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Message
Some Of Our Guys Opting To Develop In MLS Rather Than Europe
Posted on 8/3/13 at 2:23 am
Posted on 8/3/13 at 2:23 am
The standard track was that if you had the tools to play in Europe then you went to Europe. Europe offered more money, more crowds, more excitement, and more competition. I still expect some of our young guys to go across the pond. However, some of them have chosen to stay and develop their game in MLS. Among them are Zusi (West Ham) and Besler (QPR):
The ability to keep some of the developing players in MLS comes from the Core Player Initiative retention fund:
The quality and capability of MLS continues to edge upward.
quote:
The midfielder and member of the U.S. national team signed a new four-year contract with Sporting Kansas City, shelving interest from several overseas clubs to remain in Major League Soccer in what could be considered a significant step for the domestic game. "Graham is a guy that obviously had lots of options all over the world,'' Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "We made it clear to him that we want to keep him here long-term, and we wanted to at least make it a difficult decision to leave.''
quote:
"When you hear that QPR really likes you as a player and they want to bring you in, yeah, that's pretty cool. And so of course you're interested and you want to find out more, but at the end of the day I had a very big desire to stay in Kansas City. The club is No. 1. Kansas City, the city, is No. 2,” he said. “You know I love the city, but you can live somewhere else. You can enjoy another city. But if you're somewhere and the club is awful and you're not having fun, you're not enjoying it, then it's pointless to go there. That's why I like Kansas City so much, soccerwise.” - Besler
The ability to keep some of the developing players in MLS comes from the Core Player Initiative retention fund:
quote:
MLS executive vice president of player relations & competition Todd Durbin revealed to a small group of reporters before Wednesday’s All-Star Game that the league’s so-called “Core Players” initiative has been in place since this past offseason as a mechanism for teams to retain key members of their roster before their contracts expire instead of losing them to foreign leagues.
Sporting KC re-signed Zusi in late June to what manager Peter Vermes said was “for all intents and purposes” a Designated Player deal without classifying him as a DP. That was thanks to the extra financial resources of the Core Players initiative, which Durbin explained gives all clubs extra money in their salary budgets that do not count against the cap.
The quality and capability of MLS continues to edge upward.
4
Posted on 8/3/13 at 7:58 am to GABlueDog
link?
(not being a dick, i want to read the article)
(not being a dick, i want to read the article)
This post was edited on 8/3/13 at 7:59 am
Posted on 8/3/13 at 8:02 am to theOG
LINK
According to the salary database, both Zusi and Besler are making under $200K even with the raise
Salary Info
According to the salary database, both Zusi and Besler are making under $200K even with the raise
Salary Info
Posted on 8/3/13 at 10:20 am to Keys Open Doors
I'm glad besler didn't go to qpr, but I'd really love it if graham made a move. Maybe he and shea can line up on opposite wings for Stokemerica
Posted on 8/3/13 at 10:48 am to GABlueDog
quote:
The quality and capability of MLS continues to edge upward
Yep. QPR isnt a better spot than nearly every MLS team. A shitty team in Europe is still a shitty team.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 10:52 am to americanoutlaw
quote:
Stokemerica
I hope not. I am glad both guys decided to re-sign and stay here, but I kinda have a gut feeling that one of them will leave after the WC, probably Zusi, since Besler is a hometown guy, on either a loan or a permanent move.
Honestly I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Zusi make a similar loan move to Kamara and go to a mid table PL side for 10 games or so. I don't want to lose either guy from SKC but I am kind of interested in seeing if Zusi could compete in the PL. While in England, Kamara made a lot of fans as raised some eyebrows of people in England about MLS and mainly SKC.
This post was edited on 8/3/13 at 10:54 am
Posted on 8/3/13 at 12:32 pm to Keys Open Doors
Sorry I forgot the link.
Thanks Keys
Thanks Keys
Posted on 8/3/13 at 12:39 pm to GABlueDog
Nothing wrong with American players wanting to have the MLS be a worthy league to plan in but that's not what I got from Zusi's explanation.
Just sounds like to me he isn't leaving because he doesn't want to be a part of a time that loses a lot, not because he is trying to develop American league soccer.
In the end, regardless of his reasons, it will maintain good talent in the MLS so I guess that's what matters in this particular discussion.
quote:
The club is No. 1. Kansas City, the city, is No. 2,” he said. “You know I love the city, but you can live somewhere else. You can enjoy another city. But if you're somewhere and the club is awful and you're not having fun, you're not enjoying it, then it's pointless to go there. That's why I like Kansas City so much, soccerwise.” - Besler
Just sounds like to me he isn't leaving because he doesn't want to be a part of a time that loses a lot, not because he is trying to develop American league soccer.
In the end, regardless of his reasons, it will maintain good talent in the MLS so I guess that's what matters in this particular discussion.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 12:48 pm to theGarnetWay
That was Besler. And he did indirectly refer to QPR as awful lol.
I don't really think furthering MLS is the foremost factor in these guys' minds. I think they have two primary motivating factors: to play in a good environment (ie a good club) and to develop their play more. And if MLS offers opportunities that check both of those boxes, why would you choose to go overseas and play for a club that struggles? In the past, a young US player may have chosen to do so without much thought but that is no longer the case now because MLS has risen to a new level.
Now, if a top flight European club comes calling that is a different story.
