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Canales Corner: Greek Revival Could Happen For Johnson, Adu
At least one person who knows something about playing in Greece thinks it could be the perfect stop for Eddie Johnson and Freddy Adu.
Feb 1, 2010 4:07:00 AM
By Andrea Canales
Though Eddie Johnson and Freddy Adu made news recently by linking up on a play to score a goal for Aris Thessaloniki, it's not the first time a USA international has rippled the nets playing in Greece.
Clint Mathis, who scored a crucial goal in the magical 2002 World Cup run of the United States team, had a stint in Greece playing for Ergotelis FC in 2008.
"It's good," Mathis related of the playing level in the Greek League.
Though he only played in eight matches for Ergotelis, Mathis scored a goal and got a taste of the competition in the country that won the European Championship in 2004.
"The thing with that league is that there are a few good teams and then it drops off, but there are some great players there," Mathis pointed out. "When I was there [the league] had a guy like Rivaldo, who was World Player of the Year. When you're playing there, there's a lot of good players, that maybe people wouldn't think are big names, Serbian players, Croatians, a lot of good Greek players - they even had Argentine players and some Spanish players, every good players who play on their national teams."
For Mathis, his time in Greece led to a bit of a renewal. On his return to Major League Soccer, he signed with Real Salt Lake and helped them to win their first championship in Major League Soccer. Coincidentally, that title game win came at the expense of the Los Angeles Galaxy, the team Mathis now plays for.
Mathis believed that Johnson and Adu could also ignite the sparks of talent from younger years into a flame of fuller potential.
"It's a chance for them to get games," Mathis observed. "That's important for both of them in their career right now. They're younger guys who can still play, but they haven't got a lot of minutes on their respective teams."
Johnson has seen little time at Fulham in England, while Adu has had a similar struggle to hit the field for Benfica in Portugal. Some have suggested both would be better served by returning to Major League Soccer, where they first had professional success.
"If there is a chance, I think they'll do really well, being over there in Europe," Mathis said.
Though his own ambitions to go over to Europe at a young age were thwarted, Mathis eventually played in Germany before his later stint in Greece. "Greece is a little different, in terms of the mentality," the forward said.
As one of the bright young hopes of the USA team back in 2002, Mathis had a particular perspective on the struggle to meet expectations.
"Both of those guys are definitely mentally tough enough to get through it," Mathis said. "It's just a matter of staying focused and doing what they do best, and that's playing."
More link-ups like the kind Johnson and Adu performed will surely lead to more playing time with Aris and perhaps serious World Cup roster consideration for the pair. Mathis was convinced that optimism and motivation could work wonders.
"In the situations they were in before, maybe they got a little down or lost confidence, just because of playing time," Mathis stated. "If you continue to give 100 percent and really work hard, your time will always come."
For Mathis, that magic moment was a lively, intelligent goal versus the World Cup hosts.
Though Adu and Johnson were pegged as future stars, neither has scored a goal in the most prestigious soccer tournament on earth. Adu has yet to make it to the competition, while Johnson played briefly as a substitute in 2006.
"Those guys, they got in the game early," Mathis remarked. "They have to work for things now and it's a little bit harder for them. But I think they'll come out strong."
Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America
Clint Mathis, who scored a crucial goal in the magical 2002 World Cup run of the United States team, had a stint in Greece playing for Ergotelis FC in 2008.
"It's good," Mathis related of the playing level in the Greek League.
Though he only played in eight matches for Ergotelis, Mathis scored a goal and got a taste of the competition in the country that won the European Championship in 2004.
"The thing with that league is that there are a few good teams and then it drops off, but there are some great players there," Mathis pointed out. "When I was there [the league] had a guy like Rivaldo, who was World Player of the Year. When you're playing there, there's a lot of good players, that maybe people wouldn't think are big names, Serbian players, Croatians, a lot of good Greek players - they even had Argentine players and some Spanish players, every good players who play on their national teams."
For Mathis, his time in Greece led to a bit of a renewal. On his return to Major League Soccer, he signed with Real Salt Lake and helped them to win their first championship in Major League Soccer. Coincidentally, that title game win came at the expense of the Los Angeles Galaxy, the team Mathis now plays for.
Mathis believed that Johnson and Adu could also ignite the sparks of talent from younger years into a flame of fuller potential.
"It's a chance for them to get games," Mathis observed. "That's important for both of them in their career right now. They're younger guys who can still play, but they haven't got a lot of minutes on their respective teams."
Johnson has seen little time at Fulham in England, while Adu has had a similar struggle to hit the field for Benfica in Portugal. Some have suggested both would be better served by returning to Major League Soccer, where they first had professional success.
"If there is a chance, I think they'll do really well, being over there in Europe," Mathis said.
Though his own ambitions to go over to Europe at a young age were thwarted, Mathis eventually played in Germany before his later stint in Greece. "Greece is a little different, in terms of the mentality," the forward said.
As one of the bright young hopes of the USA team back in 2002, Mathis had a particular perspective on the struggle to meet expectations.
"Both of those guys are definitely mentally tough enough to get through it," Mathis said. "It's just a matter of staying focused and doing what they do best, and that's playing."
More link-ups like the kind Johnson and Adu performed will surely lead to more playing time with Aris and perhaps serious World Cup roster consideration for the pair. Mathis was convinced that optimism and motivation could work wonders.
"In the situations they were in before, maybe they got a little down or lost confidence, just because of playing time," Mathis stated. "If you continue to give 100 percent and really work hard, your time will always come."
For Mathis, that magic moment was a lively, intelligent goal versus the World Cup hosts.
Though Adu and Johnson were pegged as future stars, neither has scored a goal in the most prestigious soccer tournament on earth. Adu has yet to make it to the competition, while Johnson played briefly as a substitute in 2006.
"Those guys, they got in the game early," Mathis remarked. "They have to work for things now and it's a little bit harder for them. But I think they'll come out strong."
Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America
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