It is a tough road
Getting from college soccer to the pros is a tough road, just ask Mike Ambersley. Yesterday the 4th round SuperDraft pick out of the soccer powerhouse Indiana University was released by FC Dallas.
Mike was not a nobody going into his senior year and the MLS SuperDraft and frankly it is a little surprising to see him released a week before MLS rosters have to be set. Mike's soccer career has been a strong one. In 2000 he was named the Missouri player of the year for his outstanding high school play. He was also a high school All-American. He was a starter throughout his career at IU but redshirted his Junior season. He has played for the US Youth National team at the U-20 level. If I recall correctly he scored the winning goal for IU in the College Cup a year or two ago to seal another College Cup trophy for his school.
On paper he should be able to make an MLS side. Maybe he's too small at 5' - 7". Maybe he didn't work hard enough in the pre-season games he participated in. Maybe he didn't see eye to eye with Dallas coach, Collin Clarke.
Ambersley was in a crowded group of Rookies down in Dallas. At one point Dallas had 13 newbies training with them. With the roster constraints imposed by MLS there is no way many of these guys will get a contract when the day is done.
This just goes to show that being a starter and good player at the most storied US Soccer university is no guarantee of a spot on a MLS side. Competition for those 28 spots is fierce. There are plenty of people who laugh off MLS saying it is a second tier league, but Mike Ambersley should be able to play in a second tier league. And here he is a couple months before the season without a team.
I think Mike being cut shows that MLS is improving the level of talent every year and making a career out of it is not an easy thing to do. Good luck to Mike. Maybe another MLS side will invite him into camp or, more likely if he wants to keep the soccer dream alive, he'll get a contract with one of the United Soccer Leagues teams.
Mike was not a nobody going into his senior year and the MLS SuperDraft and frankly it is a little surprising to see him released a week before MLS rosters have to be set. Mike's soccer career has been a strong one. In 2000 he was named the Missouri player of the year for his outstanding high school play. He was also a high school All-American. He was a starter throughout his career at IU but redshirted his Junior season. He has played for the US Youth National team at the U-20 level. If I recall correctly he scored the winning goal for IU in the College Cup a year or two ago to seal another College Cup trophy for his school.
On paper he should be able to make an MLS side. Maybe he's too small at 5' - 7". Maybe he didn't work hard enough in the pre-season games he participated in. Maybe he didn't see eye to eye with Dallas coach, Collin Clarke.
Ambersley was in a crowded group of Rookies down in Dallas. At one point Dallas had 13 newbies training with them. With the roster constraints imposed by MLS there is no way many of these guys will get a contract when the day is done.
This just goes to show that being a starter and good player at the most storied US Soccer university is no guarantee of a spot on a MLS side. Competition for those 28 spots is fierce. There are plenty of people who laugh off MLS saying it is a second tier league, but Mike Ambersley should be able to play in a second tier league. And here he is a couple months before the season without a team.
I think Mike being cut shows that MLS is improving the level of talent every year and making a career out of it is not an easy thing to do. Good luck to Mike. Maybe another MLS side will invite him into camp or, more likely if he wants to keep the soccer dream alive, he'll get a contract with one of the United Soccer Leagues teams.
posted by Bonji at
3:03 PM
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