It’s okay for many of our major talents to go abroad as long as we get star players from other countries coming to MLS in return.

That’s how it is in England, Italy, Spain, France, Germany.

The reason it doesn’t happen here is because MLS can’t afford to compete with the salaries offered in Europe, mainly because the still relatively small fan base here doesn’t allow it.

As the game continues to grow in popularity in the US, all of that WILL change.

Incredible.

I would also like to see the MLS become a better league. However, there are very few countries where the best and the brightest don’t go abroad in their prime. Argentina, Brazil – their best players are all playing abroad. The only countries that manage to keep them are Germany, Italy, England, and Mexico. The key is to replace them without a significant drop-off in talent. This is where the MLS is lacking. If the league can hold on for another few years, as it appears it will, this could change. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

1) As much as I love Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent should go over him as the next forward because he is a goal producing machine and consistent while he’s at it.

2) Arena made the right choice in leaving Adu out. Experience and Composure. Enough said. I’d also like to raise the question as to who would be the most outstanding US player (or will have a breakout summer) this summer? My money is on Clint Dempsey. If he plays as well as he has in international friendlies he might just draw some attention from european clubs.

As for Adu, I’m glad Arena left him off. He’s good on the ball, but too inexperienced. And let’s be honest: MLS experience is about the same as lower-division Scottish experience. This, in addition to his youth, is the determiner for leaving him at home, IMO.

As much as I would like to see the MLS become a better league, it will remain substandard as long as its best and brightest go abroad in their prime.

waste of room for a better player

The US team is not a huge step better than last time. They are a much more known quantity than before to the rest of the world. They are in a tough group. Ghana (and Ivory Coast) are much better than you would think. It is quite possible that Italy and the US will go out from this group.

Having said all that I’m sure the US will be tough for the others to beat. I fully expect this to be a really rough group as well as tough.

Finally, back to the subject – Sven has little choice left – he has to reshape his team and bring players who can make a change in a game. For all the criticism of Crouch, he really pulls defenders his way. I think if he was 100% sure of Owen then Walcott wouldn’t be coming.

I do think Adu should have gone – just for the experience so he can be that much better in 4 years.