Any friendlies scheduled? Probably not, b/c I'm sure they want to get the Arena situation solved first.

When is the next Confederations Cup? What about the Gold Cup?

Gold Cup in June of '07 I believe. I also think it's too late to play in Copa. Bruce decided international tournys against quality opposition wasn't good for the program and has turned it down numorous times (the next Copa included).

in july there is the Central American and Carribean games but I'm pretty sure we don't play in that.

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Bruce decided international tournys against quality opposition wasn't good for the program and has turned it down numorous times (the next Copa included).

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To be fair, Arena has always wanted to play in Copa America. The problem is that MLS already *****es about losing players for qualifiers and the World Cup and they have made it known that they would be very pissed if MLS players were taken for Copa America.

Arena even said that one of the conditions of his return would be the guarantee that the team could enter tourneys like the Copa America.

Thank you, I stand corrected. But dumb 'ol MLS would only lose 10 or so players if the yanks abroad play too. 10 players for a month to better US soccer overall seems like a good trade for the MLS.

again reasons i hate MLS....

MLS is our shot at having a descent national team regardless of a few restrictions or odd seasonal play. I'm not totally satisfied with MLS, but it's all we have (unless you're one of those shumcks that makes fun of MLS and instead follows other countries leagues and players). I support Dallas FC 'cus it's the local soccer team. 'Nuthin wrong with that.

First off I would love us to play in copa america but discounting the MLS as complainers and worthless is just plain stupid. The MLS is struggling for money, but right now its all that is keeping us from having the same soccer situation we did before 1994. We fielded all college players and rarely qualified for the world cup...now we are almost automatic to qualify. The reason the MLS complains about missing players is that they only have a few marketable players on each team. You lose those players and you probably lose about 5,000 tickets per game while they are gone. Thats alot of money for a struggling league.

Playing in the Copa would make little difference. Our entire system is not equipt to givew us a real shot at competing at the highest level, i.e., making a real shot at winning the WC.

Our roster consists of guys who grew up in the suburbs, and thus are too soft and have no real one-on-one skills. They are way too mechanical and play that way. Need to make a concerted effort to open the pool to include foreign born players and inner city kids.

Secondly, our team is too small (i.e., short), we look like a bunch of munchkins out there. Need bigger players.

We have maybe two or three guys (Dempsey, Johnson et al.) that are players.