John Anthony Brooks at Hoffenheim

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Pagefan, Dec 14, 2009.

  1. Lascho

    Lascho Member+

    Sep 1, 2008
    Hannover, Germany
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Subotic rather offered himself to the German fed, and the public opinion was quite split. He even talked about playing for Germany in public when the DFB hadn't figured out his availability. I think a fed trying lure a player would have done that before, so blame the player, not the fed.
     
  2. juventino3

    juventino3 Member

    Sep 13, 2000
    Alexandria, VA
    Not trying to blame either the fed or the player. As far as I concerned, players and federations should be making decisions on what they feel will best benefit their interests. My point is that the German fed will take dual nationals who have been nurtured by others if it improves their talent level at a given position. Germany has an outstanding pool, so they do not have to do this very often. As far as the German people being opposed to dual nationals joining their national side, I think you will see similar levels of opposition in countries like the US and Mexico as well.
     
  3. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    To permanently cap tie he, he'd need to play in either the Gold Cup, World Cup Qualifiers, World Cup or Confederations Cup.
     
  4. Lascho

    Lascho Member+

    Sep 1, 2008
    Hannover, Germany
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    In case of Subotic, it have been just public interviews with him stating "I want to play for Germany!" Well, I think nobody could blame the fed for checking his availability after that, and expressing some open-mindedness to him. He put the fed under pressure in public, not the other way around.
    I think Germany's public today is open for dual nationals with both choices; many Germans, not just Dortmund fans, wish Nuri Sahin all the best at Real Madrid, and regard him as "our boy in Madrid" to some point; not as much as Özil or Khedira, but as some kind of a nice 1/3 German, 2/3 Turk. Özil - that's our guy, 2/3 German, 1/3 Turk. Guys like Brooks or whoever, who grew up in Germany, learned to play soccer here, chose a different country early, and never blocked a space at the Germany youth squads for another player - all the best to them, it's their choice. We just don't have the "learned to kick the ball anywhere else, but we could lure him" situation; and we don't like the "played for Germany from U15-U21, and chose Cameroon" situation.
     
  5. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    Eh, the situation can change but German central defense seems stocked, stoked and stacked for the next decade - Boateng, Badstuber, Howedes, Hummels, et al. peeking from behind Friedrich, Westermann and Mertesacker.
     
  6. Jumbalaya

    Jumbalaya Member+

    Apr 27, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Sunderland AFC
    I'm sorry is that Hindenburgs general staff from WWI?
     
  7. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    :confused:
     
  8. aimorris

    aimorris Member

    May 2, 2007
    Orlando, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm embarrassed that I'm just now finding out about Brooks.

    And the only reason I did find out is because I've decided to follow the Bundesliga more this year instead of just the big games and Hertha was on my list of "teams to root for." Looks like I got a bigger reason to watch now after reading all the praise he's getting.
     
  9. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He is in this article about top young American prospects in Europe and Mexico

    ON THE RISE
     
  10. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here is the picture for the first team of Hertha Berlin for 2011/12

    Brooks is in the top row all the way on the left. First player in

    [​IMG]
     
  11. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    Jesus, he's a lot bigger than I expected him to be.

    Very nice.
     
  12. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    Alfredo Morales (YA) also in that picture, 3rd row up, 3rd from the right, for those interested.
     
  13. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What about the first guy on right in the 2nd row? Is he a YA?
     
  14. LiverAndPineapple

    May 7, 2008
    Cap Him Now
     
  15. Friedel'sAccent

    Friedel'sAccent Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Providence, RI
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Along with this guy.
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Alex_K

    Alex_K Member+

    Mar 23, 2002
    Braunschweig, Germany
    Club:
    Eintracht Braunschweig
    Nat'l Team:
    Bhutan
    Probably made in China.
     
  17. supercooper

    supercooper Red Card

    Jun 23, 2008
    We pretty desperately need a center back. I can't see Ream upside going beyond Bocanegra (and Carlos has had a great YA career, all things considered). Ream would be very fortunate to do as well as Carlos has in Europe. I personally don't think Ream will do as well.

    Bocanegra is a great athlete, but at the top levels of soccer (including World Cup), he is considered slow. Same with Ream (from everything I've seen).

    We need to big guy who is not only technical strong, but fast enough too.
    That is why losing Subotic hurt so much. We simply don't have anyone near his ability in our system.

    I hope Brooks is the one.
     
  18. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hmmm, I'd gladly take two more Bocanegra's at this point. Yeah, on the world cup stage he's pretty average, but then what's after him? Basically Gold Cup quality players.

    I'd say we have three World Cup level players, guys who might be able to play for some of the big teams or at least not look out of place. Donovan, Howard and Dempsey. Stu Holden and Bradley might have a case, but not right now. So what I'm saying is, we are in a situation where two centerbacks of Bocanegra's quality would be an improvement. I'd love to think Brooks could turn into something better, but for me anyway, I'm just going to consider that a wonderful surprise if it happens.
     
  19. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Brooks has missed a few days of training with a hamstring injury.
     
  20. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  21. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  22. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    Wow bshredder, you think we are talking first team minutes this season?
     
  23. ami-berliner

    ami-berliner Member

    Mar 21, 2004
    Berlin
    Club:
    Hertha BSC Berlin
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here's a quick and dirty translation.

    Talent Brooks sends Bayern packing
    12th July 2011 17.10 clock, BZ

    With Andreas Ottl, Thomas Power and Christian Lell, there are currently three ex-Bayern-Stars in the Hertha squad. Now it comes out that Hertha talent, central defender John Anthony Brooks (18), almost went in the opposite direction to Munich!

    At the same time as Hertha's offer in May, the German-American received an inquiry from Bayern. He was to gain game time primarily with the amateurs and then slowly be brought into the professional squad. But the native of Tempelhof opted for Hertha and signed until 2015! Coach Markus Babbel confirmed: ".. Brooks had a huge offer from the the Bavarians, but he chose us and forwent a lot of money" Right now, Brooks is in Berlin rehabbing an Achilles injury but will travel with the team on Sunday to their second training camp in Austria.
     
  24. Peter Bonetti

    Peter Bonetti Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    1970 WC Quarterfinal
    Good for him. Bayern are an unbelievably difficult side for a young player to break into. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you had better be a monster talent ready to make an impact on the first team - a particularly tough task for a young center back.

    Of all of the young yanks in Germany, Brooks is the most interesting to me. Without having seen him play, he is looking like he might end up being a very classy professional center back, but we will have to wait and see. The internet, while dramatically improving our ability to follow youth prospects abroad, does not yet allow us to watch them play in youth or reserve matches abroad regularly, although I did get to watch Adrian Ruelas playing for the Santos Laguna under 20s last spring.
     
  25. ami-berliner

    ami-berliner Member

    Mar 21, 2004
    Berlin
    Club:
    Hertha BSC Berlin
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    FC Bayern are all drama, all the time. I would almost never recommend a young unproven player go there. If he is getting first team minutes this year, then it will be easier to watch, given Hertha is in the BL1 again.
     

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