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Monthly Archives: July 2007
Rossi Joins Villarreal
Manchester United’s Italian-American striker Giuseppe Rossi will play in La Liga next season, joining Spanish giant Villarreal in a transfer deal for approximately $13.7 million, according to various media reports. The 20-year-old Rossi spent all of last season on loan, first with Newcastle United of the EPL, where he received little playing time, and then […]
Coming Soon: Boca Juniors USA?
Boca Juniors, Argentina’s most famous club and the current South American champion, is looking at the possibility of establishing a satellite franchise in MLS as soon as next season. Apparently, Boca’s board is excited by the idea, and (surprise, surprise) favored son Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who currently plays with the Columbus Crew, is expected to […]
Favored Brazil Launches 2014 World Cup Bid
As expected, the Brazilian Soccer Federation (CBF) has submitted a bid to host the 2014 World Cup in the form of a massive 900-page dossier handed over to FIFA on Monday by CBF President Ricardo Teixeira. The South American giant last hosted the World Cup in 1950 and is the only country bidding to host […]
Donovan Deserves Player of the Year
The voting for the U.S. Honda Player of the Year Award has concluded, and the Newark Star-Ledger’s Frank Giase says there should be little argument over Landon Donovan winning his fourth award in the last six years. The 25-year-old Donovan, who swept the honor for three straight years (2002-2004), has scored nine goals in 11 […]
Johnston, TFC’s Canadian ‘Handicap’
The Toronto Star has an interesting story about the difficulties Toronto FC faces as a Canadian team in MLS. Following the news that TFC keeper Greg Sutton had not sufficiently recovered from a concussion sustained during last month’s Gold Cup, Coach Mo Johnston vetted his frustration to the Star about how he can’t find a […]
Soccer on TV
Group play in the SuperLiga concludes this weekend with MLS and Mexican interleague matches. All games of eight-team tournament are televised live by Spanish-language TeleFutura. Fox Soccer Channel will have live coverage of the traditional English curtain-raiser as Manchester United and Chelsea meet in the FA Community Shield.
What They’re Saying
“For however frustrated we all are, we’ve got to wait until the moment when he can step on the field and play. It’s soon, it’s coming.”
— L.A. Galaxy coach Frank Yallop on injured David Beckham, who won’t play at FC Dallas on Tuesday although the Galaxy needs a win or a draw to reach the SuperLiga semifinals. Beckham twisted his ankle playing for England in a Euro 2008 qualifying match in early June and aggravated it in his final appearance for Real Madrid 11 days later.
Castillo headed to wealthy Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk
Mexican international Nery Castillo, the revelation of Gold Cup and Copa America, is set to sign a lucrative deal with Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in a $20.5 million transfer from Olympiakos, the Greek club at which he has been since he was 16.
Behold the backlash of Beckham!
FC Dallas president Michael Hitchcock fired the first salvo in the SuperLiga showdown between his team and the Galaxy, 24 hours before kickoff (8 p.m. ET, TeleFutura, mlslive.tv) at Pizza Hut Park.
Adu needs clear view of his new world
Freddy Adu is within a few dollars of realizing his dream: a spot with a prestigious European team, in this case Benfica of Portugal, which has bid $2 million to buy his contract from MLS that expires at the end of this year. No doubt if terms are successfully negotiated and he signs a deal with Benfica or another team, one of his first statements will pertain to being shackled and stifled in MLS, his creativity smothered, his talents squandered. Such a perception is perfectly understandable from a spoon-fed prodigy handed a half-million-dollar salary and lucrative endorsements at age 14, and anointed as great by those people who represent him and the league that embraced him. The perception is also perfectly wrong.
Report backs Toronto police in clash with Chilean U-20s
A Toronto police report released Monday concluded that officers acted appropriately during a clash with players and staff of the Chilean U-20 team after their semifinal match with Argentina on July 19 at the Under-20 World Cup.
2007 W-League All-League and All-Conference Teams
Former U.S. national team star Tiffeny Milbrett of the Vancouver Whitecaps heads the 2007 All-W-League team. The all-league team included players from Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Switzerland as well as the USA.
