Fair enough. Still, to continue on the Belgian example, their D2 is way better than any of the German Regional Ligas, which in turn are exponentially better than any Oberliga, and Haji hasn't exactly been pulling up any trees down there. The same gap in standard applies to any other nursery/recovery division in a respectable pyramid, e.g Dutch or Portugese D2. Based on his production since he went to Europe, it's hard to see where he could get PT without sinking to the Fredy Adu level. The worry is that he's one of those YNT standouts who never steps up to pro level. Serious question: could he hold down a place for a decent USL League 1 side?
Still, S04 saw enough this season to call him up to the pros and make an announcement about "officially" promoting him to the senior team. You can put that down to their earlier injury crisis and general dumpster-fire status, and also say that the "promotion" is meaningless without a contract extension, but perhaps the club believes there is something there which could be 1st-division quality if harnessed on a consistent basis.
Perhaps. But a club that was compelled to play Weston at No. 9 is more likely to have promoted Haji because they had nothing else, rather than because they still saw any realizable potential. As for a contract extension, they don't come because of promotions: they come because of performances after the promotions. Josh Sargent performed, so his extension came. Haji . . . They saw BL1 potential once - that's why they signed him - but he's never shown anything like BL1 production since then and he's running out of time.
If I may be so bold: This guy has never demonstrated anything close to approaching the mentality required to play in a top flight league anywhere in the world. The sooner this thread falls to the very bottom of YA, the better. I don’t like being the one to say it, but he is never going to accomplish anything on a scale that matters. He was a total ghost, even in the u23 friendlies. You win some, you lose some. This kid is a rain out. Not enough effort ever expended on his end.
Starts for reserves: Diese Elf schickt Torsten #Fröhling gegen den TuS #Erndtebrück auf den Platz 🔵⚪👇#U23 #schmiede #S04 pic.twitter.com/Tr1qyamd91— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 13, 2019 And scores a hat trick in a rout: 60. | Philip #Fontein bedient Haji #Wright im Sechszehner - er trifft zum 4️⃣:0️⃣. #U23 #schmiede #S04— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 13, 2019 73. und 84. | Zunächst erhöht Haji #Wright auf 5:0, dann trifft Philip #Fontein zum 6:0. 🙌🔵⚪️ #schmiede #S04 #U23— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 13, 2019 90. | 7:0! #Zahn findet #Fontein, der auf #Wright ablegt und zum siebten Mal für den #S04 trifft. #schmiede #U23— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 13, 2019
Never let it be said we can’t have an impact here in YA. Seems like I gave just the kick up the ass he needed.
The highlights: 📽⚽⚽⚽⚽#U23 - TuS #Erndtebrück 7:0... und 0⃣4⃣Treffer aus Halbzeit zwei! #schmiede #S04 pic.twitter.com/0Bjgn3lG7q— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 16, 2019
Apparently, it takes five golazos to impress some people. He had a hat trick. Against the opposition on the schedule. That's good. Everyone wants him to be better, but to earn opportunities against better competition, he has to deliver against the weaker competition, and he did that this weekend.
I believe he had the primary assist on the other goal. So he scored 3 and got the assist on the 4th. An excellent day's work regardless of opponent.
Starts for the reserves: Diese 1⃣1⃣ schickt Chef-Coach Torsten #Fröhling gegen den SV #Schermbeck auf den Platz! 🔵⚪👇#U23 #schmiede #S04 pic.twitter.com/KR8cdlZ6Cn— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 18, 2019 And scores quickly: 0️⃣4️⃣. Min | 1:0!!! ⚽️💥 @HajiWright bringt die #U23 nach Vorarbeit von Philip #Fontein in Führung. #Schmiede #S04— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 18, 2019
That's because their opponents might well be pub teams. A few years back the NYT had a feature about match-fixing in the Regional Ligas, describing life for players at that level and the financial imperatives behind joining those schemes. At that level, the majority of even the full-timers earn about the same as waiters or hairdressers. That's the RLs. In the Oberligas, the players are waiters and hairdressers or similar, playing for expenses and the buzz. If we're to cut Haji slack for "scoring against the opposition on the schedule", let's take the level of opposition into account in evaluating his pro potential. At this level, a squad of full-timers ought to beat amateurs through individual technique and fitness alone. Tactical discipline, positional awareness, 90'+ concentration, and all the other essentials for a full-time pro career are often optional.
Starts for U23s: So spielt die #U23 gegen die SF #Siegen 🔵⚪👇#schmiede #S04 pic.twitter.com/uWr2VRnCtZ— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 22, 2019 And scored: 5. | Toooor! 💥🔵⚪️ @HajiWright markiert das 1:0 nach Vorarbeit von Ahmed #Kutucu. #U23 #schmiede #S04— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 22, 2019
A 7-0 win, promotion secured and another goal for @HajiWright! 👌Well done, guys!#s04 #SchalkeUS🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/aTffAEByVD— Schalke 04 USA🇺🇸 (@s04_us) April 22, 2019
Unfortunately they were in the Oberliga. The way it works for reserve sides is that OL is bad, RL is typical, and 3.L is very very good. The better your reserve team, the better your development, so it was important to Schalke to make promotion this year. I think that meant better players who may otherwise have gone out on loan were sent to Schalke II to take care of business.