Arsenal Eyes American Midfielder Charles Renken
September 18th, 2008 By Kartik Krishnaiyer --> Comments
The recent press reports linking Arsenal and other Premier League clubs to 14 year old attacking midfielder Charles Renken whose sterling play for the US U-17 team in the Bradenton Invitational last year caught many eyes is terrifying from my perspective as an American football fan. Despite the success Arsenal has had in developing young footballers, Americans have had nothing but trouble when they go to England at a young age while enjoying relative success when going to continental clubs. This is not meant to knock English football. However the evidence is clear at least when related to players from this part of the world that they will only enjoy success in the British game when they enter the Premier League or SPL as finished articles.
I get annoyed when I hear fans of the US Soccer program state that we need to put more young players in the English Premier League. Yes, we need to put more players in Europe, but no we do not have to put more young, developing players in the Premier League. Take the list of players who have gone to Premier League clubs from the US at a young age: Jovan Kirovski, John Thorrington, Frank Simek, Zac Whitebread ,Kenny Cooper, Kyle Davies, Eric Licaj and Jonathan Spector and contrast that with the list of players who have gone to Holland or Germany at a young age: John O’Brien, Gregg Berhalter, DaMarcus Beasley, Cory Gibbs, Steve Cherundolo, Chad Deering, Robbie Rogers and Michael Bradley. It has been accurately pointed out to me in defense of English Football that some teen players who showed raw potential in Africa or Eastern Europe have dramatically improved once getting to England: That very well may be the case but for American players whose early training in the United States lacks the type of technical skill emphasis of other points on the globe, going to the continent seems to be a more reasonable long term bet for a player’s development than going to England. In England many pundits, including Martin Samuel of the Times indicate that English academies teaching of technique and ball skills is not up to the same standard as it is on the continent. (Samuel wrote a column after England’s 2-0 loss to Croatia in Zagreb during Euro 2008 Qualifying about this topic and was pillaged as you would expect by the Times online readers, but his point hit home with me based on the experiences of American players on both the continent and England.)
Frank Simek signed with Arsenal at 14, the same age and he now remains an outsider in the US player pool struggling for recognition on a second division side in his twenties. This pattern has played out with many of the other Americans I listed above who went to England as teens to develop their footballing skills. On the other hand the list of youngsters who went to continental clubs or academies is more impressive and dare I say has been much more impactful on the fortunes of the US National Team program.
Charles Renken is a special player. He has the potential to be a similar, even complimentary player to Freddy Adu a few years down the road in the US setup. Along with Stefan Jerome and Carlos Martinez he represents part of an attacking trio that could lead to US to glory in upcoming youth world cups. However, all of this is predicated on Renkin making the right move following his time at the US Soccer’s Academy in Bradenton and continuing his impressive growth as a young player.
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Charles Renken
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by LSI » Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:48 pm
Renken the next big thing for U.S. soccer
By Justin Rodriguez, Special to ESPNsoccernet
Updated: September 12, 2008, 2:46 PM ET
He still makes the lopsided soccer balls out of plastic bags.
And almost every day Charles Renken grabs one of them off his dresser, shifting it around in his hands, before dropping it to his feet for a few touches.
Charles Renken is viewed in some quarters as a player with more potential than Freddy Adu.
These clumpy balls, made out of the same type of plastic an item of clothing is shipped in, serve as a reminder of where Renken comes from. Everyone seems to know where he's going. Charles Renken, only 14, is U.S. soccer's next rising star, and the mega-hype has already begun.
The soccer-crazed masses are already comparing him to his idol, Freddy Adu, on Internet chat boards and blogs. They gush about Renken's electric skills, chart his ascension up the U.S. soccer ladder, monitor his height at every age. Then compare all of it to Adu.
"It's a great compliment, but I think we are different players," Renken says. "I can only be myself on the field. I just stay focused on soccer, and I try to stay humble and work hard every day. I love to play, so I prove things to myself on the field. Not to anyone else."
For now, Renken trains with the U.S. national U-17 residency team in Bradenton, Fla. But the kid who plays soccer in his mind -- even when he's not playing on a field -- turning over scenarios again and again until they become nuanced, is destined for even bigger things.
Renken's expected to sign a pro contract with a big-time club within 12 to 18 months. Every English Premier League team -- from Manchester United to Liverpool -- has shown some interest in Renken. He has already worked out for Arsenal and Reading and, in Germany, 1860 Munich.
Each team has told him they will have him back whenever he feels like crossing the pond again. Still, if it weren't for an unlikely twist of fate, the world would never know Renken. Before he was Charles Renken, soccer phenom, he was Charles Bimbe.
Charles Bimbe grew up poor in Kalingalinga, Zambia, located outside the capital of Lusaka. He and his family lived in a mud hut converted into a house with no bathroom, electricity or running water. Zambia is one of the poorest countries in Africa.
