wichoAggie06 said:

---

So many things are wrong with US Soccer, it is a combination of MLS and USSF.
Tata Martino or Marcelo Bielsa should have been the US coaches. They can provide a solid change in foundation and mentallity. Bring different methods of work, new playing systems, different forms of training, etc. They both have proven records doing that(at Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina)
But the main issue is the MLS. The constant expansion, no relagation, no alligned calendar with the other futbol leagues, no true youth academies, are what drives me crazy and I truly believe that unless these things change in MLS then there will be no hope for USMNT. It is very frustrating because this is not an issue of having athletes, we do have players with the physical abilities to rival everyone in the world.

---

Yes - let's have MLS compete for viewership with the NFL, NBA, NHL, and college football. That'll be a moneymaker.

Relegation - it'll be a slow death for MLS. Americans don't support losers. Once a team gets relegated, might as well close the doors on them. Owners want their investments to be protected.

Pahdz said:

---

I still feel that we're feeling the effects of the "lost generation" of talent that cost us the 2018 WC. We are really freaking young, but also Gregg has gotta stop playing some of these guys who don't belong.

In terms of MLS guys, some belong and some don't, and I don't just mean all the babies. I can't believe I'm saying this but Jordan Morris has actually been somewhat of a productive nuisance as a sub lately. Aaron Long is still probably one of our more stable center backs. Others on the other hand (Zimmerman, Trapp for God's sake, and old brick feet himself) need to only be brought in for Camp Cupcake in January.

---

yes. so much yes

It's amazing how many people think MLS is the boogie man to blame for a lack of USMNT success.

CB needs to cut some dead weight off his roster and let the youth fight for further call-ups.

Thoughts on this??

Pretty spot on. GB's player selection, as well as where he plays the players he's selected is maybe the most laughable thing in a line of long laughable things about his coaching. The guy is simply way in over his head.

Here's a good thread:

Watch -

As long as our goal is grow MLS and forward the MLS agenda, the national team will suffer.

It's been happening for several years now and will continue to.

The best team we ever had was in 02 when MLS was a joke.

How exactly does the mls ruin the national team ? W

Quote:

---

Relegation - it'll be a slow death for MLS. Americans don't support losers. Once a team gets relegated, might as well close the doors on them. Owners want their investments to be protected.

---

We're not ready for relegation. Maybe one day. It would be cool and nice to have.

But frankly. I don't think it's got much to do with the national team. And we get that late season interest for teams down the table by having a playoff race.

We are not lacking in a reason why the mediocre and bad teams should still care near the end of the season.

mrmill3218 said:

---

Basically our main focus has been to grow and showcase our domestic league. This is why we pick players from MLS for the national team that frankly shouldn't be there. We want to showcase the guys we have in MLS so that people watch the national team and see these MLS players playing. We are prideful and we want to prove we can do it with "our guys" playing in MLS instead of just the best player available. It's why we play our euro based players out of position - so we can get MLS guys into the team.

It's also why we don't let our players leave MLS a lot of the time. MLS wants to showcase and say "hey look we've got national team stars!" We should be letting those players go and develop in Europe. Again, this is the MLS agenda. No other country sits around and day dreams about how to make their league better. No other country who doesn't have one of the best domestic leagues in the world wants to keep their national team players playing in it.

It's why we make hires like Gregg berhalter. He's from MLS and although he wasn't qualified for the job, it makes MLS look good and they know he will keep pushing their conspiracy agenda by picking bad MLS players so the vicious cycle continues.

Again, our priority should be building the national team at all costs. Our domestic league will never be one of the best, so just let it be what it is and have fun with it. People will still enjoy it, as they should.

---

This is how.

Lletget is another guy I feel needs more opportunities, that injury he suffered in that WCQ a while back really set him back but he's got an attitude and approach some of our other more talented players don't.

mrmill3218 said:

---

Watch -

As long as our goal is grow MLS and forward the MLS agenda, the national team will suffer.

It's been happening for several years now and will continue to.

The best team we ever had was in 02 when MLS was a joke.

---

Half the damn roster in 2002 was playing in the MLS, including nearly all the guys you remember as being the top players. Nearly that entire roster played college soccer. Most of the roster had spent at least some time playing in MLS.

Ironically, your boogie man Gregg Berhalter wasn't one of those MLS players. He'd spent his career in Europe.

He's too MLS because he coached in MLS? Who do you think our coach was in 2002?

They had spent a decade before 2002 starting MLS, investing money, adding teams, etc.

