The Ex Factor

Filed in archive US Soccer on February 18, 2006

source: ESPNsoccernet.com

Remember when Jean-Marc Bosman rewrote the transfer rules? 16 year old Johnny Exantus is about to do a similar thing in MLS.

Exantus has been with the New York Metrostars youth system (the very existence of which is rare in MLS) since he was around 14. He's recently trained with the first team squad and impressed Metros coach Mo Johnston. So, he'll sign up and play for the Metros right?

No, becasue this is MLS, and in MLS young players have to go through the draft system. Despite the time, money and effort the Metros have invested in Exantus he could easily end up somewhere else. For a league whose very future depends on nurturing young talent, MLS is doing very little to reward teams who do just that.

There's always something to complain about in MLS - an inevitable effect of it being such a weird hybrid of US sports and traditional soccer - but I've got faith they'll sort this mess out. The case of Johnny X (as he's become known) should force a rule change allowing teams to have first option on talent they've developed.