MLS 'misfits' keep U.S. alive and kickin'
06/17/2002
Major League Soccer is the little brother who is always bugging the older
kids to get into the big boys' game.
MLS will not soon be confused for the English Premier League. It's not
Spain's La Liga nor the vaunted Italian Serie A. Those fine leagues and
a couple of others reside in an exclusive, gated community.
But the quality of individual technique and team tactics in MLS,
launched in 1996, has improved steadily each year. A league now level
with other middle class world outfits struggles, however, for respect
within the soccer ranks.
Even many Americans who fancy soccer throw the cold shoulder at MLS. The
soccer snobs scoff at the thought that any Yank-directed outfit could even
carry a bag of balls for the world's more acclaimed leagues.
Well evidence to the contrary is piling up in Asia, where a bunch of
alleged MLS misfits are doing their part in a tournament full of
surprises. MLS players are the backbone of a plucky team about to crash
the World Cup's quarterfinal party.
There is absolutely no way the United States is in the World Cup
quarterfinals without the significant MLS contribution.
Eight of the Yanks' 11 starters in Monday's historic 2-0 win over Mexico
are current or former MLS players. Both goal scorers, Brian McBride and
Landon Donovan, earn paychecks from the league heavily financed by
Dallas' Lamar Hunt and reclusive billionaire Phil Anschutz.
McBride, in fact, was the No. 1 MLS draft pick in 1996 as teams stocked
their rosters for the debut season. The All-America type is among an
elite few to have scored in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. Imagine that,
a kid from MLS.
Not only did McBride tally Monday's important 8th minute ice-breaker, he
was also raising triumphant arms after the game-winner on the June 5
shocker against Portugal.
The pass on Monday's first goal came from Josh Wolff, a member of the
World Cup team thanks to his achievements with the Chicago Fire. Wolff,
like U.S. teammate Clint Mathis, is an MLS standout from the University
of South Carolina.
Before MLS, only the best U.S. collegians had access to platforms for
continued development. Coming out of the University of Virginia, Claudio
Reyna was already good enough to move overseas.
But Eddie Pope wasn't as polished coming out of North Carolina. So he
joined D.C. United, where he learned about rising to the big game while
helping win the first three league titles.
Tony Sanneh was prospering at D.C. United when spotted by European
clubs. His experience at FC Nurnberg, now serving U.S. Soccer so well,
wouldn't have been possible without MLS. (Players such as Sanneh
graduate to other leagues mostly because of the financial benefit, often
doubling or tripling their salary).
Sanneh and Pope were the best of what amounted to a five-man back line
Monday, as Arena added a defender to his usual four-man back line setup.
Well aware that the favored Mexicans had an additional day of rest, U.S.
coach Bruce Arena adopted a defensive posture and returned to the
pack-the-back and counter-attack style that smote Portugal.
Pablo Mastroeni joined John O'Brien in dual defensive midfield roles
Monday. He was steady and unafraid to dirty his uniform. Arena took a
flier by adding the internationally untested Mastroeni, 25, who earned
the opportunity in part by excelling in 25 starts last year for the
Miami Fusion.
(One area ripe for MLS improvement: Mastroeni got a silly yellow card
Monday for some of the nonsense often tolerated in MLS. World Cup
referees have no compunction about issuing yellow cards for childish
gamesmanship. Mastroeni grabbed a ball after a foul, playing a little
keep-away instead of leaving it be for the opposing free kick.)
Visit a local pickup game and you'll be likely to see replica jerseys
from famous clubs around the world. Someone there may know exactly where
Paris St. Germain finished in the French League standings but wouldn't
darken the door of the Cotton Bowl for an MLS game.
Fine. The ability to make such choices makes our country great.
But David Regis, who started last year in the French First Division, is
one of the few U.S. players yet to play at the World Cup. At least he
made the squad.
Greg Vanney, who starts for another French team, was listed only as an
alternate for Arena's World Cup team.
Wonder what the soccer snobs have to say about that?
E-mail
stevedavis@dallasnews.com
