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Soccer’s starving artists
Making living a challenge for developmental players
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Craig Merz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Crew developmental players, from left, Michael Ueltschey, Jeff Matteo and Andres Murriagui play poker with rookie Diego Walsh in the house they’re renting from former teammate Brian Dunseth.
"I’d play for free."
"It’s not about the money."
Whenever professional athletes state that they play for the love of the game, the first reaction of fans might be to cringe.
But, yes, there are actually athletes playing at the highest level of their sport in this country who get by on paychecks smaller than those of a burger flipper at McDonald’s.
Meet the mac-and-cheese crowd of Major League Soccer: the developmental players. These youngsters — they must be 23 or younger — receive $850 per month to train and sometimes play. In return, each team is allowed to carry six developmental players (including Project-40 signees) who don’t count against the 18-man senior roster or the salary cap. These players are the league’s answer to taxi squads, allowing each club to keep reserves on hand or with a nearby ALeague franchise for emergency call-ups.
"We were joking the other day how much we were making by the hour," said defender Jake Traeger, one of five Crew developmental players (defender Nelson Akwari is on a Project-40 contract).
It’s not much. Their salaries come out to $212.50 per week.
"I get about $185 a week after taxes," midfielder Jeff Matteo said. "I have to work construction in the off-season."
If that $212.50 were based on a 40-hour week it would be $5.31 per hour. The federal minimum wage is $5.15 per hour. A convenience store employee who works at $7 per hour would gross $280 for a 40-hour week.
"I’ve managed; my parents have helped out," forward Michael Ritch said.
The goal of the developmental program is to find and fund young, promising players near the MLS teams, Crew president Jim Smith said.
Last season, the Crew signed Pickerington native Chris Leitch to a developmental contract. The defender lived at home most of the season to save money while starting 13 matches. Leitch was traded to the MetroStars before the 2003 season and earns about the league minimum of $25,000.
"Chris Leitch is our success story for the developmental program," Smith said.
Traeger is the only local product this season. He played for Ohio State and still takes classes there. He lived in a University District apartment until moving last month to an apartment on the North Side with a college roommate and Ritch.
"We have to watch what we do, watch what we buy," Traeger said. "It’s not the best way to live, but I’m playing for a pro team doing what I love."
Ritch said the developmental players love it when they get to make a road trip. The players receive $41 per diem for each full day they are away.
"I saved a little of it, but I still got to eat good," he said. "You don’t eat out a lot when you’re home. Everyone’s calling to go out, but you can’t do it."
Matteo signed with the Crew late last season, but was sent with Leitch to the MetroStars for Ross Paule. Leitch and Matteo were roommates, and Matteo received support from his family who lived nearby. He rejoined the Crew in May after being released.
Matteo and developmental players Andres Murriagui and Michael Ueltschey began renting the home of Brian Dunseth when the Crew traded the defender to Dallas on Aug. 20.
There are ways to earn extra cash. Matteo, for example, coaches youth soccer in Pickerington. The Crew also steers the developmental players toward paid appearances and working at soccer camps to supplement their income.
"I can probably make about half my salary, roughly $400 (per month)," Ritch said. "It’s a lot more with camps. It’s a little less now that the camps are over."
So why do the developmental players do it?
Ritch, who spent the first half of the season farmed out to Syracuse of the A-League, said the experience of training with the Crew is invaluable.
"The level of play is so different," he said. "I’ve improved five times since I’ve been here."
Everybody wants the opportunity to be the next Chris Leitch or Nat Borchers, the Colorado developmental player who has started nearly 17 games on defense for the Rapids this season. Matteo has made six appearances — three starts — for the Crew in 2003 and scored his first career goal July 23 against New England. Akwari has played 10 matches, including four straight starts in which the Crew went 3-0-1 in late August and early September.
"This is what you’ve got to do if you want to get into the league," Matteo said. "You’ve got to do your time."
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