This was always inevitable for Jordan Morris. The time to make a decision has come.
Morris punctuated his strong junior season in emphatic fashion on Sunday, as he bagged a brace to help give Stanford its first College Cup title. Now, the 21-year-old striker is at a fork in the road.
Does he stay at Stanford in 2016 to finish out his collegiate career, or does he trade in the classroom and homework for a professional deal in MLS or abroad?
Regardless of what Morris ultimately chooses and where he goes, U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann wants the promising youngster to be playing. That is the only way to guarantee continued involvement within U.S. Soccer.
“Now comes a big moment for Jordan Morris. He has to decide what is his next step,” said Klinsmann in a statement released by U.S. Soccer. “His next step obviously has to be becoming a professional. It’s not an easy decision for him. From our standpoint, it’s very, very important that he chooses an environment where he gets to play.
“He needs to play in order to be in a good position to be a continuous part of the national team program, and also the Olympic team that hopefully qualifies for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro at the end of March. Big moments ahead of Jordan Morris, but again huge compliments to him and Stanford for what they achieved.”
By and large considered one of the brightest prospects in the American pipeline because of his combination of skill and athleticism, Morris made a real name for himself in 2015. He not only played and scored goals for both the full U.S. squad and the Under-23 Men’s National Team, but he carried those experiences into the collegiate level and was quite dominant this season.
With a national title now under his belt, the forward’s stock has climbed as high as ever. There are reports and rumors of Morris drawing interest from Europe as well as being offered the largest Homegrown Player contract in MLS history.
It is all the result of his impressive play and continued development, but now he must decide whether he will continue to shine in college stadiums around the country or test himself in the pros.
“Watching Jordan Morris has been extremely exciting over the last year-and-a-half,” said Klinsmann. “He made his mark coming into the senior national team and scoring a goal against Mexico, being part of the Olympic team, and now obviously winning the NCAA title with Stanford.”
Morris needs to do whatever he feels like. By bringing this up in public JK proves yet again he’s a petulant child. If JK is actually concerned for the young man, then have the decency to have that discussion as a concerned mentor in private, not the press. By handling this in this in a public forum, JK shows again his complete lack of leadership, empathy, and class. I read the responses above and have to ask myself, is having a 15-16 yr old (yes Morris is 21, this is a bigger discussion) turning pro really the model we want to follow ?? Do we really want to be turning over kids under 10 to train at academies as the essential equivalent of ‘pros in waiting’ to see, after putting all their eggs in one basket and dedicating everything to one sport for years, if they can actually cut it as a pro once they get to their late teens ? Why is that model something the US feels they need to emulate ?? Using a veiled threat in public of “turn pro or I won’t use you” shows his dirt bag character, and another demonstration of a power/control play, and complete disregard for American culture. Do people in the US feel that Morris ‘owes’ them something ? He ‘has’ to turn pro or he’s being selfish ? If he doesn’t prepare himself now for WC then he doesn’t deserve to be on the WC team ? He’s at Stanford, he’s clearly smart, inspite of playing for college he’s getting call ups. If this turns into a LD kind of scenario where you kiss the ring or don’t play, then it’s the wrong model, and the US deserves better.
I’m clearly too good for MLS and everyone here.
I agree with Klinsmann. Morris is a wonder player with great potential, but he need to challenge his skills professionally in order for him to reach his potential. I don’t think MLS is right for him since MLS have not proven to be a league that can develop players to their potential yet. An overseas move would be educational, challenging, but will not guaranty first team playing time. Just like the national team, he needs to earn his starting 11 playing spot and consistently play good to keep that spot. Since he hasn’t gone pro yet, he should consider an average European league (like France, Netherlands, Scotland and Belgium), a lower division European league (like Germany, Spain, England and Italy) or Liga MX (since they are good at player development).
Stay in College… soccer will be there after you graduate. You only get to go to college for a short period…enjoy it… it’s the best time of your life AND you have a Stanford degree to fall back if your soccer career happened to end abruptly due to injury. Soccer will be there after if you want it
He can and I assume will do both. Happens all the time w/ college athletes in other sports who get drafted and complete their degree while a pro.
