by FRANCO PANIZO
If the Houston Dynamo is to continue its relative MLS success next season, it will likely have to do so without two of their most talented players.
Midfielders Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden are out of contract at season's end, and both players are unlikely to return to the club, having been strongly linked with moves to Europe during the upcoming winter transfer window.
The first of what should be many teams interested in Holden surfaced on Thursday, and it is Scottish club Aberdeen. According to a report out of Europe, Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee is closely eyeing Holden, and is hoping to entice the midfielder to sign with the club during January's winter transfer window. McGhee also said that the club may have to wait until the summer to sign Holden, who was born in Scotland.
The news of Holden receiving interest from European clubs is no surprise, but it comes just two days after the Dynamo revealed that Clark would indefintely not return to the club. Clark, who sent the Dynamo a thank-you email prior to the MLS playoffs, has no intention to re-sign with MLS, and is going to pursue European possibilities. Clark received interest abroad from Italian club Livorno earlier this year.
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What do you think of Holden possibly joining Aberdeen? Think he would find lots of minutes with the club, or should he avoid the physical league at all cost? Where do you see Clark landing? Think the Dynamo will be able to cope without Holden and Clark next season?
Share your thoughts below.
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No not Scotland! Unless you want to see your career turn into Beasley’s!
I thought Clark to Livorno was a done deal? Whatever happened to that?
one thing is for sure…regardless of what seems to happen Houston always reloads
it seemed he was developing…till he let that trial at celtic go to his head. hopefully he can turn it around and return to his 08 form
These stories get so old. It would be really nice to have the money to resign some of these guys. Sigh.
you said it right there…quality time against clubs like celtic and rangers…but what about the other 27 games?
Besides the SPL doesn’t seem like a very good fit given his skill set. Speed and technical ability aren’t what serves you best in the SPL. He is tough but a league like the dutch one would prolly serve him better in the long term.
Regardless its pretty clear wherever he can play consistently will play a huge part in where he ends up.
To bad MLS wont be getting money from selling these guys! But I do hope they light up the fields wherever they go!
I think we all wish Holden could go to a better league or a bigger name club but to me I feel like Davies really set a good precedent. Go to a smaller league, get your playing time, then if you do well there you can move up the ranks. Baby steps. We don’t want him sitting on the bench until this summer.
Why do people keep mentioning Sweeden with Denmark. The leagues arn’t even close to one another. Denmark is typically ranked top 10 where Sweeden sometimes doesnt even fall into top 20. Hell, Charlie Davies set the record for transfer free for his club team with a measly 2 or 3 mill.
I don’t think Holden will be able to start instantly in EPL or SPL. But a move to Coca-Cola or Bundis 1 I think would serve him well.
questions now arise how the great Guus couldnt get a talented Russian team into the finals… is this seen as a blemish on his record
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You might want click on the link that Ives posted in the article. Here’s an excerpt:
‘Canetti said Clark, 26, informed the team of his intentions via a heartfelt e-mail prior to the start of the playoffs in which he thanked the team for his time in Houston.’
Holden needs to go to Spain it suits his style of play.
he could even go to a bottom level team like villareal
Hasn’t Sir Alex been at Man U for 22 years.
i was under the same impression (and have been since then). i guess nothing was signed?
Even Aberdeen made it to the UEFA Europa group stage last yr so they are of a quality side though Hearts or the big two would have been better if they wanted him…..hey you never know, maybe they are planning on something especially with the transfer window opening in the next 40 days.
I think Holden could survive and work up some PT. I wouldn’t worry too much about the physicality over there. Sure he’s just a little guy, but weight rooms do exist over there, too I imagine.
Anyway, I don’t see Clark doing anything significant at all in Europe.
And Houston will be fine even if both go. Clark’s loss free’s up a good chunk of cap space and Houston still has Cameron (who was never a real defender) and Mulrooney coming back to the midfield.
Hahahaha…too funny.
For those saying that MLS is better than the SPL……..u’all gotta specify in what areas, skills or financial, or in terms of hacking down people. For the first two, SPL is better (for e.g. Andy Dorman making peanuts ($30,000/yr) with the Krafts and transferring to St. Mitten making almost 14 times that (300,000 Euros/yr ~ $400,000/yr) if u factor in the exchange rate) and the Rangers (making it to the UEFA finals in 07) & Celtic reaching the QF of the Champions league last season (I wonder if any MLS side can do that right now with their measly 1.6 million Euro budget yearly) so the SPL is better in skills & financially. In terms of physical play, I would say they are on par, MLS is also a physical league of it’s own just like the EPL. Holden will go where the money is especially if Abedeen will give him the same deal that St. Mirren gave Andy
Clark is gone. I think Holden will stay at least until after the WC. And he certainly wont be going to Aberdeen of all places.
