I have no idea why interest in Wagner from European leagues was so lukewarm, but I'm glad to have him for as long we can keep him. I think we are nearing a point where it's not hard to argue for him being the best "field" player (non-goalkeeper) in Union history to date.
Speaking of Europe and lukewarm, it is my understanding that Julian Carranza comes off the bench for Feyenoord. Now, having grown up in the US with dreams of playing pro tennis (pipe dreams, that is), I don't fully get how Europe beckons to soccer players the way the NBA, NFL and MLB do to youths who play that sport. But I feel like if I were Carranza, I'd rather start (and star) in MLS than be a bench player in my prime in one of Europe's second-tier leagues just so I could say I made it to Europe.
MLS is not viewed very favorably by South American national team coaches and federations (remember Carlos Valdez saga for Union years back) and Carranza still had a dream of getting a call up for Argentina. For him to have any chance, he needed to prove himself in a European league.
Your points are valid, but I'd argue scoring a goal to knock AC Milan out of the Champions League is worth the tradeoff, even if in the long run he could achieve more acclaim in MLS.
I have no idea why interest in Wagner from European leagues was so lukewarm, but I'm glad to have him for as long we can keep him. I think we are nearing a point where it's not hard to argue for him being the best "field" player (non-goalkeeper) in Union history to date.
Speaking of Europe and lukewarm, it is my understanding that Julian Carranza comes off the bench for Feyenoord. Now, having grown up in the US with dreams of playing pro tennis (pipe dreams, that is), I don't fully get how Europe beckons to soccer players the way the NBA, NFL and MLB do to youths who play that sport. But I feel like if I were Carranza, I'd rather start (and star) in MLS than be a bench player in my prime in one of Europe's second-tier leagues just so I could say I made it to Europe.
MLS is not viewed very favorably by South American national team coaches and federations (remember Carlos Valdez saga for Union years back) and Carranza still had a dream of getting a call up for Argentina. For him to have any chance, he needed to prove himself in a European league.
Your points are valid, but I'd argue scoring a goal to knock AC Milan out of the Champions League is worth the tradeoff, even if in the long run he could achieve more acclaim in MLS.