You are either staying home or playing in the best league you can get. You aren't playing on a horrible field for amateur coach 10,000 miles away from home.
He's saying that Portland is not "home" to Mix (obviously implying that Norway alone is). I think it is probably a bit of a narrow definition of home and ignores the fact that there might be something in it for Mr. Diskerund in living in the US that he wouldn't get living in Belgium for example.
I think a Portland move would be a good one for Mix. He'd be going to a club to play for a coach that he has worked with before and clearly thinks highly of him. It's a vertical move, as the competition in MLS is better than in Norway. And he's only 22. He's younger than Nick DeLeon. A few years in MLS won't hurt him. I'd be glad because I'd actually get a chance to see him play, as well as evaluate him compared to other MLS players. Often with Scandinavian based guys I think it's hard for us to know how good they really are since we see a lot less of their club play, and because it's hard to gauge them against their competition (i.e. Alejandro Bedoya). Also, for all the B.S. flak our dual nationals get over whether they are "American" enough, I would think people would be happy to see one that wants to come live and play in the USA.
There might be but definitely not as much as for Donovan in living in SoCal next to his family, so comparing him to Donovan doesn't make sense. Regarding Porter, he is a good college coach and a great recruited. And I believe that he is doing an outstanding recruiting job on Mix selling him Brooklyn Bridge.
They will still sell when they see fit and the $$ is right, examples: Dempsey Beasley Bocanegra Cameron McBride Ream Edu Bradley Jozy E. Johnson etc. Clubs from bigger leagues are less cautious about MLS players these days, just look at how the UK Work Permit appeals have gone lately for the perception of the American player. Plus, I doubt Mix would lock himself into a 5-year MLS deal and he would probably have a buy out clause in the contract. And turf wouldn't be something new to Mix, some stadiums in Norway have them and lots of turf practice fields, but never saw anybody on this forum worried about that then.
For sure, I know he can move forward from here I just think it'll be more complicated now. I have the impression that'll hinder his chance at moving on, which to me should be the ultimate goal. I feel like he was in a better position staying in an equal league overseas. I don't want him to make the move Pontius just did.
I can see people being disappointed if they were hoping to see him move to one of the top 4-6 leagues. But it never sounded like there was anyone at that level currently interested so MLS is a decent place to come place for a few years. And I wouldn't underestimate the appeal of a guy who has grown up in Norway yet played on various US national teams wanting to experience living in the US for a bit. Rather than a mostly lateral or incremental move in Europe, moving to the US for a while is certainly an attractive adventure if the money is right.
Whoa, there's a difference between an amateur coach and a coach of amateurs. Caleb is a highly respected coach who has guided over a dozen players to pro status in the last few years. Advancing a good youth coach to pro level is practically a tradition so I don't see the problem. Besides, Mix has already been under his tutelage and may very well want to spend a few years in the US given that he's half American.
Yup. One thing we have to remember is that "home" for Mikkel Morgenstar Pålssønn Diskerud isn't the United States. He's never lived here as far as I know. I don't even know if he still has relatives here. But if he doesn't get offers from "bigger" leagues...............then why not? I just have a feeling that he's going to get offers from "bigger leagues"
I think the factor I under rated the most when I was young and was choosing where to work was the quality of my prospective colleagues.
In Mix's thread in YA he mentioned that he visits the US 3-4 times a year (or at least, he did back in 2009) to visit family. He's currently on a road trip through Vegas and the Grand Canyon with his buddies.
Maybe exactly that is an appealing point for him? Several Turk-Germans said they wanted to play for a Turkish club for some time to connect to that part of their heritage. A move to the US looks more "exotic" in the European soccer World than to Istanbul, but... Many players want to make "the greatest possible career", whatever that is; a few players want to play for their home club for their entire career; and maybe some want to play at their mother's home country? Maybe he'll tell us.
I think Holly is closer on the comparison than Louis. Diskerud would be competing for a midfield spot with Jones and Bradley (or Kljestan, Zusi, Torres). His opportunity will come when one of the midfielders' form slips or is out. Dempsey is an attacking midfielder / second striker hybrid and a big-time scorer/finisher, and I've never gotten the impression that Mix is that type of player. So, since Jones (31) is older than Bradley (25), I'd say Mix's time is more likely to come when Jones retires from the Nat's, not Dempsey (29). Now, I do think Holly is being a bit optimistic that Mix+Bradley would outperform Jones+Bradley, and certainly not by a lot. But Mix has time, having only turned 22 in October, and I do like the stylistic concept of a Mix+Bradley central midfield. I think the Portland move will be fine. As several others have written, the move is slightly upward, it gives his a chance to work with a coach who seems to appreciate him and importantly who knows him, it lets him live in the US for a while, and it keeps him in the shop window for a future return to Europe. Plus, as a US fan, it lets us all get a much better look at the guy via the MLS broadcasts. Best of luck to Mix!
With regard to the artificial surface at Portland which, I am told, is there because the rain would wreak havoc with natural turf: I've always wondered why the MLS doesnt schedule all away games for Seattle and Portland until June-Aug and all away games for Dallas in July and Aug. LA went to Dallas and played in temps of 100 degrees. Does anybody know what determines this stuff?
I agree with you, Mix will be fighting against other midfielders for playing time. I mentioned Dempsey because he also plays in the midfield a lot and makes it redundant at having Mix there as well. I forgot about Jones been the next mid fielder to retire from the starting 11. A pair of Mix-MB would be better at distributing, setting up players and finishing when given a chance, the draw back is we may lose a bit our defensive punch but I don't think it would be by much since Jones currently plays very high up.
By following his thread, he doesn't care that much about getting paid, so I would imagine, playing in MLS, no matter how one rates the league... would be a dream of his given that he's never lived in the US. More about exploring the country, than about the soccer overall. The kid has the brain of a poet, and really looks at things in ways a poet would.
He goes to the US every year and considers it a second home. He's said so himself. I think he sees the chance to play in the US as an opportunity bigger than just soccer. I can think we should maybe pull the cart back in front of the horse. Hopefully he comes to MLS, plays extremely well, generates the interest from top level clubs and then we can talk about possible moves being hindered or not.
Exactly, if he has no offers to play in "top leagues" why not a latteral or slightly higher move to MLS? I am sure JK would advise him if playing here would hinder him.
Porter's proven nothing except to be a disaster of a coach. If this was LA, RSL, Seattle, Houston I'd be less concerned.