By Ridge Mahoney Senior Editor, Soccer America The good news is the 2007 MLS SuperDraft is being televised live on ESPN2 for the first time (noon ET). The bad news is, despite the high-gloss treatment, it's not nearly as sexy as its NFL and NBA counterparts and never will be. With myriad methods to acquire […]
Monthly Archives: January 2007
INTERLIGA: Club America and Necaxa win groups
Club America beat Jaguares, 1-0, on Nelson Cuevas' goal in the final game of group in the InterLiga Wednesday night at the Home Depot Center, but both teams had already clinched berths in Saturday's finals by virtue of Morelia's 3-1 victory over UAG in the first game. Club America, the winner of Group B, meets […]
When mechanisms mesh
Since its early days, MLS has designated its allocation process as the method by which teams can sign U.S. internationals when they either enter the league or return to it from overseas as well as obtain other high-profiled players. Implementation and administration of the process, as in all player-distribution processes used by the single-entity league, […]
SOCCER ON TV (thru 1/15): Your Viewing Guide
(All times ET unless noted. Consult your regular television listings guides for availability in your area. Schedules are subject to change.) FRIDAY, Jan. 12 ESPN2 MLS 2007 Draft (live), noon. FOX SOCCER CHANNEL Argentina INDEPENDIENTE-SAN LORENZO (live), 8 pm. FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL Argentina INEPENDIENTE-SAN LORENZO (live), 8 pm. SETANTA SPORTS USA England WEST BROM-LUTON […]
BECKHAM: 'I have decided to join the Los Angeles Galaxy'
David Beckham announced Thursday that he will join MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy in August, signing a five-year deal with the club. The former England international will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season. ''This week, Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract […]
France’s Soccer Epidemic
Hooliganism, a problem that has plagued England and Germany in the past, is rapidly turning into a uniquely French problem, writes Paul Marshall of Soccernet. While English soccer is increasingly becoming a sport more for the middle and upper classes, French soccer stadiums are rapidly devolving into breeding grounds for gangs. Two months ago, a […]
Plucky Wycombe Underscores Competition’s Great Opportunity
While Paul Gardner uses his column in the New York Sun to bash England’s FA Cup as being meaningless to England’s top clubs, the New York Times’ Jack Bell lauds England’s domestic tournaments for their unique ability to pit near part-time teams against the giants of English soccer. Case in point: Wednesday’s League Cup meeting […]
Dempsey Completes Fulham Switch
Clint Dempsey was granted a work permit by England’s Home Office on Wednesday clearing the way for the American midfielder to complete his $3.9 million move to Fulham FC from the New England Revolution. It’s a fantastic move for a player who grew up in poverty in East Texas. “He has all the attributes to […]
Mijatovic: Beckham’s Contract ‘Not Renewed’
David Beckham’s representatives may have thought they have the upper hand in negotiating the former England captain’s new contract, but in an astonishing about-face, Real Madrid’s sporting director, Pedrag Mijatovic, told Italian television’s Sky TG 24 that his contract would not be renewed. When asked the question directly, Mijatovic responded, “No, Beckham’s contract was not […]
Reyna Should Join Red Bulls, Soon
Claudio Reyna will move to Major League Soccer and most likely the New York Red Bulls in a matter of days, writes Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald News. The Manchester City central midfielder has been thinking about returning to the States, Stuart Pearce told the Associated Press yesterday. Galarcep says the fact that […]
My View: ODP – Lost in the Scramble
What the dismissal of Manfred Schellscheidt as USYS ODP Region I head coach reveals about the state of American youth soccer. WHEN THEY ENTER THE CAMP where USYS Region I ODP coaches hope to find players worthy of the U.S. national team pool, the boys are instructed not to wear anything that could reveal from […]
International Teen Stars: Starting XI
The globalization of soccer continues. European clubs are snapping up South America's best teenagers. Many of Europe's best young players have offers to play for more than one national team. DIEGO AGUERO (Argentina). Overshadowed by fellow Argentine teen Lionel Messi, Aguero debuted for Independiente at the age of 15, making him the youngest player ever […]
Bob Bradley: 'Progress is going to continue'
After talks with Juergen Klinsmann broke down, U.S. Soccer hired Bob Bradley as the interim coach of the national team and the head coach of the under-23 team. The former Fire, MetroStars and Chivas USA head coach will be in charge of the national team for at least the first few months of 2007 and […]
