PARIS -- One of Jurgen Klinsmann's projects for his U.S. national team is to lengthen the MLS season. His reasoning: Young MLS players simply can't compete with the rest of the world if they have three months off every year while their peers overseas are working on their game for 11 months.
Since MLS isn't likely to extend its season any time soon, Klinsmann is doing it himself, setting up extended training visits this offseason for U.S.-based pros. First up is Brek Shea.
The FC Dallas star -- in Paris for the national team training camp ahead of Friday's match with France and Tuesday's match in Slovenia -- will head off to Arsenal next week for a month of training with the English Premiership giants.
To see how Jurgen Klinsmann set up Shea's trial with Arsenal, and what it means, become an ESPN Insider.
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U.S. National Soccer Team Blog
We're your regular source for all the inside info on the U.S. national team. Whether it's breakdowns of player pool developments, news and notes from the club soccer world and its impact on the American side, or game coverage, we'll bring you consistent, exclusive access and insight. Contact us with comments and tips at ESPNUSSoccerblog@gmail.com.
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Doug McIntyre
Doug McIntyre has watched or attended almost every U.S. national team game since Paul Caligiuri's "shot heard 'round the world" in 1989. He is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and has covered American and international soccer since 2002.
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