Author Archives: Soccer America

Ever the optimist, David Beckham reveals that he is “sure that things are going to go well” for England under coach Fabio Capello.

City of London Police has submitted a file on corruption in the English game to the Crown Prosecution Service and awaits a decision on possible charges against seven men, including Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp.

South Africa’s foremost soccer pundit, the former Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey, fears that violence and crime threaten the 2010 World Cup, and that now is the time to take action.

The promise of an MLS team returning to Miami has always outpaced the reality, writes a scathing Jeff Rusnak. “The most recent example,” he says, “is Mayor Manny Diaz’s inability to lure a big-time investor to field a team there as early as 2011, despite offering $50 million in public funds to build a stadium […]

It’s been a bloodless coup unseen by most, but the world’s soccer governing body FIFA has taken over South Africa and ousted the ruling African National Congress, writes Rodney Hartman. “FIFA is an organization that wields far greater influence than the United Nations and, more importantly, has far greater muscle,” he writes. “It can, and […]

Media attention was focused on Abby Wambach in the U.S. women’s exhibition match-up with Brazil in Commerce City, Colo., on Sunday as she strived to score her 100th international goal. But despite a number of early chances, Wambach instead turned provider to set up the game’s only goal for second half substitute Amy Rodriguez, who […]

The issue of field turf in U.S. soccer came up again twice over the weekend. First, Toronto FC Director of Soccer Mo Johnston admitted that former Norwich City striker Darren Huckerby has signed for the San Jose Quakes ahead of TFC because “Darren had a slight problem with the turf and was concerned about aggravating […]

Real Salt Lake tops the MLS Western Conference for the first time in its short history after beating Columbus, 2-0, on Saturday. Sulaiman Folarin believes credit is due to Coach Jason Kreis, and to the team for the gamble it took by appointing a virgin coach last year when “there was a lack of focus […]

Hold the front page — Arsenal has signed a Frenchman! Midfielder Samir Nasri has, after the customary protracted talks, signed a four-year contract with the north London club.

Frankie Hejduk bares his soul to Shawn Mitchell on the subjects of beer, kids, fatty foods and skateboarding.

Just so there”s no ambiguity, FIFA has reminded clubs of their obligation to release players aged under 23 for the Beijing Olympics.

Exaggeration and hyperbole serve sports commentators well around the world, but few have so profoundly embraced the language of over-excited incredulity as British soccer pundits, writes Harry Pearson. Where “you or I see a footballer striking the 3,758th best shot we have ever witnessed, Andy Townsend and Ally McCoist see the equivalent of a yeti […]

On Thursday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter belched out one of his periodically idiotic opinions when he said that he thought Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently earns around $240,000 a week, was a modern-day slave. Now, in what Ian Herbert calls “an utterance as remarkable as any he has issued this summer,” Ronaldo has agreed, […]

Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis is clearly unfazed by MLS suspensions for criticizing game officials. Earlier this season he sat out a one-game ban for venting about referees. On Thursday, MLS doubled the punishment for remarks Kreis made about the officials following last weekend’s 0-0 tie with Houston. MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis has […]

Chivas USA and U.S. national team goalkeeper Brad Guzan may have made his last save in MLS for a while. “The 23-year-old reportedly is on the verge of signing a contract in Europe,” writes Graham L. Jones, “most likely with Aston Villa of the English Premier League, although sources said Celtic of the Scottish Premier […]

Negotiations to bring Brian McBride to the Chicago Fire and Major League Soccer by way of Toronto FC have stalled, writes Greg Lalas, quoting “a source with close knowledge of the situation” who doubts whether the deal will take place at all. Chicago does not want to gut the nucleus of its young side, and […]