Wiebe: Americans footballers headed overseas

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Although none of soccer’s biggest names switched clubs before the summer transfer window came to an end on Aug. 31st, several of America’s young stars landed spots on clubs in prestigious European leagues.

Rumors linking Ronaldinho with the clubs AC Milan and Chelsea remained rumors. Daniel Alves stayed put with UEFA Cup Champions Sevilla after months of speculation linking him to Chelsea and Real Madrid. Even Argentinean playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, determined not to return to Spanish club Villarreal, could not manufacture a return to Argentina’s Boca Juniors or the host of other clubs interested in his talent.

Despite the relative lack of major deadline activity, American soccer fans witnessed the movement of young American talent abroad.

While hardly major news by European standards, a number of young American stars made moves that both further their respective careers and exhibit the growth of American soccer in general.

Most notable were the European exodus of Under-20 World Cup midfield standouts Freddy Adu, to Portuguese power Benefica, Sal Zizzo, to Hannover 96 of the German Bundesliga, and Danny Szetela, to Spanish club Racing de Santander. After impressing scouts with their attacking play against fellow youth internationals this summer, each made a dream move to the continent where soccer rules the hearts and minds of sports fans.

Americans may wonder how three players without substantial professional success can become the targets of international interest while Major League Soccer mainstays and U.S. senior internationals like Taylor Twellman and Brian Ching seem destined to end their careers in the relative obscurity of MLS.

The simple answer is a combination of youth and tantalizing potential.

European clubs already know what players like Twellman and Ching are capable of achieving. Their abilities have reached a peak that allows them to succeed in MLS but does not necessarily translate into success abroad.

Adu, Zizzo and Szetela’s youth makes their future values harder to predict. Like many young players, flashes of their skill and physical attributes have impressed scouts but none has performed on a consistent basis.

That inconsistency made the much-hyped Adu a role player during his three and a half years in the league and Szetela a spot starter. To his credit, Zizzo was one of the best collegiate players in the country at UCLA, but has yet to prove anything on a professional stage.

The collective inexperience of the trio did not dampen foreign interest. Based on their performances in the U-20 World Cup, European clubs lined up to sign them. Drawing on decades of experience developing young players, these clubs were well aware that a certain degree of patience must be exhibited in order for young players to develop to their full ability.

By signing players like Adu, Zizzo and Szetela early, clubs in Europe can indoctrinate players into their own specific systems and styles of play without having to break bad habits already in place. Adu, Zizzo and Szetela will be afforded time to adapt to a foreign culture, style of play and media spotlight without being expected to contribute immediately.

Whether or not Adu, Zizzo and Szetela’s careers blossom under the guidance of the top managers and training staffs available remains to be seen. But by pursuing moves to Europe, each has committed to becoming more complete and skillful players and, in the process, helped pave the way for even more U.S. movement abroad.

Regardless of the degrees of success each experiences, the American market has been opened and MLS faces stiff competition for premium talent. Foreign leagues have realized the potential of the U.S. market, but to what extent?

One thing seems certain. The movement of top U.S. talent abroad will only continue to grow as more and more foreign clubs tap into the quality and value young Americans provide.

—Edited by Kyle Carter

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