Silva at FSV Frankfurt

[Gaucho]

This German article suggests that Silva is in Frankfurt more for a trial than for a simple training session.

http://liga-zwei.de/fsv-frankfurt-luis-silva-von-toronto-fc-im-probetrainig/15302

[[NBF]]

This German article suggests that Silva is in Frankfurt more for a trial than for a simple training session.

http://liga-zwei.de/fsv-frankfurt-luis-silva-von-toronto-fc-im-probetrainig/15302

Yep, trial thanx to who? Jurgen Klinsmann. I dont know if he is working for the team or if he's the agent for most of our players. Mind you he is trying to get all the american national team prospects in the best situation since he is the head coach of the USMNT.

Klinsmann is looking like a fucking asshole if you ask me.

[jloome]

This German article suggests that Silva is in Frankfurt more for a trial than for a simple training session.

http://liga-zwei.de/fsv-frankfurt-luis-silva-von-toronto-fc-im-probetrainig/15302

Doesn't mean anything necessarily; every MLS player who goes over is usually regarded as being on trial by the local press.

[Canary10]

It might mean nothing. Then again, does Mariner rate Silva? His comments about Silva at the year end press conference were really disgraceful. And he doesn't really play with a central attacking midfielder, which is why Silva and Avila kept getting played all over the pitch. I'm not sure he sees Silva as part of this team in the long run.

[T-boy]

It might mean nothing. Then again, does Mariner rate Silva? His comments about Silva at the year end press conference were really disgraceful. And he doesn't really play with a central attacking midfielder, which is why Silva and Avila kept getting played all over the pitch. I'm not sure he sees Silva as part of this team in the long run.

I'm not sure his comments were that bad about Silva. Many on here say that Mariner is a liar, so when he actually tells an honest opinion, he's then bad mouthing? He can't really win that one!

And really, I think ALL of us on here would have chosen a CB or a striker instead of a AM in the last draft. That's the areas we were really short coming into the season and proved to be that way all season. I don't think its any disrespect to Silva that his pick should have been in a priority area of the field where we were lacking.

[Gaucho]

And he doesn't really play with a central attacking midfielder, which is why Silva and Avila kept getting played all over the pitch. I'm not sure he sees Silva as part of this team in the long run.

Didn't Mariner say he was looking for two box-to-box midfielders? If he's looking to play two box-to-box mids at the same time, that would suggest to me no attacking central mid and thus no Silva. Silva just isn't nearly as good on the wings, and while he can play decently at forward, his natural position is just behind the forwards. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[ag futbol]

And really, I think ALL of us on here would have chosen a CB or a striker instead of a AM in the last draft. That's the areas we were really short coming into the season and proved to be that way all season. I don't think its any disrespect to Silva that his pick should have been in a priority area of the field where we were lacking.
I'm not so sure. I say talent should win out, first and foremost. The draft just isn't very deep to begin with.

That being said, there were some good defenders in this year's crop.

[T-boy]

I'm not so sure. I say talent should win out, first and foremost. The draft just isn't very deep to begin with.

That being said, there were some good defenders in this year's crop.

For sure. I'm on the fence as to whether they should go for the BEST player available in the draft, OR the best player that you NEED at that point in time. But really, the "best player overall" usually ends up leaving quickly (like Maurice Edu) so the overall benefit of that player isn't necessarily that big.

[ag futbol]

For sure. I'm on the fence as to whether they should go for the BEST player available in the draft, OR the best player that you NEED at that point in time. But really, the "best player overall" usually ends up leaving quickly (like Maurice Edu) so the overall benefit of that player isn't necessarily that big.
Edu worked out pretty well for us. He might have left early but we got a ton of allocation money through the sale (even if it was only 30% of the total or something like that). The year after he left, we had a payroll that was one million dollars greater than any other team that didn't have a designated player (we didn't have one at the time). That should have been a huge impact, but unfortunately it was squandered.

Can't be afraid that your players are going to leave IMO, it's just part of how football works.

[Ajax TFC]

A lot of people were calling for another AM last off season since Avila was our only one and a lot of people weren't convinced by him. Picking an AM seemed pretty logical at the time, especially since it seemed that Mariner had lined up a couple of stud CBs from SA.

[mdc 77]

;1546029']Yep, trial thanx to who? Jurgen Klinsmann. I dont know if he is working for the team or if he's the agent for most of our players. Mind you he is trying to get all the american national team prospects in the best situation since he is the head coach of the USMNT.

