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From Marseille to LA LAURENT MERLIN HAS ACHIEVED THE AMERICAN DREAM IN MLS
Posted On 09/11/2007 14:44:12 by admin
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Imagine this scenario. You’re 22 years old. The majority of your youth has been devoted to playing professional soccer. You were a youth international, a groomed young professional, and unfortunately you’re now twiddling your thumbs because the soccer gods just haven’t found you a club to call home.
Suddenly the phone rings and it’s your agent with some news about a tryout
3000 miles away in Los Angeles. David Beckham’s on the team so it can’t be that bad. What do you really have to lose?
Such has been the story for Laurent Merlin, the speedy forward now plying his trade for Chivas USA. For the past 4 months the young Frenchman has seen his career bounce between opportunities and disappointments and finally he has found a place to display his skills in the land of sunshine and movie stars.
In his first exclusive American interview, Laurent Merlin (pronounced Law-rawn Mehr-lawn) gave FFI Soccer Magazine a very candid look into his whirlwind story and how he managed to achieve the American dream in just over 4 months. With translation help from his girlfriend (who happens to be a model) we sat down with Laurent and discovered what life has been like for the suave-looking forward.
Hello Laurent. How’s it going?
I’m a little tired. I have been moving into
my new apartment so that has been taking up a lot of time.
Moving is never fun. Let’s jump right into learning about your story so then we won’t take too much time away from moving couches and picking out duvet covers. You came to the U.S. in February because of the Galaxy’s Open Tryout. How exactly did you find out about the tryout?
Mickael (Wiesenfeld), my agent, found out about the tryout on the internet and asked me to come to Los Angeles and tryout.
How far in advance did you learn about the tryout before you had to leave?
15 days. I had to decide pretty quick and I didn’t know if I should come because it was really far away.
What teams did you play with before you heard about the tryout?
I played with Marseille, Ajaccio, and a team named Chateaux in the French
2nd Division.
The Galaxy open tryout was on a Saturday in February. What day did you leave France?
I left Marseille on Wednesday and that night I stopped in Paris to watch the
France vs. Argentina game. On Thursday I got on a plane for Los Angeles and arrived Thursday evening.
What was going through your head the day before the tryout?
I wasn’t really that stressed out. I went for a walk with my father around Beverly Hills and Hollywood. That day was very relaxing because I had no idea how many players were going to be at the tryout. I thought that it was going to be like 15 or 20 people at the tryout.
What did you think when you saw the 800 people lined up to tryout for the Galaxy?
I thought it was crazy. The day of the tournament my agent told me that there were 800 people trying out. I thought that it was crazy and I didn’t think that I would ever get through. My father felt the same way and was saying that we should have stayed back home in Marseille. We never thought that I would get through and so I just decided to have fun, but after the first game I knew that I would get through. I scored like 5 or 6 goals in 15 minutes so I knew that I would advance. The other players were really bad.
Later that night we looked up on the internet to see who got through and I saw my name. I was one of 300 to get to the next round and it felt pretty good.
So, the first day the competition was BAD. What about the second day after all the
schleps were sent home?
The first game of the second day the players were still not that good. It was hard for me to play because everyone was trying to show off and so no one would pass the ball. I didn’t think that I played very well.
But you got through anyways, right?
I think that the only reason I got through to the next game of the tryout was because of all the goals I scored the day before. Also, my agent knew some people at Galaxy and he talked to them about me. My agent helped to calm me down and encouraged me that I’d go through. Nonetheless, my
father, my agent and I were all very anxious.
Finally after a couple of games that Sunday, you got through to the final game of the tryout. Did you feel there was good competition in that final game?
Yes. There were some good players in that game. I scored the first goal for my team, which boosted my confidence a lot. After the game we had to wait about an hour for the results and we were all very anxious. I was saying in my head “If they take me, then this is only the beginning. After today I’m going to have to work even harder to make it.”
When they made the announcement there were only two of us who would advance from the tryout and get the chance to train with the Galaxy. My father was very proud of me.
Were you surprised that you got picked or did you kind of know?
