George John had to hold off on his dreams of a move to Europe this summer when a proposed transfer to Blackburn fell through in the final stages. Those events may ultimately lead John to wind up at a better club this winter, if reports are to be believed.
According to the UK Daily Mail, Everton and Wigan are both on the trail of the FC Dallas defender and are expected to make January bids for the big centerback. While the report doesn't exactly offer much in the way of detail, it shouldn't come as a surprise that smaller-spending English clubs would be interested in an inexpensive centerback option who also happens to hold a European passport.
A winter move away from MLS is all but inevitable now for John, who will be moving into the final year of his current MLS contract once the 2011 season ends. With that being the case, MLS will be more open to approving a transfer and FC Dallas is actually then put in a position where the league, and not the club, has final approval on a potential transfer.
What do you think of this development? Like the idea of George John heading to Everton? Still wondering when he'll get that first national team call-up?
Share your thoughts below.
if he winds up at Everton and starting in a defensive unit for Howard i think a callup will have to be a foregone conclusion… unless he plays for Greece by then….
Jorge Juan, lol I love it.
I’m all for bringing in Hispanic talent… It’s really too bad that Herculez Gomez and Omar Gonzalez are NOT HISPANIC ENOUGH to get call ups from Klinsy, instead we are stuck with Edgar f’ing Castillo and Michael Orozco Fiscal!
I understand that frustration for sure. And you’re right, it’d be more than fair to leave Ream and Orozco back the next time for John and OG. Not because Orozco isn’t good enough, but like you say, just so John and OG get a chance.
I honestly do not even see how Ream even went pro he is not good at all to me. He is highly over rated by Klinsmann.
Do we know for sure he wants to play for US, last i heard he wanted Greece. Anyway i don’t want our yanks going to Europe just to cash in a paycheck with very little playing time if any at all.
I feel you on the edit button. Ives, get on it! I’ll admit, I’m guilty of Orozco ripping every once in a while. I realize he hasn’t actually played that poorly in the couple of games we’ve seen him, but I think where my tendency to rip on him comes from is simply frustration at the absence of our other options. It’s like, Orozco has yet to truly impress, and still gets the call ups, while others are ignored. True, he hasn’t pulled a Bornstein, or anything even close, so probably doesn’t deserve the level of abuse I and others throw his way, but I think we should be looking at all of our options. Orozco’s young, and as you’ve pointed out, playing regularly in a quality league. If he keeps that up, then sure, he deserves a call up just as much as any other player. And if the guy can improve even more, more power to him!
instead, he has a EU passport. So he doesn’t need the work permit that other Americans need.
i really wish there was an “edit” button:
“And I too think that…”
I thought that to play in EPL you have to be a contributing player to the national team and have a certain amount of caps. John has no caps.
Just saw that. Yeah, I think that is a fair point. I just continually read people complaining about John and Omar not being called up and then start tearing into Orozco like he is Bornstein. And I agree, I don’t think he should be starting that much. My guess is JK was trying anything when Gooch was still not being called up. And too thinke that John and OG deserve a call up. Even if one gets called in for one camp and then the other the next camp. Ream needs to be left off for now to allow for OG and John. I’d probably still call in Orozco, but just to have him in camp and let OG and John be the ones to get the minutes the next few go-arounds.
See my reply to you above. Orozco isn’t a bad player, but I don’t think he merits three consecutive starts. I agree with you on Ream, as well. Maybe what I’m saying is that we should be looking at John and Gonzales just as much as we’ve looked at Orozco and Ream.
Ream is talented but not ready for Nats. John is better now and maybe always will be.
Haha. I’m a Latino too, so trust me, I want to see great Hispanic players as much as anyone, but the reality is that there’s no hidden Hispanic superstar at the moment. US Soccer should focus on identifying and developing players from the Hispanic population. JK shouldn’t be forcing them onto the roster now.
Because Orozco isn’t a bad player. Stop making Orozco the scapegoat for JK not calling up John or Omar. If anything, Ream should be left out for them. Castillo is another story entirely, but Orozco is a solid player who is just now getting back into our system.
Fair enough, he should be in the conversation. I guess what I don’t understand is why he received three consecutive starts while John and Gonzales have not even received a call up. Orozco may be good enough to be in the conversation, but is he THAT good? I don’t think so.
Agreed. JK’s statements in re: Hispanic talent were puzzling and a bit worrying. That sort of stuff shouldn’t be so prominent in his mind (and I say that as a Latino). It might just be a product of Klins’ loquaciousness and not a legit indicator of his thought processes/perspectives.
He might be ONLY top 5 which you seem to think isn’t an impressive feat, but also consider his relative youth for the position. I’d be curious to see which CBs you rank above him are younger than he is (Gonzo? Ream?)
Orozco is ABSOLUTELY in the conversation. People act like he is Bornstein. While he was not amazing, he did well enough. He starts for his team every week in the FMF which is a good league. He’s nothing more than a depth option, but he deserves his call ups. I also think that John and Omar should get a look though. I just don’t understand why everyone blames Orozco and makes him out to be a scapegoat, of sorts.
Funny, and you have a point. Why has Orozco gotten as many minutes as he has? I know JK waxed poetic about bringing more Hispanic talent into the team, but that kind of thing has to be done at the grassroots level. Right now, at this very moment, the fact that Castillo and Orozco are Hispanic should not trump their relative lack of quality when compared to other players in the pool. I mean, where is this hidden Hispanic talent that JK wants to call in right now, and why haven’t we heard of them before? I think that the Hispanic population of this country is a widely untapped source of talent that could produce some top players for us somewhere down the line if we implement the right system now, and if you look at the youth national teams, we’re doing just that, but it’s not as if being Hispanic makes Orozco any better than John right now.
