by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
Despite watching his team surrender three goals in Standard Liege's 3-0 UEFA Cup loss to Braga, U.S. national team defender Oguchi Onyewu still managed to impress the latest team to show interest in his services.
Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo reported today that Real Betis' technical director, Manuel Momparlet, flew to Braga to watch the American in action. And despite playing on a back-line that allowed three goals, Real Betis came away impressed with Onyewu.
Set to leave Standard Liege on a free transfer this summer, Onyewu received attention from numerous clubs during the past winter transfer window. French sides Olympique Marseille and Paris St. Germain were two of the clubs heavily pursuing Onyewu, but Standard Liege refused to sell.
Real Betis currently sits 15th in La Liga's standings, just two spots away from relegation zone. Los Verdiblancos have finished in the bottom half of La Liga for the past three seasons, finishing 13th, 16th and 14th respectively. Betis' most recent successful season came in 2004-2005, when they finished fourth.
What do you think of Onyewu possibly landing with Real Betis? Think it is a good fit? Prefer he go to a bigger club? Hoping he goes to Olympique Marseille?
Share your thoughts below.
While Betis’s struggles are a bit disconcerting, the fact is: If he goes to a struggling club like Betis, he’ll get more minutes (hopefully) and definitely more work, which means he’ll get better or parish (Baptism by Fire is another name for it). While he wouldn’t be playing against the best in the world during his practice time, the minutes against Barca, Real Madrid, et al. would undoubtedly be phenomenal for his technical, tactical, and physical growth. While Merseille wouldn’t be the worst place in the world to end up, other than Lyon what kind of competition does it provide?
I’d prefer he go to France rather than Spain.
If true, expect Gooch’s weaknesses to get exposed. If he can learn and adapt quickly it may turn out to be a great move for him. A storied franchise for sure…
La Liga always a good move except for Jozy.
Sevilla FC…Siempre dentro mi corazon!!!!
do we even know that psg and marseilles are in for gooch…based on the history of onyewu transfer speculation…i would say his agent does a good job of inventing transfer situations to make him look like a coveted player…i mean at one point ac milan was supposed to be in for him…and why didnt any team actually push hard for him in january…i dont know about the marseilles or psg thing being anything more than the fantasy of his agent
hope he doesnt goto the french league. la liga would be nice really, i don’t care who it is really as long as he would get minutes in that league and on a team that stays up during his time there. getting used to defending the crazy offensive onslaughts that league produces…especially on a lower to mid level team would be awesome for him and awesome for the usmnt. he can only get better.
braink- you have also made an excellent point.
I’d be happy to get Adu and Jozy in Belgium and playing every match. Christ- Pearce should go back to Denmark and get some regular football.
Also to you who are down on relegation level clubs – no better atmosphere to learn how to play under the most extreme form of pressure there is then a relegation fight. Your salary, and your job in some cases, is literally on the line because the checks get a lot smaller if you go down. Ask Marcus Hannamann what happened to his at Reading.
I know we will never have it here for various valid reasons but I think the level of play would improve quicker in the MLS if relegation was a factor in the league.
Agreed with briank. In my book, Standard is a better squad than Betis.
Enough with the Gooch move talk. IMHO he is in a good situation. He is playing regularly in a decent league and getting European football play.
great move (if it happens) Real Betis is a nice sized club.
Now if Adu could just come back to MLS
By the way Kizz- you are dead on right!!!!!!
Betis about his level plus he will get some diffrent look football vs. a northren European league.
Want good news gang?
Smirek and Spector went the full 90 today!!!
Believe me when I say we will need them both in SA 2010. Both have way more upside then Dolo.
Gooch to Munich really? People just need to be realistic when they type. Even defenders in Germany are fast though they are tough, look at Lucio, Per Mertesacker, Daniel Van Buyten, Naldo. At 26, you are no longer a potential, you are established in Europe.
Gooch will not make the first team with PSG or Marseille, sorry those two teams have faster defenders and more sound players at the back, maybe he can join Bocanegra at Rennes. Stop mentioning all these major clubs for an average defender.
Tough call, but a solid possibility. If Real Betis is asking about him there must be something they see in him that can help their team. I don’t think he is the sole answer but I don’t think that this is a bad idea.
There already seems to be a couple of teams interested in him so we will just have to see who will be around in the summer transfer window. It is a good thing to see that teams in Spain and France are considering him as a candidate that can come in and play for them. I still think the teams in France will be hard to turn down based on the opportunities that are available to Onyewyu, Champions League etc…
If anything it is saying that he is doing many things right and I hope he keeps it up…
As a “Sevillista”, I sincerely hope he goes elsewhere as I am a big fan of his and would hate to root against him when he plays against Sevilla. I will say this though… Betis always seems to find a way at the end of the season to keep their head above water. He wouldn’t play for a quality side, but the opposition would be top notch.
Gooch to La Liga??
Why? So he can be exposed more than he was at Newcastle?
La Liga teams are known for having technically sound defenders, something Onyewu is not.
The guy is 26, 27 years old, his technical ability ain’t going to improve all that much anymore.
