The Re-Globalization of US Soccer

[numerista]

Back when the US national team was lifting itself into the modern era -- as the old-timers on these boards will remember -- it was bolstered by a steady supply of players with close foreign ties. Our 1990 World Cup starters were all US-raised, but they had family connections to many soccer-playing countries: Italy (Meola), Germany (Windischmann), Argentina (Balboa), Uruguay (Ramos), Scotland (Harkes), Hungary (Vermes), and perhaps more. Soon after that event, Hugo Perez returned from injury; Stewart, Dooley, Clavijo, and Wegerle joined up; Reyna exploded into college soccer; Lalas, Chung, and Sanneh were playing B-internationals ... I could go on, but you get the idea. Our players were Americans but also very international.

Once soccer took hold in the affluent suburbs, however, some of these connections seemed to dry up. By the time of the 2000 Olympics, we had a fine group of U-23s, but as far as I know only Peter Vagenas (Greece) and back-up Ramiro Corrales (Mexico) came into soccer at all via foreign ties. Considering how much these ties had helped us before, I think this was a genuine weakness.

Today, the pendulum is swinging the opposite way. Among our rising talent, we've got Nguyen (Vietnam), Altidore (Haiti), Spector (mom from Germany), Feilhaber (Brazil), Adu (Ghana), and several other U-20s whose backgrounds I don't know, but who probably have recent immigrant heritage.

The shortage of players with roots in Mexico or Central America is still troubling, as is the shortage of working class kids. To get US Soccer where we want it, we need progress in these areas, and we certainly don't want to lose any ground in the suburbs. All the same, it's good to see a bit more globalization on the field.

[dfb547490]

It's not a uniquely American phenomenon, though. Look at the roster of any rich country--they all have a decent number of first- or second-generation immigrants on their roster. Germany, France, Holland, England, Australia, Canada, etc. (Italy and Spain seem to be exceptions)

[Ghosting]

I don't really follow your arguement. Are you saying that players who are first or second generation American's are better soccer players than those who have a longer heritage in the US? That makes no sense to me.

I would think that the international ties of so many successful soccer players is based on the fact that the pool of potential players was heavily skewed to people with international ties. As the composition of that pool is expanded to include more people from more long-term US families (whether inner-city or suburban), the composition of the national team will change. I don't see that as a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it could be construed as a good thing in that it implies we have a larger player pool, so we're more likely to have those statistical outliers that are great players.

[numerista]

Are you saying that players who are first or second generation American's are better soccer players than those who have a longer heritage in the US?

Better? No, I don't believe one group is better than the other. In my book, they're both important to our national team's future. As you say, if our pool of opportunity gets bigger, it becomes more likely that great players will develop. But for a while, something was happening that I don't fully understand. Even though immigration and soccer were both growing in this country, our development of first- and second-generation talent dropped off.

Below is a selective list of internationally-connected players with over 10 caps, according to their year of birth (apologies for any errors).

1961 - Dooley
1962
1963 - Preki
1964 - Wegerle
1965 - Kerr, Windischmann
1966 - Klopas, Fraser, Ramos, Vermes
1967 - Balboa, Harkes, Kinnear
1968 - Agoos, Regis
1969 - Llamosa, Meola, Stewart
1970 - Chung
1971 - Lalas, Sanneh
1972
1973 - Reyna
1974 - Razov
1975
1976 - Kirovski, Mastroeni
1977
1978
1979 - Bocanegra
1980 - Gibbs
1981
1982 - Onyewu

I hope you'll agree that most if not all of the guys born 1966-71 were pretty good players. What's not obvious is why the following years weren't equally good. Did producing long-heritage talent somehow get in the way?

In any case, it seems likely that in future years this chart won't be as thinly populated as it has been recently.

[Ghosting]

... But for a while, something was happening that I don't fully understand. Even though immigration and soccer were both growing in this country, our development of first- and second-generation talent dropped off...

Thanks for clarifying.

So, if I understand correctly, you're saying that you think we may be missing some high quality players because we've shifted our emphasis in the developmental system to more well-off suburban players instead of newer immigrants. That arguement makes some sense to me.

I live in a pretty rural community, but I get a state-wide AYSA newsletter that spends a lot of time reporting the goings-on of sub-urban clubs (composed largely of well-off kids), and I often wonder if they aren't turning soccer into a more elitist sport in some communities. In our town baseball is like that, and there are lots of stories about good athletes that don't have the money or know the right people getting "weeded out" at a fairly young age. I know of at least a half dozen kids like that who have moved to different communities and gone on to play college, or minor league ball after being cut out of the system in our town.

[UxSxAxfooty]

...or native, mutt, "well-off", non-enthnic kids' participation in soccer has skyrocketed in the last 25 years on all levels, including youth, college, professional and national such that the immigrant first and second generation players aren't the only kids on the block playing soccer anymore.

Your hypothesis isn't the only one that explains the trend.

[numerista]

...or native, mutt, "well-off", non-enthnic kids' participation in soccer has skyrocketed in the last 25 years on all levels, including youth, college, professional and national such that the immigrant first and second generation players aren't the only kids on the block playing soccer anymore.

Your hypothesis isn't the only one that explains the trend.

