Adrian Serioux Thread

[Joe MacCarthy]

Tks to VI at Vs for headsup
Still up in the air whether Adrian Serioux has left Millwall.

http://www.millwallfc.premiumtv.co.u...20465,00.html?

Serioux situation

Contrary to some newspaper reports, Canadian international Adrian Serioux has not left the club to return home, but Lions boss Colin Lee admitted that he will be talking with the player who is concerned about his mother's ongoing health problems.

Colin explained: "Adrian came to see me the other night before the game and told me that he was in no fit state to be included in the squad for the QPR game because his mother had suffered a setback and that he wanted to return to Canada. Initially he was talking about going back for good and forgetting football whilst he concentrates on looking after his mother. He didn't seem quite so sure that he wanted to do that the following day, but clearly we will do whatever we can to support him in this situation, and the two week break we've got coming up may enable him to sort out what he wants to do."

[Joe MacCarthy]

Tks to cyris2k at Vs for headsup

GETTING SERIOUX
Canadian international impresses in debut
Feb. 9, 2006
By Michael Lewiw BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/articl...rticle_id=5406


Adrian Serioux certainly impressed coach Mo Johnston in his first appearance in a Metros uniform. Photo by Michael Lewis

Bradenton, Fla. -- One game or even 45 minutes certainly doesn't make a case for a player, but defensive midfielder Adrian Serioux certainly made a promising first impression in a MetroStars uniform on Wednesday morning.

Serious played the opening half of the Metros' 2-1 pre-season loss to Real Salt Lake at IMG Academy, impressing coach Mo Johnston with his overall play and ballhandling.

The Metros have lacked an experienced and physical ball winner at defensive midfield in recent years and Johnston is hopeful he has found his man in the Canadian international

"You see he was very active," he said. "He was closing people down. That was his first day. He's very athletic and he's got youth. And again, with what we have in front of us (in the salary cap), his salary is not high."

Serioux, 26, most recently played with Millwall in the English Second Division, but returned home due to personal reasons. He has made eight appearances for the Canadian National Team, his most recent cap being the scoreless tie with the U.s. on Jan. 22.

"I just felt this was a little bit closer for me to be able to go back and forth when I do have to," he said. "I like MLS. It's obviously a league that's on the rise right now."

Serioux, a discovery pick, felt his chances of making the team were "pretty good."

"My position right now and the experience I that gained being in England, hopefully I could bring to the team and just give them that extra boost they need throughout this year," he said.

Serioux already has demonstrated how flexible he can be. He joined the team here on Monday night and acquitted himself well on Wednesday.

He hadn't played in three months and was solid with the Canadian National Team vs. the U.S.

"You've got to just take in stride," he said. "Obviously, sometimes you're going to get some praise, sometimes you're going to get some negative words. We've got to stick with it. The U.S. was a very good game for me even though I was off for a couple of months. I'll take it and keep going with it."

Serioux could very well be a perfect fit for the Big Apple, whose fans in any sport can be quite demanding. But MetroStars supporters can't hold a candle when they are compared to the notorious Millwall fans, who have a reputation of getting on players any time anywhere.

"Most definitely," he said. "Millwall is known to have, I guess you can say, one of the worst crowds in the league. Its good. When they're on your side they love you. But if you're not doing too well, they're going to give you it. That's just the way English soccer is."

Signed in August, 2004, Serious didn't play much with Millwall before returning home. But he learned plenty.

"The physical aspect of the game is a lot different," he said. "The pace of the game is just a lot quicker. That's just something you've got to bring over here."

[Joe MacCarthy]

Tks to Rudi at Vs for headsup

On location: Serioux ready for MLS
By Tony Miguel / MetroStars.com
http://metrostars.mlsnet.com/MLS/new...=.jsp&team=met


MetroStars midfielder Adrian Serioux has the ability to provide long throw-ins. (MetroStars)

Known for his fierce, aggressive style of play, Adrian Serioux seems to fit right into head coach Mo Johnston's plans of getting passionate, hard-nosed players who are prepared to battle.

"Everyone has to understand their duties on the field," said the 26-year-old Serioux. "I understand that my duty is to cut down most plays, and just be on my horse all the time."

That tireless work ethic has helped him to become a mainstay on the Canadian national team. He came to the MetroStars from the English club Millwall and started out his professional career with the Toronto Lynx of the A-league.

It is always interesting to get the opinions of MLS from players who have competed overseas. Some, such as former MetroStars trialist and teammate of Serioux's Carlos Fangueiro, come to the States thinking the style of play is a lot softer and not as physical.

