Tajon Buchanan

[Floortom]

Seems all but confirmed it’s Brugge at this point.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Edited August 24, 2021 by Joe MacCarthy

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, OhCanadaOhBaby said:

You can look at it a few different ways:

On one hand, Club Brugge competes for titles and is playing European Football (CL Group Stage at that which will give him massive exposure and experience against top clubs)

On thé other Augsburg and Freiburg are mid table teams at best and won’t be competing for a title any time soon. They are not playing any European football not even Conference league. Although there is decent exposure playing Bayern, Dortmund and the other bigger clubs twice a season, there will not be as many eyes on a Dortmund vs Augsburg midweek fixture than a Club Brugge vs Dortmund game would get on the European stage. 
 

That being said I personally don’t think he can entirely go wrong either way but to finish I think the way the Canadian Soccer Icon and Commentary Revolutionizer Gareth Wheeler put it tonight on OneSoccer is a good way to think about it:

Making the smaller club move now, dominating, getting minutes, improving and refining as a European player to then make the bigger club, big money move where the player is more likely to succeed has proven to be a very rewarding path for players coming to Europe including our very own Jonathan David.

Although it would be nice to watch Phonzie and Tajon go toe-to-toe you gotta think bigger picture and what will benefit the players career development in the long run.
 

Totally agree with this. 

As much as I have been pushing Brugges and wishing against Augsburg (and to a lesser extent, Frieburg), any one of these moves will be a positive for Buchanan. That's also why I find the sleuthing funny (if not creepy). I know we're all having a bit of fun here playing detective, but at the end of the day we know he's taking a step up somewhere, regardless of the destination. I guess for me it's more of a "wake me up when he's decided" , or at least when there's a concrete update, like he visited Freiburg's stadium, etc. 

Another point, which also goes along with your thinking, is that playing for a winner has benefits, even if it's at a lower level. Remember how many champions we had in Europe last year? That doesn't happen if everyone is in a top 5 league. I guess the jury's still out on which scenario is better, but I guess I am a little biased towards having our players at clubs like Rangers, Besiktas, Brugges, etc. than Burnley, Frieburg, Augsburg, etc. Winning trophies and playing in Europe is more interesting as well, so maybe that plays a role as well.

And of course I have my exceptions for certain players. I want to take the jump up (Larin to West Ham/Everton/Leeds), for example, even if he may not win a lot.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Obinna

[Joe MacCarthy]

During the Great Herdman Hiring Debate a while back, I remember posting that I don't ever recall seeing so few Canadian players playing with big name clubs.  I am happy to post that I don't recall us ever having so many players now playing at big name clubs. And for the record, Brugge is in my scope of big name clubs (not just ManU and Barca). 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Joe MacCarthy

[TOcanadafan]

One thing I have against Brugge is that they will likely be out of CL if he joins then in January as expected.

[Dominic94]

It’s disappointing I was hoping he would go to the Bundesliga.

[Bertuzzi44]

This is an amazing move for him IMO.

Congrats to Tajon!

[Obinna]

47 minutes ago, TOcanadafan said:

One thing I have against Brugge is that they will likely be out of CL if he joins then in January as expected.

If they are out of Europe all together it’s a bit of a downer, but finishing 3rd and dropping down to Europa league wouldn’t be so bad, assuming they are doing it that way still. If the worst happens they’ll be back in it the following season.

[Bertuzzi44]

People reacting like moving to Club Brugge is some sort of purgatory is kinda baffling. Did we already forget how Jonathan David developed at Gent and the opportunities he was given? 

[jonovision]

2 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

People reacting like moving to Club Brugge is some sort of purgatory is kinda baffling. Did we already forget how Jonathan David developed at Gent and the opportunities he was given? 

I think a small difference is that most would consider Buchanan to be far more of a finished article at the time of the move to Belgium than David was. David moved from an amateur/youth setup directly to Gent at age 18. Buchanan is a 22 year old MLS All Star.

That said, I think Brugge is a fine landing spot (and a beautiful city). He should enjoy himself there, and hopefully will move up a level in due time.

[GasPed]

7 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

People reacting like moving to Club Brugge is some sort of purgatory is kinda baffling. Did we already forget how Jonathan David developed at Gent and the opportunities he was given? 

and Cyle Larin.  

[Free kick]

Yeah. I dont know how i feel about a move to Brugge.  This is clearly and without doubt more interesting than the way the Cyle Larin move to Europe unfolded. I was definitely in the minority or alone, in my disappointment with that move.   First of all this move is reportedly for 7Mill so thats way above the peanuts  (3 Mill give or take) that were tranferred in the Larin move.  And a move to the top club or one of the top two clubs in Belgium is certainly more interesting and prestigous than anything in Turkey.   
 

But Brugge, in my opinion, are on that borderline of what i consider the list of 40 noteworthy clubs in Europe.    They are not going to get past the group stage of UCL.  But at least they have been there and can expect to be back.  They are a bigger club than the club Jonathan David played for in Belgium.  But The Belgium league is no where near the Big four in europe.  
 

edit:  here is the current squad for Club Brugge.  Having just watched a summer of the Euros and Copa america,  i cant say that there are any recognizable names here:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/team/squad/_/id/570/club-brugge

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Free kick

[Cheeta]

Belgian top flight is on DAZN.  Of course, along with Champions League. 

Just saying.😁

[Unnamed Trialist]

Stunned a thread's hot in 2021 because a Canadian is about to follow in Mike Klukowski's footsteps. 

[Free kick]

3 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Stunned a thread's hot in 2021 because a Canadian is about to follow in Mike Klukowski's footsteps. 

