MLS All-Stars are eager to win game vs. Arsenal - coach Dominic Kinnear
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- MLS All-Star team manager Dominic Kinnear left little doubt how he'll approach the game against Premier League giants Arsenal.
He and the players under him will be aiming to win.
"My instructions were as the coach of this team to be as balanced as possible in picking players from around the league and making sure that when the team steps on the field, we're trying to win the game," said Kinnear, the manager of the host San Jose Earthquakes. "That's my intention and I'll pass that on to the players."
The approach may seem obvious, but it isn't quite as cut and dried as it may seem. Kinnear remembers all too well the 2010 edition of the match. He was an assistant coach for the MLS All-Stars, helping out LA Galaxy manager Bruce Arena in that year's game against Manchester United.
The Red Devils put a 5-2 thumping on the MLS-ers that night at Reliant Stadium. Sure, it was just an exhibition, but Kinnear couldn't just dismiss the match out of hand.
The MLS team was "pretty humbled," he recalled, adding "Walking off the field, it was a sickening feeling even though it was an exhibition."
Four years later, the pendulum swung back with a vengeance. The MLS All-Stars defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 in a match that was witness to some heavy challenges, including one on Bastian Schweinsteiger that led to then-Bayern manager Pep Guardiola refusing to shake the hand of All-Star manager Caleb Porter after the final whistle.
Hence the question over how best to approach the match. Treat it like a scrimmage or try to win the game?
While there is a temptation to look at this purely from Arsenal's perspective given the pedigree of the players on its roster, the players representing MLS have bigger games ahead as well. The regular season has reached the halfway point, and no one wants to suffer the indignity of being on the outside of the playoff places. These are also professional players whose competitive juices aren't so easily turned off.
New York Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan seemed to hint that a middle ground could be found.
"We want to show against a very good team like Arsenal that the quality of play in our league is at a very high level, while at the same time not getting injured and getting ready for the second half of the season," Kljestan said.
"I think we'll put in a competitive effort. I think all of us as players have that fire inside of us to win all the time, so I think we'll give our best effort."
It must be said that for MLS, this is still a showcase event, and Kinnear is well aware that while no broad conclusions will be reached from the match, plenty of eyes will be watching.
"I think the proving stage for me is kind of going by us," he said. "I don't think we need to step out on the field and prove anything. These players are out there to show [well]. It's an All-Star game, so it should be entertaining. They do want to show that they're good players.
"I don't think we're out here to prove anything. I think we're out here to be competitive and try to win, but also to show everybody that we have good players in this league."
