Former NASL owner Milan Mandaric, now chairman of English club Leicester City, and former NASL player Harry Redknapp, manager of English club Portsmouth, were among five men arrested Wednesday in the ongoing investigation into transfer irregularities in English soccer.
Category: Soccer America Daily
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The stark fact that England must face
‘Tis the season to dump on English soccer, so here we go, with the proviso that for about the past decade it has been my contention that the blast and dazzle of the English Premier League has so mesmerized certain fans, managers and players they believe only cheating opponents, diabolic refereeing decisions and haphazard preparations have prevented England from World Cup success.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“My dear, my penis is a mountain.”
— Rough translation of what English opera singer Tony Henry sang while performing the Croatian national anthem before last weekend’s England-Croatia game when he botched the line, “You know my dear how we love your mountains.” Croatian players giggled during the performance, prompting suggestions that the gaffe loosened them up before their 3-2 win and an online campaign has been started to recruit Henry for Croatia’s European Championship games next summer. (The Times of London)
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The MLS offseason really isn’t
Ridge Mahoney explains how MLS players are keeping busy.
If the MLS 2007 campaign ended a week and a half ago with Houston winning its second straight title, why are so many players still playing?
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Parreira’s Bafana Bafana challenge
Mike Woitalla reporting from South Africa
Is South Africa in danger of being the first World Cup host not to reach the second round? So disappointing have recent performances been that President Thabo Mbeki suggested changing the Bafana Bafana (Boys, Boys) nickname to something more intimidating. While there’s little chance of that, pressure is mounting on Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who during the World Cup Preliminary Draw explained the challenges he’s faced since taking the helm last February.
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U.S. U-15 girls go 1-2 at Thanksgiving Interregionals
The U.S. U-15 girls national team won one game and lost two at last week’s U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Thanksgiving Interregional Tournament in Coral Springs, Fla.
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U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Girls Thanksgiving Interregional Results
Region IV swept all three games in the 1991 division and won both games in the 1993 division at the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Girls Thanksgiving Interregionals in Coral Springs, Fla. For all the results and goal scorers …
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U.S. Soccer Development Academy Results
With the conclusion of the fall Development Academy season, four Southern California-based clubs were in action at the Polo Fields in Del Mar over the Thanksgiving weekend. For the results and highlights …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I don’t think I will live long enough to see our country crack it at international level — and, oh, how depressing is that?”
— Former England national team coach Graham Taylor, 63, making his point on England’s decline at the international level.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beasley injury blow to Rangers
Glasgow Rangers lost more than a chance to clinch a berth in the second stage of the UEFA Champions League when it fell to German champion VfB Stuttgart, 3-2, on Tuesday. The Scottish club lost its American star, DaMarcus Beasley, who injured his right knee in a violent collision early in the second half, and its manager, Walter Smith, conceded after the game that at the very least it would be without Beasley for the deciding match against French club Lyon on Dec. 12 in Glasgow. Pending results of a scan, Beasley himself feared a lengthy layoff with ligament damage.
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UEFA Champions League Results
Barcelona, Roma, Inter Milan and Sevilla clinched berths in the second stage of the UEFA Champions League. The only spots that remain up for grabs in the groups that played on Tuesday are the second spots in Group E (Rangers or Lyon) and Group G (Fenerbahce or PSV).
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UEFA Champions League TV Schedule
Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League concludes Wednesday. Six games are available live or on delay on cable or pay-per-view.
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Winners all around on the Beckham tour
Ridge Mahoney keeps score of Game 1
How bad off is the Los Angeles Galaxy? The MLS team had no one to replace Edson Buddle, suffering from cramps, and finished Tuesday’s match against Sydney FC with nine players — Canadian Kevin Harmse was sent off with 13 minutes to play. No matter. Everyone went home happy: FC Sydney, the Galaxy and the 80,295 fans who came to see David Beckham.
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U.S. U-14 boys teams romp at Thanksgiving Interregionals
[ROSTER] The U.S. under-14 boys national team, with 36 players split into Blue and Grey teams, went unbeaten against regional foes at the US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregionals that ended Monday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
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US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregionals Results
Region IV teams competing at the US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregionals went 7-0-2 in ’92, ’93 and ’94 divisions. For complete results …
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US Youth Soccer National League Results
The first weekend of play in the new US Youth Soccer National League took place at the WRAL Soccer Center in Raleigh, N.C. Teams are competing in boys and girls under-15 and under-16 divisions. For all the results and standings …
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US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregionals Rosters
The following are the players selected to compete on regional teams in the ’92, ’93 and ’94 age groups at the US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregionals …
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Can ‘Mzansi’ host a safe World Cup?
Mike Woitalla reporting from South Africa
A picture of Nelson Mandela adorned one side of the fan’s large sign and on the other side was the message, “Tell the world that Mzansi for sho is the safe place on Earth.” The fan was among the 45,000 spectators at the Soweto Derby, the Orlando Pirates vs. Kaizer Chiefs game that took place in Durban in conjunction with the World Cup Preliminary Draw. Convincing fans that “Mzansi,” a nickname for South Africa, will be a safe destination is the critical challenge for World Cup organizers.
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MAKING A LIST: EPL Managerial Casualties
Billy Davies became the sixth English Premier League manager to leave in the last nine weeks. Davies left Derby County, which he helped win promotion last spring. Early in the 2007-08 season, Davies brought Americans Benny Feilhaber (Hamburg) and Eddie Lewis (Leeds) to Derby.
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Venezuela’s Paez quits in response to fan attacks
Venezuela coach Richard Paez, the longest-serving national team coach in South America, quit on Monday, six days after a 5-3 come-from-behind win over Bolivia left Venezuela in good shape to challenge for its first berth in the World Cup finals.
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Colombians Cabrera and Pareja reunited with U.S. U-17s
Assistant coach Oscar Pareja, a member of the FC Dallas coaching staff since retiring as a player two seasons ago, is leaving to work with the U.S. under-17 national team. Head coach Wilmer Cabrera, who was hired by U.S. Soccer last month, offered Pareja the position two weeks ago.
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Earthquakes play ‘Moneyball’
Ridge Mahoney analyzes San Jose’s player moves
San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop already has more than half of his 18-man roster filled and nearly two-thirds of the salary cap to play with, as well as money from three allocations as an expansion team. What do you call that? A good start.
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Becks touches down, down under
After a brief stop in Beijing, China, for a promotional appearance, David Beckham rejoined his Galaxy teammates in Australia for an exhibition match against Sydney FC. All 80,000 tickets for Tuesday night’s game at the Telstra Stadium were sold. The giddiness swirling around Beckham’s visit prompted Galaxy assistant manager Tom Payne to say, “We could cancel playing in our league and go on a barnstoming tour around the world. Beckham’s presence is that great.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“What is the real story of 2007 for MLS? The actual story has been looking to South America and importing players from South America who are very significant performers in our league.”
— MLS deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis, speaking Monday at Soccerex in Johannesburg, insisting that David Beckham‘s arrival to big crowds and increased television ratings wasn’t the biggest event of the year in MLS.
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UEFA Champions League TV Schedule
UEFA Champions League play resumes Tuesday with Matchday 5. Six games are available live or delay on cable or pay-per-view.