218 replies to this topic

[Titans Bastard]

Well, the soccer offseason is awfully short and some clubs are already beginning preseason. It's another year of Americans playing abroad and we should expect a number of changes before the end of the transfer window. Mostly, it will be free agents and others with one foot out the door (Bradley, Jones, Bedoya). I wouldn't expect too many MLSers to make the move this summer; the reality is that the winter window is more conducive to making the jump.

A few transfers have already been made, most notably DaMarcus Beasley's move from Hannover 96 to Puebla of the Mexican league. Puebla is a lower-tier FMF club, so it's definitely a fall for DMB. He's done absolutely nothing of note lately, so this shouldn't be surprising. Beasley just turned 29, but it's difficult to imagine that he has much left.

Also of note -- Herc Gomez has moved from Pachuca to Estudiantes Tecos after a disappointing season.

We also have a bunch of young players on the brink of breaking into the first team of their clubs, which is always something to look out for.


Here's the List for the time being.

Austria
2nd level
DF -- Shawn Barry (LASK Linz)

Belgium
MF -- Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)

2nd level
MF -- Devann Yao (Boussu Dour Borinage)

Czech Republic
FW -- Brian Ackley (FK Pribram)
FW -- Stefan Jerome (Sigma Olomouc)

Denmark
DF -- Clarence Goodson (Brøndby IF)
DF -- Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjælland)
FW -- Chris Rolfe (Aalborg BK)
FW -- Marcus Tracy (Aalborg BK)

2nd level
DF -- Euan Holden (FC Hjørring)
DF -- Babajide Ogunbiyi (Viborg FF)
MF -- Conor O'Brien (Blokhus FC)

England
GK -- Brad Friedel (Tottenham Hotspur)
GK -- Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)
GK -- Tim Howard (Everton)
DF -- Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa)
DF -- Zak Whitbread (Norwich City)
MF -- Clint Dempsey (Fulham)
MF -- Stuart Holden (Bolton Wanderers)

2nd level
FW -- Conor Doyle (Derby County)
FW -- Robbie Findley (Nottingham Forest)
FW -- Mike Grella (Leeds United)

3rd level
DF -- Frank Simek (Carlisle United)

4th level
FW -- Jon-Paul Pittman (Oxford United)

Finland
GK -- Josh Wicks (IFK Mariehamn)
DF -- Giuseppe Funicello (IFK Mariehamn)
DF -- Etchu Tabe (RoPS)
DF -- Mason Trafford (IFK Mariehamn)

France
GK -- Quentin Westberg (Évian Thonon Gaillard)
DF -- Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Étienne)

Germany
DF -- Timothy Chandler (FC Nürnberg)
DF -- Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96)
DF/MF -- Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin)
DF/MF -- Daniel Williams (SC Freiburg)
MF -- Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
MF -- Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04)

2nd level
GK -- Luis Robles (Karlsruher SC)
GK -- David Yelldell (MSV Duisburg)
MF -- Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt)
FW -- Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt 04)
FW -- Matt Taylor (SC Paderborn)
FW -- Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)

3rd level
DF -- Amaechi Igwe (SV Babelsberg 03)
MF -- Preston Zimmerman (SV Darmstadt 98)

Israel
DF -- Ryan Adeleye (Hapoel Be'er Sheva)
DF -- Leonard Krupnik (Maccabi Netanya)
MF -- Bryan Gerzicich (Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona)

Italy
DF -- Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan)

Mexico
DF -- Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres)
DF -- Edgar Castillo (Club América)
DF -- Michael Orozco (San Luis)
MF -- Daniel Antunez (Estudiantes Tecos)
MF -- DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla)
MF -- Joe Benny Corona (Club Tijuana)
MF -- José Francisco Torres (Pachuca)
FW -- Herculez Gomez (Estudiantes Tecos)
FW -- Sonny Guadarrama (Atlante)
FW -- Sammy Ochoa (Estudiantes Tecos)
FW -- Adrián Ruelas (Jaguares de Chiapas) -- on loan from Santos Laguna

Netherlands
2nd level
DF/MF -- Charles Kazlauskas (Helmond Sport)

Norway
GK -- Joseph Bendik (Sogndal)
DF -- Sean Cunningham (Molde FK)
MF -- Mikkel Diskerud (Stabæk)
MF -- Joshua Gatt (Molde FK)

2nd level
GK -- Colin Burns (Sandefjord) -- on loan from Sarpsborg
GK -- Steve Clark (Hønefoss BK)
DF -- Rhett Bernstein (Mjøndalen IF)
DF -- Jonathan Borrajo (Ham-Kam)
DF -- Kyle Helton (Mjøndalen IF)
FW -- Kenneth Di Vita Jensen (Hønefoss BK)

Peru
MF -- Diego Chavarri (Sporting Cristal)

Portugal
MF -- Freddy Adu (Benfica)
MF -- Kamani Hill (Vitória Guimarães)

2nd level
DF -- Greg Garza (Estoril-Praia)
FW -- Tony Taylor (Estoril-Praia)

Russia
MF/FW -- Eugene Starikov (Tom Tomsk)

Scotland
GK -- Dominic Cervi (Celtic)
MF -- Maurice Edu (Rangers)

Spain
FW -- Jozy Altidore (Villarreal)

Sweden
DF -- Gale Agbossoumonde (Djurgårdens IF)
DF -- Ryan Miller (Halmstads BK)
MF -- Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro SK)
FW -- Samuel Petrone (Mjällby AIF)

2nd level
GK -- Brian Edwards (Degerfors)
GK -- Nick Noble (Ljungskile SK)
GK -- Matt Pyzdrowski (Ängelholms FF)
MF -- Michael Thomas (Ljungskile SK)


FREE AGENTS
GK -- Marcus Hahnemann
DF -- Jonathan Spector
MF -- Jemal Johnson
FW -- Eddie Johnson

Edited by Titans Bastard, 25 June 2011 - 02:17 PM.

[Titans Bastard]

Youth Yanks Abroad

There are scads of kids scattered across foreign academies these days...it is becoming difficult to keep track of them all. I've included birth years in this list.

Argentina
MF -- Nicholas Gaitan -- 1995 -- Argentinos Juniors
FW -- Kevin Hoyos -- 1993 -- Estudiantes de la Plata

Austria
2nd level
FW -- William Suedois -- 1993 -- LASK Linz

Colombia
GK -- Kevin Piedrahita -- 1991 -- América de Cali

Croatia
MF -- Alex Molano -- 1992 -- Dinamo Zagreb

Denmark
FW -- Sebastian Clark -- 1996 -- Brøndby IF

England
2nd level
GK -- Cody Cropper -- 1993 -- Ipswich Town
DF -- Will Packwood -- 1993 -- Birmingham City
DF -- Danny Potts -- 1994 -- West Ham United
MF -- Sebastian Lletget -- 1992 -- West Ham United
MF -- Kristian Scott -- 1995 -- Bristol City

