Kenny Saief at Maccabi Haifa

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Testudo, Apr 5, 2014.

  1. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Beitar Jerusalem. YouTube it. Long, nasty history.
     
  2. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    Beitar Jeruslem fan's. Some people continue to argue over whether, say, Lazio fans really are racists or are just a mix of posturing morons. There are no doubts at all about Beitar Jerusalem fans: they hate Arabs and most Muslims as well. A few years back they signed two Chechens from Russia, which started a firestorm - literally: someone burned down the club's offices and their (not terribly well-stocked) trophy room. Non-white players don't (seem to) have too many issues, but anyone Arab stays far away and so do a lot of Jewish players. It''s an ugly place to play.

    An Israeli Arab player put it memorably a few years back: "they hate Arabs who play for Jewish clubs. They hate Jews who play for Arab clubs. They hate Arabs who play for the national team. Mostly, they hate themselves."

    Not too sure if they'll give Kenny the boo-boy treatment, though. He's Druze, and they're good with Jews. At their own demand, they're even liable for the draft.
     
  3. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
  4. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    https://www.dhnet.be/sports/footbal...-cherchee-pour-saief-5e330447f20d5a6521f8c93d

    On deadline day, this outlet is claiming that "several agents" (I assume this means team reps) are interested in Kenny, but that he's making nearly $900k/yr, and none of the teams interested in him can afford that. The reporter also says there is a year-and-a-half left on his contract, so I guess he's prepared to sit at Anderlecht until next winter unless someone can match his salary...

    Other reports echo this sentiment. Anderlecht is DESPERATE to cut weight, and around 4 other players will be leaving today for below market value, but Kenny's salary is a significant hurdle.
     
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  5. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    No club in the ha'Al is going to spend more than pocket change in landing him, as a rule they wait for players about to run out of their contract to get them cheap. They're not a poor league, but they are quite financially conscious.

    I think their biggest transfer (from outside the league) last summer was the Gambian Saikou Touray for around $200k. And, since how much they spend in transfers is related to how much they pay players, and considering the interest in Saief is mainly coming from Israel, if he's making $900k/y I don't see it happening until his contract is about to end.

    This can give you an idea how little those clubs spend in bringing players from outside:

    https://www.transfermarkt.com/ligat-ha-al/transfers/wettbewerb/ISR1
     
  6. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Anderlecht is kind of having a FIREsale and probably would let Kenny go for close to that (one Belgian outlet joked that today is 'black Friday' at Anderlecht)... they want to get his salary off the books, and are less concerned with recouping his transfer fee. From Kenny's perspective, he's in a Wood-esque position: if the clubs are truly interested, why not get paid €800k and sign for free agreement next year? Or even this summer?

    Apparently he played with the U21s yesterday. According to the outlet, the last time he played for the senior team was exactly one-year ago:
    https://www.anderlecht-online.be/nl/article/192727
     
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  7. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    I seriously doubt anyone who could pay him €800k+/year would be truly interest in him.
     
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  8. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Yeah, I had no clue that's how much he was getting paid, and I now understand why RSC fans were so pissed at Vanhaezebrouck when he left the club... this was a truly awful transfer for them, and it was apparently not the only one he made during his tenure.
     
  9. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    #934 The Irish Rover, Feb 1, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2020
    And they definitely won't be from Israel. A top ha'Al side might pay a player €800k a season, but only if he's a likely difference maker who's also fully fit and ready to go right now. Which Kenny isn't. On either criterion.

    Average attendances in the ha'Al league are half those in the Jupiler league and the TV revenues are a fraction of Belgium's. A half-fit/seriously off-form player getting the normal loanee's 50% would put a big hole in even Maccabi Tel Aviv's or Maccabi Haifa's budget for no reward.
     
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  10. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I think the Israeli clubs are legitimately interested in him, and they understand that their bargaining position with him (not the club, who will let him go for next-to-nothing) will be strengthened this summer or possibly next winter, when he's facing down the end of his contract.

