By DAN KARELL
Oguchi Onyewu remains without a club after another failed trial in England.
According to a report in England, Championship club Reading FC have declined to offer the 32-year-old American centerback a contract after Onyewu spent a short time this week on a trial period with the club. The report states that Onyewu spent three days training with Reading and played in a closed-door friendly match against Bournemouth last Wednesday.
The news means that Onyewu’s search for a permanent home continues, after his short-term contract with Sheffield Wednesday expired last June.
Despite his recent struggles to find a permanent home, Onyewu has remained steadfast in his desire to continue looking for a club in Europe. Last fall, Onyewu signed a short-term deal with Queens Park Rangers in the Championship, but he never made a first team appearance before being released.
Last Jan., Onyewu signed with Sheffield Wednesday through the end of the season and made 18 appearances in the Championship, all starts, but was unable to earn a long-term contract.
Onyewu hasn’t earned regular playing time over the course of an entire season since the 2008/2009 season with Standard Liege in Belgium, when he started 33 times. In Oct. 2009, Onyewu suffered a torn left patellar tendon on international duty with the U.S. Men’s National Team, and has found first team opportunities hard to come by since. A disappointing stint with AC Milan was followed by difficult spells with FC Twente, Sporting CP, and Malaga, before he signed with QPR.
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What do you think of this news? Do you believe Onyewu should continue searching for a club in Europe? Do you see him turning his attention towards an MLS club?
Share your thoughts below.
He’s past it.
Let’s accept it.
Gooch has actually plated professionally in europe his whole career. It’d be nice if he joined a MLS team but he seems to be comfortable where he is.
I think MLS has to be the next stop for Gooch. Either that or he and Borghett can put together a traveling WWE show…I would pay to see that 🙂
He’d be a great pickup for Orlando or NYCFC as a quality veteran CB to help their defense grow through their first few years in MLS. Not on DP money though.
Go to Scotland or come home gooch! Always liked this player, unfortunate that injuries never let him read the heights he possibly could’ve. Will always remember that stare down of Borghetti when Gooch had him in his pocket. Also, anyone man enough to fight Zlatan deserves a beer or two bought for him.
Goosh deserves a farewell game.
I like the guy, but no he doesnt
No he doesn’t. Let’s stop handing out orange slices.
I think Gooch could use a slice of orange about now.
If anyone did it would have been Boca. I sure as hell hope Timmy gets a farewell game.
Let’s not make it a tradition. I’m still kinda against this. It’s a little bush league for the USMNT to be doing it (not a slight in LD’s direction what so ever)
Sheffield Wednesday were interesting in offering him a contract (manager stated), but they could not come to agreement. They were probably too far on money ad length. No one is going to give an oft injured 32 yr CB significant money/contract. BTW, he was a regular starter at Sheffield Wednesday last season and he was a regular starter at Sporting in 11′-’12 until ’12-’13 when a new manager came started someone else.
Granted, I just woke up, but did anyone else initially read this headline in the same tone as, “Weight gain to offer Onyewu contract after trial”?
That may, in fact, soon follow.
“just woke up”…must be nice to be on vacation or still be a student…
or to work a strange shift on the weekdays: 10am – 630pm.
Sounders could really use another injured CB.
NYCFC you are now on the clock…
Let someone else buy the risk.
“Mister, Mister, you used to be Oguchi Onyewu !”
“Yeah kid, used to be.”
No good enough for MLS. Too bad because he was once a major force.
With some of the shleps that sit on the MLS benches, a two year stint in the MLS is a possiblity. Carlos played out his last two years on one leg. Gouch can do the same.
Despite his recent struggles to find a permanent home, Onyewu has remained steadfast in his desire to continue looking for a club in Europe.
That leads me to believe he’s all about the money (no fault to him, by the way) and I don’t see any MLS club willing to pay his preferred (I assume) DP-level salary. Quite frankly, doing so would be bad business from an MLS perspective.
No he is not all about the money. Remember he gave back a years salary cause he was injured. That is not what a money hungry person does. Maybe he just likes Europe better, maybe he wants to prove to himself he can still play at that level after his injury. Then again he has a family to take care of. Could be a bit of everything
Eh. It’s what a money person would do if they thought that would make him more money. He was trying to show AC goodwill hoping he’d get a contract extension. AC would pay him more than any of the other clubs.
Until plays for for, everything is about money. Let’s not be naive.
I’d argue him offering to give back salary to AC Milan when he was unable to play was an amateur move and came off weak. I didn’t applaud him for that, and found it more detrimental as a professional and made him look feeble and desperate. Gooch was being respectful, you’re absolutely right but he also was in contention for a starting spot with Thiago Silva at the time.
You can certainly accuse me of being cynical but Gooch’s willingness to not collect a paycheck while injured was definitely a political move to not lose his (potential) place in the AC Milan vision or be his ticket out the door. Turns out both happened.
It’s show business, not show friends…as the line goes. It’s always about the money.
Again, I agree with you Old School. Gooch returning his paycheck was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen in soccer. Felt like he took a few steps back for Americans abroad. I felt a strange twinge of shame when it happened – like he was admitting that American soccer players are a sham and we should feel lucky to get contracts in Europe.
Not good enough for MLS? Who they are these kids popping up on here who have no inclination as to where MLS stands on the world footballing landscape