MLS Foreign addition effect

We know that recent foreign additions of Beckham, Blanco, Angel, Wanchope, Galindo, Fred, Schelletto, Miglioranzi, Toja, Dichio, Marinelli, Pavon, Xavier, Emilio, etc., have been very important for both the economic and on-field growth of MLS and their teams. Every week it becomes more apparent that the best domestic front offices in the area of adding foreign talent will have the advantage.

Just Saturday night's scoresheets would indicate a fair dominance of the newly added foreign player. Sure, it's only one week. Altidore, Kljestan, Donovan, and even Mathis all scored nicely last night as well. Still the season scoring lists reflect a similar foreign dominance over the season. This as many of the leaders have not played a full season as they were not on MLS rosters in April.

Lost in the above is the unknown-as-yet effect of the development of domestic players and by eventual extension, the USA National team. It's an old arguement hashed over many times in many countries. Brasil, Mexico, Spain, and England all have interesting viewponits both pro and con regarding foreign influx. There isn't much argument over the USA's emergence being greatly helps by MLS and the abundance of opportunity for domestic guys to develop. It is this proven development that is now in question.

Whatever your opinion of the quality within MLS a year ago to today, US guys are sitting at an ever increasing rate. The equation looks roughly like the following:

Toronto's addition created 7 spots on average for US players (if 4 foreigners). If MLS added just 1 starter from a foreign land (about par this season), that's -12 man games per round for a net of -5 each game round. Make it -11 for sub minutes off the bench for a net negative of -4 (very conservative). -120 man games for US players each year due to the influx of foreign talent. Most caoches, The Bruce included, will tell you playing is a must in terms of making the US roster.

This -120 deficiency is mitigated somewhat by the exposure of US players to higher and higher levels of talent and knowledge. Great, who wouldn't benifit from daily exposure to Beckham's soccer genious. The deficiency is exaserbated by domestic guys not being able to play games due to the foreign influx or a vastly lesser number of minutes played - those minutes possibly being at a reserve or lesser level. This in addition to the trickle down effect of say reserve starters being kicked to the bench on the reserve level. Probably the greater effect as game speed is faster than practice speed.

For the circa 1999 Kerrry Zavagnin's of MLS, it semingly becomes harder if not impossible to get the quality plaiying time to develop from a cast off of sorts into even a guy getting time much less a stalwart starter. Even harder still to take that into an invite to a Nat camp as Kerry did. Bluntly, it's this class of MLS player that gets the short end of every superstar foreign name that signs into an MLS starting lineup. I'm not the first to mention it.

Additionally, MLS has put in place a rule to sign an additional foreigner for next year if not already (someone can clarify this, my editor and staff have the decade off...). Barring expansion that's another 200 hundred or so less man-games for US players assuming a majority of imports start.

The US National Team might be good enough right now and/or the increasing numbers of foreign-based players might offset or eclipse and negative effects from the above. The games in Europe upcomming will shed some light on that. If not, the a problem for USA fans becomes that, if Arena is to be believed, the US Nat team will pay a price for the lost man-games domesticly previous to expansion. This under the theory of nothing develops a player like playing games.

MLS will always grab the dollars available by adding names like Beckham and Blanco. Doubtless fans will continue to pay for those names with increased ticket prices at the very least. Let's hope we US fans don't pay a further toll by watching our National Team suffer accordingly.

I like to be able to watch classy players every week here in the states and the above named have undoubtedly sparked interest, attention, and cashflow. If it turns out the USMNT's best advantage was a domestic league that was heavily domestic, MLS has definitely thrown that away. We'll see.

While I don't disagree with the basic idea that every foreign player added takes away a US player's spot, the wider view is:
1. Big name foreign stars sell tickets, which makes money for teams, which allows teams to pay players, build practice facilities, expand youth programs, etc., while at the same time allowing the league to entice new ownership groups with ever-improving attendance and revenue numbers, which will lead to more franchises, which will open up significantly more spots for US players.
2. As we have seen recently, Europe is getting more and more interested in the developing US soccer players, and a pretty significant number of young players who, perhaps even 5 or 6 years ago, would have been MLS bound are heading straight to Europe, and young players who do play in MLS are being purchased quickly by European teams who see them as talented enough to compete in higher-quality leagues...which puts them in an even better position to compete for the national team.

So, basically, extreme short-term, foreign players take a few spots that developing US players might have had. Longer term, foreign players allow league to expand and increase revenue, all while talented young US players flourish in Europe. Good for MLS, by growing league. Good for USMNT, by having players competing across globe in top-flight leagues.

