Odds & Ends: Cop Out Edition
He’s got good moss.
Do to pressing real life issues that I have been unable to avoid, postpone, or foist off on the unsuspecting, all of those things I told you I was working on…I’m still working on them. That being said, a few bits and pieces have popped up over the last day or two so I thought I’d share them with you.
- Not content to have signed three Colombians who produced nothing (two of whom have already been released) this season the New England Revolution today signed a fourth- midfielder Juan Toja. To be fair, Toja was a two time All-Star in the two seasons (2007 and 2008) he played in MLS for FC Dallas, before being sold to Steaua Bucharesti. After two seasons there he moved on to Aris Thessaloniki in Greece. This signing concerns me for two reasons: First, since leaving MLS Toja has played in fewer matches and made fewer starts each year. Second, why? What need does this signing serve? The Revs aren’t going to make the playoffs by adding him, they already have a glut of midfielders, and there are clearly areas- defense, a back-up goalkeeper- that are more pressing. Boo.
- Reports indicate that former Inverness Caledonian (and Rangers, and Celtic, and Hibernian, and Kilmarnock, and Motherwell) goalkeeper Mark Brown is currently on trial at Ross County F.C.. Brown is likely trying out to be Michael Fraser’s back-up (normal back-up Joe Malin broke his face- that’s a medical term- in a match and followed that with a knee injury in training a few weeks ago), but he has several hundred SPL matches on his resume and also played in a couple of “B” internationals for Scotland, so chances are he’ll also provide some competition for Fraser as well. If you’re a regular here, you will know that competition is not something Malin provides- he is the Bob Montgomery of Scottish goalkeepers.
- Seriously, nobody wants to make Clint Dempsey a contract offer?! How is that possible? Call me crazy but I think there’s a sports agent who is about to be fired…
- Rangers 2.0 are currently in fourth place (the last playoff promotion spot) in the Scottish Football Leagues Third Division- they have taken 5 points from their first 3 matches. Their last match, a 1-1 draw with Berwick- who are second last in the division- needed a 90th minute equalizer to avoid defeat. Which begs the question, what the hell is USMNT captain Carlos Bocanegra doing playing for a team that travels to places like Balmoor Stadium and Shielfield Park every other week?! If he’s will to settle for that maybe the Revolution can entice him back to the States!
- At the tail end of the Olympics I heard some people talking about how the USWNT winning the tournament was just what was needed to launch a new league here at home. I’d love nothing more than to see a successful women’s league* here at home, but seriously, again?
*You’re exactly right, there are actually TWO successful women’s leagues (the W-League and the WPSL) in the U.S., both over 15 years old at this point.
