May not hurt to offer him trial.
He has a good strike rate for the NT.
Looks like the kind of player that could reasonably expect to be invited along to training for a look see in an MLS context. Suspect the timing isn't right for him though. Maybe not quite DP worthy (especially given recent injury issues mentioned on wikipedia and the way he left PAOK) and all six discovery signings for this season are alleged to have been used up. Probably not credible as an injury replacement for Cann so there may be no easy way to get him on the roster until the next transfer window in January.
DC United MF Fred returning to Aussie A League with Melbourne Heart
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...html#pagebreak
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
New York Red Bulls secures depth at left back by signing Mike Jones
With an eye on left back depth, the New York Red Bulls signed Mike Jones on Saturday.
The 22-year-old was selected by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 Supplemental Draft, but released in May.
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?...lssecuresdepth
MLS cannot attract European players in their prime. Thus, teams like TFC should keep on trying to get young, developing talents like Eckersley on loans from top flight clubs in Europe. Asia also has many top talent players that MLS/TFC can draw on.
It's too bad that the grass roots level in Canada is still decades away from what it should be so that TFC, Vanc., Mtl, etc. can draw on homegrown talents. But it's getting there....
Bottom line: get players on loan from Europe! Forget that DP pipedream.
TFC maybe linked to Frings - the translation make it sound a little unclear, not sure if they're suggesting he's linked with the club, or that it would just make sense with the Klinsman link:
http://de.eurosport.yahoo.com/190620...insi-klub.htmlToronto FC:
According to information of the "Weser-Kurier" Torsten Frings is facing a move to Canada. The former German national player should have aroused the interest of the Toronto FC. Canadian Club is Jurgen Klinsmann to advise you. Frings is currently on vacation and would like to look around afterwards for a new club. "So far I have not talked to anybody," said the 34-year-old former captain of Werder Bremen .
PLUS more Klinsmann inspired German striker news:
http://www.bz-berlin.de/sport/hertha...le1207611.htmlHertha's Rob Friend from Canada?
19th June 2011 17.34 clock, Florian Witte, Carsten Priefer
Klinsmann looks as Toronto consultant reinforcements from Germany. Hertha striker he gets?
picture-alliance / City-Press GBild 1 von 3
Friend came to € 1.8 million transfer from Gladbach to Berlin, could never fulfill the expectations
So far, it looked as if Hertha would find no takers for storm-flop Rob Friend (30 / 5 goals in 25 games). That could change now. Friends situation in Berlin is said to have attracted the interest of Jürgen Klinsmann (46)!
The ex-national coach working with his company's Soccer Solutions as a consultant with the Canadian club Toronto FC. The club plays since 2007 in the U.S. professional league MLS wants this season for the first time in the playoffs. After 17 of 34 games, the club is currently 6 points behind the target. Therefore planning to get Klinsi reinforcements from the Bundesliga. Friend would fit there perfectly!
Most recently he spent three weeks with the Canadian national team in the Gold Cup in the USA. Friend is said to have spoken with colleagues about his role as a bench press in Berlin - and has apparently gotten around to Klinsi to Toronto.
According to Canadian media in Toronto is urgently looking for a striker, Friendster stands on the candidate list. In his home of Hertha as a top star would be placed in the attack - a perspective that his coach Markus Babbel (38) can not offer.
But it could give problems in finance. Hertha want for the striker (under contract until 2013) probably around a million euros transfer. Toronto also has to save and keep to the strict content limits in the league. There is therefore a need for negotiation.
Friend is not the only Bundesliga player on the wish list has the Klinsi. According to "Weser Kurier" Bremen's Torsten Frings is also (34) have an offer from the Canadians.
Last edited by UltraSuperMegaMo; 06-19-2011 at 11:58 AM.
im a big bremen supporter and i gotta say Frings would be an amazing signing. im not entirely convinced we need a player in his position but none the less he'd contribute a ton and always give his all. without a doubt id get a Frings jersey.
Every time I see Frings, I think of the time Harvey's used to let you get Fries and Onion Rings together.
I like the idea of Friend coming here. Frings I don't know anything about as I don't follow German league.
He's a DM/box to box, great paassing, great on set pieces, great on penalties and played for the best team in Germany (regardless of what last years table will tell you). He is well known for his dedication and tenacity
I'd personally rather see an creative attacking mid but Frings will do very well in winters system and would help the team a lot IF he comes
Link suggests TFC contacted Torsten Frings about not retiring and playing here instead.
http://www.mercato365.com/etranger/m...ontacte-.shtml
....aaannd this one seems to be suggesting Rob Friend was being scouted by a team from Canada, possibly Klinsmann on behalf of TFC.
http://www.bz-berlin.de/sport/hertha...le1207611.html
So his choices are retire or play for TFC?
Hertha want a million Euros for him, his contract is until 2013
Animals Eaten:
pig, cow, lamb, moose, chicken, quail, kudu, ostrich, kangaroo, octopus, alligator, rabbit, shark, springbok, goat, bison, boar, caterpillars, turkey, fish, lobster, crab, oyster, prawn, antelope, camel, eel, squid
Doesn't seem too likely, does it? Maybe they'll cut him loose on a mutal agreement if TFC eats his salary uptake.
http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/b...ob-friend.html
Article on Kicker the other day, just talks about Canada being knocked out, and Friend didnt have as good of a season, but is expecting to do better. Doesnt mention anything about leaving really. Hertha training camp starts on the 2. July.
Animals Eaten:
pig, cow, lamb, moose, chicken, quail, kudu, ostrich, kangaroo, octopus, alligator, rabbit, shark, springbok, goat, bison, boar, caterpillars, turkey, fish, lobster, crab, oyster, prawn, antelope, camel, eel, squid
Could explain the hasty departure of Alen Stevanovic. Maybe a Klinsmann angle involved if this is legit?
Friend has never really got the job done for the national team but he is the sort of target striker that is a good fit for Winter's 4-3-3. Friend and Frings as DPs and somebody in as an injury replacement for Cann would be the leader on each line Winter has been talking about and would bring the rebuild much closer to completion. Fingers crossed all the pieces fall neatly into place even if those are not the players involved.
Last edited by CSO_BBTB; 06-20-2011 at 02:11 AM.
neither friend or frings are worth dp money...if your going to get a dp, get someone who will make a massive difference, not slightly improve the squad
Can see why the not DP worthy comment might be made about Friend (that's why I mentioned the way he has never really got the job done with the national team) but not with Frings. Beyond that how many "massive difference" players do you think are queuing up for a chance to play for TFC right now? Although a slight improvement doesn't cut it with a DP signing a marked improvement that would turn many/most of the 1-1 and 0-0 ties right now into 2-1 and 1-0 victories would, in my opinion.
Is a mid fielder who's main strength is as a defensive midfielder really what we need? I thought we already had one the we paid too much with little results.
And is it me or does Torsten Frings sound like a snack food. "Torsten Frings, now in cool ranch flavour"
hes also had offers from Rangers.
we are also discussing this in the transfer thread. does the Mod wanna merge?
Friend would be a good addition. He has had a good scoring record in Germany at the D-2 level.