There are a number of scheduling reasons why Major League Soccer keeps playing through FIFA’s international calendar. But having lost nine players to World Cup qualifying duty this coming weekend, Toronto FC coach John Carver wishes that the league would be more flexible in granting him a postponement.
“I’ve had some challenges in my life,” Carver told Dean McNulty. “But never have I faced a situation like I’m facing this week. This is what I consider a case of extreme hardship. Right now I’m calling around looking to get players on loan so I can fill out a game sheet.”
McNulty quoted unnamed sources as saying that Chivas USA had let the league know it would not object to any request to postpone this weekend’s game, but MLS still refused. Carver feels that what he calls the best and most patient fans in the league are being shortchanged because they are essentially watching a team of reserves.
“I really hope that our fans will see the predicament we are in,” he said. “It would be a great boost to have them support the lads that are going to be on the pitch.” He said that if the object of MLS was to improve the game in North America, it didn’t make any sense to field a “team full of players nobody wants. I’m usually never short of things to say but in this case I’m absolutely gobsmacked.”