Photo by USA TODAY Sports
By DAN KARELL
Juan Agudelo’s lack of match fitness has come back to haunt him as he continues to look for a new home.
The 21-year-old forward was released from his trial with Wolverhampton on Monday without a contract offer, with Wolves manager Kenny Jackett citing a lack of recent games under Agudelo’s in addition to work permit issues as a reason for the end of the trial.
“Juan is not a player that (we) are going to pursue,” Jackett said. “We felt that match fitness was the key for Juan. To get him up to Championship standard he would need to play games and it is hard to go from nothing straight into the Championship.
“That can be tough, and while the odd player does it most people don’t – you need a run of games and need to build up. So it was nothing to do with his ability levels, just that he hasn’t played.”
Agudelo has been a free agent since the summer, when his proposed free agent signing with Stoke City in the English Premier League fell through due to Agudelo not earning a work permit. His last competitive matches came last spring with FC Utrecht where he spent six months on loan, scoring three goals in 14 appearances, eight of them from the opening whistle.
It was recently reported that Agudelo has been trying to qualify for Cypriot citizenship to bypass the non-EU work permit restrictions.
“He has been here on trial and we thank him for coming here and training and hope he enjoyed his time with us,” Jackett said. “But both parties will now move on.”
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What do you think of this development? Do you see Agudelo ending up at an English club in the end? Think he should move to another club in the Netherlands?
Share your thoughts below.
Playing in England is a worthy goal. But he’s only 21! Why does he feel the need to play in England _today_? He’s got plenty of time to reach his promised land. There is no reason for him for rushing this, and he may blow it because of his impatience. Seems not well thought out to me.
I like the way Juan is handling his career!
Not familiar with Holland work permit, but it is easier to get one in Germany. The resident and work permit in Germany is all in the same visa which looks like a drivers license. A german team can type up a statement and all he has to do is take it to the immigration office in his city with application and fees and two passport photos…wait in line like the other people do and be done in an hour or so.
The real issue is why Juan would wan’t to got Europe instead of growing in the MLS. He is exactly the type of player MLS needs to retain. Not quite ready for prime time but a young player that could grow into a franchise MLS player (a la Landon) or a expat with a good chance to make it in the bigs (a la Clint Dempsey). That said JA should have jumped at the Bundesliga…..what was he thinking?!?!?!?!?
He’s playing this so unwisely. He should go to Holland anyway – at his age, it’s all about getting attacking reps.
This young man needs to fire his agent
At the rate he is going, he will be working at a deli counter during the week and be playing on the weekends in public parks
Great photo for the post. Defiantly the face I made when reading the headline..
Juan needs a better agent. The past two years of his career has been a bad joke.
No one says “Bugger Off!” quite as polite as the English.
Right now, I would say that Agudelo is the poster boy for why it is good to stay in the MLS and get playing time and more experience before leaving for a chance of hooking up on an EPL team (It was always a long shot given the work-permit rules.) The players who left MLS (or skipped it entirely) successfully come in only a few flavors:
1) MLS star for more than a single season (McBride, Dempsey, Beasley, Holden),
2) Good MLS player (or even college player) with flashes of brilliance who moved to a lower level league in europe (Bradley, Davies, Goodson and many others),
3) Keepers (though even Friedel and Keller started at lower level leagues)
History has not been kind to very young U.S. players leaving for the top leagues in the world when they were very young.
Most (all, though I am loathe to be absolute) very young MLS players who had bright prospects struggled when they signed with LaLiga or EPL teams (Adu, Altidore, who dropped back to Holland for success, Agudelo, Shea, Cooper and others) have had a much tougher time.
Problem with this is Juan could be getting playing time in a better league right now! Werder Bremen wanted him and Utrecht would’ve been happy to have him back…
Juan is a poster boy for making bad decisions and not seeing better options put on a silver platter for him…but none of this has to do with MLS.
MLS also is not better than the Dutch League. Tougher defense maybe, (mostly a result of over physical style of play that the refs let go) but the skill and talent level is higher in the Netherlands.
…and Hannover. This is Juan’s fault.
Agudelo is getting some very bad advice. He is approaching the margins of the Adu Zone.
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination, where you actually believe you’re the next Pele. It is an area which we call the Adu Zone.
