Max Cream: "Later, I ended up playing in one friendly match for St. Johnstone against Forfar Athletic and scored all four goals in a 4-1 win. Despite that, I was told "you Americans are great athletes, but you'll never be "real" footballers," and sent on my way." ... The next week I played against Hibernian FC youth and scored three goals (one of my three being marked as an own goal) and got two assists in 6-1 win, in my first 90 minutes in competitive play! The next day, a newspaper article praising me was written, and when I got into training the next day I was told to "F*** off back to America" amongst other things by a club employee for getting in the newspaper over players who have been at the club for 10 years without press coverage.
Who cares? Im quite certain America has ever claimed that they would be 'the best' footballers and as far as the second instance goes you're talking to an employee who's greener than green with jealousy. Screw him.
Sadly, I think this is an important part of the first post: "From then on, I played very little and had a very bad time with racism and bigotry from youth players and even a picture of a monkey put on my clothes peg in the dressing room." On the bright side, he is doing very well now after getting out of there and trailing with other teams...
"you Americans are great athletes, but you'll never be "real" footballers," Ya, Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride aren't "real footballers" They are getting nervous across the pond. When America gets full corporate sponsorships and puts its full weight behind this sport it will be all over for the mealy mouth Brits. We know it, they deny it but I think they are beginnning to sense it.
Guys, these are blue-collar kids trying to make it out. Of course, they don't like an American taking one of their spots. No excuse for the racism but the animosity is to be expected at the lower levels where everyone is fighting for the few pro contracts out there. That show on GolTv, Academy, or whatever, about Nantes, is pretty sobering. 18-20 French and African youth players living full time at the club and only 2 get pro contracts. It really brought home how lucky the US players that get pro contracts are.
yeah that hostility to americans coming over is pretty widespread, I ran into it training with a couple French clubs as a kid. Didn't see the racism so much but the hostility is very clearly focused against Americans coming to play rather than against each other- though the competition is always fierce
I really don't think England gives the united states a second thought international football wise. With all of their talent, they can't make it out of the quarters of a major tournament. They're worried about the teams in front of them.
Ah! There is the rub. The talent in England is quite limited and markedly overrated. Their results in tournaments reflects their talent level. At best, they are also rans. Almost all of the top players in EPL are foreigners.
What are you talking abou!? Henry was garbage, Cristiano Ronaldo isn't worth a damn, Fabregas is crap, and Arjen Robben, puh-lease! And Tim Howard, Brad Friedel, and Marcus Hahnemann, talk about bad goalkeeping.
QFT. I felt that they had their best chance in as long as I can remember to really make a mark during this past World Cup. And they were pedestrian at best. They were carried by the guy that all of their fans angrily blamed (at least, after SGE) for their problems. Unlike many US fans I have a small soft spot for English football (flea-bitten dog though it may be), so I hope I'm wrong, I really do. But if they couldn't do it then, I don't think they'll do it any time soon.
Is it better to play on a 4th tier German team than in the USL1 or MLS? Maybe the money is better but you have to think that the quality of play is not as good as USL1 or MLS.
It's all about visibility, I think, in the minds of those who choose that route. Play well in the Oberliga or wherever, and you might move up to the Regionalliga or Bundesliga2, et cetera. I don't think we have a large enough sample to declare one or the other as better for a kid's future, though, and every situation is different, obviously.
the talent in england is not "limited". Individually, they are competitive with any Euro side. Their problem is heart. And maybe poor tactical coaching. Few if any players in the EPL, foreign or otherwise, are as good as Lampard, Gerrard, Ferdinand, Rooney, and Ashley Cole. England's problem is that they haven't recovered from losing an empire.
even if he isnt making more money in germany, every day he is there and not playing in the US brings him one day closer to a european passport.
You Americans think you're so special, as if racism against an American means people are jealous of America. This Max Cream (what is that, a porn star?) should try being English in Scotland, or white in the American ghettoes.
I think you need to read the entire column. Due to the original quotes pulled, it seemed as if people were discriminating against because he was American; if you read the rest (the quotes that I pulled), I think it was because he wasn't white.
For the record, Max has a European passport. Obviously he wouldn't have qualified to play in Scotland without one as he's never been capped by the U.S. at any level. Also, he had a trial with the Galaxy a while back (scored for them in a training match, if I recall correctly) but didn't stick. Seems like Max is committed to making as much of a pro career as he is able. He's young, still finding his level and still looking for an opportunity to get first-team minutes. Best of luck to him.
Come on...you cant see the irony of my post?? By the way, look at this: http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007360541,00.html