GreenPitch Magazine - METROPOLITAN SOCCER LIFE


Is US Soccer doing all it can to grow the sport?

	Yes, keeping soccer on television and getting the US team to the World Cup are both major achievements.

	No, the sport has not grown recently because the federation is only interested in ticket sales and not in on-the-field improvement.

	Schalke's Jones makes USA plea 6/12/09 - 10:20 a.m. - Schalke 04 standout Jermaine Jones, has asked the DFB to play for the USA but will not be eligible until August. “... For me, it is a new beginning.”		CONCACAF leaves Copa 6/30/09 - 6:00 p.m. - CONCACAF said on Tuesday its clubs would no longer participate in South America's Copa Sudamericana - the No. 2 club competition on the continent behind the Copa Libertadores.


Where is the growth? Just three players from Major League Soccer started for the USA during the team’s recent Confederations Cup run, while MLS contributed to more than half of the USA’s starting 2002 World Cup squad. According to Jonathan Feldman, Major League Soccer gets a failing grade when it comes to player development.