When asked how MLS differs from England, Serioux said, "MLS is a good league. Technically the players are better. They have better dribbling skills, and they make better runs. The physical aspect I was used to in England I tried to carry over here, but some of that physical play is not allowed here."

Serioux is the newest piece in an already deep MetroStars midfield that includes Amado Guevara, Chris Henderson, Mark Lisi, Elie Ikangu, Peter Canero, Blake Camp and Eddie Gaven. Preseason will surely be intense with so many players vying for a starting role. Mo Johnston has said that he wants to have several options at each position to help drive the competitive fires in the players.

Another trademark of Serioux's game is his ability to make long throw-ins, which sometimes travel upwards of 45 yards. He has even been known to set up goals on thrown-ins from the half way line.

"Theres no explanation to it," said Serioux of his throw-ins. "It's one of those things that I just came across when I started throwing the ball further and further."

Serioux has not been to New York yet because he flew directly to Florida from his hometown of Toronto, Canada. However Serioux feels that living in Canada's largest city, as well as living in England will help him easily adjust to life in New York.

Serioux's Canadian national team experience also helped his journey to the MetroStars. His stock rose significantly during an international friendly against the United States in which he was able to successfully mark Landon Donovan to keep the game a scoreless tie.

"It's excellent to play for your country he said. Every player would dream to put on the shirt of their country. I feel gifted to have that opportunity."

He vividly remembers a tournament in Africa he won playing with team Canada.

"There was about 40-50,000 people in the stadium in a country where we were unknown. But they were all holding Canadian flags, and really accepting us."

When asked how best he can help the MetroStars on the field, Serioux said, "I can bring leadership to control the middle of the field. Just keeping people on their toes by talking to them, and leading by example."

[Joe MacCarthy]

Two more to be added to MetroStars
Serioux, Ikangu signed with club, awaiting visa approval
By Dylan Butler / MLSnet.com Staff
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_n..._mls&fext=.jsp


Defensive midfielder Adrian Serioux will help add depth for the MetroStars. (Tony Quinn/MLS/WireImage.com)

E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The MetroStars search for a defensive midfield replacement for Michael Bradley has come to an end with the signing of Canadian international Adrian Serioux and French teenager Elie Ikangu. The two have come to contract terms with the MetroStars and an official announcement is pending visa approval.

Terms of the contracts were not disclosed but Serioux will be fill the fourth and final senior international slot on the Metros roster while Ikangu would fill the second of five junior international slots. They will provide cover in the midfield now that Bradley is with Heerenveen of the Dutch Eredivisie.

Serioux, 26, most recently played for Millwall of the English Championship (second tier) but returned home for personal reasons. He has made eight appearances for Canada and his most recent cap came in a scoreless draw against the U.S. on Jan. 22.

Serioux is currently with the Canadian national team, which is preparing for an international friendly against Austria in Vienna on Wednesday. He is not expected to play, having suffered a broken toe in training last week.

"I wouldn't say really good," Metros coach Mo Johnston said when asked about Serioux's preseason thus far. "I'd say he did enough to make us sign him. With his height and experience, it helps us in that midfield area. He's strong, is passing more to Amado [Guevara] and Youri [Djorkaeff] and will sit in that pocket and get tackles in. That's what we want from Adrian."

Ikangu, 19, has played with Newcastle's Charles N'Zogbia at French side Le Havre and was compared to Chelsea's Claude Makelele by Johnston after the club's foreigner tryout camp at the Giants Stadium practice bubble in January.

But Ikangu is not quite as strong as Makelele and that's the reason he didn't stick with English Second Division side Darlington or English Premiership side Middlesbrough, where he was on trial in January.

Johnston said signing Serioux gives him flexibility when it comes to the type of formation to use.

"It's very important because I now have a situation, if we add these two or three players, which we're very close in getting, then I can play 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 3-5-2.

"I'm comfortable in every position," Johnston said. "And that's even coming off our bench."

Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

Edit: Metros sign Serioux
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?...Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2

After impressing teammates and observers with his offensive ability and defensive strength, Canadian midfielder Adrian Serioux finally came to terms with the MetroStars on a four-year contract worth approximately $120,000 per year. Serioux is awaiting a work permit for the deal to become finalized. He will count as a senior international once he joins the roster.

