Another yank takes up residence in Denmark. Babajide (Jide) Ogunbyi a towering giant and skilled defender who was selected by the Red Bulls in the MLS 2009 Draft is set to play the Spring League games at Viborg FF which begins on Wednesday 3/24 @6:30 pm.....Wishing him the very best ! http://translate.google.com/transla...arch?q=babajide+ogunbiyi&start=130&hl=en&sa=N
The Google translation of this article on the viborg site sounds like he is continuing his education in Viborg while playing as an amateur for their amateur team. http://www.vff.dk/ContentId/12738/Default.aspx
Please see the google translation below ...not perfect english Under Danish FA rules only a professional player can sign a new professional contract outside of the transfer window. A player is considered a professional if he or she has previously signed a professional contract with a club. Obviously Jide is signing his first contact with Viborg after graduation from Santa Clara. He will play under an amateur status while attending International school which allows him to play all remaining matches for Viborg FF Division I team. In the article released on the VFF website they indicated that they would have wanted to make an agreement for a pro contact but could not because he had not signed a professional contract with a club previously which is required by Danish FA. This is a win-win situation as this arrangment provides valuable match time for Jide and he reinforces their defense with the hope of progressing from the #7 ranking. I see where Jide hopes to impress them in the additional games to secure a long term contract when the transfer window opens in July. It is interesting how the laws vary from country to country. I am eager to see how he impacts their games....VFF has commented on his peak skills and his calm on the ball which explains why they work so hard to make the special arrangement to sign him outside of the window....I will be watching this young man!! http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=da&u=http://vff.dk/ContentId/12738/Default.aspx&ei=YXKmS7zCI8Wclge7k8yUCQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CBwQ7gEwCDgy&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbabajide%2Bogunbiyi%26start%3D50%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Yes, VFF is one step below SAS and the coach is thinking they can make a run to the top with reinforcement. Great opportunity for Jide who played 90 minutes in every match (8) that he played during Spring training. More details in the link below. Euan Holden also signed at Vejle as a defender for the spring season ...if these two do well it could open doors for other US players. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=da&u=http://www.dr.dk/Regioner/Vest/Nyheder/Sport/2010/03/21/081742.htm&ei=npamS4K0LcWqlAerqqB2&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAYQ7gEwADh4&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbabajide%2Bogunbiyi%26start%3D120%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Played 90 minutes again last week: http://www.vff.dk/ContentId/13001/Default.aspx One of his teammates will be familiar to US fans.
This has to rank pretty high up there with the Red Bulls/Metrostars greatest draft f@ck ups. Drafting a guy you weren't sure you could sign and then not signing him is bad enough, that's Oliver Occean territory. But having that player pan out and become a solid player for another team really does take the cake.
That they couldn't get a deal worked out with a guy who was rejected by two League 1 clubs and then had to go to a Danish 2nd division side doesn't automatically make it a screw up on their part. He could well have been asking for significantly more money than he was really worth. That said, his face is the first thing you see when you hit Viborg's website, so they obviously like him there.
He was asking for a minimum contract. Osorio/Agoos agreed, then at the last minute offered him a dev ($12k) deal. Jide told them to go screw. It might crack the top 5 Metro screw-ups. Shak over Bocanegra is still number one, though.
What exactly do they expect to get for $12k ?... In Denmark amateurs and youth players are paid "pocket money" (if they are any good) which is between $4k and €8k a year (the first $7.3k is btw tax free)... Then if you become semi-professional, the absolute minimum wage is €17k a year and if your a full-time professional the minimum wage is $34k a year. .
Practice fodder. The good news is that the minimum contract is now $40k/yr in MLS, so hopefully there will be fewer stories like Jide's.
The kid was always going to be a project; but he was also a physical specimen, one whom everyone said could play and was worth a stretch. But the Red Bulls didn't do a good enough job handling the situation. They, Jeff Agoos/Osorio, et al., had no idea of their own limitations. If he was reluctant of playing for a minimal salary to start, he never should have been drafted. He was a wasted pick; but also one who clearly could have been a good one for the Red Bulls. That's what I mean by f-up. Too much hubris and not enough common sense. It was also indicative of how badly the organization was run during that period. This was definitely a top 5 f-up, I'd say #2. Shak is the clear #1; but most others involve drafting the wrong player. In this case, the Red Bulls had drafted the right player, a steal in the draft, and then done everything possible to alienate him and ensure he left to go abroad.
