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World play helps U.S. soccer team

It is great to be on a European team but if your playing time is limited, it might be better to be in the MLS. Yes you can practice with the best but that is not the same as the pressure of playing on the pitch with them/against them when it counts

I agree. I think that our National team could potentially be hurt due to our star players not receiving any play with their club teams. Look at Onyewu for example. Starter for Leige, but now is riding the bench at Milan. Hopefully it wont hurt his play at all.
Bummed that I do not get to see him Saturday.

If riding the bench: Either you need to try harder or you are not good enough, but at the end of the day is a profession, and there is a lot of transactions going on behind. Being there is somehow opening a market for other young kids to look at, that there is life behind "these walls", and if they watch the game "just in case" the yank gets in, he can see some other players he would want to emulate. It doesn't end with one or two players sitting on a bench.

Dempsey eventually fought his way onto to the pitch through sheer determination. They did try to sit him a lot at first but he was not to be denied. He seized on every opportunity he got. Even after he helped Fulham avoid relegation, the new coach the next season put him back on the bench. What a putz. Then demps came in for an injured player and immediately scored. Now he's a starter.

The US isn't top ten in the world - but they are getting close and the players coming up are getting better. We have better coaches all the way through the youth programs and we will be top 10 before long. GO USA.

I agree in part with what everyone is saying. I agree that Dempsey is better for having to earn his spot, but not all of Europe is so great. Only 1st division teams are better than the MLS teams. There is not a 2nd division anywhere that could make the MLS playoffs. The only places where you will still be better off sitting and trying to earn your spot over playing in the MLS is at the superclubs like ManU, Chelsea, Barca, AC Milan, Real Madrid, etc. Europeans still are hesitant to play Americans. It is changing but everyone assumes that if you are from Europe or South America you are automatically a better footballer than if you are from America. That is why a lot of the Americans go to Europe and sit. Fortunately some managers realize they are wrong and after they have to play a Yank. Some managers never do though. For example there is no way Freddy Adu wasn't better than almost anyone on Xenox(sp?). They are a 2nd division Spanish team!! I will say this though the MLS is better than the top division of most of Europe

I appreciate players like Landon Donovan who stay here and play in MLS. I feel like he's competing with other National teams pretty well. He's a confident guy even though he plays in the MLS.
If guys were really honest about this whole thing they'd say "I went to play overseas because they pay me way more money over there!" That I can understand.
Eventually we've got to figure out a way to keep guys here. MLS will never be a great league until we get the best talent. Too bad we can't afford to pay guys multi-millions yet. Maybe some day.

Chadders sorry to disagree but the Champioship in England will play with the best of MLS and I would guess the 2nd Bundesliga will also be at the top of MLS.