MLS: Schedule v Country

By: Bob | October 11th, 2007

The happiest person during weeks where leagues around the world take their breaks so that players can compete for their countries is the dude who trademarked the phrase “club versus country.” The term is used so often that you would almost think that the conflict between loyalty to club and loyalty to country is more intense than anything going on in the Middle East. This week we have seen a slightly different twist on the ageless debate. Instead of questioning clubs, some are questioning an entire league.

As you undoubtedly know, the MLS season bumps up against the international schedule with some regularity even in years when there isn’t a World Cup. Such is the case this week with the US Men’s National Team scheduled to play Switzerland in a friendly on October 17. A quick look at the roster shows that only players from the bottom dwelling teams in MLS and those playing in Europe are on the list. The best players from the league have been left out of the mix because the league is in its final two weeks and it would be unfair to the teams competing for playoff spots to lose their players during critical games.

This naturally calls into question whether or not MLS should base its schedule around the international dates set by FIFA. Ian Plenderleith and others believe that the league could do this to a large degree and that it most certainly should. Even when the games are meaningless you want your national team to be competitive and to have the opportunity to play together so that they can compete when the games do matter.

That is all well and good, says Dan Looney and others, but the obstacles to achieving this vision are many and the necessary solutions are somewhat unpalatable to the league, the players and possibly even the fans.

Where do you fall on this side of the debate? Recognizing that the league would face obstacles, should MLS adopt a schedule that is more in line with the international calendar? How exactly should the league fit in with the national team?