The irony is Olsen was one of the better techincally gifted US players--great touch, feints, vision, passing...but his vision when coaching is the exact opposite. Doesn't make sense...
Hope he latches on and plays: http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2014/01/arsenal-midfielder-samuel-galindo-trial-rapids
Wish he had gone to United also (I thought Etch or Moreno had some unwritten input and could have had him try out with the team) but at least we can finally see him play more often and in the states no less; preseason games will be streamed live for free. Wish him all the best and if he stays, sorry to say it but Vamos Rapids!
Started a thread for him on the Colorado Rapids board--feel free to check in guys! https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/bolivian-wonder-kid-samuel-galindo.2000028/#post-29474074
I don't think you guys realize that the owner of Arsenal is also the owner of the Colorado Rapids, Stan Kroenke. Arsene or his people probably made a call and got him a try out. No doubt any chance of him making it to Arsenal is finished but he can at least try to latch on somewhere else. That being said I will be surprised if he makes the Rapids team. He would count as a foreigner and those slots are very valuable not to mention they don't even have a coach yet. He's definitely got the skills I just don't think he's got the heart, attitude, toughness you need to be a solid pro. You DC fans overstate the pull of Etch and Jaime at United. New owner and Kevin Payne is gone. I hope I'm proven wrong but I don't think he's going to pan out as a pro.
Etch burnt bridges as did Jaime resigning so he can continue playing for Sport Boys Warnes/aspirations to be a full time coach besidse coaching the DCU U23s.
Dudes too arrogant. I expect arrogance from any professional soccer player, but that dudes a -----. After meeting him once, and hearing him talk, I knew I was added to the list of people that can't stand him. I like that he's confident, and was a decent player for MLS, but can't stand being around selfish people. Dude was very athletic and fearless. I loved that when he was younger. I can definitely appreciate the sneaky/brilliant fouls he mastererdly got away with. But he didn't have the touch, or fluidity that the big boys have. I thought he made easy things look hard. Anyhow, I'm not surprised of the season. Olsen doesn't want players with much imagination on the field. He wants team to be running around making easy things hard. Definitely preferred his athletic players over talented/imaginative ones. If he coached in 96, he would have benched Etch for sure. Diablo didn't defend and run much, and trust me, the lack of athletism would have superseded talent/vision in Olsen eyes. Love Olsen's energy, just not his personality or vision/analysis of the game.
Agreed. Been afan of DCU since the beginning. Its sad about Jaime because he is stuck up dude from a ton of stories I hear of fan interactions. He was an amazing player in his early years though. SHould have been in europe not MLS.
Olsen is a tool. I stopped giving a rat's ass about DC when he became coach. He was all muscle and no brains when he played, so unless he grew gray matter in the las 4 years, I don't see him any different.
I wholeheartedly disagree on that. As a player--he had amazing touch, 1-2 passes, vision from right wing/ def. mid. The guy was a great, gritty, and imaginative player. Coaching wise...he's the opposite. Keep in mind I've watched Olsen his whole career that he's played with DCU. I agre on his coaching...but not on him as a player. I still remember him in copa america 07' with USA faking the shit out of Tevez.
Soooo, 1230am for me is like 3 am now. My twin girls take what ever energy i have after work. Too late to be posting. I met Olsen once, so my assessment on dude is practically biased opinion. I'm sure dudes cool. 1-2 passes and switching point of attack is basic stuff for any player in the this league, or should be. Benny did a lot of smart things, but he was lucky enough to have amazing coaches and players. Anyways, I think Galindo has what it takes to be a difference maker in this league. Things just went down hill after broken leg. He landed on a team that already had a few options on his position, but still wanted to use him in a very unnatural position for Samuel. Dont forget a Bolivian team sent Marcello Martins to water boy status, only to tear up the 1st division Brazillian league and a starting forward for a Brazillian sub 20 team. Bolivian teams aren't the best player analyzers out there.
Looks like SG scored a goal in a friendly (played 30 minutes) http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2014/02/rapids-control-they-end-houston-trip-high
He still scored. He proved he can read a play and muscle into position. His touch and talent is no question.
