PSV close to signing Atiba Hutchinson

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

When was the last time Atiba played CB for us?

Never I thought

[Unnamed Trialist]

Atiba played centre back at the world u-20s in the Emirates. Anyone remember that?

[SCF08]

Atiba played another 45 mins today as PSV beat Geldrop 12-0. Tuesday is PSV's first pre-season friendly against good opposition. They will play FC Den Bosch (Jupiler League) away. Atiba played in central midfield today.

PSV Line-Up: Cássio Ramos (46. Isaksson), Vukovic (61. Wuytens), Simons (72. Najah), Toivonen (46. Nijland), Koevermans (46. Reis), Amrabat (61. Labyad), Hutchinson (46. Engelaar), Wuytens (30. Pieters), Dzsudzsák (46. Lens), Ojo (30. Bakkal) en Manolev (61. Ojo)

Atiba today:

Team Photo > Standing far right.

[canucklefan]

Can you tell us which position he played this time? Is he playing every game as a CB?

[SCF08]

Can you tell us which position he played this time? Is he playing every game as a CB?

He played in Central Midfield.

[Obinna]

He played in Central Midfield.

that's good to hear, because after atiba and jdg our depth in centre midfield is really lacking

[Free kick]

For JDG's case, he's 28 and isn't developing anymore.

I have downloaded a spreadsheet of players and rosters for the current World Cup. It contains names, country, age and club affiliation. Its quite startling when you run filters through it looking at players ages because you quickly realise how todays top players in the game are reaching their peak prominance age at a much earlier age and that the majority of player in south africa are born in 1983 or later. It use to be said that the peak age for a soccer player was 29.

Atiba is a 1983 player and when you look at the world cup, players such as Phillip Lahm, Iniesta, and Carlos Tevez are all of that age group and Iniesta and Tevez played at the same 2003 U20 tournament with Atiba. You look at Lahm and this is his second WC and in no way would you think of him as developing player, i think of him as veteran. Therefore I scratch my head at the suggestion that Hutchison should not be playing in MLS at this time. He and JDG will be veterans of the game by the time the next qualifying cycle arrives.

That said, a move to Holland would be good move for Hutchison at this time. But its silly to think that a move to MLS would stall his career. Its true that the best for our players would be to use MLS as stepping stone to Europe, but MLS is also a good venue for players looking to extend their careers after thier peak. You see this throughout europe and even in places like Denmark and scandinavia whereby having a place to play at home allows them to extend their careers and international careers.

[nolando]

I have downloaded a spreadsheet of players and rosters for the current World Cup. It contains names, country, age and club affiliation. Its quite startling when you run filters through it looking at players ages because you quickly realise how todays top players in the game are reaching their peak prominance age at a much earlier age and that the majority of player in south africa are born in 1983 or later. It use to be said that the peak age for a soccer player was 29.

Atiba is a 1983 player and when you look at the world cup, players such as Phillip Lahm, Iniesta, and Carlos Tevez are all of that age group and Iniesta and Tevez played at the same 2003 U20 tournament with Atiba. You look at Lahm and this is his second WC and in no way would you think of him as developing player, i think of him as veteran. Therefore I scratch my head at the suggestion that Hutchison should not be playing in MLS at this time. He and JDG will be veterans of the game by the time the next qualifying cycle arrives.

That said, a move to Holland would be good move for Hutchison at this time. But its silly to think that a move to MLS would stall his career. Its true that the best for our players would be to use MLS as stepping stone to Europe, but MLS is also a good venue for players looking to extend their careers after thier peak. You see this throughout europe and even in places like Denmark and scandinavia whereby having a place to play at home allows them to extend their careers and international careers.

An interesting discussion could revolve whether MLS could ever be a good place to pass through mid career. Meaning, is there much of a chance of coming to MLS after a start in Europe, and then returning to Europe at a high level?

