When a player drops two-three tiers in quality, then it means he is viewed as someone of that "new" quality. After sufficient time to showcase himself to the Bundesliga scouts, Zack has taken three steps back to MLS. If someone thought he could help them in leagues better than MLS, then they'd pay him commensurately higher. But no one did. You must have blotted out the 2006 WC. And Donovan's best international performance in 2010 came after his successful loan to Everton. (following a failed loan at Bayern). And, in any case, Donovan was getting international experience because Bruce thought he had no one better and had to sink - which he did in 2006 - or swim with Donovan. Steffen sits behind Guzan, Howard and, at least, Horvath. Plus, he still has to beat Clark for #1 in Columbus.
I am one of those people that would almost always prefer that a player pushes himself against the highest level of competition that he can handle/get playing time. However, it's crazy how much people base a player's value on the league they're in, regardless of which team, style of play, playing time, overall contribution to the team, quality of life, etc...
http://sbisoccer.com/2016/08/follow...with-crew-move/comment-page-1#comment-1031472 Dude left because he was homesick...at 21 years-old. Wow. This is part of the reason so many people don't believe American players have the right mindset to succeed at the highest levels in Europe.
This a practical example of what I was trying to explain to @sidefootsitter Adamantly claiming that the fact that he left Germany "obviously" tells us that not a single club in the 2 Bundesliga thought he was athletic or fundamentally sound, was an exceptionally foolish assumption.
Ya, I don't buy the "homesick" stuff as an excuse. There are several directions a career might take - upward, downward or sideways. In this case, it's definitely downward. Far downward. Btw, at least, Donovan went back to California (even if not South California right away). Steffen is not even from Ohio. How is he less homesick in Columbus?
I'll admit i never considered the effect of homesickness these guys could possibly have. Makes a lot of sense. Thousands of miles from here. Different language. Different culture (even if its just Germany or England) and you have guys who compete n compete and maybe you have no friends or someone to pick you up after with some words of soothing. So i was brash before. I believe MLS will succeed and its good that him moving back wasnt seen so terrible. But a part of me sticks to the notion that sometimes a move back restricts future European transfer as MLS arent the most beneficial to a player
A goalkeeper can develop outside of a good league much easier than a field player can. Steffen is now training with Pat Onstad and Steve Clark. Not necessarily a step backwards in his development.
When a player drops two-three tiers in quality, then it means he is viewed as someone of that "new" quality. After sufficient time to showcase himself to MLS scouts, Zack has taken two steps back to USL. If someone thought he could help them in leagues better than USL, then they'd pay him commensurately higher. But no one did.
i'm curious. have we ever seen this happen before to any other aspiring or promising player and did they bounce back from it
Wouldn't say it's that simple. If he didn't want to go NASL - likely with young players returning from abroad - MLS has all the rules of who gets to sign him. Looks like Columbus had it and I don't doubt they would have sold the rights off if they didn't think Steffen was a realistic starter down the line. The highest paid non-starters rn: Kennedy - $180k (likely signed to compete for starting spot) Kronberg - 145 MacMath - 140 (was starting until Howard) Willis - 95 Gleeson - 90 (not signed as a starter, but is starting) Attinella - 90 Knighton - 86 Kempin - 83 Rowe - 80 (starting now) McCarthy - 79 Dykstra - 75 Hall - 75 (retired) RBNY - Meara - 75 Think it's reasonable to guess Steffen signed for somewhere in the 65-100k region. Transfermarket has him a 50 €($55k). Alexander Tambakis (23 year old, Greek-American gk) is signed for 63k with Atlanta and I doubt he's making more than Steffen.
So Columbus signs him and loans him to their affiliate to get playing time. Would you prefer he sat on the bench in Columbus ? Not sure what the problem is here.
Agree. In Germany, the only playing time he'd be getting would be games for Freiburg II, who aren't even in the fourth-tier Regionalliga anymore.
South American players head back home due to homesickness all the time. Do you question the honesty of that complaint? And do I need to explain to you why ah American who is homesick would feel more "at home" in America rather than Germany?
SFS is exceptionally emotionally invested in the tautology that developing in Europe is always the right choice for every single player, and he feels this truth is so obvious that nearly any player returning home during his development must be a forced decision due to a lack of ability, not a volitional choice by the player.
Good news for Zack...Steve Clark's option was not picked up. #CrewSC makes roster moves, declines option on Steve Clark and picks up five more: https://t.co/cpdguTR3oy— Massive Report (@MassiveReport) November 23, 2016
http://www.massivereport.com/2016/1...return-to-columbus-crew-sc-but-its-not-likely This article sheds light on it. Essentially they don't feel like he's worth what his option is, so they're going to let the drafts make there rounds and then offer him a lower bid. But the basic idea is that there's little chance that he doesn't get picked up in one of those drafts. I'd say it's probably a smart year to move on for Clark, there's a lot of cookies that I don't think are good enough, and the crop of young GKs aren't going to move yet I think.