Klinsmann is looking like a fucking asshole if you ask me.

What? I'm confused over the anger towards Klinsmann here. I'm pretty sure nowhere in that article does it state that Jurgen organized this training session. Also as well as Silva looked at times this past season I'd say he is really far off the USA national team radar, maybe nowhere on it to be honest.

[Canary10]

I'm not sure his comments were that bad about Silva. Many on here say that Mariner is a liar, so when he actually tells an honest opinion, he's then bad mouthing? He can't really win that one!

And really, I think ALL of us on here would have chosen a CB or a striker instead of a AM in the last draft. That's the areas we were really short coming into the season and proved to be that way all season. I don't think its any disrespect to Silva that his pick should have been in a priority area of the field where we were lacking.

Why would you say in public you wouldn't have picked him? A guy who finished fourth in all-star voting, had way too much to do for his age, etc. I think that was disgraceful. And he made it pretty clear Nick De Leon was the guy he would have taken. So I agree, I probably would have picked a CB, but that's not even where he was going. He was just going to pick another midfielder/forward. I don't know, he needs to think for ten seconds before he speaks.

[Canary10]

Didn't Mariner say he was looking for two box-to-box midfielders? If he's looking to play two box-to-box mids at the same time, that would suggest to me no attacking central mid and thus no Silva. Silva just isn't nearly as good on the wings, and while he can play decently at forward, his natural position is just behind the forwards. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Mariner tried to switch to a diamond a couple of times in the last game or two to try to get Avila and Silva more involved in the game. The fact that it took him that long to figure this out is stunning. So much for fitting the formation to the players you actually have on the team!

Silva could possibly play in the hole too if they aren't using a central attacking midfielder. He was tried there a few times last year with some reasonable results. Just don't see that as being the best use of him.

[ManUtd4ever]

Much ado about nothing.

TFC already announced that Silva was going to train at Franfkfurt for conditioning purposes...

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2012/12/germany-stint-silva


TORONTO – After a promising rookie season in 2012, Toronto FC midfielder Luis Silva left Canada for Germany on Thursday for a two-week training stint with 2.Bundesliga side FSV Frankfurt.

Silva, 24, scored five goals and had five assists in 30 games, including 22 starts during his first season in MLS.

“I think that will help him,” Toronto FC head coach Paul Mariner told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday. “It’s a different environment.”

Silva was Toronto’s first pick in January’s MLS SuperDraft and the fourth selection overall after playing for the University of California Santa Barbara. He finished fourth in the voting for MLS Rookie of the Year earlier this month.

“I don’t think we’ll have a sophomore slump with Silva,” Mariner said. “He really loves the game, he wants to improve, he wants to get better.”
Mariner said he feels the Reds’ high number of injuries meant Silva started more games than was ideal for a first-year player, and that may have played a part in his slow fade as the regular season came to a close.

“I think he played too many games and I think it really got to him at the end,” Mariner said. “It’s a very arduous season and he didn’t need to start that many games. But it was a necessity because of the injury situation.

“There’s no doubt about his ability, his touch on the ball,” Mariner added. “I think it was a very good signing for us.”

[brad]

For sure. I'm on the fence as to whether they should go for the BEST player available in the draft, OR the best player that you NEED at that point in time. But really, the "best player overall" usually ends up leaving quickly (like Maurice Edu) so the overall benefit of that player isn't necessarily that big.

The general consensus I've heard from coaches as well as others that follow the league closely is you always draft the best player available, regardless of need. I disagree that a player going to Europe isn't beneficial - you get a chunk of allocation for the transfer which can be used to improve the team. It also gives you better bargaining chips for trades within the league.

[[NBF]]

What? I'm confused over the anger towards Klinsmann here. I'm pretty sure nowhere in that article does it state that Jurgen organized this training session. Also as well as Silva looked at times this past season I'd say he is really far off the USA national team radar, maybe nowhere on it to be honest.

Time for Google Translate to do its thing:



FSV Frankfurt: Luis Silva from Toronto FC in Probetrainig
December 4, 2012, 7:17

That at FSV Frankfurt lately repeatedly emphasized in the transfer phase from 1 January undertake no further players to want to keep, not from the obvious to the sporting field Verwantwortlichen thereof, to audition potential reinforcements at Bornheimer Hang. With the Americans Luis Silva Lopez, on the 10th December his 24th Celebrating birthday is raised in the last two weeks before the winter break before another attacking midfielder to the coaching team Benno Moehlmann.

