Opportunities in Europe ?????

Discussion in 'Women's International' started by YHUGDAD, Jul 15, 2005.

  1. YHUGDAD

    YHUGDAD New Member

    Jun 17, 2005
    Massachusetts
    Can anyone provide some insight into the opportunities for former USA college players in Euriope ? How good does someone have to be to play over there ? Are there open tryouts or invites only? What kind of money is paid ? What USA players are there now ?
     
  2. RichardL

    RichardL BigSoccer Supporter

    May 2, 2001
    Berkshire
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    The game for women here is little more than amateur, with crowds that would be considered small if they were queues for a bus. There is nowhere in the world that has more interest in womens football than the USA.
     
  3. nordby1

    nordby1 Member

    Sep 4, 2001
    SAN DIEGO
    Club:
    Lillestrom SK
    Nat'l Team:
    Norway
    Opportunities in Norway

    Last month I met Frode Olsen who is the head coach of one of Norway's top club teams, Klepp. He told me that he is interested in not only signing former WUSA players, but could also be interested in a former U.S. college player if she was potentially a good fit for his club. Frode gave me his personal e-mail address so I am going to forward to him some of your questions.

    The answer to your last question wrt Norway is that there are currently no U.S. players in the top league called "Toppserien." Last season I believe that Asker midfielder, Darci Borski, was the only U.S. player in Norway.

    Darci Borski

    As far as salaries go in Norway, the only club that seems to have the financial resources to provide a decent income for a few of their top players is Kolbotn. I believe that Bente Nordby and Solveig Gulbrandsen, two of Norway's biggest stars during Euro2005, were also the top paid players last year in Norway and earned something like 10K to 20K (USD) while playing for Kolbotn.
     
  4. JanBalk

    JanBalk Member+

    Jun 9, 2004
    For Sweden: To play professional I would say about US WNT standard, most clubs have very few professional players. To get a spot in a team is far easier but then one have to live on own money (or take a job at the side), this article gives some insight I believe:
    http://dandal.webblogg.se/120705100806_two_americans_to_mallbacken.html


    US Players currently in Damallsvenskan:
    Tiffeny Milbrett (returning tu Sunnanå in the fall after a extended summer vacation)
    Venus James (seems to be permanetly attached to Djurgården/Älvsjö)
    Lilly and Markgraf was only contracted for the spring Örebro is looking for replacements (Welsh, Boxx or Hucles have been mentioned)
    some other I can't remeber from the top of my head
     
  5. Elninho

    Elninho Member+

    Sacramento Republic FC
    United States
    Oct 30, 2000
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Iceland: semipro and amateur only. League is reportedly extremely uneven, with teams in the top flight ranging in standard from average high school to lower-half NCAA D1.

    I know of 5 Americans who were in the league this season: Casey McCluskey (Duke) and Tesia Kozlowski (Dayton) at Breiðablik; and Sarah Halpenny (Notre Dame), Katherine Winstead (Wake Forest), and Carmen Watley (UNC) at KR. These two clubs are currently in 1st and 3rd place respectively, and perennial title contenders; my guess is that smaller clubs probably can't put together an attractive enough deal for an American to go over there. McCluskey, Kozlowski, and Halpenny are regular starters, though Halpenny took a few weeks to break into the starting eleven. Winstead went straight into the lineup but has returned to the US to attend medical school, coming back early due to injury. Watley never started a match and has made the bench only once; I do not know her current status.
     
  6. DonCorleone

    DonCorleone New Member

    Jun 21, 2005
    NY state.
    i thought Julie Foudy was doing some talking with sponsors for the rebuilding of the WUSA and so far looks very promising, so just stay here, be patient.
     
  7. nordby1

    nordby1 Member

    Sep 4, 2001
    SAN DIEGO
    Club:
    Lillestrom SK
    Nat'l Team:
    Norway
    Playing over in Europe could be an opportunity of a lifetime for many young women. I don't think that telling players who are in their prime to sit around and hope that there will someday be another professional league in the U.S. is very good advice at all.
     

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