British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Liverpool’s American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are poised to hand over the club they bought just one year ago. Despite denials from both Hicks and Gillett, “sources in New York” tell the Mirror that the pair will sell Liverpool to Dubai International Capital in mid-March for […]
Category: Story
Ronaldo Could Return in Eight Months
Doctors are optimistic Ronaldo’s career will not be over after the former three-time World Player of the Year severed a tendon in his left knee during a Serie A match against Livorno on Wednesday. Pietro Volpi, Inter Milan’s club doctor between 1995 and 2000, believes Ronaldo can recover from knee surgery just as he did […]
English Clubs Creeping Towards Global Domination
English Premier League clubs are making an assault on soccer’s global rich list, accounting for six of the 20 richest clubs in the world, according to the latest annual report from The Deloitte Football Money League. With the exception of Newcastle, which fell from 13th to 14th in the list, Manchester United (2), Chelsea (4), […]
D.C. stadium deal for D.C. back on?
[MLS] According to various media reports, MLS’s D.C. United could get the new Washington, D.C., stadium it has been looking for if a plan by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty moves forward. Fenty met with the D.C. Council on Wednesday and reportedly proposed to build a $200 million soccer stadium in the Poplar Point area of D.C. and use public funds to pay for the bonds that would finance the project.
Old Quakes beat new Quakes
[MLS] A goal by one of many former Quakes, Ricardo Clark, downed the 2008 version, 1-0, as the revived San Jose franchise began its renaissance Wednesday night against two-time defending champion Houston.
Howard earns shutout in UEFA Cup
[AMERICANS ABROAD] U.S. national team keeper Tim Howard looks to move into the final 16 of the UEFA Cup after Everton beat Norwegian club SK Brann, Ramiro Corrales‘ former club, 2-0, on Wednesday in Norway in the first leg of their round-of-32 series.
Ronaldo finished?
There are fears that Ronaldo, the three-time World Player of the Year and all-time World Cup leading scorer, may have played his last game. He was carried off in tears with a ruptured ligament in his left kneecap during AC Milan’s 1-1 tie against Livorno on Wednesday. Sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the 31-year-old Ronaldo may be out of action 9-12 months and the injury end his career.
Soccer’s Money League
[MAKING A LIST] Real Madrid was the world’s largest revenue-generating club for the third successive season with income of $472 million in 2006-07, but three English Premier League moved up in the top five of the annual Deloitte Football Money League. Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal were 2-4-5 with Barcelona at No. 3. The EPL clubs should close the gap with Real Madrid this season thanks to the new EPL television deal. For the top 20 clubs in terms of 2006-07 income (excluding transfer fees) …
Unknowns abound in Los Angeles
[MLS TEAM PREVIEWS] Less than a week before it departs for the Pan-Pacific Championship in Hawaii, the Galaxy has nearly as many questions as players. And it has a lot of players.