The Los Angeles born and raised Silva has been playing this year for the Canadian club Toronto FC, which is the highest in North American Major League, Major League Soccer (MLS), represented. The TFC, which is through the commitment of Jürgen Klinsmannas a consultant in late 2010 and by the commitment of Torsten Frings in mid-2011 in this country come into focus, closed the 2012 season, which will be held in North America over the calendar year, most recently as a table Last of from Eastern Conference. In his debut season in MLS was Luis Silva regulars, stood in 22 of 30 appearances in the starting lineup, scored five goals and prepared five more.

FSV apparently wants to make provision for the event that playmaker Zafer Yelen, who throughout the preliminary round was plagued with problems around the ankle and was only five appearances, will fail even after the winter break. Only recently had the Finn Joni Kauko (22), who also plays in central midfield, presented at the Born Heimern. The decision whether or not an obligation of or Kauko Silva will certainly be taken only during the preparatory phase in January, when it is clear how Yelens recovery process has gone and the new year if he becomes available.


Klinsmann consults TFC, therefore, how else would TFC get a training stint for a good young player in Bundesliga 2? What happens if he impresses people at Frankfurt, who gains then? Right?

It seems counter productive to have a consultant that wants you to send your players to train elsewhere unless you were trying to sell the player. So what exactly is Klinsmann, an agent for the players or is this part of his relationship with TFC that he can try and take the best American players and place them in Europe with TFC picking up a transfer fee for that player?

[T-boy]

Edu worked out pretty well for us. He might have left early but we got a ton of allocation money through the sale (even if it was only 30% of the total or something like that). The year after he left, we had a payroll that was one million dollars greater than any other team that didn't have a designated player (we didn't have one at the time). That should have been a huge impact, but unfortunately it was squandered.

Can't be afraid that your players are going to leave IMO, it's just part of how football works.

You are dead right, the allocation was squandered. Allocation money is only useful if you actually use it well. So, really an actual player (if he's good) is worth more to the club than possible future allocation, as its not a guarantee of getting anything decent out of that money. I don't think there has been a time (yet) that TFC have got a good amount of allocation and then gone on to use it well.

[Yohan]

all this 'training stints' are trials in disguise. why would European clubs waste their time bringing in MLS players?

[mdc 77]

Jurgen Klinnsman and his consulting relationship with TFC ended awhile ago. I'm pretty sure he has nothing to do with TFC today, or for the last year.

[Gaucho]

Here is a short article on FSV Frankfurt's official site on Silva. Basically just announcing his "trial".

http://www.fsv-frankfurt.de/cms/index.php?id=15&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=5546&cHash=7cc07a85bfa06b65378ffb27d8a42906

[__wowza]

all this 'training stints' are trials in disguise. why would European clubs waste their time bringing in MLS players?

heard the same conversation about frei at liverpool. whatever, trail works the league makes sure the shell out well over the value of the player. if it doesn't the player trains in top facilities.

[ag futbol]

You are dead right, the allocation was squandered. Allocation money is only useful if you actually use it well. So, really an actual player (if he's good) is worth more to the club than possible future allocation, as its not a guarantee of getting anything decent out of that money. I don't think there has been a time (yet) that TFC have got a good amount of allocation and then gone on to use it well.
Yep, no doubt. A known quantity is much better than the equivalent dollar amount, especially for a team that can't identify talent if their jobs depended on it!

[Gaucho]

Also as well as Silva looked at times this past season I'd say he is really far off the USA national team radar, maybe nowhere on it to be honest.

I think Silva might be closer on the radar. I admit that I am a Silva fanboi having watched him since he played at UCSB, but I watched almost every TFC match this year and followed the touches and movement of Silva very closely, oftentimes rewinding individual plays (and Avila when he played). While he wasn't perfect and made the oaccasional bad pass, his off-the-ball movement, touches, compsure, and vision were unmatched by any other Toronto player with the exception of Frings when he played.

Also, Klinsmann has been known to select young players. Look at 2006 for Germany. The DFB nearly sacked him as he passed over more established players and instead selected a host of players in the their early 20's.

Anyway, I'm pretty confident that Silva is on JK's radar.