The growth of the MLS has nothing to do with the USMNT. However, MLS does impact it when they don't take the international breaks off. It does make it more difficult for team/player selections. Having said that, you are also seeing European teams recalling their players too. Professional teams that are paying these players truckloads of money aren't keen on watching their investment pick up a knock (or worse) in a Friendly. I

f you are Chelsea, you have to be holding your breath every break when Pulisic takes the field in a CONCACAF match, knowing he's going to get creamed because teams can do it with no fear of penalty. He got leg whipped last night in the 1H at the top of the D after making a run and pass. It was blatant and from behind and the kind of play the could easily have injured a knee. And it happened because Aguilar wasn't doing anything to stop it. It happens in every CONCACAF match. He is a targeted player and its because those player have no fear of being punished. Why in the world would Chelsea want their player put in that situation?

It's convenient to your argument but it's more well and accurately documented that the current state of our top men's national team was a several years failure of any of our top youth talent turning into anything other than roster fodder in MLS or other second and third tier global leagues.

We must remember that correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation.

The demise of the USMNT and the growth of MLS correlate. It doesn't mean one caused the other.

One thing that the MLS has done is the DA. I know it's not the pure DA, but it's better than we've ever had before. The home grown talent FC Dallas has developed is worth it by itself.
Q

TXAggie2011 said:

---

mrmill3218 said:

---

Watch -

As long as our goal is grow MLS and forward the MLS agenda, the national team will suffer.

It's been happening for several years now and will continue to.

The best team we ever had was in 02 when MLS was a joke.

---

Half the damn roster in 2002 was playing in the MLS, including nearly all the guys you remember as being the top players. Nearly that entire roster played college soccer. Most of the roster had spent at least some time playing in MLS.

Ironically, your boogie man Gregg Berhalter wasn't one of those MLS players. He'd spent his career in Europe.

He's too MLS because he coached in MLS? Who do you think our coach was in 2002?

They had spent a decade before 2002 starting MLS, investing money, adding teams, etc.

---

You don't understand what I'm saying.

I know all those guys were playing in MLS. My point is that they were the best players we had.

What I am saying is that there wasn't this MLS conspiracy agenda back then to grow the league at all costs, and therefore you had a good national team. Back then it was just pick the best players, regardless of where they're playing. Now it's pick MLS players and play our Euro players out of position. It's all a part of the agenda.

Although GB did play in Europe, he is as pro MLS as they come. You need only to look at the player selection to prove this.

Just pick the best 11 players (regardless of where they play their club ball) and put them in their actual position in a 4-3-3 and tell the boys to go play. It's really not that hard.

Pulisic - Sargent - Weah

McKennie - Adams - Pomykal

Cannon - Brooks - Richards - Dest

Steffen


Bench:

Morales
Holmes
Long
Ream
Soto

mrmill3218 said:

---

What I am saying is that there wasn't this MLS conspiracy agenda back then to grow the league at all costs, and therefore you had a good national team. Back then it was just pick the best players, regardless of where they're playing. Now it's pick MLS players and play our Euro players out of position. It's all a part of the agenda.

---

Haha that's pretty good

Yeah, prove there's not an MLS conspiracy!

jeffk said:

---

Welp.

---

Apparently this was known before the friendly prep began.
Again, why the hell do we call these players in and then insert trapp and zardes into the lineup

To be fair, those guys all started and/or played (except the keeper and injured ones)

Pahdz said:

---

To be fair, those guys all started and/or played (except the keeper and injured ones)

---

Yea im saying it's stupid to bring them in and then play with players who won't be part of world cup plans going forward ideally. Especially when you have players on the bench who will.

If everu MLS team developed players like FC Dallas...

I Am Mine said:

---

If everu MLS team developed players like FC Dallas...

---

I'm a Dynamo/future FC Austin fan, but the FC Dallas academy is fantastic. Something like half their starting lineup has come up through their academy program.

MLS should be restructuring every club's academy with whatever the hell they're doing.

A good amount have put a lot of effort in over the past 5 years, its in motion the right direction.

Well historically North Texas has been the best area for youth soccer in the nation. They're definitely doing a great job, but a lot of it is the kids in the area.

In the nation?

Pahdz said:

---

In the nation?

---

pretty much. It's something the MLS might be helping with, as far as identifying the talent and getting it to the national team.

I don't argue that currently, but long term it's been California.

California and north Texas for sure. Florida could be a third.

I haven't had the heart to watch the USMNT after failing to get out of the CONCACAF hex and go to Russia. Doesn't seem like I've missed much