Earthquakes acquire goalkeeper Jon Busch
Confirming an earlier media report, Center Line Soccer has learned that the San Jose Earthquakes have acquired veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch.
Busch, 33, was released last week by the Chicago Fire after three seasons and 60 appearances with the club. He was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008 after leading the league in save percentage and tying the franchise record with 10 clean sheets. Prior to his tenure with the Fire, he spent five years with the Columbus Crew and served as starting goalkeeper during the team’s record-breaking 18-game undefeated streak in 2004. Busch has one cap for the U.S. national team.
Busch’s signing was first reported by ESPN broadcaster John Harkes.
Great, now bench Cannon!
How about a better team in front of the keeper? Why arrange deck chairs while the ship is sinking?
Why sign busch? He is a great keeper but why waste the money if.we have cannon who is more. Than capable? We should have spent the money on a decent left side of the field cause convey is like Eddie Johnson…. Best days are way behind and carrales is just plain awful, so many quakes fans were booing him it is sad how frank sticks by players so tight even if they suck! Bring back zaher! I am not going to sepnd any money on gear or tickests till we make some real changes!
Ridiculous… I concur with the second two comments.
What a joke, have some consistency in front of poor Joe and maybe he wont have free kicks and laser shots coming at him from the edge of the box. He essentially had no chance on any of those, and now Busch comes in. Busch is a good keeper, but is damn tiny, and surely we could use money like this somewhere else.
wtf? weber and cannon are 2 not bad keepers what the hell are you guys thinking….we need some better players in front of the keeper…idiots
Call me crazy but if this acquisition results in Busch as starting goalkeeper and Cannon as head coach then I’m all for it. Yallop’s a great coach but Cannon comes across as a more effective leader than follower and deserves more authority, while Yallop needs to be promoted to general manager.
Oh Jay your a funny one..April 1st isn’t until Thur. your joking right?? right? Unless Busch can play forward this move makes no sense (if it does someone please explain it to me). Unless were going to turn around and trade him. Johnson and Glenn just aren’t cutting it up top we need that last roster spot for a forward/winger.
Why?????? This makes no sense.
And I thought the Warriors front office was a joke!
you…..have…..got……to…….be……kidding?! we truly have the dumbest front office in the league.
This is a slap to the face to Cannon!! Of all the positions that need tending to, goalkeeper is not one of them. Damn you Yallop! Damn you Doyle!! BOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooOOOOOOO!
Instead of Busch, why arent we pursuing Van Den Bergh??? As of march 27th, he has stated that no MLS team has approached him and he is eager to return to play for an MLS team.
Fantastic! Spend money and roster spots where we are already deep. Leave the Captain of the El Salvador Nats on the bench because you have better players right? Start two forwards who play nearly identically. Tell your team to play long ball rather than try to keep possession of the ball. Start Convey because um … brain damage? Start Corrales because what? He has pictures of Frank with a goat? This is way beyond tragic. Please, please, please sack Yallop and Doyle both. Now!
Busch is a descent keeper, but so is Cannon. The problem all along has been Yalop and Doyle. It’s amazing that both these guys won MLS cup’s, as coach and player respectively, but they seem so disengaged when it comes to team building. I just don’t get it.
This is RIDICULOUS!!! If Cannon goes, I go…
I have been refraining on making any judgements on Yallop & JD, until now. If they make a move on goalkeepers and not a better alignment of defense (and outside mid), then i think I will stop following the Quakes until Yallop & JD are outta there. This is getting outta hand.
Go Quakes! Go CANNON!!
This is the most stupid move… Unless Cannon himself wants to retire and isn’t engaged in playing for the Quakes, but it seems by his interviews that he wants to still be a Quake…. What seemed like our issue was OFFENSE not so much defense… we need someone who knows what a goal is and can shoot AT it not over or beside it. UGH ! I am so losing faith in our Front Office… GRR !
What?!! Cannon shows passion and character, and is a hero. Busch is good , but what was Yallop thinking!!! Yallop should be fired immidiatley. Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!Yallop sucks!!!
Hello readers —
Please allow me to interrupt the general freak-out that is occurring because of this story.
