Ex-QPR Update: Matt Pickens Hopeful...Alan McDonald on Glentoran

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Pickens Plays Waiting Game -Bill Battle, Missourian Sports Editor
Hoping to seal a deal in upcoming days, Matt Pickens is playing the waiting game.
Pickens is looking for soccer opportunities after the Queens Park Rangers of the Coca-Cola Championship in England did not renew his contract.
"Right now, my agent and I are waiting," said Pickens, who was in Washington helping out his friend, Aaron Wagner, at a youth camp. "The transfer window for MLS (Major League Soccer) just opened on the 15th. The international transfer window is open now. I've had a few offers, but nothing I really wanted to do."
Pickens said he gets offers on a daily basis and is waiting for the best opportunity. He's holding out hope that there's a spot for him in England.
"The English teams are in camp right now," Pickens said. "They'll start weeding people out soon and maybe there will be a spot open."
Pickens went to Europe looking to build up his resume for the U.S. Men's National Team. He has been invited to the camps for the past two summers and hopes to be asked to participate again this year.
"I'm waiting," said Pickens. "If I can't find anything in Europe, I don't want to be waiting around. I would sign a short-term contract in the U.S. and make the jump over to Europe again."
Pickens is a graduate of St. Francis Borgia Regional High School. He played collegiately at St. Louis Community College at Meramec and then went to Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). There, he played in the summer for the Chicago Fire Reserves and helped that club to two runs to the league championship game.
After that, he was drafted by the Fire. That contract expired at the end of last year. Pickens had been the starting goalkeeper for the Fire for over a season and twice was named the league's player of the month.
With contract talks in Chicago stalled, Pickens took a short-term move to London to play for Queens Park Rangers of the Coca-Cola Championship, one league below the Premier League.
So far, the most notable offer Pickens has received was from Motherwell of the Scottish Premier League. That club has qualified for the UEFA Cup, an international competition one step below the Champions League.
"The first division in Scotland is not as good as the second division in England," said Pickens.
Pickens also has fielded offers from Norway and Germany.
"I really don't want to go to Scandinavia if I don't have to," Pickens said. "There were a few teams in Germany interested in Budesliga 2, but that fell through."
One of the rumors making the rounds right now is that Chivas USA of Los Angeles, an MLS team, will offer him a spot after Brad Guzan went overseas. "I wouldn't mind that," said Pickens.
Pickens has recently recovered from a shoulder injury which shortened his season.
"I separated it in a training session in mid April," Pickens said. "They thought it would be a six-to-eight week injury. It turned out it was more like a 10-12 week injury. It's been 11 weeks now. The shoulder is good."
Pickens enjoyed playing in England and hopes to get another opportunity.
"It was very fast paced, even more than the Premier League," Pickens said. "It also was very physical. I couldn't believe how fast paced it was. It was like basketball. It's attack, attack, attack mixed in with great skill."
Pickens saw all of his time in the Reserve League and was the second choice in goal for QPR as cover for starting netminder Lee Camp.
"The Reserve matches probably are more physical," Pickens said. "Players are trying to show they belong in the first 18 or the starting lineup. Those matches are as good as MLS or better."
Pickens said he got to play with some outstanding players.
"We had a real good player from Hungary, Akos Buzsaky," said Pickens. "He was getting offers from Portsmouth (of the Premier League), but they said they wouldn't sell him. He is really good."
For the moment, Pickens seems content to visit camps, talk about his career and sign autographs. But he's looking forward to the day he can return to a top professional league somewhere in the world. Washington Missouri 2008


News re Alan McDonald
EUFA.com/Kenny Archer - No fear' for Glentoran's McDonald

Glentoran FC manager Alan McDonald is optimistic that competing against opposition from "across the water" will help the Belfast side extend their UEFA Cup run.

Tough results
The Glens are Northern Ireland's only realistic hope of progress after champions Linfield lost 2-0 at home to Croatian side NK Dinamo Zagreb in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League first-round qualifier while Cliftonville FC were crushed 4-0 by Denmark's FC København in the UEFA Cup. Even the Glens will probably have to win away to Latvia's SK Liepajas Metalurgs after drawing the first leg 1-1 at the Oval, but McDonald believes it is possible.

British opposition
The former Northern Ireland international, who won all his 52 caps while playing for English side Queens Park Rangers FC, puts plenty of store by the friendly games Glentoran have arranged against Scottish and English opposition. After drawing 1-1 with Heart of Midlothian FC, the Glens only lost 3-1 at the weekend to Ipswich Town FC, and have a game against Burnley FC to come.

Ipswich performance
McDonald feels Glentoran are coming on well, pointing out that they caused Ipswich problems. "We hit the post and went 1-0 up and in general the first-half performance was really excellent," he said. "Then we made a lot of changes, bringing off the majority of players who played [against Metalurgs] because we didn't want them getting over-tired. It was a great work-out for our players coming up against a Championship side. They should learn from those guys."

No fear
Glentoran have to score in the second leg next Thursday, but McDonald is content with that situation. "We know what we have to do going out there and I think sometimes you're better off that way, rather than wondering what you might have to do," he said. "It's going to be tough for us but we're looking forward to it. We're certainly not fearing it.

'Very much alive'
The east Belfast side last made progress in the UEFA Cup four years ago, ousting Finnish side AC Allianssi 4-3 on aggregate. That success came after drawing the first leg 2-2 at home, winning 2-1 away, so McDonald insists his players believe in their chances. "We're going to be approaching the game in a positive manner," said McDonald. "They may feel that the job is done but as far as we're concerned the tie is still very much alive." EUFA