AMSTERDAM — Having been deemed surplus to requirements at Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães, US international Kamani Hill is training with the San Jose Earthquakes.
The Bay Area native, who scored a goal in four games for second-flight loan employers Aves last season, failed to make a first-team appearance for Guimarães after moving from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2009.
"Unfortunately, we have a new coach in Guimarães that released me before the first day of preseason camp, so I'm looking for a club and training with the Earthquakes," Hill told MLSsoccer.com.
The 24-year-old was born and raised in Berkeley, before playing for two years at UCLA, where his teammates included current MLS players Chad Barrett, Jonathan Bornstein, Jordan Harvey, Patrick Ianni, Marvell Wynne and Sal Zizzo. He has never played in MLS, opting for a move to Germany in 2007, where he joined Wolfsburg.
"My intention wasn't to come on trial [in San Jose], but if things do fall into place it could be a seamless transition for me,” he continued. “It would be awesome to play at home. After being gone for close to four years it would be a blessing to play in front of family and friends."
Though Hill has hopes of impressing the hometown Quakes, he also admits to having a few job nibbles overseas.
“I have some foreign options, maybe for a loan to second division in Portugal and trials at a few clubs scattered across Europe,” he reported. “But I'm not quite sure where I’m going to be yet. I hope to have it all sorted by the end of the window.”
