Does anyone think he is going backwards in his career? He would have been a starter here next year. Instead his ass will be warming the benches for West Brom; or even playing with the reserves. I dont see how that is career advancement.
Well if he goes out on loan from West Brom to another club in the Championship, he may be get the opportunity to impress but time will tell...
been watching haber for the past few months and i have to agree with the Shiek on this 1-- haber has 2 goals -- 1 from the penalty spot-- in 14 games while playing with the Caps this spring-- not stunning stats for a player hoping to catch on in the english pro game!! the last 5 games in england last winter with a lower division club netted him 0 goals simply put-- haber will not last in the UK unless he goes to a much lower division, and will struggle to find a home in the MLS when he does return-- typical canadian player-- lots of courage, effort, physical presence and conditioning, but not the skill or real ability to make the grade to professional soccer the caps must bring in some player who can put the ball into the net on a consistent basis and not get injured as often as james does
There were multiple Haber threads where people were ripping my viewpoint that he is not top level European material. Hopefully some of the people who tried to discredit me will see the light on Mr. Haber. He can, if he works hard, end up forging a career in MLS (Maybe...)... otherwise he will hop around from team to team in the lower English leagues for several years.
Its been discussed already. Nobody ever claimed he can play at the European top level... there you go again with exaggeration and hyperbole.
These threads aren't long, Shiek, find a single quote from someone saying he is top level European material. You can't, because it doesn't exist. The only issue anyone has ever had with what you said about Haber was your comment about him being a traitor for leaving the Whitecaps and going to Europe. If Haber fails to stick at West Brom, he certainly won't be the first and definitely won't be the last player to crack under the pressure of playing in Europe.
Many people felt he was suitable to play in Europe. And tried to discredit me when I said he wouldn't make it in Europe.
Find a quote, Shiek. If there are many people that said this, it should be easy to find. I'll even help, here are the links to all the threads where Haber has been mentioned: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1289223&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1398448&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1219395&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1334763&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1300267&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1179281&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1172731&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1170292&highlight=Haber https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1115850&highlight=Haber To save you even more time, you don't even have to bother looking because I've already gone through and there isn't a single person saying that Haber is top flight European quality and that he'll stick in Europe.
I am awestruck at the new levels of trolling by you. Making it in Europe and being top European material are two different things. Good luck to Haber, I thought, prior to this last spell here at WFC, that he could make it at the Championship level, or perhaps below, or elsewhere in Europe. Now I'm thinking he NEEDS to be there to have coaches that know what they are doing polish his raw abilities into something better.
You of all people felt he SHOULD be in Europe. I clearly feel he will NOT make it there. Trying to discredit me by calling me a Troll!!!I am very disappointed.
I was right about Haber (and alot of my "news" posts were correct as well). Stop trying to discredit me and just enjoy the discussion.
The IronShiek's sources have informed me he has been loaned to St. Johnstone of the SPL and scored in his debut match in a friendly against a Man U youth squad. It sounds like he's expected to get some good minutes with them.
When I found out about the loan; I had to chuckle a bit. He won't make it there either. I find it humorous that you consider a goal in a friendly against Man U teenagers to be some sort of accomplishment and validation of his talent.
*Purely for arguments sake*, if Haber miraculously led Canada to the WC Final in 2014 and scored 3 goals in the final including the game winner, you'd still have it out for him. Or... knowing your delusional ways you'd somehow take credit for it and claim you'd always known what a great player he'd one day become.
Why dont you share with me why you are so dedicated to this guy. What is it about his game that makes you think he will "make it big"? I have been doing talent evaluations for a long time and I don't see him getting much beyond 3rd tier europe or 2nd tier in North America (other than the occassional short term loan which ends in failure). I do not even see him as MLS material.
Shiek, if you have the knowledge you say you have then try to explain to me how he keeps getting moved around within WBA's grip and in Holland before his stint with VWFC? Obviously scouts and managers see some ability. Here's what we know about him, things you can't teach: 1. He's physically very big at 6'3 2. He's physically very fit and not injury prone 3. He has immense pace 4. He can and will play a physical style of game Here's what we don't know about him: 1. Can he show he has the ability to score consistently? 2. Will he at some point be re-trained as a winger? 3. Can he further develop a vision for the field and build up play? 4. Can he turn his raw assets into something that would make him proficient at his role in football further up in the leagues in Europe or North America? Here's what this deal does for him and St Johnstone (I have a very good knowledge of the SPL as I am a rabid supporter of Skint Rangers FC ) 1. He will get a decent amount of playing time as their former big man/target man Striker has moved to Falkirk and he has the physical package to compete in the very physical and hard SPL 2. He fills a U-21 Team sheet requirement for them as either a starting XI Striker or first choice Substitute. (In the SPL teams must include 3 players 21 or younger in their matchday 18 players 11 starting, 7 substitutes) 3. His contract will either terminate July 1 2011 or WBA will extend based on his performance during this loan in Scotland, so he is basically playing for his future in Europe, if you can't cut it for a bad to average SPL team the likelihood of making it elsewhere in Europe is slim to none. Hopefully this works out well for him, I've always said that if he can get into the hands of manager/trainer that can make a proper footballer out of his outstanding God-given attributes (Size, pace, fitness) the sky is truly the limit for him. You also have to consider that a player in this stage of his career coming from North America is years behind what a player of his age is coming out of a proper football academy in Europe. Being raised in Canada and playing youth football in Canada prior to his stint in Holland was a stumbling block to his development... all those bad habits and such that is rife in Soccer in NA has to be undone or continue to be undone overseas. good luck to him, I'd wager that he will be an average player for an average to bad team in the Bad SPL this year, and he will have his option exercised for next year and will remain WBA property. As far as National Team implications, he will struggle to unseat a few of the other players that are in competition for the Striking position within the National setup imho, although we really don't have any real standouts at the position. A good year in the SPL up front and scoring goals is nothing but good for the National Team and the growth of reputation of Canadian football.
This part is why he is getting chances; and the fact he is young. WBA is willing to take this low cost chance on the slim hope he can make something happen. It is clear he will not get much beyond what he is now. And yes, he will bounce around a few more times; but he will not become a starter for anything beyond the tiers I mentioned in my last post. And no, I dont consider SPL to be "1st tier" football beyond your glorious Rangers and those Celtics you love so much. You are basing your arguments for Haber on pure speculation and fantasy.
Just like you are basing your arguments for his failure on speculation and fantasy that he won't make anything of his physical attributes. It's no fantasy of mine that he takes off and makes it big time... Would I like to see it happen for him? Sure, Do I really Care? No. I just don't get why you are hacking him down at every chance.
Well, he turned his back on the Whitecaps in order to chase some pipe dream. And, I have watched him enough to know how far he can go. He could have had a great career with the Caps, maybe even MLS... but he has lost that and may not get it back.