How MLS Has Ruined Eddie Johnson
To start, I am not trying to insult Major League Soccer, I’m just providing constructive criticism. I’m just going to kind of rant, since the I’m still a bit mad at the United States’ performance at the Copa.
Way back in 2001, Eddie Johnson became the youngest player to be drafted in Major League Soccer’s short history at the age of 17. With blistering speed and tremendous stamina, Eddie Johnson looked sure to become a great player. He performed poorly in his first year, but there was still very much hype about his potential. He has had a couple of good years in MLS leading up to the 2006 season, when he scored only 2 goals. At that point he began to look like he may never get his career on track.
In comes the 2007 season and a chance to make a new start. Suddenly, Eddie starts scoring again. He even scored MLS’s first ever back to back hat tricks earlier in the season. It looked like he was finally getting back on track. Out of no where, he hit a brick wall. He did not have much of an impact during the Gold Cup. (As a matter of fact, all of the U.S. strikers performed poorly.) So he hit a slump, the Copa America was coming up and he would be able to get back to scoring form. Once again we were all sadly disappointed. We saw all of these problems from the 2006 season resurface:
1. Eddie lacks completely in confidence. He has no faith in his own ability. He is one of the fastest players I have ever seen, yet he doesn’t know how to use that speed. The only time I saw him blaze by someone during the Copa and Gold Cup is when he lost the ball and raced back to catch up with the defender and attempt to steal it. Why can’t he use that speed on the offensive? He has speed that can be compared to Thierry Henry in his prime.
2. His first touch is terrible. The ball goes like 4 feet away every time he tries to settle it. It reminds me of Julio Baptista’s first touch from last season. Worthless.
3. He has no ball skills. It is impossible for him to control the ball close to himself, so it is impossible for him to have precise control.
If he improved in these areas, which I think he can, it will greatly change the effect that he has on games. Now many of you may be asking, “How are all of Eddie Johnson’s problems the fault of MLS?” It comes down to 3 things: competition, coaching, and transfer policies. The level of competition, though it is improving, is still not high enough to create world class players. Johnson can’t improve because he doesn’t need to. He has the necessary skills to beat most defenders in MLS, so he has no drive to improve in any technical areas.
The other problem is coaching. We Americans need to face the facts, the coaches in this country to not have the resources or skills that that can be found in Europe. If Eddie Johnson were to leave for England or Spain at age 17 instead of signing with MLS, he would have made it on to a youth team and would have been able to develop properly.
The worst problem is MLS’s transfer policy. And THIS is where MLS truly ruined Eddie Johnson. Everything above has had at least something to do with Johnson personally, but this point is completely MLS’s fault. MLS desperately wants to hold on to promising players. So much so that the league actually owns the rights to the players. So in order to a player to be sold to a club outside of MLS, the buyer needs to get permission from MLS and the MLS team that the player plays for. In 2005, when Eddie Johnson was still on a great path, a rumored bid was placed for Eddie Johnson by Benfica. It is believed that Dallas had began to negotiate a sale, but MLS believed that selling MLS would not be the best option for the league itself. I understand league officials trying to keep the best players, but being owners of the players means that the player’s best interests are not at heart. The deal eventually fell apart and Johnson stayed in MLS.
In August 2006, the tables were turned. MLS agreed to send Johnson on a season long loan to Real Sociedad. This time, Johnson’s team, the Kansas City Wizards, decided that they need Johnson and did not allow the loan to go through.
Most transfers of players in England, Spain, and Italy take an immense amount of time and negotiation. Making the selling club, buying club, and player happy is very difficult to do. Now add making the league happy, and it becomes near impossible to sell top players. With MLS not allowing some of its best players to leave, that ultimately limits the player’s careers. And this is what has happened to Eddie Johnson. To become a great player, Eddie Johnson NEEDS to go abroad next season.
MLS needs to change its rules to have the rights of the players go solely to the clubs. After that, their biggest problem will be finding someone to buy Taylor Twellman. He also needs to go abroad. Not to develop, but because I can’t stand watching him anymore.
I share your frustration with Eddie’s play at Copa. I usually abhor Rob Hunter’s commentary–i.e. “Come on Eddie!”–but couldn’t help agreeing with him.
The reason he hasn’t developed in a way that maximizes his speed is that MLS does not require it. How often do you see a striker run onto a ball in the box or get a nice through ball, only to settle it? It’s the product of the consistent luxury of time. Eddie lacks the urgency to shoot and use his speed because he’s able to take his time.
