Category: Soccer America Site

Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello has dropped David Beckham, creating the possibility that Beckham/AEG will buy out his contract so he can debut for MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy at the start of the 2007 season in April, instead of in August as announced last Thursday. ''When a player has a contract with a different club, […]

Eight clubs — four from MLS and four from Mexico's First Division — will play this summer in the SuperLiga, a new competition that will award $1 million to the winner — the heftiest winner's purse in North American club soccer history. The eight entrants are the Houston Dynamo, the reigning MLS champion, Los Angeles […]

Eight clubs û four from MLS and four from Mexico's First Division — will play this summer in the SuperLiga, a new competition that will award $1 million to the winner — the heftiest winnerÆs purse in North American soccer history. The eight entrants are the Houston Dynamo, the reigning MLS champion, Los Angeles Galaxy, […]

BY RIDGE MAHONEY In Indianapolis With hundreds of NSCAA CoachesÆ Convention attendees roaming in and out of the ballroom staging the 2007 MLS SuperDraft and sections of Columbus and Chicago fans waving scarves, chanting and cheering û or booing û certain selections, the league began its first full day of the Beckham Era. 2007 MLS […]

David Beckham's move from Real Madrid to the Los Angeles Galaxy was no surprise, but the size of the deal has everyone in the soccer world buzzing. The English daily Daily Express called Beckham's deal ''the most mind-boggling contract in global sport.'' The combined value of the MLS contract with commercial opportunities in the United […]

David Beckham's departure from Real Madrid came in the wake of President Ramon Calderon's decision to shake up the struggling team. Calderon met on Monday with first-year Italian coach Fabio Capello and sports director Predrag Mijatovic after Real lost three of its last four league games. ''The coach has told me that it seems as […]

''Rocky'' star Sylvester Stallone is expected to be on the field Sunday to support Everton when the Toffees face Reading in England Premier League action on Sunday. Stallone, who is in Britain to promote his latest film ''Rocky Balboa,'' is a friend of major Everton shareholder Robert Earl, founder of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain. […]

By Ridge Mahoney in Indianapolis The hysteria over David BeckhamÆs move to America hasnÆt subsided, yet MLS coaches and executives were busily preparing for todayÆs SuperDraft (ESPN2, noon ET) into the wee hours. It will consist of four rounds and last between three and four hours; ESPN2 will televise the entire first round, time permitting. […]

Since its early days, MLS has designated its allocation process as the method by which teams can sign U.S. internationals when they either enter the league or return to it from overseas as well as obtain other high-profiled players. Implementation and administration of the process, as in all player-distribution processes used by the single-entity league, […]

By Ridge Mahoney Senior Editor, Soccer America The good news is the 2007 MLS SuperDraft is being televised live on ESPN2 for the first time (noon ET). The bad news is, despite the high-gloss treatment, it's not nearly as sexy as its NFL and NBA counterparts and never will be. With myriad methods to acquire […]

Club America beat Jaguares, 1-0, on Nelson Cuevas' goal in the final game of group in the InterLiga Wednesday night at the Home Depot Center, but both teams had already clinched berths in Saturday's finals by virtue of Morelia's 3-1 victory over UAG in the first game. Club America, the winner of Group B, meets […]

(All times ET unless noted. Consult your regular television listings guides for availability in your area. Schedules are subject to change.) FRIDAY, Jan. 12 ESPN2 MLS 2007 Draft (live), noon. FOX SOCCER CHANNEL Argentina INDEPENDIENTE-SAN LORENZO (live), 8 pm. FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL Argentina INEPENDIENTE-SAN LORENZO (live), 8 pm. SETANTA SPORTS USA England WEST BROM-LUTON […]

David Beckham announced Thursday that he will join MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy in August, signing a five-year deal with the club. The former England international will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season. ''This week, Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract […]

What the dismissal of Manfred Schellscheidt as USYS ODP Region I head coach reveals about the state of American youth soccer. WHEN THEY ENTER THE CAMP where USYS Region I ODP coaches hope to find players worthy of the U.S. national team pool, the boys are instructed not to wear anything that could reveal from […]

After talks with Juergen Klinsmann broke down, U.S. Soccer hired Bob Bradley as the interim coach of the national team and the head coach of the under-23 team. The former Fire, MetroStars and Chivas USA head coach will be in charge of the national team for at least the first few months of 2007 and […]

The globalization of soccer continues. European clubs are snapping up South America's best teenagers. Many of Europe's best young players have offers to play for more than one national team. DIEGO AGUERO (Argentina). Overshadowed by fellow Argentine teen Lionel Messi, Aguero debuted for Independiente at the age of 15, making him the youngest player ever […]

The next World Cup cycle gets underway in January, when interim head coach Bob Bradley hosts his first training camp and sends out the USA to play Denmark at Home Depot Center. A replacement could be in place by the spring, yet Bradley has been named the under-23 head coach in any case. Failure to […]

Notre Dame's Michele Weissenhofer, the 2006 Soccer America Freshman of the Year, is among 26 players called into the first U.S. under-21 women's training camp of 2007. Weissenhofer, who scored 18 goals with 17 assists — second in the country behind teammate Kerri Hanks — as a freshman, earned her first U-21 callup. Five players […]

Two collegians — Javier Gonzalez of St. Francis (N.Y.) and Juan Guerra of FIU — were selected to play for Venezuela at the South American Youth Championship, which began on Saturday in Paraguay. Neither player played in Venezuela's opening game, a 1-0 victory over Uruguay. Both are veterans of the Venezuela national youth team program. […]

Ten players earned selection as NSCAA/adidas National Players of the Year. They join Joseph Lapira and Kerri Hanks, the Notre Dame players who won the 2006 Hermann Trophies, presented to the top players in NCAA Division I competition. NCAA DiIVISION II Morten Jensen, Dowling The native of Tanager, Norway led Dowling with 10 game-winning goals, […]

Four ACC stars — Chris Seitz and Maurice Edu from Maryland and Nico Colaluca and Bakary Soumare from Virginia — head MLS's Generation adidas signings who should go early in Friday's MLS SuperDraft. According to Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney, they are among eight players signed by MLS to Generation adidas contracts. The two […]

For the second time in three days, Arsenal knocked Liverpool out of a cup competition with an overwhelming victory. On Saturday, it was Czech Thomas Rosicky who scored twice to lead the Gunners to a 3-1 win in the fourth round of the English FA Cup. On Tuesday, Brazilian forward Julio Baptista was the hero, […]

By Ridge Mahoney Senior Editor, Soccer America EIGHT ON BOARD. As of Tuesday, eight players had been signed by MLS to Generation adidas contracts. More signings are possible prior to the SuperDraft, which is scheduled to begin at noon Eastern on Friday, but none are pending at this time. None of the eight are surprises, […]

The U.S. under-14 boys national team will travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, Jan. 14-21 to face youth squads from Mexican clubs Chivas and Tecos. U-14 head coach Manfred Shellscheidt has called in 36 players for the camp.   U.S. UNDER-14 BOYS ROSTER GOALKEEPERS: Jack Falle (Lilburn, Ga.), Max Kurtzman (Haverford, Pa.), Jakob Wagmeister (Oradell, N.J.), William […]

The U.S. under-16 girls national team opens its 2007 schedule with a training camp Jan. 14-19 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. U.S. coach Kazbek Tambi will bring 25 players to camp, many of whom got their first national team experience last year with the U.S. U-15s. This camp begins the run to […]