Jata Still On Trial In France - (New Team)

After spending some time with US Le Pontet, Richard Jata has moved on to test his chances with another French squad. Apparently a deal could not be reached, but Jata was advised to stay in France and take another route. The team in question now is AC Arles of Avignon. Since Jata has been out of training for the last few months, the contract he looks to sign would be with their Semi-pro team. I was told that he would train with them for the next 4 months, and thereafter would be signed to their 2nd division team if he shows well. Jata thinks that the training he will endure in the coming months will get him ready to make a run at the AC Arles squad, but if it doesn't work out, he should be in great shape for the start of the 2010 MLS Preseason.

In other news, Jata was recently named the 2008-2009 Outstanding Male Athlete for Campbell University, an award that he is extremely honored to receive. During his final season with the Camels, Jata notched 7 game-winning goals in his last nine games and finished the year with 12 goals and 4 assists. He was also named the A-Sun Player Of The Year. Coincidentally, Jata was given the same award as a senior in high school. That year, he led the Ridgewood Rams to a 17-3-4 record and a #5 ranking in Florida. Jata led the team in scoring with 33 goals and 17 assists(83 points).

The future looks promising for Jata as long as he remains healthy. The training he will receive in France could help expand his game and make him a solid prospect in the years to come. More updates on Jata's journey overseas coming soon!

Jata Gets "THE CALL" - Destination: France

With several countries still eyeing former Campbell University midfielder Richard Jata, a team in South France looks to act first. Earlier today Jata received a call summoning him to France, IMMEDIATELY! After talking to his agent and team personnel, Jata agreed to fly out this Thursday with intentions of signing his first professional contract. All the details have not yet been finalized, but it looks like the team in question is looking to add Jata before anybody else can get a good look at him. This move could prove to be very costly for the Chicago Fire because if Jata signs, they lose every opportunity of having him back next preseason. With Blanco and McBride nearing the end of their careers, the Fire will have to look elsewhere for attacking power.

Currently Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom were just some of the countries expressing interest in Jata, but it looks as if the highly talented attacker will be making the move to France. Jata currently lives in Chicago, but with the seriousness expressed by the team(soon to be released) he might just be leaving the windy city behind for good. Jata's quick departure shows that the team is extremely interested and it's possible that his first professional contract could be drawn up as soon as Friday. More updates on the way!

Here's a sneak peak of the team.........

Rookie Life: Jata Resurfaces With The Fire

Rookie Life: Diary of a Draft Pick just took their most recent episode to a whole new level. This time they devoted an entire show to Richard Jata. A late draft pick with plenty of talent, Jata showed promising skill in the preseason, but injuries and the flu forced him to miss several key games. These missed opportunities left Chicago Fire Head Coach, Denis Hamlett, with a hard decision going into the regular season. Jata was one of the last players to be released among all MLS teams, but his story continues to live on.

Episode 16 - Jata Resurfaces With The Fire gives fans an opportunity to see what the 23 year old has been doing since moving to Chicago. Right now, Jata is happy with where he is at. He's enjoying everything Chicago has to offer, plus he's been staying in great shape. Jata's been biking all around the city, playing in a men's league and continuing to train for his next opportunity with the MLS. Whether that happens this year or next year, Jata will be there with more determination than ever before.

One quick note to leave you all with.....At the 2:20 mark in this weeks' Rookie Life, Jata is shown juggling with his left foot, but dropping the ball shortly after. Don't let this clip fool you! Right before Jata left for Furman University(on a full ride) in August of 2004, he recorded an astonishing 2,316 juggles at just 18 years of age.

Jata's Move to Chicago.....Permanent!

With pro soccer still on his mind, Richard Jata decided a permanent move to Chicago was the right move to make. Lately he's been biking and walking all over the place to get familiar with the windy city. I heard summers are great there, but Jata went there with one purpose, and one purpose only, to get in shape for next year and to learn as much as he could from the Chicago Fire Organization.

Jata's been working like a man on a mission ever since arrival. Even though he didn't make the cut, staff from the Fire Organization enjoyed his attitude and work ethic so much, that they helped him get a job working at Toyota Park. Jata has also been working the soccer camps at UIC(University of Illinois-Chicago), where Chicago Fire rookie, Baggio Husidic, played his college soccer career. Not only that, Jata's been playing full 90-minute games with the B.H. Lilly's, a men's team located in Chicago, to keep his skills fresh, his passing crisp and his killer shot on target.

