[OFF THE POST] Fans of German club Schalke 04, fed up with the poor play of former German international Kevin Kuranyi, rejoiced when the club reported on its Web site next week that his contract had been terminated and he had been released. The story proved to be false when the club announced that a computer hacker had broken into the Web site and posted the phony story.
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Puntarenas president gunned down
[COSTA RICA] Adrian Castro, president of Costa Rican First Division club, was gunned down Tuesday by gunmen on a motorcycle while driving his car on the Interamericana Norte freeway.<
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
WPS Foreign Signings
[MAKING A LIST] FC Gold Pride has acquired Japanese national team striker Eriko Arakawa and Brazilian U-20 midfielder Adriane, while the expected signing of former WUSA star Kelly Smith (Boston) and the Chelsea Ladies duo of Emi Aluko (St. Louis) and Anita Asante (Sky Blue FC) brings to five the number of Englishwomen joining Women’s Professional Soccer.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“[Landon] Donovan is an interesting player. But when you have [Miroslav Klose], [Luca] Toni and [Ivica] Olic [signed for next season as a free agent from Hamburg] already under contract, we think the fourth [striker] should really be a young player with prospects.”
— Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, telling the Munich newspaper TZ in an interview published Tuesday that the U.S. national team star was unlikely to stay with Bayern Munich on a longer contract once his loan deal expires in mid-March. (AP)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Man City Me$$ing Things Up, Dane Coach Declares
"The amounts of money that have been mentioned are incredible," said FC Copenhagen coach Stale Solbakken regarding Manchester City's transfer talks, ahead of the two teams' UEFA Cup match on Feb. 26. "I think that … will take part in destroying football. The hardest part for City is that they, by tradition, are not a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Milan’s Maldini Retiring From Serie A, But Not Soccer?
"I think that you need to be lucky and avoid major injuries to enjoy a career like mine. However, even my body has begun to feel the strains, and this will be my last season. I don't think that my body will allow me to play beyond this [term] at the highest level," said Paolo […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Portsmouth Open to Sven’s Seconds
Sven-Goran Eriksson remains the preferred option to replace ousted Portsmouth coach Tony Adams, though the club would clearly prefer to avoid a potential compensation payout to Mexico of about $4.2 million. According to the Daily Telegraph, there is a feeling that it could be possible to combine the two jobs, particularly as Mexico have only […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Bayern Boss Downplays Donovan’s Long-Term Chances
“[Landon Donovan] is an interesting player. But when you have [Mirolsav] Klose, [Luca] Toni and [Ivica] Olic already under contract, we think the fourth striker should really be a young player with prospects,” said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, downplaying Donovan’s chances of an extended stay with the Germany club in Munich newspaper TZ on Tuesday. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real Boss Boluda Bets on Ronaldo, Rallies Around Ramos
Real Madrid interim President Vincente Boluda, who took the reins of the club just last month, is the latest figurehead to fan the flames of rumors that Cristiano Ronaldo will be joining the legendary La Liga club next season. “I am convinced we will see him at the Bernabeu,” Boluda told Cadena Ser’s El Larguero. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
AFC Prez to Quit If FIFA ExCo Seat Is Lost
Tempers are flaring and politics are on full display in the Asian Football Confederation, where Bahrain chief Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa has responded forcefully to accusations that he is organizing an ouster of current AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam of Qatar. Al Khalifa’s campaign marks the first challenge in 14 years to Bin […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arena, Galaxy Put Circus Aside For Pan Pacific Cup
While all the talk in MLS these last few weeks has centered on David Beckham‘s fate with the league and Landon Donovan‘s Deutschland adventure, L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena has been allowed to ready the rest of his 2009 squad under the radar. That changes a bit on Wednesday when the Galaxy hosts the Pan […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Abramovich loses almost $10 billion
[SIGN OF THE TIMES] According to Finans, a Russian business magazine, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has lost almost $10 billion in the economic collapse, but such have been the losses of Russia’s oligarchs that Abramovich is still second on the list of Russia’s most wealthy individuals with assets valued at $13.9 billion.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A bum wrap [VIDEO]