So poor that it's common for families to fight over a deceased family member's shoes. The dead are often buried in makeshift graves, and robbers sometimes dig up corpses to steal the blanket they were wrapped in.
About 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and the average life expectancy, according to the U.S. Department of State, is 37. AIDS, tuberculosis and starvation are all common causes of death in Zambia -- located in Southern Africa.
As a young boy, Bimbe played barefoot soccer almost every day in the streets and in fields and pastures, dreaming of playing for Zambia in the African Cup of Nations. He and his friends scoured the streets, looking in gutters and garbage cans in Kalingalinga for plastic to make soccer balls. They created them by rolling the plastic tightly into a ball and using matches to bond the mass of garbage together.
"Charles and I actually tried making some soccer balls out of a Wal-Mart bag [in Bradenton]," says one of Renken's close friends, Alex Bramall.
Bramall, a junior at Newburgh Free Academy in upstate New York, played with Renken on the residency team last year. Adds Bramall: "Whenever we did stuff like that, he got really emotional. It brings back a lot of memories. I think Charles gets like that because he knows how his life is now, how everything is taken care of; he had nothing in Zambia."
Charles' new life in the U.S. was set up by his older brother's nightmare experience here. Back in 1999, Richard Bimbe came to the U.S. from Zambia as part of a traveling choir. A Baptist minister named Keith Grimes brought them over with his ministry, TTT: Partners in Education.
Grimes, now deceased, lured the boys in by promising them and their parents that TTT would provide them with an American education, salaries and stipends for their families in Zambia. Instead, he shuffled the choir from church to church across the country, keeping all the money that was raised. And keeping the Zambian boys captive.
When the Immigration and Naturalization Service busted the TTT ring in January of 2000, they needed host families. A few months earlier, the group had played at First Baptist Church of Maryville in southern Illinois. Pamela Renken didn't attend the service, but when she heard of the Zambian boys' plight, she and her husband, Seth, co-owner of a floor covering business, agreed to take Richard in.
A year later, the Renkens adopted Richard. Seth and Pamela kept in touch with Richard's mom Margaret and stepfather John in Zambia (Charles' birth father died when he was a young boy). They bought a cell phone for Margaret that she keeps charged at the home of a relative who has electricity. The Renkens sent clothes to Charles and his brothers, Peter, now 17, and Steven, 25. Once, at Charles' request, Pamela sent him his first pair of soccer cleats. Or "boots," as he calls them. "But they hurt his feet," she says. "So he took them off and someone stole them. He was so upset, and it was so hard for him to tell me. When he did, I just sent him over another pair and told him to keep them on his feet."
The Renkens and Margaret Bimbe had always discussed the idea of the family adopting her other boys. But when Charles' sister, Leslie, died of tuberculosis at the age of 16 in 2003, Margaret knew it was time to send the boys to America.
Charles and his two brothers arrived in Edwardsville, Ill., in February of 2003. According to Pamela, he began calling himself Charles Renken that day. The Renkens officially adopted him about two years later.
"God just told our hearts to get those boys out of there so they can have a better life," Pamela Renken says. "I had a friend who went to Zambia. … It was devastating."
Adds Charles Renken: "We lived day-to-day [in Zambia] and had to work hard to make opportunities for ourselves and enjoy life. I can't imagine my life without [the Renkens]. I feel that we are all blessed because we are together. If it wasn't for the Renken family, I don't know where I would be, but life would be different."
From day one, it was soccer, soccer, soccer with Charles. The Renkens knew nothing about the game, but there was Charles, dribbling a ball in the front yard, in the driveway, all over their five-bedroom house. He nearly drove Pamela crazy.
With the help of Richard, they set Charles up with a local U-9 team, Metro United. The team hadn't won a game the previous season. Metro United didn't lose with Renken.
He overwhelmed the kids of suburbia with his game -- raw and powerful -- full of speed, athleticism and creativity. Renken played striker and scored goals in bunches, but gave up even more glory to set up kids who hadn't ever ripped the back of the net.
"The first time I ever saw him, ironically, he got a red card for a strong tackle on one of my players," says Kevin Kalish, director of soccer operations for the Scott Gallagher soccer club, located 25 minutes away from Edwardsville in St. Louis. "He was just such a menacing, goal-scoring forward. He just fought for balls so hard, took on three or four guys. You could tell he was a special talent."
Renken played for Kalish's U-14 team as a 10-year-old in 2004 and dominated. If he scored two goals in a game, he likely could have scored three or four, but Renken's skill and vision allowed him to dribble through or by several players inside the box before laying it off to a teammate.
