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This weekend, a new President of U.S. Soccer will be elected, taking the place of long-time incumbent Sunil Gulati. Candidates Eric Wynalda, Michael Winograd, Carlos Cordeiro, Hope Solo, Kyle Martino, Kathy Carter, Paul Caligiuri, and Steve Gans are all eyeing to assume the position and lead the sport onward. However, one candidate is above the rest and should be the next USSF President: Kyle Martino.
Announcing his candidacy after the debacle against Trinadad and Tobago, Martino became frustrated with the sense of complacency that plagued the Federation. A former UVA, MLS, and USMNT player, Martino has lived the American soccer experience at every possible level. As of late, Martino has been the sole American voice on NBC Sports' coverage of the English Premier League.
One of the candidates that has promised and proposed the most change, Martino offers a new vision going forward - one invested in youth and inclusion . His campaign in based around three pillars: Transparency, Equality, and Progress. Seeing the youth development programs firsthand, he has been very outspoken about its' failures, notably the lack of diversity at the coaching and player level. He hopes to establish a 'Chief Diversity Officer' to spearhead the effort to grow the game and tap into the Latino soccer community in America, which has been ignored and mismanaged for years (for example, Jesse Gonzalez). Further investing in diversity, Martino wants to establish a U.S. Soccer Ambassador program, with Ambassadors for categories such as Diversity, LGBTQ, Urban Outreach, and Health and Wellness. He has even gone as far to suggest specific Ambassadors, such as Mia Hamm, Clint Dempsey, Robbie Rodgers, Megan Rapinoe, and Herculez Gomez.
Martino has recently been touring the country, talking to US soccer members and grassroots soccer organizations, hearing their opinions and ideas. In December he held a summit in New York with representatives from around the sport to discuss the future of the game going forward, eventually drafting his "Progress Plan" (https://www.everyonesgameusa.com/updates/2018/1/15/progress-plan). The document focuses on his pillars Transparency, Equality and Progress, giving in-depth proposals and policy suggestions within each section. Proposals include a 50/50 gender-based executive staff, clarifying and re-imagining the youth player path, and the Over/Under Initiative - turning urban basketball courts into dual-sport courts. The Over/Under Initiative is just one example of Martino's effort for inclusion and growth for the sport in inner cities and urban areas that often do not have access to suburban fields.
For years, soccer fans in the United States have called for promotion/relegation to be instituted in the States, and Martino has one of the most ambitious, well-thought out, and realistic plans to offer. Martino outlined his "2030 Project", aimed at creating an open-tiered professional soccer structure. By 2030, the MLS, USL, and NASL would be organized in a promotion/relegation structure, similar to the leagues in Europe. Additionally, Martino plans to move U.S. Soccer to the European Competition Calendar with a winter break in the next five years, better connecting the MLS with the top leagues in Europe. If the United States wants to compete with the best soccer nations in the world and grow it's domestic leagues, these changes are vital.
When comparing Martino with the other candidates, he begins to stand out. Unlike establishment candidates Kathy Carter and Carlos Cordeiro, Kyle Martino has zero ties to the regime that failed us. A Corderio or (especially) Carter presidency would result in the USSF just treading water, continuing to focus on money and those at the top of the pyramid rather than our youth and our future. Unlike Carter or Cordeiro, Martino has met and spoken with the other candidates, bouncing ideas off of each other. Whether it be Hope Solo and her drive for women's equality, or Michael Winograd's proposal of state soccer centers, it is important to hear what others are advocating for if you are President. If you win, you will likely be working with the other candidates. Martino has shown his effort to work with and hear others, even opening himself up for criticism.
The closest candidate to Martino is former player and FOX Sports commentator Eric Wynalda. Representing the "people" and proposing the most extreme changes to the Federation, Wynalda aims to blow up the entire system. Arguing for an immediate switch to promotion/relegation and aiming to end the favoritism the National Team shows towards MLS players in squad selection are just two of his positions. Though he encapsulates and represents the passion of many U.S. fans, Wynalda is not the right president to usher soccer forward in the country. His proposals are quite unrealistic, and if he cannot pull off what he claims he can, we could be in trouble. However, Wynalda is an important asset for soccer in the USA and the USSF. Whoever does become president should incorporate Wynalda into their plans and use his expertise, connections, and passion for the USMNT. Wynalda could be a fantastic director or advocate for the USSF, but not president.
This is the most important Presidential Election in USSF history, and the winner will determine if we stay complacent, or make changes and grow. Kyle Martino should be the next USSF President to lead the sport at this crucial inflection point.
Watch the USSF Presidential Election on Saturday, February 10 on U.S. Soccer's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/ussoccer
The National Council Meeting begins at 8 am ET and the election process begins at 9:30 am ET.
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