Sebastian Lletget at West Ham

I doubt we will bid again. I could bore the board of a multitude of reasons why building in N17 is going to happen but just trust me. The benefit to Spurs was getting a £500m asset for basically nothing. With conditions though, we had to be allowed to redevelop how we saw fit. I'm not a fan of the Olympic Stadium design, I haven't met a neutral that thinks it's a good design for football, so this was essential. After we lost the bid, clearly THFC's goal was to make sure West Ham didn't get it either, and they helped by not being able to financially keep up their end of the bargain. Which was to the governments benefit because after the challenge was wrongly dismissed, then given second life after evidence of collusion and financial irregularity came to light, everyone realized we had a case. So they moved the goal posts again for the benefit of West Ham. Now, they might not even move to Stratford at all, Gold is apparently having second thoughts. If Gold is seriously considering not moving to Stratford then I think the stadium is more likely not to hold any football tenants. Spurs don't want to rent a stadium, not with our owners. Even if we won in court the likely scenario was compensation. Pretty simple really, how can you win a process that's deemed invalid. The process that awarded the OS to West Ham would have been re-run under new conditions, West Ham wins, and Spurs would have been compensated. Now because Gold seems to have gotten cold feet, depending on what happens on Friday with the 2017 World Athletics, if It goes to Doha then things can get interesting. Or it could be West Ham trying to get MORE favorable conditions.

Also, to address that article.

The story and the accusation made by Baroness Ford may have gotten them in further trouble. The story she's referencing was a story in the Sunday Times a couple months ago, where the author exposed possible collusion between West Ham/Newham and the OPLC. The specific claim that the Sunday times alleges is that there were direct payments made. Whether that's true or nobody knows. The notion that the OPLC was bias wasn't off base. The committee was comprised of people who you would assume are bias, East London businessmen, East London politicians, a former Director of Arsenal and so on. It's always been a fallacy that the OPLC was impartial or that the bidding process was fair. That aside, when West Ham first accused Spurs of spying I was surprised that THFC didn't respond. Spurs are usually quick to respond on any Spurs related P.R. positive or negative. When Baroness Ford made here comments very quickly after THFC released a statement, which leads me to believe they were waiting for someone from the OLPC to slander THFC based on the details of an article which has questionable sources.

You don't make a statement that ridgid unless you're sure because you could be liable.

 

I think its actually where Leyton Orient are based.

 

Both true, it's within a few miles of either.

 

Yeah the O's are getting screwed if someone moves into Olympic. It's a shame too, I lived mostly in North London but Brisbane Road isn't that far away from Enfield, where I used to live, I've watched a few matches at their ground.

 

the real issue to me is more that there are too many professional football clubs in England, specifically London.


Many clubs shouldnt exist, but its all "tradition" which leads to clubs being insolvent.

 

Leyton Orient are one of the oldest clubs in London. The OS moving into their catchment area risks them becoming insolvent. They get enough fans through the gate (average around 50% capacity) and operating costs are low enough that they can sustain themselves. I don't see an issue with it, let them have their tradition. All of this shouldn't exist business bothers me just as much as when Europeans come of high and mighty about franchises. English Football and American sports developed over there history differently for a myriad of reasons. Many clubs in London were in the beginning a symbolic center of the community, hence why most areas of London have a club. That's why clubs like mine take the connection to the ground we play on very seriously.

Anyways I've been to some great matches at Brisbane Road, Griffin Park, Plough Lane, Selhurst Park etc. I'm a fan of football, I love the game. Now the game is so much about money it's driving some of the fun out of it imo. It used to be fun to just go and watch lower league matches or non-league matches.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiE_AiDdBTY"]Sebastian Lletget Interview 2011 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Cool and I hope to see him play for West Ham first team some point this season.

 

nice article.. he's getting closer

http://yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=8583

 

On a more Lletget-related note, I'd like to see him go out on loan.

 

It's nice for Lletget that he seems to be more on the radar than he was, but this is a silly thing for Smith to say:

The team isn't any more culturally diverse than it was in 2010 (or 1994 for that matter). Or, given soccer's status as an immigrant sport, ever. I mean, the guy who scored the most famous goal in US history was a German-Haitian who never got American citizenship.

And this is a silly thing for Lletget to say:

If he's talking about the German-Americans, the USSF obviously knew about them before Klinsmann took the job. And if he's talking about himself, ditto.

