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Americans Abroad notes: Hannover sporting director hints at Cherundolo extension, Simek set for free agency and more

Steve Cherundolo Hannover (Bundesliga.com)

By FRANCO PANIZO

It is looking more and more like Steve Cherundolo will close out his career with the same club he started with.

New Hannover 96 sporting director Dirk Dufner told German outlet Kicker on Wednesday that Cherundolo will soon sign an extension with the club. Cherundolo’s current three-year deal is set to expire at season’s end, but Hannover are keen on re-signing their captain and defensive stalwart.

The 34-year-old Cherundolo has been with Hannover since the latter half of the 1998-1999 season and recently tied the club’s record for league appearances with 298. Cherundolo, who was benched for Hannover’s road win this past weekend, will break that record at home this Saturday against Mainz if he plays.

Here are more Americans Abroad notes:

SIMEK SET TO BE FREE AGENT

Frank Simek’s time with Carlisle United has come to an end. Carlisle United announced on Wednesday that it would not be offering a new deal to Simek, who will become a free agent when his current contract expires in a few weeks. The 28-year-old defender had spent the last three seasons with the League One club, making 109 appearances in league play.

SPAN, DJURGARDEN ADVANCE TO SWEDISH CUP FINAL

Brian Cobi Span and Djurgarden IF could soon be celebrating a championship. Djurgarden defeated Orgryte, 1-0, at home on Wednesday in the Svenska Cupen semifinals and Span came off the bench and played 33 minutes in the match. Djurgarden will face IFK Goteborg in the tournament finale on May 25.

ADU DOES NOT FEATURE AS BAHIA BEAT JUAZEIRO BA

Bahia moved one step closer to the Baiano final on Wednesday, but Freddy Adu did not help his new team do so. Bahia defeated Juazeiro BA, 2-0, in the first leg of their Baiano semifinals series but Adu did see the field for his club. Bahia will travel to take on Juazeiro in the decisive leg on Saturday, and the the team that advances from there will face either Vitoria or Juazeirense in the final.

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Think Cherundolo should retire as a Hannover player when the time comes? Would you like to see Simek sign with MLS? Expecting Adu to see some time in the second leg?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. great news for Dolo. should an awesome player/guy. whether he stays in Europe and coaches or coaches here in the US, it’ll have a positive effect on US soccer.

    as for Adu, the season has yet to start. sure, it would have been cool to see him get into all the cup games and make an impact. but i think it’s more realistic he is still becoming integrated with the team. we’ll see though…

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  2. Anyone else read this and notice the contrast between Dolo (underhyped, stable career) and Adu (overhyped, ping pong ball)?

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  3. Brazil’s league season doesn’t start until the end of this month. It’s not really possible to comment on the significance of his appearances or lack of appearances in these state and cup competitions without knowing the approach of the club towards these secondary competitions.

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    • He certainly deserves a gold watch. Maybe a year’s supply of Germany’s best brew would do. I’d take that.

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  4. 14 YEARS at 1 club. A bundesliga club no less. That’s hard to imagine in today’s world with players moving to new clubs only a year after transfering. Heck some even transfer to club rivals just for that $$$ I honor Cherundolo

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  5. Why is Freddy Adu not playing mentioned? It is just about a weekly thing. He should only make the column when he does play as that IS news.

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  6. Adu is not seeing much of the field for Bahia and Kleberson is not seeing much of the field for the Union. Balance. Symmetry. Looks like the trade worked out well for everyone.

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  7. Dolo should consider staying at Hannover after retirement and coaching. We need some top players like Dolo getting into coaching in Europe to pave the way for more American coaches. A European club isn’t going to hire Bruce Arena to coach. However, a very successful American player like Dolo could definately get a coaching job in Europe and then work his way up.

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    • +1 SPOT ON
      2013/14: 2 year contract extension
      2015/16: 1 year player-manager contract
      2016/17: manager–take full reigns of that carriage!

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    • Well, he has a German wife and is a local celebrity. He may spend the rest of his life there for all we know.

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    • Totally agree with your sentiment, Vic. But on the other side of the coin, Dolo’s long experience in Europe combined with his leadership ability would also be very valuable should he decide to return home. I think it is absolutely amazing that an American has been a long-term captain of a decent Bundesliga team. And let’s not forget, assuming he is fully recovered from his injury and can return to top fitness, he is still the best right back in the US player pool.

