2006 HWCI World Cup Pool "Clap! or Crap?" Newsletter (Sam Nishi)

THEN & NOW

COACH ARENA IS CORRECT & MLS IS CORRECT

There is no fault to be placed on anyone here .. .. MLS is a developmental league, and a very successful one at that .. ..

It is not MLS' fault that it is not the Premiership, Bundesliga or La Liga .. .. It is what it is and Coach will just have to deal with it .. ..

We do need to bring more skills sets into the league so I hope the 'BECKHAM' exemption does become part of the MLS landscape .. ..

Just the added MEDIA SCRUTINY & CRITICISM would be
another valuable lesson that all MLS players will learn .. ..

However, if our domestic players are ever going to get to World-Class level,they do NEED to play overseas for an extended length of time and succeed .. .. And, I don't think anyone can debate that now .. ..

When everyone gets a grip, they will realize that 2006 was another step towards where we need to go .. .. It may not be the step everybody wished, or hoped for, but it was still a necessary one .. ..

Just a decade + ago, all of us involved in MLS (& WC 1994) would never have dared to dream we would be where we are at this moment .. ..

Let's keep up the hard work and keep up the good work .. ..

Remember > Even ENG & FRA failed to qualify for the 1994 WC > Imagine how they felt!!