Friday, March 24, 2006
RIF - Three Yanks on the Same EPL Squad?
If Reading wins on Saturday they will have assured their automatic promotion to the Premiership next season. Nearly every article I've read points to Americans Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann as team leaders and the key drivers of their success.
When teams move up a league, those wanting to escape relegation the following season, often add players to their roster. I'm sure Reading will do so and I expect them add a marquee name or two. However, I wonder if the success Reading has had with two relatively unproven and unknown Americans will prompt management to take a flier on another unproven and relatively unknown American (granted, Hahnemann had a successful run earlier to earn promotion with Fulham, however he was replaced forthwith by Edwin van der Saar). When you factor in the low risk due to the relatively low cost of such a gamble I tend to think there is the real possibility Reading may have three Yanks on the roster when camp opens next season.
So the question is who?
A few names come to mind. Gooch for one. As a general rule, when you move up to a more competitive league, it's always nice to add a large shut down defender with some speed. And I think Gooch will be effective in the EPL. In fact, I look forward to watching him mark Peter Crouch. I fully expect Crouch to feel like Shawn Bradley after Shaq stole a rebound out of his hands. However, I expect Gooch to have a very impressive World Cup and with the hot stove league rumors of big clubs already interested in him, I think he'll be priced out of Reading's range.
Mathis. Sure he won't be on the WC roster. Sure he flamed out in Germany after publicly trying to embarrass his coach. Sure he had a nightmare season in 2005. But he can still --- I'm just kidding, there's no chance.
Wolf. He seems to be itching to get overseas. He can bring a lot of energy to the table and can be an effective playmaker, although some believe most of his goals are a result of the keeper simply being surprised he got the shot on frame. He will come cheaply, which is a nice feature in an energy guy to bring off the bench. Wolf joining Reading would not be too big of a surprise.
Donovan. No chance. He's not leaving the States, let alone California.
I don't think any of those fellas will be the one selected to the Reading roster for next season. I think Clint Dempsey has the best chance. He is younger than the others mentioned. He has shown significant improvement and maturity over the past year. He can fit into a number of positions in the midfield as well as play forward. He's brash and cocky enough to not be intimidated. We can only hope he is smart enough to realize he still has a lot to learn, which is something I think Convey can help him with after his abysmal experience with reading last season.
So there it is, my reach prediction for 2006. Clint Dempsey will be on the Reading roster next season. If not Clint then who? Beasley? Johnson? Spector? Or maybe you think the other way. Maybe the new high profile acquisitions will prove to be tickets out of town for Convey and/or Hahnemann. Let me hear your thoughts.
-fritz
When teams move up a league, those wanting to escape relegation the following season, often add players to their roster. I'm sure Reading will do so and I expect them add a marquee name or two. However, I wonder if the success Reading has had with two relatively unproven and unknown Americans will prompt management to take a flier on another unproven and relatively unknown American (granted, Hahnemann had a successful run earlier to earn promotion with Fulham, however he was replaced forthwith by Edwin van der Saar). When you factor in the low risk due to the relatively low cost of such a gamble I tend to think there is the real possibility Reading may have three Yanks on the roster when camp opens next season.
So the question is who?
A few names come to mind. Gooch for one. As a general rule, when you move up to a more competitive league, it's always nice to add a large shut down defender with some speed. And I think Gooch will be effective in the EPL. In fact, I look forward to watching him mark Peter Crouch. I fully expect Crouch to feel like Shawn Bradley after Shaq stole a rebound out of his hands. However, I expect Gooch to have a very impressive World Cup and with the hot stove league rumors of big clubs already interested in him, I think he'll be priced out of Reading's range.
Mathis. Sure he won't be on the WC roster. Sure he flamed out in Germany after publicly trying to embarrass his coach. Sure he had a nightmare season in 2005. But he can still --- I'm just kidding, there's no chance.
Wolf. He seems to be itching to get overseas. He can bring a lot of energy to the table and can be an effective playmaker, although some believe most of his goals are a result of the keeper simply being surprised he got the shot on frame. He will come cheaply, which is a nice feature in an energy guy to bring off the bench. Wolf joining Reading would not be too big of a surprise.