Don’t assume that Busch’s acquisition means Joe Cannon will either be demoted or traded. The team had an open roster spot and acquired a solid keeper (MLS GK of the year in ’08). Most MLS teams don’t have good backup goalkeepers, but Cannon is 35 and played hurt at times last season. Busch isn’t much younger (33), but having him on the bench (or competing for starts — I’m sure he’d give his right arm to start against Chicago, although that would severely limit his effectiveness) can only strengthen the squad. Even if this wasn’t the team’s biggest need, the worst thing to be said about this transaction, in my opinion, is “the Quakes just signed a quality player.” Teams always benefit when there’s competition for slots in the starting eleven.
What’s up with all the negativity? First game was just a minor set back. Yeah that game kinda sucked but we need to have a possitive mentallity and keep on supporting OUR team. C’mon you quakes nation, don’t lose faith!!!
Go Quakes.
Common Yallop, take us back to our glory days.
sjquakes408-
i take it you’ve been following the quakes the last couple of years atleast? then how is it acceptable to start the season @ home like we did on saturday?!
not sure about losing faith in the team , but def. in the coaching & front office staff for sure!
-frank
I’m there with you guys. It hurst like hell to see our beloved quakes take a beating. I just want to think possitive that’s all. And yes, I’ve been quakes fan since 2000. I have faith in yallop and JD, but that’s just me though. It’s still early in a very long season. Like Ike Opara said, this was just a hickup.
Much love to the quakes nation and stay up.
Go Quakes!!!
what does this mean for weber? don’t think we’ll keep 3 keepers, that’s why graczyk was cut. i think he’s a strong young keeper that should be in the plans as the starter for the future. i think he’s even better than conway was at his age (see last year’s match at DC 9/27/09…don’t look at his other start, you’ll just cringe at how stupid it was to expose Salinas, and how Weber misjudged on the tying goal) and after a decent 2006 conway hasn’t done much.
hopefully busch will be part of a near-future package, and we keep what we got in goal
Interesting. Joe Cannon shut down some of his sites where he interacted with his fan base. Anger, petulance or just a coincidence?
And add me to the keep Joe as starter. He is Mr. Quake.
Yes, Joe is Mr. Quake, but don’t let his likability blind you. His talent is waning, and I’m pretty sure there is friction between him and the FO. If another team out there wants him…he’s gone.
Webers not a bad keeper either, dumbasses
Hey Ian —
Enough with belittling other readers. You have an opinion and you’re entitled to it, but everyone else is entitled to theirs as well. Save that venom for Galaxy fans.
Thanks,
The Management
I know Joe is a committed Earthquake to the end but it’s time for a serious look at other keepers. While there are other issues with the team, I think Joe allows several goals per year as the result of coming too far off his line when there is still a defender in front of him. The 2nd goal on Saturday is exactly my point. Yallop needs to light a fire under our midfielders or change players and/or formations. Teams like Manchester United or Chelsea have 4 or 5 players crashing the box when a winger or striker delivers a wide cross. You never see that with the Quakes. I don’t see what the attraction is with Andre Luis. I never saw him in more than a jog on Saturday. It’s very easy for teams to defend when they know that all they have to do is shut down the man with the ball because no one and I mean no one will be coming down the middle. This is the most important issue , I believe, to be fixed immediately.
Larry-
you know that’s the one thing i couldn’t figure out on saturday. who if any of the middle midfielders is the attacking one ,and which one is the holding mid? robles, luiz, & mcdonald ALL were playing dmid, none went forward after making a pass. all 3 would lay off a pass and stay in a DEEP lying midfield. our wingers are not good enough to provide great service, so it’s way to easy for opposing teams to shut us down. i take it that’s a coahing decision? which we’ve been doing since yallop is here w/ horrible results.
Larry/Frank. Spot on. I’d like to add that I think we need speedy outside backs. Oh and I thought Opara played well while Hernandez kinda sucked actually. He sure flailed hopelessly on that second goal.
Jay
Well folks can’t say Earthquake fans don’t have any passion. Has such a short news blog created so much buzz and comments from readers in the history of Centerline??
Mike
THIS IS MADNESS!
I think this coaching staff and general manager are the dumbest ppl that I have come across So let’s keep and sign on these old farts but let’s let go of young potential…. Can I return season tickets
Its actually a GOOD MOVE !!
The decision is all about having depth at all positions. Jon Busch, 33 years old, was MLS goalkeeper of the year in 2008. He has a cap with the USA Men’s National team.
This move is certain to push 35 years old, Joe Cannon, who was average, at best, last year.
from mlssoccer.com
Busch said the contract is for one year, with options included to extend beyond the 2010 season. The team officially announced the signing on Tuesday night.
