Brave Nieuw World: Mark McKenzie at Genk

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Sebsasour, Jul 9, 2020.

  1. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not in the squad list for tomorrow:

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  3. Cubanlix63

    Cubanlix63 Member+

    AFC Ajax
    Feb 19, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Was Cuesta's red card rescinded? How is he in the squad.
     
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  4. WheezingUSASupport

    Dortmund
    United States
    Aug 28, 2017
    You’d think their Twitter account would say something if that was the case. Can only hope that squad list was wrong and it’s actually McKenzie’s name that should be there over Cuesta’s.
     
    LouisianaViking07/09 repped this.
  5. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    I just googled to see what's up with McKenzie's exclusion, and I found this article.

    https://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/576625/genk-in-belgennood-topaanwinst-gedwongen-aan-de-kant

    However, the American is reportedly completely match-fit, although his last appearance at ex-club Philadelphia Union dates back to the end of November due to the different calendar in the MLS. Yet there may be another reason behind McKenzie's absence from the selection for Thursday evening's game against AA Gent: the dire shortage of Belgians in the Luminus Arena. After all, according to the regulations, there must always be six [Belgians] on the [team] sheet, which is gradually becoming a problem for Genk. Especially now that it let Rubin Seigers go and Dries Wouters also wants to visit other places.

    As full A-core players, only Bryan Heynen, Theo Bongonda, and Cyriel Dessers with a Belgian passport remain, together with the very young reserve goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt. For the rest, John van den Brom has to count on teenagers like Pierre Dwomoh, Elias Sierra, Luca Oyen and Bryan Limbombe. Genk is therefore in danger of getting into a Belgian emergency, with the result that expensive foreign players will occasionally have to give way to get enough compatriots on the [team sheet].


    I take back everything positive I said over the weekend about the number of foreign players on Genk's roster.
     
  6. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    Disappointing to hear. I have to think that pressuring Belgium to change this rule or make a special exception for McKenzie will now jump to the top of President Biden's list of priorities.
     
  7. Tigerpunk

    Tigerpunk Member+

    Jun 17, 2004
    How would six Belgians on the roster (as opposed to EU players) be consistent with European antidiscrimination law?
     
  8. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I think it's written/translated incorrectly. Belgian Pro League matchday squads must have 6 homegrown players (trained in Belgium for 3+ years before turning 23). That could include players of any nationality, EU or not.
     
  9. Gacm32

    Gacm32 Member+

    Chelsea
    Switzerland
    Nov 28, 2010
    Geneva
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    Don't like this situation at the moment.
     
    TimB4Last repped this.
  10. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    McKenzie is new & a center back so wouldn't be a substitute unless an injury or two occurred.

    They just paid 6 million for him. You figure it'll be sorted quickly. Helps they're still in the January window, so can sell a couple players if they must.

    You hoped for a quicker transition, which included regular benches and rotations in, before earning a place. It's a slight speed bump.
     
  11. felloveranddidanadu

    Plymouth Argyle FC
    Dec 12, 2009
    Club:
    San Jose Frogs
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's also a very common rule, enforced in some form in pretty much every country. Have to wonder what the conversations about this were like -- both McKenzie, his agent, the manager, and the club must have discussed it; I'd think it's one of the red flags to really hash out before choosing a league/nation...

    I do really love the idea of him having to beat out both the other internationals as well as whatever talented Belgian youth player the manager considers bringing in as cover for this rule. He's talented and smart enough.

    The recent ESPN article mentions him having a "photographic memory" which, if true, is truly remarkable. I've met a few people who claimed to have one but never anyone who actually does...also not totally convinced it would be an advantage for playing a sport -- if you remember every action of every time you've ever played, how does alllllll that noise translate into something meaningful and actionable?
     
  12. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    My interpretation of this move is that Genk wanted to bring McKenzie in to get him acclimated to Belgium and the league for half a season and then once they sell one or more of the Colombians this summer, McKenzie will really compete for a spot heading into next season. Things can change quickly in football with injuries/suspension/form but I would imagine that was the thought process Genk had.
     
  13. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    He's been there like a week and he plays CB, which requires a certain amount of cohesion.
     
    The Irish Rover repped this.
  14. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    Yea, I don't expect him to play much if at all for awhile... maybe not even until next season. I guess I should clarify I expect him to play some this Spring but not too much.
     
  15. JUnionFan

    JUnionFan Member+

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Sep 30, 2020
    Feel like it's a bit of an overreaction happening. He has been there for what, a week? And is a CB in a new system and a new country. CBs are much harder to break in because you never sub them out (unless for injury or if they are having a complete shocker) so if you start them you need to know they are 100% ready for 90 minutes.

    It's not like Aaronson as an attacker where (besides going into the same system with a familiar American coach) teams sub attackers in and out every game, and you can afford to have an attacker have a bad 60 minutes in exchange for a goal or assist.

    The large price tag and their history of developing players makes me confident McKenzie is going to get time and will be in their plans.
     
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  16. dougtee

    dougtee Member+

    Feb 7, 2007
    hes their third highest transfer of all time and the highest for a defender. i wouldnt worry about the bureaucratic stuff while he is integrated into the squad
     
    LouisianaViking07/09 repped this.
  17. Cubanlix63

    Cubanlix63 Member+

    AFC Ajax
    Feb 19, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Yeah Joakim Maehle who they just sold to Atalanta counted as homegrown because they signed him at 19. And I know some leagues do this because they want to make sure domestic players get chance but, with rules like this it often ends up with teams keeping domestic players just for depth and signing foreign players at young ages. And Belgium's neighbors in the Netherlands still have a lot of homegrown players on the field for every club even though they do not have really any foreign player restrictions.
     
  18. Cubanlix63

    Cubanlix63 Member+

    AFC Ajax
    Feb 19, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    At it looks like Genk are up 1-0. And Cuesta somehow started again and was sent off again.
     
  19. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    Went to the well once too often.
     
    LouisianaViking07/09 and Gorky repped this.
  20. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    He must have assumed he had some sort of Double Jeopardy type protection.
     
  21. Dervos

    Dervos Member+

    Mar 13, 2002
    Club:
    Austin Aztex
    When your team spends a record amount to bring in a player at your position, going out and getting red carded in every game since the signing is a pretty bold strategy. Not sure I see where's he going with it, but I applaud the novelty.
     
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  22. WheezingUSASupport

    Dortmund
    United States
    Aug 28, 2017
    Wow please just bench him for the next several games so McKenzie can play.

    The other possibility is would McKenzie be match fit to play 90min this quickly?
     
    LouisianaViking07/09 repped this.
  23. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    He needs a nick quick because I read this as McKennie.
     
  24. TxEx

    TxEx Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, FC Dallas
    Aug 19, 2016
    DFW
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    The Dutch foreign player restrictions are financial. The huge bump in salary for non-EU salary players disincentives teams from filling their rosters with foreign talent. Yeah the big 5 in that league can afford them but the rest cannot.
     
  25. Cubanlix63

    Cubanlix63 Member+

    AFC Ajax
    Feb 19, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    The minimum salary is not even that high I doubt they would be able to recruit much foreign talent paying less than that minimum salary.
     

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