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Report: Leeds eyeing Rogers

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Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

A day after locking up centerback Chad Marshall for the foreseeable future, the Columbus Crew may be on the verge of losing a key figure from its attack. 

Winger Robbie Rogers is closing in on a deal with Leeds United, according to a report from England. There was always a high possibility that Rogers would not return to Columbus, with his contract with the club expiring at the end of this past season and the player being open about his desire to return to Europe. While the report linking Rogers to Leeds is far from iron clad, it does seem more and more likely that he will end up somewhere overseas.

Rogers has spent a good part of his offseason in Europe, training with FC Kaiserslautern in Germany along with Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman prior to making a trip to England. Leeds isn't the only club that has expressed interest in Rogers, as Blackburn is also reportedly said to have interest in acquiring his services. 

Rogers, who left the University of Maryland after one season to go to SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands, has been with the Crew since the club won a lottery for his rights in 2007. SBI has attempted to contact his representatives regarding the potential transfer to Leeds, which has recent experience with Americans. The club employed striker Mike Grella for the last two years and also had fullback Eric Lichaj on loan last winter.

What do you think of the potential move? 

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. You must be a big Robbie Rogers fan.

    Daniel wasn’t very clear on it, but what he’s trying to say is that Rogers needs to learn how to dribble to the nearest corner flag and actually LEARN HOW to cross the ball successfully and accurately. Like I said before, the guy can’t cross worth a dime and his shots are even worst, seen a few games of his live and he has speed and dribbling speed plus great work rate, but he reads/reacts too slow to the game.

    And like someone said, it remains to be seen if he actually makes it to Leeds… aside from his abilities or lack there of, what is the status of his UK work permit? That is the biggest question 1st and foremost.

    FA is pretty anal about those things

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  2. Why??? Ummm maybe because all of those players have shown more and actuall DONE more for the US and their youth national teams than Rogers has?

    Feilhabar is already there and he personally got us the 07 Gold Cup and the qualification to the 09 Confederations Cup and was a vital part of that team when he came on as a late sub helping to beat Egypt 3-0.

    Gyau is younger just like Wood playing in much better set ups than Rogers. Corona by our best players admission, Landon Donovan is a player we could use. He is a winger who can do some damage and I saw him do some damage in Mexico despite him playing for a recently promoted team of weak talents.

    Pontius LLetget, Gil and Rowe all have something on Rogers, and that is that they are younger, or in Pontius case, have done better on the left wing. Too bad Pontius has gotten 2 injuries the last few years, but Gil is what like 5 years younger than Rogers? Rowe is about 4? Much better options based on what I’ve seen…

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  3. So let me get this straight;in the 21st century players are taught that they should never dribble to the corner flag and cross the ball?

    At the risk of corporal punishment? Seems a bit harsh to me.

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  4. “As for him being a valuable attacker in 2014… I would rather hope for Shea, Gyau, Pontius, Wood, Lletget, Rowe, Corona, Adu, Gil, McInerney, Feilhaber to get that stage of potential great options Benny is there already if you ask me just had a bit of a let down midway thru the year with the injury.”

    Why? Did Rogers do something to you personally?

    Looking at your list, other than Shea and maybe Freddy, most of them likely have some distance to go to make the 2014 WC team, should we qualify.

    I would think a USMNT fan would deem it more important that someone,anyone, maybe even the despised Rogers, emerges as a viable attacker for the USMNT in 2014. Valuable attacking options for the US are not so plentiful that we can afford to turn our nose up at anyone, even the despised Rogers.

    What are you going to do if Rogers goes to Leeds and does really well and goes onto become a valuable player for the US?

    Switch allegiance to Mexico?

    Fabian Huerzeler hasn’t filed his one time switch and seems to be leaning once again towards Germany, having played for Germany’s U 19 team in November.

    Potts,has accepted an invitation to play for the U-20 US team against France.

    However, if you read interviews with him it sounds like he’ll play for the US if that is the only option for him.

    He seems to have a pretty tight knit circle of friends and family in England and, it would seem, would prefer to play for England. When he was 12 Potts was informed that he had leukaemia.

    “‘It was hard and a struggle, and obviously football was the last thing on my mind back then,’ he said. ‘It’s just great to be healthy, put that behind me, focus on my football and push on. I was 12 when I was diagnosed, I got the clearance when I was coming up to my 16th birthday.”

