http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/31/sports/soccer/01SOCC.html I like his quote at the end: ``The thing for me is being able to learn from a national-team keeper,'' Reese said. ``The other thing is the atmosphere. We get 40-50,000 people for our games. Everyone knows us in town. I told my parents that I would rather make less money in Europe than in M.L.S. because of the atmosphere" nice little dig on MLS. I highly doubt he plays in front of 50k crowds all the time. Liar.
He's technically correct. The crowds at his relegation-threatened little club in Romania are probably between 40 people and 50,000 people.
I like this quote better- "To say that Reese has operated under the radar is a soaring understatement - practically no one in soccer circles has heard of him, save the Internet fanatics who track every American playing overseas." As a player, if he prefers Romania and feels that riding the pine behind Moldova's national team keeper will get him more exposure to big Euro clubs, then fine. He chose his career path and he's entilted to that opinion as a proffesional player. I don't think his statement is that bad. He likes the atmosphere in Romania better - cool. However, I doubt his time playing for the Cascade Surge and a season at Western Baptist College of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics had the MLS scouts all hyped up. Iam curious to know if his attendce figures are accurate. Anyone follow Politehnica AEK Timisoara on these boards???
Whatever floats your boat. Hope enjoys lower division Romanian leagues. I imagine the quality of play is quite high & the fans are likely tremendous. But its frigging Romania! Oh well, I guess that's why there are so many crappy flavors of ice cream.
There is something more magical about Europe - especially for soccer players. Like Hejduk, Donovan, and Moore, he may tire of it and want to come home. OR he may stay or there like Keller and Friedel. His is definitely a minority opinion, but we should accept his choice. If I were single, unattached, and 20, I'd be excited by Euro soccer, too. However...
This here article from last fall says "Politehnica have an average attendance of over 25,000 at the stadium this season." If they draw 40k or 50k, the Metros draw 35k (Nick might tell you that anyhow). And here's another one that puts the average crowd-- top draw in Romania!-- at 23,625, not too terribly far from the top MLS average attendances.
Just to clarify: I think all the "Eurosnob" name-calling is a waste of time, counter-productive, and so forth. This kid seems like a third-rate player who is padding his resume a bit to impress the folks back home. "She didn't dump me! I dumped her! Cos she's ugly!" and so on.
According to European footbal statistics http://www.european-football- statistics.co.uk/attn.htm rumanian first div average attendance is 7.281 with FC Politehnica AEK at 23.625 Poli AEK has a 40k capacity stadium pictures: http://www.fcpoli.homestead.com/Main.html 3/9/03 Home -first game after the winter brake Steve Reese was the goalie , played in front of 40 k they lost to Steaua Bucharest 1-3 picture at http://www.fcpoli.homestead.com/files/poli_steaua6.JPG 3/16/03 Away - FC Arges - "Poli" AEK 5-1 Steve Reese did not play, but the Number one goalie 3/23/03 Home -"POLI" AEK - RAPID Bucharest current leaders 1-3 Steve did not play,attended by 12 k, This was the 7th loss in a row for the team and the coach was fired after the game . The new coach a former Rumanian Nat.team player Gigi Multescu with experience in Turkey is bringing in a serbian goalkeeper Alexandar Sarici on trial. picture of the team, click on ECHPA to get a picture of 24 Steve Reese http://www.poli-fc.go.ro/primap.html
If I were single, unattached, and 20, I'd be excited by naked, midget, siamese twins. However.. i'm 21.
Reese I only tracked this guy down because I thought it would be interesting ... at least I was interested in hearing from an unknown player who packed up and took a flyer in Europe. You can question his motives and his observations, if you like, but I think the guy is entitled to go and play wherever someone is willing to pay him. Why does that make him a Eurosnob? In my book it makes him an adventurous young guy. Those were the days!!!!
Everyone knows that the MLS is dying to sign a backup keeper on a team in last place in Romania... Unfortunately, he'll have to wait until next year to replace Tim Howard in NJ. The Metros aren't eligible to win another weighted lottery until then.
Does it make any difference how many people are watching the game when you're watching the game yourself from the bench?
Re: Reese I appreciated the article and admire the young man's adventureness. Unfortunately too many MLS fans are so super sensitive that they have to strike out at anyone who dares not to play in their beloved league.
Reese Merengue--I agree. It's a big world out there and MLS is only one small corner of it. In my mind, a 22-year-old goalkeeper is akin to a toddler just learning how to walk. Give the kid a break!
Re: Reese Hey, if i had a chance to go get paid to do anything in Europe right now I'd do it in a heartbeat. Romania isn't exactly Southern Italy, but I'm 22 years old and I'd do it in a second. Who's to say this kid would even have a job in MLS? Don't know anything about his talent but with only ten teams, two maybe three keepers per team and single entity there's not a whole lot of job security in MLS for guys like him. btw nice article Jack, love reading your stuff.
Re: Re: Reese Agree on both counts. I'm not going to diss the kid for wanting to play in Romania any more than I'd diss him if he gave up soccer to go to medical school or seminary or whatever. It's his call.
I could care less if the kid wants to play in Romania or not, the problem I have is his attitude toward MLS. There's too many soccer people in the US with that attitude. Its never going to grow when people scoff at it in that way.
Let me qualify this by saying I'm a big supporter of MLS, but I think the key word here is 'atmosphere'. Comparing attendance is all well and good, but having attended MLS, Euro, and South American games, I'm willing to bet the crowds at his games in Romania are much more vocal and enthusiastic. Sure MLS sides have some vocal supporters' groups and that's fantastic, but they are not the majority (yet).
The guy probably plays in Romania because they haven't discovered those stupid plastic horns that the kids in the row behind me blow in my ear every game. I'd play in Romania to escape those plastic horns too. Maybe I can send the kid behind me there!
Financial compensation for the season - ~$30,000. Known by everyone in town - priceless! Becoming fluent in a foreign language (Romanian in this case) - priceless! I'll do it in a heartbeat too, and I am no 20-year old.
You guys are WAY too sensitive. What did he say that was so bad? He said nothing negative about MLS, just that he preferred the atmosphere in Romania to that in MLS. Where is the sin there? I've been an MLS season ticket holder for going on 8 years and I love going to the games. But, I've also been to games in England, Germany, France and Argentina and as much as I love MLS, the atmosphere in the games I've seen abroad is head and shoulders above what it is in MLS. Does that make me a Euro snob? If so, let me know and I'll stop wearing deoderant, oppose the war, listen to crappy house music, smoke too much and root for ManU. I doubt Romania has better atmosphere than England or Argentina but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it has better atmosphere than MLS. As valliantly as the supporters clubs try, it's just not in our nature as Americans to sing and chant at games the way they do in Europe. Maybe someday, but right now, it's not close. Personally, I think it's a great story. The kid went from playing PDL and NAIA ball to actually playing in a first division in Europe. That's a hell of a leap and I applaud the kid for making it and for having the stones to stick it out. I doubt he'll ever play for the US but, you never know. But, as long as he isn't breaking the law or making fools of Americans, he's gonna have my support.
Re: Reese i liked the story to many people want our players pulling gilles grimandi moves like donovan did to play in mls there are more leagues out there (than just mls) and a good chunk of them are better than mls even if the league is lower than mls, the likelihood that scouts will see you playing in it is quite a bit higher than what it would be in mls