A national team player currently with Canada as it prepares for a friendly against Austria on Wednesday, Serioux is expected to step right in and man one of the two defensive midfield slots available in Mo Johnston's 3-5-2 formation. His ability to deliver hard tackles, cover ground, defend and maintain possession make him the perfect complement to Amado Guevara and Mark Lisi, who appears to have played his way into the other starting defensive midfield role.

Johnston revealed that Serioux has been training with a broken toe, but team officials insisted the 26-year old would be ready for the season opener on April 2 at D.C. United.

[Joe MacCarthy]

MetroStars of MLS sign Canadian midfielder Adrian Serioux on Wednesday
Mar. 1, 2006
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...=1044529386722

SECAUCUS, N.J. (CP) — Canadian midfielder Adrian Serioux has landed a job with the MetroStars of the MLS.

The Toronto native signed with the MetroStars on Wednesday after spending the last two seasons with Millwall of the League Championship, which is one division below the England Premiership.

"Adrian is a hammer,'' MetroStars president and GM Alexi Lalas said in a statement. "He kicks anything that moves and has an efficient grace with the ball.

We needed some ferocity and bite in our midfield to compliment the artistic side and we think Adrian is just what the doctor ordered.

My only concern is finding someone who can translate Canadian.''

Serioux, 27, made his national team debut in a World Cup qualifier against Guatemala on Aug. 4, 2004, and has eight international caps.

He started and played 84 minutes in an international friendly against the U.S. on Jan. 22 in San Diego, marking American star Landon Donovan in a 0-0 draw.

The six-foot, 180-pound Serioux appeared in 12 games for Millwall, along with two appearances in the English Carling Cup.

Serioux fills the MetroStars' fourth and final senior international slot on the club's roster, joining Youri Djorkaeff of France, Amado Guevara of Honduras, and Scotland's Peter Canero.

[Joe MacCarthy]

FCD acquires Adrian Serioux from Toronto FC
FC Dallas Media Relations
http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/news/tea....jsp&team=t104

FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas today acquired midfielder / defender Adrian Serioux, who was selected by Toronto FC from the Houston Dynamo in today's MLS Expansion Draft, and Toronto's natural second round pick (14th overall) in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, in exchange for midfielder Ronnie O'Brien.

"While it was difficult to let Ronnie go, we feel that with this trade we were able to add a key player in Adrian while retaining other valuable components of our team," said FC Dallas General Manager Michael Hitchcock. "Adrian is a versatile player who played a pivotal role in Houston winning the MLS Cup, and we're confident that he will play a major role in the future success of this team."

Toronto FC, the League's 13th team which will begin its inaugural season in 2007, today selected 10 players from 11 MLS teams, though no one from FC Dallas was selected.

A member of the Canadian National Team, Serioux comes to Dallas after winning the 2006 MLS Cup with Houston in his first MLS season. The 27-year old was used in both central defense and the center of midfield by the Dynamo this season, appearing in 20 games and making 15 starts. He scored one goal for Houston during the regular season and then appeared in all four of his team's postseason games, helping lead Houston to the franchise's first MLS Cup championship.

Serioux was signed from Millwall of the English Championship by the New York Red Bulls on March 1, but never played a game for the club as he was traded to Houston three weeks later. A native of, Scarborough, Ontario, Serioux has made eight career appearances for the Canadian National Team since making his international debut in August 2004.

Ronnie O'Brien was signed by Dallas in July 2002, and was the third longest tenured players on the club behind Chris Gbandi and Bobby Rhine. In five seasons, he scored 12 goals and added 35 assists in 101 regular season games played. The 27 year-old was a three-time MLS All-Star and selected to the MLS Best XI in 2004 and 2005.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Tks to Sigma at Vs for headsup

Serioux Serious About Dallas Glory
26/02/07 365 Interview
By Andrew Rogers
http://www.soccer365.com/_365_Interv...3_137766.shtml

With an MLS Cup title under his belt, Adrian Serioux is full of confidence heading into the 2007 campaign with FC Dallas. The hard hitting defender took a moment to speak with Soccer365’s Andrew Rogers about his time in England, playing at 100%, winning another title and more…

With the 2007 MLS season fast approaching Adrian Serioux is going flat out to condition himself for the opening game against Real Salt Lake in April unlike previous years, where the former Toronto player didn’t necessarily feel settled, or secure in a notoriously fickle industry.

A string of bone crunching performances and a MLS Cup to boot in 2006, have firmly put the Canadian on the professional football map, and now has the validation he has worked hard to attain since his USL days.

Now as a leading and established MLS player Serioux is ready to make history with FC Dallas and for the Inferno faithful, by bringing triumph to the other half of Texas after nine playoff failures in the last eleven years.

