Quotesheet

D.C. midfielder Convey moves to Tottenham

In a teleconference call held Thursday, former D.C. United midfielder Bobby Convey discussed his transfer to Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. The move, pending approval of a work permit, was announced on Wednesday.

Guests:
Midfielder – Bobby Convey
Tottenham Assistant Manager – John Gorman
D.C. United Head Coach – Ray Hudson
D.C. United Technical Director – Dave Kasper
Major League Soccer Deputy Commissioner – Ivan Gazidis

Bobby Convey Opening Comments:

“I’m very excited about the move. It’s a great thing for me and I’m happy to show that a young American can develop in the United States and move to a team like Tottenham. I think it’s the next step in my career and hopefully I can show well for the U.S. National Team, MLS and D.C. United.”

Dave Kasper Opening Comments:

“I’d like to start by giving some credit for this transfer. The first and most important credit goes to Bobby Convey. In my two years here with the club I’ve seen a young player work very hard. He has a strict diet and takes care of himself and he deserves this move. Second, I’d like to credit Major League Soccer and the Nike Project-40 program. It’s a tremendous opportunity for players in our country to come into a professional environment and have an opportunity to grow at the right pace into a real player. I’d also like to credit Kevin Payne and Thomas Rongen and their vision in seeing a special player and bringing Bobby into the League and D.C. United and basically planting the seed for Bobby’s future. With the continued development of Bobby under Ray Hudson and John Trask in the last two years and Bruce Arena with the U.S. National Team, we’ve seen him grow by leaps and bounds into a true player. I think this transfer sends a message to all the aspiring young players in our League and in our country that MLS is a top league and it should be a dream to one day be in our League. This is a great signing for Spurs and I know Bobby will be in good stead with John Gorman and Glenn Hoddle in the Hotspur organization and we wish him the best of luck.”

Ray Hudson Opening Comments:

“I think we’re all winners in this situation from Bobby Convey to Tottenham Hotspur. But in between that journey, Bobby’s youth coaches, the Nike Project-40 system and Major League Soccer – the whole grounding that Bobby has come through. It’s a tremendous advertisement for this country. Bobby’s journey is just beginning and it’ll be far from a cakewalk for him. He couldn’t go to a better club. Spurs have spotted a real little jewel and Bobby is going to a staff with Glenn Hoddle who was an idol of mind and John Gorman who used to kick me from the back. The whole Tottenham Hotspur club should be a great propellant for Bobby Convey’s natural talent. We wish him the best.

“But U.S. Soccer is the big winner and I mean that in a very broad scope. MLS should consider itself fortunate that Convey has that sort of pedestal to go and advertise what this country can show in young players. The conveyor belt is in place and is going along beautifully. There are plenty of other Bobby Convey’s maybe not as talented but there are a multitude of quality players in our system. And Bobby is going to be a great advert for the whole success story of United States Soccer.”

Ivan Gazidis Opening Comments:

“I really believe that there is something very exciting happening in U.S. Soccer at the moment. For the first time we are giving our elite young American players a professional path from a young age. With 20 million participants in this huge country of ours we’ve always been able to produce world-class talented players at the youth age levels but we’ve fallen behind because we haven’t been able to take those young players and develop them in the best possible professional environment. I’m very proud that we, through the Nike Project-40 program have formed a system that allows players like Bobby to develop not just as players but as people in a protected environment but a very competitive environment. And Bobby has seized his opportunity with both hands and he is to be highly commended for that. He is not only a great young player with enormous potential but also a terrific young man and someone we are very proud of.

“As we continue this path of taking our elite players and filling in the gaps and providing a professional path for them, we’re seeing the U.S. Men’s National Team become one of the most competitive in the world and it is ranked just above England in the latest FIFA world rankings. And on the club level we are seeing some unique things happening within Major League Soccer as this vanguard of a new generation of young players develops. I look down the pipeline and I see our player pool getting better and better every year. Today our Under-17 National Team is playing in Finland against Korea. I think that Under-17 team is the best we’ve ever had. And the outlook just gets better and better.

“There is something special happening at the moment. We’ve always had transfers to Europe if you look at MLS history. We’ve transferred players to Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Zurich, Bastia, Fulham, Everton and others. That’s part of the world of soccer and will continue. But I think what we’re seeing here with the transfer of two Nike Project-40 players who really developed from their first professional experiences in Major League Soccer is a little bit different to what we’ve seen in the past. First with the type of clubs which are expressing interest. To have players coming out of MLS directly into clubs of the stature and presence of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur - and I expect there will be others in the future - is a terrific endorsement of our development programs and the League because these transfers are based not only on U.S. National Team performance. In Tim (Howard) and Bobby’s case it was based primarily on their performances with their Major League Soccer teams and that’s a great endorsement of the level of play in this country and how we are gaining respect from clubs like Tottenham Hotspur. That’s a good thing for our League and our future. Spurs are fortunate to have a young jewel coming on board and we are proud and pleased for Bobby. He’s a terrific young man and will become a very, very good player and I’m sure will be playing for Tottenham Hotspur for many years to come.”

