Rumor: TFC close to signing Haitian defender Lesly Fellinga of Heerenveen

[Damien]

As per Steve Goff.... http://twitter.com/SoccerInsider

Here's his wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesly_Fellinga

D.

[Kevvv]

He'd be gold. Felinga. There's a song, and a movie...

[TFC USA]

Goodbye Velez!!!!!


Okay not really but if this is true any defensive signing gets my hopes up.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Could do worse. Decent pedigree for a MLS player. The MLS is a decent place for mid-20s players who've lost their way to restart their careers - in Europe they're kind of viewed as having missed their chance, but over here they're still considered young.

[Damien]

I'm honestly hoping for a solid replacement for Brennan. I don't care what anyone thinks of him.

[Yohan]

is this the mysterious defender that was rumoured earlier in the season?

[TFCRegina]

I'm honestly hoping for a solid replacement for Brennan. I don't care what anyone thinks of him.

They should put Gala in. He can't be worse than Brennan has been.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Just speculation, but I think he is the #25 spotted in the recent TFC TV segment.

[Stryker]

There was a thread on this guy yesterday.
It sunk to the bottom of the forum though when we realized he was no one to get excited about skill wise.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Feel everyone's lack of enthusiasm yesterdays was unfounded - not many of the players on TFC currently have vastly superior pedigrees.

[wzhxvy]

Guys, Vitti gets the captain's arm band for a friendly against a team from his country...Velez gets benched for a CCL game against his former team and hometown club...Velez is gone, I am convinced.

Now this guy, I am not excited about him because he sounds like a depth guy...so whatever...

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Youngish, coming from a good Euro. league, plays a position where we need depth. What's not to be excited about? Would have Pozniak been more exciting?

[wzhxvy]

I am just saying we need starters...

[Yohan]

Youngish, coming from a good Euro. league, plays a position where we need depth. What's not to be excited about? Would have Pozniak been more exciting?
well, at least with Pozzybear we know what we're getting

this guy, he's a bit of mystery.

still, as long as he can defend, i have no problems giving this guy a look

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

I am just saying we need starters...

I wouldn't be shocked if the plan or the hopes are to use him at LB and push Brennan in to the midfield or visa versa.

[werewolf]

I wouldn't be shocked if the plan or the hopes are to use him at LB and push Brennan in to the midfield or visa versa.

Brennan has lost a step defensively, but I think he still has the technique and skill to be a solid midfielder.

[Darlofletch]

I'd be happy with us signing 3 or 4 (or however many empty roster spots we have) crappy players before the Real madrid game just so that our starters can get some rest.

Beyond that, this doesn't really get me going, hopefully he can be a decent and fairly cheap squad player.

[TFC07]

I'd be happy with us signing 3 or 4 (or however many empty roster spots we have) crappy players before the Real madrid game just so that our starters can get some rest.

Beyond that, this doesn't really get me going, hopefully he can be a decent and fairly cheap squad player.

LOL...I am sure some of starters are pumped up and want to play against Real Madrid. So don't be surprise if TFC decides to play all their starters.

Anyway, I don't know who's Fellinga, but I hope he is good since we have no LB on this team.

[Damien]

By the way, Fellinga is only a reserve squad player @ Heerenveen.

[arbogast]

I'm honestly hoping for a solid replacement for Brennan. I don't care what anyone thinks of him.


+1.

It's time for Brennan to ride the pine for a while.

[Yohan]

+1.

It's time for Brennan to ride the pine for a while.
nobody should have a lock in the starting slot. I feel Brennan and Robbo and few others who are pretty much guaranteed a starting slot are getting a bit complacent

competition is good

[Shway]

nobody should have a lock in the starting slot. I feel Brennan and Robbo and few others who are pretty much guaranteed a starting slot are getting a bit complacent

competition is good

EXCELLENT POINT

i feel the same way, and i think they do to...

dont be surprise if Dero comes captain :D

[twistedchinaman]

Terry Cooke please!

[Hitcho]

Erdivisie, Herenveen? Sounds good to me, especially with international experience (albeit for Haiti!). 25 is young enough ot have plenty of years ina TFC shirt, but not so young as to be lacking in experience.

Could be a good move, fingers crossed it works out.

And yeah, like to see Brennan at left mid, his natural and best position, from now on.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

I hoping Fellinga, and maybe even one more player, gets signed in time for the Real Madrid game. Give him a good chance to play in a friendly before being thrust in league and, let's hope, CCL games.

