Moreno Interview

DC United Captain, Jaime Moreno was interviewed by FIFA.com. Here are some of what he said:

"It seems you've been playing in MLS forever. How much longer can you go?
(He laughs) A lot of people say that I have been here forever and keep bugging me to retire. But I am not ready yet I'm only 32 you know! I still have the hunger to get up every day and train and play and I still want to be a winner for this club. I think once you lose the desire to go out and play like a kid, then it is time to stop. For me, right now, I am still having a great time and have no plans to quit."

- Hopefully Jaime still has this hunger next season, and the next. Even though he says that he still wants to play, things change very quickly in this sport. One day you are playing for a club, and the next your contract is sold to a club that has been denying that they are interested in you. Jaime might feel great and still want to play, but yet find in the offseason that this is not the case. Just to put it on the record, I do not want to see Jaime retire any time soon. The guy is a stud and does things on the pitch that other only dream of doing in MLS.

"Do you see yourself as a role model for young team-mates like teenage sensation Freddy Adu?
As far as the young kids like Freddy, you just try to do whatever you can to help them along. All veteran players have a responsibility to use their experience to help the younger guys and help them to learn. Everyone once in a while you need to give them a slap (he laughs) and tell him to 'wake up', but that's only because of their age. He (Freddy) is a very talented player, but he knows there is a still a lot of work to do and many things to learn. Talent isn't everything in this game."

- I remember hearing Ben Olsen on Elliot in the Morning last season when Freddy had his tantrum about how the club was treating him. He said that they veterans pulled him aside and let him know how to act and how not to act. The club then called him TO for a while afterwards. Jaime is just showing that they are helping him along, and Freddy has shown how much he has improved this season.

"Where do you see MLS in comparison to some of the world's more established leagues?
I can tell you right now that MLS is better organized than the Bolivian league. There are still some things that need to improve, like I think we need to have one league table and a normal champion like the other leagues. If you have the most points then you should be the champions, with no play-offs to worry about. But things are moving in the right way and developing all the time."

- I agree with him on this. I do not like the playoffs, I think it is pointless in a 12 club league to have an eight team playoff. When the league gets to 18 clubs, an eight club playoff is still stupid. Hell, MLB only has eight clubs make their playoffs, out of 30 clubs. MLS, if they truly want to keep their playoffs, should cut it down to 6 or 4 at most. If they have 6, the Conference winners should get a bye and host a single Conference Championship match. The #2 and #3 clubs should play a one off hosted by the #2 club. That would be better. Then again, who needs the playoffs?