U.S. coach Greg Ryan is being blamed for the Hangzhou massacre, but he’s not the only one responsible for the defeat. Associated Press columnist Jim Litke says to play the blame game takes away from the fact that Brazil was a far superior team than the USA. Ryan’s players only occasionally demonstrate an understanding of […]
Monthly Archives: September 2007
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Scurry Should Have Replaced Solo Earlier
Jere Longman, writing in the New York Times’ Goal Blog, also compares Greg Ryan’s decision to pick Briana Scurry over Hope Solo to that of a baseball manager — a manager playing the percentages with a certain hitter or pitcher. Previously, Scurry was 12-0 against Brazil and she “pitched 8 shutouts,” the last which came […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Will Ryan Suffer Grady Little’s Fate?
David Hirshey says Greg Ryan’s decision to drop Hope Solo for “the 136-year-old Brinna Scurry” was right out of the Grady Little playbook. For those of you who aren’t baseball fans, Grady Little was the Boston Red Sox manager whose decision to not take out ace pitcher Pedro Martinez late in Game 7 of the 2003 American […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Greg Ryan Speaks Out
Steven Goff of the Washington Post reports from Shanghai in his Soccer Insider that the intense media coverage of the USA’s 4-0 loss to Brazil in the Women’s World Cup semifinals and Hope Solo’s comments afterwards led to U.S. Soccer’s decision to make Coach Greg Ryan available to the media on Friday after first announcing that […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
No. 1 Wake Forest isn’t concerned with ranking
[PREVIEW] No. 1 Wake Forest looks to extend its best start in more than 20 years when it hosts No. 24 Maryland on Saturday night at Spry Stadium. The Demon Deacons have been without U.S. U-20 defender Julian Valentin, who was injured in preseason practice and has yet to play this season, but the Wake has been solid with fill-in Justin Lichtfuss playing centerback alongside senior Pat Phelan, another former U.S. U-20. Freshman Corben Bone has lived up to his billing as one of the nation’s top freshman, and sophomore Cody Arnoux has prospered with increased playing time in recent weeks.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Freshman Klingenberg leads Carolina past FSU in marathon
[ACC WOMEN] It took more than three and a half hours to complete, but North Carolina prevailed over Florida State, 2-1, Thursday in overtime in a battle of ACC women’s powerhouses before 1,925 fans at the Seminole Soccer Complex. Freshman Meghan Klingenberg had the game-winning goal for the Tar Heels in the 95th minute after the game was delayed in each half — 109 minutes in all — because of the weather. No. 4 Virginia rolled on with a 2-0 win at Duke. Other ranked ACC women’s teams to win: Clemson and Wake Forest.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Rossi’s golden goal leads Tennessee past South Carolina
Kylee Rossi put her early-season struggles behind her and scored a golden goal on Thursday to lead No. 10 over No. 15 South Carolina, 3-2, in the Southeastern Conference opener televised on Fox Soccer Channel.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Concordia and Azusa Pacific remain perfect
[NAIA UPDATE] Two Southern California schools rank 1-2 in the NAIA men’s poll. No. 1 Concordia and No. 2 Azusa Pacific are both 8-0-0 after midweek victories.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Men’s Top 25 Results & Schedules
ACC showdowns pitting No. 4 Virginia against No. 16 Virginia Tech on Friday and No. 1 Wake Forest against No. 24 Maryland on Saturday highlight this weekend’s Men’s Top 25 action. For complete Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Women’s Top 25 Results & Schedules
Women’s conference play begins in the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC this weekend. For the complete Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brilliant Brazil exposes inconvenient truth
[VIDEO] Regardless of which keeper stood between the U.S. posts, what mistakes Coach Greg Ryan made or the red card to Shannon Boxx, the difference between the teams in Brazil’s 4-0 rout of the USA was skill. Dribbling, trapping, shooting, passing. Brazil topped each category. And Brazil entertained.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Goalkeepers Are Different
[ANALYSIS] Did goalkeeper Hope Solo or Coach Greg Ryan, or both, permanently impair their national-team futures, and is their dispute just another example of an American coach clashing with his keeper(s)? Steve Sampson and Bruce Arena infuriated both Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel by platooning them, and on the eve of the 1994 World Cup round of 16 match against Brazil (some irony, there), coach Bora Milutinovic seriously pondered dropping Tony Meola in favor of Friedel because he believed Meola’s public comments about trying out for an NFL team as a placekicker called into question his focus, not to mention his priorities. English soccer journalist Brian Glanville wrote a book, “Goalkeepers Are Different,” which is a novel, not a declaration of truth. Still, physically, temperamentally, and psychologically, they are unlike field players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Galaxy upends bumbling Wizards
Kansas City took the principle of squandering chances to the extreme Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium, and plunged both its short- and long-term prospects into doubt. With a record Arrowhead MLS crowd of 32,867 in attendance, the Wizards (10-11-6) could have picked up three valuable points in the standings and also built some momentum at the gate. Instead, the fans saw two Kansas City players sent off, Eddie Johnson and his mates flub numerous chances, and the Galaxy steal out of town with a 1-0 win courtesy of a Gavin Glinton header. Big crowd, big letdown.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chivas USA’s Chicago clash highlights MLS weekend
[TV PREVIEWS] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney previews the weekend’s six MLS games, which include a Texas shootout and Cuauhtemoc Blanco‘s visit to Chivas USA …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Women’s World Cup Results
The Women’s World Cup final will be matchup of the tournament’s most exciting attack, Brazil (with 17 goals in five games), and its best defense, Germany (which has yet to allow a goal in five games).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
TV PREVIEW: International weekend headliners
Roma hosts Inter Milan in a battle of Serie A leaders. It’s a 1-2 clash of Bayern Munich at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. Bernd Schuster returns to Getafe for the first time since taking over as Real Madrid coach. Newcastle travels to Manchester City with Obafemi Martins taking on a key role in the absence of Michael Owen.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There’s no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. And the fact of the matter is, it’s not 2004 anymore. It’s not 2004. And it’s 2007 and I think you have to live in the present and you can’t live by big names. You can’t live in the past. It doesn’t matter what somebody did in an Olympic gold-medal game in the Olympics three years ago. Now is what matters.”
