James Musa (Colorado Springs Switchbacks | USA)

Marquee
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Reports signed by fulham. Would fit the new epl youth league?

'The Scoop'
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Chant Savant
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Hey James Musa
Ooh Aah
I wanna knooooooooow

Where's your gang patch gone?

Marquee
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almost 17 years

I always thought he was unfairly maligned.  I hope he gets picked up somewhere.

Lawyerish
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Unwanted by a division 2 side and wanted by a premiership side? I like this guy but find this rumor difficult to believe
First Team Squad
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Contract beckons Musa back to UK
 

KICKING OFF: James Musa - off to London again, perhaps to sign with a British club.PHOTO/FILE

Wanganui footballer James Musa flew out of New Zealand overnight on what he hoped would be the trip of a lifetime.

Musa, on the back of a trial by an un-named British professional club straight after the Oly-Whites' Olympic campaign finished, is hoping to sign on the dotted line with the club by the finish of the British transfer window - tomorrow. He has to be there to sign in person, after a medical.

"I arrive about midday friday (UK time), and go straight to the club."

The Wanganui centre back is not allowed to divulge the identity of the club at this stage, but if the move is successfully completed, it will achieve one of the aims Musa wanted from his Olympic campaign - to get noticed and receive a chance in Europe.

"I'm hopefully signing with a club," a cautious Musa said before he left. "I've already tried out for them after the Olympics, went through some trials - so hopefully it's there to sign, if everything goes to plan."

Who with?

"I can't say. Once it's complete, there will be a release.
 

 
 
"All I can say is that it's a worthwhile move - it's just the way it has to be. I was there for about a week, saw what they were doing, trained a couple of days and had a couple of [pre-season] games.

"Hopefully I fitted in well. The clubs in England look for potential - they're a business as well as a football club, so they try to make money off a lot of people."

The club, who are paying for Musa's trip, spoke about him to Oly-Whites coach Neil Emblen during the Olympics campaign.

"That was pretty pleasing from my perspective, considering that I didn't really play that much, just 35 minutes against Egypt when Ian Hogg was injured. I was pretty happy with that."

Musa says he was "a bit disappointed" not to get a run against Brazil in the final game. "I thought I played well in the Egypt game. It was one of the games I really wanted to play. But to be involved in that game and around the Games was unbelievable.

"There were really good people in my position, and in another four years or so, hopefully it will be me ..."

If all went well, Musa would be at the club for this season at least and probably play reserve grade initially.

The approach was one of two received by Musa during the Olympics.

 

 
 

 

'The Scoop'
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Lawyerish
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I don't think it will be Saying that I do like this guy and think he has been unfairly pounded by many on this forum after ricki decided he should shunt the poor guy into a left back role His potential is obvious and he moves well for a big lump of a lad. Very athletic like Reid. A bit of decent coaching on his distribution and he could go some where
Marquee
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about 17 years

I thin though ALKPhoenix that he's a couple of years behind where you'd expect a 20 year old to be.  He still makes some pretty basic errors.

He loves a tackle though

Starting XI
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almost 17 years

Dom Post reporting he has signed with Fulham, through to Jan with an option for longer. Similar to Hogg's deal at Portland?

Marquee
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over 16 years
Lawyerish
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about 13 years
It does once again make you question why an Australian was given his youth spot last year
Tegal
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Head Sleuth
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almost 17 years

Sigh. 

Signing for the Phoenix and getting no game time vs playing nzfc. 

No brainer. 

Legend
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over 16 years

this is a great move for the young guy. He struggled in the nix back four when he played - possibly too young and inexperienced at the time. Playing in the ASB regularly has seen him mature to the point that at the olympics he played well enough to get noticed. Had the nix had a proper youth team last year he'd still be here playing for us.

Legend
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16K
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about 17 years

Interesting that the five month contract nearly came unstuck due to the $ fulham would have to pay his former nz clubs (including phoenix) if he signed an extension. An agreement was reached.

Legend
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Playing next to Nelsen probably a bit different from playing next to Jade North. Would have been ok if he'd been playing next to Siggie or Dura in a centre back pairing. To be fair I think he did ok for the Nix. Don't remember too much about his trot out at left back- but it must have been better than Lia surely??

