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South Florida defender Brendan Hines-Ike turns down MLS interest to join Orebro

Brendan Hines-Ike USF 21

Scratch one name off the MLS Combine List.

USF centerback Brendan Hines-Ike has signed a four-year deal with Swedish club Orebro. The move was officially announced last week, but that still did not stop MLS from including him in the initial list of players that were invited to the 2016 MLS Combine.

Hines-Ike, 21, spent his final collegiate season in 2015 with USF. He started all 20 games for the Bulls and scored two goals. Prior to that, Hines-Ike spent three years at Creighton. He got the nod in 38 and appeared in all 40 of that program’s games in his freshman and sophomore years, but was limited to just five appearances in his junior season in 2014.

“It has always been my dream to play in Europe and it feels great to represent a storied club Orebro SK,” Hines-Ike told the club’s website. “I got a very good impression of the club during my test game so it was an easy decision to make. There were other options in the U.S., but I felt this was the right step for me. I’m really looking forward to meeting the fans at Behrn Arena.”

In Orebro, Hines-Ike joins a club that is no stranger to jumpstarting the career of an American. U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya began his professional playing days with Orebro, and enjoyed plenty of success before moving onto bigger clubs in Europe.

What do you think of Hines-Ike signing with Orebro? See him playing and succeeding there immediately or will it take time? Wondering why MLS invited him to the combine?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. this kid would have made like $20000 a year if he got picked up but instead hes gonna go to a European league maybe see some on field action his first year then he can comeback and make triple the money in mls as a free agent or a comeback american player, bunch of players have done it shea, agudelo went abroad almost two years and only soccer he played was on his playstation and came back and doubles his salary ! so its a no brainer, buy you some ear muffs go were its cold and comeback and get paid

    Reply
    • maybe it just says a lot about a player’s interest to play and/or live abroad. I know that would be my preference all other things being even. Additionally, for rookies, Orebo probably pays more — probably in the neighborhood of $150/200K.

      Reply
    • You understand he has been offered $0 by MLS teams, and is turning down the opportunity to go play scrimmage games that will likely mean very little in the end, to instead sign a professional contract, right?

      its like there is an entire world full of professional leagues and players are going to weigh their options and choose from a number of choices that best fulfills their needs and desires.

      “It has always been my dream to play in Europe..”

      A couple quick googles show him not rated as a top 50 college player, I don’t think the point you are trying to make is at all valid to this situation. What does this say about MLS? That they arent offering players that would have likely never played significantly for the first team, contracts that are slightly under average salary in the entire league?

      Reply
    • Considering Leo Stolz was the 2014 player of the year and didn’t get a single minute of playing time with RBNY this season and this guy did not have the college career Stolz did, I think what this say is that he isn’t good enough for MLS right now so he’s going to try and make it at a lower level.

      Also, living and working abroad at age 21 sounds pretty appealing.

      Reply
      • nothing is overlooked. each situation is different. more options for American players today than ever

        good luck to him

      • Yes, its incredibly overlooked. This website highlights that disconnect.

        You weren’t wrong about everything, tough, beachbum. More options are a good thing, and the better option remains plying your trade overseas if given the opportunity. At least you aren’t prisoner to a convoluted league for 10 years.

      • not a prisoner to anything like you are to your own ego old school

        as I dared you before, care to discuss what’s going on with coaches across the country right now because of US soccer’s BS? do you even know what I’m talking about? all of us coaches do…but of course, you’re no coach, just a couch potato hack, so why would you know what’s going on

        just go read whatever is being said everywhere, then regurgitate here…yawn

        enjoy your day behind your keyboard, I’ve got teams kids and teams to train, like I do every day. I come here to share insights from a life doing those things. You?

      • Now you want to discuss coaches? What the hell are you talking about? If your intention is to start deflecting, which you always do, then WHY did you disappear in the other thread, bum?

        Haha – get out of here with your nonsense and please stay away from children. We already have enough ignorant youth.

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