PBP: 11/19 - Cuba v. USMNT in Cayman Islands, Nations League A

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by ArsenalMetro, Nov 19, 2019.

  1. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    I would like to have a private conversation with Dempsey on this point. Clint was coached by a pretty decent UK coach in NE. He then went to Fulham and really had to relearn how to play football for 2 years. The ability to change and adapt as a player is far more important to the players success than his prior MLS experience.

    I think MLS has done a good job of keeping our players playing football, but I don't agree it has done very much to make them better football players at a better level.

    I disagree about CP. He would not be as good a player had he come through the Union.
     
    FanOfFutbol repped this.
  2. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I believe that the bad referees, the poor format, the lack of promotion/relegation, the poor coaching (mostly) both in the senior level and through the development levels, the dilution of talent (too many teams), the attempt to enforce parity and many other factors makes the MLS actually an impeding factor to US soccer player development.

    As long as the MLS, in or near its present form, continues to be the primary route of development for US based players we will continue to be a poor to bad soccer nation.

    I believe the MLS' only redeeming factor is, as you said, that it keeps many players playing on a regular basis. Of course the "play" hurts nearly as much as it helps because of the factors listed above and when you play against mostly bad teams you do not really learn to be better.

    To me the MLS is a large part of the reason that the US is bad at soccer.
     
    Patrick167 repped this.
  3. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    I specifically said CP wouldn't be as good as he is if he'd come up through MLS, but he'd still be our best player.

    It's always going to be tough to have more than a handful of young American players going to academies of top clubs in Europe or even Mexico. Most of the time the kid can't even go over there until 18 unless they're a dual citizen. MLS academies, while not as good as the top European academies, are absolutely necessary for the development of a strong national team program. And hopefully, it won't be too long before at least a few of the MLS academies are on par with their European peers.
     
  4. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    I think probably my point was lost: US players are worse now than 10 or 20 years ago. Maybe 30. MLS coincides with that time frame.

    I don't think MLS academies have absolutely anything to do with making hte USMNT better. They make their teams better. In fact it seems these days the USMNT owes MLS just about everything, including money.
     

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