[Auzzy]

I read the two articles linked above:

http://liga-zwei.de/fsv-frankfurt-luis-silva-von-toronto-fc-im-probetrainig/15302
and
http://www.fsv-frankfurt.de/cms/index.php?id=15&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=5546&cHash=7cc07a85bfa06b65378ffb27d8a42906


W/o Google Translate, better that way. ;) First thing that's interesting for me: Silva's full name is Luis Silva Lopez?!?! I had no idea.

Yes it's notable that FSV officially sees this stint as a trial and not just training. Even if that may be the normal situation for European "training" adventures, I wonder if Cochrane knows about that as well.... ;)

But [NBF], your comments about Klinsmann are way off base. The first article just name-drops Klinsmann and Frings to give readers some interesting context about Toronto FC. Nowhere does it say that Klinsmann has anything to do with this training/trial gig.


;1546029']Yep, trial thanx to who? Jurgen Klinsmann. I dont know if he is working for the team or if he's the agent for most of our players. Mind you he is trying to get all the american national team prospects in the best situation since he is the head coach of the USMNT.

Klinsmann is looking like a fucking asshole if you ask me.

Wow lol wut wtf? Then I guess we shouldn't ask you. Klinsmann's consulting arrangement with TFC ended a long time ago, as has been clarified a couple of times. He's the coach for the US MNT. I'm sure he has no time to worry what some draft pick on the last-placed team in MLS is up to. This is likely something arranged by Silva's agent and/or TFC management. There's no other evidence available, especially not from the articles linked above.



;1546068']Time for Google Translate to do its thing:

Klinsmann consults TFC, therefore, how else would TFC get a training stint for a good young player in Bundesliga 2? What happens if he impresses people at Frankfurt, who gains then? Right?

It seems counter productive to have a consultant that wants you to send your players to train elsewhere unless you were trying to sell the player. So what exactly is Klinsmann, an agent for the players or is this part of his relationship with TFC that he can try and take the best American players and place them in Europe with TFC picking up a transfer fee for that player?

Again, way off base, out of thin air, just ridonkulous.

And I hated what Mariner said about Silva at the end-of-year presser. So did a number of experienced soccer journalists & commentators. Silva had a decent year, despite some personal troubles with his father passing away & the snafu in Houston. No need to publicly second-guess that draft-pick at the end of the season. Does nobody any good. At other times Mariner talks BS about "protecting" other young players (like Cordon, Lindsey, Makabuya, Henry, Roberts and many others), which means never letting them see the field or bench, even when your season is shot and you could give them a chance with minimal risk. I think it would be much more important to be "protected" from your coach talking useless bullshit, like Mariner's comment about Silva to name one of many similar transgressions.

Why should we be worried about Silva's training/trial at FSV? Good for him to see another club & country. If there's a feeling that Mariner doesn't rate him very highly, good idea for his agent to shop him around. Silva is good but not irreplaceable. He's under contract to TFC -- if FSV picks him up (highly doubtful, but anyway), so what, we will get some good allocation cash, a trade, or whatever in return. Hopefully Payne will make sure that IF something happens, TFC's interests are well protected (and hopefully Mariner will no longer get away with lowering player's trade value, or souring player's opininions of TFC, by talking trash about players).

[bigredone]

For Silva's sake, and to the ire of many here, I wish him well. His career can only benefit from this and he deserves it. I do not want to see Silva leave and actually begged him to stay midway through last year when I thought everyone would leave (one way or another). The best thing about that was he would always give me the time of day and stop for a quick chat. I am usually a team follower and not a player follower, but I think that might change if Silva leaves.

[jazzy]

Why would you say in public you wouldn't have picked him? A guy who finished fourth in all-star voting, had way too much to do for his age, etc. I think that was disgraceful. And he made it pretty clear Nick De Leon was the guy he would have taken. So I agree, I probably would have picked a CB, but that's not even where he was going. He was just going to pick another midfielder/forward. I don't know,

he needs to think for ten seconds before he speaks.:rolleyes:

not happening AND this is my worry ,..that he will do more destruction to the team than good and dig another hole for us to climb out of.

[mdc 77]

I think Silva might be closer on the radar. I admit that I am a Silva fanboi having watched him since he played at UCSB, but I watched almost every TFC match this year and followed the touches and movement of Silva very closely, oftentimes rewinding individual plays (and Avila when he played). While he wasn't perfect and made the oaccasional bad pass, his off-the-ball movement, touches, compsure, and vision were unmatched by any other Toronto player with the exception of Frings when he played.

