News: Tuesday , Jan 19 , 2016

The only Brazilian in the MLS draft swapped Corinthians by economics degree in the US (article in portuguese)

An excerpt:
"Was sure that the choice made in 2013 had been the most correct when theoretically had taken two steps backward thinking of taking a forward in the near future.

At the time, Ivan was only 20 and had just played in the Copa Sao Paulo Juniors for Corinthians. His performance was not that expected, once he came from a recovery from one of three knee surgeries he had done and the pace of play was far from ideal. Unhappy with their reality and little excited about the future at the club, eventually accepted the invitation of an exchange company to try a scholarship in the United States in exchange for a career in college soccer."

 

Well that certainly is clear.

 

The Portuguese is pretty clear.....

 

If my translation ended not being very well i'm sorry. The translation got confused?

 

Lalas and Stone make reasonable points.

Morris should do what's best for him.
Playing time is key.
He can develop into a star by staying in MLS.

ESPN FC has been driving me crazy with their answers to this question for the past week. Is there any evidence at all that the European "environment" as they like to say, can develop a young American player better than being a starter in MLS? How many examples are there of young American players starting their pro careers in Europe (after growing up in the US) and developing without immediate playing time? I don't understand why Nicol and Mariner, two people with extensive MLS experience, two people who saw Clint Dempsey develop in MLS firsthand, keep holding on to this idea that the training in Europe is so vastly different that it compensates for not playing in meaningful games.

All that being said, Bremen is at least making it sound like Morris might get playing time with them so it's not like this is a sit in Europe vs start in MLS situation.

 

Apparently Werder Bremen is saying Morris has turned down their offer.
http://www.sounderatheart.com/2016/1/19/10789702/jordan-morris-turns-down-werder-bremen

 

I've asked this a lot. The only ones in the USMNT picture right now are Wood, Bedoya, Spector, and Rubin. Spector is proof that playing for Man U doesn't mean you'll be great. Wood is the same age as Agudelo and has 1 more goal in 6 less games (and the same number as Johannson in 5 less games). Bedoya started in Sweden so that is comparable to MLS. And Rubin is still too young to draw any conclusions. In the past you had Onyewu, but he really only ever played in Belgium. He had like 40 games for top flight teams in 6 other countries. Then you have Steve Cherundolo that ended up with 87 caps. Thing is that he skipped MLS in 1998 or so. In the last decade though you really don't have anyone that skipped MLS and became a big player for the USMNT.

 

that is a good summary.

I don't know if you would consider them big or not but both Benny and Davies went to Europe directly and both had a positive affect on the national team.

Jay Demerit did not skip MLS by choice, as he was more over looked by them.

 

cherundolo, Gooch, Twellman, Gibbs, Donovan, Berhalter, Lichaj, Spector.

 

Good examples. Spector is the kind of guy I think of whenever this question comes up. Obviously there is no way to know for sure if the player would have developed differently in MLS (or if Dempsey and Bradley would have been even better by going straight to Europe) but the evidence seems to argue that, at best, there's no significant difference. Good, dedicated players will rise to the national team wherever they start.

In how many other countries is it expected that top youth players skip their domestic league entirely and start their professional careers in a foreign country? Learn to be a professional in a somewhat comfortable environment. Learn to be a star and a leader. Then if you outgrow your current club/league move on. Klinnsmann and ESPN FC pundits seem to be putting the cart before the horse, suggesting that first you go to a top league or big team and then you become a great player.

 

Twellman and Donovan are the types of examples that make the debate even more interesting. Maybe throw McBride in there as well. Did these guys come back from Europe and become stars in MLS because of their one or two years overseas at a young age, or would they be footnotes in US Soccer history if not for the opportunity to shine that MLS provided? On the other side, did MLS develop Dempsey and Bradley and even Altidore by giving them first team responsibilities right away, thus making the transition to European football easier, or was MLS merely a pitstop in their inevitable rise to national team stardom?

 

So many holes in this guys argument... SO MANY HOLES! Like...Shia Lebouf was searching for something in the desert amount of holes...

 

Before or after he was swinging through the jungle with monkeys?

 

Loss of Rams could be a W for St. Louis soccer
Kansas City Business Journal

2016 MLS Draft: Rounds Three and Four Open Thread
Black And Red United

 

Lets just leave it at:
"There is evidence for anyone to make any argument both for and against."

We can all agree that MLS ruined Freddie Adu

 

That movie never happened.

Much like the Highlander producers followed their own advice. There can be only one.

 

Too many spankings most likely.

 

Or not enough of these:

 

Lichaj is supposedly playing really well for two years now at Nottingham Forest, Ben Olsen's old club, and his USMNT career appears over at a position Juergen says has a lack of depth.

I don't think it is fair to keep him in the list, although it may change with another coach.


EDIT: Please no Jurgen detour, there is already another thread to vent.

 

I am talking US players, ignoring whether they are USMNT players.