Brek Shea Attracting Interest From England, Germany, Holland, and Belgium

I hope Shea is not as scared as you.

 

The opposite is true though. By not moving on now while he has some buzz and time to perfect his game, he risks becoming complacent or stale similar to Kljestan. Kljestan may still come good, but he waited a year too long to go to Europe (not all on him, I know).

When you have the buzz going for you, coaches are generally more patient. If you come in as a 26 year old from MLS, I would say you have lost any "young rising star" moxy.

Having said all that, I don't think there is a chance in hell that somebody pays 10m for Brek Shea. I hope, and think, that he will become a fantastic player for many years to come, but 10m is as much as Jozy and more than Adu and Dempsey combined. I think that many clubs will see the losses on Adu and Jozy and will be more realistic with their bidding for MLS players in the future.

 

So where did you qualify Michael Bradley after his one season with the MetroStars? Edu only spent a year and a half with Toronto before moving to Rangers and neither was dominating MLS even close to the way Brek has this season.

It all depends on the club situation, saying have we not learned from Jozy, Adu, etc. is a pretty naive approach.

If he moves next summer and we qualify for the Olympics, he will miss quite a bit of his club's preseason, moving this winter would be best imo, but what MLS/Brek wants could be totally different.

 

Just depends how much competition there is for the player.

Also, the contract situation is important. Freddy Adu had very little time left on his contract with MLS. That's why his transfer fee was so small.

MLS was getting offers for Dempsey fairly early in his MLS career. I think Charlton offered something like 1.5 million pounds for him after the 06WC. The league didn't accept that lowball offer. Dempsey wasn't pleased, and told the league he wouldn't be re-signing when his contract expired after the 07 season. So the Revs/MLS sold him in the next January transfer window for 4 million pounds.

Brek's in a different spot because he has so many years left on his contract. If a team wants him, theyr'e going to have to spend quite a bit. Probably not Altidore money.........but you never know. If multiple big clubs get involved, it could get up there.

 

Age Adu left MLS for Europe: 18.
Age Feilhaber left UCLA for Europe: 20. Age Feilhaber signed w/ Derby: 22
Age Altidore left MLS for Europe: 18.

Age Reyna left UVA for Europe: 21.
Age 'Dolo left for Hannover: 20
Age Dempsey left MLS for Fulham: 23
Age Bradley left for Europe: 18. Age Bradley signed with 'Gladbach: 21

Age Shea is right now: 21

My point in making this list is basically, to say that no size fits all. The three examples you give were younger and with less professional experience than Shea has right now.

The most important thing, imo, whenever Shea and his agent consider moves to Europe is to make sure the team is a good fit with obvious open opportunities to earn playing time (eg not stacked at his position nor historically buys "names" for his position). Do not be swayed by a big name club b/c it is a big name.

The '12 winter transfer window is not make or break time for Shea and this is not the "high point of his "buzz." But if he does want to go and he and his agent pick wisely, I can see him being successful. More likely, I see him going either summer '12 or winter '13 if he continues to play well and wants to go.

He might not want to go yet. He likes Dallas.

 

I'll see your Altidore & Adu and raise you Dempsey & Holden Who triple their value @ their clubs.

 

I am at a loss as to why people think Brek Shea could not play immediately in some of these leagues...

Yeah some MLS players have flopped (thus far despite being young still) but as the poster mention above, Dempsey and Holden flourished and heck even Holden had his run of bad luck on his visit across the pond...

It is really more down to the situation he finds himself in... he is strong, young, technically gifted and not lazy trainers like two players who shall not be named...

I would love it if Fulham sell off Matthew Briggs along with his "english premium" and bring in Shea for 6-8M.... they would basically make a profit and the talent for me is a wash if not leaning a little more in Shea's favor...

Shea is a very talented player and anyone denying this is fooling themselves..

 

Last year I think Man Utd showed some interest in him. He'd fit in the mould of young attacking players Utd like to look at, and see if they can mould. They have Young, Nani, Park, and Valencia right now - but still haven't found young depth behind Park - and as good as he is, he's not the attacking force that you want at that position. But Shea compare favorably to a lot of players that SAF likes to look at like Obertan, Diouf, and Tosic.

Brek would just have to be patient.

 

Let's not forget Brian McBride - he didn't join Fulham until he was 32! And still put in the best four years of his career. (He also had a one year stint in Germany at age 22.)

 

What I've gathered from this thread:

England = Rich
All other leagues = don't have 2 nickels to rub together
Brek = Fing idiot if he leaves for Europe now
Brek = Fing idiot if he stays in MLS


If you jumped to the last page of this, I just saved you a ton of reading.

