Sure, I'd agree that it's not a reflection of the Dutch school in general. It just goes to show that playing in Europe isn't a wonder drug. You can't draw a lot of conclusions from Beasley. Maybe if the World Cup had been played last summer, after Beasley's good season at PSV, he would have come into the friendlies on a roll and been a monster in Germany. Ideally, you'd like to see players who continue to be in good form even if they're not playing much in Europe. Maniche was invisible last season for Chelsea, and now he's a Golden Ball finalist. How did he do that? Once we figure that out, Europe will be less risky.
It's only an opportunity. It's like when choosing between an Ivy League school or the U of Podunk, one still has to account for the fact that some folks will go to Yale or Princeton and will party their asses off until they're kicked out or their daddy is told to make another sizeable donation while other folks manage to learn enough stuff at Podunk to be quite useful in life. On an average however, when looking for a teacher, one'd still prefer a Nobel Prize laureate over a guy at ITT.
Doesn't it really just depend on the player? Not every seventeen year-old kid is ready to live alone on a foreign continent where they may speak a foreign language. He might want to, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's ready. Look at your teen phenoms. You can say "Wayne Rooney came up at Everton, which is a world of difference from Freddy coming up at DC." The program might be different, but they have something in common: they both signed with their hometown teams. Spector looks like he's off to a good start in Europe. Gooch seems to have developed well there. Then there's John Thorrington, Jovan Kirovski, etc. I think we're being a little hard on MLS after the World Cup, which is understandable. But, long term, it's still a far more powerful tool for the development of US soccer than "Europe". After all, Europe could care less whether American soccer develops. MLS has an interest.
.....but, but, but BA said we should. It's MLS's fault. Very sensible post in general, but I find it funny how MLS is attacting more interest and sending more players overseas than ever, but now it is trash It is up to the individual player and their desires and needs of course, and MLS is still a work in progress. Want to truely understand what MLS is about? Come back between year 20-25 and you will know. For now, it is still our best tool, but needs improvemnts of course.
Why is it "understandable". The only guys who played well in this tournament are those that never suited up for a European Cup (exageration but you should get the point).
Good point. It's understandable from the "I'm upset and frustrated and I want to kick something - oh, you're really close, I'll kick you!" standpoint. I'm just saying I can understand that.
So what are your triying to say is: While MLS directives wastes MILLIONS OF DOLLARS on old, burn out, injured foreign soccer players our fast, hungrier,motivated youngsters are force to go overseas to make some money and deal with a real soccer coach...... WTF.....
I am banging my head triying to understand why soccer fans blame Donovan for what happen against the Czech Republic....Ya all thing the boys are stupid ?? They new right after Bruce came with his "Experimental lineup" that the game was already lost.....
bad example... American players play in the minor leagues here jus to hopefully get seen by the NBA (the biggest basketball league in the world)... Europe's big 4 are the biggest leagues in the world... its not the same
The most under-rated/overlooked league for developing talent???? French Ligue 1 I'd like to see the young US players competing in that league! That is of course if they could pass all the regulations for a work permit.
There's no MLS reserve player that could turn $200k overseas sitting on some reserve team. Even the top leauges don't pay their 18-19 year olds this kind of fee unless they have shown world class potential. You're greatly exaggerating the amount these European clubs can pay to their reserves. Especially to unproven Americans. Unproven, unknown Americans would be lucky to find $30k or $40k in their first year.
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=5228 "The 6-1, 170-lb. Bradley will receive an annual salary of $205,000, which is the minimum for foreign players in the league under 20, sources said. That is several times more than the $35,850 he received from the Metros last season. Foreign players over the age of 20 earn well into the six figures." check your sources before you open your trap.
Mike started for Hereenveen in their UEFA play-offs games ... he'll be making a $500K+ very soon (and he must have made some appearance bonus money for the play-off run as well). Lee Nguyen was reported to be making around $500K off PSV, with some of that salary picked up by Nike. Benny Feilhaber was offered around $400K (he had several offers) annually by Hamburg. Kenny Cooper and Jonathan Spector were making around $150K with ManU reserves but whereas Kenny is making $50K with Dallas, I would speculate that Jonathan makes at least 10 times as much.
It's hard to say what the USMNT has to do in order to succeed but players like Nguyen, Spector, Bradley are all putting themselves in a place to succeed. While some players are ok with making a low salary and doing what they love young players see the $$ and want to go wherever it is. Fortunately, the money is in Europe and so is the talent. I'm not ripping MLS because I think it is a great league that will guide a lot of young players and groom them. However I go to Spain every summer and the local town team (plays in 2nd B (3rd highest) has better soccer than MLS for some teams. I'll say that the salary cap does have an issue and MLS did it so it wouldnt be NASL Part II but the league has survived and is dying to advance. Unless you start offering money and opportunities in the MLS players will continue to go to Europe. It blows my mind that one of the richest, largest, and most powerful countries in the world has a league like this. And let's be honest, if an american makes a move to Europe most of the country knows about it, if one gets drafted by MLS he'll go into "hibernation" playing in a league that just doesn't have the quality that other leagues around the world do. MLS is trying to help the NT but without a high salary, a soccer stadium, and exposure...there's not much to offer in the MLS which is why players are making the move to Europe. For some players I think the MLS is great (Donovan) but others that have the size and skill need to learn how to play the game the "european" way. While the american way is all athletic ability take a look at players like Reyna, McBride, who have played in Europe and they slow the game down and wait for their opportunities. the MLS is in the american culture where athletic ability and size is all that matters with little emphasis on skill and the players going to Europe are learning the skill first. Look at Zizou, Djourkaef,Zinha. These guys can barely walk yet their skill is so high up there that they can control the game and sitll be effective and in Europe you will become a "footballer" and in MLS you will become an "athlete" and to me that's the biggest difference. (for the most part)
Well....Not too fast about the quality of development and skill acquisition....It seem to me in the last world cup that MLSers have an edge over our euro players. In my opinion we need to find our if our euro players are really what people think about them...
um, did you forget that he wasn't part of the first team for the first year and a half he was in MLS?
Good analogies. Allow me to suggest a middle ground. Either bring some of the Nobel Prize Laureates here or find some way to get our ITT guys exposure to the Nobel guy ideas.
But his deal is not typical. He would certainly earn less (not 30 to 40k, mire than that) in places like Norway or Belgium.