[Rudi]

Goff says he has signed and is awaiting a work permit:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/08/adu_tfc_freedom_baltimore.html?wprss=soccerinsider

Toronto FC target Lesly Fellinga, a Haitian national team defender from the Dutch league who is represented by U.S.-based Long View Management, is tentatively scheduled to receive his work permit Wednesday and begin formal training with the club this week. The 23-year-old left back has already agreed to contract terms with TFC.

[TFC07]

Goff says he has signed and is awaiting a work permit:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/08/adu_tfc_freedom_baltimore.html?wprss=soccerinsider

Good. We need couple of more players.

[Shway]

Yes we do!!!!
however i do like the youth that is being brought in aswell

Nana
Gomez
Sanyang
Ibrahim
Gala

all got serious potential, all 20 and under

[BuSaPuNk]

Yes we do!!!!
however i do like the youth that is being brought in aswell

Nana
Gomez
Sanyang
Ibrahim
Gala

all got serious potential, all 20 and under

So do I. Lots of great youth, just tell CC to fucking give them some playing time.

[Shway]

So do I. Lots of great youth, just tell CC to fucking give them some playing time.
yea i really dont know why ibbee doesnt get any playing time, he was very effectivie last year, at the times he played

[Dirk Diggler]

Yeah those youngins need more playing time ... although at this crucial stage of the season, I can understand why Cummins might hesitate in doing so.

[Whoop]

Dutch newspapers indicate that this is a done deal.

In other interesting news, former TFC trialist Kiki Musampa is now training with De Graafschap, a second division Dutch team.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Dutch newspapers indicate that this is a done deal.

In other interesting news, former TFC trialist is now training with De Graafschap, a second division Dutch team.

Who's that then?

[Yohan]

Kiki Musampa?

[Bars92]

Anybody that played in Europe is good. I think thats a good rule of thumb.

[Yohan]

Anybody that played in Europe is good. I think thats a good rule of thumb.
not really.

you'd be surprised how many clunkers end up in MLS. some with pretty nice previous clubs too

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

It's a fresh start kind of move for Fellinga, interestingly it's a short contract, only to Dec.

[Bars92]

not really.

you'd be surprised how many clunkers end up in MLS. some with pretty nice previous clubs too

most of them were probably geriatric when they got here. at least this guy is a young prospect.

[Whoop]

Whoops...

Yeah, meant Kiki Musampa.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Mostly, Welsh was around the same age, slightly better pedigree too (arguably).

[Yohan]

most of them were probably geriatric when they got here. at least this guy is a young prospect.
Carlos Marinelli, Raphael Wicky, Abel Xavier, Simon Elliott, Denilson, Marcelo Gallardo, Claudio Lopez, Laurent Robert, etc etc

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

note that many foreign players last a year or so in MLS

[Shway]

Yeah those youngins need more playing time ... although at this crucial stage of the season, I can understand why Cummins might hesitate in doing so.

I agree 100%.
Thats why I said TFC needs to have a PDL team or even a U-20 team.

Will improve development. and development can be monitored, rather than merely in practice

[Blizzard]

As per Steve Goff.... http://twitter.com/SoccerInsider

Here's his wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesly_Fellinga

D.

I dunno. I'll believe it when Ives says so. :D

[The Kingpin]

Sorry... Is this an American 'rumor'... In seriousness, we are in much greater need of a towering centre back vs. ANYTHING ELSE!

[flambe]

This guy is 5'9"....!

Surely we need someone with a little more height than that?

[Cas87]

I agree 100%.
Thats why I said TFC needs to have a PDL team or even a U-20 team.

Will improve development. and development can be monitored, rather than merely in practice

We do have a U-20 team, THE ACADAMY

although granted they are a U-18 team really, but logistically they are still under 20! LOL :)

But, seriously TFC should take over the Lynx and call them the Acadamy Seniors. It can be grauates of the u-18s that TFC feel are cappable of playing there and groom them for signing with the big club

[maninb]

we need depth...especially at the back, and with Brennan playing like crap this signing can't hurt AT ALL...Serioux isn't a wing back, he lacks pace(even when healthy), and hates playing there...If Mo gets this done it's a nice move...

[Shaughno]

OMG he's not tall enough!!!?!?!?! WTFBBQ.

He's young and promising, at least wait to see what he's got in his bag of tricks before you start tearing him a new one (if he even signs).

Julius James wasn't exactly the tallest man around, but fuck me he's able to out-jump nearly every player in the MLS. Height isn't everything.

[Yohan]

well, JJ is 6 feet. which isn't exactly too short for a CB

now Wynne has a crazy vertical leap, and he's what, 5'9"?