And sadly, one month in that zone still earns a person more than one year’s salary for those of us outside it… 🙁
People questioned me calling him out on his MASSIVE EGO. Well, Ha Ha.
only has himself to blame for not being fit. He’s 21. He should join a club in Holland and put a couple solid seasons in then get a transfer to the EPL.
Yep. His only job right now is to keep in shape and he was unable to do that.
Being physically fit and game fit are two completely different things. Agudelo could be in the best shape of his life, but that makes no difference if he is not ready to play effectively. Perhaps Wolverhampton did not want someone who could not immediately step in and help them. He needed trials back during the summer, not when the season is already in full swing.
Good call pushing him to Europe, Klinsmann.
One national career over thanks to leaving MLS.
Saddest part was when Juan clung to the jetway, tears in his eyes, begging to be allowed to stay in the US, but Jurgen and his brother Hans heartlessly stepped on his fingers, deaf to every plea and blind to any of Juan’s own dreams.
Or maybe that was a scene from Diehard II.
C’mon, obviously it’s ultimately his decision, but Rey’s point is fair…with JK pushing everyone to go overseas, this can be the result.
Rey’s point is hyperbolic and with intention. As you eluded to, this decision was Agudelo’s, not JK’s.
I enjoyed the comment from KingGE. Yes, Juan wanted to go to Europe and was no doubt urged to go by Klinsmann. But perhaps better advice would have been to say that this is not in your best interest. Look at all the guys who went to Europe and blew their shot at going to the World Cup. Besler and Beckerman never would have made it had they been playing in Europe instead of developing in MLS.
So, you’re also standing by Agudelo’s national team career being over?
As the great philosopher Lenny Kravitz said, ‘It ain’t over til it’s over.’
Something tells me JK didn’t say he could only go to England.
Rubio Ruben went to Utrecht and now he will never again get a call up right?
Sure, it *can* be the result — if you are inflexible, don’t explore all of your realistic options. and allow yourself to get left out in the cold. If Agudelo was intent on leaving MLS — as opposed to being intent on playing in one and onyl one country, which is a bad approach — he had lot of options. It’s illogical to blame Klinsmann for this result.
Yea, I can’t believe people are really blaming Jurgen for this. Juan always wanted to go to Europe that has nothing to do with the USMNT head coach. Also, it’s not like he hasn’t had opportunities, there were teams who wanted him. This falls squarely on Juan.
People are crazy with this hate for Jurgen as well as blaming him for every problem that is associated with a soccer player with a US connection.
Brian,
I agree. I didn’t want to jump in on this because the blame Klinsman parade is getting old. Klinsman always pushes players to play at the highest level that they can play consistently.. He’s said it again and again. This falls on Juan, squarely. He had interest from multiple clubs. Hannover was interested. Utrecht wanted to bring him back. He was obsessed with EPL, and got burnt. He will land on his feet (hopefully in the winter window).
There will always been Klinsman badgers just like there were always been Bradley badgers etc. For the last time, there was nothing wrong with what Klinsman said and he asked a question directly.
Well said.. I’d add that “playing at the highest level possible” does not equal “Go to England”… which seems to be the preferred route for some reason… like everyone wants to be the next Deuce….
I also have no problem with a guy who says “I’m young and would like a chance to live and play overseas while I have the chance-before I have a family etc”
But once again, that doesn’t equal “I have to go to England”
Well, patience was never Agudelo’s strength. When he wasn’t cracking the starting line-up at RBNY he wanted out, and found a way out in Chivas USA, and then the Revs. His view of MLS always seemed to be a brief stepping stone. I think he should have given the league a few more seasons before making the jump to Europe, but I’m guessing that if he could have bypassed MLS entirely, he would have.
I’ve never been overly impressed w/ Agudelo. I saw him play in a US Open Cup match against an NASL team, and it certainly wasn’t as if he was blowing by defenders, or creating all kinds of chances up front. I think sometimes guys come along and people get all hyped about them, but sometimes when you follow that player in their entirety, you can find they’re often a bit overrated. They lack work rate, consistency, adaptability to different coaching styles and tactical schemes, etc. Hopefully he can find a club and start to get some playing time. He may want to consider, as someone else here suggested, a 1 year move back to MLS. He’d find a club, get match fit, and make pretty good money. He could then reattempt a European move after that.
