YA Feel-Good story of the year?

It's got to be the Bease. Going to a Champions League team, running top of the table in a football-mad country, and scoring the game winner and only goal in the latest CL game?

Klassik. Go DMB!

 

I can't see how this isn't DaMarcus Beasley. Gets his shot after all these years of waiting, and is now being touted by various European media outlets for his play in both the Eriedivisie and Champion's League.

 

Demirrit at Watford is the feel good story of the year.

Lots of very good stories, DMB, Spector @ ManU, Gooch, Dolo continuing his solid play. But the kid goes from college to MLS reserves to a third or fourth division team and because he catches the eye of the opposing coach in a friendly he gets signed to a Championship team, that is fantastic in and of itself. But then the starters at CB suffer some injuries and the kid starts getting playing time and performs more than adequately and just today earns a longer contract. Fantastic story.

 

Much as I'd love to go for Gooch at Standard Liege or DaMarcus at PSV, Russell moving to Rosenborg...

My vote for feel good story of hte year has to be DeMerit at this point.

I just love that a guy off the radar of US soccer get to play for Non-league Northwood. Plays in a game against a 2nd tier club in Watford after which they say... hey this kid can play... lets sign him.

So Watford sign him to a 1-yr contract... and he plays well enough in the first few months that they sign him to a longer one because they like his talent and attitude.

To me... he wins!!! (DaMarcus or Gooch might win best situation)

 

See avatar.

 

you from Chicago so it doesn't count


it has to be Gooch, the guy is King in Belgium right now, or could be President , at least nominated,

the fact that he is american and loved by the European country , it is a FELL GOOD thing

 

They have a monachy and parliament similar to England... how about King Gooch!
Off topic but I thought it funny... I checked this morning and Belgium is roughly the same size as Maryland... Gooch was born in Maryland... hmmm... no wonder he's doing well there... it's like home!!!!! (hey that's more logic than some arguments on this board)

 

This is a feel good story right?

I'm not sure guys who have been groomed at a very young age in a pro environment (DMB, Gooch) can be considered feel good stories. Great achievements that I'm happy about, good career advancements, but the tools and ability were there. I expected these things based on their grooming and past history.

Even RR was drafted by MLS and was considered to have some talent.

DeMerit story is Rudyesque. I mean c'mon, no matter what these other guys have done this one feels good and is probably a greater achievement overall than what our groomed guys have accomplished.

A nobody going over on his own dime to earn a contract for the 6th richest league in the world. Shining in that one moment to impress the Watford manager, and then performing consisitently over the last run of games he had for a pretty good club.

The more I think about it this is a no brainer if you take away the hype and exposure the big names and clubs bring.

Disneylike. Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

 

btw, I'm nominating JCE for next year

 

ok,.....not to take away credit to him, i take my hat off

. but i like to say that Watford is not in the Premiership, and DeMerit still not part of the starting 11, and i belive there been other american players that were not groomed here at home or discovered at home,

 

Mathis is my pick.

That crotch grab had to "feel good".

Kidding.....but his goals have to be recognized at the best of the year for any YA (except for McHeads in the FA Cup).

 

Or maybe Gooch in Belgium - granted his best involvment was his most recent assist ... or maybe DMB's for PSV ... or Conor Casey's blast last week.
There have been some nice goals involving americans... can't say I remember Mathis with anything that special this season... and if we go to last season (but still this year) there are others to think about...

But the "feel good" was funny

 

If we're talking goals, what about G.I. Joe Enochs' strike against Bayern Munich? (Ryan Coiner also scored against them in a preseason match...)

I love all YAs equally, but DeMerit's story really is pretty remarkable. When you post them all together like that, it's hard not to be pretty pleased with 2004 from an American perspective.

Incidentally, Josh Grenier's TuS Koblenz, which won promotion to the Regionalliga (Sud) last season, is currently in sole possession of third place -- one point out of second (held by Sportfreunde Siegen) and six back from first-place Kickers Offenbach.

 

Yeah, but what I like is that the guy was a complete nobody. I mean he didn't make regional teams, he was averge on his college team, he was a run of the mill Joe. There was no reason to even think he could compete in the A League or PDL. Period. That's why I like it.

The nobody. I like the underdog when it comes to stuff like this and he wasn't even the dog part when he went over. To get where he did took b**ls, guts, timing, luck and performance. It's not the P'ship, but he's got a soccer carrer now.

The Coiner story is very good too. Personnel call. I like these types of stories, but I get ya.

 

In just the 2nd minute Ukrainian Oleg Iatchouk found himself bearing down on goal with only one defender to beat. That last defender was Oguchi Onyewu though, and the physical American duly dispossessed and cleverly dribbled out of danger.
To add further embarrassment to the defending champions, the ecstatic home supporters had their howl of the night when Onyewu thwarted a Legear attack single-handedly, gained possession and dribbled Iatchouk before nutmegging Per Zetterberg to see off any threat in the 66th minute.

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=reports&match=000326

 

"Feel Good" as in "Isn't that a nice story!" is Demerit.

"Feel Good" as in "This is really going to help the USMNT!" is Gooch, with nods to DMB, Spector and Casey.

"Feel Good" as in "This might keep Convey on the bench!" is Karbassiyoon. I'd pay good money for someone to break Ashley Cole's leg so that DK can get some more first team action.

 

NOT so feel-good story is definitely poor Timaaaay Howard. Or maybe Keller's banishment from his starting spot for no apparent reason. Or maybe Brad Friedel getting blitzkrieged every match. Or maybe Mathis behaving like a douche.

Anyway, I'd like to throw my two cents in for Robbie Russell. Before this year I barely kept track of him. Now he's playing for Rosenborg, and has gotten significant Champions League minutes. For me his great play came out of nowhere. Anyway, I feel good about it.

 

Best LOL paragraph for an actual soccer match!

Good post!

This should be the Benny Hill Google Pulitzer Award In Sport Writing Humor.

 

please someone start a YA poll and thread for "Best YA goal of the year" with video highlight links, etc...

I'm a Newbie and a little drunk after happy hour, so don't know how and hoping one of the vets will take the batton.

 

What about Boca. He proved that he could play in a top 3 League in the world.He is one of Fulhams best defenders if not the best.