By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Dec 15, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Former New England Revolution defender Michael Parkhurst is the latest in a fairly substantial line of younger Americans that have transferred to lesser-known European leagues in search of better professional opportunities.
Parkhurst’s move to Danish side FC Nordsjælland came as a bit of a surprise as he has been seen as one of the league’s best defenders over the past few seasons. It would have seemed that if he really wanted to play in Europe he could have signed with a more prestigious league in a better known footballing country.
MLS Cup hero Chad Marshall just completed a trail with 2.Bundesliga side Mainz and is reportedly waiting for a contract offer. He would go to Mainz with the knowledge that there are no current openings in the 0-Fives back line. Why would a player like Marshall, who could start every single week for just about every team in MLS transfer to a team playing in the German second division?
Perhaps Parhurst and Marshall saw the success of a few of their American contemporaries at these two clubs as reasons to join. American starting left-back Heath Pearce stared at Nordsjælland for two seasons before moving on to then-Bundesliga club Hansa Rostock in 2007. “Will he or won't he” US centerback Neven Subotic made his name in just one season with Mainz and now starts every week for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Writers and angry fans like to point to the fact that these players can go to small leagues in Europe and earn more money than they ever could playing in America. Fair enough on many levels. That excuse will probably be nullified a bit after this coming MLS season when the player’s collective bargaining agreement will be up for renewal. Chad Barrett won’t get paid like Wayne Rooney, but you get the idea.
Another reason for these players to forage in Europe is the idea that they will be seen more playing in Denmark or Norway than they would in MLS. This is where the league has a problem. MLS honchos think they are better than the 2.Bundesliga or the English League One. They scoff at the idea of their players leaving to work in Scandinavia. The truth is they may be right. The problem is that the players and their agents don’t really care about the level of play. They care about the exposure.
Parkhurst certainly doesn’t want to stay in Denmark the rest of his career. He made the move to Copenhagen because he thinks playing there might open up a chance to play in England or Germany. Is the Danish Superliga really that much better than MLS? Or is it more prestigious because it is on the continent of Europe and has been around longer than it’s US counterpart?
If we're honest, we understand the answer.
Until the play in MLS starts receiving a bit more respect around the world players like Parkhurst and Marshall will continue to leave when European openings become available, probably regardless of how much money is thrown their way.
American Abroad Report Card
English Premier League: Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes for Fulham in their 0-0 draw with Stoke City. Dempsey had a few late chances but could not test Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. The two teams combined for only two shots on goal the entire match.
Tim Howard was in goal for Everton in their 1-0 away win over Manchester City. Tim Cahill scored a late injury time winner from a Leon Osman corner. Howard made three saves in preserving the shutout.
Brad Friedel started in goal for Aston Villa in their 4-2 win over Bolton Wanderers. Brad Guzan watched from the bench. Johan Elmander scored first to give Bolton an early lead. Gabriel Agbonlahor then scored twice for Villa who also benefited from a Kevin Davies own goal. Ashley Young netted Villa’s fourth before Davies bagged a late consolation for the Wanderers.
Jonathan Spector was not named to the West Ham United squad for their 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Craig Bellamy scored for the Hammers before an early second half goal from Nicolas Anelka knotted the score at one.
The Championship: Neither Marcus Hahnemann nor Bobby Convey were included in the Reading match day squad for their 2-0 win over Norwich City. Hahnemann is recovering from a calf injury. Stephen Hunt and Shane Long scored late goals for Reading.
Jay Demerit is out injured and missed Watford’s 2-1 win over Coventry City. Tommy Smith and John-Joe O’Toole scored for Watford. Clinton Morrison scored for Coventry City.
Eddie Johnson was a 35th minute substitute for Cardiff City in their 2-1 win over Ipswich Town. Jay Bothroyd and Gabor Gyepes scored for Cardiff while Jonathan Stead tallied for Ipswich. Johnson was substituted off in the 83rd minute for tactical reasons.
Frank Simek was not included in the Sheffield Wednesday squad for their 0-0 draw with Bristol City.
Germany: Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes for Hannover 96 in their 1-1 draw with Arminia Bielefeld. Sal Zizzo was not named to the substitutes bench. Jiri Stajner scored for Hannover while Artur Wichniarerk scored for Bielefeld.
