Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Chelsea’s goalkeeper Petr Cech nearly lost his life over the weekend after being rammed in the head by the knee of Reading’s Stephen Hunt in the opening minutes of their English Premier League encounter. The diagnosis for Cech’s return is six months at leastif he ever fully recovers from a depressed skull fracture, doctors’ say. […]

After an eventful round of Euro 2008 qualifying, our focus shifts once again to domestic league play in Europe. For neutrals, the biggest game of the weekend is undoubtedly the Nou Camp clash between La Liga holder Barcelona and thid-place Sevilla. The last time these two teams met was in August, when UEFA Cup holder […]

Yet another example from the world of soccer that hindsight is 20/20: Guardian columnist Rob Smyth says “England would never, ever have lost this badly under the managership of Sven-Goran Eriksson. This was a shambles; a proper doing; a miserable, cowering performance that evoked the darkest days of Graham Taylor — chiefly the dismal 2-0 […]

There will be no USA trip for Steve McClaren and staff following the debacle in Zagreb, the English Football Association said on Thursday. McClaren was supposed to head across the Atlantic to have a look at the coaching methods employed by the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League, but after his side’s 2-0 defeat […]

Fiorentina says it is ready to fight in Italy’s regional court system if an Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) Arbitration Court fails to eliminate the hefty penalty imposed on the club for its part in the widespread match-fixing scandal that rocked Italian soccer at the end of last season. “Fiorentina are not guilty of any wrongdoing, […]

ABC and ESPN World Cup commentator Giorgio Chinaglia, a former striker for Serie A’s Lazio as well as the NASL’s New York Cosmos in the late 70s and 80s, has a warrant out for his arrest after Italian authorities in Rome charged him with extortion and insider trading at Lazio. Chinaglia’s name was revealed as […]

Last night’s round of internationals proved to be yet another nightmare for a top club coach. Atletico Madrid’s Argentine striker, Maxi Rodriguez, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a meaningless friendly against Spain last night. The 25-year old is expected to be sidelined now for the remainder of the season after […]

Juventus, Milan, and Lazio have now presented their cases to an Italian Olympic committee (CONI) Arbitration Court in hopes of getting their Calciopoli penalties reduced, and Milan lawyer Leandro Cantamessa is so confident his client’s points penalty will be eradicated, that he says the 2005-06 Scudetto should be reassigned to the Rossoneri. “The only certainty […]

Prior to England’s disastrous outing against Croatia on Wednesday night, coach/nationalist Steve McClaren called for an “English performance” to overcome the Croats away from home. Across the Irish Sea, Steve Staunton and the Republic of Ireland could have used a similar infusion of nationalist fervor prior to a tricky Euro 2008 qualifier at home to […]

Blame culture, indeed. The Guardian puts Steve Pearce’s English blame test to the test by excerpting reactions to England’s 2-0 loss to Croatia from Britain’s major newspapers. “If there has been a lower ebb in the tide of English football, please remind me,” says Steven Howard of The Sun. He blamed the formation: “If you […]

Call it “blame culture,” says Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce. With every England performance, regardless of the result, the English press and its pundits feel it’s their duty to dole out blame for what will have been a less than perfect performance nine times out of ten. Granted, England was thoroughly beaten by Croatia in […]

England looked even more out of sorts in a 3-5-2 as Steve McClaren’s men were easily brushed aside 2-0 by Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday. A good header by Brazilian-born Eduardo da Silva gave Croatia the lead after 60 minutes, before an incredible own goal from Gary Neville put the game beyond doubt. It was […]

As you’ve probably heard, Glenn Myernick, Bruce Arena’s assistant coach for the last six years with the U.S. men’s national team, died Monday morning after falling into a coma on Thursday following a massive heart attack. Mark Ziegler of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes a fitting tribute to a man who was as fine an […]

Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian has competition in his bid to takeover West Ham United. According to The Daily Telegraph, Iceland’s UEFA executive committee member, Eggert Magnusson, is heading a bid that values the club at $140 million. : “We are at the very beginning, we have shown an interest but there is some way to […]

Anschutz Entertainment Group is reportedly close to selling Major League Soccer club D.C. United to Durham, N.C.-based Blue Devil Ventures. Brian Davis, managing partner of the VC firm, said a deal would be announced later this month that the team would be sold for $33 million. D.C. United has been on the block for nearly […]

Bobby Convey and Reading Football Club are off to a fantastic start to their first season in England’s Premiership. After seven games, Reading sits a comfortable seventh in the standings, 11 places above the relegation zone. Both Convey and U.S. national teammate Marcus Hahnemann, have started each of the Royals’ seven opening games. In an […]

Former England captain Alan Shearer says it’s too early to take the knives out for Steve McClaren after two poor performances from England. The England coach has come under pressure since the Three Lions drew, 0-0, at home to lowly Macedonia, a team they barely managed to beat 1-0 in Skopje a month ago. Said […]

England boss Steve McClaren has hit back at criticism in the British press following Saturday’s unimpressive 0-0 draw with Macedonia at Old Trafford. “We are looking for an English performance, one of pride, passion, attitude and character,” a categorical McClaren told reporters before Wednesday’s qualifier against Croatia. “We have come here to win. We go […]

Italy defender Marco Materazzi is authoring a book of jokes about the incident that led to France World Cup star Zinedine Zidane headbutting him in the chest in the World Cup final. Zidane’s confrontation with Materazzi was to be the last action of his career, as referee Horatio Elizondo sent him off in last game […]

He’s been dropped from England and he may have to toil away the rest of his days at Real Madrid on the bench, so if David Beckham is going to have to take a paycut to stay at Real while relying on endorsements to fund his rock star lifestyle anyway, why doesn’t he just come […]

U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati is the man in charge of finding a head coach for the men’s national team. It is his choice, which he tells ESPN Soccernet has been whittled down to five names. Columnist Andrea Canales guesses the remaining candidates are: former Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann, former Argentina coach Jose Pekerman, […]

Following the unabashed success that was Germany’s World Cup run this summer, former Germany coach and player Juergen Klinsmann finds himself in very high demand. According to one Klinsmann advisor, the former World Cup winner is weighing offers from Mexico as well as the USA. However, his advisor, Roland Eitel, said it was still unclear […]

Somewhat predictably, there were calls for the return of David Beckham following England’s listless 0-0 draw with Macedonia on Saturday. The Three Lions could’ve used someone like Beckham to probe Macedonia’s stiff defense with a few expertly taken free kicks in a game that will be remembered for ponderous midfield play and poor finishing especially […]

As the “bung” scandal moves forward, the English Premier League’s clubs are still uncertain of the identity of the eight clubs to be indicted by Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Stevens. Previously, Stevens said that 39 transfers involving eight clubs who played in the EPL from the 2003-04 to 2005-06 seasons. Reports yesterday in England claimed […]

After another disappointment at the 2006 World Cup and two consecutive defeats in Euro 2008 qualifying, it’s the same old story of underachievement for Spain. And yet, somehow, the same man has presided over the country’s World Cup failure and now, its Euro qualifying debacle. Spain coach Luis Aragones hasn’t been fired and he says […]