Despite having a better win percentage than his two predecessors, Jurgen Klinsmann continues to find himself in the firing line for a misfiring, often pitiful looking team.

Criticized by both American players and fans, Klinsmann is currently suffering through his most difficult stint as USA manager. Although it is hard to remember a time when he was universally accepted. Sporting KC’s Benny Feilhaber, a player continually overlooked by Klinsmann despite last season’s form, has been uncharacteristically outspoken, saying earlier this year: “I don’t think that Jurgen calls in the best players available to him. I think that’s an issue.”

It seems, outside of the USA going undefeated and making it to the World Cup final in Russia in 2018, Klinsmann can do little right at the moment. There are a lot of different camps currently pining for one thing or another, from Klinsmann resigning and the United States Soccer Federation employing more scouts, to Major League Soccer teams performing better at development and MLS expanding further.

While there isn’t necessarily one solution, there seems to be more of a combination of answers needed to all the questions being asked of US soccer at the minute. Yet, one problem that is being overlooked by many is MLS’s over-expansion realistically hurting player development.

Due to the continued founding of new franchises, roster spots have been opened to field teams in cities across the USA and Canada. More than having promotion and relegation, the reduction of MLS teams to 18 would benefit the USMNT. With fewer teams comes fewer roster spots, which would provide MLS clubs with something they do not have currently: competition for positions. Competition would breed better players across the league and would then provide MLS teams playing improved competition every week in matches. Expansion heavily dilutes the talent pool in MLS. Fewer teams means the talent pool remains strong.

Remember back to the 2002 World Cup when the USA made it to the quarterfinals. The MLS contained a mere ten teams in the league that season. The year prior it was 12. At that World Cup, 11 of the 23 man roster came from MLS, a league in which the players would have gotten more playing time and focus thanks to fewer teams in the league and more competition for places. It also helped that the players playing in Europe at that time were some of the best to put on a USA shirt.

In addition, keeping with the current structure of a promotion/relegation-less MLS, USA and Canada soccer should look to use the North American Soccer League as a feeder league or minor league system. That could then trickle down to the United Soccer League and National Premier Soccer League. MLS clubs, like Major League Baseball, would benefit from sending SuperDraft picks and other acquired players to be developed into the lower leagues; rather than immediately throwing players unready for MLS to the lions. This season, Seattle Sounders have done just that to rookie Jordan Morris, who is sinking rather than swimming currently. Despite being such a highly rated prospect, Morris currently sits last in ratings of Sounders’ outfield players according to WhoScored.com. Is the college and homegrown development system working for the young players American players? It is great to say that MLS is bringing through homegrown kids, but being able to produce in the league is another thing. Looking at MLS’s homegrown player list, it is safe to say there have been quite a few hits. Yet, how many more would have succeeded with further development through a minor league system before being called up? This is just one suggestion in an attempt at finding a solution to a problem.

MLS fans in favor of promotion and relegation are looking at the system through rose colored spectacles. These fans may have never experienced the highs and extreme lows of supporting a team that has been relegated. In addition, MLS owners are comfortable in their current system without movement between leagues. What would keep an owner from immediately pulling out their support of a team if they were relegated? How many supporters of a team would continue to put down their hard earned cash to continue to go to games if their team was relegated? Too much money is at risk. Current fans of relegation and promotion are also under the assumption that the average American soccer fan understands that finishing last in the league demotes you to the lower division. There is also an assumption that the casual MLS fan understands the intricacies of the European game. It seems many fans are understanding the concept of the US Open Cup.

While many have argued in favor of relegation and promotion, citing that it would improve player development, it seems, could be just a pipe dream. There is no doubt it would raise the excitement levels. But to expect young players to be developed is just an assumption. A team fighting for their lives is just as likely, if not more, to pay for survival with experienced veterans as to throw a group of unknowns into the crapshoot that is a relegation dogfight. It is one idea, however.

Yes, everyone wants to say what is wrong with the USMNT. But, perhaps what is wrong is the support. Expectations are high after a good showing from the team for more than a decade. The USA is not a soccer nation and the sport is still the fourth most popular – possibly fifth – despite the fantastic attendances in MLS. Soccer is not American football, basketball or baseball. It is not taught the same way in schools nor does it have coaches and parents that can fill in the gaps for players in the same way other sports do.

In the end, there could be a much simpler argument to why the USA are in the current rut they are in. It could just be a bad cycle in which the current crop of players are just not up to scratch. Clint Dempsey is massively out of form for the Seattle Sounders and on the wrong side of 30. Michael Bradley and Mix Diskerud were just voted as two of the most overrated players in MLS by their MLS colleagues. In fact, Diskerud was singled out as the most overrated. But give some credit to Guatemala as well. They still had to go out and win the match, which was no small feat.