Ipoua has scored 5 goals for Gillingham in 22 league appearances (11 as a starter) this season. He's 27 years old, originally from Cameroon, and is 6ft tall. Here's an article from Gillingham's website on his trial with the Burn: http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.p.../breaking_news_detail/0,,10416~372066,00.html
I'm predicting that Dallas will not be able to attract any new foreign players of note to the team as long as they are playing on that monstrosity in Southlake. What would you think if you were a visiting player on trial?
I guess it hinges upon what you mean by "players of note." Dallas isn't in a bad situation (having a little cap room and an SI slot and a serious interest in adding another player). Here's why: 1. There are a lot of pretty bad, decrepid stadia overseas. We see the new places in the Premiership but that's not the standard (especially for lower divisions or other countries). 2. Lots of people want to come to the USA--even if it's only for a couple of months--to experience the country, see a few sights. To do it and get paid--what a deal! 3. This is the chance for a lot of players out of contract to use a couple of months to impress people--and attract a much better salary. Thus, Dallas actually has a chance of getting decent talent for dirt-low wages. The catch is that said talent (I would think) (a) has to view the Dallas situation as one where they're likely to play (and therefore get a chance to impress) and (b) it's a 1-year deal (with the chance for an early out if they get an attractive offer from a European or mid-east club). With a depressed Euro transfer market and terrible South American economies, MLS is now an attractive way to regain your form or showcase your abilities to earn a better contract. The issue would then be if you've got someone who has the right attitude about it. There's obviously a big difference between a Morrow (who comes here with the mindset that he's ending his career with Dallas and this is his profession) vs. a Mattheus who is here on holiday and intends to get a paycheck too!
Gillingham is middle of the table in DIV 1- not too shabby. How anyone at Dallas saw him I don't know - but hopefully he is a diamond in the rough looking for some solid playing time. I like Bobby Rhine and all - but we have to try something. We can't just leave money and an SI slot on the table all season and wait for the perfect situation. Hopefully things work out and he doesn't mind a little heat and rug burn.
On the other hand, the Burn cannot take a medicre player just becuase there is some cap room and an open SI slot. Jeffries has said this a number of times. Jeffries is not looking for a striker. He is looking for a savior.
He said he was looking for a "high impact difference maker." Not a savior, they don't have that kind of cap room.
"High Impact Difference Maker" could mean a player with skills that fills a unique role on the roster. For instance, Dallas has a lot of defenders but I'd bet everyone agrees that Morrow plays a unique role (with his experience, judgment and organization skills) that no-one else on the roster matches. If Jeffries means "high impact difference maker" in that context, I'd think there are a lot of good options out there for the Burn (and relatively inexpensive ones too)--the trick would be not jumping too soon for someone that is good but isn't quite the right fit.
I think we've discovered that the world is awfully distorted from a British perspective. First we learn in the Clarridge non-announcement that summertime highs in Dallas reach even 28c(82F). Now we learn that 6'0" is considered giant-sized.
Hey, no need to get all sweaty just cause you live in a climate more accustomed for lizards. As the song says "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun" (Providing it's not 28 degrees). Gillingham may be Div 1, but this striker hasn't played in the first team for ages.
Yeah, that's entertaining. I'm 6'1", have been since I was in high school, where I was decidedly below average in height
Actually the average height of an American male is about 5'10". Perhaps people were saying you're below average "size," meaning something else entirely.
Believe me, you're going to see more of him. It's just that he has had a hard time staying healthy. If he was 100%, he probably would have played 90 last Saturday.
True but bear in mind that EJ probably still won't be ready for 90 against NE. He's had 20mins action in the last few months.
I don't know, it's still 10 days before the NE match. He'll have had 2 weeks of practice to get where he needs to be. Surely by then he'll be fit enough to start. Hopefully the Burn will start firing on all cylinders in about a month when Pareja, Countess, and EJ all get healthy.
First off, I say it's a great thing that Jeffries is looking for the "diamonds in the rough". Some of these guys can completely gel with a new team and be a dynamo on the cheap. I'm not totally lunking Carlos Ruiz in this category, but it's very similar that a complete unknown came in and kicked ass in MLS. However, I am a big fan of Snoop Eddie Ed and think he would be at Donavan's level if he would just have the time to play, make mistakes, AND LEARN from the American topflite. The guy is Troy Aikman during his first two years with that team that plays at Texas Stadium. The talent is there and needs some sacrificial (yes, some losing games early in the season) to hone the skills that can get you guys into MLS Cup. But I'm ranting. And I'm in LA. Peace, tm
If a MLS starter is injured and comes back to the lineup several games later, it usually takes a bit of time to ge reacclimated. I'm not so sure this is the kind of case scenario you can apply to a young hopeful like EJ. It's just too early in his career to account for wisdom and saavy.
It is very possible that the game breaking striker is in the Burn camp already, wearing number 7 or 20. Perhpas not. Let's see who turns up next month.