/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47047376/usa-today-8546403.0.jpg)
Remember Andrew Jean-Baptiste? He was attached to the New York Red Bulls for about six months - signed January 27; waived June 26 - earlier this year.
Shortly after he was parted from RBNY, head coach Jesse Marsch made comments - reported by BigAppleSoccer.com - that suggested he might not be an ex-Red Bull for long:
It was just roster flexibility more than anything. We had a talk with him, we'll see if he goes through waivers. There's a chance that he'll still be around. We are hopeful that's the case. But we had to make a move for roster flexibility.
Since those comments, there hasn't been much sign of RBNY re-engaging AJB, either to the MLS roster or NYRB II, the USL team for which the player made most of his appearances during his brief stint as a Red Bull (he had one competitive first team appearance - in US Open Cup against Atlanta Silverbacks: lower league opposition).
Still, OaM likes to keep an eye on former players. AJB spent most of July with Haiti's Gold Cup squad. And he has been called up by Les Grenadiers for their home-and-away World Cup qualifying series against Grenada. Congrats, AJB!
Further cause for congratulation: the call-up list suggested Jean-Baptiste has found a new club.
Les 21 joueurs convoques par Marc Collat #RUSSIA2018 #Concacaf #GREvHAI pic.twitter.com/VlsfuAeRKp
— Haiti Futbol (@HaitiFutbol) August 23, 2015
Club Deportivo Alcala: a fourth-tier team in Spain. A bit of a step down for a player on the fringes of his national team, but at least he'll get the chance to maintain form and fitness.
But...AJB is fairly active on social media, and his Twitter page contains no announcement of his exciting move to Spain. Nor do there appear to be any news reports about CD Alcala's new signing. Nor does Alcala's web page list him as a player.
OaM asked Alcala if it had indeed signed AJB, and received this response:
No tenemos constancia que el jugador al cual se refiere esté en nuestro club.
Translation: no idea who you're talking about.
So he doesn't yet have a new club, but he is still on the Haiti national team's radar and will be part of the squad seeking to beat Grenada over two legs on September 4 and September 8.
Best of luck, AJB - with World Cup qualifying and the ongoing search for a new team.