The Earthquakes felt that since Busch will have a minimal impact on the team’s salary-cap situation, he was too good of a value to pass up
Jay -
I’m not sure I agree the worst that can be said about the move is that “the Quake just signed a quality player.” Add, to that the following true statement “that they don’t need.” Busch is a best a luxury. This team has more important holes to fill than back-up keeper. And why did Chicago let him go? Has this been explored?
Soccer is a team game and chemistry is very important. Joe is a leader on the team because of his seniority and his history/passion for the Quakes. Why undermine him, again — I might add (recall they made him renegotiate his contract for a lower salary at the beginning of last year) — for something you don’t need? What kind of message does that send to the rest of the team? What message does it send to Weber? If we need to pick up someone else, we have to drop someone and it will be Weber if Cannon is not shown the door.
Management should be fostering an attitude of comraderie so that the players will fight for each other, not against each other. Frank, I thought, understood this.
awesome points Colin
We need a forward/midfielder! Yallop and Doyle should consider Calen Carr – a great player who is fully recovered from his ACL last year, but contending with a favorite midfielder the new Chicago Fire coach brought to that team. We can probably get him at a good price, since he’s back from an injury, and I hear that he ripped it up in preseason in Arizona. Carr has speed, he’s a creative and nervy player, and he was great here at Cal. He hasn’t gotten the play time he deserved at the Fire and we can sure use him.
I really like Joe, he’s a very good gk. However, Bringing in Busch will only raise the competitive level our gk’s. If Busch does a good job and beats out JC, than so be it, so as long as we have the best possible team on the field. No spots should be gauranteed no matter how much seniority they have.
Go Quakes!!!
@Jay Hipps
That wasnt to the readers that was more toward the front office lol sorry if i made it seem like that…
That first game of the season for our beloved Quakes was a downer, for sure…but the goals we gave up were quality strikes that Cannon just had NO CHANCE at saving.
However, it must also be said that he’s getting old and his skills are waning. John Busch will add competition to this position, although he’s also getting old.
I have more confidence in our Quakes than I did last season, and this seems like a good signing, but it would be great to hear that we’re signing young prospects with big upside, rather than tired vets we’ve all heard off for years and years and years.
And wow, Jay, 40 responses? Did you ever think you’d be so famous?!
I mentioned this on Twitter — I’m @jayhipps — but I spoke with Joe yesterday. The reason he shut down his own Twitter account is so he can focus more on his job; he’s not brooding about the Busch acquisition or anything like that. Also, he says he still believes in this team, despite the loss in the opener.
@Colin — Check out this article from Peter Wilt about Busch’s departure. It sounds like a situation where Chicago didn’t want to pay Busch’s salary; luckily for the Earthquakes, they can re-negotiate once he clears waivers. As Elliott Almond reported in the Merc, Busch took a substantial pay cut to sign with San Jose.
@ian OK. That’s different, I suppose. I just noticed you were ending all your comments with either “idiots” or “dumbasses,” and it was getting old.
Wow! Bobby Convey sure seems to be enjoying himself! check out the Merc. today.
Godfrey-
Wow, on the article regarding Convey….. everyone needs to read that article!!!!!! Its what all of the fans see and know about their team. So many issues with front office and team managing. I still believe in Yallop, I think his hands are tied. FYI I blogged earlier under another name. heres that entry: (Amarikwa should start, convey should have stayed in, mcdonald is not a midfielder, and cannon needs some fire from under (and no better way than bring in a hungry keeper with some more recent past successes) or some authority out there. Alvarez needs to get rid of the ball. Andre Luiz is laks a daisy. Corrales needs more midfield time. Give gjertsen, ring, and these other young players dire to make an impression a chance . Is it going to hurt?!?!?! being at the bottom of the table, as in last year, nothing is going to hurt. Down a player and 10 minutes left, and then everyone wants to light the fire? I know Christ died and is resurrected, but what sort of miracle is anyone expecting. And the countless fly overs with the ball to the forwards does not work when up against strong defenses. Teams throughout the world show that this is a one touch fast snappy pass game. What happened to the great fast midfield wing play of the days of pre houston quakes under yallop? I believe in Frank, I think he must have his hands tied to some degree. Lew Wolff is not a team owner, look at the A’s. He is a land developer, and until you get ownership that cares about the team and fans (look at the SF Giants, steelers), this team will suck.
