Nate Jaqua was recently briefly with LA Galaxy.(Lindy McD. photo)
Are Sounders FC going to be both smart *and* lucky? Has a US Nats Player Pool striker just been gift-wrapped for the 2009 MLS expansion club?
Nate Jaqua just got out of his most-recent contract with SCR Altach of the Austrian Bundesliga and is living in his native state of Oregon awaiting his next pro soccer move. This is the same Jaqua who starred for the Chicago Fire (and then briefly with LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo), who recently scored 5 goals in 10 matches for SCRA, and who today was named to the US Nats Player Pool.
Seattle Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer has acknowledged that he "is aware" of Jaqua's status, but says he can't comment any further.
What a chance this could be for Seattle, without even having to give anything (possibly, see below) to any other club in return. Question is, why did Toronto, LA and Houston play hot potato with the guy? Does he still have game? His Austrian form says he does.
The Sounders may be in the mood to get him on the 2008 USL-1 roster so they can find out if he's 2009 material.
Houston Dynamo currently hold the first refusal MLS rights to Jaqua as he was last with that side when he was in Major League Soccer.
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Jaqua would absolutely rip apart USL competition. Godzilla-style.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post.
I'd been thinking about Jaqua for a while now, but I'm dubious that Houston will want to surrender his rights considering their lack of depth at forward.
ReplyDeleteA guy on our boards has commented that Houston is looking for speed rather than height, and someone to compliment Ching not duplicate him. So Seattle's got a chance.
ReplyDeleteI cant imagine Houston would surrender his MLS rights-- but I inferred from the article that the USL Sounders would sign him, then promote him to the MLS side next season. Perhaps this is their way around the MLS rights issue. They do have a ruling that allows them to promote, right? Money talks, so maybe he is willing to drop down for a season.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. If the USL Sounders can get Jaqua to sign for the rest of the year, then they can go about the rest (MLS rights) if he plays well enough to warrant it.
ReplyDeleteUPDATE: Now that this has hit the news in Houston, we'd do well to remember that Nate's MLS rights are theirs. So Seattle would have to work a deal with the Dynamo to sign him. It would likely be worth some kind of draft pick to get a known quantity. Also, I wonder if Nate telling Houston he wants to sign with Seattle might put a little more umph into Seattle's bid? Could be.
ReplyDelete