[mmmikey]

papa smurf could run around at left back for all i care as long as he doesn't get beat on the turn, doesn't get caught out of position, and can put in a good cross.

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

Anybody that played in Europe is good. I think thats a good rule of thumb.


welsh.....ricketts....samuel.....shall i continue..:rolleyes:

[Dbl_D]

Dutch newspapers indicate that this is a done deal.


on the wiki it says he plays for us :scarf::rolleyes:

[manic.street.preacher]

there was a side note in the Metro paper this morning about this, said that he and the club had already agreed to terms

[Yohan]

apparently he's training with the team now, but still waiting work permit

according to Goff

[cochrdoc]

Let`s start him when he becomes availble.Brennan has given up 2 head balls that went across the face of goal in our last 2 losses.He also did not apply much pressure on the cross that Columbus scored on to win the game.We need someone who can get the job done.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Goff says that he's getting his work permit Wednesday, so I expect that he'll get some playing time against Real.

[Shway]

We do have a U-20 team, THE ACADAMY

although granted they are a U-18 team really, but logistically they are still under 20! LOL :)

But, seriously TFC should take over the Lynx and call them the Acadamy Seniors. It can be grauates of the u-18s that TFC feel are cappable of playing there and groom them for signing with the big club

I dont know about takeover the Lynx lol.
However grooming players there and grrooming them for possible first team signing. YES is correct
Alot of players on the academy arent going to the USA for school, so what do they do? if they cant even get drafted, but have promising talent.
Majority of the top half teams have U-20,and PDL teams. (i.e. Chicago Fire, D.C United, New York Red Bulls:facepalm:, Chivas USA, LA Galaxy.

[Hitcho]

Sorry... Is this an American 'rumor'... In seriousness, we are in much greater need of a towering centre back vs. ANYTHING ELSE!

Nana and Gomes will fill our CB needs by the looks of it.

We badly need a LB to allow Brennan to move up to left mid where he is actually a quality player in his natural position, not a square peg in a round hole taking shit from fans even though he's basically played wherever the team needed him as best he can just to get us by, including CB for much of the first season. The skip gets a lot of shit on these boards for not being good engouh, but people forget he's being played out of position and has been since he got here pretty much and HE HASN'T COMPLAINED ONCE. The guy would (and has) bleed on the shirt to keep it red.

So if we can get a good quality (by MLS standards) LB in place, then that;s great. We've needed a new LB since Todd D was traded.

[jloome]

Nana and Gomes will fill our CB needs by the looks of it.

We badly need a LB to allow Brennan to move up to left mid where he is actually a quality player in his natural position, not a square peg in a round hole taking shit from fans even though he's basically played wherever the team needed him as best he can just to get us by, including CB for much of the first season. The skip gets a lot of shit on these boards for not being good engouh, but people forget he's being played out of position and has been since he got here pretty much and HE HASN'T COMPLAINED ONCE. The guy would (and has) bleed on the shirt to keep it red.

So if we can get a good quality (by MLS standards) LB in place, then that;s great. We've needed a new LB since Todd D was traded.

He played fullback plenty in England. He's not even remotely "out of position", except on the rare occasions, in season one, when he deputized at centre back.

Don't doubt his lack of pace makes him more effective at mid than defensively, becuase he serves a good ball; but it's a fallacy to assume his poor positioning is due to being out of sorts.

[The Kingpin]

Nana and Gomes will fill our CB needs by the looks of it.

We badly need a LB to allow Brennan to move up to left mid where he is actually a quality player in his natural position, not a square peg in a round hole taking shit from fans even though he's basically played wherever the team needed him as best he can just to get us by, including CB for much of the first season. The skip gets a lot of shit on these boards for not being good engouh, but people forget he's being played out of position and has been since he got here pretty much and HE HASN'T COMPLAINED ONCE. The guy would (and has) bleed on the shirt to keep it red.

So if we can get a good quality (by MLS standards) LB in place, then that;s great. We've needed a new LB since Todd D was traded.

Fair game, decent points. I do highlight that I agree with the statement around here about Brennan and the way he is treated. He has been a heart and soul servant to the club, those who disrespect this are internet punters without a clue. It reminds me of the absolutely daft thread questioning him as captain. He may be declining as a player, but that is no reason to disrespect the first EVER TFC player. He took some risks and should be rewarded. It's up to the gaffer to put him in a role that will make him successful... If you have issues... Call Cummins.