He looked at the Olympics that he had improved since his time at the Phoenix, looked to have some confidence and read the game quite well in defence.

Shouldn't this be in Kiwis overseas?

Woof Woof
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theprof wrote:

this is a great move for the young guy. He struggled in the nix back four when he played - possibly too young and inexperienced at the time. Playing in the ASB regularly has seen him mature to the point that at the olympics he played well enough to get noticed. Had the nix had a proper youth team last year he'd still be here playing for us.

 

He only played 35 minutes at the Olympics.

Hopefully this works out better for him than it did for Chris James.

Starting XI
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about 17 years

Agree with the grap. 

He did only get a short run at olys, but did pretty well. He did play quite a bit in the build up and did a solid job against some good sides. His distribution and composure on the ball looked better than it had, although that will still be the thing he needs to sort to really shake it up professionally.

Starting XI
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almost 17 years

The point is that he has trialled and they must have liked what they saw there. Good on him

Pleased that the Nix didnt stand in his way if they had to do an agreement. Just cause he didnt fit for Ricki here doesnt mean that he wasnt / isnt the goods for another team, that is what happens in sport the world over. 

 

Opinion Privileges revoked
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over 14 years

The 20-year-old has potential - he is quick and athletic - but is prone to being exposed and some do not warm to his attitude on and off the field. It was a principal reason he was released by the Phoenix 18 months ago.

Ooooh, anyone have any goss? Did he refuse to clean Manny's boots?

Still Believin'
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almost 17 years

Such a shame that Zinidane quit the forum in a huff.

Otherwise he could be on here telling us how badly this reflects on the Phoenix, Ricki etc

Oh, and Bradford City. Like, wtf Bradford???

Anyway, good luck to the man. Hopefully Ryan can find time to take him under his wing while he's in London.

 

 

Still Believin'
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Doloras wrote:

The 20-year-old has potential - he is quick and athletic - but is prone to being exposed and some do not warm to his attitude on and off the field. It was a principal reason he was released by the Phoenix 18 months ago.

Ooooh, anyone have any goss? Did he refuse to clean Manny's boots?

[/quote]

Yeah, I thought it was interesting that even Emblen was a bit iffy about him in the Stuff article...

[quote=Neil Emblen]James just really needs to have the desire now. Because when he's concentrating and into it, he's a really good player. I just think he has that tendency to sometimes drop into cruise control and, when he does, that's when he could get found out at that level. But maybe this is the challenge he needs"

Maybe that's where having "one of the best professionals I've ever worked with" (Mark Hughes on Ryan Nelsen) just down the road could make a big difference.

 

Lawyerish
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Tegal wrote:

Sigh. 

Signing for the Phoenix and getting no game time vs playing nzfc. 

No brainer. 

Sigh Let's not sign Fenton, Rowe etc then and while we are at why didn't we let kosta and Marco fester in the nzfc - by now they would be world beaters Sigh
Tegal
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Head Sleuth
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Rojas got game time. We also have a youth team now,and is sign Fenton and Rowe if they were to get game time. Not sure what you point is..? Musa would not have got game time (nor did he when he was signed with us remember),so it was better off having him play regularly in the nzfc.nice try attempting to put words in my mouth to make some sort of point (I'm still not sure what?) but it isn't going to work. 

Lawyerish
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Musa would have been first cab of the rank if sigmund or durante had been suspended, injured, had another baby etc (similar to how siggie was when he was first signed) As it happens we were bloody lucky we escaped last season with little injuires or suspensions. This year that has been righted with the signing of boxall. My point is we had a choice of a young ausi or kiwi who rick knew well enough through seeing him all year but in his wisdom decided he would go for the young ausi That was the wrong decision
Tegal
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Head Sleuth
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Really? Had he signed musa,you said yourself that he would have got no game time as we had few Injuries or suspensions,and he wasn't exactly going to push siggy or dura from the starting XI. instead,he played regularly in the nzfc,got chosen for the Olympics squad and ended up with a contract at fulham. Sounds like a great decision to me. 

Lawyerish
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So are you hoping for a injury free year and No turkeys for Christmas this year Tegal? Using your logic we should get rid of Moss, Boxall etc etc
Tegal
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Head Sleuth
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Again,you're putting words in my mouth. 

