This thread is continued from here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=936684&page=7 Please limit this thread to talk about Santiago Hirsig only. The other side conversations that were going on in the previous thread need to stop.
I'm super excited to hear about this signing! I can see great things happening in the midfield between this man and el piojo. Here's a clip of a great finish from a rough angle from our new Argie: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVZzlrIgaVs"]YouTube - Goles santos: Hirsig a Blanquiceleste[/ame]
Call me cautiously optimistic about this move. He's not "too old" at only 31, so he still should have the ability to play. And being able to play for San Lorenzo, even as a sub should mean he's no slouch.
He looks like the dude from Perfect Strangers. How the hell am I old enough (I'm only 23) to remember Perfect Strangers?
Nice video whoever put that up. I do not think that was a rough angle, he just made it look like that with the finish. Hopefully he will put some of those away for us! I'm fantastic! -The Special One
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S-L-Xk8B-Q"]YouTube - Santiago Hirsig -18- (Compilado de jugadas)[/ame]
Am I the only one entirely underwhelmed by this? He does not score much from all the stats I have seen, other than the fact that he is 31 ...... we don't know much else at all. Big time Argentinian star ....... that nobody had heard of before yesterday. He'll fit right in at Community America.
Wow - Doomsayer much!?! There has been this talk before about not knowing who this is, or what he has done.... I'm a little tired of it. We live in Kansas City....now I love KC and the Wizards, but we need to realize that we are building a program - not a group like AC, Chelsea, or ManU. We need role players all over the field - thats what the Cup winners had this year. They didn't have Beckham or....Riquelme - they had players that were "good" at their job and did it. And they excelled as a team. Many times in the previous year we struggled playing the ball into the forwards - whether by injury, slump, or wrong positioning - and this is a way the FO is trying to rectify this. I would say this guy - though I know nothing about him either (yet) - is going to play a better seaon than Marinelli.
I'm not expecting a the next Maradona, just wasn't expecting the road sweeper Jibes aside, considering his age and his relative lack of rep -- we probably could have found a player with the US that could do the job unless the Wizards have some serious South American scouts out and about.
So just because he doesn't score a lot or isn't well known, he's not good? You're basing your entire view of him based on those two facts. From what I've heard, he's a bit of a deeper sitting midfielder.
Had anybody heard of Davy Arnaud before we drafted him? Give the guy a chance. I personally can't wait to see what Lopez and Hirsig can do when on the field together. I hope there will be some more creative passing going on....
Nope they sure didn't. You want to know why? Probably because about 95% of us follow soccer from all over the world and could care less about college soccer here.
Well I am happy he is here, whether or not he is known to anyone is irrevalant to me. If he produces on the pitch, that is all that matters! So Welcome Santiago!
Since when is scoring goals the only skill that makes you a good player? For all we know, he could be assisting every single goal that San Lorenzo has had this year. He could have a number of other skills that make him a good player. No one ever claimed him to be a big Argentinian star. This move wasnt made to bring in a star. I think it should be apparent that this move was made to bring must needed depth to a team playing in three competitions this year.
I'm very happy with the signing also. Hirsig will add to the depth in the midfield which will be needed with leauge play, open cup and the Superliga this year. He's played in the Argentian League for years along with competing in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, that experience should do nothing but help the Wizards this year.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPg5LjGYz8"]YouTube - Perfect Strangers - The Dance of Joy[/ame] I'm sensing a goal celebration/chant for him already....
I am not underwhelmed nor overwhelmed. I am..... interested. I am curious how and why this guy was chosen. You are correct, he does not score much and it does not look like he was a big assist guy either. Places I've looked have had him listed as attacking, defensive/holding and right mid so I am not really sure if I should expect him to have big numbers or not. Of course my Spanish is not great so reading some of the info out there may lead to confusion. We as fans may be making this out to be bigger than it is supposed to be. This signing may just be for depth, not for big splashy impact. I am really not sure until I hear more from the team how they promote him and plan on using him. If he is listed right next to Claudio, Jimmy and Davy in advertisements then I will expect him to be that top player. When we see what his salary is, that will also tell us a little bit of what to expect. Robb did not say in his post that he would was a big superstar (I don't think he did). He did say another attacking player when he gave his first hint but that may have just meant he was not a defender or keeper. Robb (and thanks again for the info) was giving a heads up on another player coming in. He did that with Marinelli, Columbano and Lopez. When I get a chance, I will ask Peter where he expects Hirsig to fit in and what his expectations are. As far as going after big (or bigger) names from anywhere, South America or the US even, there is the problem of transfer fees. If the Wizards were willing to add a DP and pay him millions in salary, they still can not just buy a player from a club. MLS does not normally pay transfer fees. They sell players, not buy them. Having to find players that are free makes it far more difficult when every club in the world wants free transfer players. I can't wait to see where he fits in, but till then I will be cautiously optimistic.
Instead of "Close on another attacking player", maybe Robb should have called the initial thread "Close on another player to attack". sigh.
Looking at his stats on ESPN Soccernet, he has more Yellow Cards than goals or assists over the last three years. I'd say that clearly makes him a defensive midfielder and not an attacker or winger. So I wouldnt' be concerned about his lack of goals. When Dallas picked up Ricchetti from Argentina no one ever heard of him. He didn't have any goals either. He enters this season as our Capt. and the most consistent player on our squad.
It was rumored last month that he was going to sign for my club team in Ecuador. The general consensus was that he was more of an #8, than a #10. A mid that played near the lines, with offensive and defensive projection. Not the kind of shoulders you want to put your offense on. But a very valuable guy nonetheless.