[mmmikey]

i have no problems with brennan as a mid. he puts in some good work.. but he can not defend at RB anymore. gives 5 yards of space often times cause he knows he doesn't have the speed to stay with his man. as a result, crosses come in quite easily from out there.

brennan doesn't deserve the kind of shit he gets though, he battles hard overall. he can contribute elsewhere still once we get a better LB, so im all for keeping brennan. your captain doesn't have to be your best player. that's not what leadership is about.

[T_Mizz]

These roster restrictions in this league (or possibly the way Mo's handling them) are killing us, I mean we've got the youngest team in the league including 5 players under 20. I suspect this may be because when they all come around at about the time of Mo's 5 year plan's conclusion he'll look like a genius. But right now this team can't afford it we need to be much better right now.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

*Following up on our reports from a couple weeks ago, Toronto FC has finalized the signing of Haitian national team defender Lesly Fellinga, who had been with Heerenveen in the Dutch league. He received a work permit and was scheduled to arrive in Canada this week.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/

Lets hope hes decent

[H Bomb]

right on. I know nothing about him at all. here's hoping

[Oldtimer]

Plays left back, didn't get a lot of game time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D42bpfyk9mI

shows a goal he got. He's number 9 in the clip, you see some decent play and defending.

[DangerRed]

Fuck it, bring him on. He's probably relatively cheap and anything to shore up our horrible, horrible defence is a good thing.

[Lucky Strike]

My biggest hope for Fellinga is that he can take Brennan's place at LB so that Brennan can focus on being an LM, where he's clearly much better.

[Shaughno]

^^ Yes. Yes. Yes. Keep Jimmy out of the back line please, he's not fit for LB anymore.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

He received a work permit and was scheduled to arrive in Canada this week.

"was scheduled"? That sounds ominous.

[Shaughno]

Or they just don't have a solid update...

[Oldtimer]

Bye-bye Velez.

[kuku]

He's signed. check the website.

[Carter]

He's signed. check the website.

looking, not seeing anything..... Link?

[Lucky Strike]

looking, not seeing anything..... Link?

Same here.

[Carter]

Same here.

Glad its not just me, thought i was blind or something.. No news, not on the roster, so i don't think he has signed.

[Nuvinho]

http://my.thescore.com/footyblog/archive/2009/08/12/23186.aspx

[Shaughno]

Definitely not there... not on the roster page either.

[Carter]

http://my.thescore.com/footyblog/archive/2009/08/12/23186.aspx


Thanks for the link.

Not up on TFC website yet, and they have released new news today too.. Weird.

[Hitcho]

I am really hoping this guy signs AND turns out to be a decent LB (by MLS standards, not in world terms). Would love to see the extra defensive cover and to see Jimmy B pushed up to left mid.

Sounds like he'll be gone for all international weeks though, but at elast then we'll have Jimmy or Nana as cover, not wasted as regular LB starters.

EDIT - wow, that's a lot of detail for a press piece. when he will start training with the side, his squad number... Hopefully this is a pre-release fo what we'll get from the club later today or tomorrow morning.

[Hitcho]

For anyone who cannot access the link:

==========================

TORONTO FC SIGNS DEFENDER LESLY FELLINGA
Toronto FC announced Wednesday they have signed free agent defender Lesly Fellinga. As per league and team policy, financial details were not announced.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fellinga, 23, arrives in Toronto after playing most of his young professional career in Holland. Adopted by a family from the Netherlands as a baby, Fellinga was scouted by FC Gronigen where he played on their youth squad in the 1996-97 season. While there, he was called up regularly for the Dutch National team at the U-15, U-17, and U-19 levels.
Fellinga spent the last season in the Dutch Eredivisie with SC Heerenveen, and prior to that was with BV Veendam (2006-2008) of the Eerste Divisie.
In March of 2007, the defender decided to play for his home country and made his debut for the U-23 Haitian National team in a friendly against the U.S. and was involved in the qualification process for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. This past summer, he was a part of the Haitian squad for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad but did not get any minutes.
Fellinga will be available for selection pending the approval of his ITC and work permit. He will be training with the team on Friday at BMO Field, prior to the team’s match Saturday, August 15 against Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United.

Lesly Fellinga #5
Position: Defender
Height: 5-8
Weight: 157
Birthdate: September 29, 1985
Hometown: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Nationality: Haitian
Roster Status: International

=========================

On paper he sounds ike a fantastic signing with a good pedigree. Dutch youth training is way beyond most other countries in terms of technical ability and positional play.

[backbeat]

why didn't he get any minutes with Haiti in the Gold Cup? I hope it was because of injury....

[Hitcho]

^ lack of match practice/fitness if he was on a free?

[DangerRed]

Looks really good. My one concern is his height and weight. He's a defender, so has to be able to handle himself physcically..