A Farewell To Eddie Johnson And Other Aztex News & Notes

NEWS:

Austin Aztex: League’s Leading Goal Scorer Eddie Johnson Transferred to Portland

The Aztexan: Timbers Sign Eddie Johnson to 2011 MLS Team

NewsOK.com: Timbers sign 3 of their own for 1st MLS season

SB Nation: Major League Soccer Expansion: Portland Timbers Sign Four Players

Sports Network: Portland signs first four players

KGW.com: MLS Timbers sign Dike, Cronin, Pore and former Aztex Johnson

World Soccer Reader: Portland Timbers Announce Four MLS Signings

Soccer By Ives: Timbers look to build after adding first four players

OregonLive: Timbers announce first signed players for MLS

KPTV.Com: Portland Timbers Name 4 Players To MLS Squad



NOTES:

One thing that took me by surprised is that the Timbers signed Eddie Johnson during the season and then loaned him back to Austin for the rest of the season. You wondered why the Montreal Impact announcers mentioned Eddie's signing during the Impact-Aztex playoff broadcast and Miguel Gallardo mentioning about Johnson's departure on last week's Futbol En Vivo. To me, its all about both the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps using all of their means (and loopholes) to sign players before entering MLS and their strict rules and regulations of getting players. I would not be surprise if the Montreal Impact will do the same for next season in preparation for 2012.

For those who want to reminisce about Eddie Johnson, you can listen to him along with Djorn Buchholz on Episode 5 of In The Mixer podcast. Also you can listen to last week's Episode 8 of In The Mixer podcast recapping the Austin Aztex's 2010 season and what to look forward towards next season. It's best to listen to Episode 5 while drinking an Aztex Amber Ale (whom his picture is on the bottle) in his honor. We wish him to best of luck (expect playing them in the U.S. Open Cup ;-) ) with the Portland Timbers next season in MLS.



The other news is that Austin Aztex midfielder Yordany Alvarez is on trial with the Houston Dynamo. We now know why Dominic Kinnear was scouting at House Park during the Aztex-Impact 2nd leg game. I know that it's only a trial, but the FC Dallas fan in me doesn't want him to go to Houston as he's along with Lawrence Olum a stable Aztex force pair in central midfield. Plus the fact he's looks better in Aztex red and white instead of Dynamo orange. ;-) So we will see how that one plays out and what Kinnear's judgment is on Alvarez.