After a collegiate soccer career at the University of Virginia and Florida International University, Chris Megaloudis turned his focus to soccer management.  The New York City native has soccer in his blood with his father a former professional with the New York Arrows and former Ajax player and MLS coach Thomas Rongen his stepfather.  Megaloudis coached the D.C. United academy side to the first MLS Youth Cup title and currently works for LVM Sports Management helping future players find professional contracts and he spoke with Soccer 365’s Andrew Rogers.

How did your career in soccer start?

I played at the University of Virginia for a couple of years, and then my sister passed away so I decided to leave school and transferred to the Florida International University. Through the summers I trained with DC United with the ambition of turning professional. But when my sister passed away soccer wasn’t the same for me, so I was lucky that DC United welcomed me in as a coach in their academy. It opened my eyes to the talent in the U.S.

What are your thoughts on U.S talent?

Well (D.C. United academy side) won the MLS Youth Cup (in the inaugural season), we had great kids. On a wider scale having seen more soccer across the world, the American athlete is a good one, the perception is that they are phenomenal, and I think as more of our best athletes are attracted to soccer the perception will grow.

When will the U.S be attracting the best of the best athletes?

If you look at some of the youth national teams I think some of those guys could have chosen a career in other U.S sports, and if you look at the Men’s National Team Oguchi Onyewu certainly would not look out of place in an NLF locker room! More of the best talent has now had its eyes open to soccer, and with the exposure it now gets, and its movement towards the main stream, the next 10-15 years will be very exciting.

Clint Dempsey also had great personal loss early in his career did football help galvanize you like it did to him?

To be fair I went the other way. Up to that point I was committed to being a professional, but when that hit me I think maybe I had neglected other things in my life, I realized my family was the most important thing for me and needed to be at the center of my life. For Clint it spurred him onto greater things, everything’s happens for a reason I’m very happy with where I am now, and if you ask anyone at the time Clint was a much better player than I ever was!!!

So how did you make the jump to representation?

Wasserman Media Group gave me an opportunity to intern with them and that kicked started me in that direction, LVM then approached me and identified me as the guy that can help out and it has gone on from there really.

The youth players clamour for Europe, its seems like a mine field Brad Guzan gets turned down, Bobby Convey got turned down, what is the deal?

It’s really a country by country situation, they have to understand there are rules to E.U countries and those outside it. It differs, and the players have to be educated in the realities of making it as a pro. It doesn’t hurt for them to do some research on their own, then we can assist them. Every kid dreams of playing in England for example but it is not really accessible, and many don’t understand that unless you have ties to a European passport it will not simply happen.

What is the answer then?

Well there are a lot of people who have made it their life’s work to know the in’s and out’s of any potential opportunities, we make a point of helping young player achieve their dreams but it has to come from them also, then we can lay out a plan and put them in situations where they can succeed rather than fail. 

Reading between the lines MLS is a great opportunity for emerging players?

Europe is not for everyone, players’ progress at different rates, and maturing mentally is another factor. USL and MLS offer strong platforms to become great players, and the youngsters need to understand that. My job is finding the right opportunity and making the judgment call on what will make them the best possible player.

So the $1 trillion question, college or MLS academies?

Ooo good question. I think with MLS academies its great thing they are doing, and it will benefit the universities. It helps the players prepare for college and for the pros. There are period where players are in transition and MLS keeps those players in a soccer environment. College offers a good opportunity to turn pro look at Michael Parkhurst, staying four years doesn’t do any harm.

Andrew Rogers can be reached at andrewrogers@optonline.net