But I think your point about ball control in the article is the answer here. Technically, the players just aren’t good enough. But if MLS becomes as exciting as it potentially can, gets a few semi-stars in from Europe who know how to score and keeps attendances and youth programmes growing at the current rates, then the youth will improve. They’ll have to, to keep up with the raised talent bar.

I hope the MLS can at least become a league comparable with Portugal, Soctland or Holland, although maybe with a higher overall standard but no dominant and superior teams as those leagues have. If it becomes a decent league where any season any team has a chance then it could become really interesting – I just hope Utd never have to fly there for a USA vs Europe Champions Super League fixture. It nearly killed Beckham.

In a 11 appearances for Benefica he has had 3 goals, and he’s only 18.

Jozy Altidore has started a bidding war between Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, Man City, Newcastle, and Real Madrid, and he is also only 18.

But I think Micheal Bradley will break the 10 mil mark before either of them.

“we forgive you, for you know not what you say…”

Croatia are far better than you give them credit for and Adu didn’t hack at his trial United even though he was brought in just to capture the US market (Dong Fangzhou and Park Ji-Sung managed to get contracts, that says a lot about that 10m price tag you’re putting on Adu).

Also look at our recent call ups for our national team. Almost everyone is under 30, and we’ve made short work of teams like Poland, Mexico, and hold our ground against Brazil and Argentinia. I’ve read in a couple of your magazines that the English national team is having trouble with minnows like Croatia. What a laugh, we could even beat Croatia in the early 90′s when most of our players were still in college.

And another thing I support West Ham but the MLS every year since I have followed it is always more exciting than any European league. Who’s going to win the EPL this year? Man U, Chelsea, or Arsenal. Who will win it the year after that? Man U, Chelsea, or Arsenal. And the year after that? Man U, Chelsea, or Arsenal. And the year after . . .

Did the MLS take away your birthday?

Some disagreements are healthy.

Of course, I watch my (un) fair share of MLS games via subscription.

A few points :

DCU’s Kevin Payne is probably the best general manager in the league and has acquired enough talent – often Latin – to stay at the top. However, he and his coaching staffs have been less successful producing the international quality American players. Their most recent transfers were GK Troy Perkins to Valerenga (Norway) for $750K and an unused (but promising) midfielder Bryan Arquez to Hertha Berlin (Bundesliga) for $300K.

This isn’t exactly Internacional getting $25M for Alexandre Pato from AC Milan.

Come to think of it, the top fee MLS has ever received for a field player was ~ $3.0M it managed for Clint Dempsey.

In global terms, that’s pathetic.

As to MLS “age excuse” – it may be only 13 years old but it doesn’t take that long to develop a player if one knows how.

Heerenveen bought Michael Bradley from the old New York Metrostars (now Red Bull) for a song and will probably get in the region of $7M-$10M after having/coaching him for 2 1/2 years.

Considering that MLS gets dozens of top US talents each year, how many of them has it managed to sell for $7M-$10M over its 13 year existence?

I know. I gave away the answer a few paragraphs above.

None.

DL.

The list of criticisms are things that every team in any league could improve upon. What is flawed in your argument is that you use examples of the best teams/players from Europe and you use the average/worst teams/players as examples in MLS. Middle/bottom of the table matches in the best Euro leagues can all be very very ugly.

The speed and physicality of MLS is what will take it above other leagues. EPL is the best because it is the fastest. We need to embrace what we are best at, which in my opinion is running circles around everyone else. Then, we can continue to improve everything else (such as the things you mention above), which I think we are doing. The US, being the melting pot that it is, has tremendous potential to see the practical fusion of the best attributes of soccer from every nation.

And once the US sports economy gets behind MLS and we can pay salaries comparable to even NHL (average salary of $800K – $2.2 M), watch how the rest of the world comes banging on our doors. Also more and more American players will want to go pro and see it as a viable career option.

So what’s the rush. We have stadiums being built, growing fan bases, better TV coverage all the time, more sponsors, World Tours, etc. We need to do a better job of recognizing the positives associated with the careful, measured improvement and promoting the potential of a league that is definitely on the rise.