Less than one week after lifting Spain’s King’s Cup, Valencia has given Coach Ronald Koeman and several members of his coaching staff the sack. The Dutchman, who signed a two-and-a-half year deal in November following the sacking of Quique Sanchez Flores, was in charge at the Mestalla for less than six months, during which time […]
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fernando Torres is worth the money
[IN THE SPOTLIGHT] The short-term financial commitment of Liverpool’s co-owners, Americans George Gillett and Tom Hicks, has been at the center of the debate that has torn the club apart in recent months. What is forgotten, of course, is that they did come up with $40 million to acquire Spaniard Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid — one of the best moves of the Rafael Benitez era at the Merseyside club.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Santana replaces Parreira as coach of World Cup 2010 hosts
[SOUTH AFRICA] Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira won’t be coaching World Cup 2010 co-host South Africa. Parreira, who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup championship, resigned Monday as the Bafana Bafana coach to spend more time with his family. Johannesburg’s Sunday Times reported that Parreira’s wife, Leila, was suffering from cancer. Fellow Brazilian Joel Santana was named as Parreira’s replacement, making him the 15th South Africa coach in 15 years since the national team returned to international play.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. under-18 boys national team roster
[YOUTH] The U.S, under-18 national team is training through Sunday in Somerset, N.J., where Coach Bob Jenkins is working with 24 players, including five U.S. residents. For the complete roster …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Import Report: Lesser names take early lead
To varying degrees of fanfare, more than two dozen foreign products — including two Designated Players — arrived in time for the start of the MLS season. Some have been in the lineup since the first weekend, a few others debuted last weekend or a week prior. Perhaps not until, say mid-June, will all of them have played at least a handful of games. Funnily enough, that’s when the USA/MLS secondary window opens, which could trigger at least one or two “major signings” and a few lesser ones. But with four weekends in the books, there’s enough data to highlight those imports who have adjusted most quickly to the demands of MLS and the roles given to them by their head coaches. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney ranks the MLS’s foreign newcomers. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
San Luis tied with Chivas atop Mexican league
[AMERICANS IN MEXICO] U.S. U-23 defender Michael Orozco made his 10th start in 15 games this season for San Luis in a 2-1 win over Morelia. The win put San Luis in a tie on points with Chivas Guadalajara atop the Clausura 2008 overall standings; Chivas has a better goal difference. Edgar Castillo went the full 90 for Santos in a 1-1 tie with Necaxa that kept Santos on pace for a playoff spot. Daniel Hernandez also played the full 90, but his Jaguares fell, 2-1, to Veracruz. Jaguarez does remain in the playoff hunt.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brazilian team gassed out of locker room
[OFF THE POST] Sao Paulo players and coaches fled their locker room at Palmeiras’ Parque Antartica stadium during halftime of a 2-0 loss to because of an unidentified spray. Sao Paulo coach Muricy Ramalho gave his halftime team talk on the field and later said he and several members of the delegation had come close to vomiting. That wasn’t the only trouble at the game.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Roma’s Title Challenge in Tatters as Totti Limps Off Again
The Italian league title inched closer toward its inevitable conclusion on Sunday when second-place Roma failed to beat Livorno, Serie A’s worst team heading into Saturday’s clash at the Stadio Olimpico. Once again, Roma fans were forced to watch their captain and talisman Francesco Totti limp off the field with an injury — one that […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Man City Agree to Jo Transfer
Sven Goran Eriksson is clearly planning to be back at the City of Manchester Stadium after orchestrating a $40 million agreement to bring 21-year-old Brazilian striker Jo to Manchester City next season. The CSKA Moscow striker, who was joint top scorer in Russia last season with 14 goals, has already made a bright start to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gullit Proud of Beckham, Donovan Display
The Los Angeles Galaxy recovered from a terrible first half to earn a 2-2 draw against defending MLS champ Houston Dynamo on Saturday. Once again, the team owed its goals to Landon Donovan and David Beckham. Beckham assisted on each of Donovan’s goals, which came in the 67th and 84th minutes. “First half — […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dallas Maintains Unbeaten Start
FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow praised his players’ 2-0 win against Chivas USA as his team’s best performance of the nascent 2008 season. “We created some great opportunities and defended well when we had to,” Morrow said. “We want to build on good, strong defensive displays.” With two wins and two draws, FCD is the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kaka, Del Piero Hit Hat Tricks
