Aarrggh. We need a striker

[rms5555]

They probably are. According to this (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/15727540.htm) he has generally been a pain in the butt in KC.

[mschofield]

Okay, when I said we need a striker I was thinking of one who actually scores goals. Is Johnson an upgrade over Lita or doyle?
The article notes that we're back in for kilgallon and mensah ( i agree upson is deepwater for Reading right now).

I don't mind the idea of bringing in Johnson, as I do believe he's got potential. But I don't see him being an asset right away. Not even close. And I don't know how he'd react to a spring on the bench, looking to make an impact in the fall (I don't see him beating out a healthy doyle, ever, or a healthy kitson or lita until he improves quite a bit.
Still, he is a striker, and we do need one.

[mschofield]

The work permit question is beyond the scope of my knowledge as well....

I have no way of supporting this, but I think that MLS would take a million for him, especially with the new "Beckham" rule. KC could use that money towards a "name" player, plus KC get two player allocations if they sell Johnson overseas. I think they are just looking to move him at this point.
They'd be happy to dump his salary i'd think. $1 million sounds like the upper end of what you could reasonably expect on a striker who scored two goals in his last season. They might let him go $150. Hell, here's an offer: loan the Wizards Shane Long for a year (he's gonna be a monster) and take the monster Johnson salary off their hands. Everyone wins. And that's even if Johnson doesn't pan out. Long with a year of starting game in, game out, would be great deal.

[superdave]

Johnson->Reading is interesting.

He fits the profile of the kind of players Reading go for. He's very fast, is big, and can finish. Well, used to be able to finish.

That's the rub right there. If Coppell believes he can "coach him up" then EJ will be at best a smash hit with Reading, and off to someplace like Boro or Villa for $10M in a couple of years, and at worst he'll be a starter for Reading for the foreseeable future.

I think it all comes down to what Coppell thinks he can teach him about the mental game and the yawning gaps in EJ's skillset.

Johnson has really seemed to lose interest in performing since MLS rejected the $5M offer from Benfica in 2005. (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2005-03-11-johnson-portuguese-offer_x.htm)
MLS didn't reject the deal, EJ did.

[superdave]

Another good target forward from the US is Ching
Ching isn't as good as Brian McBride.

As a Reading fan, do you really want "not as good as Brian McBride"?

[rms5555]

MLS didn't reject the deal, EJ did.
You have mentioned this in two threads now. I'm not calling you a liar, but I havn't seen that reported anywhere. Where did you hear that?

[prvev]

Hell, here's an offer: loan the Wizards Shane Long for a year (he's gonna be a monster) and take the monster Johnson salary off their hands. Everyone wins. And that's even if Johnson doesn't pan out. Long with a year of starting game in, game out, would be great deal.

I have no idea how possible that is, but its really quite brilliant. I'd love to see that happen.

[T_Rock]

I agree 1 million is probably the top dollar value for Johnson. I have also heard as low as 150k. I think the MLS will take that low for him.

Shofield, I see you are also a Wizards fan. Johnson has been horrible for them, so I can see why you would not want him to go to Reading. I just see a lot of upside to him for 150k to million. He has shown he can score. Can he do it again? I wouldn't mind if Reading spent the money to find out.

[superdave]

The $150K was some poster talking out of his ass. MLS will NEVER sell a player for that amount, because it undermines every other negotiation. OK, if some A-League team just has to have some MLS bench warmer I'm sure they can get him fror that or less. But MLS will NEVER sell a star for that much. NEVER.

You have mentioned this in two threads now. I'm not calling you a liar, but I havn't seen that reported anywhere. Where did you hear that?

Eddie has apparently engaged in some revisionist history. But AT THE TIME...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2005-03-11-johnson-portuguese-offer_x.htm?csp=34

"The player, the club and the league felt that the timing and the offer itself just did not work," Borg said. "The upcoming MLS season is an important one for both Eddie Johnson and FC Dallas, and Eddie is committed to the club with its new stadium opening in August."

