Local boy Jonathan Spencer expected to sign with Man Unt. What's the deal with that?!? Why did'nt this kid sign with MLS, hell the Fire could use him. He is expected to sign on March 1st when he turns 17. All this info could be found in today's sports section of the Chicago Trib. It shocks me that these kids have not learned from donavan's mistake. It upsets me that the Fire did'nt have a chance at him even though he played soccer at St. Viator. Damm this single entity crap, even if the Fire did have Spencer in camp that would not mean that they could of sign him to the Fire. The league talks about low attendence, here's your problem local talent does not get scouted so does not end up on the local squad. We all know that the local media loves to talk about the local talent that plays on pro teams i.e. Mcnabb, Mcbride and back in the day Isiah Thomas and many others. The point is if the Fire had a squad of many local players their would be more coverage and more people would show up to the games. Okay maybe not the huge numbers that you expect to fill SF, but any increase due to media coverage would be a good thing.
Re: Local boy Jonathan Spencer expected to sign with Man Unt. Things have worked out alright for John O'Brien (apart from his long history of missing time with injuries). Players have to evaluate for themselves what they need to pursue. Landon's experience may be a cautionary tale for some others to learn from, but each offer that comes along is different. The language barrier that Landon encountered in Germany is an additional factor that made it a miserable experience for him. That's absent from the deal this kid may accept from United. I think it's fair to say, though, that if Man Utd is pursuing you, even if you don't catch on with their first team, you still have a fair shot at finding regular time with a high-level club elsewhere in Europe. I'm not a big Jovan fan, but he's had a long career in Europe, though it hasn't necessarily been all that glamourous. And he's doing fairly well in England now, and he's only 26. While there are many clubs you address with a grain of salt and maybe even turn down, I'm not sure Man Utd is on that list.
Here's the link to the Trib article. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/printedition/chi-0301100234jan10,1,7499817.story BTW, it's Jonathan Spector (not Spencer). This has been WIDELY speculated and reported in the US Youth forums.
What an absolutely pathetic post. Every individual can determine for themselves what's best for them and what path they would like to follow. If I could go back in time and be a possible candidate for signing by a big European club - are you nuts? Of course I'd do it! Europe is an amazing place to live and learn about culture and life in general. Don't cry about how hard the language barrier was for Landon. See it as an opportunity to expand your own person and accept it as a challenge to better yourself and make yourself a more worldly person. I moved to Germany when I was 23 not speaking a lick of German and within 3 years, and to this day, I speak it fluently - I even work using it everyday. MLS is not the best option for every player, even a young American whose either father or mother is from Europe - that's why he has a dual passport.
Hey high and mighty, my beef is that the youth of Chicago's backyard should be playing for the local squad at least for a few years. Europe and it's culture has nothing to do with it. Language barrier, I had no idea he had a probelm with it. Or could it just be your tooting your on horn, in which case, good for you. But it should be!
it's another young gun playing pro soccer early i like that, mls doesn't have the room for all of them... so some are going to have find other ways to start playing at an early age neither thorrington or jovan stayed with man-u, but both are still playing pro soccer... i wish the best to him and hope he made the right decision for himself, i know mls could have done him well... but...
I must admit it...there's a very slight bit of horn-tooting going on...but certainly not TOO much. I was trying to not come across as high and mighty, but I just see the game as such an amazing opportunity to spend some great, youthful times living abroad. If anything, it makes the appreciation of what we have here in the States that much better...at least many facets of it. How many other jobs would allow you to live and work in Europe, or anywhere in the world for that matter? Not many. The States will always be there and hopefully MLS will be, too. It's just such a great opportunity. It is also a great thing when players like Donovan decide that they want to play their soccer/footy here in the States.
MLS did try to sign him, but when you look at the pay, training facilities, coaching and organization respect it's pretty hard to not sign with Manu.
Seriously, could you imagine the scenario this kid must have been in? Ring, Ring! "Jonathan!" "What, Mom? I'm playing Playstation FIFA World Cup!" "A Sir Alex Ferguson from Manchester United is on the phone, he wants to talk to you..." "(GULP!)" Hard to pass up....