Elliott Signs with German Team

Congrats to Alex!:

http://www.portlandpilots.com/sports/msoccer/release.asp?release_id=4782

Would have been nice to keep him for next year, but oh well... sounds like a great opportunity for him.

In recent years, he is the men's player I most enjoyed watching. Bummer that he'll not be around for one more year.

Stonehouse,

Worst news I have seen in a while, thanks for posting it though as I rarely go to the webpage anymore, I always come here for my pilots news.

So who do we put up top? Luke? Logan?

Congrats to Alex!
It was really great to watch him play while he was on the bluff! I look forward to hearing many great things about his success in the future!
If I can recall correctly, Alex played the last season out wide, so it will be more important to address the wingers. Frankie Lopez will definitely start to see more time out wide, opposite of Leland Wright.
As for the forwards, I think it will remain very similar to this last fall. Bryan and Hosseinmardi up top, with Luke coming in off the bench. If you guys remember, Emory played center back his freshman year. I heard some whispers that he had surgery before last season and was maybe going to have to go through surgery again this winter. If he can get healthy, I'm really hoping he can return to the back line with the absence of Freddy and Gavin. It looked to be his more natural position.
Again...Congrats to Alex and Good Luck!

CONGRATS Alex!!

That's great news for him and another tough player to replace!
Pretty amazing the number of former UP players hooking up in Germany.

Purple...What do you think about Alex leaving after his Junior season? I know you do have issues with guys leaving early. I posted last week that I heard he wasn't stcking around. He trialed this past summer and must have worked out then with the team to finish out his junior season before going back.

I really wonder how Biggs or whoever decides...to promote UP players who move on in the UP website?

Pearce, Robles and Alex all get glowing articles
Salazar, Sanders and Dallman go with zero recognition.

The only one I know who left on short notice and without notifying the coaches was Salazar.

sanders and dallman both left without much of a warning. biggs publicizes guys who he helped leave and thought was appropriate. sanders and dallman both left on their own terms and left the program hanging.

footyfan wrote:
Purple...What do you think about Alex leaving after his Junior season? I know you do have issues with guys leaving early. I posted last week that I heard he wasn't sticking around. He trialed this past summer and must have worked out then with the team to finish out his junior season before going back.

I really wonder how Biggs or whoever decides...to promote UP players who move on in the UP website?

Pearce, Robles and Alex all get glowing articles
Salazar, Sanders and Dallman go with zero recognition.

The only one I know who left on short notice and without notifying the coaches was Salazar.

I join everyone who is congratulating Alex for moving up and out. It'll be fun to see reports of his progress in Europe. It would have been fun to see him close out his time here and help the team get deeper into the tournament, but it's not to be.


Maybe I wasn't clear in one or more of my rants (what?)

I don't have any problem at all with a player leaving early. It's a fact of life that each side in the team/player equation has to do what is best for their own interests. That's true when players come here, it's true when they leave. With the PRO money available to the men particularly, it would be folly to ignore that.

As long as the two parties are up front and honest about their expectations for each other, when it's time, we'll, it's time. Its a problem that good programs are just going to have to live with, just as they do in Basketball. Basketball has a bit of a head start there- they've been doing it a bit longer, though I recall Clive touching on the subject in an article when he coached the Olympic team into the semi's.

When a player leaves without allowing the team that helped showcase their talents the time to recruit behind them, then I have a problem.

The way I remember it, there weren't any signs Dahlman would leave until about this time of year. It may even have been after the recruiting class was announced (if I had more energy, I'd check). Either way, that's way to late for UP to snag a top recruit.

Sanders? I don't know, but if anyone knows when he worked out for the Germans, that would be a clue.
I could speculate, but my track record there shows My mind can run amuck with possibilities.
(see Women's soccer thread: "What's Happening with the u-20's?")

I liked Sander's play, though not the way he was used as a target in longball with no one near him to work with. I suffered with him watching him and his foot problems. I know he played hurt. I like Bill Irwin, too. Folks get down on him 'cause he's not Clive, But who is?

I don't want to subject either of them to my uncontrollable speculations. Once I start, no telling where it will go.

