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Kick Off: MLS unveils new strategy for Los Angeles and conference realignment for 2015
Here are the top 15 stories everyone's talking about this morning and don't forget to vote for your Etihad Airways October Player of the Month:
1. NEW STRATEGY IN LA
The LA soccer landscape will be looking a lot different over the next few years after Monday's announcement that the league will be launching a new LA team that will begin play in 2017. The unveiling of the new ownership group will take place on Thursday.
2. CONFERENCES REALIGN
As part of the developments in LA, the league also announced that Chivas USA will cease operations, effective immediately and revealed its plans for new conference realignment. With an even 20 teams next year, there will now be 10 teams in each conference. Find out which two teams are shifting over to the West here.
3. PAPPA WINS A PRIZE, DEMPSEY STAYING PUT?
Having scored the two goals that earned his side the Supporters' Shield, the Seattle Sounders' Marco Pappa has been named MLS Player of the Week and, while the Guatemalan midfielder believes he has found a new family among his teammates in Seattle, apparently one of those new family members will not be going out on loan this January.
4. GETTING DEFENSIVE
Now that the Vancouver Whitecaps are in the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Canadian team will be looking to go as far as they possibly can. That run starts with a Knockout Round game against FC Dallas (Wednesday, 9 pm ET, MLS Live in US, TSN in Canada) and key to any success the 'Caps enjoy will be the club's impressive center back pairing of Kendall Waston and Andy O'Brien.
5. ANOTHER BLOW FOR THE TIMBERS
The hits keep coming for the Portland Timbers. With the team and fans still coping with the disappointment of missing the playoffs, it seems as though Diego Valeri may have torn his ACL.
6. SCHULER SET FOR RETURN
With Real Salt Lake making plans to try and dump the LA Galaxy and Landon Donovan out of the playoffs, the team from Utah could be set for a boost with the news that Chris Schuler is likely to return in time for the series.
7. UNION CEO SETS RECORD STRAIGHT
It's shaping up to be a very important offseason for the Philadelphia Union and Nick Sakiewicz, the club's CEO, who once again is setting the record straight on some of the team's previous dealings.
8. DP DUO UNDER THE KNIFE?
While Jermain Defoe weighs potential offseason surgery, he wouldn't be the only Toronto FC player to go under the knife. Michael Bradley is in New York to have an operation for a lingering issue in his foot.
9. BWP WANTS MORE GOALS
MLS Budweiser Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips missed out on breaking the single-season goal scoring record at the weekend by a single goal, but rather than dwell on it, he's focused on scoring as many more as he can in the playoffs, a task that might be made more difficult by reports that Thierry Henry is carrying an injury.
10. WHAT'S IN A NAME?
The Columbus Crew unveiled their club rebrand just a few weeks ago and now their stadium might be up next. The organization is looking for a naming rights partner for Columbus Crew Stadium and if this report is true, then it looks like they might have identified a leading candidate.
11. OLD LIONS RE-SIGN
Orlando City have added two more players to their inaugural MLS roster, both of whom played for the Lions during their USL PRO days. The roster is now up to nine players in anticipation of the December 10 Expansion Draft.
12. ATLANTA'S BRIGHT FUTURE
We're still just over two years away from Atlanta joining MLS but, according to the latest figures on ticket deposits, interest in the new team continues to be on an uptick. However, that interest might spell the end for the city's current team: the Atlanta Silverbacks.
13. KLINSMANN MAKES FIFA CUT
Following a very eventful year for Jurgen Klinsmann and the US national team, it appears the coach must be doing something right as he's on the shortlist for FIFA's coach of the year award.
14. COLE STILL EYEING MLS?
Could AS Roma fullback Ashley Cole be looking for a future here in North America? That's what the latest rumors say, with the former England international apparently failing to settle in his new surroundings in Italy.
15. ROAD TO GREATNESS
With his dangerous play and lightning pace, not to mention an infinite number of hair styles, DeAndre Yedlin is well on his way to being the USA's new poster boy. Given his meteoric rise up the ranks, he's certainly a great example of how to reach the top, as are a number of MLS players who took a slightly different path towards establishing themselves.
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