As the post-mortem of the USMNT’s World Cup exit begins, a growing chorus of fans are pointing directly to deep-rooted issues.
Much of the talk around the USMNT’s exit from the World Cup was about Mauricio Pochettino’s future and Christian Pulisic’s failures, but there are far bigger issues than that.
Many claim that fans put too much expectation on the players to deliver on home soil, but in truth, it was the performance against Paraguay that really painted a false picture.
And if we’re being honest, the controversy with Donald Trump, FIFA and Folarin Balogun was always going to end in disaster for the USMNT.
Now, it’s important that U.S. Soccer properly addresses the concerns, rather than just papering over the cracks.
Aside from Lionel Messi, which Argentina player scares you the most and why?
Messi will play against England for the first time in his career 😯
USMNT fans call for promotion and relegation domestically
Rather than the people in charge at U.S. Soccer, many supporters point at the underlying infrastructure of soccer in the United States, such as in the MLS.
The concept of relegation and promotion is a massive talking point because North American sports leagues, including Major League Soccer (MLS), operate as a closed franchise system, meaning teams never face relegation regardless of how poorly they perform.
Here is what fans are saying:
This fan kicked it off: “Pro/Rel is the only answer.”
“Pro/rel, obviously,” another fan said.
Another sees it as the only option: “There are no “clubs” in sports anymore, they are all franchises, when people start to think like this pro/rel becomes clearer.”
Lastly, this supporter points at the MLS being a monopoly: “US soccer will never improve until they open the pyramid with pro/rel. The need for competition is needed if we are going to improve as a soccer country. MLS is a monopoly that refuses to let go of their power. It is the same principles that apply in a free-market economic system.”
Major League Soccer’s stance on a promotion and relegation system
MLS commissioner Don Garber has been reluctant to open the gates to promotion and relegation, but there is still a slight possibility that it could happen.
“Back in the day, I would say, ‘Never.’ Today, there’s no real point of saying never, because I don’t know what the future would like.
“I certainly never thought we would adapt to the international calendar.”
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