France
MF -- Piakai Henkel -- 1995 -- Paris Saint-Germain

Germany
DF -- John Anthony Brooks -- 1993 -- Hertha Berlin
DF -- Russell Canouse -- 1995 -- TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
DF -- Ralph Smith -- 1994 -- Kaiserslautern
MF -- Matthew Dunn -- 1994 -- FC Köln
MF -- Joseph Gyau -- 1992 -- TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
MF -- Fabian Hürzeler -- 1993 -- Bayern Munich
MF -- Jared Jeffrey -- 1990 -- FSV Mainz 05
MF -- Jason McGlothern -- 1995 -- FC Nürnberg
MF -- Charles Renken -- 1993 -- TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
MF -- Caleb Stanko -- 1993 -- SC Freiburg
MF -- Quinton Washington -- 1995 -- Hamburger SV
FW -- Terrence Boyd -- 1991 -- Borussia Dortmund
FW -- Junior Ebot-Etchi -- 1996 -- Hertha Berlin
FW -- Jann George -- 1992 -- FC Nürnberg
FW -- Jerome Kiesewetter -- 1993 -- Hertha Berlin
FW -- Andrew Wooten -- 1989 -- Kaiserslautern

2nd level
DF -- Shaquille Phillips -- 1992 -- Energie Cottbus
DF -- Joshua Smith -- 1992 -- Karlsruher SC
DF -- Parker Walsh -- 1991 -- Karlsruher SC
MF -- Carlos Martinez -- 1992 -- Energie Cottbus
MF -- Tyrone McCargo -- 1993 -- Greuther Fürth
MF -- Zachary Steinberger -- 1992 -- Karlsruher SC
FW -- David Spies -- 1994 -- VfL Bochum

Italy
FW -- Toraino Singleton -- 1994 -- Lazio

Japan
GK -- Daniel Schmidt -- 1992 -- Kawasaki Frontale

Mexico
GK -- Bernabe Magana Cisneros -- 1993 -- Pumas UNAM
GK -- Christian Rico -- 1994 -- Tigres UANL
GK -- Ismael Ruiz -- 1992 -- Tigres UANL
DF -- Ventura Alvarado -- 1992 -- Club America
DF -- Edgar Contreras -- 1991 -- Estudiantes Tecos
DF -- Hector Delgado -- 1993 -- Club America
DF -- Omar Elmasri -- 1990 -- Tigres UANL
DF -- Juan Espinosa -- 1996 -- Chivas
DF -- Jaime Frias -- 1993 -- Chivas
DF -- Estevan Garcia -- 1992 -- Pachuca
DF -- Luis Martir -- 1995 -- Chivas
DF -- Juan Pablo Ocegueda -- 1993 -- Tigres UANL
DF -- Emilio Orozco -- 1992 -- Tigres UANL
DF -- Gonzalo Orozco -- 1993 -- Puebla
MF -- Fernando Arce -- 1996 -- Santos Laguna
MF -- Victor Garza -- 1992 -- Tigres UANL
MF -- Kevin Huezo -- 1991 -- Pachuca
MF -- Daniel Navarro -- 1991 -- Tigres UANL
MF -- Ernest Nungaray -- 1992 -- Monarcas Morelia
MF -- Moises Orozco -- 1992 -- Tigres UANL
MF -- Roberto Romero -- 1992 -- Cruz Azul
FW -- Christian Carrillo -- 1995 -- Chivas
FW -- Uvaldo Luna -- 1993 -- Tigres UANL
FW -- Edward Martinez -- 1993 -- Club America
FW -- Jesus Rochin -- 1994 -- Tigres UANL
FW -- Erik Sanchez -- 1994 -- Jaguares de Chiapas

Portugal
GK -- Samir Badr -- 1992 -- FC Porto

Serbia
MF -- George Pantelic -- 1992 -- FK Rad

[Titans Bastard]

Transfers to look out for

The only solid transfer action we've had so far involves Mexico and Germany. Beasley has moved to Puebla, Herculez Gomez has moved to Estudiantes Tecos and young Adrian Ruelas will go on loan from Santos Laguna to Jaguares de Chiapas in search of first team playing time.

In Germany, there have been some low-level transfers. 3rd Liga top scorer Matt Taylor has moved up a division to sign with SC Paderborn. Meanwhile, Mainz reserve team midfielder (and former US U-20) Preston Zimmerman has signed with SV Darmstadt of the 3rd Liga. Amaechi Igwe, who missed the last season with an injury, has dropped down to the 3rd Liga as well, signing with SV Babelsberg.

However, there could be a lot more to come. A number of our players are on the way out of their clubs or are some degree of unsettled. Here's who will be or could be on the move.


Marcus Hahnemann: released by Wolves. If he wants to stay in England, he'll be able to find a gig as a lower-tier Prem backup or as a potential starter in the Championship. He might wait around for Kasey Keller's retirement and return to his hometown Seattle in 2012.

Jonathan Spector: released by West Ham. I'd imagine he'd find work in the Championship, but can he do better? Only if a manager wants to take a chance on his midfield abilities. His play at right back has been poor for a few years now. I really don't know where he'll end up.

Eddie Johnson: released by Fulham. Clearly not EPL standard. He did have some success in Greece and could wind up in a league similar to that level. He's a bit of a joke in England and I think he'll have to move to a new country.

Michael Bradley: One year left on his contract at Gladbach, but it's a weird situation. He left the team midseason and didn't endear himself to the fans that way. There's also a new manager who doesn't know him and who has built a midfield without him. It would be best if he found a new club. Where that will be is hard to say -- I'd expect more or less a lateral move in club quality.

Jermaine Jones: Still on the books at Schalke, but it's doubtful that he'll stick around. He could go back to England but may have suitors elsewhere too.

Oguchi Onyewu: Well, he's sure as hell not going to play at Milan. He's still not his pre-injury self; even if he regains his old form, he'll need to drop down to get playing time.

Alejandro Bedoya: Orebro probably won't be able to hold onto him. He's too good for Sweden and needs to challenge himself at a higher level. Clubs rumored to be after him include Rangers, Club Brugge, FC Groningen, and AZ Alkmaar. I'd love to see him in the Netherlands.

Brad Guzan: It's pretty clear that he's not in Aston Villa's plans. He needs to find playing time because he's not getting any younger. He hasn't played regularly for quite some time now. He would hopefully find a taker in Championship, where he played well on loan last year.

Eric Lichaj: It's hard to tell what Villa thinks of him. I'm not sure if they truly see him as starting quality and with the manager carousel, who knows how the current leadership rates him. The good news is that he did very well for Leeds down the stretch last year, which really established his reputation in England. Top Championship clubs would love to get their hands on him, so I'm confident that he'll end up in a decent situation.

Jose Francisco Torres: After a long run of mediocrity, Pachuca put their entire team on the transfer market. That doesn't mean that Torres will be gone, but you never know. Unlikely to leave Mexico in any event.

Jozy Altidore: Another loan is probably in the cards. He can't afford to waste away on Villarreal's bench.

Freddy Adu: Benfica may or may not remember that he even exists. Hopefully he gets a decent loan.


Some lesser known names who may be on the move:
Diego Chavarri: the young winger suddenly popped up on the radar in Peru. He had a run of nice games and had Vitesse Arnhem after him, but then went down with an injury. If he stays healthy and moves to Europe he could be interesting.

Babajide Ogunbiyi: Huge centerback had a very good season with Viborg, albeit at the low level of the Danish 2nd tier. He's on trial with 2.Bundesliga club Karlsruher SC. Would be a nice move up if it works out.

Mike Grella: He's shown flashes of talent, but never put it together at Leeds. If he gets regular playing time he could emerge as a fringe NT candidate.

