View Full Version : Should american players overseas come back to the MLS....
Cool Hand Luke
22 Feb 2009, 05:49 AM
if they aren't playing meaningful minutes for their european clubs?
Eddie Johnson for example
bobbydigital
22 Feb 2009, 07:31 AM
yes, but why should they? they make waaay more money sitting on the bench in europe than playing in MLS.
Bruce S
22 Feb 2009, 08:20 AM
MLS teams are also not fools. Some would be welcomed back, some maybe not. Would your team pay the max for Eddie Johnson?
IndividualEleven
22 Feb 2009, 09:17 AM
Eddie Johnson was a leading goal scorer in MLS. He'd get at least Twellman type money if he came back.
The issue as mentioned is money.
wcssstar33
22 Feb 2009, 10:33 AM
The thing is that the guys who are pros love the game, and don't flame out as high schoolers. These guys want to play, and if your career is in jeapordy, I'd think they would take a pay cut for a season, maybe two, in order to get back where you need to be.
Bigrose30
22 Feb 2009, 03:27 PM
The thing is that the guys who are pros love the game, and don't flame out as high schoolers. These guys want to play, and if your career is in jeapordy, I'd think they would take a pay cut for a season, maybe two, in order to get back where you need to be.
They also realize that a professional soccer career only lasts for 10-15 years...if you are lucky. If I'm making 500k to sit the bench while I could make 100k and get playing time, I'm thinking about the future, and the possibility of having to sell used cars someday.
scarshins
22 Feb 2009, 03:32 PM
some of them should, MLS pretty much really needs them to in order to increase its quality, in a few years when more stadiums are built I think we will see MLS be able to offer much more competitive salaries.
DestroyerDaMarc
22 Feb 2009, 03:47 PM
They also realize that a professional soccer career only lasts for 10-15 years...if you are lucky. If I'm making 500k to sit the bench while I could make 100k and get playing time, I'm thinking about the future, and the possibility of having to sell used cars someday.
No offense but if I'm playing and getting noticed on an MLS team, I'm more apt to comming back then staying in England doing nothing.
In reality though, Eddie Johnson is a bad example. He plays soccer because its an easier lifestyle then the one he should have, selling used cars. If he sits on a bench he's happy.
Altidore_Adu_Fan
22 Feb 2009, 04:54 PM
are young players no!!! let them have a hard time it will only make them or brake them
Wessoman
22 Feb 2009, 06:05 PM
if they aren't playing meaningful minutes for their european clubs?
Eddie Johnson for example
Eddie Johnson is done. I don't think a team in the MLS would want him now. He may eek out good minutes and money playing in USL, or lower division clubs in Europe.
As for Adu and Altidore, maybe. Altidore was kinda cheated out of a good situation by his own club-He was loaned to Xerez instead of Everton due to club concerns. If he doesn't get playing time with Xerez, knowing full well Everton wanted him, he's got full reason to try and leverage minutes any way he can, and I can see Jozy come back to the MLS no harm no foul.
The clincher would be Adu, who would look like an American who couldn't make it and boomerang back to MLS. He's in a terrible situation at Monaco, and needs to get playing time somewhere. At this point, he needs to come back to MLS, hopefully play on to the World Cup squad, and maybe return to Europe after performing well internationally.
ElRoss425
22 Feb 2009, 06:14 PM
Eddie Johnson is done. I don't think a team in the MLS would want him now. He may eek out good minutes and money playing in USL, or lower division clubs in Europe.
I can't believe you really mean that. If MLS could get him at a good price I guarantee he'd start for just about any team. The only teams where he wouldn't be a sure-fire starter are FC Dallas, Chicago, and DC United and I'm not completely sold he wouldn't beat out the competition on those team.
Cool Hand Luke
22 Feb 2009, 06:44 PM
I just noticed that Convey has recently joined up with San Jose. That's a good example I suppose. Damarcus Beasley I think, would do well to come back also.
metroflip73
22 Feb 2009, 06:50 PM
If they increase the salary cap, I think more will. Or at least all the American pros that litter Scandinavia, and the BeNeLux area. I'd like those guys to come home.
Wessoman
22 Feb 2009, 07:20 PM
I can't believe you really mean that. If MLS could get him at a good price I guarantee he'd start for just about any team. The only teams where he wouldn't be a sure-fire starter are FC Dallas, Chicago, and DC United and I'm not completely sold he wouldn't beat out the competition on those team.
