2009-10 Football Thread

[oscillatewildly]

Jozy Altidore - the headline today, 'Jozy to join the Pussycats'

Punishment for this poor effort is a fantasy team that is beginning to resemble a ward on Casualty.

Aquilani fee agreed, package circa GBP 20 million.

Cheers,
OW

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Jozy Altidore - the headline today, 'Jozy to join the Pussycats'

Heh - the cat and the rat. What a strikeforce!

I'm on my way to Bridlington to see City play Brid Town tonight, Camara is reckoned to feature so we'll be able to have a good look at him. As I was stood at the bus stop the team coach trundled past, they didn't stop to offer me a lift though. Brown out!

 

[Fizzoid]

Sea-side MAFIA
Sea-side MAF-IA

Come on the town!

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Sea-side MAFIA
Sea-side MAF-IA

Come on the town!

Apparently it's quite a young side we're putting out, giving our trainees the chance to play against the team they'll be playing for themselves when we release them in a couple of years.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Meanwhile, rumours abound that we're on the verge of signing Stoke's Nigerian midfielder Seyi Olofinjana. Expect him to request 48 hours to consider his move before deciding to go elsewhere in a fortnight's time.

Our local paper, BT, reports this as a done deal. A transfer fee of £3M is mentioned.

Seyi was brilliant back when he played for SK Brann, and could - potentially - be a nice signing for you...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Jaffa, I had a big soft spot for Hull City before, but with Altidore on board it's just gotten much bigger.

30 million for Alonso is a lot of money, it will be interesting to see how Aquilani slots into the squad. I hope we can keep Mascherano. SAF is talking down Liverpool's title challenge this season, citing the loss of Alonso, but he seems to forget that United have lost a somewhat influential player as well.

Xabi has been a great servant for the club, and one of our best players over the time I've really been following Liverpool. Best of luck at Real.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Well, Altidore has Twittered that he's off to a press conference at 2.30pm tomorrow, and that - work permit permitting - he'll be making his debut against Chelsea.

We have a press conference scheduled for tomorrow, and our first match of the season is against Chelsea. So, I think it's pretty obvious that he's going to sign for Sunderland in the next 24 hours.

 

[pachyderm]

Well, Altidore has Twittered that he's off to a press conference at 2.30pm tomorrow, and that - work permit permitting - he'll be making his debut against Chelsea.

We have a press conference scheduled for tomorrow, and our first match of the season is against Chelsea. So, I think it's pretty obvious that he's going to sign for Sunderland in the next 24 hours.

How hard are they t o get? I've heard of guys not getting them.... what reasons do they give for not getting them?

 

[Lord Blackadder]

How hard are they t o get? I've heard of guys not getting them.... what reasons do they give for not getting them?

I have also heard they are difficult to get...most places outside the US seem disinclined to give Americans work visas.

I'm curious to see how much playing time Mr. Brown intends to give Altidore. At this point in the World Cup cycle he needs to be starting games.

Not so thrilled about Kenny Cooper's move to 1860 Munich - I wonder if a middling 2. Bundesliga side is the best place to advance one's career.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

How hard are they t o get? I've heard of guys not getting them.... what reasons do they give for not getting them?

I have also heard they are difficult to get...most places outside the US seem disinclined to give Americans work visas.

Basically, the system is there to try and protect domestic talent and stop clubs buying very cheap players from overseas rather than going through the long and expensive developing kids.

If you're a talented player and it's considered that your moving to a foreign league will enrich it, you're in with a good chance of getting your permit. It goes without saying you need to be international standard, there may even be a percentage of internationals played in that you should meet, but don't quote me on that.

So, if you're a talented American player who's a first choice for your club and a regular starter for the national side, if you fancy a move abroad chances are you'll get a permit. If however you're a benchwarmer who makes the odd sub appearance when Beckham's having his hair done, and the closest you've got to international football is giving Landon Donovan a lift to the airport, you're not that likely to get the paperwork you need.

Altidore clearly has talent, he seems to be settling into the national squad nicely, and the fact that he's spent a year in the EU might help too - although Spain is one country that doesn't require work permits as we do in Britain. I'd be surprised if we can't get the documentation needed, and fully expect him to be confirmed as a Sunderland player tomorrow.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Well, that's encouraging. We don't have too many strikers on the national squad - consider that our two best attackers are both midfielders (Donavan and Dempsey). So most USA fans hang big hopes on Altidore for the World Cup. If he's as good as we hope he will be, he should be Premier League material.

His current club doesn't play him enough, and I'll bet Bob Bradley made it clear to him that club playing time will be important for him in terms of being selected for international duty. I wonder if that came up during the negotiations.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

To be honest your Lordship, if he's scoring and/or creating goals for us he's going to get games. We're not exactly bristling with goalscorers at the moment.

