Author Archives: Soccer America

Few would contest that the quality of play in MLS has improved markedly since the league’s inception 13 years ago, but FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow thinks the league has improved so much that, “I genuinely believe we are at the stage now where the top sides could survive in the English Premiership.” And while […]

Three days after pronouncing his team’s loss to the USL’s Charleston Battery as “the worst performance I’ve ever seen,” Toronto FC coach John Carver reassured fans that he wouldn’t be heading for the exit anytime soon. “I’m not here for the short term. I’m here to build something,” Carver tells the Toronto Sun. The former […]

It may be a long shot, but the Seattle Post Intelligencer’s Matthew Gaschk reports that “Seattle Sounders” isn’t dead yet as one of the possibilities for naming Major League Soccer’s new expansion team. On Tuesday, the names Seattle FC, Seattle Alliance and Seattle Republic were announced as the options for the online ballot that will […]

All eyes will be on the MLS Cup 2007 rematch between the Houston Dynamo and New England Revolution when league play opens this weekend, but the Houston Chronicle’s Bernardo Fallas says that Houston could be forgiven for looking beyond Saturday’s match-up toward next Wednesday’s Champions Cup semifinal first leg against Saprissa of Costa Rica. Indeed, […]

In an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley discusses how to manage the plight of regular national team players not getting sufficient playing time with their respective club teams. In the case of Fulham’s Carlos Bocanegra, the U.S. captain, and Benny Feilhaber of Derby County, Carlisle says the situation “is […]

Toronto FC capped off a poor showing in the Carolina Challenge Cup with a 2-0 loss to tournament host Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League. The MLS club finished winless and in last-place with a 0-2-1 record behind the San Jose Earthquakes (3-0-0), the Battery (1-1-1) and the New York Red Bulls (0-1-2). Last […]

Fabio Capello’s England will be near full strength for Wednesday’s friendly at the Stade de France, but France coach Raymond Domenech is faced with an injury list a mile long. The most notable absentee, perhaps, is Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who was carried off over the weekend against Paris Saint-Germain. Veterans Thierry Henry of Barcelona […]

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is now 800 days away, and while progress is being made on the ground, the host team is in disarray, says Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune. A miserable 71st in FIFA’s world rankings, South Africa doesn’t even crack Africa’s top ten. With a series of poor […]

Two former National Football League executives are making the move to Major League Soccer, according to separate reports. Seattle Seahawks vice president Gary Wright will become Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the new MLS team in Seattle, which isn’t set to join the league until 2009, while former Philadelphia Eagles vice president Bill […]

In his 2008 MLS preview, Houston Chronicle columnist Glenn Davis says the criticism David Beckham received for his on-field performances last year were unfair. Not that those performances were spectacular, but Davis implies that the media ought to overlook that aspect considering the visibility Becks brings to the league. Not only does his “spotlight shine […]

“Everything left to play for,” the Corriere dello Sport’s Alessandro Vocalelli declared after Juventus beat Inter Milan, 2-1, to cut Inter’s lead over AS Roma to four points. Earlier in the day, Roma did its part, scraping past relegation-fighter Empoli by the same score with just 10 men. But Juventus really Roma the bigger favor, […]

With Chelsea trailing 1-0 with 20 minutes to play against Arsenal, respect for Chelsea manager Avram Grant was in short supply. The Blues were staring down their first potential defeat at Stamford Bridge in almost two years. Off came Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele for Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti, as the crowd started chanting […]

During an interview with reporters, David Beckham revealed that he plans to keep fighting for his England place long after he reaches 100 caps for England against France on Wednesday night. “I never thought a year or two ago that I would make 95 caps, never mind 100,” the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder said. “I’m […]

It’s one thing to spend a hoard of cash and a designated player slot on a player like David Beckham or Cuauhtemoc Blanco, but the majority of MLS clubs searching for (cheap) international talent are simply trying to fill their rosters, says Nick Firchau of the Southtown Star. As such, men like Frank Klopas, technical […]