[AMERICANS IN ENGLAND] Fulham’s 3-0 loss to Manchester United, combined with wins by fellow strugglers Reading and Birmingham, puts the American-laden Cottagers in increased relegation danger. Coach Roy Hodgson, who has five Americans in his squad, says Fulham will have to win at least five, of its last 10 games to avoid the drop – and “maybe even more than that.”
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Heerenveen slide continues; Standard back on top
[AMERICANS IN EUROPE] Dutch Eredivisie club Heerenveen, with Michael Bradley playing the full 90, lost 1-0 at FC Twente. Heerenveen has now lost two straight after a seven-game undefeated streak.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Argentine teen Aguero puts on show against Barcelona
[WINNERS & LOSERS] Real Madrid got a boost from Sergio Aguero of neighboring Atletico Madrid in Spain’s La Liga race when the Argentine teenager scored twice and set up two other two goals to lead Atletico Madrid past Barcelona, 4-2. The English Premier League race tightened when Arsenal was held to a 1-1 tie by Aston Villa at home. The race also tightened in Italy, where Inter Milan lost for the first time this season in Serie A.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Daei beats out American Ghotbi for Iran job
[IRAN] First, Iran began 2010 World Cup qualifying without a national team coach. Now, two coaches have been reported to have been selected to Iran in its fight to qualifying for the World Cup finals for the fourth time. Iranian-American Afshin Ghotbi appeared to have landed the job, but reports out of Tehran on Sunday suggested that former Iran star Ali Daei had been picked to lead Team Melli.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
TFC adds to its Canadian contingent
[MLS] The Los Angeles Galaxy shipped one of the two Canadians on its roster to Toronto FC Friday as it trims down its roster to the 18-man limit mandated by MLS. All teams must be roster and salary-cap complaint by the end of business Monday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mina doesn’t accompany FCD to Brazil
[MLS] FC Dallas is in Brazil, but forward Roberto Mina is not.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Work in progress is on the air!
Ridge Mahoney examines the Galaxy’s rebuilding
Growing pains and preseason glitches do not a smooth transition make, but they do make for intriguing television. One sidelight to the Los Angeles Galaxy’s well-hyped Hawaiian-Asian preseason tour is every game is being televised, so the ebbs and flows, and warts and glitches, of a dysfunctional team under a new head coach are there to seen. And dissected. And debated. And analyzed ad infinitum.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Heath Pearce back thanks to maternity ward call
[AMERICANS IN GERMANY] In December, Hansa Rostock coach Frank Pagelsdorf said Heath Pearce would never play for him again because of a dispute related to Pearce’s late arrival from winter vacation. But on Saturday, Pearce was needed as a halftime sub when defender Dexter Langen left the stadium to be with his wife for the birth of their child.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hicks Could Block Gillett’s Liverpool Sale to DIC
Texas billionaire Tom Hicks warned Dubai International Capital group that he would block Liverpool co-owner George Gillett from selling his investment in the club to the Arab investment group. Gillett, who recently fell out with Hicks, has been receptive to the prospect of selling his 50 percent stake at a quick profit, but Hicks revealed […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Eriksson: Man City can be the Next Chelsea
On the same day that Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra was arrested in his homeland on two counts of corruption, Manager Sven Goran Eriksson was talking about how Shinawatra’s millions could help City become the next Chelsea. Thaksin himself has often spoke of his desire to make City as successful as its neighbor Manchester United. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Inter a Pretender No Longer
Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune reminds points out that if Inter Milan goes on to claim the Serie A Scudetto this season — and following Wednesday’s 1-1 draw versus No. 2 Roma that looks very likely — no one will be allowed to call the Nerazzurri pretenders any longer. Inter was handed the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
‘The Good Doctor’ Has High Hopes for MLS
Real Salt Lake signing Kenny Deuchar tells Scottish paper has hopes for his new move to MLS, the striker reveals in an interview with The Daily Record, calling the opportunity “the chance of a lifetime.” Deuchar, a part-time practicing doctor who goes by the nickname “The Good Doctor,”spent four seasons in Scotland with Gretna, helping […]
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Northern Exposure: Yanks in Scandinavia
As many MLS teams stock up on Latin players with the expanded options for international players, more Americans are finding places to play not far from the Arctic Circle.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Inside Africa
The African Nations Cup remains an enigma. It grows in international stature but is still beset by organizational problems. Egypt beat its more fancied rivals to defend its title at the competition recently held in Ghana.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Jeff Agoos: Red Bull Sporting Director
Five-time MLS champion relishes opportunity to have impact at all levels of the organization.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Sacha Kljestan: One Piece of Midfield Puzzle
U.S. U-23 head coach Peter Nowak has the same issues juggling his domestic and European-based players for Olympic qualifying as does Bob Bradley with the national team, yet he’s assigned the role of captain to Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
MLS Players Take Power
Their titles range from president to technical director to general manager, and their duties and responsibilities differ greatly, but former players are rapidly filling MLS front-office positions.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: Tackling Pay-to-Play
Lifting the cost burden off players remains the big challenge for elite youth clubs.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Michael Bradley’s All-Around Rise
It seems natural for the son of a prominent coach to become a savvy player, but young Michael Bradley’s achievements have proved truly remarkable.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Among the array of international league action this weekend, American-laden Fulham, which is fighting relegation, faces Manchester United Saturday on Setanta Sports USA.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Yamaguchi leaves Florida State for Sweden
In a first for women’s college soccer, Florida State’s Mami Yamaguchi, the 2007 Hermann Trophy winner, is foregoing her final year of collegiate legibility to pursue a pro career abroad. The Japanese international has signed a contract to play with the Damallsvenskan’s Umea IK, arguably the most powerful women’s club in the world.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Wake Forest retools
[RECRUITING] Wake Forest, the 2007 NCAA Division I men’s champion, announced a signing class, led by former U.S. under-17 national team players Danny Wenzel and Nick Millington, that is again one of the best in the country.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Jamie Clark named Harvard coach
Jamie Clark has been named the Harvard men’s head coach, replacing John Kerr Jr., who was recently named the Duke men’s coach.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
New Zealand picks four collegians for Olympic qualifying
New Zealand called up four U.S. collegians for the Oceania Olympic men’s qualifying tournament March 1-9 in Fiji.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division I Men’s & Women’s Coaching Changes
Shaun Pendleton, the long-time coach at Division II Lynn, has accepted the men’s vacancy at Appalachian State.
Villanova hired John Byford as its new women’s head coach. Byford, who served as the assistant women’s coach for the Wildcats in 1995-96, led Loyola (Md.) to the 2007 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championship and regular-season titles in 2005 and 2006. Jeff Leightman, who compiled an overall record of 102-66-1 as the women’s head coach over the past 10 seasons at his alma mater Binghamton, has been named the head coach at San Jose State. For all the coaching moves …