FC Dallas radio voiceSteve Davis' weekly column, drilling down on five hot topics in American soccer. NOTE: Steve's views do not necessarily reflect the FC Dallas organization.
1. Annoyance at returning Yanks. Yes, this again
We need to talk, American soccer fans. Aren’t we past this small, petty attitude on native sons migrating back into MLS? Can’t we get over it?
Look, I get it. There are more U.S. soccer fans than MLS fans. I understand that – MLS ain’t everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s OK. So frustration mounts among that bunch with anything that serves MLS but doesn’t seem to serve the “Nats.”
Still, there’s more to consider whenever someone chooses MLS over lands afar. This goes back to Landon Donovan more than decade back. More recently, we get guys like Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore preferring a return stateside.
Today we have Alejandro Bedoya, apparently the next Yank abroad ready to return home[EDITOR'S NOTE: The move was confirmed by Philadelphia today]. ESPN’s Marc Stein broke the story Monday night of Bedoya’s impending move into MLS. Almost immediately rose the put-upon crowd, the antagonized social media voices who worried that this would reduce Bedoya’s ability to matter internationally. The reaction was every bit as surprising as bird flapping their wings.
All the old counter-arguments still apply: Mostly that athletes aren’t required to worry about what you want from them. It’s not their responsibility to assuage your insecurities about the U.S. place in world soccer’s order. Guys like Bedoya, with 53 U.S. caps, someone, a dude who played and stood tall in all four U.S. matches two years ago in Brazil, someone who has clawed his way up the European league ladders, has darn well earned the right to live and work wherever he wants.
Actually, that applies to young talent, too. Jordan Morris eschewed European offers to be a rookie MLS man in Seattle. He chose what he thought was best for his personal and professional development. He didn’t ask the rest of us because, frankly, it’s not about us – it’s about him.
All that still applies. But here’s where this conversation needs some updating:
This is not your father’s MLS. The league has made amazing progress. With a couple of notable exceptions, such as poorly-suited Yankee Stadium or poorly-turfed Gillette Stadium, the grounds here are quickly becoming every bit as dandy as those abroad.
And the soccer improves every year. MLS today isn’t too far behind the French Ligue 1 that Bedoya leaves behind. And even if this is all about your love for the national team, how about this: let’s play the “long game.”
A strong national team program benefits from a strong league. Players like Bedoya make MLS that much stronger, which in turn improves the national team scene. Remember how Bradley and Dempsey were beaten up for signing with MLS? Well, their arrival made MLS stronger, and paved the way for players like Morris, Bedoya, Tim Howard and others to say, “Well, if MLS is good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.” In other words, there’s an ongoing, exponential rise of positive effect.
I noticed a couple of critics complaining that Bedoya was doing it for the paycheck. So, let me get this right: For years (decades?) it was OK for U.S. players to flee MLS for larger paychecks abroad – but now that the economies of global soccer are evolving, it’s not OK for them to return to their own country for good money?
Yeah, that’s a broken argument.
Yes, Jurgen Klinsmann prefers U.S. talent that remains abroad, challenging themselves to the highest level possible. He’s told us so over and over. Which brings us to the other element that needs introducing to this conversation:
Klinsmann’s choices are highly unpredictable. Other than a preference for Yanks abroad, who knows what the guy will do? So players shouldn’t make career choices based on Klinsmann’s whims. After all, change is almost certainly coming on the U.S. coaching office in two years. So there’s that, too.
2. The “All-Outta Nowhere” list
I suppose we could call it the All-Revelation team for Major League Soccer in 2016. See, it’s better than an All-Newcomers list, because the successful arrivals of some newcomers can hardly be a surprise. Last year, for instance, was anyone shocked that David Villa was a productive goal getter? Because if you were, please see me after class.
So this is my Best XI list of lesser known newcomers, unheralded rookies who are making hay, former reserves who have broken through and even a couple of “olds” who we believed were closer to broken down than to breakout status. I suppose we could call it the “All-Outta Nowhere!” team.
Portland’s Jake Gleeson in goal. (He made MLS Cup-winning starter Adam Kwarasey expendable at Portland.)
A back line of New England rookie right back Keegan Rosenberry, L.A. Galaxy center back Jelle van Damme, FC Dallas’ Walker Zimmerman and L.A. Galaxy left back Ashley Cole. (Yes, Cole belongs here. Never mind that he’s a former England international; I raise my hand as a charter member of the club who was sure this guy was washed up and would be a complete disaster trying to chase young bucks up and down the wing.)
A midfield of NYCFC’s Frank Lampard (see “Ashley Cole”), FC Dallas’ Carlos Gruezo, Colorado Rapids’ destroyer Sam Cronin (could easily be destroyer partner Michael Azira; they are more or less interchangeable around DSG Park) and Orlando City’s Kevin Molino.
Up front, Columbus’ Ola Kamara (seriously, who thought this one would be the higher-scoring “Kamara?”) and NYCFC’s Jack Harrison.
