Aside from your bizarre attempts to annoy me at every turn, phishy, what exactly does that prove? That one of the most highly rated talents in the world turned out to be good? Gee whiz. You got me there. ~~pmsl~~
Wow, in a game where Jamaica has to push up in order not to lose, a substitute scores 3 goals. Against Jamaica. Wow. I don't know why he isn't already starting for Real. Or at least Inter.
youre right im sure most good players could score a hattrick in 20 minutes their second time ever playing for their national team, happens all the time
Wow, Henry scored one important goal in the home against the world-beater Cyprus. I know Cyrpus would beat Jamaica 100:0 anytime.
This is an announcement to all fans of the USMNT: Eddie Johnson is not as good as Thierry Henry. Any fan of the USMNT, and that includes me, wants us to start producing world class players. But it won't happen simply by wishing for it or getting defensive when someone tells you that your hopeful is good, but not great. It also does no good to get ahead of our growth curve. I'm thrilled that we now have an assortment of players on 1st Div teams in some of the stronger European leagues. But NOBODY there is a star, by international standards. By contrast, Brazil has 40-50 players playing in the top leagues, and yes, some of them are world class stars. Gradually, we will send more and more players overseas, and before you know it, one of them will truly develop into a world class player that fans everywhere will rightfully acknowledge. But please be patient, folks.
And the trolls all feed each other. {Insert Player Here} will be better than Ronaldo! No he won't. MLS is a crap league. {Insert Player Here} isn't fit for the Moldovan Third Division. . . . blah blah blah. . .
While that prediction isn't entirely original, it is true, and most people agree... Personally, I am trying really hard to ignore the 2010 hype, but it's getting harder to disbelieve... So take a deep breath, no one's trying to take it away from you... I agree, but I think you're forgetting the presupposed 4th leg of this timeline... Players bringing those learned skills back, eventually making MLS itself a better league... It's already starting if you think about it... Sanneh pops to mind. I'll tell you right now, I was mildly annoyed, and not at all surprised, when numerous threads popped up directly after that game proclaiming "Grown Ass Man" as the new wheel... On the other hand, I also think it's particularly telling that you think that game was against Jamaica... I think maybe France would be the more appropriate barometer, but Brazil works too... I'm one of those uncooperative bastards that won't accept that 'World Class' tag... Just what the hell is 'World Class'? Pele, yes... Maradona, sure... Beckenbauer, Eusebio, Van Basten, Cruyff, Cantona, Klinsmann, Matthaeus, Neeskins, Maldini, Best, Weah, Batistuta, Bergkamp, Romario, Ronaldo (the real one), R. Carlos, Hagi, Sanchez, Keane...ok... There are more, and you may add your own as you desire, but just because a guy tore up a 'Super League' once or twice doesn't mean he's 'World Class'... On the other hand, there are one helluva lot of good players on the planet at any one time, so I don't understand why anyone'd get pissy when someone else wants to add one more...
Nope, cant say I agree with you on that... if the MLS is AAA and EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Eredivise, Ligue 1 and Serie A are the big leagues then MLS should be producing more players that go to these leagues. As for those saying his talent is unquestionable and all of that nonsense, let me remind you that long range shooting with either foot, excellent pace, decent but not great crossing, and good heading skills belong to Diego Forlan.
what his talent is in doubt? One thing, Johnson scored three against Panama, not Jamaica. No one fixed that mistake. Hey, in a world-wide talent pool of 20-year-old strikers, Johnson fits. If that pipsqueak Saviola can latch on with Barcelona, Johnson can make it with some mid-table team in Germany, England or Spain. Then, he takes it from there.
To be fair with respect to the U20 championships, it seems like more recently, the more successful players at these youth tournaments have had a greater chance of developing into stars. Taking a look at previous tournaments, you don't see the more successful players necessarily becoming world-class stars. But more recently, like 2001 in Argentina, you see emerging stars like Saviola, Cissé, Kaka, Mexes, and two Americans in Donovan and Beasley. I think Eddie's performance in the U20 tournament means more now than it would have if he had played in say, 1991. But it still doesn't guarantee anything.
When he scored it, and how soon after his first appearance isn't terribly relevant. Using one game as the basis to evaluate a player is as intelligent as standing right in front of a Roberto Carlos free kick without a jockstrap. Who's doubted his talent here? Yes.........the difference that makes is.........remarkable? However, duly noted. Mia culpa. How dare I confound the awesome footballing power that is Panama with the football minnows that are Jamaica? On the basis of 3 goals against Panama? On the basis of Japorea El Hadj Diouf was a world class prospect. Much to the joy of this board, he turned out to be a mediocrity with the tactical nous of tuna salad. Ah, yes, that "pip-squeak" Saviola. The same one that utterly domianted the U-20 championships for Argentina? The same one who starred for River Plate and commanded an expensive move to Barcelona at such a young age. Chances are, Saviola has already enjoyed a more impressive European career than Johnson ever will. Them's the statistics and probabilities, folks. True, but they'd lose to Panama. Because I got Panama confused with Jamaica? You're right. Jamaica is actually considerably better with Panama. I was giving him too much credit.
The US Soccer needs some form of a broader soccer academy, not just for 25-40 top players in a 16-18 age bracket, that can "graduate" prospects with the ColaShip/BL2 skill level at the very worst. If that can not be done locally, it needs to be outsourced abroad. PS. Thanks for not jumping on me.
