Maurice Edu has done well for himself ever since joining Rangers from Toronto FC in 2008, and the club hopes to keep him for the long haul.
Rangers manager Ally McCoist said that the club has begun to have contract extension talks with Edu and his representatives. The U.S. national team midfielder's current deal lasts through the 2012-2013 season.
Edu has accomplished plenty in his time in Scotland. He's won domestic titles, scored a crucial winner against rival Celtic and scored in UEFA Champions League and Europa League contests. He's been linked with moves away from the club and could benefit from a transfer to a bigger league, but if it's up to Rangers, he won't be going anywhere.
"I think Maurice's form in the last three or four games has been really, really encouraging, and he has certainly been one of the better players in the team," McCoist said on Rangers' official website. "He's one of these guys who doesn't always catch the eye, but if you ask his teammates about him, they'll say he always gives performances that are helpful to the side.
"We've been very pleased with him. The one thing Maurice does do is work extremely hard – he's a real grafter and a workaholic. That's a massive part of his game."
What do you think of this development? Do you think Edu should stay with Rangers beyond his current contract? Or would you rather he go elsewhere?
Share your thoughts below.
charlie adams?
Though I would like to see maurice at least attempt a different league.
There was interest in Edu from a couple French clubs last summer.
Ligue 1 seems to me about Edu’s speed, and still a big step up from SPL generally.
So that’s what I am hoping for Edu.
Agreed. Holland and especially France is the PERFECT place for players to go after MLS but before Germany Italy or England.
agreed. While I think a more pghysical league like Germany or Italy would be better suited to his build, France would offer a better shot at starting and being in the top tier. He might have to start in a Bundes2 or Serie B club to get match minutes.
Can we please stop making these assumptions about Holden?
We did the same thing about Onyewu when he first came back and look how well that worked. Fingers crossed he gets a decent season under his belt before 2014, but right now SH has been laid up for about 2 years. That’s HUGE.
I am rooting for him to succeed, but there need to be a tinge realism to these kinds of hopes.
I would frown upon any move to 2.Bundesliga EXCEPT St. Pauli.
Henrik Larsson and Petrov had plenty of success after leaving Celtic…
or how about van Bronckhorst to Arsenal?
Hutton to spurs?
i agree the next progression for edu would be france or germany….it would give him the best chance at playing regularly and keeping himself active in talks for a US MNT spot…that said, i wouldn’t think it was a horrible idea to take an opportunity in the EPL were it to be made available to edu…these guys are competitors of the highest level….they want to test themselves against the best competition, and they should, so an EPL move, versus a move to france or germany, would incur additional risks but wouldn’t be altogether a bad idea
I think it all centers around where these guys will get playing time. If you’re playing, you get noticed and possibly get to move up based on that. I’d love to see Mo play on a bigger and better stage, but only as long as he gets games in. I can’t see him getting better on the bench. If that’s the case, then maybe he’s around where he should be. Besides, when the Yanks go play in Scotland and England, it’s a lot easier to follow how they’re doing than when they go to Scandinavia.
Edu should be testing the waters for a possible January transfer. My interpretation of the comments from McCoist on Edu is that, maybe, he was advertising Edu’s availability to any teams wanting to bolster their defense. As Spencer above mentioned, Rangers need money and the January transfer window is a time when teams fighting relegation or looking for just a bit more punch to move up in the standings might be willing to pay more for a player like Edu then they would in August.
On the subject of January transfers, one team that would be interesting for some US players, such as Edu or Robbie Rogers, is St. Pauli in Hamburg. St. Pauli moved up to the First Bundesliga last year, but fizzled late in the season and slipped back to the 2. Bundesliga this year. But the new coach, Andre Schubert, is doing a good job and St. Pauli is in 4th place with a good shot at moving back next year to the 1. Bundesliga. St. Pauli is looking to add a player or two in January.
