Category: Soccer America Daily

Ohio State’s Honduran-born Roger Espinoza was a late addition to the Generation adidas class of ’08 and he took part in action at the adidas MLS Combine. He was teamed with Wake Forest’s Julian Valentin, who needed 30 stitched after being kicked by Espinoza in the 2007 Men’s College Cup final. For all the attendees and schedule …

Two long-time MLS stars left the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday when striker Clint Mathis signed with Crete club Ergotelis (last in Greece’s top league) and goalie Joe Cannon was dealt to San Jose. For the team-by-team MLS offseason player moves …

Ridge Mahoney on the 2008 Combine
Without extensive scouting networks, MLS coaching staffs rely heavily on the adidas MLS Combine, the annual showcase of college talent, to formulate their SuperDraft strategy. With the draft a week away, Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney examines who might emerge as the sleeper at this year’s Combine, which begins this weekend in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

[SUPERDRAFT COUNTDOWN] Last year, seven of the first-round picks in the MLS SuperDraft were Generation Adidas players. This year’s initial pool is smaller yet still features some of the top collegiate talent.

[MLS] Head coach Frank Yallop and goalkeeper Joe Cannon have been reunited in San Jose for the second time and for the third time in their careers

[ITALY WATCH] When play resumes this weekend in Italy after the holiday break, all eyes will be on 18-year-old Brazilian Alexandre Pato, who could debut for reigning European champion AC Milan in its game against Napoli on Sunday (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 2:25 pm ET). Pato is only 18 years old, but he is already being hailed as the Rossoneri’s savior.

[TRANSFER WATCH] Rumors persist that AC Milan will make a deal for Ronaldinho or Didier Drogba, reported to be unhappy at Barcelona and Chelsea, respectively. For all the Serie A players on the move and all the deals “in the works” ..

[GERMANY] Juergen Klinsmann, who coached Germany to third place at the 2006 World Cup, will take over as coach of Bayern Munich on July 1.

After a week off because of play in the FA Cup, the English Premier League resumes with nine games available on U.S. television. Leader Arsenal hosts Birmingham Saturday, while second-place Manchester United plays Newcastle in the Magpies’ first game since the exit of Manager Sam Allardyce. Play also resumes in Italy’s Serie A after its winter break. In Spain, leader Real Madrid travels to last-place Levante on Saturday.

The expansion San Jose Earthquakes have the top pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, which will be held next Friday at the NSCAA Convention in Baltimore (TV: ESPN2, 2 pm ET). Four teams — FC Dallas (No. 2 and 8), Real Salt Lake (No. 3 and 14), Chicago (No. 7 and 12) and Toronto FC (No. 9 and 10) — currently hold two first-round picks.

In its Development Academy debut, Greensboro SC won a pair of games last weekend, beating Bridge FA, 2-0, behind goals from Thomas Driver and Mark Millard and the Virginia Rush, 1-0, on a goal by Drew Claytor. For all the Development Academy results and goal scorers …

[MAKING A LIST] Newcastle United’s Sam Allardyce became the eighth English Premier League manager to leave this season when he left by “mutual consent” only six months into his tenure with the Magpies. Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was the favorite to replace Allardyce.

[U.S. WOMEN] All seven collegians whom new U.S. women’s national team coach Pia Sundhage called up for a six-day training camp at The Home Depot Center are among the 20 players she selected to travel to Foshan, China, for the 2008 Four Nations Tournament against Canada, Finland and host China Jan. 16-20 at the Foshan Sports Center Stadium.