... has opted out of the draft and signed a long-term contract with Aalborg -- a Danish team with some ECL experience. Here's Lalas wringing his hands about it. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... =si_soccer In this excerpt, Lalas seriously misses the point: The point is how many players who started in the Scandinavian leagues are starting in the BPL, the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1? The answer is, A BUNCH I say, good on the lad. What's ya'll's take?
Take? Lalas is an idiot. Can't remember hearing him say anthing that turned out to be correct, so I'll assume he's wrong on this too.
I'm with Lalas on this one. A bunch eh? Ok sure, but Lalas's point is how well as it worked for Americans. Not real well. And lots have tried it. How many players have started their careers in MLS and have gone on to start in the Prem, Budesliga, Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1? I'll go with a bunch. I hear Danish girls are where its at though, so hey not a bad choice.
Spencer, discounting goalkeepers, just how many footballers of any nationality started their careers in the MLS and went on to become starters in those leagues? I'd say a 20th or even a 30th of the total of footballers of any nationality who started their careers in the Scandinavian leagues and then moved on to the European big time. The major similarity between the two leagues is that if you're making your living in Scandinavia or in the MLS in your late 20s, you've probably already hit the top of your career ladder. I'm not hating the MLS here, just pointing out that the Scandinavian leagues are heavily scouted and recruited from by the top European leagues. Lalas missed that point. Unusually, you seem to have as well.
It is no big secret that I enjoy the MLS but I firmly support Tracy in his decision to go to Europe if that is what he thinks is best for his development. However, that is not going to stop me from having a go at Don for this statment: Do you really think the MLS is not heavily scouted by top European leagues? The top players from the MLS are bypassing the Scandinavian type leagues and are being purchased by higher level leagues. Jozy to La Liga, Edu to Rangers, Johnson to Fulham, Adu to Monaco via Benfica, Kljestan and Cooper to someone soon. I am not proclaiming that any them will be the next big thing or even that they will be successful. However, if you have talent the top European leagues will find you. Guys like McBride, Bocanegra and Dempsey have opened the door for MLS transfers and in recent years the signings have become more frequent. In the long term I don't know whether American players coming out of the MLS will be more successful than those who go directly to Europe. In the short-term I would say that guys like McBride, Dempsey, Bocanegra, Altidore, Bradley and Beasley have been more successful than the current list of US players that have bypassed playing in the MLS. I know there are guys like Reyna who had successful European carrers without MLS roots and I am rooting for guys like Charlie Davies to succeed. However, the simple fact is that in the present the Scandanvian leagues have not been a better pipeline to the top European leagues for US players than the MLS has been. Pehaps Don it is you that has missed the point. Good god I feel slimy having to agree with Lalas over Don.
It could be argued that Scandinavia is, at worst, as good as the MLS for player exposure. With the higher pay, I have to give the edge to Scandinavia and that doesn't count the added bonus of potential to play against top European teams in the Champions League and UEFA Cup. Right now, as a young American, I'd probably go for USL-1 over MLS for my first contract. More PT and higher pay.
Lalas also misses the point that who wants to play in half-empty stadiums in a nation where a majority of the people don't give a crap, when you could play at the same, or for your arguments sake a slightly lower level and have people care. MLS cannot match anything similar to the Brondby/FCK matches. So honestly I'd go with the latter. And yes, the women there are magnificent.
Alright off the top of my head; Beasley Bocanegra Convey Dempsey Lewis McBride Saneh Ryan Nelsen Vanney Bradley Mathis Obviously we all hope Edu, EJ, Adu, Szetela and Alitidore make it as starters. They have all been given a big league shot out of MLS regardless. Likely others I'm not coming up with. The point is the league is scouted. Its a worn path at this point, if your good in MLS you'll get your shot. I don't see your chances coming out of Denmark as significantly greater. I would be curious to know; Whats the diffrence in money? Whats the diffrence in cost of living? Does he have to pay Danish income taxes? I don't fault the decision, I'm not even saying it wasn't the right one. I just don't see this as a no brainier and automatically superior to going to MLS. And sorry Andy but the idea that its better for a young American to go to USL than MLS is a joke. If you've got enough talent that a leap to Europe is a concern you'll get playing time in MLS and US camp invites. USL unfortunately is bush league, I've watched a lot of it.
