Friday, January 25, 2008

Late Nate: Jaqua heading to Europe (in two languages!)


Accoring to MLS Rumors and other sources, Nate Jaqua has signed with Austrian Bundesliga division side SC Rheindorf Altach. For those of you who speak German, here is the story from VN-Online:

Jaqua soll für Altacher Tore sorgen
Nade Jaqua überzeugte die Altacher Verantwortlichen beim Test gegen die Austria. (Foto: Riethbaum)
Stürmer der Houston Dynamos überzeugte Neo-Trainer Fuchsbichler.
Dieter Alge
dieter.alge@vn.vol.at, Tel. 72/501-149
Altach/Lustenau (VN) Zwar fehlt noch die Unterschrift des 27-Jährigen Nade Jaqua, dennoch dürfte der großgewachsene Mittelstürmer im Frühjahr für cashpoint SCR Altach auf Torejagd gehen. Neo-Coach Heinz Fuchsbichler ist von den Qualitäten des 1,92-Meter-Mannes jedenfalls überzeugt. "Er ist genau jener Spielertyp, den wir suchen", freut sich Fuchsbichler. Altach hat dem US-Boy ein Angebot unterbreitet und wartet nun auf seine Zusage. "Ich habe mich nach dem Spiel sofort mit seinem Manager in Verbindung gesetzt. Es müssen kleinere Detail abgeklärt werden, aber ich bin zuversichtlich, dass der Transfer zustande kommt." Gestern unterzog sich der Spieler einer letzten medizinischen Untersuchung.


Translated to the english, (thanks to an unnamed friend), that comes to:

"Forward from Houston Dynamo convinced new Coach Fuchsbichler.
The signature of the 27 Year old Nade (?) is still missing, but the tall Forward should be trying to score for SCR Altach in the spring. New Coach Fuchsbichler was very impressed with the quality of the player. "He is exactly the type of player that we are looking for" opined the coach. Altach has made an offer to the US-Boy and is waiting on his reply. "Right after the test match I contacted his Manager. There are some small details that need to be cleared up, but I am confident we will get the deal done." Yesterday the player underwent the Medical Exam."


This is not altogether unexpected, though I for one did not think it would happen. Of course, it still has not officially happened as the club is not expected to announce until Monday, but still, I think we can all assume that Nate is gone. SC Rheindorf Altach is currently sitting eighth in the 10-team table, fighting hard to avoid relegation.

Jaqua was of course one of Dom Kinnear's excellent midseason acquisitions, along with the dearly departed Joseph Ngwenya and the still-here Richard Mulrooney. Apparently, Kinnear is going to have to work some of that magic again this season. I am nervous, but at times like this I just go back to my fall back: TRUST IN DOM. It's worked for me so far.

Nate, we hardly knew ye.

5 comments:

The Manly Ferry said...

I like mantra. And it has to be said that, when he moves, Dom moves smartly. Good luck with it.

Martin Hajovsky said...

It's worked for me so far, but I have to admit, I've started to get a little nervous myself. I felt better, though, when I went over to Center Holds It and saw the team-by-team offseason move breakdown. In relation to what other teams have done/are doing, we're looking OK. (Are these the words of someone desperately clinging at straws? Hmmmmm.)

playtherapy said...

And then there were none? We are left with a very good but often injured Ching at the top. Hopefully, he can tone down his all out game in an effort to stay fit for an entire season. Now it's poker time- forget backup goalies and youth on the defensive wings- we need fire power desperately. Will De Ro go back to the withdrawn forward role he had in his early MLS days? Kinnear is probably shopping around his DP slot, future picks, and certain midfielders in a coy manner to not appear too needy.

Wow- the Dynamo have significant leaks and at present, a title repeat looks unlikely. If Kinnear pulls it off, he has my vote to head the Nats.

Martin Hajovsky said...

Now, now Playtherapy, let's not get too down in the mouth. A quick look at Center Holds It team by team analysis of what MLS teams did or did not do in the offseason provides a kind of perspective. Dynamo actually did pretty good and are looking mostly solid, still an elite squad. Weaknesses? Hell yes, but if the most we can say is that we are hurting in backup keeper and in finding a forward so DDR doesn't have to (even though he wants to), then all in all, that's not a bad position to be in, now is it?

Just a sec, gotta go take off the rose-colored specs. There, now, let's look at this again...

uh oh

playtherapy said...

My point exactly. remember last season when I sent you Ching's % of games played versus missed thru injury. He's only getting older. I'm a big fan of holden but like Jeff of Center holds iIt, i'm unsure whether he's ready to run everything through an up top attacking midfield role. Davis could be a safe bet to move into this role if De Ro goes up top- Brad's played AM before and tends to drift inside a lot. One thing we can be fairly sure of-Dom will not deviate from the 4-4-2 he swears by. Another alternative is to use two midfield destroyers aka Clarke and Mulrooney. Lots of possibilities but not a lot of depth.