Bernie Bits Has Some Bad Soccer News

[RecCenterRat]

Bernie Wrote

"Sophomore forward Will John and freshman defender Tim Ward are leaving St. Louis U.'s soccer team to sign on with the MLS Project-40 program, designed for underclassmen who leave school early. ... "

on a more positive note ..

"Former SLU goalkeeper Meghann Burke (Mehlville) is the starting goalie for the Bristol Rovers of the English women's premier division; they're currently in second place in the 10-team league."

article

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/co...akes+good+sense

[slufanskip]

I just read that ... we had heard from SluBalls that it was probably happenning ... that is very tough news ... I wonder if Coach D ... had an idea it might happen so he can try to get prepared.

Ward is a huge loss ... Will IMO is a very good player but needs equal talent around him, not saying he is not a huge loss though he is.

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[courtside]

Not that it isn't probably true, Sluballs posted what he heard on a Bob Ramsey show...good info, but I would like something more official.

Ward, plays at a pace the other kids on SLU can't play at, with the ball. Size, speed, toughness, skill.

Will sometimes takes a beating on this board. Obviously he is surrounded by top players on national team. When he has to do everything himself, he gets shut down by multiple people.

Good for those players. Tough for the program. I feel for Donigan. You always imo recruit the best possible players, and he did that. SLU will still be competitive next year.

As for people mentioning in other posts I have read regarding not getting top local kids...well, he got one, and there aren't a lot of openings on the roster with the young players. This will create some room. Timing again, like Ibisevic, is poor...not as bad as Ibisevic's. But not great. Kids also like to go away to school and I am long an advocate for going away to school, though wanting the top local kids good enough to play at SLU to stay...IU wins another national title with a DeSmet kid. Ambersly with the pk in title game. Noonan, Klein, etc...helping lead IU to a national title in recent past years. Sure it would be nice to have some.

This past year's team needed a finisher and a creative mifdfielder. Dado is the midfielder. They need a kid like Ward, up top who can finish. Size, speed pace, skill.

Part of being a good college coach is how well your kids do when they leave...Davis and those guys, Jackie Jewsbury, etc...Vedad, and these kids...not too shabby for Danny Donigan. Not every SLU recruit will leave early. They will get over the hump under Donigan, waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more confidence in him than any other coach at SLU for any sport. Period.

[SLUBALLS]

Ok this isn't "official" but I was in the right spot at the right time last night to hear something "official". I was able to attend the MAC-Hermann award last night and at one point in the evening I was trying to make my way out of the main room and ended up overhearing Sorber, who was walking by me, say," Yea now Tim and Will will be gone. Next year is gonna be just like last year." NOw I'm going from memory but I think I'm pretty close to his actual words. That's tough to hear straight from a coach's mouth but coaches have to be realistic sometimes and I don't blame him for having that opinion in the current situation.

And I really feel for Donigan because he was getting some damn good recruits and three of his top kids leave in just two years. Just imagine what this team would have been like with Vedad, Will, and Tim all there for three years. What I'm worried about now is Grazier and Johnny D, moreso Johnny D than Grazier.

[Billiken Rich]

Now I'm going to have to read all of these soccer posts. I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more confident that Brad will have more say in the future of Billiken athletics than double D. Ain't that galling.

I'm also WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY confident that soccer will remain a forth tier sport in college athletics. In order Football, Men's Hoops, Women's Hoops, Soccer.

I'm also WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY confident that Brad will

take the Billiken's to a top 40-50 level program. (Double D is already there but no one cares because it's soccer)

I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY confident that SLUBALLS will curse in response to this post. What do you expect from a chronicly depressed soccer fanatic.

By the way I'm sorry for the bad news.

[courtside]

Zero doubt zero question zero debate, Donigan is better coach, recruiter, and everything in comparison in his sport vs Soderberg.

There is ZERO comparison. Period, end of story, game set match.

[slufanskip]

I disagree ... I don't see how you can make a comparison ... Donnigan took over one of the top teams in college soccer ... and the winningest program in the history of NCAA soccer ... who sit in one of the most fertile recruiting areas of the country ... maybe by size ... the most fertile. Not a knock on Coach D ... I like him alot ... though I don't always agree with his style or where he plays the players.

UB took over a consistently mid level team ... who lost 5 plyers in his first year and didn't get to start that year until recruiting was basically over.

Comparing recruiting Basketball at SLU to soccer at SLU is like comparing SLU basketball to Duke or UNC. It is not a fair comparison.

The last two years Brad took average at best talent to the NIT's. Coach D took well above average to watching the NCAA tourney ... despite having 2 U20 Nat'l team players and 2 additional U17 Nat'l team players.

I don't agree with everything either does or always like their styles ... but any comparison of the two is unfair as they are not playing on equal fields.

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[Lobo]

> The last two years Brad took average at best talent to the

>NIT's. Coach D took well above average to watching the NCAA

>tourney ... despite having 2 U20 Nat'l team players and 2

>additional U17 Nat'l team players.

Agree completely!

