Freiburg has brought in a couple of new GKs for their top two slots: Schwolow - 23 years old, came up through Freiburg's youth system but was with Arminia Bielefeld in the 3.Bundesliga this past season. He was a regular starter there, and they won their division. Klandt - 31 years old, has been starting regularly in the 2.Bundesliga for years. There's also Fuhry - 20 years old, was Freiburg II's starter last season and may continue to get games for them, although he is now at least nominally part of the first team. Steffen would appear to be a distant fourth, although he may be in line to get plenty of minutes with Freiburg II.
Why? Steffen is 20. GK's if they stay healthy can play to 35 pretty easy. What is he missing at Maryland he can't go back and get at 35? Frat parties?
Turning pro and attending Maryland frat parties don't have to be mutually exclusive. Just ask Freddy!
In June? what - 20 - 25 games? Aug to Nov? He just went 180 in one week. Or he can play for my Sunday team too. We play 40 + games a year. And he'll face a lot of shots.
Oh no a professional soccer player might actually have to compete for minutes. He might as well just say screw it because this might not work out.
That's a good Sunday league team I guess. If Steffen is actually behind all those guys, he would have been better off staying at Maryland (and playing summer ball as they all do). If not, not.
Why? One thing for sure he won't get at Maryland is having to fight for a starting spot with veteran keepers. Might as well get used to that schtick early. If he continues a pro he will also potentially be "behind" someone. He is a very good college keeper already. Now he needs to learn to be a very good professional keeper.
Hey guys, don't you know that the American soccer culture isn't about fighting... It's about holding hands, orange slices and Capri Suns. Give our poor kids a break.
Not disputing any of that, as those are all positives for player development. But for me, playing time is critical to development and fighting for a position without game time won't lead to significant player development (though no one pays me for my opinions on player development, so there's that). Again, in my view, if Steffen gets a moderate amount of playing time, this move will help him develop. If not, staying in college and playing would be better despite the lack of competition and the lower level of competition.
My question when he made the move was whether a B2 team (more like a B1/B2 yo-yo) was too ambitious. He made a few comments that suggest he went at least partly for the money - which I get. And I don't think Philly would have given him many playing chances right out the gate either. If he can train with Freiburg I and get games for Freiburg II (despite their level 4 status - I thought they promoted last year?? guess not.) it won't hurt him at all and I think he will show well. I would be surprised if he gets first team B2 games this year, tho.
You would know better, and with the way things worked out, it does look like there would have been a good chance, but i think with Mbohli coming over last year, did it look that way in the fall? Steffen already had a good sense of the Philly setup, but maybe he just went for the money.
Fair enough. I don't know whether Freiburg is too ambitous or not, but that's my concern. Games with Freiburg II would be a step up when combined with the higher-level training and competion for spaces in terms of his development over another year at college.
the other thing at his somewhat encouraging is Freiburg was willing to loan Schwolow to a D3 side, so if does outgrow Frei II but is not ready for the B2 (or B1 if they can scamper back up) he's not for sure in a dead end. But I think this season would be about getting a lot of Freiburg II minutes and learning to be a pro.
A mixed Freiburg II/U19 team lost 2-1 to Creighton on July 8th. Wonder if Steffen played in that one.
Steffen started in Freiburg II's scoreless draw against Saarbrücken in the Regionalliga Sudwest season opener.
Vorne von links: Eric Lickert, Jonas Bergmann, Pius Dorn, Mohamed Dräger, Kai Eisele, Dennis Klose, Lucas Bundschuh, Zackary Steffen, Marcony Pimentel, Maximilian Faller, Manolo Rodas-Steeg, Hendrik Hofgärtner.