Cam Weaver to FK Haugesund....
There goes the rumor that Cam Weaver, the outstanding rookie striker in USL-1 in 2006, is coming to a MLS city near you. Add him to the Charlie Davies, Nat Borchers and Almir Barbosa train of players going to the great white north. No, not Canada, but the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway and Denmark (Ok, if I mislabeled either of these as Nordic countries, please be kind.)
It seems that Nordic soccer teams have determined that the USA has a solid supply of affordable, young soccer players. Today, most any American player with skills can sign a deal over there for more money then MLS. If not more money, they can at least say to their friends, "Hey, I'm playing football in Europe!"
Take Almir Barbosa listed above. While he was raised in a soccer loving country, its not like he was brought up at a top level, D-1 soccer school. He played college soccer and earned his way across the pond. Either MLS missed out on him or he is just good enough to be playing in the third division of Swedish soccer.
In some ways I'm happy for these kids. They're making a living playing the game they love while living an exciting adventure abroad. I'm also happy to know that they're learning in a professional environment that someday could help grow the US National Team or leagues here at home. On the other hand I'm getting more and more pissed when these guys are forced to leave the US to earn a living and find "higher level competition."
If I ever meet Almir Barbosa, I'll ask him, "Almir, is the third division of Swedish soccer really higher quality then MLS or USL?" I find it hard to believe. So is it really the money? For Charlie Davies it may be. Somewhere in the Internet blob of information I've read that he could become one of the top paid players in Sweden. I find that hard to believe too as he's never played professional soccer. Unless Sweden was looking for their own Freddy Adu.
I'm sure all of the kids who leave the US have different reasons for going. As I said before, I'm torn on what to think and I can't say I blame them for trying something new. At the same time, MLS needs to start stepping it up and keeping the majority of these young Americans here. The league needs to continue building traditions of good competition so the choice of where to get the best games is not immediately Norway...or Sweden. If the Premier League was stealing all our top talent, that'd be one thing. But this is Sweden people! Let's get serious MLS!
It seems that Nordic soccer teams have determined that the USA has a solid supply of affordable, young soccer players. Today, most any American player with skills can sign a deal over there for more money then MLS. If not more money, they can at least say to their friends, "Hey, I'm playing football in Europe!"
Take Almir Barbosa listed above. While he was raised in a soccer loving country, its not like he was brought up at a top level, D-1 soccer school. He played college soccer and earned his way across the pond. Either MLS missed out on him or he is just good enough to be playing in the third division of Swedish soccer.
In some ways I'm happy for these kids. They're making a living playing the game they love while living an exciting adventure abroad. I'm also happy to know that they're learning in a professional environment that someday could help grow the US National Team or leagues here at home. On the other hand I'm getting more and more pissed when these guys are forced to leave the US to earn a living and find "higher level competition."
If I ever meet Almir Barbosa, I'll ask him, "Almir, is the third division of Swedish soccer really higher quality then MLS or USL?" I find it hard to believe. So is it really the money? For Charlie Davies it may be. Somewhere in the Internet blob of information I've read that he could become one of the top paid players in Sweden. I find that hard to believe too as he's never played professional soccer. Unless Sweden was looking for their own Freddy Adu.
I'm sure all of the kids who leave the US have different reasons for going. As I said before, I'm torn on what to think and I can't say I blame them for trying something new. At the same time, MLS needs to start stepping it up and keeping the majority of these young Americans here. The league needs to continue building traditions of good competition so the choice of where to get the best games is not immediately Norway...or Sweden. If the Premier League was stealing all our top talent, that'd be one thing. But this is Sweden people! Let's get serious MLS!
posted by Bonji at
6:05 PM
2 Comments:
Ya, you have to wonder how much of it is for the money and much of it is for the exposure.
As for the Scandanavian clubs, I wonder how much of their interest is driven by good domestic players moving to better leagues elsewhere in Europe.
By
Anonymous, at 7:25 PM
I'm with you: happy as I am for the players, this is an interesting/helluva problem. I wonder what role, if any, Clint Dempsey's situation plays in these situations - Charlie Davies' in particular (warning: there be speculation thar).
But the bigger picture aspect trumps that: why can't we pip the Swedes on these buys? At least MLS tried with Davies, but it looks like Weaver just walked away unnoticed.
By
The Manly Ferry, at 11:28 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home