Mark - Now that LA Galaxy have a big-name Manager, if you owned the NY Red Bulls, whom would you try to get as their Manager? And, is that different from whom you think they can realistically get?

Bobby – Perhaps the biggest problem that the Red Bulls ownership has is convincing someone that they will be given time to turn this team and move it in the right direction. After a while if managers keep on getting moved then the type of manager that you are going to attract is not likely to be the one you need.

No name jumps out at me at the moment but whoever it is has to have some media savvy. The Red Bulls ownership needs to see the manager as someone who fits into an overall plan. The plan will then dictate the type of manger that the club needs to go after.

ManUtd2006 - I agree with one of the above bloggers about having a preliminary round of qualifying in Europe because seeing Germany thrashing San Marino 13-0 is a nuisance. Say the bottom 16 ranked teams to compete for 4 to 5 spots in a small tournament in order to give them something to fight for if not the Finals. What do you think on that?

Doing so, bigger teams do not have to play up to 14 matches to qualify because it is grueling to the players, managers, and clubs concerned.

One more question, I did not watch the MLS Cup Final because there are better things to watch on TV. Did Houston play well enough or Revs had a bad day?

Bobby – It makes sense but it is not likely to happen. The extra games (even against minnows) brings in extra television and gate revenue for UEFA and the national associations and they are not about to give that.

There is another even simpler way of reducing the number of games and still allowing the small nations to compete – logistically playing a 16-team tournament to get down to four teams or so is not necessarily as easy as it might sound.

The alternative is to go back to the World Cup qualifying system from the 70s and before. Fourteen groups instead of seven and only the top team qualifies. It would drop the number of game needed to six or eight. The chances of it ever happening – nil.

I enjoyed the MLS Cup Final - a much, much better game than last season. The Revs owned the first half but the Dynamo turned it around in the second.

Henry14 - Alan Hansen -1989 I was part of a Liverpool side that would have won the championship had they limited Arsenal to a 1-0 win at Anfield. It proved a very awkward match to prepare for - Arsenal knew exactly what they had to do - and in the event we conceded a second goal and lost the title.

Bobby – That might be the case but Arsenal knew they had to win 2-0. Croatia knows that they have to turn up – no matter the score they have already qualified. The issue is really down to the finals next summer.

Here is a piece from the Daily Telegraph that maps out possible seeds.

“But victory over Croatia does have a huge significance in terms of the Uefa co-efficients used for the Euro 2008 finals draw in Lucerne on Dec 2. An England triumph would improve their co-efficient to 2.318, taking them ahead of Croatia's 2.273 and, most significantly, replacing Slaven Bilic's team among the four second seeds for next summer.

As No 2 seeds, England could be drawn in a group with first seeds Austria, Switzerland, holders Greece and either Holland or Germany (depending on results tonight). England would then avoid the talents of Italy, the Czech Republic and either Holland or Germany.
A draw tonight would leave England with a worse co-efficient than Croatia and would condemn McClaren's side to a place among the No 3 seeds, seriously complicating their hopes of a safe passage to the knock-out stage”.

Getz76 - How did Alex Prus let Smith off with only a caution after an intentional head-butt? I think someone needs to send the man a copy of the laws. I understand not wanting to "ruin" a cup final, but there is no place for that.

Bobby – I thought he was very lucky to stay on the park after doing what he did. I think there is also another angle to the incident. If I was Craig Weibel then I knew from that point on that I had the beating of Khano Smith. Smith reaction was one of frustration coming right after the Houston equalizer and was a sure sign that he had lost the upper hand. From being a potential match-winner in the first half he became a frustrated figure on the left wing in the second as Brian Mullen played a bit deeper to help Weibel out.

Verbal97 - Speaking of Scotland's future, has anyone heard anything recently about this McCarthy kid that supposedly some teams were after this past summer?

Bobby – Well if it is James McCarthy of Hamilton Accies (I think I wrote a bit about them a few weeks ago) then it is a case of The Republic of Ireland’s future rather than Scotland. He qualifies for the Republic and has already played for the Republic at age group levels. From what I am told he continues to impress (a 17-year-old I believe) and Hamilton are currently sitting at the top of the Scottish First Division. Under manager Billy Reid Hamilton have a number of good young players who are making an impression.

