Defending champion Nomads and the Irvine Strikers are the only unbeaten and untied teams after the first three days of under-17 boys play in the 2007-08 Red Bull National League in Orange, Calif. Four players are tied for most goals in 2007-08 RBNL play with three: Steven Haltom of the Dallas Texans, CASL Elite’s Mike Smith, Colorado Rush’s Zach Foxhoven and FC Delco’s Kyle Soroka. Pateadores fielded the youngest player to ever take part in the RBNL, 13-year-old midfielder Luis Gil. Results and goalscorers of Days 1-3 …
Monthly Archives: August 2007
Posted inGrassroots Soccer Biz, Story
5 Tips For Smart Strategic Planning
Strategic Plan is a fancy name for a very practical tool. It’s a road map to the destination your soccer club, league, state association or other organization wants to get to.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
With or without David Beckham, ESPN2 will be in Toronto for Sunday’s MLS game between Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Manchester United faces Chelsea Sunday in the FA Community Shield. The Mexican season kicks off with eight First Division games on U.S. television.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
RSL Poised to Sign Three Argentines
David Beckham notwithstanding, the Salt Lake Tribune has this as the Year of the South American in MLS. Colombians Juan Pablo Angel and Juan Toja, Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Carlos Marinelli of Argentina and Brazilians Luciano Emilio and Fred have all stamped their influence on the league this season-and now Real Salt Lake wants a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
British Clubs Face Tough Champions League Qualifiers
British clubs drew particularly tricky opponents during the UEFA Champions League second phase draw on Thursday. Liverpool is set to face third-place Ligue 1 finisher Toulouse while Arsenal drew Sparta Prague of the Czech First Division. Glasgow Celtic was dealt the most difficult opponent by far in Russian giant Spartak Moscow. By any account, Toulouse […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real Steadfast in Kaka, Robben Pursuits
Friday’s transfer news is longer on rumors than actual deals. The tussle over Arjen Robben’s signature continues; Chelsea may not have pleased the Dutch winger with its contract extension offer but it appears that the Stamford Bridge outfit won’t let him leave to Madrid for less than $40 million. Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon says […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Tevez Settlement Paves Way for United Move
The Carlos Tevez saga is over: West Ham will be paid $4 million by Tevez’s representatives, nullifying the player’s contract with the West End club and allowing Kia Joorabchian and Media Sport Investment, which still own the player’s economic rights, to bring the Argentine striker to Manchester United. The settlement was cleared by the English […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Freddy Ready for Benfica
Freddy Adu’s $2 million move to Benfica was a good piece of business for everyone involved: MLS, the Portuguese giant and the player. As SI.com’s Grant Wahl says, it was always unlikely that an MLS team would be willing to drop $750K (his new salary per a two-year contract extension with the league) and a […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mexico Preview: Offseason moves and American connections
Mexico kicks off the Torneo Apertura — the opening of its two-stage season — this weekend. Both its 2006-07 champions — Guadalajara and Pachuca — are coming off play in the SuperLiga against MLS clubs, where they showed off their American talent — Jesus Padilla for Chivas and Jose Francisco Torres for Pachuca. MLS veteran Daniel Hernandez is back for a second stint in Mexico, this time with Puebla. A third American — Noel Castillo — debuted in the Santos first team in preseason. Here’s a look at each club’s offseason moves and its American connections.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Aston Villa signs American teen Lichaj
Eric Lichaj never played for the University of North Carolina, suffering from a broken foot, but that didn’t prevent English club Aston Villa from signing the 18-year-old defender to a two-year contract and assigning him to its academy program.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“The chances are probably slim. It’d be tough to put him into the lineup with what he’s been doing. He may have some part in the game, but we’ll see.”
