[U.S. UNDER-18 NATIONAL TEAM] Mike Matkovich, who founded the Chicago Magic youth club and served as an assistant coach at Toronto FC and Chivas USA, has been named head coach of the U.S. under-18 boys national team.
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Howard and Lloyd win top U.S. Soccer Awards
[AWARDS] U.S. Soccer named U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Tim Howard as the 2008 Male Athlete of the Year and Carli Lloyd, whose goal gave the USA a gold medal in 2008 Olympic women’s soccer, as the 2008 Female Athlete of the Year. Midfielders Sacha Kljestan, who represented the USA in Olympic men’s soccer and 2010 World Cup qualifying, and Kristie Mewis, who starred on the U.S. Under-17 Women’s World Cup team, won the Young Male and Young Female Awards, respectively.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The man who’s coached 4,000 coaches
On a cold, blustery early December weekend, 34 coaches from the Washington, D.C., area braved the weather conditions to take Len Oliver’s USSF E Course. The coaches in attendance hailed from 10 different countries, including Mali, Honduras, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, England, Afghanistan and France, bringing the total countries represented in the training over the years to 77.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kinnear Optimistic Owen Will Stay
"I am optimistic — I am more optimistic now having spent that time talking to him. He's getting together with his agent in the next two or three days and coming back with an answer." Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear really does seem to think that Michael Owen will accept his new contract offer, despite […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Houston In Talks With Mexican Striker Landin
"It's hard for us to comment on players who are currently under contract by another team, so we can't address the specific discussions that we've had with his representation or club." Houston Dynamo Chief Operating Officer Chris Canetti sort of comments on the club's talks with striker Luis Angel Landin of Mexican club Morelia Monarcas. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ferguson: I Wouldn’t Sell Real A Virus
"Do you think I would get into a contract with them? They've got no chance. There's no agreement whatsoever between the clubs. I wouldn't sell them a virus. It can be annoying but the best thing for us is to ignore it." Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, speaking after United's 5-3 win over Gamba Osaka […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cologne Church Choir Sings For Podolski’s Return
"A Colognish heart that doesn't beat when abroad/That yearns to return to Cologne." Just some of the profoundly moving lyrics sung by a Cologne church and its 80-strong choir begging FC Cologne's former striker Lukas Podolski to return to the city from Bayern Munich. Rumors that Johann Sebastian Bach was spotted turning in his grave […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arsenal Board Row Opens Way To Foreign Ownership
"Lady Nina [Bracewell-Smith] is no longer representing the club. … I don't know for certain what she wants to do with her shares. We hope that she would remain a shareholder but she has not spoken to me about it lately." Arsenal FC Chairman Peter Hill-Wood on the board row that has caused businesswoman Nina […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cafu To Play For English Non-League Club
Former Brazil and Roma defender Cafu has agreed a deal to play for English non-league side Garforth Town for a few games at the end of the 2008-09 season. "He's likely to be coming in April and just playing a few games for us," said Garforth's owner Simon Clifford, who runs the Brazilian Soccer Schools […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
English Football League Votes For ‘Home Grown’ Rule
The English Football League, which governs the three professional divisions directly below the Premier league, has voted to bring in a new rule where four out of the 16 players on game-day rosters squads will have to be 'home grown.' Chairmen of the league's 72 member clubs voted on the measure Thursday, and it will […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Milan Could Make Beckham A Long Term Offer
AC Milan will offer David Beckham a two-year contract if his loan spell at the Serie A club works out, reports Christopher Davies, citing no sources. The L.A. Galaxy midfielder is set to start his loan spell next month and is due to return to the MLS team in March for the 2009 season, but […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Barclays To Review EPL Sponsorship
Barclays Bank, which sponsors the English Premier League, plans to review its worldwide sports deals, casting doubt upon its future backing of the league once the current contract runs out in 2010. The U.K.'s third largest bank has sponsored the league since 2001, with the latest three-year deal worth $99 million. "There will be a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
St. Louis Pro Soccer Could Come By Way Of USL
While St. Louis waits to hear if it has secured an MLS franchise, another possibility for pro soccer in the city has emerged — a United Soccer Leagues team. Not only could it come a year sooner than the projected 2011 MLS start date, it would be 39 million bucks cheaper. Tony Glavin, a former […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Player bets against own team
[IRELAND] St. Patrick’s midfielder Gary Dempsey has been suspended for five games for placing a $30 bet on Galway United to beat his own team
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Pink is my daughter’s favorite color – and she is 5. It would have been unthinkable in our day.”
– Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer chimes in on the pink cleats of Bayern’s Franck Ribery. (Irish Times)
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Are Corner Kicks a Lost Art?
A lifetime of attending soccer practices has left me totally jaded about such activities. Well, that’s something of an exaggeration, it’s hardly been a lifetime. It just seems like it. Sheer tedium. So why bother? Maybe because there’s a chance to chat with players or even — holy of holies! — the coach afterward.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Quito beats Pachuca to reach final
[CLUB WORLD CUP] Two first-half goals were enough for South American champion LDU Quito to move past Mexico’s Pachuca (featuring U.S. international Francisco Torres) into Sunday’s Club World Cup final.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Guzan blameless as Villa downed by Hamburg
[UEFA CUP] Deportivo Coruna, Lech Poznan and FC Copenhagen advanced to the knockout phase of the UEFA Cup after Wednesday’s final round of action in Groups E to H. Brad Guzan played through for already qualified Aston Villa in its 3-1 loss at Hamburg.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
San Lorenzo tops Tigre in Apertura playoff opener
[ARGENTINA] San Lorenzo beat Tigre, 2-1, in the first game of the three-way playoff series for the Argentine opening championship.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer awards for best goals announced
[AWARDS] U.S. Soccer announced the final winners of the 2008 Best of U.S. Soccer awards presented by Soccer America. The winners for Best Performance: Team, Best Goal: Men, Best Goal: Women and Best Photo were selected by fans in online voting at ussoccer.com. The winners are …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Americans beat China again to finish 33-1-2
[U.S. WOMEN] The USA closed out the year with a 1-0 win over China in Detroit that gave it a 33-1-2 record for the year, the best ever in the 24-year history of the women’s national team program. The U.S. team won all five tournaments it entered, including the 2008 Olympics, and also set a record for most wins and best winning percentage (.944) in a calendar year.
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
U.S. Climbs Two Spots In FIFA World Rankings
Rejoice! The United States climbed two positions to 22nd spot in the latest FIFA world rankings. The next highest placed Concacaf team is Mexico, which dropped one place to 26th. Spain remains top, with Germany in second.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Banned McGeady Wants To Stay At Celtic
"He has been suspended for two weeks. That's not the same thing as never playing for the club again." David Holbrook, agent to Glasgow Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady, says the player wants to stay at the club despite appealing a two-week ban and a fine of two weeks' wages following a falling out with manager […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dallas Looking For Experience
"We talk about our future because we have got so many good young players, but I don't know if we need any more good young players. I think we need established players, players with experience who can help our young players grow." FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman after returning form a scouting trip to South […]