John Gorman Opening Comments:

“We are absolutely delighted to sign this lad. I just hope it all goes through –we’re just waiting on the work permit which we hope is finalized quickly. In my time in America I saw many young players developing and it’s great to see them develop and come to the Premier League in England. It shows there is fantastic talent in America and sometimes it’s untapped. Through the years I’ve felt that a lot of players with great talent weren’t given the opportunity to come to England and now it’s happening. I think it should be made a bit easier even when they don’t have the number of international caps. Anyway, we’ve got Bobby Convey and we’re delighted to have him. With manager Glenn Hoddle we believe in the right way of playing football and Bobby will be working with our coaching staff with me and Colin Calderwood. We’re going to spend a lot of time working with Bobby and help him improve his game. We watched him train in D.C. and we were impressed with him in training. Then we kept a close eye on him with his club and his country. I can’t wait to get Bobby over here and start working with him.”

Gorman on what club saw in Bobby:

“What we liked about him was his hunger, his enthusiasm and his desire which goes a long way. He’s got a very good left foot and he can eat up the ground. He’s a fit lad. We think we can develop him into a number of positions. I know he plays midfield. We need to talk to Bobby but we’d like him to look at other positions as well where we feel we have a weakness and where he can get more games under his belt. We’ve got some other young players with the club: the captain of South Africa who’s 22. We’ve also signed Postiga from Portugal who turned 21 last Sunday and played for Porto and Bobby Zamora is 21 and played for Brighton. With Bobby joining us as well and the attitude from other young players, to name a few, we should have a great future at Tottenham with the young boys we’re bringing in.”

Convey on how the deal came about and his expectations:

“We played Tottenham twice this year and we had a good relationship with their club. They watched me played with D.C. United and the U.S. National Team. It all happened in the last few weeks. Tottenham showed interest in me coming to their club and when an English team like Tottenham is interested, as an American player you are always interested in playing in the English Premier League and one of the best leagues in the world. It was exciting for me and the next step for me to try to go to England and play on a good team and show I can play with a team like Tottenham.”

Convey on how much he knows about Tottenham:

“Knowing that Tottenham had some interest, I’ve been talking to their Kasey Keller, who is the goalkeeper there and he’s been helping me out with a lot of stuff. He’s told me how it’s different from MLS. When I go over there I’ll see how everything goes and get in there and train and get used to playing in England.”

Convey on whether playing in the Premiership is a necessity to improve his international game:

“I think the Premiership is one of the best leagues in the world and you can’t pass up on the opportunity. To play against some of the best players in the world there (England) you can only get better. I’ve developed in MLS and with the U.S. National Team as much as I could and this is a great step for me to play against those players.”

Hudson on the type of player Convey is:

“You’re getting a very energetic, very speedy, poised, talented footballer with an incredible engine. His pace is second to none. He’s a real little jackrabbit type of player who can get away from other players in a twinkle of an eye. He has delicate feet. He’s still got work to do in terms of being the complete player but we have to remember he’s a young developing player. The likes of Glenn Hoddle, John Gorman and Colin (Calderwood) are perfect types of people as well as coaches to keep that flame burning and develop it into a real fire in terms of his ability. It’s all there with Convey. He’s got tremendous range and I think with the international quality that is going to be around him at Tottenham Hotspur, that is just going to fuel that fire. I hope everybody on both sides of the pond allow him time to bear down. He’s going to a different planet and an entirely different environment and the expectations on the young lad are high. But he’s the type that won’t wilt under that spotlight. He’s waited for that spotlight for a long time. The timing is right and the opportunity is too much of a temptation for any young lad to pass up. I hope the fans on both sides that are following allow him a little time to settle down. He’s still a young man but his talent is undeniable and he will rise to the occasion under the guidance of Hoddle and his staff.”

Convey on what his expectations are and those of the Tottenham coaching staff:

“Since the work permit has not yet gone through I haven’t really spoken to the coaches. My agent, Ray (Hudson) and Dave (Kasper) have been speaking to them. When we played them in the previous year they told me they were looking at me. They were excited with what they saw and I was happy that I could impress them. But we haven’t really spoken yet and when I get there we’ll probably sit down and see what the deal is. I’m excited to go there. I was speaking to Kasey (Keller) and he’s excited for me to come over. I’ll go over, start training with the team when I get the work permit and see what happens from there.”

Convey on the comparisons between MLS and the English Premier League:

“MLS is just starting out and has made great strides in the last few years with the U.S. National Team doing well and the competition getting better in the League. I think the talent is getting a lot better in MLS. The Premiership is a much older league than MLS. But MLS is doing well and hopefully one day will become like the Premiership.”

