Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Interview with Big Soccer founder Jesse Hertzberg.

South African imports rose “as the government stepped up spending on stadiums, roads and power plants as the country prepares to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.” The consequences include a current account deficit exceeding seven per cent for the fourth consecutive quarter, and a weakened rand. One analysts says the rand is “in big […]

FC Dallas midfielder Andre Rocha and his coach Schellas Hyndman had supposedly ironed out their differences last week after the Brazilian-born playmaker had shown he was upset at being so frequently substituted. Yet Rocha told Diego Aparicio Wednesday that he wonders whether or not he will get to play a full game this season.   […]

Yes, we know it sounds like a ‘dog bites man’ story. Ian Elliott, the former agent of England international Stewart Downing, has been arrested on charges of fraud and money-laundering. The Middlesbrough player made a formal complaint to police about the handling of his financial affairs.

The U.S. national team climbed three places to 29th in the September world rankings. England, meanwhile, is just one spot ahead of Scotland, in 15th place.

There are a number of scheduling reasons why Major League Soccer keeps playing through FIFA’s international calendar. But having lost nine players to World Cup qualifying duty this coming weekend, Toronto FC coach John Carver wishes that the league would be more flexible in granting him a postponement. “I’ve had some challenges in my life,” […]

Joe Public striker Gregory Richardson went one better than Landon Donovan Tuesday night at the Gillette Stadium. On Saturday the U.S. captain grabbed two goals against the New England Revolution, but Richardson managed the full hat trick in his side’s 4-0 victory. “I can’t explain it,” Richardson, a native of Guyana, told Monique Walker after […]

There’s an air of curiosity rather than tension in the U.S. national team camp as it prepares for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Cuba, its first visit to the island for 61 years. Eddie Lewis and Landon Donovan sound more like schoolboys about to go on their first student exchange. “Being in England for so […]

South Africa is discovering one of the joys of hosting the 2010 World Cup — dealing with soccer’s world governing body, FIFA. City councilors in Cape Town have condemned as “absolutely ridiculous” a draft of the temporary bylaw that FIFA imposes on host cities during the tournament to regulate street trading, traffic, advertising and public […]

Although Kevin Keegan has not yet officially left his post as manager of Newcastle United, it seems likely that his second spell at the club is all but over. Louise Taylor chronicles the breakdown between ‘King Kev’ and the Newcastle owner Mike Ashley during Keegan’s third spell (and his second as manager) at the team. […]

Jonathan Spector’s manager at West Ham United, Alan Curbishley, has resigned, reportedly unhappy at the amount of cash he had available for new players during the transfer window. He may hook up with Kevin Keegan for a beer and a mutual shoulder to cry on.

There’s little doubt that the issue of single entity will be one of the main debating points when the MLS Players’ Union’s CBA with the league comes up for renewal in 2010. No one’s making any bets on how much power the league will be prepared to cede to individual teams, but Ben Knight thinks […]

There’s a conspicuous lack of youth on Bob Bradley’s roster to face Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, writes Ives Galarcep. “The omissions of Kenny Cooper, Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu have left the U.S. team with a roster that proponents will call experienced and battle-tested,” he writes. “But opponents […]

Canadian author Declan Hill has just published a book called The Fix, an investigative account of sports events across the world that are manipulated by Asian betting syndicates. He talked to two reporters from the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel about his claim that the 2006 World Cup round of 16 match between Ghana […]

Space to play soccer is so scarce in some parts of southern California that a black market has been operating for years that involves the sub-letting of public fields, with thousands of dollars in cash changing hands. Now cities such as Santa Ana plan to clamp down on the abuses after having turned a long-term […]

“Now [Manchester] City can point across the city and say they are at last on a level playing field: their Middle Eastern money is surely as good as the American dollars and borrowed euros of United.” James Lawton analyzes the latest takeover of Manchester’s second team.

Liverpool’s American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been forced to delay plans for a new stadium because they do not have the required funds, reports Neil Johnston.

Oguchi Onyewu of Standard Liege is back on top form, according to Greg Lalas.

Newcastle United’s Kevin Keegan, 57, is set to leave the club as manager for the second time, reports Tom Bryant. Keegan reportedly met club owner Mike Ashley for talks Tuesday and did not take training. “After making his unhappiness with the club’s failure to sign three or four major targets this summer known,” Bryant writes, […]

Oguchi Onyewu’s Standard Liege head back to Merseyside to face Liverpool’s city rivals Everton. Neven Subotic and Borussia Dortmund will play Udinese of Serie A.

Hamburg’s U.S. striker Preston Zimmerman will move before the transfer deadline Sept. 1 to either another German team, or “one in another country,” according to his agent.

Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman is a cool, laid-back figure off the field, but “a monster” on it, writes Randy Davis. Away from soccer, the dreadlocked surfer strums an acoustic guitar like the archetypal dude without a care, but when he plays “he gets carried away with adrenaline and has the yellow cards to show […]

Both Major League Soccer and the New York Red Bulls have denied an internet story that the league blocked the team’s bid for the Atlanta Silverbacks’ Macoumba Kandji because MLS felt the $200,000 asking price was too high for a player from the United Soccer Leagues. “I have no idea who the source is for […]

Rumors that Carlos Ruiz was unhappy about his trade from the L.A. Galaxy to Toronto FC have been greatly exaggerated. The Guatemalan striker told Dean McNulty that he is fine with the move, and has long wanted to work in tandem with TFC’s Honduran playmaker, Amado Guevara. “Toronto is a fantastic city,” he insisted. “I […]

Even England’s top-four elite has its upper and lower classes,” writes Kevin McCarra, noting that in the Champions League group phase draw both Arsenal and Liverpool “were assigned uncomfortable quarters.” One or possibly both of the teams could be eliminated before the knockout stage. Liverpool struggled to squeeze past Standard Liege in the qualifying round, […]