#3 pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by Chivas USA A decent amount of appearences for them this year...And he has 31 caps for the U-20's so far. Wow. Anyone wanna tell me how good this kid is gonna be?
I imagine that when the evaluation process starts for Olympic qualifying...........Zarek Valentin will be involved. He could be great.........or he could be his brother. Hard to say at this point. I think Julian is now retired, actually.
Yeah Julian retired back in February 24 years old. He now works for the Colorado Rockies http://twitter.com/#!/JulianValentin/status/33214707791831040
Zarek is already better than his brother ever was. He's going to be a decent MLS player at least. Time will tell whether he'll achieve greater heights.
I think he'll defiantly exceed decent MLS player expectations. 31 caps for the U-20's 9 starts already for Chivas, not bad at all I have high expectations for him and Okugo
There are reasons to hope that he will exceed "decent MLS player" level, but his number of youth caps and his number of starts for Chivas USA aren't two of them. Lots of crappy players have featured prominently for our youth teams....and for Chivas USA. I actually like Z. Valentin, but let's keep things in perspective.
Zarek Valentin will have a long steady career in MLS. He will be called into several camp cup cakes, and make a terrible mistake in a meaningless friendly. He will then be forever blackballed for being "terrible" and any time the future US national team coach Jason Kreis calls him into the squad, big soccer posters will moan and scream, because as everyone knows he is terrible. Valentin's presence will then be used by bigsoccer posters as evidence that Jason Kreis is a terrible coach, holding the US team back from its true potential and that if we just had Andre Boas we could do so much. Valentin will then put in several solid performances and score a late goal in a key qualifier, whereby Kreis will still be an idiot, and Valentin will be ignored by all those who thought he was terrible. In his early thirties he will then make a move to a low level Bundesliga side where he will struggle for playing time and all those who thought he was terrible will come back and show that they were in fact right, and that US national team coach Steve Cherundolo is an idiot.
LOL. If I didn't think this was a very possible scenario it would be even funnier. This Valentin is twice the player his brother was. His brother was a poster boy for being in the system early, so he just stayed no matter what. He will have a solid MLS career IMO.
Yep. If Chandler isn't released for Olympic qualifying (which is likely), Valentin will definitely be in the mix to start at RB along with Sheanon Williams, and maybe Rich Balchan (who's right footed but playing LB with Columbus). Plus, Valentin's versatility to also play CB would be valuable for an 18-man roster.
I think, or at least I hope, that everyone realizes that there are plenty of prospects that never pan out, in ALL sports. I'm not sure if anyone thinks soccer, or the US national team specifically, are somehow exempt from this, and why they may have come to that ridiculous conclusion if they do think so.... That doesn't mean that every Steven Strasburg discussion needs an obligatory "sure he could turn into Felix Hernandez, but anyone remember Todd Van Poppel?" It's pretty much understood. And to keep it to baseball, Jered Weaver's brother is also retired from baseball now.
To compare a rookie starter MLS 2011 to someone who never played and the other who failed in the league 10 yrs ago simply doesn't understand basic comparitive analysis except defender, high draft pick. Watched all three and there is no comparison. Valentin is so much better than both those players. Just sayin' watch talent rather than irrelevant connections.
I don't want the "long steady MLS career", I want the "long steady top-tier European league career." Every casual US fan always undervalues Bocanegra's club career, he played in the EPL for 5 years and now Ligue 1 for 4 years. We need more of these types of careers.
Players like Zarek Valerntin improve the quality of our league. I think we need to build from within...then let the star go to Europe.
Haha so true. But man, I'm just frustrated. I just want a bigger selection of quality players, playing in good leagues, for the USMNT.
Damn straight. It's sad to see a guy who has proven his value to other teams to watch folks belittle him because he isn't Beckenbauer. Remember, it seems to be more of a sin for some on BS to be a proven, valuable pro over time, and not be a star to fulfill childish fantasies and needs. A shame really. Unproven players get more respect. I am a NY fan and Tim Ream fan, however I have pointed out repeatedly that it doesn't look like he is gonna be able to handle the highest levels for a variety of reasons....unless there are a few key changes, that we can't assume will happen. Many love assuming the fantasy will be met. Need it for their own self, and love ignoring reality so it happens. Well, Timmy has a ways to go. He will be a solid player, have a solid career, but if he doesn't hit that fantasy then he is gonna be blasted over it by quite a few. Never fails. Valentin is a perfect product of his time. An improvement over the previous masses by US standards, but by world standards...eh.