You have to come see this kid, Kalish told the U.S. national scouts he keeps in touch with. Of course, Renken was already on their radar, and soon his rise began. Renken played with the U-14 national team in 2005, moving up to the U-15's the following year, before arriving in Bradenton last January. The hype surrounding Renken flared up even more after he helped the U-17's to wins over Russia and Brazil at the Nike Friendlies in Bradenton last December. If Renken hadn't tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right leg during training eight months ago (he's playing again), he might already be training at some place like Old Trafford, Anfield or Villa Park.
"You worry about the Freddy Adu syndrome, and too many people telling Charles he's too good," Kalish says. "It's nothing against Freddy; he's a great player, but it seems like in this culture we have to anoint people for marketing and stuff like that. It's hard not to listen to that s--t. But I don't think Charles will let his ego get in his way. He's so driven, and will do great things for soccer in this country."
He has to.
Renken's drive was born back in Zambia, where death and suffering surrounded him every day, almost taking him. He trains relentlessly twice a day. After that, he pops in an Arsenal DVD and studies it for hours.
Soft-spoken off the field, Renken has shied away from marketing deals. His only focus is on the field. Besides, just the other day his mom requested that he send her one of his jerseys to auction at a church charity event. He told Pamela Renken he didn't think anyone would want to buy his jersey.
With his game, plenty of Renken jerseys will be wrapped in plastic of their own, sent en masse around the world. Renken, now a U.S. citizen, is a two-footed slasher who controls the midfield brilliantly with his sharp touches. His ability to see the game, thinking ahead three, four or five plays as he beats someone, is why he could be destined for stardom.
"The international community thinks more of Charles than Freddy [Adu]," said one international scout who requested anonymity. "They think he will be better. Some players just have a certain magic. Most players can't see the things Charles does, and if they do, they can't pull it off."
And when Renken does sign a mega-deal, he's going to help his mother back in Zambia. Help the barefoot kids with beaten-up feet who play soccer in the dirt fields with the plastic balls that are a part of Renken's soul. The aspiring star's dream is to one day build a soccer academy in Zambia. Renken can't wait to see kids in Kalingalinga dribbling a leather ball -- many for the first time -- around the dusty pitches he learned the game on. Of course, Renken will have to make some plastic ones, too, and bounce them around with a proud smile on his face.
Justin Rodriguez covers the USL, NCAA and youth soccer for ESPNsoccernet. He is the soccer writer for the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y., and can be reached at jrod_showtime@yahoo.com.
By Justin Rodriguez, Special to ESPNsoccernet
Updated: September 12, 2008, 2:46 PM ET
He still makes the lopsided soccer balls out of plastic bags.
And almost every day Charles Renken grabs one of them off his dresser, shifting it around in his hands, before dropping it to his feet for a few touches.
Charles Renken is viewed in some quarters as a player with more potential than Freddy Adu.
These clumpy balls, made out of the same type of plastic an item of clothing is shipped in, serve as a reminder of where Renken comes from. Everyone seems to know where he's going. Charles Renken, only 14, is U.S. soccer's next rising star, and the mega-hype has already begun.
The soccer-crazed masses are already comparing him to his idol, Freddy Adu, on Internet chat boards and blogs. They gush about Renken's electric skills, chart his ascension up the U.S. soccer ladder, monitor his height at every age. Then compare all of it to Adu.
"It's a great compliment, but I think we are different players," Renken says. "I can only be myself on the field. I just stay focused on soccer, and I try to stay humble and work hard every day. I love to play, so I prove things to myself on the field. Not to anyone else."
For now, Renken trains with the U.S. national U-17 residency team in Bradenton, Fla. But the kid who plays soccer in his mind -- even when he's not playing on a field -- turning over scenarios again and again until they become nuanced, is destined for even bigger things.
Renken's expected to sign a pro contract with a big-time club within 12 to 18 months. Every English Premier League team -- from Manchester United to Liverpool -- has shown some interest in Renken. He has already worked out for Arsenal and Reading and, in Germany, 1860 Munich.
Each team has told him they will have him back whenever he feels like crossing the pond again. Still, if it weren't for an unlikely twist of fate, the world would never know Renken. Before he was Charles Renken, soccer phenom, he was Charles Bimbe.
Charles Bimbe grew up poor in Kalingalinga, Zambia, located outside the capital of Lusaka. He and his family lived in a mud hut converted into a house with no bathroom, electricity or running water. Zambia is one of the poorest countries in Africa.
So poor that it's common for families to fight over a deceased family member's shoes. The dead are often buried in makeshift graves, and robbers sometimes dig up corpses to steal the blanket they were wrapped in.
About 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and the average life expectancy, according to the U.S. Department of State, is 37. AIDS, tuberculosis and starvation are all common causes of death in Zambia -- located in Southern Africa.
As a young boy, Bimbe played barefoot soccer almost every day in the streets and in fields and pastures, dreaming of playing for Zambia in the African Cup of Nations. He and his friends scoured the streets, looking in gutters and garbage cans in Kalingalinga for plastic to make soccer balls. They created them by rolling the plastic tightly into a ball and using matches to bond the mass of garbage together.
