Duncan McGuire’s proposed loan move to English Football League Championship side Blackburn Rovers is at risk of falling through.
The EFL has not approved the loan due to the registration documents being submitted after the 11 p.m. transfer deadline on February 1, the club announced. McGuire, who was linked with both Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday during January’s transfer window, will remain in England until a decision is made by the EFL.
Should the EFL reject the move, McGuire will return to Orlando City for the start of its domestic schedule. Blackburn Rovers will also attempt to reach a pre-contract deal with the Lions for McGuire, which would begin this summer.
“All of the necessary signed paperwork had been completed prior to 10pm on Thursday February 1st, however due to an administrative error, the forms were not processed within the prescribed time,” Blackburn Rovers said in a statement.
“Detailed discussions with legal representatives and the relevant football authorities have taken place over the past few days to try to reach an urgent and positive resolution to the matter,” the statement read. “The club’s lawyers have prepared the required papers and sent to the EFL Board, who will consider the case on Thursday February 8th.”
McGuire, a former Mac Hermann award winner at Creighton University, scored 15 goals for Orlando City last season. His stellar rookie campaign in MLS led to his first U.S. men’s national team call-up and debut in January’s 1-0 friendly loss to Slovenia.
Blackburn Rovers sit 19th in the Championship and could desperately use additional scoring help to avoid a relegation fight this spring.
Orlando City opens its 2024 schedule on February 21 against Canadian side Calvary FC in the revamped CONCACAF Champions Cup.
2 MLS seasons seems to be the sweet spot for young US players. There’s enough evidence if you willing to look. Players w/ 1 and half MLS seasons vs 3 or more MLS seasons. Look at who sticks and stays in competitive leagues and who comes back to the MLS. Not every player who transfers from the MLS to a competitive league falls into this category there are exceptions. What we’ve seen is 2 solid MLS seasons then jump on the best deal your agent/club has. For every thing I just said, is the reason why I would like to see Dunk Mac stay w/ Orlando for 1 mo season. Go get those double digit goals and show that 1rst season wasn’t an outlier. Thus he’ll be available for the Olympics. Plus, Rovers are going down to the 3rd division. I do agree with that statement.
to me a youthful player who has a cup of coffee in his domestic league then no sooner wants transferred out, might also make rash, ambitious, aggressive career choices that go “too big.” also, while they might be seen as sufficiently promising to get the offers, in reality they often have not actually mastered MLS. in reality they are, at this stage, an average MLS player with theoretical upside. i think the more successful ones, duh, make MLS look easy already. dempsey was ready. landon was ready. howard was ready. etc. i think the less successful ones go abroad on a hype schedule as opposed to an objective readiness schedule. average MLS level doesn’t translate well to a stronger league and in over your head is not the calmest place to work on upside. that and some just pick way too get a transfer target, lose the position battle they weren’t ready for, but are committed for years.
personally my theory is either transfer age 18 where you go in their age group system and get taught or worked on, or wait til about 23 with an established resume and mastery of MLS where you’re ready to step up. to me the worst approach is like about age 20 and used as a role player but seen as a future starter and coming off Berhalter’s bench. you might be seen as a potential big deal who can get transferred, but in reality you haven’t done anything and are a MLS backup. MLS backups if they go to europe need to be in scandi or scotland or something, not italy, england, etc. that’s just asking for it.
it’s a registration deadline not a signing deadline. that the paperwork was signed in time doesn’t matter if the email to the FA is too late. which, the email has a time stamp. unless the time stamped wrong, is what it is.
[along these lines, NCAA soccer has a countdown clock. if the ball isn’t across the line before “0” the goal doesn’t count. you either beat the horn or not. we don’t parse it. so unlike FIFA style ball, you press for a goal ASAP as time runs since you can’t assume the ref will sit on his whistle for an attacking possession.]
sucks for mcguire but i would blame blackburn and their on-off antics.
Yep it is def Blackburn fault, it also happened to a player last year they tried to sign miss the deadline for paper work
When a team is relegated, you first look to the front office for incompetence. If your organization is shaky it doesn’t matter what else you have; the floor will never be solid under your feet.
This would appear to be Exhibit A for that notion.
i can remember early 90s PL blackburn with shearer and sherwood. used to be solid PL, eroded to yoyo 1st/2nd. to me bad sign the place got sold, fired the coach, relegated, and now a yoyo 2nd/3rd. that’s the wrong trajectory. so, yeah, you might be right. i don’t know much about the specifics but the trend lines are all bad.
i didn’t understand us hiring saints’ GM from the relegation zone either.
IV: according to Tom Bogart with the Athletic, person at Blackburn hit “save” instead of “submit” on the online form.