Content Strachan ponders Kljestan

[CooperSF 5,792]

Gordon Strachan and his Celtic backroom team will decide whether to pursue their interest in USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan within 24 hours.

The manager said he was working hard to make signings before the closure of the January transfer window.

But he said: "If we don't bring anybody in between now and next week, I don't have a problem.

"Because, although it will be hard, I feel that I can deal with the players here to win another championship."

Kljestan, who plays for California-based Chivas, has spent a week training at Celtic's Lennoxtown complex.

He scored five goals from 22 matches in the last Major League Soccer season and was named US Soccer's Young Male Athlete of the Year.

Kljestan also played at the Beijing Olympics, where he scored twice in three games.

You usually find that most of the action happens in the last three or four days of the transfer window

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan

He has been capped 11 times since his 2007 international debut, including four World Cup qualifiers in 2008, and is scheduled to return home in time for the USA's friendly with Sweden on 24 January.

Strachan stressed that Celtic's lack of transfer activity during January was nothing to do with title rivals Rangers being unlikely participants themselves because of financial problems.

"It's been shown over the years that the signings at this time have been beneficial to the club," he said.

"But you usually find that most of the action happens in the last three or four days."

Celtic's lead over their city rivals at the top of the Scottish Premier League was reduced to two points after Strachan's side lost 4-2 to Aberdeen last weekend.

But Strachan was shrugging it off as just one of those games when everything went right for the underdogs.

"They had four attempts to score and scored four," he said.

"We had 20 attempts at goal and scored two. We scored five there last year with 13 attempts on goal.

"After 22 games, we are at the top of the pile. We are still in the CIS Cup and the Scottish Cup.

"That's the healthiest it has been since I came here as usually we are out of one cup or another."

Aberdeen's goals on Sunday came from set-pieces, but Strachan was not overly concerned.

"Before that, there's only one team that scored from a free-kick against us," he pointed out.

[Muff 245]

Hopefully celtc don't make a move for him, he's a good player.

[Tommy WATP 86]

Wanted him here with us

[NOLUWDC 1]

Hopefully he doesn't sign for them. He just scored a hat-trick there for America against Sweden. If Strachan had some sense then he'd get him.

[jim_beam 2]

Hopefully he doesn't sign for them. He just scored a hat-trick there for America against Sweden. If Strachan had some sense then he'd get him.

Watched the game , he look a very good player and that he would chip in with a few goals

Doubt he'll end up at them anyhow

[easterhooserangers 8]

he just completed a trial with them and strachan is set to make a decision within 24 hours . i think that sweden game may have swayed the decision somehow. 23 hes a good age, will cost a couple of mill though. there were reports in the states that hes discussing personal terms today.

[Blue Stars Bearette 1]

looks like his price went up ....I hope so

Evening TImes today;

Sacha Kljestan

by Ronnie Cully

SACHA KLJESTAN fears he may have priced himself out of a move to Celtic after his stunning hat-trick display against Sweden. Several clubs in Holland and Germany were already on the trail of the American 23-year-old, who warmed up for this weekend's international in Los Angeles by spending six days on trial at Lennoxtown.

Despite reports the framework of a deal worth around £2million to transfer Kljestan from Chivas USA was already in place with the MLS, who hold his contract, Celtic are in the same position as every other club interested in signing the Californian.

Kljestan impressed everyone during his trial, including manager Gordon Strachan, and admitted he enjoyed his time at the club where he believed he was well received.

But, the $64,000 question remains: Do Celtic need to spend this kind of money - plus commit to a hefty contract - for a player in an area which is already well covered when there are other positions more in need of attention?

advertisement

Dundee United loan midfielder Willo Flood is already lined up to come to Parkhead, possibly before the window closes a week tonight, but not before Wednesday's Co-operative Insurance League Cup semi-final.

With Cardiff looking for around £100,000 for the Irishman whose contract runs out in the summer, and wages not excessive, Flood is considered the kind of excellent value for money signing the club is looking to make at this stage.