Eddie needs to go abroad. So does Freddie Adu. Landy-cakes might even consider it again…if someone could get him to stop kissing his hands and wrists for a minute.
Nah, Landon won’t go. But that doesn’t mean he should be an example to other young American players.
I’m not sure if it’s fair to blame MLS. Sure, the different ownership system places some blame with MLS, but they’ve let Dempsey, Convey and others go abroad.
Don’t forget that by playing in MLS, Eddie Johnson lost a year to turf toe. No one in the rest of the world plays soccer on artificial turf, but the cheapskates who run MLS would rather sacrifice their players than pay for grass & upkeep.
They only let Dempsey go b/c Fullham offered a few million dollars. I agree with the article Danny, but is it right to screw MLS for the national team, which is what this really comes down to? I think it is, MLS fans may not agree.
I think the argument is the exact opposite. If he is fast enough to blow by defenders, then he should be doing that. But he doesn’t. He sees a defender and he stops. If the MLS were as bad as you think, then Eddie should be blowing by defenders and taking shots like crazy. He isn’t. So how is that MLS’ fault?
Now where I do agree with you is that Eddie lacks instruction and training. I think that can be said for many US players, especially on offense. We create good athletes with great stamina, but we fall short skill-wise. So, I agree that MLS needs to encourage players to go abroad to develop. But, I think the return trip has to be part of the agreement, i.e., loan Eddie to a European team for 2-3 years, while MLS covers part of his salary, then Eddie returns to the MLS. I suspect that many Second Division-level teams would be interested in a guy with his speed for a few years.
That is actually a great idea NYSpursFan with the loan system. If we could get some players to agree to go on loan and come back it would be great. Landycakes improved his game by going to Germany even though he gave up and came back. What we need to do is send players to Holland to train. Look how fast Michael Bradley has developed with Herenveen.
This all sounds nice and peachy, but it only works in theory. After most players go to play in stronger leagues in Europe, they would probably prefer to stay there where the level of play is much better.
Holland is a great place for developing players. Bradley is just the latest of a line of Americans, which also includes John O’Brien (Ajax) and DeMarcus Beasley (PSV).
You are completely correct. The MLS was created on the model of other american pro sports leagues where overseas transfers are very rare. It is extremely important that Freddy Adu gets to Europe as soon as possible to achieve his fullest potential.
[...] Jozy Altidore is still in need of training and growth, at 17, he reminds me of Eddie Johnson at this age. The difference is what Altidore can do with the ball. He can control it, and control [...]
Eddie Johnson would benefit from moving to Europe, staying on the bench for a season or so, and learning from some top-class coaches and playing against the world’s best every week.
Like you guys have said, he has potential, and I think his style of play might suit the Italian or Spanish leagues especially - or even the Dutch Eredivisie.
The states have lots of good young players coming through the ranks - Altidore, Arguez, Ibrahim, Peterson come to mind. I’m a big fan of the MLS, but do feel that Johnson would benefit from a move away from home.
Sounds like “David Bellion Syndrome” to me.
Tons of pace, no control at all, no skills at all.
He’s still sh!t too…
[...] working with someone whose bias will favor the MLS. But over at SoccerLens, there’s an interesting article written by Daniel Miedzinski arguing for the true reason EJo has not shown the ability to break [...]
Looks like he may be coming to Derby in the premiership next season!!! thats great news his pace is immense and with Billy and his staff coaching him properly he’ll improve dramatically!!! and his confidence should improve too!
You’ll have world class forward playing For team USA in the 2010 world cup in Africa!!!
Eddie Johnson has pretty good technical ability, it doesn’t look that way at times b/c although he is extremely fast, he’s not the most fluid athlete and looks very robotic on the ball at times… he’s no Henry, and will never have the ability to just glide w/ the ball past people, but he’s only 23 and is going to get much better at this…he is however, very good in holdup play and also a good finisher as well… As far as his streaky play, he’s going to be streaky b/c he plays in the MLS w/ players well below his caliber who can’t provide him the ball on a regular basis. For the Nat’s he was injured and never fully got back for the WC; however, he was one of the few bright spots at Copa America and when healthy has always been dangerous… I think he will do well in the premiership, and will learn to use his physical tools to the best of their abilities, which is very encouraging