Bill Tuiloma (Charlotte FC | USA)

Bill has one more year left on his contract.

Sorry I havn't heard anything about Bill. There has been nothing on the OM website, local football media or fan sites about him. I will be in Marseille next week so I will ask around.

To be blunt Bill won't figure in the first team squad this season. So he either will be sitting out another season in the reserves or Marseille will try and get some money for him. Its also possible that they won't be able to find a buyer and they will cut him. There are strong rumours around the club that with all the new recruits coming in there will be a big clean out.

Bill is well regarded by the club and the supporters. His work ethic and attitude have been commended by the coaching staff and fans. Problem is in the cut throat world of European football if you are 22 years old and not yet ready for the senior squad then there is no place for you.

But I don't think Bill's stay at OM has been a failure. He has been exposed to some top notch coaching. He has played(preseason) against some good European clubs. The reserves and seniors often train together so Bill gets to train alongside legends like Patrice Evra. He is a far far better player now than he would have been if he had gone to an A-League club at 18 IMO.

But who knows.....in pro football all you need is a little luck.

Just as he was beginning to feature a couple years back he had a couple hammy issues didn't he... as mentioned, luck and timing and big parts of success.

I would love to have him at the NIX and don't think playing in the A League is perhaps the step down in quality from some of the better leagues in Europe than it was a few years back. Hopefully Durante is having a word in his ear and Barbs is staying away.

I would love to see Bill at the Nix. I like his physicality and composure. My only question mark is that at the u20's he was fierce and aggressive but I haven't seen that as much in the AWs shirt. The Nix need some aggression in the middle. Look at Sydney and Victory as examples - Lia did an ok job at this but just lost his legs....

Reports coming out of the US that the Portland Timbers have signed Bill Tuiloma through the rest of the 2017 MLS season with the option to retain him permanently after that.

https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2017/7/24/16018434/timbers-sign-new-zealand-international-bill-tuiloma

Portland Bill!

View from Portland Bill lighthouse, Weymouth, Devon.

That's a bit of a shame IMO. While it's a decent level, it's not Europe and from a selfish point of view, if he's choosing a non-Europe route it would have been nice for the Nix to pick him up - on loan ideally.

Not that I don't understand PT/MLS is a better option for him. As long as he gets reg starts, hopefully it's a good step for his career

Is the A League comp that much different to the MLS in terms of quality? Gutted he didn't come here, but maybe he was worried about getting comfortable?

I mean, for non-European locations to be a prodessional footballer, Portland and the entire Pacific Northwest is a solid choice. 

Maybe he didn't come here because he wasn't asked?

Uh, yes. MLS is comfortably ahead right now.

Probably a good move for Bill. It is a short term contract for this season with an option for an extention if things go well.Portland is one of the better areas to play football if you are moving to the MLS. I kind of hoped Bill would be picked up by a French Div 2 side on a longer contract. He is only 22, which is young for a CM. Marseille could have probably helped him find another team in France. Bill still has one year on his contract at OM....so there is either a transfer fee or they let him go on a free.

Its really up to Bill now. There will be strong competition for a starting spot at Portland but as the article said they have had lots of injuries. This will be a sort of make or break time for Bill. If he doesn't make it at Portland its hard to see him going back to Europe. A-League 2018/2010 could be on the cards

trhttp://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2017/07/portland_timbers_have_reported_1.html#incart_river_index

Confirmed 

https://www.timbers.com/post/2017/07/26/portland-t...

Also confirmed officially from the Marseille club. On loan for a season with an option to buy after that. Bill got a nice send of from the club. He was well liked at the club and seems to have always acted professionally.

Now a new opportunity has opened up for him...good luck Bill

Debuted for Timbers II this morning in the USL, as they lost 1-4 to Colorado Springs. Tuiloma with a yellow card

A major factor in Bill going to Portland would have been that the General Manager is former All White Gavin Wilkinson and the assistant coach is another Kiwi, Cameron Knowles, both of whom used to play for the Timbers.

