View Full Version : Possible Utah/Salt Lake City Players & Coaches
cpevans31
12 Jul 2004, 07:38 PM
I was wondering if there are any current MLS players or players abroad that have local ties to Utah, that new franchise might target?
jfranz
12 Jul 2004, 07:56 PM
I don't know that he has any ties to Utah, but isn't Zach Thornton out of contract right now? I'm sorry to see it didn't work out for him at Benfica, but who would we have to bribe to get him between the posts in Salt Lake?!
Freddy Garcia Lives
12 Jul 2004, 09:15 PM
Ray Hudson would be a liviley choice, instant media
PumaJohnny
12 Jul 2004, 11:56 PM
I don't know that he has any ties to Utah, but isn't Zach Thornton out of contract right now? I'm sorry to see it didn't work out for him at Benfica, but who would we have to bribe to get him between the posts in Salt Lake?!
Another good option would be Rimando - if the latin-american only Chivas don't grab him first.
Sachsen
13 Jul 2004, 01:21 AM
...who would we have to bribe...
ROFL
Leave it to a Utahn to poke fun at themselves... :D
ilvfutbol
13 Jul 2004, 01:35 AM
You may be suprised but the Blitzz may have a few players that could make the jump.
and Zach Thorton did nt do well in portugal for a reason. to big to slow and just knows the right people.
dysko
13 Jul 2004, 01:59 AM
Yeah, the Blitzz have a couple players that could make the jump, but don't get delusional. MLS is a big step up from the Pro-Select league. I really doubt more than two players (and that being said I have only seen one who I think could start) will make the jump unless the Salt Lake management wants to have thier lunches handed to them next season (but, that may happen anyhow, it will be interesting to see how expansion teams will get players for next season, will it allow them to be immediately competitive or will they have to build a team over the first few years?).
Sandon Mibut
13 Jul 2004, 03:05 AM
Here are a few thoughts on some players and coaches with ties that might make them good fits in Salt Lake, though I can’t guarantee they’d be good enough to play for SLC.
There is a 19-year old kid from Smithfield, Utah named Sergio Flores who is with Chacaraita Juniors in Argentina. Flores has been part of the US U18 and U20 pools and would seem to be a logical fit if he can be convinced to leave Argentina.
There is a rising senior at Cal Poly Pomona (where Paul Caligiuri is the coach) named Robert Cardenas who was part of the U20 pool when Sigi was the coach and who he was interested in having join the Galaxy out of HS. Instead he opted for a Mormon mission and then going to nearby Cal Poly. Given his religion, he would seem like a logical fit for a team in Utah, at least to be drafted.
http://www.thepolypost.com/story.php?story=1088
And Richmond Kickers midfielder Joey Worthen, who was also in the U20 pool under Sigi and who played at South Carolina, is from Salt Lake. Here’s his Kickers’ bio.
http://richmondkickers.com/players/worthen.htm
As for a coach, Steve Sampson was born in Utah, but I have no idea how long he lived there or what his ties to the state are. He is certainly qualified to coach in MLS and an expansion team would seem to be the best fit for him.
Also, I’m not positive but I think Laurie Calloway, the former Clash coach now the head coach of Syracuse in the A-League, coached the short-lived Salt Lake Sting when they played in the APSL in the early 90’s.
peledre
13 Jul 2004, 03:12 AM
Steve Sampson is currently unemployed. He may be looking for a job.
Jabinho
13 Jul 2004, 05:20 AM
Steve Sampson is currently unemployed. He may be looking for a job.
There was some media talk (thread around here somewhere) that he might be coaching Chivas USA.
SoccerPrime
13 Jul 2004, 07:39 AM
You may be suprised but the Blitzz may have a few players that could make the jump.
and Zach Thorton did nt do well in portugal for a reason. to big to slow and just knows the right people.
Seemed to do a great job for the Fire til he left.
I'd take him if I was SLC.
Tyler66
13 Jul 2004, 09:56 AM
I heard somewhere Zach Thornton didn't want to comeback to MLS.
SoccerPrime
13 Jul 2004, 09:57 AM
Why? Does he like being unemployed?
Tyler66
13 Jul 2004, 10:12 AM
No, I think that he thinks he can play somewhere else, and I know he can. I thought I heard he was going to ply in Sweden...
SoccerPrime
13 Jul 2004, 10:22 AM
Not that I want to turn this into the Zach thread, but did he even play in Portugal when he was there?
I thought he was just a bench warmer.
I think he would like to get back his Fire job.
Sachsen
13 Jul 2004, 10:25 AM
Not that I want to turn this into the Zach thread, but did he even play in Portugal when he was there?
I thought he was just a bench warmer.
I think he would like to get back his Fire job.
http://www.ussoccer.com/editorial/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=79505
"ussoccer.com: Now for the hard question. What's next for Zach Thornton?
ZT: 'I have to wait and see. I still have a couple options in Portugal. Hopefully now that the European Championship is over we can work something out in the next week. I would definitely like to go back to Portugal or somewhere else in Europe. But if I come back to MLS, I'll enjoy that as well.'"
Thomas A Fina
13 Jul 2004, 10:36 AM
Another good option would be Rimando - if the latin-american only Chivas don't grab him first.
What is this Mexican fascination with crap midget goalkeepers anyway?
Thomas A Fina
13 Jul 2004, 10:37 AM
Steve Sampson is currently unemployed. He may be looking for a job.
Rumours are he's going to Chivas
Thomas A Fina
13 Jul 2004, 10:38 AM
No, I think that he thinks he can play somewhere else, and I know he can. I thought I heard he was going to ply in Sweden...
You know, I heard rumours Krispy Kreme was opening a Stockholm franchise...
Blitzz Boy
13 Jul 2004, 10:47 AM
-Players here need to be able to adapt to our very Entertaining weather. 6 inches of base and 6 inches of powder for our home opener but 95 F at kickoff for the 2 PM ESPN games.
-Players need to be able to deal with the Recycled Sierra Mist bottles that form the Rice Eccles turf. Every team needs fast players, but we really need guys who can chase down balls that are about to take that "Field Turf Hop" over the touchline.
-Salt Lake City is the city where the cops will give you a ticket if you dance at 130 in the morning. I am not making this up. I can post a link if you want. Players here have to deal with that.
-70% of the people here are descended from people who walked 1500 miles through some of the most inhospitable land in the country. And there are those here who took just as harrowing a journey through the Sonoran desert to get here. So we don't mind a little John-Stockton-behind-the-back-pass-showboating and the odd Bicycle Kick would be the rough equivalent of a Karl Malone Dunk. But you'd better have a Stocktonesque/Malonesque work ethic to go along with it.