Brek Shea’s tumultuous time in England is a cautionary story for American soccer gamers striving to play on the subsequent stage. Right here is the newest installment of Laura Greene’s On the Report collection.
BY
Laura Greene
Posted
November 17, 2014
1:45 PM
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THE LAST TIME we coated Brek Shea for On the Report, he was at Stoke Metropolis and struggling to get into Mark Hughes’ Premier League facet.
Quick ahead to November 2014 and the previous FC Dallas winger is on mortgage with Championship outfit Birmingham Metropolis, the place he has featured in simply 26 minutes of the Blues’ final eight video games.
The 24-year-old continues to separate opinion in England, the place his future as a top-flight participant is something however clear. Right here, we recap the previous couple of months of Shea’s profession and convey you an replace on what persons are saying concerning the Texan, warts and all.
AFTER FINISHING 2012-13 with only one outing within the Premier League—a 4-0 defeat by the hands of Everton—it seemed like Shea’s time was up at Stoke Metropolis. Additionally, to cap off a turbulent season that featured damage, incident, and scant taking part in time, Shea didn’t handle to make it into Jurgen Klinsmann’s U.S. World Cup squad.
— Brek Shea (@BrekShea) Could 24, 2014
The Brek Shea World Cup dream is lifeless. Lengthy stay the Break Shea World Cup dream.
— Aaron W. Gordon (@A_W_Gordon) Could 12, 2014
On August 2, the Stoke Sentinel reported that “Shea will be allowed to leave the Britannia Stadium, permanently or on loan, despite impressing with their efforts on the club’s recent tour of Germany.”
It was clear that Shea’s quick future lay away from the Potters, and he spoke to SI.com about his state of affairs on September 2:
“It’s frustrating. I’m not out there playing. I should be out there playing. Basically, [Hughes] said he doesn’t have me in his plans and he wants to work with the guys in his plans. I’d rather him tell me than not tell me. It was kind of obvious, anyway. It wasn’t a surprise. I’d rather him be honest and give me the chance to sort something out for myself.”
The next day, Stoke supporter Metalhead responded to the SI.com interview on fan web site The Oatcake: “I actually don’t dislike the kid and I kind of wish Hughes would give him one more chance. Each time I’ve seen him, I’ve thought he has something but he just hasn’t been able to unlock it.”
Crownmeking added: “Regardless of anything else, it must be hard to remain at a club where you know you are not wanted and don’t fit into the plans of your manager. That has to destroy a man’s confidence.”
Shea couldn’t pressure his means into Stoke’s beginning XI, and even onto its bench, for the primary three video games of the 2013-14Premier League season. Nevertheless, he returned to the U.S. nationwide group fold on September 3 in a pleasant in opposition to the Czech Republic. Eight days later, it was introduced that Shea can be dropping down a division to hitch Birmingham Metropolis on a three-month emergency mortgage.
“Best of luck to him!” Typed Mccfred on The Oatcake. “Really do feel bad for the guy, stuff has simply not worked out for him here. Hope he can get plenty of first team action in Birmingham. A good move.”
Shea arrived at St. Andrews in time for the sixth sport of the present Championship marketing campaign, with the Blues having earned only one win from its opening 5 fixtures. On September 11 then-manager Lee Clark stated he had “been chasing Brek for some time and really needed to signal him completely initially of the season.”
The American’s arrival was greeted with blended emotions on Birmingham fan discussion board Small Heath Alliance. As Deckchair wrote, “I distinctly remember him playing for Barnsley against Blues last season because he was THAT bad. Terrible signing—I hope to eat my words.”
Whereas CBCFC typed, “He’s tall, six-foot-three, and he has potential. I think this will be his level eventually. Good signing IMO on paper.”
Upon his transfer, Shea spoke to the Birmingham Mail: “There’s a lot that I can bring and I know I can bring it. There’s probably a lot of doubters of me in this country. But I can only do what I can do. Hopefully in these next few months I can show what I am about.”
He went straight into Clark’s facet to face Leeds United on September 13, beginning robust and bagging an help for Wes Thomas’ opener in a 1-1 house draw.