The grass isnt greener. Sometimes swallowing your pride and taking a step back is a hard thing to do. I dont blame his agent or family Juan is a grown man who needs to look in the mirror. He may want the premier league so bad but even Suarez started somewhere small. He should’ve stayed with Utrect for playing time but maybe lifestyle differences are what have caused this.
Come back to the Revs. You are the missing piece we need to go all the way
Can he for this year? I don’t think so.
Their explanation just sounds shortsighted: “We felt that match fitness was the key for Juan. To get him up to Championship standard he would need to play games [on the imaginary team that he doesn’t currently play on]…. That can be tough [especially if he isn’t on any roster] – you need a run of games and need to build up [so we dropped him to prevent that from happening]. So it was nothing to do with his ability levels, just that he hasn’t played.”
So either Wolves are really dumb or dropped him for other reasons.
I think it’s simply a polite way of saying “we don’t want you”. Obviously, if they were really impressed with him they’d sign him and give him the time to get to match fitness.
Right, that’s my point: they don’t want him…but why? The stated reason is absurd, so there is either another reason (left unstated) or Wolves are really dumb.
It’s not absurd at all. Wolverhampton is a club trying to earn promotion. They don’t have time to waste on a kid who chose not to have a preseason with a club.
Obviously they hoped that a few weeks in their reserves and a couple scrimmages would show fitness improvement from him, but that’s not the case. So they decided he was too much work.
Agudelo did well in Holland, but he didn’t light the league on fire. Championship clubs and above consider him a gamble. Wolverhampton didn’t want to roll.
But that’s not what Wolves said. So you’re correcting for them.
Or maybe they think he sucks but didn’t want to say it publicly for fear of ruining his chances with another team.
Then say, “Agudelo is a good player, but doesn’t quite fit our specific needs.”
It makes no difference what they said. If you don’t get an offer after a trial, the writing is on the wall in huge letters.
In some ways, Juan is learning one of the lessons of the regular working world…. it’s much easier to get a job when you have job.
When the Stoke transfer fell through he should’ve come back to MLS for another one year deal and then looked to line up USMNT time. Another strong year in MLS would’ve improved his chances. Plus he could’ve demanded a mid six figure salary.
I think he’s always wanted to go to Europe and he does not want to sign a long contract. If I was an MLS team, I would only sign him for 3 years so that I could get something when I sell him off. If he wants a 1 year deal, then no. I can get another attacking player.
He’s reportedly turned down offers from both Holland and Germany, because he really wants to play in England. He needs to immediately fire everyone that’s been giving him any advice.
Maybe people are giving him advice and he isn’t listening. As Simon and Garfunkel said, ‘A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.’
The other perhaps poignant line in that song is,
“Asking only workman’s wages
I come looking for a job,
But I get no offers….”
Wow! Benjamin C and KingGoogleyEye,….you guys just raised the bar for posts on this board about ten notches. Well done,…
I’m applauding with you Brian K. Ben C and Kinggoogly just tore open the internet this today.
Well played sir!
(Puts two bucks in the guitar case and walks away)
or he or someone close to him really has trouble in places where people don’t speak English and has made a conscious career limiting decision to stay in a place where they do.
This immediately came to my mind as well. I think he might be averse to living in places where the language might be an issue for him.
Then go to Spain. He was born in Colombia, he knows Spanish.
I know Osorio would sign him in an instant for Atletico Nacional. Reunite with Angel and play some Copa Lib.
Just about everyone in Holland speaks fluent English. No language barrier there.
Ah, the real world of professional soccer. More players than roster spots. Restrictions on foreign players. The catch-22 of not gaining a roster spot because you haven’t been playing. Being at the mercy of coaches who don’t know you and so on and on.
Europe is full of good young soccer players looking for clubs or better clubs. Why does anyone think that finding a place in Europe is just a matter of being talented and working hard?
because a guy who know more abot soccer than anyone on this board said so- you see, according to some SBI commenter’s viewpoint, in life, all decisions are to be made based on advice of people who know more than you-not on their own actual merit- these “experts” are never wrong, just ask Rumsfeld about Iraq, or Jim Cramer about stocks, or Donald Trump about citizenship verification- listen to them and don’t ever question their opinions
Well, as Juergen Klinsmann said on ESPN, “Michael Bradley could play for Real Madrid or Manchester United if he really wanted to.” 😉
Oh, so it’s like the spectators at youth games who shout: “you just have to want it more.”
