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Canales Corner: The Young And The Restless
Should MLS bring in more new foreign talent?
Mar 29, 2010 10:03:00 PM
By Andrea Canales
The rumors have abounded for some time - which aging big-name foreign player will be the next acquisition of a Major League Soccer team looking to make a splash?
Will it be Thierry Henry?
Paolo Maldini?
Clarence Seedorf?
Ze Roberto?
But the truth is, MLS kicked off this weekend with some of the best soccer in the league being played by young talent that is relatively unknown and looking to the U.S. league to launch its career to greater things.
Fredy Montero, one of the stars of the Seattle Sounders, who knocked in a goal in the season opener, is only 22.
One of the exciting players on the Philadelphia Union, the team which opposed the Sounders, was a compatriot of Montero. Roger Torres, a Colombian on loan in MLS, is only 18, yet possesses skills and tricks aplenty.
The Los Angeles Galaxy brought in a trio of Brasilians on loan, Juninho, Leonardo and Alex Cazumba, none of which are older than 22. All of them played in the Galaxy's first game and win of the season.
"I'm glad to be here with the Galaxy," Juninho told Goal.com exclusively. "They play differently here than Brazil, where there is more dribbling. I've learned a lot."
It doesn't demean the crafty wizards of the league like Freddie Ljungberg and Guillermo Barros Schelotto to say that the energy and drive of skilled youngsters is exactly what the league needs to avoid the reputation of being a rec league for older players.
Truth be told, no one who watches MLS at all can say with any credibility that it's an easy league for older players. Yes, the game is often slower, but that has as much to do with the searing heat in many summer matches as it does with anything else. The action is very physical, and while the first touches could use improvement, the slide tackles are gutsy and frequent.
So any player looking for an easy ride finds a rude awakening.
However, MLS can be the perfect environment for a hungry player looking to make the jump from a smaller league.
While Colombians and Brazilians might seem like traditional countries from which to borrow developing talent, the Kansas City Wizards have broken from that mold by signing Sunil Chhetri, a 25-year-old from India. They also have another interesting import from England, Ryan Smith, a 23-year-old sparkplug on the squad.
The last player under 25 to win the MLS Most Valuable Player award was Carlos Ruiz, as the Guatemalan blew up the league in 2002 with 24 goals. Perhaps only Montero has a chance of matching that feat, but even if he does not, he's part of a youthful generation of foreign performers in MLS who, while they may not be the designated players, are the designated future of the league.
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Will it be Thierry Henry?
Paolo Maldini?
Clarence Seedorf?
Ze Roberto?
But the truth is, MLS kicked off this weekend with some of the best soccer in the league being played by young talent that is relatively unknown and looking to the U.S. league to launch its career to greater things.
Fredy Montero, one of the stars of the Seattle Sounders, who knocked in a goal in the season opener, is only 22.
One of the exciting players on the Philadelphia Union, the team which opposed the Sounders, was a compatriot of Montero. Roger Torres, a Colombian on loan in MLS, is only 18, yet possesses skills and tricks aplenty.
The Los Angeles Galaxy brought in a trio of Brasilians on loan, Juninho, Leonardo and Alex Cazumba, none of which are older than 22. All of them played in the Galaxy's first game and win of the season.
"I'm glad to be here with the Galaxy," Juninho told Goal.com exclusively. "They play differently here than Brazil, where there is more dribbling. I've learned a lot."
It doesn't demean the crafty wizards of the league like Freddie Ljungberg and Guillermo Barros Schelotto to say that the energy and drive of skilled youngsters is exactly what the league needs to avoid the reputation of being a rec league for older players.
Truth be told, no one who watches MLS at all can say with any credibility that it's an easy league for older players. Yes, the game is often slower, but that has as much to do with the searing heat in many summer matches as it does with anything else. The action is very physical, and while the first touches could use improvement, the slide tackles are gutsy and frequent.
So any player looking for an easy ride finds a rude awakening.
However, MLS can be the perfect environment for a hungry player looking to make the jump from a smaller league.
While Colombians and Brazilians might seem like traditional countries from which to borrow developing talent, the Kansas City Wizards have broken from that mold by signing Sunil Chhetri, a 25-year-old from India. They also have another interesting import from England, Ryan Smith, a 23-year-old sparkplug on the squad.
The last player under 25 to win the MLS Most Valuable Player award was Carlos Ruiz, as the Guatemalan blew up the league in 2002 with 24 goals. Perhaps only Montero has a chance of matching that feat, but even if he does not, he's part of a youthful generation of foreign performers in MLS who, while they may not be the designated players, are the designated future of the league.
Become a fan of Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game
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