Johnny Futbol: The John Brooks Thread

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by ImaPuppy, Jun 16, 2014.

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Where does John Brooks sit in your USMNT Depth Chart?

  1. Dead lock starting CB

    3 vote(s)
    3.6%
  2. In CB rotation

    31 vote(s)
    36.9%
  3. Backup CB

    13 vote(s)
    15.5%
  4. Fringe

    16 vote(s)
    19.0%
  5. Not on the plane to Qatar

    21 vote(s)
    25.0%
  1. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    butters59 repped this.
  2. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Only the money.

    The WC roster seems the least of JAB's problems. He has to find a job.

    People have been bashing Berhalter for a year as they see him "ignoring" a guy they think is one of the best in the pool.

    Guess what? He's available on a free transfer, and all of Europe and MLS seems to be passing too. Why is that? I don't know, but that's the reality of the situation.

    There's a disconnect between these boards (and USMNT fanboy social media) and the real world when it comes to John Anthony Brooks.
     
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  3. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    well, i guess the story ends as chicken and egg, huh? brooks is such a garbage player no one wants him or greggs blackballed him so hes going for one more payday. we all choose our own adventure, i guess...
     
  4. dspence2311

    dspence2311 Member+

    Oct 14, 2007
    For older players who expected to play in 2018, getting omitted has to be tough to take. I don’t make any of the “Brooks must be a dick” assumptions that are common here, so I feel some sympathy for him. His WC goal reaction is still a great watch.
     
  5. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Euro clubs aren't making their scouting determinations on a player based on whether Berhalter included him on USMNT rosters or not. One really doesn't have anything to do with the other.

    Fact seems to be this. Berhalter's evaluation of the players isn't different from that of Euro/MLS clubs.
    That surprises a lot of us (most of us? certainly me).......................but seems to be reality.

    Even after a clearly diminished Oguchi Onyewu came back after his ACL tear, he still rode his reputation into Euro opportunities for a couple of years.
     
  6. Ray Shoesmith

    Ray Shoesmith Member+

    Valencia
    United States
    Nov 14, 2021
    Berhalter showing some competence, and even worse, being in agreement with the Euro elite is simply too much for the close minded, agenda driven US Nat fan to handle. Then again there is such ignorance, emotion and agenda driving that board how could it be any other way?
    Trumpists and Bernie Bros would be proud!
     
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  7. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    Someone told the Saudis he's a really good golfer.
     
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  8. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Form goes up and down for a player. Once you are past 27 typically it's downhill from there. Brooks is just not the same player as he was 2 years ago. The typical MO for this board is to ignore this and create a lot of agenda driven theories. Lleget has also lost a lot of form there but some on this board insists he always that bad.
     
  9. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    The Brooks situation is just really weird. I have been a supporter of his and have been surprised to see him left out of a US team that lacks experience all over the field, especially with his playing a position where experience is usually most needed. But it is even more odd to see him not finding any club at this point when he is available for free. I mean sure, players drop off and age out all the time, but to see a guy going from a regular starter for a decent Bundesliga club last season only one year after leading a defense that allowed the second fewest goals in that league the year before. And he's still not 30. This is just a very unusual situation. I have to wonder if there are some injury issues we don't know about or something because I get that players age and the game changes, but the drop here is staggering in how far and how fast. Maybe he's just holding out for his best last payday, but I think even most of his detractors had you said he'd be in this situation a year or several months ago would be pretty surprised.
     
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  10. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    Reading over the past few pages of this thread, it seems like the most generous explanation at this point is that Brooks was significantly overpaid by the end of his time at Wolfsburg, so he has to hold out for an offer from a team in desperate need of a CB and/or explore less prestigious club options to continue earning what he was previously on. The lack of any reported interest (like in an actual publication outside of Twitter) with most European club seasons about to begin, or already underway, suggests that there's been no serious discussions yet regarding his signing for a club in a top league at a salary more commensurate with his perceived value.
     
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  11. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Can someone do a documentary about this? They could start by approaching from the 4-5 different theories and then go to solving the mystery and explaining which theory is correct or shocking us with an explanation no one has thought of.
     
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  12. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Or he gets signed by Feyenoord tomorrow and we realize we've all been blathering for months about nothing!! :)

    Let's hope this is the case.
     
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  13. ChambersWI

    ChambersWI Member+

    Nov 10, 2010
    Club:
    AC Milan
    I mean the club thing is pretty simple IMO. With a lot of teams going to a higher line in Europe and isolating CBs Brooks just isn't going to find a job at the wages he wants.

    I also think people really take for granted how inconsistent Brooks was last year for Wolvesburg over the entire season.

    I'm sure there are teams that would take him if he's willing to rotate and/or take a pay cut but he seems hesitant.
     
  14. ChambersWI

    ChambersWI Member+

    Nov 10, 2010
    Club:
    AC Milan
    For Brooks the club player? I don't think it's that hard. If he was willing to cut his salary in half from what he made last year he'd be picked up fairly quickly.
     
  15. Bajoro

    Bajoro Member+

    Sep 10, 2000
    The Inland Empire
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I watch very little live soccer other than US Men's. I do pick up extended highlights of teams and players I'm interested in (admittedly, a lot fewer than most of you guys.)

    But I did watch some extended highlights of Brooks' last few games with Wolfsburg.

    If you haven't done so, check it out. He was often in the center of that packed-in defense. Don't ask me what the formation was. 3 in the back? 5?

    What struck me was that he was nearly always watching, rarely marking.

    I don't know whether this makes him a poor center-back. Maybe I just don't understand the WB defensive scheme or the responsibilities within it. But I saw a number of goals/near goals against WB with JAB not marking, but having the best view in the stadium, or so it seemed.

    The way he played in those last few games at Wolfsburg, combined with some of the results of his games in WCQ this year and in 2017, he frankly scares the crap out of me.

    I would have been really happy for him if he had great runouts for the US and his club team in the last year. But after watching the end of his WB season, I can't say I'd be sorry if he's not on the WQ roster.
     
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  16. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    "What position are you playing?" "Left Bird Watcher".
     
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  17. ShayG

    ShayG Member

    Celtic
    United States
    Aug 9, 2021
    When the World Cup comes around his position will definitely be left back.
     
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  18. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    cuz earthquakes :( and we need a center back too. Speaks volumes of us not making a decent play for Hoppe or Brooks.

    will hope for Feyenoord for obvious soccering reasons
     
  19. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    #469 Mahtzo1, Aug 6, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2022
    Which, of course anyone can play. I’m fact that will be my position as well. I know this to be true because Gregg has already spoken with me and given me the good news!
     
  20. Reccossu

    Reccossu Member+

    Jan 31, 2005
    Birmingham
    Seems likely wages are an issue. This means Brooks’s club situation isn’t dispositive regarding Berhalter’s decisions on Brooks.

    The lingering clublessness does strongly imply, though, that Brooks has prioritized money over improving his fading chance to make the roster. Hard to blame him.
     
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  21. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My guess is that Brooks will end up at Fenerbache (Turkey). 23 days left in the transfer window.
     
  22. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maybe but Fenerbahçe just signed a left footed CB from Marseille a week ago.
     
  23. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    as an out of contract player is he bound by the transfer window?
     
  24. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nope.
     
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  25. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He might still have some residual loyalty to the transfer window, for old time's sake...
     
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