Look at Parkhurst, though: from Rhode Island, second team All-American at Wake Forest, signs a Generation adidas contract with MLS, is a very good club player for his hometown team (the Revolution). He was one of my favorite players to watch in MLS.

But he’s not one of the best players in the world, not even good enough to make the national team. Isn’t that the exact player MLS wants to keep, local boy they can build a team around at a reasonable price?

Instead, he goes to a mediocre Danish team, FC Nordsjaelland – currently 9th in the 12-team league at the winter break (admittedly, I did sell the Danish League a little short in the earlier post, they are 16th in the UEFA Coefficiency and rising. In fact, they should pass Scotland soon, which tells you how crappy the Scottish League is, but I digress) and a seating capacity of 10,000.

By my best guesstimates, he makes about $350,000 with his Danish club, and would probably be making 100-150 with MLS. Can we bridge that gap for a guy who’s not necessarily a big-time star, but makes our on-field product a whole lot better (and is home-grown)? We’d better, in my humble opinion.

By the way, the Danish League and Americans is a another story (Benny Feilhaber, etc.), but we’ll have to leave that one for another day. Until then, here’s a couple of Marcus Tracy stories, who is playing in Denmark, too.

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/wake-star-signs-for-danish-club-aalborg/

And by Kartik:

http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/marcus-tracy-alejandro-bedoya-get-called-up/7638

Finally, Tracy’s comments to ESPN about shunning MLS:

ESPNsoccernet: What sort of advice did you hear about entering the MLS draft versus jumping to play in Europe? What were the main factors that went into deciding where you want to play?

MT: Jumping to Europe [and any professional level in general] is certainly a challenge, and the most important thing is that you don’t overshoot and go for the mega-contract right off the bat. You need to go somewhere where you can evolve in soccer and in life, because playing abroad is much different than college and/or MLS. It is also important that you have a realistic chance of playing regularly at your new club because game experience cannot be substituted. I’ve also been told that the life of a professional is much different than anything I’ve ever experienced thus far. The day-to-day competition and rigors of it are demanding and stressful and it takes a strong mind to grind through it all.

You are making comments about the nature of the internet while exhibiting one of its most troubling qualities.

“And not in a good way.”

And “covering this story for a year?” I know it seems like it to some, but come ON.

The Internet has truly turned everybody into a columnist. And not in a good way.

You should feel free to write your opinions on this freely, Ray. You have the keys . I’m particularly interested in your views as somebody who does coach, who does see how development is working.

Richard, you mentioned Vancouver is the only North American team to have an Academy, obviously USSF has fought very hard (and at great expense) to mandate every MLS team having an Academy program, and now they do (although teams like the Revolution have come kicking and screaming).

I don’t think eliminating second-tier soccer is a terrible idea, but it’s not high on my priority list. My two biggest priorities are getting the CBA done for the MLS players and developing young players.

It’s an absolute disgrace to me that we’re losing players like Michael Parkhurst and Yuri Moyvisian to leagues like Sweden and Norway, and as Kartik pointed out, that national team players are making $50,000 a year. We have to find a way to keep those second-level players (those that can’t play first-division soccer in England, Germany, etc.), or else long-term, we’ve got nothing. At the same time, we obviously can’t do what the old NASL did and start buying big name foreign players left and right because TV ratings and attendance around the nation just won’t be big enough. So there has to be a happy medium somewhere there.

I coach in South Central Premier, which is an Academy club, although I have minimal contact with the Academy guys because I coach younger players. Here is a list of the 76 clubs that the USSF sanctions as “Academy” clubs:

http://ussda.demosphere.com/Standings/2009-2010/17276234.html

What I find interesting is that there are very few (I see the Richmond Kickers, but that’s about it) USL or PDL squads that are in the Academy. I think that’s a little silly, but it tells you where the USSF stands on the matter, I think. A lot of those USL and PDL teams have youth programs (obviously Crystal Palace Baltimore and at the younger levels the Western Mass. Pioneers are one of our bigger rivals), and I don’t think that’s coincidental.

And, it’s not that USSF is afraid of foreign intervention: Arsenal, Chelsea, and Derby County all have teams in the Academy (Chelsea has 2). Fulham has been asking around, too, trying to get into clubs here, as has Everton and the USSF is helping them, as far as I know.

If we had promotion/relegation, it would be the best world for everyone, free market would reign, etc. But MLS is smart enough right now to figure out that that can’t afford to have a team like the Red Bulls or DC United get relegated in the current system. They also can’t afford to pay players the rates that the big-time European leagues do, but there has to be a way to move forward, to develop our players better.

We’re getting closer, but still have a long way to go.

To me, the NASL has to win out here. They are closer to the model the USSF wants (as far as development, etc.), and I think the USSF just wants to give them a last chance to join the party.

By the way, the women’s side is a whole other story as I’m sure Jeff could attest to. The Super-Y is run under USL, as is almost everything but the WPS, which is obviously only a handful of teams. But that’s for another day I guess.

Good job all around, also. I don’t think you’ll get a more diverse set of views (which is necessary with Canada and Puerto Rico directly affected by all of this).

I would like to say “all of us want second division football next year,” but I’m not 100% sure that’s the case.

The idea of these players with families all of a sudden being (essentially) unemployed – subject to the machinations of a couple of political power plays – is stomach-churning.