Monthly Archives: September 2008

Arsenal is interested in American “teen phenom” Charles Renken (originally from Zambia), according to “unconfirmed reports.” The 14-year-old has apparently reciprocated the interest, and “it is understood that the hype surrounding Renken is so intense that the player will forgo his chance of playing in the MLS for the hopes of signing with a European […]

“Those set pieces, along with the long throw-ins for Oguchi Onyewu to head, which are so threatening against Mexico and others, simply cannot be relied on against sophisticated opponents.” Frank Dell’Apa analyzes what the U.S. needs to do to make its attack more potent.

“Since he [Juan Pietravallo] joined MLS in July from Veria F.C. of the Greek league, the Red Bulls have been a team transformed — tougher, more confident and an emerging contender for the league title, something that could be seldom said during the club’s inglorious and unfocused history.” Jack Bell profiles RB New York’s Argentine […]

Former England, Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins has returned to Stamford Bridge for a second spell as assistant first-team coach.

Brian Glanville ponders the irony of FIFA Vice President Jack Warner being “outraged at being called a disgrace and a clown” by Sunderland’s manager Roy Keane. “Remember,” he rhetorically muses, “the gallant 2006 [Trinidad & Tobago] World Cup team who found they were being short changed by Warner and had to agitate before they got […]

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has responded to Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster’s claim that Brazilian striker Robinho is content to be “a big player at a mediocre club” by having made the $58 million move from Real to City.   “Bernd is obviously a bit emotional about the situation,” Hughes said. “He has lost […]

In Europe, when the coach of a troubled team receives a vote of confidence from the club’s board, it’s usually a prelude to his sacking just a few days later. The phrase has now entered soccer parlance as ‘the dreaded vote of confidence.’ One can only hope for the sake of FC Dallas coach Schellas […]

Even as the Montreal Impact celebrated another fine result for the United Soccer Leagues’ representatives in the Concacaf Champions League Wednesday, its defeated opponent vowed a terrible revenge. Joe Public coach Keith Griffith, whose side fell 2-0 to the Impact, boldly forecast that his side would win the return game in Trinidad next month “by […]

When Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk undertakes a project, you’d hate to bet against a man with “deep pockets, an acute sports marketing acumen, plus energy and creativity,” says an editorial in the Ottawa Citizen. That’s why there’s “a very good chance” that his plan to bring Major League Soccer to the Canadian city will […]

FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s Idea of the Day is to decrease the number of European teams at the World Cup to give an African country a better chance of winning. Right now, by coincidence, Blatter is in Africa. “We will have to change the numbers but we’ll do it step by step,” Blatter said. “One […]

Just a few weeks into the EPL season, and already there’s little talk of the FA’s Respect campaign towards referees. Everton manager David Moyes is to be charged by the FA with “improper conduct” after being sent to the stands during Saturday’s game at Stoke City for his response to referee Alan Wiley’s failure to […]

Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rapids owner Stan Kroenke will be appointed to Arsenal’s board Thursday, report Gary Jacob and Tom Dart. Billionaire Kroenke, who owns a 12.38 per cent share in the north London team, has been tipped for the appointment ever since Russian-Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov amassed a shareholding of 24.9 per cent. Rumors […]