Hoppe now Brough: Back at Middlesbrough FC

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by BostonRed, Nov 11, 2018.

  1. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He isn’t registered with senior team and was training with U21’s along with getting his picture taken with them. But, doesn’t seem to be getting game time with them so not sure if still training with them.
    Some say that a buyout by the club would have negative FFP implications. I believe they are hoping an MLS club steps in for the upcoming MLS window and that Hoppe is reasonable with expectations. All involved will have to endure a little pain for Hoppe to get his career going again. But, he can just continue sit where he is for next 18 months and get paid.
     
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  2. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I think the context you have to add here is that the period of time he showed promise was roughly 7 months... January 2021 - August 1st 2021 (the date of the Gold Cup final). I would argue that he slowed down at Schalke after a bright start, but he was still showing enough to get minutes.

    But it's coming up on 4 years since he showed that talent / potential... he's gotta find a club that will play him regularly or all that promise means nothing.

    I do think there's something to the fact that he moved to Mallorca and immediately got injured / picked up COVID, then dropped off. This might be more Nick Tattigue / Joe Gyau than Adu or Otasowie
     
  3. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I think the U21s play in PL2, which is now age-capped with a certain number of overage players allowed. He's not one of their overage players.
     
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  4. dspence2311

    dspence2311 Member+

    Oct 14, 2007
    He can play golf with Gareth Bale.

    Seriously, I am with those who saw something special in him (beyond 3 games in the BL) that never became consistent. I think that when you sign a succession of deals at different clubs in different leagues, and you don't play at any of those stops, your agent is working for himself more than he is working for you. Maybe he prefers the paycheck to developing his game, but I doubt that. I suspect he has just made some bad off the pitch professional choices.
     
  5. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    That's what most would do. I feel like if I were him, just sitting for years, I'd feel some urgency. he's 23 going on 24. How old will he be when his contract is up?
     
  6. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    That's a very big "if". It's very possible that someone was willing to take him on, but not at his salary and certainly not with a transfer fee on top. After his Quakes loan ended, I'm certain that Boro would have loaned him out to anyone, with them covering any difference in salary. That they had no takers or Hoppe was unwilling to go is a really bad sign.

    As for the "cautionary tale", dropping him from the squad tells everyone that poor discipline or lack of effort means the club will, if pushed, write your book value off the balance sheet to maintain standards. Yes, they will lose money but clubs with options that might have been interested in you, won't be.

    Marcus Rashford is a good example. Disciplinary issues and poor performance mean he'll leave, latest in the summer, even with United covering a chunk of his (inflated) £365,000-a-week wages. The team as a whole is sloppy and undisciplined, with him as the poster boy for those traits. Hoppe is far less important at Boro and he's chump change in value.
     
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  7. adam tash

    adam tash Member+

    Jul 12, 2013
    Barcelona, Spain
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i think hes one of those players that is good at improvising and freestyling but not very good at fitting into a coaches gameplan and following instrctions etc

    the modern game and modern coaches simply reject any player like this....but given freedom and playing time im convinced he could produce even at very high levels
     
  8. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    If the modern game requires players who fit gameplans and Hoppe doesn't, why would he be able to produce at a decent level?
     
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  9. kruck

    kruck BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    BostonRed, DCU1984 and TimB4Last repped this.
  10. DCU1984

    DCU1984 Member+

    Jan 15, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Glad he is free. Curious to see what MLS interest is like. Seemed like he did alright on his loan.

    Wouldn't mind him at DC but he may want to go back to CA if possible.
     
  11. HScoach13

    HScoach13 Member+

    Nov 30, 2016
    Club:
    Atlanta
    My understanding that San Jose owns his discovery rights.
     
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  12. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I was a little surprised he took the loan in the first place. The reporting about ATL sniffing around him while he was in Spain made it seem like he was a "hard pass" on any move to MLS.

    Personally, I suspected he "wasn't wanted" by SJ due to salary impact or he rejected the move, not because he failed to impress. He wasn't amazing, but he was clearly good enough to contribute to the club.
     
  13. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Looks like I was wrong:

     
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  14. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    Which is where he'll probably wind up. There have been too many straws in the wind pointing in that direction

    Colour me sceptical about him making any impact but I've been proved wrong before (Ledezma, Haji) and I'd like it to happen again
     
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  15. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    Looking forward to see him fcking out on Bruce's team. Must be fun.
     
  16. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I'm not a huge Quakes follower, but Bogert is reporting that SJ has acquired Chicho Arango (!!!), so IDK how much room they have for Hoppe (in terms of his preferred positions). Feels like their fans weren't happy with their wingers last season, but that doesn't negate the fact that they have quite a few players under contract in that position.

    If he does wind up in MLS, it'll be interesting to see what kind of salary he'll be on. Per the CBA, he was making ~$650k/yr with SJ.
     
  17. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #4992 bshredder, Jan 10, 2025
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2025
    If you go through the list, every single MLS team has multiple forwards with a better pedigree than Hoppe. The question for Hoppe is whether he is willing to be a backup forward and be a backup winger too. If he does well, he can climb up the depth chart. But at this point, he's probably not close to being a starting No. 9 on any MLS team where everyone is healthy.
     
  18. MayaDempsey

    MayaDempsey Member+

    Jul 29, 2014
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    He’d get plenty of run here in Nashville. Wouldn’t be the starting 9, like you said, but he’d play a bunch.
     
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  19. kruck

    kruck BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    Yea, I don't think any MLS team would be bringing in Hoppe at this point expecting him to be walking into their XI.
     
  20. naopon

    naopon Member+

    Jan 2, 2007
    California
    Club:
    Kawasaki Frontale
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I watched most of Hoppe's minutes with SJ and while I'm not exactly a fan, he'd be fine as competition for backup 9 against Preston Judd and Ousseni Bouda. I don't think the loan from Boro ever had a chance of being converted due to the financials, but reasonable as a $90k vet minimum flyer.
     
  21. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Come back to coal miner country!
     
  22. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    West Virginia?
     
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  23. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    True, but does Hoppe realize that?
     
  24. teamitup76

    teamitup76 Member

    Mar 25, 2003
    CA
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kid had a hat trick that probably screwed up his development.
     
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  25. Bruce S

    Bruce S Member+

    Sep 10, 1999
    Revs? We are usually pathetic all over the field. And looking for the cheapest possible solution.
     

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