Soccer will have passed Jordan by for the most part after 4 years at Stanford. He has a lot to work on.
Also…college is always there. You can go when you’re 80 if you want to. If it’s the college experience that you’re talking about, then the experience of being a professional athlete in Germany is a much more unique and interesting experience.
Time to quit coddling the young man.
Could it be that an education is more important to this kid and his family than being a professional at this stage of his life? We as fans need to respect his decision and not ramp up the pressure on this kid for our own selfish reasons. I’m sure a lot of us are living with some form of regret because of choices we made as teenagers. A College life and degree maybe more important than a professional contract at this stage of his life.
I agree. There is absolutely no GOOD reason for Jordan Morris to give up college to turn pro t this time.
First, there is the Olympic Qualifying Match to consider against Colombia, win that and he goes to the Olympics, as an amateur, next summer.
Second he does not need to be a pro to play in the Centenario, and if he wishes/needs to keep playing, before the Olympics or Centenario the PDL and/or the Seattle Sounders academy can do until he plays again for Stanford. There is no pressing need for him to turn pro, except for Klinsmann sake. He has already proved he can play at the top level in his games against the Netherlands and Germany last summer, the 1st and 3rd place teams in the 2014 WC and against Mexico and against other national teams at the U21,U23 and Sr. Team levels
I do think it’s important for him to progress at Stanford. The degree he is seeking is pretty interesting as it’s aimed at mid-management in the high tech, medical or even the software industries where mid level managers typically see salaries in the mid 100K’s, And while Seattle may offer him a salary three times that and Europe probably 4x or 5x of that, there are injuries, the vagaries of professional sport and the fact that a typical pro usually has less than a 10 year career, which injuries can shorten.
No, Klinsmann in my opinion is making a mountain out of a molehill by going to the press and pressuring Morris to make a decision now. Klinsmann found Morris by chance and happenstance, as he does not give much credence to collegiate play, although it was a foundation of US Soccer.
Klinsmann does not really realize that collegiate sports in this country has been the lynch pin and fulcrum to most of the major US sports. And while most agree that the finished project from the collegiate ranks is not as good as it could be, the fact is that the 90 US WC team and most of the ’94 WC team consisted mostly of players still in or right out of the collegiate system, It was the ’94 WC team that went 1-1-1 in group play and then lost in the elimination round to top-ranked Brazil, which was identical to record posted by Klinsmann in ’14.
I have been a vocal proponent of Morris staying at Stanford through this year. I work in higher ed and believe in the power of a Stanford degree in the marketplace.
However, Morris is now at the stage where he will be impacting his earning potential and his private sector career in a negative manner by continuing to stay at Stanford. The prestige of a Stanford degree carries a lot of weight, but not nearly as much as representing the nation at the World Cup. Morris has probably finished half of his degree, and his credits are transferable. He can postpone the degree. He can not postpone a World Cup.
Jordan will not play in the World Cup if he continues at Stanford.
His play at Stanford will not develop his timing, game sense, tactical awareness, sharpness, and generally the play at the highest speeds necessary to have an impact at what is the highest level in the world. A coach will not take him under normal circumstances.
Jordan has two years to raise his play. That is not much time at all. It’s now or never.
The ’90WC team were the only truly amateur, collegiate team. The ’94 squad were employed by USSF (similar to the Cold War-Era Olympians in the Soviet bloc), to train and play together year round. A few were even loaned to European clubs prior to the WC.
Morris has also proven NOTHING in a senior level COMPETITIVE match, both for club and country. Yes, he displayed his potential and ability in the Germany and Netherlands games, the same way he is displaying them in his relative age group during the Olympic Qualifiers. But to think those translates to senior success is a mistake. Just ask Mexico how their gold-medal winning squad did at the WC; out by the round of 16 just like us.
College is not the place to develop into a world-beating SOCCER player. To cite the accomplishments of other sports is irrelevant; they are not globally competitive sports. Other sports have the luxury of being able to enter into a non-professional environment. They do not have to compete on an international market. College soccer is an environment where 18 year olds are only allowed to play and train 3-4 months a year; compare that to 18 year olds in other countries, who have been playing for 8-9 months a year, since they were 16.
