re: MLS calls news conference at 3 PM to respond to Klinsmann

One one hand I agree that Bradley has never looked sharper than he did when playing in Serie A with Chievo and then AS Roma. I think without even getting into "development at 26 years old" etc there's a lot to be said simply for form in light of the old adage "iron sharpens iron".


At the same time there was a lot more to this move than Bradley simply choosing to leave.

Bradley certainly could have played more matches after winter break last season but the writing was on the wall for his future in what has become one of the 2 or 3 deepest /strongest midfields in all of Europe.

People also focus on Bradley opting for the huge contract but Toronto also paid Roma about 3 times more than any European team would have paid due to his marketing value as an USMNT player to a MLS club.


This dynamic in general, where top USMNT players' values are so much higher in the MLS than in top European leagues, is one that I can understanding concerning Klinsmann.

In leagues like Serie A or La Liga etc there are so many very talented if not quite elite European and South American players for whom there is no domestic club that could/would pay a tenth of what Toronto paid and these are also often players who don't take up valuable non-EU spots on rosters.

I'll never defend Klinsmann over the whole Donovan WC fiasco but it's hard to find anything untrue or really even all that debatable in his comments aside from the fact that MLS corporate headquarters would have preferred it be "thought but not stated."