 

[gauchogolfer]

To be honest your Lordship, if he's scoring and/or creating goals for us he's going to get games. We're not exactly bristling with goalscorers at the moment.

For the sake of my fantasy team I hope at least Geovanni can keep up his goal-sniffing ways.

 

[pachyderm]

For the sake of my fantasy team I hope at least Geovanni can keep up his goal-sniffing ways.

Me too, me too..

Jozy can score. Can you guys get him the ball? I have to be honest I will be following the Amber Magicians as closely ,if not more so this season, as I did last season.

 

[swiftaw]

Wigan have taken Chelsea's winger/striker Scott Sinclair on loan for the season.

I think this is a great signing.

Also, congrats to Hull on finally signing some players.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

It's official – Jozy is a Tiger.

The young Yank has joined us on loan for a year, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season – subject to that pesky work permit. Assuming the paperwork all goes through he'll be wearing the number 9 shirt, squad number fans.

We've also got Seyi Olofinjana in from Stoke City on a four year deal.

EDIT: Apparently Altidore's work permit hearing will take place on Monday. Fingers crossed, and all that.

 

[OllyW]

It's official – Jozy is a Tiger.

The young Yank has joined us on loan for a year, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season – subject to that pesky work permit. Assuming the paperwork all goes through he'll be wearing the number 9 shirt, squad number fans.

We've also got Seyi Olofinjana in from Stoke City on a four year deal.

With all this talk of USA soccer ball players making their way to the UK and Europe, I'd like to remind people of some little known facts from the 1960's.

My team, Wolverhampton Wanderers, were actually the first (and only) USA League champions back in 1967, playing as the Los Angeles Wolves. After winning the Western Division, we beat Washington Whips (Aberdeen) in the championship play-off. We returned in 1969 as Kansas City Spurs and won the NASL International Cup.

It's nice to see you don't have to borrow our teams in the summer anymore and are producing players good enough for the top leagues in the world.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Them Wolves, blazing a trail of innovation as always.

Seeing as you're here, OllyW, what do you reckon to Olofinjana as a former Wolves player? Olofinjana being a former Wolves player that is, not you.

Unless there's something you're not telling us.

 

[OllyW]

Them Wolves, blazing a trail of innovation as always.

Seeing as you're here, OllyW, what do you reckon to Olofinjana as a former Wolves player? Olofinjana being a former Wolves player that is, not you.

Unless there's something you're not telling us.

Seyi was a bit inconsistent for Wolves, though he had a good season and finished up top scorer when we made the play-offs a couple of years ago. The trouble was the following season he was a bit crap and seemed more concerned about the Africa Cup of Nations that year.

When Stoke offered £3 million, we bit their hands off. He didn't exactly set the world alight there so I'd say he's a bit of a gamble.

 

[pachyderm]

With all this talk of USA soccer ball players making their way to the UK and Europe, I'd like to remind people of some little known facts from the 1960's.

My team, Wolverhampton Wanderers, were actually the first (and only) USA League champions back in 1967, playing as the Los Angeles Wolves. After winning the Western Division, we beat Washington Whips (Aberdeen) in the championship play-off. We returned in 1969 as Kansas City Spurs and won the NASL International Cup.

It's nice to see you don't have to borrow our teams in the summer anymore and are producing players good enough for the top leagues in the world.

That is truly amazing and interesting stuff... could you elaborate more ? I have no idea how or when this all worked or took place...

 

[swiftaw]

That is truly amazing and interesting stuff... could you elaborate more ? I have no idea how or when this all worked or took place...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Soccer_Association

 

[OllyW]

That is truly amazing and interesting stuff... could you elaborate more ? I have no idea how or when this all worked or took place...

Los Angeles Wolves, Kansas City Spurs, United Soccer Association and North American Soccer League.


America also had the privilege of witnessing one of my school boy heroes, the mighty Derek Dougan (RIP), seen here modelling one of the best football strips of all time.

 

[Markleshark]

Jozy Altidore eh. Well, if my Football Manager game is anything go to by he's bloody brilliant. Infact, he plays for my Title winning Wigan Athletic side, his stats can be seen below...





... What do you mean it's not real?

 

[Jaffa Cake]

America also had the privilege of witnessing one of my school boy heroes, the mighty Derek Dougan (RIP), seen here modelling one of the best football strips of all time...

Shirts were proper shirts in those days.

Jozy Altidore eh. Well, if my Football Manager game is anything go to by he's bloody brilliant...

I've won six trophies in my first five and a half seasons in my current save.

What do you mean it's not real?

I'm actually rather excited by our latest acquisition. Fret not USAians, we'll look after your boy.

 

[CarlisleUnited]

I wish we had some news apart from we failed to attract the player we wanted and we sold so and so... Always a good way to guarantee relegation, sell all your strikers!