I think with Shea the root of the problem is that it is difficult for a dedicated and committed artist to make it as a footballer at the highest levels. I was really high on Shea but I think he showed himself for what he really is while in England. I think it is an example of the old saying form is fleeting and class is permanent. Shea had a runm of really good form, but has since reverted to type IMO. Juan seems content to spend his time playing FIFA and spending the contract $$ from SCFC.
The fact that Klinsmann keeps calling him perhaps means JK appreciates the fact that such an artist is out of his comfort zone playing soccer.
Shea is limited talent wise but also not interested in dedicating himself to the game full time. His interview about how things differ from England and America with soccer, the culture etc. He said something along the lines of it being a job and having to put a lot more effort into it compared to MLS. Right then and there told me all I need to know. He doesn't want to work that hard at soccer. He'll be in the starting XI every week for Orlando, with no pressure and no need to train hard. That's the way he wants his career. And with that attitude and his talent limitations I don't want him near the national team.
The only thing I get from what Shea said about England vs MLS is that we as USA fans should all be longing for the day when MLS requires the effort/talent/skills that the superior leagues require. In the meantime though, we have to be realiststs. We take the guys who bring us the wins and if Shea can get us wins we'd be stupid to leave him out.
Plenty of US players from Landon Donovan to Bobby Convey to Lee Nguyen to Demarcus Beasley have commented along similar lines on the US/Big League Europe divide. The lack of youth professional development in the US means Americans just aren't coming in with the requisite mature mindset, never minding the tactical nous of their peers. Shea has shown in friendlies against the likes of France and Italy, matches in which he wasn't physically at this best, that he isn't particularly limited talent-wise. The maturity needed to succeed at that level clubwise, as was the case with the others, will come with time.
Eamonn Dunphy used to describe guys like Shea as "merely talented." He wasn't trying to diminish the importance of talent, let alone denigrate those who have it, but to point out that talent alone won't get you to the highest level. The talent has to be allied to other factors, not least a work ethic and "bottle;" English dressing room slang for character, courage, mental toughness, etc. Shea's raw talent is good enough for MLS (for now) so in absolute terms he 'll be rather well-paid for playing football for fun: "I played well today, cool"; "I played badly today, oh well. Now, is it yellow or red here . . ." In soccer terms, he's a dilettante and a not-particularly-talented one at that. Odds-on he's the same in his art as well.
Donovan, Beasley, Convey were better than Shea. Donovan may not have had the mentality some fans wanted but he had the talent and numbers with the national team. Shea is overhyped player that has little interest in pushing himself.
What does that even mean? He's one of the select few who actually attempted to go overseas in a top league. Are you saying 99.5% of our player pool doesn't push themselves? You're a Crew fan. How is Trapp pushing himself by still playing there?
I'll try again: young American players don't arrive in Europe the emotional, tactical, and professional preparation that characterizes the background of young pros from soccer nations. Whatever your opinion of Shea, other US players have commented on the issue along similar lines as him. It's not even an issue of talent at this level.
Shea whined about how hard it was in England, then he came home. The mean English fans hurt his feelings. Seemingly it's ok to shit on Donovan all summer but Brek way less talented Shea is OK being mentally weak crawling back home to MLS.
Okay...let's look at the Nazi mod triage checklist. Brek's gone to Orlando? Check. The weird but some how obligatory in some people's minds anti-MLS trolling has started? Check. Trolling trolls from Trollheim are triangulating off of other hot button issues just to piss people off? Check. I did not get a new pair of stormtrooper boots for Christmas? Check. Time to crank up the power-drunk-mod-trantrum-machine and close the thread? Check.