Call it a light week for Americans Abroad.
With several standouts resting from the mid-week World Cup qualifier against Guatemala, there were only a few Americans who actually started matches in Europe’s top leagues this weekend.
Tim Howard and Carlos Bocanegra earn Ironmen awards for starting for their club teams just a few days after playing for the USA on Wednesday.
We also saw Neven Subotic (pictured above) hold his own against Luca Toni as his Borussia Dortmund held Bayern Munich, 1-1 (And no, Subotic still hasn’t chosen the U.S. national team, but we can track his progress until he does make a decision).
Freddy Adu did make his debut for AS Monaco this weekend, playing just three minutes in place of Jeremy Menez, who he could be replacing in the lineup soon if reports about an impending Menez transfer are true.
Here is how all the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
ENGLAND
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes, and made three saves in Everton’s 2-1 win against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes, and made zero saves in Aston Villa’s 3-2 loss to Stoke on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey came off the bench and played 13 minutes in Fulham’s 1-0 win vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
- Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in Reading’s 4-2 loss to Charlton on Saturday.
- Bobby Convey started and played 73 minutes for Reading.
- Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford’s 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
- Eddie Johnson did not dress in Cardiff City’s 2-2 tie vs. Norwich on Saturday.
SCOTLAND
- DaMarcus Beasley came off the bench and played nine minutes in Rangers’ 1-1 tie vs. Aberdeen on Saturday.
GERMANY
- Neven Subotic started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 tie vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday.
- Steve Cherundolo came off the bench and played 18 minutes in Hannover 96’s 0-0 tie vs. Energie Cottbus on Saturday.
- Sal Zizzo did not dress for Hannover 96.
- Brian Arguez did not dress in Hertha Berlin’s 1-1 tie vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday.
- Heath Pearce dressed but did not play in Hansa Rostock’s 1-0 win vs. Alemania Aachen on Sunday.
- Matt Taylor started and played 60 minutes in TUS Koblenz’s 0-0 tie vs. FSV Frankfurt on Friday.
- Grover Gibson started, played 52 minutes and drew a yellow card in Ahlen’s 3-0 loss to FC Augsburg on Sunday.
- Gregg Berhalter started and played 77 minutes in 1860 Munich’s 2-1 loss to Mainz on Sunday.
FRANCE
- Freddy Adu came off the bench and played three minutes in Monaco’s 1-1 tie vs. Caen on Saturday.
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 82 minutes in Rennes’ 2-1 win vs. Lille on Sunday.
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in FC Troyes’ 1-0 loss to Vannes OC on Friday.
BELGIUM
- Oguchi Onyewu came off the bench and played 16 minutes in Standard Liege’s 3-0 win against KVC Westerlo on Saturday.
DENMARK
- Danny Califf, Jeremiah White and Lee Nguyen were off this week.
NORWAY
- Troy Perkins started and played 90 minutes in Valarenga’s 2-1 loss to Stromsgodset on Monday.
- Adin Brown did not dress in Aalesund’s 1-0 loss to Tromso on Sunda.
- Clarence Goodson started, played 45 minutes and drew a yellow card in IK Start’s 2-0 win against Hodd on Saturday.
- Kyle Veris started and played 90 minutes for Hodd.
- Jay Needham started, played 90 minutes and scored a goal in Alta’s 4-1 win vs. Bryne on Sunday.
- Cam Weaver started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Haugesund’s 1-1 tie vs. Honefoss on Sunday.
Sweden
- Charlie Davies started and played 90 minutes in Hammarby’s 2-2 tie vs. AIK on Monday.
MEXICO
- Daniel Hernandez started and played 90 minutes in Chiapas’ 3-2 win vs. America on Sunday.
- Jose Francisco Torres came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Pachuca’s 3-1 loss to UNAM Pumas.
- Jesus Padilla did not play in Chivas de Guadalajara’s 5-3 loss to Santos Laguna. He was serving a red card suspension.
- Michael Orozco did not dress in San Luis’ win against Tigres on Saturday.
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If there are players I forgot to list feel free to list them below. Please remember that I’m trying to focus on first divisions and, in some cases, second divisions, so keep that in mind when suggesting players for the list.
Share your thoughts on how these Americans did last weekend in the comments section below.
Ives,
What about Marco Vidal at Indios in Mexico?
Charlie Davies?
“John, Subotic has mentioned that he has thought about playing for Germany. And playing in the US Youth system doesnt eliminate him from playing for somebody else. If he does get German citizenship, is there any doubt who he’ll want to play for?”
This isn’t true. His U-17 cap means he can’t play for any team he wasn’t eligible for at the time of his cap.
Secondly, I don’t see lawyers winning this one. There is plenty of precedence in this case, and FIFA will fight hard to keep their regulations defined strictly (aka not loosely).
Ives, I completely understand your view, but I think this is a case of our narcissism in seeing this as a major deal. I’m not plugging my ears, I’m rather doing the opposite. I’m seeing how minor this is in the soccer world. And therefore the soccer world (here its ruling body) will treat it as such.