Flood is trying to ignore the speculation as he prepares for his trip to Hampden but said: "If it happens it would be fair to say it would be a dream move for me."

With wide midfielder Szabolcs Huszti also inching closer to a summer arrival on a Bosman after telling his present club, Hannover, he has no intention of renewing his contract, Celtic already appear to have a number of plans well advanced.

Ched Evans remains on their target list, even though the Man City striker is now being linked with a move to Cardiff.

Sheffield United are considered more a threat to the bid to bring the 20-year-old Welshman north as sources in his homeland have revealed Cardiff's enquiry was based on a loan deal for the striker.

This was also Celtic's preferred option, but City are keen to offload the youngster who comes with a price tag of £1.2m.

[Guest therabbitt]

There he is ... Mr. America?

Certainly those of you out there who thought Saturday night's U.S.-Sweden friendly was a waste of time sure missed a whopper of a performance from Sacha Kljestan BigSoccer Topics.

The Chivas USA midfielder, who had spent last week training in Scotland with Celtic, tallied a hat trick to help the U.S. earn a 3-2 win against Sweden to open its 2009 campaign at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Kljestan had not scored in his 12 previous USMNT appearances.

I'm sure those of you out there who insisted last week that they weren't "up for this one" or "couldn't get excited about a friendly" instead watched the Miss America Pageant. After all, what's more American than, er, Miss America ?

First off, no soccer fan of any other national team around the world would (except U.S. fans who read BigSoccer.com) ever say, "I'm not up for this game." You think fans in Brazil or Italy ignore their team when they take on someone in a friendly? I've lived abroad and the answer is absolutely not. After all, most games national teams play are friendlies.

The U.S. played a solid game versus Sweden, maintaining possession and stringing together some crisp passes despite the inexperienced roster that coach Bob Bradley had at his disposal. In what was a fairly slow first half, Kljestan provided the spark for Team America, giving them a 2-0 lead going into the locker room. His first goal was a stunning 35-yard free kick that he placed perfectly into the upper left corner. He followed up that effort by netting a PK with five minutes left in the half.

With Sweden pulling a goal back in the 73rd minute with Daniel Nannskog, it was Kljestan who again answered for the U.S. a minute later, taking a pass from Brian Ching and buried the ball into the back of the net for the 3-1 lead. In the 89th minute, Sweden struck again, this time with Mikael Dahlberg, to make things interesting, but the goal did not dampen the win.

For the first game of the year, Bradley started Troy Perkins in net, with a defense consisting of four with Marvell Wynne, Danny Califf, Michael Parkhurst and Jonathan Bornstein . In midfield there was John Thorrington, Ricardo Clark , Kljestan and Robbie Rogers . The two forwards were Ching and Charlie Davies .

Perkins and Rogers made their U.S. debuts, and late in the game Chris Wingert and Ugo Ihemelu were among the subs and also made their first national team appearances.

Kljestan's hat trick was the first of his career and put him in unique company as only the second player ever to open his national team scoring record with three goals. The only other player to pull off the feat was Aldo "Buff" Donelli, who tallied four goals in a 4-2 victory against Mexico on May 24, 1934, in the lone qualifying match for the 1934 World Cup in Italy.

Kljestan was elated about his three goals and the win.

Quote:

''Getting a hat trick is pretty exciting for me. I’ve never scored more than one goal in a game as a professional, so it’s definitely exciting. I’m just as happy about the win and I’m glad we held on in the end. It was great to do it [score a hat trick] here at the Home Depot Center. I have a lot of friends and family that come and support me every game, so that was pretty cool to have them here.''

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=3248

[TexasGers 96]

I fear he'll get ruined if he comes to Scotland, I'd rather see him go to the Netherlands.

[TMWWBK 0]

I fear he'll get ruined if he comes to Scotland, I'd rather see him go to the Netherlands.

It could go the Benny Feilhaber way or it could go the Clint Dempsey way. Sadly, i think it would be the latter.