Tea Light in the Dark Universe: Bobby Wood at Hamburg

Just the level of spice I needed today.

 

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/07d7be6a-1c48-46b2-a312-469c6a019389

(dunno why I can't embed to open... I'm too darn old...)

 

Hell will freeze over before either.

 

such a good point.

A lot of people were holding his lack of playing time and being out of favor @ 1860 against Bobby and his "level"...

But look at that club since!

Clubs are not infallible when it comes to rating or assessing players - even those on their books.

I see it time and again in this forum, though. Player X isn't getting time at club Y in League Z - therefore they must not be good enough for that club/league/country - better drop down a level or 2 to get playing time, "find their level" -

sometimes the decision-makers and managers at clubs just suck and don't know what the hell they are doing!

(sure there are indeed many cases when playes don't get playing time b/c they aren't up to the level of a club - but that isn't ALWAYS the reason)

 

The inability/unwillingness to do situation analysis is always a bit surprising. And then, when a player "suddenly" plays well at their next stop it's a shocker.

The issue with Wood right now, I think, has to be his health. If the injury issues have substantially, or even marginally, affected his ability/utility, he may struggle in the B2 even.

If, on the other hand, his USMNT/B2 performances were more indicative of his ability than his club form (Ala Jozy) he is likely to return to his Union/1st B1 season level, which is probably about where he "lives." A decent B1 striker on the right team, a very good B2 striker on the right team, but not strong enough to be a "stand alone" star on a poor B1 team.

The worry is that Wood's injury will Rubio Rubin him, and lead to a diminution of his effectiveness that he can't afford.

 

LOL Regionalliga is more likely......

 

Union Berlin drew 0-0 today to relegate Stuttgart to the 2.Bundesliga and win promotion to the Bundesliga. Maybe another destination for Wood?

 

Thatd quite a SHOCK eh?

Im sure Mario Gomez wasnt expecting that.

 

I think it's worth looking at these two together:

and

I don't know if many folks watched these two legs. Union is a really nice team. they're well organized and they fight for each other, etc. They were, what, three steps below Stuttgart in terms of talent? they attemped 60 percent of the passes Stuttgart did, and only completed half of those. they were slower at just about every position. They defended like lions, credit to Union, eisern Union, ist mein liebe, eisern union, etc. Man, there is a big but on this one, though.
Union are a great club. Among the first to welcome refugees, open their training facility, club members built the stadium (not me, this was before I became one), stood up to the Stasi. Christmas singalong is great. Not every Union fan was a DDR dissident, but every dissident was a Union fan, etc.
But Union is a club, club. It does not have enough money to flash cash and cobble together a competitive team in the top flight. They will survive, if they do, by being a great team that overperforms at every position.
Bobby is a Union legend, but Freisland is absolutely right on his upside scenario, he is not a stand alone star for a team such as Union next season. It would not be an ideal situation for him in any way other than sentimentally.
Consider their 4-5-1 with Bobby as that 1. Bobby Island would not be a happy place.
Besides that, they will not be paying anyone anything in the neighborhood of $4m a year. I dunno, if Hamburg picks up most of the tab, it's a possiblity, but it not the spot for him to rebuild his game and confidence. They're going to be up against it from week one.
That said, their dual US/Norway citizen, Ryerson is a nice, young right back who looks like he might be able to up his game to the next level well. Overall, frankly, he was the best rb on the field, and Pavard is one of my favorite players (Union overwhelmed him when he went forward, until a 90th minute cracker that forced a great save).

 

Many of the faces they were pulling were interesting, comical, but his was the best. It was the embodiment of WTF just happened

 

To sum up this article:

- The US coach named 11 strikers in his preliminary squad for the Gold Cup. Wood isn't one of them due solely to his performances.

- No teams are interested.

- Talks to terminate his deal early failed.

- Club has considered demoting him to U21s. https://t.co/sB7MNGTFmK

— HSV News English (@HSVnewsEN) May 28, 2019

 

Earning more than 10 % of the budget is certainly not going to help him either

new thread title

 

Yikes. I mean, that bodes poorly for his European career, but I can't fault him for wanting to get paid. Plus, someone in MLS will 100% take him on a free in 2021 (but probably won't pay him DP money).

 

I mean - they signed him - why should he just give back money that is owed to him????

 

Because it's the "honorable" thing or some bullshit.

Cash those checks, Bobby.

 

Get your money Bobby.

 

Yep. When clubs get a guy on the cheap and they blow-up and earn the club a huge transfer fee, a slot in the CL or whatever, clubs always say "hey, I know we had a contract to pay you X, but since we did so well, we're going back and doubling your salary for all the past years of your career."

The argument for the one-directional contractual obligation is inevitable and laughable.

 

article seems to claim Berhalter said Wood was left off roster for performance related reasons. I can't find any reason given by Berhalter, have y'all seen one?

Nothing like being a shill for your club

 

Well, did he really have a shot at being named? He was recently injured and had a poor season and should be focused on finding a new home rather than being a super-sub at the Gold Cup.

 

so you know what "shill" means?

 

I don't think so. I have no idea, but at first read that article sounds like the kind of thing a club puts out to put pressure on a player they want to take a pay cut... or a "journalist" looking for clicks. I'll wait till someone talks to Beerholder and Wood/Wood's reps before I'd jump to too many conclusions.

 

You know what would really help him get a new club situation? Scoring a bunch of goals against minnows in the gold cup

 

Reading comprehension... the article states "performance reasons" was something that was reported in/came out of the US.

 

"Hamburger Abendblatt" reporting new coach Dieter Hecking is a fan of Bobby Wood. He tried to sign him twice while he was at Gladbach.

 

A tool, somebody willing to say anything or twist words for gain. And I was referring to MOPO Hamburg Sport's tweet and article, if that wasn't clear