3. The wrong question is being asked about Fabian Castillo
I keep getting asked about whether Fabian Castillo would be welcomed back into the FC Dallas locker room. But it’s not even a question worth asking.
Of course he would. Here’s why:
Think about how every company or corporation likes to call itself a family. Only, it’s not true; those are just words from the corporate manual. So it is with a lot of clubs around MLS; some are better than others at actually doing the things that foster a genuine family-type atmosphere.
In Dallas, academy players train and interact with the big boys. They do regular team barbecues, with assistant coaches swapping duty over the grill. Manager Oscar Pareja has to make tough decisions, as with all managers, but he cares personally for his men – especially having practically raised some of them through the academy program.
Generally it’s a happy place, one of good feelings and genuine concern for one another. (And a marked contrast from some MLS stops, where things get so deadly serious all the time, far more business-like, where players come and go from training while the suits huddle up to grimly deliberate over very serious matters.)
FC Dallas is generally a happy place where players (and people) care for one another. So, yes, Castillo will be accepted back into the locker room.
Besides the genuine affection, there’s this: the players and coaches aren’t dummies. Perhaps it would be different if “Mr. 21st Man” on the roster spreads his wings but then quickly returns to the nest. Well, not to overstate the obvious, but Castillo ain’t the 21st man. He’s a difference-maker and everyone knows it – especially critical for a club still chasing three domestic trophies, plus the chance to advance into Champions League.
4. So much for Kreis to build around in Orlando …
Only time will tell if Jason Kreis is the right guy for Orlando; seeing the team rally from behind to post a home win rather than the more typical draw (team record in Florida: 4-0-7) is a great sign. Here’s the other thing to consider:
Kreis has great building blocks – and he understands how to nurse young talent forward.
Not all of the core men are “young,” exactly, but we can mostly go with “young enough.” Brek Shea and an increasingly impressive Kevin Molino are both 26. Joe Bendik is 27, which is young in goalkeeper years. Even in Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino, who has yet to find a role for OCSC, has a couple of good years left, now age 31. From there it gets really juicy for a club months away from opening its new downtown ground.
Just-acquired defender Jose Aja is 23. Dutiful midfield destroyer Cristian Higuita is 22. High scoring striker Cyle Larin is 21 (although European offers are surely coming on that guy). Tommy Redding and all his tremendous upside is just 19.
Kaka at 34 years old, with a history of injury, is another story. But in the names above – or in the transfer fee money they stand to rake in should Larin make the jump – there’s bones to add meat around.
Orlando has roster issues all around; it takes time to build a truly playoff-worthy roster in MLS – a reality that owners around almost every expansion club tends to misplace or ignore. But the building blocks are there for Kreis.
5. The Little Five
5a. Related to Item No. 1, while we’re talking about Alejandro Bedoya. We saw some sentiment out of Philly that Bedoya amounted to something like, “He’s OK, but not essential because he doesn’t play a position of dire need around PPL Park.” I can’t possibly understand that. Bedoya would be a terrific presence on the outside or above average as a central attacking midfielder, the position he played most last year in France. Plus, he’s a solid locker room guy. Assuming the salary isn’t wildly out of whack, almost every MLS club would improve with his addition.
5b. – Whoa! Atiba Harris’ pass, y’all! With apologies to respected colleague Matt Doyle, who picks a Pass of the Week for each round of MLS (scroll to the bottom of this piece), Harris’ assist on Maxi Urruti’s goal Sunday was something else. Remember, with a front line of players who are attack-minded (Urutti, Castillo, Michael Barrios and Mauro Diaz), manager Oscar Pareja mostly needs fullbacks who can and will defend. He doesn’t need those outside backs making killer passes, so long as they do the back line duty. So mark passes like under “bonus.” And it is an outstanding one.
5c. Anyone else a little tired of seeing this narrative around MLS: “We’re a good team, we just miss too many chances?” Yes, that happens in a few matches throughout a long season. But we’re well into the back half of the 2016 season. That’s well into the “You are what you are” zone. Good teams score goals and don’t let the other guys score too many – period.
5d. Bigger injustice: that longtime RSL backstopper Nick Rimando has never won MLS Goalkeeper of the Year? Or that Oscar Pareja has yet to win Coach of the Year? While you think about it, tip your cap to Rimando, whose 412th MLS start over the weekend was a record setter; he moved past Kevin Hartman on the all-time list.
5e. Not to pile on the Colorado Rapids, who had a bad week (in a 5-1 loss at NYCFC) but … “Oh, my heavens, Shkelzen Gashi!” Watch this clip. That’s 52-year-old Frank Lampard running away from Gashi like he’s Usain Freakin’ Bolt!
Steve Davis has covered Major League Soccer since is first kick in 1996. He writes on-line for FourFourTwo and co-hosts the weekly radio show/podcast ESPN Soccer Today on 103.3 FM in Dallas. Davis is also the radio play-by-play voice for FC Dallas on 100.7 FM.