“Got the fans’ man of the match with an assist in the bag, if I’m not mistaken. Good luck, Brek – and keep it up!” Bombus commented on The Oatcake after Shea’s mortgage debut.
Vibrant begin at Birmingham Metropolis for Brek Shea, who already has an help in 45 minutes of motion. #usmnt
— Doug McIntyre (@DougMacESPN) September 13, 2014
Following 54 minutes within the Blues’ subsequent outing—a 2-0 loss in opposition to Sheffield Wednesday—supervisor Clark advised the Birmingham Mail: “He was never going to complete the full game, he has not played enough football. But I think he has added a new dimension. We have got the balance with the left foot, he is a powerful player. He is a threat in the air. So I think it is only going to get better for him.”
On Small Heath Alliance, Latchfordfrancishatton wrote, “In the Main Stand with my son on Tuesday night, unfortunately for me both [Jonathan] Grounds and Shea were therefore playing in front of me in the second half. Grounds was steady but offered nothing except long hoofs up the pitch. Shea offered nothing full stop and I can’t see how this guy would get stuck in, he hasn’t got it.”
One other commenter, H-Bomb, argued in Shea’s protection: “Shea hasn’t done too badly. He’s had a total of amount 100 minutes so far and is clearly not fit. First half against Leeds he was very good, I thought, a real threat. Tuesday night not so good. Too early to be talking about writing him off.”
Shea went on to play a task in Birmingham’s subsequent two video games earlier than being dropped. He has since appeared in only one extra fixture out of a possible eight—clocking up a complete of 228 Championship minutes this season.
It’s been a tricky spell on the sidelines for a participant so in want of sport time. The 2014-15 season is proving tough for Birmingham Metropolis, too. The Midlands facet presently sit second from backside in England’s second tier after recording simply three wins to go along with seven attracts and 7 losses.
Birmingham Metropolis administration sacked Clark after a dismal run that noticed the membership report only one house league win since October 1, 2013. 5 days after the supervisor’s departure, the Blues’ needed to endure a painful 8-0 defeat by the hands of Bournemouth.
To high all of it off—Carson Yeung, the person who engineered the £81.5 million takeover of the membership in 2009—has been in jail since March following a conviction on fees of cash laundering, as reported by David Conn of The Guardian.
Underneath Gary Rowett, named new supervisor on October 27, issues have improved ever so barely, with the membership recording two attracts and one win in his first three video games in cost. Shea has performed simply 26 minutes of league soccer for his new boss, and it appears like he has a great deal of work to do win over each his supervisor and Blues followers.
— Gavin Blythe (@gavinblythe1) November 11, 2014
Brek Shea may be my least favourite participant alive. Full joke. An instance of every thing mistaken with the game. Oh he is 6-5? Have to be nice!
— Jordan Beck (@JordanBeck_6) November 11, 2014
Again in Stoke, y_o_y_delilah commented on The Oatcake on November 10, “When new players come to the club it normally takes a match or two to assess if they’re any good or not, in Shay’s [sic] case it took all of two minutes to arrive at a conclusive decision. We should all wish him well in a new career path well away from the Brit.”
Ouch.
Because it presently stands, when Shea’s mortgage deal expires on December 11 he’ll head again to Hughes’ facet—which is presently sitting in ninth place within the Premier League.
On January 1 the switch window will reopen and it’s possible that Shea will get a transfer away from the Potters. Main League Soccer followers are already debating whether or not or not he ought to return to the U.S.
As Kenneth Noisewater commented on MLSsoccer.com , “Shea needs to come back to MLS. He’s clearly still too raw and won’t get consistent minutes at a level in England that is as high as he would in MLS. He jumped too early.”
Desmond responded: “By ‘raw’ do you mean that he’s terrible and not very good? That’s my interpretation of him. Shea is so overrated by MLS and all of his fans.”
One other fan, oleole galaxy, responded accordingly: “Shea has skills dude, he just needs to find the right spot.”
What are your ideas on Brek Shea? Ought to he keep in England and combat to show his doubters mistaken, go elsewhere in Europe, or make a return to the MLS? Tell us under.
Laura Greene is a frequent ASN contributor. Please observe her on Twitter.
