Forget MLS - the second tier of football in North America is seeing benefit of familiar names

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http://www.the42.ie/nasl-players-2944232-Aug2016/

Forget MLS - the second tier of football in North America is seeing benefit of familiar names
The likes of Joe Cole and former Juventus striker Amauri have rediscovered their form in the US.

A LOT HAS been made about the standard of Major League Soccer constantly improving. It’s inevitable, given the calibre of players being signed by various franchises.

Last weekend, you had Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard, David Villa, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane, Nigel de Jong, Giovani dos Santos and Ashley Cole all on the same pitch as New York City FC got the better of the LA Galaxy.

The league can also boast talent like Didier Drogba, Kaka, Sebastian Giovinco, Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey and Ireland’s own Kevin Doyle but even the second tier of football in North America is benefiting from the arrival of experienced talent.

Miami, who are coached by Italian icon Alessandro Nesta, brought in former Ajax striker Dario Cvitanich and he’s proved the side’s key attacker in a difficult debut campaign.

But elsewhere, sides have struck gold.

Joe Cole has rediscovered a rich vein of form in a supporting role up front for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, scoring five times in his 13 appearances for the club, including a magnificent bicycle kick against Puerto Rico FC.  It’s good enough to make him the Rowdies’ joint top-scorer – and he’s also added four assists.

He’s been included in the NASL Team of the Week four times since arriving in the league in May.