The Boomerang Effect – Young Americans Returning to MLS...
After every college season we see a rush of players trying to go to Europe to start a professional career. Many MLS fans see this European flight as a big problem. Many American “Eurosnob” soccer fans see this as the only way to build a noteworthy professional career. I personally see it as another aspect to the World’s Game that will help the growth of American soccer over the long term.
The first time I put any thought to the topic my knee jerk reaction was one of fear for MLS. After all, how can our young, domestic league grow and prosper if all of the talent moves to Europe before ever putting on a MLS kit? Well my friends, that last sentence has a lot of flawed logic in itself and we’re starting to see more young American players return from their European adventure still preferring to play professional soccer at home.
First, let’s think about the above statement with the flawed logic. The statement that “all of the talent moves to Europe before putting on a MLS kit” implies that those players staying in MLS as opposed to going abroad are not talented. Jonathan Bornstein, Bobby Boswell, Jimmy Conrad, Joshua Gros, Chris Albright, Brian Carroll, Ricardo Clark, Pablo Mastroeni, Chris Rolfe & Eddie Johnson will probably disagree with you. What do they have in common? They all played against Mexico last week, beat Mexico despite being underdogs and started their careers in MLS as opposed to a foreign league. Let’s throw Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey & Bobby Convey into that mix. What do they all have in common? They’re all playing in the English Premier League after starting their careers in MLS and featured in the above mentioned Mexico – US friendly. I think you see where I’m going…MLS is signing plenty of talent every year. The league has also become a strong developer of talent as their pupils go onto National Team and foreign league success. After all, without MLS we probably wouldn’t know Bobby Boswell’s name. Please stop thinking that MLS is sinking into an abyss when players like Charlie Davies and Tally Hall sign with a foreign league right out of college. There is a good chance they’ll return like a boomerang in a few years. Why do I think that? Read on….
As the 2007 MLS season approaches I have enjoyed reading all of the pre-season info on various websites. Most stories are about the veterans coming back to camp to gear up for another season. However, rumors of young Americans leaving Europe behind for MLS began to surface last week and that started to raise my interest. As I looked around more and more, it seemed that the swell of talent people were so horrified to lose to Europe a few short years ago could be headed back to MLS this season.
We can all remember when Peter Philipakos bolted for Europe after a great career at American University ended in 2004 when the young Greek-American signed for AEK Athens, right? Ok, if you missed it there were scores of American soccer fans lighting up BigSoccer with claims of the demise of MLS due to this defection and so on and so fourth. Same goes for Daniel Karbassiyoon leaving for Arsenal the same year. Erik Hort was another recent young American to sign with a European club in the Czech Republic. Well folks, these players are all rumored to be returning to the US and hoping to sign with MLS after their European adventures didn’t turn out the way they had hoped. While Conor Casey’s return hasn’t been made official yet, he is also on the way back and is the most substantiated of all these rumors.
Over the past few years MLS has seen a couple players returning from Europe each season. Taylor Twellman came back to the US after a period in Germany. He’s gone on to become one of MLS’ most prolific goal scorers. Then there is John Thorrington who was the youngest American to sign with an English Premier League club when he signed with Manchester United and flopped around Europe a few years before returning to MLS to play in only ten matches over the past two seasons. Jovan Kirovski’s name used to make American soccer fans extremely excited but now he’s looking at the end of the Colorado Rapids’ bench…if that. We all know how John O’Brien’s once promising career is going these days after a mythical start at Ajax of Amsterdam. Landon Donovan is one of the best known successes of this boomerang set up.
You see folks, just because a young American soccer player starts his professional career in Europe, it doesn’t mean he won’t end it here in MLS. Similarly, heading to Europe after college/high school doesn’t guarantee a great career. Guys like Twellman and Donovan have built on their European adventures to build solid professional careers. Careers that may take them back to Europe in the future. Other players who once had limitless potential and inspired dreams of World Cup glory in American fans are now riding the pine in MLS.
This boomerang of American players crossing the pond and returning will continue so long as the sport exists on our shores. There is no reason to fear it. No reason to think MLS is in trouble. No reason to pin your hopes of World Cup success on the next youngster who jumps the Atlantic. Some will go onto glory while some will return to start over. Some will return on high while some come back unknown. All I’ve got to say is….get used to it, the boomerang always returns.
***Edit 2/17/07*** I just read that Danny Karbassiyoon who had returned to the US to try and sign with MLS after developing in England has been forced to retire due to knee injuries.
