http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/31/fire-may-send-johnson-train-manchester-united Let's hope they work a deal. Fire goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde told MLSsoccer.com over the phone on Monday that the Fire are trying to work out a deal that would send the 22-year-old Johnson to train with the Red Devils sometime during the Premier League’s busy Christmas period. “It would be a really good experience for him if we can get it all set up properly," Hyde said. "Being around those guys and being involved will be good for him. It would boost his confidence.” Fire goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde told MLSsoccer.com over the phone on Monday that the Fire are trying to work out a deal that would send the 22-year-old Johnson to train with the Red Devils sometime during the Premier League’s busy Christmas period. “It would be a really good experience for him if we can get it all set up properly," Hyde said. "Being around those guys and being involved will be good for him. It would boost his confidence.”
I can't imagine there's any way this is an actual trial. ManYoo already have De Gea and Lindegaard for the long-term, and Amos as a young guy with potential. Ron Robert Zieler couldn't even break into the squad over there, and he's making it rain over in the Bundesliga now. Plus I can't imagine Johnson has any way of getting a European passport. Training with United is a great opportunity for Johnson, but as of now there's no reason to look at this potential trip as anything more than that.
Not quite. American keepers have a better chance at getting WPs as exceptional talents than Yanks at other positions. That's how Howard and Guzan got WPs. And Hamid seems to be Klinsman's choice for the future. To put it another way, there's a CHANCE Hamid could get a WP on appeal in the next 1-2 years. I don't see how Johnson could. Hamid is on the bench behind Howard, and he's got the inside track to play in the Olympics.
There isn't really a difference. He shows up, he practices, if he is outstanding, they look into signing him, if he's average, he goes home.
No, that rule changed some time ago. Only way it would work is if one of his Jamaican grandparents used the commonwealth laws of the time to move to England and become citizens.
I happen to think SJ is more of a talent than Hamid... so I'm not completely suprised by this. Well, I'm suprised the club is actually Man frikin' United, but like one of the previous posters said even if they liked him he'd be so far down on the depth chart he'd be selling pies out of one of the concession booths.
the report emphasizes training, so in the end it's training. There is a possibility that he impresses and they pay for him. However, it is unlikely. The best part in the article is that Man U is not his only destination. He stays there a couple weeks and they are attempting to get a couple more destinations. When he returns to the Fire he should be sharp and ready. Too bad we arent sending some of our other guys (ie. Victor and Kellen) to train in the off season.
Lots of MLS guys have trained with English clubs. Eddie Johnson at Reading, heck Freddy Adu even went to Man U IIRC. I think Geoff Cameron and Danny Cruz went to Nottingham Forest. Maybe reports out of England are saying different but I think training is training. In England I don't know if they lump training and trial together.
Let's not forget that coaches talk to other coaches. Maybe Johnson shows some potential and Man U's staff know he is not at their level but they will pass the word onto other teams that they have relationships with. Whether he just trains and comes home or trains with an eye to the future is always a good thing to be in an environment like Man U
Trial usually means the club is a bit more interested in considering signing the player. Essentially it's the same though. They train with the team, and if the player really impresses, then he is going to draw interest. I'd break it down according to expectations. The likelihood of signing with United are slim to none, so in terms of expectations it's most likely just training with the team.
I'd take him at Spurs. Besides Button he has similar experience to our other young keepers. As long as he doesn't mind going out on loan then I don't see a problem with it. We're really thin at GK, at United what are the chances he's ever going to replace De Gea. So even if he signed he'd be in the same situation with Spurs being regularly loaned out but at least with Spurs he can find himself in the first team depending on how he progresses.
Let us not forget in Howard's first season with Man U he was goalkeeper of the year. In my mind the jury is still out on De Gea
I think a good scenario here is he raises a few eyebrows during training and that earns him a trial with another EPL club.
Close to 0% chance. But never say never............. Unless the Jamaican heritage helps him somehow, he doesn't have a prayer of getting a work permit. Bill Hamid, on the other, supposedly had a means of getting an EU passport. At least that's what was reported when he was training with Celtic.
Anders Lindegaard is a better keeper than De Gea. The Dane is a very, very good keeper and it would be an incredible mistake to give him the Kuszczak treatment.
A simple "training stint" was how Bryan Arguez wound up being sold to Hertha Berlin. That was a nice piece of business for DC United, given how little he had accomplished before and since.
Eh...I don't know. Lindegaard hasn't played nearly enough against top competition for anybody to have a strong opinion on him one way or the other. In the meantime, De Gea has been a stud for about the last month-and-a-half. Almost none of the six City hung up on us were his fault, and he's put in some remarkable performances in other games (United is giving up the most shots in the league right now) while making fewer and less costly mistakes. He had an awful first few weeks in the spotlight, before starting to justify the hype once everyone looked away.