Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Owen Slot of the Times of London has written a three-part piece on the state of youth development in England, and U.S. fans will note some striking similarities to the problems facing player development in the United States. In England, as in the U.S., a premium has been placed on size and athleticism instead of […]

Ronaldinho and Frank Rijkaard are at odds again after the Brazilian showed up late from Christmas break, missing Barcelona’s first two training sessions. His late arrival, of course has sparked all kinds of rumors that AC Milan is planning a summer swoop for the former World Player of the Year. The latest and freshest speculation […]

The four-year journey that should ultimately culminate in a World Cup berth for South Africa 2010 began yesterday, with interim coach Bob Bradley at the helm. Between now and then, says Grahaeme L. Jones of the Los Angeles Times, the U.S. now has 3.5 years to rebuild and refocus it’s men’s national team, which will […]

Today, it’s all about the game’s future, the youth. As we know, MLS signed a new initiative in November requiring each of its teams to have a youth system in place starting next season. Each season, the league will allow teams to sign two players from their development system, though the first group of players […]

Marc Connolly of MLSnet points out that it’s been great couple of weeks for several former MLS standouts. DaMarcus Beasley scored a crucial late winner for Manchester City last weekend with a stunning midfield run and an accurate right-foot finish. Later that day, fellow Chicago Fire alumnus Carlos Bocanegra, grabbed a shocking late equalizer against […]

Standard Liege has rejected Fulham’s initial offer of $1.8 million for U.S. international defender Oguchi Onyewu. “Fulham offered £1M for him, but that is much less than Standard values him at,” came the statement from Standard’s Web site. “If [Fulham] want him bad enough, they are going to have to up the bid.” It’s uncertain […]

After three draws in a row, the English press is talking about a “crisis” at Chelsea. The two-time defending English champion is only six points behind leader Manchester United, but at a club where so much money is spent on players, Kevin McCarra of the Guardian says the axe must be expected to fall somewhere […]

David Beckham’s may yet have a future at Real Madrid, according to claims from his representatives that he will be offered an improved two-year deal. Both parties will meet next week to discuss Beckham’s contract extension, which his spokesman Simon Oliveira said would improve on his current $11.6 million salary. He also insisted that the […]

Real Salt Lake’s stadium plans are definitely murky on the public front, but The Salt Lake Tribune says private cash is also less than a certainty, too. As it turns out, Wall Street risk taker Goldman Sachs may want to see a taxpayer deal go through before it decides to put millions behind the Major […]

The U-20 World Youth Championship has been the launch pad for a number of international superstars, including Diego Maradona, Luis Figo, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi. The 2007 tournament, hosted by Canada next summer, could prove to be a turning point in the careers of American youngsters Freddy Adu (the captain), Josimer Altidore, Preston Zimmerman, and […]

Inter Milan has ruled out any interest in Real Madrid’s David Beckham after coach Roberto Mancini stated that Luis Figo will remain at the club. It had been suggested that Inter was interested in the former England captain as Figo was widely linked with a January move. Reports last week stated that Figo had signed […]

In an interview with the New York Times, Dave Checketts, the owner of Real Salt Lake, reveals that he’s been planning for the arrival of Freddy Adu at his club for quite some time. “When I hired my coach, John Ellinger, two and a half years ago, one of the reasons I hired him was […]

There were more sour looks from the Chelsea bench last night as the Sky Blues were unable to score for the first time this season. The 0-0 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Tuesday was Chelsea’s third tie in a row, keeping it six points behind league leader Manchester United. Coach Jose Mourinho […]

Manchester United No. 2 Carlos Queiroz may be leaving the club in June, according to a Guardian report. The departure of Queiroz at Old Trafford could pave the way for the former Real Madrid coach to eventually take over as the U.S. national team coach. U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati has made no secret about […]

MLS has turned its team uniforms into advertising real estate. Jack Bell of the New York Times paints a horror scenario: picture the camera fixating on a pair of beautiful women in the stands of the Home Depot Center wearing Chivas USA replica jerseys with the name “Bimbo” emblazoned on the front. Grupo Bimbo, a […]

2006 was a largely forgettable year for American soccer, writes Ives Galarcep of the Soccernet. The United States national team started the year strongly, reeling off a number of impressive international results before a comprehensive 4-1 drubbing at the hands of the World Cup hosts in March. Things spiraled downward after that; the nadir being […]

Serie A club Parma will be sold in an auction later this month, the club’s interim owners said, citing several interested parties. “If we act quickly – and that will depend on the buyer – the sale could go through in time for the new owner to make moves in the January transfer window,” said […]

As it turns out, Peter Nowak had nothing to do with D.C. United’s decision to trade teenager Freddy Adu to Real Salt Lake, despite the departed coach’s strained relationship with the youngster. United President Kevin Payne told the Washington Post that he still would have had Adu traded had Nowak stayed with the club. He […]

For the English Football Association, one of the main problems with the bungs inquiry is that many of the agents in question don’t actually fall under its jurisdiction. Many of the world’s biggest stars have agents who come from places like France and Israel. How do you reign in a problem when you have no […]

On Jan.1, the Glazers, the American family that owns Manchester United, bestows upon Sir Alex Ferguson the team’s annual spending budget, which reports say will be $49 million plus one superstar of Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo stature at a price also believed to be $49 million, subject to the family’s approval. Not bad, you […]

We are a little more than a week away from the transfer market reopening, and Real Madrid, which lost, 3-0, to Recreativo Huelva on Wednesday, has already made two signings that cast David Beckham’s future at the club in doubt. Thirty-one year-old Becks has struggled to hold down a place in Real Madrid’s first team. […]

Grahame L. Jones of the LA Times pays homage to two the greats in American soccer who died a day apart last week: Lamar Hunt, a great champion and patron of the sport for more than 30 years, and Ahmet Ertegun, the music mogul-turned soccer investor who along with his brother Nesuhi and Steve Ross […]

The Houston Dynamo, Major League Soccer’s 2006 champion, will send three players largely untested at the international to the U.S. training camp. Interim coach Bob Bradley’s initial roster includes Brian Mullan (2 caps), Ricardo Clark (1) and Eddie Robinson (0). Houston coach Dominic Kinnear, himself a former U.S. international, said, “I think it is well-deserved […]

Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United fans are expecting big things from Henrik Larsson, who begins his loan deal at Old Trafford on Jan. 2. United”s tiring front-line consists of Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer-when he’s fit. As Solskjaer returns from injury, Larsson’s arrival could prove to be a crucial addition after […]

While most reports in the press claim that Premier League managers have been taken off the hook by the bungs report prepared by investigator Lord Stevens, the Telegraph’s Henry Winter says all the talk about a big cover-up is “hogwash.” This year’s January transfer window will be “the most transparent ever,” he says. “Only a […]