MLS Statistical Leaders
MLS’s four games last week produced 13 goals, pushing the average goals per game for the 2007 season up to 2.65. MLS averaged 2.62 goals per game in 2006.
2007 PDL All-League and All-Conference Teams
Three members of the regular-season champion Hampton Roads Piranhas — Evan Newton, David Horst and Andrew Wheeler — head the All-Premier Development League Team.
U.S. U-14 Boys Development Camp Roster
U.S. Soccer is conducting a weeklong identification camp in its U-14 boys development program. There were 119 players were selected from the four regions across the United States to participate in the camp that began on Sunday at Middlesex School in Concord, Mass.
Pele: ‘Pop Star’ Becks Better Focus on Soccer
Pele, the Brazilian widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, has fired a warning to the L.A. Galaxy’s David Beckham, warning him that achieving glory in MLS will be far tougher than many think. Beckham has repeatedly stated that his intention in coming to America is to raise the profile of soccer in […]
Big Question Still Looms in L.A.
Surprisingly well-received by fans, and surprising (perhaps) for the success MLS teams are enjoying, the SuperLiga is (rightly) garnering all the attention in American soccer recently. However, after all is said and done, David Beckham’s left ankle should be just about healed, and the attention surrounding MLS will inevitably revert back to the question that […]
Plaudits for the SuperLiga
Notwithstanding (perhaps) the No. 23 shirt worn by David Beckham of the L.A. Galaxy, Mexican-American soccer fans across the country are far more likely to pick up a Club America or Chivas de Guadalajara jersey from their local sporting goods store than say, a Houston Dynamo jersey. Indeed, most Latino soccer fans are as loyal […]
Unbeaten, Unsatisfied Newcastle
Newcastle United, for one, hasn’t endured the happiest of takeovers. Englishman Mike Ashley took control of the club about a month ago, purchasing 90 percent of Newcastle’s shares. But Manager Sam Allardyce is already at odds with the new owners, who “know very little about the football side” of running a club. With opening day […]
Foreign Sellout Threatens EPL Regulation
Opponents to foreign ownership in English soccer are a frustrated bunch these days. In all, nine EPL clubs have been taken over by foreign investors; Americans own three of them, and soon, perhaps, four, if Colorado Rapids owner Stan Kroenke can buy his way further into Arsenal and gain control. Opponents to the trend argue […]
U.S. women beat Japan, 4-1, in Women’s World Cup test
The U.S. women’s national team improved to 11-0-2 in 2007 — 9-0-2 against teams that will be playing in the Women’s World Cup — with a 4-1 win over Japan on Saturday night at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium. The Americans got a powerful header from Shannon Boxx in the first half and second-half strikes from Kristine Lilly and Abby Wambach . The fourth U.S. goal was an own goal.
What They’re Saying
“This is not just about football … this is more important than that. This has brought great happiness to a whole country. This is not about a team, this is about human beings.”
— Iraq’s Brazilian coach, Jorvan Vieira, after Iraq won the Asian Cup with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, bringing a moment of joy to war-torn Iraq.
Just one team is out of SuperLiga with one round to go
Of the eight SuperLiga teams, only Club America is eliminated with each team still to play its final group game. D.C. United beat America, 1-0, Sunday on a Rod Dyachenko goal and is tied for first place in Group B with Houston, which scored from the opening kickoff against Morelia yet conceded a pub-league equalizer and ended up tied, 1-1. Guadalajara took over the lead in Group A by beating the Galaxy, 2-1, in front of more than 37,000 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum. FC Dallas played its second straight 1-1 tie, against Pachuca, and despite being in third place can advance if it beats the Galaxy at home Tuesday night.
Adu leaves MLS to conclude Benfica deal
Freddy Adu is gone. Real Salt Lake gave the 18-year-old Adu permission to travel to Lisbon, Portugal, where he hopes to conclude an agreement to sign with Portuguese club Benfica.
