Philadelphia Union announced on Wednesday the acquisition of Brazilian center back, on loan for the 2016 season.
Conceição, 26, joins the Union from Brazilian Serie C side Tombense, having last played on loan to America Mineiro in 2015.
Said Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart in a press release, “Anderson’s natural athletic ability and winning pedigree was really something we zeroed in on during our offseason assessment. He’s the type of defender who really addresses some of our technical needs and we strongly believe we’re getting someone who is committed to helping build the next chapter of our club.”
According to TransferMarkt.com, the left-footed, 6ft, 2in center back is under contract with Tombense until until the end of 2017, having signed with the club in 2011 after previously playing for Santos B, Mogi Mirim, and Resende.
Since signing with Tombense, Conceiçãohas has had loan spells with several teams, including Figueirense. Most notably, he joined then La Liga side Mallorca on loan for the 2012-13 season, where he had 19 appearances (17 in league play), and 14 starts in all competitions. Mallorca was relegated after that season and the center back returned to Brazil where he had further loan spells with Atlético Clube Goianiense, Bahia, Joinville, and America Mineiro. His current value is listed as €850,000.
Here’s a highlight reel of Conceição that was posted on YouTube in 2013:
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Not sure if this is something to be excited about or not. Sounds like he’s a 3rd division player and the one time he played in a top division his team got relegated. On the other hand, it is probably good to go into the season with at least 2 center backs on the roster.
I believe I saw that he helped America Mineiro gain promotion into the top division in 2016. But Brazilian leagues are confusing so I could be wrong.
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http://www.transfermarkt.com/anderson-conceicao/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/187759/wettbewerb/BRA2
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Looks like he played roughly 30 matches for them last season
The piece on the Union’s website says he played in Serie B last season helping secure his temporary side promotion to Serie A. The relegation may have been earlier, for somebody in Europe.
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While he is owned by a Serie C side, he has been loaned out to “larger clubs” [Union’s website]. That leads me, totally ignorant of business practices in Brazilian soccer, to wonder whether he is loaned out all the time to produce income for the loaning side rather than by playing for it and helping it win?
Precisely. There is a large contingent of world players that serve all sorts of roles. There are a finite number of first league teams. Some players spend their careers bouncing around… we already know he’s not likely a world class player but my guess is he has quality and likely quality that will settle an MLS back line…. he has time on his side a young man really.
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I’d like to hope this can be a longer than one year deal… that would be lovely. A rock pairing at CB with do to high for a few years would be a first for this club.
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At any rate… the new sporting director and coach are plodding along putting a team together.
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I am a Union fan with a sense of optimism….
‘Pairing at CB with two young men for a few years’
All MLS loans are loan with the option to buy. So if he’s a solid player who has a decent year, I could see the Union picking him up permanently
I admit to having a tremendous blind spot when it comes to the workings of the league.
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Thank you.
Doesn’t the MLS require all year-long loans to come with a buy option?
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I thought they had something like that in play.
Correct. I believe all loans have an option to buy
He helped America Mineiro in 2015 to gain promotion to Serie A (1st division). He’s a good player.
Ok. I’m fine with having more Brazilians on the team, in general.
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Just don’t know anything about him. Including how to pronounce his last name.
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Still…it is a move to shore up the defense. So, there’s that.
English lacks the nasal sounds of Portuguese, but wrap your mucus membranes around … co(mn) say SOW
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Just call him … AHN dare son
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Source: self. I’m the son of M__ Conceicao D__, and the nephew of another Conceicao, both of whom hail from Anderson’s birth state of Bahia.
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Future source: the SoundCloud that eventually gets uploaded to the page soon to appear at philadelphiaunion.com/players/anderson-concei-o
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By way of belated introductions, I have lurked on this here truly excellent service far too long, and the last few years have used my front row seat at the stadium to regularly urge on Fabinho with “Vai, menino!” (roughly, “Go on, lad”).
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Among other encouragement.
Welcome
Magic. Hello.
PSP: even greater-est.
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Thanks for the kindness, y’all.
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Also, I feel *significantly* more famous now.
Welcome! May I suggest dropping the y’all in favor of yous(think of a bunch of u’s) or yous guys. Y’all is more a southern thing.
Welcome!
Awesome….thanks for the help, and welcome to the show!
If I read this right, this will be his 7th loan spell, and at least his 10th club.
Yeah, but take that with a grain of salt. That South American leagues aren’t known for their stability.
LCB. I’m good.
3rd division Brazilian center back thats like playing for the Reading United,, what a cheap ass organisation , spend some money Sugerman, never seen a brinks truck follow them to there funeral’ Union in last place next year
Remember Jerome…. when they do turn this thing around ~ have the integrity to come back. Don’t just disappear.
