So we have decided to let you guys vote on the Player of the Month for August, but the only players eligible are guys that Howie and I picked for the weekly awards (Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3).
So vote away.
Also, don’t expect too many highlights this weekend because: 1) Labor Day Weekend 2) My birthday 3) I am attending a wedding out of town. So my BAC level is going to be a little too high and I am going to be out of town. Howie will be keeping track of anything major that may or may not happen.
Teams in the English Premier League had to hand in their 25-man rosters with the close of the transfer window yesterday. The new rule forces EPL teams to only use those 25 guys for league games until January and two Americans were probably on the bubble going into today.
Sorry for the lack of updates today, but today was a pretty slow news day and I have to get a billion things done at work before going out of town this weekend. Anyways. . .
Seb Harris made his first start of the season as he went the full 90 minutes today in Northampton Town’s 4-0 loss to Hartlepool United in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern Section First Round.
I know some people, including myself, have wanted an update on Jay DeMerit’s situation as everything has been quiet on that end for a long time. Well, DeMerit spoke to the BBC and it looks like he is trying to be patient to make sure he gets the right offer mixed in with a pretty slow transfer window in England this summer.
And finally, it looks like IK Start rejected a late bid by Belgian side Gent for American defender Clarence Goodson.
GD Estoril snatched up another U-20 player with the signing of Greg Garza to a two-year deal. The young left back had spent a couple seasons with Sporting Lisbon’s youth ranks, but he will join fellow Americans Tony Taylor and Bryan Arguez at Estoril (a Traffic Sports operated team).
Stuart Holden’s younger brother, Euan Holden, was passed over at St. Mirren of the Scottish Premier League after completing a trial. Euan played at Vejle BK in the Danish second division last season before parting ways.
And finally, Yanks Abroad has a nice interview with U-20 goalkeeper Zac MacMath on his recent training stint with Tim Howard and Everton. MacMath is currently at the University of Maryland and will probably be looking to go pro after his upcoming junior season.
Freddy Adu looks to be staying on loan at Aris, at least according to his twitter.
It was touched on in the link above, but there has been gossip that Eddie Johnson could go out on loan to Queens Park Rangers, but there is nothing to report (one way or another).
And finally, 17-year-old goalkeeper Cody Cropper officially signed with Ipswich Town after having some small issues. Cropper will be down in Peru with the US U-20 team next week at the Cuadrangular Internacional Tournament.
Over the weekend, it was reported that the previously-announced October 12 US-Colombia friendly would be played at PPL Park in Chester, PA, home of Philadelphia Union of MLS. I will admit to being mildly surprised at Chester/Philadelphia being the host city as they just hosted the send-off friendly against Turkey, but that was at Lincoln Financial Field (since PPL Park wasn’t open yet) and a strong, boisterous, pro-US crowd did show up.
The Colombia friendly will follow a friendly against Poland at Soldier Field in Chicago three days earlier. With the MLS playoff race reaching its peak, I would expect to see a heavily-European roster for the US in both matches. It will be interesting to see if Colombia calls in any of their fairly sizable MLS contingent (five players with Colombia caps play in the league).
Will you be attending either friendly? I am hoping to make the Poland friendly in Chicago for what would be my second “cap” (I attended the USA-Brazil match in Chicago in 2007).
Howie’s Pick – Jermaine Jones (FC Schalke – German Bundesliga)
While Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 fell to 0-2 in a 2-1 loss to Steve Cherundolo-captained Hanover 96, in going essentially the distance (subbed out in the 90th minute) and scoring his first goal since April 2009, Jones showed that he is well on the way to recovering his form after missing the entire 2009-10 season due to a broken leg.
After recording a few assists in his previous outing, Mikkel Diskerud went the distance and scored a goal in Stabæk’s 2-1 victory over Lillestrøm this weekend. The 19-year-old midfielder is continuing to improve and has been one of Stabæk’s better players this season.
Be on the look out this Friday for a poll for August’s Player of the Month. Only guys picked by Howie and myself for Player of the Week honors will be in the running, but you get to pick OT’s Player of the Month.
The 28-year-old winger has played professionally in the Netherlands, England and Scotland, but now he can add Germany to that long list.
From the Google-translated article linked above:
Coach Mirko Slomka Beasley had already observed during the World Cup in South Africa. Since the player was but a mere eleven minutes on the field – in a 1-0 victory over Algeria, by Substitution in the final minutes.” Of the qualities of the new entry Slomka is convinced yet: “It is a positive sign that we managed to get a further U.S. national team in Hanover. DaMarcus will provide us with his international experience a further push in the Bundesliga.”
It looks like Jemal Johnson will be returning to MK Dons after unsuccessful trials with both the Kansas City Wizards and DC United this summer.
Johnson signed with MK Dons in 2007 and played in 103 games before going out on loan to Stockport County for the last six months of his contract last spring.
He looked to be on the outs with the squad and was allowed to trial for two teams in the MLS, but after a constructive talk with Dons manager Karl Robinson on Friday, he will be looking to resurrect his career in England.
Robinson said: “I had an honest and open discussion with JJ, the finer details of which will remain private, and have agreed to re-integrate him into the first team environment.
“It remains to be seen what happens in the long term, but for now he will be given the chance to show he wants to be part of what we are building here.
“As with all the players at this Football Club, their application to training and dedication to the shirt is of the utmost importance.”
Johnson dressed, but did not play in MK Dons’ 2-1 victory over Swindon Town on Saturday.