No. See Wynalda, Eric.
If Eddie wanted to, he could play in the MLS. The problem is that Eddie is woefully inconsistent and didn't look good his last season here. He's a head case, but what's even more messed up is that he's a head case with a high price tag. EJ would play on any MLS team, but I don't see him a sure starter. If EJ wanted to play in the MLS he would have to take a substantial pay cut.
That's why I say USL. EJ can probably start every game in USL, and make the money he would like to. This reminds me of Eric Wynalda, who would have played his last MLS season with the Galaxy but bailed to lower division football for more money and guaranteed playing time, only to retire shortly after.
arsynic
22 Feb 2009, 07:48 PM
That's why I say USL. EJ can probably start every game in USL, and make the money he would like to. This reminds me of Eric Wynalda, who would have played his last MLS season with the Galaxy but bailed to lower division football for more money and guaranteed playing time, only to retire shortly after.
Wynalda was in his mid thirties and had lost his physical gifts. Johnson is still in peak physical form and retains his speed. Completely different scenarios. Johnson would be a starter on almost all MLS teams.
Wessoman
22 Feb 2009, 11:47 PM
Wynalda was in his mid thirties and had lost his physical gifts. Johnson is still in peak physical form and retains his speed. Completely different scenarios. Johnson would be a starter on almost all MLS teams.
EJ has speed yes. He has it when the ball at his feet. It's a shame he never uses this amazing speed to try and win balls on his own or defend his own goal.
I'm not making this an "I am unimpressed by EJ and thinks he sucks" thread, but I'm just saying this comparison is valid. Wynalda was old at the time, but EJ hasn't shown that he is really a team player, and kind of a headcase. A football manager hires a headcase the same way he hires a player in his mid-thirties--Short contracts, one year at a time, low risk, low money. In this respect, he starts on many MLS teams. But I doubt the MLS would give EJ a big, multiyear high risk contract that he thinks he's worth (England Money). As such, this is why I talked about USL.
arsynic
23 Feb 2009, 12:33 AM
Wynalda was old at the time, but EJ hasn't shown that he is really a team player, and kind of a headcase. A football manager hires a headcase the same way he hires a player in his mid-thirties--Short contracts, one year at a time, low risk, low money. In this respect, he starts on many MLS teams. But I doubt the MLS would give EJ a big, multiyear high risk contract that he thinks he's worth (England Money). As such, this is why I talked about USL.
He was a head case when he was scoring goals in MLS, he is a headcase now, and he will be a headcase when he is back in MLS next year. I think your comparison is borne out of a wish that MLS teams actually were good enough to refuse to sign EJ after seeing him in the suck in England. I wish MLS teams were good enough to shun this loser too. However, MLS teams as a whole aren't that great, and would be chomping at the bits to sign a player who is a proven goal scorer in their low pressure and shakey defense league.
The notion he would be in the USL is insane and is where your argument loses all credibility.
ElRoss425
23 Feb 2009, 03:47 AM
My post at the top of the page stipulated "if MLS could get him at a good price". If that was possible I couldn't see him being benched for the likes of Kei Kamara, Hercules Gomez, Edson Buddle, Kheli Dube, John Wolyniec, Robbie Findley, Cam Weaver, Nate Jaqua, Omar Cummings, or Ante Razov.
DestroyerDaMarc
23 Feb 2009, 11:52 AM
My post at the top of the page stipulated "if MLS could get him at a good price". If that was possible I couldn't see him being benched for the likes of Kei Kamara, Hercules Gomez, Edson Buddle, Kheli Dube, John Wolyniec, Robbie Findley, Cam Weaver, Nate Jaqua, Omar Cummings, or Ante Razov.
Nate Jaqua was on a tear over in Austria. Eddie Johnson is on a wooden plank known as bench in English. Nate Jaqua has proven he's worth to MLS and a European club, Eddie Johnson has proven nothing besides the fact he think's he is a grown ass man.
Adam Zebrowski
23 Feb 2009, 12:17 PM
in these economic times, where the freak is mls gonna raise the salary cap...
unless obama includes mls in the bail-out packages, i suspect mls ain't considering raising it...
and if you're a player making real good european money, why would you take a significant salary cut to return to mls, UNLESS you have no other choice...
how many posters would take a big salary cut UNLESS forced to..??