Good point. Despite playing in a weak league, Edu has been a key starter for Rangers and has remained at match fitness over the last three years. If he goes to a bigger club and sits…he probably doesnt see the pitch with the Nats. That said, he has all the physical tools to make a step up. Maybe a smaller club in a bigger league…
what happened to his move to France? he was rumored to go to a French team not to long ago..
i would bet on Colorado, Salt Lake, Houston, Dallas, KC, Philly, Seattle, SJ beating Dundee, Hearts, Kilmarnock or Motherwell any day..
Judging by the comments from the Rangers message boards, he’s not a fan favorite. Yes, I know the squeaky wheels make the most noise, and those are generally the negative ones, but even the manager’s comments are faint praise.
All he says is Mo’s form has been “encouraging” in the last 3 or 4 games. What about his play since 2008? I mean if someone says you’re a “hard worker” and your teammates like you, when trying to describe your best attributes, that’s not saying a whole lot. Mo should go if he gets a decent offer.
I think he should do what he wants. Rangers is still thought of as a big team, even if that’s based on a well-faded history at this point, so there’s no shame in staying there and practicing with very good players and getting a few Europe games a year.
I probably would support a move to a bigger league, but starting for Rangers is better than the situations a lot of our guys find themselves in.
I hope he looks to France or Holland. If he can get a good situation in England, Spain or Germany, that would be even better. But I think a move to France or Holland would help a lot.
The myth that is Stuart Holden is amazing. The guy never played attacking mid with Bolton last season, he operated as a two way player.
Despite the fact that I am unconvinced about Edu being a better player that Beckerman, I’ll concede that fact. The point remains that Beckerman over the last 4 seasons has progressed exponentially into one of the top holding mids in the MLS, and a stable of Klinsiman’s roster. While Edu on the other hand is practically the same player I watched his rookie year in Toronto. It may make some of you feel better than Edu is possibly slightly better than Beckerman, but it is worrying that Edu basically has not improved at all while coming to dominate the SPL.
Tony in Quakeland sums it up perfectly, Edu is a physical force with limited tactical or technical ability. And for all those that want to see the US play free flowing football, Edu needs to improve to help us reach that goal. An improvement that will be better served elsewhere, be it a return to MLS, Holland, France, Germany, etc.
Finally, I want to ask this question: when was the last time a SPL player really enjoyed success after a move to the EPL? I really can not think of a player in the last 10-15 years. The gulf in class is too wide between the leagues.
“Rangers/Celtic>>>MLS. The rest? Not so much”
^ +1
Rossi grew up playing soccer in Europe (Parma academy at age 12), Edu (and most Americans, especially USMNTers) haven’t. And Rossi is arguably the most technically-proficient “American” player in the world, a skill-set that allows him to succeed in Spain.
I agree, Eredivisie would be a good fit, offer more competitive European football, etc., assuming of course he could get a starting gig on a good team (does him no good to land with Excelsior).
Rangers/Celtic>>>MLS. The rest? Not so much
Scotland is stability. Any other league he’s taking a chance but I think Edu could make it in…
France. And definitely in Holland or Portugal.
To the poster above, you are correct.
Avoid the PL. Try Holland and France. Those not good enough for those, try Scandinavia.
The PL requires strict WP regulations. Plus the competition is no joke. Spain/Italy, too difficult to get a game in.
so for me try France, Germany, Portugal or Holland.
its got nothing to do with making me feel better, its about reality
More Americans should aim for Ligue 1 and the leagues of the Low Countries.
“He’s one of these guys who doesn’t always catch the eye, but if you ask his teammates about him, they’ll say he always gives performances that are helpful to the side.
“… The one thing Maurice does do is work extremely hard – he’s a real grafter and a workaholic…”
Christmas wish-list: More gifted players for the US.
You go ahead and tell yourself that if it makes you feel better
Agree that he’s stagnated – disagree about MLS. Beckerman is not better than Edu – they’re pretty similar and Mo is younger. Mo needs to hit a more technical league: France or Germany would be ideal if he could garner PT there. Sweden, Holland, Portugal also work.
Edu is not good enough to play in La Liga. He is a nice athletic player, but lacks technical skills and soccer intelligence. As for La Liga not being a good fit for American players – it depends upon a player -Rossi, who grew up in New Jersey, did quite well there. Edu might do OK at the EPL for a midtable club, but the playing time is far from granted. If he is looking for a great place to develop, Eredisivisie could be a good fit. I also think that he could do well in Bundesliga.