I don't really think furthering MLS is the foremost factor in these guys' minds. I think they have two primary motivating factors: to play in a good environment (ie a good club) and to develop their play more. And if MLS offers opportunities that check both of those boxes, why would you choose to go overseas and play for a club that struggles? In the past, a young US player may have chosen to do so without much thought but that is no longer the case now because MLS has risen to a new level.
Now, if a top flight European club comes calling that is a different story.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 12:58 pm to GABlueDog
(no message)
This post was edited on 6/20/23 at 7:14 am
Posted on 8/3/13 at 2:39 pm to theGarnetWay
quote:
Just sounds like to me he isn't leaving because he doesn't want to be a part of a time that loses a lot, not because he is trying to develop American league soccer.
In the end, regardless of his reasons, it will maintain good talent in the MLS so I guess that's what matters in this particular discussion.
That was Besler, like GA said, but I think part of it was the fact that QPR wanted him. QPR is located in London he very well could mean that playing for a good club is more important than the city, even if the city is London. idk though
He is a KC guy and does love the city though, which I am sure i an added bonus to playing here.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 8:34 pm to TheIrishFro
quote:
isn't one of the points of why Mexico has historically underachieved is because their star players have historically stayed in the Mexican league and not progressed by playing in other leagues?
I think (I hope) MLS has higher aspirations than to be on par with MX. The hopes we have for the USMNT reaching the top levels of the game hinge on the development of the league and the homegrown product.
Not rocket science but,
Great League = Great nat'l team
Eta except England
This post was edited on 8/3/13 at 8:37 pm
Posted on 8/3/13 at 8:42 pm to mynamebowl
quote:
I think (I hope) MLS has higher aspirations than to be on par with MX. The hopes we have for the USMNT reaching the top levels of the game hinge on the development of the league and the homegrown product.
If we are to be a top league, in terms of tactics and level of play, then we need our best players abroad, and for them to return to coach and teach the next generation of players. This is the best model for an up and coming league. We aren't there at a tactical level or a technical level, and I'm not sure it is the best option for some of our players to stay in the MLS, unless the league gets exponentially better. Or rather, I'd like for our young players to go abroad to big leagues to play for bigger teams, otherwise I don't see the point in playing in Sweden or Norway.
quote:
Great League = Great nat'l team
Eta except England
How do you explain Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands?
While in general this is true, you can get by with an average domestic league but a great youth set-up. Just by having an average domestic league you are able to compete with the second tier of teams from all around the world.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 8:53 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
How do you explain Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands?
Argentina is the exception here. Brazil and Holland have very good leagues and both produce crazy amounts of talent.
And I was kidding about England. I would be stoked if the US had England-type talent.
This post was edited on 8/3/13 at 8:55 pm
Posted on 8/3/13 at 8:57 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
If we are to be a top league, in terms of tactics and level of play, then we need our best players abroad, and for them to return to coach and teach the next generation of players. This is the best model for an up and coming league. We aren't there at a tactical level or a technical level, and I'm not sure it is the best option for some of our players to stay in the MLS, unless the league gets exponentially better. Or rather, I'd like for our young players to go abroad to big leagues to play for bigger teams, otherwise I don't see the point in playing in Sweden or Norway.
It seems to me that the best option is a mixture of homegrown talent while still sending some of your guys to Europe. Whatever the best route is, it seems MLS have found a happy medium and the league is really doing its thing. It's exciting to watch.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 8:58 pm to mynamebowl
Since 1992, Argentina and Brazil haven't produced the highest levels of play, often using tactics that have been surpassed by Western Europe. Brazil, with it's recent influx of money, seems set to become one of the major leagues of the world.
The Netherlands is a shell of its former glory. The EPL has been better than the Netherlands for at least 15 years, yet you say that great league doesn't produce a great national team? Which is true.
My point being is that its more about talent production from the youth set up than it is the level of play in a domestic league. Very few French players in their golden age played in Ligue 1, although they got their start there. That golden age had everything to do with the restructuring of their youth set-up, culminating with the opening of Clairefontaine in 1988.
The Netherlands is a shell of its former glory. The EPL has been better than the Netherlands for at least 15 years, yet you say that great league doesn't produce a great national team? Which is true.
My point being is that its more about talent production from the youth set up than it is the level of play in a domestic league. Very few French players in their golden age played in Ligue 1, although they got their start there. That golden age had everything to do with the restructuring of their youth set-up, culminating with the opening of Clairefontaine in 1988.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 9:09 pm to crazy4lsu
Dude, I said nothing about Eredivisie being on par with EPL. It may be a shell of its former glory, but MLS is still miles from its level in terms of talent produced or teams in major competitions. Every day I read about players transferring from Holland and Brazil to massive global teams. And MLS has exactly ZERO of these transfers in its history.
Posted on 8/3/13 at 9:37 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
otherwise I don't see the point in playing in Sweden or Norway.
This. I hope in the future, the only teams that Americans are playing for in Europe are CL teams in England, Spain, Germany, etc. Obviously this is a ways down the road, but in about 10 years I hope a majority of USMNT players are playing in a very strong MLS. Of course we can't expect every American to stay in MLS, since not even Germany or Spain have all their best players staying home (Özil, Mata, etc.)
Posted on 8/5/13 at 5:14 pm to corndeaux
quote:
Yep. QPR isnt a better spot than nearly every MLS team
wut??
quote:
A shitty team in Europe is still a shitty team.
a championship side still better than every team in the MLS
Posted on 8/5/13 at 5:26 pm to StraightCashHomey21
quote:
a championship side still better than every team in the MLS
Lol Nope
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