hottoddy7 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Is Sandro Grande really going to play in the Norwegian second division? Sure he is isn't Steven Gerrard but he seems to me to have enough quality to play at a higher level then that and I also thought he was the ambitious sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 the very same thought came to my mind when I noticed his name on the Canadians abroad list. I assume he is auditioning for something better for the 07-08 season. I imagine it would be tough to catch on with a first division team in virtually any good Euro league at the halfway point in the season when you lack recent European experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Man, if ever there was a candidate for Canadian content on TFC it's Sandro Grande. He's affordable. He's got the creative offensive skills every MLS club would love to have and he's had enough of a taste of Scandinavia that he might be put him off his European dream if the money was right back in Canada. Time may not be exactly on his side but he's got more than a couple of years left in him. Like Grande. If he had another step to his pace he'd be all right but I still think he could be fitted into almost any formation on any MLS team and still be a positive contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Cheeta Like Grande. If he had another step to his pace he'd be all right but I still think he could be fitted into almost any formation on any MLS team and still be a positive contribution. Agreed. With the MNT I believed he was our best and most consistent passer out of midfield: he knows when to look for the easy outlet pass to keep possession yet can still hit an accurate searching long ball to the flanks when the opportunity arises. Also has a cracking shot when given the chance (re: the Spain friendly). Coming home might be a better option at this point of his career Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 realistically, what kind of money is a guy like Grande going to get playing 2nd division in Norway. I can't imaging it's much more than 50-75K per year or am I way off base? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Was discussed a while ago but I can't remember exactly what the educated guestimates where from our Scandinavian sources but that 75K euro mark sounds familiar. Maybe it was a bit higher, but couldn't have been much. But you also have to add the perks, housing, transport and the tax breaks afforded foreign atheletes/artists. Still, the point is valid. For 100K, TFC could pick up a Canadian player well worth the money. Provided Grande is ready to let the UEFA dream go and return to Canada. I'd have to say from the little I know of Norweigen football that it's my guess that Grande is much better suited to MLS, both physicaly and tacticaly, than he is to the faster, harder tackling and much more "direct" Norweigen game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhat Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I hope TFC does go after him, as playing 2nd div in Norway does nothing for his talent and skills. His experience in Serie B could help any MLS team, incl. TFC. Plus his Italian-Canadian roots would be a marketing asset in Toronto, I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Start fan in exile Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I would agree with you all that Sandro is wasted in the Norwegian 1st division, but Molde are extremely reluctant to let him go. They intend to make their stay as short as possible, and have already lost Petter Rudi and Stian Ohr, two of their best players. They see Sandro as an important part of the team if they are to be promoted. I believe Sandro has already asked the team to look for a transfer for him, but they refused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I think we all agree TFC is better than Norway div 2 - maybe Molde would loan him? Which would go against their desire to keep him in the promotion bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackTheBlizzard Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 If Molde want to keep him I doubt very much he will be going anywhere as I don't think 6 figure transfer fees are likely to be on TFC's agenda. If after this summer's season Molde have not been promoted (maybe even if they do manage it) and he is on a Bosman free transfer the time will be ripe for a move back to Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednwhite Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Granded has supposedly agreed a contract with german club Wilhelmshaven currently on 18th position in Regionalliga Nord. He wants to get away from the physical football that Norwegian clubs tend to play. Although a risky move, he hope that he will only have to stay there for a maximum of 6 months before moving to a better club or league. Molde hasn't been contacted by the club yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 If he believe the German third division is less physical than Norway he is in for a rude awakening. Unless he can use this to get exposure for a German club in the 2nd BL it does not seem like a very smart move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAS Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Either the German 3rd Division story is wrong, or Grande needs to get his head examined. If TFC has shown any interest, then that would be a much better option. I understand the desire to stay in Europe once you're there, and the hope of being spotted by a top team, but the German 3rd Division is atleast one too low. Any top division team in Norway/Sweden/Denmark would be better. This really is a step down. He should either find a solid team in a European nation's top league, even a small one, and therefore have a shot at atleast some CL/UEFA Cup, or he should give Mo Johnston a call and work something out. He would help to fill a gap in the TFC squad that Mo has probably been trying to remedy all this month, but without any success so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Start fan in exile Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 He's quoted as saying the physical style in Norway does not suit him, and that he's worried that as one of the big teams in the 1st division, the other teams will be out to get them, and he'll be subject to lots of tough tackles as rough play. Granted, the style Molde play does not suit him perfectly, but to want to get away from a team because you're afraid to get