Clinging and Climbing: Sam Vines at Royal Antwerp

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by ChuckMe92, Nov 10, 2018.

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  1. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yup. I heard that too. It was pretty laughable because Vines and the Rapids, since he signed a HG contact, openly said the adjective is to get him to Europe when he’s ready.
     
  2. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    I remember when Royal Antwerp were a Manchester United reserve team. For the longest time I just thought of them being propped up by United. It appears as if that relationship ended awhile ago now though.

    My dude Alex Yi trying to break through.
     
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  3. ChambersWI

    ChambersWI Member+

    Nov 10, 2010
    Club:
    AC Milan
    I rewatched the Haiti game and I think a lot of the hate to Vines is a bit overblown. Not saying he was good but I think Lewis and Zardes on the LW with him hurt his spacing more than anything.

    But I also think because he was disappointing in Olympic Qualifying a lot of people would write him off
     
  4. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #54 bshredder, Jul 15, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2021
    Vines is the kind of player that the "hot takes crowd" throws generic criticisms at - and many of these people who criticize aren't really watching him on a regular basis. Because of the lack of hype around Vines, people have been watching other left backs.

    Vines isn't perfect and he has holes in his game he has to fix. He's good, he's not great.

    But he is an excellent passer, he's smart, and he's still improving. To date, he has 4506 MLS minutes with Colorado after a 2303 minute season in USL with Charlotte. Every season he has gotten better and even with all those minutes, he really hasn't stagnated.

    He hasn't really given any reason to doubt him yet - at least among those who have actually paid attention to him.
     
  5. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I concur. If not for COVID I would have seen every single home minute he has played, in the flesh. The improvements Vines has made have been steady and consistent. He has not taken some huge leap in his development like other prospects have. Vines didn’t need to it. He’s needed a slight improvement and a slight tweak here and there. The passing has been there. But the biggest improvement I’ve seen is not only seeing but understanding when the right moments to attack are presented. In his first two seasons, he would just sprint forward at any given time and rely about his good speed to track back. Teams caught onto that and attacked his vacated space. He was having to work twice was hard to defend. There still is that tendency — as seen in one counter attack vs Haiti where he was out of position and Haiti damn near scored. But overall he’s improved that. The kid isn’t flashy. He is just solid. A solid professional that can have a big contribution for club and country moving forward.

    We are all proud of Vines jn Colorado. He’s come a long, long way since I first laid eyes in him playing for Pride SC in CO Springs. He lit up my team 4-1 in State Cup U-14 semi-final and I remember asking the coach who is that kid? His exact works “Vines. Sam Vines. Remember that name”. A year later he part of the Rapids DA squad and 3 years later he was signing a HG deal. Wild ride.
     
  6. theboogeyman

    theboogeyman Member+

    Jun 21, 2010
    In the handful of USMNT games I’ve watched of him, he has impressed me with his skill, but his defensive awareness and physicality have been underwhelming. He can definitely improve on his weaknesses, especially awareness, but I don’t see him as a really high potential player. Still, he could be a quality left back in Belgium and have a nice career. In some ways, he reminds me of the players that Mexico often produces.
     
  7. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Now that’s a name I haven’t heard of in years! You sparked my curiosity to see what google could scrounge up. Well…. Yi the head coach at Academy of Art University (D-II school in San Fran) from 2018-20, an assistant at Navy in 2017, and was the top assistant at University of San Fran (2014-16) and had stints at Dayton, Galaxy Academy, and FCD Academy.

    Now here’s the cool part….. Yi is now an assistant for Kyle Beckerman (crazy he’s a college coach) at Utah Valley with Seth Tembley. That’s a reunion of the inaugural class of ‘99 at the Bradenton Academy.
     
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  8. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think if Vines existed 5 years ago and said the same stuff they'd be right. The reason I think he's moving now is that it would no longer seem crazy to him to think that he'd succeed over there, and that the Belgian teams are looking at Americans now as cheap labor. It's more of a reflection on the changing times in US soccer than it is on Vines's goals, I think.
     
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  9. dougtee

    dougtee Member+

    Feb 7, 2007
    i think vines grows into belgium. hopefully doesn’t stop there but less sure of that
     
  10. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fair... but I just want to see how he does against better competition.
     
  11. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In Europe, if you're supposed to be a mid table club and you finish midtable, you have a 2 month vacation basically. In MLS, if you're midtable, you spend the last part of the season ensuring you stay above the playoff line. Then you have an all-in game to make the next round of the playoffs, which is a 2 legged tie. If you win that, another. Etc.
     
  12. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    With the Gold Cup ending, I thought we'd have heard something more definitive about Vines (and several other USMNT on the roster in Vegas) moving by now.

    Is quiet a good thing or has interest dried up for now?
     
  13. ckajMonet

    ckajMonet Member

    Spurs
    United States
    Jun 8, 2017
    Sciaretta mentioned in his GC recap that the move to Antwerp should be announced soon
     
  14. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Most excellent.
     
  15. eliwood

    eliwood Member+

    Jul 25, 2016
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  16. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I already did an interview with a Belgian publication for a story once it is announced. They wanted my thoughts on Sam.
     
  17. eliwood

    eliwood Member+

    Jul 25, 2016
    Is this a loan back for the rest of the season arrangement?
     
  18. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  19. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    Good move for vines. The Belgium league will probably be the highest he can legitimately play in. He’s not a top 5 league player imo.
     
  20. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I always read it as Sam Vimes.
     
  21. robstonewall

    robstonewall Member

    United States
    Mar 11, 2021
    Holy shit.
     
  22. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    This kid continues to exceed expectations.

    I have no idea what his ceiling is but it's premature to suggest he's already hit it. There are a lot of leagues in Europe and left backs are at a premium in most of them. Let's see how he does in Belgium and reassess in a few months.
     
  23. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    You agree?
     
  24. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think you're overrating a lot of European fullbacks. Left backs are at a premium and typically aren't amazing, even at great clubs. I mean, if Ben Chillwell can play for Chelsea, Vines has all the potential to play in a top league in the future.
     
  25. robstonewall

    robstonewall Member

    United States
    Mar 11, 2021
    My comment was me being surprised at the individual saying "a top 5 league player." He's very underrated
     
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