From fan to photographer to investor, entertainer Drew Carey has steadily increased his emotional – and financial – commitment to soccer. He’s a minority partner in the Seattle MLS franchise, intends to attend as many matches as his schedule allows, and vows not to thumped again by Landon Donovan when they tangle on the video screen. Carey took time from his work on the “Power of 10” and “The Price is Right” television programs to answer some questions by e-mail.
Monthly Archives: January 2008
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“If it had been one or two balloons then it would not have been a problem. But the point is that there were 20 or 30 balloons, all more or less in the same place, and the referee should have stopped the game to sort it out.”
— Manchester City coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who is protesting his team’s 2-1 FA Cup loss to Sheffield United because its first goal came after the ball evaded defender Michael Ball when it deflected off a balloon. (The Guardian/VIDEO)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
San Antonio to get MLS taste
[MLS WATCH] Twas a time San Antonio occasionally popped up on the radar screen of possible MLS expansion sites, as an ambitious mayor tried to broker a partnership with Mexican club Monterrey.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Revs open camp with holes to fill
[MLS TEAM PREVIEWS] In the past three seasons, the Revs have played in three MLS Cups and lost all three. As preseason training opens Wednesday, they have at least three players to replace. In his series examining MLS clubs’ preseason maneuvers and preparations, Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reports on how Chris Albright reacted to the Galaxy’s trading methods.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Guzan’s $4 million deal hinges on appeal
Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney explains the process.
U.S. keeper Brad Guzan has again left the U.S. training camp in Southern California and this time, it’s not to train and talk, but to take the next step in his career.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Arguez’s transfer confirms growing attraction of Americans
[AMERICANS ABROAD] German Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin’s acquisition of 19-year-old Bryan Arguez from D.C. United is an indication of the growing interest of foreign clubs in American players. Arguez never played an MLS game in his one season at D.C. United, but Hertha agreed to pay a fee of approximately $300,000 for Arguez in a deal finalized on Tuesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
African Nations Cup Results
Ivory Coast and Nigeria clinched berths in the quarterfinals of the African Nations Cup with wins on Tuesday. Ivory Coast won its third straight game with a 3-0 win over Mali. Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Benin gave the Eagles second place behind Ivory Coast and set up a date with host Ghana on Sunday. For all the African Nations Cup results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions: college coaching opportunities, positions in the pros, youth soccer, the soccer industry, even television.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
L.A. preview of potential gold-medalists
[OLYMPIC WATCH] Argentina barely qualified for the 2008 Olympics when it beat Uruguay, 1-0, on a 92nd-minute goal dubbed a “miracle” on the final day of qualifying at the Sudamericano 2007, but it heads into 2008 favored to defend its gold medal in men’s soccer. Los Angeles soccer fans will get a chance to watch Argentina’s Olympic hopefuls when they face Guatemala next Wednesday at the Coliseum. Among the players in the squad arriving on Friday is national team star Juan Roman Riquelme, whose presence in the squad for the Guatemala is an indication that he should be one of Argentina’s three overage players at this summer’s finals.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Reyna Has a Point to Prove
Claudio Reyna has had a rough go of it since joining the New York Red Bulls early last year as the team’s first designated player. A high price tag ($2.5 million for two years) was followed by an understated, if disappointing first season in MLS, in which the Red Bulls made it as far as […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New-Look D.C. United Takes Shape
A month after failing to sign Argentine playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron, D.C. United has now infused its squad with five new South American players: Peruvian goalkeeper Jose Carvallo, Colombian defender Gonzalo Martinez and three Argentines, forward Franco Neill, defender Gonzalo Peralta and midfielder Marcelo Gallardo. Some would say that in retrospect the club has done […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS SuperDraft is ‘Unrealistic’
Major League soccer for years has tried to emulate the National Football League and the National Basketball Association by turning its annual college draft into a major media event. However, Paul Gardner of the New York Sun points out that the “SuperDraft,” as it’s known, is unique to the United States in the worldwide game […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
CONCACAF Announces Champions League Format
As reported last November, the CONCACAF Champions Cup has been rebranded as the CONCACAF Champions League. As such, it will adopt a format similar to UEFA’s Champions League, although instead of 32 teams, the CONCACAF tournament will have 24. “This is a project we’ve been working on for more than a year,” CONCACAF general secretary […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Match-Fixing Attempts Concern for ANC
A Rob Hughes report from the International Herald Tribune focuses on the match-fixing attempts that recently threatened to undermine the African Nations Cup. A man representing a Singaporean betting syndicate asked players and officials from two teams, Benin and Namibia, to throw their first-round games against Mali and Guinea, respectively. Thankfully, on both occasions the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hugo Perez gets another shot at Hall of Fame
Hugo Perez, perhaps the most accomplished U.S. soccer player who is not in the National Soccer Hall of Fame, is among 15 players in the Hall’s 2008 Veteran Ballot. Perez, who starred in the NASL and MISL, represented the USA at the 1984 Olympics and 1994 World Cup, and played a key role in successful qualifying campaigns for the 1988 Olympics and 1990 World Cup. The Hall also announced its 2008 Builders Ballot.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Clubs bid, keeper Brad Guzan waits
Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in back in the U.S. training camp, but for how long?