Well, it must have sucked as a NY fan considering the team pulled a similar stunt with Eric Brunner the previous season. Still, Ogunbiyi was a second round pick and there aren't many worthwhile players drafted after him. A.J. DeLaGarza, Baggio Husidic, Graham Zusi, Quincy Amarikwa, Brandon Barklage, Nick Zimmerman, Darrius Barnes, Danny Cruz are basically the only guys still in MLS. There's value there, but NY did not miss out on a star.
I read through this whole thread and still do not understand why this is a fukc up? You have to say that AFTER he becomes a good player. He is some anonymous guy in the danish second division. Obviously Goose thought he was not worth much. Let's see if he becomes a good player before calling them wrong.
How many yanks go abroad after college and immediately secure a position and plays 90 minutes in all training camp scrimmages and league games? This 6'5" 220 lbs talented players assumed the central defender for Viborg FF in February and has played every minute of every game which confirms that he could have made significant contribution to NY backline. Last season he played only the second half of the season (13 games) and was selected among the 'Best XI' for the 2009-2010 season as announced by Danish TV. He was also selected as 'Man of the Match' for at least four games. So far, this season he was selected for the team of the week 8/8-8/15 and on Friday he had one of his best game where he scored a header and was again selected as 'Man of the Match'! Check the link below for pictures from this game ....He is a very talented player who is developing rapidly and playing 90 minutes in every game! You can follow his progress at Viborg FF. Red Bulls has moved on and is doing much better and Babajide (#4) has also moved on with very positive results. This is a player to watch ....it will be very interesting to see which national team he will play for ....I hope it is the US ...our defense needs help! http://www.larstroels.dk/vffski2-10/
The Danish second tier isn't very strong, so just being there doesn't prove anything about how a player would do in MLS. However, if he's doing as well as you say it sounds like he'll be moving up in the world. There's never been any doubt that Ogunbiyi is a physical specimen; if he can develop other aspects of his game he could be pretty good.
I have watched a couple scrimmages between the First Division and the Premier Division teams and on any day it seems like they can beat each other so I am not sure your assessment is correct. Viborg was once a premiership team and they are in a rebuilding phase. I thought Viborg's game with Aalborg in preseason was a great game that could have gone either way but ended with a tie. The Danish players appear to have more tatical skills so I expect Jide to refine his skills and move on to a higher division. AC Horsen and Lyngby games vs Viborg were extremely competitive with wins and tied results yet both these team have moved to premership. Viborg is lacking experience up front so the defense has to work so hard to keep them in the running ...they tied a lot of games last season ..hopefully they can improve in this area and make a run for promotion. It is this kind of experience and play time that our many talented players need to refine their skills. So many yanks go to bigger clubs where their game remain under developed due to little playing time....so here is one that is playing hard to get to the next level. I am looking forward to the Viborg vs. AGF(relegated last season -home of Benny Feilhaber) game fo some real action and of course I will be tracking Jide's growth along with all the other yanks abroad!
the last thing the USA needs is another physical specimen. How about foot skills, soccer brains, agility, timing? We need big strong guys like a fish needs a bicycle.
The main difference between Superliga level and 1. division is pace and that small mistakes are instantly punished in the Superliga, while you can get away with more mistakes in 1. Division... Since young players make more mistakes and usually lack consistency, then the 1. division is especially a good place for younger talents who need some experience, because it's easier for them to become a regular starter in the 1. division. Tactically ther is not really much difference. The style of play is also more or less the same and though you probably would think 1. Division is more physical than Superliga, it really isn't. If you look at the foreign players in 1. Division, then they are mainly from Nigeria, Bosnia, Spain and England, while ther are only 4 players from Scandinavia (and non from Iceland and Finland). .
Bruce I have seen him play and I certainly would not classify him as a physical specimen....he is not a "jam body" that throws himself around ..he is skillled with both feet, strong, calculating, calm on the ball and has lots of brains. He is also a versatile player who is a central defender but also a striker. Playing at this level and playing 90 mins in every game is a great experience for a student athlete who returned to school after being drafted by the Red Bulls to complete his degree. Please check his coaches comments in the link below: http://translate.google.com/transla...:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADBR_en&tbs=qdr:m&prmd=o