Clearly, TFC is signing Michael Bradley as a ploy to derail the US national team.
Just ask this guy:
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
<a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/michael-bradley-to-tfc.1999029/page-5#post-29335865">Michael Bradley to TFC</a>
Yes, American fans have reacted to the news that Bradley is coming with the type of reasoned thought you'd expect from those live and die with the sport.
Or, not.
Picking low hanging fruit is fun sometimes, but our quoted friend above is just an extreme version of a common reaction in American soccer circles. Outside of the rare neutral MLS loyalist, most Americans are reacting somewhere between appalled and disgusted.
Bradley isn't giving them the chance to watch Serie A vicariously anymore and that's not acceptable. Especially a move to Canada! That the move will take care of his family for life is irrelevant.
Here in Toronto the vast majority of fans are reacting to the news with a shrug and a smile. Outside of the odd fan who comes from the the US (there are probably a couple hundred TFC regulars that are either ex-pat Americans or who come up for the games) Reds fans quite understandably don't care what it means to the USMNT. At all.
Like, AT ALL.
The only thing TFC fans care about is whether TFC is made better by the move. This seems like it should work. No signing is foolproof, but this is damn close.
However, that evaluation is for another day. Today, we focus on what it means in the big picture of MLS and Canadian soccer.
Despite the howling of insanity from some south of the border, this move is nothing but good news for American soccer and MLS. Bradley isn't going to "develop" anymore as a 26-year-old and, if anything, a break now before a two month run in to the World Cup will be better for the US.
Long-term, a stronger MLS will mean a stronger USMNT.
Yes, I know: You (mostly) don't care. You shouldn't be expected to care.
Although the league sometimes forgets, Toronto isn't an American market and the interests of the USMNT don't register here. And seven years into the MLS in Canada experiment it's becoming harder to see if Canadian interests register anywhere in the league -- including the three teams.
Don't mistake this as a criticism of TFC getting Bradley. It's not. It's a great move that will likely bring joy to a lot of long suffering TFC fans. The club should be applauded for it. But, in light of a move that is so clearly helpful to US soccer, questions should also be asked about what the league's commitment to the Canadian game is.
Questions that cant be answered by flippant answers about the academies. Having three academies is great, but it's limited and there is next to no bridge opportunities for the players not ready to turn pro.
How is MLS promoting the game in Canada? What is being done to give more roster spots to Canadians league-wide (and the labor law excuse is just that--an excuse. There are examples IN US SOCCER that contradict that stance)? Why is the CIS still not getting invites to the player combine?
And, If the opportunity to invest in a Canadian player to the same level as Bradley came around would MLS allow it? Are we sure?
It's clear that TFC is willing to do its part to grow the game in the US and to improve MLS. In turn, is MLS willing to start viewing Canada as an actual partner? Is bringing the level of the game up in this country an actual priority, or will the lip service that has characterized the last seven years continue?