Michael Bradley played 59 minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach in their 2-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund. Neven Subotic played the full match in central defense for Dortmund. Mohamed Zidan and Nuri Sahin scored for Dortmund while Johannes van den Bergh tallied for ‘Gladbach.
Bryan Arguez was not involved for Hertha Berlin in their 4-0 win over Karlsruhe.
David Yelldell started and played 90 minutes for TuS Koblenz in their 1-0 loss to FC Ingolstadt 04 in 2.Bungesliga action. Matt Taylor started and played 67 minutes in the loss. Markus Karl scored the only goal of the game in the 16th minute.
Grover Gibson was a 77th minute substitute for Ahlen in their 3-0 loss to SpVgg Greuther Furth. Stefan Reisinger, Thorsten Burkhardt and Aleksander Kotuljac scored for the Cloverleaves.
Gregg Berhalter started and went 90 minutes for 1860 Munich in their 1-1 draw with Nurnberg. Isaac Boakye scored for Nurnberg before a Markus Thorandt goal knotted the match at one. Heath Pearce started and played 76 minutes for Hansa Rostock in their 1-0 win over SV Wehen. Martin Retov scored for Rostock.
Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern take on SC Freiburg at the Fritz-Walter Stadion on Monday evening.
Scotland: DaMarcus Beasley watched from the bench as Rangers drew 2-2 with Dundee United. Maurice Edu was not named as a substitute. Lee Wilkie and Warren Feeney scored for Dundee while Kris Boyd and Kyle Lafferty found the net for Rangers.
France: Carlos Bocanegra started at his usual left back position for Rennes in their 0-0 draw with Nantes. Freddy Adu was an unused substitute for Monaco in their 3-1 loss to Valenciennes. Carlos Sanchez, Djamel Belmadi and Gregory Pujol scored for Les Athéniens. Andrew Jacobson was not named to the squad for Lorient’s 3-1 win over Le Havre AC.
Spain: Jozy Altidore was a 57th minute substitute for Villarreal in their 1-0 loss to Sevilla. Renato scored the only goal of the match. The loss drops Villarreal into 4th place in La Liga.
Belgium: Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes for Standard Liege in their 4-1 win over Club Brugge. Steven Defour, Igor De Camargo, Milan Jovanovic and Deiudonne Mbokani scored for Liege. The win catapults Liege into second place in the Jupiler League standings.
Italy: Danny Szetela was an unused substitute for Brescia in their 2-0 loss to Cittadella. Riccardo Meggiorini and Davide Carteri scored for Citta. Brescia is involved in a five-way tie for second place in the Serie B standings, but sit in the 6th slot based on goal differential.
Writers and angry fans like to point to the fact that these players can go to small leagues in Europe and earn more money than they ever could playing in America. Fair enough on many levels. That excuse will probably be nullified a bit after this coming MLS season when the player’s collective bargaining agreement will be up for renewal. Chad Barrett won’t get paid like Wayne Rooney, but you get the idea.
Another reason for these players to forage in Europe is the idea that they will be seen more playing in Denmark or Norway than they would in MLS. This is where the league has a problem. MLS honchos think they are better than the 2.Bundesliga or the English League One. They scoff at the idea of their players leaving to work in Scandinavia. The truth is they may be right. The problem is that the players and their agents don’t really care about the level of play. They care about the exposure.
Parkhurst certainly doesn’t want to stay in Denmark the rest of his career. He made the move to Copenhagen because he thinks playing there might open up a chance to play in England or Germany. Is the Danish Superliga really that much better than MLS? Or is it more prestigious because it is on the continent of Europe and has been around longer than it’s US counterpart?
If we're honest, we understand the answer.
Until the play in MLS starts receiving a bit more respect around the world players like Parkhurst and Marshall will continue to leave when European openings become available, probably regardless of how much money is thrown their way.
American Abroad Report Card
English Premier League: Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes for Fulham in their 0-0 draw with Stoke City. Dempsey had a few late chances but could not test Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. The two teams combined for only two shots on goal the entire match.
Tim Howard was in goal for Everton in their 1-0 away win over Manchester City. Tim Cahill scored a late injury time winner from a Leon Osman corner. Howard made three saves in preserving the shutout.
