Monthly Archives: September 2007

Soccer tournaments are one of the key vehicles for reaching America’s soccer player “masses.”

Becks’ Biggest Losers Are in L.A.

After being suspended for a bit, the David Beckham No Show has returned, for as long as six weeks this time, which means plenty of people are feeling pretty sorry for themselves right about now. Who should you feel sorriest for? Mark Ziegler of The San Diego Union-Tribune says the Galaxy’s season ticket holders are […]

Report: Becks Might Seek to Go Back to England

Becks may be looking for a loan deal that would return him to the English Premiership in the months leading up to the Euro 2008 Championships in Austria and Switzerland. According to the London Daily Express, the England midfielder might be willing to sacrifice some of his earnings in order to do so. Galaxy GM […]

Injury-Riddled England Receives Some Good News

England heads into its must-win Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on Saturday with a long list of missing regulars: Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Gary Neville, David Beckham and Kieron Dyer all cannot play, while Steven Gerrard, John Terry, and Owen Hargreaves are all struggling to reach full fitness ahead of Saturday’s crucial match at Wembley. […]

The Case for St. Louis

In general, USSoccerPlayers’ Kevin McGeehan is opposed to the idea of Major League Soccer expanding into mid-size markets like Kansas City and Columbus. Why? Because “the American game is at its strongest in a handful of major cities around the league, such as Washington, Toronto and Los Angeles.” Big cities mean more people, more Latino […]

AEG Sells Fire to L.A. Investment Group

The Chicago Fire has been sold to a private investment group from L.A. for the estimated price of $30 million, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Andell Holdings now becomes the sole owner of the club, having purchased it from Anschutz Entertainment Group, owner of the L.A. Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo. Last year, AEG sold […]

Story, Youth Soccer Insider

Buying the Right Cleat for Your Foot

The temptation as a parent purchasing cleats for a growing child with a growing foot is to buy cleats that are a bit too large, thinking that your child will “grow into them” and thereby save you some money in not having to buy another pair too soon.

How do you say ‘Woo pig sooie’ in Spanish?

It reflects a sign of the changing demographics in Arkansas: college soccer being carried on Spanish-language radio. After a year on La Tremenda, Spanish-language broadcasts of the University of Arkansas women’s team has moved to ESPN Deportes, La Maquina 1590 AM in Springdale.

Big East women’s teams Rutgers and Louisville remain perfect with comeback wins

[WEDNESDAY ACTION] Rutgers and Louisville, two of four ranked Big East women’s teams, improved to 3-0-0 with comeback wins on Wednesday. No. 24 Long Beach State fell for the first time when it lost at Wake Forest, 1-0.

Big Blue find solace in soccer success

by Paul KennedySeptember 6, 2007

It will do little heal the sorrow of Michigan faithful after the Wolverines’ epic football loss to Appalachian State at the Big House last Saturday, but the Wolverine men’s soccer team made a statement last weekend. Led by a pair of exciting sophomores Mauro Fuzetti and Peri Marosevic, Michigan is making a case for itself as one of this year’s darkhorses in the Division I men’s ranks.

Fast starts for first-year Florida Gulf Coast programs

by Paul KennedySeptember 6, 2007

How about this for your first-year Division I program’s inaugural weekend: You open with a 10-0 and then turn around two days later and win, 3-2, in overtime to capture your first tournament. That’s what happened to the Florida Gulf Coast women, winners of their Embassy Suites Kick-Off Classic. The FGCU men’s team — the first from-scratch Division I men’s program to be launched since 2000 — didn’t do too badly itself, winning its opening game, 3-2, over Coastal Carolina.

TV Game of the Week begins Thursday

by Paul KennedySeptember 6, 2007

Fox Soccer Channel’s weekly coverage of college soccer begins Thursday when No. 23 Connecticut hosts No. 21 Penn State in women’s action at 8 p.m. ET. NSCAA College Match of the Week coverage in 2007 will include eight women’s matches played on Thursdays and nine men’s matches on Fridays. There will also be bonus coverage of three men’s matches played on Wednesday evenings throughout the season. For a look at Penn State and UConn …

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“Yes, for your country, you’ve got to haven’t you? Previous players have before. You would do anything to play for your country. I have never played with a painkilling injection but everyone is their own person and if they want to do it then it is up to them.”

