Not really. He must think he has a chance of making the top team sometime before his new contract ends. If this is true, it was a very good decision because they play in the BL, not 2.BL or 3.BL
Yes, unless he doesn't actually have a good chance of making the top team. I hope he had some good information on that.
Wooten scored two goals in his first eight games (both coming in the same match) and has since scored nine goals in the next ten. He's only four goals away from equaling last year's haul of 15.
He looked at other teams, but it just did not seem to fit. He is going to get a shot at the first team, most likely next year (summer training), or with the way Kaiserslautern has been scoring goals, January training camp. The problem Wooten ran into is that Kaiserslautern brought in a slew of forwards that have played first team, either in the Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga, or other top flights in other countries. There has not been an opportunity for Kurz to try a new striker, he is trying 5 right now. Wooten is also instrumental to the reserve side and when he could be sitting the bench for the first team, they need him playing in the Regionalliga.
U-23 USMNT Camp Report Scored the first goal and had a hand in the second during the intersquad scrimmage.
Wooten had been one of the two reserve team players training with the first team during the winter break. Both, however, are returning to the second team and not making the trip to Spain for training camp. Rheinpfalz Newspaper Article
Wooten scored a goal in Kaiserslautern II's 3-0 win over FSV Frankfurt. The fans are clamoring for him to be given a chance with the first team. Wooten has scored 11 goals in the first half of the season for the U-23 team and the entire Kaiserslautern team has scored 11 (plus two own goals).
I'd guess "they don't give a shit" is the most likely answer. Despite what you can read on here day in and out, a player's nationality is way, way down on the list of stuff club fans care about.
Yep, especially since the kid is still playing reserve- ball and thus not well known to most fans (I'd even include FCK fans in that).
Correction, three goals: Wooten dominated FSV Frankfurt, which play in the 2. Bundesliga. He had several shots hit the woodwork and set up Freyer several times, although Freyer could not finish.
Kind of both, but mostly German. The USA part is becoming more prevalent in fans minds, but it really does not matter. They just want someone who can put the ball in the back of the net and see this reserve player doing it week in and week out for a year and a half. The club, however, did not mention Wooten's training stints with the US U-23 National team, even though other players were mentioned. Part of it is training vs games, but I think they do not see him as a youth national team player until he plays once. Sometimes it takes a couple training stints to pop up on the club's radar before they promote it and list him in the press statements around international weeks.
It shows you just how hard it is to make the jump from the U-23 level to the first team at Bundesliga clubs
It was just a friendly, and his good scoring form has been in the 4th tier of German football. Hopefully he gets a chance to impress the first team coaches in training.
Just for comparsion - the 4 best reserve team scorers in the RL West (so the same division as Boyd and Wooten) in 2009, their first team career after that and where they are now. Christopher Kullmann, 19 goals for BVB II. Never played for the first team, currently in the 3. Liga (at Oberhausen). Alper Akcam, 17 goals for K'lautern II. Played 4 games (0 goals) for the first team. Currently a fringe player in the Turkish 1st division (3 games/0 goals at Gaziantepspor this season). Sebastian Stachnik, 16 goals for K'lautern II. Played 8 games (0 goals) for the first team, currently still in the Regionalliga (at SF Lotte). Roman Prokoph, 12 goals for Bochum II. Played 25 games (0 goals) for the first team, currently in the Austrian first division (10 games/0 goals for Kapfenberg). 90% or more of the players on reserve teams will never make it at the first team. Not to say that Wooten won't - but even a good RL performance won't be a guarantee.
A great and informative post that should provide a little insight into just how hard a jump it is to make the final jump into the Bundesliga. There are a number of American RL starters Boyd, Wooten, George, Kiesewetter, Gyau, Brooks, Fennell, Wood, Jeffrey The US will be lucky if one becomes a regular Bundesliga starter. If two become starters, they are in really good shape
Good post. I would also guess that the very best players to pass through the Regionalliga are rarely among the best statistical performers. Most of them move through the system too quickly to accumulate big numbers. Many RL scoring leaders are "tweeners" who are quite good at the RL level, but don't have the talent for the Bundesliga. Their Bundesliga clubs know this, which is why they stick around in the RL and rack up big numbers.
Right on the money. Scoring a goal is not the only thing they are looking for. The Bundesliga teams are looking for SPEED and SKILL.
My favorite example is Massimo Cannizzaro, who scored 43 goals in 99 games in the Regionalliga when it was the third division in the pyramid and then 18 goals in the 3. Liga as he got older. For whatever reason, he never made the jump. http://www.fussballdaten.de/spieler/cannizzaromassimo/2011/
While I think this reality check is reasonable, between Boyd, Brooks, Gyau, Wooten, and the others, I think I would take the over with the line set at 2. I'm guessing 3-4 regular Bundesliga starters out of that group.