It's dumb that it's like that but that's the way it is
I suppose it's a bit like Kewell in Australia, big name local (ish as he is playing for Toronto) that is maybe just as well known (maybe even more so) than some of the big foreign contingent in the MLS (plus at a good age and domestic player). The guy has probably more caps for the States than the current AWs squad combined.
Edit: Or a Reid/Nelsen in NZ.