WeeNix
17
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670
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Just to put a cat amongst the pigeons, if he turns out to be decent player for fulham how / why did the coaching staff in Wellington not put some more effort into him?  Or did they really not rate him?

Legend
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unfortunately robags, without  a youth team where he could play regularly and show the nix coaching staff when he could do he basically had to rely on training. The couple of times he was thrown into the deep end he looked well out of his depth.

Phoenix Academy
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240
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The media (possibly that Stuff article already referred to) called playing him out of position at the Nix "a hospital pass". Probably something to that.

And he wasn't exactly supported onfield by his team-mates - I remember Manny opting for a long cross-field pass (that went out of play) rather than send a short ball to the unmarked Musa. It was bizarre, but spoke volumes of the other players' confidence in him.

Anyway, I hope the kid goes ok at Fulham.

Still Believin'
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almost 17 years

The one time Musa played in position he and Jade North put in probably the worst ever display by a Nix centre back pairing (and that's saying something when you think about some of the CBs we've had).

I don't remember anybody saying "that kids destined for the Premier League" then.

If he's improved since then and Fulham think they see something in him then great, I hope it works out. But he definitely never did enough here to justify keeping a full squad spot under the A-League's restrictions.

 

RR
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Bossi Insider
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33K
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over 15 years

From what I saw of him, I thought there was a footballer in him and probably was worth another year. But the club must have thought otherwise.

I wish him the best of luck in the UK. But not being mean, he is more likely to be the next Jack Pelter than a Smith/Reid/Nelsen. I do hope he proves me wrong.

Woof Woof
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over 16 years

Marto wrote:

Am curious as to why the development cost might have scutled this when Fulham and others spend far more on speculative signings from league 1/2 and South American/African countries for their U18s/20s etc.

 

I'm probably going out on a limb here, but maybe it has something to do with the difference in budgets your average Premiership club and the Phoenix have?

Tegal
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Head Sleuth
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And the fact they have no squad restrictions,salary caps, and also have academies,reserve and youth teams playing in competitive leagues. 

But nah,sack ricki. 

Marquee
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about 17 years

el grapadura wrote:

theprof wrote:

this is a great move for the young guy. He struggled in the nix back four when he played - possibly too young and inexperienced at the time. Playing in the ASB regularly has seen him mature to the point that at the olympics he played well enough to get noticed. Had the nix had a proper youth team last year he'd still be here playing for us.

 

He only played 35 minutes at the Olympics.

Hopefully this works out better for him than it did for Chris James.

Chris James was great at Fulham, he was genuinely rated by the coaches and people who watched him play for the reserves.  His problem was refusing a contract extension that they offered him to look for first team football elsewhere

Marquee
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about 17 years

terminator_x wrote:

The one time Musa played in position he and Jade North put in probably the worst ever display by a Nix centre back pairing (and that's saying something when you think about some of the CBs we've had).

I don't remember anybody saying "that kids destined for the Premier League" then.

If he's improved since then and Fulham think they see something in him then great, I hope it works out. But he definitely never did enough here to justify keeping a full squad spot under the A-League's restrictions.

 

He didn't need a full spot, he could have been a youth player.

Worst ever performance by a CB pairing?  Have you forgotten when we had Steven Old and Steven O'dor playing together in season 1!!!!!!!

We have a very poor record of developing young players so it's probably better for his career that it didn't work out.  Youth spot at the Phoenix is a career graveyard

Early retirement
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almost 17 years

Marco, Kosta, Hearfield.

Careers dead as a Dodo those three.

Early retirement
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almost 17 years

Draper's career not exactly dead.  How about the last academy programme?  Tim Myers and Luke Adams are going okay.

Marquee
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about 17 years

Hearfield was signed as a starter - it just happened that he qualified as a youth player.  The majority of our youth players have left without making an impact at the club and the two best talents ended up leaving before we ever saw the best of them.  On Musa, I'd be really interested to know how Fulham supposedly scouted him when he only played such a short time at the tournament.  I wonder whether they just saw big, strong fast guy, fairly young let's see if we can teach him to pass the ball!

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