This isn’t like Bosman, which was an issue with labor laws. This is purely FIFA (there is no EU laws pertaining to rights to national soccer teams). And Fifa’s position is becoming even stricter on leniency with national teams.
Subotic could do all he wants but it won’t do much.
Thanks for the update on Danny boy.
There’s something that is weird with that guy. Something that the media knows about but are unwilling to publish. Sigi Schmidt was quoted last year saying that in 3 years Sztela would either be playing for a big European side or be out of football all together.
Kind of like Quarranta. #1 pick to the crapper to fast. He came to NY and I took 1 look at him….weird tatoo’s everywhere, bags under his eyes, dirty, disguisting haircut…I said to my friend that he looked like a druggie.
Over the winter Quarranta went into rehab and said that he had been doing crack, heroin, etc. How come the media never tipped us off on this?
Did Szetela play for Brescia?
I’ve got news for Neven Subotic. Neither Bosnia nor Serbia WILL EVER win a World Cup, not even come close. Their chances are worse than the U.S. chances, BY FAR. He should get his head out of his “arse” and play for the U.S.
Germany isn’t an option. He’s not eligible. Even if he was, who on the regular German side would you pull off and replace with Subotic?? Nobody, that’s who.
Ives, how about Feilhaber?
John, Subotic has mentioned that he has thought about playing for Germany. And playing in the US Youth system doesnt eliminate him from playing for somebody else. If he does get German citizenship, is there any doubt who he’ll want to play for?
BTW – if I’m Guzan, I’m not sure I would want to be thrown into the Villa side quite yet. Their defense has already given up 5 goals, to not-exactly-powerhouses Stoke City and Man City.
But why tease us, Ives?!
That picture of him is totally unnecessary. Can we please get a pic of Eddie Johnson playing instead? Oh, wait…
Regarding Szetela:
The above poster was correct. Danny played all 120 minutes of Brescia’s Coppa Italia match against Torino.
Brescia lost on a goal in the last minute of the first extra by Di Michele.
http://www.bresciaonline.it/or4/or?uid=BOLesy.main.index&oid=602690&uidx_15=BOLappl.news.dettaglio&idnews=1536192&is_popup=0
Brescia are a really good Serie B side. I’m looking forward to seeing Danny get a good shot to play here.
Skinn – your comment sounded odd, so I took a look. It appears that Taylor was Freidel’s backup at Villa on Saturday. It will be interesting to see when/if Guzan beats him out for a spot on the bench.
Mark, I’m working on CONCACAF Abroad as we speak. Check for it tomorrow.
And John, as much as you want to think Germany is a dead issue for Subotic, it is not. While it is true that Subotic did not hold German citizenship before playing for the U.S., you can rest assured that a lawyer will make the argument that Subotic was eligible for German citizenship before playing for the U.S. and therefore his citizenship should have become active back to when he reached the threshold for receiving it (which was well before he ever played for the USA).
That is going to be the case John and lawyers are already on the case. Sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling, “it will never happen” isn’t going to make it any less likely. There’s a possibility and that’s what is being worked out now.
As for Subotic and his chances of eventually being a German senior national team player. He is starting and playing well for a quality team in the Bundesliga at the age of 19. Last time I checked there aren’t a ton of Germans (or any nationality) doing that in the Bundesliga, so writing him off as a prospect this early in his career is dumb.
If Subotic plays for any other team but the US, Eff him and anyone else that wants to play for anyone but the US. I hope the worst to them. Especially, Rossi, cus I don’t see him breaking into the Italy frontline and staying a regular. This is getting ridicules, the US unders are producing better players than ever and they want to play for another team.
“…Wonder his joining the MNT would work out? put Gooch/Subotic in the back and have Boca play a holding mid role? Hmm…think he has some experience in that spot, right?
Posted by: Chad | August 25, 2008 at 01:30 PM”
Why would you move Bocanegra to holding mid? If there is one position where the U.S. does not need to put player who doesn’t play that position is holding mid.
If you had suggested moving Bocanegra to LB, with Onyewu and Subotic in the middle, I would think “that makes sense since Pearce and Bornstein are iffy AND Bocanegra actually played LB for years with the Fire.”
But holding mid? Criminy.
Any chance to get a CONCACAF abroad rewind? Or should I not hold my breath for this column?
John, damnit — why do you have to get our hopes up?
Just thinking of a cornrow tandem on the national team is too mouth-watering!
Is everybody here deaf? Subotic CAN”T play for Germany, no matter how bad you want to satisfy your masochistic self-pitying.
He played for the US before holding German citizenship. End of story.
Many bigger players in the past have made that mistake (see Giggs, Ryan), and FIFA did not change the rule).
Especially with Blatter all up in arms about teams with a bunch of brazilians, they are not changing this for Subotic.
And one final thing. What makes you think Germany is so desperate for Subotic? Even if the unthinkable happened, he would have to play for the team before being 21…and Germany doesn’t really have room to play him.