[Titans Bastard]

Young players of note

The good news for US soccer is that there is some fresh talent coming through, especially at key positions like FW and LB. They say that "potential" means "you haven't done shit yet" and that's very much true in soccer. Still, it's heartening to see a group that appears to be greater in quantity and quality than groups we've seen in the past.

Timothy Chandler (RB/RM, 1990, Nurnberg)

Chandler was totally off the radar until he was moved up to Nurnberg's first team during last season's winter break. Since then, he's been a beast. He displaced the club's regular RB and earned very good reviews. He has amazing speed and a good soccer brain. He even looked good in his debut with the US in March. He's going to be a huge asset for our national team.

Joseph Gyau (RM, 1992, Hoffenheim)

Gyau is an extremely fast, extremely athletic winger. He was always known for his dribbling ability, but was a fairly one-dimensional player. He's improved the tactical side of his game in Germany and Hoffenheim regards him as one of their top prospects. He is training with the first team during preseason as we speak and he reportedly opened camp extremely well. Odds are good that he will see time in the Bundesliga this year.

If you've ever wished that the US had a nasty out-and-out winger, pin your hopes on this kid.

Joshua Gatt (RM, 1991, Molde)

Another quality right winger prospect, although he's still fairly raw. He signed with a second division club in Austria last summer, but did so well off the bat that Molde snapped him up after only half a season. Molde's manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer loves him. Gatt is fast and has some good instincts, but his lack of tactical knowledge holds him back. If he can figure it all out, he could be very good -- but that's sort of the soccer version of "if he can just lose 1.0 BB/9, he'd be awesome!!"

Bobby Wood (FW, 1992, 1860 Munich)

Some would say that Wood is a better prospect than Juan Agudelo, but I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion. He made his 1860 debut last season. The club loves him, and there are Bundesliga clubs circling him like vultures. He's about 6'0" and speedy. Everyone I've talked to who has seen him has raved about him.

Sean Cunningham (LB, 1993, Molde)

Gatt's teammate at Molde and fellow Michigan native. Cunningham is tall for an LB (6'0"), but Molde signed him the day he turned 18. Despite his youth, he's already getting some playing time with the club. It's early days, but we need all the help at LB that we can get. Fingers crossed.

Juan Pablo Ocegueda (LB, 1993, UANL Tigres)

He spent the last season as the youngest player on Tigres' reserve team. His progression relative to his age has been excellent. Like Cunningham, he hasn't been very visible so I don't want to get too excited until more reviews come in. However, he's an 18-year-old LB close to playing time in Mexico. That should be enough to get your attention.

Moises Orozco (CM, 1992, UANL Tigres)

He's looked great at times for the U-20 team. He's starting off preseason with Tigres' first team. He's an offensive-minded midfielder.

Sebastian Lletget (CM, 1992, West Ham United)

He's been a very hyped prospect for years, but it's difficult to gauge how he's doing. This is because he missed a bunch of time with mononucleosis. It's hard to know exactly when he's recovered all his strength. With West Ham's relegation, the path to the first team should be a little easier, but I think a loan is more likely at first.

John Anthony Brooks (CB, 1993, Hertha Berlin)

Brooks is another guy who I am cautiously optimistic about based on progression vs. age and second hand reports. He moved up to the reserve team in the middle of the previous season where he was one of the youngest players. I've heard that Hertha likes him a lot, although he may still be a year away from the first team.

Fabian Huerzeler (CM, 1993, Bayern Munich)

Huerzeler stated that he would switch from the German program to the US program last year. He needs to file paperwork because he played in a U17 UEFA qualifier for Germany, so it's not official but for now he's in our camp. He's done well for Bayern's U19 team, although I don't think he's their top prospect. Still, he's eligible for the next U-20 team, which will hopefully allow us to see more of him.

Cody Cropper (GK, 1993, Ipswich Town)

Cropper was the very young backup keeper on the last U-20 team and he's the odds-on favorite to be the #1 on the next U-20 team. Ipswich is high on him and he moved up from the U18s to the reserve team fairly quickly over there. I wouldn't be shocked to see him go on loan to a League Two club late next season or in the 2012-13 season. GKs are notoriously difficult to project, but he's arguably our top prospect.

Conor Doyle (FW, 1991, Derby County)

The Dallas native and Creighton signee came out of nowhere when he signed with Derby last year. He got sporadic playing time off the bench last season and looked a little out of his depth, but it's a big step from youth club soccer to the Championship. He's in a good place to take a step forward, if he's capable of doing so.

Gale Agbossoumonde (CB, 1991, Djurgarden)

He's a physical specimen and a mental headcase. He has all the physicality you'd want in a CB and he has ball skills, too. Unfortunately he is prone to bonehead mental mistakes, he can struggle to read the game, and has a reputation for being lazy in practice. If he can grow up, he could be a formidable player, but he has a long way to go.

Daniel Williams (RB/LB/DM, 1989, SC Freiburg)

A stealth LB candidate. He's been jerked around the field by Freiburg and hasn't settled at a position. He missed most of the last season with a meniscus injury, but surprisingly got playing time at the end of the season despite not being an integral member of the team pre-injury. If he settles at LB and does well, he'll have to be considered for the NT.

[AusTexSoxFan]

Good stuff as always Jamie!

[BigRed07]

Why are there so many more Americans in the German lower divisions than England? Is it mostly due to the difficulty in getting the work permit for UK vs Germany? Is there something about Germany that makes it easier for an American to get on to a team there than, say, France/Italy/Spain? Do those countries employ similar work restrictions to the UK? I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with Americans coming up through the German ranks, was just curious about the discrepancy.

[Titans Bastard]

You pretty much nailed it, BigRed. You see large numbers of Americans in Germany, Sweden, and Norway because there are very few restrictions on foreigners. (Belgium is like this too; I'm waiting for them to get in on the party).

The UK requires a work permit for all those from outside the EU+Switzerland+Norway. You can get a WP by appearing in 75% of competitive national team games. If you have less, you can sometimes get in on appeal (which has happened with Guzan and Findley among others). Uncapped Americans basically have no chance unless they have the second passport.

France, Spain, and Italy have non-EU quotas. Americans have to be good enough not just to make the team, but also to justify the opportunity cost of using a foreigner spot on them.

The Netherlands does not have a quota, but they have a high salary floor for non-EU players. The bottom half of the league usually can't afford these salaries. (the floor is lower for young players, but it's still an impediment. I forget what the age cutoff is). That limits opportunities a lot - clubs are less likely to take a flyer on a player if it is so expensive to do so.



And speaking of transfer news, it looks like Gooch is on his way to Sporting Lisbon!

[Titans Bastard]

Jozy just tweeted that he needs to learn Dutch....

I'd be very pleased to see him in the Eredivisie. I'll also be pleased if this happens early in the transfer window, giving him the whole preseason to integrate.

[allaboutthesox]

I wonder what Adu's prospects are going forward. He had a very solid tournament in the two games he played in. I wonder if he would end up getting loaned back to Rizespor and would he be amenable to it. It might not be a bad idea since he was getting solid playing time and producing. I am really intrigued even more so than I was before now. He did well in the Gold Cup and now has to build on that, but the question is: where?

EDIT: Been watching some of the U-17 World Cup and there are two kids on the US team that intrigue me going forward. Alfred Koroma and Alejandro Guido. Karoma is a young man who has the goods but is still a bit unrefined tactically. However, he is not afraid to go one and one and take the long shot. Any idea if any teams in Europe are zeroing in on these two?