"Charles and I actually tried making some soccer balls out of a Wal-Mart bag [in Bradenton]," says one of Renken's close friends, Alex Bramall.
Bramall, a junior at Newburgh Free Academy in upstate New York, played with Renken on the residency team last year. Adds Bramall: "Whenever we did stuff like that, he got really emotional. It brings back a lot of memories. I think Charles gets like that because he knows how his life is now, how everything is taken care of; he had nothing in Zambia."
Charles' new life in the U.S. was set up by his older brother's nightmare experience here. Back in 1999, Richard Bimbe came to the U.S. from Zambia as part of a traveling choir. A Baptist minister named Keith Grimes brought them over with his ministry, TTT: Partners in Education.
Grimes, now deceased, lured the boys in by promising them and their parents that TTT would provide them with an American education, salaries and stipends for their families in Zambia. Instead, he shuffled the choir from church to church across the country, keeping all the money that was raised. And keeping the Zambian boys captive.
When the Immigration and Naturalization Service busted the TTT ring in January of 2000, they needed host families. A few months earlier, the group had played at First Baptist Church of Maryville in southern Illinois. Pamela Renken didn't attend the service, but when she heard of the Zambian boys' plight, she and her husband, Seth, co-owner of a floor covering business, agreed to take Richard in.
A year later, the Renkens adopted Richard. Seth and Pamela kept in touch with Richard's mom Margaret and stepfather John in Zambia (Charles' birth father died when he was a young boy). They bought a cell phone for Margaret that she keeps charged at the home of a relative who has electricity. The Renkens sent clothes to Charles and his brothers, Peter, now 17, and Steven, 25. Once, at Charles' request, Pamela sent him his first pair of soccer cleats. Or "boots," as he calls them. "But they hurt his feet," she says. "So he took them off and someone stole them. He was so upset, and it was so hard for him to tell me. When he did, I just sent him over another pair and told him to keep them on his feet."
The Renkens and Margaret Bimbe had always discussed the idea of the family adopting her other boys. But when Charles' sister, Leslie, died of tuberculosis at the age of 16 in 2003, Margaret knew it was time to send the boys to America.
Charles and his two brothers arrived in Edwardsville, Ill., in February of 2003. According to Pamela, he began calling himself Charles Renken that day. The Renkens officially adopted him about two years later.
"God just told our hearts to get those boys out of there so they can have a better life," Pamela Renken says. "I had a friend who went to Zambia. … It was devastating."
Adds Charles Renken: "We lived day-to-day [in Zambia] and had to work hard to make opportunities for ourselves and enjoy life. I can't imagine my life without [the Renkens]. I feel that we are all blessed because we are together. If it wasn't for the Renken family, I don't know where I would be, but life would be different."
From day one, it was soccer, soccer, soccer with Charles. The Renkens knew nothing about the game, but there was Charles, dribbling a ball in the front yard, in the driveway, all over their five-bedroom house. He nearly drove Pamela crazy.
With the help of Richard, they set Charles up with a local U-9 team, Metro United. The team hadn't won a game the previous season. Metro United didn't lose with Renken.
He overwhelmed the kids of suburbia with his game -- raw and powerful -- full of speed, athleticism and creativity. Renken played striker and scored goals in bunches, but gave up even more glory to set up kids who hadn't ever ripped the back of the net.
"The first time I ever saw him, ironically, he got a red card for a strong tackle on one of my players," says Kevin Kalish, director of soccer operations for the Scott Gallagher soccer club, located 25 minutes away from Edwardsville in St. Louis. "He was just such a menacing, goal-scoring forward. He just fought for balls so hard, took on three or four guys. You could tell he was a special talent."
Renken played for Kalish's U-14 team as a 10-year-old in 2004 and dominated. If he scored two goals in a game, he likely could have scored three or four, but Renken's skill and vision allowed him to dribble through or by several players inside the box before laying it off to a teammate.
You have to come see this kid, Kalish told the U.S. national scouts he keeps in touch with. Of course, Renken was already on their radar, and soon his rise began. Renken played with the U-14 national team in 2005, moving up to the U-15's the following year, before arriving in Bradenton last January. The hype surrounding Renken flared up even more after he helped the U-17's to wins over Russia and Brazil at the Nike Friendlies in Bradenton last December. If Renken hadn't tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right leg during training eight months ago (he's playing again), he might already be training at some place like Old Trafford, Anfield or Villa Park.
"You worry about the Freddy Adu syndrome, and too many people telling Charles he's too good," Kalish says. "It's nothing against Freddy; he's a great player, but it seems like in this culture we have to anoint people for marketing and stuff like that. It's hard not to listen to that s--t. But I don't think Charles will let his ego get in his way. He's so driven, and will do great things for soccer in this country."
He has to.