SPL >>>> MLS
There were many rumors about Edu in the last transfer window and some fan unrest about him. I don’t think the contract extension is really about him staying with Rangers long term. As to the Premier League, Edu does not have the technical skills and is too careless with his passes to be ready for that.
Looking at the UEFA rankings of domestic leagues, the Scottish Premier League comes in behind “powerhouse” leagues in Austria (#15), Cyprus (#16), and Israel (#17).
I don’t think we should be pleased that some of our prominent national team players are playing in the Scottish League. Do we really think that playing against Dumferline Athletic or St. Mirren qualifies as strong competition?
Yes, Rangers plays in the Champions League but that equates to only 5-8 games per year. That is not sufficient in terms of consistent, quality competition.
Edu should definitely try to leave. I don’t think the Dutch, Portuguese, or French leagues are beyond his talent.
I agree that he needs to do what he wants. Any league would be a new challenge and hopefully he can improve with a new Challenge.
Not so sure about the “edu should go to epl” folks. While the scottish league isn’t the best, the thing is, the rangers have embraced him and he’s a regular starter. If he were to jump to another league, I think holland, france or maybe bundesliga would make more sense. I see a high probability of his getting shoved in the bench in EPL or la liga.
Sorry, Beckerman is not better than Edu. Holden I’ll give you, but Holden are Edu are completely different types of players. Holden is an offensive, attacking central midfielder, Edu is purely a defensive mid.
I don’t know that I agree, at least enough to make up for the shortcomings of the SPL. The SPL is pretty much a two team league, meaning there are few “big stage games” – the ones against Celtic – in league play. And how seriously do they contend in Europe?
He had speed and strength. He needed skill and tactical development. He hasn’t gotten it, at least not enough
La Liga isn’t a good fit for American players, we don’t play that style of football. Edu wouldn’t do well there, imo.
A mid-table German, English, or Italian team would suit him just fine.
Somebody needs to make him a DP pronto. Bring him back to MLS and out of that terrible league.
EPL would be great, I would settle for La Liga or Bundesliga, I know it’s not as easy of a transition with the language barrier but I’m sure he can learn Spanish easily, and plenty of people in Germany speak English lol but those leagues just have the potential to actually challenge him to improve other areas of his game that in the SPL he will remain stagnant.
I wouldn’t mind him at a great club, maybe in a not so elite league like PSV or Ajax in the Eredivisie. Hey who knows maybe he can join Jozy to keep him company?
He will leave if another team shows any money, because Rangers have been struggling financially for years.
Seriously. Go to the Bundesliga or the EPL. Find a side that won’t go down too easy, and grow as a player.
He should head to France. Leaving Rangers means he leaves “definite starter” status but he has the talent to fight to be a starter. I’m sure bottom half clubs in France/Germany would love to pick him up
Beckerman better than Edu?
Not buying it, not for a second
I would rather see him in a more competitive league.
He could definitely handle the EPL, but the guy should just do what he wants. Who is to say that he wouldn’t get shoved on the bench like Bradley did at Villa. Even if an American owned team picks him up, there is no guarantee he would play.
I wouldn’t say that. While skillwise he may not have improved that much, he has learned to play and succeed on a much bigger stage with more pressure. I really hope he moves to a better league. EPL makes sense, but I’d also be happy with any other big four league, and also France or Holland would be an improvement.
Thank you. The guy has stagnated. He is now our least accomplished center mid technically. The Scottish league is a wasteland. I would rather him play in MLS than stay there (lets remeber that during the same time frame both Holden and Beckerman have developed into better players). And what’s the point of playing champions league football if your team is going to play a 5-4-1 and not even try to score?
I typically get mad when people automatically say someone needs to leave their current club and go to the premiership, but in Edu’s case I think it would fit him really well and he could improve more there.
No. He needs to leave. He has not developed sufficiently from his MLS form. He needs out of the SPL