Comments on: Peterlin Signs with Everton: Lessons for MLS

By: BRIAN WILDING

BRIAN WILDING — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:23:17 +0000

p.s. One the subject of salary caps, I would agree to it and so would the world would agree to it apart from Spain,France and Italy who run FIFA, so forget it, they dont like a level playing field. They look after the so called big 14!

By: BRIAN WILDING

BRIAN WILDING — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:06:02 +0000

I am old enough to remember the old NASL to compare it to MSL. To me the’re one and the same!
Instead of trying to lure players who are either bordering on retirement or have failed to make the grade in South America or Spain etc, you should be trying to nurture your obviously own grown talent.
The powers should be taken away from the MLS and be given to the owners of the clubs as it is in the rest of FIFA. The MLS can still administer the rights of the league, including the TV rights, without dictating contracts or rights to sell or buy players. To make yourselves one of the biggest leagues in the world and to attract big players the MLS needs to reinvent itself and not follow the mould of the MLB or NFL. Ask yourselves why are the likes of the Glazers, Learner, Gillette etc not investing in MLS?
I AM a true blooded EVERTON fan and i admit i’ve had to do some research on Anton Peterlin to find out what David Moyes finds so interesting in him as do alot of Evertonians here in England.
What i’ve found is that, via my brother in LA, it was’nt the fact that he was’nt good enough but he wanted to do a degree as a doctor or whatever so if he did’nt make the grade he had something to fall back on, which in my book makes him one smart cookie for his age.
David Moyes ( or GOD as we call him) would’nt waste his time if he thought Anton was a gamble, he’s noticed the talent and the hunger plus enthusiasm, and that what he looks for in a player. So now its upto Anton, no one can match David Moyes and his his training staff to spot potential! e.g. Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell plus players he has plucked from lower leagues and turned them into full pros at international level e.g. Leighton Baines, Julian Lescott and Phil Jagielka which are all now England Internationals.
If Anton realises his potential will he play for the U.S.A or Denmark? Thats the risk the MLS is taking and can they afford that risk? not just with Anton but with other possible talent?

By: Kartik Krishnaiyer

Kartik Krishnaiyer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:10:28 +0000

Thanks Ambala for the correction. I was just restating what was on the press release on the USL website which said he was born to Danish parents in California which made him EU passport eligible. Slovenia is an EU member (in fact they are opposed to Croatia joining) so that too would make him eligible.

Thanks again.

By: ambala

ambala — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:21:38 +0000

There is a mistake in you article. His parents are not both Danish (only his mother is), his father is Slovenian – Matija Peterlin.
Anton’s a grandson of Anton Peterlin who was an internationally-acclaimed scientist – physicist.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:59:33 +0000

You can’t force Americans to play in MLS if they want to ply their trade abroad.

Congratulations to Peterlin for signing with Everton.

By: BlueOtto

BlueOtto — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:17:06 +0000

Bottom line, the Moyesiah knows talent when he sees it (sorry, Kroldrup and Van der Meyde) and apparently we do seem to miss talent from time to time here (he did have trials with San Jose and Chicago). Jon seems to make some good points about his being “overlooked” but I have to ask, were those trials before Mighty Everton’s interest “scared off” potential US suitors or did they have him in only to pass leaving the door open for the Moyesiah to swoop?

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:11:12 +0000

Kartik, you clearly have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

Peterlin wasn’t “missed” by MLS scouts. He hasn’t “fallen through the cracks”. Coaches and scouts were all fully aware of him and his talents and achievements, both at college and in the PDL. The truth is that MLS *intentionally* didn’t invite him to the combine, and therefore didn’t draft him, because the Everton deal was already in the works. It’s exactly the same as Marcus Tracy – why would an MLS team waste a draft pick on a player who was never going to sign for them? Houston only drafted Tracy so that they would hold his rights in case he fell through with Aalborg.

Peterlin had been on Everton and David Moyes’ radar for six months beforehand, when Everton came over to California on their pre-season tour and played against VC Fusion.

By: Lewis Keen

Lewis Keen — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:25:05 +0000

Great Point, Dont Miss Our American Boys!

By: peteo

peteo — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:16:23 +0000

Agreeing with what “Scott” said above. Isn’t the league stable enough now, but in order to improve, it needs money. It ain’t getting it from the average American sports fan, so it is going after the soccer fan in general who has looked down on MLS (disparagingly termed Eurosnob). How else to attract those fans and their money than to improve the on-field product immediately? Once semi-successful, they can go back and focus on not letting domestic talent fall through the cracks.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:13:47 +0000

I’m a season ticket holder at Goodison (Everton’s Ground). Moyes’ has been looking for a defensive midfielder since Carsley left last year (he was 34) and he signed the Belgian captain (who is only 20 by the way) and then this kid. Our Captain, Phil Neville, is also playing as a defensive midfielder. But Moyes is fantastic at finding talent where others can’t see it, so we’ll just wait and see i guess.