[OFF THE POST] Players from Spanish third division club Galactico Pegaso used its match against Real Madrid farm team Real Madrid C to protest that they had not been paid for three months. In warmups, they wore tee-shirts that read “Con el culo al aire” (“With our buttocks in the arm”). After Galactico Pegaso’s two forwards kicked off and knocked the ball deep into the Real Madrid C half, they joined their teammates on the edge of their penalty area, and they all dropped their pants.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Clavijo takes role with Traffic
[USL-1] Former MLS coach Fernando Clavijo has been named the director of soccer of Traffic Sports USA, the owner of USL First Division club Miami FC.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Eduardo makes dream comeback
[ENGLAND] After 358 days on the sidelines with a broken leg and ankle, Eduardo played his first game with Arsenal and celebrated with two goals in a 4-0 win over Cardiff City in their FA Cup fourth-round replay, prompting Gunners manager Arsene Wenger to proclaim that the Brazilian-born Croatian international could jumpstart the Gunners’ season.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I obviously think there is a big chance that the game over there will grow. I said it from the moment that I went over there that it will take more than five, 10 or 15 years and that’s not changed. I’m still committed as an ambassador, but for the moment I want to play my football here.”
— David Beckham, downplaying his impact on American soccer and clearly wanting a way out of his contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy so he can stay with Italian club AC Milan. (Press Association)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Sans Scolari, Pairing of Anelka-Drogba Produces
It didn’t take a genius to figure that forwards Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba might provide a potent partnership up top for Chelsea. It just took Luiz Felipe Scolari getting sacked. With new coach Guus Huddink looking on before officially taking the reins on Monday, interim coach Ray Wilkins paired the two together for just […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Russian Moves Closer to Arsenal Control
Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, co-owner of investment giant Red and White Holdings Limited, has increased his company’s share of EPL mainstay Arsenal to more than 25 percent. What does this mean for the Gunners ownership future? Simple. Red and White now only needs an additional 5 percent stock buy-up to make a formal takeover bid […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
World’s Keeper On Unstoppable Adventure
"No one can take my experiences away from me. Obviously, I’d like to have played in the Bundesliga, but I’ve achieved other things instead. I’m in the Guinness Book of Records as the first professional footballer to have played on all six continents. The decision not to go to Bayern back then can’t have been […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Red Bulls Re-Sign Leading Scorer Angel
The NY Red Bulls announced today that they re-signed 33-year-old Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel to a multi-year deal. In his two years in the league, the two-time MLS All-Star has scored 35 goals in only 49 appearances.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chelsea Owner’s Fortune Falls Far
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich‘s fortune has fallen from an estimated $23 billion to just $13.9 billion in the last year, according to Russian finance magazine Finans. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s most recent figures showed that it lost $94 million last year and also that Abramovich has poured more than $998 million into the club since taking ownership […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Benitez Demands ‘Back Room’ Support Before Rooting at Anfield
Spanish boss Rafael Benitez remains unsigned as coach of Liverpool beyond the 2009-10 English Premiership season, putting off the inking of two different contract extensions in order to secure a deal that includes contract commitments for his 10-person-plus technical staff, according to Sid Lowe. "Anyone that has just a year left on his contract does […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ronaldo Riled Up Over Rampant Fouling
In a scene that plays out over and over every Saturday, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo remains frustrated at the rough treatment that teams employ to take away his time on the ball. In a recent FA Cup game with Derby County, the 2008 FIFA World Footballer of the Year was photographed spitting in the direction […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
AC Milan Low-balls MLS in Beckham Bid
According to the Los Angeles Times’ Grahame Jones, the initial bid put on the table by AC Milan for the services of midfielder David Beckham came in at just $3 million, far lower than the reported $10 million minimum price tag that has been sought by MLS and the Galaxy. Despite being given a Feb. […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Catch the L.A. Galaxy in the Pan-Pacific Championship on Wednesday and Saturday. Various European leagues highlight the weekend. Look for Mexican League games and other updates in Friday’s Soccer on TV e-letter.