Although he never made a first team league appearance, Colorado midfielder Greg Dalby is glad he spent some time with Belgian top-flighters Charleroi before coming MLS this season.

The former Notre Dame star first saw a Preston North End move halted by a work permit application mishap, and then toiled a season in the Zebras second team before eventually joining the Rapids, who drafted him in the second round of the 2007 SuperDraft.

"I've always wanted to do this, to go to Europe and play, so I went ahead and did it," Dalby told the San Diego Union Tribune. "It didn't work out the way I wanted."

"It was a pretty tough situation, but I learned a lot, and it was still a great life experience."