In MLS the General Manager is in charge of player signings.

Cameron Knowles features in an impressively researched article in the Aussie Four Four Two magazine in June this year about Aussies and Kiwis coaching overseas. They even bothered to interview him. It also features another Kiwi coach, Oli Harder, in charge of Klepp IL in Norway's top women's league. He signed Football Fern Kirsty Yallop from a Swedish club recently. And Ryan Sandford from Wellington, now working with ex-NZ Football Technical Director Paul Smalley as goalkeeping coach for the Bangladesh FA.

The Aussie Four Four Two is worth reading (they also have an excellent website) with lots of A-League coverage, as well as UK and European coverage. It works out at about $NZ 8 per issue including post ($A 89.95 for 12 issues) if you subscribe by Wednesday this week at www.mymagazines.com.au

Really hope he plays more for the first team, USL doesn't seem that great for him

By all accounts he wasn't that great for the USL.

Tuiloma playing for Timbers II again this morning.

Picked up a yellow in the 13 minute. Game here

From brief 10 mins I watched I thought he was looking okay (at that USL level anyway). Playing 90 mins in the mid arvo Portland heat should help his fitness!

I watched the last 20 or so min in the first half and thought he looked very comfortable, almost too relaxed, and showed good situational awareness - SKC had one of their attackers man marking him to try disrupt PT's buildup and Bill was able to draw his marker out of position on numerous occasions to open up passing channels for PT. So even though not always on the ball for the build up was still helping their build up. 

Scored for T2 today

Full game here

Nice header. Literally 20 seconds before his goal, he just shaves the upright with a powerful shot (about 1 hour 27 mins in full highlights) 

Also picked up a yellow card - his 2nd in 3 games.

Game finishes as a 1-2 loss to Seattle Sounders II (who also bet Whitecaps II a few days ago).

Interesting to see that Timbers II get to play their home games in the main stadium in Portland, not some sort of artificial turf/gridiron ground like Whitecaps II.

great goal- good to see the grin!

Very nice goal.

So this guy can't make the AW's because he is not match fit ........according to Hudson...LOL

Actually if I was Bill I would take some time out from the national scene and try and get my pro career established. He damaged his Marseille chances by playing for NZ. Time to look after himself. He is only on loan for 1 season in the MLS...so he has to crack it.

At the time of selection was Tuiloma when the squad was announced?

If not, no issues with his omission. I have had enough of players being selected with no match practice behind them in the past.

great goal. Having seen a few USL games you'd say it's on par with the National League but full of very young players. That Sounders team has a 15 year old left back. 

National League as in NZ top tier? I'd say it's a big cut above the ISPS Handa but just below the A-League, some brilliant players have been playing USL such as Juan Arango, Raúl, Schäfer etc. Great standard for Tuiloma as is but the MLS will be something else!

I'd say USL has to be above ISPS Handa, for mere fact it's a pro league and presumably all the players train full time.

Starting for T2 today, 0-0 at half time

edited out, thought it was mls

i guess hudson isn't a dick after all

Finished off with a goal from a corner, nice

I thought it was going to be the winning goal being in stoppage time but T2 concedes soon after for a 1-1 draw.

That's USL, not MLS correct? So not exactly the same thing, but definitely an OK league and that's his second goal in just a couple of weeks IIRC.

Yep, the Timbers reserve team plays in the USL

Looks like Tuiloma playing a CB, rather than DM?? If so would require a lower level of fitness, than playing midfield.

I'm sure like Lewis, he will only be out of AWs squad for a short time.

As Musa has shown if you are consistently good in this USL league, a chance for MLS playing time will eventually come.

banstick

Thats his third game in a row in the ULS and his second goal...shame he is too fat to play for the AW''s  LOL

Anyway Hudson has selected heaps of proper midfielders for the two WC playoffs...theres McClinchey and and and ummmmm??????