Brian "Cobi" Span at Västerås SK (Sweden)

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by iamalfred, Jun 11, 2011.

  1. iamalfred

    iamalfred Member+

    Aug 15, 2010
    SvenskaFans reveal today that he is training with Alejandro Bedoyas club Örebro SK.

    http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=204972439

    I'm not using the term trial since this seems to be another "getting to know each other" thing. The director of sport at Örebro comment:

    "He's a large, technical and athletic forward. The american college league is interesting and we see the summer as a good period to invite a number of players to see if they can be of interest to us in the upcoming seasons. At the same time the players view this as a good opportunity to come to europe and experience our football which might further stimulate them to succeed after college."

     
  2. iamalfred

    iamalfred Member+

    Aug 15, 2010
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7TZSDJXWIA"]YouTube - ‪Brian "Cobi" Span at Örebro SK Training‬‏[/ame]
     
  3. rossgreen

    rossgreen Member

    Jul 16, 2006
    Austin
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    Is he back stateside?
     
  4. prowazekii

    prowazekii Member

    Jun 21, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    He was last time I checked - on July 1st
     
  5. TheTim

    TheTim Member

    Sep 29, 2008
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    Earlier today he wrote on his twitter account..."Quick 4 day buisness trip to Sweden lol Flight at 4pm", so there's perhaps a little support for this rumor.
     
  6. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    Ives says that he's in Sweden negotiating a contract with an "undisclosed" club.
     
  7. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    I'm very curious to see how this turns out.

    If - and at this point it's still a big if - the Scandinavian teams start signing college underclassmen, it will be some genuine competition for MLS for GA players.
     
  8. trophy case

    trophy case Member

    Feb 8, 2008
    new york
  9. iamalfred

    iamalfred Member+

    Aug 15, 2010
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    Yeah, fotbolldirekt.se are now also running the story saying they have sources.

    From what I've read he's been playing as winger in college but my guess would be that our manager wants to try him in the number nine position. Has he ever played there before?
     
  10. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    How good is Cobi? Would he have been a gen ad prospect if he chose MLS?
     
  11. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    This college season he actually played a lot of central midfield as the guy attempting to pull the strings behind two forwards in a 4-4-2.

    He's a good soccer player but he's not the classic goal-scorer one usually associates with the No. 9.
     
  12. prowazekii

    prowazekii Member

    Jun 21, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    IIRC in one of his draft previews Ives claimed there would be a push to get Span a Gen Ad deal if he wanted to enter the draft as there were a number of teams very interested in the guy.
     
  13. prowazekii

    prowazekii Member

    Jun 21, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  14. iamalfred

    iamalfred Member+

    Aug 15, 2010
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTT--svz0a0"]Brian "Cobi" Span Signs With Djurgårdens IF - YouTube[/ame]

    Two year contract.

    Here's a translation of the managers comments in the text on the official site:

    "He's an exciting player who we've been following for almost a year now. Young but with a huge potential. We see him as a winger on the right or left but he can also be used as a number nine. His physical attributes combined with his technique is what gives him his standout qualities."
     
  15. trophy case

    trophy case Member

    Feb 8, 2008
    new york
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    He had a chance to be a gen ad prospect but there are some young prospects in front of him so I think this is a good route to take.
     
  16. DontJustStareAtIt

    Jul 2, 2011
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    They've missed out on a few other offensive signings and are trying to offload the two main forwards on the roster so the forward position should be available.
     
  17. LiverAndPineapple

    May 7, 2008
  18. iamalfred

    iamalfred Member+

    Aug 15, 2010
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    Yeah, it's impossible to know what the competition is going to look like for that position since the current forwards are going to be replaced.

    On the wings Sebastian Rajalakso and Peter Nymann have to be considered the starting choices, however many are speculating that the manager wants to play Nymann as a right back instead. If that turns out to be the case then this would of course increase Spans chances of playing time quite a bit and I think that would be the spot to try to break into.

    For much of last season that position was (unsuccessfully) shared between Christer Youssef and Philip Hellquist, neither of whom are really wingers at all but more like central attacking midfielders. The team has added Nahir Oyal and Martin Broberg this winter who can also play as wingers. Difficult to predict how those two will perform but they will also be competing for playing time in 2012.
     
  19. USvsIRELAND

    USvsIRELAND Member+

    Jul 19, 2004
    ATL
  20. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Brian "Cobi" Span Training With Örebro SK

    Interesting tidbit about Cobi from the US Soccer YNT blog:

    "Over the summer, Span spent three weeks training at Bundesliga club Hoffenheim, home of fellow U.S. internationals Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams, Joe Gyau and Charles Renken."
     
  21. Peretz48

    Peretz48 Member+

    Nov 9, 2003
    Los Angeles
    He's raw, but his size and athleticism are what attracted Djurgarden. Here are some goals scored at UVa:

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsh0l1zI5yI"]Brian "Cobi" Span Goals - YouTube[/ame]
     
  22. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    scores with the left, with the right and with his head. looks like a good athlete. only a short highlight vid tho.

    let's hope for a cd9 type rise to prominence.
     
  23. iamalfred

    iamalfred Member+

    Aug 15, 2010
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlkfOjW0zlo"]Brian "Cobi" Span Interview & Manager Comments - YouTube[/ame]

    The Djurgården preseason training started off today.
     

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