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  5. Of course he hasn’t gotten any better. He’s been at the same club under pretty much the same system since he left Herenveen. Saying a player his age has hit his ceiling is ridiculous.

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  6. talk to me when the kid learns how not to dribble to the nearest corner flag and attempt to cross. this is why we need better techinical coaches. no coach in the 21st century would allow this to happen. whomever coached this kid when he was young should be taken behind the shed and flogged and never allowed to coach again.

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  7. I hope he gets better, but with his inconsistent form, his bad performances with the nats and the whole work permit thing being a big obstacle for players trying to make it in England I don’t know…..

    Maybe the FA is more lenient when a player is trying to get to the lower divisions as opposed to the EPL, or his time in Heerenveen somehow helps him get a work permit?

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  8. He can’t cross, simple as that. When you’re a winger, if you can’t cross, well the other talents aren’t all that relevant and become wasted! Doesn’t matter that he has good vision to make smart runs and short passes, even occasional long ones, or that he gets into good positions and has great speed to get separation or even that he has 1 on 1 skills to get past a defender in isolation when he gets to the final third or goal box, he can’t cross, and don’t even get me started on his shooting accuracy.

    In MLS he can get off some crosses but no where near enough as other guys who are either older but too old for USMNT like Davis or maybe younger or less experienced like Pontius and Shea….

    Mental or not he never really demonstrated he could do all that well past MLS levels. Not even vs Sweeden’s B team or Honduras depleted teams or El Salvador?

    As for him being a valuable attacker in 2014… I would rather hope for Shea, Gyau, Pontius, Wood, Lletget, Rowe, Corona, Adu, Gil, McInerney, Feilhaber to get that stage of potential great options Benny is there already if you ask me just had a bit of a let down midway thru the year with the injury.

    And then you have guys like Zakuani, Mwanga, Nagbe and even Potts who could open up options for the US if they made the switch. Potts could take over for Chandler at Left back, allowing Chandler to play on his preferred right wing. Either RB or RM either way it opens up more options whether Dolo is around as a starter or not. Hell even Fabian Johnson is better option?
    I’d rather hope to see Fabian Huerzeler captain of Bayern Munich’s U-21 or U-19 side than Rogers at this point?

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  9. Oh and I don’t really like Rogers much… but that guy was never a bench player for Columbus, he might of been in a difficult spot with Warzycha when the season started but he was always a starter and was an integral part of the 08 MLS Cup winning side that Schelotto and Schmid led to a championship and Supporter’s Shield double.

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  10. I couldn’t agree more, Joe Gyau is very close to getting his first few minutes with Hoffenheim and is Blassing fast, much better winger with much better track record despite his team not making the recent U-20 WC, I put that on (w)Rongen more than anyone for having that team unprepared and cocky vs Guatemala the hosts.

    I also think guys like Corona and Pontius when he comes back healthy offer much more. But if he goes to Leeds and can try to polish his crossing and shooting accuracy, he could improve his level to where it’s worthy of call ups and people won’t be asking “Why is Jurgen giving this guy more chances?”

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  11. I’ll agree with you that Rogers is probably not very far from his max potential, unless someone works some magic to teach this kid how to be CONSISTENT and cross and shoot accurately, since he can get separation and make smart runs to get into space in the final third of the field or it the goal box, BUT to say that Klinsmann hasn’t been calling our BEST players is a big stretch.

    At Worst Klinsmann hasn’t called our 2 best defenders, Cameron didn’t really earn a call up till the playoffs and by then it was too late as he needed to concentrate on trying to win the MLS cup with Houston.

    Who else has he not called in? Please don’t you dare say Wondolowski or Davis.

    Just because he hasn’t called some of the best MLS US born players doesn’t mean Klinsmann hasn’t called in our best guys. Ream still getting calls is a stretch but he could easily just have a bad sophomore slump season, and Klinsmann’s possession style needs a guy like Ream. Don’t get me wrong I been wanting John and Gonzo to get looks but for the most part Klinsmann has called in our best guys.

    Sacha might be due for a call, but honestly after seeing him in so many games do stupid things, I’m okay with him taking a while to earn a call up. He did okay in Gold Cup, but that was a different system, and Klinsmann has called him in too, not sure who else you might be thinking about?