U.S. Soccer: Younger Generation Under Scrutiny
The next World Cup cycle gets underway in January, when interim head coach Bob Bradley hosts his first training camp and sends out the USA to play Denmark at Home Depot Center. A replacement could be in place by the spring, yet Bradley has been named the under-23 head coach in any case. Failure to […]
UNDER-21 WOMEN: Weissenhofer get first callup
Notre Dame's Michele Weissenhofer, the 2006 Soccer America Freshman of the Year, is among 26 players called into the first U.S. under-21 women's training camp of 2007. Weissenhofer, who scored 18 goals with 17 assists — second in the country behind teammate Kerri Hanks — as a freshman, earned her first U-21 callup. Five players […]
5. VENEZUELA: Collegians called up for U-20 qualifying
Two collegians — Javier Gonzalez of St. Francis (N.Y.) and Juan Guerra of FIU — were selected to play for Venezuela at the South American Youth Championship, which began on Saturday in Paraguay. Neither player played in Venezuela's opening game, a 1-0 victory over Uruguay. Both are veterans of the Venezuela national youth team program. […]
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Small Colleges & Junior Colleges
Ten players earned selection as NSCAA/adidas National Players of the Year. They join Joseph Lapira and Kerri Hanks, the Notre Dame players who won the 2006 Hermann Trophies, presented to the top players in NCAA Division I competition. NCAA DiIVISION II Morten Jensen, Dowling The native of Tanager, Norway led Dowling with 10 game-winning goals, […]
ACC stars head MLS's Generation adidas signings
Four ACC stars — Chris Seitz and Maurice Edu from Maryland and Nico Colaluca and Bakary Soumare from Virginia — head MLS's Generation adidas signings who should go early in Friday's MLS SuperDraft. According to Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney, they are among eight players signed by MLS to Generation adidas contracts. The two […]
ENGLAND: Gunner Baptista scores four in Anfield stunner
For the second time in three days, Arsenal knocked Liverpool out of a cup competition with an overwhelming victory. On Saturday, it was Czech Thomas Rosicky who scored twice to lead the Gunners to a 3-1 win in the fourth round of the English FA Cup. On Tuesday, Brazilian forward Julio Baptista was the hero, […]
MLS: Elite eight to be available in SuperDraft
By Ridge Mahoney Senior Editor, Soccer America EIGHT ON BOARD. As of Tuesday, eight players had been signed by MLS to Generation adidas contracts. More signings are possible prior to the SuperDraft, which is scheduled to begin at noon Eastern on Friday, but none are pending at this time. None of the eight are surprises, […]
5. VENEZUELA: Collegians called up for U-20 qualifying
Two collegians — Javier Gonzalez of St. Francis (N.Y.) and Juan Guerra of FIU — were selected to play for Venezuela at the South American Youth Championship, which began on Saturday in Paraguay. Neither player played in Venezuela’s opening game, a 1-0 victory over Uruguay. Both are veterans of the Venezuela national youth team program. […]
1. ACC stars head MLS’s Generation adidas signings
Four ACC stars — Chris Seitz and Maurice Edu from Maryland and Nico Colaluca and Bakary Soumare from Virginia — head MLS’s Generation adidas signings who should go early in Friday’s MLS SuperDraft. According to Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney, they are among eight players signed by MLS to Generation adidas contracts. The two […]
2. PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Small Colleges & Junior Colleges
Ten players earned selection as NSCAA/adidas National Players of the Year. They join Joseph Lapira and Kerri Hanks, the Notre Dame players who won the 2006 Hermann Trophies, presented to the top players in NCAA Division I competition. NCAA DiIVISION II Morten Jensen, Dowling The native of Tanager, Norway led Dowling with 10 game-winning goals, […]
4. UNDER-21 WOMEN: Weissenhofer get first callup
Notre Dame’s Michele Weissenhofer, the 2006 Soccer America Freshman of the Year, is among 26 players called into the first U.S. under-21 women’s training camp of 2007. Weissenhofer, who scored 18 goals with 17 assists — second in the country behind teammate Kerri Hanks — as a freshman, earned her first U-21 callup. Five players […]
3. OFF THE POST: Soccer is the best medicine
Italian psychiatrist Mauro Raffaeli has been prescribing healthy doses of soccer to patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression with successful results. Eighty patients, many of whom are on psychiatric medication and cannot work, have gone through Raffaeli’s soccer therapy since he initiated twice-a-week play in 1993. Half of the 80 have decreased their drug intake […]
