MLS Tried But Couldn't Keep Charlie Davies in The States...

Frank Dell'Apa posted a good article today on the number of kids going abroad to earn their keep as professional footballers. In the article, Dell'Apa reports that Boston College standout, and consensus first round MLS draft pick, spurned a six year, $1 Million contract from MLS to try his luck abroad.

The MLS offered Davies a contract worth more than $1 million over six years, plus bonuses and a sponsorship deal. Besides making Davies among the MLS' highest-paid players, this indicated the league also was going to promote him.

Davies has put a lot on the line to prove himself in Europe. The article continues to say that the Hammarby signed by Davies is similar to the one offered by MLS. So what is driving Davies to sign abroad as opposed to at home?

I'm sure this was one of the toughest choices young Davies has made in his life and I'm sure there were many criteria considered. However, I've got to assume that Dell'Apa is correct when he says that other young stars' experiences influenced his choice. Dell'Apa points out Chad Barrett, who was in a similar position two years ago and signed with MLS, and is now struggling to find his place in MLS and who doesn't have the same buzz surrounding him as two years ago. If Davies had joined MLS, and had a slow starting career due to injury, poor coaching or poor form...that's it...end of career. If Barrett has a sterling year he'll be in the boat with Clint Dempsey who MLS wouldn't sell until it was painfully obvious that was the only choice.

If Davies goes to Europe and has a slow start, he probably will suffer the same fate as Barrett...needing to create some excitement by climbing back from the bench. However, if he does well Hammarby will cash in on their investment and start looking for the next young commodity. Hammarby won't be afraid to sell their young star like MLS is. MLS is banking on these young players exciting the American sports fans and bringing more fans to the gate. Hammarby is just looking for a player who can help win some games and make some money. The sport isn't being cultivated by the young import the way it is here.

MLS needs to get away from this. The league needs to embrace the world feel of the game and accept the fact that they are a feeder league to Europe. I would think that if Davies felt he was going to have a good shot at making a name for himself in MLS and then being sold to a more prestigious club, he would have signed with MLS. However, MLS is sending the message to these young kids that they need to stay in the league and help it grow. MLS wants all the young stars to be like Landon and not want to move abroad.

Unfortunately for MLS, not every young soccer player is like Landon and many are going to want to move abroad and prove themselves on the world stage. In my opinion those aspirations are great for American soccer because our players are getting the best training available. In the long run the more Americans playing the sport anywhere in the world, the better for the sport in America. That is my view.

With this year's Generation Adidas class of four or five players (depending on what is happening with Edu and Seitz it could go to six) MLS needs to realize they have failed. They have failed to capture the top American talent. As a league they may be content knowing they're not going to sign them all. But as a league they need to try and they need to have a system that is attractive to the young players being recruited. If Davies in fact decided not to sign with MLS because of the experience of young Americans ahead of him, then MLS is giving themselves a black eye and working against themselves.

I don't want to see MLS as a feeder league to the rest of the world, but I do want to see the best and brightest young American players in MLS. If the best players coming through the ranks are being scared off by league rules and practices, we have a problem. I'd rather have the opportunity to see Davies flourish in MLS for one year, and then be sold to Europe for a few million dollars in stead of never seeing him in MLS. While MLS is trying to protect their investment and keep top American talent in the US, they are scaring off the next round before they even enter the league.

MLS needs to realize that some players signed will be here for the long haul and some will be here for a short amount of time. No one player is going to turn the sport into an American hit, a combination of all of the best will. MLS must stop being overly protective of top young talent once they've signed on the dotted line. Allow the kids to flourish and move to bigger and better things, that was more kids will be interested in the league.