Cybereagles

MLS star Johnson rejects transfer to Premier League
Posted: Tuesday July 24, 2007 8:09PM; Updated: Tuesday July 24, 2007 8:31PM

The Wizards' Eddie Johnson (just 23), is the first U.S. player to score eight goals in his first eight international games.
The Wizards' Eddie Johnson (just 23), is the first U.S. player to score eight goals in his first eight international games.
Wade Jackson/Icon Sports Media

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Eddie Johnson, Major League Soccer's leading scorer, has turned down a transfer from the Kansas City Wizards to Derby of England's Premier League.

Peter Vermes, the Wizards' technical director, said Tuesday that Johnson made the decision earlier this month after returning from U.S. national team duty at the Copa America.

"There was an offer for Eddie, and Eddie decided he wanted to stay with the Kansas City Wizards and play in MLS," Vermes said.

Vermes said he could not confirm the terms of the transfer fee offered by Derby, said to be in the $3.6 million range. Derby won promotion to the Premier League this past season, after being relegated from England's top division following the 2001-02 season.

"For Eddie to stay says a lot about our league and a lot about the Kansas City Wizards," Vermes said. "Everyone says when our players get good enough, they go to Europe. Now here's Eddie Johnson, and he's staying."

Johnson was not immediately available for comment.

"He is young, has great pace and also a point to prove because he has never played in England before," Derby manager Billy Davies was quoted as saying in the July 19 editions of the Derby Evening Telegraph. "He scores goals for fun and has started the American season like a house on fire. He is the most valued player in the MLS. Very few American players have come to this country and failed. They have a lot to offer, they are fit and they are very good professionals."

The 23-year-old forward, the first U.S. player to score eight goals in his first eight international games, has thrived under first-year Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo.

He has 12 goals in 11 games for the Wizards -- a spectacular comeback from a 2006 slump that saw him score just twice in 19 games -- and has scored twice this year for the national team.

This was the second time in a little more than two years that a European team has tried and failed to land Johnson.

MLS, which signs all of its players to contracts, rejected a proposed transfer to the Portuguese club Benfica in March 2005, when he was playing for FC Dallas. Johnson trained with Reading, another Premier League club, this past offseason.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/s ... index.html

He went on trial @ Reading but turned down a move to Derby.

Dumb move IMO. But I hope he has some real valid reasons rather than some emotional tightrope.

Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

That's per anum right? Are you sure he makes that much?

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

Per annum. He is among the top 5 earners in the league

Altobelli wrote:That's per anum right? Are you sure he makes that much?

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

Altobelli wrote:That's per anum right? Are you sure he makes that much?

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

and it doesnt include his nike endorsement salary.

CMS wrote:Dumb move IMO. But I hope he has some real valid reasons rather than some emotional tightrope.

abi oooohhh!!!!!

Hmm interesting. His choice makes more sense now.

YUJAM wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02293.html

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs

900Gs US is like £9k per week, at Derby he would have been given a minimum of £20k per week

Dodo wrote:

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs

900Gs US is like £9k per week, at Derby he would have been given a minimum of £20k per week

The smaller teams in the UK do NOT spend money they way the bigger ones do. Brian McBride at Fulham is barely on that much and I dont think Clint Dempsey is either. And they were far more established when they came over

Its by no means a lock that Eddie Johnson (his name in the UK would be "who?") will start off on 20K. To take an example of an unknown striker, Stephen Hunt at Reading was on £4,500 per week last season.

I doubt Eddie Johnson was getting offered 20K a week by Derby to be honest. They cant afford to throw away that much on an unknown quantity.

Did anyone actually read the article?

* Note: Guaranteed salary includes a player's base salary and all signing and guaranteed bonuses annualized over the term of his contract, including option years.

...he also had interest from Sweden in 2005, and I the time, I had the opportunity to speak with him and he said he preferred to spend some years in the MLS...

