Re: VOTE: How is Freddie going to do in Seattle? « Reply #15 on Oct 29, 2008, 5:53pm »
What Blanco isn't fast? I think Freddie will do quite a tidy job. Waiting for Kevin C to announce "Freddie to Le Toux... "GOAL"!!" I voted he will do ok. I agree with the other posts that it will depend on the others around him. I guess that is the point of a team. I read a post from an English website that linked Joe Roth and Freddie to possible movie rolls. I don't quite understand the draw to the Northwest. I am glad he is with us though.
But Ljungberg is not the type of player MLS needs to be signing with the DP rule. This player represents little if any natural fan base in the United States and is not of the type of quality to elevate the entire league or even arguably the Seattle Sounders team he signed for. Ljungberg like Denilson last season and Marcello Gallardo and Claudio Lopez this year are players who do not bring a fan base with them and are at best a slight improvement over the players available within the MLS player pool already.
So where does a player with too many injuries and not enough interest go to play? Why the MLS, of course.
The telltale sign of why Ljungberg in Seattle makes little sense could be seen at the press conference to introduce the star. Reading from your left to right were Vulcan Sports and Entertainment CEO Tod Leiweke, Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer, Ljungberg himself and majority owner Joe Roth.
Seriously, who in that lineup has a clue where or how Ljungberg is going to be deployed? (Besides the obvious, in the midfield.) One might think a coach might trump a player in the Sounders first-year "To-Do" list.
Joined: Dec 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,212 Location: Renton
Re: VOTE: How is Freddie going to do in Seattle? « Reply #17 on Oct 29, 2008, 7:57pm »
Since Sportsnet didn't object to the Keller signing on those same "no coach yet" grounds their objection is totally invalid.
Of course, since Adrian Hanauer has been a better GM than ANY of Canada's GMs in any top or second flight sport in North America I will trust his opinions on players - which in this case is "Freddie is good enough"
As for the comparisons to Denilson, Lopez and Gallardo
8/6 6/7 5/0
If that's the worst case Sounders FC has a 6 goal, 4 assist player over 30 games. As for him not having a natural fanbase, how could anyone that follows soccer know that Ljungberg's fanbase is amongst NON-fans?
Ljungberg, who played for Arsenal and West Ham for the past decade, is everything that Beckham is right now on the field except for all the hype and fanfare off it. He may be going to an expansion team for half the price as Becks, but he'll likely have the Sounders in the playoffs before Beckham's Galaxy ever get out of the basement, partly because the Sounders are building their team from the ground up the right way and because I don't think Beckham will be in MLS long enough to see the Galaxy turn this sinking ship around before he jumps overboard, er back to Europe.
"For me, I felt if I was going to do this, it's a sincere thing, and really help the people over here with soccer," said Lungberg, 31, who accepted millions of dollars - the precise figure has not been publicized - in August from West Ham United to terminate the last three years of his contract. "I shouldn't go in three years' time when I'm past my peak. I feel really happy to be here."
His signing is a very high-risk, high-reward one. So how's he gonna do? Hard to say, obviously, but I think his acquisition is reminiscent of 3 major signings in MLS over the last year and half. Those would be Darren Huckerby, Marcello Gallardo and David Beckham. Take a little bit from each of those guys and you have a good approximation of what Ljungberg should be like in his time with the Sounders.
It would have been more prudent of Seattle to wait until their second or even third year in the league — when they've had time to make some trades and properly build the team up — to bring in a DP, ensuring he has a core of talented players to work with.
It would be a good point, but they haven't been following the *other* player rumors to Seattle, have they?
It would have been more prudent of Seattle to wait until their second or even third year in the league — when they've had time to make some trades and properly build the team up — to bring in a DP, ensuring he has a core of talented players to work with.
It would be a good point, but they haven't been following the *other* player rumors to Seattle, have they?
What do you expect from a country that names it currency the "looney"?
Re: VOTE: How is Freddie going to do in Seattle? « Reply #22 on Oct 31, 2008, 10:05am »
First, you guys leave Canada alone.
Second, the idea that we should sign a player because he appeals to an ethnic base is frankly nauseating. I thought we were beyond that kind of thinking in America and the guy that wrote it should be ignored if it's a blog and fired if someone pays him.
I have read much of the English press's negative reaction to this and it's all fair comment even if I disagree. My European Weekly piece coming out today isn't 100% gung-ho either.
