Rumor: Bobby Wood: Potential First Team Call-up? [R]

You have to add, though, that Wood now plays against amateurs. The Regionalliga he plays in can't be compared to the one Boyd played in for example, since (despite officially being the same level) in reality it's one or two steps down in quality.

That's true. All three clubs against whom Wood has played were in the Oberliga last season.

The Bayernliga seems like it may turn out to be especially weak. The 2012-13 Bayernliga includes only six Regionalliga clubs from last season. Twelve clubs played in the Oberliga last season and the final two were double-promoted from the Landesligas.

In contrast, the Regionalliga Südwest has sixteen clubs from the 2011-12 Regionalliga and only three promoted clubs from the Oberliga.

Well, to be fair, I don't think any of the reports were that he would not ever play again, but more like his pro career was done. Second, and I hate to underscore this, simply playing amateur ball is a FAR cry from him making it as a pro on that knee. While this progress is certainly promising, I would not trot the Fat Lady out to begin warming up a song that ends his injury woes or his movement out of amatuer football....for now.

This is promising, nothing more, nothing less. To use a mountaineering analogy, he ain't even left base camp yet to get back to where he was. Much can happen. This is why the club itself is not even commenting on his progress. They have seen this all before. They don't want to get his hopes up nor excite the media. I highly doubt you will see anyone in management comment on Bobby until around Christmas should his form continue to excel. They simply want the boy to get back to form in quiet...or to leave the club in quiet if it turns out he is truly not capable of playing at a higher level. They owe him that for his long term dedication.

I'm just glad they gave him another chance.

No doubt. Rumor is they are keeping stuff low key to take the pressure and anticipation off. They also want him to recover "under the radar" so that should he reach form they can bring him back. Bobby is known to "push" things...especially if he knows that he has a chance of first team ball, and Maurer wants him to focus on getting better first.

Clearly they're keeping it low-key, so there's no possible way for him to join another US youth camp.

I think Bobby will want to stay away from yanks for a while. They seem to be bad news for him.

Well, he's not eligible for any more US youth teams, so Bobby and 1860 don't have much to fear on that front.

Dunno if you can watch it outside Germany but Bavaria's Football Association shows the whole match days on their BFV.tv. Match day 1(begins at 20.20 min.) with Wood's two goals and interview in accent-free German. Match day 2 does not include any 1860 highlights cause they played already on Tuesday. Match day 3 isnt uploaded yet. But likely they show Wood's two goals cause 5-3 is an entertaining result and Bamberg one of the front-runner teams.

4 goals in 3 games in the newly amateur Regionalliga Bayern

It works in the US but is taking me forever to load...

http://www.bfv.de/cms/seiten/index.html?player=true

16.08.12 video :: highlights at 14:30. First clip he trips over another player. At 16:35 he is credited with the assist but I don't think that was him with the final pass... not sure.

19.08.12 video :: highlights start at 14:03 -- nothing too much from Wood

26.08.12 video :: 3:40 a teammate starts a nice counter and Wood makes a dangerous run that almost turns into a goal. Game ends up in a 2-1 loss with (seemingly) little offense and shakey D.

He's playing on the wing a lot by the looks of it but isn't involved with the play a ton. It looks like 1860 goes through the middle more than the outside so it's hard to judge his play.

Remember this 1860 II team is not the same as other U23 teams. It is mostly rostered with prospects whereas as some of the other teams have more depth and are not subject to roster platooning like II teams. That said, it's tough to plan for which players you will have any given week. The formation also is built around what is used at the pro level so that if players are brought up they will be familiar with the system. Because of all this Bobby is playing the wing more than up front.

Right now, as long as he plays I am happy

I agree. Was trying to explain why he is playing where he is and why the team he is on may not be as successful as they should be.

Wood scored a goal in 75 minutes in a 6-2 win over Wurzburger Kickers.

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...muenchen-ii-123_wuerzburger-kickers-7283.html

Does anyone else sing the Bobby Wood chant before they open the Bobby Wood thread or is it just me? It's extremely catchy.

http://www.bfv.de/cms/seiten/index.html?player=true

2.09.2012 - Starts at 20:27.

21:59 - Goal. Bad original touch but stays with it and puts it away low. Pretty fun celebration.

the fans around 21:45 have some serious Bieber fever

Yes, he is quietly working his way back. He has played 15 games, racked up 1,242 playing minutes (82 mins/game average), 5 goals and 2 assists (second on the team behind Marcus Ziereis with 9 and 2 respectively), no cards and only been subbed out 4 times...usually late in the game.

Still unclear what his future brings at 1860. No word on him coming up. But to be fair, no word on Ziereis coming up either and both were being hotly touted previously.

Glad he is allowed to get healthy away from any pressure.

One poster in the German 1860 forum is following the 2nd team quite closely wrote last week that Bobby is working his way back. That poster is normally very well informed. Think he posted he doubts Bobby will make his way at 1860 since he sees Bobby lacking the technical skills and speed.

I dont share that expectation - in case Bobby stays healthy.

I don't share that either but only because Bobby is a lot like Kevin Volland in that he can play wing MF and up front. If he is healthy and strong I see no reason a club would not pick him up. As much as I would like that club to be 1860, I think we are only going to pick up players who can help us in the BL and the promotion fight. Right now I don't think that is Bobby...but I will ALWAYS cheer him on in the hopes he can make it back to first team football.

I think for certain another BL2 would take him. He is a very decent player and knows he can make more over in Germany than in the US. If he is smart he will work on his trainer's license too just in case. Even if he did not make a BL2 side he could make a BL3 side and they would still make more than an MLS player.