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  8. Dolo should consider staying at Hannover after retirement and coaching. We need some top players like Dolo getting into coaching in Europe to pave the way for more American coaches. A European club isn’t going to hire Bruce Arena to coach. However, a very successful American player like Dolo could definately get an assistant coaching job in Europe and then work his way up.

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  9. Dolo staying in Hannover might be the cosmically appropriate thing to do, like Lampard finishing at CFC, but I’m not sure it’s the ideal USMNT scenario because he’s been playing less.

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    • forget the Nats. This is this man’s livelihood. He makes around a million or more euros a year. He might get some kinda job with the club once he retires. He’s a legitimate USMNT option for at least another year. Parkhurst, Lichaj, Chandler. All pretenders but if Cherundolo isn’t up for it, give them his role.

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    • At 34, his relevance to the USMNT is waning regardless of where he plays. I don’t think it’d be in his or the USMNT’s best interest to move to MLS where he’d play more, but be at higher risk of injury.

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    • I think that Dolo has earned the right to play wherever and whenever he wants and the US is lucky to have him, even at age 34.

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  10. Simek ought to come home. He was once on the books at Arsenal and then on the Nats’ periphery, but by the time you’re down to Carlisle in League One I can’t believe it’s more lucrative or beneficial to your career to be there rather than here. He’s not too old to get it going again, sign for MLS, see where it gets you.

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    • Is he a right back or central defender. He played RB for Carlisle but I thought he played CD for the US. Anyone know his best/preferred position?

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    • Would be a good move for the league, but he is more likely to earn more money signing for another European team. MLS really lacks depth in the quality defender department. Due to the salary cap, teams are spending their money on attacking talent (can’t really blame them) instead of at the back. Unless a player is an absolute stand out defender, he is probably not getting a great pay check. Solid guys like Simek are what MLS lacks. There is good talent at the top of pretty much every roster, but there is a shortage of just good solid guys in between the bottom of the rosters, which are generally pretty weak.

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  11. Cherundolo is nicknamed the “Mayor of Hannover”. So instead of calling this an extension this should be called a “reelection”. Dolo has certainly earned another term so the citizens must be happy!

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  12. No longer are the Scandinavian leagues better than MLS. Sure a college player may earn more than say he would entering MLS but overall MLS is greater or equal to Sweden or Norway. Danish league is slightly better than MLS. So MLS is arguably akin to a 12th/13th European league such as Greece/Switzerland.

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    • I am interested in how you are able to easily slot MLS into European hierarchy. Is it by budget, international players, etc. Liga MX beats us consistently so we know they are better, and have bigger budgets (I think), and we beat Central American teams constantly in Champions League, so we can use that as a test here, but with Europe it is less clear. Why do we think the average American team is better than the average Swedish team? I have no way to compare them beyond salaries, and wanting MLS to be better.

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      • I heard that on average Liga MX clubs have about five times the budget of MLS teams. The gap continues to close, but we are still quite behind. Our top level talent is as good, but teh depth falls off rapidly. Not just the bench depth, but the starting XI depth.

      • too bad that friendlies between these leagues wouldn’t sell very well, since the seasons are pretty well synched it would be great competition.

  13. 14.5 year career with the same club. I’d imagine he signs a 2 year extension. This weekend he sets the Bundesliga appearance record for a Hannover player with 298 appearances. If he were to play 3-4 more years he could become the most appeared Hannover player of all time. RECORD BOOK stuff

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    • Pretty amazing to see an American field player holding the appearance record for a BL club. I remember Dolo posting on AOL back in the ’90s that we should remember his name. Well I guess he was right!

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      • It was literally “remember the name”. Then spelled out his name in CAPS a few times in some AOL posts. It looked like he had had a few beverages and decided to post in the MNT forum on AOL. LOL. It was back when he was at Portland I think.

    • Kind of cliche to say he has been our most underrated player for years at this point, but its probably true. I think he is still our best option at RB and can play on the left if needed. Fantastic guy to have in the locker room as well. Really hoping he can stay healthy and make the team next summer.

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