Soccer/Futbol thread ⚽

I figured we should probably have a thread to discuss Soccer/Futbol (I spell it this way so it isn’t confused with American Football). Most of our conversations are in the shoutbox and get lost b/c of people wanting to talk about guns, more realignment, or whatever.

This thread is for any soccer, whether it be E(B)PL, La Liga, MLS, Cup qualifying, friendlies, whatever is in the news, and just in general.

To start, I read these articles yesterday. The one about finding the American Messi is pretty sweet and includes a link to a 12 y/o Californian who is in FC Barcelona’s camp. Kid is apparently really good.

America’s Next Messi

US Soccer’s Top 10 Under 21

Junior Flores

Pathways to the Pros

Brek Shea going to play for Stoke City. At 22 years old, he has tremendous potential for the USMNT over the next decade, good to see him moving to a tougher league.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21256177

Lots of US players in BPL now, has to help our international game, right?

In other news, Evan James got his second international cap for Canada on Tuesday.

[quote=“The White Samurai, post:2, topic:27433”]Brek Shea going to play for Stoke City. At 22 years old, he has tremendous potential for the USMNT over the next decade, good to see him moving to a tougher league.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21256177

Lots of US players in BPL now, has to help our international game, right?

In other news, Evan James got his second international cap for Canada on Tuesday.[/quote]

Who is James playing with professionally? I went to the Montreal Impact roster page and he was no longer on there.

I heard he got cut, but haven’t heard anything since.

USMNT according to cpip’s poor trolling attempts.

[size=78%]Problem is they’re not coming back over to play in these games, preferring to stay with their clubs. Also, we may have players on the rosters, but they’re not always getting playing time.[/size]

Thats a major problem. I look at a guy like Agudelo who has tons of upside, but needs to get out of Chivas asap to develop so he can learn he cant dribble past the back line on his own. But will it do him any good to move to europe and never see the pitch? I dont think so.

Thats a major problem. I look at a guy like Agudelo who has tons of upside, but needs to get out of Chivas asap to develop so he can learn he cant dribble past the back line on his own. But will it do him any good to move to europe and never see the pitch? I dont think so.[/quote]

Exactly, I don’t know where he can go though to get that burn plus the tutelage… Mexico? MLS’s competition level isn’t bad, it isn’t great. Most would put an good MLS squad on the level of a second or third tier EPL team. How many field guys do we have in the EPL (I’m not counting keepers). Donovan, Dempsey, etc.? How many of these guys get legitimate burn.

Just looked it up:

http://www.soccertimes.com/americans/list.htm

I know some others play in the Italian league as well.

EDIT: That list is a bit dated.

Here is a current list…

http://yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=players

7 or 8 guys in the EPL. 3 are keepers though and they always get time. Demps, Ream and Cameron get good run. Holden does when he’s healthy.

[quote=“casstommy, post:9, topic:27433”]Here is a current list…

http://yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=players

7 or 8 guys in the EPL. 3 are keepers though and they always get time. Demps, Ream and Cameron get good run. Holden does when he’s healthy.[/quote]

Guys playing in the Championship, Bundesliga and Serie A could all be considered to be playing in leagues better than the MLS, at least that’s what minimal knowledge of European soccer leagues tells me.

Even if they aren’t playing, they’re still training with the best.

IMO, the optimal path for an American is to rise up in our (improved) youth ranks, maybe play a few years in MLS, get bought by a big name European club and play there for a decade, then come home to MLS to close out his career.

Wish Galaxy would’ve let Donovan stay at Everton, might have rejuvenated his love for the game.

Lots of US guys play in European leagues. Bradley, Edu, Cherundolo, Jermaine Jones, Bocanegra all get regular call-ups to the MNT. Granted, the Premiership gets the most press in the US, but that isn’t necessarily the best league in Europe.

Unfortunately, MLS is probably about #10 on a list of the best leagues in the world. It doesn’t help that they don’t pay much and play an off-kilter schedule. The scheduling thing is unique simply because soccer can’t compete with the NFL on weekends in the US. Just can’t. I would love to see homegrown talent stay here, but the reality is they will get paid maybe 10%-25% of what they could make overseas.

I had no idea anybody on this board kept up with international soccer. I saw where David Beckham signed to play with PSG today. Interesting move. He’s giving his entire salary to a boys home in Paris.

[quote=“Noreaster, post:11, topic:27433”]Lots of US guys play in European leagues. Bradley, Edu, Cherundolo, Jermaine Jones, Bocanegra all get regular call-ups to the MNT. Granted, the Premiership gets the most press in the US, but that isn’t necessarily the best league in Europe.

Unfortunately, MLS is probably about #10 on a list of the best leagues in the world. It doesn’t help that they don’t pay much and play an off-kilter schedule. The scheduling thing is unique simply because soccer can’t compete with the NFL on weekends in the US. Just can’t. I would love to see homegrown talent stay here, but the reality is they will get paid maybe 10%-25% of what they could make overseas.[/quote]

I think part of it as well was for player development… players can go on loan to European clubs in the MLS off season, allowing them to play year-round.

I will say, though… MLS has to, and I mean absolutely HAS to get rid of any semblance of a salary cap. I understand that they want to keep it competitive, but the only way that MLS will ever compete on a global scale is to cut the deepest pockets loose and let them bring in the talent to do so.

