Any word on Magee?

[type_32]

Has he signed anywhere yet? The speculation was that he'd be signing a contract shortly after his 18th birthday, which was last week, IIRC.

[letsplaytwo]

The UEFA signing window is closed until January. The signing period closed 9/1 and he did not turn 18 until 9/2. If he was 18 on 8/31 he could sign that day and get under the 9/1 window. Missed by two days and now they have to wait

[type_32]

Originally posted by letsplaytwo
The UEFA signing window is closed until January. The signing period closed 9/1 and he did not turn 18 until 9/2. If he was 18 on 8/31 he could sign that day and get under the 9/1 window. Missed by two days and now they have to wait

Is this correct? I thought the window only applied to transfers, not free agents.

[Preston North End]

Technically, Magee is not a free agent since he has never signed a professional contract and he is still registered with Chicago Sockers (US Youth Soccer) and the U.S. Soccer Federation.

FIFA transfer rules apply to both pros and amateurs - thus Magee.

Free agents - if we were to call Magee one - can't transfer into the EU/EEA between 9/1 and 12/31/2002 unless they can prove their contract was breached beyond their control. This kind of screws Magee because he never had a contract that was breached.

On a side note - I think Onyewu can appeal to FIFA to let him sign with another club in the EU/EEA since his contract was breached beyond his control. My guess is that Onyewu could end up with a club somewhere soon.

Back to Magee, he could appeal on the grounds that his age, his amateur status and the timing of everything has screwed him. My guess is FIFA will turn him down because he can still play with a club here in the U.S. (he can still play with Chicago Sockers) and FIFA are cracking down on UEFA clubs taking "advantage" of minors. Letting Magee sign and possibly play would set a bad precedent, IMHO.

Magee was also screwed prior to the 8/31 deadline (the transfer window closed on Saturday 8/31 @ 5PM GMT IIRC) because he was not yet 18. There are rules that could have let him sign a pro contract in the EU/EEA, but the stipulations were probably to tough for him to meet. See my post in this thread...

http://bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=10641&pagenumber=2

[M.T. Nets]

Not sure how accurate but I did hear today that Magee signed with Ajax. I heard from a source that knows the family but I was not aware of the 9/1 date issue. Worth staying tuned.

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by M.T. Nets
Not sure how accurate but I did hear today that Magee signed with Ajax. I heard from a source that knows the family but I was not aware of the 9/1 date issue. Worth staying tuned.

Over the summer he had trial (training period) with Ajax. He couldn't sign with them, or any club in the EU, because he was U18.

He penned an article for U.S. Soccer on their website talking about his summer training stints in Europe and not understanding why he couldn't sign a contract.

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsId=20947&itype=113&icategoryid=353

[Shaster]

Originally posted by M.T. Nets
Not sure how accurate but I did hear today that Magee signed with Ajax. I heard from a source that knows the family but I was not aware of the 9/1 date issue. Worth staying tuned.

Could be the reason 8/31 is Sat., so the close data is actually Monday at 9/2 which Magee IS 18 years old?

[aznsensation24]

Originally posted by M.T. Nets
Not sure how accurate but I did hear today that Magee signed with Ajax. I heard from a source that knows the family but I was not aware of the 9/1 date issue. Worth staying tuned.

I also heard today from a good friend of Mike's that he is leaving for Holland and Ajax next week.

[wasdykec]

this could help our young players

http://www.soccer365.com/Euro_home/Internationals/page_46_39008.shtml

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by wasdykec
this could help our young players

http://www.soccer365.com/Euro_home/Internationals/page_46_39008.shtml

Thank God!

That was the dumbest part of the new transfer rules. It was a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Originally posted by Shaster
Could be the reason 8/31 is Sat., so the close data is actually Monday at 9/2 which Magee IS 18 years old?

Shaster, the window closed on Saturday, August 31st; and IIRC at 5PM GMT. It did not matter that it was a Saturday.

[NJGUY]

Did Magee go to Holland?

[Karl K]

Yes, he did go to Holland, as well as Norway, and Sweden.

See his journal.

http://www.iysa.org/web/newsrlease092302.html

[NJGUY]

Thanks but i guess my question should of been did he sign with Ajax or has he gone back to Holland?

[letsplaytwo]

Did not sign or go to Holland. Even though the transfer window opened up the Europe option will probably not happen until after the first of the year or sometime after qualifying.