Swedish second tier club Ljungskile have started their preseason and according to this article in the local paper they have five trialists with them, two of which are americans. The first is goalkeeper Alex Horwath and the second central defender Jamel Wallace. According to the article the club is looking for two goalkeepers as well as two central defenders so there's definitely spots open if they impress.
Ljungskile played a preseason game today against BK Häcken which they lost 1-5, but the comments on the two american trialists performances still seems to be at least mildly positive from what I've picked up. Both started the game but Wallace was taken off during the second half after hurting himself. Fellow american/polish forward trialist Wojciech Wojcik who I posted about in this thread came on sometime during the second half but I haven't really seen any special reports on him. The Ljungskile manager commented after the game that they are going to sit down tomorrow and decide about Horwath, but that they are leaning towards signing him. I guess also worth reporting is that the american already at the club Aaron Nichols was reported as being one of the best Ljungskile players. It will be interesting to see what he can do this season, I think they see good potential in him since the usually very slow Ljungskile were so lightening fast in extending his contract. Some pictures from the game:
The Ljungskile manager commented today that they will not sign Wallace since they felt that he was not fully familiar with the northerneuropean style of play and they wanted someone with that experience to complement the two inexperienced central defenders that they already have. When it comes to Horwath he says that they are discussing a deal and that more news might come on that subject tomorrow.
And today the club announced that they have signed Horwath on a one year deal. The manager points out that Horwath has been a consistent starter for his previous teams for the past two years, and that he is well schooled as a goalkeeper, and that he communicates well and controls his defence but at the same time appears calm and stable. Perhaps interesting to note also from the article that Horwath sought out Ljungskile himself and that he has previously played with the clubs other american Aaron Nichols.
Wallace seems to still be in Sweden trialing as a preseason game match report from another Superettan club, Östersunds FK, reported that he played with them for an undisclosed amount of time in the second half of their game yesterday.
And to post in this topic one more final time the Ljungskile manager said today that they will not be signing Wojcik who I think played for them in another preseason game yesterday.
Yes, he is apparently trialing with IFK Värnamo which is another Superettan club. He will be part of a preseason game today against FC Copenhagen U19's.
Alex Horwath actually had signed with USL Pro squad Rochester Rhinos last month. They never paid him, but did pick up a transfer fee from Ljungskile. http://www.democratandchronicle.com...day-rhinos-back-in-market-for-goalie/5339261/
A typically random YA connection from that link: The first item mentions Lancers coach Josh Rife, who had a thread of his own many years ago when he was linked to a fairly high-level European team -- I think Celtic, but I don't recall, and the thread may have been pre-crash... (And you are dating yourself if you know what "pre-crash" means!)
Wallace is now on trial at 4th-tier club Ånge IF in Sweden, they are newcomers in the same league as my club Boden.
Actually, seems like the clubs got mixed up in the information I got. Wallace is on trial with 3rd-tier club Dalkurd FF, Gustavo Villalobos is the player who has a trial with Ånge. Wallace played the first half against Skiljebo this weekend, but seems like the club has already decided to let him go.
Horwath has been starting for Ljunskile, who are curently leading the league with 33 points from 17 games. According to Soccerway, Horwath has started all 17 games and a brief count shows 7 shutouts.
Time to give an update on the two Ljungskile americans. Their manager said in an article today in the local paper that Nichols will be looking for a new club even though he has one year left on his contract. The reason being that Ljungskile have signed other players since he joined them who they prioritize. He has almost exclusively been a substitute for them so far in his 1.5 years there. Things also seem to be up in the air when it comes to Horwath staying for another year, seems like it could go either way there. Horwath also appear to be currently trialing in Norway, I don't know what club.
Actually after a quick Google it seems to be newly relegated club Brann who he's trialing (and according to the article shamelessly flirting) with.
For who? Brann and LSK will both be in their respective countries' second divisions this year I believe.
Horwath ended up signing for Brann, I think it's a two year contract but since it's all in norwegian who can really tell?
It probably bears mentioning that even though Brann is in the second tier this season, it was in the top flight for the previous 28 years. Hopefully, they and Horwath can mount a push for promotion.
Elsewhere, in a duel of American netminders, Quentin Westberg made two big saves in the penalty shootout to help Sarpsborg 08 return to the elite eight following a scoreless draw at Alex Horwath's Brann. Horwath, a former Red Bulls 'keeper, posted his first career NM Cupen shutout, thanks to a pair of tidy first-half saves and another near the hour. Westberg, meanwhile, pulled off his cruelest robbery of regulation when Brann winger Kristoffer Larsen broke in alone during the final minute of added time. The Sarpsborg custodian then made huge stops during each 15-minute overtime session – wrapped around Horwath's 104th-minute denial of a curling free kick – before completing his heroics in the 4-1 penalties triumph. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...leys-stabaek-advance-nm-cupen-round-16-action