Dude needs to start playing first team ball now that he’s 21.. At this age he might as well leave Villarreal maybe go back to even MLS to get some games.
[personal attack deleted by moderator] The third tier of Spanish football is a similar level to MLS and he is in an environment that is 100% focused on developing him for either the first team or to be sold. Leaving Villarreal B would be a disastrous decision for his career at this moment in time.
I keep seeing comments about needing to be playing first team (or division) ball.... often suggesting that MLS is a good or best option. Are these just mindless throw away cliches or do you really think MLS would provide a better environment for Akale? If so, what do you believe the pros and cons would be for him to go play in MLS? Sorry @Giggsy1986 , I thought I'd go with a little softer touch. I'm sure if you follow many of our other players in these threads but this type of comment often gets thrown out when a player hasnt progressed as fast as they had hoped or isnt starting.
It ain't just Giggsy. For years there's been a minority in this thread actively watching his development thanks to the outstanding accessibility of the entire Villarreal developmen set up, arguing in favor of Akale's ability against a lot of loud and frankly uninformed voices. The kid is a player. There are seasons worth of game film littered throughout this thread documenting his progress and the reports from inside his club and from within Spain have always been consistent.
LOL you seem to be so knowledgeable Giggsy. Like Donovan (who’s arguably the most talented USMNT player ever) plus others have never gone from Europe at a young age to MLS and thrived
Eh, MLS tends to treat returning guys American with big league minutes badly. Unless he ends up in a Lleget type situation where an organization really wants him an even gives up something to make sure they get him, I think he would be buried behind foreign talent in MLS on a contract with too many years. If he were to leave Villarreal I'm sure he could find another landing spot in Spain, probably in the 2nd division.
Disagree Steffen is the USMNT starting GK Picault has done very well for Philly and has a USMNT callup Canouse will get his first USMNT cap soon - and should. He’s been terrific for DCU Arriola is still in the USMNT picture but couldn’t be called up to this camp given the DCU schedule during the window Kyle Duncan would have had a ton of minutes for RBNY if not for his ACL Lennon starts for RSL Steve Clark has gotten a ton of starts over the years Etc
Right but none of the players you mentioned outside of Steffen are talented enough to have a real impact at the international level.
I would say that the jury is out on Duncan. And I would say Canouse has the talent - it's whether or not he can stay healthy.
But is that caused by going back to MLS or is it correlated with going back to MLS? The best prospects make it at their clubs in Europe and have no impetus to leave. The cohort that returns to MLS tends to be second-tier American prospects with lower upside. I guess it's not a surprise that Steffen in particular stands out because he is a player who left Europe for personal, not professional reasons.
Yup if only they were the most talented in their program then their European clubs would have given them an incentive to stay. Third tier in Spain is way better than MLS. Heck Jozy could not make at Xerez. Akale is doing very well and it’s just a matter of time and you’d see him in the first team. He is on the right track and yes he is that good. You should put your soccer glasses on sometime and you’d see or ask @Giggsy1986 he might lend you one.
As others have alluded to, MLS thankfully stopped that years ago. I think Lee Nguyen was the last one they jammed.
I like Canouse but I don't think he has the "class" to be effective on the international level. Look I like these players but we need to have higher standards for kids in this country if we want to win a world cup. If we set our expectations at the same level of France we would get closed to them.
Good point, not sure. I'm guessing it has to do with both, in it's almost 30 years of existence the MLS has produced one player of note....... Landon Donovan.
The organization has technically been around since 88' when they should have started building local soccer academies in the mold of successful European clubs. The History of Major League Soccer began in 1988 when the United States Soccer Federation pledged to create a Division 1 professional soccer league as a condition to FIFA awarding the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the United States. Major League Soccer was officially formed in 1995.
For your “extensive soccer knowledge” you should really know how long a league has been around. This thread is the best!
Despite the general obtuseness of this argument, my curiosity was peaked with regards to former MLS players currently in Spain or current MLS players who have moved from Spain... Ager Aketxe - struggled to break into Toronto's XI and now starting regularly with Cadiz in the 2nd division Jose Mari - came to the Rapids from Real Zaragoza in the second division, played a season in MLS, and actually moved to Levante in La Liga for two seasons before landing at his current club, Cadiz Victor Perez - joined the Chicago Fire on loan and played a whopping 2 minutes before moving to Spain and playing regularly for Cordoba and Alcorcon in the second division. David Rocha - signed with the Houston Dynamo after having played in the third division for several seasons in Spain. Struggled to get minutes with the Dynamo and only appeared in 4 games before joining Real Oviedo in the second division where he started regularly for two seasons and is now a starter with Nastic in the second division. Armando Lozano - struggled mightily for the Red Bulls before moving to Elche in the second division where he was a regular starter for two seasons before moving to Fuenlabrada in the third division. Christian Fernandez - joined DC United after playing with Almeria in La Liga. He then moved to Las Palmas and then Huesca (both second division clubs at the time) before landin gat Real Oviedo in the second division where he's been a consistent starter for 3 seasons. Cristian Lobato - played regularly for Nastic in the second division before moving to SKC last year. Has been an unused substitute in more games than he's played in. Alfredo Ortuno - signed in MLS this season but could not break into RSL's lineup and only appeared in 3 games before moving to Albacete in the second division, where he's currently appeared in 5 games. Andreu Fontas - a recent signing for SKC who was an occasional starter for Celta in La Liga for the last 3 seasons and a regular starter for them before that. He's been unable to displace Ike Opara and Matt Besler so far and has been an unused sub in 6 games and started in 1. Andoni Iraola - a staple for Athletic Bilbao at RB for well over a decade, he came to MLS at the age of 33. While he played regularly, he was terrible. Victor Rodriguez - joined the Sounders after 3 years as a starter in La Liga (Elche, Getafe, Gijon). He's a regular rotation player and occasional starter for the Sounders. Deshorn Brown - Scored two goals in 787 minutes for DC United before moving to Lorca in the second division where he scored 1 goal in 371 minutes. He's now at OKC in the USL. I'm sure there's several more, but there's also many players who came from the Portuguese top flight and have struggled to make an impact in MLS as well. These posts probably belong in the containment tank thread.
The organization has technically been around since 88' when they should have started building local soccer academies in the mold of successful European clubs. The History of Major League Soccer began in 1988 when the United States Soccer Federation pledged to create a Division 1 professional soccer league as a condition to FIFA awarding the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the United States. Major League Soccer was officially formed in 1995.
A goal does not initiate the start of a club or a governing body that should be 100% focused on developing the best talent in the world.
No, the #1 goal of every club owner in the world is to be financially sustainable. Something many clubs in La Liga fail to do. MLS almost folded 17 years ago if not for Phil Anschutz. Academies were the last thing on the league’s mind then.