When the Chicago Fire kick off their 2000 season in Dallas on Saturday (Telemundo, 4:30pm), the game may mark the MLS debut of new acquisition and spring training stand-out, Manuel "Junior" Agogo. After a solid preseason, the former Sheffield Wednesday farmhand is itching for the chance to play.
"I can't wait to get it on," said the twenty-one year old Agogo. "I always wanted to come here and play because of the total package that the U.S. gives me - the way of life, the weather and everything else."
His eagerness showed on the pitch these past weeks as he fought for and won a spot on the roster with his spring training exploits. Agogo scored three goals and had two assists in six games. Together with DaMarcus Beasley, he helped create a buzz in Fire camp.
"I didn't expect it," Fire Head Coach Bob Bradley said. "He was a young player we didn't know too much about and we brought him in to take a look. We're excited at his potential. We made a decision after a fairly short amount of time to keep him on."
Junior Agogo, who shares his father's name, is a native of Ghana and moved to England when he was ten. In 1995 while playing with a semi-pro team he was offered a tryout and later a professional contract with English Premier side Sheffield Wednesday. On opening day of the '97-'98 season, he debuted at the age of 18 in the Premiership against Newcastle United at St. James Park. In three seasons (1995-1998) while playing mostly for Wednesday's youth and reserve teams, he tallied 18, 19 and 20 goals. He was also called on to play for the Ghanaian national team a few times but for various reasons he never made the trips.
In 1998, when he seemed ready to make the jump to a permanent spot on Sheffield Wednesday's senior team, injuries caused him to lose out on most of the season. He suffered a broken foot and had two hernia operations a few months before that.
After recovering, Agogo took at stance. "I was part of Sheffield Wednesday for four years and had ups and downs," Agogo said. "The coach [Danny Wilson] said my time would come. But I wanted to be out there playing. So I opted to go on loan."
Loans took him to four lower division English clubs in 1999 (Oldham, Chester City, Chesterfield and Lincoln City) and he had good performances with each squad. But after the loan period, even when Sheffield Wednesday offered him a three-year contract, he decided he needed to move along.
Major League Soccer was an obvious choice for Agogo. His family is relocating to the U.S. from England this August and he has a sister living in San Diego. All along he has received only positive news about MLS. "I had a friend who plays here, and a few guys from the States who came to England for tryouts and they told me what MLS was like," he said. "They said that I should come and that I would like it."
"It was an easy decision," Agogo said. "I had bad times and a lot of injuries that held me back with Wednesday. I needed to try something else, a change of scenery."
Through his agent, who also represents Fire defender C.J. Brown, and with John Harkes as a connection (Harkes played for Sheffield Wednesday), he approached MLS. The Chicago Fire showed the most interest and he was officially signed as a discovery player on February 24th after his productive pre-season.
Agogo will face stiff competition for a starting slot from the Fire's other young forwards - Ante Razov, Josh Wolff, and Dema Kovalenko. Midfielders DaMarcus Beasley and newly acquired soccer great Hristo Stoitchkov, can also play up front.
"We have other good attacking players," Bradley said. "But he's fast and strong and gives us a different kind of forward than we have. It will be a learning process for him and for us as the season progresses."
A new chapter in Junior Agogo's young career begins this Saturday. He can't wait. "MLS will improve my game," he said in his English accent. "I hope I can contribute with my quickness and the physical part of my game.
"My main priority is scoring goals. That's all I want to do. And if everyone chips in with their part, we've got a good chance at winning it all."
London-born Agogo, who had a spell at Sheffield Wednesday before moving to the USA, said: "I enjoyed playing in the States, but I came back because I want to make it in England.
"I'm not getting paid at the moment. I'm just trying to show Ian Holloway that I can do a job.
"QPR are a good club and I want to stay here. I've got to show the manager I can be a part of his future plans and that's what I'm hoping to do."
Holloway was pleased with Agogo's contribution at Swindon and has challenged the player to prove he is worth keeping at Loftus Road.
Holloway said: "He's worked very hard in training and I've rewarded him. It's a good job we've got him because with Leroy Griffiths, Andy Thomson and Richard Pacquette out, we are down to the bare bones.
"I've told him about next year and that I'm looking to try and bring people in. We need someone with pace and power up front and if he wants to show me he has got that, then it's down to him."
Agogo was released by MLS outfit San Jose earlier this year after failing to hold on to his place with the current champions.
He originally moved to America from Sheffield Wednesday and was drafted by Chicago Fire before being traded to Colorado almost immediately, where he scored 11 goals in 32 matches.
In the 2001 season, Agogo was moved to San Jose as striker cover in what turned out to be their championship season and scored four goals in 10 appearances, mainly from the bench.
With MLS imposing squad limits on each of its 10 clubs, Agogo was released leading to his return to England.
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