Guess it never hurts to say nice things about the new coach, but still.

 

i thought that was a bit strange too. not really sure who Bob was ignoring that JK is picking up. The Johnson, Williams and Morales were not available for Bob. Now he could say that JK holds a little more power to sway these players on the fence. Would bob have convince Morales to not pick Peru although even if he did play it wouldnt have cap-tied him.

Hopefully Lletget gets his shot with the U23's like a decent number of young prospects and also with West Ham first string.

 

After giving them a shot, Bob ignored Orozco Fiscal and Castillo. Of course that was a good thing.

 

Way to suck up to the new boss, Sebs!

 

What do you mean not available? according to a report (in YA) I believe Williams stated that he was never approached by anyone until JK did. These kids may have been in the USSF radar but if they are never contacted what good is it? I agree JK's name has more weight than BB had when it comes to getting Germicans to tryout or their coaches to agree. It helps when you know people high up by their first name

 

Danny Williams only recently became US eligible. Yes it could have been accelerated if Bradley showed interest too but this season will likely only be the first full season for Williams as a first team pro.

Danny came on in the second half of the 2009/10 season for Freiburg and really only played regularly in Jan, Feb and March. In 2010/11 he had a rough contract dispute in the early part of the season that reduced his playing time and then was injured in December. He then only began playing again in April. Now in 2011/12 he is playing in what hopes to be his first complete season. The window wasn't really that open for Danny to play under Bob.

Fabian Johnson was actively playing for Germany through most of Bradley's tenure. He would have switched for Bob too but he wasn't going to switch for anybody as long as he was in Germany's plans.

Alfredo Morales WAS in the US system during the Bradley era. He was called into multiple camps under Thomas Rongen for the 2009 US U20 team.

 

with all do respect, grump, i don't know if that's the most famous, or if it has been for 20 years. ask the average person with a bit of interest in USA soccer and they probably haven't heard of it.

 

Sometimes that 1 shot is all you are going to get. As you said, it was a good thing.

Thanks for the follow up on my shot, b.

 

I think what it is is that there is now a pronounced impression that JK is looking for dual nationals based in Europe. I bet Mexican Americans feel the same way. So while Bob may have given these guys shots, the players with the opportunity to suit up for the US feel like they have more of a chance than before. Maybe they relate to JK's "otherness" more than Bob's "establishmentness".

 

Of all the World Cup participants, bob called up the 2nd most players of any manager there throughout the cycle. Outside of the many US regulars who are already dual-citizens, he gave Torres, Orozco, Castillo, Chandler and Jones call-ups. Hell, Alvarez even got a callup prior to his switch.

Do you feel there were any Dual snubs under bob?? I'm still not sure what Lletget was getting at

 

Well, like Bob Morocco said, it is perception. A player like Lletget isn't going to think it through too much. We've had dual players forever. But my sense is that going after Danny Williams and Fabian Johnson is going to catch more attention than getting Chris Armas or Jeff Cunningham.

 

Bradley used Jones, Chandler, Torres, Holden, Diskerud and others. Morales played for the US for the first time during Bradley's era (albeit at the U20s).

Bradley was significant in getting a bunch of dual nationals into the fold. It wasn't just "Armas and Cunningham." He went after Chandler as soon as he began to play Bundesliga minutes. Diskerud had options for his native Norway.

The whole Jurgen Klinsmann is a huge upgrade in terms landing "dual nationals" is a little bit of a myth. Even by perception.

 

People harping on the kid's every word. It was just a random interview and he was using hyperbole to get through the questions. Let's not analyze it to death.

 

yes, i left of Mix. Cant believe i forgot him.

In the end, if their "perception" is that dual citizens feel they stand a better chance of making the team then they need to be educated on the USMN. We have never been short of dual citizens.

 

what do you expect us to do on BS?? Rational be damned!!

You should know how it is. A quote gets brought up and picks up steam. This whole debate started off the fact that we didnt understand what he meant by it.

EDIT* ""If Klinsmann hadn't been appointed to the job, then we probably wouldn't ever have discovered these players. It just makes us better.""

stand firm on the fact that what players has JK discovered that the US would not have? I think Lletget was paying a compliment to the new manager, but seemed an odd way to give it.