Despite the constant and almost fashionable put-down of the MLS, made all the more arguable by players such as Robbie Keane and Darren Huckerby heading to America for their final pay packet, whilst playing football that Del Piero states needs to be “more competitive,” it seems that the American Dream of a rising standard of soccer is looking all the more valid.
David Beckham joined the MLS as an L.A Galaxy player in 2007 and told the world that he was going there, “to make a difference, to play football,” however he admitted that going over to the States didn’t mean it was going to, “make soccer the biggest sport in America,” further admitting it, “would be difficult to achieve.” He did however end his inspirational PR-fuelled ode to the MLS with a, in hindsight, accurate prediction for the future of American football, “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think I could make a difference.”
As Beckham’s multi-million pound contract trickles to an end in Los Angeles it is unquestionable that he has brought positive attention to the league, as well as inspiring aging has-beens to follow suit. Wenger is one of the biggest admirers of the MLS, “the United States (is) where football is becoming more and more popular and the quality is rising,” said the Frenchman, “I think (America and Asia) will be the future of the game. America will produce more and more top level players.”
His explanation is down to the mental attributes of the players, “they have an aptitude to have a team attitude and a hard-working attitude too. Once they get the education, they will start to produce good players.” With these comments in mind, the first MLS star with a future in the Premier League is Brek Shea and his possible future in the World’s best league may lie under Arsene Wenger.
Brek Shea is a 6’3 winger and height out wide is no bad thing, Ronaldo is 6’1 and a combination of pace and power makes for one of the most-feared players in the world. The 21-year old has already enjoyed a spell of English football, training with Bolton Wanderers in 2007 aged only 17. Bolton are a club that have invested in American talent with Stuart Holden having signed from Houston Dynamo in 2010. Shea was drafted in for FC Dallas in 2008 and the USA international has this year been shortlisted for the MLS MVP award, along with two other players. His ability has not gone unnoticed and Arsene Wenger has moved quickly to ensure he is in the best footing to sign the creative midfielder.
Arsenal.com announced that Brek Shea has joined The Gunners on a temporary basis, and Wenger added that “he will practice with the top team when it’s possible, practice with the best prospects of the club as well outside the normal sessions and have a contact with top level football in the world,” also hinting at the player featuring for the reserves, “if it is possible I would like to do it.”
The MLS will continue to produce talented young players, just like the bigger sports in the US do, because of the college systems.
It’s never going to be one of the best leagues in the world, because the best players in the world are never going to leave European football at their peak to play in America. But more and more American players will come to Europe to play, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the USA national team reached a World Cup final in the next 20 years.
On Donovan, I don’t think he wants to play in Europe on a permanent basis.
Hey David, firstly thank you for taking the time to read my article.
Secondly, the reason I was so intrigued with Brek Shea inparticular is because, unlike most of the MLS rising talent, he didn’t actually progress through the college systems at all!
At 6’3 and with bundles of pace and power, he really could be a big name if he gets a move to Europe. I think a lot of the deserved hype of the rising youth in MLS was rightly subdued due to the so far calamitous career of Freddy Adu.
He is a whole other story though, a very strange set of stories.
Thanks again for reading.
I’m amazed that with Americas population and their hunger for success and total team ethics that football hasn’t literally exploded over there. Maybe the answer lay’s with commercialism in the states. Take American football, baseball and ice hockey….they all have loads of time outs etc, great for commercials, advertising etc, etc….Americans live for it….to them its a family day out, the games last for hours.
I totally agree America has the potential to become World Champions one day but its the American public that need educating to accept soccer as a serious sport out there. Having been to the States a few times its ammazing that the ordinary man on the street out there does not have the foggiest who David Beckham is or what the World Cup is….thats what stands in the way of future success for America as a serious football nation!