Tuesday roundup
Amon gets new deal, Marsch rumors circulate, and Gatt's comeback
Jonathan Amon is rated highly by just about everyone and it is of no surprise that he received a new contract extension with Nordsjaelland. Meanwhile, where will Jesse Marsch be managing next month? Also, Josh Gatt is attempting a comeback after a tough year
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
July 03, 2018
7:35 AM
ONE OF THE top U.S. U-20 players earned a very nice contract extension and rumors continue to circulate around one of the best young American managers. Meanwhile, Joshua Gatt aims to revive his career in a familiar setting. July 03, 2018
7:35 AM
Amon inks extension
It was a big day for United States U-20 winger Jonathan Amon, 19, who signed a contract extension with FC Nordsjaelland that will run through 2022.
A native of South Carolina, Amon broke out last season with Nordsjaelland where he scored two goals and notched three assists in Danish Superliga – where Nordsjaelland finished in third place and earned a spot in the 2018/2019 Europa League. It will begin play in the qualifying rounds next week against
Cliftonville of Northern Ireland.
Amon showed a high degree of talent in his 10 games where he used his explosive speed to get past defenders in 1v1 situations. The problem for Amon, however, was injuries as he missed considerable time from December through April with stress injuries to the bones in his legs. At the tail end of the season, he missed the final two games with a pulled groin
Still, the club is betting on a bright future for the American who could also net the club a high transfer value in the future.
In a recent interview with American Soccer Now, U.S. U-20 head coach Tab Ramos indicated that he rates Amon very highly for his U-20 team this cycle.
“Amon should be one of our core players,” Ramos said. “He has the special ability to get by defenders 1v1 and create danger in the final third from a wide position. There aren’t many of those players around.”
Nordsjaelland technical director Carsten V. Jensen echoed a similar belief over Amon’s skills.
"Jonathan has some very unique qualities with his incredible speed and sharp dribbles,” Jensen said. “The type of players can help create and open matches when you need the surprising things while his speed is deadly for the opponents. He still has a lot to learn in tactics, but we know that under the skillful guidance of our skilled coach, he will learn that part too. Now the future is about making Jonathan ready for full-time professional football, which requires even more training to stand the rigors over an entire season."
Marsch rumors continue to swirl
It is pretty well known that Jesse Marsch wants to head to Europe at some point. He might get his chance but as one season caretaker at RB Leipzig.
It would get his foot in the door but is this the right path? Tough call.
It would be a huge blow to the New York Red Bulls, however.
RB Leipzig want to appoint NY Red Bulls’ Jesse Marsch as their head coach for this season, until Julian Nagelsmann takes over in 2019, according to Bild. #RBL #RBNY #MLS
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) July 3, 2018
Gatt to return to Altach
Josh Gatt, 26, has had a very rough year after he was released by the Colorado Rapids and his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Fortunately, Melissa Gatt went into remission and Gatt has found another opportunity back with SCR Altach – which recently finished in eighth place in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Coincidentally, it is where Gatt began his career as an 18 year old out of high school. At the time, Altach was in the second tier of Austria.
The Detroit News had a nice story last month on Gatt’s past year.