MLS Expansion: ‘It’s Definitely Philly’
Major League Soccer is nearing a deal with representatives to bring professional soccer to the Philadelphia region, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Several sources” tell the paper the talks have progressed past the “if” stage on to “how” and “when.” The team would play at a $115 million stadium built beside the Commodore Barry Bridge […]
Technical Directors Mean Progress
Steve Davis praises MLS clubs for their decision to incorporate technical directors into their managerial structure. As of right now, six of 14 MLS teams — Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, D.C., Kansas City and Columbus — have them, along with Seattle, which doesn’t even begin play until the 2009 MLS season. The Crew’s Brian […]
Former Newcastle Coach Prepares for TFC Challenge
The Evening Chronicle has a story on the experienced John Carver, who assumes the role as Toronto FC coach after several assistant coaching stints with various clubs in England, including Newcastle United of the English Premiership, where he was assistant to Sir Bobby Robson, and Leeds United of the English League Championship (England’s second division). […]
‘International’ Round Given Cool Reception
The debate over an international 39th round of English Premier League matches rages on. The New York Times’ Jeffrey Marcus points out that the measure, introduced and unanimously approved of (in principle) by the league’s 20 teams last week, has thus far received what can only be described as a “cool” reception from Europe, Asia […]
Galaxy Players Feel Gullit Effect
“Being a football manager is no fun at all,” L.A. Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit told ESPN in 2001. It’s such a stressful job, he said, that, “it’s not surprising that so many turn gray or have heart attacks.” The then out of work, Gullit said he enjoyed working with the players and implementing a style […]
MLS Preseason Results & Schedules
Ante Razov needed only four minutes to score his first goal of the 2008 preseason and it stood up for Chivas USA in a 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday. Among the players New York tested is 34-year-old Colombian Diego Serna, who played for five MLS clubs over five years (2001-05). For all the preseason results and schedules …
MLS Offseason Player Moves
FC Dallas signed Brazilian Andre Rocha, who becomes the second player loaned to FCD from partner Atletico Paranaense of Brazil’s Serie A. The 23-year-old midfielder joins forward Ricardinho, who is entering his second season with FCD after being loaned by Atletico Paranaense in July 2007. Since joining Atletico Paranaense in 2005, Rocha has played in 47 games in all competitions, including nine appearances in the 2005 Copa Libertadores. For all the team-by-team offseason player moves …
Defending champ Houston needs reinforcements
[MLS TEAM PREVIEWS] Houston is still seeking replacements for Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua, who combined for 13 goals last season before jetting off to Austrian clubs. After two games against the new San Jose Earthquakes this week, Houston heads to Hawaii for the Pan-Pacific Challenge, with a first-round match against Australian club Sydney FC, so time is short to find reinforcements.
U.S. bid decision to be made by June
[WORLD CUP 2018] Barring unforeseen problems with the organization of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, slated to be held in South Africa and Brazil, respectively, the next chance for the United States to host the World Cup will come in 2018. U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati recently told a media roundtable that U.S. Soccer would make a decision by June about whether to enter the 2018 bid contest that is expected to include such countries as England and Australia. Even in the face of heavyweight competition, the U.S. potential is substantial. “We have 50 stadiums that could host World Cup games two days from now,” boasted Gulati.
Sarachan named head of U.S. youth scouting
[YOUTH] Dave Sarachan, former Chicago Fire head coach and U.S. World Cup assistant coach, has been named Scouting Manager of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. The appointment, along with the hiring of Tony Lepore and Raul Diaz Arce, is part of U.S. Soccer’s aim to ensure that players on the 64 clubs competing in the Academy league are being closely evaluated for national team selection. Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla spoke with Sarachan …
U.S. Soccer Development Academy
Zach Foxhoven scored four goals to lead the Colorado Rush past Washington Premier, 5-2, in U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-15/16 action. The Rush swept all four games in U-17/18 and U-15/16 play on its Pacific Northwest trip. For all the results and goal scorers …
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions: college coaching opportunities, positions in the pros, youth soccer, the soccer industry, even television.
Blatter Proposes Artificial Turf for 2010 WC
FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Tuesday issued a shocking proposal that the 2010 World Cup could be played on artificial turf. After witnessing the awful condition of the grass fields at the African Nations’ Cup in Ghana, Blatter said, “I think it’s now time in this region to think about artificial turf,” as many African […]
Crew Needs a Local Owner
Philadelphia, St. Louis, Portland, Vancouver and Miami are all vying to secure the rights to a 15th MLS expansion club, and the Columbus Dispatch’s Bob Hunter points out that many citizens of Columbus are probably wondering what the big deal is. “This is unfortunate and understandable,” Hunter says, because the Crew has been terrible for […]
When Earthquakes Collide
After a two-year absence, the Earthquakes have returned to Major League Soccer, but Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News points out that the team never really left: the former Quakes just moved to Houston, where they won back-to-back MLS titles in their first two seasons. Which means it will be an odd affair […]
How Egypt Beat the Odds
For all the talk about the brilliant individual stars of the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Ghana, it was Egypt, a team whose players play mostly at home, that once again emerged victorious in Africa’s continental championship. En route to their second consecutive ACN triumph, the hard-working, tactically superior Egyptians brushed aside tournament favorite Ivory Coast, […]
