One more for the road, or So Long, Sorin

By: Chris | July 6th, 2008

SItting around this evening before heading out on holiday tomorrow, I was checking the web sites of the local papers in Hamburg. Quite a few new stories, so I am guessing that the HSV-beat writers have returned from their holidays and are back to work.

The big news is that the time have severed ties with defender and Argentine national Juan Pablo Sorin. The club are negotiating with Sorin to buy out the remainder of his contract (which runs through 2009), and the buyout is rumored to be in the neighborhood of €1.5M; Sorin’s contract pays him €3.7M per year. Sorin was limited to 5 games this past season after he contracted a chronic infection in his knee following surgery. He joined HSV from Villareal on the last day of August, 2006, after he was Argentina’s captain at the 2006 World Cup. He was also limited by injuries to his back in the 2006/07 season, and as a result, he played only 19 matches, scoring 4 goals. Bottom line: Too little performance for waaaaaaay too much money. See-ya!

BMJ thinks that this is Vincent Kompany’s time to shine. Quote from Bild.de interview with BMJ (translated):

“He was two years ago in England in the largest clubs on the list. He is fast, powerful and dynamic [Yes! He is! That's why he's Da Man!]. And now should show why he always as a super-talent was . . .”

Same interview–on Romeo Castelen (recovering from February 2008 knee surgery):

“Romeo is not fit. If he is fit, I hope that he had seven or eight gates to do. . .”

And finally (from the same interview), BMJ believes in the old work-smarter-not-harder addage, but rubishing the Bayern training regimen of new manager Jurgen Klinsmann. “Klinsi” reportedly is working his guys 8 hours-a-day during the early part of camp. BMJ believes in a smarter approach as embodied by new technical coach Ricardo Moniz. Moniz is a former student of renowned Dutch football trainer Wiel Coerver, whose methods are now used as a training program sold to youth academies world-wide. Coerver’s philosophy is to instruct young players to learn football by playing 1-on-1 and emulating the skills and moves of world-class players. It has evolved into a comprehensive program that involves all facets of player development. According to Coerver, the key to player development is learning ball mastery. Sounds pretty good (especially for the human turnover machine Atouba [have you all figured out that I don't like him?]), but how will it translate to the highest level of professional football training? These guys aren’t eight-year olds running around the pitch for the first time . . .

HSV have drawn second-division side FC Ingolstadt 04 in the opening round of the DFB Cup. BMJ calls them “a tough nut.” FCI earned promotion to the 2. Bundesliga this past season.