Interesting, I did forget that they have money to spend after the Arteta transfer. I guess I’m just used to thinking of them as incredibly stingy. I still think it wouldn’t be a bad move for them, as he is a young, promising defender, there is always the threat of Jagielka leaving, and the fact that he’ll be inexpensive AND Everton will have some cash to spend. It may not be an immediate need. The money might be more wisely spent elsewhere to address immediate issues, but I think John would be a good long term investment.
I wonder how many Americans would be in Europe if not for the work permit issue. Everybody talks of MLS guys not being “Euro quality” but I think there are quite a few Americans (10-15) who could help a lower table EPL side, or a French or Dutch side. It’s pointless to criticize guys for not playing in Europe…
very funny
Good news for John. I don’t know if John could make the USA 22, but for Klinsmann and others to claim that their picks (Ream, Orozco, etal) are the best players available just hasn’t been proven, in fact its a bad joke.
Greece wil be lucky when they get this guy since Klinsman is ignoring him.
Maybe we can put a Mexican hat, a pancho, and a mustache then call him Jorge Juan. Then we can tell Klinsi he plays in the Nuevo Dallas team in the mexican league.
Not only will Klinsi then call him up, he’ll also get an automatic starting spot.
He really wants to play for us I think he’s just using Greece as leverage a la Omar Gonzalez and playing for El Tri
or look at it differently.. teams in Texas continue to produce talent European teams are interested in…
Surely John can find a club in Greece. Who knows, maybe he gets a chance to move to Wigan and starts and gets a call-up to Euro 2012. except that his grandparents were Greek and yet he feels he wants to jump in with them instead of us. Say goodbye to an automatic trip to the WC
GJohn is not ratted by JK in top 5 players and he has never been apart of the US Soccer Complex. I believe he will try his luck in Greece at least they will give him an opportunity.
Also, they will most likely offload Russ Barkley in the January window for more than enough to cover the cost of John.
Is Everton planning to sell a center back this January?
+1
I think the problem many people have with that is that JK called in Orozco a few times over them. I would say our top 2-3 CBs are Boca, Gooch, and Goodson, followed by John and Gonzales. Don’t know why Orozco should even be in the conversation. We do need to phase Boca out slowly, though, and the question is who will step up to fill his spot? Won’t be Orozco.
“With that being the case, MLS will be more open to approving a transfer and FC Dallas is actually then put in a position where the league, and not the club, has final approval on a potential transfer.” at what point can the league sell a player even if the club doesnt want him to go?
Is it just me or have the Texas MLS teams had some serious talent coming out of there or what?
People in Dallas will hate me for it but I’m hoping Dallas ends up playing Houston and that they lose to their Texas counterparts in the wild card, then John and Lloyd would be available to play in the November friendlies without any problems getting enough time in camp.
Playing with Everton would be a great option
1- I like seeing some of our players go to the same club. It means the coach isnt anti-US (assuming someone is getting good playing time already) and it will be great to have national team players get to camp already being familiar playing every match with a another guy or two. Even if they dont have 2 starters like the Rangers…just being together in practice etc cant hurt. It doesnt hurt Spain to have lots of their guys playing on Real and Barca before going to camp.
2- I think Everton makes sense because as a CB even if they dont have other US players on the back 4 getting comfortable playing with Timmy would add real value. Plus the US Goalie coach is from Everton so he can always keep his eyes on George for progress.
As a huge Everton fan I can tell you, that your wrong. In fact Everton do have a decent amount of money to spend in the January Transfer window following the sale of Mikel Arteta. Yes the sale of Yakubu, Bekford, Pienarr and Vaughan all went to the bank to fund our debts, but at least some amount of the Arteta 10 Million has been promised to David Moyes for January. Everton are poor, and at this point have to sell to buy, but, as we have sold, we can now buy. Personally I am not sure we need a defender.
Who are your top five CB’s in MLS?
I would have him at 2-3 that are American and it is not that he is off the radar of JK but that JK is not bringing in players that he does not see as the top 2-3 American at each position. JK made that statement during the last camp about John and Gonzales.
except he’s currently the second highest rated CB after being #1 for most of the year
Good point. If you are an American sans Euro citizenship connections you are out of luck really.
I hope for him (John) that this transfer does happen. Hopefully when it does and he starts playing regularly in the EPL that will force JK to look at him.
It’s amazing to see a player who is no better that the 5-6 best CB in MLS and completely off the NT radar being pursued like this but having a Euro passport makes a huge difference.
Teams in Texas continue to get decimated by overseas transfers. Next up, Brek Shea.
I’ve got an idea. Cap him.
We’ll miss him tremendously in Dallas, and although his play has been surprisingly solid despite the Blackburn ordeal, he dreams of bigger things…
Going to be a huge dropoff for fcd if he goes 🙁
Arsenal should look at him, with the rate they injure players they will be ready to reload lol
Would love to see him go to Everton.
Everton have very little money, John would cost them even less. Don’t see the problem there. I think it would be a good move for him. Also, Ives, yes, I AM still wondering when he’ll get his first call up.
Everton? They don’t have any money.
I fear he would end up in the same position with Wigan as he would have with Blackburn. Limited PT in the EPL as the club acclimates him to the European game. By the time he’s ready to roll, it’ll probably be in the Championship. 🙁
Now if we can get Klinsman to look at him…