Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s plain-speaking but articulate interview with a Portuguese newspaper announcing that he would stay at Manchester United, for now at least, Ian Herbert doubts the sincerity of a player whose “summer romance with Real Madrid will be best remembered for the way he batted his eyelids only at the Spanish press corps during […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cooper Worth Much More, Says Dad
FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper is on a hot streak that’s taken him to the top of the Major League Soccer goal-scoring chart. Clubs in Europe are suddenly interested, and his side has already turned down offers from Rosenborg Trondheim in Norway and Cardiff City in Wales in favor of negotiating a new contract. But […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
In Olympic action, the U.S. women face Japan Saturday morning and the U.S. men face the Netherlands on Sunday morning. For detailed information on Olympic soccer viewing, go to www.nbcolympics.com, where games are also broadcast online. The weekend’s MLS action is highlighted by Sunday’s New York-D.C. United clash.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Olympic Soccer TV Schedule
With the start of other Olympic sports, coverage of the USA-Japan women’s game on Saturday and USA-Netherlands men’s game on Sunday moves to USA Network as part of its multiprocessor Olympic coverage. Complete soccer coverage will be available on the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel and online at nbcolympics.com. Check with your television provider for the availability of the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Special Edition: U.S. Olympic soccer
MEMBERSHIP ALERT: Special editions with U.S. Olympic soccer coverage will appear Saturday and Sunday, so look for our coverage this weekend. For fans not wishing to read our coverage until after they have watched the game, the subject line of these e-letters will begin “Special Olympic Edition.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bayern boss lashes out at Chelsea owner and ‘oil mafia’
[OFF THE POST] Uli Hoeness, general manager of German power Bayern Munich, lashed out at Chelsea owner and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich when asked by German Web site Spox.com about what bothers him: “I’m angered when once a week I fill up my gas tank. This oil mafia pulls the money out of my pocket to buy soccer players. It stinks and this goes for Mr. Abramovich, too.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Agents are nasty scum. They’re evil and divisive and pointless. They only survive because the rest of the sport is so corrupt and because leading football club people employ their sons in the job. In my opinion, no owner in their right mind would willingly invite an average agent into his academy, any more than a brothel owner would let a syphilitic nutter into his whorehouse.”
— Simon Jordan, chairman of English second tier club Crystal Palace. But what does he really think? (eurosport-yahoo)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV Schedule
Toronto FC, winless in its last six games, travels to Colorado, which has won once in its last eight outings. … New England hosts Chicago, which beat the Revs in their first two meetings by a by a combined score of 7-0. … Chivas USA and Kansas City clash for the first time this season. … On Sunday, D.C. United travels to New York, which fell 4-1 in the teams’ previous 2008 clash. For all of this weekend’s MLS action on TV and the standings and leading scorers. …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Another Johnson Up Front
Andy, meet Ed. More competition up front for Eddie Johnson and Clint Dempsey at Fulham, as the west London side follows up the signing of forward Bobby Zamora with England striker Andy Johnson from Everton.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Top English Ref Suspended
Referee Mark Clattenburg has been dropped from officiating this weekend’s Community Shield game between Manchester United and Portsmouth at Wembley “pending inquiries into reports of the official’s alleged debts.”
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham Was ‘Very Close’ To Choosing Milan Over L.A.
David Beckham was “very close” to joining AC Milan instead of the L.A. Galaxy, he said in an interview with the U.K.-based soccer monthly. But although he “thought the opportunity through seriously…things took a different course.” Any other revelations? The player reiterated that he is not in California because of Hollywood, and that he […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
‘EPL Abroad’ Will Be Waste Of Time And Money
Manchester United played Portsmouth in a friendly in Nigeria last week, attracting 35,000 fans to a stadium that holds 60,000. Of those, 10,000 crashed into the stadium without paying, writes Lawrence Donegan. Despite this, the game is being touted as an example of the potential future success of the Premier League’s proposed global winter break […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Columbus Gets Good Deal On Noonan
Columbus Crew coach Sigi Schmid thinks that his team got a good deal by signing Pat Noonan, 28, from Aalesund of Norway, by way of New England, in exchange for a first-round pick in next year’s draft. “I don’t think we’re going to get a player as good as Noonan in the first round,” he […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Coaches Struggle To See Benefits of Barca-Red Bulls Rout
What happens when one of the best teams in the world plays one of the worst teams in Major League Soccer? The winning coach is bemused at how easy it was, while the losing coach becomes irritated when asked why his team was so outclassed. “It’s a little bit strange,” said Barcelona coach Josep […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Guatemala Serves World Cup Notice To U.S.
The United States’ forthcoming World Cup opponents Guatemala routed Bolivia, 3-0, in an exhibition game in Washington D.C. Wednesday, serving notice that they will be no pushover in a group that also contains Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago. And the star of the evening was a former MLS player no one can remember. Mario […]
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Olympic Soccer Highlights
[VIDEO] In addition to live online coverage, NBC offers video highlights of Olympic men’s and women’s soccer action from China …
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Olympic Soccer TV Schedule
The USA-Japan men’s game will be replayed tonight on Universal HD at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET. Soccer will also be available on various NBC networks, including MSNBC, USA, CNBC and Telemundo. Complete soccer coverage will be available on the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel and online at nbcolympics.com. Check with your television provider for the availability of the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Men’s Soccer Scoreboard
Host China tied New Zealand, 1-1, on an 89th-minute goal by Manchester United’s Dong Fangzhuo. It was one of five games whose outcome was decided by goals in the last quarter of an hour. Italy was the only team to win by more than one goal. New Jersey product Giuseppe Rossi, a former Man. United player, scored in the Azzurrini’s 3-0 victory over Honduras. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Postgame from Tianjin
[REACTION] U.S. coach Peter Nowak acknowledged that his team was far from perfect in its opening win over Japan, but he praised his players for their effort. His players said the turning point when they got a second wind to start to second half …
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
What They’re Saying
“It felt like an eternity as the ball was rolling out to the top of the box. I just wanted to get it on frame because there were a bunch of people in front of me. I hit it left-footed and it crawled over the line. I think it’s the first goal I’ve scored that hasn’t touched the back of the net.”
— U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden on the clearance that led to the shot that squeezed under the left hand of goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa and slithered over the goal line for the winning goal in the USA’s 1-0 win over Japan.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Zero tolerance in Bulgaria
[REF WATCH] Referees in Bulgaria can expect less job security this season after the federation’s referee chief announced refs will be ousted for "serious" errors.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Facebook group revives players career
[OFF THE POST] Mark McGregor‘s career appeared to be over. Released by League Two club Port Vale in April, the 31-year-old failed to impress during a trial with Mansfield and was looking at a bleak, club-less future.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red Bulls sign Venezuelan defender
[MLS] The New York Red Bulls signed Venezuelan defender Gabriel Cichero, a 24-year-old defender who has played for Venezuela’s Deportivo Italia, Bulgaria’s Vihren Sandanski and Uruguay’s Montevideo Wanderers.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Pat Noonan returns
[MLS] Forward Pat Noonan, who had helped New England to three runner-up finishes before spending 2008 with Norwegian club Aalesund, has joined the Columbus Crew.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Barcelona thumps the Bulls
[VIDEO] A crowd of 38,152 at Giants Stadium watched Spanish giant Barcelona thump the New York Red Bulls, 6-2, in a friendly on Wednesday. Barcelona was up 3-0 within the first 24 minutes.