Category: Section 2 Around the Net

A quick look back at New York’s MLS past reveals that history keeps repeating itself. First, a big-name coach is brought in, then promises are made about the team reaching the MLS Cup final, and finally, when that doesn’t happen, the coach is either fired or mutually agrees to leave. Then the process starts all […]

Colombia coach Jorge Luis Pinto made it clear that New York Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel was on his radar for 2010 World Cup qualifying. Well, if 19 goals in 24 games isn’t good enough for him to earn a call-up, then what is? That Angel has been left off the Colombia squad is […]

England stands on the brink of elimination from European Championship qualifying, but Russia still needs to come away from Israel with a win on Saturday. Regardless, Russia coach Guus Hiddink says that Steve McClaren’s Lions don’t deserve to qualify for the finals in Austria and Switzerland. “If we analyze this group and the teams, then […]

“It can get no more thrilling for youth than this,” says Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune. Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore, who forged a sensational pairing at the FIFA U20 World Cup last summer, have together been called up to the senior national team for the first time. Adu’s path to a third […]

Other Major League Soccer coaches and GMs shuffle race around the country looking for the next big thing, but New England coach Steve Nicol and Houston’s Dominic Kinnear prefer a steadier course. Obviously, it’s working, says ESPN’s Steve Davis. Over the past three or four MLS seasons, Nicol and Kinnear’s teams have been a model […]

Kaka dropped his strongest hint yet that he may be set to leave AC Milan and Serie A after talking with reporters about the latest round of fan violence in Italy. The Brazilian said Serie A was “losing its credibility” in the world of soccer, and warned that the game’s best players would opt to […]

Comedian and game show host Drew Carey has invested in Seattle’s MLS expansion franchise, making him part of an ownership group consisting of Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen, Seattle Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer and Hollywood producer Joe Roth, who is the majority owner. Carey, like Allen and Hanauer, will be a minority owner. The yet-to-be-named […]

Need a yardstick to measure the success of first-year MLS club Toronto FC? How about this: the 2007 season isn’t even over and yet the expansion franchise on Monday announced that it had sold out of season seats for the 2008 MLS season. Sales were capped at 16,000, surpassing last season’s 14,000. More seats were […]

Staying on the theme of democratic soccer ownership, MyFootballClub, the community Web site that aimed to take over a soccer club and let fans decide on everything (we’ll explain), on Monday announced that it had successfully taken over its first team, Ebbsfleet United of the Blue Square League. The project’s 20,000 members have each paid […]

“Someone get that man a colossal caipirinha, a bevy of Brazilian beauties and a bumper box of johnnies!” the Guardian’s Sid Lowe says of Real Madrid winger Robinho. He’s referring of course to the little Brazilian’s penchant for women and late-night partying, which got him into trouble barely three weeks ago. But none of that […]

The Italian government is proposing to suspend Serie A for several weeks following violence in Rome and Bergamo that was spurred by the shooting death of a Lazio fan by a policeman on Sunday. Additionally, Italy’s anti-hooliganism body wants to see large groups of violent fans — known in Italy as “ultras” — banned from […]

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is reportedly in talks with AS Roma over a possible a takeover, according to several reports in Italy. Apparently, Hicks has been pressuring Roma President Franco Sensi to sell the club for several months, although the situation has only just been brought to the media’s attention. The 61-year-old Dallas native has […]

MLS Cup 2007 will be a repeat of last year’s final, but USSoccerPlayers’ Ian Plenderleith sincerely hopes it won’t be a repeat of last year’s “deadly” final—”deadly” because Steve Nicol’s New England Revolution “killed” it just like his team did the year before, the columnist says. However, are there two teams more deserving of being […]

Despite a pair of nondescript performances at the end of the L.A. Galaxy’s season, David Beckham on Friday was named to Steve McClaren’s England squad for the final Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia. The 32-year-old Beckham has played 97 times for England, which means appearances in the next two games would make him one shy […]

On the very day that Steve McClaren announced his squad for England’s final Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia on Nov. 21, the England coach was hit with the news that star striker Wayne Rooney would have to pull out. The Manchester United player suffered an ankle injury in training on Friday that will keep him […]

On Friday, Dutchman Ruud Gullit was officially named head coach of the L.A. Galaxy. “It’s a huge challenge to be here but it’s all here for the taking,” said Gullit. “The Galaxy is used to winning things and we will try everything in our power to win more titles here. I hope to find a […]

It’s been a rough start to English Premier League life for U.S. international Benny Feilhaber. The 22-year-old midfielder has made just a three appearances off the bench for Derby County since coming over from Hamburg SV in August. “I think that the main reason I haven’t been playing much is because of the style of […]

Ten seasons ago, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League, but recent years have seen the German the league suffer a marked decrease in power and prestige across Europe. Just have a look at this year’s Champions League: two of Germany’s three representatives are currently dead last in […]

Alexi Lalas and Anschutz Entertainment Group will have pulled off yet another coup if Dutch legend Ruud Gullit is indeed unveiled as head coach of the L.A. Galaxy later today. According to Yahoo Sports Martin Rogers, Gullit’s unveiling is a virtual certainty barring a last-minute about-face from Juergen Klinsmann-the perennially uninterested first-choice of many soccer […]

“He was the last guy you’d have picked to go corporate,” Reuters’ Andy Clark says of L.A. Galaxy President Alexi Lalas. Twelve years ago, Lalas looked like a hippie: he had long curly red hair, an equally long goatee, and he played guitar and sang in a band called the Gypsies. Nowadays, the man may […]

In his preview of tonight’s MLS Eastern Conference final, Yahoo Sports’ Martin Rogers says the marquee battle to watch will be in midfield between New England stalwart Shalrie Joseph and Chicago playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Joseph, a defensive midfielder, is a man of the blue-collar variety: a ball-winner with good strength and balance who distributes well […]

Pele, the man who many people consider the greatest soccer player of all-time, says the American public was misled by the prospect of David Beckham playing in Major League Soccer. Beckham had a disappointing, injury-laden first campaign with the L.A. Galaxy. So far, his biggest impact on MLS has been ticket and merchandise sales. “[MLS] […]

A star was born at the San Siro in Milan on Wednesday night, Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune reports in his Champions League roundup. Predictably, you might say, he is another young Brazilian destined for the big time. Simply known as “Jo,” Joao de Assis Silva raised eyebrows at the San Siro when […]

Life for Frank Yallop is already looking markedly better, says the San Jose Mercury News’ Ann Killion, reporting from Yallop’s press unveiling as head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes. She says that “happiness and relief” were evident on Yallop’s face during a low-key Q&A with four total reporters. That’s right, “No swarms of British […]

Kansas City Star columnist Mike Hendricks reports from Tuesday’s Kansas City plan commission meeting, where after an hour of discussion, requests for rezoning and changes to a land-use plan were approved on the 467-acre development that includes a new soccer complex. The Kansas City Wizards and their investors are asking for a $273 million subsidy […]