[billiken_roy]

skips right, slu has been nationally recognized for soccer for years. it is a lot easier to recruit to that then a program trying to get there. plus, even though you soccer heads seem to think you dont get any support, both fanwise and program wise, in all likelihood, i would guess that compared to other schools around the country, the support given saint louis university soccer exceeds most. sure it may not exceed that of the basketball team, but compared to other soccer programs, donnigan probably has it easier than the vast majority of soccer coaches. if he didnt, he would be long gone.

[SLUBALLS]

Man I wish I had it in me to curse you out but I really don't give a damn what you say anymore. No offense but your writing bores me.

Donigan vs Soderberg: I would agree with Skip about the comparison. Soderberg has done more with less talent. Donigan has definetly underachieved, but you have to feel for the guy when he works his butt off to gets a solid young team together to develop over a couple years and then critical players start leaving.

[Billiken Rich]

Sounds like Double D gets the Norm Stewart acheivement award for 2004. I agree that it sucks to lose a player to a pro league. I hope the Basketball Bills have that problem again real soon.

[slufanskip]

Rich ... I wouldn't list him in Quinn's league as the loss of one of the top 4-5 players in the country is a huge hit ... but even with that ... we had plenty of other good talent ... and IMO should have been in the tourney

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[TheBand]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 10, 2005

Men’s Soccer

Contact: Doug McIlhagga

WILL JOHN AND TIM WARD TURN PRO

ST. LOUIS—Saint Louis head men’s soccer coach Dan Donigan today

announced that sophomore forward Will John (Kansas City, Mo. /

Rockhurst) and freshman defender Tim Ward (Waukesha, Wis. / Edison

Academic Center, Bradenton, Fla.) will sign with Major League Soccer’s

Project 40 and be eligible for the MLS SuperDraft on Fri., Jan. 14. As a

result of their bids to play professional soccer, the duo will leave the

Billikens’ program.

“We wish both Will and Tim the best of luck as they take this next big

step in their playing careers,†Donigan said. “Playing professionally is

a tremendous challenge, and we hope that they are prepared to put in

their best effort for this transition. Their best soccer is ahead of

them, and we hope that they both land in good situations.â€

At the conclusion of the 2004 season, John was named first-team

All-Conference USA and National Soccer Coaches Association of America

(NSCAA) second-team All-Midwest Region after leading the Billikens in

scoring with 24 points (10G, 4A). He was one of 16 semifinalists for the

Hermann Trophy, the annual award given to collegiate soccer’s player of

the year. He left the program with a two-year career total of 47 points

(19G, 9A).

Ward was named to the 2004 C-USA All-Freshman team and was selected

second-team All-Conference. He was also named NSCAA second-team

All-Midwest Region. He tied John for second on the Bills in assists with

four.

John and Ward have been training with the U.S. Under-20 National Team in

preparation for the U-20 CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament, which is being

held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., Jan. 12-16.

John and Ward become the second and third Billikens underclassmen to

turn professional in the last six months. Last July, 2003 NSCAA

first-team All-America Vedad Ibisevic signed with Paris St. Germain in

France.

Players, who sign contracts with MLS and still have collegiate

eligibility remaining are tagged Project 40. They become eligible for

the SuperDraft and a full roster spot.

— www.slubillikens.com —

[GoSlu]

Courtside I'll have to disagree as well. I like DD but Brad picked up a program at a very tough time and has done a very good job despite the slow start this year. Lots of promise shown in the Cinci game despite the result. He just must get everything from every kid every game and that's tough.

I also think that DD will be gone when his contract expires. Unfortunately this town doesn't take well to "out of towners" and he will eventually get frustrated and take a job somewhere else. I don't want to see him go but you can't deny the reality of St. Louis.

And it has to be frustrating to see the top kids leave but you must overcome those things. He many times can't find the right mix and makes some questionable moves. Next year should be interesting.

And BB don't deny your reading of the soccer posts...we know you are a closet fubol junkie!

GS

[Billiken Rich]

I'll admit that the "bad soccer news" in the title of the thread drew me as a moth to a flame. I'm sorry that it was bad Billiken soccer news as opposed to just bad soccer news.

If Donnigan is successful in the laRussa mold perhaps seeing the backside of him wouldn't be a bad thing.

[GoSlu]

Ward was a special player and will be missed greatly.

Will John on the other hand...I've never been a fan of his. He has tremendous skill but he rarely runs hard to a ball, he constantly loafs around the field and just will not contest for a 50/50 ball. Vedad did all that work for him and make him look like a great player the year before and then Will was exposed last year as to who he really was and it hurt the team. There's no excuse for not hustling and working hard no matter who you are.

And has anyone heard anything on Johnny D. and Grazier? I cannot confirm what I heard from someone that they were leaving as well. I really hope it was just speculation.

GS

[slufanskip]

I haven't heard anything ... but then I am rarely in the know.

I'm not sure I would classify Will as lazy, I think he just doesn't have the strength to mix it up ... so he knows to wait for the ball to give him opportunities in space. If Will was fighting for possesion it would leave him out of position to do what he does best which is create in the open field. I think Will is very good with talent around him ... picking up loose balls and on the receiving end of passes.

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