Certainly, the bar has gotten higher, but are you really suggesting that players like Ramos, Harkes, and Balboa wouldn't have been good enough to break through a few years later? Considering how long they started for the national team, that doesn't seem plausible.

[roadkit]

The shortage of players with roots in Mexico or Central America is still troubling, as is the shortage of working class kids.

:confused:

Bocanegra is Mexican. WTF is your point anyway? If we don't have any mexican/central american/working class players good enough to make the MNT tough titty. I want players with skill - not players who fulfill some BS ethnic diversity construct.

[sidefootsitter]

Isn't the current U-17 team full of the immigrant kids?

[numerista]

Isn't the current U-17 team full of the immigrant kids?

Hence the title of the thread. In the years ahead, our national team is likely to be much more of a melting pot again.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Certainly, the bar has gotten higher, but are you really suggesting that players like Ramos, Harkes, and Balboa wouldn't have been good enough to break through a few years later? Considering how long they started for the national team, that doesn't seem plausible.
Well, sure. Pick the best 3 immigrant generation players of the bunch. Like I'll take that position.

No, I'm saying our whole frickin' team wouldn't be first and second generation players; I'm thinking Regis, Vermes, Chung, Klopas, Dooley, Wegerle and Agoos quality players are no longer core players for us and this isn't anything to worry about.

Demographic shifts explain this phenomenon better than some national conspiracy to keep out working-class kids or whatever.

[Metros Striker10]

Simply put, I don't think we had any "American" soccer players back in the day. Soccer was even less popular. So they looked for the kids of North Jersey...Meola, Ramos, Harkes, Reyna, etc. Many of them were first generation Americans...they were one of the few who grew up with the sport and excelled.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Here's another thought to emphasize my point: List the "globalized" players with 40 or more caps instead of 10. I bet the trend almost disapears.

So, on the margins, otherwise marginally talented "ethic" players are replaced as fringe players for us.

Whoop-de-do.

[numerista]

Well, sure. Pick the best 3 immigrant generation players of the bunch. Like I'll take that position.

Those three emerged in a two-year period when we also produced some other guys like Klopas and Fraser who stood out in MLS well after their prime.

I'm thinking Regis, Vermes, Chung, Klopas, Dooley, Wegerle and Agoos quality players are no longer core players for us and this isn't anything to worry about.

By listing Thomas Dooley you've pretty well discredited yourself.

[nobody]

Interesting question. I think you saw mostly kids from immigrant communities playing back then because those types f communities were some of the few places any decent soccer got played. Now, the suburban teams play decent soccer in many cases and with their superior organization and all they often dominate the ethnic teams in most parts of the country.

Of course, the best scenario will always be to cast the widest net and hopefully get the best players regardless of where they start out playing. But, until soccer is a bigger priority sport in the country, casting a really wide net is pretty tough to do.

Hopefully MLS teams getting into player development will help, but it will be hard still with MLS teams covering a realitively small footprint and leaving many places unserved. Coupled with the fact that MLS teams don't really make mounds of money to pour back into the idea, and we're probably quite a long way from them solving the problem.

Either way, the US always has been a country of immigrants and as long as soccer is sport number one in most of the world and realitively less emphasized here, first genertion players will always be competing for spots on US teams. And, we should welcome, not discourage, their participation.

[DoctorD]

I think there is a genetic component.

Seriously.

So many promising American soccer players are children of immigrants. 20 years ago you could say "these kids learned from their dads, no wonder they are better". But now, all these kids are coming through the same youth soccer programs that long-time American families use, so you can't simply credit the parents.

It's like the genetic scrambling from our mixed population reduces below-the-waist coordination.

[TimB4Last]

I think there is a genetic component.

Seriously.

So many promising American soccer players are children of immigrants. 20 years ago you could say "these kids learned from their dads, no wonder they are better". But now, all these kids are coming through the same youth soccer programs that long-time American families use, so you can't simply credit the parents.

It's like the genetic scrambling from our mixed population reduces below-the-waist coordination.

Doctor, heal thyself! I'm sure everyone else posting here has great below-the-waist coordination, and undoubtedly many of us can play soccer as well.

[ClarkC]

I guess I don't see the point of JohnR's story. It seems that the immigrant group had more regional ODP quality players than the suburban group, but did not get nearly as much exposure in ODP as the suburbanites. Does that not fit in with the general theme of the thread, that we are no longer developing immigrants for the USMNT as much as we once did?

[JohnR]

Clark -

I killed the post. It was a bit confusing. Thanks for your comments.

[Adam Zebrowski]

the harkes and ramos phenomena was one sort of old time soccer development, pretty close to the old country paradigm transplanted to this country...

oddly, not many followed that north jersey route, although you could say reyna was a by product...

then there's the waldo, cobi california aspect, clearly lots of newer guys based on a more soccer friendly environment...

that, to me, seems closer to the existing american model, but this generation and the next one has far more skill in the pipeline....

it'll all be about nurturing it....

given the numbers of skilled young kids pursuing the international club route, i suspect more higher level players emerge to form the basis of the usmnt pool...

blend in the late blooming mls types, and the next ten years with see usa getting even better....

there'll be players left off world cup rosters who would have been core players previously....

the boom is about to yield results.