Kjlestan is another player who should be playing abroad. He seems to be developing a lot like how dempsey was befroe he left.
i’m in total agreement with you – i’m sick of seeing young talent ride the pine in bigger leagues. he should be in the starting eleven and will play in more games – including matches against top clubs like Celtic and Rangers. wouldn’t be surprise to see him get PT at Aberdeen and then transfer to higer profile club in the EPL or SPL.
I’m happy about where Holden could end up. He’ll probably get playing time. Look at Jozy at Hull. The kid never plays.
If he’s going to the SPL – he should go to Hearts. Solid management, and less turmoil than Rangers and Celtic have (and I’m a Celtic supporter).
But, I’d rather see Spain. I really want to see a guy go there and succeed. If he could latch on at a club like Espanyol, Mallorca, any mid-level club that will let him operate on the fringes, he could really make an impact.
I just doubt those other leagues will get him the playing time he needs pre-WC. If at all possible, maybe sign a short 1 year deal in the SPL (where I know he can outrun/outclass most) in hopes of moving on after a solid performance in SA. Likely a pipe dream though.
I would rather see Holden play in the English Championship than the SPL unless it is at one of the Old Firm. As for Clark, I am not all that sold on him technically. Hopefully it will work out for him.
But I was wondering where Ives heard this, b/c I didn’t read anything about it. Did he send an email to management saying “Thanks, but I’m out”?
This is exciting for both of them. I wish them luck!
I lived in Aberdeen for 6 years and am an avid fan of both Holden and Aberdeen.
Although Holden and fans may hope for bigger and better, Aberdeen is a quality club that has produced great players in the history of Europe. It is the last club that Ferguson coached at prior to Man U.
Holden sitting on the bench at a bigger club is less valuable than getting good playing time against quality teams such as Celtic and Rangers.
I hope it works out for both of them.
If there is no interest in Holland (or Spain or France) than he can’t very well go there, right?
Although I understand the emotional appeal playing in the SPL might have, Holden’s GAME won’t develop one bit in Scotland. He needs to go to a league where he’s good enough to get playing time, but where he’ll be pushed if he’s complacent. He needs to be in a league with tactically savvy players, not hacks. This is especially true if Dempsey winds up moving up top for any extended period.
I know it’s his home country, but please Stu, don’t go to that joke of a league. Look what it has done to Beas and Edu.
You don’t want to burn any bridges.
Hopefully the next US National Team Coach will be someone with some interantional experience. Don’t know if Kinnear has international experience, but would like to see maybe Guus now that Russia is out of the WC.
You guys are talking some sense. Look Ives! Good post Franco!
We all agree! Go somewhere better Holden, you hard worker.
Good for them both.
Bad for the MLS and its cheapskate/low expectation ways.
ya…..
Of course Aberdeen wants Holden. Hopefully, he and his agent are holding out for something better.
Calling it now…Holden will have a blown out knee by next season from a rough tackle vs. celtic/rangers
Aberdeen? The Dynamo would kick their butts. What a waste that would be.
If Dominic Kinnear can still put together a winning team after losing De Rosorio, Holden, and Clark in consecutive years, then he deserves to be the next U.S. National Team coach.
i think livorno is a great fit for clark.
as far as holden is concerned, go to spain. go to the netherlands. Prove to the world that americans can produce quality, creative and attack minded players.
Wait, didn’t Ricardo Clark sign with Livorno earlier this summer and was gonna head over after the MLS Season? Or am I imagining things?
Between the injuries Edu and Beasley have sustained in the SPL, I’d rather see him play elsewhere. Besides Celtic and Rangers, SPL is more of a hack pub league at this point….
Holland. Go to Holland young man.
I know Holden is from Aberdeen, but SPL would not be a step forward for him. He could latch on in EPL, Spain, France, etc. ALAHP! As Long As He Plays! That should be the battle cry for all future former MLS’ers/
I’d rather Holden go to a spot on the mainland rather than the SPL. Would love it if he went to the normal places (France, Netherlands), but honestly I could see him do a Dempsey, step into a Premier league team and become a mainstay.
Holden can do much better than Aberdeen. A mid to low table team in England, Spain, Holland, Italy, Germany or a top club in Portugal, Belguim, Denmark, Sweeden who are in Champs / Euro league would be better options. Just pick a place he can play if that doesn’t work out.
Holden just needs to avoid violent drunken Brits.
What’s that bit about Clark sending the Dynamo a “thank-you email”?