News: Welcome Brek: Potter (Brek Shea at Stoke/ On loan to Birmingham)

As someone who thinks Shea is the most overrated player in our pool, I'm extremely happy about this move.

If I'm proven wrong and he succeeds, excellent.
If he doesn't, at least everyone knows.

This will be an interesting study of water finding its level.

 

I dunno. The recent history of MLS transfers is that players who are proven performers in MLS are bargains. Players from MLS who are bought based on potential are bad buys. To me, Shea fits into the latter category rather than the former. He was a truly great MLS player in 2011, but that was just one season. Eddie Gaven was a truly great MLS player when he was about 19, and he hasn't panned out.

I was on the Brek bandwagon earlier than most (later than some) and I'm still kinda sorta a believer. I'm guessing that Stoke doesn't spend that kind of money on non-strikers unless they expect the player to become a starter. So I'm guessing Shea will get a real chance at LB or LW. He'll have to play himself out of a job. I wouldn't be surprised if Brek became a solid Prem wide player, either at LB or LW. But given the history of MLS buys based on potential, I wouldn't bet on it. I guess this is a situation where my eyes tell me Stoke fans will be happy with the purchase, but my memory, my brain, tells me it won't work out.

The one thing I disagree with the consensus here is that I think Shea is a tricky dribbler. Not great, but good...1v1 with some space to work in, and he can beat his man better than most.

As far as the USMNT goes, I think Pulis is a brilliant defensive coach, so if anyone can convert Brek into a solid defender it'd be Pulis. It'd be just too, too funny if Brek and Cameron ended up started at fullback at Stoke, but the needs of the USMNT made them the starting centerbacks for the US.

 

You might be right Dave. I think that Stoke being middle tier might help out some with the expectation of what is solid as opposed to the bigger clubs. Even off form he is probably no worse than the pair they are running out now.

Although I guess it is off for the moment.

 

Coaches/teams like a player they've gotten they try to go for a similar profile or look for another in the hometown. Barca got Icardi from Messi's hometown. Ryan Nelsen's Blackburn tried to get the similarly built and styled George John. After McBride's success Fulham brought in Dempsey, Bocanegra, and Eddie Johnson. Brek should thank Cameron if the deal goes through.

Shea is tall, powerful, has a great motor, excellent pace and a good touch. He's got a Prem game which should allow for a smooth transition in the manner of Holden and Cameron. He showed well in the starts against Belgium, Italy, and France. He'll be a success in the Prem.

What stage is his foot rehab in?

 

I know LB has been tossed around..but Stoke is a pretty damn good team defensively..I'm hoping that Shea would be used at LW. But more to the topic of Shea playing in the EPL, I'm in the camp that when healthy he is a perfect type of player for the demands of EPL.. size, speed, some skill and the ability to cross the ball and kick it far down the field

 

Well since various people have said that a Stoke LB doesn't venture out much they'd be fools to try that. Shea is a wing back or a wing. Pegging him down to the defense is a waste of a young man with a lot of trickery, pace and a good nose for goal.

 

Yes, because this is about you being right or wrong.

 

Not at Stoke

 

If he's healthy, the EPL is a good fit for him with his skill set. But if he's not healthy, this could go badly.

 

Much of the USMNT fan's reservations about Shea is that he was, fairly recently, expected to be The Next Big Thing (tm) - but has not arrived at pace or with the well-roundedness some of us hoped for. He can be very good, but has been a bit erratic (not completely unexpected as he's still young.) I think there were expectations he was Donovan's Hair apparent but he has not made himself irreplaceable on the nation team yet. But when he's good he's pretty darn ok.

 

Here is what Stoke paid for their starters.
Crouch 10 million pounds. (2011)
Adam 4 (2012)
N'zonzi 3.5 (2012)
Huth 5 (2012)
Begovic 3.5 (2010)
Whelan 0.5 (2008 - when Stoke where in Championship)
Shawcross 2 (2008 - ditto)
Ethrington 2 (2009 - damaged goods, had a gambling addiction when bought but recovered)
Walters 2.75 (2010)
Cameron 1.75 (2012)

Edu probably was purchased for some 3 to 4 million pounds given that Rangers bought him for 2.7 in 2008 and he has since then played in the World Cup. Shea should be going for 2.75 but Stoke will want 2.5

 

I think Edu was bought for about 500k, no? Mostly 'cause he voluntarily transfered his contract to the Gers newco when he could have walked. I think his sell-on was 300k, but seem to remember 500k as the reported number ... ok, now I have to goduckgo it. Hang on.

Yeah, 500k LBs was the most widely reported price.

 

I don't think so. Houston were willing to let Cameron go all along. FCD has bene pretty standoffish about selling Brek for a while now.

 

Taylor Twellman tweeted the transfer fee to FC Dallas from Stoke City FC is around $3.5m range (£2,195,567.50).

Now, Brek Shea faces physical testing.

​

Brek Shea Heading to Stoke, Pending Physical [January 18, 2013 @ 2:51PM CST [3:51PM EST & 8:51PM GMT]​

http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/01/18/brek-shea-heading-to-stoke-pending-physical/

I wished him good luck at Stoke City.

 

I c wut u did thar!

 

I'll be watching this with great interest.

 

As a beleaguered FCD fan here, I believe this is right on the money. Looks like Ugo may be next, and this team is in full fledged rebuilding mode.

 

You mean play himself INto a job. I highly highly doubt he'll start immediately.

 

haha, i never thought id see the day i was hoping for one of our players to get picked up by Stoke. But if theres someone that can learn that kid to play defense, maybe even left back, this is the spot.

 

I think he'll do well as a sub starting out, he has the ability to change the game, he did it a few times for the Nats when he was subbed in late.

 

You're talking about two different things. No, he's not going to start from Day One. But my take on Stoke's finances is that at that price, the plan is for him to start. He's going to be groomed for a starting role, and he's going to have to fail at that. Whether the plan is for him to take over from Etherington starting on Opening Day of the next season, or to replace Wilkinson sometime later this season, I dunno.

 

He will come in at the 75-80' mark at LW with Stoke down 1-0 to stretch the defence and bop one off Jone's or Crouch's head. The biggest hole in Shea's game is a sophisticated scoring foot. Stoke need to put their coaches on that all day and see what he actually has because he will get his chances and his shots on goal are pretty raw. It will be interesting to see if Shea can do those diagonal runs in the prem that we have seen for the Nats where the forwards get time to run into channels and get in front of goal.

It is also possible he would start on the theory that his countering threat will take some heat off the Stoke defence, but I doubt it.

I thought Shea suited Wigan really well after they sold Moses to Chelsea and I think they made a mistake not buying him but I guess the surgery on the toe came right at the end of MLS season and at that stage Wigan was thinking in terms of immediate help to avoid relegation while Stoke are thinking about filling in the next piece in the puzzle that is their offense.

 

Aren't Brek's issues more related to consistency and 90min focus and energy than ball skills or combination play? I had thought so but will defer to fcd fans.

If that's true I think England and Stoke could be a great place

 

The price doesnt tell us whether he is coming to start or not. Peter Coates will give Pulis the money to get whoever he wants, we'll play whatever we think is fair, regardless of whether its for a starter or not.

I'm pretty confident he's coming in as Etherington's long term replacement, as he is showing his age. Wilkinson is backup. Marc Wilson is our first choice left back, hes just coming back from a broken leg, and Pulis called him one of the best in the league recently. Would be amazed if Shea is coming in to replace him, unless Liverpool want to buy Wilson again

 

Surely Shea can do better than Etherington is doing at the moment. SMH