Category: Section 2 Around the Net

A Web site called MyFootballClub.com, which aims to put its members in charge of club ownership and administration, may be close to buying its first club, having raised more than $1 million, according to the Independent. The concept, created by soccer journalist Will Brooks, is to create a democratic system of ownership that essentially makes […]

The majority of soccer neutrals will tell you that the worst part of Sunday’s Liverpool-Chelsea clash at Anfield was the performance of referee Rob Styles. Not only did Styles award Chelsea a penalty that clearly wasn’t, he also gave Michael Essien two yellow cards before insisting that the second was directed at captain John Terry, […]

The champions of Spain and Italy fared poorly in the respective curtain-raisers to the La Liga and Serie A seasons, as both Real Madrid and Inter Milan fell to domestic cup winners Sevilla and AS Roma. At the Santiago Bernabeu, last season’s Spanish cup winner Sevilla routed league champ Real Madrid 5-3 in Madrid to […]

David Beckham has set the bar high for the rest of the season after delivering a commanding performance in his first start for the L.A. Galaxy during Wednesday’s SuperLiga semifinal win. However, Reuters points out that the England international next week embarks on a grueling traveling schedule as he tries to balance playing for both […]

Where or where did the Colorado Rapids’ 3-0 win over the New England Revolution come from? The Denver Post says the odds were always stacked against the home side: top scorer Herculez Gomez was suspended, the team had only won one of its last 11 matches, and coming into Thursday’s game, the Rapids were averaging […]

The David Beckham effect has created a “perfect storm” around soccer in the U.S., but sports analyst Randy Bernstein warns that Major League Soccer runs the risk of being forgotten once that storm passes, unless it invests in more international stars. “I think what MLS needs to do now is to not over-hype [Beckham]. He […]

The EPL season is just one week old, but already there are some crucial matchups at hand. Two games in particular are vying for top billing: first on Sunday we have the season’s first Manchester derby, held at the City of Manchester Stadium, followed by Liverpool-Chelsea at Anfield. The Manchester derby is already shaping up […]

The Champions League fate of Scotland’s perennial top two hangs in the balance after a pair of tense first-leg performances in the final round of Champions League qualifying from Rangers and Celtic. The talking point in Glasgow is whether you’d rather be Celtic, which comes home to Parkhead in two weeks time with an away-goals […]

American Benny Feilhaber has officially completed his $2 million switch from Hamburg to Derby County of the English Premier League, although the midfielder has yet to suit up for his new club, owing to the complications involving international clearance, which manager Billy Davies says could “take anything up to a week.” However, if the youngster […]

English referees want to introduce “a radical change” to the Premier League’s laws, according to Henry Winter of the Telegraph. Following successful discussions with the League Managers’ Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association, the Professional Game Match Officials want to implement a new rule requiring players who foul opponents wait on the touchline until the […]

In transfer news, West Ham today finally completed the transfer of Kieron Dyer from Newcastle; the two parties finally agreed on a fee of $14 million. Reports say the Hammers are also still after Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen and Derby County winger Giles Barnes, although given the injury sustained by the former, that move is […]

He did exactly what he was supposed to do: David Beckham was the star man Wednesday night, scoring one and creating another as the L.A. Galaxy beat D.C. United, 2-0, at the Home Depot Center. Beckham started, played 60 minutes and marshaled the Galaxy midfield with his calmness on the ball, his passing and yes, […]

Ah yes, discrimination is in the air in the world of soccer this week: first it was women and now it’s gays. In Brazil, a judge caused an uproar recently when he declared that gay homosexuals don’t belong in Brazilian soccer. The controversy flared up after Cruzeiro midfielder Richarlyson sued a Sao Paulo sporting director […]

The Washington Post serves up a profile of D.C. United’s “Barra Brava,” or brave fans section, where the music, singing, dancing and beer flinging go on all game long. Indeed, United’s faithful offer up one of the only experiences in MLS that could be compared with what goes on at South American and European soccer […]

David Beckham looks set to be named in Steve McClaren’s England squad against Germany on Aug. 22, despite having made just two short appearances for the L.A. Galaxy since his move from MLS. “He (Beckham) will be in the squad,” McClaren said. “I want him to come over and play a part against Germany but […]

In the latest edition of the MLS Power Rankings, beside the name of last place Real Salt Lake, the ESPN Soccernet staff writes: “Weren’t they supposed to bring in some fresh talent?” Yes, they were, but, no, they have not: Jason Kreis and company were testing out a trio of Argentines but have not as […]

Sunderland manager Roy Keane hit out against players who ask for their wives or girlfriends’ permission before making decisions. “Priorities have changed in footballers and they’re being dictated to by their wives and girlfriends – there’s no getting away from that,” the former Manchester United captain said. “This idea of the women running the show […]

It looks like the Juan Roman Riquelme saga is now over. According to Sporting Life, the Argentine wizard won’t be returning to Boca Juniors, he won’t be going to Atletico Madrid, and no, he won’t be going to MLS, either. Instead he’s going back to Villarreal, where a tenuous relationship with Coach Manuel Pellegrini caused […]

Wayne Rooney’s fractured foot, David Beckham’s questionable left ankle, Michael Owen’s perennial injury problems, and some seven other England internationals are awaiting the green light to return to full fitness for Coach Steve McClaren. And the timing couldn’t be worse, as his Lions are three weeks away from two must-win Euro 2008 qualifiers.   England […]

There’s this old media adage that any press is good press. As long as people are talking about you, right? Well, the merits of that claim are now being tested to the limits after the limited number of appearances made by David Beckham in his first month in MLS. The Beckham backlash is evident in […]

ESPN’s Beckham coverage is out of control, say soccer critics across the blogosphere. The Washington Post Soccer Insider’s Steven Goff coined the term “BSPN” to refer to the network’s coverage of Becks. The New York Times soccer blog also went off on ESPN’s irksome “Beckham Obsession”:   “Close-up of [Beckham’s] facial expressions. Shot of him […]

The Los Angeles Galaxy is beginning to look a lot the New York Cosmos of the NASL, says J Hutcherson of USSoccerPlayers. First Becks, then the media, then the red carpet at Home Depot and the celebrities, and now, the team is getting to charter its own flights. Soon, Galaxy members and staff will have […]

Fresh from a 1-0 loss to Sevilla in the first leg of the curtain-raising Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid on Monday completed the signing of Dutch pair Royston Drenthe and Wesley Sneijder. Drenthe, a left winger, cost $19 million from Feyenoord, while Sneijder cost a hefty $37 million from Ajax. “To play for Real Madrid […]

In the middle of a season, it’s not often that you’ll hear talk about a 16-day layoff as being a good thing for a soccer team, but it certainly looks as though rest and recuperation have done a world of good for Coach Bruce Arena and the New York Red Bulls, who stormed back to […]

L.A. Galaxy midfielder David Beckham made it sound like he might join up with Steve McClaren’s England squad for the friendly with Germany on Aug. 22 even if he can’t play. “I spoke to Steve [McClaren] about my fitness and how it has been over here,” Beckham said. “He said he is looking forward to […]