Toronto FC's Bradley: Crew 'have really fallen behind' in MLS

Michael Bradley was booed each time he touched the ball on Tuesday, and the American midfielder did nothing to endear himself to supporters in Ohio following the contest.

Toronto FC and the Columbus Crew played out a scoreless draw in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Championship, and, after the final whistle, Bradley was asked for his thoughts on the possibility of the Crew leaving Columbus. He was candid while answering, saying the club has "really fallen behind" in Major League Soccer while pointing to stadium issues and the club's lack of innovation.

"On one hand, you feel for the small group of loyal supporters that they have, who have been here since the beginning, who continue to support the team, and come out week after week," Bradley said, according to ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle.

"On the other hand, you can't deny the fact that things here have really fallen behind in terms of the atmosphere in the stadium, the quality of the stadium, what it's like to play here. I don't know who is at fault for that. From what I gather, there's a lot going on and I get that.

"But as an outsider I don't know what that falls on. But again, the reality is just that as the league has continued to grow and grow - and this isn't the only one - this is one of a few markets that has not kept pace."

Precourt Sports Ventures, the Crew's owner, announced in October that, "to ensure the long-term viability of the club," it's exploring the "strategic" option of potentially relocating the club to Austin, Texas.

The second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship is scheduled for Nov. 29 at BMO Field.