— Los Angeles Galaxy coach Frank Yallop on David Beckham, who hasn’t trained with the Galaxy since he arrived July 13 and missed all three games in the SuperLiga. Los Angeles will be on the road for 10 consecutive days, beginning with a game at Toronto FC and playing at D.C. United on Aug. 9 and at New England three days later. The games at Toronto FC and D.C. United are sellouts in anticipation of Beckham’s first MLS appearances.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
W-League Championship Preview
The 2007 W-League final four begins Friday in Rochester, N.Y., with the semifinals at PAETEC Park. The Seattle Sounders (8-4-1) and Atlanta Silverbacks (11-2-1) will kick things off at 5:30 pm ET, and the Rochester Rhinos (5-7-0) and top-seeded Washington Freedom (14-1-1) will follow at approximately 8:00 pm. Both games will be available on www.USLlive.com. The winners will advance to the W-League final, which will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel on Sunday at 5:30 pm ET. Here’s the final four teams at a glance.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
France Preview: Case for and against Lyon and Marseille
Lyon is bidding for a seventh successive title in France’s Ligue 1, which begins its 2007-08 season on Saturday, but it should get a serious challenge from Marseille, which is looking for its first title in more than a decade. Here’s the case for and against Lyon and Marseille.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
BMO believers beckon to Becks
[MLS Weekend Previews] Two more crucial Eastern Conference showdowns are on tap; Houston, Los Angeles, and D.C. United get back to MLS business after advancing to the SuperLiga semifinals; FC Dallas hopes to get well against Colorado after being smacked for six goals by the Galaxy; and the barmy BMO believers beckon to Becks.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Revs just good enough to shade Wizards, 2-0
A narrow-angle goal by the birthday boy and a stoppage-time clincher by his substitute separated the top two Eastern Conference teams at Gillette Stadium Thursday. Pat Noonan celebrated his 27th birthday by tucking away a Taylor Twellman header, and Adam Cristman ran onto a sweet Steve Ralston cross to notch his fourth goal of the season as the Revs (9-3-6) beat Kansas City (8-6-5) for the first time at Gillette Stadium, 2-0.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scotland Preview: 10 Major Transfers
Celtic and Rangers — no surprise — are the runaway favorites in the Scottish Premier League, which kicks off Saturday. Celtic won a league and cup double last season but faces a fight from Rangers under veteran manager Walter Smith, who took over in mid-season. Celtic paid a Scottish record for Hibernian and Scotland midfielder Scott Brown: 4.4 million pounds ($8.9 million). Rangers made a number of summer signings, including that of American winger DaMarcus Beasley.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Argentina Preview: 10 Players to Watch
Argentina’s 2007-08 season begins Friday with the opening game of the Torneo Apertura. San Lorenzo won last spring’s Torneo Clausura. Boca Juniors, winner of the 2007 Libertadores Cup, is the favorite, though it begins the season without star Juan Roman Riquelme, who returned to Spanish club Villarreal, which owns his contract. Promoted Tigre has signed former U.S. U-17 and U-20 goalie D.J. Countess, who is believed to be the first American-born and -raised player to sign with an Argentine First Division team.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-17 World Cup roster announced
U.S. Under-17 men’s national team coach John Hackworth has named the 21-player roster that will represent the USA at the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup Aug. 18-Sept. 9 in South Korea.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Video Brings 9-Year-Old to Old Trafford
Not to be outdone by its global rivals, Manchester United this week recruited 9-year-old Australian Rhain Davis after viewing a highlight DVD of him playing for Brisbane youth club Redlands United. Earlier this summer, Bayern Munich added 13-year-old Peruvian Pier Laurrari to its youth squad. The video, which was sent in by his grandfather, has […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Post-Beckham, MLS Looks Like a Good Investment
The David Beckham tidal wave is making Major League Soccer look like a good investment for entrepreneurs, according to Bloomberg. As one measure of its rising success, the 13-team league tripled its franchise fee this year to $30 million. The league plans to add three teams in the next three years, and is already generating […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
SFA to Use Video to Clamp Down on Cheats
The SFA, Scotland’s soccer association, has become the first federation in world penalize players who dive or fake injury in games by using video evidence. Players caught cheating after the fact will be handed yellow cards. Similarly, wrongfully issued cards could be retracted after the fact. SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith called simulation “one unhealthy […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Brazil Accused of Drinking During World Cup
Brazilian soccer federation (CBF) President Ricardo Teixeira on Wednesday accused certain national team players of heavy drinking during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Teixeira said the group, coached at the time by Carlos Alberto Parreira, lacked discipline: “There were players who arrived between 4 and 6 in the morning, drunk,” he told reporters from […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Man City Adds Three, Other Transfer News
Lots to catch up on in the transfer market this week: once again, Manchester City’s Sven Goran-Eriksson has been the busiest manager in the EPL, splashing down an estimated $34 million on three new players: Croatian international Vedran Corluka, Spaniard Javier Garrido and Brazilian Copa America star Elano. Bulgarian striker Valeri Bojinov is also rumored […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Improving performance by improving the experience
It is possible to scientifically understand the youth soccer culture, to consider the experience of all constituents, and to take practical and developmentally solid steps to do a better job.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It leaves Major League Soccer extremely vulnerable, and it leaves the individual franchises really scrambling. Even though it’s not their fault, they really can’t afford the appearance of this being a bait and switch.”
— David Carter, principal of the Sports Business Group, a consulting firm in Los Angeles, on the injured David Beckham‘s absence from Tuesday’s FC Dallas-Galaxy game that was sold out in anticipation of the first appearance of the English star at Pizza Hut Park. Beckham is scheduled to fly with the Galaxy to Toronto for their MLS game on Sunday but there is no guarantee he will play. (FC Dallas has announced that fans who purchased tickets through the FC Dallas front office or through Ticketmaster to Tuesday’s SuperLiga game in Frisco will receive a special ticket offer for the next game between FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Galaxy at Pizza Hut Park before tickets are on sale to the general public.) (Dallas Morning News)