MLS is Not a Proper Football League Part Infinity

Okay, here I go again with another rant. Saturday every nation in the world still in Copa Mundial 2010 qualifying will be playing. Every domestic first division in the world will off this Saturday, save one: the incomparable Major League Soccer. Toronto FC is being forced to play a match at a ground they currently do not share with another tenant on the same day nine players from the Reds (a side with only 18 senior squad players per MLS rules) will be playing for their national teams.

The following nine players will be missing for TFC Saturday. (Thanks to Soccer by Ives for this list)

• Amado Guevara (Honduras)
• Greg Sutton (Canada)
• Jim Brennan (Canada)
• Marvell Wynne (USA)
• Carl Robinson (Wales)
• Julius James (Trinidad & Tobago)
• Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala)
• Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica)
• Jarrod Smith (New Zealand)

Unless MLS wants to return to its recent past of being a retirement home for washed up internationals and landing spot for5 players not good enough to even play in their nation’s second divisions, this trend of playing right through international fixture dates has to seize beginning next season. MLS is not taken seriously by many football fans here at home and quite frankly, it doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously when you see issues like this.