Is this true? What are the actual numbers here, in terms of the percentage of minutes played? You have some hypothetical numbers, but does someone like scaryice have some stats on this stuff?

If having a 100% foreign starting XI is a detriment to our player's development, then why are players pushed so hard to develop their skills overseas where it's guaranteed that they won't see much gametime?

Pretty simplistic thinking that misses the obvious point - its playing time, not roster spots that are the issue. Take a look at the Galaxy. Let's say back-pass Pete Vagenas loses his spot on the field due to adding Beckem by your logic that is a -1 uses roster spots.

However, because they added Beckam they now play Tigras and Chelsea in exhibition games. Then add Pachuca, Chivas, Dallas, DC, & Pachuca in Superliga. Add Sydny FC and who knows how else. So even if the Galaxy played every single one of their 5 foreign players every single minute they've added 9 extra games for 6 American players. Not only are these extra games, but many are more meaningful and against better competition than 1:00 PM mid-summer game in the middle of the summer with little other than seeding in a play-off spot.

These games don't happen by limiting yourself to domestic players. Obviously Galaxy is the extreme. But other teams are getting games like these as well that never would have happened without adding more talent. Also as you pointed out with more competition you develop better players. Guys who might have been starters 10 years ago, would be sitting on the bench in reserve games if they came into the league today at with the same skill level.

Even if some teams don't get those games, they're still benefiting in terms of development because they're playing a better LA in the regular season. Consequently, their reserves are playing a better LA reserve team. One team stepping up the level of play is good for the whole league, although it is more desirable (and reflects the current situation) when more teams have this situation. Houston, DC, and Dallas come to mind.

Somebody on here (ChrisE?) posted a long time ago with the percentages of minutes played by Americans and foreigners.

I don't really keep track of minutes but I do know that around 41% of MLS players in the league's history through 2006 have been foreign.

I'm satisfied with the current foreign player rules, and I'm happy to see the success that numerous foreign additions have brought to this league. The rule that allows players who attain green cards to become counted as domestic players is often forgotten. The time it takes to get such a green card shows that these players have a long term commitment to the league. To me, the green card players from within the CONCACAF region might as well be our own players.

When are players are of ideal quality, the foreign player rules don't even play a factor in their position on the team. Players fighting for spots right now are not US National Team quality players. The younger players need the pressure that fighting for a spot provides in order to improve their own play. As they grow, the best members of this borderline group will develop into solid starters for their clubs, while the others might find time in lower divisoin leagues.

There is no need to change the number of foreign player spots on each MLS side at the moment. We should have a better answer to the question at the end of 2009.

Having 10 Americans fight for 5 spots on the field week in and week out will do a lot more for their develoment than having 8 spots guaranteed.

Look at the Fire when they were at their best. Nowak, Stoichkov, Kubick were all on the field. Young players like Beasley, Bocanegra, Wolf and Razov were working their butts off to be on the field with them. I'd say their development worked out ok.

Now flash forward to the last two years. Some ok foreign players like Ivan Guerrero and Thiago and a bunch of young Americans showing up for work, punching the clock and racking up a lot of minutes. Now with Blanco, Wanchope and our soon to be added Columbian defender, we will get back to some real competition for jobs.

Absolutely. And for those who earn the starting spots, having them play with better players will enable them to raise their play even further.

The USMNT roster is deeper then it has ever been. Just getting called up to the national team these days means you are either the top of the mls in terms of talent or you are playing in places like the epl or top flights in europe. so i would say there will always be a place for the american to play if hes good enough, and if hes not good enough then he wont be playing for the national team anyways.

I really have to disagree with the basic argument here for several reasons.


1. MLS is growing
MLS just added a couple of team in the last year or two, San Jose is coming back next year and Garber is on the verge of adding two more teams to get MLS up to 16 by 2010. In addition, there is strong momentum to have the League grow from 16 to 18 or 20 by 2012 or 2013.

Thats about an average of a team a year. Foreign players usually make up about half a team say 5 players leaving US players to make up the remaining 6, not counting the remaining first team slots. By my count that means we are adding about 5 first team slots and another 4 or 5 1st team roster positions for US players each year. Thats 10 American MLS first team or first team subs added to the pool each year over and above maintaining existing teams.

2. MLS Reserve Sides
A couple of years back MLS fundamentally changed its operations by adding a development roster to each team. These development rosters are primarily filled with US players. These rosters provide the basis to expand skills and provide competition to accelerate development of players for the first team.

