World Cup 2014

[notredomer23]

Yedlin will be too old for the U-20 World Cup. He'll be 21 or 22.

However, Gedion Zelalem is an option.

yeah I took Yedlin out I forgot he was already 20. I pray Zelalem chooses the USA. Could be a situation as to who calls him up first. He is a better prospect than Green IMO

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Apparently his dad posted a picture on Facebook of himself wearing a US jersey. The rumor is that Zelalem will announce for the US after the World Cup. That would be huge. Zelalem might be getting minutes with the Arsenal first team next year.

 

[Irish YJ]

Maybe I misunderstood; I thought he was talking directly about the MLS as a League vs. Euro Leagues. Not so much the strength of our National Team and the overall popularity of the sport. There is some common factors there but not all the same. For example, the MLS isn't all American players...

BTW, We have had numerous players play in the top Euro leagues...

My point is that the gauge of success is the Euros... MLS is a product of popularity here in the states, and is filled with US players and 2nd and 3rd tier international players. The gap goes hand and hand with both popularity here in the states (people buying tix and supporting the improvement), and the level of players here in the states (American's primarily want to follow Americans).

Regarding US players playing in the Euros.... Is there a US player you could honestly say is in the top 25 players in the Euros?

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

I really think the US will contend at the Olympics in 2016. We are in the unfortunate space for the U-20 cup in 2015 because our best players will just be turning 20 or 21. However, 2016 could be incredible.

 

[ACamp1900]

Regarding US players playing in the Euros.... Is there a US player you could honestly say is in the top 25 players in the Euros?

This here is a completely different animal than what was discussed eariler...

 

[Irish YJ]

Top 25 Players By Market Value: Messi, Ronaldo Transfer Fee - Business Insider

 

[Irish YJ]

This here is a completely different animal than what was discussed eariler...

Directed to your comments about US players playing in Euros not the original ask.

To answer the original question, talent gap, popularity gap, every gap,,,,, is huge. Gap will continue to be huge. MLS is considered a junior league or retirement home by most of the futbol power nations.

 

[notredomer23]

Regarding US players playing in the Euros.... Is there a US player you could honestly say is in the top 25 players in the Euros?

No. There is not, at the moment. One could maybe argue that Landon Donovan in his prime hovered around 25, but I think he was closer to 50. Clint Dempsey hovered close to 50-75 during his last season at Fulham, but he's not that close now, mainly thanks to moving back to MLS. Howard is up there, but I don't think keepers are usually rated as high. He is a top 10 keeper in the world.

I truly think this will be a different conversation come the next World Cup though.

 

[brick4956]

Mix Diskerud needs to start

 

[notredomer23]

Directed to your comments about US players playing in Euros not the original ask.

To answer the original question, talent gap, popularity gap, every gap,,,,, is huge. Gap will continue to be huge. MLS is considered a junior league or retirement home by most of the futbol power nations.

The MLS is getting better every year. The main reason for this is because America values of off past performance where as in Europe, they value off of future performance. These players will get paid in America, they won't in Europe.

The MLS is probably the 9th or tenth best league in the world. Around 2005, I do not know if it was in the top 20.

 

[Irish YJ]

No. There is not, at the moment. One could maybe argue that Landon Donovan in his prime hovered around 25, but I think he was closer to 50. Clint Dempsey hovered close to 50-75 during his last season at Fulham, but he's not that close now, mainly thanks to moving back to MLS. Howard is up there, but I don't think keepers are usually rated as high. He is a top 10 keeper in the world.

I truly think this will be a different conversation come the next World Cup though.

Howard is a monster!! I'm thinking top 5 to be honest.

I sure hope you are right about the next WC. Planning on attending. I'm a huge Germany and Italy fan (my heritage) but there's nothing more I'd like to see than the US take the WC in Russian... LOL.

 

[notredomer23]

Howard is a monster!! I'm thinking top 5 to be honest.

I sure hope you are right about the next WC. Planning on attending. I'm a huge Germany and Italy fan (my heritage) but there's nothing more I'd like to see than the US take the WC in Russian... LOL.