A faithful fan. I love this team. Will someone please remove the sword from my heart)
I have changed my blogger tag back to Karta tashi gonpo. Its buddist for “Protector of Happiness”. I want to protect the happiness of Quakes fans and players for the wonderful SJ franchise it once was. I will tell you all this, I have sat with David Alioto and talked about this team with him. The things coming out of his mouth make no sense. I am a business man, and when you ask DA to start throwing scocer balls back into the stands at half-time for fan appreciation, and his response is ” at $135 a piece ?, thats ridiculous!” the man is a taco short of a roach coach. No Dave, how about replicas, or get your fabulous AMWAY sponsor to kick down. Oh yeah, its because your boss is not a team owner, he is a land developer. he wants stadium and income through the development, etc…….You are never going to attract true and wealthy sponsors in your cause with performance as of late. And if you are trying to attract sponsors who are lovers of the game, they are seeing right through you. Does alot of money make a man smarter? I would have to debate…..
and the quakes girls, shakers, etc,…has management lost their mind? sorry ladies, but you need to be fired, and we need to spend the revenue on another good player or two. Did management notice that soccer lovers of the world are a beautiful crowd, and our stands are filled with beautiful ladies? I sit right next to one.
Larry-
Amen, I love you man.
This team will never go anywhere without a midfield with vision. They are the transition point. Look at Donovan, Gerrard, Lampard, Fabregas, etc. Its starts in seeing the opportunity. Every once in a great while, God gives us a Messi, or a Drogba. But true teams work as a team. All players have the potential to score. And the reality is guys who are constantly given the ball and have a few specialized moves that they do, will always get figured out. Look at Arshavin. 4 goals against Liverpool and then the consistency changed. Players look at reels and figure you out. Alvarez, I love your game, running with the ball and getting it on your left foot, gets you figured out. You should be a forward more, and switch you up with either Johnson or glen. And switch sides often to confuse and compound the difficulties on the defense. You don’t need both johnson and glen up front. And the sealy signing, why? didnt he leave for a reason, and don’t we already have his style of player in johnson and glen? Its not much different. Amirikwa, when he comes in, he is a breath of fresh air. Short, low center of gravity, and massive amounts of speed and strength with runs into the box. it is about creating chances. hey, even when the young man doesn’t score in 5-6 chances, he creates the opportunity. And thats when the defense will start falling. I prefer 20 shots on goal and a zero score line than 7-10 shots on goal with a zero goal line. It shows greater potential. When the defense is uncertain because the gameplay is diverse and confusing,and creates holes in it, all 6 to 8 mid and forwards can wreck havoc and all have scoring opps. All professional players have a striking and running ability with a few specialized moves and keeping the ball moving and keeping all of the defense guessing creates havoc.
When one looks at the stats of good teams, sure, you see some goals being scored by a select few, but for the most part, everyone gets into the game and gets goals over the season. Its just usually the strikers that get all the credit. They are the last ones normally with the ball. But Johnson is never going to score with him doing the same thing over and over again, neither with Alvarez. It is about vision of opportunity and creating chances through creativity.
And about our defense, its about the whole team being on defense, not the defensive line. Its called being goal side of the ball, and its about running, not pouting…
Subbing 2 players at half is ridiculous, I think Frank is getting frantic about his boys, or someone higher up is calling the shots (JD?).. Some players truly come into form in a game after 50-55 minutes of play. And when stupid errors like pulldowns in a losing game results in red cards, you lose subbing potential.
I hate to think that the players of this team are truly seeing this all, and out of frustration, and out of fear of losing a paycheck, this team continues to go where it is going.
In practice, a team is only going to get better when the collective team raises the standard. You will always be fighting against all other teams that are working on that.
Weber needs more chances, Busch needs a chance.
This team is figured out by so many MLS teams because of the lack of these things and until the whole team is playing with vision, creativity ( and i don’t mean getting it to Johnson because he was the lead scorer for the team, or to Alvarez because of a wicked left foot), and pace, this team will suffer.
The ball is always faster than the player. A Lamborghini is faster than any cop car, but can never outrun a police radio.
Juan Pablo Angel is a fabulous goal scorer, yet will suffer with poor vision by teammates and lack of gameplay creativity. The Red Bulls season shows us that last year.
Lundberg wrecks havoc, because, yes he is a goal scorer, but more importantly, he has played for teams that understand vision on the field and creating opportunities for goal scoring chances. And that’s what he does.
Blanco is another fine example.
God bless the San Jose Earthquakes. We need all the help we can get.