Serbia is the competition. One dumb quote from a soccernet article has been misinterpreted and every us soccer fan goes home to cut their wrists in front of their bloody Rossi poster.
Yup going to Germany the sooner we accept it the better.
The Athority — I read that Szetela started and went all 120 minutes in a Coppa Italia match this week.
I’m hearing Clarence Goodson may be on the move to a bigger club after leading IK Start to almost certain promotion in his first season in Norway.
add to the fact that the germans LOVE tall centerbacks and it begins to make more sense
my gut tells me that he’ll play for germany. germany has no problem making things happen for foreign born players (just look at their polish connection)
Whats the word on Michael Orozco? Why didn’t he play?
Thanks for including Jesus Padilla!
-Lee
Subotic/Boca would be a better combo, in my opinion, provided they could communicate well. No one will ever displace Onyewu, however, he has the coaches favor for some reason, even though he fouls a lot.
Alas, this is moot since Subotic will go Germany…
A.S.: I haven’t seen a reason why, but Villa didn’t have a keeper on the bench last weekend. Not sure exactly what Guzan’s status is. I assume that since he just arrived from the olympics and hasn’t had much of chance to settle in and train he was maybe ruled out. Why Taylor wasn’t the backup? Don’t know: he’s old and out of favor?
I think Bocanegra would be better served on the left in place of Pearce. His range of passing doesn’t quite suit the midfield spot.
James, Gbandi was born in Liberia and plays for their national team so he’s not going to be making the Americans Abroad list.
what about andrew jacobson? did he travel with lorient? will he get any time?
Chad that is a scary thought
and by that i mean scary/bad
Chris GBandi should still be playing – in Norway, I believe. If you’re going to cover Clarence Goodson, might as well cover Chris.
Subotic will probably go Germany but if he didn’t…
Wonder his joing the MNT would work out? put Gooch/Subotic in the back and have Boca play a holding mid role? Hmm…think he has some experience in that spot, right?
Quick updates for some questions above:
Spector is still playing for West Ham but is out injured with a hip problem. That is why he missed the Olympics.
Frankie Simek (Sheffield Wednesday) is also on long term injury with an ankle problem. If he were healthy he would have been transferred to the Premirship.
Right now, Subotic is not eligible to play for Germany. If he was, he would already have been called up at some level. He is currently eligible to play for USA, Serbia or Bosnia. He is waiting to see if the German FA can pull some shifty move to allow him to play for Germany…..which will probably happen. If you’re good enough, people will make up rules for you.
Zheri, scratch that. Apparently doesn’t have the passport. Believed he did. But apparently there IS still a chance for him to play for Germany because of some technicalities.
I was under the impression that his refugee status in Germany gave him some papers. Guess we’ll see.
Give me a break Noname, Bayern scored on a scramble off a corner that Borowski poked in. To try and use that play to measure how well or poorly Subotic played is nuts. he shut down Toni and Klose came out at halftime so the so-called best strike force in Germany was shut down and Bayern needed a scramble goal to equalize.
I did’t say he played great but Subotic certainly held his own. You can choose to disagree if you want.
Additional notes:
– Bobby Convey got the 2-1 assist to Sonko in the loss to Charlton
– Lee Nguyen scored a goal in a 5-0 cup romp midweek
Spector is still a hammer but still recovering from hip surgery – Ives, any word on his return?
Zheri, Subotic is eligible for Germany courtesy of his German passport.
Is Jonathan Spector still playing for West Ham?
Way to be optimistic Steve T. But back to reality, he’s waiting for Germany to call, there’s a reason he hasn’t played for the US recently despite the calls he’s received.
Honestly, even just following Subotic is just building up expectations that will most likely result in disappointment.
And in that picture — no foul on that play right? lol
Glad to hear that Nguyen found a girl he can score with in Denmark.
How about former MLS’r and Olympian Danny Sztela in Italia?
Delarge is right. Subotic says he is “most comfortable” in Germany. He is waiting to see if he can opt for German citizenship given the length of time he lived there as a minor before his family migrated for the US.
He did okay against Bayerne and he will be very good; but he was the one who allowed his man to score in the box so I don’t think he “held his own” as well as he should have Ives.
I assume Guzan is third string and didn’t dress for Villa…
Subotic is only eligible for the US, Bosnia, and Serbia. He couldn’t play for Germany if he wanted to.
Heard Lee Nguyen scored in Denmark.
Watched the Reading game. Not good. Convey had an off game compared to how well he has been doing recently although he did get a very nice cross in for an assist. Marcus had some great saves but the defense wasn’t doing what they needed and his bobble led to first goal.
What about Michael Orozco at San Luis?
What I mean to say is: HE’S GONNA PLAY FOR GERMANY.
He’s holding out on us for a reason.
DeLarge, Subotic is Bosnian, not German. Secondly, he’s played for U.S. youth teams, hasn’t played for a German youth team. Maybe he winds up with Germany, but nothing is settled yet. He could still play for the USA.
Subotic? He’s German. Gonna play for Germany.