|
|
樓主 |
發表於 2005-7-26 18:17:01
|
顯示全部樓層
Benny Feilhaber: UCLA->Hamburg
HSV COMPLETE FEILHABER SWOOP
Bundesliga side Hamburg have finally landed U.S. Under-20 National Team midfield ace Benny Feilhaber, with the youngster signing a three-year deal after completion of his Friday afternoon medical.
The erstwhile UCLA Bruin explained that despite several attractive options, he opted for Hamburger Sport-Verein because it was where he felt the most comfortable.
"I like the people," Feilhaber told YA Friday evening. "I like the city and I just seemed to fit in. The team is high quality and I feel like I can produce and become a high quality player here."
"I just met (coach Thomas Doll) today and he seemed like a really energetic and a really nice guy."
The northerners begin league play with a visit from FC Nürnberg on August 6th, but the 20-year old will begin his European odyssey with HSV Amateurs in Regionalliga. The reserves also open their seaosn the same day with a trip to FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt.
"Looks like I am going on a little run tomorrow," said Feilhaber, who was in the company of club sporting director Dietmar Beiersdorfer. "I'll be going to the (Intertoto Cup match against Uniao Leiria) tomorrow night with my family."
"I'll be training with the first team and playing at first with the second team. The first team is definitely my goal."
The move caps a meteoric rise for the Rio de Janeiro-born Californian, who went from Westwood walk-on to World Youth Championships standout in just under two years.
Feilhaber's stellar play during the Baby Nats' run to the round of 16 kicked off a mini-bidding war, with four clubs making an offer to father Alberto during a whirlwind early-July tour of the continent.
"There was another team in Germany, in the Bundesliga, a team in Spain and a team in Holland," he revealed, not wanting to give too much away. "I saw the other rumors, but the there were really only four teams."
Feilhaber then helped the USA to a runner up finish at the Maccabi Games in Israel before returning to Germany to determine his professional fate.
The new signing will now apply for an Austrian passport through his paternal grandfather so as not to count against Bundesliga non-European Union roster limits.
Hamburg are a storied German side with seven domestic crowns to their credit, as well as 1977 Cup Winners Cup and 1983 European Cup titles.
The AOL Arena club finished a disappointing eighth last season, but have prepared for this term by acquiring Ajax star Rafael van der Vaart and Tottenham defender Thimothee Atouba, in addition to retaining hot transfer topic Daniel van Buyten. |
|