According to Shaqiri, he is “at the peak of my ability”
But then he has this view exclusively. Shakiri has had a very bumpy career path and has always found himself better than actual performance records. A fundamentally ambitious player who always wants to play (more) and always expressed that in the media. Certainly not an easy and patient player from a coaching point of view. You have to make it to the two-time CL winner first, supplementary players or not.
But he peaked at Stoke City when he became interesting enough for Liverpool. But that says a lot, it’s been a few years now and the best years are already behind him. Still, he still has potent enough years ahead of him to rock the entire MLS. Zlatan said that in an interview times very uncharmingly explained why the league system in the USA undermines the winning mentality and why a player at the peak of his career plays in Europe.
I wouldn’t deny at all that he’s still at his peak and can still do what he was able to do 5 or 6 or 8 years ago. I think it’s much more about whether a coach fully relies on him. The best place for him at club level was simply at a smaller club where he was allowed to play. That was Stokes. If he plays through, he can also bring 15 scorer points. You don’t notice any drop in the national team either, it’s still just as important. I remember the Euros, quarterfinals against Spain. He still has the same skills as years ago, but the context has to be right.
The competition was very tough in Lyon. Lucas Paqueta. Plus Cherki, Reine-Adelaide, Toko Ekambi, Faivre, Aouar. In Liverpool, the competition was also great. At both stations, I wouldn’t simply conclude from less playing time that he simply can’t be that good anymore. A mistake for me.
Now, however, we will only be able to judge his level of performance in the national team. The MLS is not good for that.
The Zlatan link is interesting. This is really a problem. It’s fun to play over 30 games, but they’re not worth more than the play-off qualification. And then there are simple KO games. This is totally insane. That hardly makes you give 100% in the preliminary round.
It’s even more extreme in other US sports. ice hockey or basketball. 82 preliminary round games, a mega ordeal. And then everything is set to zero and the team from 16th place has the same chances as 1st place. In the end, because of the Best of 7 mode, it is still the case that someone deserves to prevail in the end. In the MLS, on the other hand, the play-offs are like the DFB Cup. This is spectacle, yes. But somehow insane. Why the long game before? Why do you have to see this? As long as you stay above the line, it’s all more like tests.
Shaqiri is sure to be an absolute top scorer over there. If he enjoys being a star over there, then that’s nice. It has less sporting value. Shaquiri and Insigne don’t change that either. The league has brought its level to a better level with the many second and third-rate players from Latin America, but that’s where the development ends. Insigne and Shaqiri are now no higher level than Zlatan when he went over.
But hey, I wish Shaquiri a lot of fun and good luck. Maybe it didn’t have to be about the slight night stepping, but it was still okay. He didn’t say much. That was okay, I think. It just happens that it doesn’t fit. I think the competitive situation was also a big factor.
He wasn’t clearly the best option, that was competition to be taken seriously. Don’t make him smaller. These are good players, definitely at his level.