[quote=“ZombieLew, post:13, topic:27433”][quote=“Noreaster, post:11, topic:27433”]Lots of US guys play in European leagues. Bradley, Edu, Cherundolo, Jermaine Jones, Bocanegra all get regular call-ups to the MNT. Granted, the Premiership gets the most press in the US, but that isn’t necessarily the best league in Europe.

Unfortunately, MLS is probably about #10 on a list of the best leagues in the world. It doesn’t help that they don’t pay much and play an off-kilter schedule. The scheduling thing is unique simply because soccer can’t compete with the NFL on weekends in the US. Just can’t. I would love to see homegrown talent stay here, but the reality is they will get paid maybe 10%-25% of what they could make overseas.[/quote]

I think part of it as well was for player development… players can go on loan to European clubs in the MLS off season, allowing them to play year-round.

I will say, though… MLS has to, and I mean absolutely HAS to get rid of any semblance of a salary cap. I understand that they want to keep it competitive, but the only way that MLS will ever compete on a global scale is to cut the deepest pockets loose and let them bring in the talent to do so.[/quote]

this ^^

The New York Cosmos were the most popular and best team in the world in the 70’s. American fans won’t watch a product that is seen as “minor leagues”

[quote=“ZombieLew, post:13, topic:27433”][quote=“Noreaster, post:11, topic:27433”]Lots of US guys play in European leagues. Bradley, Edu, Cherundolo, Jermaine Jones, Bocanegra all get regular call-ups to the MNT. Granted, the Premiership gets the most press in the US, but that isn’t necessarily the best league in Europe.

Unfortunately, MLS is probably about #10 on a list of the best leagues in the world. It doesn’t help that they don’t pay much and play an off-kilter schedule. The scheduling thing is unique simply because soccer can’t compete with the NFL on weekends in the US. Just can’t. I would love to see homegrown talent stay here, but the reality is they will get paid maybe 10%-25% of what they could make overseas.[/quote]

I think part of it as well was for player development… players can go on loan to European clubs in the MLS off season, allowing them to play year-round.

I will say, though… MLS has to, and I mean absolutely HAS to get rid of any semblance of a salary cap. I understand that they want to keep it competitive, but the only way that MLS will ever compete on a global scale is to cut the deepest pockets loose and let them bring in the talent to do so.[/quote]

May allow some teams to bring in top talent, but that move would kill the smaller market teams that can’t afford it. Fans hate following losing teams, especially in this country. By keeping it equally competitive for the time being, they can grow the league (and the fanbase) at a steady rate for a better chance at future success. It’s getting better every year, and I think we’re not far removed from big money starting to be spent outside of LA and New York.

Going to take time.

Also, GO NORWICH!

I know plenty of players play elsewhere in equally competitive leagues, I just used EPL as the benchmark. I will agree the Bundesligia, La Liga, and Serie A leagues are all comparable.

[quote=“ImfromClayton, post:14, topic:27433”][quote=“ZombieLew, post:13, topic:27433”][quote=“Noreaster, post:11, topic:27433”]Lots of US guys play in European leagues. Bradley, Edu, Cherundolo, Jermaine Jones, Bocanegra all get regular call-ups to the MNT. Granted, the Premiership gets the most press in the US, but that isn’t necessarily the best league in Europe.

Unfortunately, MLS is probably about #10 on a list of the best leagues in the world. It doesn’t help that they don’t pay much and play an off-kilter schedule. The scheduling thing is unique simply because soccer can’t compete with the NFL on weekends in the US. Just can’t. I would love to see homegrown talent stay here, but the reality is they will get paid maybe 10%-25% of what they could make overseas.[/quote]

I think part of it as well was for player development… players can go on loan to European clubs in the MLS off season, allowing them to play year-round.

I will say, though… MLS has to, and I mean absolutely HAS to get rid of any semblance of a salary cap. I understand that they want to keep it competitive, but the only way that MLS will ever compete on a global scale is to cut the deepest pockets loose and let them bring in the talent to do so.[/quote]

this ^^

The New York Cosmos were the most popular and best team in the world in the 70’s. American fans won’t watch a product that is seen as “minor leagues”[/quote]

lol


MLS instituted a salary cap to avoid failure like the NASL did. MLS is doing fine. They have grown by leaps and bounds just in the time I’ve been living in this country (2000+). I remember thinking how much of a joke the broadcasts were when I moved here and caught them on TV. Now I find them thoroughly entertaining with a decent quality of play and great stadiums and fan bases.

You can add Ligue 1 to that list as well. Some other less profile leagues around Europe as well.

UEFA has a lot of problems but the coefficient system they use to decide the quality of the domestic leagues and thus decide who deserves more/less European competition spots is second to none. The NCAA could learn A LOT from such a system.

You can add Ligue 1 to that list as well. Some other less profile leagues around Europe as well.

UEFA has a lot of problems but the coefficient system they use to decide the quality of the domestic leagues and thus decide who deserves more/less European competition spots is second to none. The NCAA could learn A LOT from such a system.[/quote]

I just don’t like France.

You can add Ligue 1 to that list as well. Some other less profile leagues around Europe as well.

UEFA has a lot of problems but the coefficient system they use to decide the quality of the domestic leagues and thus decide who deserves more/less European competition spots is second to none. The NCAA could learn A LOT from such a system.[/quote]

I just don’t like France.[/quote]

clt doesn’t like France.