Category: Section 2 Around the Net

“One thing’s clear: there’s not much to negotiate. We want an eight-figure sum. But I have to say, Cologne has moved towards that again. It looks good. I’m confident it will come off.” Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge thinks that agreement on Lukas Podolski‘s transfer to FC Cologne is close to completion.

“The Ferrari went straight into the wall, his front left-hand wheel came off and then Ronaldo got out of the car. … Obviously I was stunned at seeing a Ferrari go in the wall and seeing Ronaldo. He was obviously shaken – who wouldn’t be? – but it’s a shame about the car as well.”

— Jody Lomax, who witnessed Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo total his car. Ronaldo was able to practice later that day. Go HERE for video of the smashed up Ferrari. (BBC)

The InterLiga, the USA-based Libertadores Cup qualifying tournament for Mexican clubs, continues on Friday and Sunday. In the English Premier League’s marquee game, Manchester United clashes with Chelsea on Sunday.

[MAKING A LIST] Ezra Hendrickson, who capped his 12-season tenure in Major League Soccer by helping the Crew to its first MLS Cup championship in 2008 — and his third with three different teams — announced his retirement. Hendrickson, who turns 37 next week, played 298 regular-season and playoff games with six different teams. He attended Drake University and later captained the St. Vincent & the Grenadines national team. He’s the eighth player to leave the Crew in the offseason. For all the team-by-team moves …

[MEXICO] Most European clubs approach the January transfer window cautiously, but in Mexico, where the league championship is split into two seasons, clubs shuffle their rosters during the second transfer window. At Puebla, which is in danger of being relegated at the end of the 2009 Torneo Clausura, former FC Dallas defender Duilio Davino is the club’s ninth signing. In a back-handed slap at MLS, the 32-year-old Davino, one of the biggest Mexican flops in MLS history, said he was glad to be back home.

[WPS] With a week to go before the Women’s Professional League’s draft of college players, to be held Jan. 16 at the NSCAA Convention in St. Louis, only four foreign players whose negotiating rights were obtained by WPS teams have signed to play in the 2009 season, but women’s soccer brightest star, Marta, is expected to sign with the Los Angeles Sol, perhaps as soon as Monday when the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year is announced in Zurich.

[INTERLIGA] Morelia cranked up its wheezing attack just in time to earn a spot in the Interliga finals by beating group winner Pachuca and getting some help from Toluca to edge through in second place. The final day of play in Group A at Home Depot Center Thursday produced a pair of attacking displays from teams desperately needing goals to advance. Morelia beat Pachuca, 3-0, and wound up in second place when Toluca knocked off UAG, 2-0, to eliminate the Tecos from advancing, which they would have done with a win.

“I like [David] Beckham a lot and I’m glad he’s chosen to play in our league. But let’s hope [Milan coach] Carlo Ancelotti fields all his big-name players together. I honestly think that could be an advantage for us as the team would be unbalanced.” Roma’s Francesco Totti looks forward to this coming weekend’s Roma-Milan […]

I have long been a fan of “The Family Circus” comic strip. Perhaps my favorite strip of all time features the family dog barking up a storm in the middle of the night. Dad, irritated that he’s been awakened from a much-needed sleep, clomps down the stairs to yell at Barfy, who dutifully hangs his head. Dad climbs back up the stairs while the cartoonist has a surprise for us. He pans back so we see in the far corner of the yard a burglar retreating.

[U.S. YOUTH NATIONAL TEAMS] New U.S. under-18 men’s national team coach Mike Matkovich is taking 18 players to Sydney, Australia, where they will compete in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival. For the complete U-18 roster …

[SIGN OF THE TIMES] England’s Football Association is cutting ticket prices by as much as 25 percent for upcoming home matches against Slovakia (March 28), Ukraine (April 1) and Andorra (June 10) at Wembley Stadium.

[U.S. SOCCER] Coach Bob Bradley has welcomed San Jose defender Jason Hernandez and Colorado defender Ugo Ihemelu into the team’s Southern California training camp to replace Clarence Goodson and Cory Gibbs.

“We have to overcome a series of obstacles before advancing to the World Cup. I expect climbing Mount Halla will help players endure tough times ahead.”

— South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo is having his squad climb to the peak of Mount Halla in hopes it will inspire them to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. A 5.5 mile trail leads to the summit. (Donga-A Ilbo)

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Freddy Adu, who has played only 100 minutes in nine French First Division appearances since joining Monaco last summer, started against Juventus and helped set up a goal.

[ENGLAND] Manchester United brought on Cristiano Ronaldo late in the game and he almost scored on a free kick, but Man U fell, 1-0, to second division struggler Derby in their League Cup semifinal first-leg clash.

Former FC Dallas designated failure Denilson, 31, is to have a trial with Bolton Wanderers. The player is a free agent (again) after being released by Brazilian club Palmeiras.

[MAKING A LIST] Manchester City is the team most often mentioned in January transfer deals and with good cause. Its new owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, is the richest man in British soccer with more than double the wealth of the next English Premier League owner, Russian Roman Abramovich. The Chelsea owner, who topped all five previous lists published by the British magazine Fourfourtwo, is said to have lost more than $4.5 billion since the downturn in the world economy last year.

Welcome to Soccer America Classifieds, Soccer America’s newest email newsletter connecting soccer companies and organizations to Soccer America members each week. Soccer America Classifieds feature soccer classified advertisements on the latest soccer job openings, soccer products and soccer opportunities. Read Soccer America Classifieds each Wednesday.

“I’m a professional. You should respect my work, respect me.”

— What Cameroonian Carlos Kameni of Spanish club Espanyol reportedly screamed at the fan he grabbed by the scruff of the neck before teammates pulled him away. The fan had told Kameni not to renew his contract. Kameni said he regretted the incident. (AFP)

[INTERLIGA] Three nights after playing a 1-1 tie in Houston, Superclasico rivals Guadalajara and Club America stayed tied in the standings by routing their opponents, 3-1, Tuesday at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas in front of 17,057 fans.

[ITALY] The Los Angeles Galaxy’s David Beckham, who is on loan to AC Milan until the start of the MLS season, made his debut for the Rossoneri in a friendly against Germany’s Hamburg SV in Dubai.

[MLS] Akron’s Steve Zakuani, Soccer America Men’s Collegiate Player of the Year 2008, is leaving Akron after his sophomore season to enter the 2009 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation adidas player.

English Premier League deal-maker Keith Harris, responsible for engineering club takeovers, has admitted that the days of billionaires bailing out clubs are over, reports David Conn. Harris cites the no-sale of Newcastle United after three and a half months as hard evidence of what the global economic crisis will mean to soccer.   “The problem […]

Charlie Davies, a 22-year-old New Hampshire product, was the Swedish league’s fourth leading scorer in 2008 after a rough first season. He now eyes a regular role with the U.S. national team and moving to a bigger club in Europe.

[MLS] The melding of the USL and MLS versions of the Seattle Sounders has added another element, that of goalkeeper Chris Eylander.