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Eddie Johnson's reunion with DeMarcus Beasley at Mexican side Puebla turned out to be short-lived. Just a couple days after arriving in training camp, Johnson has been cut loose after apparently failing a physical, at least according to this translation.
It has been a rough few years for Johnson, who was once one of the United States' brightest stars and is still just 27. Since leaving Major League Soccer for Fulham in 2007, he has bounced around all over Europe. He's never regained the scoring touch that made him a pick for the 2006 World Cup team and a national team regular.
More recently, his career has taken an even steeper decline. Since his contract was up at Fullham at the end of the last season, he has been unemployed. In August he was close to signing with MLS, but talks stagnated. Some reports suggested that he balked at the idea of being paid less than fellow fringe national teamer Freddy Adu.
His signing with Puebla was believed to be another chance for him to prove that he can still play at a high level. But with that deal falling apart, it's hard to see what options he has remaining. As crazy as it sounds, he could end up playing this year in someplace like the NASL. The good news is that he's still young enough that he could make a comeback. The bad news is that he doesn't seem to have the desire to prove he can do that.