What Mix Diskerud to NYCFC Means For MLS, USMNT
MLS passed another milestone today with the news that Mix Diskerud will be joining its ranks. Mix is a dynamic central midfielder who, despite not playing a minute of the World Cup, has been one of America’s bright spots in 2014.
As of today, it’s official: He’ll be joining David Villa and (probably) Frank Lampard as a member of New York City Football Club. Many in the league are ecstatic, but as I’m sure, someone like Jurgen Klinsmann isn’t too happy. Although technically MLS is a better league than Norway, many would’ve liked to have seen Mix ply his trade somewhere more challenging like England or Spain.
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Mix is the last name in a long list of American veterans coming to MLS. Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Michael Parkhurst, Maurice Edu, Brek Shea, and DaMarcus Beasley are amongst those who have also come to the states. And from the sound of it, Jozy Altidore is not far behind.
For every MLS fan who thinks it’s good for the USMNT to house so many homegrown players, there’s a fan who wants his nations best to be competing with the best of Spain, England, Belgium, and other powers. For those on the other side, they say MLS can flourish as a league and be mutually beneficial to USMNT if they have the proper tools, players, and big names.
Well guess what, MLS fans. Your wish has come true. Whether foreign or domestic, your league now has a quality that it never previously possessed. Now it’s time to back up your words with actions. PROVE to the naysayers that having all your best players at home is what it will take for the USMNT to reach that next level. And no, I do not take the lukewarm performance from Brazil as proof. We won 1 game while giving up the lead in another and playing scared for the following two. The 2015 USMNT must be head and shoulders a better team than it was in 2014.
While someone like Jurgen Klinsmann may doubt the USMNT’s effectiveness with so many of its star players returning, can you blame him? Aside from a couple tiny Caribbean nations and Australia and Ireland, no nation aside from us has their best player playing here. Jurgen’s doubts are well-placed. However, I have good money that says no one hopes that Jurgen is wrong more than Jurgen does. He wants the league to do well, and he wants MLS to make him eat his words. So that’s exactly what must happen.
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So how does the league accomplish this? First off, this MLS season needs to be one for the ages. I’m talking monster TV numbers, 3-to-4 goals being scored per game, and for the love of God no more 0-0 draws. I’m looking at you, Vancouver and Chicago. Next, the United States must dominate the Gold Cup. No, I don’t mean outscoring Belize and Cuba by 4 goals, I mean beating them by 5. And by 5, I mean 5-0. Not 6-1. Belize has no business scoring goals on Brad Guzan. As the tournament progresses, more difficult teams such as Jamaica, Trinidad, Panama, Canada, and Honduras will emerge. While a lower score is expected for these games, the USMNT still must make these victories comfortable. 3-1, 2-0, etc.
But the real test comes when the USA reaches the finals, where their opponent is almost guaranteed to be either Costa Rica or Mexico. Both teams have their best players playing in Europe right now at clubs like Arsenal, Real Madrid, Villarreal, and Everton. It is literally a battle of ideologies: Exporting your best players vs. keeping them. And it may be the most important battle the USMNT fights all year. While on paper, the USMNT will be playing Mexico or Costa Rice, they will actually be playing themselves. A victory means we’re right and a defeat means maybe Mix should contact his agent and see if London’s calling.
Players like Mix coming back to MLS looks like a good move-for now. But over this summer, with an actual sample size under our belt, we will see if it’s a move that will make Jurgen Klinsmann eat his words, or stand by them harder than he ever had before.
Next: Sounders Acquire Troy Perkins