I was a little surprised, but I think that my confidence was really boosted after that first day so I had a good feeling that I would make it. Regardless, I was really happy when they called my name. But again, I knew that this was just the beginning.
How many days off did you have from that Sunday until the first real day of training with the Galaxy?
Monday I just watched the Galaxy practice and then Tuesday we began to train with the team.
What was it like the first day of training?
I was surprised because it was a really good level (of play). There were a lot of really good players. It was really physical.
What was the biggest surprise?
The physical play was very surprising.
Every player on the team was in really
good shape.
You trained with the Galaxy for 1 month and in the end they didn’t have a spot for you. What happened?
I trained with the Galaxy for a month and I played well for them and scored lots of goals. At the end of the month, Frank Yallop talked to me and told me that he couldn’t sign me because he already had 18 players on his roster and they just didn’t have the money so it just wasn’t possible. Yallop said that I could play in the USL with a second division team, but I didn’t want to do that. I’d seen the level of MLS and I wanted to compete in MLS. I knew that I could play
at that level.
You must have been really bummed out?
I was really disappointed. This whole conversation happened on a Saturday and later that evening I went out to sushi with my agent to discuss my options.
Just a week earlier I passed up on a tryout with DC United and I was really regretting that decision. My agent and I were sure that we’d get a contract with the Galaxy and now that we didn’t have a contract with the Galaxy we couldn’t call DC and ask for the tryout back. It was done. Once you say “no” it’s finished.
The next day, Sunday, we went back to the Home Depot Center because New York, Chicago, and Chivas were all training. My agent knew the coach from New York (Bruce Arena) and (Arena) said that he couldn’t take me because he didn’t know who I was.
Then my agent went to go speak with the old coach from Chivas, Bob Bradley. Bradley had heard about my story and thought that I had potential, but Bob admitted that he wasn’t the coach of Chivas any more so there wasn’t much he could do. My agent then asked who the new coach for Chivas was. Of course, the coach was Preki and Preki just happened to be standing right there the whole time. Preki told us that Chivas was about to have a game and I could play if I wanted to. I suited up right then and there and played in that game. And after that I played again with the reserves. I played pretty well and scored a goal.
After those two games Preki told me that I could tryout with Chivas for one week. That Wednesday we had a scrimmage against Houston and I played really well. The coach from New York was watching that game and afterwards called my agent and said that he wanted to see me tryout with them.
At the end of this week-long tryout with Chivas my agent got calls from DC United, New York, and Houston and all of them wanted me to come tryout with their teams. All those teams were interested in me now, but Preki said that he would have a 2 month developmental contract for me right now and then at the end of those two months I would have a full contract. Again, I was really disappointed because I played really well that week, especially in the games, and I felt like I deserved the full contract right away.
I wanted to go tryout with the other teams, but my agent talked to me and told me that I should stay with Chivas. I had a real contract offer with Chivas and the other teams were just offering me a tryout. My agent and I also trusted Preki so we ended up staying.
I’ve been here for 2 months and in the next 2 or 3 days I’m going to have my full contract so I’m happy with the decision to stay.
You’re basically like the American Idol of soccer. You were one of 800 to make it. How does it feel to be the “Soccer Idol” of MLS?
(Laughs). I don’t know how to answer that. I don’t see myself as the American Idol. I am just a player. I am doing all of this because I love to play. It’s most important to me that I can be a good player for the team. I just want to work hard and score goals for the team. All the staff at Chivas like me and I trust them all very much. I just want to continue to work hard and play well. That’s all I think about.
You wear the number 10. You’ve got some expectations to live up to when you wear that jersey. How come you chose that number?
I was in the locker room and the equipment manager wrote down all the numbers that I could choose. I picked the #10 and he asked me “Are you sure that you want #10? It’s a very big responsibility.” I told him that I am very sure. Give me #10.
You’ve been here for how long? 4 months? Do you feel accustomed to life here?
Yes. I really like living here and am getting used to living in LA. There are lots of things to do here. There’s the beach. The city. I’m glad that I’m here and not in the middle of nowhere. I also really like all the players on my team. Everyone is really nice.