Convey on his emotions on moving to Tottenham:

“This is something you always dream about doing and it doesn’t matter where you’re from. Whether you’re from the U.S. or England you’re always excited about going to a team like Tottenham and playing against some of the best players in the world and training in the best facilities. I’m excited to go over and more excited to go and train with the team, get this media stuff over with and just be a soccer player.”

Convey on how MLS has helped him in his move to Tottenham:

“I think myself and Tim Howard both playing in England is a great testament to our League. I started out at 16 and if MLS didn’t’ give me the chance to play I wouldn’t be talking to you all on the phone right now about going to Tottenham and playing in the Premiership. It was a great experience for me to play in MLS and I wouldn’t be the player I am today if I didn’t have that training everyday and playing in games every weekend. I wouldn’t be on the national team if I didn’t play in MLS and has pretty much spring boarded my career so far. I owe everything so far to MLS and it has helped me with everything. It’s been exciting for me and a great journey and I’m ready to take the next step.”

Hudson on the respect gained by MLS by virtue of the transfer:

“This is the tip of the iceberg. Bobby’s going to go over there and show his stuff thanks to MLS, the Project-40 system, U.S. Soccer and Bobby’s young coaches at the grassroots level. This sport is just mushrooming in numbers and in quality as well. MLS is a fledgling league and it’s producing some startling talented players. The identifying of those young talents and their nurturing through the system is making our players a much more attractive proposition for these clubs all over the world. Credit Tottenham Hotspur for being vigilant enough in identifying a talent like Convey. It’s absolutely undeniable that he is one of many who can play at any level in the world. It’s no surprise to me at all that Bobby is going to fly the nest. It’s wonderful news for our league and our country. Hopefully Tottenham will benefit greatly with Bobby. I certainly think this is a great advertisement for what we as a league are capable of producing and Bobby will fly the colors like American lads have done before.

“Our league is healthy enough to keep on replenishing the talent pool. Fundamentally, this country has it all. Tottenham and many others around the world are coming and watching our games regularly and trying to snare our players away and we don’t want tot lose our best players but we’ve got plenty more on the conveyor belt. Bobby is a prime example of a very young player and the timing is perfect for Spurs to get him and hammer him into shape to take him to a new level and it’s tremendous news for Spurs and for MLS.”

Convey on whether he had a career timeline:

“I did have a personal timeline when I signed at 16. I knew I wanted to play soccer and I knew MLS would give me the chance to show what I can do and develop. This year I was lucky enough to play in all the U.S. National Team games and get that experience. I also showed well against Tottenham and had the opportunity to show them how I could do well against players over there in England.

“I didn’t have a timeline. This was something that happened. I was playing and working hard in the offseason before the game (against Tottenham) and everything just came at once.”

Gazidis on the role of MLS in developing players who can also play overseas:

“We’ve always had players signing overseas and signing with some of the biggest clubs overseas. That will continue. We have such a massive country producing such a high number of immensely talented 15-, 16- and 17-year-old players that it’s inevitable that some of them will end up signing overseas. I continue to believe that MLS is a great option but not the only one. Certainly Bobby and others have chosen it. I think there are two ways you can use MLS. First to develop yourself as a player and take another step and go for a different experience like in the Premier League – one of the best Leagues in the world.

“But there is also a career path in the United States – one that can really be extraordinarily rewarding for elite players. Last year at the 2002 World Cup the U.S. team was unfortunate to lose to Germany and otherwise would have been in the semifinals. That was a team whose creative players came from MLS. I think there are a range of different alternatives for players and there always will be. MLS is a great alternative and continues to be the first choice for most of the best young players and will continue to provide a career path which can serve either as a stepping stone to the major leagues in Europe or it can be a career path in and of itself as it has been for many players. In the case of Brian McBride, he did tremendously well in the Premier League and returned to MLS because this is where he wanted to be.”

Convey on the position he would prefer to play at Tottenham:

“My preferred position is probably to play left midfield. That’s what I played every since I came to D.C. United. Ray (Hudson) had moved me inside because he wanted me to develop a little more of my skills playing on the inside. But I think my best position at Tottenham would probably be left midfield. I’m pretty fit, I can run and I can get up and down the line.

“With the national team, since I am a young guy Bruce (Arena) is trying to play me wherever I can get on the field and I’m happy with that. There hasn’t been anyone standing out and playing left back and they wanted to try me there. I’m excited about going over to Tottenham and playing and hopefully it is at left midfield. But your coach tells you where you play and if I have to play somewhere other than left midfield I wouldn‘t have a problem with it.”

Gazidis on the effect of future expansion on the player pool:

“It’s great news for us that we’re expanding and we have new investors and the League is taking some very positive steps. That will create more opportunities for more players. With the depth of the talent pool we have in the U.S. 10 teams is not enough. We need to continue to expand and provide opportunities and develop our player pool to make it broader and deeper.”

Courtesy of Major League Soccer.

 

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