Juan Agudelo in "search" of a Club

I think you're mistaken.

https://twitter.com/JuanAgudelo

 

Bought by Stoke and loaned to a Belgian club for 2 years

 

ah excuse me

 

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stok...Juan-Agudelo/story-19596746-detail/story.html

 

That is not good enough. Without ownership, a Belgian side doesn't have incentive to develop him as a player.

 

My thoughts on hearing this rumor

 

This all appears to stem from Stoke Loud and Proud on Twitter, which is one of those fan run sites which pretend to have sources at the club. They have got some stuff right in the past, but the saying "throw enough shit" comes to mind.

We do appear to be shopping for Americans a lot at the moment. Must be something to do with all the links to Austin Aztecs, or whatever they are called now

 

I am not all that opposed to a move to Stoke, assuming Juan gets/is healthy.

Juan is two years older and has played twice as many club games than had Jozy when the latter moved to Villarreal at 18. And, to be honest, the opportunity for playing time and style of play at Stoke are likely more favorable to Juan than Villarreal was initially for Jozy.

 

Yeah - I don't see how this rumor has any merit... You'll notice that sentinel article mentions zero sources - even no "...unnamed sources connected with the club"... plus, I'd be very surprised if he could pull off a work permit for the move anyways...

 

Turns out he is really Columbian anyway.
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/story-19596746-detail/story.html#axzz2ah2YqUDW

 

You've GOT to love a Ren and Stimpy reference from out of nowhere. Brilliant.

 

Seventeen full national team caps before the age of 21 is a pretty good case to put before the appeals committee, no? Tim Ream got through with a weaker resume, and maybe some other guys too....

 

Not really. Pertinent points bolded. He is nowhere near the base criteria...

Criteria:
A non-EU player applying for the permit must have played for his country in at least 75% of its competitive 'A' team matches for which he was available for selection during the previous two years, and his country must have averaged at least 70th place in the official FIFA world rankings over the previous two years. If a player does not meet those criteria, the club wishing to sign him may appeal if they believe that he is a special talent and "able to contribute significantly to the development of the game at the top level in the UK.

Agudelo Appearnces:
2013: No senior A-Team appearances. 2012: Made one appearance for the senior team, entering as a substitute and setting up Michael Bradley's goal in the 2-2 draw against ninth-ranked Russia on Nov. 14 in Krasnodar ... 2011: Played a career-high 14 games for the U.S., the first player on the team to reach that number in the calendar year … Appeared in five of the U.S.’s six games in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, adding the assist on both of Clint Dempsey’s game-winners, against Canada and Jamaica … Scored the tying goal against Argentina on March 26 … 2010: Made his first full MNT appearance and scored against South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge on Nov. 17, 2010 in Cape Town … Under-20s: Made six appearances for the U-20s, scoring in the 2010 Northern Ireland Milk Cup win against Denmark … Under-17s: Played 15 matches for the U-17 MNT, including two appearances at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria … First Appearance: Nov. 17, 2010, vs. South Africa … First Goal: Nov. 17, 2010, vs. South Africa.

 

I cant even think of the last American to be denied a permit on appeal. It's been a complete non issue the last couple of years. I hope there's truth to these rumors.

 

Who was that kid who tried to sign on with Preston, but we all knew had zero chance of getting the work permit?

Notre Dame kid......................ended up with the Rapids?

 

I know Dillon Powers is a Notre Dame kid who is with the Rapids now...don't remember him being linked to PNE though.

 

No it wasn't Powers. This was a former youth national that was drafted into MLS, but instead went on a Euro trialing adventure. It'll come to me shortly.

Edit: Greg Dalby..................who was even captain of our U20's at one point.

I'm sure there are more recent examples. Brad Guzan was reportedly going to have initial work permit problems when he was going to sign for Celtic.

 

Yeah but the past few years it has been a completely different situation.

 

That was about 6 years ago and he is the last case I can remember of any of our established pro's having an issue with receiving a WP in the UK.

 

Nah, he never went to any college, let alone Columbia...

 

These are the requirements to get one's application automatically granted. I thought we were talking about the strength of his application before the appeals committee, no?

 

Bobby Convey was the last, IIRC, to be denied a work permit to move to (ironically Spurs) in 2003. But IMO, Agudelo's petition will not go through appeals. He would have to get a LOS from JK (ala BB for Feilhaber) and I don't think JK will give his stamp of approval. Agudelo has been on the outside looking in to the NT since May 2012.

 

My point was that two caps in two years is nowhere close the baseline requirements... If he was somewhere closer to the middle, ok he's got something to appeal on and at least discuss...

Plus ... his exclusion from the Gold Cup is a red flag in particular IMO as 'recency' is concerned. If he was called for the GC, played well, etc., he'd likely get a LOS from Klinsi - but Klinsmann isn't calling him up anymore.

So yeah, I'd say his appeal case would be very weak.

But who knows... anything can happen...

 

A small tangent - even though it is irrelevant these days since Americans are winning their work permit appeals, exactly 0 Americans currently are at the 75% mark due to the 2013 Gold Cup.

 

From late June after Gold Cup roster announced.

Klinsmann on Agudelo: "We wish him to be more consistent. ... He still has to learn that. ... Too many ups and downs."

We could argue both sides. Maybe a move to England and being in a top class environment will push him to be more consistent.