Anyone else believe that McBride is getting the short end as the MLS doesnt extend his loan to Everton? How far does the tradeoff go between player and business? Doesn't this further limit the MLS's potential for growth to eventually compete with the better world leagues?
1) No. It was his choice. 2) N/A. Unless your name is Brian McBride and you've played for Columbus, Everton, and the US National team this past year, in which case you might have something to say of note. 3) No. The current market for transfers is depressed, so you can't really judge this year's movements and asking prices by years past. So, just because none of our guys made a big-money leap to a more lucrative league is no reason to doubt the viability of MLS. In fact, having our World Cup stars stay in the league might do more to help it grow than sending them off to Europe.
After the World Cup, there was considerable interest in a number of the US's players. McBride, DeMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan were all involved in talks of some sort about going overseas to play. While this may be a compliment to the young talent that we are raising in the US, it won't do anything to further the popularity of MLS if we make a policy of sending our brightest stars out of the league.
McBride made a great choice about staying here frankly.. the World hopefully will come to its senses and pay attention to a league that developed players capable of beating Portugal and Mexico
EPL is not as good as the Concacaf Champions Cup since McBride could not score when he got back ehre.
Popularity vs. Quality of the American Player. Which is more important? I think the latter, because if you raise the quality, you'll attract people who like to watch good soccer, and are probably already soccer fans, just not MLS fans yet. The quality of the players are raised because they are playing against the best in the world day in day out, AND freeing up spots in MLS for young talent. In 2-6 years time, when players are looking to "coome home," you'll still have those players cooming home as wise-old AMERICAN veterans, ala Ernie Stewart. So, put more players in Europe, when their career is winding down, they will be more likely to put in hard work for the remaining few years they spend in MLS--as opposed to some foreigners coming here to collect a check for a year before they are off to retirement. You would create a situation whereas AMERICANS would be the FOREIGN ALLOCATIONS and stars of MLS. If you just want to raise the soccer's popularity in the USA, keep those guys here. BUT, you will have fans that are less pasionate, and it stays labeled a little-kid sport forever that you "outgrow" when you are old enough to play gridiron football.