Fifteen year old Kosta Koukladas has been formally admitted to the Rot Weiss Essen Academy under the mentoring of Rot Weiss Essen legend Willi "Ente" Lippens. Kosta a former youth player with the California club Irvine Strikers has been in Germany since early this Spring when he departed for his trial. Kosta also has a dual citizenship from Greece.
Looks like he's stil there, with the U16s: Koukladas Konstantinos http://www.rot-weiss-essen.de/saison/u16-u13/u16.html
Interesting. In the south Orange County area, our HS used to play in a league with a school whose coach had the last name of Lippens and formerly played with RW Essen's youth sides. I believe he now coaches a club team in the Irvine area- not sure if it is the Irvine Strikers SC but definitely in the neighborhood... The elder Lippens may be father/uncle, etc, I suppose. Perhaps a new pipeline (if more come along...)
Called into the U18s' Eurotrip: Midfielder Kosta Koukladas was recently added to the U.S. U-18 MNT roster and will be with the team until Sept. 13. Koukladas has appeared in four matches for the U-19 side of German club Rot-Weiss Essen this season, scoring one goal.http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-18-M...demy-20-Faces-the-Netherlands-on-Tuesday.aspx
From the article: "He has also received dual citizenship in Germany, giving him a third option." Not that I worry about losing him to Germany, but it seems odd to gain German citizenship in 2 years as a player in an academy. He really didn't even need it, but you just never know with these things.
He has a goal & 2 assists through 6 games: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/konstantinos-koukladas/leistungsdaten/spieler_196636.html
Called up to U-18 camp: http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-18-M...r-Training-Camp-Two-Games-Against-Canada.aspx
Goal against Leverkusen U-19s on 3/3: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/r...everkusen-u19/index/spielbericht_2288746.html
Called up by the U-18s for a trip to Lisbon to face the Czech Republic, Portugal, & Hungary: http://www.ussoccer.com/news/u-18-mnt/2013/05/u18-mnt-commence-10-day-trip-to-portugal.aspx
2 goals against Duisburg U-19's yesterday http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/r...-duisburg-u19/index/spielbericht_2352234.html
Nice update. For those that aren't familiar. The U19 Bundesliga West is a very competitive league. If he plays well, he could get noticed and picked up Gladbach, Leverkusen, Dortmund, Schalke, Dusseldorf or Cologne.
Die(Klins)Mannschaft @klinsmannschaft Mar 27 '95 FW Kosta Koukladas is currently training with Wolverhampton in England This may be a dumb question, but are @Germerica and Die(Klins)Manschaft the same person?
Goal 4/27 vs. Oberhausen U19, giving him 4 goals and 3 assists on the season, although he hasn't been in the squad the last couple games.
Update: Kosta is no longer with Rot, and is with/will be moving to Swansea. Kind of cool that he'll be teaming up with fellow U-20 Kris Scott. Cole White @pcolewhite 11h @kostakoukladas Hey man, are you still playing for the u19s with Rot? Kosta Koukladas @kostakoukladas 1h @pcolewhite no not anymore I'm going to Swansea city !!
This page has him at Schwarz-Weiss Essen: http://www.sw-essen-fussball.de/tabelle-oberliga-niederrhein/ And: http://www.fupa.net/spieler/konstantinos-koukladas-159794.html They don't mention whether he's ever sailed on the "Immer Essen."
Here's a summer report that has him as moving on, to points unknown. http://www.derwesten.de/sport/lokal...onnebeck-starten-vorbereitung-id10857367.html