Yet another coach is out at Chivas Guadalajara, with Efrain Flores the latest of eight to lose his job since upstart owner Jorge Vergara bought the team in 2002. His crime? Losing three consecutive games in the Mexican First Division. Although Chivas leads Group 6 in the prestigious Copa Libertadores, Flores’ 18-month run at the […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Women’s League, Confident Despite Economy, Kicks Off Sunday
MLS isn’t the only league operating on optimism despite the economic downturn and the downsizing of practically every other industry in America, as Women’s Professional Soccer strikes out on its own with seven teams set to compete in the 2009 inaugural season that kicks off Sunday. In addition to trying to brave a financial crisis […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Pressure Already On Trio of New MLS Playmakers
When new players step into a new role or a new team, the transition is rarely easy, but for those given the playmaker tag, expectations are immediate. While fans might just hope new defenders “don’t screw up,” those that are “given the keys to rev the offensive engine” are saddled with the burden of producing […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chelsea, Inter, Club America and AC Milan USA-bound
World powers from three different countries will come together in the USA this summer for the first “World Football Challenge,” which will see England’s Chelsea, Italy’s AC Milan and Inter Milan, and Mexico’s Club America face off in the six-city round robin tournament set for July 19-26. The four-team competition will take place predominantly on […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Former pros cause ruckus at youth games
[OFF THE POST] Within a week in England, former Celtic and Blackburn star Chris Sutton stormed onto the field of his son’s U-14 game and swore at the ref, and former Scotland international Graeme Souness got profane at his son’s U-10 game. Souness downplayed his behavior, but admitted he swore at a coach and told a “very unattractive woman” to shut up.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA gets to work in Miami
[HEXAGONAL] In Miami, where the climate is close to the high-80s expected in San Salvador on Saturday, 15 of the players of the USA’s 22-man roster started training for its second game of the final round of World Cup qualifying.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hermann Trophy winner scores in Denmark
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Marcus Tracy, the 2008 MAC Hermann Trophy winner out of Wake Forest, scored his first pro goal – Aalborg’s gamewinner in a 3-2 victory over FC Midtjylland in the Danish first division.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“To get the Greek national manager ringing me up and telling me who I should play and who I shouldn’t play is absolutely outrageous. You deal with your damn Greek side, don’t start telling us who we should play. If I get another call from the Greek damn national manager, he’s going to get a real kick from us.”
— Portsmouth chairman Peter Storrie, who received a complaint that Greek striker Theofanis Gekas isn’t getting playing time for 15th place English Premier League club. (Irish Times)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mourinho: Italian Coaches Have ‘Lost Dignity, ‘Control
"When I mentioned coaches that lose their own dignity, what I wanted to state is that while I choose the team that goes out on the field, other coaches don't do that, and in the world of soccer it's full of them. If anyone told me what to do with my lineup, the next day […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Benitez: All Eight Games Are ‘Must Win’
"As far as the title chase is concerned, we just have to keep doing our job, we must not be concerned about United's results and how they are playing. If United does make mistakes, we must be ready, and that means carrying on doing what we are doing and winning points. We are playing well, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Peru Self-Destructing Without Bundesliga Bunch
“Once considered the third [best] team in South America behind Argentina and Brazil,” writes Reuters’ Brian Homewood, the Peru national team continues to self-destruct because of the disciplinary problems and bitter grudges that find them languishing at the bottom of the final 10-team Conmebol qualifying group. Homewood points out that while Peru boasts a trio […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
WPS Players to ‘Tweet’ Through Inaugural Season?