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  12. Do you disagree that A) He doesn’t have enough caps to get a work permit and a “special request” ala Robbie Findley is pushing it even if it is for a Championship side like Findley’s? Unless there’s some exception from when Rogers played for Heerenveen and might hold a passport from his Dutch days, which I find it hard to believe given as he only played there for a year?

    Or B) That Robbie Rogers play is inconsistent at best and might not seem like the best player to help a top 3rd Championship side get into the promotion playoffs and get to the EPL? Hell and once there what could he offer in the EPL?

    Rogers has had some really bad outings with the national team despite Klinsmann displaying a lot of confidence on him by giving him some starts

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  13. At 24, Rogers still has a few years to develop. He has those elusive tools that managers fall in love with (good left foot, speedy winger). He needs to push himself now, while he still has his wheels. His game has definitely stagnated in MLS to kick ball ahead, chase ball. Walcott was much maligned for many years for the same thing (though he is much younger… and faster) and he developed. On the other hand, some speed guys never do (see Eddie Johnson).

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  14. Completely different situation from BF. BF has good skills but lacks tools, whereas RR has all the tools in the world but has never developed his skills.

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  15. 4-5 Blogs. So yes my opinion is probably as valid as everyone else on here. I’ve followed Rogers since the time he and Will Johnson were at Herveneen and I’ve seen him enough of him over the years to know he isn’t getting any better.

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  16. Rogers has loads of talent, more than enough to succeed in the Championship. His problems on the field have always been mental. Maybe a fresh start and outlook on the game is just what he needs. Any real fan of the USMNT should wish him well because he has the potential to become a valuable attacker to have in Brazil 2014.

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  17. Didn’t think he showed that well for the nats in his recent past performances. If he gets a good deal all the power too him, maybe he’ll prove his critics wrong…

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  18. He definitely hit his ceiling. He has potential however, he suffers from the Benny Fielhaber syndrome. He does all he can do to get recognized then his level of play just drops a few notches once he gets to the big stage. It is nothing new. Some people are great club players however, some just dont materialize as national team players and there is nothing wrong with that.

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  19. Chyah. You probably know more than Klinsmann, and the scouting teams for Blackburn a Leeds. I mean, you probably read like, three different blogs about soccer a few times a week. Basically a PhD in talent evaluation.

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  20. He’s been playing reasonably often under klinsmann. With a letter from klinsmann, a permit could probably go through. Also, aren’t permit requirements more lax in the championship?

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  21. Like many here I personally don’t think much of Rogers play, but if he does somehow get a Work Permit and has success I’ll be happy for him. I just think there are options with greater potential and equal to his skill in the U-20 & U-23 age brackets. Therefore I wouldn’t be hartbroken if he doesn’t get called up for any more Senior National Team camps/games.

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  22. Exposure is a big part of getting a deal. The fact that he’s been on the US National team makes a big difference when trying to get a European contract. The average Championship coach doesnt watch much MLS games and teams will be lucky if they have one scout covering all of North/South America. If you have an agent that makes calls to Championship teams and says, I have a player on the USA Nats, relatively young and available on a free transfer, some team will take the bait.

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  23. Rogers hit his ceiling years ago. He was a bench player for Columbus before Klinsmann undeservedly called him to the USMNT. Now Blackburn and Leeds want to sign him. Imagine if our actual good players could get a call up by Klinsmann.

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  24. Check out how much someone is prepared to pay these fans for their knowledge. You get what you pay for and these guys are receiving a big zero. I hope Robby is successful wherever he goes.

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  25. I would like to see Robbie make this movie personally, I’m not the biggest fan of his game but hey as another post said he does have potential. Americans do mature later in soccer terms so who knows the best may be yet to come from Robbie

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  26. As much as people like to rip on him, the kid’s got potential, always has. Good skill on the ball, great speed. If he had a good run of form during his trial I can see why they’d take a chance on him.

    Work permit issues should be interesting though. He defintiely doesn’t qualify for the typical WP (playing in 75% of the teams competitive “A” games over the past 2 years), is their a loophole they can use to get him in?

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  27. Not that i know of. But the WP issue may be resolved seeing as he made the recent GC roster and has been included in a number of JK camps. He doesnt meet requirements, but they have been known to make exceptions. Will he sign?? i have no clue

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