Former Newcastle defender Celestine Babayaro is on the verge of making a switch to the Los Angeles Galaxy, according to various reports. The 29-year-old former Nigeria international has been without a club for over a month after agreeing to leave the Magpies by mutual consent. Babayaro spent three years at Newcastle but failed to establish […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New York’s Osorio Eyes Argentine Gallardo
The New York Times’ Jack Bell talks with Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who is headed to South America on a scouting trip. “I can tell you that we have already found the players we need, but there are restrictions because of the salary cap,” the Colombian said. “I am looking for a central […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red Bull Academy teams to be cost-free
[YOUTH] Players selected to the New York Red Bulls youth academy teams will play cost-free. “We believe by eliminating the cost barrier, top players will be able to develop within our program with a goal of someday playing on the first team for the New York Red Bulls,” said RBNY Academy Director Bob Montgomery.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“The money is frustrating, but I understand that this is all part of it. Hopefully I will be here long enough to see an increase in the salary cap that will allow us to go and look in different markets to help bring the level of MLS higher.”
— New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who says he’s identified a central defender, a left-footed midfielder and a playmaker – reportedly Argentine World Cup vet Marcelo Gallardo – but that the salary cap may hinder his shopping spree. (New York Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Offseason Player Moves
Draft day deals sent U.S. internationals Alecko Eskandarian from Real Salt Lake to Chivas USA, his fourth team in 14 months, and Chris Albright from Los Angeles to New England, while a deal for Jim Curtin to leave Chicago for Chivas USA was reportedly agreed upon on Monday. Champion Houston lost Zimbabwean Joseph Ngwenya, who scored the Dynamo’s first goal in MLS Cup 2007, to Austria Kaernten, last in the T-Mobile Bundesliga at the winter break. For all the team-by-team MLS offseason player moves …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Liverpool soap opera continues
[ENGLAND WATCH] Who will fall first? Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez? Or its despised American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett?
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sir Alex defends gesture
[OFF THE POST/VIDEO] Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson denied intentionally making an abusive gesture at Reading fans near the end of his team’s 2-0 win on Saturday. Of the gesture, known in Britain as an “up yours” sign, Ferguson said, “All I was doing was expressing my relief at winning one of our hardest games of the season.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Kalou golazo decides Ivory Coast-Nigeria showdown
[AFRICAN NATIONS CUP/VIDEO] Dribbling seems to be a lost art these days, but Salomon Kalou put on an extraordinary display of magic on the ball to score the only goal in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win over Nigeria in a battle of giants Monday at the African Nations Cup in Sekondi
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Puerto Rico is on a roll
[WORLD CUP WATCH] Led by a core of American pros and collegians, Puerto Rico won back-to-back games for the first time in more than a decide when the Boricuas swept a pair of friendlies at Bermuda.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ibrahimovic Double Saves Inter
Fittingly, the best player in Serie A came to the rescue of the best team in Serie A, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Sunday fired home two late goals in the 3-2 win over Parma that kept Inter Milan undefeated and seven points clear of Roma at the top of the table. The Swede converted a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS SuperDraft Grades
ESPN writer Ives Galarcep grades the performance of the 13 MLS teams during last Friday’s SuperDraft, an event he describes as being “thin in the talent department.” He gave the Chicago Fire an “A” for walking away with arguably the draft’s best forward in Patrick Nyarko, its best attacking midfielder in Peter Lowry and best […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Aston Villa Enjoys American Ownership
In stark contrast to the situation at Liverpool, Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill couldn’t be happier with American owner Randy Lerner. Villa traveled to Anfield Monday to face the Reds, and “while the Kop plots more anti-U.S. protests, O’Neill and the Villa supporters might as well be draped in stars and stripes for the Premier […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Liverpool Fans to Protest Hicks and Gillett
Liverpool’s ownership still hangs in the balance as co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have yet to agree to a $700 million refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Meanwhile, Dubai International Capital continues to hover over the uncertain situation, looking to buy out Hicks, who is reportedly unsettled. But the American denied on […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Argentina’s biggest clasico, Boca Juniors-River Plate, airs Saturday. English FA Cup fourth-round games span the weekend, while Sunday’s La Liga games include Real Madrid and Barcelona clashes.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Michael Bradley scores; EPL relegation woes
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Midfielder Michael Bradley headed home Dutch club Heerenveen’s final goal in a 4-0 win over AZ. It was the 20-year-old’s eighth league goal of the season. In England, keeper Tim Howard slapped away a powerful header from Wigan’s Marcus Bent to help Everton win, 2-1, and move into fourth place of the English Premier League. Three EPL clubs with Americans saw their relegation woes increase this weekend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Draft picks are ‘long-term prospects’
[MLS WATCH] Coaches at the 2008 MLS SuperDraft in Baltimore shared their observations on their own picks and how the draft played out in general with Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
REPORT CARD: Donovan, Clark, Guzan head class
[USA-SWEDEN GRADES] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 2-0 victory over Sweden on Saturday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA opens year on a strong note
Ridge Mahoney on the USA’s win over Sweden
The U.S. men’s national team won its first game of 2008, a 2-0 friendly win over Sweden that featured goals by debutant Eddie Robinson and veteran Landon Donovan. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reports on the U.S. victory from Carson, Calif.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“For us it’s a good way to start the year. This camp is always a challenge because guys have been off for a while, but we felt throughout the camp that things we worked on throughout last year were coming back, especially working as a team.”
— U.S. coach Bob Bradley after his team started the year with a 2-0 friendly win over Sweden.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Vennell takes NSCAA’s Honor Award
[AWARDS] Jeff Vennell, the athletics director at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., won the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Honor Award at the awards banquet held Friday in conjunction with the 2008 NSCAA Convention in Baltimore. For all the NSCAA coaching awards …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2008 MLS SuperDraft Selections
Generation adidas players were taken with six of the top eight picks in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. The lowest GA pick was UC Santa Barbara’s Eric Avila, taken by FC Dallas with the No. 19 pick. The Gauchos and Santa Clara led all colleges with four players each taken in the ’08 draft in Baltimore. For all the 68 picks …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Host Black Stars salvage win
[AFRICAN NATIONS CUP] Host Ghana’s Black Stars entered the 2008 African Nations Cup as one of the tournament’s favorites, but they will have to play better than they did in their opener if they are to contend for the championship. Sulley Muntari’s 90th-minute goal gave Ghana a 2-1 win over Guinea.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Raul remains the king of Madrid
[SPAIN WATCH] Atletico is still haunted by the decision of its late president Jesus Gil y Gil to disband its youth program in 1992. Raul, who was 13 when he switched allegiance from Atletico and Real Madrid because of Gil’s decision, scored Sunday for La Liga leader in its 2-0 victory over Atletico to give him 11 goals against his former club.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2008 MLS SuperDraft
Generation adidas players were taken with six of the top eight picks in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
There’s Something About 1987
There’s something about certain years, says SI.com’s Gabriele Marcotti, and 1987 is shaping up to be a very special one, indeed. The list of players born in that year creates a team that would “threaten for the league title anywhere in the world,” he says. And these guys are still only 20 years of age. […]