Article: The Future of Stalteri and Friend at 'Gladbach

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^ I think his "huge leap backwards" is refering to the suggestion that Friend leave Gladbach, a Bundesliga 1 club, and return to Canada to play in MLS.

[canucklefan]

But thats just your opinion. Or more aptly put, your bias against MLS. You cannot prove that MLS is a "huge leaps backwards " from B2 or CCC. What quantifiable or visible evidence do you have to support you claims that the competeitive levels of MLS is below that of, say, CCC? Can you provide results of to head to head matches involving CCC/B2 clubs versus MLS clubs?

Every one who watch MLS league and South American and European leagues will agree that MLS lacks some quality to equal the latter. Seriously, this thread is turning in a ridiculous and non sense debate.

[Macksam]

Camaraderie and jet lag are the reasons players should leave Europe for mls?! That's the best you got?

I was not really talking about players making lateral moves from Norway or wherever. You and others suggest that our best players should take huge leaps backwards in competitive levels to play in mls. That boggles my mind. Does quality of play, training, coaching and being immersed in a football environment count for nothing? Less than cameraderie? Really?

I don't even necessarily agree that players making lateral moves is a good thing. maybe sometimes as a way to rejuvenate a career, but playing at a comparable level in Europe provides exposure and training that mls doesn't offer. In my opinion if a player can play in b2, ccc, Holland or one of the bigger teams in Scandinavia, like copehagen or rosenborg then that is abetted place for them than mls. Players not seeing the pitch or lower than that, fine if it means more opportunity. Would Jackson have gotten all the attention he was getting from higher levels if he played in salt lake city? Friend worked his way up to b1. Could he have made the move there scoring for Colorado? Not likely.

I'm all for 30 canadians in mls but only if they can use it to develop. If a player is better quality he should play at the highest level that he can. Our core can't be mls calibre or all the cameraderie in the world won't help. We need young players developing at the best level they can achieve.

I was. I'm not talking about players leaving top European teams to come back to the MLS. I was specifically saying guys from lower level leagues like Norway and what not. It would be better for the national team if they played in the MLS. I mentioned this a few times now, but you choose to ignore it and put words into my mouth. I'm not suggesting anything like you said. As for Friend, I only suggested he should come back because I assumed he was done with Europe. Since I learned he's not, and still has a role to play on a team in a big league like the Bundesliga, I'm all for him staying.

I also mentioned that I agreed with the consensus that MLS should be used as a stepping stone for bigger things. All I stressed was that we should concentrate on getting more players in MLS first before thinking about how we are going to sell them off to Europe.

As for the lateral moves, the benefits I suggest far out way this magical increase in training these comparable leagues in Europe will offer. Who knows, maybe the Whitecaps will offer superiour training once they get their facilities finally built. I will also debunk your theory of Jackson not getting attention from higher leagues if he was playing in Salt Lake. If he was tearing it up in MLS like he is or was at Gillingham, he probably would have been sold off by now to a European club in a big league like...now who was that American kid from New York...oh right, Altidore! Where is Jackson right now? Still at Gillingham.

Why don't you mind to read the whole thread before posting ridiculous replies? This was an answer to Free Kick question...

What?

^ I think his "huge leap backwards" is refering to the suggestion that Friend leave Gladbach, a Bundesliga 1 club, and return to Canada to play in MLS.

I apologize for jumping the gun on Friend and saying he should come back to MLS. I think that's what wrongfully started this whole debate.