I am sorry but weaker americans have made it to better clubs. Outside of the top 5 or 6 EPL teams, there shouldn't be any feeling of great joy being courted by alsorans.

Lest we forget Everton just got whooped by an MLS bottom feeder

Deeby ko, Gloria ni.... EPL teams are average clubs outside the top end. If U are not being courted by MANU, ARSENAL, LIVERPOOL, CHELSEA, SPURS, OR VILLA, ur chances of making CL ball is close to zip So what is the rush.

Eddie Johnson can hang with most of the strikers in the EPL. For crying out loud, how many strikers sored more than 12 goals last seasons.

EPL sucks

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

Nonsense man, must everything be reduced to EPL vs La Liga? This seems to me like a kid given the option to remain at home (in USA) at nearly $1million per year versus going to crappy england weather, crappy england food, and oh by the way an almost certainly relegation bound Derby County at the same money decided to pass it up for a better opportunity. And given the language barrier, unless his salary is doubled or trippled, a broda from the hood like Eddie most likely ain't holding out for La Liga either ... My bet is given the wider spread popularity of the EPL in USA (among soccer fans, Nick & steven show, the ESPN podcast thingy 2wice/wk, etc) the likes of Eddie is waiting for the right opportunity to move to the EPL.

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

green4life wrote:Nonsense man, must everything be reduced to EPL vs La Liga? This seems to me like a kid given the option to remain at home (in USA) at nearly $1million per year versus going to crappy england weather, crappy england food, and oh by the way an almost certainly relegation bound Derby County at the same money decided to pass it up for a better opportunity. And given the language barrier, unless his salary is doubled or trippled, a broda from the hood like Eddie most likely ain't holding out for La Liga either ... My bet is given the wider spread popularity of the EPL in USA (among soccer fans, Nick & steven show, the ESPN podcast thingy 2wice/wk, etc) the likes of Eddie is waiting for the right opportunity to move to the EPL.

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

How do you know he is from the hood? Id be ashamed if that's just an assumption you made because he is a black kid.

dxfactor wrote:

green4life wrote:Nonsense man, must everything be reduced to EPL vs La Liga? This seems to me like a kid given the option to remain at home (in USA) at nearly $1million per year versus going to crappy england weather, crappy england food, and oh by the way an almost certainly relegation bound Derby County at the same money decided to pass it up for a better opportunity. And given the language barrier, unless his salary is doubled or trippled, a broda from the hood like Eddie most likely ain't holding out for La Liga either ... My bet is given the wider spread popularity of the EPL in USA (among soccer fans, Nick & steven show, the ESPN podcast thingy 2wice/wk, etc) the likes of Eddie is waiting for the right opportunity to move to the EPL.

YUJAM wrote:Nah. The guy makes 900Gs or close to it which is competitive when compared to most EPL salaries. Given his potential, I don't see why he would go to a team like Derby which faces the distinct possibility of being relegated next season.

Maybe he just doesn't like the EPL and would prefer to play in Spain or elsewhere. Eddie has lot of talent and I see no reason why he should put himself into an unfavorable situation just to play in the EPL. Better opportunities will come along for him. This is a good move IMO!

Mudi E wrote:Johnson knew he can't cut it in the Premiership.

How do you know he is from the hood? Id be ashamed if that's just an assumption you made because he is a black kid.

Its alright man, he is actually from "the hood". he's let everyone know since he came on the scene. kid is from bunell florida. apparently its nuthin to write home about.

green4life wrote:Nonsense man, must everything be reduced to EPL vs La Liga? This seems to me like a kid given the option to remain at home (in USA) at nearly $1million per year versus going to crappy england weather, crappy england food,

Vaipd newspaper sterotype perpetrated by clueless Spanish players too timid to leave their gated mansion. I lived in London for three years on far less money than these footballers make and I ate very well. Jesus, if I you are making seven figurs like them you could very well eat in a Michellin restuarant every night.

Abyg stop fueling this myth. Food quality is not an issue for people on the kind of salaries they make.