Man, you guys are a bunch of softies. It wasn't even my hat! And, sadly, my mustaches ... well, let's just say they don't come in looking awesome.
Plus..............you've had the picture as long as I can remember. A 2016 version might be an older guy hunched over a keyboard trying madly to find information about an 18 year old Texan in a German youth academy.
That picture was taken in 2011. I've still got the same amount of hair, all my teeth and similarly dorky internet habits. Could be worse.
3 weeks into the U19 Bundesliga season, Gaines, Wright, Friede & Tillman have together managed 2 goals and 5 assists pic.twitter.com/yHceFwCSec— Nats Abroad (@Nats_Abroad) August 23, 2016
should be noted that Gaines has played only ~180 mins out of the 360 total and Haji missed the first two matches entirely— Nats Abroad (@Nats_Abroad) August 23, 2016
Amateurs who sign in Germany have to be registered during a transfer window. Although it seems Gaines had already hammered out an agreement with Wolfsburg, he turned 18 in March so he couldn't be registered until the summer. He is now able to play in real games and has been starting for their U19 team. He scored over the weekend.
Scored twice in a win over Dynamo Dresden. Thank you God for your many blessings⚽️🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/kKQg6L8r0B— McKinze (@McKinzeGaines) August 24, 2016
Video of the goals (starts about 18 secs in): http://tv.dfb.de/video/4-spieltag-staffel-nord-nordost-alle-spiele-alle-tore/15338/
Getting word McKinze Gaines is training with VfL Wolfsburg 1st team this week. Safe to say he's made an impression in Germany #usynt #USMNT— Joey (@USAprospects) August 31, 2016 Of course, it helps that probably half the squad is off on international duty or waiting to get transferred.
On the bench for a 1st team friendly: Die #Aufstellung vor #WOBSGD ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/AXvo0dQZoA— VfL Wolfsburg (@VfL_Wolfsburg) September 2, 2016 And Dresden missed a great chance by not handing Hauptmann the armband.
Gaines is one of five U19s called up for this match (the guys with numbers in the 40s), all of whom are on the bench.
771762685147045888 is not a valid tweet id VfL Wolfsburg: Benaglio (46. Green) - Träsch, Knoche, Horn, Shepherd - Seguin, Gustavo - Henrique, Didavi (78th Mckinze Gaines), Caligiuri - Gomez (85th Neuwirt)
This makes it 3 goals and 2 assists in the opening 5 matches for the 18 y/o winger https://t.co/3MrDwewGNx— Nats Abroad (@Nats_Abroad) September 10, 2016
This kids on fire. I only watched him a couple times that I recall but I don't remember him being this influential. Impressive.
I think the bundesliga is going to beome the league of yanks after German clubs get finished raiding all the youth teams in the next couple of years.