by Bia Assevero
– USA / France –
Ruud Gullit knows his soccer.
He’s Dutch for one thing, and the Dutch have produced some of the most spectacular talents that the modern era of the game has ever seen. From Van Basten to Bergkamp, from Rijkaard to Gullit himself, the Dutch have redefined the game more than once.
Gullit has played for some of the most prestigious and recognizable clubs in Europe, including AC Milan, the team owned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Then, when his playing days were over, he coached two of England’s biggest clubs: Chelsea and Newcastle United.
His latest challenge, however, is proving to be a rude awakening. Gullit was hired last November to replace Frank Yallop as head coach of the overly hyped and oft-maligned Los Angeles Galaxy.
He’s made all the right noises on this side of the pond about enjoying the challenge and looking forward to a new experience, even cracking a couple of jokes about living near Britney and Christina, but in an article that appeared in Britains’ Sunday Times recently, his rhetoric was a little different.
Gullit took issue with several aspects of the way that both the Galaxy and Major League Soccer (MLS) itself are structured; but what caught my attention was his complaint about college talent integrating into the professional ranks.
“When these players come into the professional game . . . it means that I have to go back to basics with them,” he said. “They’re just rough diamonds and they don’t have the tactical vision.”
His statement is laden with multiple meanings.
During his time at AC Milan, Gullit was coached by Arrigo Sacchi, one of the game’s tactical geniuses. It’s no coincidence that so many of the players who have passed through his hands have gone on to become successful managers themselves.
Gullit combined Sacchi’s tactical influence with the Dutch penchant for flare and came up with something he calls “sexy football.” It’s a fast-paced and fluid approach to the game that makes it look easy, but which in practice requires players to have a detailed tactical awareness.
The fans and the media, especially in the US where the league is so young, want sexy football and entertainment even more than they want winning results — but without the right kind of players, it is impossible.
This is where we get to the crux of Gullit’s statement.
The young players now integrating into the MLS are all products of American college sports programs. While this system is unique and obviously works well for basketball and American football (and a lot of other sports besides), it’s not the best fit for producing soccer phenoms.
Players in Europe turn professional as early as 16 and 17 years old and at that stage, they have in all likelihood spent the previous seven or eight years training in the academy of a professional club. In the United States, players rarely turn pro until after they have graduated from college. This makes for more well-rounded individuals, but not more gifted players.
The collegiate system works well for sports like basketball and American football because their elite leagues are all in the United States and geared to work in conjunction with college sports. In those sports, it’s natural for players to go from college to the NBA or the NFL.
And being the experts in those sports, Americans don’t have to adapt to anyone else’s way of playing those games. However Americas are not experts when it comes to soccer training. The problem is that while players continue their formation well past the age of 21, they need to have a full command of the tactical basics sooner, hence Gullit’s frustration.
He recognizes, though, that this is not something he can change. I would go so far as to suggest that this is really a question of culture and socioeconomic realities. Unlike everywhere else in the world, soccer in the United States is a middle class sport. The term “Soccer Mom” encapsulates it perfectly, conjuring up images of minivans, golden retrievers and PTA meetings.
The world’s very best players, however, do not come from suburbia. The large majority of them come from working class families, including Galaxy superstar David Beckham, whose father was a kitchen fitter and whose mother was a hairdresser.
In places like Brazil, Argentina and countries all over Europe soccer is more than just an after-school activity. It’s a way of life, it’s a culture, it’s a rite of passage and it’s a faith. Europeans – orally at least – rarely refer to football as a sport. Ruud Gullit’s real challenge is to see how well he can marry the European feel for feel for the game versus the American structure of the sport.
His challenge is to help American soccer define itself.
Good luck to him.
About the Author
Bia Assevero is a dual French-American citizen and a recent graduate of the American University of Paris with degrees in international politics and international affairs. She is a linguist and a freelance sports journalist with a particular passion for European football.
I really enjoyed reading this article! Your analysis of different international recruiting and training styles is very interesting, especially considering the upcoming summer Olympics!