Jamie Cureton to DC United?

[Knave]

So this is the English First Division striker we've heard rumors about.
In its search to find a pure goal scorer, D.C. United has invited English First Division forward Jamie Cureton, who starred with Reading FC last season, for a tryout this week. Cureton, 27, is not signed with Reading and is available for a free transfer. He will arrive in Washington this week to watch United play the Columbus Crew at RFK Stadium on Saturday.
http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20030610-125707-7557r.htm

[MikeLastort2]

http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/cureton.htm

http://www.soccerage.com/en/04/22828.html

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/020817/59/d7mm5.html

http://www.soccerbase.com/footballlive/?MIval=players_details&playerid=1843

[Dave Brother]

On the soccerbase link it says he made 250000 pounds salary. Can this guy fit into our payroll?

[shawn12011]

More importantly which SI would be moved or have his status changed to accomidate him?


Nelson?
Ivanov?
Stoichkov?

[Jose L. Couso]

Thanks for the links Mike & Knave.

It may be a great move, but he is probably out of our league ($).

Stoi.

[DigitalTron]

This guy sounds like Diallo. Talented but troubled. He's scored for every manager at a nice rate, but it seems that all of them want to get rid of him.

While I detest Ruiz's flopping, acting, fouling and general dirty play, Ruiz is a total team player and a great goal scorer. I hear the same about Twellman. I wonder if Ray could work some of his difficult player management magic and turn things around for Cureton?

I must admit, I did not expect a proven goal-scorer in his prime to come out of the English First Division for MLS money. This is intriguing to say the least.

-Digital

[GoDC]

Not sure where you are getting that idea DT but I don't read some of these things that closely. He couldn't break into the Norwich lineup, was loaned to Bristol and then transferred there when he played well. After two years there he requested a transfer and went to Reading. Was looking to leave Reading when he had some injuries and never became a starter. No word of trouble in what I read there. Did I miss something??

Of course he is 5'8" so would fit right in here.

[RoyalMan]

Here's another link:

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/today/view/breaking_news_detail/0,,10306~389833,00.html

His goal scoring record is phenomenal. I think he's scored about 60 goals for us in 110 odd starts. Earlier in the season he was being linked with Charlton.

He was signed for an absolute bargain £250,000 from Bristol Rovers, where him and Jason Roberts (Now WBA) ran defences ragged. He's also played in the UEFA Cup before with Norwich.

We've offered him a 1 year contract but if he doesn't accept it, he is a free agent.

[GoDC]

Why are you only offering him a 1 year contract??

[RoyalMan]

Originally posted by GoDC
Why are you only offering him a 1 year contract??

Well the main reason is that for the vast majority of last season we played a 4-5-1 formation and Curo doesn't fit into that. He needs someone playing alongside him, and as AP (Our manager) can't guarantee him a start every game he's only been given a 1 year contract.

[GoDC]

Thanks for the info. Let's ee what happens with his trial and if that works out if we can come together on money. Hristo must retire and become a full time coach if this thing works out.

[subbuteo]

He flopped for me during a short stint at Cardiff. Of course he was behind Earnshaw and Thorne who combined for 70+ goals in two seasons.

Of course, this was on championship manager and not in real life.

[Lanky134]

Originally posted by shawn12011
More importantly which SI would be moved or have his status changed to accomidate him?


Nelson?
Ivanov?
Stoichkov?
Maybe the long-rumored Stoichkov green card is ready.

[stopper4]

Where's the cap space going to come from?

Nobody wants Stoich or Etcheverry.

[Atouk]

Wow. This is strange, both of my club teams, DC United and QPR, possibly after the same player (although the DCU link seems more serious). The "Cureton to QPR?" thread:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51889
Originally posted by DigitalTron
This guy sounds like Diallo. Talented but troubled. He's scored for every manager at a nice rate, but it seems that all of them want to get rid of him.
I think you're off base there. He played for Ian Holloway at Bristol Rovers and there has been transfer talk this offseason that Holloway wants to bring him to QPR -- not a sign of a troubled player, especially when the manager is having success (lost in Play-Off Final).

