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MLS fans have grown accustomed to the MLS All-Star Game Format of having a team of MLS stars face a foreign club, and given the previous alternative of East vs. West, there haven't been an overwhelming number of complaints about the current format.
The reality is that the whole MLS vs. some random mid-level foreign team has grown a bit stale and should have been changed by now. Unfortunately, it hasn't been and there aren't any signs that the format will be changed.
So what alternative might be consider in place of the current all-star format? It is one I have advocated in the past, one that bears consideration. Having the league's American stars taking on the top MLS players from the rest o the world would create some good competition, a great game, and some potential storylines to help sell the game.
Such as? Well here's a look at what this year's MLS USA and World All-Star Teams could have looked like:
MLS USA Stars
------------Landon Donovan-------Conor Casey------------------
--------------------------Davy Arnaud------------------------------
Brad Davis-------------------------------------------Stuart Holden
-----------------Kyle Beckerman----Ricardo Clark----------------
Geoff Cameron--------Chad Marshall---------------Tim Ward
----------------------------Kasey Keller---------------------------
MLS World Stars
-----------------Fredy Montero-------Omar Cummings------------
-----------------------Cuauhtemoc Blanco--------------------------
Marco Pappa-------------------------------------Freddie Ljungberg
-----------------Shalrie Joseph---Osvaldo Alonso----------------
Gonzalo Segares-----Jhon Kennedy Hurtado-----Wilman Conde
------------------------------Pat Onstad----------------------------
I left out Toronto FC, D.C. United and Red Bulls players to align with the CONCACAF Champions League match conflicts. Also, Guillermo Barros Schelotto is missing because he is currently injured.
Again, the teams are based on form this season, not just on reputation, which is why David Beckham isn't on here. Frankie Hejduk's the one
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What do you think of this All-Star format? Would you prefer it to the current format of MLS playing foreign clubs? Who would be on your all USA MLS All-Star Team? How about your World Team?
Share your thoughts below.