Eden Hazard, played his first professional game by 16, was a first-team regular by 17. By the time he was 21 years old, Hazard had: played 194 games for Lille; won a Ligue 1 double; Youth Player of the Year (twice); Player of the Year (twice); over 25 caps for the Belgian Senior National Team; and earned a transfer to Chelsea. Contrast that with Morris, 21 years old, has finally won his first major(amateur) trophy; 7 caps for the senior USMNT; will probably win the MAC Hermann trophy; and we’re talking about whether he’ll start his career (if he even does) with Seattle or a Mid-table EPL/Bundesliga team. We need more of the former, not the latter.
Forget whether or not Morris will be a world-beater; I hope he can get to Dempsey’s level (who went pro at 21).
Of all the articles under which one could choose to complain about JK, this is a somewhat awkward selection. One of the bright choices Klinsman has made is recognizing/having the kiwis to pluck an anonymous kid from a college roster and invite him into a National team camp. Took plenty of crap for it, but… hard to deny Morris is a talented, solid prospect.
This kid goes to Stanford. He doesn’t need Klinsmann to make the decision for him.
Klinsmann isn’t making the decision for him….Klinsmann is stating that if Jordan Morris wants to continue to represent the Sr. USMNT this year (2016) he needs to turn pro. The decision is still in Jordan’s hands, but now he knows the potential impact of his decision.
Klinsmann said 2 things. He needs to turn pro if he want to be apart of the US going forward, as mentioned above, and 2.. He needs to go somewhere where he plays. Thus, he is not saying he should go to Europe as he has said about other players.
I read “He needs to go somewhere will he will play” as a critique of the short college season (basically 3.5 months). Klinsmann didn’t mention the whole Europe vs MLS thing because as far as he’s concerned any pro setup with an 8-9 month season is better than college ball.
Here’s to hoping he doesn’t stay. Also, fans voting on coaches and talking about wanting to fire him brings us in line with the rest of the footy loving world.
I don’t know of a single national team or major club where the fans elect the manager. If you do, name it!
Can we vote on who we want as the Nat team coach?
He annoys me to no end at this point.
Fans should never vote for a coach. In general? they seem to think that they know more than actually do. Second, what exactly did he say in this statement that was so bad.
The decision has just become very real for Jordan.
He can play in the Centenario and in the World Cup the following summer. He’s not going to be on either team if he plays for Stanford.
There are holes in his game that he needs to shore up if he wants to play in a World Cup and he needs to begin that process now. He needs to raise his level.
It’s time for him to leave Stanford.
And what, pray tell, is wrong with his comments on this matter? The hate for Klinsmann has become like that by conservatives for President Obama. Totally non-rational and occasionally delusional.
Gary
He is the lead whiner. Maybe I am whining about a whiner so be it. He is still the lead whiner.
He can’t just say. Awesome final, great performance. Nope. Needs to whine his two cents. Sweet MLS and NASL are growing! Nope, why aren’t they growing this way instead?
Am I missing something? When did Klinsmann mention the MLS or NASL. He’s national team manager congratulating one of his players on the achievement. Really is there more to this interview than the article lets on?
Also JK’s the manager and Technical Director of the USMNT. Its his JOB to let Morris (and everyone else in this country) know that while its a nice little achievement, its NOT ENOUGH to just be winning college championships.
We’re congratulating and fawning over Morris, who turned 21 almost 2 months ago, and won his first major championship. Paul Pogba turned 22 last year, and 2 months later played in a Champions League Final. Hell, Kingsley Coman wasn’t even 19 and he was subbed into that CL Final, and is now tearing up the Bundesliga.
SMH this the gap in talent we have to close, and we are no where close.
It’s time to change your name, “Quit Whining About Soccer in the US”.
Routinely whining about US soccer related topics is quite literally all you do now. Unless someone else is using your coined username, it’s time to find a new name. Also, could you please quit whining about soccer in the US?
Thanks.
Nah
I am whining here. Not a jk hater, he just needs to move move on.
Recently celebrated the College Cup, so great.
Same with NASL and MLS seasons
Free agency cruising along helping players.
More MLS and NASL expansion
All examples of me not whining, while great things happen, while so many did.
Name stays.