Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Still waiting to get the deal fully completed, it seems: http://www.clicklancashire.com/spor...ream-switch-to-bolton-wanderers-imminent.html
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Whatever the reason, Robbie Rogers is going through the same thing right now.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton He needs it to be officially 'stamped' or something. Unnecessary bureaucracy. I'm surprised more people aren't stinking out the thread with their pessimistic predictions of doom actually.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/General/0,,1004~2589177,00.html
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton I really like looking at his Wikipedia page and seeing what it says next to Current Club
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton A Guardian piece about Ream and what his transfer means.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton To be honest, I can't remember a YA deal for a player I felt less likely to succeed in his new league. But I hope I'm wrong.....
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Don't know whether the paperwork has been completed, but there was a 2-minute report on SKY Sports just now announcing the deal, complete with the usual pose of Ream with Coyle holding a club shirt and press conference clips from Ream and Coyle. Doubt they'd have done it if there were any doubts. BTW, Coyle had very positive things to say about American players; especially their desire and hunger.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton EJ was the one I thought of as close as I was posting. But EJ was at least a speed/power player going to a speed/power league(in general) where hopefully his lack of technique would not hurt him. Ream is a finesse player going to the EPL where better US CBs like Boca and Gooch could not make it.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton I thought Boca had a pretty solid premier league campaign
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Are you sure about this? I seem to remember Boca playing a lot of CB for Fulham.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton I'm not sure it's fair to say that Boca failed at CB - he didn't get that many opportunities did he? And Gooch certainly didn't fail for lack of power. It will be interesting - hope he gets a chance soon...
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton I'm sure he got more starts on the left, but I have no stats to back my memory up.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Yes, he played a lot at CB for Fulham, especially in the first few seasons (it was his primary position those first two seasons). And candidly, that was when he was at his best (although he was a serviceable LB and even central midfielder in a pinch in his later years at Fulham). But to be fair, he spent pretty much his entire career at Fulham when they were dire defensively and cellar dwellars...
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Fair enough - I mainly remember his left back days.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Boca was a 100% starter in the EPL for several years and one year was the leading scorer among defenders in the EPL. I wish all of our players failed like that!
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton ... though, of course, cellar dwellers get relegated, and Fulham (somehow) never did. His first three seasons, they were actually around mid-table. Speaking of relegation (and Ream, surprisingly enough), it's important to remember that this contract is for 3 1/2 years. They're going to give him time to learn the ropes, and he may very well be doing that while they're in the Championship. This isn't like Onyewu's loan where the only route to success would've been to hit the ground at full speed.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton This is incorrect. His first two seasons, Bocanegra played CB once in 42 starts, and LB in the other 41. In his third season, he was primarily a CB, and in his fourth he played mostly CB, with some LB and DMid mixed in. His final season, he played hearly entirely at CB, though he was no longer a starter; Hangeland won the job. I'd agree that by the end of that season, his form was pretty horrible, and he probably wasn't "EPL-worthy." I remember a funny story from that 07/08 season... near the beginning of the season, Boca was paired with Zat Knight. They played Aston Villa early in the season, and Knight scored an own goal to give Villa the win. Shortly thereafter, Villa bought Knight. Hmmm....
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton Maybe Adu at Monaco? I feel the same way. But all the hype is starting to make me think Ream may succeed after all.
Re: A Wanderful Ream Has Come True: Tim Ream @ Bolton And Ream might well start his Bolton career partnered with Zat Knight.