After reading this, I was a little po'd. I don't know that complete story, but this little excerpt from his bio on soccernet.com makes you realize one of the reasons MLS might not be so quick to sell off its young stars: It seems like some European managers are very quick to give up on Americans, or just not give them a chance all together, just because they are Yanks. It's a shame that JMM has fallen out of favor. It'd be nice to see him in MLS again, to see if he still has it.
This may say more about Walter Smith than anything. When it happened, Everton fans were complaining about his incompetence.
Quit being PO'd, there is no reason to...Sure he was on fire to start but he cooled down, severely, and it wasn't because he was given up on. Yes Walter Smith didnt seem to be very well liked but I would only blame his demise on Smith. JMM is a decent player...I never thought too highly of him...As of the last few years, Best thing about him is his work rate and hustle...When that's the best thing you can bring to the table...it doesn't equal a whole lotta playing time.
Your missing a few of his qualities. Can hit a very good shot. Will score goals if given a chance (see qualification for worldcup results, he saved our butts), has better than average ball skills IMHO, and he can change a game if your team needs a spark or needs someone to dissrupt possesion in the event the opposition is killing off the game. He hasn't been very healthy in the last two years and was just starting to regain his old form around WC time but now he is coming back from injury... again... His days are coming to an end though and he barely has time for one last hurrah.
Moore played 45mins for the Everton reserve's according to the website. Everton won 1-0 (this is not an important enough of a score to worry about the (R) tag). Here is what the Everton FC webpage had to say "Everton had the best chance of a dull first half when Joe-Max Moore who played the ball to Nick Chadwick whose shot from the edge of the area forced a low, diving save from Carlo Nash." Good luck to Joe on his fight for a first place spot.
Here we go again. When Americans fall on hard times it's *always* someone else's fault than the player himself. Smith signed Moore, he had a scoring streak and then Smith gave up him? Hmm. The simple fact is that Moore has done almost nothing since those first few games to justify much confidence in him from either Smith or Moyes.
M I kind of agree with you. When a yank abroad fails its always a Eurosnobbery excuse or something to that like. JMM is a fine player, but he is what 31-32 yrs old, has been injured lately and as M said hasn't brought much to the table (especially outside of Foxboro). JMM was a big part of MNT qualification and one of the pioneers abroad. We will see in the future more yanks getting signifcant PT that will be younger and better.
He got off to a great start and got plenty of time. The next year, he still got lots of chances, but the goals dried up. It doesn't matter where a guy is from, a coach is only going to keep playing a forward who can't score goals so long before sitting him down. The guy went close to two years without scoring more than once or twice. What do you expect a coach to do? And, no he wasn't starting for all that time, but he was getting regular minutes for quite some time. I mean, even if he was averaging 30 minutes every third game or something like that, he should still have a few goals to show for it after a year or so.
Let's not be too critical of Everton. Joe-Max is just not that good. He certainly wouldn't start for ANY MLS club right now up top, save maybe VD United.
This is a little exagerated but the essential point stands. JMM is not that great of a player and his failure so far at Everton in the last few years is not a blanket indictment of Yanks Abroad. JMM has some abilities but he is lacking in the ability to create goals in a live ball situation-- something many people look for in a striker.
Re: Re: Re: JMM, This is What We Are Up Against?? while I never thought Moore was "great" ... I thought he was a solid player. I agree that MLS ought to carefully protect its best players. I don't like to stereotype - but between Smith, Hoddle, and Reid - some of these EPL managers certainly are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Certainly Souness stuck with Friedel and it payed off. Were it not for injury Hoddle might never have given Keller an decent shot. What can you say about Reid - nice guy but he is a terrible manager. It seems perfectly logical that Americans should think long and hard about going to the EPL. The most important thing is to go where there is a manager with a track record of success and something of an open mind.
Re: Re: Re: JMM, This is What We Are Up Against?? I pieced these together so I may be off a little. EPL: 99-00 855m 6 g 1 a .737 00-01 803m 0 g 2 a .224 01-02 608m 2 g 0 a .296 --------------------------- CAR 2266 8 g 3 a .437 Overall, it amounts to a respectable full season, but probably not worthy of a starting position. I agree that it's hard to see how he was treated unfairly.
Moore might not start up top for some MLS clubs, but he would start somewhere for just about all of them. He is a better midfielder than every MLS team has in at least one position. He is also a better striker than some regular starters in MLS. Rodrigo Faria? Please.
It's at least debatable that he's not a better option in the Burn's midfield. I might start him over Rhine, however.
So what's the real story about JMM? Did his skills diminish? Did he physically lose something because of the injuries? Or did he have a limited bag of tricks to begin with and the league learned to deal with him after a short time?
why Joe-Max sits Many times I read soccernet match reports, and I recall quite a few times that I saw the following quote (or equivalent); "They should have had the equalizer, but with only the keeper to beat, he wasted the chance" Coaches and fans hate that, especially late in the game and with the chance to tie. I think that may have something to do with it.
Maybe he's streaky. He's scored 2 goals in the last two years in EPL. They were four days apart. With the Nats, we've seen the same thing. Many months of mediocrity and then BOOM, he's a superstar.
Moore named to the squad on EFC webpage. "Like Ferguson, Joe-Max Moore returns to the squad for the first time since last season and new signing Joseph Yobo is poised to make his Premiership bow at Goodison after recovering from a double injury set-back." This is very surprising but I don't think Joe will get a look with Campbell, Radzinski, Ferguson and Rooney all listed on the match day squad. But very positive non the less. I would love to see some tasty humble pie served up on Joe's behalf. All you Joe bashers get a fork
Re: Re: Re: Re: JMM, This is What We Are Up Against?? I think that Americans will far more likely than not will get a fair shot over time. If they stick it out, they'll end up pretty much where they deserve. I'm not saying there is no bias, but it's getting more and more to that point.
Moore was like an insurance policy to Everton, IMO. Nothing more, nothing less. He was solid, reliable, and a hard worker with a knack to do everything, well, par. He was never extraordinary, yet he was never horrible. To say he wouldn't start in MLS is a bit off target, however, given his last showings in the premiership, there may be credence to that argument. For instance, if you're a striker and don't produce goals, well, what good is that? Moore simply wasn't finding the back of the net. Admittedly his opportunities were few and far between but, well, there you have it. Also, with reliability, he seemed to have a number of injuries, like he does now. How can you develop a reliance on a player given the circumstances? In the end, perhaps Moore didn't fit into the system. Either way, if he wants to start for a football club I think MLS might be the best way to go - as it may be his only choice soon.