Jurgen Klinsmann's comments about the quality of play in Major League Soccer versus the level of competition in Europe didn't sit well with commissioner Don Garber. However, ESPN FC TV panelists Craig Burley, Taylor Twellman and Stuart Holden all said they had no issues with the U.S. national team manager's views.
"I don't see the need for Don Garber to chime in and respond to Jurgen Klinsmann's comments about that because I do in part agree with Klinsmann," said Stuart Holden, a former U.S. national team player who's played professionally in both Europe and MLS.
"You see these guys playing with Champions League level teams. Clint was at Tottenham, Bradley was at Roma, you can't tell me that's the same environment that they are experiencing in Seattle and Toronto."
Ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Honduras, Klinsmann reiterated that he felt Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey were better served playing in Europe and that both players would need to prove themselves once again to be part of the national team at the next World Cup in Brazil.
Garber responded on Wednesday, saying that Klinsmann's comments were "detrimental" to MLS and personally "infuriating" to the commissioner.
Burley, who played with Chelsea in the Premier League and as an international for Scotland, disagreed with Garber that the comments were to the detriment of MLS.
"Jurgen Klinsmann made an observation, it's not rocket science," said Burley. "Players are better and stronger playing in Europe's top leagues than in MLS.
"On the other side, it's not detrimental to MLS. MLS is growing nicely and getting better all the time. Players don't make decisions on whether or not to come to America based on what a national team coach says. It's based on the situation at the time and finances.
"Klinsmann made it clear that he wants players playing in Italy, Spain and England because he thinks they are better off there."
Twellman was part of ESPN's broadcast team for the friendly vs. Honduras. He agreed that Klinsmann's comments were fair and added that the German national and World Cup winning player wasn't the first to criticize MLS.
"This is two men doing their jobs," said Twellman. "Jurgen Klinsmann's job, first and foremost, is to manage the national team as best he can. And Don Garber has to come out and defend his league as commissioner.
"But Jurgen Klinsmann is not the first national team coach to criticize MLS. Bob Bradley did it, Bruce Arena did it when I was playing. Everyone criticizes the domestic league."