For more on Richard Jata, be sure to watch Rookie Life next week. The title of the episode is, "Jata Resurfaces With The Fire." Look for it to have some new footage of Jata as he gets to know the city, and where he fits into the equation; the pro soccer equation, that is.

Rookie Life: More Valleys than Peaks

The 10th episode of Rookie Life: More Valleys than Peaks focuses on the low points experienced by a few of the players. Some struggle to finish golden opportunities, while others make mental mistakes. Richard Jata lets you know how difficult it can be when you don't make the team. People believed in his talent, but for some reason the coaches didn't see him fitting in.

After spending the last two months at home with family and friends, Jata has decided to move to Chicago to be closer to former teammate Baggio Husidic and other players on the Chicago Fire. With this move, Jata plans on reuniting with coach Dennis Hamlett in hopes of training with the team.

If you missed the 9th episode of Rookie Life click here

Jata Hits 40-yard Shot! (Happy Mother's Day)

Richard Jata was released by the Chicago Fire in March, but his natural talent and potential will not go unnoticed for much longer. I recently shot this footage of Jata playing some basketball outside of his house in Port Richey, Florida. The one thing you'll notice right off the bat is that Jata sometimes takes basketball to another level. Or should I say soccer? Take a look at the Lebron James of soccer.

Rookie Life: Highs & Lows - Episode 8

Rookie Life: Dairy of a Draft Pick (Episode 8) continues to follow the players through their first few weeks of the 2009 season. Most of them are still trying to adjust to their new teams, while Richard Jata is trying to figure out when, and if, he will get a second chance. The fight and determination are there, but finding the right system is harder than it seems. The Charleston Battery signed some players before Jata got there, making it practically impossible for them to sign him. The MLS will continue to follow Jata's story with anticipation of a triumphant return to professional soccer.

Rookie Life: The Season Begins - Episode 7

With the MLS season underway and Richard Jata still looking for a team, Rookie Life: Diary of a Draft Pick follows him to South Carolina for his trial with the Charleston Battery. They also take a look at how the other rookies played in week one. Almost all of rookies got playing time in week one and fellow teammates and coaches commented on their perfomances. Some shined more than others, but for the most part each player had the opportunity to prove that this is where they belong.

NEW! Rookie Life: The Season Begins - Episode 7

Rookie Life: Teams Take Shape - Episode Six

A new episode of Rookie Life: Diary of a Draft Pick came out today and it brings you some great footage as the preseason comes to an end. Some of the rookies see their playing time increase because the coach still isn't sure where they fit in. There are new player interviews, but for Richard Jata there is some unexpected news followed by a memorable confessional. For the first time you'll get to see what it's like for a player when the coach decides to let them go.

NEW! Rookie Life: Teams Take Shape - Episode Six

Do The Chicago Fire Need Richard Jata?

After a disappointing tie last night, I'm beginning to question whether or not the Chicago Fire need to make some changes. They let a 2-0 lead slip away after some late and questionable subs. Marco Pappa played a great game in place for Justin Mapp, but the defense looked lost at times. Tim ward didn't play the best of games and Thorrington played well, but lost the ball when he tried to take on opposing defenders. It looks as if the Fire are lacking some solid talent off the bench, even though the depth of their bench was heavily praised before the season even started.

Besides the fact that Chicago almost gave the game away, that isn't their only problem. Where did the Fire's fan base go? Last night only 10,000 fans showed up on a Saturday night game. Last year their attendance was near the top of the league and this year a lot has changed. The Fire still remain undefeated, which makes it even more perplexing as to why their fan base is shrinking and not growing. Bringing Richard Jata back to the team has the potential to stir up some talk among Fire fans. His draft speech has been heard around the world and people want to see what this kid can bring to the table. As it stands now, Justin Mapp, Peter Lowry, CJ Brown, Daniel Woolard and Calen Carr are all out with injuries. It looks as if the depth they used to have is running out.

