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 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – San Jose midfielder Joey Gjertsen spent the offseason grappling with his next career move.

The 2006 USL-1 MVP completed his contract with Montreal after the 2009 campaign and needed to decide whether to continue his career in the American second division or make the leap to MLS. The choice wasn't as straightforward for Gjertsen as it might have been for other players in his position. Then again, Gjertsen's path to that fork in the road wasn't as straightforward, either.

Most players travel a fairly predictable route from a major college program to the professional ranks. Gjertsen stopped at a community college and a junior college before eschewing better offers to complete his college career by playing with his older brother, Jason, at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. He scored goals for fun with the Geoducks – fellow alums include “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening and “Seinfeld” star Michael Richards – until someone in Vancouver decided to give him a tryout and a chance to play pro ball. He hired his college coach as his agent. He repeatedly showed through his choices that his priorities didn't necessarily lie with rising through the ranks as quickly as he could.

“It was never important to me to go to the next level,” Gjertsen said. “I wanted to be happy where I was at. But I knew that if I was going to make the jump, being 27 and signing another contract for three years, maybe I wouldn't have the chance when I was 30.”

Gjertsen weighed his options carefully. On the one hand, he could have stayed with Montreal, a club he called “as professional as you can get” and an organization poised to make the leap to MLS sooner rather than later. On the other, he had the nagging sense that he had accomplished just about all he could in the second division between his MVP award in Vancouver, his string of appearances with the Impact in the CONCACAF Champions League and his two USL-1 titles. 

In the end, Gjertsen's desire to move somewhere closer to his Tacoma, Wash. home and try his luck in the American top flight won out. With the decision to make the leap to MLS sealed, he needed to find his new club. Gjertsen elicited what he dubbed slight interest from Seattle and visited with Sounders FC while his hometown club prepared for the playoffs last season. San Jose, however, established strong connections with Gjertsen through its assistant coaches – Ian Russell knew Gjertsen from his time in Seattle, while Mark Watson played with Gjertsen in Vancouver – and wanted him more. The Earthquakes eventually captured his signature by exercising a discovery option to secure his rights.

“I think Vancouver was the first time I saw him play, and I liked him from then,” Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop explained after his side's 0-0 draw at New England. “He was under contract then, and it usually costs a little bit too much to try and get these guys from the USL. He was out of contract this year, so I spoke to his agent. We were desperate to get him in. We discovered him to make sure we got him and we brought him in.”

Once he landed in the Bay Area, Gjertsen quickly discovered he would have to adapt in order to thrive at the next level. During his time in the USL, Gjertsen either scored goals or created them for others. He played centrally more often than not, sometimes as an attacking midfielder and other times as an out-and-out striker. When Yallop brought him into the fold, he introduced Gjertsen to a different role on the wing and asked him to play a two-way game. 

“Outside mid is new to me,” Gjertsen said. “I'm just kind of doing what I'm told.”

If Gjertsen's performances are any indication, he listens well. Gjertsen entered the starting XI prior to San Jose's second game of the season – a 2-1 win in Chicago on Apr. 10 – and hasn't left the team since. As he continues to adjust to the new role, Gjertsen said he's relyingfavora on Chris Leitch and Joe Cannon to keep him in line and learning the nuances of his new position with each passing game.

Gjertsen's approach to his duties – a combination of attacking intent, constant industry and defensive attentiveness – evokes memories of Earthquake right midfielders past like Houston's Brian Mullan and Russell. Chipping in with the odd goal like he did in last Saturday's 4-0 win over New York and offering balance to Bobby Convey's enterprise on the left side will ensure those comparisons continue. 

“I don't think he was ever really not going to be good enough for this league, but he's done a nice job of making sure he's staying in the team,” Yallop said. “He's done really well.”

So has his new team. As he basks in the Earthquakes' early season success, Gjertsen said he made the right decision to test himself in MLS. 

“I'm definitely happy with the way things have worked out,” Gjertsen said. “I think our successful start has helped. I'm completely happy in San Jose. I wouldn't change it.”

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