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
D.C. United ups its foreign quota
[MLS WATCH] If any team figured to take quick advantage of the greater liberty granted by MLS teams to sign international players, it would figure to be D.C. United. In his series examining MLS clubs’ preseason maneuvers and preparations, Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney examines D.C. United’s South American shopping spree, which included the landing of Argentine World Cup veteran Marcelo Gallardo
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS clubs get a Champions League
CONCACAF yesterday made official what had been known for months, that starting next August, a 24-team Champions League tournament will replace the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney explains the format.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Throughout his career, Gallardo has been a dynamic attacking midfielder known for remarkable technique, impressive speed and quickness, and an uncanny knack for providing service to his teammates. He has led teams to major championships in Argentina and France, and has been a star at every level for the national team of Argentina, including playing in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups. We are thrilled to have a player of his caliber joining D.C. United.”
— D.C. United President Kevin Payne on the club’s acquisition of 32-year-old Marcelo Gallardo. (MLSnet.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
African Nations Cup Results
Chelsea’s Michael Essien scored one goal and set up the other to lead host Ghana to a 2-0 victory over Morocco Monday that gave the Black Stars first place in Group A at the African Nations Cup and knocked the Lions of Atlas out of the competition. Guinea tied Namibia, 1-1, in the other Group A finale to finish in second place and move into the quarterfinals along with Ghana.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sundhage’s talent search continues
[U.S. WOMEN] Pia Sundhage is organizing a mega-camp beginning Friday at the Home Depot Center, the last chance for players to impress the new U.S. women’s national team coach before she gets down to the task of picking a squad to prepare for Olympic qualifying in the CONCACAF region to be held April 2-13 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Why U.S. investors are jumping at EPL clubs
Paul Kennedy on the EPL’s U.S. owners
[ENGLAND WATCH] Less startling than the news that yet another American group is buying an English Premier League club is the club it’s buying. With only seven points in its first 23 games, Derby County is doomed to relegation, yet Detroit-based sports management firm General Sports Entertainment purchased the Rams in a deal reported to be in the range of $100 million. Why would anyone pay $100 million for a last-place team? The explanation says a lot about why English soccer clubs are attractive to foreign investors …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
U.S. keeper Guzan Targeted by Aston Villa
The tug of war over Brad Guzan has gotten more interesting: according to Soccer By Ives. English Premier League club Aston Villa has lodged in a $4 million bid for the Chivas USA goalkeeper, surpassing a $2 million offer from Glasgow Celtic and matching the fee Manchester United paid for former MetroStars keeper Tim Howard […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Iraqi Officials Cry Foul over Star’s U.K. Work Permit Denial
The Los Angeles Times has a lengthy article on the misfortune of Iraqi soccer star Nashat Akram, one of his country’s most popular players, who was recently denied a work permit that would have allowed him to sign for Manchester City of the English Premier League. The news spread across Iraq on Saturday, angering the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Second-Tier MLS Players Headed Overseas, Too
Major League Soccer is looking outside of the U.S. to fill in the holes left by the move of American players to Europe. The likes of Kansas City’s Eddie Johnson (England), New England’s Pat Noonan (Norway) and Houston’s Nate Jaqua (Austria) have all sought better opportunities across the Atlantic this month. Meanwhile, Latino-friendly D.C. United […]