Renken's drive was born back in Zambia, where death and suffering surrounded him every day, almost taking him. He trains relentlessly twice a day. After that, he pops in an Arsenal DVD and studies it for hours.
Soft-spoken off the field, Renken has shied away from marketing deals. His only focus is on the field. Besides, just the other day his mom requested that he send her one of his jerseys to auction at a church charity event. He told Pamela Renken he didn't think anyone would want to buy his jersey.
With his game, plenty of Renken jerseys will be wrapped in plastic of their own, sent en masse around the world. Renken, now a U.S. citizen, is a two-footed slasher who controls the midfield brilliantly with his sharp touches. His ability to see the game, thinking ahead three, four or five plays as he beats someone, is why he could be destined for stardom.
"The international community thinks more of Charles than Freddy [Adu]," said one international scout who requested anonymity. "They think he will be better. Some players just have a certain magic. Most players can't see the things Charles does, and if they do, they can't pull it off."
And when Renken does sign a mega-deal, he's going to help his mother back in Zambia. Help the barefoot kids with beaten-up feet who play soccer in the dirt fields with the plastic balls that are a part of Renken's soul. The aspiring star's dream is to one day build a soccer academy in Zambia. Renken can't wait to see kids in Kalingalinga dribbling a leather ball -- many for the first time -- around the dusty pitches he learned the game on. Of course, Renken will have to make some plastic ones, too, and bounce them around with a proud smile on his face.
Justin Rodriguez covers the USL, NCAA and youth soccer for ESPNsoccernet. He is the soccer writer for the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y., and can be reached at jrod_showtime@yahoo.com.
Local Sports Info Is Our Goal!
- LSI
- Posts: 802
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by LSI » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:12 am
This months’s STLsoccer.net Player of the Month goes to Charles Renken of the U-17 U.S. National Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida. Charles was born in Zambia, and came to the United States in 2002 after being adopted by Pamela and Seth Renken of Edwardsville, Illinois. Charles’ first US team was with a local U-9 Illinois club where he began dominating to such an extreme, that he was quickly moved up to a very competitive U-13 Scott Gallagher team. A key highlight for his Gallagher days was Tournament MVP Honors at the Nike Manchester United U14 Cup, keep in mind – Charles was was only 11 years old. From there, Renken hit the fast track, gained US National team exposure and ended up later that year playing with the U-14 National Team (2005). Charles continued to dramatically impact play at the U14 International level so the USA staff moved him up again and challenged him with the U-15's. Two months later at the young age of 12 Renken was off to Bradenton Residency where just after one year in the program helped the U-17's in historic wins vs Russia and Brazil. These performances sparked invites to train with many European clubs. He worked out with Arsenal, Reading and 1860 Munich but unfortunately in February Renken tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. After only 6 months, Charles is already back on the pitch playing and this month was featured on ESPNsoccernet. According to the article this now 14 year old phenom is expected to sign a pro contract with a big-time club within 12 to 18 months as most English Premier League teams -- from Manchester United to Liverpool -- has shown some interest in him.
Local Sports Info Is Our Goal!
- LSI
- Posts: 802
- Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:02 am
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by 3v3 » Fri May 01, 2009 10:34 am
US U-17 MNT NEWS
Renken upbeat despite latest knee injury
By Justin Rodriguez
April 24, 2009
Charles Renken, perhaps, America's top budding young player is on the shelf again with a knee injury. For the second time in 14 months, the 15-year-old Renken, who has already gained attention from several top European teams, is dealing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He sustained his latest ACL injury last month during a friendly against Uruguay with the U.S. U-17 team. Renken, a two-footed midfielder, injured the same knee in January of 2008 during a training session with the U-17s.
As a result, Renken was left off the U.S. roster for this month's CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Mexico. However, the young star addressed concerns about his prospective return to the pitch.
"My doctor ([U.S. national team physician Dr. Bert Mandelbaum] says that my surgery was perfect and I honestly feel fantastic," Renken said. "Before the operation, I thought there was no way I could be back for the world championships [in October], but my doctor says I am responding so well that it is possible."
Added Renken: "I hope I can. I want to represent my country. I can't wait to play again. In the meantime, I am just rooting on my teammates. They are great players and great friends and I know that they will do great."
Mandelbaum is confident in a full recovery by Renken.
"Charles' surgery went extremely well and he has responded even better than I could have hoped for," Mandelbaum said. "Charles is a great kid and I am very confident that he will be back playing soccer in six months, and that he will excel."
Virtually every English Premier League team -- from Manchester United to Liverpool -- has shown some interest in Renken. He has already worked out for Arsenal and Reading and, in Germany, 1860 Munich and Bayern Munich. Renken and U-17 teammate, striker Joseph-Claude Gyau, practiced with Bayern Munich just this past January.
