For those of you who do not know me...my name is Nate Weiss. I have most recently played in Latvia and am going to Sweden on Monday to find a team in the new season. I already have a few options of clubs I will go to in the supperettan and 1st divison. I hope you would all do me the honor of following me. Starting on monday I will also use twitter as a way to let anyone who is interested follow me. I will use video and photos to make anyone following me feel as if they are there with me. If anyone wants to give me some advice on what would make this more interesting or what they would most like to see I am open to any and all suggestions... My original thought is to do at least 3 videos a day, and give people a raw view of what life is life trying to latch on to a club in Europe. I have been playing in a number of different countries and think I am not so wet behind the ears and I have decent insight to what goes on. you can follow me on twitter...I appreciate any and all support @nweiss23
thanks for the support! like I said...If there is anything specifically you would want to see let me know. I want to make it as much like a documentary as possible. It may be a bit difficult to interview players/coaches, but if thats what somebody wants to see I will do it. I am really going outside the box on this one. If anyone would like to know me better here is a link to an article I found the other day which best describes my personality so you all will know what I am willing to do. http://www.planotatico.com/entrevistas/“the-uefa-champions-league-is-my-goal”
I believe you played in Europa League qualifiers last season. I'm curious to know how it was traveling across Europe to play a random team that people are unlikely to have heard of.
Last season we played against FK Molde in the Europa League...I think in Europe this is a pretty well known team! However many people in America may not be aware of it. I have a funny story of our first leg away in Norway! When we first arrived in Norway, the club Molde decided they would have an advantage over us by "accidently" arranging our team with 5 rooms less then we were supposed to have. So we were forced to sleep 2 players to a bed the night before a Europa League match! Those who didn't like it slept in the wooden chairs that were strategically the only other furniture in our room. Also, our pre-match meal consisted of blatently bloody chicken! and a lack of that even! As you can see bush league tactics go on everywhere! If you want to ask me anything else, I will answer ANY questions via my twitter account NWEISS23
Do you still keep in touch with George Borba? Why didn't you take an offer to play in the Liga Leumit a few years back?
Following you on twitter! Its good to hear first hand accounts of players playing abroad. I have a few friends that are currently trying to play overseas or who have future aspirations of going pro in the sport. I'll ask them to follow you as well!
arsenalfc.. thanks for that! I will try to make everything as raw and honest as possible, so anyone who is aspiring to play in Europe would find it interesting I hope. mhaifa: great question! although the answer is LONG. **I still keep in touch with George Borba as he is a great player/coach and even better person. **I went over to hapoel beer Sheba a few years ago, as an Israeli citizen and while I was there the current manager Guy Azzouri was having a few problems with the owner who was a woman but I cannot remember her name. **Guy told me that he would love to have me stay at hapoel, but with the current situation he would leave the club in a few days and **advised me to find a club that was more stable and better for a new player in Israel. Guy is actually at hapoel Ashkelon and we still speak. then I went to ramat gan in the 2nd division. I was there for 4 weeks, and they in fact wanted me to stay but, only had 4,000 shekel/month**in the account for players as we were outside of the transfer window. This is about 1,000 dollars and not enough to have an apartment and a eat. **Most players in the 2nd league are not foreigners so they would be ok with that. I then had an offer to signs with jelgava through a friend, and really just wanted to play after 2 months training/trialing **so I thought why not go for it!**
The owner is Alona Barkat. She is still the owner but the club seems quite stable. They have a new stadium in the pipeline and Ryan Adeleye is there. Hapoel Ashkelon was my hometown club. Ashkelon is a beautiful city. If you can get there, you should. In regards to the ₪4,000 a month contract, certainly you could have made a go out of it if you were getting money from Nefesh B'Nefesh, no?
very very true.. looking back at it.. I could have made a go of it. **I can now say that my ego maybe have swayed me in a direction that would get me to top flight football the quickest. Hindsight is always 20/20, and I have made some wrong turns here and there but in any aspect of life/work all anyone really wants is to keep advancing and sometimes to quickly then their own good.
So how honest are you willing to be about the salary in each country or each team? Best of luck with everything!
well starting Monday, I will talk about everything I am into, whether it be salary or whatever. I want whoever is following to feel they are in it as well. Of course I cannot do anything to offend my employer, BUT I am planning on telling whatever team I am going to be playing at what I am doing and Swedes are pretty open to a lot of things, so we will see what happens.
I think it's interesting that you've had an account since 2002(when you were 15); makes me wonder how many other player have accounts on these boards. I'm only a couple years younger than you, but I love that you're still pursuing the dream that so many former players possess, including me. To say that we're all rooting for you is an understatement. There's nothing more any of us love than success stories, and even if things don't go as you like, we'd love to come along for the ride and follow your story.
http://www.twitvid.com/NJHRC Here is the first entry on the account. I will not be posting all the entries on BIGSOCCER as it will take too much time. So if you are interested in seeing any more you have to just follow on twitter. Like I say in the video, I will also to interview coaches and players while im there and get opinions on americans playing in Sweden. Any questions you have for me or whoever I will be meet, ask on twitter and I will have them answered via video. Thanks again, and the more people I have following this obviously the more willing I will be to keep recording so you guys have to help me stay motivated with this haha
although, until Monday, you can ask anything you want here. I am also looking for some ideas on stuff that everyone would like to see. I will be asking swedish coaches and players their opinions on american soccer players. I wanted to see if anyone has suggestions
Ask around if there's any organized scouting of the MLS/NCAA by the Swedish clubs or whether it's up to the agents to send film, make the call, etc.
Great question! I will definitly ask! I already spoke to some coaches I know there both in Jonkopping and other clubs...they agreed its a good idea, so there should not be any problems taking a camera places with the team. Also the coaches seem like they will not be opposed to answer questions from anyone