Edited by allaboutthesox, 27 June 2011 - 06:59 PM.

[Titans Bastard]

I wonder what Adu's prospects are going forward. He had a very solid tournament in the two games he played in. I wonder if he would end up getting loaned back to Rizespor and would he be amenable to it. It might not be a bad idea since he was getting solid playing time and producing. I am really intrigued even more so than I was before now. He did well in the Gold Cup and now has to build on that, but the question is: where?

Adu's life would be much easier if he wasn't saddled with his large-ish Benfica contract. It's been a big problem over the past few years; the sort of clubs that would be beneficial to him often could not afford his wages. I'm not sure what percentage Rizespor picked up, but perhaps Benfica just stopped caring.

I'm also intrigued (and clueless) about where he'll end up. For the first time in a while, he has a little momentum on his side.

EDIT: Been watching some of the U-17 World Cup and there are two kids on the US team that intrigue me going forward. Alfred Koroma and Alejandro Guido. Karoma is a young man who has the goods but is still a bit unrefined tactically. However, he is not afraid to go one and one and take the long shot. Any idea if any teams in Europe are zeroing in on these two?

It's difficult for most players to move overseas before their 18th birthday for technical reasons. The only U-17 rumor I've heard so far is that Roma is interested in Marc Pelosi.

By way of comparison, the 2009 U-17 squad had only two players move overseas: Stefan Jerome signed with Traffic Sports and has been on loan at Sigma Olomouc in the Czech Republic and Carlos Martinez is in Energie Cottbus' system. Both moves happened well after the WC, too. (Will Packwood was already at Birmingham City at the time). However, Sebastian Lletget and Joseph Gyau, who were left off the team for non-playing reasons, moved to West Ham and Hoffenheim respectively. Charles Renken, who was dealing with a long-term injury, is also at Hoffenheim.

Meanwhile, Luis Gil, Juan Agudelo, Perry Kitchen, Jack McInerney, and Zach Herold have joined MLS (Herold unfortunately retired a few months after the 2010 draft due to a life-threatening heart defect)

There's potential to go abroad, but it's tricky. I wouldn't expect more than a few if history is any guide.

[CJChap]

Jozy is apparently close to a move to AZ, which I think is a great club and league for him and his development.

[Titans Bastard]

Jozy is apparently close to a move to AZ, which I think is a great club and league for him and his development.

Seconded. Also glad it's a full transfer and not a loan. It's about time Earnie Stewart (technical director at AZ) landed an American!

[allaboutthesox]

Adu's life would be much easier if he wasn't saddled with his large-ish Benfica contract. It's been a big problem over the past few years; the sort of clubs that would be beneficial to him often could not afford his wages. I'm not sure what percentage Rizespor picked up, but perhaps Benfica just stopped caring.

I'm also intrigued (and clueless) about where he'll end up. For the first time in a while, he has a little momentum on his side.

Is there a chance that he would accept a transfer somewhere and demand less in wages? I know that is highly unlikely and more of a question for Adu himself. However, I would like to think that he [Adu] is seeing the benefit of playing at the club level and how it has benefited him as far as his USMNT prospects. I am not really sure where he goes, but I really hope he doesn't make more of his recent success than he should. He just needs to keep his head clear and focused and play good football. We shall see I suppose.

[CJChap]

I think Freddy took a big paycut this last season when he went to the 2nd division in Turkey. I know Benfica obviously paid some of his wages, but I think he still had to take a cut.

I believe he's got a year left on his contract, so I don't think it'll be as difficult now. I could see him being released.

[biollante]

thanks for all the info. Seems like more Yanks Abroad than ever which has to be good.

[Infield Infidel]

GK -- David Yelldell (MSV Duisburg)

Yelldell just signed to be backup GK at Bayern Leverkusen. Hopefully he get's some PT, but nice to see another American at a big club.

http://espn.go.com/s...club-leverkusen

[Titans Bastard]

Yelldell just signed to be backup GK at Bayern Leverkusen. Hopefully he get's some PT, but nice to see another American at a big club.

http://espn.go.com/s...club-leverkusen

Once upon a time, Yelldell backed up Brad Friedel at Blackburn. He left in search of playing time and wound up with Stuttgarter Kickers, who were a mid-table club in the Regionalliga South (3rd tier in Germany at the time). He moved up to the 2.Bundesliga for two years on a bad Koblenz team and then got a gig at a bigger club in the same division (MSV Duisburg) where he had a solid season, reaching the German Cup final.

It's nice to see him rewarded with a place at a big club, even if it's as a backup. He received his first US cap this spring and he's on the fringes of the team (3rd GK candidate).



Speaking of big clubs, U17 midfielder Marc Pelosi has reportedly been offered a contract at Liverpool. He has a German passport, so a UK work permit will not be an issue. He doesn't turn 18 until next June, though, so I'm not sure if he'd be able to make the transfer right now unless his family moved out there.


* In other transfer news/rumors, Jozy continues to be linked to AZ Alkmaar. AZ's technical director (Earnie Stewart, as a matter of fact) has said that they are looking at him, but it depends on Villarreal's transfer fee demands and Jozy's wage demands. I think Altidore would be foolish to pass this up. It's possible that a slightly bigger club will be interested in him, but he needs to be in a good developmental situation and AZ seems perfect -- the size of the club, the quality of the league, the league's reputation for development. I will be disappointed if this doesn't happen...especially if Jozy winds up at a lower-tier EPL club or something.

* The latest Bradley rumor is Bologna, but it doesn't seem very substatial yet.

* Hahnemann has been linked to Hull City, but he might sit out half a season and take over for the retired Kasey Keller in Seattle next year.

* Jemal Johnson has moved from Lokomotiv Sofia to Southend United

* HS midfielder Dzenan Catic has signed with Kaiserslautern's reserve team. I don't know what's in the water in Michigan, but he is the fourth HS player from the state to move to Europe in the last 12 months. (the others being Josh Gatt, Sean Cunningham (both Molde), and Caleb Stanko (Freiburg)). And another Michigan kid, Soony Saad, just signed with MLS after leading the NCAA in scoring during his freshman year.

* A couple of players have moved from humble surroundings to the Danish Superliga. Brad Rusin of the minor-league Carolina RailHawks has signed with HB Køge and Conor O'Brien has signed with SønderjyskE after spending a season in Denmark's third tier.

* It's been somewhat quiet lately on the Alejandro Bedoya front, but there was talk of Club Brugge, some decent Dutch clubs like Groningen and AZ, and Rangers. If something doesn't work out now, he will have plenty of suitors this winter when he'll be available on a free.

* There was some talk a while ago that U17 defender Mobi Fehr was heading to Fulham, but with the club's managerial change I'm not sure if that's still on track. There have also been rumors that very young FC Dallas academy midfielder Emerson Hyndman may be heading to Craven Cottage.

* Leeds would like to have Eric Lichaj back, but it's unclear whether or not Aston Villa will be willing to let him go.

* Quentin Westberg apparently had an offer to become the starting GK for Beira Mar of the Portuguese Superliga, but he decided to re-sign with Evian and be a backup in Ligue 1.

[allaboutthesox]

I think Freddy took a big paycut this last season when he went to the 2nd division in Turkey. I know Benfica obviously paid some of his wages, but I think he still had to take a cut.