— England defender Micah Richards joins the debate on whether midfielder Steven Gerrard should take a needle so he can play on a broken toe in England’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on Saturday. (Reuters)

Spanish Federation nixes Catalonia-USA friendly

The USA’s Oct. 14 friendly against Catalonia, has been vetoed by the Spanish soccer federation. “There’s an agreement between clubs and the league that all games played by autonomous selections have to be played during Christmas holidays since it doesn’t leave the clubs in a tough spot and the players don’t risk injury,” federation spokesman Jorge Carretero said. The friendly between the USA and Catalonia would have fallen between Spain’s Euro 2008 qualifier at Denmark on Oct. 13 and a friendly against Finland in Helsinki on Oct. 17.

No jail for drunk Danish field invader

The inebriated Danish fan who stormed the field and attacked referee Herbert Fandel during a European Championship qualifier in June will have to perform 40 hours of community service but his 30-day prison sentence for attempted assault and illegal entry is suspended because the court said he had already suffered significant consequences after the assault. Denmark was tied, 3-3, against Sweden when the fan rushed the field and attempted to punch Fandel. The game was abandoned and Sweden was awarded a 3-0 win.

U.S. Player of the Year finalists: Bocanegra, Donovan, Howard

Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard are the three finalists for the 2007 Honda U.S. Player of the Year Award, which is selected by U.S. journalists.

Zavagnin replaces Mastroeni on U.S. roster

Kansas City Wizards midfielder Kerry Zavagnin, who last played for the USA in the 4-1 loss to Germany on March 22, 2006, has been called in to the U.S. roster for Sunday’s friendly against Brazil to replace Pablo Mastroeni, who is ill.

OFF THE POST: Couch potato soccer

[VIDEO] The European Commission and UEFA have created an anti-obesity public-service commercial to air more than 2,000 times during halftime of Champions League games. The ad featuring armchair-bound soccer players is expected to reach up to 100 million viewers.

Promising Matchup: Chivas USA vs. D.C. United

by Ridge MahoneySeptember 6, 2007

[MLS TV PREVIEW] Since day one of the preseason, the theme of Chivas USA’s 2007 season has been maintaining the progress it achieved in 2006 despite a coaching change and the departure of two Mexican star attackers. In the third year of its existence Chivas USA is butting up against the top tier of MLS, and can crack through the barrier separating it from the elite teams this week when it plays D.C. United (Thursday) and Red Bull New York (Sunday) at the Home Depot Center, where it has posted the league’s best home record (7-0-1). Critics of MLS wondering how the league can showcase itself without David Beckham should tune in to this national telecast on Thursday night.

W-League products at the Women’s World Cup

[MAKING A LIST] There are 54 current or former W-League players representing nine teams at the 2007 Women’s World Cup that will kickoff Monday.

The entire Canadian team has played in the W-League, and 13 members of the U.S. team have experience in the W-League. Other nations with W-League representatives headed to the tournament are Australia (6 players), Ghana (4), New Zealand (2), Japan (1) and Norway (1).

Four players headed to China less than two months after the conclusion of their club play in the W-League are Jodi-Ann Robinson and Sophie Schmidt of the Vancouver Whitecaps, Jersey Sky Blue’s Formiga (Brazil) and Ottawa Fury’s Faye White (England).

Spain reaches U-17 World Cup final

[U-17 WORLD CUP SCOREBOARD/VIDEO]. Spain beat Ghana, 2-1, on an overtime goal by Bojan Krkic to reach the U-17 World Cup final, in which it will meet the winner of the Nigeria-Germany semifinal. But Krkic, who is on the verge of cracking Barcelona’s first team, was ejected for a second yellow card late in the game and will miss the final.

Francesco Coco to MLS?

by Soccer AmericaSeptember 5, 2007

Unwanted Inter Milan defender Francesco Coco is being tipped with a move to MLS once the transfer window opens in January, according to reports in Italy. Coco, a veteran of Italy’s 2002 World Cup campaign, is being linked with a possible move to either the New England Revolution or the New York Red Bulls. Inter […]