Leon Bailey seh not everyone can

[Muadib]

be a professional player but they make sure that all the players have a background so that they can at least go to college and then play in the MLS..

lol ! woiee !

Out of the mouth of babes !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0SFcdeClH0

[Mosiah]

Mi did 'ear it but since mi nuh usually comment pon anything from dah camp deh...

[Muadib]

MLS get a big dis !

lol ! woieee !

[USAF]

Very interesting!!! I didn't know that the players in the MLS weren't professionals. You learn something new every day.

Best of luck Mr. Bailey. Maybe you can help 2 other young Jamaican talents, Powell & Lewis, to play professional football.

[Muadib]

Well.. you have professionals and you have professionals...

Some players get paid in the NPL..

[USAF]

Are you contradicting or agreeing with Bailey's statement???......What makes someone a professional footballer???........& Who do you consider a professional footballer???

[USAF]

Leon Bailey

I listened to the young man's interview & heard him speak about how the Phoenix Academy groomed him - teaching him how to be a professional & conducting himself in a professional manner - & that's admirable and should be applauded, BUT one lesson he needs to learn is humility. You should always be confident, believe in yourself & strive for greatness, but it's not necessary to belittle others accomplishments, especially when you might be lining up with them to represent Jamaica.

Now, you are young & might not have meant it, but when you equate playing in the MLS to not being a professional footballer what does that say about Powell, Lewis & other young Jamaican footballers who play in the MLS???

You are with one of the best academy systems in the world & I wish you all the success and that you will one day play for one of the premiere teams in the world, because your success could mean more opportunities for young Jamaican footballers.

[Muadib]

The yute juss a talk di truth.. and not in a mean spirited way.. MLS is a hobby league.. relative to the Leagues that was chasing him down..

16 is a bit young to be an expert Diplomat and with a full grasp of political correctness..

[Muadib]

Well... I mean.. if I get paid to cut a lawn.. I can call myself a professional landscaper..

But...

[Karl]

Interesting.
Thanks.

[USAF]

Life doesn't always work out as planned, so if Bailey fails to make the Ajax first team after completing their academy & finds himself playing in the MLS, would he say that he's not a professional footballer???

***What an accomplishment by the US to consistently qualify for the WC with so many of its players competing in a hobby league. Imagine if we had a professional league.

[Karl]

Life doesn't always work out as planned, so if Bailey fails to make the Ajax first team after completing their academy & finds himself playing in the MLS, would he say that he's not a professional footballer???

***What an accomplishment by the US to consistently qualify for the WC with so many of its players competing in a hobby league. Imagine if we had a professional league.

...and the USA's MLS teams do not look too shabby when playing the world's top professional teams. ...even defeat those top teams at times!!!

USA's FIFA Rankings and performances at the World Cup Finals tournaments and out side of World Cup Finals tournaments (CONCACAF's Gold, FIFA age-group championships, FIFA's CONFED tournament, International Friendlies) do speak volumes of quality professionals doing quality professional work!!!

Go MLS!!!
Go USA!!!

...hope JA joins you on working towards TOP OF THE WORLD!!! and

[Assasin]

unnu must learn to give these professional athletes a bly. You can't take everything they say as something worth saying.

Just keep on playing some ball youth. You still have a lot to learn.

[Me]

I think if he had to write his statement instead of in an interview setting it would be along the lines of not everybody can make it to Europe directly as a youngster. Some will have to go the route of College ( where they are not professional) , then possibly to the MLS from there. As we all know, the top players typically do not opt for College.

He is 16 and so let's not be too hard on his simple comment.

[Karl]

...follow me? ...please?
Forget the youngsters struggles at 'delivery'...the interview says a number of interesting things. Opens the door to musings on unanswered questions.