I believe he's got a year left on his contract, so I don't think it'll be as difficult now. I could see him being released.

If they did release him, what are they waiting for? Wouldn't it be better for them to release him so that he could find a new club? Or are they keeping on to him in hopes of getting some return on their investment (transfer fee)?

[Titans Bastard]

It's being reported that Jozy Altidore to AZ Alkmaar is official (full transfer, not a loan). I am a huge fan of this move. The Eredivisie is a great development league, especially for offensive players. There's a good standard of play, but it's not so difficult that an unfinished product like Jozy won't get much time on the field. AZ will be in the Europa League this year, too.

[allaboutthesox]

It's being reported that Jozy Altidore to AZ Alkmaar is official (full transfer, not a loan). I am a huge fan of this move. The Eredivisie is a great development league, especially for offensive players. There's a good standard of play, but it's not so difficult that an unfinished product like Jozy won't get much time on the field. AZ will be in the Europa League this year, too.

I hope it would allow Altidore to polish up in the areas that he needs development in. When one watches the goal he scored in the Gold Cup it is hard for most people not to get excited about what he could bring to the table. Solid playing time and development is what he needs right now. Rumors I have read mentioned his purchase price anywhere from £3 million to £7 million pounds.

[Titans Bastard]

I hope it would allow Altidore to polish up in the areas that he needs development in. When one watches the goal he scored in the Gold Cup it is hard for most people not to get excited about what he could bring to the table. Solid playing time and development is what he needs right now. Rumors I have read mentioned his purchase price anywhere from £3 million to £7 million pounds.

He won't be quite that expensive. Unconfirmed, but believed to be around $3m (though probably with a sizable sell-on fee).


In other news, US U-18 winger/forward Villyan Bijev is on trial at Liverpool. He's played in two U18 friendlies; in the first he scored two goals, in the second he scored a hattrick and set up two other goals before being taken off at halftime. Apparently Liverpool has already extended an offer to US U17 midfielder Marc Pelosi. It would be nice of both of these guys join up.

[Titans Bastard]

A summary of the transfer window so far:

Player                   Lg     From                      Lg     To
Amro Tarek Abdel-Aziz    GER-4  FC Magdeburg U19          GER-1  SC Freiburg II
Jozy Altidore            ESP-1  Villarreal                NED-1  AZ Alkmaar
DaMarcus Beasley         GER-1  Hannover 96               MEX-1  Puebla
Terrence Boyd            GER-2  Hertha Berlin II          GER-1  Borussia Dortmund II
Brad Friedel             ENG-1  Aston Villa               ENG-1  Tottenham Hotspur
Greg Garza               POR-2  Estoril-Praia             -      free
Herculez Gomez           MEX-1  Pachuca                   MEX-1  Estudiantes Tecos
Marcus Hahnemann         ENG-1  Wolverhampton Wanderers   -      free
Kamani Hill              POR-1  Vitória Guimarães         -      free
Amaechi Igwe             GER-2  FC Ingolstadt 04          GER-3  SV Babelsberg 03
Eddie Johnson            ENG-1  Fulham                    -      free
Jemal Johnson            BUL-1  Lokomotiv Sofia           ENG-4  Southend United
Carlos Martinez          GER-2  Energie Cottbus U19       GER-3  Rot-Weiß Erfurt II
Tyrone McCargo           GER-2  Greuther Fürth U19        GER-1  FC Nürnberg U19
Conor O'Brien            DEN-3  Blokhus FC                DEN-1  SønderjyskE
Oguchi Onyewu            ITA-1  AC Milan                  POR-1  Sporting CP
Caleb Patterson-Sewell   USA-2  Carolina RailHawks        POR-2  Atlético CP
Anton Peterlin           ENG-3  Plymouth Argyle           -      free
Jon-Paul Pittman         ENG-4  Wycombe Wanderers         ENG-4  Oxford United
Adrian Ruelas            MEX-1  Santos Laguna             MEX-1  Jaguares de Chiapas (loan)
Brad Rusin               USA-2  Carolina RailHawks        DEN-1  HB Køge
Jonathan Spector         ENG-1  West Ham United           -      free
Caleb Stanko             -      free (HS)                 GER-1  SC Freiburg U19
Matt Taylor              GER-3  Rot-Weiß Ahlen            GER-2  SC Paderborn
David Yelldell           GER-2  MSV Duisburg              GER-1  Bayer Leverkusen
Preston Zimmerman        GER-1  FSV Mainz 05 II           GER-3  SV Darmstadt 98

There should continue to be a lot of activity with Yanks Abroad during the rest of the transfer window.

Michael Bradley -- He and Gladbach are sick of each other; he really needs to find a new club.

Alejandro Bedoya -- Örebro could cash in now, or let him go on a free in the winter

Kamani Hill -- currently trialing at FC Brasov of Romania

Anton Peterlin -- currently trialing at Walsall

Eric Lichaj -- Leeds want him back on loan. It depends on how Villa's new manager sees him.

Marc Pelosi -- US U17 international, reportedly offered a contract at Liverpool

Villyan Bijev -- US U18 international, currently killing it on trial at Liverpool

Babajide Ogunbiyi -- big CB is too good for the Danish second division...a suitor in the 2.Bundesliga fell through, we'll see if anyone else pops up.


Also, Sweden has officially discovered the joys of cheaply-available amateur NCAA players and there have been over a dozen guys trialing with first and second division clubs. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few sign, perhaps in the winter (Swedish offseason) after the NCAA season is over. The Allsvenskan is a nice entry point to European soccer. It's a halfway decent league that's heavily scouted by bigger leagues (especially the Eredivisie) and it's generally not an overwhelming adjustment for rookies.

[Titans Bastard]

Orebro turned down a bid from Rangers for Alejandro Bedoya. I don't mind. I don't want him to go to Scotland, which, outside of Rangers and Celtic, really isn't much of a step up from Sweden, if any at all.

[Titans Bastard]

Bedoya signs a pre-contract with Rangers. Three years. He'll make the move in January, if he can get his work permit approved.

I had hoped he would go to a better league. In any case, Bedoya might have a dicey time getting a work permit. The only official games he has played for the US have been at the Gold Cup.

[Seen The Light]

Bedoya signs a pre-contract with Rangers. Three years. He'll make the move in January, if he can get his work permit approved.

I had hoped he would go to a better league. In any case, Bedoya might have a dicey time getting a work permit. The only official games he has played for the US have been at the Gold Cup.

TB, I'm not familiar with the work permit rules. Why would Bedoya have a hard time obtaining one?

[Spacemans Bong]

TB, I'm not familiar with the work permit rules. Why would Bedoya have a hard time obtaining one?

You need to have played 75% of your international competitive games in the last 3 years to obtain a permit. Bedoya won't qualify through that criteria, so Rangers are going to have to show that he is a good enough player to thrive in the SPL and that the US has plans for him in the future.

[Titans Bastard]

TB, I'm not familiar with the work permit rules. Why would Bedoya have a hard time obtaining one?

You need to have played 75% of your international competitive games in the last 3 years to obtain a permit. Bedoya won't qualify through that criteria, so Rangers are going to have to show that he is a good enough player to thrive in the SPL and that the US has plans for him in the future.