Donovan. No chance. He's not leaving the States, let alone California.
I don't think any of those fellas will be the one selected to the Reading roster for next season. I think Clint Dempsey has the best chance. He is younger than the others mentioned. He has shown significant improvement and maturity over the past year. He can fit into a number of positions in the midfield as well as play forward. He's brash and cocky enough to not be intimidated. We can only hope he is smart enough to realize he still has a lot to learn, which is something I think Convey can help him with after his abysmal experience with reading last season.
So there it is, my reach prediction for 2006. Clint Dempsey will be on the Reading roster next season. If not Clint then who? Beasley? Johnson? Spector? Or maybe you think the other way. Maybe the new high profile acquisitions will prove to be tickets out of town for Convey and/or Hahnemann. Let me hear your thoughts.
-fritz
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Good observations, Fritz. As an avowed MLS fan (it ain't perfect but there's actually some good soccer now and again), I'll be sad to see some of our stars go after the WC. But I've long since gotten over that problem as I've seen guys like Convey blossom with overseas experience. And I've seen guys like Klein try to match up with the Germans with little success. As for Convey, he showed a lot of promise at DC, and I like him as a player, but I never thought he'd play as well as he did against Germany the other night. Comments on his defense notwithstanding, he was simply dangerous all game long. So Dempsey would do well to be in the EPL next year. And he would do well to ask Convey, not Landon, about hanging in there when the coach gives you the cold shoulder for a while. (And I'm not crying for Landon to go over, he's likely the exception to the rule as his talent is polished enough that overseas experience would only make him marginally better, imho.) But all things being equal, I want all our stars to head across the pond. Even the other Clint might resurrect his national team career if he swalled his pride and played a while for some third rate side just to get him going again.
I also read where Convey said after the German game that he hopes he's a starter. I'm glad he's not just looking to make the team b/c he certainly has warranted at least one start in the WC. And he'll probably get more than one as injuries will likely leave Bruce w/out one or more of the following (JOB, Reyna, DMB). Even Landon proved he could get hurt this spring.
I also read where Convey said after the German game that he hopes he's a starter. I'm glad he's not just looking to make the team b/c he certainly has warranted at least one start in the WC. And he'll probably get more than one as injuries will likely leave Bruce w/out one or more of the following (JOB, Reyna, DMB). Even Landon proved he could get hurt this spring.
Fritz,
Good post and interesting idea. I have a few of names for you.
Pablo Mastroeni - Every EPL team needs a destroyer to disrupt another team's attack. With a good performance in Germany, he should be looking to move abroad. Plus, he would have no problem with getting a work permit.
Jimmy Conrad - Mr. MLS Defender of the Year himself. Conrad is very good in the air and is a solid tackler. His problem could be the work permit since he's not deemed to be a "regular" for the USMNT. At 29, if he doesn't go abroad soon, he could be a MLS lifer.
Zak Whitbread - He couldn't crack the line-up at Anfield so he went on loan to Millwall and has spent his time there trying to keep them in the Championship. He, like Conrad, is a protypical central defender, but can also play on the left which is a hot commodity. He would have no work permit issues since he carries a British passport. Plus, he's only 22 so he's a sound investment for the future. (George)
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Good post and interesting idea. I have a few of names for you.
Pablo Mastroeni - Every EPL team needs a destroyer to disrupt another team's attack. With a good performance in Germany, he should be looking to move abroad. Plus, he would have no problem with getting a work permit.
Jimmy Conrad - Mr. MLS Defender of the Year himself. Conrad is very good in the air and is a solid tackler. His problem could be the work permit since he's not deemed to be a "regular" for the USMNT. At 29, if he doesn't go abroad soon, he could be a MLS lifer.
Zak Whitbread - He couldn't crack the line-up at Anfield so he went on loan to Millwall and has spent his time there trying to keep them in the Championship. He, like Conrad, is a protypical central defender, but can also play on the left which is a hot commodity. He would have no work permit issues since he carries a British passport. Plus, he's only 22 so he's a sound investment for the future. (George)
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