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Agudelo to train with Liverpool

JuanAgudeloArmband (ISIPhotos.com)

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The wave of young MLS players heading to train in England continues to grow, with New York Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo the latest to take the trip across the pond.

Agudelo will spend the next two weeks training with Liverpool FC. Ron Waxman, Agudelo's New York-based agent, confirmed the training stint on Wednesday.

Agudelo joins a group of young MLS players who have spent time training with English Premier League clubs this off-season. Bill Hamid (West Brom), Omar Salgado (Fulham), Brek Shea (Arsenal), Zac MacMath (Everton) and Andy Najar (Tottenham) have all spent time training in England in recent weeks.

What do you think of this development?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. exactly. that’s the point of these. to just keep training and improve/stay sharp. if something comes of it, then that is awesome. if not, oh well. you stayed in shape and listened to the USMNT coach.

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  2. I read that quote and Arena just sounded bitter. If it was so easy, people would have done it. Because, frankly, it is NOT useless for anyone. It may benefit younger players much more (Agudelo vs. Beckerman), but to call it pointless is dumb.

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  3. Plus, it addresses Klinsmann’s concern about MLS players not playing/training during their unusually long offseason. Any potential lonans or transfers might be an added bonus, but worst case scenario these guys get exposure to the european game and keep their fitness and skills sharp during the offseason. Good news for sure.

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  4. You also have to remember, MLS is one of the few leagues with its offseason during the middle of the European seasons. The scandinavian leagues do have winter breaks as well, so I’m guessing players from there do some training/trialing.

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  5. true. it’s a great thing overall, but even most trials seem to not lead to much (i.e., players actually getting picked up by the team) for most young american players. the results might not be immediate or direct but its a good thing for sure.

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  6. Arena is a very good coach, but as a player he was a goalkeeper.

    Is he really an expert on what it takes to drastically improve the technique and overall game of a young player? I honestly don’t know.

    I do know, from a teaching standpoint, that peers are everything.

    With some exceptions (I guess), playing against better players makes you better.

    It’s certainly better for a young players development then sitting on the sofa and playing playstation.

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  7. If the players who go over for training do well enough to get the attention of the coaches, it will be good. If the players fail to impress or present any kind of problem fewer will be welcome in the future. My impression is that the players who have gone from MLS for training stints in europe have generally done OK and not been problems and that that has led to increasing opportunities for MLS players.

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  8. The MLS situation is fairly unique because of the Spring to fall season. There are certainly training stints/trials all the time, but mostly out of contract players etc, trying to latch on.

    Maybe the best comparison would be something like the Russian league, that for now (or in the past) had the spring to fall season like MLS.

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  9. Agudelo’s stint in Stuttgart was directly related to Klinsmann (he knew someone there). Not sure about liverpool.

    It’s flat wrong to suggest that the increase in oversees training has nothing to do with Klinsmann. If you read the press about these, more often than not, there is a Klinsmann contact at the clubs where all these guys are landing.

    If anything its clear the number of guys doing these training stints has grown dramatically this winter.

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  10. Arena said it is something very easy to set up and could have been done en masse years ago but that it is basically useless, that the teams take no note of the players, provide no guidance, and the players play almost exclusively with reserves. Only time will tell, though. It fits with Klinsy’s stance that MLS season is too short and the US player need to play more and train more.

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  11. I’m not so sure that the training stints will result in significant trials, loans, or transfers. However, you’ve got to think that it is helping to dispel the negative stereotype of American soccer players that many English coaches and owners carry.

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  12. “Flight to England tomorrow. ill keep my followers n fans on a suspenseful cliff hanger, without naming the team i will be training with Yet”
    from Juans twitter to your eyes.

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  13. I’m very curious about this as well. Is this standard operating procedure internationally? Do players from other league regularly train in other leagues?

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  14. how much of this surge in players training, some with trials, in europe is at the impetus of klinsman? i know he gets grief for his results, but if he’s the catalyst making this happen, he should get some props.

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