“They’ve got a teletepathic, teletepathic, pathetic, well it’s not pathetic … oh just forget it.”
— Graham Taylor while commentating on the AC Milan-Arsenal Champions League game for England’s 5 Live. (BBC)
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bad luck for bank manager
[REF WATCH] An Italian bank manager with the misfortune of resembling referee Mauro Bergonzi was beaten by men believed to be Juventus fans upset over two controversial penalties Bergonzi awarded in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Juve last October.
Bergonzi has since gone into hiding with police protection.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mourinho Adviser Dismisses Inter, Benfica Links
Jose Mourinho’s name popped up almost immediately following Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini’s decision to step down at the end of the season. Mancini’s announcement came in the wake of Inter’s ousting from the Champions League at the hands of Liverpool last night. Mourinho’s personal adviser Eladio Parames played down the link, saying that the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Americans Frustrated By Cuba Result
The US U-23 team started Olympic qualifying in frustrating fashion on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw against Cuba. Soccer blogger Ives Galarcep panned the 4-2-3-1 formation deployed by Coach Peter Nowak in the first half and then derided his decision to take New York Red Bulls striker Jozy Altidore off at the start of the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Benitez, Ferguson: EPL the Best in Europe
Domestic success remains elusive for Liverpool, currently fourth place in the English Premier League, but perhaps that’s because the English league is the strongest in the world. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson both hailed the EPL as the best league in the world following Liverpool’s qualification for the Champions […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Household Name Still a Gamble
Claudio Lopez is a household name to fans who have followed the global game for the past decade, but to most Kansas Citians and casual soccer fans, the Kansas City Star’s Bob Luder says it may take a while for them to get to know the man known as “El Piojo” (the Louse) in his […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Liverpool makes to 4-for-4 for England
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Liverpool made it 4-for-4 for English clubs in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League when it beat Inter Milan, 1-0, on Fernando Torres‘ goal and moved into the quarterfinals with a convincing 3-0 victory on aggregate. The Reds join Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea — the three teams ahead of them in the EPL standings — in Friday’s draw for the quarterfinals. Barcelona of Spain, Fenerbahce of Turkey, Roma of Italy and Schalke 04 of Germany round out the final eight.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Results
Defender Hendry Thomas‘ goal in the 90th minute gave Honduras a 1-0 win over Panama and the lead in Group A at the Concacaf Olympic men’s qualifying tournament in Tampa. For all the results and complete TV schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“This is one of the theories. But when you have so many people drunk, drugged up and looking for a fight, sometimes it’s hard to find out what really started it.”
— Diego Cardona, secretary for sport for the Colombian city of Cali, on the theory that a brawl at the America-Deportivo derby that injured 83 people was sparked by a jealous boyfriend angered that his girlfriend was flirting with another man. (AP)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Name That Tune
[OFF THE POST] FIFA has moved the World Cup qualifier between North Korea and South Korea from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang to Shanghai after North Korea objected to the playing of the South Korean anthem, instead demanding that a folk song popular in both countries be played. FIFA stipulates that each national anthem must be played.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brazilian ref suspended for miscounting cards
[REF WATCH] Referee Jose Henrique de Carvalho has been suspended for 15 days for showing Guaratingueta midfielder Magal two yellow cards in a 2-0 loss to Corinthians without sending him off.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions, They include college coaching opportunities, as well as opportunities in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ferguson, Queiroz Facing Fines Over FA Cup Comments
The Guardian reports that Manchester United coaches Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz could face sanctions from the Football Association following comments the pair made about referee Martin Atkinson following United’s 1-0 FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth. Ferguson accused Atkinson of favoritism before launching a scathing tirade against Keith Hackett, head of the Professional Game […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Reyna to Play Attacking Midfield Role
