Strange happenings with Onewyu- Liege vs Metz (7/19) R

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by golazo68, Jul 19, 2006.

  1. golazo68

    golazo68 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 21, 2004
    Brazil
    http://www.standardliege.be/fr/index.html

    Strange- is there more to the story?

    Onewyu just arrived back in Liege apparently, but it was 'notable' (according the report) he started on the bench. The report made sure to point this out (how it was 'notable'). So Onewyu did not play the first half.

    He started the 2nd half, but was replaced after 20 minutes due to 'injury'.

    BTW- Liege won 1-0, as if anyone cares.

    **Story sounds a little fishy- could he be waiting on the transfer to come? Or is he really injured? Interesting.**
     
  2. Bigrose30

    Bigrose30 Member+

    Sep 11, 2004
    Jersey City, NJ
    Sounds like an impending transfer to me. Haven't heard any rumors since his Middlesborough link fell through. Would be nice if he landed at Reading...but that would be just me being wistful...
     
  3. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Maybe he's going back to Metz.:eek:

    Maybe Liege is just f-ing with Metz to remind them they gave up on Gooch to soon.;)
     
  4. numerista

    numerista New Member

    Mar 21, 2004
  5. Principal Firebush

    Principal Firebush Smorgy Borgy Borgy

    Jun 20, 2006
    Ohio
    Somewhat funny babelfish translation of that:

    St Etienne is in active search for a central defender. The club contacted some players like Chalmé, Regragui or Cygan, but a new name circulates now on the side of the greens: Oguchi Onyewu. This powerful American defender took part in the last world cup. He is currently with the Standard of Liege and a first contact would have been established but the Belgian club does not seem to want let spin this good player. To also note that the club inhabitant of Saint-Etienne considered the case Yaya Touré to face the beginning of Zokora. Businesses to be followed. I propose to you to discover Onyewu:
     
  6. OmiKell

    OmiKell New Member

    May 2, 2004
    Tarrytown/Luxemburg
    In their dream. Gooch won't step backward, he'll play CL.

    He just played 20 minutes since he didn't get the adequate preparation during his summer vacation
     
  7. Sachin

    Sachin New Member

    Jan 14, 2000
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    I'd love for him to go to Nice. Make my day.
     
  8. ncguy

    ncguy New Member

    Jan 28, 2002
    NC
    Not unusual, Gooch just reported yesterday. Here's a babelfish translation from the Standard site: http://www.standardliege.be/fr/index.html

    Such a special match for Oguchi Onyewu. Hardly income of holidays, it will find its first European club. Onyewu returned from these holidays to the United States before yesterday. "Yes even if the holidays appear always too short. I landed yesterday morning and I had several small things to regulate. I took again the drives yesterday afternoon at a meeting with Junior and the Portuguese. I do not know yet if I will play tomorrow against Metz, my old club ", says it. Will the central defender, remain nevertheless with the Standard? "I do not know yet. I received an offer of Middlesbrough but I have it refusée.Si I leave the Standard and Belgium, it is for a club of the signal. Not Middlesbrough... "
     
  9. jamison

    jamison Member

    Sep 25, 2000
    NYC
    St. Etienne isn't ManUtd, but it's a famous club in France (7 titles). And, the French first division isn't La Liga, but it's a very good league and a step up from Belgium. Seriously, take a look at the players in the last WC, and how many of them came through France. Nothing to sneeze at. Ronaldinho, Henry, Zidane, guys like Ribery and Pauleta...it's a much longer list than you'd realize, and they're not all French.

    You'd much rather he goes to Lyon of PSG, but it's a good league, and I'd say better than Holland.

    Though, I don't think Le Verts have the money to meet Liege's transfer demands, so it's all academic at the moment.
     
  10. OmiKell

    OmiKell New Member

    May 2, 2004
    Tarrytown/Luxemburg
    Europe is consolidating. You have the clubs playing CL and then the others

    OK if it would be Lyon, but the rest sucks.

    France is a small step over Belgium, but not Holland. All the names you gave didn't play in France for years.

    Anyway, a championship with the same winning clubs for years cannot be good in a competition sense.
     
  11. jamison

    jamison Member

    Sep 25, 2000
    NYC
    Yes, but they all played there, got better, and went on to better things at bigger clubs. That was the point. Not that Gooch would go to St. E and stay there forever, but that he could go to a club like Lyon, play in Europe and get better for 2 years, and then move to a top flight European club (which Lyon is at the moment, but if you're doing the dream scenario you'd have him go from Liege to Lyon to ManUtd, etc). Say what you want about France, it's a league that gets scouted regularly and a lot of players move through there and on to better things. It has helped many African players land a job in Europe and then move onward.

    Really, is playing for a top Ligue 1 side for a few years really so different than playing for Middlesborough and then hopefully sliding up to a team like Arsenal? He'd be playing every week against skilled players (see Ribery, etc) who play a fast game, and it would make him better.