But of all the reasons NOT to sign him, that he is the wrong race I find frankly disgusting. That kind of comment has no place in football, and certainly no place in the Seattle I have come to know and love.
Take one look at his Premier League appearance record over the past seven seasons: 25, 18, 25, 26, 30, 20, 17. It may be tough to glean from those numbers, but Premier League teams play 38 games per season. And you're going to ask Ljungberg to go from Seattle to the East Coast regularly? Ask D.C. United how well having a part-time Designated Player worked out for them this season. The lingering injury concerns present a real question as to whether Ljungberg can do the things that made him a success earlier in his career.
Take one look at his Premier League appearance record over the past seven seasons: 25, 18, 25, 26, 30, 20, 17. It may be tough to glean from those numbers, but Premier League teams play 38 games per season. And you're going to ask Ljungberg to go from Seattle to the East Coast regularly? Ask D.C. United how well having a part-time Designated Player worked out for them this season. The lingering injury concerns present a real question as to whether Ljungberg can do the things that made him a success earlier in his career.
Man all the haters... Let the guy prove us right or wrong on the pitch, that's what i say.
Most of the country doesn't even hear about Seattle sports let alone a MLS team that hasn't even fielded a team yet. Let the haters hate...... we are going to have a great team whether they like it or not! And when we travel to their towns to stomp on them they wont be saying anything about us that doesn't end or begin with respect.
Take one look at his Premier League appearance record over the past seven seasons: 25, 18, 25, 26, 30, 20, 17. It may be tough to glean from those numbers, but Premier League teams play 38 games per season. And you're going to ask Ljungberg to go from Seattle to the East Coast regularly? Ask D.C. United how well having a part-time Designated Player worked out for them this season. The lingering injury concerns present a real question as to whether Ljungberg can do the things that made him a success earlier in his career.
Man all the haters... Let the guy prove us right or wrong on the pitch, that's what i say.
Most of the country doesn't even hear about Seattle sports let alone a MLS team that hasn't even fielded a team yet. Let the haters hate...... we are going to have a great team whether they like it or not! And when we travel to their towns to stomp on them they wont be saying anything about us that doesn't end or begin with respect.
Sounders till we die!!
Haters is right. Plus, whomever that idiot is, that wrote that for goal.com, needs to learn how to do RESEARCH. Freddie's EPL appearances, for the past seven years were 25, 20, 30, 26, 25, 18, 25. Add in his FA Cup, and UEFA/CL apps, and those numbers go to 39, 32, 44, 38, 37, 26, 28.
Joined: Oct 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 584 Location: North Seattle
Re: VOTE: How is Freddie going to do in Seattle? « Reply #26 on Oct 31, 2008, 3:25pm »
Man its bad enough around here being a fan of Seattle sports but then we actually have a positive thing going and the rest of the world wants to tell us how we cant possibly have made the right decision and furthermore Freddie is destine to ride the pine with injury.
I hope we DESTROY the league next season and have everyone including the EPL pundits Going "HuH!?!?" and eating their own words!
Man all the haters... Let the guy prove us right or wrong on the pitch, that's what i say.
Most of the country doesn't even hear about Seattle sports let alone a MLS team that hasn't even fielded a team yet. Let the haters hate...... we are going to have a great team whether they like it or not! And when we travel to their towns to stomp on them they wont be saying anything about us that doesn't end or begin with respect.
Sounders till we die!!
Haters is right. Plus, whomever that idiot is, that wrote that for goal.com, needs to learn how to do RESEARCH. Freddie's EPL appearances, for the past seven years were 25, 20, 30, 26, 25, 18, 25. Add in his FA Cup, and UEFA/CL apps, and those numbers go to 39, 32, 44, 38, 37, 26, 28.
I was hoping someone would note this, but you have also failed to note the appearences with the Swedish National team.
39, 32, 44, 48, 38, 30, 42
Since he won't be appearing with the National Team anymore we are talking about a 30 game regular season, up to 8 games for the playoffs, and 5 games plus qualifiers for the Open Cup.
Call it 45 possible 2009 league, cup and playoff games for 2009.
Freddie injury plagued recently still averaged 39 games for club and country in the last 7 years.
Sure, he likely won't start twice a week during the open cup, but he managed a heavier work load in the EPL and Europe than he will have to here.
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