Michael Parkhurst?

[Sandon Mibut]

So, do you guys think this kid has a future with the Nats? For me, it’s a tough call.

On the one hand, he should be someone we’re very high on. As a rookie, he’s played every minute of the season as a sweeper for the team with the best record, and best defense, in the league. Parkhurst is a big reason why the Revs defense has been effective and why they’ve won a lot of games.

So, should be a no-brainer, right? At some point a guy like this should get a call-up.

But, on the other hand, he’s small (5-10) for a central defender/sweeper and he really isn’t that fast, certainly not pacey enough to play as a wing back in a 4-4-2. He also isn’t really a wiz on the ball.

His limited athleticism doesn’t get too exposed in MLS because the kid is just so tactically smart, with just very solid positioning and very clean and simple on the ball. But at the international level, that limited athleticism, pace, ball skill and size would definitely be exposed. (If the US ever went consistently to a 3-5-2, he might be able to get by as a sweeper, but A) I don’t see us doing that anytime soon and B) he likely wouldn’t be the first or second choice, anyway.)

My thought is that he just isn’t athletic enough. But, he’s so damn solid he just might be able to adjust.

What do the rest of you guys think?

[SUDano]

[QUOTE=Sandon Mibut]
His limited athleticism doesn’t get too exposed in MLS because the kid is just so tactically smart, with just very solid positioning and very clean and simple on the ball. But at the international level, that limited athleticism, pace, ball skill and size would definitely be exposed. (If the US ever went consistently to a 3-5-2, he might be able to get by as a sweeper, but A) I don’t see us doing that anytime soon and B) he likely wouldn’t be the first or second choice, anyway.)
[QUOTE]

I think this paragraph sums it up best. Parkhurst is a very good MLS defender due to superior positioning but high end International soccer is much more than that. With his limited size, pace and ball skills it will be exposed. I think all good MLS players should be get a camp call but I think we have better options for the real games. I hope he does get a meaningless friendly game after 2006 against a mediocre team to see how he does stack up.

[LittleMaradona]

Goos was a speed-demon.

[Rowray]

Would you rather have someone that is in the right place and knows what to do but is 2 inches shorter or someone that doesn't know what he's doing all the time but is 2 inches taller?

Parkhurst is better on the ball than most forwards in the league. You should see the megs he racks up in the possession games during warm-up.

Let him finish his rookie year out and then go from there. I'll guarantee he's a starting CB for 2010 though.

[Rowray]

Would you rather have someone that is in the right place and knows what to do but is 2 inches shorter or someone that doesn't know what he's doing all the time but is 2 inches taller?
A great example of this is the goal Ricardo Clark just scored against the Rapids. Yea Petke is a beast, but Parkhurst would have cut out DeRosario's pass.

[Sandon Mibut]

I'll guarantee he's a starting CB for 2010 though.Over Gooch? Over Spector? Over Gibbs? Over Bocanegra? Over Marshall?

Please.

[Rowray]

Over Gooch? Over Spector? Over Gibbs? Over Bocanegra? Over Marshall?

Please.
Probably with Gooch. He's already better than Spector and Marshall and in 4 years, he'll definitely be better than the other two. You'll see.

The size argument works for college soccer because it is such a physical game but the higher the level the more you have to rely on tactical understanding and technical ability.

Look at John O'brien in the last World Cup. He was probably the least athletic player on the team but definitely the best player.

[Bruce S]

Parkhurst is a damn smart player but he needs more seasoning.I would not worry about his size- how big was Franco Baresi? Smaller than Parkhurst.BUT he needs to develop more.Also, the USA rarely uses a sweeper-we usually play a flat back 4 with no sweeper.That said, we can always use more good players in the US program.

[Nutmeg]

I can't remember a single play where Parkhurst was beaten because he wasn't fast enough. I really don't know how fast the guy is. For all I know, he could run down DaMarcus. But the mark of a great central defender is that he is reading the game so well that he never has to really on speed to make up for being out of position. Parkhurst has shown that type of soccer smarts. As far as the technical side of playing defense - how to tackle, how to use your body, where to position yourself against an attacker - he's been nearly flawless. He doesn't make stupid mistakes and keeps the game simple.

He's been one of the top 2-3 central defenders in the league this year, IMO. Does that mean he will get looks somewhere down the line (post 2006)? Maybe, but he's got some sick competition he'd have to beat out.

[geordienation]

I'll guarantee he's a starting CB for 2010 though.


You're ******* high.

[Rowray]

You're ******* high.
Thanks, that was intelligent.

I would ask for this to be deleted but seeing as you're the mod, I don't think it will happen.

EDIT: Maybe I should have been a little more specific and wrote, "I'll guarantee he's a starting CB for 2010 though unless Bruce or whoever the coach is at the time thinks he'll help the team more by playing d-mid or somewhere else.