    If you look at CL from last year, Lille went out in the group stage, but drew ManUtd 0-0 at Old Trafford, and Lyon won their group over Real Madrid.

    Holland has good teams like PSV, but after them, Ajax & Feyenoord...the drop off is very significant. I'd take a team like Auxerre (look at who they've produced), Monaco and Bordeaux and others over the likes of Sparta & Vitesse. Holland is a good league for Americans, but there is much more depth of talent in France.

    Anyway, I'd be behind him moving to France, again you'd prefer one of the top 3 clubs (OM, Lyon, PSG).
     
  12. Bill Schmidt

    Bill Schmidt BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 3, 2003
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He said "I received an offer from Middlesbrough but I refused it. If I leave Standard and Belgium, it's for a top club. Not Middlesbrough."
     
  13. dmike

    dmike Member

    Jul 7, 2004
    SoCal
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Take that Boro
     
  14. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    UEFA rankings have Le Championnat as Europe's 4th best league, even ahead of Germany.
     
  15. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Playing in the French league would be better than playing in the Belgian league.

    But playing in the Champions League is better than playing in the French legue and if Gooch can play in the CL with Liege, he should. After the WC, it's the best exposure in the world for a player, not to mention the best experience, at least those not eligible to play in the Euro every four years.

    I think Gooch should play in the CL and seek a transfer this winter after Liegie as presumably been eliminated.

    BTW, does Belgium really get two teams in the CL?
     
  16. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Amazing as it may be, the bottom of the French and Dutch league pretty much blow chunks (remember Metz' 6-3-1 of Regis' last season?) and the top is pretty much as good as the rest.

    I can't see that there is a huge difference between Holland and France from a pure footballing pov. Esp. for an "experienced" player like Gooch.

    But face it, Gooch should go to a league with a good US distribution deal or at to a team with a good online streaming presence.
     
  17. Dave216J

    Dave216J Member

    Aug 1, 2001
    DC
    The main difference from a footballing perspective is that while the good clubs at the top of the Dutch league (PSV, Ajax, Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar) are good, there are more (Lyon, Monaco, PSG, St. Etienne, Marseille, Bordeaux, maybe Lens and Lille) good clubs at the top of the French league, so it's probably a bit more thoroughly competitive. IIRC, it was the league with the most top-half spots in play going into the last weeks of last season.

    Probably irrelevant to Gooch, but there are probably more good challenges day-in, day-out if one is at Metz, Nice, etc., then if one is at William II, ADO Den Haag, etc. because there are more good teams in the league. Of course, if you have the chance to go to Marseille/PSG/Lyon or PSV/Ajax/Feyenoord, that's a different story, but if not, I'd rather see a developing Yank on a middling team in the French league than the Dutch league because of better competition.

    My 2c.
     
  18. mcontento

    mcontento Member

    Jun 26, 2000
    Catalina Wine Mixer
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah but they'll get what 6 CL games in maybe 3 against true powerhouses?
     
  19. kjksccr

    kjksccr Member

    Feb 25, 1999
    San Carlos, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Interesting comment about Boro. He either isn't quite telling the truth or the offer was really low after the Cup. I would say he should worry less about Boro and more about suddenly being on TV every week worldwide and getting the exposure to go to bigger clubs if he is good enough. However, he may be thinking he will be with the new club 3-5 years and in that case he should try to go to a big club--if one is actually interested.
     
  20. OmiKell

    OmiKell New Member

    May 2, 2004
    Tarrytown/Luxemburg
    Fully agreed. But NOT to a club that will never play UEFA.

    Yes, and in the worst case scenario, he'll play UEFA untill December.


    Whatever the ranking of UEFA league is. France is 4th because of O Lyon.

    If he has to move to a country's non top 5 club, it should be in England or Spain. Definitely not France, that I would spot after Germany, Holland and Italy.
     
  21. OmiKell

    OmiKell New Member

    May 2, 2004
    Tarrytown/Luxemburg

    He just want to be a free agent and pick his club. He's clever for that, even if it's financially harmful for Standard Liege.
     
  22. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    You can add Herenveen in there - for a certain style. I'm not going to argue this too hard, but I think there is better coaching, generally, in Holland and all things considered, likely a wash. Either is a lovely a little league (less travel in Holland - and less hills!) and I hope he ends up where the TV deal is extensive.
     
  23. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
  24. JimmieLivealot

    JimmieLivealot New Member

    Oct 22, 2002
    Austin, TX
    The worst few teams in France are quite a bit better than Holland, or even Italy for that matter. There may be the occasionaly team that has injury problems or is just badly run but the overall talent pool is quite high. A number of players left Strasbourg for respectable clubs on the continent for instance.
     
  25. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    Nonsense, the annual coefficient is an average - in France's case 6 or 7 teams (depending on Intertoto Cup showing.) France has one of the top five leagues in Europe, period. I would put Ligue 1 at least on par with the Bundesliga. Some people should really give the league a bit more credit...

    PS: Liege is still far away from the CL. They are unseeded in the third qualifying round.
     

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