Monthly Archives: November 2008

Five seeds lost on Tuesday in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament. No. 4 Michigan State fell to UIC in a shootout. No. 9 Loyola (Md.), No. 10 Virginia, No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 15 UC Santa Barbara also fell. For reports on all the second-round games …

MORNING BRIEFING: No. 1 seed Wake Forest gets scare

by Paul KennedyNovember 26, 2008

Top-ranked Wake Forest got a scare in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament Tuesday night when it needed a golden goal by junior forward Cody Arnoux in the first overtime period to subdue William & Mary, 1-0, at Spry Stadium.

Robinho takes the bus

[OFF THE POST] Manchester commuters were reportedly stunned to see Manchester City’s Brazilian star, Robinho, who earns $250,000 a week, take public transportation. Robinho spent $9 on bus tickets for him and his girlfriend for a central Manchester-Trafford Centre roundtrip.

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“I guess you have to go back to youth soccer. We won a few State Cups with the [La Jolla] Nomads.”

— Frankie Hejduk, 34, who scored Columbus’ third goal in its 3-1 MLS Cup win over the New York Red Bulls, upon being asked to recall his previous club titles. Hejduk has played nine years of MLS ball, spent four years in the German Bundesliga, one year in the Swiss league, and he played three seasons at UCLA. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Seattle ponders its player options

by Ridge MahoneyNovember 26, 2008

[MLS] If there’s an MLS expansion draft on a Wednesday, somebody must be working late in Northern California on Tuesday night. The offices of Match Analysis in Emeryville is where Seattle Sounders FC president Adrian Hanauer and technical director Chris Henderson spent the entire day and much of the night in preparation for the MLS expansion draft to be conducted Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. Eastern. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney looks at likely Seattle picks. …

Real, Arsenal and Man. United make CL knockout phase

by Ian PlenderleithNovember 26, 2008

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Manchester United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were among seven clubs to secure a place in the knockout phase of the Champions League in Tuesday’s group play.

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.

Higher UK Taxes Could Deter Top Players

Increased tax rates for high earners, announced by the U.K. ruling Labour Party Monday, could deter soccer stars from playing in the English Premier League, writes Matt Scott. "England has traditionally been one of the most attractive football destinations," he writes, "where big incomes have been buoyed by one of Europe's softer tax regimes and […]

More Prawn Sandwiches On Merseyside

Liverpool will make more money from corporate boxes than from regular supporters when it eventually moves into a new 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park, the club's commercial director said Tuesday. Ian Ayre said the club estimated that more than 50 percent of game-day income would come from the sale of seats in corporate boxes. The […]

Negotiating Angel’s Worth

The MLS Cup losers' medals are already losing their transient shine, and RB New York is already looking ahead to next season. One of the biggest issues facing the club in the offseason is the renegotiation of Juan Pablo Angel's contract, writes Jack Bell. Angel, NY's designated player who has just completed his second season […]

FIFA Bans Peru From International Competition

FIFA has banned Peru from international competition due to a long-running dispute between the Peruvian government and the country's football federation (FPF). Unless the dispute is resolved, Peru will be prematurely eliminated from World Cup qualifying (its next game is in March), and its clubs will not be able to take part in the 2009 […]

Didier’s Dinner With Jose’s Peeps

"A report in Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport claims [Didier] Drogba and one of his representatives had dinner at a Fulham restaurant with [Jose] Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes and Inter general manager Marco Branca." Drogba, the Telegraph helpfully reminds us, reportedly burst into tears when it was announced that Mourinho was leaving his current team, Chelsea. […]

Seattle Jersey Colors Leaked

Get a glimpse of what Kasey Keller will see tenfold before him next season — the Seattle Sounders FC jerseys have been leaked prior to their official unveiling December 4. Green with navy blue shorts. Very nice.

Schelotto The Diplomat

"I think it's a competitive league that's growing. It's as easy or as hard as any other league. You have to understand the style of play. I can't define whether it's an easier or difficult league." League MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto sidesteps a request to compare MLS with the Argentine league.

Van Den Bergh Unsure Of NY Future

"There have been some talks. Up to now, they have not culminated in anything. I have to keep my options open just in case I do not come to an agreement with New York and MLS. So I have to make sure I do have a job on January 1. I do have to look […]

Crew Fan Unsure How To Celebrate

"I grew up in Cleveland. Being from Cleveland, I've never experienced a winning team in my life. I'm not sure how to act." Columbus Crew fan Marc Behrendt, who drove to Port Columbus airport to meet the MLS Cup-winning team as it arrived back from L.A. Monday.

Why Did MLS Drop Montreal?

Mystery still surrounds the decision of Major League Soccer to reject the bid of the Montreal Impact to join the league in 2011. The president of the United Soccer Leagues club, Joey Saputo, said Monday that the Impact had been dropped "without explanation," and that he was "disappointed" by the decision. MLS Commissioner Don Garber […]

SOCCER AMERICA INTERVIEW: St. John’s Neal Kitson

by Bryan AlvarezNovember 25, 2008

Neal Kitson won a national championship as a freshman at NCAA Division II Dowling in 2004 and hopes to finish his career with a second championship, this time with Division I St. John’s. Kitson, whose 0.34 goals-against average is the lowest in the country, has been sensational in his first year as a full-time starter with the No. 3 seed Red Storm, who open play in the NCAA Tournament against Boston University.

RISING STAR: Akron’s Steve Zakuani

by Bryan AlvarezNovember 25, 2008

Englishman Steve Zakuani emerged this fall as one of college soccer’s most feared strikers and a leading candidate for Player of the Year honors. The sophomore leads all NCAA Division I scorers with 20 goals and 47 points. Bothered by a sprained left ankle during the Mid-American Tournament, Zakuani is rested and ready for the No. 5 Zips’ second-round match against Ohio State Tuesday in Akron.

MORNING BRIEFING: Youngsters lead Texas A&M

by Paul KennedyNovember 25, 2008

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament is the presence of Texas A&M. The Aggies, who struggled late in the season, have gotten hot in the postseason and reached the quarterfinals, where they will meet North Carolina Friday in Chapel Hill.

SCOREBOARD: NCAA Division I Men

The 16 seeded teams begin action in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament on Tuesday. For the second-round schedule …

MORNING BRIEFING: Ohio State survives suspensions

by Paul KennedyNovember 25, 2008

It’s been quite a tumultuous end-of-season for Ohio State, last year’s runner-up at the Men’s College Cup. The Buckeyes ended the season with four straight losses but managed to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Things got worse when Coach John Bluem suspended six players — five of them starters in last year’s final against Wake Forest — indefinitely for a violation of team rules. But the Buckeyes (9-8-3) survived to win at Oakland on penalty kicks with a makeshift team and advanced to Tuesday’s second-round game at Akron (16-1-4).

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“There is a concern that people will not come in the numbers we expect from aboard. It’s very important to promote in the next months. Hopefully the soccer people will still travel.”

— Horst Schmidt, FIFA consultant to the 2010 South Africa World Cup organizers, on concerns that the global economic downturn could impact the number of visitors to the tournament. (Reuters)

Competition Changes for 2009

[MLS] The MLS Board of Governors approved changes affecting its competition format, schedule parameters, roster size and playoff format. Concacaf Champions League qualifiers and SuperLiga participants were also announced.