Gullit - MLS full of potential

Major League Soccer is successfully tapping into the "unbelievable" potential of the sport in America, with the United States national team benefitting from the growth of the game there according to Dutch legend Ruud Gullit – and the former LA Galaxy boss believes that this could continue to entice better players from Europe to move Stateside.

Some star names to have graced the MLS in the past include Roberto Donadoni, Lothar Matthäus, Hristo Stoichkov, Youri Djorkaeff, David Beckham, Alessandro Nesta and Thierry Henry, while David Villa, Kaká, Frank Lampard, Andre Pirlo, Steven Gerrard and Didier Drogba have all recently decided to join Republic of Ireland skipper Robbie Keane across the pond.

The recent move of Italian international Sebastian Giovinco from Juventus to Toronto FC particularly raised eyebrows given the forward is only 28 with a relatively established reputation in Seria A, but when asked if it was a concern that so many of Europe's big names had opted to switch to the MLS in recent times, Gullit disagreed and cited the movers' age profiles.

“At the moment no, because right now they are all players that already have done everything in Europe. They are basically in retirement mode,” said Gullit who was in Dublin as an ambassador for Carlsberg during the Premier League trophy visit on Wednesday. “Last time, New York City lost [2-0 to rivals New York Red Bulls] with Pirlo, Lampard and Villa, so it doesn't matter.

“The most difficult part also in America is you play in the summer, you play there in like 30-35 degrees celsius, humidity 90 percent. You have to play games in the summer, so it is not easy. You have to travel a lot and the level is quite okay.

“It is a different environment, a different perception of the game, but the level is growing. You can see it already in the American national team. Things are changing a little bit also with America. And the thing is they love the game there. They love it. You see the high schools and all the universities that play it. But there is not that much money involved yet.”

Gullit's own stint in the MLS didn't go too well, though – he left LA just nine months into a three year contract which made him one of the highest paid coaches in the competition at the time. Galaxy had won just six of his 19 games in charge, failed to reach the MLS play-offs under his watch and were on a seven game winless streak when he left the club.

Despite this, Gullit believes football in America is on an upward curve, though he also acknowledged that the presence of other more traditional sports in the States means that it will be a struggle to get the most promising talents to commit their time to the game.

“The potential in America is unbelievable,” said the 66 times capped former Netherlands international. “If you see how big that country is and how many players there are, the only thing is that they know – kids who go to high school or university – they know there is not so much to earn when you compare it with all the other sports.

“So sometimes that makes them decide maybe to do something different, but the potential is enormous. Of course if the business and the money becomes involved in that sport, then you can have a shift. At the moment I don't see it happening, but maybe it could happen. Now already there are a lot of good players playing there, but it is not a guarantee to win also.”

The 52 year old insists he remains interested in a return to management at some point, even though his last job turned out to be an even more forgettable experience than his spell in America.

As boss of Russian Premier League side Terek Grozny, he won just three of 13 games before being sacked by club president and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who said at the time that Gullit was more concerned with “thinking about bars and discotheques” than football.

“I would love to, if something comes along that I would like,” replied the former Chelsea, Newcastle United and Feyenoord boss when asked if he would like to get back in the hotseat someday. “I must say that I like my life at the moment. I have opportunities to travel a lot, to see around the world. I am always involved in football. You see the difference [from] when I was playing and now, how much change that has happened. And I keep an eye on what happens.”

Carlsberg ambassador and former Ballon d'Or winner, Ruud Gullit was in Dublin to showcase the coveted Premier League Trophy.