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Ladies and gentleman, I’ve been saying for the past few years that Mix Diskerud is a burgeoning superstar and recently that he’s the USMNT’s genuine #10. He’s the central piece in the middle that will help guide the bright future of the young national team. It’s also been mentioned on this blog that it was a mistake for the Columbus Crew not to pursue Mix a second time late last year. Trading Josh Williams also wasn’t the wisest decision. The Crew lost 1-nil at Houston in their season opener Saturday night and yesterday the expansion club NYCFC (with Mix) tied fellow expansion club Orlando City 1-1.
Guess who opened up the scoring in the 76th minute?
And this is just the first game of the MLS season for the skillfully perceptive 24-year old American. He’s also an equally impressive distributor of the ball.
Mix It Up This Week!
P.S. Who is the majority owner of NYCFC? The same group that owns Manchester City. Mix will likely be wearing sky blue jerseys for many seasons, except the city where he resides may change down the road…
Going Dutch in Kansas City?
While the world’s shining city on a hill has emitted a dull glow in recent years, there still appears to be an allure for footballers in South America and Europe. A recent report revealed Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has been offered a major contract to sport a light shade of blue in Kansas City. The deal is estimated at $4.8 million/year for the 32-year old.
I repeat: Rafael van der Vaart is only 32-years old.
He’s a game-changer. He can define a midfield with purpose, incorporate dynamic calculation in its movement and offer spontaneous displays of applause-worthy flair. Rafael van der Vaart still has a few years left and, if this deal is signed, would be a tremendous pick-up for Sporting Kansas City and MLS in general.
Here’s some evidence:
New International Players arriving in MLS this season:
- Kaká
- Frank Lampard
- Steven Gerrard
- Sebastian Giovinco
- David Villa
- Rafael van der Vaart?
Will Rafael van der Vaart be living in the Midwest in 2015? Who knows. It could just be a bargaining chip in Europe or merely an initial interest in hopping across the pond to America. Regardless, it’s exciting speculation. And just on the surface, there are several reasons to check out MLS this season beyond our favorite squads. There’s the amazing redesign and re-branding of the Columbus Crew SC, big international signings, new club introductions and modernized club identities. 2015 may seem a little bit like the mid-late 1990s with a refreshed, adrenaline-fueled enthusiasm for soccer in America.
Of course, if Rafael van der Vaart does sign with an MLS team, remember his wife and kids will join him as well.
Rafael and Sylvie van der Vaart encapsulate why soccer is called the beautiful game.
The Beautiful Investment
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”
–Wayne Gretzky
Frank Lampard and Steve Gerrard are big signings for Major League Soccer (MLS). Make no mistake about that. However, the seismic shift that will catapult the still youthfully optimistic MLS (turning 20 years-old this year) is, quite literally, youth. This constitutes early 20-somethings born and raised in the United States and (equally and possibly more importantly) early 20-somethings from Europe. The latter are highly-talented players who are groomed in the reserve/youth teams of top clubs for future picking onto the grandest pitches in the world. One of the best at discovering and elevating players through a club’s system is Louis Van Gaal. Ever heard of Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta? How about Thomas Müller and Bastian Schweinsteiger? Yeah, Van Gaal discovered them before they were household names/global stars/World Cup winners. And his track record will continue for years to come, as the aforementioned names are just a few of his stellar sightings. There’s not enough space to get into detail about his successful tenures with some of the top clubs and world-class players, but his instincts for future success is the focus in this post.
Then there’s the modern tactical genius Pep Guardiola. Bayern Munich announced last Friday that Pep had signed the fresh-faced, yet deeply talented 19 year-old German national Joshua Kimmich worth millions. He’s a defensive midfielder who some have reported could be positioned as the future of Bayern’s stout midfield. The point is that there is value in serious investment of youth that requires vision and patience. MLS team have youth teams, but not anywhere close to the level of Europe’s giants. Admittedly, there is a major cultural and financial difference between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to soccer/football. True. But still, until individual MLS teams partner with said European giants who have similar tactical dynamics that includes 1-3 year loans of their youngsters for non-reserve, competitive matches who are not-yet-ready for their first team, the obvious barriers will remain between the United States and its competition (so to speak) across the pond. Most clubs may predictably refrain from moving their players to a foreign country and system from their own, but this is just a suggestion. However, it seems to be the most practical for realistically earning the ear of at least a few future (and unknown) stars.