Bonger coved most of it. "International competitive games" in the US case means the World Cup, WCQ, and the Gold Cup. Bedoya hadn't appeared in WCQ and wasn't on the WC team, so for him it's just been this most recent Gold Cup (where he was an injury replacement for Feilhaber, but ended up playing a fair bit). Also, I believe it's only the previous 2-year period, although I'm not 100% sure that's correct. US national team players who don't have the 75% often win appeals; most recently Findley and Guzan were successful.

And STL, all this nonsense is avoided by having a passport of a country in the common European market (EU + Norway + Iceland + Liechtenstein + Switzerland, basically). Countries aren't allowed to have foreigner restrictions that supercede EU law. But every European league has different rules. Some countries have a limited number of non-EU spots (Italy, Spain, France), others have a relatively high minimum salary floor for non-EU players (Netherlands), and the UK leagues have the dreaded work permit rules.

It all adds up to world in which American players have a much easier time going to countries with few restrictions like Germany, Sweden, and Norway. It may be a matter of time until Belgium gets in on this, too. That's part of the reason why you see more American youth players signing with Bundesliga clubs. You simply can't get to England unless you are a NT player or have the right passport. Holden (UK), Spector (Germany), Howard (Hungary), and Lichaj (Poland) all benefited from this. Our current prospects in English academies did too: Sebastian Lletget (Italy), Cody Cropper (UK), Will Packwood (UK) and perhaps the two current trialists at Liverpool as well: Marc Pelosi (Germany) and Villyan Bijev (Bulgaria).

For those with just a US passport, England and the rest of the UK simply isn't an option until they reach the NT. This doesn't bother me very much, actually. I'd rather have our prospects in Germany, which on the whole is a better developmental environment than England.

[Spacemans Bong]

I can see why US players want to come to the UK, since the cultural transition is far less than anywhere else in Europe, but I think the continent makes them better players and better professionals. What's a Rangers coach going to tell Bedoya? Run harder for the impending long ball? He can stay in America for that.

And forget the pisshead culture that still exists in a lot of UK clubs, even some of the top ones.

[Titans Bastard]

I can see why US players want to come to the UK, since the cultural transition is far less than anywhere else in Europe, but I think the continent makes them better players and better professionals. What's a Rangers coach going to tell Bedoya? Run harder for the impending long ball? He can stay in America for that.

And forget the pisshead culture that still exists in a lot of UK clubs, even some of the top ones.

Agreed. There are better ways to develop than suiting up against Kilmarnock, St. Mirren, Dunfirmline Athletic, et al every week. It grieves me that the reported Dutch interest in Bedoya (Groningen, AZ) didn't pan out. An upper-middle class Eredivisie club would have been perfect.

[soxfan121]

Is that because of the quality of the SPL specifically or that the development programs in all of the UK are inferior to those in the Eredivise or Bundesliga?

Rangers are a common qualifier for European competition so that experience would seem to be beneficial but I really know nothing about the SPL, quality of play or quality of development programs.

[Titans Bastard]

Is that because of the quality of the SPL specifically or that the development programs in all of the UK are inferior to those in the Eredivise or Bundesliga?

Rangers are a common qualifier for European competition so that experience would seem to be beneficial but I really know nothing about the SPL, quality of play or quality of development programs.

The quality of the SPL isn't very good top-to-bottom. Rangers and Celtic dwarf every other club in Scotland and the league suffers for it. They have all the resources and all the fans. Outside of the Old Firm, there are often 1-3 decent clubs per year (Aberdeen, Hearts, Dundee United, Hibernian, et al, depending on the year) and the bottom half of the league is dire.

The lack of quality shows up in European play; the non-Old Firm clubs never accomplish anything. Dundee United went out to Sigma Olomouc, a middling Czech club, 8-1 on aggregate a few years ago. Another club lost to FC Vaduz, Liechtenstein's finest. Last year, Hibernian went out 6-2 on aggregate to Maribor (Slovenia). In 2008-09, Rangers even lost 2-1 on aggregate to Kaunas of Lithuania(!!!) If Scotland doesn't have a good campaign in Europe this year or the next, the league's ranking in the UEFA coefficients will drop to the low 20s. Even Rangers and Celtic seem to be slipping a bit. Their performance in Europe isn't as good as it used to be and they are losing good players to Championship clubs.

So basically, if you play for Rangers, you face good competition when you play Celtic, a handful of other SPL teams, and in Europe. The rest of the time, you are going up against clubs no better than what Bedoya was facing in Sweden. Bedoya is not that young -- he's 24 -- so for the most part he is what he is. Still, facing quality competition can help raise a player's level somewhat and I think he'd be better served in other leagues in that regard.



Developmental programs / academies are a different story as they don't apply to a 24 year old player. The UK's developmental system isn't the mostly highly regarded, but it's not like it's bad. The English national team is never quite as good as it should be given the population and money available, but obviously they produce many good players. These days, the EPL has been so well marketed that its teams are awash in TV money. Why invest so much time, effort, and money into player development when you can buy anything in sight?

[Titans Bastard]

Villyan Bijev signed with Liverpool. This kid is an 18 year old forward from Fresno who has done well in the US youth scene (U-18 national team member, USSF Development Academy Best XI). Apparently, he was absolutely killing it on trial. Bijev holds a Bulgarian passport, but due to Bulgaria's transitional status in the EU, he isn't yet able to bypass the UK work permit rules. The word is that he will be loaned out to Genk -- the reigning Belgian champions -- for the season. Genk doesn't seem to have a very deep squad, so maybe he'll get some playing time if he does well with the reserves, especially since Genk should have a lot of European matches this year.


It was also reported a few weeks ago that US U-17 midfielder Marc Pelosi was offered a contract at Liverpool, too. Pelosi has a German passport, so no work permit worries.

Lastly, former U-17 forward Andrew Oliver is a third American on trial at Anfield. Oliver led the US U-17 team in scoring during the CONCACAF U-17 championship, but was later dropped from the team and kicked out of Bradenton for unknown disciplinary reasons.

[EEIcaller]

[quote name='Titans Bastard' timestamp='1311560053' post='3649581']
Villyan Bijev signed with Liverpool. This kid is an 18 year old forward from Fresno who has done well in the US youth scene (U-18 national team member, USSF Development Academy Best XI). Apparently, he was absolutely killing it on trial. Bijev holds a Bulgarian passport, but due to Bulgaria's transitional status in the EU, he isn't yet able to bypass the UK work permit rules. The word is that he will be loaned out to Genk -- the reigning Belgian champions -- for the season. Genk doesn't seem to have a very deep squad, so maybe he'll get some playing time if he does well with the reserves, especially since Genk should have a lot of European matches this year.


It was also reported a few weeks ago that US U-17 midfielder Marc Pelosi was offered a contract at Liverpool, too. Pelosi has a German passport, so no work permit worries.

Lastly, former U-17 forward Andrew Oliver is a third American on trial at Anfield. Oliver led the US U-17 team in scoring during the CONCACAF U-17 championship, but was later dropped from the team and kicked out of Bradenton for unknown disciplinary reasons.
[/quote

I believe as of Jan 1 2012 he will be able to obtain a UK work permit due to Bulgaria's status changing in the EU

[Titans Bastard]

Speaking of Bedoya, Rangers, and the SPL...

