Who is your favorite Yank currently playing abroad? If you take part in the poll, please also take a brief moment to state the reasons for why you chose who you did. If you have another player in mind that is not on the poll list, please write him in. For me, my favorite is DeMarcus Beasley because I think he has chosen a very healthy situation for himself by signing with PSV--a quality club that plays not just in Dutch league games but also in higher competitions like the Champions League and/or Europe. He has been getting good playing time and has been playing very well with the club while carrying the American banner in the Champions League.
Is a poll suposed to be here? Any way, ill choose Van Beasley. I love his workrate and determination. He left MLS to be challenged, and he stepped up to the challenge gracefully. He comes up in big games (rosenburg) and is a true professional. Second would be Mcbride, or Boca. If JOB could be healthy he would win.
my favorite USA player has always been Donovan and I'd like to wait until he plays for Leverksun to decide upong this. But up till this point it'd be DaMarcus Beasley since both Reyna and O'Brien ahve been injured
It was Tim Howard but he fell out of favor just like he did with SAF. Even though he hasnt had more than three first team games I really like Jonathan Spector. The skill he showed in his first 2 EPL games especially the Everton game where he was named Man of the Match is very exciting for the future of the national team. He seems like a fearless kid whether its going forawd, a tackle or even when he is getting instructions from Bruce when he is about to make his national team debut in a WCQ. Though I do have bias twoards the Yanks at ManU. In a couple of months it might DOnovan. If he goes over there a reaches his full potential without any bitching and fully dedicates himself to Bayer I think he will quickly become most of ours favorite and closely watched(internet & TV) Yank Aboard.
though O'Brien is injured, he still is my favorite player. He just does what you need and can be pure joy to watch. For starters, see the cross in to Mathis against Korea this past WC.
Wow, I didn't realize that it posts my message before I complete the actual poll...well, the poll is up now (it took me a while to fill in the poll).
Gotta go wit da Beas. He's making a big impact on a PSV squad that's having their best run in a decade. It is pretty clear that the experience of playing in the Netherlands combined with the crucible of the Big Cup are quickly turning him into a very mature talent. Friedel had a great game this weekend though and will always be one of my favorite Yanks abroad. What, no Cletus?
Eh, there were only 16 options I could make available. That leaves out at least 30 other Yanks abroad from this list.
I went with Onyewu... just barely over Beasley and Hahnemann. Beasley - love the guy's attitude... think he's having a great time right now... and honestly feel he should have won the Mens Player of the Year award this year (and Boca should have won last year). If the poll had been "who would you like to BE" - it would probably be DaMarcus (and not just so I could stop my diet) Hahnemann - always had a soft spot for him, he's a prankster, he gets the raw end of the deal a lot when compared to other keepers, but I've rooted for him ever since he was with the Seattle Sounders. Just a good guy who goes to work every day and gets less respect than I think he deserves from the USA fans. but the vote goes to Onyewu. I don't think he's the best player abroad, but he's probably my favorite. Why? Well he wanted to play in Europe, had offers, but stayed at Clemson an extra year for his degree because it was that important to his mom. I like that when things didn't work for him in France, he made his way to Belgium. While he's a big guy, he's reportedly very shy. He seems respectful and honest, and just wants to do what he can. Maybe that's it... he seems like a nice guy and in pro sports today, there are too many jerks and aholes.
McBride. LIke the Fulham article stated earlier, an absolute professional who gives 110% regardless of the number of minutes played. Has always produced abroad when given the chance, and it has been no different at Fulham.
Robbie Russell. Though he's battled injuries after his move to Rosenborg and had some injuries that prevented a cap, he's shown to be a great prospect. He rise is similar to Onyewu in that he's been looked over by another club (LA Galaxy) has has worked his as off to get where he is. He's a bruising back that has a tremendous amount of ability moving forward. I was kinda upset that he wasn't able to play in Rosenborg's last CL match and I hope he's fit to play in the next match. I've heard that a knee scope maybe on the horizon, though I hoping it won't come to that. When fully healthy look for Arena to bring him in. He could help us in the back and it would be exciting to pair him Onyewu.
Thats why I voted for him too. He is a great represeantive of American Soccer Players overseas..classiest profesional I can think of in any sport so how could i not vote for him.
It's kind of a "flavor of the week" thing with me. I root for anyone who seems like they might help the Nats in the run-up to Germany06. Last winter, on Soccer American Graffiti, we had a draft of US Nat eligible players and I wound up getting Donovan, Gooch, Kenny Cooper, Vanney, Sanneh, John Thorington, Grover Gibson and Chivas Martinez. So I've used (or will use) the Yanks Abroad board to try to keep track of these guys. But I voted for Kasey Keller since I've been following his overseas career the longest.
In the absence of John O'Brien in that poll, I chose Carlos Bocanegra. He and Eddie Lewis are crucial pieces of their teams. DMB is working on it in Holland and he'll be settling in more and more. Brad Friedel has been a YA so long I almost take him for granted. I am anxious to see how LD fairs in Germany. Someday, I'd like to see a YA field player in La Liga and Serie A. Truth be told, I love to follow all of them in the top few divisions in each country. Nowadays it's so much more fun with all the different Yanks Abroad playing in all the different leagues. It makes the game much more fun to follow. I'm looking forward to more Champs League experience with PSV qualifying and maybe Leverkusen. If only JOB was healthy and Spector was in the 1st team, then we'd have 4 players in the Champs League to follow! Well, we can always dream. I imagine in the future it will only get better. All of the sudden I am rooting for Bayer Leverkusen!
Joe Enochs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doing us proud by sticking by his club thru thick and thin and over many years... The earlier-this-season Bayern Munich wondergoal... He's basically Mr. Osnabrueck....
I say Berhalter because anyone who can play ball after having his head kicked in and nearly loosing an eye to air pressure on an airplane is one tough SOB.
I'm not as much a fair weather supporter, but I do agree with Spector. I'm gonna be a fan of his I think, despite that he played for ManUre. But, I am a KK fan. Have been since he was at Millwal - though I became a bigger fan when he went to Spurs.