The talent pool for 2018 will be the deepest ever, but might be too young lacking leadership. Dempsey and Jermaine Jones will likely be too old. Howard probably too, although Guzan is just as good. It will be interesting to see who steps up.

 

[Irish YJ]

The MLS is getting better every year. The main reason for this is because America values of off past performance where as in Europe, they value off of future performance. These players will get paid in America, they won't in Europe.

The MLS is probably the 9th or tenth best league in the world. Around 2005, I do not know if it was in the top 20.

Absolutely to the bolded above, but a long way to go. Love what Arthur Blank is doing with ATL, and a few other groups including the one led by Beckham. Blank is rumored to be willing to open up the check book. If he grabs some key Mexican, Brazilian, and Eastern Euro players, ATL's team will huge.

 

[ACamp1900]

Directed to your comments about US players playing in Euros not the original ask.

To answer the original question, talent gap, popularity gap, every gap,,,,, is huge. Gap will continue to be huge. MLS is considered a junior league or retirement home by most of the futbol power nations.

Again, saying, 'no US player has played or is playing in a top Euro league', and saying 'No US player is in the top 25 players in the world' is saying two TOTALLY different things.

The MLS is getting better every year. The main reason for this is because America values of off past performance where as in Europe, they value off of future performance. These players will get paid in America, they won't in Europe.

The MLS is probably the 9th or tenth best league in the world. Around 2005, I do not know if it was in the top 20.

I agree with this, obviously as my first post mirrored it... there is something to the 'retirement' comment, but the MLS has become more than just that and is certainly not the joke it was ten years ago... and the gap isn't nearly as big talent and level of play wise as it once was, and stating so isn't some crazy homerish statement either, it's a generally accepted and widely held opinion these days.

 

[Cackalacky]

The MLS has a problem with the structure of the league. Pay structures, DPs etc. are not competitive with major leagues in Euro nor is it a good academy structure. If they can get the euros to send academy kids here, that would be a huge step. Also need top quality trainers as well. I think I heard that these are coming it will just take time.

I believe NY FC will be the model of future MLS franchises.

 

[Cackalacky]

Again, saying, 'no US player has played or is playing in a top Euro league', and saying 'No US player is in the top 25 players in the world' is saying two TOTALLY different things.



I agree with the bottom with this, obviously as my first post mirrored it... there is something to the 'retirement' comment, but the MLS has become more than just that and is certainly not the joke it was ten years ago...

The fact that Beckham, Henry, Nesta, etc all are investing in MLS speaks volumes.

 

[notredomer23]

I understand why the MLS has DPs, but once that rule is removed, the MLS will have finally have arrived as a league. That said, I do not think they can get rid of that rule for at least ten more years. If they did now, 2-3 clubs would dominate, 4 or 5 would be decent, and the rest would absolutely be awful.

 

[Irish YJ]

Again, saying, 'no US player has played or is playing in a top Euro league', and saying 'No US player is in the top 25 players in the world' is saying two TOTALLY different things.



I agree with the bottom with this, obviously as my first post mirrored it... there is something to the 'retirement' comment, but the MLS has become more than just that and is certainly not the joke it was ten years ago...

I don't think I said anywhere that no US player is playing in the Euros. There are 6-7 I think are currently playing. My intent was to say we are far behind in talent compared to other country representation, especially if you factor in population.

We have made progress, but I talk to internationals every day. Constant MLS jokes.... just saying...

 

[notredomer23]

I don't think I said anywhere that no US player is playing in the Euros. There are 6-7 I think are currently playing. My intent was to say we are far behind in talent compared to other country representation, especially if you factor in population.

We have made progress, but I talk to internationals every day. Constant MLS jokes.... just saying...

There are for more than 6 or 7... hell just look at our World Cup roster. Plus, there are loads that didn't make the team.

 

[Irish YJ]

The fact that Beckham, Henry, Nesta, etc all are investing in MLS speaks volumes.

