Don't get me wrong I know that communication is easier but wouldn't some excell and get IMHO more time to become a great player. I mean I see players like Eddie Jonson going to Fulham and IMHO opinon in 2 years we will all forget about him I mean it has happened to alot of great players American or not. I see players like Justin Mapp being linked to England when his style is very Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian inspired. I mean Americans go crazy at the romours of Mike Bradley going to Everton FC. Don't get me wrong Everton are a great club but wouldn't Ajax, PSV, or AZ be a better step up rather then being tossed in the EPL with an over ambious club I mean IMO English teams tend to be very straight Foward take or leave attitude if you know what I mean. I honestly want to see this trend stopping in the near future clubs in all of Europe would love to have American players on their squad and not only for profit but for actual playing time Well let me know what you think Should Americans take their time in devolping like the Portuguese, Dutch, Italian players of swim with the big boys like the English development tend to do.
Well this is going to be a boring answer. But for the development of a player it is allways good to play at the higest lvl possibel. So if a player is good enoff then yeah he shud go to the EPL if not it migth be smarter to go to anoter league get playing time and countiue his development.
it is no surprise that England does zero at the international level. The league is exciting, but the play is usually not very good. On balance it is not that good for the USA players. They learn to play fast but speed is not the problem for the USA players. It IS good for the keepers, but that is about it.
1. This isn't really that true, anymore. At least it isn't starting to be. We've had a lot of guys go to Germany, a couple to Austria, one to France, and a couple go to England this transfer window. Your argument may have been more apt a couple of years ago. 2. The language. Obviously a lot of Americans would prefer not to learn another language. 3. The money. English leagues pay marginally better than the Italian, German, and Spanish leagues at the same levels, and pay above the going rate for players more than most Euro leagues. And I don't think you are really right about the Michael Bradley situation. The only time I have seen the Everton move mentioned in a positive light is when people are railing against it that it would be the worst move he could possibly make (except for other English teams). I know this is the only time I have talked well about the move. You conveniently left out how positively people are talking about the possiblity of Hamburg. And the most positive discussion has been on how he should follow Verbeek to one of the big Dutch clubs that you mentioned. Also, I'm assuming you forgot that the other Fulhamericans and the guys at Reading haven't been forgotten, rather Convey's and Hahneman's USA careers have hinged singlehandedly on their play for the club.
Are you crazy? Do you follow soccer? They had 3 of the final 4 teams in Champions league last year. Ten of the top 25 most valuable teams play in the EPL. 4 players on the World XI team played in the EPL. From top to bottom the EPL is the best league in the world.
It's still true for the anticipated moves and anyone that qualifies for the work permit. For all the rumored EJ moves over the years, he goes to Fulham. And even though Guzan got denied the work permit, instead of Celtic, he was headed to Villa. There are plenty of fans that want to see some of these players go other routes. It will be interesting to see the next wave, with Bradley's upcoming transfer and all the Jozy news.
I forgot to mention this in my last post, but for goalies I think the EPL is a great league to go to with its frantic pace. But for Guzan, its not necessarily that he wanted to go to England over everything else, its just that England was probably going to pay the most for him. Nothing wrong with that. I think Bradley has an equally good chance of going to Germany, so we will have to wait that one out. And Jozy declined the transfer according to most publications, so I think that helps my point. I think our youth teams have more players playing in Germany than in England, so that is the basis for my "it applies less so now." And about Eddie: I think one of the biggest reasons he went was because of his buddy Clint, and Americans will always be drawn to a place where they can get paid a lot of money and not have to learn a new language. It's natural and I think a huge justification for choosing England over other countries, even though I wouldn't personally do it. Also, I should clarify from my last post... I shouldn't have said "this isn't really true" but "this is becoming less of a case." Because I would say that in the past, England was seen as the mecca and the prime location for any American. I'm just looking at Arguez, McLoughlin, Jacobson, Zimmerman, and in the future Gyau, and Jared Jeffrey (sp?) as signs that England isn't necessarily hailed as it used to be.
Why do they go to England? Because that's where they get offers. It's not like EJ turned down Milan because he was afraid to learn Italian...
According to the General Manager Willie Sutton. And because Engand doesn't have the numerical limits on the Yanks.
Apparently they love getting hacked all the time and suffering career threatening injuries. Mcbride, Beasley, Convey, Lewis all have suffered injuiries there.
