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Mid-Day Ticker: Findley granted work permit, TFC balks at DeRo loan and more

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

Robbie Findley has had his European wish granted.

The former Real Salt Lake striker received his work permit on Friday, clearing the way for him to join English League Championship side Nottingham Forest.

Findley, who was taken in the Major League Soccer Expansion Draft by the Portland Timbers, agreed to join Nottingham Forest on a free transfer at the end of December but had to clear the hurdle of securing a work permit to actually join the team.

Findley will try to inject some pace and offense to a Nottingham Forest side that is currently just two points out of the four-team promotion playoff zone and 11 behind league-leader Queens Park Rangers.

Here are a few more stories to carry you to the weekend:

TFC IMPEDES DE ROSARIO LOAN

After being frustrated with Toronto FC team management over his contract situation last season, Dwayne De Rosario can't be happy with the news that TFC blocked his potential short-term loan to Celtic FC.

According to the Toronto Sun, De Rosario didn't secure the loan because TFC stepped in at the last minute and denied the move from happening. Some Scottish outlets reported that Celtic wasn't interested in the loan, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

De Rosario, who had been training with Celtic for three weeks, was hoping to join the team until the start of the MLS season.

EUROPEAN TRANSFER NOTES

Tottenham has accepted a £6 million bid from Birmingham City for bench-ridden striker Robbie Keane.

Everton midfielder Steven Pineear is apparently on his way out of Goodison Park after the team received two offers for his services and accepted one from a mystery team.

Aston Villa is reportedly closing in on a £6 million deal for Lyon midfielder and Cameroon international Jean Makoun.

Blackburn continues to be a major player in the transfer market, re-acquiring the services of Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season. The club has also been linked to U.S. national team midfielder Jermaine Jones.

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How do you think Findley will fare with Nottingham Forest? What do you make of the latest TFC-DeRosario saga? Which transfer moves do you like or dislike?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Saying he’s turning into a version of Latrell Sprewell, under any circumstance, caused it to be painful to read the rest of your message.

    Then I got to the uninspiried golden cliche, “he gets paid X-Amount of dollars to play a game”.

    Comparing Apples to Paint makes everyone sound silly and quite bitter in the process, each time it’s vomitted onto a messageboard screen.

    So the real question is: What’s stopping you from becoming a professional athlete?

    After all, they’re making unfair amounts of money to play a game, right? Doesn’t that make you the fool for not doing the same?

    Perhaps it’s lack of ability & talent, so…let’s hold off on the comparisions, shall we?

    Reply
  2. Why is Dero a “spoiled athlete” if he wants more money or better terms on his contract? What if we were exposed to your negotiations with your boss and had your work history laid out for us? What if we were able to monitor you for every hour on your job?

    Would we feel the same thing about you?

    I can think of lots of people I’ve worked with who weren’t worth the money they were paid.

    Reply
  3. People in all walks of life want to get paid the going rate for their work. If there’s too much money out there for athletes, that’s on you fanboy

    Reply
  4. gooch scored on a header in a friendly for FC Twente today! Hallelua! Thats has to be serious boost to his confidence and the clubs for picking him up!

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  5. The way this website runs it’s posts or replies is terrible. Seriously has anyone ever heard of an update?? This is borderline prehistoric. Lol

    Reply
  6. So you’re saying that if a guy who couldn’t get passed League 2 in England makes it big in MLS, that would be a good thing? Really?

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  7. Oh, please. First of all, you can’t blame Holden being “made of glass” for de Jong being a monster last season. He’s been out with the same thigh injury for a few games this season. Minor injuries like that are prevalent all over soccer, at every level.

    I think that most people realize that the USMNT is different from Bolton. And I have seen the last few games. If the October friendlies were any indicator, there is a pretty good chance that we will be building a significant portion of the midfield around Holden’s abilities.

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  8. You’ve got some pretty lofty expectations on the fitness front. You could probably count on one hand the number of outfield players who get through a full season without missing a few games for injury.

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  9. First and second team on the table automatically get promoted, teams 3-6 have a playoff for the last promotion spot. Forest finished third in the table last season and lost their playoff match to Blackpool, who was sixth. Blackpool went on to win promotion and are playing in the EPL this season.

    Reply
  10. I feel like I addressed this even within my original post but…

    The OP claimed that findley provided a “huge boost for his team just stretching the field”. The OP didn’t specify that the huge boost only applied at the club level.

    So I gave some evidence to the contrary (while acknowledging the small sample size) and even conceded he could hold his own in the championship.

    I certainly want him to do well, just like i want all americans abroad to do well. But at this point I don’t think he provides the kind of space-opening help at the international level that the OP suggested.

    Reply
  11. Have you seen the USMNT’s last couple of games? What makes you think a 4-4-2 based on Findley/Buddle is BB’s secret weapon?

    As for building around Holden, call me when he gets through a season without getting hurt. You know why MB gets so many games? Among other things, because he never gets hurt, he always shows up.

    Except for LD, every other US midfielder is made out of glass.

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  12. First, I hope Findley bags a couple of goals early to get the fans on his side and get his confidence up. He can be a big boost to a team’s offense with his pace alone, and a couple of early goals would be a big help. All the best to him

    Second, who can blame Winter for wanting his best player and (alleged) team captain there for all of training camp while they’re trying to put in a new system and the whole team is getting off to a “fresh” start. I can’t. It’s Winter’s duty to get his best team ready for the upcoming season, not to succumb to the professional fantasies and wishes of DeRo. Now we’ll see how DeRo responds to this whole thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if ultimately DeRo gets himself traded to a team who might give him a bit more money, and TFC can get a couple of players who fits intoo their new system better.

    Reply
  13. I agree…Yes, he missed a couple of chances in the World Cup, but he is still a quality player. Buddle should have been in there though…I don’t think he will ever regain the form he had last year.

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  14. Wrong…These international players give our young guys the know-how and experience…We need all the foreigners we can get in this league.

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  15. I see your point, but if stuart holden is on the bench so that findley/buddle is able to start up top in a 442, then the manager/scheme has failed.

    When the talent pool is as shallow as the usnt’s is, schemes have to be adjusted to fit personnel.

    So in a way, yes the team needs to be build around holden. As well as dempsey and donovan. Not findley though.

    Reply
  16. Then it’s a good thing Forest doesn’t play in the World Cup.

    I’m always amazed at how an athlete gets discarded based on 257 minutes of indifferent play.

    It’s not as if he went into the World Cup in the form of his life and was found wanting. He had been having a terrible year. So Forest is applying the age old strategy of buying low and, maybe, selling high.

    If you are a fan of American players you should hope he does well as that would make it better for future Americans.

    Reply
  17. “If stuart holden remains a fringe starter, then even rational usnt fans will loudly criticize mr bradley.”

    Holden has done well for Bolton. And that’s great.

    However,it may surprise you but the USMNT is a completely different team, different players, different manager,probably a different scheme.

    Unless you think the team should be built around him, Holden needs to earn a spot in practice.

    This team, when it means business is all about maximising chances for Dempsey and Donovan and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

    Reply

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