Train up along the eastern coast - Roma to Ancona to Rimini - bus to San Marino - bus back to Rimini - to Venezia - to Firenze - to Pisa - back down to Roma in two and half days. We took the tour bus from Ladispoli to Napoli-Sorrento - boat to Capri - later on ... and a looooooong time ago.
I think it would be a good move, but the work permit question is a major one given his national team status. If he got approved, that would show the superficial, blind belief the British have in players from the U.S. who use their hands as opposed to feet. Agudelo had about 8 times as many caps, was 4 years younger, and got rejected. That said, I think it would be a good marriage. Best goalkeeper in MLS the last couple of years. Good physical tools, positioning in net, and reflexes. Issues are when he has to come off his line. Should be more organized than DCU to decrease teams 1 v. 1 on the break against him. Going to be a concern on corners, but that's an issue w/ Howard too.
It's always a trial to an extent. It's always a showcase for a younger player. As for him getting a WP, my guess is there'd be quite different criteria for a GK as only one can play at a time and our top two are EPL regulars. On appeal I could see him getting a WP.
If he has a passport from Sierra Leone, I don't think he'd count against foreigner limits in Spain or France. Of course, he can only go where there's interest in him.
He has 2 caps, which puts him tied for 5th among current GKs in the US pool. That would be an interesting stretch for the WP process. I'm not sure a lot of clubs would go through the risk and effort to do that, since you are stuck with the contract if he doesn't get the WP.
Chill out Von Jond. I'm just waiting to hear one instance about the famous 30 minute trials you condescendingly described a couple weeks ago.
Obviously its much harder to win caps as a third GK than at other positions, so they should go easier on this requirement. Tim Howard experienced a similar issue applying for his work permit. That actually gave rise to the infamous Friedel Howard rivalry of 2014.
True, but they have really cracked down on WPs since then. Since the club is the one on the hook if it fails, there a good chance they don't bother.
I believe he could get a Sierra Leone passport. Aren't his parents from there? Anyway, does mean he won't be transferring in the winter transfer window? I'm unsure how to evaluate this news. Norwich seems like a logical destination, a lower end PL club where he can step in right away and compete for the starting job. Ruddy is pretty good and in his prime, but Hamid is also very good. Two American GK's who he's arguably better than start in the PL, lets keep that in mind. I'd prefer him going to a league other than England though.
Yes. He actually isn't cap-tied to the US, so he could, conceivably, play for Sierra Leone (notwithstanding the fact that SL's fed is pretty screwed up as Kei Kamara has said).
Ya know, couple of the best teams in the Bundesliga, Dortmund and Leverkusen, have serious issues at keeper right now. Not many teams will be willing to sell their #1's during the winter transfer window. A guy like Hamid may be a good candidate to come in and challenge them for top spot. And he wouldn't have to deal w/ work permit or non EU rules there, although in practice Bundesliga is nearly as stingy as the EPL when it comes to allowing in non EU's. 1.7 per team last study I saw, to EPL's 1.6.
Go now. Take advantage of Howard's age and Everton future in doubt. Same with Guzan, shaky form and performances lately by him in a US shirt. Go and try to leapfrog them both by 2018. Nothing left to prove in MLS. I say this as someone who isn't the biggest Hamid fan either.
As a DC United fan I can tell you Bill Hamid is the only reason DC even made the playoffs this season. We were a pretty awful team. As my brother put it when we were in 1st place for that stretch: "We are the worst best team I have ever seen". Hamid was Godlike at times in goal, making save after save after save, salvaging points at away fixtures. I expect him and Kitchen to be in Europe somewhere during the January transfer window.