Come At me Brough: Brad Guzan at Middlesbrough

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

So we could witness Guzan's debut very soon, in the glamorous Intertoto Cup , seeing as Setanta are broadcasting both legs live on Saturday the 19th and Saturday the 26th!

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

But that's why you make this move. To challenge yourself at the highest levels in world football. He'll definitely have to "step it up," but that's a very good thing.

I really do wonder if this means Guzan won't go to the Olympics. Aston Villa only has one other keeper on their roster, the lifelong backup and injury waiting to happen Stuart Taylor. Villa are in the Intertoto Cup this season, and the two legs of that tournament occur on July 20th/21st and the 26th/27th. Should they be successful there, they'll play in the 2nd round of the UEFA Cup. Those matches are on August 14th and 28th. Not only that, but they have their first premiership match against on August 16th against Manchester City.

The Olympics run thru 8/6 to 8/24. And we're also playing the warmup matches in the ING Cup - Hong Kong. They have matches scheduled for July 30th and August 2nd.

It seems we've got competing priorities here for Guzan. From a career perspective you'd think Guzan should go to Villa and establish himself as the starter, and play in those European and premiership games. This could easily change if Villa sign a veteran keeper to fill in for those games. I can't see them going with Taylor.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Just yesterday Guzan himself said that he would definitely go to the Olympics if asked.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

thats not near post (2:45)

[youtube]Y8kChP5OHvE[/youtube]


and yes he will have to step it up, this is the premiership, not MLS

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

The games against England and Spain make no difference.

The criteria is 75% of competitive games in the last 2 years to get an automatic work permit.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/a...ents/sportsandentertainments/footballplayers/

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Not to go too far off topic, but isn't or wasn't there another America at Villa? That'll be helpful I'm sure.

We don't need any more confirmations, it's on Wikipedia and that's what matters...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_villa#Current_squad

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Well, we're not asking, but thanks just the same. And good luck over there - we'll give you a call sometime down the road, I'm sure.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

it dont matter... he is over the age limit so Villa can say no...


and I dont think he was in the plans anyway, just my opinion tho

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Yes, an important one, too.

On 14 August 2006, it was confirmed that Randy Lerner, owner of the Cleveland Browns and native Ohioan had reached an agreement of GB£62.6 million with Aston Villa for a takeover of the club.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Eric Lichaj (sp?)... he is in the reserves... I want to say he is 19 now?


as well as the owner of course

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

I don't think he would said that if it wasn't agreed by Villa.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

we honestly have no idea... I mean Jozy is supposedly going to ask Villarreal about the olympics this week... so who really knows...


but I doubt Villa wants to start the season without their #1

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Yes Lichaj. It's unclear what his outlook is for the upcoming season. Villa is very short in defense right now as far as numbers. Actually the whole team's only got like 20 senior players now. In defense they've got Bouma on the left, Laursen and Zat Knight in the middle, and young Curtis Davies. I think he's a centerback as well. They've got a young left-back named Stephen O'Hallaran that they're high on, but he's only 20 as well.

So unless they sign somebody, Eric Lichaj is one of the top rightbacks on the roster. This is why they've been linked with Frankie Simek recently. They haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave to sign some more defenders. This is a club that hopes to be in the UEFA Cup this season after going thru the Intertoto cup, and their roster is paper thin.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

The Shadow knows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

The blogosphere in Villaland is all aflutter that they're going to sign Brad Friedel as well. Guzan would be the #2 this season.

I know it sounds crazy. Man City have also been linked with Friedel recently. You wouldn't think he'd move from Blackburn, but there are multiple clubs linked with him in the press. If there's smoke there must be some kind of fire. Could just be incense though.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

He said he wanted to go if asked, nothing about him Nowak picking him or Villa saying he can go. I think most players would want to go if asked it's just clubs can hold them by the balls. Ask Ronaldinho.

Sadly Villa can always shut him down, Right now I don't think they have another keeper of his quality on hand.

They may get Finnan in the Barry deal. I hope Lichaj gets minutes.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Yep, it all depends if they plan to start him as the #1 this season or not. If they get a quality veteran for this season, and plan to give Guzan a year of grooming, then he obviously would be available for the Olympics.

Ask yourself this. Is Guzan ready to start in the premiership right away? I honestly don't know. I don't know how Villa could either.

You never know though. ManU didn't plan on having Howard start right away. He simply went and won the spot over Barthez in the pre-season and early season schedule. If Guzan's off at the Olympics, he won't have that same opportunity.

You're correct about Finnan. He'd fit nicely and they've got a spot available.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Nowak might, of course, put Freddy in the goal, to teach him a lesson or something. But hard to believe that they didn't discuss it with Villa.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

If they still had Mellberg I would through him in. 4/5 months to an entire season on the bench won't hurt, one positive is Villa isn't that foreign to him after his experience in January.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

You never know. We thought Jozy and Villarreal had an understanding when they bought him. Didn't seem like they did. Plus in England I don't know how much they value he Olympic games, the continent seems different. It's not a deal breaker but some of the English clubs seem less tolerant of the tournament. If it did come up I guess they would put it under the "we'll when we get there" file.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Though push won't come to shove, I'm sure, per FIFA's recent clarification, Nowak could call U-23 Altidore as of right, but not 23+ Guzan.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

If you wait for a free, you then risk someone else getting involved and losing him.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

This is the real issue here. FIFA has pretty much clarified this sitation. Clubs can't reject the call-up of U23's, but can keep the overage players from attending. If the US calls up Altidore, there's really nothing Villarreal can do about it but complain.

If Villa plan on having Guzan be their #1 this season, there's no way they let him go to the Olympics. If Guzan's gone for the warm-up tourney in Hong Kong as well, he'd miss virtually the entire pre-season and up to 5 games for Villa (Intertoto Cup, UEFA Cup qualifiers potentially, early premiership season). All this for a tournament that European clubs see as a nuisance, and not anything important.

This is virtually open and shut, UNLESS Villa don't see Guzan as their #1 for this season....................

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Plus, according to Ives, he went for $1.5M (£750K).

Half a season rental for Villa, to get the guy into shape.

As a side note, Villa did buy Steve Sidwell from Chelsea yesterday/today.

A smaller squad is getting bigger.

PS. According to the LA Times/AP/ESPN - if you follow the soccer links to the top sports stories of the day - Brett Favre asked for his release from the Packers ... what an effin' idiot.

 

Re: Guzan sold to Aston Villa (Sideline Views)

Until they lose Barry tomorrow...........

Really Villa is paper thin. If they get Finnan as part of the Barry deal, he just fills a completely empty hole. Guzan is filling a completely empty hole.

People talk about the job done by Moyes and Redknapp last season. I actually think the job done by O'Neill was the best in the prem. Paper-thin squad, lots of young players, and he finishes 6th? They finished 11th and 16th the two previous years Very, very good. Lerner needs to keep splashing the cash, because this guy knows what he's doing.