Monthly Archives: February 2009

Years ago, supercilious British soccer fans loved to laugh at the fact that television coverage of games in the United States would be interrupted for commercial breaks. To Brits, such vandalism was sacreligious, and to lose even a few seconds of action was deemed as craven kowtowing to financial interests. Let’s fast forward a few […]

“I do think it is a vocal minority. But I find it shocking that some fans have already forgotten how well this football club is doing. People following the club now are privileged to be doing so, because it is the most successful period in the club’s history.” Hull City Chairman Paul Duffen hits out […]

“I really believe having him playing for North Queensland Fury will change the way people think about the [Australian] A-League.” Fury chairman Don Matheson has signed former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler, 33, and thinks there will be some kind of a “Beckham Effect.” Fowler had been linked to a couple of MLS clubs, […]

“I just felt with Robbie coming in there would be a new impetus with him as captain. He can give an awful lot. He is a big personality and we are a quiet team.” Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp justifies his appointment of the returning Robbie Keane as captain.

“Standard [Liege] has offered to extend [my contract]. I have never responded, neither yes nor no. I never said I wanted to leave at any price, nor that I wanted to stay.” U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu on his future, or not, at Belgian champion Liege. His current contract with the club expires in June.

Arsenal’s new chief executive Ivan Gazidis “believes that Arsene Wenger will be the manager at Arsenal for as long as the Frenchman wants and does not have a minimum success to reach in order to keep his job,” writes Sam Wallace. The former MLS deputy commissioner  also told Wallace that wealthy benefactors are not healthy […]

Paying Zenit St Petersburg $21.7 million for midfielder Andrei Arshavin has taken Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger “out of his comfort zone,” writes Dominic Fifield, unaccustomed as he is to paying large amounts for individual players. But despite the question marks over the player’s attitude and temperament, Arsenal has signed “a genius.”   Although Wenger prides […]

Satellite TV broadcaster Sky has paid more than $1.45 billion, and possibly as much as $1.9 billion, to retain its rights to the majority of English Premier League coverage from 2010-2013, writes Matt Dickinson in the Times. Sky is 39.1 percent owned by Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corporation, parent company to the newspaper.   Sky “has […]

The San Jose Earthquakes are close to signing U.S. national team midfielder Bobby Convey from English side Reading, reports Elliott Almond, quoting “a Major League Soccer source.” The club is also about to sign forward Cam Weaver from FK Haugesund of Norway.   Former D.C. United player Convey, 25, “brings a big name to San […]

Lawyers representing the L.A. Galaxy’s wide midfielder David Beckham, 33, currently on loan to AC Milan, are talking with the Californian team about a possible extension to his loan period, the Italian club said on Wednesday.   “His lawyers are in talks with [the] Los Angeles Galaxy,” Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani said on the […]