There's only one player who signed for $500,000 (actually for a lot more, with the endorsements). Kudos to Freddy. Others should go the training-for-a-stipend route, if a similar program can not be created within the US. If this were you at 18, would you rather make $25K in the MLS/NCAA or graduate an Ajax Academy type with the skills of John O'Brien. Be honest now.
<< I agree, but I think you're forgetting the presupposed 4th leg of this timeline... Players bringing those learned skills back, eventually making MLS itself a better league... It's already starting if you think about it... Sanneh pops to mind.>>Sayed No, I am forgetting it. It is actually the 2nd part of my proposal. If a kid such as John Thorrington or Alex Yi fails to achieve heights in Europe or if simply a 18-20 year old Yank doesn't get PT in a Bundesliga like Taylor Twellman or LD didn't, then by all means, welcome them back, even if temporarily. In fact, wouldn't you think it'd be better if there were more TTs in MLS? Would Pat Noonan, Justin Mapp, Eddie Johnson, Esky be better players if they had managed to spend a year with the Arsenal or ManU reserves even at no pay? Surely, someone could find a corporate sponsor to pick up their living expenses overseas. And, if so...
The analogy doesn't work because baseball's major leagues force their players through their minor league pipelines (however, they also don't let any player with major league skills sit on a minor league roster). A better analogy would be between the NBA and the European basketball leagues. No one would confuse European club hoops for NBA ball, and as a percentage of the group, very very few players in Europe have real NBA skill or will ever see more than a cup of coffee in The Show. The remainder of that group will probably never be more than pedestrian players like Gordon Giricek or Vladimir Radmanovic. But there are exceptions (Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrei Kirilenko, Manu Ginobili). Those guys are not quite all-NBA first-teamers, but some of them are close. MLS is a smaller league, so expect to see fewer exceptions unless MLS evolves to the point where that analogy no longer applies. But I would expect Landon Donovan to be in the BLiga somewhere between what Ginobili and Nowitzki are in the NBA. Others may come along at some point. It's a little early for that kind of talk about Johnson.
You mean two exceptions. And the only reason you don't see more is that MLS only started drafting kids at 16 and 17 years of age. (And Bayer actually came calling for LD two years ago. MLS chose to pay them a relatively large amount of money for a relatively short term loan because they thought they could market him). Bobby Convey went abroad at 20, just not to a top team. I don't know why the Danny Szetelas, Eddie Gavens, and Freddy Adus won't be abroad by that age if they develop they way they're hoped to. At that point, how many "exceptions" do you have before you don't have a rule? I think three-seasons-in-MLS, go-to-Europe-at-21 is a valid model, where the go-to-Europe-at-26 model is a red herring that existed only in the league's formitive years. (As an aside, if I were a Euro club hunting for undiscovered gems on the American scene, I would probably pick Gaven before Johnson. Gaven's never really played on a stage where scouts would be aware of him, so you could probably get him for pretty cheap, he's two and a half years younger than Johnson, he's developed a lot faster than Johnson so far, and he looks, least to me, to have a whole lot of upside).
You obvioulsy missed the quote by Sir Alex earlier this year where he said that Man U was tracking Eddie Gaven.
Breathtaking thread... Eddie Johnson is a very talented young player. No doubt about that. But some of the spazzos are totally taking his accomplishments out of context. Why do this? Why knock down the ability of others just to prop up someone that is still a bit untested at higher levels of club football? Sure, he did okay in the amateur competition (U-20, whatever it was) and had loads of goals. But of those goals, what % of them were actually from the penalty spot? Sure, Eddie Johnson did okay for Dallas this year and may have turned a corner. But tell us - in that glorious 10 team league, how did Eddie perform in the playoffs? What's this? He techincally didn't even play in the MLS playoffs? Why didn't he? Oh... his team didn't qualify. But how is that possible? There are only 10 teams in the league and 8 of them actually make the playoffs? Meh. Those 4 goals were great for the USA. The hat-trick... amazing. Hmm... I remember watching the game... what was the name of that superpower he bagged the hat-trick against? Panama I think it was and they seemed to have layed down and died in that match, nevermind that they would've been better served with a tree trunk manning goal. And the other? El Salvador, was it? Well call off the experts, this guy's World Class!! (that was sarcasm...) Bottom line - I hope that Eddie Johnson does well and he has great potential. But a little perspective would go a long way... could help eliminate some un-realistic expectations. Someone mentioned, light-heartedly, Donovan's accomplishments in 2002 WC being similar to Henry's in 1998. Well, no, they weren't. Henry's team won the World Cup. Donovan's team did not. Henry scored 3 goals. Donovan scored 2. Henry's team advanced to the later stage with a positive goal differential, Donovan's team did not... etc. etc. etc.
I'm not sure which player that evidence was supposed to back. Not that I'm saying the two are equals or anything (I don't think they are), but Landon Donovan didn't have Zinedine Zidane organizing his attack. Only one fewer goal sounds like praise by faint damnation.
Is Eddie Johnson really a better prospect than Rossi, Eddie Johnson, Poole, Cooper, Heath, Ebanks, adn others?
There is already a young striker in the Man United system named Eddie Johnson. He's currently on loan to Coventry.
Ah, thought that list was of young Americans, since Cooper is one, and Rossi's often mistaken for one.