Today, Rangers lost 1-0 at home to Malmö -- ahem, a Swedish club -- in the first leg of their CL 3QR matchup. Rangers will now have to win on the road to advance. (Mo Edu went 90 and apparently played rather poorly.) If Rangers can't pull through, they will at least be able to drop down to the Europa League Playoff Round, where they will face a home-and-home for the right to go to the group stage.

There are also reports that Rangers are still trying to buy Bedoya out of his contract this summer so that he can join the team immediately. We'll see what happens.

[EEIcaller]

Speaking of Bedoya, Rangers, and the SPL...

Today, Rangers lost 1-0 at home to Malmö -- ahem, a Swedish club -- in the first leg of their CL 3QR matchup. Rangers will now have to win on the road to advance. (Mo Edu went 90 and apparently played rather poorly.) If Rangers can't pull through, they will at least be able to drop down to the Europa League Playoff Round, where they will face a home-and-home for the right to go to the group stage.

There are also reports that Rangers are still trying to buy Bedoya out of his contract this summer so that he can join the team immediately. We'll see what happens.

Edu didn't play poorly..he just wasn't involved much. At times it looked as if he was playing out wide on the left. He did get stronger and better as the match wore on.

Re: Bedoya last i read was that his club was holding out for more cash

[Titans Bastard]

* An awesome goal from Brad Rusin in his second game in Europe:



Shoddy defending on that run aside, how often do you see a 6'4" center back do that? HB Køge recently purchased him from the Carolina RailHawks, who were absolutely dominating the US second division. Køge is relegation fodder in the Danish Superliga, but it's still a nice step up for him.



* Jonathan Spector has landed at Birmingham City. Unclear whether they see him as a midfielder or as a fullback. The drop from the EPL to the Championship was pretty inevitable, I think.

[Titans Bastard]

Fantastic goal by Josh Gatt:



Good run, good finish, and you have to love the stepovers that cause the CB to trip over himself.

Gatt is a good story. He was a relatively unknown HS player in Michigan. Not totally obscure -- he was on his way to Indiana, a good NCAA program -- but he was overshadowed by his club teammate Soony Saad, the national HS player of the year who went on to be the leading NCAA scorer during his freshman year at Michigan, and later left and wound up at Sporting Kansas City.

Gatt got an offer from a second division Austrian club and took the leap. After half a season, he was doing well enough that Molde came after him. Now he's starting at Molde, the Norwegian league leaders, at age 19 and has been taken under the wing of the manager...Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.


He's got some serious speed and we'll be seeing him with the national team soon. We need some speed in the attack and I think a winger like Gatt could be a useful weapon off the bench very soon.

[Titans Bastard]

* Mix Diskerud scores in Stabæk's come-from-behind victory over Fredrikstad (at 3:29)



Stabæk are in 5th and are three points away from third-placed Brann with a game in hand, so a European place is definitely possible. However, I wouldn't be shocked to see clubs from bigger leagues come after Diskerud this winter. He will have close to 100 appearances for his club by his 21st birthday in October. There have been vague rumors of teams tracking him and his Norwegian passport will open doors for him.


* Sacha Kljestan also scored a PK in his first game for Anderlecht this season. He's been a rotational starter there (20 starts, 25 appearances in the league last year), so it's a bit surprising to see him be the PK taker.


* Latest European draws are out. The final playoff rounds for the Champions League and Europa League start in a week and a half.

In the Champions League, Rangers have been knocked out by Malmö and Adu at Benfica really doesn't count, so we just have David Yelldell (Bayer Leverkusen) already in the group stage.

In the Europa League, there are a lot more Americans.

Bursaspor vs. Anderlecht (Kljestan)
Hearts vs. Tottenham Hotspur (Friedel)
Maribor vs. Rangers (Edu)
Nordsjælland (Parkhurst) vs. Sporting CP (Onyewu)
Fulham (Dempsey) vs. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Celtic (Cervi) vs. Sion
Nacional vs. Birmingham City (Spector)
Aalesund vs. AZ (Altidore)
Hannover 96 (Cherundolo) vs. Sevilla
HJK Helsinki vs. Schalke (Jones)

Most of our guys should get through, although Hannover and Nordsjælland are definite underdogs. Birmingham City, Anderlecht, and perhaps even Celtic will need to be careful, too.

Edited by Titans Bastard, 06 August 2011 - 12:07 PM.

[Titans Bastard]

Courtesy of that legendary BigSoccer poster, "johan derksen".







Jozy's not fully fit, so he only got 25 minutes. Nice debut and I really liked his movement off the ball on the goal. Good win over PSV.

[allaboutthesox]

Courtesy of that legendary BigSoccer poster, "johan derksen".







Jozy's not fully fit, so he only got 25 minutes. Nice debut and I really liked his movement off the ball on the goal. Good win over PSV.

It is good to see that, but I remember in some exhibition (friendlies) with Villareal he had some good games and a goal I believe. I just hope he can get into form and maintain it. He has the physical size to be a very good striker, I just think he needs to increase his work rate as a forward and I think everything else will come along with it. This could be the beginning of very good things for Jozy and the USMNT. I hope he can work on developing his one on one skills as well. Should be interesting to see him develop now as it appears he will get some playing time.

I believe the Dutch League has done a good job in the past of developing some of the US Players. Ernie Stewart and John O'Brien (such a shame how it went bad for him) to name two.

Edited by allaboutthesox, 07 August 2011 - 01:05 PM.

[Titans Bastard]

Some transfer rumors and news...

* Maurice Edu's name has been popping up lately. He's been linked to Bursaspor and, today, AJ Auxerre. I would be pleased to see him move to a decent Ligue 1 club. The quality of day-in-day-out competition in France is significantly better than the SPL. A sale of Edu would also give Rangers enough money to buy out Bedoya's contract right now instead of waiting to the winter, and it would clear the way for Alejandro to play his preferred CM position.

* Michael Bradley has been heavily linked to Bologna by the Italian press. Serie A could be a good fit for him. I will be very disappointed if he remains at Borussia Mönchengladbach because he's not going to play there.

* The latest Freddy Adu rumors are......Chivas USA. Apparently they are interested in bringing him in on a DP contract. Benfica might let him go for free, just to get his contract off the books. I can't wait for Freddy to be out from under his large Benfica contract; it has been an absolute disaster for his hopes of finding a decent club situation. From his standpoint, he's been getting paid which is nice, but it's been detrimental to his development.

* Villyan Bijev popped up in a Racing Genk reserve match (he scored a goal, too). Despite a lack of official announcement from either club, it looks like Bijev will indeed spend at least part of the season in Belgium on loan from Liverpool. Hopefully he does well enough with the reserve to merit first team consideration. Genk is guaranteed to be in either the CL group stage or the EL group stage, so there will be plenty of fixture congestion.

* Robbie Findley opened the season in style: a goal, an assist, another wrongfully disallowed goal, and a converted PK in the shootout. Findley's limitations are well known, but I can't help but root for the guy after all the flak he takes.

* With David Stockdale away on England duty, Cody Cropper made the bench for the first time in Ipswich Town's Carling Cup match. Remember the name -- this guy has been rising quickly in the depth charts for club and country and he may just be our best goalkeeping prospect.