Roma’s title hopes faded at home to Livorno, Inter plodded along towards its third consecutive Serie A title, but Juve’s Alessandro Del Piero and FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka stole the headlines in Italy this weekend, scoring three goals each in impressive victories for Juventus and AC Milan, respectively. Del Piero scored […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Blank Sunday for Home Teams
The two MLS Sunday matches offered the second- and third-place teams in each conference a chance to take over the top spot by winning, and in both cases, the home-field advantage meant nothing.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
GAMES: Live and same-day delay on national TV
Midweek matches include first legs of the European Champions League semifinals and the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. The UEFA Cup also hits the semifinal stage. In MLS’s Thursday night game, FC Dallas clashes with New England.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
More Goalkeeper Baloney
I must confess: I did not know that MLS has a new ball. But I learned, during a Red Bulls telecast this weekend, that this seems to be the case. A new sideline reporter, Tina Cervasio, asked commentator Shep Messing what he thought of this new ball (which I have never heard of).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. men face tough Olympic competition
[MEN’S SCOUTING REPORT] The USA was drawn with the Netherlands, the two-time defending European U-21 champion, former Olympic gold-medalist Nigeria and Japan, an Asian age-group powerhouse, in what shapes up to be a very tough test at the Olympic men’s tournament. For a look at the U.S. opponents and some of the stars whom the Americans will face in China …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Olympic draw kind to U.S. women
[WOMEN”S SCOUTING REPORT] The USA’s draw for the 2008 Olympic women’s soccer tournament could have been a lot worse. Compared to Group F, which features 2007 Women’s World Cup champion Germany, runner-up Brazil and quarterfinalist North Korea, as well as African powerhouse Nigeria, Group G looks like a cakewalk with Norway, Japan and New Zealand. U.S. coach Pia Sundhage looks at the three U.S. opponents …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
PSV celebrates another title; Barcelona’s slump prompts threat
[WINNERS & LOSERS] PSV won its fourth straight Dutch league title, while Italians Luca Toni and Alessandro Del Piero continued their hot streaks. Barcelona’s troubles have prompted star Samuel Eto’o to threaten to leave the Catalan club, while the English press lambasted Chelsea manager Avram Grant after his bizarre press conference following the Blues’ win over Everton.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USL-1 Results
Former MLS player Chris Brown scored a late goal with a one-man advantage to help the Portland Timbers defeat the Puerto Rico Islanders, 1-0, in front of 10,977 fans Friday at PGE Park. In other USL First Division action, defending champion Seattle needed a save by goalie Chris Eyelander on Mike Richardson‘s penalty kick to keep the Sounders in the game and then Kenji Treschuk‘s equalizer in stoppage time to earn a 1-1 tie at Charleston. For all the USL-1 scores and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Michael Bradley finishes 5th leading scorer in Netherlands
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Dutch Eredivisie club Heerenveen, for which 21-year-old Michael Bradley scored 15 goals, has qualified for the Dutch Eredivisie UEFA Champions League playoffs and will meet Ajax Amsterdam, which finished runner-up to PSV Eindhoven, the league’s automatic Champions League qualifier. In its last regular season game, Heerenveen thumped Excelsior, 5-0, and finished in fifth place, edging Feyenoord on goal difference.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fulham nears drop; Reading slides toward danger
[AMERICANS ABROARD] The chances that nine English Premier League Americans will be relegated increased over weekend as Fulham fell, 2-0, to Liverpool and Reading fell, 2-0, to Arsenal. Derby, which was doomed long ago, lost, 2-1, to West Ham. With three games left, Fulham, which has five Americans in its ranks, is second-to-last and five points from safety. Reading is one point above the drop zone with three games left.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
Four weeks into the MLS season, FC Dallas remains the only undefeated team and defending champ Houston is still winless. For all the MLS summaries, standings, leading scorers and next week’s schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Onyewu lifts Belgian crown with Standard Liege
[AMERICANS ABROAD] In his 100th Belgian league appearance, 25-year-old defender Oguchi Onyewu helped Standard Liege to a 2-0 win over Anderlecht to clinch the Jupiler League title with three games left. Standard Liege, which last won the title 25 years ago, can become the first Belgian league team to go undefeated in 42 years.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Beckham-Donovan combo clicking
[NAMES & NUMBERS] The Los Angeles Galaxy rallied twice from one-goal deficits to tie defending champion Houston, 2-2. Landon Donovan scored both Galaxy goals, including a spectacular diving header set up by a David Beckham cross. For the weekend’s MLS developments …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Roma Receives Formal Investor Interest
As expected, Italian giant AS Roma received a letter from a third party interested in a potential takeover, the club’s majority shareholder revealed on Thursday. While no mention was made of the investor’s name, it is widely believed that American billionaire George Soros is the man behind the bid, preparing to make a massive investment […]