http://www.randersfc.dk/index.php?afd=1&side=2719 Lee Nguyen and Will John have both been signed by Randers FC in Denmark. Lee 1 1/2 year contract and will John on 1 year contract according to a poster in YA that actually speaks Danish. Good move for both. Lee Nguyen hasn't gotten the desired playing time at PSV, and now he needs to prove that he's a consistent starter in Denmark. If he can play well there, he certainly can be put back into the frame for the USMNT. He certainly should be an option for the Olympic team either way.
I read your title. I read your text. And I was about to type that this report had to be bullshit because there is no way either player would qualify for a UK work permit. What a difference a letter makes.
I like Nguyen, I think he has monster potential. Hopefully this will polish him up and he can eventually be a good player for the USMNT. Time will tell, of course.
Yes, he has the potential to be very good. And I think if he's getting playing time with Randers, then he should be a lock to play on the Olympic team. To be fair, there aren't a ton of naturally left-sided players in the player pool. Stuart Holden can play there, as he did for Houston after Brad Davis went down. I suspect that's where you'd play Holden too, because the center of midfield has a lot more depth. I guess you could play Arturo Alvarez there as well, but I definitely like him better in the middle. For the full national team, Nguyen hasn't proven to me that he's better than Justin Mapp, Brad Davis, and others from MLS. There's a bit of quality lacking in that position for the US right now with Beasley's injury and Convey not playing particularly well. It'll be interesting to see who Bob picks for the Mexico game to play there.
Count me in the other camp. I don't think Lee has shown himself to be a particularly outstanding player, and he should be well on the outside looking in for the US Olympic Team. If he develops into something special in Denmark, good for him. But he's not ready now.
Randers are having a decent season so far in the Danish league: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables?league=den.1&cc=5901 They are currently 6th, and look to be safe from relegation. Last year they won the Danish Cup by beating Esbjerg fB. As Cup winners, Randers FC competed in the UEFA Cup, where they were eliminated after a 5-1 ( 2-1 away and 0-3 home) loss on aggregate to Fenerbahçe SK. That's pretty good for a team from a Danish town of only 55k, with a stadium which only holds 12k. So Randers has been doing quite well, and isn't a team we can assume Nguyen will just walk into and start. Of course 3 of the bottom 5 teams in Denmark have Americans on them. Esbjerg-Tally Hall AGF Aarhus-Jeremiah White Viborg FF-Robbie Russell The leaders in Denmark this season are none other than AaB, whose captain is Danny Califf. One American (Brede Hangeland) just left FC Copenhagen for Fulham in the English premier league. Hangeland was born in Houston, but moved to Norway when he was really young. He's now a Norwegian international.
Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven both play on the left at time. Arturo Alvarez plays on the left or the right, but rarely, if ever, in the center. So, there is real competition there at the Olympic Level. If Nguyen gets time, he will be legitimate contender, though of course he won't be available for the qualifying.
That is great for Lee. I hope he can stay healthy. I wonder if PSV was able to off his salary or whether he has signed a new deal?
And if I am not mistaken both started in there first match with Randers and apparently Lee scored the second goal in a 4-1 win against Hobro (?). Here is a link in Danish, I don't speak it but I can read Lee's name in the goal scorers summary. http://www.randersfc.dk/index.php?afd=1&side=2722