Peter Grathoff of the Kansas City Star takes another close look at the great divide in MLS player salaries. He tells the story of Kansas City Wizards midfielder Jack Jewsbury-he’s having a great season by the way-who used to take home $380 every two weeks as a so-called developmental player. As Grathoff points out, “they […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Toni to Swap Viola for Bayern Munich
Luca Toni is set to become one of the more high-profile players to move this summer, as Fiorentina, his employer for the last two seasons, told the striker he was free to leave. The release is understood to be the wish of the player. Toni, 30, is already being linked with a move to Bayern […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The End of Affair in Italy, or is It?
The title decided long ago, Serie A ended quietly on Sunday, as the Flying Donkeys from Chievo Verona answered the last of this season’s (on-field) questions with a relegation-worthy 2-0 defeat to Catania Calcio on Sunday. The three other clubs also facing the drop rose to the occasion, too: Claudio Ranieri’s Parma beat Empoli, 3-1, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham and MLS: What Publicity Stunt?
Becks is being brought to America’s shores to ensure that those soccer-lovers who’ve turned up their noses at Major League Soccer, stop and smell the roses over here. On-field, the product is getting better and better, and given his recent form, it will be much better once David Beckham arrives. Indeed, “the best thing about […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Return of England’s Prodigal Son
Sam Wallace of the Independent says David Beckham’s recall to Steve McClaren’s England, “a momentous occasion in English football history,” which comes nearly a year after he “gave up the captaincy in front of the world’s press for the most dramatic public abdication since Edward VIII,” was almost eerily low-key. And why is that? Maybe, […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer On TV
Libertadores Cup semifinal play (Fox Sports en Espanol) highlights the midweek television action. England takes on Brazil in a friendly on Friday (Fox Soccer Channel). On Saturday, Coach Bob Bradley, in his first game without the interim label, guides the USA in a friendly against China. Setanta USA and Fox Soccer Channel provide broadcasts of European Championship qualifying on Saturday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We didn’t have the luck to be born anywhere else. We have to play sports wherever we are.”
— Bolivian soccer fan Ruben Cuenca reacts to FIFA’s ban on international games at venues above 8,200 feet sea level. The ban prevents Bolivia from playing World Cup qualifiers in La Paz, which lies 11,800 feet above sea level, and prohibits games in the capitals of Colombia and Ecuador and in the hometowns of major clubs in Mexico and Peru. (New York Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Nomads claim first Red Bull National League under-17 boys title
The Nomads of La Jolla, Calif., downed Southern California rival Arsenal FC, 3-2, Monday to win the first-ever Red Bull National League under-17 boys title. Jose Torres‘ half-volley opened the scoring in the 16th minute of the final and added a second in the 63rd minute. Jeo Sandez also scored for the Nomads. Rafa Baca and Norberto Ochoa scored for Arsenal in the second half, but a penalty-kick save by Nomads goalkeeper Chris Blais in the 75th minute sealed the victory.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
China names team for friendly against USA
[CHINA ROSTER] China is headed to the United States to face the U.S. national team and two MLS clubs with a squad that will be without players from Shandong Luneng and Shanghai Shenhua. China play the USA in an international friendly on Saturday and will meet the Los Angeles Galaxy on June 5 and Colorado Rapids five days later.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Carolina snaps Vancouver’s 16-game USL unbeaten streak
[USL RESULTS] The expansion Carolina RailHawks handed the defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps their first loss of the season with a 1-0 win on Friday night. Carolina won on a Connally Edozien goal in the 57th minute. The loss snapped a 16-game unbeaten streak for the 4-1-2 Whitecaps. The Montreal Impact improved to 4-0-2 with a 1-0 win over Miami FC on Friday in front of 11,873 fans. Ivorian Charles Gbeke score the game’s only goal to beat Miami for the second time this season.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chievo’s Flying Donkeys crash in Serie A finale
Chievo Verona, one of the best small clubs in recent European history, was relegated from Italy’s Serie A on Sunday, the final day of the season, after a 2-0 loss to Catania and Siena’s 2-1 win over Lazio. Five sides were battling to avoid the final relegation spot on the last day, but Chievo was the only team that failed to win and was thus condemned to the drop. Siena was five minutes from going down when Paolo Negro tapped in their winner. Parma (3-1 winner over Empoli) and Reggina (2-0 winner over a depleted AC Milan) also survived.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ronnie’s red potential blow to Barca’s title chances
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla all won to remain in contention for the 2007 La Liga title. Real beat Deportivo Coruna, 3-1, to remain in control of the race with two games to play. It is tied with Barcelona, 1-0 winner over Getafe, but has won the tie-breaker (head-to-head record). Barcelona’s title chances took a blow when star Ronaldinho was sent off late in the first half against Getafe and faces the prospect of missing the last two games of the season if Barcelona’s appeal isn’t upheld
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Cacho leads Pachuca to Mexican league title
