View Full Version : Frank Simek
AdamT
17 Dec 2003, 03:41 PM
Nice article from yesterdays New York Times about this promising young back.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/16/sports/soccer/16SOCC.html
harttbeat
17 Dec 2003, 04:36 PM
His contract ends 2004-2005 season. Keown is prolly playing his final season. Someone's gonna take his position full time next year. Prolly going to be Toure b/c he's playing there regularly already. I think Campbell and Toure contract will end 2004-2005 season too. Cygan didn't seem to be that great. Tavlaridis is likely the next guy to take over centerback position when an injury occurs. I can't see Simek playing anywhere but center back for arsenal.
luvdagame
18 Dec 2003, 09:29 AM
i still think that he's too short for center back at the top level. but what do i know? there are some not-too-tall cb's who do well in that rarified atmosphere. simek will need to be very quick, precise on the tackle, and have great hops to hold down that position. never seen him play, so maybe he has all those qualities.
Would be nice/and make sense I think to see Frank get a run-out with the Olympic squad...he is likely fringe on Arsenal for another year, so he wouldn't miss (any) playing time in Premiership, and this could boost his game/standing/ and let the world/Bruce take a good look...
striker
18 Dec 2003, 01:07 PM
Originally posted by jri
Would be nice/and make sense I think to see Frank get a run-out with the Olympic squad...he is likely fringe on Arsenal for another year, so he wouldn't miss (any) playing time in Premiership, and this could boost his game/standing/ and let the world/Bruce take a good look...
On the other hand, it may drop his standing with Arsenal, which is from a country that does not (and cannot) send a team to the Olympics.
Parmigiano
18 Dec 2003, 01:55 PM
Originally posted by luvdagame
i still think that he's too short for center back at the top level. but what do i know?
I like height at CB too, but at 6' Simek is a lot taller than Franco Baresi or Fabio Cannavaro, two of my favorite defenders, both of whom are under 5' 9".
Martin Fischer
18 Dec 2003, 03:10 PM
Originally posted by Parmigiano
I like height at CB too, but at 6' Simek is a lot taller than Franco Baresi or Fabio Cannavaro, two of my favorite defenders, both of whom are under 5' 9".
Actually, Arsenal.com lists Simek at 5'10". However, this converts to abour 1.77 meters (per soccerassociation.com) and is the same height as successful central defenders Roberto Ayala (Argentina/Valencia) and Gilberto Martinez (Costa Rica/Brescia) and is one centimeter talelr than Cannavaro.
While Simek can survive in the middle, outside appears more likely -- I thought Arsenal played him outside in the one Carling Cup game he played with the first team.
TheSlipperyOne
18 Dec 2003, 05:31 PM
Originally posted by Martin Fischer
While Simek can survive in the middle, outside appears more likely -- I thought Arsenal played him outside in the one Carling Cup game he played with the first team.
Nope, he teamed with Tavlaridis at CB. They team at CB together in most of the reserve games also.
Martin Fischer
19 Dec 2003, 07:09 AM
Originally posted by TheSlipperyOne
Nope, he teamed with Tavlaridis at CB. They team at CB together in most of the reserve games also.
OK, though the information here disagrees with you:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=85270&perpage=15&pagenumber=1
I don't have an opinion, just reporting.
Parmigiano
19 Dec 2003, 11:37 AM
Originally posted by Martin Fischer
OK, though the information here disagrees with you:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=85270&perpage=15&pagenumber=1
I don't have an opinion, just reporting.
But reporting is tricky. ;)
The last post confirmed that Simek played his cup match in the middle and that he most always plays CB and considers himself most suited to that position.
Martin Fischer
19 Dec 2003, 11:49 AM
Originally posted by Parmigiano
But reporting is tricky. ;)
The last post confirmed that Simek played his cup match in the middle and that he most always plays CB and considers himself most suited to that position.
So it does. Here's hoping he can cut it at the highest levels like Ayala and Cannavaro have despite the vertical challenge.
Parmigiano
19 Dec 2003, 11:57 AM
Originally posted by Martin Fischer
So it does. Here's hoping he can cut it at the highest levels like Ayala and Cannavaro have despite the vertical challenge.
One would think that he would have to reach that level in the future if he is to compete with the tall CB talents in the Nat pipeline.
Dan Roudebush
19 Dec 2003, 09:22 PM
Without knowing comparitive vertical leaping ability height comparisons of a few inches are meaningless.
Physical training could play a part too. I would suspect Simek receives quite a bit of plyometric training at Arse. Could be more than his US counterparts.
Then there's reading the game and timing your leap.
All factors other than just height.
I guess in time we'll find out who has the goods.
Martin Fischer
20 Dec 2003, 08:44 AM
Originally posted by Dan Roudebush
Without knowing comparitive vertical leaping ability height comparisons of a few inches are meaningless.
Physical training could play a part too. I would suspect Simek receives quite a bit of plyometric training at Arse. Could be more than his US counterparts.
Then there's reading the game and timing your leap.
All factors other than just height.
I guess in time we'll find out who has the goods.
Of course Roudebush, there are MANY other factors other than height. But since the tall guys often get physical training, are just as likely to have hops and have lots of other soccer abilities to get this far, it is just plain harder for a player under 6' to cut it as a center back, which is why there are few of them in the top ranks.
harttbeat
23 Dec 2003, 11:27 AM
If you're Simek, would you resign after next year?
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=286785&cc=5901
fox point fury
23 Dec 2003, 08:59 PM
Originally posted by harttbeat
If you're Simek, would you resign after next year?
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=286785&cc=5901
You don't think playing with Sol would be attractive to Simek? Or do you think Simek was planning on taking Sol's place? Either way seems rather silly to me.
Dan Roudebush
24 Dec 2003, 02:49 AM
If the kid has the goods Wenger will probably loan him out for experience.
A couple of Arse players in the league for other teams now.
JOB did the same in the Dutch League. Scored against Ajax IIRC.
footfetish
24 Dec 2003, 03:15 AM
Originally posted by Dan Roudebush
If the kid has the goods Wenger will probably loan him out for experience.
A couple of Arse players in the league for other teams now.
JOB did the same in the Dutch League. Scored against Ajax IIRC.
fc utrecht