While athletes in the NBA are being told not to engage in the increasingly popular (but let’s face it, incredibly self-indulgent) act of posting personal updates on social networking site Twitter, officials at the WPS are actually encouraging its own, with certain Sol and Freedom players set to to do so during the league’s inaugural […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Landon Donovan Back in ‘Comfort Zone’
Any worries about how Landon Donovan might be affected by another disappointing loan stint in Germany upon his return to MLS were all but put to rest on Sunday, as the league’s leading scorer in 2008 picked up where he left off last season by netting two goals in the last 10 minutes to help […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Vancouver Season Tickets Already Selling Well
The Seattle Sounders aren’t the only ones with smiled on their faces from news of strong season ticket sales, as the Vancouver Whitecaps reported on Saturday that in just three hours of being open to the public, some 4,000 of an available 5,000 had been snapped up by eager fans. "We’re absolutely ecstatic with the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Marquez: ‘Stagnating’ Mexico’s Problem ‘Deep-Rooted’
Speaking out for one of the first times since being tossed from Mexico's 2-0 loss to the USA in the World Cup final-round qualifying opener on Feb. 11, veteran and captain Rafael Marquez admitted to FIFA.com that the Mexican national team "has a deep-rooted problem and that's the cause of the bad patch we've been […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Watch the inaugural match of the Women’s Professional Soccer league on Sunday. The Los Angeles Sol, led by Brazil’s Marta, hosts the Washington Freedom. The USA travels to El Salvador for a World Cup 2010 qualifier. Catch several other qualifiers and a full slate of MLS action on the weekend. Look for updates in Wednesday’s and Friday’s Soccer on TV.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I felt like that, the fact that Panchito Mendoza left the club and the state of my own negotiations I felt the team was changing its identity. But in the end the proof is on the field, with the signings of Eduardo Lillingston and Mariano Trujillo. I made a mistake in having made those comments.”
— Mexican veteran Claudio Suarez, who re-signed with Chivas USA after having announced his retirement, apologizes for criticizing the club after his first round of re-negotiations failed. With the return of Suarez and the acquisition of Lillingston and Trujillo, Chivas USA has three Mexicans on its roster. (MLSnet.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Weekend Results
Anderlecht reclaimed the lead in Belgium when Oguchi Onyewu‘s Standard Liege fell, 1-0, at Charleroi. In Turkey, Sivas maintained its one-point lead over second-place Besiktas when the leaders tied 1-1. in Scotland, leaders Celtic and Rangers (three points behind) both had to settle for ties. For all the results in Europe’s major leagues and Mexico …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
Chivas USA, which rallied to beat Colorado, 2-1, was the only MLS team that won at home in weekend play. For all the MLS results, lineups and standings from Week 1 …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA ready to prep for El Salvador, T&T
[HEXAGONAL] Coach Bob Bradley has named a 22-man roster for the USA’s second and third games of the final round of World Cup qualifying. The USA, which opened the Hexagonal with a 2-0 home win over Mexico, plays at El Salvador March 28 and hosts Trinidad & Tobago April 1 in Nashville, Tenn. The team begins convening for training March 22 in Miami. Freddy Adu is included in the roster after being left out for the Mexico game.
Posted inYouth Soccer Reporter, Youth What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“There was a post this week on the boys side in which one dad told another the make and model of his car and the last three letters on his license plate. The dad said, ‘If you want to meet me in a parking lot, we can settle this.'”
— Dallas area soccer parent Todd Welch, on one of the posts on turf monster.com, where forums have flourished in which North Texas soccer parents bash each other over disputes such as, in this case, the breakup of an 13-year-old boys teams. (Dallas Morning News)
“It’s just nasty out there. That’s why Turf Monster exists in North Texas.”
— Matthew Shipley, founder of TurfMonster.com, which grown to 18,000 members since its launch with three members in 2004.
“It’s a new and unwelcome addition that further erodes sportsmanship in youth sports. It’s not an unexpected evolution. But it is discouraging.”
— Richard Lapchick, founder of the Center for the Study of Sport and Society at Northeastern University and currently director of the DeVos Sport Business Management program at the University of Central Florida, on “visceral” online forums like TurfMonster.com.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Florida Cup Champions
IMG Soccer Academy was the only team to capture two titles at U.S. Club Soccer’s Florida Cup, earning championships in both the U-18/19 girls and U-18/19 boys Premier divisions. RSL Florida had three girls teams advance to championship games. For all the champions and runners-up …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Championships rosters
The annual U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Championships began Friday at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Sixteen state association all-star teams are taking part at two boys and girls age groups (1992 and 1993). Cal North, Cal South, Indiana, North Texas and Virginia all have two teams represented in the competition that concludes Sunday. For all the rosters …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-18 girls to hold first camp
Coach Dave Chesler called in 24 players for the first U.S. under-18 women’s national team camp of the year, which will take place April 4-11 at the Home Depot Center.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Dallas Texans claim U.S. Youth Soccer National League hat trick
The Dallas Texans won their third title in the U.S. Youth Soccer National League when the Texans Red-Dallas clinched the U-16 girls title without playing a game. The San Diego Surf White clinched the U-15 girls in play last weekend in Las Vegas. Play continues Friday with the final weekend of play in the U-15 boys division at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich. Two makeup games will decide the U-17 boys champion and runner-up.