I mean, did they not watch him and Bocanegra boot balls up the field constantly against Mexico last week? while watching Osorio, Salcido, Galindo and Marquez easily dribble their way out of trouble and make competent passes to their teammates?
Man, this seems like a bad move, if you ask me.
the ref’s will need a fresh shipment of red cards, the league is too skilled and too fast for Gooch. Germany is the league for him where He-men are allowed to do their thing.
Jason, I believe thats Xerez, not Jerez. And folks, keep in mind Munich was missing Lucio, their top central defender today. Ease up on all the “Gooch to BM” talk.
Would be awesome as I’m moving to Seville in April 09………
It’s so frustrating that Jozy isn’t even getting on the bench for Zerez. He would be better off practicing with Villareal. Argh.
http://www.nomoreonionbags.com
I would rather see him play next to Ujfalusi at Atletico Madrid
If this happens for Gooch, I’m a happy camper. Outta the Belgian league into one of Europe’s big four leagues. I think he’ll do ok there, should they sign him.
Maybe Gooch would be out of his element, but all I could think about while watching Bayern’s porous defense today, was hmm, they sure could use some help at the back, I wonder where Gooch is heading in the summer. I’m not saying he is good enough for Munich, but it looks like they could use all the help they can get right now.
as long as he is getting playing time in a great league. something Jozy can’t get, he was not called into the 18 for Jerez tommorow.
Great! I get to watch ANOTHER American player fight and hope to stay in the top flight. I want him in the French league if Betis is the best team in Spain that wants him.
I never get my hopes up when it comes to Americans’ Abroad movement throughout Europe. After Bradley landing with a relegation club and Adu going to a sorry AS Monaco, who has any idea. We can all hope for Gooch to go to Olympique Marseille or a top team in La Liga, but with Americans’ luck, he will probably end up with a club like Siena.
as long as he’s a regular in a respectable league, i’m happy. this situation definitely sounds like it could qualify.
“French sides Olympique Marseille and Paris St. Germain were two of the clubs heavily pursuing Onyewu, but Standard Liege refused to sell.”
REALLY? Standard would not sell when they know the player leaves on a free during the summer. Also I had to laugh at CrispyST3; go there and make them a mid table team, he is a defender not a striker, plus he is SUPER SLOW!!!! This is hilarious, we are talking about Real Betis not even cross town rivals Sevilla.
The last time Betis was a major club was between 95 and 98 when they had Alonso, Denilson, and Finidi. Since they have been a shadow of themselves. Gooch will get minutes there, but will be easily beaten by faster forwards, good luck making them a mid table team Gooch…
Betis would be terrible. Yeah sure he’d get 1st team football easily but get real, he could get more exposure from a PSG or Marseille plus some euroball action.
As long as they stay up, he gets a nice pay packet and he starts – hip hip hurrah!
Why you all think he needs to be on a better club is beyond me. Our players are like water- they seek their own level.
Serious, how arrogant can we get?
We’ve only just begun exporting quality players overseas and although we are still disrespected on some levels, I can’t fathom the fact that we still moan and whine about a young defender like Gooch plying his trade in La Liga, albeit a lower-level squad. Jaysus.
Wherever he goes I hope he starts. I’d be happy if he went to any of those three teams. I’d prefer he went to La Liga to work on his footwork, movement, technical ability. He is so big he needs to get lighter on his feet, and learn to ease up on his constant fouling in the final third.
He wins every 50/50 ball in the air, and can overpower any striker. However, I would like to see him and Luca Toni go head to head on a corner kick.
There will be better offers on the table for a solid player like Onyewu on a free transfer.
lol WTF ^^^ FAIL.
get him to a midtable team in spain (8-12)
or away to france or england
Good for Gooch. Betis would be a tester and hopefully improve his technical skills somewhat.
It would only be good for the US team if we had a defender playing in La Liga. If you see Messi twice a year, nothing else is going to scare you.
Marseille would be ideal. OM is the most storied team in France, despite Lyon’s recent run and the perpetual attention that PSG garners because they play in Paris. If he goes there AND gets playing time, he’ll develop technically.
I’d definitely feel better about Gooch moving to a top-half team with a chance of Champions League/UEFA Cup football.
I almost feel bad echoing the sentiments of so many people who say the last thing we need is another American battling relegation, but I think there’s some truth in it.
I’ll take Marseille or Lyon over Betis, please.
I don’t get it and never will. I just don’t see him as being all that good and yet teams like him. He seems to foul too much, isn’t all that fast and doesn’t distribute that well and yet he remains employed???
I would take a player like Michale Parkhurst over him every.
Another American goes to a team fighting for relegation…zzzzzz
betis or marseilles will be good for him. it would be nice to see more of an american presence in spain. i think he could handle that league better than england. wasnt lazio interested at one time as well?
I don’t care where he goes as long as he continues starting each match. I would love to see him in Spain or the BPL. Either way he only gets better. Good for him.
La Liga could be good for his technical development.
OMMMMGGG! This wuld be sooo dope, if he goes to Real Betis, he can make them a mid-table team, hopefully, that wuld be great if he can make them better, plus
more exposure for US players