RINGO – 1. Is this the worst "transfer" of recent times? Steve Bruce to Wigan for 3m pounds! 2. Will McLeish still be in charge when WC qualifying comes round? Will he be able to resist when a premier league club comes calling? Birmingham perhaps?

Bobby – 1. If they stay up – no. But will they stay up? I find it difficult to fathom – mediocre manager who has received outstanding support from his board and has never produced anything except mediocre results.
2. I hope so but there is the temptation of big money in the Premiership. I would hope however, that Scotland would win out over Birmingham particularly given their current “take-over” situation.

oldcoach - Interesting interview with Don Garber. I have never been much for the hipster marketing that he subscribes to but it is hard to deny the business success that MLS has seen during his tenure. If you project out 10 to 15 years, where do you think MLS will be?

Bobby – Ten to fifteen years from now – a league of24 teams that is so solid that nobody questions it. Involvement is multiple club competitions both domestic and regionally. No articles that start “Soccer is really growing in America. In Europe and South America it has a following like baseball or NFL” or similar rubbish.

A steady stream of players coming through with the best players still heading to big teams in Europe (and hopefully to South America and Mexico). From a Canadian point of view four of the twenty four teams north of the border.

Craigy_f – 1. Would you want Usmanov as an owner of a club you supported?
2. What next for Scotland? A new manager or stick with the current set up for 2010 qualification.
3. How much would Dixie Dean be worth in today's money - say in the summer of 28 after he bagged the 60 goals.
4. Do you think Bruce is right to leave to try and resurrect a 'dead horse’?
5. Who do you think will try to finish second (in euro 08 qualifying) and how will they do it? Or have they already done it?

Bobby – 1. I think it would disappointing for any team to have someone like that own a club but it seems that as far as many fans are concerned as long as the new owner spends money and the team wins then an owner’s background does not come into it.

2. Stick with it, although the expectations need to be controlled. A good Euro campaign does not entitle a team to place in South Africa in three years. \

3. I think all that can be said is that his price would be a record one no matter the era.

4. I think Bruce’s move shows his lack of faith in his own ability. He’s leaving Birmingham a bit early because his contract is not being renewed and instead he has opted for a long term deal with a side that has a big relegation fight on its hands. A more confident manager would have ridden out the Birmingham situation confident that if his team performed well there would be no shortage of clubs lining up to sign him if Birmingham didn’t.

5. It looks so tight that a number of teams still have a chance to get what many expect to be the one remaining top seeded position. I’m not sure that the situation can be as easily managed as it sounds and even then you still run the risk of being seeded two and drawing a difficult group. I’m looking at the likely 16 qualifiers and even the teams likely to be seeded fourth are going to be very tough. 

Wyofc - Do you think after next year the league will comment that the Designated Player is working so well that they will grant all teams yet another DP slot? Allowing David Beckham and Landon Donavan to play on the same team and be the most marketable team worldwide for MLS and becoming the face for MLS.

Bobby – If that decision is made then is going to have to be for the better of the league as a whole not one team – otherwise it will just backfire. The last time I checked they were playing on the same team this season.

With due respect to Landon Donovan, whether or not he plays for the Galaxy or not isn’t really a concern for football fans worldwide. The vast majority don’t care. I think you are vastly overestimating the world’s view of him. And there interest in MLS for that matter. MLS needs to continue to grow in North America – thinking worldwide is getting way ahead of themselves.

Getz76 - Nice broadcast last night as usual. Any truth to getting you on-air for Wednesday night? It will give me something to watch while the turkey is in the brine. What does everyone think of McClaren's decision to go with Robinson in goal? I still think there are at least three healthy England keepers in better form (James, Green, Carson). Why did he bother starting Carson in the friendly, then? I know it was not exactly a stiff test versus Austria, but it seems like the man can deal with a cross!

Bobby – Thank you but I will not be on the FSR tomorrow night. As for the goalkeeping situation it sounds as if Scott Carson will be starting.