I missed the first 15 minutes or so of yesterdays TV-broadcasted game between Jönköpings Södra and Hammarby. And when I turned on the game I was very surprised to see Tsiskaridze playing in left midfield! I'm not sure if the manager or commentators revealed the reason behind this before I turned on my TV so I can't offer any deeper explanation. I thought he performed alright before getting substituted in the middle of the second half. Maybe not exactly a the most natural looking winger though To give an overall view on his performances I haven't watched the team much so far this year but their fansite adds up the player ratings over the season. And in that list he is currently tied 9th on the team.
4 shutouts in 8 starts, including his last 3, though he did sit 3 weeks ago: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/zurab-tsiskaridze/leistungsdaten/spieler_146555.html Friedel'sAccent - Zourab Tsiskaridze in Sweden
I haven't been able to watch Jönköpings Södra play since the last time I reported on them in this thread. But the club overall seems to have underperformed a bit and currently sits in 14th place which means relegation playoffs. The supporter site SödraSajten keep a ranking of the teams best players based on the top five players rankings after each game. Based on that it looks like Tsiskaridze hasn't quite been able to match his performance from last year when the fans considered him one of their stronger players if I remember correctly. He's still been a starter mostly though. Here's the their ranking of this seasons Jönköpings Södra players:
I watched Jönköpings Södra draw 1-1 earlier tonight against fellow bottom team Östersund. Overall it was a fair result which reflected the game. I thought Nanchoff again showed high quality whenever he had the ball at his feet, although maybe those times should have been more frequent. At one point he was also kicked in the crotch by a Ghanaian which probably took him 3-4 minutes to recover from before he could stand up again. He had two chances which were shots from just outside the penalty area that went just wide. Fellow american Zourab Tsiskaridze came on in the second half and brought some intensity, although sometimes bordering on too much after he had already gotten a yellow card and with some bad luck could have gotten another one. Still, I think his energy helped the team. Overall I have a hard time seeing J-Södra getting relegated even though they are currently in the relegation playoff part of the table. They are too good to finish in 15th place and be directly relegated, and I'm sure they would beat anyone they come up against in the relegation playoffs. But really I think they are going to climb a few places during the last nine games of the season.
It appears to be contract negotiation time between Tsiskaridze and Jönköpings Södra and money seems to be the topic of discussion between the two parties since Tsiskaridze has let the media know that either the club goes for quality and sign good players like himself or they go cheap and get worse players. He does also notes that he likes it in Sweden but wouldn't move to another club in the country except for one in Allsvenskan.
Google Translate: "Talked with Zourab Mats Gren tells us that he held talks about renewing with Zourab Tsiskaridze, but the branch is not very hopeful that it will retain the player. - I have said that if he should stay he has to go down in salary." http://www.jnytt.se/ronneklev-lugn-med-utgaende-kontrakt-zourab-lamnar Transfermarkt now lists him as unattached.
Now with the mighty rabbits of Bangkok Glass FC in the Thai Premier League: http://www.bangkokglassfc.com/index.php?mod=PLAYER-STAFF&file=player&pID=112 http://www.rakball.net/home/32231/ Passed his physical: http://tl.smmonline.net/news/120839.html @bungadiri - One Night in Bangkok: Zourab Tsiskaridze Joins the Glass Rabbits?
Now a (NASL) Scorpion: The San Antonio Scorpions have signed holding midfielder Zourab Tsiskaridze, the club announced Friday. http://www.nasl.com/article/uuid/1q...sign-experienced-versatile-zourab-tsiskaridze
San Antonio, much like MN United, is acquiring and slowly assembling a MLS-ish caliber roster this season. Guys that necessarily would be everyday players in MLS but guys who could get minutes. I guess both clubs are beefing up their rosters to make a statement a la Orlando City.
I hear what you're saying (and know that what I'm about to say is off-topic) but keep in mind that a third or less of last year's Orlando City roster will be back this year and some of those guys will be depth and/or prospects. Still -- yeah, there's some interesting talent assembling in the NASL. Could make for some interesting USOC matches. As to the subject of this thread, I could see him as a potential MLS squad player at LB (though I haven't seen him play in some time). I suppose we'll have a pretty good idea after watching him for a year with SA.
A profile: He fought off bullies in Poland, found the “love of his life” in Sweden and dined on fried cobra skin in Thailand. Meet the Scorpions’ Zourab Tsiskaridze, the North American Soccer League’s answer to Anthony Bourdain, the American chef, author and television personality who lives to travel. http://www.expressnews.com/sports/s...lder-benefits-from-soccer-odyssey-6194089.php
Seems like Zourab might be looking for a return to Sweden as fansite SvenskaFans are reporting that he will trial with Falkenbergs FF next week. Unlike the other two trialists though he won't be there for the full week, but instead only one day. Which seems very strange.
Tsiskaridze is no longer trialing with Falkenberg, but unlike fellow american Chris Cortez the director of sports doesn't close the door completely and says that he and a couple of other trialists still are possibilities.
I was admiring this handsome photo of our Mix when I noticed a familiar name drawing a yellow card: Seems he has been in the Czech Republic (FK Teplice) until last month and now in Sweden with AFC Eskilstuna, @bungadiri @Friedel'sAccent -- Let's update to: Zourab Tsiskaridze @ AFC Eskilstuna