Category: Section 2 Around the Net

While all the talk in MLS these last few weeks has centered on David Beckham‘s fate with the league and Landon Donovan‘s Deutschland adventure, L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena has been allowed to ready the rest of his 2009 squad under the radar. That changes a bit on Wednesday when the Galaxy hosts the Pan […]

Tempers are flaring and politics are on full display in the Asian Football Confederation, where Bahrain chief Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa has responded forcefully to accusations that he is organizing an ouster of current AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam of Qatar. Al Khalifa’s campaign marks the first challenge in 14 years to Bin […]

Real Madrid interim President Vincente Boluda, who took the reins of the club just last month, is the latest figurehead to fan the flames of rumors that Cristiano Ronaldo will be joining the legendary La Liga club next season. “I am convinced we will see him at the Bernabeu,” Boluda told Cadena Ser’s El Larguero. […]

“[Landon Donovan] is an interesting player. But when you have [Mirolsav] Klose, [Luca] Toni and [Ivica] Olic already under contract, we think the fourth striker should really be a young player with prospects,” said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, downplaying Donovan’s chances of an extended stay with the Germany club in Munich newspaper TZ on Tuesday. […]

According to the Los Angeles Times’ Grahame Jones, the initial bid put on the table by AC Milan for the services of midfielder David Beckham came in at just $3 million, far lower than the reported $10 million minimum price tag that has been sought by MLS and the Galaxy. Despite being given a Feb. […]

In a scene that plays out over and over every Saturday, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo remains frustrated at the rough treatment that teams employ to take away his time on the ball. In a recent FA Cup game with Derby County, the 2008 FIFA World Footballer of the Year was photographed spitting in the direction […]

Spanish boss Rafael Benitez remains unsigned as coach of Liverpool beyond the 2009-10 English Premiership season, putting off the inking of two different contract extensions in order to secure a deal that includes contract commitments for his 10-person-plus technical staff, according to Sid Lowe. "Anyone that has just a year left on his contract does […]

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich‘s fortune has fallen from an estimated $23 billion to just $13.9 billion in the last year, according to Russian finance magazine Finans. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s most recent figures showed that it lost $94 million last year and also that Abramovich has poured more than $998 million into the club since taking ownership […]

The NY Red Bulls announced today that they re-signed 33-year-old Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel to a multi-year deal. In his two years in the league, the two-time MLS All-Star has scored 35 goals in only 49 appearances.

"No one can take my experiences away from me. Obviously, I’d like to have played in the Bundesliga, but I’ve achieved other things instead. I’m in the Guinness Book of Records as the first professional footballer to have played on all six continents. The decision not to go to Bayern back then can’t have been […]

Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, co-owner of investment giant Red and White Holdings Limited, has increased his company’s share of EPL mainstay Arsenal to more than 25 percent. What does this mean for the Gunners ownership future? Simple. Red and White now only needs an additional 5 percent stock buy-up to make a formal takeover bid […]

It didn’t take a genius to figure that forwards Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba might provide a potent partnership up top for Chelsea. It just took Luiz Felipe Scolari getting sacked. With new coach Guus Huddink looking on before officially taking the reins on Monday, interim coach Ray Wilkins paired the two together for just […]

“It’s a tough call. It all depends on how he responds to the trial and how he goes there and performs. If he goes in there timid and [does] not take it by the horns, it’s going to be tough. You’ve to come in and perform right off the bat.” Major League Soccer veteran Tyrone […]

“He was an extraordinary player, a fantastic midfield schemer with great skills and a good sense of where the goal was. I don’t think there are many players like him now.” Former AC Milan player Jose Altafini on ex-Italy and Bologna midfielder Giacomo Bulgarelli, who has died aged 68. Bulgarelli won 29 caps for Italy […]

“We want to arouse the anticipation. The biggest challenge will be to fill the stadiums.” Former German national team player and President of the Organizing Committee Steffi Jones starts the official countdown to the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany. Just 862 days to go.

The French Football Federation said Friday it has submitted an application to host the 2016 European Championship. National federations have until March 9 to apply to European soccer’s governing body UEFA to host the tournament. France previously hosted the 1984 European championship in 1984 and the 1998 World Cup.

D.C. United co-owner Victor MacFarlane said Thursday that he is committed to moving the team out of RFK Stadium and to a purpose-built soccer venue in Prince George’s County, Maryland, report Rosalind S. Helderman and David Nakamura. It follows the collapse two weeks ago of the long-mooted Poplar Point stadium project within the D.C. city […]

L.A. Galaxy midfielder David Beckham (remember him? Used to play in MLS, scored a couple of goals) continues to damn his club and Major League Soccer with faint praise. And in case you hadn’t noticed, he absolutely loves playing for AC Milan. It’s just the greatest thing, like, with all these international superstars and stuff. […]

David Beckham not only equaled Bobby Moore’s record 108 England caps for an outfield player Wednesday against Spain in Seville, he added to another record he holds for his country — most ever yellow cards.   “Following a show of dissent, Beckham’s 17th international yellow card takes him two clear of Paul Ince (while Goldenballs’ […]

helsea lacks a special player to make it an outstanding team, according to its newly sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari in an interview he gave just four days before his dismissal.   “At Chelsea, we don’t have a player who can make the difference by himself and do something magical on the pitch,” Scolari told […]

Comparisons between the late Bobby Moore and David Beckham, both of whom now tally 108 England caps, are “unnecessary,” writes Richard Williams. “Beckham could go on to win another 50 caps without jeopardizing the reputation of the leader of the heroes of 1966,” he continues. But Beckham “remains the world’s best crosser of a dead […]

A 1-0 home defeat to Norway in an exhibition game is nothing to get too worked up about, according to members of the German national team. “It’s not so dramatic,” said midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger of the Germans’ first defeat to Norway in 73 years. “The defeat’s not the end of the world. We’re not machines.” […]

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said Thursday that he will happily turn down the manager’s job at Chelsea FC a second time. The London club earlier this week sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari, its fourth manager in five years. Guus Hiddink is interim manager until the end of the current season.   “The only club which […]

One endless source of stories for the media in the age of supersized playing rosters centers upon the discontent of the benched international star. The latest ego frustrated at the feel of cold hard wood upon his highly paid buttocks is Liverpool’s Danish defender Daniel Agger.   “Let me be honest and admit that, if […]

“I feel fit and I’m enjoying my football more than ever. This is an exciting young team and the spirit is great in the dressing room. I want to be a part of that and achieve even more success.” Ryan Giggs, 35, on signing a one-year contract extension with Manchester United that will take him […]