018, he is now also cancer-free. As a former NFL executive, Garber also offered his thoughts on that league's current problems.

2. THE CENTROAMERICANA FINAL

The Copa Centroamericana comes to an end this Saturday and with Marco Pappa leading Guatemala to the final against a Costa Rica side that will finally include Roy Miller, a number of MLS teams will be without some key players. FutbolMLS has all the news here.

3. OBA STAYING PUT

The Seattle Sounders could be getting a boost ahead of another crucial tie against Real Salt Lake (Friday, 10:30 pm ET; NBCSN in the US, TSN2 & RDS2 in Canada) following reports that Obafemi Martins is set to sign a new two-year contract extension with the club. Meanwhile, could Friday's game prove to be a must-win encounter for Real Salt Lake?

4. DWYER'S GOLDEN BOOT

Chivas USA host Sporting Kansas City Friday night (10:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE) with both sides looking to end troubling slides. However, Chivas USA's fall has lasted longer than SKC's, and the Goats will hope Eriq Zavaleta's transition to center back can help them keep Sporting KC's top scorer Dom Dwyer at bay.

5. BWP: STATUS UNKNOWN

The Philadelphia Union host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday (3:00 pm ET; NBCSN in the US, TSN2 & RDS2 in Canada) and with Bradley Wright-Phillips leaving the Red Bulls' midweek game at halftime, the status of their star striker is currently unknown. Still, the Union will plan for BWP, but the home side also have one eye on next Tuesday's US Open Cup final.

6. MIDFIELD MEN

There's no doubt that Jermaine Jones has brought some new life to the New England Revolution, and head coach Jay Heaps is thrilled with how he's fitting in so far. Now on a four-game winning streak, the Revs will look to keep it going against the Montreal Impact (Saturday, 7:30pm ET; MLS LIVE), who themselves could welcome back their own midfield general.

7. FOCUS ON NOW FOR TFC

Greg Vanney will continue his attempts to get Toronto FC back on track this Saturday when his side swap Lake Ontario for Lake Michigan to take on the Chicago Fire (8:30pm ET; MLS LIVE). With Victor Pineda excelling on loan with the Indy 11, could another Fire player be set to join him?

8. FCD STAYING THE COURSE

While Walker Zimmerman may well be back before the end of the season to help FCD, they'll have to bounce back from two straight losses without him to stay strong until the end of the season. Or are they heading for another fall when they welcome the Vancouver Whitecaps (8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE in the US, TSN2 in Canada), who have finally found a route back to goal .

9. CREW GETTING STRONGER

New Columbus Crew signing Emanuel Pogatetz has arrived, and while he may not be ready for their game against the Houston Dynamo (Saturday, 8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE), recently returned midfielder Bernardo Anor certainly is and now goes back to competing with his good friend Justin Meram for a starting role.

10. SHERIFFS, COPS AND FIREMEN

The Colorado Rapids host the Portland Timbers on Saturday (9:00pm ET; MLS LIVE) with the role of starting goalkeeper still very much up in the air. With the Timbers on the road, fans can't stream into Providence Park to watch this one but soccer fans at the stadium were treated to a very different kind of match on Thursday evening.

11. ONE LESS GAME FOR DONOVAN

Landon Donovan moved another assist closer to the all-time MLS record on Wednesday but with the San Jose Earthquakes and the LA Galaxy facing off on Sunday (3:00 pm ET; Unimas), Donovan will sadly play no part in the final encounter against his old team after picking up a yellow card against the Montreal Impact.

12. PRO PLAYOFFS

The USL PRO playoffs begin this weekend, with eight teams, all with MLS connections, set to face off. Orlando City will take on the Harrisburg City Islanders as they attempt to win back to back titles, while the LA Galaxy II are looking to win the trophy in their first season and fans can come and check out their quarterfinal against the Rochester Rhinos completely free of charge.

13. SOUNDING OUT USL PRO

Following the news from Real Salt Lake and reports about the Houston Dynamo, it seems the Seattle Sounders are the latest team planning to field their own USL PRO team next season.

14. PICKING A PLACE

The Sacramento Republic get their own playoff campaign underway this weekend as well when they host the Wilmington Hammerheads, but with the Californian side still looking to land an MLS franchise, the club also have one eye on the impending visit from the league's executives. They'll be looking at potential locations for a new stadium on that trip, but has a clear favorite already emerged?

15. KLINSMANN GOING FOR STRONGEST SIDE

After complained about MLS not complying with FIFA's international calendar, Jurgen Klinsmann is planning to pick his strongest squad possible for the US national team's next two matches, both of which take place on US soil. The German coach has also been speaking about his tactical plans for the team moving forward.

MLSsoccer.com Musts

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