I believe there's an inherent tension between having the best quality soccer league you can and ensuring domestic players (in this case both US and Canadian) can play and develop. This is due in part to the fact that players develop at different stages -- some in their teens and others sometime in their 20s. The Clint Dempseys and DeAndre Yedlins need their chances to play so that they can develop. These types of players are highly unlikely to get the opportunity to play oversees if they did not get their start professionally in MLS. And a player like Kyle Beckerman would probably not have contributed as well as he did in the World Cup if he hadn't played in MLS.
I don't know where this balance is in terms of the influx of foreigners to improve the quality of the domestic league (a larger labor pool will get you more qualified applicants) and getting US and Canadian players substantial minutes on the field (because these are the players who can represent the national team) but it's somewhere out there. I don't want MLS to become like the EPL in ALL respects because I have to believe that having so few English players in the Premier League diminishes the England team; I don't have an analysis to back this up, but this is what my gut says.
There are many other contributing factors that need to be addressed to improve domestic player development. For instance, I believe US and Canadian soccer academies need to do more to emulate other countries' successes with their youth teams and with their approaches to coaching. Some of Klinsmann's concerns with MLS quality -- relating to off and on the field matters, including four day rhythm, recovery time and how life off the field can influence a player's career -- need to be addressed as well.
With that said, while I haven't done an inventory of where the 20 MLS squads are at this point, I was disheartened watching Orlando City's inaugural match, with TWO Americans / Canadians on the field. NYCFC has been at 8 -- which is great -- and while I don't feel as if I have a "hard and fast" rule on the number of American / Canadian players, if the number goes below 5, I would start to get a little uneasy.
Also, I am NOT asking for a total shift the other way because playing alongside world class soccer players in MLS does make MLS players better by learning from them and having to constantly fight for a place in the team. David Villa is a tremendous role model for everyone in MLS.
I'm just trying to find the right balance and I am wondering whether the scales have tipped too far (at least for some clubs and hence for the league) and whether MLS has reached a point where there are too few domestic players on the field.
Also, I would feel differently about this issue if it was as easy for an American / Canadian to play anywhere overseas as it is to play in MLS, but from all accounts, this is absolutely not the case.
Perhaps my concerns are misplaced. If Klinsmann or Arena or another respected coach has spoken on this topic, I would love to hear what they have said.
How do others feel? Does anyone know if there are any MLS rules about the number of Americans / Canadians on the roster and on the field? (If you care about the USMNT or Canadian National Team...) what's the tipping point for you in terms of American / Canadian player development so that our pool of national team players can develop and improve and whether they are getting minutes in MLS?
I don't know where this balance is in terms of the influx of foreigners to improve the quality of the domestic league (a larger labor pool will get you more qualified applicants) and getting US and Canadian players substantial minutes on the field (because these are the players who can represent the national team) but it's somewhere out there. I don't want MLS to become like the EPL in ALL respects because I have to believe that having so few English players in the Premier League diminishes the England team; I don't have an analysis to back this up, but this is what my gut says.
There are many other contributing factors that need to be addressed to improve domestic player development. For instance, I believe US and Canadian soccer academies need to do more to emulate other countries' successes with their youth teams and with their approaches to coaching. Some of Klinsmann's concerns with MLS quality -- relating to off and on the field matters, including four day rhythm, recovery time and how life off the field can influence a player's career -- need to be addressed as well.
With that said, while I haven't done an inventory of where the 20 MLS squads are at this point, I was disheartened watching Orlando City's inaugural match, with TWO Americans / Canadians on the field. NYCFC has been at 8 -- which is great -- and while I don't feel as if I have a "hard and fast" rule on the number of American / Canadian players, if the number goes below 5, I would start to get a little uneasy.
Also, I am NOT asking for a total shift the other way because playing alongside world class soccer players in MLS does make MLS players better by learning from them and having to constantly fight for a place in the team. David Villa is a tremendous role model for everyone in MLS.
I'm just trying to find the right balance and I am wondering whether the scales have tipped too far (at least for some clubs and hence for the league) and whether MLS has reached a point where there are too few domestic players on the field.
Also, I would feel differently about this issue if it was as easy for an American / Canadian to play anywhere overseas as it is to play in MLS, but from all accounts, this is absolutely not the case.
Perhaps my concerns are misplaced. If Klinsmann or Arena or another respected coach has spoken on this topic, I would love to hear what they have said.
How do others feel? Does anyone know if there are any MLS rules about the number of Americans / Canadians on the roster and on the field? (If you care about the USMNT or Canadian National Team...) what's the tipping point for you in terms of American / Canadian player development so that our pool of national team players can develop and improve and whether they are getting minutes in MLS?