— U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was benched for the Women’s World Cup semifinal by Coach Greg Ryan in favor of Briana Scurry, who was the goalkeeper when the USA beat Brazil, 2-1, in the 2003 Olympic gold medal game. The Americans lost, 4-0, to Brazil on Thursday. (VIDEO)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Seattle aims for fourth title in USL-1 final vs. Atlanta
The Seattle Sounders will be aiming for their fourth USL First Division title Saturday (Fox Soccer Channel, 10 pm ET) when it hosts the Atlanta Silverbacks, who are making their first final appearance. The Sounders won titles in 1995, 1996 and 2005. And this year’s championship game marks their third final appearance in four years. Here’s how that run compares to past USL clubs …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bobby Convey injured in training
[AMERICANS IN ENGLAND] Two days after scoring for Reading in its 4-2 English League Cup loss to Liverpool, midfielder Bobby Convey limped off the practice field with a leg injury. Preliminary reports indicate Convey won’t be available this weekend, when he was hoping to make his first English Premier League start in 11 games. Convey, who was used as a sub in five EPL games this season, missed most of last season with a knee injury, appearing in only nine games (one start).
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The USL-1 title will be decided on Saturday, when the Seattle Sounders host the Atlanta Silverbacks (Fox Soccer Channel, 10 pm ET). The English Premier League’s most American team, Fulham (Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey & Kasey Keller), visits Chelsea on Saturday. MLS’s “Mexican” team, Chivas USA, hosts Chicago and its Mexican hero, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, on a weekend that will further shape the playoff field. Santos Laguna and U.S. product Edgar Castillo aim to extend their season-long unbeaten streak when they face Chiapas on Saturday. On Sunday, Germany faces Brazil in the Women’s World Cup while while the USA goes for third against Norway.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham Heads to England to Visit Ill Father
David Beckham arrived in London on Thursday to visit his father, who has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack. The England midfielder, who hasn’t played a game for the Los Angeles Galaxy since Aug. 30 because of a knee injury, took the first flight from Los Angeles to London after hearing the news. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Checketts on the State of RSL and MLS
In an interview with the Deseret Morning News, Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts says first-year coach Jason Kreis has done about as well as he could possibly do, given the circumstances. Kreis took over for John Ellinger after four games. RSL is 5-11-6 under Kreis and won’t make the playoffs for the third straight year. Checketts said […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Inter Milan Boss Slams Mourinho Speculation
Inter Milan boss Massimo Moratti has denied speculation that Coach Roberto Mancini’s job is in danger. Jose Mourinho’s departure from Chelsea and disclosure that he might like to learn Italian — he already speaks Portuguese, Spanish, French and English — prompted speculation that he might be in line to replace Mancini at the Italian champions. “I […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
English FA Issues Charges Against Chelsea
More bad news for Chelsea, which has gotten off to a slow start in the English Premier League and Champions League. The Blues have been charged by the Football Association with failing to control their players during 2-0 loss at Manchester United. Referee Mike Dean reported the club after at least four players surrounded him […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Reviving the pickup game
There can be many reasons why so few pickup games happen in youth soccer. They include a sedentary lifestyle, the vacant lot doesn’t exist any longer, even the design of neighborhoods nowadays means there is little or no yard on which to play, parents are reluctant to let their kids play away from home without adult supervision, soccer facilities are closed except for scheduled events, or the kids simply don’t know how to organize a game.