ing wasted. The refugees I
have played with are the best
teammates and players I have
come across, but they don’t
get opportunities to play at
a high level due to not being
able to afford it which leads
to them not being looked
at. The recent World Cup
champs, France, had 16 of 23
players come from families
that recently immigrated
from countries all over Afri-
ca. The players for the United
States Men’s National Team
are just the ones that can af-
ford it throughout the years
leading up to it. This past
summer I had the option of
practicing with the Empire
Academy and learned more
about the American football
system. The base price of
playing Academy is $5000
with additional costs like
traveling. Once you are done
playing club and have grad-
uated high school, the next
step is college. I don’t think
college football is a good
idea because it is a waste of
4 years. During the 4 years
of playing in college, you are
just wearing down your body
with no actual destination
or purpose. Playing college
football is over-hyped and
I will not be falling for the
trap,” explained Eagan. “The
American football system
tries to develop kids through
academies that cost thou-
sands of dollars, to hopefully
play in college, then get lucky
and play in the MLS, but most
players on each collegiate
team are European. Ameri-
can football is not develop-
ing or improving. I was not
surprised when the United
States didn’t make the World
Cup because the players play-
ing for the USMNT are not
the best players available in
this country because of the
system of American foot-
ball. With my dads job, I have
been lucky enough to talk to
people from Europe, mainly
the Netherlands, and travel
to Europe for a month. Every
single one has stated it is very
cheap to play in Europe with
a fee of around 200 euros. In
addition to nearly no cost of
playing, the youth players are
chosen by academies and de-
veloped throughout their life
to get to the pros with a much
more direct path than Ameri-
cans. America needs to mod-
el the European style if they
want to become a force in
football. From playing in the
Netherlands in the summer
of 2017, I had the chance to
play with players from all over
the world and also an offer to
play for an amateur team in
the area I was staying. I hap-
pened to turn down the offer
to finish school in America
and planned to graduate a
year early my junior year of
high school. After letting it
settle, I decided not to rush
things to find a plan and for
opportunities to open up. The
opportunity I have been hop-
ing for my whole life has been
given to me. I will be taking
my talents to Germany. I have
decided I will not waste my
time playing in America and I
will be going to a system that
makes sense and fits me best.
Ultimately, I am a European
style footballer and I believe I
will fit right in.”
So what type of player will
they be getting in Germany?
They will be getting a well
polished midfielder who
can score goals and also be
the playmaker that teams
crave for. One of the biggest
strengths for Eagan is his vi-
sion on the field. He can pick
out the right player with the
right pass.
Eagan prides himself on
knowing whats going to hap-
pen before it happens. It’s the
NOVEMBER 2, 2018 | SportsUnion
new style of football being
played in Europe, not here
in the states. The states don’t
have a lot of playmakers as it
is long ball after long ball.
Eagan thrives in the mid-
field and it shows both for
club and school. As he goes
so does Orchard Park High
School. He is the one pulling
all the strings in the mid. He
is to Orchard Park as Andrea
Pirlo was to Italy.
He is a classic playmaker
that can take over game when
he wants to.
“I definitely consider my-
self as a playmaker. The com-
bination of my vision of the
field and my passing ability
makes me a playmaker, al-
lowing me to play any ball
necessary to make my team
dangerous. I always have an
idea where I will go with the
ball before I get it. My whole
mindset when I get the ball
is to not lose possession of
it; always do something pos-
itive with the ball and that
can be as simple as making
a pass back to restart if there
aren’t options ahead,” stat-
ed Eagan. “Along with that
mindset, I will put the ball in
the most dangerous area pos-
sible, allowing a teammate to
make a play and to also put
the defense under pressure.
Without any options, I have
11
the ability to escape pressure
with my feet while having my
head up to survey the options
ahead of me that are develop-
ing. There is no better feeling
than creating a goal for your
team. Putting points on the
board has always been a trait
I have brought to each team I
play for.”
Eagan has developed into
a really nice player. He has
excelled for both club and
school, but it’s club where
he has had the most success.
Eagan has developed his
game on the club stage. This
is where he has learned the
principals of European play.
Playing this type off game
has helped his separate him-
self from others in Western
New York. It is what has al-
lowed him to be able to con-
tinue his soccer career over in
Germany.
“Playing for club has defi-
nitely developed me the
most. Whether it’s playing
men’s league since 15 years
old, playing Empire with the
best players in the area, or the
refugee team, I will be a bet-
ter player at the end of that
season. At around 14 years
old, my parents took me out
of premier football because of
the commitment at a young
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