What are some of the things that you miss about France?
I really miss my family. My father and mother and my sisters. One of my sisters is going to have a baby in a month. It’s really hard living so far away from home and being all by myself. But now my girlfriend is here and we have a new apartment so it’s
a lot easier. But I really miss Marseille
and my family.
What kinds of foods do you miss?
We’ve found everything here that we have at home. Except the French cookies. And French breads like croissants.
So aside from Big Macs and Starbucks what kinds of American foods do you like here in the States?
(Laughs) I love Big Macs. Seriously though, I really like sushi. I eat sushi all the time.
I also really like Mexican food.
Who’s your favorite player of all time?
Zidane.
Why?
Because he’s the best player of the last 20 years. He lived in Marseille like me. He’s French. I like the way that Ronaldhino plays, but to me Zidane is definitely the best player.
Who’s the best player that you’ve ever
played with?
Drogba. I played with Drogba in Marseille for 1 year. I was only a substitute, but I got to train with Didier Drogba and Frank LeBoeuf and Fabian Barthez.
What do you admire most about Drogba?
Definitely his power. He’s also really good on the turn. He can put the ball anywhere off the turn. He’s really strong. He’s scores a lot of goals. He’s also a really nice guy.
What kind of clothes do you like to wear?
(Laughs). Oh my god. I LIKE CLOTHES!! Me and my girlfriend love to go shopping. Here, I like clothes from Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills. I really like Abercrombie and Fitch. In France nobody has Abercrombie and Fitch so when I go home I get to show off my new stuff. I also like Gucci, Prada, Ralph Lauren. I like all the expensive brands. Now, I go to Ross and Marshall’s and I get to find all the expensive brands for very cheap. It’s great. One player from Chivas told me that I look like a surfer.
I’m not too sure about that.
(Laughs)
What is your favorite movie?
Scarface. You know Scarface? And I also like Meet Joe Black.
Wow. Those are two completely
random movies!
I also like Gladiator.
Okay. That’s a little better. I think you just won back your manhood.
—
What about music?
What do you like to listen to?
I like James Blunt. I also listen to a lot of R&B and Hip Hop. Beyonce, JayZ, 50 cent. I really like Justin Timberlake (Starts singing “Sexy Back”). I really like Justin.
What do you like to do when you’re not training?
First thing I do when I come home is eat. I really like to eat. Now that my girlfriend is here she can make me lunch everyday. I had to teach her how to cook because she didn’t know how. Now she’s pretty good. I’m a really good cook.
I also like to go to the beach and go running or play volleyball. Sometimes I’ll go shopping in Beverly Hills. A lot of times I just like to stay at home and watch TV or a DVD. Maybe play PlayStation, but now that my girlfriend is here there’s no more video games….Or Big Macs. The next thing I want to buy is the new IPhone.
What kind of job would you want to have if you weren’t playing professionally?
I don’t know. Maybe be a landlord. (laughs). No. I’m just kidding. I don’t really know what I’d want to do. I definitely think that I’d want to work in sports. I really love all sports. Soccer, volleyball, tennis…I really like all sports.
American Football?
Sure.
You throw like a girl by the way.
I have many ideas for other jobs, but right now I’m just focused on playing. Maybe after I’ll be a movie star (jokingly).
Or a model!
No. I think I’ll leave that to my girlfriend. She doesn’t want me to be a model.
What words of advice would you give to people that want to follow your dream of playing in MLS?
When you want something you really have to do everything that you can to get it.
You have to work really hard everyday and don’t question yourself. You have to live day to day and give everything that you can. Just follow your dreams and stay focused. Don’t ever give up.
Those are some good words of encouragement. Hopefully someone will take your advice and make it to the next level.
—
One more question, how badly did I beat you at soccer tennis?
What?!! I beat you like 21-10.
That’s it. Interview is over.
from ffi soccer magazine.
www.worldsoccerconnection.net
Tags: OM Marseille Laurent Merlin
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