Chicago has one of the best teams and best facilities in the league, but they really need to improve on their marketing and advertising. Give some tickets out during the week. Send some to the radio stations and have people call in to win them. Do some promotions at the local pubs and clubs. Visit the schools and give out some apparel. Pay more attention to the fan base by giving them what they want. Maybe the fans want Richard Jata. If that's the case, bringing him back may not be a bad idea. After all, Jata was the last remaining trialist in camp until the rosters were finalized, plus he played through most of the preseason with a groin injury. Obviously he has talent to be in the pros, otherwise he would've been sent home a lot earlier.

Should the Chicago Fire bring Richard Jata back this year?

Jata Turns Down USL-1 Offer (New Rookie Life)

After spending the last three weeks with the Charleston Battery, Richard Jata has declined an offer to stay with the team through this season. Obviously moving from the Chicago Fire to USL is a step down and Jata didn't see himself fitting into their system. The Battery already had their team established for the upcoming year and they had very little to offer in the salary department. Look for Jata to test the waters in Europe, unless the MLS comes calling first. Some countries already showing interest are Norway, Argentina, Germany and the United Kingdom.

NEW! Rookie Life: Preseason Begins - Episode Five

This episode talks briefly about the rookies getting used to their respective teams and what they're learning from the veteran players.

Rookie Life: First Impressions - Episode Four

The fourth episode of Rookie Life: Diary of a Draft Pick follows the players as they make the move to their respective cities. Most of these rookies still had classes to take online while the preseason was just getting started. This task became even more difficult because each team travels a lot and it's hard to stay focused on your school work when you're trying to make it as a professional.

Rookie Life: First Impressions (Episode Four)

Jata Still On Trial With Charleston Battery

After spending almost two weeks with the Charleston Battery and surviving numerous cuts, Richard Jata still awaits the fate of his future in professional soccer. The USL season starts on April 11th, which gives the Charleston coach just 5 days to decide whether or not Jata is the right fit for the team. The Battery tied the Wilmington Hammerheads the other day, where fellow MLS Combine participant Calum Angus is on trial.

With the MLS season clearly underway, the chances of Jata returning to the Chicago Fire are getting slimer. If the Battery sign Jata in the next few days, the Fire will be left without his services for the entire season. This could be a big signing for the Charleston Battery and a big loss for the Fire. However, if Jata only signs a one-year contract, the Fire can still bring him back for next years' preseason.

More updates to come..........

Rookie Life: MLS SuperDraft - Episode Three

The latest episode of Rookie Life: Diary of a Draft Pick deals with the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. Steve Zakuani was selected with the first overall pick, Sam Cronin went second, and so on, all the way down to number 58, Richard Jata. Chris Pontius, Omar Gonzalez, AJ Delegarza, Stefen Frei and Jean Alexandre share their feelings heading into draft day, but most of this episode is dedicated to Jata. It's clip time, five specifically of Jata from college; four goals and one defensive stop.

Jata has spent the last week training with the Charleston Battery at their facility. Before any contact negotiations start, the Fire will have to be notified because they have Jata's rights for two years. Recently, Andrew Dykstra signed a contract because C.J. Brown went down with an injury. If Brown's injury is season-ending and Carr can't make it back in the next four games, Jata could get called back up to play with Chicago.

I also feel that some other MLS teams will want to have a look at Jata. He played well against Kansas City in the preseason, but he never really got the chance to play center mid with the starting squad. The Fire kept him as long as they could, which hindered Jata's chances of training elsewhere. If he almost signed a contract with the Fire I'm sure he would fit into another system, one that lacks an attacking mid. I think Colorado could be a possibility as well as a number of other teams. With all of the USMNT games and extra games this year, I'm sure we will see our fair share of injuries too. At this point, anything can happen.

More updates to come.....

Rookie Life: The MLS Combine - Episode Two

The second episode of Rookie Life: Diary of a Draft Pick takes aim at the MLS Combine. The players share their thoughts on the experience and how they felt about their performance. Some of the players thought they did good while others struggled to find their rhythm.

Richard Jata is scheduled to meet up with the Charleston Battery (USL) over the weekend. The team has a few more games left before the season starts, and even after recently signing two new players, the Battery still want Jata to come out for a look. After checking out their roster a few times, I realized that a lot of these players have already played in the MLS.

For those of you who can't wait to see more rookie footage of Jata, it won't be long. The third episode of Rookie Life will becoming out shortly. In the meantime, the MLS has personally sent Jata a video camera so that he can film his progress while apart from the Fire. If all goes well, don't be surprised to see Jata back on an MLS team by the end of the season.