Waiving Michael Videira

There was alot of excitement around here when the Revolution drafted Michael Videira in the second round of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. It wasn't just that the Hermann Trophy finalist also happened to hail from the neighborhood.* Nor was it the fact that he was a Portuguese-American playing in a region rich with people of Portuguese descent.

(*If my memory hasn't completely betrayed me, I believe Buzz Carrick had Videira rated as the best available midfielder in that year's draft. He fell to the 18th pick, where the Revs took him. It was a classic study in signability, only instead of money, as it is in the MLB Amateur Draft, it's international offers that scare clubs away. Well, that and money, of course. I suspect alot of debt-ridden collegians would take more or comparible money here than go abroad to earn less.)

It was more than all of that. It was the fact that he was being compared to another high-round Revolution draft pick. I mean, Buzz Carrick, the SuperDraft guru himself, was gushing with praise when he published this pre-draft assessment of the All-American midfielder:

"Videira is about as sure a thing as you'll find in this year's midfield pool. The Blue Devil is a big, active player with good feet and range. He battled an injury much of this year but was still third-team All-American. A three-time Hermann Trophy semifinalist and three-time All-ACC selection, Videira has a remarkable college resume. His career tally of 15 goals and 32 assists shows his game-changing ability."

"Game-changing ability." Wow. Sounds alot like another high-round midfielder taken by the Revs a few years previous. And the Revs were quick to boast of their selection, who happened to be "a three-time semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy (2005, 2006, 2007) and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) third-team All-American in both 2006 and 2007. In 80 career games with the Blue Devils, Videira scored 17 goals and added 15 assists. As a senior in 2007, he played in 16 games, scoring three goals and two assists while battling a leg injury. He is also a former member of the U.S. Under-18 and Under-20 National Teams."

Needless to say, alot of people, myself included, were pretty excited about this homegrown hero, this player that would surely replace the large void left by Clint Dempsey's departure a year previous. All he had to do was sign on the dotted line.

In a storybook world, Videira would have done just that and signed with MLS shortly after the draft. He would have trained with the Revs weeks later, played with Taylor, Rally, Shalrie, Parky, Jaybird, and the rest of the remaining Revolution players from their impressive 2002-2007 run. He was going to be the guy to whom the torch as passed to. He was supposed to make us forget about Deuce.

It didn't happen that way, of course. He opted to test the international waters, hoping to secure a spot on a European side, specifically, in Portugal, of which he already had a passport for. It didn't go quite as well as he may have expected. He never found a Portuguese club to sign with. Instead, bounced around until he landed in Scotland. When he got there, he got hurt, and never really got his shot to prove his abilities abroad.

A year later, he returned to Revolutionland, this time ready to prove himself before his home crowd. And he did. Kind of. He had a few good showings in Open Cup and SuperLiga. He played a really good game in his first MLS start on May 3rd against Houston, which is saying alot considering that was probably one of the most boring games I've ever endured. But aside from that, his career here was pretty undistinguished.

Not that he ever really got a great chance to show himself. For all the talent and skills the press releases, scouting reports, and coaches' quotes brimmed with, one thing always seemed to trip up the former Blue Devil. Injuries. And boy, did he battle them often.

First, it was the string of games he missed during his senior season at Duke. When he tried to latch on at Hamilton Academical in Scotland the following year, he suffered another series of setbacks before he was released that winter.

He stayed relatively healthy last season, but was slotted as a withdrawn forward, an obvious attempt to get him minutes, albeit in an unfamiliar role. Needless to say, there weren't many wows. Then, the injury bug bit again when he suffered a leg injury earlier this season. And from there, it just became a lost season for the former can't miss prospect.

Look, I understand it's hard to gauge a player's skill at the MLS level if he's always hurt. I'm not going to debate that. It's absolutely true. What I will rail against, however, is the lack of minutes that players like Videira, who are obviously gifted, afforded to them when they're healthy.

You know what would have helped? You know where I'm going with this. Yep. The Reserve League, which probably would have molded the midfielder into, at very least, a quality starter. And even in absence of it, a short term loan couldn't have hurt. There is precedent for it. In 2008, the Revs sent Brad Knighton to the Portland Timbers back for some seasoning, and it certainly seemed to help his development. Conversely, when there aren't venues for younger players to ply their trade, talent wastes away, which is what happened to Videira.

On his Revolution bio, Videira was proclaimed as "one of the top-rated prospects to come out of Massachusetts in many years." That may have been true. Unfortunately, what every prospect needs is minutes - minutes which were never offered to the Milford, MA midfielder who arrived as the Hope of the Revolution not too long ago.

Videira finds his way back to New England

At about this time last year, alot of soccer people - myself included - were readying themselves for the upcoming SuperDraft. Like many, I leaned heavily upon Buzz Carrick's annual Top 10 collegiate prospects report to see who's stock was CVS Caremark Corporation(CVS) and who's was RiteAid (RAD).

At the four spot in under the Top 20 overall Draft Prospects was Duke's Michael Videira. Among midfielders, Videira was ranked number one, with Carrick effusive in his praise for the Duke senior:

"Videira is about as sure a thing as you'll find in this year's midfield pool. The Blue Devil is a big, active player with good feet and range. He battled an injury much of this year but was still third-team All-American. A three-time Hermann Trophy semifinalist and three-time All-ACC selection, Videira has a remarkable college resume. His career tally of 15 goals and 32 assists shows his game-changing ability. A former U.S. U-18 and U-20, Videira was on the Generation adidas target list last year."

