Timothy Chandler's manager says fullback should consider quitting USMNT

Timothy Chandler's club manager is not a fan of the fullback playing for the United States, so much so that he said Chandler should reconsider whether he plays for his country.

"I understand that he wants to play there. But it doesn't help me and Eintracht," Armind Veh told Bild. "He needs to ask himself what he wants."

Chandler just returned to training with Eintracht Frankfurt this week and the season starts next weekend so he will definitely be behind his teammates and it's understandable that Veh is frustrated. But last season Chandler didn't make his first start for the team until the fourth week of the season after the World Cup and having just joined Eintracht, but started essentially the rest of the way.

Playing for the U.S. is much harder for a player in Germany than playing for a European team. The travel is much greater, the stage isn't as big and CONCACAF's idiotic scheduling means lots of matches at inopportune times for players.

The Gold Cup wasn't played until July this year instead of its regular June spot, meaning it overlapped with teams' preseasons. On top of that, the confederation plays the Gold Cup every two years, meaning thats another summer off that players are missing out on. And next year there is the (tentatively) scheduled Copa America, meaning that the U.S. will play tournaments every summer from 2013 to 2019. That's absolutely ridiculous, and only in CONCACAF does that happen.

That said, it's unfair for Veh to put Chandler on the spot like this and suggest he quit the national team. Players should be free to play for their countries and while it would be entirely fair to inform Chandler of the difficulties internationals present or suggest he skip out on a tournament when it runs into late July, quitting is a step too far. It's not as if the fullback didn't handle both international and club play fine a year ago when he was one of Eintracht's better players, albeit not with Veh as manager. There's no reason to think Chandler can't handle both so not only is suggesting he quit wrong, it's ignorant.

Even if the Chandler has struggled internationally and some American fans might see his quitting as a positive, this is still a player who has excelled in the Bundesliga so there is talent there and having him available is only a plus. It would be a shame if he quit because his paycheck was put on the line by an manager like Veh who has gone too far.