3. Expanded Game Schedule
MLS Teams with the advent of Superliga CONCAF Champions, SudeAmerica and other games have an opportunity to play at a higher level under difficult conditions. That will serve to accelerate the development of any Americans playing in MLS.

4. MLS Standard of Play
The foreigners that are coming into the League are improving the product and elevating the level of play. Again that can do nothing but enhance the skill level of any Americans playing in the League. The value of having someone like Jozy Altidore play and learn alongside someone like Angel is immense.

The way I look at it I would much rather have 4 or 5 Americans per team starting in a top 10 in the World rated League (moving forward not there yet obviously) comprised of 20 thriving teams, than have 8 to 9 players starting in a in a 3rd tier 12 team League that struggles to get any attention.

The whole point about the USMNT is pretty much useless to begin with. Americans who are losing there spots to Foreigners wouldn't even be looked at for the USMNT anyway. Meanwhile your Americans who are playing are having to play at a higher standard week in and week out making them that much better thus making the USMNT better. Sure there is the "what if" factor. what if that guy that loses his spot 5 years down the road turns out to be amazing or something.. well thats the chances you take. I wouldn't hold the USMNT success on a diamond in the rough.

As a Houston fan, I'm looking at my team which is predominantly American and Canadian players, and no DP's. For example, Ching, DeRosario, Clark, and Onstad all played either in the MLS All-Star game and/or the Gold Cup. And all of our "best" players on the Dynamo are American and Canadian. And this is on a team that has been called one of the "best" in MLS for the past couple seasons. Maybe the 1999 Chicago Fire dominated with a roster full of foreigners, but not the 2006 and 2007 Houston Dynamo.

You also mentioned that you looked at number of goals scored. And there have been threads on BigSoccer on why America doesn't seem to produce as many world-class strikers. If you're looking at strikers, maybe your point is stronger. But if you're looking at all players, then I think your point would be harder to make.

I'd also like to mention that I'm not at all sympathetic to the line of thinking occasionally seen on BigSoccer whereby MLS is seen primarily as a developmental mechanism for the USMNT. In the opinion of many like myself, MLS is on equal footing in terms of importance with the USMNT.

I don't see the difference between having an american top striker on your team stealing the starting spot, and having a foreigner do the same thing.

Is Landon Donovan impeding the development of other galaxy strikers any moreso than Carlos Pavon? Is eddie johnson screwing over KC's up and coming talent by not taking the offers from Europe?

New England has achieved success with a similar model as well. Like you said, the first priority for MLS senior squads is to win, not to develop Americans. There are plenty (MLS reserves, MLS academies, USSF academies, Gen Adidas, USL 1, USL 2, USL PDL, need I say more?) of other places where the American player can develop. If these players become great, they can be found when they face MLS sides in Open Cup matches.

The basic thing everyone needs to remember is that American players are not suddenly going to get better. It's going to take years for that to happen. So if you want the quality of the league to increase, it has to come from the foreigners.

Speaking short-term, of course this is correct.

Speaking long-term, if a player like Beckham, or Blanco, or Schelotto, or [Insert Foreign MLS player] inspires a talented young kid to stick with soccer in high school instead of abandoning it for baseball, basketball, or football, they've not only increased the level of play short term, but potentially added to the American player pool for years down the road.

It's not a coincidence that the US national team started getting better when the 8-year olds of the NASL era hit their 20s. Increasing the quality of play short term will increase the ratings and attendance, which will increase the payrolls, which will increase the desirability of the sport for upcoming athletes.

It doesn't do us any good if the next Zidane is born in New Jersey tomorrow, and goes on to be a golfer because there's no money in soccer in this country.

Ouch. I just a really bad mental image of Zidane as a golfer, and instead of head-butting an opponent...

Seriously, scaryice made a pretty good point. And the NASL followed exactly that philosophy: bringing in the best foreigners they could from around the world, and basically making it a whole league of foreigners (with a few exceptions). And that didn't work. MLS learned from that, and MLS has kept what appears to me to be a much better balance. Should this ratio of domestic-to-foreign be tweaked? I don't know. I know that a lot of folks blast the EPL for having too many foreign players. It's hard to know what would work best. I personally think that American stars are very important to the fans. Just like I think local players (even if it's just 1 or 2 per team) are important to the fans. For more information on this subject, see the movie "Invincible" about the Philadelphia guy who made the Eagles. Or maybe that "Rudy" movie about the kid who made the Notre Dame team.