Group Stage
nada, unless some youth players unexpectedly break through, though Gent and Freiburg stand a good chance of qualifying and Brugge stands a good chance of winding up here after losing in CL qualifiers.
Last year, Pulisic and FJ were the only two Americans to appear in the CL group stage and nobody played in the EL group stage.
Well, if we're questioning these things, we might as well question why in hell he went to Chelsea in the first place when there wasn't a snowball's chance he'd ever see first team action.Hrmm, I am unsure if that's good because it gives him the opportunity to play in European competition and for a season more cemented in a first team, or bad because there's no league progression.
Not sure missing the start of preseason to warm a Gold Cup bench helped him all that much either.
There's more money in England than anywhere else. While I want Pulisic to stay in Dortmund as long as possible for development purposes, I find it hard to be overly critical of any young player, American or otherwise, who secures their financial future with a move that makes no practical football sense. The value of these players rise and fall so dramatically that if you can find someone who is willing to give you life changing money in signing on fees and weekly salary, you have to consider it.I don't understand why any American prospects would go just about anywhere in England at this point.
I might be wearing Pulisic-blinders, but even if you take his case as extraordinary and throw it out it seems like the Bundesliga clubs are so much better at developing younger talent that if you're an American 18 year old, even if your dream was to play in the Premiere League, you'd be better off going to Germany and developing there to then angle for a sale in your early 20s.
It's really noticeable how many more American players are going to Germany rather than England at this point. Part of the reason is that it is legally easier to go to Germany (no passport restrictions) whereas you need the right second passport to go to England (something that gives you access to the UK labor market). I also think that US raw materials (e.g. 18 year olds) have improved to the point where more German clubs are interested in giving young guys a whirl. Some work out, some don't, but the resounding success of guys like Pulisic will probably open doors for others. I expect McKennie to be a good advertisement for US youth as well. When you are signing amateurs for no transfer fee, the cost/benefit is in your favor.I don't understand why any American prospects would go just about anywhere in England at this point.
I might be wearing Pulisic-blinders, but even if you take his case as extraordinary and throw it out it seems like the Bundesliga clubs are so much better at developing younger talent that if you're an American 18 year old, even if your dream was to play in the Premiere League, you'd be better off going to Germany and developing there to then angle for a sale in your early 20s.
Classic Freddy. I've never seen worse career management, though at this point it's been obvious for years that Adu isn't even trying anymore.The move is not without drama, though, as the club’s manager Radosław Mroczkowski was reportedly unaware the Adu would be joining for a trial before the midfielder arrived in Europe. Mroczkowski added that he doesn’t plan on letting Adu train with the team.
“I just heard someone picked him up from the airport,” Mroczkowski said. “This is not my idea, so let’s face it, the man who wants to have Frank [sic] Adu on the team, I do not accept this, it was not consulted with me. I will not test it, as someone else wants, and they can do it. In my opinion, the club is so ridiculous. Instead of building a team in a sensible way, we are looking for old vacuum cleaners.”
TB, what needs to happen, law- or treaty-wise, for Americans who can't get a European passport to move abroad and sign with UEFA clubs at 16?The release says that his contract goes into effect in January, which makes sense because he'll be 16 at that point. Like Pulisic, he can move abroad at 16 rather than 18 because he has the right second passport.
The US would have to join the European Union or the European Economic Area. Or, I suppose, create some sort of new structure to facilitate a common labor market that includes UEFA countries that also supersedes FIFA regulations.TB, what needs to happen, law- or treaty-wise, for Americans who can't get a European passport to move abroad and sign with UEFA clubs at 16?
The goal resulted from some truly godawful distribution from one of Ingolstadt's defenders:Andrew Wooten came on (54) as a sub for Sandhausen. He scored the 1-0 winner in the 70th minute against Ingolstadt, the presumed top favorite who are struggling in this years 2.Bundesliga with 0 points after 2 matches so far. Wooten´s Sandhausen has 4 points from two matches.
Americans in Europe so far:
Champions League
2nd Qualifying Round
Brian Span - IFK Mariehamn (FIN) - started both games; lost to Legia Warsaw 9-0 on agg
3rd Qualifying Round
Ethan Horvath - Club Brugge -vs. Istanbul Basaksehir
Group Stage
Christian Pulisic - Borussia Dortmund
Cameron Carter-Vickers - Tottenham Hotspur
Matt Miazga - Chelsea (but will very likely be loaned)
Europa League
1st Qualifying Round
Aaron Schoenfeld - Maccabi Tel Aviv - scored in the second leg of a 5-0 agg win over KF Tirana
Nermin Crnkić - FK Sarajevo - started both legs of their PK loss to Moldova's Zaria
Dion Acoff - Valur (ISL) - started both legs of a 1-0 agg win over Latvia's Ventspils
2nd Qualifying Round
Aaron Schoenfeld - Maccabi Tel Aviv - scored a goal in the first leg a 5-1 agg win over Iceland's KR
Dion Acoff - Valur - started first leg and came off the bench in the second leg of a 5-3 agg los to Slovenia's Domžale
3rd Qualifying Round
Aaron Schoenfeld - Maccabi Tel Aviv - vs. Panionios (GRE)
Kenny Saeif [injured] - Gent - vs. Rheindorf Altach (AUT)
Caleb Stanko - Freiburg - vs. Domžale (SLO)
Group Stage
nada, unless some youth players unexpectedly break through, though Gent and Freiburg stand a good chance of qualifying and Brugge stands a good chance of winding up here after losing in CL qualifiers.