"We have heard from at least 12 different [first division] teams in Europe," said Renken's agent Dan Segal of Wasserman Media Group LLC. "We didn't go seek them out. These people came and found us. They have been checking in on Charles since his injury and hope to see him as soon as he's back."
Added one Premier League scout: "He should bounce back very fast, he's young. You never know for sure, but I think he will be fine. I like him. He's so quick and has a great knowledge of how to play the game. Everyone will still be interested."
Renken could sign a pro contract with a big club within the 12 months. In addition, industry sources have confirmed to ESPNsoccernet that Renken has already signed an endorsement deal with Nike worth about $1 million, similar to that of Freddy Adu.
Renken, a native of Zambia who moved to the U.S. in February of 2003 and was later adopted by Seth and Pamela Renken of Edwardsville , Ill., grew up idolizing Adu. Heidi Burgett, a Nike spokesperson, confirmed that Renken is under contract with the swooshed giant. She declined to comment on specifics of the deal.
The two knee injuries in just over a year have frustrated Renken. Still, he's trying to think about all of his dreams that lie ahead. He hopes for a glorious return to the U-17s at the World Cup in Nigeria -- set for Oct. 24 to Nov. 15.
Certainly, a lot of people are eagerly awaiting Renken's return to the pitch. "I know that lots of teams have called and I am flattered," Renken said. "It means a lot when people check in with you when you are hurt. I have ambition to be a top player... I know I have to work hard to get there and find the right environment."
Renken upbeat despite latest knee injury
By Justin Rodriguez
April 24, 2009
Charles Renken, perhaps, America's top budding young player is on the shelf again with a knee injury. For the second time in 14 months, the 15-year-old Renken, who has already gained attention from several top European teams, is dealing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He sustained his latest ACL injury last month during a friendly against Uruguay with the U.S. U-17 team. Renken, a two-footed midfielder, injured the same knee in January of 2008 during a training session with the U-17s.
As a result, Renken was left off the U.S. roster for this month's CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Mexico. However, the young star addressed concerns about his prospective return to the pitch.
"My doctor ([U.S. national team physician Dr. Bert Mandelbaum] says that my surgery was perfect and I honestly feel fantastic," Renken said. "Before the operation, I thought there was no way I could be back for the world championships [in October], but my doctor says I am responding so well that it is possible."
Added Renken: "I hope I can. I want to represent my country. I can't wait to play again. In the meantime, I am just rooting on my teammates. They are great players and great friends and I know that they will do great."
Mandelbaum is confident in a full recovery by Renken.
"Charles' surgery went extremely well and he has responded even better than I could have hoped for," Mandelbaum said. "Charles is a great kid and I am very confident that he will be back playing soccer in six months, and that he will excel."
Virtually every English Premier League team -- from Manchester United to Liverpool -- has shown some interest in Renken. He has already worked out for Arsenal and Reading and, in Germany, 1860 Munich and Bayern Munich. Renken and U-17 teammate, striker Joseph-Claude Gyau, practiced with Bayern Munich just this past January.
"We have heard from at least 12 different [first division] teams in Europe," said Renken's agent Dan Segal of Wasserman Media Group LLC. "We didn't go seek them out. These people came and found us. They have been checking in on Charles since his injury and hope to see him as soon as he's back."
Added one Premier League scout: "He should bounce back very fast, he's young. You never know for sure, but I think he will be fine. I like him. He's so quick and has a great knowledge of how to play the game. Everyone will still be interested."
Renken could sign a pro contract with a big club within the 12 months. In addition, industry sources have confirmed to ESPNsoccernet that Renken has already signed an endorsement deal with Nike worth about $1 million, similar to that of Freddy Adu.
Renken, a native of Zambia who moved to the U.S. in February of 2003 and was later adopted by Seth and Pamela Renken of Edwardsville , Ill., grew up idolizing Adu. Heidi Burgett, a Nike spokesperson, confirmed that Renken is under contract with the swooshed giant. She declined to comment on specifics of the deal.
The two knee injuries in just over a year have frustrated Renken. Still, he's trying to think about all of his dreams that lie ahead. He hopes for a glorious return to the U-17s at the World Cup in Nigeria -- set for Oct. 24 to Nov. 15.
Certainly, a lot of people are eagerly awaiting Renken's return to the pitch. "I know that lots of teams have called and I am flattered," Renken said. "It means a lot when people check in with you when you are hurt. I have ambition to be a top player... I know I have to work hard to get there and find the right environment."
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by TheLink » Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:51 pm
Charles Renkin signs pro contract -
They are two of America's brightest youth stars: striker Joseph-Claude Gyau and midfielder Charles Renken.
The pair, close friends, have developed their big games together for the past two years with the U.S. national U-17 residency team in Bradenton, Fla. And Gyau and Renken will continue to thread the ball back and forth on speed runs up the pitch.
However, their development is moving from U.S. soil. Bundesliga upstart 1899 Hoffenheim has swooped in and will sign Gyau and Renken to multiyear contracts.