tackled. C'mon! He also complains about the amount of running he has to do without the ball at his feet, and that he's not getting enough touches. Besides, Molde have a new coach - it would be worth his while to stay and see if they develop a new style of play, more suited to his skills. The article claims that it is Sandro who has made the contact with Wilhelmshaven, and is now hoping the clubs will agree before the transfer window expires. I think he's lost his mind. http://fotball.fvn.no/forstediv/article73819.ece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Besides the fact he seems to have no idea how physical the German third division is, Wilhelmshaven has no chance at promotion this year and will be lucky to avoid relegation. If he wanted to sign for a third division team he should at least pick a large club that is playing below where it should be in the system that has 2nd and also 1st BL aspirations and a good chance to promote like Dynamo Dresden, St. Pauli or Fortuna Dusseldorf. Wilhelmshaven is rightfully a 3rd/4th division team with a small crappy stadium in a city of less than 100 000 people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I don't know what your definition of a nice stadium is but about 80% of the stadium is old cement terraces, reminds me a lot of the old Communist era eastern European stadiums even though it is in West Germany. I don't necessarily dislike this type of stadium as the atmosphere is often better than in the modern comfortable stadiums but I wouldn't call such a stadium nice. It holds only 7500 and of that 5300 are standing places. The corporate seating is indeed nice but that is only 255 seats. Regardless of what you think of the stadium it is clearly not a stadium that meets 2nd Bundesliga requirements for either capacity or for spectator facilities. It is even one of the poorer stadiums in the 3rd division. Wilhelmshaven is a club that has never played higher than the 3rd division and is often in the 4th division and thus a poor choice for a transfer. A 3rd division player would probably earn in the $40000 to $120 000 CDN range though there might be the odd player earning more if a club sponsor was willing to pay for his salary. The players on teams with 2nd BL aspirations are paid better than those like Wilhelmshaven who are just trying to avoid relegation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadiankick97 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Wilhelmshaven is a really nice city, right on the sea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 There are a lot of pretty cities on the sea. You can go there on vacation, it doesn't mean you should continue your soccer career there as a national team player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadiankick97 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Obv... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aljarov Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 That's where Riley O'Neill signed....and I though HE was selling hiimself short. Sandro should go play for TFC before he misses the boat on that one and languishe sin the German D3 for the rest of his career. "Come to us Sandro"!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM2 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 A strange place to start his career, on a German D3 team that seems on its way to relegation to the amateur ranks of German soccer. I would think that Vancouver would be a step up from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Start fan in exile Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I don't think it happened - at least there is nothing about it in the Norwegian media and ha is still listen on the MFK website - and Sandro will have to resign himself to play in the Norwegian 1st division (at least until the summer window opens) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Grande did not sign with Wilhelmshaven though Riley O'Neil did sign with them. There may have been truth to the rumour though as Wilhelmshaven signed 9 new players some of whom were prominent like a former Polish international who was playing with Wisla Krakow. 3rd division teams are desperate not to relegate this year because next year the German pyramid is going to change and there will only be one nation-wide 3rd division instead of two regional 3rd divisions. This will be much better in my opinion but the downside is that there will be no promotion from the 4th division next year so 3rd division teams who get demoted this year will have to play in the 4th division for at least two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Grizzly Grande did not sign with Wilhelmshaven though Riley O'Neil did sign with them. There may have been truth to the rumour though as Wilhelmshaven signed 9 new players some of whom were prominent like a former Polish international who was playing with Wisla Krakow. 3rd division teams are desperate not to relegate this year because next year the German pyramid is going to change and there will only be one nation-wide 3rd division instead of two regional 3rd divisions. This will be much better in my opinion but the downside is that there will be no promotion from the 4th division next year so 3rd division teams who get demoted this year will have to play in the 4th division for at least two years. I recall a discussion on this earlier in the year. How many teams will be in the 3rd Division next year? will it be a giant 36 team league or will it be smaller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 The whole reform topic is pretty confusing because they keep arguing about how it should be done and changing their mind. From what I understand at the moment, I think next year the regionalliga will still have 2 divisions and the top 9 of each division will qualify for the single 3rd division in 2008 while the bottom 9 teams will be relegated to the 4th. The two teams relegated from the 2nd BL will make the 3rd division into 20 teams of which a maximum of 4 reserve teams will be permitted. There will be no promotion into the 3rd division from the 4th in that year. Thus, it is very important for teams to be in the 3rd division next year to have a chance to stay at that level. For example, my team is in the 4th and are really trying to promote this year because if they don't they won't be able to promote for 2 years. The 4th division will then be called the Regionalligen and will consist of three regional divisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.