After Brek Shea posted a photo of himself brandishing two rather large shotguns on Instagram yesterday, the USMNT and Stoke City attacker has issued an apology via Twitter.

Shea, 23, caused outrage on both sides of the pond as an image of himself in Texas holding two guns into the air, was posted on Instagram.

And this isn’t the first-time the US international has posted questionable snaps on the site. Just before the end of the EPL season his Instagram picture of a severed pig’s head also caused an internal investigation after a prank in Stoke City’s locker room went badly wrong.

Simply put, Shea has been slightly distracted off the field which has lead to some poor decisions to say the least.

Below is the Tweet Shea sent out earlier this morning, to try and atone for the photo his posted yesterday that appeared on Deadspin and caused plenty of uproar across the soccer community.

I realize I should not have posted the picture earlier yesterday on Instagram. I sincerely apologize to all who were offended by it. — Brek Shea (@BrekShea) June 25, 2013

Sadly, this isn’t the first time Shea has had to issue an apology during his relatively short career. While playing for FC Dallas in 2012, Shea petulantly kicked the ball at an official and was handed a three-game ban by MLS.

So what are these outbursts from Shea all about? I’m not vilifying the chap, neither condoning his behavior. I honestly just think he has been frustrated at the lack of first-team opportunities at Stoke City and following injuries and suspensions his career has slowly slipped backwards.

(MORE: Shea apologizes to fans for silly stunt)

Aside from the fact that he clearly needs a social media lesson, Shea’s lack of game time over the past six months is something that should concern US fans and soccer fans in general. Maybe a move away from Stoke, on loan or a permanent basis, is needed to shake Brek out of this current rut. Shea will be working hard to impress new Stoke manager Mark Hughes to try and reignite his EPL career. But stunts like this won’t help his case.

We have to remember that when Klinsmann first took over the US team, Shea burst onto the scene in MLS. Crazy haircuts, painting on the side and stunning goals on a Saturday were, and still are, his forté.

(MORE: Brek Shea in trouble? After crazy Stoke City prank goes wrong)

But take the goals and the tremendous soccer talent away and you see a young player losing his way, with people questioning whether or not he has his priorities straight.

Again, I’m not lambasting Shea. I would love nothing more than to see him return to his marauding best for the US in the Gold Cup and take the EPL by storm this season.

I’ve got my finger crossed he can resist making more social media mistakes and instead, concentrate on soccer for the rest of this summer and beyond.