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Ha.
A old cat catches a young mouse once in awhile
Your story is interesting to me… do you just troll here… do you really even care about the Union…. do you even like football…. are you a eurosnob….. is it the MLS you rail against….do you offer constructive ideas….what gives Jerome.
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You have my attention.. and I mean this in a way that is genuine… I am curious about your intentions and motivations for visiting this page – so I know whether to engage your commentary, offer a mirror for reflection or just allow the clouds to float by.
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What I know is nothing matters to me in professional sport more than this team and while I am know to skewer them with my words when warranted….I will defend their honor as I would defend the honor of my brother just as quickly as I would tell my brother to pay no mind to the skinny kid only looking to piss him off.
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These kids are called bullies.
This is what you would call “in form”.
For what it’s worth, the article on him on Wikipedia consulted just before 8 pm already lists the loan to Philly and describes it as “season-long.”
Idk how to feel about this. If he’s making and counting for 150-200k, hey that’s fine a guess. If he’s being paid anywhere near that 850k then this is a massive failure.
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Hey I’m still trying to stay positive and hope this guys a young potential player with upside.
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But is this really what Ernie was brought here for?
Transfer value isn’t the same as salary
Honestly, I think the answer to your question is yes, in part at least. Part of Earnie’s M.O. insofar as it tracks with the whole “moneyball” thing is finding undervalued assets. If in fact it turns out Anderson is a good player (which I, like all of us, have no idea), then he absolutely would fit in that bracket – Brazilian center back (not a whole lot of those these days known for their stellar defense) who bounces around but probably has some weird contractual situation with small club, but is actually good – very definition of undervalued.
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Also, I could be wrong but as far as I know the Transfermarkt value is what the player is estimated to be worth in an actual transfer between teams, NOT what the player is worth in terms of what he gets paid in salary. You’re correct that it would be outrageous to pay this guy 850k but I don’t see how that is possible here, especially since the announcement doesn’t say anything about him being a DP.
I didn’t mean to come off pessimistic, I genuinely thinks it’s always good to have a prime years veteran of world play.
He’s not Vitoria. I am staying optimistic.
We didn’t know that Vittoria was Vittoria until the season started, to be fair.
Agreed, but I’d rather have an unknown than him again.
He is a good player for the likes of MLS. He’s young, tall and do his job. Not a GREAT buy, but I think he’s gonna do well at Philly.
OH SHIT… a new player!! One down… MANY MORE to go!!! 🙂
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I will reserve all judgment on pretty much everything – for at least another month… unless of course they draft a goalie tomorrow. Haha. Then all freakin hell is gonna break loose. I kid… I kid…
Okay, so that’s one of the four backup defenders we needed…
Tombense is a football factory run by an influential Brazilian agent. Many of its players have never played for the club, which simply holds their rights and then farms them out to other clubs for payment. The practice skirts FIFA’s ban on third party ownership, but that’s pretty much what it is. Typical shady South American soccer business.
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Conceicao’s experience is with mostly first division teams in recent years. He appears to be a player farmed out as a mercenary to teams in need of help immediately but who can’t afford transfer fees, typically because they are poor and/or newly promoted.
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More on this later. Hopefully I’ll have time for a post-draft column Friday. I would expect more player acquisitions to be announced this week, separate from the draft.
Eduardo Uram, that “influential Brazilian agent,” just got implicated in allegations of conflict-of-interest now roiling the board room of one of Brazil’s biggest teams:
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http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/2016/01/1725646-dirigentes-sao-paulinos-serao-investigados-por-comissao-interna.shtml
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Thus, Dan nails it.
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Again.
Very interesting stuff. I’d love to read about it!
Thanks, Dan. I am curious what type of transfer fees they typically seek, and if they are reasonable. I don’t necessarily expect anyone to know that, but it is a curious business style that begs more questions.
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Wherever he’s from, I’m just hoping he makes a difference, and doesn’t damage the cap too much.
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I trust in Earnie, until I have evidence to prove otherwise.
I am quite interested in the price tag myself…though to be honest I tend not to get too tripped up by the cost of stuff in this everyday practice of life… let alone sport.
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How much? Okay.
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Reason #1 I am not a GM for sure.
Rainbow Bamenda F.C.? We got a talented kid from them. Tombense seems like much the same organization.
I was hoping for an experienced CB that wasn’t over 30. Well that’s what the Union got. I know nothing about him, but if he can be the Union’s version of Jamison Olave, I think most would be more than happy.
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Circling in a holding pattern on the Patience plane.
Our house was busy the last few days. So I was catching up on my comment reading…at the airport… Waiting for my daughter to land…so this made me laugh out loud! Thanks for that!!