CHICAGO, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. Soccer Federation took its labor dispute to the fans Wednesday, saying American players were already among the most highly paid in the sport.
The USSF has been unable to reach a contract agreement with veteran players, creating the possibility the United States will send a team of untested youngsters into the final round of World Cup qualifying.
Hoping to gain public support, the federation issued a statement that said there has been, "virtually no substantive movement by the union," during the past two years.
The players recently rejected a proposal to send the dispute to an independent mediator.
U.S. Soccer has already begun training replacement players.
"The union's decision to rebuff every solution we've offered has left U.S. Soccer with no choice but to begin making plans to field a team of alternate players," the statement said. "Our team is one of the best-compensated national teams in the world."
The first qualifying game is scheduled for Feb. 9 against Trinidad & Tobago. After 10 games of round-robin competition, the top three from the six finalists will qualify for next year's World Cup in Germany.