It was before he went to England. Watcing clips of him when he was in spain, they were trying to convert him to a dmid. He lost all of his flair, and holding midfield skill and was focused on tackling and defending. I haven't seen clips of him since or much when he was at Wilster'. I hope he's gone back to his old form.....but you never know. With taht said, I hope he can catch on in MLS because it's a great league to strengthen what us Bolivians are weak at--physical condition, speed of play, and defending. MLS still has some great 10s even though in europe no one plays with them anymore. DIego Valeri and Javi Morales are just 2 who still play the position, and kill it. Samuel can do it if he still has it.
Your right. Galindo's strengths is of a #10 player. He's performed great in that position. I think he's ideal as a attacking mid position. Definitely not the typical appearance of one, but damn can he move and pass beautifully. I agree though. He's not strong defensively. Dude applies good pressure, and has decent energy, but defense is not his forte. If he's trying out for a defensive mid position, then I doubt he's making team. Dude will send amazing through balls and long balls, but he'd probably set a record of yellow cards earned.
http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2014/02/daily-update-february-9-2014 You can see Galindo in the front to the right. I really hope they sign him. Colorado just brought in a defmid from spain Juan Mari. Galindo cant play the defmid role. He's like a yaya toure who defends when he has to. He's tall with vision. I'll ve a Rapids fan if he joins.
I really think everyone is confusing the hell out of him. I don't know what position they are making him play with the Rapids now, but he was ORIGINALLY an offensive midfielder or mediocampista creativo. When he moved to Arsenal, I read seomewhere that they tried to move him to deffensive midfielder, because of the style of play in Europe, and the intrucction from Arsenal to the loaner teams was to keep him in that position. There, they love guys in defense with vision and a ability to play long balls deep into the opposing field (like Alonso in Real Madrid, Lampart in Chelsea, Montolivo in AC Milan, etc.). Mexican Rafa Marquez was the extreme example whem he was with barcelona, as he was a defender but could place balls deep into the field like no one. When he came back to Bolivia, They moved him back to his original position, because that is the natural spot for someone like him in southamerican style of soccer. Unfortunately, he ran into the spanish Berodia who took away his spot. US soccer is a stew of different styles, but I agree with some that if the try to use him as def mid, he may struggle like he did in Europe. He is gifted technically, but lacks the strenght to hold his position.
Galindo comes in the second half. He's playing on left flank. Our boy did a good job in terms of keeping ball in Colorado possession, but didn't really create much. Played it smart for the best of the team. But his coaches probably wanted him to be more aggressive, then going for a team win (this being a meaningless scrimmage). First half, Colorado just booted ball around. Very ugly and old school English footy. Colorado made subs in the second half, and wow, what a difference. Dude is big, and is far more muscular then I've ever seen him.
Saw the game that night. He's VERY rusty, and didn't look THAT great. During moments wehre he should have been the 'calm' possession guy on the wing, he had trouble trapping it under pressure and would lose it or it would go out. To be fair, the field was pretty small and he didn't have much time because of how hectic the pace and play was when he just came in. Towards the end he had 1-2 clean/nice plays that made you say 'ole' with a poke around a defender with a run on goal. He also had an assist in the end too, with the GK rushing out and him with the ball, he drops it to a guy who shoots it on goal but hits the post while it has no keeper in it. That's about it.
I spent about 10 minutes replying to this post a few days ago when suddenly everythingwas erased. Soo mad! I disagree. When your signed with one of the biggest teams in the world, your going to get a little more attention then the average player. He was pressured hard every time he got the ball, and most of the time by more then one opponent. I thought he did a good job. He played as a team player, and was instrumental in helping keep possession. Colorado couldnt hold ball for 10 seconds before he was subbed in. His presence was substantial, but he didnt do anything much to create. In teams he did well in, he was their creative mid. Dude was able to use his creativity in amazing ways that got him very popular and among the most sought after players from south america among top clubs. Samuel isnt playing his natural position, but I thought he did well. He definitely made a difference with the quality of futbol Colorado was playing.
I'll agree with that. He was being palyed as a LM...which isn't isn't his position. WIth that said, he didn't play at all the last friendly. It has me thinking he may be on his way out of Colorado...