Mike Klukowski played at La Louviere,  a much smaller club

Edited August 24, 2021 by Free kick

[narduch]

2 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Stunned a thread's hot in 2021 because a Canadian is about to follow in Mike Klukowski's footsteps. 

Or Radzinski for fuck's sake

[GasPed]

8 minutes ago, Free kick said:

Yeah. I dont know how i feel about a move to Brugge.  This is clearly and without doubt more interesting than the way the Cyle Larin move to Europe unfolded. I was clearly in the minority or alone, in my disappointment with that move.   First of all this move is reportedly for 7Mill so thats way above the peanuts that were tranferred in the Larin move.  And a move to the top club or one of the top two clubs in Belgium is certainly more interesting and prestigous than anything in Turkey.   

I was more thinking of the way in which Belgium, as a well-regarded European league, is certainly more on the radar for top flight soccer than MLS.  Not only is it a great way to showcase oneself and rehab one's career and reputation (i.e. Larin), but it's great way to get on the radar of the Big 5 (e.g. David, or Radzinski 😉). Yes, Buchanan is probably capable of more than Belgium, but if he shows that, he'll be there in short order...

[BrennanFan]

2 minutes ago, Free kick said:

Klukowski played at La louviere.  A much smaller club

He transferred to Club Brugge in 2005 and played there for 5 years.  

[Varsity Tyler]

1 hour ago, GasPed said:

and Cyle Larin.  

Klukowski spent many years at Brugge as well.

EDIT: Next time I will actually read the thread before posting. Sorry for the duplication.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Varsity Tyler

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Stunned a thread's hot in 2021 because a Canadian is about to follow in Mike Klukowski's footsteps. 

Yeah? He was one of our more respectable Euro based players at the time. This would be even bigger, since Buchanan is joining several years younger than Klukowski did. Plus this iteration is much stronger than back when Klukowski played for them. They’ve won the league back-to-back and 3 times in the last 4 seasons. I’m not sure Klukowski won much of anything with them, as Anderlecht were much more dominant.

[Free kick]

2 hours ago, GasPed said:

I was more thinking of the way in which Belgium, as a well-regarded European league, is certainly more on the radar for top flight soccer than MLS.  

There were 24 players from MLS playing in the euros(7) and copa america (17) this summer.   Thats more than the number of players playing professsionally in Brasil and more than the number playing professionally in Argentina in these tournaments.   Considering that the US and Canada did not and could not field squads these tournaments, that number of MLS players is even more impressive.  There were 21 players who played in Mexico, all played at Copa America.  

At euro 2021. There were 7 players from MLS playing at the Euros including one from CF Montreal.  15 from the Belgian league (including two on the Begian NT) got called to their national teams this summer. 5 to copa and 10 to the euro.  The turkish league had 18 players at the euros but 11 were on the turkish national team, who sucked!  4 were on Copa america squads.

The talent in MLS is better than what people like to admit. Thats why i get frustrated when i heard the details of the Larin deal.   Where is the proof that its a better league and with more talent than the MLS?  

Edited August 24, 2021 by Free kick

[Bertuzzi44]

3 hours ago, jonovision said:

I think a small difference is that most would consider Buchanan to be far more of a finished article at the time of the move to Belgium than David was. David moved from an amateur/youth setup directly to Gent at age 18. Buchanan is a 22 year old MLS All Star.

Last year no one knew about Tajon Buchanan. Heck, 6 months ago even! I highly doubt Buchanan is a finished article; I think he has a lot more potential and a place like Brugge is a solid spot to realize it.

He could be on the move again in as little as one season if he really kills it. And that next destination would almost certainly be a bigger club in a better league!

[An Observer]

I am mixed.  I can see the argument both ways. I probably would have preferred him in the Bundesliga getting minutes week in week out against better competition but he could also get stuck on the bench there and stagnate.  At Club Brugge, he is guaranteed substantial minutes at the transfer fee they are paying and they are a top side in that league.  If he kills it there, he will go to a top 5 league in the next year or two as Bertuzzi44 said.  

[Unnamed Trialist]

Belgium, I have no biases, I'm hoping to go this fall and will probably be taking in a match if they let me (my son is studying there).

But it's beside the point: you want to go to the most challenging setting possible where the demands are as high as possible, and you know, if you can handle it, you can handle anything. That raisese the level of the player and the CMNT. 

I say possible, because you don't want to sign so high all it means is the bench or being loaned out. If Tajon is a competent player at Augsburg, then he is facing top opposition weakly. That is not the case in Belgium. 

Now I accept that is compensated by European play, and by the general football quality of a solid league. Same for Liam, and for the guys in Turkey. But being in top flight of a top 4 is invaluable. In Belgium, he scores a beauty vs. Charleroi and it's still Charleroi, it's not a Bundesliga team he took apart. So the question is still there. 

I understand that the bid must be higher from Belgium, first of all, and that the contract offer is better too. Though that is hard to imagine--I would not be surprised if any of these rumours was out there to drive another alternative offer (like the Chelsea rumour, which seems designed to help hold up his market value).

 

[El Hombre]

I'm fine with Brugge.  I'm hoping that at Brugge he has more of a chance to play day-in and day-out as a midfielder.  When rumours started swirling last season, it was because of his stellar play with the Revs as a RB.  It sounded like teams interested then were interested in keeping as a RB which I am not a fan of.  I am assuming that there is a higher likelihood that he would play midfield with Brugge than with any Bundesliga teams.  I have absolutely nothing to base that on, just a feeling. 

I much prefer Tajon developing and earning his reputation as a midfielder than as a RB.