Along with Minnesota United beat report Megan Ryan, I made my 2018 World Cup predictions in today’s Star Tribune.

I am not the first person to turn against instant replay, in soccer or anywhere else. A year or so ago, I was all in favor of using replay to help blunt the effect of refereeing mistakes on the outcome of games.

I was very wrong! It turns out that in soccer, just like every other sport with refereeing, introducing a video referee just doubled the number of chances refs had to screw up - all while also taking a huge part of the entertainment away from the game. Soccer needs to act fast, soccer needs to act now. Kill VAR before it kills soccer.

I recently turned in a draft of a book about soccer stadiums around the world, which needed to include an American stadium. I chose Providence Park in Portland, not because it’s the nicest soccer stadium in the United States, or the most comfortable, but it’s absolutely the best to watch soccer. This week’s Soccer Insider relates to my trip to Portland, and the goosebumps I got there.

How in the world did Liverpool make it back to the Champions League final? This week’s Soccer Insider looks at Jurgen Klopp, the wildly likeable and irrepressible coaching genius behind Liverpool.

Just about every big European soccer team has at least a few Minneapolis-St. Paul fans. The most popular team of all, though, might be Tottenham, which has more than 500 people in its local fan club. Soccer Insider looks at why Minnesotans might feel so connected to their North London bretheren.

Minnesota United is trying to create something good on the offensive end. You can see that desire from their signing of El Cientifico, Darwin Quintero - their first big-money deal, and a move that’s entirely about offense.

At 1500 ESPN, I look at the identity that Minnesota wants - and the identity that they have, which is far away from that goal.

There was a time, not that long ago, when Major League Soccer thought that Americans probably would never watch soccer - not without some tweaks to the rules, at least. (Ties! The horror!)

Soccer Insider looks back at a bygone area of rules changes - a time that’s hopefully gone forever in American soccer.

I’ve been reading a lot about the NASL, WUSA, and WPS - the three failed major soccer leagues in America. Right now, MLS is doing well and the NWSL has been more successful than any of its predecessors. But could they still fail?

(This is in the Star Tribune, where “Is MLS going to make it” is far more of a legitimate question than elsewhere.)

I’m writing Minnesota United columns every two weeks for the website of 1500 ESPN, a sports talk radio station in town. The first looks at Loons midfielder Ibson, whose skills are evident - but who may not be a match for what United needs right now.

Toronto lost the CONCACAF Champions League final this week, and there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth from Major League Soccer. Soccer Insider looks at how Mexico has become the MLS measuring stick, and why.