Also, Klinsmann has been known to select young players. Look at 2006 for Germany. The DFB nearly sacked him as he passed over more established players and instead selected a host of players in the their early 20's.

Anyway, I'm pretty confident that Silva is on JK's radar.


I like the way Silva plays and think he looks a good starting MLS player, however I have to disagree with any chance of him playing for the national side. He's about to turn 24, never had any association with the program and has only played 30 pro matches. He's a long way off. That said, Alan Gordon got his first cap at age 30 something...so always a chance.

[snowcrash]

Silva would be so much further ahead in his development had he skipped college soccer. Given his fluency in Spanish, there are a host of academy possibilities over in Europe and even Mexico.

[Richard]

I like Silva but i think he will find it tough in Europe at this point, there are players who are 17-18 who can do the same thing. To me he is like Dero, a late bloomer who may choose to leave in a few years once he is established.

[T-boy]

I like Silva but i think he will find it tough in Europe at this point, there are players who are 17-18 who can do the same thing. To me he is like Dero, a late bloomer who may choose to leave in a few years once he is established.

I tend to agree with you. Silva had a good first season, but not outstanding. He certainly didn't stand out like Maurice Edu did in his first MLS season. When Silva was given room, he played some nice thru-balls. But when the game got physical, Silva didn't appear much in games. I don't think he's tough enough (yet) for most European leagues, and he could definitely do with a couple more years as a pro in the MLS before "graduating" to Europe.

[burlington Red]

Having a trial for a mid table Div 2 German side doesn't sound right to me. I don't even think that it could be considered an upward progression for him. Considering his age ie 24, I think he genuinley is just getting some training sessions in to build up his experience levels.He is probably approx 3 yrs off reaching his true potential, and i think he'd be better doing it here in MLS. I think gone are the days when signing for obscure German, Dutch, Scandinavian etc clubs was seen as progression. The MLS has grown in stature enough that it competes favourably with any Euro 2nd tier league and in some cases even their top tier leagues.

[mcolvy]

but I think Silva would do best in a 2nd tier euro league compared to over here. He's talented, but he's unathletic and has a low work rate. He'd do better over there.

[JuliquE]

but I think Silva would do best in a 2nd tier euro league compared to over here. He's talented, but he's unathletic and has a low work rate. He'd do better over there.
This is fair.


Don't underestimate the 2. Bundesliga; many sides would boss us around and are probably closer to being on the level with the flagship MLS sides -- in many cases better.

[nonc]

but I think Silva would do best in a 2nd tier euro league compared to over here. He's talented, but he's unathletic and has a low work rate. He'd do better over there.

i wouldn't call bundesliga 2, championship, any less athletic than MLS. they are known for being physical. and definitely more talent than MLS. but yeah he could succeed there.

[bigredone]

Pan Se would have been a more useful club for career development. An upward progression for Silva was leaving (current) TFC situation.

[spark]

Having a trial for a mid table Div 2 German side doesn't sound right to me. I don't even think that it could be considered an upward progression for him. Considering his age ie 24, I think he genuinley is just getting some training sessions in to build up his experience levels.He is probably approx 3 yrs off reaching his true potential, and i think he'd be better doing it here in MLS. I think gone are the days when signing for obscure German, Dutch, Scandinavian etc clubs was seen as progression. The MLS has grown in stature enough that it competes favourably with any Euro 2nd tier league and in some cases even their top tier leagues.

2.Bundesliga is without question an upward progression. The league is far superior to MLS, and the infrastructure/facilities in Germany right now for development are second to none. Bear in mind both Kenny Cooper and Edson Buddle struggled in this league, both top shelf strikers here.

I think MLS only competes with some of the sketchier leagues/countries because you're guaranteed your paycheque every two weeks. But Germany, Holland etc ... are still far more technical leagues and a N.American player has plenty to learn in each one, even if it's playing in 2.Bundesliga or for NEC, JC Roda etc ...

But I think you are right, I'd wager it's just training as we've seen a handful of players do over the last few years and he's better off here as he'll get more games week in week out.

[colman1860]

As some people in here have said already, the 2. Bundesliga is absolutely better than MLS. Not close.

Source: getting up at 7 AM every Saturday/Sunday to watch it