The first time I put any thought to the topic my knee jerk reaction was one of fear for MLS. After all, how can our young, domestic league grow and prosper if all of the talent moves to Europe before ever putting on a MLS kit? Well my friends, that last sentence has a lot of flawed logic in itself and we’re starting to see more young American players return from their European adventure still preferring to play professional soccer at home.
First, let’s think about the above statement with the flawed logic. The statement that “all of the talent moves to Europe before putting on a MLS kit” implies that those players staying in MLS as opposed to going abroad are not talented. Jonathan Bornstein, Bobby Boswell, Jimmy Conrad, Joshua Gros, Chris Albright, Brian Carroll, Ricardo Clark, Pablo Mastroeni, Chris Rolfe & Eddie Johnson will probably disagree with you. What do they have in common? They all played against Mexico last week, beat Mexico despite being underdogs and started their careers in MLS as opposed to a foreign league. Let’s throw Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey & Bobby Convey into that mix. What do they all have in common? They’re all playing in the English Premier League after starting their careers in MLS and featured in the above mentioned Mexico – US friendly. I think you see where I’m going…MLS is signing plenty of talent every year. The league has also become a strong developer of talent as their pupils go onto National Team and foreign league success. After all, without MLS we probably wouldn’t know Bobby Boswell’s name. Please stop thinking that MLS is sinking into an abyss when players like Charlie Davies and Tally Hall sign with a foreign league right out of college. There is a good chance they’ll return like a boomerang in a few years. Why do I think that? Read on….
As the 2007 MLS season approaches I have enjoyed reading all of the pre-season info on various websites. Most stories are about the veterans coming back to camp to gear up for another season. However, rumors of young Americans leaving Europe behind for MLS began to surface last week and that started to raise my interest. As I looked around more and more, it seemed that the swell of talent people were so horrified to lose to Europe a few short years ago could be headed back to MLS this season.
We can all remember when Peter Philipakos bolted for Europe after a great career at American University ended in 2004 when the young Greek-American signed for AEK Athens, right? Ok, if you missed it there were scores of American soccer fans lighting up BigSoccer with claims of the demise of MLS due to this defection and so on and so fourth. Same goes for Daniel Karbassiyoon leaving for Arsenal the same year. Erik Hort was another recent young American to sign with a European club in the Czech Republic. Well folks, these players are all rumored to be returning to the US and hoping to sign with MLS after their European adventures didn’t turn out the way they had hoped. While Conor Casey’s return hasn’t been made official yet, he is also on the way back and is the most substantiated of all these rumors.
Over the past few years MLS has seen a couple players returning from Europe each season. Taylor Twellman came back to the US after a period in Germany. He’s gone on to become one of MLS’ most prolific goal scorers. Then there is John Thorrington who was the youngest American to sign with an English Premier League club when he signed with Manchester United and flopped around Europe a few years before returning to MLS to play in only ten matches over the past two seasons. Jovan Kirovski’s name used to make American soccer fans extremely excited but now he’s looking at the end of the Colorado Rapids’ bench…if that. We all know how John O’Brien’s once promising career is going these days after a mythical start at Ajax of Amsterdam. Landon Donovan is one of the best known successes of this boomerang set up.
You see folks, just because a young American soccer player starts his professional career in Europe, it doesn’t mean he won’t end it here in MLS. Similarly, heading to Europe after college/high school doesn’t guarantee a great career. Guys like Twellman and Donovan have built on their European adventures to build solid professional careers. Careers that may take them back to Europe in the future. Other players who once had limitless potential and inspired dreams of World Cup glory in American fans are now riding the pine in MLS.
This boomerang of American players crossing the pond and returning will continue so long as the sport exists on our shores. There is no reason to fear it. No reason to think MLS is in trouble. No reason to pin your hopes of World Cup success on the next youngster who jumps the Atlantic. Some will go onto glory while some will return to start over. Some will return on high while some come back unknown. All I’ve got to say is….get used to it, the boomerang always returns.
***Edit 2/17/07*** I just read that Danny Karbassiyoon who had returned to the US to try and sign with MLS after developing in England has been forced to retire due to knee injuries.
Labels: American Soccer, MLS, Yanks Abroad
posted by Bonji at
2:37 PM
1 Comments:
Karbassiyoon isn't returning anywhere. He's retired.
By
Allen, at 7:36 PM
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