Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Despite the ongoing world economic crisis, French politicians this week spent much of their time whining about Tunisian fans booing “La Marseillaise” before the France-Tunisia exhibition game in Paris Tuesday. It’s just another example of politicians interfering in the game, writes Brian Homewood, arguing that international soccer would be best served by scrapping the anthems […]

South African Transport Minister Jeff Radebe has said the country is “on track” and within budget to complete all planned transport infrastructure projects in time for the 2010 World Cup, and dismissed fears the country would not be ready to host the tournament. On a tour of Cape Town construction sites Thursday, Radebe said, “We […]

There are several paths to fame or notoriety, but few are as unusual as the path unwittingly chosen by Raul Macias, 55. “Don Raul,” as he is known, has become a major player in Los Angeles politics after building a reputation for lobbying for soccer fields in the city’s northeast, writes Hector Becerra. In the […]

Italian defender Andrea Barzagli of Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg has praised the German league as more exciting than the Serie A he left in summer, reflecting what many observers of both leagues have long maintained. “The style of play is more spectacular here than it is in Italy,” Barzagli said. “There’s more goals than in […]

“If [David] Beckham’s U.S. legacy is to be anything more than that of a glorified jersey salesman, then he had better start paying as much attention to the Galaxy and to MLS as he does to winning caps for England. At least the Galaxy will give him some real playing time.” Grahame L. Jones has […]

When Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber glibly referred to the New England Revolution as a “model franchise” after it won the Eastern Conference playoff title a year ago, he passed over one aspect of its model behavior where information has always been sparse — the location and timing of a new soccer stadium for […]

MLS talk Wednesday was all about the seven bids submitted to start new teams in 2011, but there were some conspicuous absences too. The much-vaunted New York Mets bid has been put off until 2012, writes Michael Lewis, because there are no “concrete” plans for a stadium. “It’s something that we still have a very […]

Another absentee from the submissions was the mooted Las Vegas franchise, previously championed by the Californian businessman Mark Noorzai, the leader of an investor group that is pursuing an ownership stake in the Columbus Crew, writes Shawn Mitchell. Noorzai had wanted an MLS franchise to be the primary tenant of a new $500 million, retractable-roof […]

The scoreline should have read Veterans 2, Neophytes 1 after the U.S. national team’s youthful lineup lost in Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday, writes Jeff Carlisle. The young American players showed that while they are “indeed talented, they’ll need considerably more seasoning before being trusted with, say, a road match” in Mexico or Costa Rica. The […]

England’s best form for four years has been driven by the resurgence of Wayne Rooney, 22, who has scored five goals in England’s last three World Cup qualifiers. But “Rooney’s resurgence as a match-winner for his country can be measured beyond the uplifting statistics,” writes Matt Dickinson. The Rooney reminiscent of his teenage years was […]

“It would be good to have more balance, to put the brakes on globalization a little, so that not all teams are made up entirely of foreigners and there’s a percentage of domestic players. But European law does not allow it. This path cannot be taken. Nothing can be done.” Former Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff […]

D.C. United goalkeeper Louis Crayton received 150 letters of apology from Houston Dynamo supporters after an individual aimed a racial slur at him following last Sunday’s game in Houston. One of the apologies came from the fan who had verbally abused him. Dynamo President Oliver Luck and coach Dominic Kinnear also wrote to Crayton.

Two of David Beckham’s sons turned up to watch their older brother Brooklyn play wearing lurid Chelsea away shorts. Put on your shades to view the pictures, and take with a pinch of salt the Mail’s unfounded assertion that Beckham is “reportedly unhappy at the struggling Galaxy.”

“We had enough chances in the second half to at least get another goal. I think a draw probably would have been fair, but we didn’t get the win, which is disappointing.” San Jose coach Frank Yallop reflects on the 2-1 defeat in Houston that effectively ended his team’s playoff chances.

“It is officially confirmed that the trio’s contracts have been terminated. We tried our best but failed to get work permits for them.” Jimmy Haewsanti, marketing manager of Manchester City (Thailand), announces that the three Thai internationals signed under previous owner Thaksin Shinawatra and farmed out to Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland) and Club Brugge (Belgium), have […]

Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis makes no secret of the team he admires most in Major League Soccer. “From the moment he took over as head coach last season,” writes James Edward, “there’s been a method to Kreis’ madness, a vision shared by General Manager Garth Lagerwey — call it the Houston Dynamo model.” […]

Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas has said that the English Football Association was wrong to ask its Spanish counterparts to move England’s exhibition game in Madrid next February to another venue. When England last played at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium in 2004, its black players were subject to racist abuse from the home spectators. “I […]

Colorado Rapids’ midfielder Greg Dalby, 22, has no illusions that the awards he received as a college player mean anything in the professional game. “Accolades from previous years are great,” Dalby told Mark Zeigler, “but it doesn’t add up to a whole lot once you make that leap to a professional.” Zeigler’s piece on Dalby […]

In Kansas City, another pro took a completely different path to first team action, writes Randy Covitz. Former Graceland University midfielder Kevin Souter, 24, showed up at the Wizards’ open tryout at the start of the year with 200 other players, and ended up landing a developmental contract. After suffering an early injury in reserve […]

"When the losses started to pile up, Gullit cut and ran, citing unspecified personal reasons. Now he is blaming the system and inventing an anti-soccer conspiracy. There is no need to listen to him any longer." Grahame L. Jones responds to former L.A. Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit's comments, reported Tuesday, that soccer will not be […]

“For us to catch up as much as we did and then fall away at the end was disappointing. We just went out of pocket at the wrong time. We were so close.” Quakes’ coach Frank Yallop on his side’s disappointing end to the season.

“Unless you are one of the ultra-rich clubs, this, surely, is the way forward and Leeds [United], a club I greatly respect, have to be applauded for its efforts in this regard.” FIFA President Sepp Blatter says that Leeds United’s professional and financial demise since being Champions League semifinalists in 2001 has been arrested by […]

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. France coach Raymond Domenech has been assured yet again by the French Football Federation that his job is safe. This is Part 27 in an ongoing series of FFF statements designed to entertain fans abroad who love to see the French national team fail. Although Paul Doyle […]

Perhaps one should take FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper’s decision to turn down an offer to join the U.S. national team for its World Cup qualifying game in Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday at face value. He’s been nursing an ankle injury and a bout of “flu-like symptoms,” and so it was best to concentrate on […]

FC Dallas suffered an average loss of over 2,000 spectators per game at home this season compared with 2007, reports Diego Aparicio. The team drew an average of 13,023 fans to its 20,500-seat stadium in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, compared with last year’s average of 15,145. Dallas ranks 13th in average attendance in MLS, […]