I'm sure I've asked this before but... I noticed Jovan Kirovski was included in the roster for the next camp. What is it that people see in Kirovski that he keeps getting chance after chance with the national team? He may be a competent club player but I've never seen him produce anything at the international level.
it does not matter what people see, it matterts what Bruce sees. He is a competent player, only 27 and Bruce wants him in the mix.We will see what he can do in MLS with regular work.
The Real Kirovski? I have to say that I have always been rooting for Jovan as he has game but rarely seems to put it together. He sometimes seems just a bit off in his touch and confidence, but when he is on he can be as good as many in the pool. I for one will be rooting for Kirovski to show us what he's got and make a great run up top with Ruiz this season. I predict that he will have a 10 goal and 10 assist season if he stays healthy and might even show us some real game in his control and intelligence. Whether it is enough to push him onto the nats for some WCQs - we will have to wait and see.
He's a useful player for games against most of the CONCACAF teams we're likely to face. Since the Euros won't always be available it's good to keep him in the mix.
Re: Re: Kirovski I know it doesn't matter what I or anyone here thinks. I'm just wondering if anyone here sees something that Bruce might but I don't. Even all the supportive responses to my query lacked anything specific. "Useful," "competent," "when he is on he can be as good as many in the pool." I suppose it's good to keep him in the mix in case he suddenly starts doing something internationally. It's just that when we play tougher teams, especially away, we need ruthless finishers who are going to take their chances because we're not going to get many (Witness the Holland match).
Re: Re: Re: Kirovski ok, I will try to be more specific.He is very skillful, much more skilled than most of the USA players.He is a bit slow and a bit lethargic, which is why is not a great player.But his skills are impressive. In his autobiography, Alax Fergusen talks a bit about Kirovski and how disappointed he was that Jovan could not get a work permit to play for Man U. Sir Alex said that he thought Jovan was a very good player.
I for one am pretty interested and somewhat excited to see what he could do over a full MLS season. When he was abroad, i don't believe he ever had a full season of starting with any team he was on, wether it was based on injuries or coach's decision. He has admittedly done little or nothing at the international level, but i think most could admit they have seen flashes at one time or another. Perhaps what he needs is the confidence of starting consistently and not getting hurt for a full season, and this is probably his best chance at that. Confidence is a very important attribute for the creative attacking type, and if he can get that back, we may be surprised at what he could offer.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Kirovski Hmmmm? Maybe Sir Alex should ask Birmingham City how it got JK into its squad. Perhaps Arena sees in JK what managers at Manchester United Youth, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon and Birmingham, among others, apparently have seen: a guy with talent and potential. Unfortunately, JK's A-Game comes only in flashes. He's been mostly a fringe player in the top European leagues and as an international. I hadn't seen that Ferguson tribute before, but it's hard to imagine JK in the same lineup with Scoles-Van Nistlerooy et al. I've been rooting for JK for a decade now, and he's been a disappointment almost every step of the way. I wish him well in Los Angeles except when he's playing DC United.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Kirovski it is infinitely documented how hard Sir Alex tried to get Kiro a work permit to play in the UK. Jovan enentually got it years later because of residence in Europe or married a Euro girl- I forget which. So Kiro's potential was not just ManU youth coaches.It was most definitely Sir Alex himself-his book is probably still available.Of course that is now water under the bridge. I am very curious to see how he will do this year.It is one of the most intriguing stories.
Re: The Real Kirovski? If LA had any sense, they'd keep Jovan away from forward and let guys who can actually score play that position (Moreno or especially Joseph Ngwenya who I have a hunch could be a major stud). About the only thing I've seen Kirovski do well is hold the ball under pressure in midfield and occassionally a decent shot from distance. How you put such a player to use, I don't know, but I'd be stunned if Kirovski scored 10 goals this year. I like it when people lecture US Nats fans about Kirovski and bring up his exploits at being signed and never playing for various Euro teams. It isn't like people are bagging on Kirovski as a Nat after a few minutes like Kreis or Twellman or Cunningham or something. I'm fairly certain that Jovan has more career minutes for the Nats than anyone else on that 18 man roster. This isn't Kenny Cooper. We've all seen plenty of Kirovski.
I've said it before, but when Kirovski wears the national team jersey, the jersey is worth more than he is.
prettyharsh.Let's see how he does this year and reconvene this discussion.I am agnostic but will be glad to see how he does.
I'm interested to see how JK does this year as a MLS benchmark. I think he got a fair shot in the last few years in England and basically seemed to be a solid D1 player, but marginal at the Premiership level.
he hardly played at all.It is hard to be more than marginal in 3 minutes of injury time, every third game! We shall see......
I think there are a couple of reasons that Bruce has called in JK for Haiti. One is that he's here and available, two is that, while he has not exactly blown anyone out of their seats, he does have 60 some caps and is a professional in the best sense - shows up, plays hard, etc. and last but not least, I think Bruce called him up because he can fill in both up top and at A-mid. Convey and LD are the only other A-mid in camp. While Bruce has perferred JK as a forward the last couple of years, he also has plenty of experience as an A-md. I mean, if you don't call up JK you're saying what, he's lower on the depth chart than Wolyniec?