Americans Abroad.

Several Americans in Europe are considering address changes.

(Tuesday, October 16, 2001) -- Several of the top American players based in Europe are apparently considering address changes.

United States striker Joe-Max Moore, who scored both goals in the 2-1 World Cup qualifying triumph over Jamaica, is not particularly happy sitting on the bench at Everton in England’s Premier League, seeing only occasional, second-half action. For instance, on Saturday, with both Paul Gascoigne and Scott Gemmill sidelined, Moore never shed his sweats in a 0-0 draw with Ipswich Town.

U.S. teammate Tony Sanneh used the occasion of Moore’s discontent to do a little recruiting during the training camp prior to the Jamaica match. Sanneh’s effort was probably in vain, but Moore certainly listened to the pitch about joining Sanneh at the German 1. FC Nuernberg in the German Bundesliga, a club for which Moore played in the Second Bundesliga in 1995-96 season. Moore scored 10 goals that season, his second in the German second division, before joining the New England Revolution for the Major League Soccer 1996 debut. In 1994-95, Moore played for FC Saarbruecken.

Moore discounted rumors in the German media about any move. "I am still enjoying myself at Everton and intend on seeing my contract out here," he said. "I made a comment to Tony about how I enjoyed my time in Nuernberg and that I wouldn't mind playing there again in the future."

As it showed again on Sunday, Nuernberg (2-6-1) needs offensive help. The newly promoted side has managed only six goals in nine matches, so coach Klaus Augenthaler admits he is keeping a close eye on the transfer market, though he says he sees "no reason to panic."

Nuernburg tried and failed to land Paraguay's international goal scorer, Roque Santa Cruz, who plays for its southern neighbor Bayern Munich, so the club is said to be looking elsewhere, including in England.

Also in Germany, Steve Cherundolo is said to be on the wish lists of half the teams in the Bundesliga, especially Kaiserslautern, which publicly expressed interest in the American right back. Not only is Cherundolo having a wonderful season, he has an inexpensive buyout clause of $250,000.

It appears Cherundolo will stay at second-division Hannover 96 if it earns promotion into the Bundesliga next season, something it is on track to do. If Hannover fails to move up, Cherundolo will probably look for a deal with a Bundesliga club.

Another transfer target is young American striker Conor Casey who came back from a disappointing turn with the U.S. under-20 men at the World Youth Championship in Argentina and is off to a terrific start with the Borussia Dortmund reserves In 13 matches this season, Casey has 12 goals and this has sparked interest from several teams.

This past week, BVB turned down an offer for Casey from Hannover. "We are not planning to sell Conor Casey, nor are not planning to send him away on loan," Dortmund personnel director Michael Zorc told the German media.

Meanwhile, U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna’s situation at Glasgow Rangers is up in the air. With a year more to run on his contract, Reyna says he is happy with Rangers, but wants a long-term deal.

"I don’t have a new contract," Reyna said last week before the Jamaica match. "I really like it there and would be happy to stay there for the rest of my career. But we have been talking with them and I do not yet have a new deal."

In recent days, newspapers in both Scotland and England speculated that Reyna might move to Aston Villa in the Premier League, one of several clubs said to be interested.

"I really don’t know anything," Reyna said. "I have purposely not talked with my agent because I did not want to lose focus on this (Jamaica) match or important Rangers matches. I’m sure I will get into more deeply in the coming weeks, but right now I don’t know anything more than people tell they have read in the papers."

Reyna showed his value to Rangers Saturday in a 3-1 dismissal of Kilmarnock 3-1. Outshooting the visitors 21-3, Rangers probably should have scored six, but looked content then to play at about half throttle, maybe saving something for their upcoming UEFA Cup match against Moscow Dynamo.

Although he didn’t score, Reyna provided the link between Rangers defense and offense, and he roamed freely along the rear of midfield, being rated one of his team’s highest rated player before coming off in the 83rd minute.

One player definitely moving, as least temporarily, is American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann who has been loaned from the Premiership’s Fulham to Rochdale (8-2-3) which is tied for the lead of the third division (fourth level). Going for at least a one-month trial, Hahnemann has not made a full-team appearance this season after being relegated to third choice with the arrival of Dutch international Edwin Van der Saar who starts ahead of last year’s No. 1, Maik Taylor.

It was right into net Saturday for Hahnemann who looked very sharp in a 0-0 draw with Rushden on Saturday. Both sides had numerous chances, but both goalkeepers played well.

Hahnemann made two wonderful second-half saves, one when he denied a 30-yard rocket from Ritchie Hanlon and another when he tipped a shot from back Paul Underwood over the crossbar.

Additional reporting by Michael Smith in England.

Senior correspondent Robert Wagman compiled and edited this column. He can be e-mailed at bobwagman@soccertimes.com. European correspondent Christopher Courtney is an American living in Mainz, Germany. He can be contacted at yanksgermany@yahoo.com.