Juan Carlos Cacho, whose two goals gave Pachuca a 2-1 victory over Club America on Friday in the first leg of Mexico’s Torneo Clausura finals, scored in the 82nd minute of the second leg to give the Tuzos a 1-1 tie and their second straight Clausura title. Playing his last game for America before joining MLS’s Chicago Fire, Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored in the 68th minute to pull America even on aggregate, but Cacho, called up for Mexico’s team for the Gold Cup and Copa America, once again came to the rescue and tallied his third goal in two games.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Collegians star for U-21 women in Germany
The U.S. U-21 women’s national team opened a three-game tour of Germany on Tuesday with a 4-1 win over FC Gutersloh of the German Second Division. Bill Irwin‘s Americans broke open the close game with three goals in the last 20 minutes by Natalie Capuano (Penn), Ali Krieger (Penn State) and Angie Woznuk (Portland). Natalie Budge (Portland) evened the score in the 19th minute after Gutersloh went ahead with a penalty three minutes earlier.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Duke assistant Serpone lands Amherst job
Amherst named Duke men’s assistant Justin Serpone as its new men’s head coach, replacing co-coaches Peter Gooding, who is retiring, and his son, Milton, who was recently named the men’s coach at MIT. Prior to Duke, Serpone, a product of Division III Drew University, served as the assistant men’s coach at Northwestern from 2003 to 2006 and at Lafayette from 2001 to 2003.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA D1 Men & Women Coaching Changes
[MAKING A LIST] Vacancies still exist for the men’s soccer head coaching positions at Air Force and Howard, though the Washington Post has reported that Nigerian Joseph Okoh, the head coach at Shepherd in West Virginia will be the Howard coach, placing Keith Tucker. For complete coaching moves …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Eketebi promoted to men’s head coach at FIU
As expected, Munga Eketebi was hired as Florida International’s new men’s head coach. Eketebi, who becomes the fourth head coach in the 35-year history of the program, replaces Karl Kremser under whom he worked as an assistant for almost two decades. Eketebi took a short hiatus from FIU in 1996 when he served a one-year stint as the men’s head coach at Nova Southeastern, leading the NAIA Knights to an undefeated regular-season record in the Sun Conference.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Owen, Becks Set for England Recalls
The press is swarming over former England internationals Michael Owen and David Beckham before the upcoming international period, during which the Lions face mighty Brazil in their first international at the new Wembley stadium before traveling to Estonia for a must-win Euro 2008 qualifying match. After being out of action for nearly 10 months, Owen […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Angry Benitez Threatens Liverpool Board
Looks like there’s going to be a summer clear out at Anfield, after all. An angry-sounding Rafael Benitez, still smarting perhaps from Liverpool’s 2-1 loss in the Champions League final on Wednesday, called on Liverpool’s board to release the necessary funds to attract the world’s top talent or the club would risk losing him. Benitez […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Undermanned Red Bulls Strike Again
The New York Post summed it up nicely: “The Red Bulls keep losing players and winning games.” Missing Ronald Waterreus, right back Hunter Freeman, left back Todd Dunivant and captain Claudio Reyna for the fourth straight game (and looking admittedly shaky at times in defense), the Bulls still blanked the Chicago Fire, 3-0, thanks to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
CSF: Venezuela Not Ready for Copa America 2007
With barely a month to go before the tournament’s opening, the South American soccer confederation (CSF) warned that Copa America host Venezuela might not have its stadiums ready in time. To Venezuela’s credit, the plan to build five new stadiums and host the 12-team tournament at nine different venues was always ambitious, CSF VP Eugenio […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
A’s Owner to Bring San Jose Quakes Back with No Stadium
Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff is still on the case for bringing the San Jose Earthquakes back to Major League Soccer. In an interview with USA Today, Wolff said he would like to have the team registered for the 2008 season-with or without a new stadium. Wolff and John Fisher, heir to the Gap, Inc. […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer On TV
Weekend soccer kicks off Friday with a Montreal-Miami USL clash (Fox Soccer Channel) and the first leg of the Mexican League final (Telefutura). A slate of six MLS games includes Saturday’s clash between New England and Kansas City, who are battling atop the Eastern Conference. Newly crowned Bundesliga champ VfB Stuttgart goes for the double against Nuremberg in the German Cup final on Saturday (Setanta Sports USA). Follow the red hot Spanish La Liga race on Saturday when both Barcelona and Real Madrid, for him David Beckham returns from yellow-card suspension, are in action (Gol TV).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Colorado downs Real Salt Lake for U.S. Open Cup spot
A stoppage time goal by Jacob Peterson gave the Colorado Rapids a 2-1 home win over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday to qualify the Rapids for the round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Peterson also scored the Rapids’ first goal of the play-in, which completed the octet of Open Cup MLS teams. Last year, Colorado eliminated Salt Lake in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup on a Peterson.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I feel comfortable saying that it’s more than a handful of players – about 8 to 12 – that includes both MLS and European-based players, knowing that there are factors that can change that number. Whether those factors are injuries, or having to return to a club team earlier than expected.”
— U.S. coach Bob Bradley on how many players will represent the USA at the Gold Cup and the Copa America this summer.