The two players, the subject of heavy European recruitment, will arrive at Hoffenheim next month and won't return to the U-17 team in Bradenton.
Gyau's and Renken's agent, Dan Segal, confirmed the arrangement. For the next year, Segal said, the pair will split time between Hoffenheim and the Vancouver Whitecaps' residency school to prepare for Germany.
Thomas Niendorf, who runs Vancouver's academy, has worked in Germany with Hoffenheim's academy director, Ernst Tanner.
Gyau, 16, and Renken, 15, had received interest from several European clubs.
Every English Premier League team -- from Chelsea to Liverpool -- showed some interest in Renken, who is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Renken, who suffered the injury in March, worked out for Arsenal and Reading, and 1860 Munich in Germany.
Gyau had a successful two-week trial with Bayern Munich two summers ago and also was looked at by Stuttgart, and Chelsea and Manchester United in England.
After discussions with a number of clubs, Gyau and Renken chose Hoffenheim. "The key to the decision made by the boys and their families is that Hoffenheim constructed an outstanding path for their development as players," Segal said. "During their first year, they will be permitted to split time between Germany and Vancouver, where they will attend school and be trained to prepare for a full-time adjustment to Germany the following year.
"Thereafter, they will be part of one of the best youth systems in the world at a club that emphasizes the promotion of youth players," Segal added. "Charles and Joe know that their best years are ahead of them, and this program will give them the best chance to achieve their great potential."
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They are two of America's brightest youth stars: striker Joseph-Claude Gyau and midfielder Charles Renken.
The pair, close friends, have developed their big games together for the past two years with the U.S. national U-17 residency team in Bradenton, Fla. And Gyau and Renken will continue to thread the ball back and forth on speed runs up the pitch.
However, their development is moving from U.S. soil. Bundesliga upstart 1899 Hoffenheim has swooped in and will sign Gyau and Renken to multiyear contracts.
The two players, the subject of heavy European recruitment, will arrive at Hoffenheim next month and won't return to the U-17 team in Bradenton.
Gyau's and Renken's agent, Dan Segal, confirmed the arrangement. For the next year, Segal said, the pair will split time between Hoffenheim and the Vancouver Whitecaps' residency school to prepare for Germany.
Thomas Niendorf, who runs Vancouver's academy, has worked in Germany with Hoffenheim's academy director, Ernst Tanner.
Gyau, 16, and Renken, 15, had received interest from several European clubs.
Every English Premier League team -- from Chelsea to Liverpool -- showed some interest in Renken, who is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Renken, who suffered the injury in March, worked out for Arsenal and Reading, and 1860 Munich in Germany.
Gyau had a successful two-week trial with Bayern Munich two summers ago and also was looked at by Stuttgart, and Chelsea and Manchester United in England.
After discussions with a number of clubs, Gyau and Renken chose Hoffenheim. "The key to the decision made by the boys and their families is that Hoffenheim constructed an outstanding path for their development as players," Segal said. "During their first year, they will be permitted to split time between Germany and Vancouver, where they will attend school and be trained to prepare for a full-time adjustment to Germany the following year.
"Thereafter, they will be part of one of the best youth systems in the world at a club that emphasizes the promotion of youth players," Segal added. "Charles and Joe know that their best years are ahead of them, and this program will give them the best chance to achieve their great potential."
click here
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Re: Charles Renken
by Tankfan » Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:48 pm
Charles Renken (born Charles Bimbe on December 19, 1993) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer.
Charles Renken was born Charles Bimbe in Kalingalinga, Zambia a slum located outside the capital of Lusaka. In 1999, Charles' older brother, Richard Bimbe, was adopted by Seth and Pamela Renken, after Richard was stranded in the United States. It was discovered that Richard and several other Zambian choir boys were brought to the US, held captive, and forced to tour, performing in churches all over the country at the coercion of minister Keith Grimes of the TTT: Partners in Education ministry.
After Charles' sister, Leslie, died of tuberculosis at the age of 16 in early 2003, Seth and Pamela Renken brought Richard's three younger brothers, Peter, Steven, and Charles, to Edwardsville, Illinois in February 2003, and adopted them.
Youth
As a young boy, Renken began playing barefoot soccer every day in the streets and fields of Zambia, using makeshift soccer balls made out of melted plastic. Once he moved to the US, Charles had his first experience with organized soccer when his new adoptive parents enrolled him on a local U-9 team in the spring of 2003. The team hadn't won a game the previous season. They didn't lose a game with Renken. Overwhelming the suburban kids with his raw power and creativity cultivated in the unforgiving shanty town streets in Zambia, Renken was instantly a menacing force on the pitch, taking on three to four defenders at once, while scoring large numbers of goals and setting up teammates for more. By the age of ten, Renken played in and dominated the U-14 league.