FWIW, I'm still not sold on the fact that MLS was a great move for JDG. Sure, he was done "developing" as a pro, but IMO, and in the opinion of many, really, his game has deteriorated considerably since arriving. He looks a much worse player than he was before leaving Europe. If the players were unknown or somehow anonymous to an impartial critic, one would be hard-pressed to pick JDG as one of the highest earners in the league, and certainly not as the the DP on TFC. Selfishly speaking, as a MNT fan first and foremost, I'd rather have him playing surrounded by better players, coached by better coaches, playing in the most competitive matches in the most competitive league possible, right up until the end of his career. And for that matter, I don't really think the average TFC/MLS fan cares all that much that he is an Ontario boy or a former highly-respected European league player. There isn't that much extra of a draw, certainly next to none around other parks in the league. I don't resent JDG settling for the biggest paycheque possible, but I regret it football-wise, and I certainly don't want to see too many more of the backbone of our squad (Hutch, Friend, Simpson, etc) giving up Europe for "greener" pastures while still in their twenties.

[BearcatSA]

I'm interested in seeing what happens with guys like Jakovic, Johnson, etc., in terms of whether or not they are able to make a return to Europe.

[Free kick]

An interesting discussion could revolve whether MLS could ever be a good place to pass through mid career. Meaning, is there much of a chance of coming to MLS after a start in Europe, and then returning to Europe at a high level?

FWIW, I'm still not sold on the fact that MLS was a great move for JDG. Sure, he was done "developing" as a pro, but IMO, and in the opinion of many, really, his game has deteriorated considerably since arriving. He looks a much worse player than he was before leaving Europe. If the players were unknown or somehow anonymous to an impartial critic, one would be hard-pressed to pick JDG as one of the highest earners in the league, and certainly not as the the DP on TFC. Selfishly speaking, as a MNT fan first and foremost, I'd rather have him playing surrounded by better players, coached by better coaches, playing in the most competitive matches in the most competitive league possible, right up until the end of his career. And for that matter, I don't really think the average TFC/MLS fan cares all that much that he is an Ontario boy or a former highly-respected European league player. There isn't that much extra of a draw, certainly next to none around other parks in the league. I don't resent JDG settling for the biggest paycheque possible, but I regret it football-wise, and I certainly don't want to see too many more of the backbone of our squad (Hutch, Friend, Simpson, etc) giving up Europe for "greener" pastures while still in their twenties.

Some fair points there. Although I do wonder about the assessment that his game has deteriorated since arriving in MLS. How many of us have actually seen him play regularly while he was at Depor? When I raised this point in the past someone jumps in that most euro games are streamed but if I were to go by what we have available over the air in canada, you'd be lucky if the answer was perhaps one or two games per year. I dont think that that is enough to make a proper assessment of play or his game. Heck, most us all saw him as attacking oriented mid in the mold of or filling the role of a Guevarra and then he announces himself as d-mid.

Maybe his game has deterioted. Or, maybe we just dont know our players very well becasue we dont see them play week in and week out. And many of the environments overseas are not ideal

for purposes of comparing or evaluting

[SCF08]

PSV have signed central defender Marcelo from Wisla Krakow today so it looks like Atiba will be used as a central midfielder.

[jpg75]

Some fair points there. Although I do wonder about the assessment that his game has deteriorated since arriving in MLS. How many of us have actually seen him play regularly while he was at Depor? When I raised this point in the past someone jumps in that most euro games are streamed but if I were to go by what we have available over the air in canada, you'd be lucky if the answer was perhaps one or two games per year. I dont think that that is enough to make a proper assessment of play or his game. Heck, most us all saw him as attacking oriented mid in the mold of or filling the role of a Guevarra and then he announces himself as d-mid.

Maybe his game has deterioted. Or, maybe we just dont know our players very well becasue we dont see them play week in and week out. And many of the environments overseas are not ideal

for purposes of comparing or evaluting

I watched well over a dozen games he played in during his 4 year stint at Depor. You could tell when he first joined them that his passing skills were just not up to snuff, too many inaccurate passes and ill advised forcing of balls where they'd be picked off. By his third season he had improved immensely, he was confident enough to hold onto the ball and not force passes in where they would be picked off and he was now threading balls perfectly to his teammates. He played with a spark to his game.

