“The players in MLS have worked very hard and sacrificed a great deal to build the league. I look forward to working for the players to help them achieve a better life for themselves and their families.”
— Eddie Pope, the new Director of Player Relations of the MLS Players Union. Pope, a U.S. veteran of three World Cups, played in each of MLS’s first 12 seasons for D.C. United, the MetroStars and Real Salt Lake before retiring after the 2007 season. (MLSnet.com)
[U.S. WOMEN] All seven collegians whom new U.S. women’s national team coach Pia Sundhage called up for a six-day training camp at The Home Depot Center are among the 20 players she selected to travel to Foshan, China, for the 2008 Four Nations Tournament against Canada, Finland and host China Jan. 16-20 at the Foshan Sports Center Stadium.
[AFRICAN NATIONS CUP] Senegal called up Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul for the 2008 African Nations Cup that begins Jan. 20 in Ghana.
Miami’s Varela High School (18-0-1) and California’s Santa Monica High School (12-0-1) share the top spot in the first NSCAA/adidas National Winter Boys High School Winter Rankings. Florida’s American Heritage (20-0-0) is first in the girls rankings.
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions: college coaching oportunities, positions in the pros, youth soccer, the soccer industry, even television.
Major League Soccer / Soccer United Marketing Job Title Coordinator of New Media Public Relations Summary The Coordinator, New Media Public Relations increases the profile and improves the reputation of Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing through proactive public relations focused on emerging media. The ideal candidate is someone with an understanding of the […]
It looks like Derby County manager Paul Jewell is finally putting his money where his mouth is: SportingLife reports that the Rams are closing in on three new midfielders: Blackburn Rovers’ Robbie Savage, Tottenham’s Hossam Ghaly, and free agent Laurent Robert, formerly of Levante in Spain. In the weeks leading up to the January transfer […]
The New England Revolution has received a $1.675 million bid from English second division club Preston North End for Taylor Twellman, Boston Globe writer Frank Dell’Apa reports, citing an unnamed source. Major League Soccer, which owns its players’ contracts, has declined the offer, but Preston may raise the offer to $2 million. “Taylor just re-signed […]
The New York Red Bulls still have big plans for Claudio Reyna, according to Jeff Agoos, who was named club sporting director on Monday. “[Red Bulls coach] Juan (Osorio) has sat down with Claudio and we expect to have Claudio back and healthy,” he said. “We’re expecting a big season from Claudio.” Reyna had […]
Nobody, it seems, likes the way Major League Soccer handles scheduling, but this is a truly thankless job, says ESPN’s Steve Davis. Among the factors organizers have to consider for next season: 2010 World Cup qualifying, the U.S. Open Cup, the SuperLiga, the new CONCACAF Champions League, ESPN2’s Thursday night matches, the David Beckham circus […]
ESPN’s Phil Ball says that if Dimitar Berbatov moves from Tottenham to Chelsea in the EPL, the move would create a ripple effect across Spain. The result would be “overflowing coffers at White Hart Lane,” which means Tottenham manager Juande Ramos would then be able to afford former player Dani Alves of Sevilla. Ramos has […]
Ridge Mahoney examines decision-making at FCD
FC Dallas, which already boasted one of the better midfields in the league and threw away more than $800,000 for the disaster that was Denilson last season, actually might be ready to shell out real money to shore up its shaky back line. FCD invited Mexican international defender Duilio Davino to attend last weekend’s InterLiga games at Pizza Hut Park as its guest.
[OLYMPICS] The most experienced member of the U.S. women’s national team has announced she won’t compete in the 2008 Olympic Games next summer should the USA succeed to qualify in April. Kristine Lilly, 36, who debuted in 1987 at age 16 and has scored 129 goals in 340 U.S. appearances, is due to give birth to her first child in July. “I’m not closing any doors as far as soccer,” said Lilly.
[TV WATCH] Fox Soccer Channel will offer soccer programming, including its coverage of the English Premier League, online on its new FoxSoccer.tv Web site.
[AFRICAN NATIONS CUP] Ivory Coast, one of the favorites to win the 2008 African Nations Cup that begins next week in Ghana, has temporarily replaced Coach Uli Stielike after the German’s son, Ulrich, fell into a coma Sunday.
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Former U.S. under-17 national team star Jared Jeffrey assisted on Belgian co-leader Club Brugge’s only goal in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to Antalyaspor in Turkey.
Paul Kennedy on the latest CONCACAF news
[WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN] The technical adviser to the Barbados national team, the USA’s probable opponent in the second round of World Cup qualifying, is “quietly confident” the Bajan Rockets can upset the CONCACAF giant if they meet in June. More chaos in Trinidad & Tobago, where Colombian Francisco Maturana has been named interim head coach of its national team after head coach Wim Rijsbergen was suspended for an altercation with T&T’s director of football, Lincoln Phillips — both formerly prominent figures on the U.S. soccer scene. For all the CONCACAF World Cup news …
“They’re the three people I’d trust with my wife naked. That’s how good they are as friends.”
— David Beckham on former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville, his personal manager Terry Byrne, and his pal Dave Gardner. (The Sun)
Havant & Waterlooville, the only minor league club still alive in the FA Cup, could travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in the fourth round of the English FA Cup if they both win next week’s replays. Either Oldham or Huddersfield Town, both winners over EPL teams in the third round, will reach the final 16 after they were drawn against each other in the round of 32. The two guaranteed EPL clashes are Manchester United against Tottenham or Reading and defending champion Chelsea at Wigan. For the entire fourth-round draw …
Fabio Capello’s first day on the job as England coach was met with derision by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who told BBC: “I would say it is a little surprising that the motherland of football has ignored a sacrosanct law or belief that the national team manager should be from the same country as the […]
Goal.com’s Kyle McCarthy asks the pertinent question: Why hasn’t the Chicago Fire named a successor for Juan Carlos Osorio yet? Two months after losing the Colombian to the New York Red Bulls, the Fire looks no closer to having a replacement. Even stranger, McCarthy says, is the decidedly weak list of potential successors. The Chicago […]
Unlicensed soccer academies are springing up across Africa, further impoverishing the region’s poor with false proclamations of ties with big European clubs. According to the Confederation of African Football, soccer’s governing body in Africa, all soccer academies must be registered with the local government or football association. The problem is, most poor families know nothing […]
Several European clubs, according to Chivas USA President Shawn Hunter, want Chivas USA’s Brad Guzan, the 2007 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Guzan, 24, is in the final year of his three-year contract with MLS. Some clubs want to sign him before the European transfer window closes at the end of January; others are prepared […]
Portuguese wizard Luis Figo has become the latest former Real Madrid Galactico to be linked with Major League Soccer. Last week, reports in Portugal linked the 35-year-old with a move to the Los Angeles Galaxy, but the rumor is already dying down, as both Figo and his agent have denied accelerated talks with MLS. Even […]
Televised midweek action includes deciding InterLiga games and Spanish Cup games with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
