The Houston Dynamo and Major League Soccer have made an offer to take Mexican forward Luis Angel Landin, 23, on loan for a year from Morelia Monarcas, reports Bernardo Fallas. The Mexican team would retain the player's rights and collect an undisclosed fee. Houston's Chief Operating Officer Chris Canetti called the discussions "very interesting" and […]
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Usmanov Waiting To Devise Arsenal Strategy
Controversial Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov has said that he has no current plans to increase his stake in Arsenal FC, despite the ousting from the club’s board last week of Nina Bracewell-Smith, who owns a 15.9 percent stake in the team. But he is certainly reviewing the situation, and refuses to rule out a future […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Crew goes with the flow with Warzycha
[MLS] Robert Warzycha, meet Bob Bradley and Peter Nowak. They won league championships in their rookie seasons as MLS head coaches, and neither had the luxury of taking over a team fresh off an MLS Cup triumph/Supporters’ Shield double. Warzycha, 45, will start the 2009 season staring up at a bar set very high by departing head coach Sigi Schmid, who took Columbus all the way to its first MLS Cup in the final year of a contract he let expire before signing up with expansionist Seattle.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sounders stay with Schmetzer, and vice versa
[MLS] Former Crew head coach Sigi Schmid, whose hiring as Seattle’s boss lagged for months yet was never in serious doubt, has followed a similarly predictable course by naming Brian Schmetzer as an assistant coach. The former NASL Sounder coached the USL-1 Sounders from 2002 to 2008, winning a pair of championships along the way. He will give the MLS franchise continuity as well as provide a baseline of knowledge and experience as Schmid builds the city’s MLS team.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Soccer America
SoccerAmericaDaily will break for the holidays and return next Monday and Tuesday. The staff of Soccer America wishes everyone a pleasant and safe holiday season.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chelsea bid to take EPL lead fails
[ENGLAND] Chelsea missed a chance to overtake Liverpool in the Premier League when it settled for a 0-0 tie at Everton after captain John Terry was sent off in the 34th minute. For more on Everton-Chelsea and the holiday EPL schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hugo Sanchez named Almeria coach
[SPAIN] La Liga club Almeria named former Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez to replace Gonzalo Arconada, who was fired Sunday after its 1-0 loss at Sporting Gijon left it in 16th place with only one win in its last 11 games.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
Jose Mourinho: “Maybe you should pick the [Inter Milan] team?”
Reporter: “I would if you gave me part of the nine million euros you earn.”
Mourinho: “It’s not nine, it’s 11 – and with sponsors it comes to 14.”
— An exchange between Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho and an Italian reporter from the Irish Times ‘ best quotes of the year roundup. (14 million euros = $19.5 million.)
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
Prince William To Back England World Cup Bid
I say, how awfully splendid. The English FA has something the U.S. and many other countries can't call on in their bid to land the 2018 World Cup — a member of the royal family to shake important hands and make small talk. Presuming that the monarchy is not overthrown in the meantime, Prince William […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Keane: Transfer Speculation Is Bunk
"I suppose the only thing that I sometimes get frustrated by is when people outside the football club are talking about things to do with me, because they are trying to create something that is not there." Liverpool striker Robbie Keane, who scored a fine goal for his team in the weekend's 1-1 tie at […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mallorca’s Season Of Discontent
"They are an absolute disaster, staggering into rotten relationships as broken promise after broken promise drives them ever closer to a complete breakdown, teetering on the edge of the financial and football abyss." Sid Lowe tells how it's not been Mallorca's season so far in La Liga.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Wenger: Liverpool Will Drop More Points
"The title is won in May and we are in December. Mathematically we will fight until the end. I believe Liverpool will drop many points. I am convinced of that. They had four draws at home. That means they dropped eight points, why shouldn't they drop eight more in the second half of the season?" […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Evra Ban Highlights Flaws In Disciplinary System
The English Football Association's full report on the incident involving Manchester United defender Patrice Evra and the ground staff of Chelsea FC last April is well worth reading in full at the FA's website, writes Sam Wallace. "In parts it reads like the average fight outside a kebab shop on a Friday night in a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
D.C. And Dallas Miss Out On Appiah
Both D.C. United and FC Dallas were approached last month about the possibility of acquiring Ghanaian international Stephen Appiah, 28, on a free transfer, reports Steven Goff. But for reasons not yet clear, the potential deals fell through. "Appiah would have been willing to play in MLS for $2 million per season, a figure probably […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
O’Neill Reflects On The Age Of The Disposable Manager
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill has said that soccer is in the age of the “disposable manager,” and that he is not exempt from getting fired in spite of his team currently sitting third in the English Premier League. He knows how quickly things can change, and feels increasing emphasis is being placed on instant […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS In ‘Eight-Figure Deal’ For Foreign TV Rights
Major League Soccer has sold the international TV rights to its games to sports media company MP & Silva through 2013. Sports Business Journal (subscription only) reported that the deal involves "an eight-figure agreement." The TV deal is part of "a long-term, broad partnership with" MLS and includes "the exclusive rights to all MLS games, […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
English soccer is heavily featured this week. Catch Boxing Day games on Friday and another round of matches on Sunday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dempsey scores; Bocanegra’s Rennes on roll
[AMERICANS ABROAD WRAP] Fulham’s Clint Dempsey scored his second EPL goal of the season in a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough. In France, defender Carlos Bocanegra helped Rennes win its derby game against Lorient, 2-1, and extend its unbeaten streak to 17 games.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
More injury trouble for Seattle’s star signing
[MLS] The Curse of the Designated Player, like that of the Sports Illustrated cover, is alive and well.Yet another DP has been struck down by injury and will arrive, if not damaged, certainly on the mend. This time the victim has yet to play as much as a minute for his MLS team.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Columbus picks Sigi Schmid successor
[MLS] More than a dozen years after signing as the Crew’s first discovery player, Robert Warzycha is taking over as its fifth head coach.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
I was wrong about Beckham
Soon after David Beckham descended upon us, trailing clouds of glory in January 2007, I wrote an article that was headlined: “Beckham in MLS: A Force Or A Farce?”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
European Weekend Scores
On the last weekend before the holiday break in most countries, there were big winners on the road — Barcelona at Villarreal in Spain, Inter Milan at Siena and Juventus at Atalanta in Italy and Aston Villa at West Ham in England. Four teams won on the road in France, including Bordeaux, which came back from three goals down in the second half to beat Freddy Adu‘s Monaco, 4-3. For all the weekend results, standings and leading scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Arsenal’s Wenger fuming after Adebayor red card
[ENGLAND] Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was livid after its 1-1 with visiting Liverpool kept it eight points behind the league-leading Reds. He felt the Gunners would have held on for the win but for the red card to striker Emmanuel Adebayor, and he got bad news that captain and playmaker Cesc Fabregas is out with a torn knee, but the real cause of his anger might have been the poor defending that allowed Liverpool to equalize.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham ready to help Milan
[ITALY] David Beckham got his first up-close look at his new team, and it’s clear he arrives to a better situation than he did when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy 18 months ago. AC Milan put on an impressive performance in a 5-1 win over Udinese on Sunday, a day after Beckham made his first public appearance in Milan.