He is now a shell of his former self during that 2007/08 season.Some games he looks likes he's just not as motivated, like he has nothing to prove to anyone. That can happen when a player is playing down from the level he's capable of playing at.

[Sam]

I haven't seen anything of Atiba at club level for some time now, but I've followed Julian closely both at TFC and Depor. Is there anyone who thinks they've seen enough of Atiba to definitively say whether or not he is "better" than Julian?

[BearcatSA]

That can happen when a player is playing down from the level he's capable of playing at.

I think this is a good point and you see it in any team sport.

After his stint in Spain you could see that he'd developed into a really good linking player: moving the ball and maintaining possession with intelligent passing decisions (Brazil back pass aside, of course!). Where I think he runs into trouble is that he gets into the mindset of trying to make big plays and forcing the issue: I saw a lot of that in the WCQ for 2006. He's not a gamebreaker in that way, he's more of a role player, and though a very important one, his skillset isn't going elevate the play of the guys around him as such.

[BearcatSA]

I haven't seen anything of Atiba at club level for some time now, but I've followed Julian closely both at TFC and Depor. Is there anyone who thinks they've seen enough of Atiba to definitively say whether or not he is "better" than Julian?

With the MNT, I think DeGuzman has been the better player overall.

[Sam]

With the MNT, I think DeGuzman has been the better player overall.

I agree 100% but I was just wondering if this would still hold true based on recent club form.

[Free kick]

I haven't seen anything of Atiba at club level for some time now, but I've followed Julian closely both at TFC and Depor. Is there anyone who thinks they've seen enough of Atiba to definitively say whether or not he is "better" than Julian?

I was at the one game, at Centennial stadium, that Atiba played for the Toronto Lynx. I said it then and and I stand by it now, Atiba was the best and most gifted played to ever play for the Lynx. He stood out in that game

[BearcatSA]

I agree 100% but I was just wondering if this would still hold true based on recent club form.

Maybe we'll find out in September, if they are both available and playing in the home friendlies.

[SCF08]

Atiba played 45 mins again in PSV's ''first serious friendly'' against FC Den Bosch. PSV won 4-1.

Isaksson, Vukovic, Simons, Toivonen (46, Reis), Engelaar (46, Hutchinson), Lens (46, Nijland), Amrabat (46, Koevermans), Pieters (46, Bourdouxhe), Dzsudzsák (46, Ojo), Manolev (69, Sabajo) en Bakkal (46, Wuytens).

[SCF08]

Friendly: FC Eindhoven vs PSV 2-3

Atiba plays 45 mins and plays a nice pass for the first goal > Video

http://www.psv.tv/index.php?item=if&content=player&ProductID=7279

[tarnado1555362291]

And what a pass it was !!

Personally, I think Atiba will not have a problem getting into the starting 11 one way or another.

[SCF08]

And what a pass it was !!

Personally, I think Atiba will not have a problem getting into the starting 11 one way or another.

He will get nowhere near a starting place with the current competition but a lot will become clear in the next coming weeks. PSV's opponents will get tougher and they will play Ipswich Town in 2 days + Sint Truiden (Belgian top division team) and Newcastle United. The season already starts in 3 weeks time.

[SCF08]

PSV have sold Timmy Simons today to Nurnberg. He was getting old (still captain of the team) and was a defensive midfielder. 1 player less to compete with for Atiba.

[SCF08]

Live PSV - Ipswich Town (1-0 and now in 30th minute) Atiba is on the bench and will probably play in the 2nd half.

http://www.iraqgoals.tv/ch5.html

EDIT:

Jaime Peters is playing for Ipswich > one of the better Ipswich players first half.

[BigMo]

Is Atiba playing right now? Anywhere where I can get the lists of whose on the field?