 

Wasn't McBride at Everton as well at one point?

 

One thing about Shea is that, even though definitely he has high-level talent, he's an unusual player. 6'3" left-footed wide players with his speed and one-on-one skill are pretty rare. The biggest issue for Shea that will determine his ceiling is his basic possession work. He has improved a lot at it this year, but if you put him in, e.g. the EPL or Bundesliga right now, I could see him turning the ball over too much. The key question is what sort of team wants a giant winger who is great at counterattacking and iffy in possession. As an unusual or even unique talent, he needs a club that fits him tactically.

 

Michael Bradley is the poster child for how to do favorable transfers in Europe right, failed loan and emergency situation during the past winter aside. Edu and Scotland, well...we all know how "complicated" that debate is.

I'm personally in favor of keeping Brek in the league on the sheer basis of consistency. There isn't a huge amount of new player shine being left off between 21 and 22, and if Brek is ready for it then he ought to be able to replicate a semblance of his form next season. Then again, that's a question best left up to the man himself.

If you really wanted Shea to make a move this winter...it'd be on loan. Why would Dallas agree to something like that though?

 

Why would it have to be a loan for him to move this winter?

 

McBride's first move to Europe was at 22. And his second was to Preston in the midst of his time w/ the Crew. But that just proves the one size doesn't fit all thing.

 

Bradley did a great job when he got to Heerenveen, and also had a coach who believed in him, and a system/club/league that was favorable to younger players coming up. Good stuff all the way around. Bradley rose mentally to the challenge as well.

So tough to judge what these players are made of until they get in those situation. Some raise their game, some don't. Takes a lot of inner strength and will to succeed. (staying injury free + see Bradley above)

The loan idea sounds great in theory. Let the player gets acclimitized in Europe before going over permannetly. Problem is, I can't see a top league taking a player like Shea on a loan and playing him. Maybe a lesser league, and then you have to ask yourself, "Is that worth it?"

 

Feilhaber didn't fail out of Europe. The tax stricture and injuries contributed. He's making bank. About the same he would in Europe and he's home. Altidire and Adu are hype. Saying every young player shouldn't go to Europe is gun shy.

 

The big question is how well he can pad his resume with national team caps. If he can follow up his performance vs. Mexico with a string of strong performances, expect an big 4 team to come knocking. Short of a big 4 offer I doubt anyone comes with enough scratch to make it MLS's worthwhile to sell.

National team caps are huge for YA candidates. They can be seen as validation of strong MLS play, and result in transfers. Without them, I think there is an element of doubt that makes transfers more difficult.

 

- he's got a hot mom (end of video)
- credit to long forgotten Steve Morrow for knowing talent

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt4XyxETZtU&feature=related"]Brek Shea - MLS Combine and SuperDraft - YouTube[/ame]

 

I think you're bang.Clealry no EPL team is goign to pay $10 million for him right now, that's how much West Brom paid for Shane Long recently who's only 3 years older, but has a Premiership experince, plenty of international experince and was for my money the best striker in the Championship last year.

he's probably more likely worth $4-5 million max right now, but his value will increase if he can dominate the MLS over several seasons and/or trun heads on the international stage.

 

JCSD I give you credit for being consistent.
You always undervalue US talent while overrating the British.

 

Actually it's got nothing to do with their talent por nationality (and Shane Long is Irish, not British, for the record), it's just a more realistic valuation of what Premeir League clubs would be willing to pay for Shea at this present point in time. I haven't seen Shea enough times to have a serious evaluation opf his talent, but I still know that if the MLS asked for $10 million for Shea there wouldn't be any takers.

$10 million is £6 million, now no-ones going to pay that for a player on the basis of a single MLS season. Maybe if he was 17 or 18 as opposed to 21 then his price could be pushing that region, but Shea isn't worth more than someone is willing to pay for him.

 

I agree, I think Shea is being over valued here. $10 million is what Altidore sold for, who was scoring goals in MLS at age 16. Jozy, at 18, had a handful of caps for the Nats by then and scored. Brek wasn't an unanimous pick for a call up to the USMNT a week ago here on these boards. I believe Brek is talented enough to play in any league, but I think his value is only $4-5 million.

 

Shea was heavily scouted at the U20 WC in 2009... He played all 180 mins and clearly showed some talent despite the US team of marginal talent being in what was certainly to the group of death after Korea and Germany were only knocked out in the quarters by the eventual champs and runners up both in very tight matches that could have gone either way...

Shea was a clear talent then but a project who tried to do too much... now he appears like a much more polished player and with access to Norwegian passport I am quite certain that he will be purchased very soon for €5 million maybe more...