Professional
Renken was drawing interest from powerhouse teams such as Manchester United and Liverpool, and had a trial and an open invitation to return from Arsenal. However, in 2009, Renken was signed to a multiple year deal with the Bundesliga team 1899 Hoffenheim. Though FIFA rules prohibit transfers of players of under the age of eighteen, Renken was sent by Hoffenheim to Vancouver to develop with the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program. Renken split time between the Hoffenheim academy and the Vancouver Whitecaps residency school until his eighteenth birthday, when he became eligible to move to Germany and train with Hoffenheim. On Jan. 31, 2012, the Portland Timbers announced that Renken had signed with them and would be training with the team.
International
Renken played with the U-14 national team in 2005, moving up to the U-15s the following year. In 2008, Renken moved to Bradenton, Florida and began training with the U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 men's national team, known as the IMG Soccer Academy. In November 2011, Renken was called up for the U.S. Mens U-23 & U-20 training camp in Germany. The players called up for this training camp will earn the opportunity to represent the U.S. in CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers held in March of 2012.
Charles Renken was born Charles Bimbe in Kalingalinga, Zambia a slum located outside the capital of Lusaka. In 1999, Charles' older brother, Richard Bimbe, was adopted by Seth and Pamela Renken, after Richard was stranded in the United States. It was discovered that Richard and several other Zambian choir boys were brought to the US, held captive, and forced to tour, performing in churches all over the country at the coercion of minister Keith Grimes of the TTT: Partners in Education ministry.
After Charles' sister, Leslie, died of tuberculosis at the age of 16 in early 2003, Seth and Pamela Renken brought Richard's three younger brothers, Peter, Steven, and Charles, to Edwardsville, Illinois in February 2003, and adopted them.
Youth
As a young boy, Renken began playing barefoot soccer every day in the streets and fields of Zambia, using makeshift soccer balls made out of melted plastic. Once he moved to the US, Charles had his first experience with organized soccer when his new adoptive parents enrolled him on a local U-9 team in the spring of 2003. The team hadn't won a game the previous season. They didn't lose a game with Renken. Overwhelming the suburban kids with his raw power and creativity cultivated in the unforgiving shanty town streets in Zambia, Renken was instantly a menacing force on the pitch, taking on three to four defenders at once, while scoring large numbers of goals and setting up teammates for more. By the age of ten, Renken played in and dominated the U-14 league.
Professional
Renken was drawing interest from powerhouse teams such as Manchester United and Liverpool, and had a trial and an open invitation to return from Arsenal. However, in 2009, Renken was signed to a multiple year deal with the Bundesliga team 1899 Hoffenheim. Though FIFA rules prohibit transfers of players of under the age of eighteen, Renken was sent by Hoffenheim to Vancouver to develop with the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program. Renken split time between the Hoffenheim academy and the Vancouver Whitecaps residency school until his eighteenth birthday, when he became eligible to move to Germany and train with Hoffenheim. On Jan. 31, 2012, the Portland Timbers announced that Renken had signed with them and would be training with the team.
International
Renken played with the U-14 national team in 2005, moving up to the U-15s the following year. In 2008, Renken moved to Bradenton, Florida and began training with the U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 men's national team, known as the IMG Soccer Academy. In November 2011, Renken was called up for the U.S. Mens U-23 & U-20 training camp in Germany. The players called up for this training camp will earn the opportunity to represent the U.S. in CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers held in March of 2012.
Last edited by Tankfan on Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:14 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Charles Renken
by Tankfan » Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:51 pm
The Portland Timbers on Tuesday acquired promising young American midfielder Charles Renken, who is returning to the U.S. after spending a season playing in Germany.
“While only 18, Charles is a talented player who is already accustomed to the professional environment,” Timbers assistant coach Amos Magee said via the league's website. “We believe he will further flourish with the Timbers.”
Renken, an 18-year-old native of Edwardsville, Ill., spent last year playing for the U-19 team of German Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, his first season as a pro. He also made one appearance for the senior club, in an exhibition against German club VfR Aalen. He also has spent time training with the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS as well as abroad with English clubs Arsenal and Reading and German side 1860 Munich.
He also has international experience as a member of the U.S. youth teams since '05. He most recently participating in the Under-23 camp in Duisburg, Germany.
“While only 18, Charles is a talented player who is already accustomed to the professional environment,” Timbers assistant coach Amos Magee said via the league's website. “We believe he will further flourish with the Timbers.”
Renken, an 18-year-old native of Edwardsville, Ill., spent last year playing for the U-19 team of German Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, his first season as a pro. He also made one appearance for the senior club, in an exhibition against German club VfR Aalen. He also has spent time training with the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS as well as abroad with English clubs Arsenal and Reading and German side 1860 Munich.
He also has international experience as a member of the U.S. youth teams since '05. He most recently participating in the Under-23 camp in Duisburg, Germany.
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