Gibbs added to roster for Canada...

I also read that Ougchi went back to the States during the break.

 

That's good to see. I have no idea if Gibbs will pan out, but we need to get a few more lefty defenders into the mix. IIRC, Boca and Barrett had been the only other natural left-sided defenders called in post-WC. That's a great start, but we'll certainly need more.

 

Nice, Gibbs can play left back or left center back. He usually doesn't play as a left back for St. Pauli though. He actually survived quite amazingly well in the Bundesliga last year--I think he's got the goods to be there in 2006. He does need to get off that St. Pauli ship--they're sinking to relegation to the 3rd division if they don't turn it around bigtime in the 2nd half of the season.

 

Nice to see BA reaching out to him like this. Gibbs must be delighted at this opportunity.

Of course, he may not be around for the Canada match itself (when would a Bundesliga 2 player be expected back with his club?) A club manager might excuse him for a day or two if he's in training anyway and has a chance to suit up for his country, but if that's getting close to the resumption of the club season they may want him to come back to Germany (and BA consistently avoids unnecessary conflict with Euro club managers).

At any rate, he will get a good luck in the camp.

 

It might be in St. Pauli's best interest for Gibbs to play in the game. Let's face it, they're going to have to offload tons of salary if they go down again, and showcasing a young defender in an international match might help them.

 

Well I hope they at least videotape this game then.

 

I believe that his contract is still valid if they relegate to the Regionaliga.

I'm not sure when the Bundesliga resumes. IIRC it's mid February.

 

What about the rest of the Bundesliga crew? Dolo, Casey, et al?

 

Screw miniABMOD dolo. Glad to see gibbs though. We'll see how he does indeed pan out.

 

LOL! I agree about Stevie The Wonderboy. He's not even close to what we need on the national team. Of course I said the same thing about surfer before the WC...

-Kevin

 

Re: Re: Gibbs added to roster for Canada...

give cherundolo a chance. he starts in the bundesliga day in and day out... and holds his own! he may lack the height, but he has heart and some skill. he's kinda like a hejduk up-grade.

 

glad to see that gibbs is getting a look. but we're not sure that he's any better than barrett or boca are we? he may not even make the cut!!

don't care to get a look a dolo on the right. we know what he CAN'T do. we need to see how good gooch is as compared to suarez and victorine.

up front, the guy who is on break right now, and who bruce should have called up is casey. is he still injured? or what?

 

How would they do that since it's not even being televised?

 

is it not even being televised in canada?

he is still recovering from an injury...

he i suppose to be ready to start playing again with the beginning of the second half of the bundesliga season...

 

I unfortunately don't speak German, but I believe the link below indicates that the 2.Bundesliga starts up again on Jan. 24 (which, according to today's SoccerAmericaDaily, is also when the Bundesliga re-starts). So if he plays on the 18th, he'd have less than a week to get back and prep with St. Pauli before the re-start.

http://de.sports.yahoo.com/football/2.bundesliga/calendar/regular/2003_01.html

Here's St. Pauli's schedule:

http://de.sports.yahoo.com/football/2.bundesliga/calendar/regular/fcstpauli.html

 

I really don't understand the rabid anti 'dolo sentiment around here. Sure, he had some rough times in the WCQ's this time around, but after another 4 years starting for Hannover in Germany's top league I don't think it is a stretch to think he will improve. I'm not saying he's the answer, but to write him off, while being happy we're bringing in a guy who's going to be playing Div III in Germany next year, doesn't make much sense to me.

Scumby

P.S. I hope Gibbs does well. Really. I hope the same for all US players.

 

The anti dolo sentiment comes from his lack of size and heading ability for a back. He has ok pace, but nothing to get excited about. His skills are pretty good on the ball. The bottom line is his overall athletic ability is not in the top 18 for national team players.

I do think he has a better chance for playing time as a wide mid in a 3-5-2 where his lack of height won’t be an issue. However, I would prefer a stronger Klein or a scrappy Olsen over him.