[AusTexSoxFan]

It is good to see that, but I remember in some exhibition (friendlies) with Villareal he had some good games and a goal I believe. I just hope he can get into form and maintain it. He has the physical size to be a very good striker, I just think he needs to increase his work rate as a forward and I think everything else will come along with it. This could be the beginning of very good things for Jozy and the USMNT. I hope he can work on developing his one on one skills as well. Should be interesting to see him develop now as it appears he will get some playing time.

I believe the Dutch League has done a good job in the past of developing some of the US Players. Ernie Stewart and John O'Brien (such a shame how it went bad for him) to name two.

Also of course Mike Bradley's epic season at Heerenveen.

Thanks for the video clips Jamie! Great stuff.

[Titans Bastard]

* Robbie Findley opened the season in style: a goal, an assist, another wrongfully disallowed goal, and a converted PK in the shootout. Findley's limitations are well known, but I can't help but root for the guy after all the flak he takes.

Video for this popped up:

[allaboutthesox]

Some transfer rumors and news...

* Maurice Edu's name has been popping up lately. He's been linked to Bursaspor and, today, AJ Auxerre. I would be pleased to see him move to a decent Ligue 1 club. The quality of day-in-day-out competition in France is significantly better than the SPL. A sale of Edu would also give Rangers enough money to buy out Bedoya's contract right now instead of waiting to the winter, and it would clear the way for Alejandro to play his preferred CM position.

* Michael Bradley has been heavily linked to Bologna by the Italian press. Serie A could be a good fit for him. I will be very disappointed if he remains at Borussia Mönchengladbach because he's not going to play there.

* The latest Freddy Adu rumors are......Chivas USA. Apparently they are interested in bringing him in on a DP contract. Benfica might let him go for free, just to get his contract off the books. I can't wait for Freddy to be out from under his large Benfica contract; it has been an absolute disaster for his hopes of finding a decent club situation. From his standpoint, he's been getting paid which is nice, but it's been detrimental to his development.

* Villyan Bijev popped up in a Racing Genk reserve match (he scored a goal, too). Despite a lack of official announcement from either club, it looks like Bijev will indeed spend at least part of the season in Belgium on loan from Liverpool. Hopefully he does well enough with the reserve to merit first team consideration. Genk is guaranteed to be in either the CL group stage or the EL group stage, so there will be plenty of fixture congestion.

* Robbie Findley opened the season in style: a goal, an assist, another wrongfully disallowed goal, and a converted PK in the shootout. Findley's limitations are well known, but I can't help but root for the guy after all the flak he takes.

* With David Stockdale away on England duty, Cody Cropper made the bench for the first time in Ipswich Town's Carling Cup match. Remember the name -- this guy has been rising quickly in the depth charts for club and country and he may just be our best goalkeeping prospect.

Adu is headed to Philadelphia. It appears he will not be the designated player so I guess it is safe to assume that he is not coming back for the money.

Not sure how I feel about this, but as long as he is playing it will be better than what he is getting now. I just wonder if he ever considered going back to Rizespor before coming back to the MLS. I do not follow a lot of MLS, but how much time is left in the season?

Edited by allaboutthesox, 11 August 2011 - 06:51 PM.

[Titans Bastard]

Adu is headed to Philadelphia. It appears he will not be the designated player so I guess it is safe to assume that he is not coming back for the money.

Not sure how I feel about this, but as long as he is playing it will be better than what he is getting now. I just wonder if he ever considered going back to Rizespor before coming back to the MLS. I do not follow a lot of MLS, but how much time is left in the season?

Actually, Ives backtracked a bit and now it's unclear whether Adu is a DP or not. Wahl is reporting that he is. Goff hasn't reported on the DP issue, but he did say that there was interest from two Swedish clubs, a Spanish club, and an English club.

Anyway, I like this, especially because it appears that Philly will have his rights (not just a loan). Freddy needs a home and he's now in a place where there won't be any hassle regarding loans or foreigner spots or club politics.

Philly has 12 games left this season, which isn't ideal, but I think it's a good move for the long haul. And if things keep going as they are, Philly will have some postseason games, too. The Union have a bevy of young attacking talent, they play decent football, and I think Adu will fit in well. I like this move.

[allaboutthesox]

Actually, Ives backtracked a bit and now it's unclear whether Adu is a DP or not. Wahl is reporting that he is. Goff hasn't reported on the DP issue, but he did say that there was interest from two Swedish clubs, a Spanish club, and an English club.

Anyway, I like this, especially because it appears that Philly will have his rights (not just a loan). Freddy needs a home and he's now in a place where there won't be any hassle regarding loans or foreigner spots or club politics.

Philly has 12 games left this season, which isn't ideal, but I think it's a good move for the long haul. And if things keep going as they are, Philly will have some postseason games, too. The Union have a bevy of young attacking talent, they play decent football, and I think Adu will fit in well. I like this move.

With there only being 12 games left I wonder if Adu will come in and be a starter right off the bat or will they try to work him into the lineup. Adu needs to be playing right away if he wants to have any shot of getting a call up and potentially starting in the friendlies in September.

I wonder what Spanish and English club have interest in Adu. I guess it is time to start searching the internet.

[Titans Bastard]

With there only being 12 games left I wonder if Adu will come in and be a starter right off the bat or will they try to work him into the lineup. Adu needs to be playing right away if he wants to have any shot of getting a call up and potentially starting in the friendlies in September.

I wonder what Spanish and English club have interest in Adu. I guess it is time to start searching the internet.

If he's fit, I think he'll start very soon. If he's not, they'll work him in a little more slowly. Adu always seems to get off to slow starts with new clubs due to fitness issues, though. Remember that there are also two FIFA dates in October and two in November and Freddy will be available for the January camp, too.

Not sure which specific clubs were after Adu...I doubt it's been reported anywhere.



In other news, Alejandro Bedoya has been granted a UK work permit, so there is nothing stopping his transfer to Rangers. McCoist is still talking about working out a transfer to bring him in immediately, as opposed to waiting until January 1 when his Orebro contract expires.

[Vinho Tinto]

Spanish or English clubs after Adu? He just signed on a free transfer to MLS. His last run in Europe was the Turkish 2nd Division. This move was Benfica finally deciding they would not get a return on their 2 million dollar investment. Rather than paying his wages while he plays out the last year of his contract somewhere else, he was allowed to leave.

Yes, he had a nice moment in the Gold Cup, but the insanity surrounding who Freddy Adu is as a player never ceases to stun.

[Snakebauer007]

Spanish or English clubs after Adu? He just signed on a free transfer to MLS. His last run in Europe was the Turkish 2nd Division. This move was Benfica finally deciding they would not get a return on their 2 million dollar investment. Rather than paying his wages while he plays out the last year of his contract somewhere else, he was allowed to leave.

Yes, he had a nice moment in the Gold Cup, but the insanity surrounding who Freddy Adu is as a player never ceases to stun.

It wouldn't be too unbelievable if say a 2nd division Spanish side or Championship team in England had interest

[allaboutthesox]

Spanish or English clubs after Adu? He just signed on a free transfer to MLS. His last run in Europe was the Turkish 2nd Division. This move was Benfica finally deciding they would not get a return on their 2 million dollar investment. Rather than paying his wages while he plays out the last year of his contract somewhere else, he was allowed to leave.

Yes, he had a nice moment in the Gold Cup, but the insanity surrounding who Freddy Adu is as a player never ceases to stun.

I am starting to believe that regardless of what Adu does, if he should become more successful, that you will never be a big supporter of his.