It might not even be Bill's call as to what got published on the site, but rather how harried the writers were that week. Last year, if you recall, UP hosted the tournament. Perhaps the staff was overworked. We tend to read more into those things than is probably there.
(see thread: "What's Happening with the u-20's?" )

golaso wrote:sanders and dallman both left without much of a warning. biggs publicizes guys who he helped leave and thought was appropriate. sanders and dallman both left on their own terms and left the program hanging.

Wrong..I know both pretty well..Sanders had ZERO relationship with Biggs and trialed in Germany the summer before his junior year. He told Biggs if he had interest he wasn't coming back for his senior year.

Dallman told Biggs right after the completion of his juniour season year that he was leaving after Christmas for Denmark and not returning for his senior season.

Alex trialed in Germany prior to his junior year and told players he was going back after his junior year..Biggs had NO part of Alex's German trials!


These were pretty much quotes from the players to me.

from what i have heard it was quite clear that sanders would return for his senior season until just days before preseason started this past fall.
i'm not trying to argue with anyone, i enjoyed watching both players over the few years that they played, especially dallman.
everyone knows that bill is an old school guy and i'm sure he definitely takes loyalty very seriously. he probably felt a bit betrayed when sanders and dallman left early without going through bill.

footyfan wrote:
Dallman told Biggs right after the completion of his juniour season year that he was leaving after Christmas for Denmark and not returning for his senior season.

These were pretty much quotes from the players to me.

There you go then. The end of the season is too late for the team to recruit behind you. Good recruits are gone by then. If you have plans to leave, declare them so others can plan for your replacement.

For comparison, the UP women's team had all its recruits lined up well before the end of this season. Stoney made the announcement the last week in October.

Purplegeezer wrote:

footyfan wrote:
Dallman told Biggs right after the completion of his juniour season year that he was leaving after Christmas for Denmark and not returning for his senior season.

These were pretty much quotes from the players to me.

There you go then. The end of the season is too late for the team to recruit behind you. Good recruits are gone by then. If you have plans to leave, declare them so others can plan for your replacement.

For comparison, the UP women's team had all its recruits lined up well before the end of this season. Stoney made the announcement the last week in October.

First of all...You do know recruiting for the women is a whole different ball game than for the men. Dallman wasn't recruited by UP he only ended up playing because he was going to UP regardless of or soccer or not and asked to come out and train.

Any player who goes up to Biggs in August and says I'm leaving for Europe at the end of the season will NOT be "showcased" that season by the coaches. They will give more minutes to the players backup.
Another case in point was Josh Simpson..

Purple..Do you know that Alex or Josh sat down with Bill or Rob in August and told them he wasn't coming back?

The only Junior I know that did that was Pearce.

A question I have, to which I don't know the answer since I don't follow men's soccer that closely: Do other schools with top programs also have players leaving as we do in Portland?

You heard right....Emory did have surgery in both calves last Feb., which did not relieve the chronic exertion compartment syndrome that he was fighting. His freshman and sophomore seasons, he couldn't go on the training runs. He had a second surgery this xmas break and so far, so good. If he can go on the training runs and get in real condition, he should have a great year, most likely back at central defense.

The end of the season is too late for the team to recruit behind you. Good recruits are gone by then. If you have plans to leave, declare them so others can plan for your replacement.

I agree..However, every coach...From Biggs to Capello is ALWAYS looking to upgrade. Doesn't matter the position or the player..If they can get a quality player they aren't going to pass one up.

up soccer fanatic...
yes, other programs definitely have players leaving early.
a great example is ucsb, who just lost two of their best players, both of which were sophomores.
college soccer is somewhat similar to college basketball and football in this aspect.
it is not just biggs, players are always looking for a new challenge or experience...and also don't mind the contract.

footyfan wrote:The end of the season is too late for the team to recruit behind you. Good recruits are gone by then. If you have plans to leave, declare them so others can plan for your replacement.

I agree..However, every coach...From Biggs to Capello is ALWAYS looking to upgrade. Doesn't matter the position or the player..If they can get a quality player they aren't going to pass one up.

I agree there, too.

