TheBigIguana
Player Valuation: £100m
That feels like more of a discussion about whether or not the way we label positions still lines up with what they do. But right now he's a right back and there aren't many better.
Why have America never produced a world class football player ?
- Thread starter Kurt.
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You rate besic .... nuff said
TheBigIguana
Player Valuation: £100m
I think it is possible that we don't actually know the name of the person yet, but if I'm picking someone I have heard of it might be Dest just because he seems set to go to a massive club and it's a position not exactly overflowing with great players.
No, he’s a defender who can’t defend, it’s quite simple.
TheBigIguana
Player Valuation: £100m
Yet he's an ever present for one of the best defenses in Europe. I feel like that would have been exposed by now.
USABlue
Player Valuation: £70m
That's a good possibility. I was very pleased when Dest decided to stick with the US for the national team. I think Reyna will have a very bright future but as you said fullback is a less loaded position
I rated Besic, but realised a long time ago that marking Messi out of the game 6 years ago was his pinnacle.
Still waiting for the names of 4 players better than the boy Trent.
It’s been exposed continuously... you can’t have failed to see that.
TheBigIguana
Player Valuation: £100m
I guess he isn't perfect.
Who is ??
tommye
Player Valuation: £120m
Me
TheBigIguana
Player Valuation: £100m
Although if we want to be technical about it Dest isn't an American product as he has been at Ajax since he was 12. The best chance of someone who actually spent most of their time developing in an American academy is Adams, but I'm not sure he has the potential to hit the very top.
Rook
Player Valuation: £80m
-Most of our best players stayed in MLS until their mid 20s. Donovan, Dempsey, Beasley, Holden, McBride.
-The ones that did well Pulisic (euro dad), Bradley and Convey are the only 3 I think of who did well at a young age there.
-Bradley went jerb hunting, ideally (and less ideally for his pocketbook) he would have been Genoa's best player for years.
-I was always in the camp that young US players need to be in Europe before when they hit puberty, I'm not sure now. Convey was ace at Reading then was injured and never the same. Pulisic is familar w/ Europe so he'll be OK. Might have ended up a squad player tho.
-I think its a good development league. In fact I'd rather have them stay in MLS until 21-23. The league doesn't tax your body, a 23 year old MLSer doesn't have that much miles on him. You can leave your club for international breaks. Rest on a sore day due to the regular season not mattering too much. Often these players are made captain and/or the best player on their club which matters a lot for maturity.
-Europe, especially England, is a meat grinder, its even chewed up a bunch of promising English players. Sandro might still be stuck in Man City's loan-a-rama if he stayed and not the player he is today. Altidore was a top 10 striker prospect at 17 and went to Villareal wayyyyyyyy too young.
-Americans also go to all the wrong places. I just don't think we play the current German style well. England, hell no, you go there as a finished product in your prime though becuase of money and language its where they all want to go. There's so much money in the prem that player development and sell-ons are the least of their priorities.
-If they are leaving at 19-20, they should go to a smaller country. Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark etc. Get your experience they need you to be good for their finances.
-I've thought that Americans play a poor-mans italy game. We are comfortable and grow up playing that way and we've always given Italy fits when we played. And we have absolutely no connection w/ Italy at all. The USMNT is awash in money, I think Conte might have been interested. Problem is w/ the exception of Juve and a couple others. Italy can't compete w/ the MLS in salaries.
TheBigIguana
Player Valuation: £100m
I don't think MLS is a high enough level to make you truly an elite player though. I do agree with what you say about Europe being a meat grinder, it is very tough to make it, but making it puts you at a place way above where most guys in MLS ever reach.
Pulisic is a good example. Yes he is currently a Chelsea squad player, but he would torch MLS the way Vela does. This isn't an indictment of the MLS btw as it is true of South America, Mexico and a lot of the less good leagues in Europe too. At some point the jump has to be made or you can't hit the true heights of the game.
Now what age that is I have no idea. You're right I think with Altidore in that it was too young and it hurt him more than helped. But I also look at someone like Yedlin who had the raw physical skills to be very good, but never got there technically and think maybe if he goes a bit earlier that is avoided.
It is a tough spot for the US to be in but without MLS becoming a league with quality from front to back in the teams it'll never be viable for producing truly world class players. They'll have to go.
Rook
Player Valuation: £80m
Easy they stay in Mexico.
They are treated like rockstars there and paid in US dollars in a country where the taxes are less and the money goes a long way. They are also heading to the MLS as well.
Now any Mexican would sign up for Barca/Madrid (also probably Athleti these days) in heartbeat. The ones that feel like they have a shot do go like Lazano and Vela but Vela wasn't good enough and Lazano probably won't be. There is a higher probablity that Lazano is in LA collecting DNP $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ than there is him staying in Europe by his mid-20s.
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