Zach Pfeffer is going from the Philly Union on a one year long to Hoffenheim. http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2012/12/pfeffer-taking-his-talents-hoffenheim-year-loan-deal He'll rejoin long-time friend and fellow YA Russell Canouse. I'll leave the play on-words involving "Pfeffer", German for "pepper" to others.
I assume he'll actually be loaned to Hoffenheim II that plays in the Regionalliga Südwest. Nonetheless, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Zach. Hopefully, he impresses and earns some training sessions with the 1st team.as well as performs for the second team. I wish more MLS club had this foresight with 17-18 yr olds they have on their roster. Reserve games simply aren't enough for development. Also, if anyone is wondering how he can be loaned at 17, he turns 18 on Jan. 6th hence the start of the loan Jan. 7th.
I wouldn't assume that he'll play for Hoffenheim II. He was born in 1995 and I think it's more likely that he'll play with other 94s and 95s in the U-19 Bundesliga. If he does play up with Hoffenheim II and does well, that would be a nice feather in his cap. Either way, a full slate of games over the next year in Hoffenheim's organization will be better than playing for Philly's reserves and moonlighting in FC DELCO U18 matches. However, I will say that these "developmental loans" to foreign clubs' youth teams always make me a bit nervous because Hoffenheim doesn't stand to gain much here. If they consider him equal to a prospect they have under contract, why wouldn't they give more opportunities to said prospect? Hoffenheim has better tools than Philly with which to develop Pfeffer, but less incentive. Nice catch.
Yeah the only way this makes sense for Hoffenheim is if they plan to buy if he impresses. Zach turns 18 on Jan. 6, so no worries there.
Hoffenheim's squad policy is dominated by the ROGON agency today. ROGON owner Roger Wittmann (brother-in-law of Mario Basler) is a golf partner of Hoffenheim's quasi-owner Hopp. Hoffenheim's relatively new sporting director Andreas Müller was Wittmann's best business partner in Müller's Schalke days; Schalke signed a dozen of Wittmann's players back then. Gyau is a ROGON player now. This may have to do with backstage business.
There is always an option to buy a player under contract. We agree on a dollar amount and he's yours.
Good for Zach, bad for MLS. This will probably start happening more frequently and MLS will continue losing top prospects until it gets a reserve league with quality coaches. I think this will be great for Zach and getting games in a competitive environment with higher training standards than Philly will be great. Sink or swim, you gotta go for it.
Way off topic, but the US just doesn't have a league that can compete with the Regionalliga as far as a youth development platform. We should, but we don't. A lot of the top teenagers in Germany go right to the first team, but the Regionalliga (and reserve teams) produce the depth necessary to really drive the upper divisions.
I agree, and it's why I hope to see more of our top MLS youngsters head over there, unless you're a Gil or Kitchen getting a lot of minutes. Flores will also most likely be playing in the Regionalliga when he turns 18. I'd think with other youngsters training over there that is not lost on them.
I didn't realize my former co-worker Dietmar Hopp owns Hoffenheim. He came from the same company that employs Canouse's dad and that moved him to Germany for work.
Not at all. You don't go on one year loans without an option to buy, and if Zach impresses he'll be bought. I understood it perfectly fine.
But if they sell him, they won't be losing him. Are you one of those guys that think MLS is run by a bunch of idiots and you could do 10 times better?
I guess I am with SD in that I can't help but think this is a win for MLS. Until such time that MLS has the roster rules, robust relationships with minor leagues and robust reserve leagues in which young talent can develop, I think our young talent has to take such opportunties where they can. That a 17 yo MLS player with 4 appearances in the past year can get a chance like this is in my view a good thing. If Hoffenheim likes him and buys, its potential profit for the MLS and Union, money that can be reinvested into the academy system and teams. If they don't buy him and he gets some number of games in either of the aforementioned leagues, I think that's a plus too. Particularly if he was not likely to get Fagundez or Gil or even Villarreal type minutes this year.
Bagged another goal. He as certainly started off his loan in style. 2 goals in 2 games for the U19 team. He's going to be promoted to the U23 team soon where he will likely stay for the rest of his loan.