But with 9.9 only scholarships to distribute, you have to ba able to plan somehow.

I really don't know much about it other than to say that my feeling on the matter is that it's more a matter of perception than anything else.

I think that everyone expected Conor Casey, Heath Pearce, Kelly Gray, Nate Jaqua, etc. to be leaving early. They had the talent, and could easily be signed to a pro contract. Ditto for Alex.

As for some of the other guys... Dallman and Sanders... maybe they weren't expecting them to go and were thus surprised. But I remember with Sanders there was some questioning even into the summer if he was going to be coming back or not - he needed to wait and hear from the German team, I suppose, but still... not really a great situation for a coaching staff trying to prepare for the upcoming season.

As for Dallman, I think something must have happened behind the scenes (and honestly I am totally guessing here), because his name wasn't even mentioned once at the season ticket holder awards banquet. So maybe there is more to that story than meets the eye. Maybe a falling out?

Salazer kind of just bolted in the night... his situation is a bit of an outlier.

Anyway, I think overall we just have to embrace it and start using it as a recruiting tool; maybe start changing the mindset to how a big-time college basketball program operates. Lots of top-notch HS soccer players in the US probably don't plan on playing college for a full four years, so they want to go to a program that has proven it can develop talent and send people on to the pros. UP has clearly sent tons of players on to the pros in recent years (though the high-water mark of that was four-five years ago), so maybe that can help us attract some elite players.

Of course, you always want to get kids who will stay the whole four years, but still... talent wins games.

he is already getting some playing time...

Saarbrücken - victories 1:1 SIEGEN: Birkenbach; Weikl (70 Gallego), Genet (70 Islamoglu), Assoumani (70 Bogusz), Throm (35th Elliott), Nemeth (60th Gaede), Buehrer (70 Pospischil ), El Berkani (70th Unger), Pentecost (70 Hock), Mueller (60th Popovic), Okpala (70 Blessin). - Tore: 0:1 Popovic (63.), 1:1 Karaoglan (78.). -- Tore: 0:1 Popovic (63), 1:1 Karaoglan (78th).


the thing i find weird about the deal is if i am reading this correct is the team is not paying his salary... two sponsors are paying it...

ohhh_yeah wrote:he is already getting some playing time...

the thing i find weird about the deal is if i am reading this correct is the team is not paying his salary... two sponsors are paying it...

Cool!
But I'm sure they wanted to see what he could do. The real test will be to see if he stays in the lineup.

I think in lower divisions, that's often how it's done. Sometimes you even get to share in the take if he gets sold.

Stonehouse wrote:I really don't know much about it other than to say that my feeling on the matter is that it's more a matter of perception than anything else.

I think that everyone expected Conor Casey, Heath Pearce, Kelly Gray, Nate Jaqua, etc. to be leaving early. They had the talent, and could easily be signed to a pro contract. Ditto for Alex.

As for some of the other guys... Dallman and Sanders... maybe they weren't expecting them to go and were thus surprised. But I remember with Sanders there was some questioning even into the summer if he was going to be coming back or not - he needed to wait and hear from the German team, I suppose, but still... not really a great situation for a coaching staff trying to prepare for the upcoming season.

As for Dallman, I think something must have happened behind the scenes (and honestly I am totally guessing here), because his name wasn't even mentioned once at the season ticket holder awards banquet. So maybe there is more to that story than meets the eye. Maybe a falling out?

Salazer kind of just bolted in the night... his situation is a bit of an outlier.

Anyway, I think overall we just have to embrace it and start using it as a recruiting tool; maybe start changing the mindset to how a big-time college basketball program operates. Lots of top-notch HS soccer players in the US probably don't plan on playing college for a full four years, so they want to go to a program that has proven it can develop talent and send people on to the pros. UP has clearly sent tons of players on to the pros in recent years (though the high-water mark of that was four-five years ago), so maybe that can help us attract some elite players.

Of course, you always want to get kids who will stay the whole four years, but still... talent wins games.

Unfortunatly it looks like Alex is out of contract...Not sure what his plans are for the upcoming season. From what I heard he got in a few games. The team lost some sponsorship money and they had to unload players.