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport/football/articles/5052010

He has only really played for three clubs since 1993 -- hardly a troubling number.

He came along as a trainee for Norwich, was briefly loand out to Bournemouth (6 games), and got a little bit of first team action with Norwich before being sold to a lower-level club. Norwich was then in the first and Bristol Rovers in the second. If he wasn't seeing much time at Norwich, had a successful trial at Bristol Rovers, and they offered 200,000 pounds for him, that move is no surprise.

As for leaving Bristol Rovers the reason was even greater: 250,000 pounds. It appears Reading was spending (finished 3rd that season and won automatic promotion the next), while Bristol Rovers were selling (they were relegated that season).

That's not the same as letting some head-case go on a free because the goals just aren't worth it.

He's also been at Reading for three years, so it's not like they ran him off quickly.

Haydon is off a bit in his stats, in that Cureton only had 13 league starts this year, but did come off the bench 14 times, while racking up the 9 goals. He may have read 13 (14) to mean "starts (total)" rather than "starts (subs)." Two of his goals were in those substitute appearances.

According to Soccerbase, Cureton's league stats at Reading:
02/03 - Reading (1st Division, 4th Place): 9 goals in 13 league starts and 14 substitute appearances.
01/02 - Reading (2nd Division, 2nd Place): 15 goals in 24 league starts and 14 substitute appearances. Also scored an FA Cup goal in 2 starts.
00/01 - Reading (2nd Division, 3rd Place): 26 goals in 37 league starts and 6 substitute appearances.

Originally posted by Dave Brother
On the soccerbase link it says he made 250000 pounds salary. Can this guy fit into our payroll? That was the transfer fee paid for him when he changed teams three years ago, not his salary. The transfer market has changed a good deal since then, so even under contract he wouldn't fetch that kind of transfer fee now.

[Atouk]

Originally posted by stopper4
Where's the cap space going to come from?

Nobody wants Stoich or Etcheverry. Stoichkov isn't taking up much cap space (just an SI spot, until his Green Card comes). Etcheverry's salary will be available next season.

As he was last season with Dalglish and others, Hudson is talking like whoever he'd bring in would have to play for little this year, while getting a bump in salary next year if he succeeds here ("So, it's really like a proving ground").

http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=184496

[TCompton]

Thanks for your assessment Atouk.

I guess we're not all that familiar with relegation/promotion transfers. If someone bounces around here, it's because they're a problem, they're too old to be young, but not good enough to be old, or they're too expensive.

[eltico]

Originally posted by Lanky134
Maybe the long-rumored Stoichkov green card is ready.

Or maybe the much-preferred (by some) Stoichkov release is ready?

[DCM]

What DC really needs is Reading's Nicky Forster...

Did anyone catch the 1st leg playoff between Reading and Wolves? I was really impressed with Forster, who scored Reading's lone goal... He was very creative and comfortable on the ball.... He got hurt around the 60th minute, and once he was subbed out, Reading went from essentially dominating possession and chances, to giving up 2 goals in the last 15 minutes. Reading lost 2-1. Forster carried Reading on his back in that match, IMHO.

Cureton didn't come on until the 84th minute. Not that he had much time to do so, but he didn't stand out.

I'm sure Forster's not an option, but I got excited there for a minute, thinking DC were targeting him... Turns out I had the wrong guy.

[Northern Boy]

Speaking as a Reading Fan, having seen Jamie many times, I can tell you that the principle problem with him is he is (perceived to be) lazy.

He is a great, great finisher, head and shoulders above anyone else at Reading and probably most in Division One, but his work rate is lacking and this is why he doesn't get to play, as our 4-5-1 formation requires a forward to put in a lot of running (as previous posters have noted Nicky Forster does with great success.

I think a decent comparison would be Robbie Fowler.