[RevsRule]

I think this paragraph sums it up best. Parkhurst is a very good MLS defender due to superior positioning but high end International soccer is much more than that. With his limited size, pace and ball skills it will be exposed. I think all good MLS players should be get a camp call but I think we have better options for the real games. I hope he does get a meaningless friendly game after 2006 against a mediocre team to see how he does stack up.Maybe Vanney could take him under his wing and teach him the ropes. He has no pace or ball skills but still gets calls.

Parkhurst is a great defender that will continue to get better. Why do you think he was added to the Allstar roster? Ans - Coaches know about him. He has good pace and ball skills and unlike so many that play defense for the US, he's very smart. I totally expect him to move onto the radar screen next year. The only downside is Arena likes 'em big and there's nothing he can do about that. If he bulked up in his upper body, he'd be OK

[RevsRule]

Over Gooch? Over Spector? Over Gibbs? Over Bocanegra? Over Marshall?

Please.
Has anybody really seen Spector play or is he just one of those names that flys around BS.

I like him better then Bocanegra and Marshall and have him even with Gibbs. Gooch is tough because he's so big but he does make a good number of mistakes (Gold cup)

[Clint Eastwood]

Did anybody hear Wynalda whisper the words Nats and Boswell in the same sentence during the DC game yesterday? It's good that the league is finally producing young defenders like Marshall, Parkhurst, Boswell, etc. etc. who are at least in the discussion. Perhaps we need to contrast and compare these three players. I don't think any of them are on the roster for 2006 (well I feel that I know that), but you never know what could happen by 2010.

[Peretz48]

Everyone brings a different talent to the table. With Parkhurst it's tactical understanding and positioning. But is it enough in today's game? It seems that every year the international game requires faster players. And as mentioned, he's not particularly tall for a CB, nor a ball whiz, either. My sense is that with the continued development of better athletes in our pool, Parkhurst might make it as a standby when others are injured or unavailable. And if the team we're facing doesn't have lightning-fast forwards, he might be OK. But I wouldn't look for him to be a starting CB in '10 or '14.

[sidefootsitter]

Did anybody hear Wynalda whisper the words Nats and Boswell in the same sentence during the DC game yesterday?... Bobby Boswell has a prototype central defender body (6'2", 185), heading ability and even foot skills. He's raw but if you project someone, you project Bobby over Michael.

FWIW, Franco Baresi was listed at 176 cm or about 5'9".

[DCFAN96]

Has anybody really seen Spector play or is he just one of those names that flys around BS.

I like him better then Bocanegra and Marshall and have him even with Gibbs. Gooch is tough because he's so big but he does make a good number of mistakes (Gold cup)

Wow talk about having team loyalty jading your judgement. Parkhurst is no where near the level of Marshall and especially Boca and to claim hes at the same level as Gibbs is a joke. The kid doesn't even have a season under his belt let alone played against any international competition and your claiming hes as good or better as our defenders overseas, just crazy. The one memory I have of Parkhurst is him getting schooled by Moreno earlier this year, if thats any indication on how he plays against higher competition then I'll pass. Lets be realisitic hear people Spector, Marshall, Gooch, Gibbs, Boca, Pope, heck even Berhalter are significantly better then this guy right now.

[Peretz48]

Wow talk about having team loyalty jading your judgement. Parkhurst is no where near the level of Marshall and especially Boca and to claim hes at the same level as Gibbs is a joke. The kid doesn't even have a season under his belt let alone played against any international competition and your claiming hes as good or better as our defenders overseas, just crazy. The one memory I have of Parkhurst is him getting schooled by Moreno earlier this year, if thats any indication on how he plays against higher competition then I'll pass. Lets be realisitic hear people Spector, Marshall, Gooch, Gibbs, Boca, Pope, heck even Berhalter are significantly better then this guy right now.
I doubt that most posters would argue that Parkhurst is as good as the others RIGHT NOW. The whole thread is really about whether Parkhurst can project to be an int'l level player in a few years, and it seems like the jury is deadlocked.

[Sandon Mibut]

The whole thread is really about whether Parkhurst can project to be an int'l level player in a few years, and it seems like the jury is deadlocked.Which is what makes it such an interesting debate, IMO, as valid and legitimate cases and can be made for either argument.

[Bruce S]

blazing speed is a good thing but it is overvalued by many who have not played soccer.Keep this in mind, the EPL is considered the fastest league in the world and the defender of the year last year was John Terry .He is not just not fast-he is slow.He is so slow that many teams passed on him when he was younger. He makes up for that with soccer intelligence and skill.
The guy who chose Parkhurst was Steve Nicol, a former English defender of the year. I remember reading that Nicol saw him in college and was impressed with his thinking and vision. It is funny-most Rev fans can't even tell you how fast Parkhurst is or isn't.He simply rarely winds up chasing anyone because he is always in the right place!