Obinna Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Riley O'Neill may be a guy we should consider bringing in at this time. What do you guys think? He is 27 and plays as a striker in the Finnish top flight with MyPa. He has 12 goals in 53 appearances since 2011, so he appears to be a regular, and MyPa look to be one of the stronger teams in Finland. This is the same team Tosaint Ricketts played for from 2009-2010, where he accumulated 9 goals in 38 appearances. Interestingly he has also made two appearances with Randy Edwini-Bonsu's current team Eintracht Braunschweig back in 2008-2009. Riley O'Neill also has 17 caps and 3 goals for Canada at the U-20 level. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riley_O%27Neill I tend to be in favor of bringing in young guys at this time, but he could be a late developer and provide us with some much needed depth up front. At 27 he may have another chance at moving to a top flight team in Norway or Sweden, or maybe even B2. In a year or two, if he can get a transfer to either of those leagues and start scoring goals there, it could help us a lot. If we are going to look at him now would be the time, since the Finnish league has been completed, and any subsequent FIFA date European friendlies would likely see us calling on Jackson, Occean, Haber, REB, Hume, or maybe even Igor Pisanjuk who plays regularly in Hungary and is only 23. Not a lot of minutes there, so is the Denmark friendly an opportunity? Nothing ventured nothing gained? Or waste of time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I hate to write off a player but a call up to O'Neill unless we run into a Cyprus 2009 situation would be a waste of time. I don't think he's any better than guys who have yet to be given solid shots such as Cavallini, REB, Sodade and maybe even Haber and Welshman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I have to agree with Keegan. Is he any better than the lads Keegan listed that are much younger? Doubt it. BUT, yes, if we have a Euro-based friendly against a "weaker" opponent, then why not put him on a train and have him attend the match. One thing that somewhat bothers me in Canadian soccer is that guys arent' given a chance until they move up to a higher level. I know, I know that sounds weird. But a guy plays in Finland, and is transferred to Germany and then all of a sudden he's gotta be in our squad. Doubtful he became a better player by getting on a plane. If we have a Euro game O'Neill could be brought in for camp-assessment purposes as well and see him first hand. It's been a long time since he was a u20 and if they think "we know him" then the CSA is dead wrong and .... well, right there would be the problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Gagne Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I'm all for giving youth a chance, but at the same time hoow many proven strikers playing each week in a credible league do we have? How many people here think the Finish top flight is any worse than League 1 (D3 - i.e. where we're calling Haber and Hume from), or NASL for that matter? I say he's at least worth a look, especially on a non-FIFA date, when realistically most of the other guys mentioned here will probably be unavailable. In fact, Frank Jonke is another big man with an even better strike rate in the same league. Are these players the answer? Probably not, but IMO it's cast the net wide time and they at least deserve a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_K Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I am sure Riley O'Neill is a nice guy and all, but he isn't a particularily good player. If he is good enough to play for Canada, there are literally about 2000 players in Germany who would be as well (if they were Canadian I mean). But a guy plays in Finland, and is transferred to Germany and then all of a sudden he's gotta be in our squad. Actually it was the other way arround, he went to Finland after playing in the German 5th and 4th division (slightly above average in the former, slightly below average in the latter). His stint in the 3rd division hardly counts as playing (less than 30 minutes in an entire season, although he was often injured to be fair). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Gagne Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I am sure Riley O'Neill is a nice guy and all, but he isn't a particularily good player. If he is good enough to play for Canada, there are literally about 2000 players in Germany who would be as well (if they were Canadian I mean). Yes, I know, we have depth issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_K Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 He is currently on trial at Rot-Weiß Erfurt. http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/3liga/startseite/578699/artikel_riley-oneill-zu-gast-bei-rwe.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted December 5, 2012 Author Share Posted December 5, 2012 He is currently on trial at Rot-Weiß Erfurt. http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/3liga/startseite/578699/artikel_riley-oneill-zu-gast-bei-rwe.html They finished 5th last year apparently, so they have a realistic chance at promotion I would imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 They finished 5th last year apparently, so they have a realistic chance at promotion I would imagine. They are currently in a relegation spot. He would probably be better off in Germany than in Finland so it might be a good move for him. Erfurt has two other strikers who are about his level so I doubt he would be an upgrade on them but he would give them more depth and variety at striker. He probably has a 50% chance of signing, depends on who else they might be offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_K Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 They are currently in a relegation spot. He would probably be better off in Germany than in Finland so it might be a good move for him. Erfurt has two other strikers who are about his level so I doubt he would be an upgrade on them but he would give them more depth and variety at striker. He probably has a 50% chance of signing, depends on who else they might be offered. I don't know how or if he improved in Finland - but if he hasn't, I'd say the entire league would be (at least) a level too high for him. Erfurt's current forward Smail Morabit was O'Neill's teammate in Braunschweig, and although quite bad at finishing (he got somewhat better) far, far ahead of him (of course he most likely wouldn't play the same position as O'Neill). Either way, Erfurt's coach on O'Neill after the trial: "He tried really hard, but we have to take a close look here". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingback6 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I don't know how or if he improved in Finland - but if he hasn't, I'd say the entire league would be (at least) a level too high for him. Erfurt's current forward Smail Morabit was O'Neill's teammate in Braunschweig, and although quite bad at finishing (he got somewhat better) far, far ahead of him (of course he most likely wouldn't play the same position as O'Neill). Either way, Erfurt's coach on O'Neill after the trial: "He tried really hard, but we have to take a close look here". 50/50 I watched O'Neill vs Trafford's team in the summer. It was terrible football. But not by them. RO was being played as a left wing. He is clearly not a winger, too slow and strong. I think he did well to score as many goals as he did while playing that position. I hope he stands up to scrutiny because I think he might have more to offer than is at first apparent. Just not as a winger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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