    RSC has made it very clear to Kenny that he is not a part of this team and really want him gone ASAP. But I'm always sympathetic to any player who just wants to get paid... Kenny has seen first hand how fickle the human body is, and if he wants to try and make a nest egg now, it's tough to criticize him. Maybe his injuries have truly lowered his ceiling and he knows this is his last big pay-day as a pro player?

    Either way, barring something absurd like a bus crash breaking 15 RSC player's legs, I don't think we'll see Kenny playing first team ball in Belgium for at least 6mos. According to the fans, he is persona non grata.
     
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  11. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He should just take the money. I don’t see anything close to another €800k payday for him.
    When it runs out, find a club.
     
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  12. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Just pull a Constanza like Bobby and stick around even if everybody ignores you.
     
  13. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    True, but a club that really, truly, wants a player gone always has the options of sending him on loan or offering to buy out his contract. In either scenario the norm (though not the rule) is that the current club shoulders 50% of what's due under the existing contract, by covering the weekly wage gap at a new club or paying a lump sum up front.

    In this case - nothing personal or disciplinary but he's washed up at this level and he'll never play there again - Anderlecht have little leverage and that 50% tends to look more like 65% or even 75%, because any acquiring club will be very, very cautious.

    The problem with your track is this:
    Being ostracized is not a pleasant experience. Remember the kids who got the silent treatment at school? Take it from me, it's far, far worse when it's professionals making a judgement about your professional abilities, and making that judgement public. On top of that, his contract runs out in June 2021 and he's just turned 26: he's entering the peak years for a player.

    If retirement is possible/probable then sticking it out is the only option. If he thinks he can still play at a decent level, where he can get 200k a year, it gets a lot more complicated. No PT for 18 months isn't going to do his playing abilities any good at all and the consequences of being ostracized (in a foreign country to boot) are likely to be really damaging, in the financial long-term as well as psychologically. It's better for his self-respect/professional satisfaction to negotiate a settlement and get playing again.

    In his shoes I'd go to Anderlecht at 10.30 pm on deadline day and say, "Cover my agent's fees and give me 800k for myself and I'm gone" and see how they react. If the settlement is good enough, even five years spent seeing out his career back home on 50-60k as a player-coach in D2 makes a lot of sense.
     
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  14. VBCity72

    VBCity72 Member+

    Aug 17, 2014
    Sunny San Diego
    Club:
    Plymouth Argyle FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Man that Ghana game really messed this guys career up.
     
  15. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Starts for U21s:

     
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  16. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Well, at least he's getting the "sir" treatment from the kids.
     
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  17. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Time to send him YA: Academy?
     
  18. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #943 bshredder, Feb 3, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
    Pro/rel between YA and YA Academy?
     
  19. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Those posts just got better and better. It's so funny because it's true. Great idea Brian and Zlatan.
     
  20. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    I LOLd.

    Then I got nervous. Do we need to have those bozos invading these parts?
     
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  21. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    https://www.walfoot.be/news/2020-02...-rester-a-anderlecht--une-porte-reste-ouverte

    "Kenny Saief in U21, but not yet condemned to stay in Anderlecht: a door remains open"

    Apparently the Israeli window was open until Thursday... no deal was reported, but this article notes that other windows in Europe remain open:

    "... Ukraine (February 29), Armenia (February 28), the Czech Republic (February 22), Russia (February 21) and, earlier, Romania, Croatia, Switzerland (17 February) or Hungary and Montenegro (February 15). Poland, finally, closes its transfer window on March 2 and is a plausible option."

    The article also mentions that Kenny trains with the u21s despite a bunch of 1st team injuries.
     
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  22. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Bartleby the striker.
     
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  23. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  24. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017


    The fans seem to think this is cryptic confirmation that Kenny will be announced tomorrow.

    Twitter translates this as:

    Good night, White and Greens, tomorrow will be happening
    PS: Tickets for the match with @PiastGliwiceSA
    bought?
     
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  25. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Official:



    A post on their website says that it is a loan until the end of the season, which means he'll be heading back to Belgium mid-May.
     
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