USA vs Holland in Boston

[Imran Siddiqui]

I do understand that building up the MLS is important, but it might be important for players to compete in the Champions League or UEFA Cup to get some experience. And after Rangers were defeated by Feyenoord I don't rate that club that high anymore. Our Dutch isn't anymore what it has been, England is a better place for Americans I guess.

Yeah... I can understand that. They need more international experience. However, the powers that be (TM) decided that building up the MLS was more important. I say, I have to agree. There are a lot of young players that wouldn't even be on this team if it wasn't for the MLS allowing locating of talent.

I guess that we Americans really need a league to succeed in order to future develop players that would be good enough to play starring roles in Europe.

Dusting off an old account to say this, but Reyna plays for Sunderland in England. They finished fourth bottom this year having finished seventh in the previous two seasons.

Welcome Back! And my mistake... though I hope you aren't saying Reyna was the reason they dropped from 7th to 4th bottom .

[Oligarf]

Slovenia played well, maybe some luck. China had an easier road to the World Cup than any European country.

A question, the stadiums available to the MLS teams are big if I am right. I can imagine advertising is also not that bad in the US, couldn't the MLS attract some more Europeans to America. For as far as I know they are pretty few there, although the money, which those players seem to like, is there.

[JohnIII]

Oligarf, was it luck they got to Euro 2000 as well? Or could it just be that, like Ireland, they show that a team of 11 is better than a few individual superstars.

Imran, he helped stop the slide they were in . Excellent player.

[Imran Siddiqui]

couldn't the MLS attract some more Europeans to America. For as far as I know they are pretty few there, although the money, which those players seem to like, is there.

Well there are rules about how many players can be foriegn (I think 5 per side), because, as I said it is mostly for development of US players, and one of the reasons the old NASL collapsed because most of the stars were foriegners and Americans couldn't identify.

We tend to get the over-the-hill stars . The Metrostars had Matteus for a year. Stoichkov is still with Chicago... We also get the good players from Latin America, who are good enough that their home country leagues are below them, but they aren't good enough to play in Europe (such as Marco Etcheverry).

Imran, he helped stop the slide they were in

Glad to hear it

[Saint Marcus]

They are also mediocre players in the US National Team

funny, since stewart was voted best US player last year I believe.

[JohnIII]

By whom?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes, by whom .

We all know that Reyna has been the MVP of the US National Team for probably the last three years.

Stewart is a sub. And not even the first sub (I believe Joe Max-Moore is that one).

[JohnIII]

Joe Max-Moore couldn’t get in the Everton first team when they were playing their right back up front.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah... I heard. Yet, he is 2nd in international goals for the US.

Ok, I think I found what Markus is talking about "Honored as the Chevrolet 2001 Male Athlete of the Year"... for qualifying matches that year. Hmmm, scored 5 goals in 10 games... not bad. And I see Stewart is now considered a midfielder.. hmmm.

[Zopperoni]

Hasn't he always been a midfielder?

He's always played as right-midfielder at NAC.

[Imran Siddiqui]

He was a forward in USA 94... and I believe in 98.

[MBloomIII]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Well no... the US is trying to entice them into staying at home and playing in the MLS, so they can build up the league. Most of the US players come from the MLS. Some, like the goalies (Brad Friedal and Kasey Keller) play in England. Cladio Reyna (the most important player on the team) plays in Germany, IIRC, and used to play for Rangers in Scotland. And of course, O'Brian and Stewart play in the Netherlands. I believe everyone else plays in the US... though DeMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan might make the jump to Europe in a few years.

Ummm, not quite. Earnie Stewart is a guaranteed starter for the US, in fact he is the Captain when Reyna isn't available. As for European based starters.

Your right about Keller (Tottenham Hotspur) and Friedal (Blackburn). Reyna (Sunderland) plays in England along with Greg Berhalter (Crystal Palace), Eddie Lewis (Fulham), and Joe-Max Moore (Everton).

Other European based players are Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, Germany), Franke Hejduk (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Tony Sennah (FC Nurnberg, Germany), John O'Brien (Ajax, Holland), Earnie Stewart (NAC Breda, Holland), and David Regis (FC Metz, France).

Of the original 23 named to the team, 11 were European based. When Chris Armas was injured a 12th Euro. player was named, Steve Cherundolo.

Your also right that Beasley and Donovan will be next. In fact, Donovan played for Bayer Leverkusen but was not getting much playing time and was placed on loan to MLS. Leverkusen still holds his rights I believe.

[MBloomIII]

Originally posted by Zopperoni
Hasn't he always been a midfielder?

He's always played as right-midfielder at NAC.

Yes, he is an attacking mid-fielder for the US. And yes, he was US Soccer Player of the Year last year.

[JohnIII]

Originally posted by MBloomIII


Ummm, not quite. Earnie Stewart is a guaranteed starter for the US, in fact he is the Captain when Reyna isn't available. As for European based starters.

Your right about Keller (Tottenham Hotspur) and Friedal (Blackburn). Reyna (Sunderland) plays in England along with Greg Berhalter (Crystal Palace), Eddie Lewis (Fulham), and Joe-Max Moore (Everton).

Only starters at international level .

[Saint Marcus]

Ok, I think I found what Markus is talking about "Honored as the Chevrolet 2001 Male Athlete of the Year"... for qualifying matches that year. Hmmm, scored 5 goals in 10 games... not bad. And I see Stewart is now considered a midfielder.. hmmm.

I didn't know the name of the award, but that's the one I'm talking about. It says a lot that a mediocre player for a mediocre team in Holland can become Male Athlete of the Year in the USA. Says a lot about the quality, or lack thereof, of the American team.