Now this is just training, not a trial. If Chelsea signs Noonan it would signal a rather abrupt shift in team policy.
This is crazy. He'll never get PT at Chelsea. He needs to go somewhere where he has a chance to play!
Noonan is obviously class for MLS, but why would Chelsea want him to train with them? Can someone give an explanation to do this justice? Does MLS ask European clubs to entertain some of its premier players? Why Noonan?
He's probably a better practice player than many players on their youth teams, partially as a function of being an adult. They're not paying him, and they get a willing and eager practice player good enough to be capped by a good national team and lead a decent league in scoring. Gee, terrible deal for Chelsea.
I guess you hadnt noticed that Noonan came in last season when a former Premier League player was injured (Joe-Max Moore) and became a star (having been an Indiana star and NCAA standout for years). This season I think he was the joint top goal scorer in MLS and has featured in the US NATIONAL team setup - and remember he is with a team that struggled all season to make the playoffs. He is a class player and the Chelsea experience will make him better. He aint goin' there for the Kings Road shopping you bunch of morons.......
Methinks someone with the Revs knew someone at Chelsea and asked a favor. A great experience for the kid, something to measure himself by and to challenge himself. Hell, you never know. The kid at Watford went from Fire reserves to the Coca Cola Championship after being seen in a preseason friendly so anything is possible.
Its possible that Steve Nicol knows Chelsea Asst Mgr Steve Clarke from their playing days in the old English 1st Division.
Considering that Steve Nicol and Pete Mariner had a teeny weeny bit of experience with the English top clubs, I'll reckon that if they had asked a few favors, then some folks in charge were more than willing to cooperate, especially in a no-lose proposition. IMO, while Pat is a rather poorly skilled forward, he is athletic enough to cause a little havoc against smaller teams as is. And, if this training sessions earns him some attention from the smaller Euro leagues, he can thank Steve and Pete for giving him a leg up on future endeavors. Maybe within a year or two, he'd be misreading passing angles in Jupiler or Eredivisie or at least using the Euro attention to get a decent salary bump from MLS.
Jesus, reading this thread youd think Noonan were John Wolyniec. Hey, hes probably not Chelsea material (how many people are these days?), but the kid isnt chopped liver either. If anything I think hes one of the better fits in MLS for European football. Never ceases to amaze me how people play favorites on this board, completely throwing themselves before some players and completely trashing other players.
There's more similarity between Pat Noonan and John Wolyniec than Pat Noonan and anyone at Stamford Bridge.
You sort of missed the point in your rush to be the biggest euro-snob on this board.Noonan is a 24 year old who was tied for the MLS top scorer this year, and was right up there among rookies last year. Not a journeyman, but one of the best young players in MLS. But he played in MLS and hes not a golden boy so he must really suck badly. Hell, Im suprised as anybody to hear this, as it is fricking "the best team money can buy" Chelsea, but people are talking about Noonan like hes some trash player. The guy can play, and while his work ethic isnt always up to par your statement that hes unskilled is laughable.