Soccer analyst Alan Hinton was full of enthusiasm and anticipation as he previewed the 2015 MLS, Sounders FC season and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar moving to the winter months with Prost Amerika reporter John Zielonka.

New CBA

Hinton felt the new labor agreement averted a strike that would have been detrimental to the league. The true winners were the younger MLS players who can now “go out for dinner” after the owners and the players union agreed to a new five-year CBA. The new contract increased the MLS minimum salary from $36,500 to $60,000.

As for the free agency element, Hinton wasn’t quite sure if the players gained much. He was concerned about the league reducing the number of roster slots in the face of increasing costs.

2015 MLS season

I think the West will be stronger than the East again.

The long-time soccer pundit identified the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC as the dominant teams in the Western Conference. The expansion New York City FC would prevail over the New York Red Bulls in the East.

2022 Qatar World Cup

He (FIFA President Sepp Blatter) needs to be held accountable for taking the World Cup to Qatar.

Hinton saved his strongest comments for FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar and moving the competition to the winter months. In no uncertain terms, the former English club and national player, felt that FIFA’s decision was wrong and that either England or the United States should have hosted the 2022 World Cup.