Steve Birnbaum to Europe?

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by BostonRed, May 2, 2016.

  1. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    Of course, this gets trickier from now on because Steve's transfer price should dip with only a year left on his deal. And, in the next summer window, he would be able to sign a pre-contract without any compensation to the DCU.
     
  2. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    could Birnbaum find a nicer league/club in the winter window? Turkey? Belgium? Holland? France?
     
  3. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    A few days ago, I race toward the elevator, with some Russian guy just stepping inside it. I yell, "Up or down?" He says, "Yes".
     
  4. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    1 - I'd really like him to find a league better than Israel, even a 2nd division in a bigger country would be better.
    2 - the 1/2 and 2/3 issue for MLS teams is a tricky one, because players on their first contract may end up leaving on a free more often. It certainly makes them a lot more desirable to other teams.
     
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  5. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yeah, that carries a lot of risk, especially for the player. FIFA essentially guarantees the sanctity of contracts and, IIRC, has punished players much more harshly (temporary playing bans) than tampering clubs (token fines). I suspect Castillo's little adventure cost his new club a fair amount of money and weakened his bargaining position on his new contract.
     
  6. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    Always hold out for something better, in every situation. Never fails.
     
  7. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    not if you're married :p
     
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  8. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As a DC fan, if the offer really is $1.5M, I'd probably take it.

    But that seems like a very strange number...Steve's a fine player by MLS standards, but he's a central defender. And I'm dubious Israeli teams have that kind of money for a central defender.

    I suppose it's possible that Aaron Schoenfeld's success has those clubs thinking, hey, if an MLS sub can do this, an MLS all star would dominate our league!
     
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  9. adam tash

    adam tash Member+

    Jul 12, 2013
    Barcelona, Spain
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    they also get the added bonus of not having to use a foreign slot....so any "good"player who qualifies for the league w/o having to burn a foreign slot has added value.
     
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  10. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    In 2014 The Daily Mail estimated the salaries for the world's 35 top leagues (since it's the Mail, they included the Championship but forgot/deliberately omitted BL2, BL 3, League 1 and League 2: which is why it's called The Daily Fail, but I digress).

    At that stage, Israel was 30th with average pay of $64k Sterling or about $82k, though the average is distorted by two factors; the league is almost as dominated by the "Big 4" (Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Betar Jerusalem) as Scotland is by the Old Firm, and by the fact that in any one year about a quarter of the league's players are on their military service and are paid buttons, around $11k, while doing it.

    Since then, there's been a new and rather lucrative TV deal, negotiated by Sunderland's new GM IIRC, and salaries have begun to rise. According to this Ha'Aretz article 33 players in the IPL are earning over a million Shekels - $250k - a year, and there's a dozen or so earning two million Shekels or more. As a CB he'd normally be less likely to fit into that top-33, but he's an MLS All-Star and - more importantly - Jewish, which means that he's exempt from the foreigners quota. His age (he turns 26 in January) is also a plus.
    http://www.haaretz.com/soccer-33-players-earn-over-one-million-shekels-1.19929

    The top clubs in Israel are no pushovers and there are plenty of scouts as well as on-the-way-up coaches, e.g. Paolo Sousa, Slavisa Jokanovic or Oscar Garcia. If he catches the eye of one of those coaches he can be playing in the English Championship or similar in a year or two.
     
  11. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    His price tag just went up to $10 million.
     
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  12. tbonepat11

    tbonepat11 Member+

    Jun 21, 2001
    That was a pretty clean finish even by forwards standards.
     
  13. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    ????
     
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  14. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    Two goals in his last two matches - one a back post header and the other a clean side volley.
     
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  15. MHaifa1913

    MHaifa1913 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Metro
    United States
    Dec 21, 1998
    New York, NY, USA
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Some articles are coming out about what players Maccabi Tel-Aviv will be targeting now that they have secured their place in the Europa League group stage with Zenit Saint-Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar and Irish club Dundalk.

    Maccabi appear to be focused on a left back option and some attack options since forward Tal Ben-Haim is wanted by Granada in Spain and is interested in leaving.
     
  16. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Left back you say? Well if they're not interested in a Birnbaum we have a Bornstein that might be of use. A little older but used to the intensity of Mexican futbol...
     
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  17. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tenorio claims he has interest from Werder. I think they have interest in half our internationals.
     
  18. DeAndresHaircut

    DeAndresHaircut Member+

    Jul 24, 2015
    Pennsylvania
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Link? Couldn't find one
     
  19. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Second page of Joe Jow article:

    http://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/featu...chance-soccer-injury-interview-usmnt?page=0,1

     
  20. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    interest from a dutch club to an israeli now to a German. looking good for him
     
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  21. Mt Stone@

    Mt Stone@ Member

    Apr 30, 2016
    USA
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    I don't think Birnbaum is anywhere close to being a Bundesliga player! Werder actually want an american player currently not playing abroad that could actually make it in Germany? Darlington Nagbe.
     
  22. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    [​IMG]
     
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  23. naopon

    naopon Member+

    Jan 2, 2007
    California
    Club:
    Kawasaki Frontale
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Neither are most of the players actually suiting for Werder in the Bundesliga.
     
  24. Mt Stone@

    Mt Stone@ Member

    Apr 30, 2016
    USA
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    [​IMG]
     
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  25. Mt Stone@

    Mt Stone@ Member

    Apr 30, 2016
    USA
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Then why would they want another one!?
     

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