Last year, Pulisic and FJ were the only two Americans to appear in the CL group stage and nobody played in the EL group stage.
I'm pleased to see Wright secure a loan to the 2.Bundesliga. He wasn't going to get minutes for Schalke this year and the prospect of playing for Schalke II, who were just relegated to the Oberliga, was grim. I don't know exactly what his prospects for playing time at Sandhausen are, though.Haji Wright (Schalke) loaned to Sandhausen for a year.
Scott made the bench for Köln in their DFB Pokal match today because their #2 and #3 keepers are injured. It bodes well that he was viewed as next in line ahead of all the other reserve team and U19 goalkeepers despite his recent arrival. I've heard good things about him.
- De Anza Force (prominent Bay area youth club) goalkeeper Brady Scott is said to be joining FC Köln by a German blog. Supposedly he's pretty good, but I don't really know. Scott was the #3 keeper for the latest U20 World Cup team despite playing up a cycle. Based on that, he'll be the front-runner for the starting job heading into the 2019 U20 cycle.
US CBs getting experience in a back 3 is great news, I think ideally that type of formation suits the NT best when everyone is healthy.Cameron starts at CB in what is apparently a 3-5-2.
He might only be a Vertonghen or Alderweireld injury away from starting in the EPL, though, and such an event isn't all that unlikely - they've each missed a fair amount of time the past few years.Cameron Carter-Vickers is in Spurs' first team but never plays. I wish they'd loan him out, especially after spending big on Ajax's Davinson Sanchez. Dude needs games and he's hardly gotten any since 2015-16. Last year he didn't even play much for the U23s because he was frequently needed to twiddle his thumbs on the bench as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency sub. CCV has struggled in preseason friendlies and cup games for Spurs thus far. Send him off to a Championship or League One club in need of a CB, please.
I think he's further down the depth chart than that. In addition to the Belgians, there's Davinson Sanchez who they just bought for €40m. There's also Kevin Wimmer, who is not overly formidable but who nonetheless was above CCV in the pecking order last year. And then there's Eric Dier, who made 22 starts at CB last season. So basically, CCV would need three CBs to be unavailable and he'd also need Pochettino to be confident enough in him to not slide Dier back to CB. Two CBs if he can move ahead of Wimmer.He might only be a Vertonghen or Alderweireld injury away from starting in the EPL, though, and such an event isn't all that unlikely - they've each missed a fair amount of time the past few years.
Gonzalez has continued to play for Monterrey across both league and cup games despite facing some pretty tough competition in what is a fairly high-priced squad. Monterrey uses a three-man midfield, where he's going up against NTers from Mexico, Uruguay, and Paraguay, as well as a guy who won Libertadores with Boca Juniors. Monterrey are in first place after six games.18 year old midfielder Jonathan Gonzalez made his pro debut today, starting for Monterrey in the Liga MX opener. Tab brought him along for U20 qualifiers this spring and he's young enough to figure into the new cycle, too.
Snap your fingers and: CCV being loaned to Sheffield United in the Championship.Cameron Carter-Vickers is in Spurs' first team but never plays. I wish they'd loan him out...
Klinnsman injured his ankle (torn ligaments IIRC) per soccer twitter, so don't expect to see him for a while.Europa League draw:
- Maccabi Tel Aviv (Aaron Schoenfeld) were one of two clubs to make it all the way from the first qualifying round. Schoenfeld contributed an assist in their aggregate win over Austria's Rheindorf Altach. Consistent appearances in Europe propelled them into Pot 2 and they've been drawn with Villarreal, Astana, and Slavia Prague.
- Vitesse (Matt Miazga) were in Pot 4 and drew Lazio, Nice, and Zulte Waregem.
- A few youth players are kicking around EL clubs but are unlikely to play: Mukwelle Akale (Villarreal), Brady Scott (Köln), Jonathan Klinsmann (Hertha), and the injured Gedion Zelalem (Arsenal),
Reports on 8/12 (which were all admittedly vague) said he'd only be out for "several weeks". I don't think there was a tear, just "damage", whatever that means.Klinnsman injured his ankle (torn ligaments IIRC) per soccer twitter, so don't expect to see him for a while.
Torres has been in Lokeren's 18 this season and made his debut over the weekend. Interesting to see him in the first team picture right off the bat.18 year old midfielder Juan Pablo Torres signed for Lokeren in Belgium. He had been with Atlanta-area DA club Concorde Fire this season and Georgia United prior to that. Georgia United has since been absorbed by Atlanta United.