Seattle Sounders FC unveiled its designated player, Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg, Tuesday, reports Jose Miguel Romero. The $2.5 million a year midfielder duly declared that he’s here to help improve the quality and the profile of Major League Soccer. “I figured if I’m going to take MLS seriously and want to make it a really […]
Monthly Archives: October 2008
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
United Braces Itself For Post-Mortem
D.C. United was forced by delays and cancellations to wait six hours at Columbus airport Monday, the morning after its MLS season had ended in Crew Stadium. This, writes Steven Goff, seemed a fitting end to a bad year, with the team finally making it home to D.C. via New York, the city whose team […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Galaxy’s Long Shopping List
L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is still “simply staring at the wreckage of an 8-13-9 season,” writes Grahame L Jones, but soon it will be time for him to start sorting through the chaff. “It’s certainly a team that needs to be reconstructed,” Arena said. “We have an odd balance on our team on the […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
PROFILE: Stanford’s fab frosh
Stanford is No. 2 in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25 heading into its showdown against No. 3 UCLA on Friday. In a year for high-quality freshmen, the Cardinal (16-0-1) has been blessed with three sensational first-year players — Californians Teresa Noyola, Lindsay Taylor and Camille Levin — who have combined for 26 goals and 15 assists in 17 games. Even more important, their skills complement each other — which should make Stanford a national contender for the next four seasons.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
JUNIOR COLLEGES: NSCAA/adidas Rankings
Yavapai (D1 men), Darton (D1 women) and Cerritos (D3 women) remained No. 1 in this week’s NSCAA/adidas JC rankings. There was a major shakeup in the D3 men’s rankings, where Herkimer County jumped three places to No. 1. For all the rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SMALL COLLEGES: NSCAA/adidas Women’s Rankings
No. 1 Grand Valley State is the only unbeaten and untied NCAA Division II women’s team at 18-0-0. Williams is still No. 1 in Division III despite its 1-1 tie with archrival Amherst. For the NSCAA/adidas D2 and D3 women’s rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SMALL COLLEGES: NSCAA/adidas Men’s Rankings
Midwestern State remained No. 1 in the NCAA Division II men’s rankings. Trinity (Texas), first in the Division III rankings, is perfect at 16-0-0. For the NSCAA/adidas D2 and D3 men’s rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Surging Campbell knocks off UNC
Surging Campbell won its ninth straight game when it beat No. 7 North Carolina, 2-0. No. 12 South Florida also lost on the road, falling at Cincinnati, 1-0. No. 5 Northwestern recovered from its first defeat of the loss with a 1-0 victory at Loyola (Ill.). For all of the Tuesday action …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Women’s Conferences
Conference tournament play begins this week in six conferences, most notably the Big East, where No. 1 Notre Dame puts its perfect record on the line on Sunday when it meets the winner of Thursday’s Cincinnati-St. John’s game. For all the conference tournament schedules …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Edu gets Rangers action
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Maurice Edu, whose play for Glasgow Rangers had been limited to one league appearance (Sept. 19) since joining the Scottish club in August from Toronto FC on a $5 million transfer, went the full 90 on Tuesday in a 2-0 Scottish League Cup quarterfinal win over Hamilton.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I figured if I’m going to take MLS seriously and want to make it a really good league and develop it, I should come now and not in three years’ time. It took me three months to come to a decision of what I wanted to do, but the guys here have helped me in my decision by showing me around the city and what they want to do with the team.”
— Fromer Arsenal and Sweden Freddie Ljungberg, 31, upon signing with MLS 2009 expansion club Seattle Sounders FC for a reported $2.5 million a year. (Seattle Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dynamo reserves falter late but snag a point
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Not every team puts as much emphasis on its reserve squad as does Houston, and all that work reaped a significant reward Tuesday night in San Salvador.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Twellman absence adds to Revs’ woes
For all the wrong reasons 2008 is turning out to be another memorable season in the career of Revs’ forward Taylor Twellman
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Maradona named Argentina coach
[ARGENTINA] Argentina has appointed Diego Maradona as its new coach, according to reports from Buenos Aires.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Leverkusen beats Bremen to lead the Bundesliga
[GERMANY] Bayer Leverkusen took over top spot for at least a day with a deserved 2-0 win at Werder Bremen.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Under-17 Women’s World Cup Results
The inaugural Under-17 Women’s World Cup began Tuesday in New Zealand, where the host country fell to Canada, 1-0, in the opening game that drew more than 13,000 fans in Auckland. Penn State-bound Rachel Lamarre scored the first goal of the competition. The USA opens against Japan in Hamilton on Thursday. For all the results and schedules …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Michael Bradley gets third straight start
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Midfielder Michael Bradley was back on the field for Borussia Moenchengladbach and its new coach, Hans Meyer, but Gladbach returned to its losing ways in midweek Bundesliga action.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions. They include college coaching opportunities, as well as jobs in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Liverpool Tries To Stay Calm
“People will be talking about us a bit more now because we’re top of the league. But we have to live with that. It’s a different kind of pressure, but it’s what we are in it for — and we have to cope with that.” Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher follows his manager Rafa Benitez in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Steaua’s Revolving Door
“The interference of the homophobic, right-wing and utterly unsavory owner Gigi Becali has prompted Steaua Bucharest to appoint their ninth manager since 2003.” Jonathan Wilson, expert on all aspects of eastern European soccer, reports on how “Romanian coaches in general tend to look on the life-span of a mayfly with a certain awed longing.”
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Adams Appointed Portsmouth Manager
“It’s fantastic. I’m very honoured, it’s a great opportunity and one I would be mad to turn down. I’m excited and I can’t wait to get going.” Oh my lord. Former Arsenal and England defender Tony Adams has taken over from the departed Harry Redknapp as Portsmouth manager. Adams’s previous managerial post was at Wycombe […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ronaldo’s Body And Soul With United — For Now
“I am with Manchester United body and soul. Only God knows the future but I insist that I am a Manchester United player and now I think that next year I will continue here. I want to respect this club, my team-mates and the fans, and I prefer not to talk of other teams at […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kinnear Sold On ‘Rogue’ Barton
Newcastle United’s bad lad Joey Barton is out of prison and back on the field, and at the weekend managed to provoke new copy and controversy by kissing the club badge on his training top as he warmed up in front of Sunderland fans for his return to action. But, writes Louise Taylor, Newcastle’s interim […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Fergie: Real Signed Heinze To Lure Ronaldo
Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has accused Real Madrid of signing Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze solely in order to lure his close friend Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu. In an interview with the U.K. monthly ‘lifestyle’ magazine GQ, Ferguson said, “Ronaldo was very close to Heinze. I knew what they [Real] were doing. I […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA Blocks Bosnian Serb Friendly
Soccer's world governing body FIFA has blocked a friendly game between Serbia and a Select XI from the Serb-dominated area of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republica Srpska, citing the "complex political situation." Republika Srpska Football Association Secretary General Rodoljub Petkovic told media that he is to appeal against the ban with both FIFA and its European sister body […]