Serioux was in a reflective and engaging mood when he talked exclusively to Soccer 365 earlier this week.

It’s most player’s dream to make it to Europe, you managed it with Millwall a club with great tradition how did it come about?
I had a call up to the Canadian National B squad when Frank (Yallop) got into the program, he was trying to bring in some new players. He called me up and fortunately we were playing Millwall for their pre season as they were in Canada at the time.

Against Millwall and a team from Ireland I must have impressed someone because I got a call from my agent and he asked me if I wanted to go over to England, and obviously the response to that was why not!!! All I had to do was wait on my papers and clearance. I never tried out with them they saw the exhibition game and signed me on the contract straight off the bat.

You made quite a name for yourself in East London, but it didn’t quite click what happened?
I got a few starts for Millwall but it was tough for me because I came off my Lynx season and went straight into the English calendar, and I had been going for well over 14 months. It took a toll on me but obviously the coach Wise took that into consideration, and gave me my rest time when I needed it, it was a great experience.

I had to come back to look after my mother, she ran into complications in my first year. I was able to come back home for two weeks, and take care of my mother and do what was necessary at the time.

The second year things got a lot worse, the new gaffer came in and a few new players so it was a period of transition. At the time I really couldn’t give my all into the second year.

It wasn’t in my interests because my family comes first for me and I had to go back home and do what was necessary to be with my family and take care of my mother.

Playing in England must have taught you a lot while you were immersed in football culture…
I think England was a stepping stone for me, there are a lot of players trying to get over there, and that’s every body’s dream and I was fortunate enough to be able to experience that, it’s a much different game and some people don’t adapt to it.

A lot of people don’t understand that, day in day out it’s a very different experience and something you have to learn to adapt to- you’re fighting for a spot all the time.

Does it compare to the MLS?
Over here I wouldn’t say it was laid back but there are more technically players and I'm known as the hard hitter and the hard ass on the team, and its kind a funny because when I first came back I was getting quite a bit of a talking to. People telling me to take a breather and to relax, because I still find it hard to adept my game to the MLS at times from the English style, but it hasn’t been too bad!!!!!

It wasn’t something I grasped at the time that this is the style they play, but it was physical given the competition for places in the squad, especially in the 50 -50 balls compared with the States.

There are a number of times when you consider your team mates well being, but in England you go into the challenges 100% whether you get injured or not that is your problem to deal with after wards, it made me a tougher person because I learnt to fight through injuries. Because you know that one day off might allow someone to come in and take your place. So I took a lot of thing from England from the style of play and approach to the game.

I try to bring it here and I'm still trying to do that and so hopefully I can make the full transition without losing any of the positive aspects of my time abroad. I'm not going to be as hard as I was over there because I don’t want to get red carded.

The mental and physical edge plays a huge role in winning games….
When it comes to the game I try to let the person know I'm there, some players step up to the challenge and get a little rough with me and I like that style, but I'm going to get you sooner or later.

That is how the games goes, its not to the point where you are trying to do a blatant retaliation but if he is on the ball and you want to do a hard tackle then they are there to be hit. Like wise for them if they want to give it back.

That’s the nature of the game, and if you don’t like it of can’t handle it play ping pong or tennis this is football, you are going to get injuries and hits so you need to learn to deal with it.

Some of Millwall’s legendary hard men, Neil “Razor” Ruddock, Terry Hurlock and John Fashanu were accused of not knowing where the “line” was do you have a “line?”
I don’t have a line that I can’t cross when I go out on the field. I give everything and leave nothing behind, if you start flagging you can leave the field but the passion and commitment has to be 100% for the whole 90 minutes. If I have to sacrifice my body in certain situation then so be it.

Another big season from Adrian Serioux should see Europe waving their cheque books at FC Dallas?
Obviously being in England was my dream, but you make some sacrifices in your life and hope they work out for the best. Luckily I'm playing in the MLS now, and I've won a Championship, I'm doing well and have made a name for myself in this league.

I'm 27- I would like to think so that’s the pinnacle of anyone’s career and where everyone aspires to be, so we will have to see. My family is doing a lot better now and more stable than we were before so if we get that opportunity again I might consider it.

So it’s FC Dallas for the title this year?
I hope we win this year, coming in here I’ve talked to a few coaches and seen few of the articles that have been written on me. I know what it is to win with Houston going through the grind every day. It was tough so hopefully I can help everyone step their game up a little and bring what is needed for Dallas, I want to be a part of that.