The Norwegian top league club Aalesunds FK, are negotiating with the American keeper Adin Brown. The club is ambitious, with a new stadium, and plenty of supporters. However, the club is newly promoted, and in april, when the season starts, will only be playing in the Norwegian top league for the second time ever. The club already has Paulo Dos Santos, who used to play in the USA. Paulo is a former national team player of the African islands Cape Verde. AaFK also used to have American Adam Skumawitz in their squad, but he was released at the end of this season (november 2004). Does anyone have any information on the player, is he good? Link to the news story on the AaFK official website: www.aafk.no
I would say the feeling about Adin is that he's very talented but some feel he is inconsistent. He is 6'5, very flexible and pretty quick for his size, and has occasionally i nthe past been mentioned in the same breath as ManU's Tim Howard while both were in MLS. I think quite well of him, but others are less keen. He also has a history of injuries, so that's something to consider. You can go to the New England Revolution boards on the MLS Teams forum and get more on him.
he has never been anything other than excellent- he just gets hurt all the time. He had concussions this year- never a good thing.
In my opinion, good shot stopper, but bad positioning ruins it for him too many times. Maybe he'll get better about that with more experience...
Thank you very much. AaFK already has one good keeper, and one very talented one (too young to make an impact yet, Norwegian U18 national team player). I think Adin would be a great addition, and he would probably have a really good chance at getting the first keeper spot. He has been training with the club this week, and reports suggest that he has been pleased with the team and the city. If the club wants to sign him, it was mentioned that he needed to convince his girlfriend to move over as well, before a deal could be sealed.
I was in a store next to his last weekend. He is HUGE!!!!!!!!! I am almost 6'2", and I look like a shrimp next to him.That is one big boy.
Like others have said, injuries are the first thing that comes to mind when talking about Adin Brown. He can be very, very good if he has an extended run without any injuries.
In terms of raw physical ability, Brown may very well be the top American keeper along those lines. He's huge but he's also exceptionally agile and quick. In 2002 his play down the stretch for the Revolution was simply superb and he was virtually unbeatable during that stretch. From the end of 2002 through about the middle of 2003, he was probably right behind Tim Howard on the National Team depth chart for domestic keepers. His potential is really, really high. There is a big problem though. He has had repeated concussions in the last year and a half and any doctor will tell you that after a certain number, it's time to start to consider the rest of your life and how'd you'd like it to be. It's been a major concern in New England and he barely played this year. New England was blessed with one of the stronger back up keepers in the league (he was a former starter in the league) and Brown never returned to the lineup in the 2nd half of the season. It depends on the medical report. If the doctors say he shouldn't have any more problems, you may very well have a real gem on your hands. If however he's still susceptible to concussions, the next collision or hard hit he takes might spell the end of his career at a young age. Fully fit, and in match form Brown is more than capable of holding his own in the Norwegian top flight, and at top fitness may be among the best keepers in the league (though I can't say for sure not knowing the league too well). Only weakness besides his health is his kicking which needs work. Shot stopping is superb, it's amazing a guy his size is agile enough to get as low as he can on shots.
Imposing, confident, aggressive, unbelievable reflexes... Downsides: more heart than head. Swings of form. And all these guys talking about injuries fail to mention that he's a Christian scientist or something... which makes it tough when injuries come round. I know Christ was too busy for my A.C.L. repairs. Overall though, I bet he'd be superb acquisition, given the relatively cheap cost of MLSers.
Adin Brown was starting goalkeeper for US Olympic team at 1999 and 2000. Tim Howard is his backup. The league was being offered $1M from Rosenberg for his service, but the deal was rejected. His problem is injury. Due to his injury, we send Freidel to replace him in the Olympics. His religion is Christian Scientist that not very good on treatment of injuries. If he is health, he is hell of good goalkeeper.
I'd still argue that barring injury Brown would be considered the best keeper of his generation in the US, ahead of Tim Howard. Brown was always a step ahead of Howard as youth players before all the injuries.
My understanding was that Brown allowed himself medical treatment for his sports related injuries. I may be wrong on this, but I thought I had read that.
I'm having a flash back here to Sesame Street- "One of these kids is doing his own thing........." Give me a break......
And the exodus of American players to Scandinavia continues. Hate to see him go, but I imagine hes seeing more $$$ in Norway...
FYI, there was some discussion during this season that he may never play again. His concussion just kept setting him back and just never was able to return the past year. If he can solve his concussion situation, he is a great keeper.
Very good keeper. Good on crosses for an American. If it were my team, I'd have him checked out very, very, very thoroughly by a neurologist. I'd be worried about his susceptibility to concussions. Actually, I'd read this summer that his career was in jeopardy. If the neurologist gave the OK, I'd sign him in a New York minute. If he stays healthy, you guys will be very happy with him. In 2002, it looked like he might be the next great American goalkeeper. Now, for other positions, that ain't saying much. But we do have some keepers.
An American version of Eric Thorsvedt ... unfortunately, Adin is just as susceptible to injuries as Eric "The Giant" was.
In fairness Howard's medical condition set him back significantly until he learned to cope with it effectively. I'm not sure if that issue allows a comparison to be valid on the youth levels. As for their abilities today, I will continue to have reservations about Brown's positioning. I think a move overseas would be the best for all involved parties. Reis appears to have established himself as a serviceable #1 and I'm not sure the Revs would be sad to see Brown's salary and medical history go out the door despite his talents.
Sorry guys. I just don't see him being a great keeper. The guy would save a couple that he shouldn't then proceed to let in a couple he should've saved. This could be a fault of his youth, but when he's injured all the damn time how in the world is he gonna progress.
Not complaining, I am by no means a proponent of "all our stars have to stay in MLS"... Is Brown even a star? Good for him, hope it works out.
Brown is a pretty good goalkeeper -- good enough to earn a call-up to the USMNT (but as yet, has not earned a cap) in recent years -- who's been unfortunate to suffer a number of injuries (concussions, groin injury, had off-season surgery in 2004 to repair a tear in his abdominal wall) that have limited his playing time, this past year during the 2004 season, as well as in 2002. He's a strong shot stopper, good on crosses, has quick reaction speed, covers a lot of the goal (he's a beats at 6-5, 200 pounds), but lacks something in quickness off the line and could have better distribution. There's still potential for improvement, especially if he can stay healthy He's spent five seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS), spending time with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, Colorado Rapids, and the New England Revolution for the last three years. He was instrumental in the Revolution's run to the MLS Cup Final in 2002. As has been previously metioned, Rosenborg tried to sign him a few years ago for just over $1 million, and there was talk towards the end of the 2003 season linking him with a possible trial and potential move to Feyenoord in the Netherlands. FWIW: Paulo Dos Santos also played for the New England Revolution, but left the club two years prior to Brown's arrival. Since the end of the 2004 season, there's been talk that Brown's been shopped around in the League, especially after the play of Matt Reis who's arguably taken over the #1 spot in goal for New England. His salary in MLS is in the low six-figures, thought to be around $146,000 in 2004. However, I believe he is out of contract come January 1st I believe, and if he doesn't re-sign with MLS, he'd be available on a free transfer. New England Revolution team photo (with Brown pictured) from summer, 2004 Incredibly nice guy, good team player, supporters love him in New England... I think he'd be a good pick-up, and being in his late-20's, he's should have a good number of years left, if healthy. There have been published reports of late suggesting he is, but with the play of Reis, his relatively high salary cap number, and questions about his injuries, he is expendable from a Revolution point of view. The Magpie