The New York Times’ Jack Bell has another story on the season ahead for Claudio Reyna, which will be closely scrutinized following a poor first season in MLS last year with the New York Red Bulls. Despite another injury-hit season, Bell says Reyna “often looked confused, out of place and languorous on the field,” in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Former FIFA Marketing Partner Goes to Real Court
Swiss prosecutors opened their court case against ISL/ISMM, FIFA’s marketing partner for almost two decades, on Tuesday by alleging that six executives of the now-defunct company left an estimated debt of $300 million when it collapsed in 2001. The executives, who cannot be named due to Swiss privacy law, were charged with embezzlement, fraud, fraudulent […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Goal-Line Technology Nixed
As it turns out, goal-line technology will not be introduced into the modern game anytime soon. The technology, which had been given the provisional go-ahead by the International FA Board last year, will not be used, the Board opting instead to experiment with two additional linesmen. Line-technology such as the Hawk-Eye system is widely used […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hall of Fame Voters Snub U.S. Stars
Goal.com editor Marc Connolly, a voter for the National Soccer Hall of Fame, says he’s “embarrassed” at the outcome of yesterday’s results that only saw Anson Dorrance, the UNC women’s coach and former U.S. women’s national team coach, and Hugo Perez, a former NASL and U.S. men’s national team standout, inducted into U.S. Soccer’s Hall […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Gascoigne released from mental hospital
Former England star Paul Gascoigne was released from a psychiatric health clinic after being held under the Mental Health Act since Feb. 20, when his antics included wandering around a hotel with three battery-operated plastic parrots that said “Give us a kiss” to other guests.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
More refs experiment OKed; goal-line tech scrapped
[REF WATCH] At its Annual General Meeting, the International Football Association Board, which oversees FIFA’s Rules of the Game, has suspended the pursuit of goal-line technology and agreed to experimentation with two additional assistant referees.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Perez & Dorrance elected to Hall of Fame
Hugo Perez starred in the NASL and MISL, represented the USA at the 1984 Olympics and 1994 World Cup, and played a key role in successful qualifying campaigns for the 1988 Olympics and 1990 World Cup. He has been elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on the Veteran Player ballot, while Anson Dorrance, the nation’s most successful women’s college coach and a world championship winner, was elected on the Builder Ballot. However, in the 2008 Player election no individual exceeded the required 75 percent of ballots cast to gain entrance into the Hall of Fame.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“This year he’s not allowed in the ocean. And when he goes in the pool, we get him a lifeguard.”
— New England Revolution midfielder Khano Smith on Michael Parkhurst, who during the team’s 2007 preseason camp in Cancun was nailed by a wave and dislocated his shoulder. The Revs are preparing for the 2008 season in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Boston Globe)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. women cruise with wind at their backs
[ALGARVE CUP] The U.S. women’s national team got second-half goals from Natasha Kai, Abby Wambach, Heather O’Reilly and Amy Rodriguez to beat Norway, 4-0, and move into Wednesday’s final of the Algarve Cup against Denmark.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Benfica coaching carousel
[MAKING A LIST] For his first foray into European soccer, Freddy Adu certainly didn’t pick the most stable club. Despite a succession of famous coaches — Tomislav Ivic, Artur Jorge, Graeme Souness, Jupp Heynckes, Jose Mourinho, Giovanni Trapattoni and Ronald Koeman, among others — it’s been more than 15 years since a coach lasted two full seasons at Benfica. Adu’s first coach, Fernando Santos, was gone after one league game, and his replacement, Spaniard Jose Antonio Camacho, quit on Sunday after Benfica was tied by the last-place team, Leiria. Former Portuguese great Fernando Chalana was promoted from assistant coach and will replace Camacho.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying TV Schedule
All 16 games at the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com. For the complete TV schedule …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The FA Cup’s Giant Killer
For the first time in a dozen years, England’s Big Four will not feature in the FA Cup semifinals. Portsmouth opened another memorable weekend in the competition by shocking Manchester United, 1-0, at Old Trafford. That victory was later eclipsed by Barnsley’s improbable 1-0 win at home to Chelsea. It was the team’s second consecutive […]