USLsoccer.com Feature
Friday, March 5, 2010
WALSALL, ENGLAND – After a successful All-League performance for the Real Maryland Monarchs during the 2009 USL Second Division season, defender Jonathan Borrajo has been a busy man. An initial trip to Real Maryland affiliate Sporting Gijon in Spain was the start of a lengthy tour for the 23-year-old as he has since been to New York and back to Europe, traveling to Sweden, Turkey and now England.
He checks in with USLsoccer.com about his journey...
After spending time with Real Maryland’s affiliate club, Sporting Gijon of La Liga, and the NY Red Bulls, I spent three weeks in January on trial with Ljungskile of the Swedish Superettan league.
After three weeks training with them I was chosen for a select team predominantly from the USA to participate in a 10-day tour of Turkey with English soccer company, PSC Ltd (www.pscltd.co.uk), run by Mark Taylor.
The team in Turkey consisted of other USL-1, USL-2 and PDL players such as Fabrice Noel (Puerto Rico Islanders), Taiwo Atieno (Rochester Rhinos), Tom Taylor, Dave Hertel and Joe Funicello (all Real Maryland), Brandon Kirksey (Austin Aztex), Matt Williams (Panama City), Arron Patrick (Cascade Surge), Lance Nelson (Fredericksburg Gunners), Eric Johnson (Kalamazoo Outrage), Reid Baker (LA Legends) and Liviu Bird (Kitsap Pumas). The squad also featured professional players from Portugal, England and Macedonia.
We stayed in a top-class, five-star training center near Antalya with some of the top European and Asian soccer clubs.
It was a great experience for the whole squad and we played three games against top European opposition; Slovan Bratislava (Slovakian Champions who were in the 2009/10 Europa Cup), Arges Pitesti (who finished 10th in the Romanian Premier League last season) and Zeytinburnu (of Turkish 2nd Division). After having a successful first season as a pro in the USL last year, this trip helped develop my game even more and prepared me for the European leagues.
As a result of this trip a number of players in the squad ended up getting contracts or trials with teamsl around the world, myself included. I have been invited in on trial with Walsall FC of English League 1.
I was fortunate enough to play in a game against West Bromwich Albion (an EPL team last season), and I found myself up against ex-Manchester City striker Ishmael Miller and marking 27-yea-oldr Dutch international left winger Andwele Slory, who was at Feyenoord last season. We drew, 0-0, and it was a great experience.
I am currently waiting to see what happens with Walsall, then I will consider all possibilities I have in England, Scandinavia and with USL teams before making a decision for the next stage of my career.
Related:
Borrajo returns from Sporting Gijon [+]
