California’s Kevin Grimes and UIC’s John Trask, two of the most sought-after men’s head coaches, have both been granted long-term contract extensions.
Monthly Archives: August 2008
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Conference champions picked to defend titles
[PRESEASON WOMEN’S POLLS] Defending champions Charlotte (Atlantic-10) and Hawaii (WCC) have been tabbed to repeat as their women’s conference champions, while Marist, last year’s MAAC women’s regular-season champion, has been picked to win the 2008 MAAC title.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
UNC selected to repeat as ACC women’s champion
North Carolina, winner of three straight and 19 of 21 ACC women’s championships, has been selected first in the 2008 ACC poll of the league’s 11 head coaches.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Saint Louis favored to win Atlantic-10 men’s title
Returning one of the most experienced teams in recent history, Saint Louis has been selected to win the 2008 Atlantic 10 men’s championship, ahead of Massachusetts, a 2007 NCAA Tournament semifinalist, and Charlotte.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
New SMU coach has big shoes to fill
Two and half years ago, Tim McClements lost his job as head coach of the Vanderbilt men’s team when the Commodores’ program was disbanded. Now he has landed the job of men’s head coach at one of the highest-profile programs in the country.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Malaysian malaise prompts foreigner ban
[OFF THE POST] Foreigners are no longer welcome in Malaysia’s pro leagues. In an effort to improve the national team’s standard of play and reduce clubs’ burgeoning debt, the Football Association of Malaysia has decided to make its Super League a strictly domestic organization. FA Deputy President Khairy Jamaluddin explained the decision:
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Californian scores against Barcelona
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Northern California product Jesus Padilla, 21, scored Chivas Guadalajara’s first goal in a 5-2 loss to Spain’s Barcelona in a friendly Sunday in front of 40,717 fans at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Toja leaves FC Dallas for Romania
[MLS] Midfielder Juan Toja has been transferred from FC Dallas to Romanian club FC Steaua Bucharest. The 23-year-old Colombian joined Dallas last season from Argentina’s River Plate and made 43 MLS appearances, scoring eight goals.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It was great. I mean Barcelona — c’mon! How often do you get to see them? It was a little short, but we got some signatures.”
— Andes Baeca, a 20-year-old tourist from Canada who was among “the plethora of joggers, bikers and others” who stopped to watch FC Barcelona when the Spanish power held a training season in New York City’s Central Park on Monday ahead of Wednesday’s friendly with the New York Red Bulls. (MLSNet.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Van der Vaart signing signals end Ronaldo chase?
[TRANSFER TALK] Real Madrid’s signing of Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart from German side Hamburg SV in a $20 million transfer deal could spell the end of the Spanish champion’s protracted pursuit of Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
SuperLiga: Another Boring Revs vs. Dynamo Final?
Don’t rely on anything in soccer. Whenever you think you’ve got the sport sorted out, it strikes back with a sly sucker punch that flattens your theories. Just one year ago, the SuperLiga was a success at every level — good games, good soccer, good crowds, good atmosphere — and a good USA vs. Mexico (Galaxy vs. Pachuca) final. This year, things have been rather different. For a start the Mexicans have not exactly covered themselves with glory. Both their semifinalists — Atlante and Pachuca — turned inexcusably nasty at the end of their games. There can be no excuse for the way their players behaved in the face of defeat.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Olympic Soccer TV Schedule
Two days before the Opening Ceremonies, Olympic soccer will begin on Wednesday morning with live coverage of the USA-Norway women’s game on MSNBC and Universal HD. Soccer coverage will also be available on various NBC networks, including USA, CNBC and Telemundo. Complete soccer coverage will be available on the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel and online at nbcolympics.com. Check with your television provider for the availability of the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Five players to watch
[OLYMPIC WOMEN] Only five countries have won medals in Olympic women’s soccer: the USA, Brazil, Germany, Norway and China. It would be a surprise if the medalists at the Beijing Olympics don’t come from this quintet of women’s soccer powers. Here’s a look at key players from each of these five teams.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA looks past Wambach absence
The ultimate tests for an Abby Wambach-less U.S. women won’t come until later in the Olympic soccer tournament, but starting out against traditional rival Norway in Qinhuangdao on Wednesday may be a stiff enough challenge to a team abruptly deprived of its most potent weapon.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sundhage: ‘We have embraced the change’
[OLYMPIC WOMEN] On the eve of the Olympic opener against Norway, U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage spoke about the progress the team has made since she took over late last year. The Swede says the Americans, 21-0-1 in 2008, have made great strides on defense and in midfield but admitted “we have a little bit to go in the attacking third.” For all Sundhage’s remarks in Qinhuangdao …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ajax America cleans up at women’s finals
[WPSL] Ajax America won the 2008 Women’s Premier Soccer League championship with a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Rush in Sunday’s final in Natomas, Calif. For more on the WPSL final four and its all-league teams …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Thierry Loves New York, New York
Luis Arroyave grabbed a few minutes with Barcelona’s striker Thierry Henry, and the player reiterated not only how much he loves U.S. sports, but how he’d like to live here some day, “and it might happen pretty soon.” “I just realized recently in New York on vacation that soccer is growing,” Henry said. “I […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
GolTV Statement On Being Pulled From Dish Network
Has GolTV suddenly disappeared from your TV channel lineup? Chances are that you’re a Dish Network subscriber. Read the broadcaster’s official statement on the move that will deprive many U.S. viewers of La Liga and the Bundesliga.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Two Beckhams
Lowell Cohn outlines the difference between Beckham the commodity and Beckham the “ordinary” person.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Noonan’s MLS Return?
Pat Noonan will likely re-sign for the New England Revolution in the next few days, and then be traded on to another MLS team, writes Steven Goff. “Four or five teams” are said to be interested.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
European Soccer’s Bullish Market
There’s a timely pre-season primer from Tony Karon on the financial vagaries of the cut-throat European game, outlining the high-risk strategy of several top clubs as they compete to sign the highest paid players, and launch another bid for domestic and international success. Citing the “giddily bullish market” in European soccer that belies the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA To Review Olympic Soccer Rules
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said in Beijing Monday that the game’s world governing body will review Olympic soccer regulations before the 2012 games to avoid a repeat of the current row between clubs and country over the release of players. With just three days until the start of the Olympic soccer competition, the Court […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Premier League’s World Tour Proposal
After the English Premier League’s proposal to play a 39th round of games around the world was rejected as both pointless and unfeasible by the teams, the English FA, FIFA and the fans, chief executive Richard Scudamore has gone back to the drawing board. His latest proposal foresees a winter world tour guaranteeing all the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Shape Up Or Face The Music, Leiweke Tells LA
L.A. Galaxy President Tim Leiweke has told the team to turn its season around or face the consequences, reports Jonah Freedman on his Inside Soccer blog. He quotes “a source close to Major League Soccer’s glamour franchise” as saying that Leiweke “made an unannounced visit to the team’s locker room this past week and issued […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
New England hosts Houston in the Superliga 2008 Final on Tuesday night. Catch Copa Libertadores in the midweek. The 2008 Olympics kick off this week with men and women’s first-round games.