Stunned by this development. If Maldini sticks around as a coach, Gooch will learn something. But will he see any action? I think this is the biggest development from US soccer standpoint because Gooch was playing and starting for another European club. All the other signings were based on potential.
This. I like the odds of Gooch playing for a mid table team in Italy MUCH better, and so close to a World Cup? This COULD be a disaster. But hey, it's still great for a number of reasons...
He's competing for a starting spot. And the other CB who is assured a spot whose name escapes me gets injured every other week. Not to mention Champions League and the national cup. PLENTY of opportunities for Gooch to both get minutes, and improve that god awful distribution.
I would say Spector's move was more of a team taking a flyer on a youngster and seeing if he would pan out. While still prestigious in it's own right that an American kid at that age was picked up by the likes of Man U, this is the first time that a TOP club in a top 4 league has purchased a US field player in the prime of their career based on the merits of their existing club career (note, this isn't the first time Gooch has frustrated Fernando Torres; Liverpool barely got by Liege in the CL qualifier last year after two scoreless legs and an extra time winner at the death) and performance on the international stage. Spector's was important, but this has the makings of being the biggest step to accepting US internationals in the prime of their career and justifying a fair transfer fee at a big club. Landon's shot at Bayern seems like the only thing close, even though it didn't stick.
Exactly!!! Thank you. The negative people on this board are pissing me off and demanding that we spell it out down to the letter how this is light years ahead of Spector getting picked up on Man U's youth team and then getting jettisoned when he couldn't cut it there. How hard is that to understand?? Gooch is in the prime of his career, and purchased based on his steady club reputation and performance in an international tournament. Never happened before for a US player with a club this big. EVER. Period. Sure, there are a million 'what if's' that would suck. Well, what if he blew out his knee? So what? He has an opportunity and that's all we've asked for some of our top players to have the opportunity to go win a job. Donovan at Bayern wasn't a real opportunity. Just a loan where every touch of the ball was judged and a potential to be sent home or not see the pitch again. Far cry from a 3 year contract where there is time and vested interest in the club to get the player on the field. Given the number of games in the Serie A, Copa Italia, and the European games...I see Gooch playing at least 20 games this year, minimum. Sure, 40-50 would be better, but there's is no doubt as long as he plays enough to stay in form - what he learns from training each day alone will make him all the much better. So excited for him. Congrats. Now let's get Donovan placed.....
Great move for AMerican soccer, this will only help open doors for americans to the Serie A. I am sure scouts will be watching MLS for players now depending on how well he does.
Because that wasn't the issue bungwad. " Originally Posted by MarioKempes This is massive. You could argue that this is the biggest club that a US player has ever played at" Yes this is huge and a great step for US Soccer
I looked it up from the revenue side. Thought it was interesting how close the two clubs are: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloitte_Football_Money_League Regardless, this is a big deal for a US field player. And agree totally with the comment that this is different than other field player signings (like Spector to ManU) based on potential. This one was based on performance.
And I'll be petty right back...I said, if you read the words, that Birmingham MAY be as good as it gets for Gooch. I avoid straight out predictions, and focus on probabilities. Too subtle for some, I know, but there it is. And, frankly, fess up: did ANYONE see this coming? Reading this thread, which includes words like "stunned" -- suggests that, indeed, no one did. So, we'll see how this plays out. If Gooch gets 25 games with AC, it will be a great move. If he rides the bench, it will be a disaster for us. International tournaments are legendary for having scouts pick off players from lesser teams that advanced. This is nothing new. Think Alexi Lalas going to Serie A after the '98 world cup. Let's hope this isn't a repeat of that. Or, worse yet, Gooch's stint at Newcastle.
This is great for Gooch! How excited he must be. And for ease of transition...what if his first game with them is vs. the LA Galaxy at the HDC. That game just got more interesting.
Unless you're pioneering some sort of surreal humor, please quit posting. The last two threads I've visited have you mentioning this special escape clause for US players and Bob Bradley dropping Michael from the World Cup if he has another disciplinary incident. Get a clue.
Yeah, and Gooch and Donovan's situation were entirely different. Isn't Gooch on a free transfer? I thought he played out his contract.
Wow. This is by far the biggest signing for a mid-career American player. Tim Howard, Spector, and Freidel got bites out of the big club apple in the early stages of their spective careers.
No, no, keep rationalizing, because it's not as if Gooch has ever played in the UEFA Cup, Champions League, or World Cup. God forbid AC Milan actually make a decision based on those matches. No, that just wouldn't jive with your persistent mantra that "we're just not good enough."
remember the 1994 italian keeper and a certain espn guy, unable to pronoune his name after repeated attempts
All you need is for one guy to decide that he likes you and everything changes. Don't get me wrong - it isn't like Gooch didn't earn it. He was a monster in the Confederations Cup and he has helped his club to great accomplishments two years in a row. It just doesn't change until one person decides that you are worth the committment, then the whole context of your career changes - and you can never predict for certain when exactly that is going to happen. I have suddenly gotten interested in the fortunes of AC Milan.
gooch has been very consistent for quite some time... he was once a yellow card waiting to happen... now, those cards simply come far more infrequently... gooch versus luca toni, that was the day he showed he belonged at the high levels...