Yes it does. The projections/studies that were shared by Blanks's group were pretty impressive. One key factor is that most are counting on the Hispanic population's fan hood as the predominant force for growth.

 

[ACamp1900]

I don't think I said anywhere that no US player is playing in the Euros. There are 6-7 I think are currently playing. My intent was to say we are far behind in talent compared to other country representation, especially if you factor in population.

I don't disagree with any of this...

This is what got us here... in fairness I may have just misunderstood your intent

I'm not an expert, but I have many friends that are (mostly European and S. Americans).... The gap is huge. One easy barometer is how many Americans actually play in the Euro leagues. And how many US National Team players play in the top Euro leagues. I may be incorrect, but only one of our National Team players (Goalie) has what it takes.

As far as internationals and their 'jokes'... unless they are from Germany, Spain, Italy, or England the odds are our 'little po dunk league' is of equal or better quality than the domestic leagues in their own home nation(s)... just sayin.

 

[Irish YJ]

There are for more than 6 or 7... hell just look at our World Cup roster. Plus, there are loads that didn't make the team.

List of foreign Premier League players - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My German buddy threw this at me when I posed the same question. Shows 7. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate, but it's directionally correct.

 

[notredomer23]

List of foreign Premier League players - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My German buddy threw this at me when I posed the same question. Shows 7. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate, but it's directionally correct.

I didn't realize you were just talking the premier league. It is so hard for US players to get a work permit that so many are just going to the Bundesliga now instead. In the coming years, you are going to see a large amount of American players in the Bundesliga, and I am not talking ones that are German-Americans.

Here is a list from Yanks-Abroad.com of all our players playing outside the MLS. Not sure how updated it is, but it is still pretty good.

Yanks Abroad.

 

[Irish YJ]

I don't disagree with any of this...

This is what got us here... in fairness I may have just misunderstood your intent



As far as internationals and their 'jokes'... unless they are from Germany, Spain, Italy, or England the odds are our 'little po dunk league' is of equal or better quality than the domestic leagues in their own home nation(s)... just sayin.

Germany, UK, Brazil, Argentina, and Italy is what I typically have to put up with. Podunk is relative to population. Compare Germany's population to ours for instance...

 

[ACamp1900]

In fairness the Bundesliga is prob the only league that can even sniff the EPL from top to bottom in terms of total quality... also in fairnes you can add France, Portugal and maybe a couple of other to my list, but you all get the point.

 

[Irish YJ]

I didn't realize you were just talking the premier league. It is so hard for US players to get a work permit that so many are just going to the Bundesliga now instead. In the coming years, you are going to see a large amount of American players in the Bundesliga, and I am not talking ones that are German-Americans.

Here is a list from Yanks-Abroad.com of all our players playing outside the MLS. Not sure how updated it is, but it is still pretty good.

Yanks Abroad.

Sorry I should have been clear. On the treadmill struggling to keep up with AngryCamp (just kidding AC

 

[ACamp1900]

Germany, UK, Brazil, Argentina, and Italy is what I typically have to put up with. Podunk is relative to population. Compare Germany's population to ours for instance...

Compare the Bundesliga's lifespan to that of the MLS... to me, the fact that the MLS is even arguably a top ten world league considering it wasn't even in existence a few decades ago is mighty impressive...

 

[Irish YJ]

In fairness the Bundesliga is prob the only league that can even sniff the EPL from top to bottom in terms of total quality... also in fairnes you can add France, Portugal and maybe a couple of other to my list, but you all get the point.

Please don't add in the French...

 

[ACamp1900]

Sorry I should have been clear. On the treadmill struggling to keep up with AngryCamp (just kidding AC

I'M NOT ANGRY!!!!

 

[Irish YJ]

Compare the Bundesliga's lifespan to that of the MLS... to me, the fact that the MLS is even arguably a top ten world league considering it wasn't even in existence a few decades ago is mighty impressive...

Incredibly impressive. Like I said, I'm no expert. I'm pretty much regurgitating crappola from the mouths of Euros.