[WAKE FOREST PREVIEW] Wake Forest is not only the sole returnee from last year’s Men’s College Cup, but it is the favorite to win its first national championship.
Monthly Archives: December 2007
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
An ACC affair
Paul Kennedy on the Men’s College Cup
The Atlantic Coast Conference has produced five national champions — in chronological order, Maryland, Clemson, Duke, Virginia and North Carolina. It has a 50-50 chance of producing a sixth on Sunday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Men’s College Cup Chatter
The Men’s College Cup finalists arrived in Cary Wednesday and talked to the media on Thursday. Here’s what the coaches and players had to say on the eve of the semifinals …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
2007 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division I Men’s All-Regional Teams
Saint Louis and Wake Forest led all teams with five and four selection, respectively, on the 2007 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division I Men’s all-regional first teams. For all the all-regional selections …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
AC Milan and Boca Juniors in World Club Cup final
Kaka pulled the strings and Clarence Seedorf scored as AC Milan beat Japan’s Urawa Reds 1-0 on Thursday to reach the final of the World Club Cup final on Sunday (TV: Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports en Espanol, 5 am ET).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Wizards clear political hurdle for stadium project
Political obstacles have delayed or tripped up several stadium projects in the 13-year history of MLS, but count Kansas City among the eventual winners. Banished to a minor-league baseball park for the next two seasons because of renovations at Arrowhead Stadium, if all goes as planned the Wizards will have their own home in 2010 and might never play at Arrowhead again.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Olympic hopefuls tie in China
They hope to be in Beijing in eight months for the Olympic Games; to that end, the U.S. under-23s played the first of their two games in the host country Thursday and tied, 0-0, in front of 30,000 fans in Changsa, China.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MAKING A LIST: England coaching history
England has hired Fabio Capello to replace Steve McClaren as national team coach. The Italian aims to become the second England manager to win a major title. For a history of England’s national team coaches in the last half century …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sergeant Capello reporting for duty
To many Americans, Italian Fabio Capello, whom England hired Thursday as its new national team coach, is best known as the coach who benched David Beckham, prompting the English star to leave Real Madrid for the Los Angeles Galaxy. But Capello, who — irony of ironies — will be the one who will decide if Beckham again plays for England and achieves his 100th cap, is one of the most successful coaches of the last quarter century.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s a shame to go looking for a Swede or an Italian. It is as if you are saying to the English coaches: ‘You are in England, you are all rubbish and we are going to look elsewhere.'”
— France coach Raymond Domenech weighs in on England’s hiring of Italian Fabio Capello as national team coach. Capello replaces Steve McClaren, whose predecessor was Sven-Goran Eriksson. (AFP)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
England’s grand-slam weekend
[INTERNATIONAL HEADLINERS] It’s big weekend in the English Premier League with Liverpool-Manchester United and Arsenal-Chelsea on Sunday. In Spain, a rejuvenated Julio Baptista is finally enjoying himself at Real Madrid. In the Netherlands, the top-of-the-table clash between Ajax and PSV was threatened by a police strike.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Milan Books Final Showdown with Boca
Clarence Seedorf and Kaka were on form as AC Milan beat Japan’s Urawa Reds to reach the final of FIFA’s Club World Cup. The Durtchman scored the game’s only goal, driving home a fantastic cross from Kaka in the 68th minute. “We showed great patience and waited for our moment to strike,” Milan coach Carlo […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New York a Family Decision for Osorio
Family had a lot to do with Juan Carlos Osorio’s decision to take the New York Red Bulls head-coaching job, says Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald. Not only do the former Chicago Fire coach and his wife have family in the area, but Osorio also saw New York as the perfect opportunity to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Another Outbreak of Violence in Rome
It was a meaningless game, Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Group F qualifiers Manchester United and host Roma, but nevertheless, violence broke out before the two sides played to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico. Five Manchester United fans were stabbed, while seven needed treatment at the hospital. This was the third time in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Bolton Striker Anelka in High Demand
Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka will be one of the most sought-after players when the transfer window opens on Jan. 1. Several clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City, have expressed interest in the Frenchman, who just signed a contract extension with Bolton. Of course, contracts mean very little these days, especially to the aforementioned […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
England Gets Capello
There are just a few more motions to go through before Fabio Capello is named the new coach of the England national team, as the Football Association board has now approved his appointment. The Telegraph said there had been some concern over Capello’s preference for an all-Italian coaching staff, but the board has now been […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Let them dribble
It’s one of the most common screams heard on the youth soccer fields of America: “Pass it! Pass it! Pass it!” Unfortunately, parents and coaches often aim their shouts at young players who are at a stage of their development when they should be encouraged to dribble.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MEN’S COLLEGE CUP: Tickets & TV
The Men’s College Cup returns to SAS Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., for the second time. For information on tickets to this weekend’s College Cup and television coverage …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Buckeyes leave no doubt about credentials
[OHIO STATE PREVIEW] From last year’s disappointment of not being invited to the NCAA Tournament was born the motivation to succeed in 2007.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Minutemen come from way back
[MASSACHUSETTS PREVIEW] Without a lot of scholarship money to offer, Massachusetts coach Sam Koch likes to recruit players with a passion for the game. Players who don’t mind training outdoors in the middle of the Amherst winter. Qualities have been big factors in the Minutemen’s unexpected ride to the Men’s College Cup.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Case for the newbies
Paul Kennedy on the Men’s College Cup
You have to go back to 1996, the first college season of the MLS era, to find an NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament semifinal involving two teams making their final four debuts. Neither Ohio State nor Massachusetts was ranked in Soccer America’s Top 25 preseason rankings. Our bad. No one has come forward with an Ohio State-UMass semifinal on his or her bracket sheet. Anyone?
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Wake Forest and Ohio State players picked for pro combine
Three players each from Men’s College Cup finalists Wake Forest (Brian Edwards, Julian Valentin and Pat Phelan) and Ohio State (Casey Latchem, Eric Brunner and Xavier Balc) head the initial list of 54 players invited to the 2008 adidas MLS Player Combine, which will be held Jan. 11-15 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I had to set an example so everyone at Bayern knows how they’re expected to behave. Players criticizing their teammates must stop. Otherwise we become a madhouse. [Oliver] Kahn must know he has to set an example to the younger players and at the Christmas party he did not behave well. The captain can’t leave early.”
— Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld explains why he suspended goalkeeper Oliver Kahn from Saturday’s game against Hertha Berlin. Kahn criticized the performances of teammates Luca Toni and Franck Ribery. (Reuters)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS defender shuffle continues
Thirteen months after being honored as MLS Defender of the Year, Bobby Boswell is leaving D.C. United. Boswell, who lost and regained his starting spot several times last season and sat out the conference semifinal, first leg against Chicago (a 1-0 loss) that eventually eliminated D.C., 3-2, on aggregate, is the newest member of the two-time defending champion Houston Dynamo.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Everton, Tim Howard reach League Cup semis
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored a stoppage-time goal for Everton to give it a 2-1 over West Ham United in the English League Cup quarterfinals. Carlton Cole beat unrushing American goalkeeper Tim Howard to a long pass for West Ham’s goal. American defender Jonathan Spector stayed on the bench for the Hammers.