That's one quote I found. I don't want to waste too much time looking for the quote from him backing it up. Basically, he didn't want to go to a new club situation just when he was breaking into the national team right before a Cup. What if, as often happens, he didn't start right away, and lost form, and the US found a different starting 11? MLS offered him a buttload of money to make things alright; Eddie would probably have gone absent the pay raise. But MLS would have let him go if he had wanted to.

Google turned up tons of articles claiming MLS turned down the deal and that Eddie wanted to go, but they were all written well after the fact. It's become one of the most powerful myths among soccer geeks, especially Yanks who like to bash MLS. :D

[mschofield]

I agree 1 million is probably the top dollar value for Johnson. I have also heard as low as 150k. I think the MLS will take that low for him.

Shofield, I see you are also a Wizards fan. Johnson has been horrible for them, so I can see why you would not want him to go to Reading. I just see a lot of upside to him for 150k to million. He has shown he can score. Can he do it again? I wouldn't mind if Reading spent the money to find out.
I think Coppell can work miracles with young potential. I think what he's done with Convey, Doyle, Sonko, kitson, long is proof.
I really do. If he worked a miracle on Johnson, Johnson has the tools to be a great player, and would be a huge asset.
But (and it's a big but) Johnson is, right now, potential, and little more. His past season was okay for a rookie just breaking in, but not really good enough to convince the club they've solved their striker needs, long term. as a star, he was atrocious. In the cup, he one nice little play, a turn and snaped a nice shot, over the bar if I remember (which I may be wrong on). Showed quick feet, solid shot, good sense. Showed that there might be a there, there. but he hasn't proven anything recently.
Does anyone believe he could make an impact in the prem? He's bigger than Lita, but not faster, not as skilled, and his shot isn't as accurate.
Can he play target? I mean, what point is there in a target who doesn't score? I guess, like koller, he can play a bunch off for runners, but he doesn't do that either, does he?
My Wizard's fan status is from the days I lived in KC, from their birth through 2001 a season ticket holder, after that not in KC much, and not at all since 2003. But, I'm all about loyalty to club, so it's Reading and KC (and Hertha are joining the list as a home town team).

[rossgreen]

You know what would've been brilliant for Reading if they could've negotiated it for January?

Get David Jones from Man U (he's about to go to Derby County on loan with potential purchase) and sell Sidwell for big bucks.

[mschofield]

You know what would've been brilliant for Reading if they could've negotiated it for January?

Get David Jones from Man U (he's about to go to Derby County on loan with potential purchase) and sell Sidwell for big bucks.
But Sidwell may be ready to sign. I think Sidwell is worth every penny of the $5 million we lose (tops) by not selling him in January if he helps us stay up, which he is right now. I'd pay the man the 18k a week, if it was me. But, even if not, I'd wouldn't let him go before survival was assured.

[Abracadabra]

The $150K was some poster talking out of his ass. MLS will NEVER sell a player for that amount, because it undermines every other negotiation. OK, if some A-League team just has to have some MLS bench warmer I'm sure they can get him fror that or less. But MLS will NEVER sell a star for that much. NEVER.

Right you are. EJ (we like to call him Grown Ass Man because of a hilariously arrogant quote from him) has lost some value since joining the Wizards. However given his youth, pace and the fact that he was capped in the World Cup just a few months ago I doubt he will go for much less than $500K. That said, BEWARE. He is a cancer. He eventually alienated ALL his Wizard teammates despite concerted efforts to reach out to him. He always blamed his errors on his teammates, not in the media but you could see him pointing fingers and scolding them during play--these are guys who have been playing professional soccer since before he started shaving. I saw him do this to Dave Van den Bergh, who played for a number of years with Utrecht in the Eredivisie. I hope you have the sort of coach who can turn troubled youth around, or it will be a LONG season. Also his skill set is very limited--don't expect creativity or ball skills. He has a tendency to line up his shots before taking a chance--that will NOT work in the Premiership. Ever. I wish you lots of luck if you take a chance on him.