But there were whispers. Videira, a sure-fire first round pick, was going to 86 MLS and test his luck overseas. On draft day, his stock slid until the Revolution gambled and took him in the second round. Manager Steve Nicol understood the risk, but felt that gambit was worthwhile given the caveat that New England owned his MLS rights for two years should the former Blue Devil fail to catch on in Europe.

As expected, Videira flirted with the idea of playing European football. Eventually, he landed with Hamilton Academical (Scottish Premier League) months later in August. Not exactly the upper echelon European side the midfielder likely had in mind.

To make a short story shorter, Videira spent more time on the Scottish pine than pitch, and the club released less than four months later. With little certainty besides the promise of playing Revolution, he decided to return to the States. The Revolution formally announced his signing yesterday.

When I heard the news of the signing, I was a immediately reminded of Videira's quote from Mike Biglin's post-draft piece.

"I couldn't be happier that I went to the Revolution,'' said Videira. "So, for some reason if things don't work out in Europe, at least I'll be coming back and have a chance to play at home. That's much better than if I was in some random city.''

If that isn't a piece of prescience, then call me Miss Cleo.

So here we are, less than a year later, and the Revolution's prodigal son has returned. Some will say that Videira's selection was a masterstroke. A double-banked shot to sink the eight ball. The Duke star, after a year's absence, eventually returned home to play for his home club. With the departures of Khano Smith and Adam Cristman, Videira's chances of carving a starting role are far greater this year.

It's also fitting that his arrival coincides with the recent realization that Steve Ralston is not as bionic as many of us thought. The veteran midfielder sustained two serious injuries last season, and the club floundered in his absence. Whether he knows it or not, Videira will likely be called upon to assume Ralston's role sooner rather than later.

How this move plays out will be one of the most interesting storylines of the 2009. Not only does Videira bring a high pedigree to the pitch, but he is also another local kid - a Portuguese kid playing in a region with a high density of Portuguese - looking to make good for the Revolution, much like Michael Parkhurst.

Até mais tarde Michael Videira?

If there was any argument to be made for having the New England Revolution establish ties with a European club, perhaps the Michael Videira saga is the most convincing thus far.

Sometime after the third hour of the afternoon during the January 18th MLS SuperDraft, the New England Revolution took a gamble. After selecting Rob Valentino with its first pick, the club then proceeded to use their next pick - a valuable second round slot - on the much-heralded Videira, a senior midfielder from Duke University. A two-time Hermann Trophy finalist (2005 and 2006), Videira was listed as the top-rated midfielder by SuperDraft guru Buzz Carrick. An absolute steal for the Revs at number 18, right?

Well, here’s the catch: Videira may never play a game in MLS.

Videira, a native of nearby Milford, MA, holds a Portuguese passport and has stated his desire to play in Europe in 2008 rather than MLS. His collegiate performance has reportedly attracted the attention of enough Euro-based sides, to embolden him to test the international market in an attempt to secure an overseas deal.

A circumstance like this - one in which a draftee is determined to bypass MLS altogether and play for a European club - begs the question as to whether the Revs should align itself with European club, much like Los Angeles has done with Chelsea and/or the one Colorado has in place with Arsenal.

For a brief moment, using the Videira case as a guinea pig, let's propose the following hypothetical: Videira signs with a Portuguese outfit - let's say, SL Benfica - and from there, he plays for As Águias while his MLS rights are owned by the Revolution.

Now, let's take it step further: let’s suggest that the Revs enter into a developmental/working relationship with Benfica. Under this scenario, the two clubs could exchange information on not only Videira, but each other’s players as well. Revolution players (first teamers and/or reserve players) could train with Benfica during the winter, and Benfica players could train with the Revs during the summer. The rewards would be tremendous for both sides – even more so for the Revolution, as its younger players acquire invaluable training time in the higher stakes conditions of European football.

Of course, this arrangement would involve an investment on both sides. The Revs would have to find places to house of the Benfica players, and provide interpreters, if necessary. A European side would also have to follow suit and provide the same amenities as well. However, the infusion of European players - even if they simply train with the club - would greatly benefit the American side in ways that could easily translate into better performances on the pitch come matchtime.

Aside from the on-field personnel benefits, the added bonus of having an affiliation with a large Portuguese club would surely attract the attention of the dense Portuguese population that resides in southeastern New England. You think a partnership between the Revolution and a Portuguese side would go unnoticed?

Sure, the impact may not be same as Luis Figo himself stepping out onto the Foxboro FieldTurf wearing Revolution navy blue. Yet, the connection would surely bring in more interest from the Portuguese community for the Local XI.

On paper, it's a win-win situation for both clubs. Benfica, or any other European side, would establish stronger roots within the region, have its reserves see regular action (allocating them to the Revs reserves), and form a healthy relationship with an Americna club that has produced considerable talent in recent years. The Revolution, on their end, would have its own players acquire experience abroad by training in a formidable league like the BWIN Liga, and in doing so, the club would also extend its brand name to Europe.

Granted, in this scenario, not every Revolution draftee looking to jump overseas will sign a deal with the club New England is associated with. But the possibility of signing a Euro-minded player to a lucrative deal (perhaps containing a clause in which he plays a fixed amount of matches in MLS while also under a European contract) with a European partnership in place might- just might - help smoothen a potential situation like the one the Revolution currently find themselves in with Videira.