It's true, it's a very physical league, but the other top leagues aren't very far behind in that department, especially the Bundasliga. On the original question, You now find US players in all the European leagues just about, including the guys getting caps.
One key factor here is... assuming that one can get a work permit, legally - England is the easiest place to go. Serie A and La Liga both have some pretty rigid foreigner rules. Teams are only aloud something like 3 non-EU players on their roster. Players who have been playing in Europe for some time don't count I believe. This is why Danny Szetela was able to make it to both Spain and Italy because he had European citizenship. Big teams from Serie A and La Liga do not want to risk wasting a non-EU citizen player on an unproven player like Eddie Johnson, they tend to go to more proven markets like South America.
quite possibly, but unless Ajax, PSV or AZ make a bid, he's not going to go there. Nor did Convey. In fact I think he actually picked up his injury with the US team in Germany in 2006.
This language barrier works both ways, it´s not only that American players can easily adopt to an english speaking culture, it´s also a factor that the clubs themselves often find it easier to handle english speaking players. The question is what league an American player with a hispanic or perhaps Italian background would prefer?
You also have to remember that despite the hissy fits thrown on here everytime some English tabloid newspaper "disrespects" the MLS this country is a hundred times more positive about your standard of soccer than Italy or Spain are. Also the fact that the 4th/5th tier of English football pays equivilant salaries to the 2nd/3rd tier of other European leagues.
I wouldn`t be too surprised if Klinsmann brings in one or two Americans at Bayern. May I be the first to imagine a possible move of Bradley to the Bavarians? Secondly, I'd like to add something to this debate from a German point of view. There are quite a number of German youth players playing for English Premier League teams (particularly goalkeepers). I am not sure whether I shall be happy about that or not. The reason why they play there is simple: money - German clubs are restricted as far as the wages of U-18 players are concerned. But I am not sure whether the short term financial gains will "pay-off". Would a team like Manchester United or Chelsea give their youth keeper a chance in case their number one leaves the club or gets injured? I know people would say, if he is good enough he will play and if he doesn`t get a chance it means he isn`t good enough. But I tend to disagree. Especially as far as goalkeepers are concerned senior sides are reluctant to promote them. If Rene Adler had opted to go to Arsenal instead of staying at Leverkusen his development would have suffered IMO. But of course, there are also positive aspects of going to England as a youth player.
Didnt Beasley get hurt playing for Man city? I thought Convey was hurt before Germany. Both Him and Mcbride have haad more than one injury. I like the league but its overly physical. Look at the England National team...Owen and Rooney are always hurt (Beckham too) . England almost never fields a 100%healthy in form squad. Also our athleticism and lack of technical ability mix more with Premiership than laa liga for example. Dempsey, Donovan, Adu, Tab Ramos, John Obrien are the only players weve produced who were/are technical enough to make it in that league. In my perfect world players would come up through MLS academies, sent to Holland to improve their techincal ability while in their young twenties (after some service to MLS) than make the move to England.
(implied R) nine yanks in EPL relegation watch Maybe this topic will become moot in a 2-3 months. Today I count 12 USA players in EPL (not youngsters Johann Smith or Eric Lichaj mentioned at yanks-abroad.com as being somewhere at Bolton and Aston Villa). As of today, nine are playing (or almost playing) for teams currently in the relegation zone: #4 Everton --- Howard #9 Blackburn --- Friedel #10 West Ham Spector #18 Reading --- Convey, Hahnemann #19 Fulham --- Bocanegra, Dempsey, Keller, (newbie) Johnson, (return from injury) McBride #20 Derby County --- Feilhaber, Lewis In the past week, Bobby McMahon, analyst for Fox Soccer Report, suggested that Reading is fading and in danger of moving into relegation. Reading has given up the second most goals in EPL. Fulham beat then 3-1 and they have three other strange losses away from home at 4-5, 4-6, and 4-7. The US has one field player (Spector at #10 West Ham) playing for an EPL team outside of the current relegation zone. The US has one EPL player playing for a top-eight EPL team. Who would be the next breakout player from the US who could play for a top-four or top-five EPL team (besides Dempsey moving somewhere next year)?
Germany. Mike Bradley will probably become the first US field player in a (presumably) top-half Premiership team. The rest, including Dempsey, are where they are because of what they are.