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Berhalter’s Hammarby signs Husidic

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photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

Hammarby IF head coach Gregg Berhalter won't be the only one at the club with MLS experience next season.

Hammarby signed midfielder Baggio Husidic on Friday morning, the club announced on its website. Husidic, who has spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Fire, agreed to a two-year deal with the Swedish team.

Berhalter told the club website that he is quite familiar with Husidic, and that the Bosnian-born player is someone with good technical qualities and an ability to find his teammates in good spots with his passing.

Husidic received limited playing time this past season with the Fire, and Chicago chose not to exercise his contract option at the end of the year. Husidic was chosen by the Colorado Rapids in stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft earlier this month, but Hammarby beat the 2010 MLS Cup Champions in the race to sign him.

What do you think of this move? Thinking you'll see more MLS players signed by Hammarby in the coming weeks? How do you see Husidic faring in Sweden?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Didnt know their was a market for slower than molasses MLS bechwarmers in Sweeden.

    I swear I think he was slower than Cuah Blanco.

    …Maybe they can sign Barouch or Bone if theyre into slow players.

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  2. I agree that the MLS reserve system is in its infancy. Although some clubs have been doing it for over a decade like DC United (Andy Najar) 10 games sound like a very low number of competative games. However, the number of games a development player should play is a hotly debated topic. Regardless, the end of the current player contract would be a great time to increase the cap. The reserve structure will have had five years to develop and hopefully will be producing a higher quality player worth retaining with a sweeter salary.

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  3. Of course. Why go to a league where they are experienced player developers when you can sign with MLS which barely have academies and implemented an inadequate 10 game reserve league as late as this year.

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  4. exactly. There would be nearly zero interest in heading to Scandinavia, Austria and other small leagues if even the most lousy player could make $100 K a season. Guys coming out of college earning $30 K will always go abroad. MLS is growing, so in 10 years expect things to be different.

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  5. I think Darren Mattocks was actually thinking of going to Scandinavia before signing a Generation Addidas contract. If a young player were able to say to himself: If I can establish myself on the 1st team, I can make 200K-300K, the draw of other B leagues would almost go away. This would require a salary cap of about 5 million. The quality of the league would improve very quickly.

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  6. ah, the good ol’ “you didn’t watch” comeback. that’s weak sauce. I have seen every Fire match for the past 6 years, at least. one man’s poaching goals are another’s clutch goals. he certainly did more than castillo, no? totally undeserving of your hyperbolic “worst player” bs. and stating he is supposed to be a creative midfielder jives well with his assists (he had a couple this year, too, with his limited time).

    admit it, you’re just another of those too-common sbi posters who equate a blustering posting style with knowledge of the game.

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  7. loads of players worth like $75- $150 K choose Scandinavia, just for the fact they offer them at least $150 K and sometimes like $300 K. Amazing that even Danny Califf was making like Half a million in Denmark when I bet he made 1/4th of that here.

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  8. I wish we could fix this problem of players choosing to go to denmark, sweden, or norway to make a few more $$$. I don’t view these leagues as a step up and they are sucking away a lot of mid level talent from MLS. Husidic might not be a great example because of his lack of playing time.

    I hope we can get to the point where players basically leave to play in the big 4 leagues or a top Mexican team. This salary cap need to go up.

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  9. you can read stats all you’d like while I acknowledge you didn’t watch a single minute of live footage.

    they were poaching goals of some of the lowest quality richochets you’ll ever see.

    he’s not a striker, btw. he was supposed to be a creative midfielder and lacked the creative part.

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  10. all Hammarby have to do is turn around years of playing like crap and return to the 1st division and all is forgiven. I think they can turn it around.

    dude how much will he be making $100K a year? Surely he’d make more even in Norway’s 2nd division?

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  11. While I respect your opinion, this supposed “technical ability” reference is mysterious to me.

    Baggio looks awkward and uncoordinated on the ball.

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  12. This was, without question, one of the worst players on Chicago for the past couple years. He literally walks when he gets the ball at his feet.

    Love the kid since he’s a local boy but I was extremely happy to see him go, along with wearing the #9.

    Not sure what direction Hammarby is going with this signing.

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  13. Well, yeah, I hate to say it but if he wasn’t getting playing time on the worst Fire squad in years, chances are he’s better off elsewhere. Plus he missed that sitter against Man Utd in the friendly last summer right in front of the Fire supporters section that would have put us up 2-0. Granted, not important, but I’m not sure he played again after that.

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  14. We shall see where Baggio fits in. He’ll be playing in the Swedish 2nd division so I’m sure, given his decent technical skills, he has the ability to make an impact. Hammarby area a famous and historic club with a strong following. The pressure to succeed will be there so let’s just hope they have a successful season and return to the top division.

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