Brad Friedel started in goal for Aston Villa in their 4-2 win over Bolton Wanderers. Brad Guzan watched from the bench. Johan Elmander scored first to give Bolton an early lead. Gabriel Agbonlahor then scored twice for Villa who also benefited from a Kevin Davies own goal. Ashley Young netted Villa’s fourth before Davies bagged a late consolation for the Wanderers.
Jonathan Spector was not named to the West Ham United squad for their 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Craig Bellamy scored for the Hammers before an early second half goal from Nicolas Anelka knotted the score at one.
The Championship: Neither Marcus Hahnemann nor Bobby Convey were included in the Reading match day squad for their 2-0 win over Norwich City. Hahnemann is recovering from a calf injury. Stephen Hunt and Shane Long scored late goals for Reading.
Jay Demerit is out injured and missed Watford’s 2-1 win over Coventry City. Tommy Smith and John-Joe O’Toole scored for Watford. Clinton Morrison scored for Coventry City.
Eddie Johnson was a 35th minute substitute for Cardiff City in their 2-1 win over Ipswich Town. Jay Bothroyd and Gabor Gyepes scored for Cardiff while Jonathan Stead tallied for Ipswich. Johnson was substituted off in the 83rd minute for tactical reasons.
Frank Simek was not included in the Sheffield Wednesday squad for their 0-0 draw with Bristol City.
Germany: Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes for Hannover 96 in their 1-1 draw with Arminia Bielefeld. Sal Zizzo was not named to the substitutes bench. Jiri Stajner scored for Hannover while Artur Wichniarerk scored for Bielefeld.
Michael Bradley played 59 minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach in their 2-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund. Neven Subotic played the full match in central defense for Dortmund. Mohamed Zidan and Nuri Sahin scored for Dortmund while Johannes van den Bergh tallied for ‘Gladbach.
Bryan Arguez was not involved for Hertha Berlin in their 4-0 win over Karlsruhe.
David Yelldell started and played 90 minutes for TuS Koblenz in their 1-0 loss to FC Ingolstadt 04 in 2.Bungesliga action. Matt Taylor started and played 67 minutes in the loss. Markus Karl scored the only goal of the game in the 16th minute.
Grover Gibson was a 77th minute substitute for Ahlen in their 3-0 loss to SpVgg Greuther Furth. Stefan Reisinger, Thorsten Burkhardt and Aleksander Kotuljac scored for the Cloverleaves.
Gregg Berhalter started and went 90 minutes for 1860 Munich in their 1-1 draw with Nurnberg. Isaac Boakye scored for Nurnberg before a Markus Thorandt goal knotted the match at one. Heath Pearce started and played 76 minutes for Hansa Rostock in their 1-0 win over SV Wehen. Martin Retov scored for Rostock.
Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern take on SC Freiburg at the Fritz-Walter Stadion on Monday evening.
Scotland: DaMarcus Beasley watched from the bench as Rangers drew 2-2 with Dundee United. Maurice Edu was not named as a substitute. Lee Wilkie and Warren Feeney scored for Dundee while Kris Boyd and Kyle Lafferty found the net for Rangers.
France: Carlos Bocanegra started at his usual left back position for Rennes in their 0-0 draw with Nantes. Freddy Adu was an unused substitute for Monaco in their 3-1 loss to Valenciennes. Carlos Sanchez, Djamel Belmadi and Gregory Pujol scored for Les Athéniens. Andrew Jacobson was not named to the squad for Lorient’s 3-1 win over Le Havre AC.
Spain: Jozy Altidore was a 57th minute substitute for Villarreal in their 1-0 loss to Sevilla. Renato scored the only goal of the match. The loss drops Villarreal into 4th place in La Liga.
Belgium: Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes for Standard Liege in their 4-1 win over Club Brugge. Steven Defour, Igor De Camargo, Milan Jovanovic and Deiudonne Mbokani scored for Liege. The win catapults Liege into second place in the Jupiler League standings.
Italy: Danny Szetela was an unused substitute for Brescia in their 2-0 loss to Cittadella. Riccardo Meggiorini and Davide Carteri scored for Citta. Brescia is involved in a five-way tie for second place in the Serie B standings, but sit in the 6th slot based on goal differential.
Graig Carbino covers American Abroad and writes a weekly column for USSoccerPlayers. Contact him at graiger11@yahoo.com
