Cuban Players Defect...

I was wondering if this would happen with the Cuban team playing their Olympic Qualifiers in the US. Now a total of seven players have left the team, leaving their countrymen in the lurch. The team will only have 10 players who are eligible to play tonight after the red card in the US match ruled out one forward. I'm sure their new lives will outweigh their homeland not making the Olympics. Too bad for those who didn't bolt the hotel.

In the above article the players said they want to play professionally here in MLS. Unfortunately for them, most of the roster moves available to MLS coaches have been made. Roster compliance was the first week of March. It looks like the USL will be their best bet until the summer transfer window.

I'm excited to see what these defectors can do. Imagine if all seven are good enough to eventually sign with MLS and impact it the way fellow Cuban defector Maykel Galindo has. The keeper certainly looked solid enough for a staring USL role or backup MLS role. Who knows, 5 years down the road he could be starting for Philly FC, or whatever their name will be.

Truth be told, this is another player development pipeline for US Soccer. By hosting the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Florida, American soccer teams now have seven of the best Cuban players in their pipeline. Ives rightfully suspected MLS executives would be running to the fax machine to file discovery papers.

Too bad the kids didn't defect before the game against the US. Had they, Nowak's formation would have worked to get the win.