Why is he stil trying to get a job in England? I thought he couldn’t get a work permit.
It is probably from his agent. He needs to get a new agent who will give him better advise
Because he’s a retard. He had offers to stay in Holland during the summer and he turned them down. What a diva.
Cyprus has really lax rules on citizenship, and it would not surprise me at all if he’s able to get an EU passport that way.
The FA will approve the permit for a club in the Championship. It’s not like every foreign player in the Championship, League 1 & 2 are World Cup starters for their countries.
The worst thing that happened to Juan was he scored those goals in his first few USMNT games. It overinflated his own sense of value and I think caused him to decrease his work rate. He needs games week in and week out. Now that Klinsmann is on record saying MLS is a bad career move, Agudelo probably won’t want to come stateside just yet. How long can he go without a club, though?
If he is worrying about JK and the National Team, he probably needs to stop doing that and focus on jumpstarting his career first. Being stagnant for this long is not good for anyone in any profession, much less an athlete. Sometimes, you have to do things you don’t want to do to climb up the ladder. If you hit one roadblock, you might have to backtrack a hair and find another route to where you want to go; essentially, Juan is running into a brick wall, backing up a little bit, then slamming into it again. Bizarre.
I think those goals suggest he has more potential than some of his cohort, but he has to find a stable base from which to stay healthy and develop, that has been gone since he left NYRB chasing this obsession.
“Now that Klinsmann is on record saying MLS is a bad career move…”
When did that happen? I smell a liar!
I wonder if has more to do with them realizing he’s not that close to being eligible for a work permit.
I’d be more inclined to take them at their word on this one. If not, that’d be fairly unprofessional given the reasoning they provided.
You know the thing about this Agudelo saga that is so strange is that, it’s not like ha hasn’t had any interested parties. This free agency thing is all of his doing and choice. I’m sure there are players that would love to have Bremen or Utrecht etc. after them…Well for his sake I hope he knows what he is doing and doesn’t come to regret this down the road.
Lying about “fitness issues” isn’t totally unprecedented. Eddie Johnson had signed with Puebla and was released a day later due to “fitness issues.”
Recently he claimed/revealed it had more to do with changing management who didn’t see him fitting into their plans, and seemed to want to smear him a bit to distance themselves.
He should tell them he is from some God awful Eastern European country instead of the USA.
Why? Wolverhampton had a ton of success with a US keeper in net. There’s no prejudice there.
Think he should move to another club in the Netherlands?
Is there any verified interest from a club in the Netherlands or is this just speculation? I have no internal knowledge regarding sincere level of interests from any club but I’m starting to wonder if it’d be wise to simply write off this season and sign with an MLS club in preparation of next season.
Maybe this has been a good lesson that Agudelo may not have the right people around him advising him one way or the other. He’s either made a poor professional choice or received horrific guidance.
He needs to find a good home or else he’s wandering down the Adu path. He’s not ready for English ball right now nor will he get the permit. Nor does this Cypriot thing ring likely or wise. So go someplace you have earned that is welcoming. Quit trying to force things.
Holland, Scandinavia, MLS. If he keeps picking over his head he will be Adu in 3-5 years. At some point he will be treated like a senior failure instead of a junior prospect and he’s getting closer.
I think fitness is an easier excuse because it is true and allows the user more CYA than a permit he might finagle tomorrow. “This is a different player than who I saw because he got in shape.” No one will blame him.
What he needs to do is exactly what the manager said and we’ve said, “Play F’ing games.”
It’s comical that Agudelo thinks he can ignore an entire preseason, not play a single game for half a season, and then walk onto a team. It doesn’t happen like that. Teams don’t have time to babysit a guy who’s willing to sacrifice an entire season so he earns more money.
Agudelo had real offers from Germany and the Netherlands. He said no. Now he’s facing the consequences. It’s such a shame we’re seeing another talent go to waste.
Maybe he and Gooch are enjoying a sip of vodka on a beach somewhere.
Its too late. Agudelo going down as the 2nd biggest dumbass next to Adu. Agudelo had all the offers he wanted back in the summer. Its time for Agudelo to suck it up and go back to the MLS and get his form back
It’s the Dick’s Sporting Goods jinx: Bunbury, Shea, Agudelo.
Wish they’d play that commercial again. On wait…here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQEhwjtotQk
“Global stage!” “Testing my limits and BREAKING them!”