 

Gibbs - Canada

This is great for Gibbs. Any young player - and arguably moreso for a defender - benefits from gaining his first extended USNT experience in friendlies. Our complaints about Cherundolo should be tempered by the fact that our desperation for defenders in qualifying meant that, instead of starting out with a series of games against Canada and Bolivia or the like in friendlies, 'dolo had one game in 1999 - a friendly v. Jamaica - at age 20, then had a serious knee injury that kept him out for al of 2000. How many of us knew much about him when he took the field in Honduras in 2001?

'Dolo is a whopping 23. Barring injuries, that's a lot of upside we'll be seeing.

Plus, this is the Bruce modus operandi. Call in certain players you want an extended look at, leave ones you already know enough about home. 'Dolo was on the roster for J/K 2002. Bruce knows him.

 

Some aspects on what was said here:

Gibbs is one of three players who could be forced to play 3rd division for St Pauli next year. His salary is estimated with about 150 K, maybe there's a contractual reduction for about 20% - still a lot for D3, so they'd probably try to sell him (though the financing is not impossible, but it would create an uneven salary structure).

St Pauli won't be very delighted to see him go in the pre-season, but they are not in the position to say 'no'. Hannover would maybe disallow calling up Cherundolo. What about Sanneh? Is he taking part? Wouldn't be clever considering his position in Nürnberg.

I'm not hearing it for the first time on this board, but I got to laugh everytime I'm hearing that Cherundolo is too small for being a backer. He's got so many header situations outside of the box... Really ridiculous to consider this a valid criteria.

Regarding the abilities I don't see Gibbs near a first US team at the moment. He's got about the same average rating as Cherundolo - but one league lower (Sanneh's is half a class worse). For Gibbs a good chance to leave a first impression and I think that's what it is all about. Cherundolo isn't playing a great season either, but he's solid and having much less mistakes than Sanneh.

Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga resume playing on the last January weekend.

 

I believe Sanneh is going to be there to train with the US team in camp - mainly to try and speed his recovery from injury and be ready for the second half of the Bundesliga season. He's not going to play in the match though, as far as I know.

 

how many more we need, FIFA only allow 11 players on the pitch !.

 

Vanney, Burkhalter, Gooch? In a pinch, Lewis, Run-DMB, JOB.
If bruce was so confident in miniABMOD, why did it take a series of injuries and much soul searching to pick him over Mulrooney who'd never capped a WCQ & was playing out of posistion? He barely made it into the team photo in time.

 

Well, I suppose that’s one way to look at it.

But concepts like depth, injury, and current form lead most coaches to want to have several options. Not every team in WC qualifying, or at the WC, will have more than two reliable, naturally left-sided defenders, but you still need to make the effort to develop depth. Counting on certain guys in a “pinch” is something you do if you happen to find yourself in a pinch. You shouldn't set out with a deliberate policy of planning to play guys out of position.

Bruce stated several times that he learned last summer that the WC is a young man’s tournament and that he regretted not having prepared another young defender or two. Among possible options on the left side of defense in 06, Berhalter will be 33 and Vanney, Lewis, and Hedjuk will be 32.

That still leaves JOB, DMB, and Convey. But what sort of odds would you take for at least one or two of them being injured? If we have to use one of these guys in a pinch, then fine. But that shouldn’t be the plan this early in the process. We need to see whether several young, natural lefty defenders, Gibbs among them, pan out.

 

This is correct IMHO. Gibbs, in some ways could be considered a 1st division Bundesliga veteran since he played there last year. Even though he was inconsistent last year, he flashes huge long term potential IMHO. Most American players who have not gone through U17 residency will peak at a later age than your traditional European/South American prospects IMHO.

I'd expect Gibbs to be sold if St. Pauli drop. They WILL lose him after his contract is up in '04 anyways since he'll be looking to get on with a newly promoted Bundesliga side like Sanneh and Berhalter.