Reply With QuoteHell of a strike by Saiko in the first half of today's game! Think that benching will only serve to motivate him.
^ It would be nice to know why Middlesboro' Youth side let him come home.
Whether it was a quality/ ability issue (let him go because he was not deem him good enough for championship level) or did immigration status determine that the Club had to realse him. (ergo, visa status ran out before he could get enough senior team experience under his belt to satisfy PFA regulations on Junior players)
that kind of thing.
Hell of a strike by Saiko in the first half of today's game! Think that benching will only serve to motivate him.
Could have been a hatrick. but for a flykick and a backspin on a long ball. still got the strike off though and forced a save.Originally Posted by shermanator
Any highlights of the match? I looked but couldn't find any
I think it was most likely an ability issue. They were playing him as a central/defensive midfielder in his youth days and then in the reserves he was getting limited PT at right back if i remember the reports correctly.
I hope Saiko can find his form again and continue to improve. Like to see him find a higher level to play at and continue to perform and get PT and eventually force his way into the MNT.
"We are back bitches" - Adolf Hitler.
Given the circumstances of the game today (ie.: with almost all Euro based players unavailable), this would have been his chance. I think , for one reason or another, he is lower on the NT depth charts than we thought.
as far as playing at higher level, i would say that that goes part in parcel with how he is rated by the National teams selectors. Amongst the call ups for this game, not withstanding positional needs, there are:
1) Players who are not on the MLS's game day rosters. Or barely on
2) Player(s) with MLS clubs but who have been associated with NASL for just as long or longer
3) Other players from the last U23 side whom Saiko was a part of.
So if NT selectors like to see someone playing at higher level, the clubs at higher level might well ask the similar question as to why he wasn't called up for a game like this one when a number of other were. Like or not, i do believe the coaches at all pro levels including (maybe even the NT's) dont truly have a complete book on all players. But i am sure that these kind of things (ie,: call ups, not called up, who was preferred etc etc) weigh a lot.
Last edited by Free kick; 08-15-2012 at 03:46 PM.
When was the last time an NASL player was called up to a full-strength Canada side? Someone from Vancouver 2010 or Montreal 2010-11? Certainly no Edmonton players to date. Rightly or wrongly (I would argue wrongly), I get the impression FC Edmonton is off Stephen Hart's radar. Saiko may have deserved a look. I would argue that the likes of Saiko or Porter offer more than Evan James.
Ali G was called to the 2011 Gold Cup squad. I agree that Saiko or Porter would have been better call ups than Evan James at this point.
But as Free Kick pointed out above, Hart had the opportunity to evaluate Saiko Vs. Henry, James, Cavallini and Tiebert in the U23 games and made his decision. Remember as well, Porter was cut from that team. Just sayin'.
Let's also remember that these players are very young, they need to be constantly re-evaluated. Just because someone took a look at them 5 months ago doesn't mean that snapshot should serve as the basis for not calling them for the rest of this cycle. It's been almost a year since Di Chiara was brought in to the MNT fold and the kid wasn't even called in for the U23 camp and seems to be cast aside already. Guys like Saiko, Porter, Cox etc. are actually playing at a pro level, someone should be at least taking a peek once in a while to see if there's something they missed. God we need a permanent U21-23 program in this country.
"We are back bitches" - Adolf Hitler.
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