The next big, truly transformational moment for MLS will be the signing of future household names from here, but especially abroad. Lower the risk for European clubs in these partnerships with the profitable United States soccer market (see Bayern Munich for their insistence/establishment of an American headquarters in NYC) and increase the rewards for MLS teams, fans and investors alike. A majority of these investments will all but certainly be short-term, but it will undeniably take the league to the necessary next level for discovering, training and producing indisputable world-class talent. There is a genuine attraction to living in and playing in the United States. This country is a central piece in the future of global soccer, despite FIFA’s oblivious rejection of a future U.S-hosted World Cup. Plus, it’s clear that David Beckham came here for reasons beyond a substantial paycheck.
U.S. soccer doesn’t have a ceiling, which is an amazing asset to have. The excitement is palpable, particularly during the World Cup. Only time will tell if this hypothesis will ever come to fruition. And to the naysayers out there who openly laugh at this idea, I say why not? The best coaches and clubs view their youth as vitally important future investments. Why not MLS? Dream big for goodness sake! Note that some of these players could be current and/or future members of the USMNT.
If MLS can just get the next Arjen Robben (LOL, sorry about that) young stud (like Julian Green) to turn his head and attention towards the crashing waves of the U.S. for his league play for a couple years before returning back to Bayern Munich, it could be the first wave in something really big on the foreseeable horizon in the United States.
Don’t merely mind the gap…bridge the gap.
Lost in Translation
MLS All-Stars 2 Bayern Munich 1
The Jekyll and Hyde dynamic of the MLS All-Star game can be tricky to define and prepare for as a result. On the one hand foot, both coaches and teams are under the presumed assumption that the game will be more entertaining than competitive. It’s a reward of sorts for both squads. Tactics will be utilized, but to a suspended degree. And on the other foot, fans want to see their money’s worth. Consequently, this requires efforts of players be exhausted that would simulate a crucial playoff match in some circumstances.
Enter Bayern Munich into Portland, Oregon.
The first team for Bayern Munich did not even begin to take shape on the pitch until very late in the game (~ the 80′). The players from Germany and the Netherland’s World Cup squads flew in special for this event yesterday afternoon. For the most part, it was Bayern’s second team battling the MLS All-Stars (underscore the word “battle”). Things got tense on the field and on the coaching sideline when the best of MLS took some hard challenges on Pep’s Boys (my nickname). It appeared to violate “a gentleman’s agreement” before the match began, particularly in the mind of Pep Guardiola. This led to a refusal of Pep to shake hands with Caleb Porter, along with a stern talking to the officials after the final whistle blew. It should be noted that it’s the middle of the season for MLS and preseason for Bayern Munich.
Who is right and who is wrong?
It depends on what the agreed upon protocol was for getting Bayern Munich to play in this game and what was said before the game began for what the overall tone of the game would be. One thing for certain is that European clubs should be fairly aware now that the MLS All-Star game is less of a celebration of the two sides and more of an opportunity for the best of MLS to showcase its talents and compete against the best clubs and players in the world. It’s a friendly only until the MLS All-Stars have a chance to score a goal or be competitive.
Regardless of whose side you are on (if you are at all), that’s a very ambiguous situation to prepare for in terms of what players you start, tactics you employ and level of intensity you ask of your players for either the full 90 minutes or just 20 minutes here and there.
In a genuine effort to play peacemaker, Jimmy’s Daily Planet has a suggestion to (at least partly) alleviate the tension that was displayed at the end of the game last night: Both coaches and players should be treated to a maple bacon doughnut from the Portland staple VooDoo Doughnut.
This perfectly delicious treat is a winner in any country.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 