I think if he impresses for a top Austrian/Europa side, he's going to have more interest all together in Europe rather than just Germany. I think thats why I like the move more.
There isn't that much interest outside of Germany. Last season: http://www.transfermarkt.de/en/bundesliga/transferstroeme/wettbewerb_A1.html Several players to BL1, 2, 3; some Austro-Turks to Turkey; and then it's 2 players to French 2nd, 2 Czechs going home, 2 to Swiss 2nd,... and that's it.
What Lascho said. I'm working for an Austrian company and have watched quite a few games of their Bundesliga in the last 2 seasons and what shall I say? The league sucks. But he has chosen one of the teams who at least belong to the top of the league. However, the quality drops dramatically outside of the "big 4" Salzburg, Rapid, Austria and Sturm Graz. Or to be precise: Apart from those teams, their league is on the German 3rd division level.
I'm curious, in general, how much of a springboard is the Austrian league to better leagues? I know among strikers, Jelavic is now at Everton and Janko is now at Porto. But I was having trouble finding any other strikers is the past 5-10 years who have clearly moved up a level from Austria and found respectable playing time. What about among non-strikers? Does that list get much bigger?
Well if the league is that bad, I'm confident he'll be able to win consistent playing time. If he excels he can always be sold to a better club. I just don't want him languishing on the bench like Jozy did.
No, it doesn't. Austrian record transfers: http://www.transfermarkt.de/en/bundesliga/transferrekorde/wettbewerb_A1_gesamt.html
Good stuff. Maybe he would be better off going to BL2. I would like a really good "spring board" league for him. The Austrian Bundesliga doesnt seem to be that. The fact that Rapid are in Europe is nice on the other hand. That being said, I guess eitherway I'll be somewhat happy.
bingo. If you are scoring goals in a country's top league, you'll draw interest. Now looking at some of the recent transfers, it's more likely he'd make a move to France, or Portugal. Looks like Viena is losing Nacer Barazite to Monaco so they could use some scoring.
Well, the Austrian top scorers since 2000, and if they moved abroad at some point in their career after that: 2000: Vastić - one season in Japan 2001: Gilewicz - one season in Poland 2002: Brunmayr - no move abroad 2003: Lawarée - four seasons in the German 3rd and 2nd divisions 2004: Kollmann - no move abroad 2005: Mayrleb - no move abroad 2006: Kuljić - one season each in Greece and Switzerland 2006: Linz - four seasons for Boavista, Braga, Grasshoppers and Gaziantepspor 2007 and 2008: Zickler - no move abroad 2009: Janko - two seasons for Twente and Porto 2010: Hofmann - no move abroad 2011: Linz - had returned to Austria, no move after 2011 2011: Kienast - no move abroad 2012: Jantscher - no move abroad Of course it isn't entirely fair, since some of those players where well into their late 20s or 30s when they became top scorers (e.g. Zickler).
Not to mention Zickler already had a long career at Bayern. Also, it's not just the top scorer that makes moves. Jelavic, Hoffer and Okotie also made nice moves up out of Austria recently.
Okotie is back in Austria already, though (after failing to become a regular in Nürnberg and at St. Truidense in Belgium), and Hoffer played most recently in the 2. Bundesliga (although if Frankfurt keep him he'd be in the 2. Bundesliga nexr year). I mean, it's not that there's no chance that a player from Austria moves somewhere else - but, without checking for the exact numbers, I'm pretty sure MLS has a better track record of players moving into European top leagues in the last 10 or so years. And most players from Austria who go abroad move to Germany. Which is the one country in Europe where Boyd was already known anyway.
But if the Austrian Bundesliga is about the level of the German 2nd (bottom)/3rd (top) Division, AND Boyd scores at a rate similar to or greater than he did in the Regionalia AND German Bundesliga teams were seriously interested (as per the rumors in this thread), wouldn't that just validate that he's of likely quality. I know...I know...lots of qualifiers but I don't feel Boyd's heading to the elephant boneyard or "found his level" in the Austrian Bundesliga. Seems more like he's a kid who needs to get games so his soccer brain can catch up with his athletic body, his technical skills and his tactical training.
IMO the Bundesliga is a elite European league I have it as the third best league in the world behind the English Premier league and La Liga.