Shades of 2003: less than two weeks after driving Real Madrid to its first major trophy in four years, head coach Fabio Capello was unanimously cast aside by the Spanish champion’s management. Four years earlier, former coach Vicente Del Bosque met the same fate after his team of galacticos lifted the La Liga title. “We’ve […]
Category: Story
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Keller the Big Veteran in Venezuela
As headlines like “Be Very Afraid” (SI.com) float around the Internet describing Argentina’s expected trouncing of the United States’ inexperienced American Copa America squad, one man will be carrying nearly all the weight of experience on his big shoulders tonight: goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who talks with the L.A. Times’ Grahame L. Jones. “If anyone can […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Robben Set to Go as Chelsea Bids for Malouda
Chelsea, quiet by its standards in the transfer market so far, on Wednesday lodged a $24 million bid for Lyon winger Florent Malouda, according to reports in France, casting the future of the injury- plagued Arjen Robben into doubt. Malouda is a former teammate of Chelsea talisman Didier Drogba, who said he would “walk to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Liverpool-Torres Deal Comes into Focus
A Liverpool-Fernando Torres deal may be closer than you think: The Times reports that Coach Rafael Benitez has stepped up his pursuit of the Atletico Madrid striker and is considering throwing Luis Garcia in as a makeweight to patch up the difference between the clubs’ valuation. No official bid has been lodged, but one is […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Castillo Shocks Brazil
Nery Castillo was absolutely everywhere on Wednesday night as Mexico upstaged Brazil 2-0 in Venezuela, catapulting El Tri to first place in Group B and within touching distance of the Copa America second round. Castillo scored perhaps the best goal of the tournament so far receiving a great chipped pass from Juan Carlos Chaco, which […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The Coed Question
Prior to puberty, there is no gender-based physiological reason to separate males and females in sports competition. However, sex-separate programs may be appropriate because of non-gender differences in skill or experience.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Argentina leads with Messi and the Monsters
Alfio Basile knows something about winning at the Copa America. He coached Argentina at the South American championship twice, and it won both times, in 1991 and 1993. He is downplaying, however, any comparisons between those teams and his current team that opens play in Group C against the USA on Thursday in Maracaibo, saying it will be difficult to play at the level of those teams. But with a team that includes Lionel Messi and Hernan Crespo in attack, Juan Roman Riquelme in midfield and Carlos Tevez probably on the bench, Argentina will be formidable.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA has world’s most registered youth players
The USA leads the world in registered youth soccer players, according to a FIFA’s Big Count survey. The USA has 3.9 million registered youth players (2.34 million boys and 1.56 million girls). Brazil (2.1 million) and Germany (1.3 million) rank second and third, followed by South Africa (1.3 million), France (1 million) and England (820,000).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. SOCCER ACADEMY: ‘No. 1’ Chicago Magic takes new challenge
[CLUB PROFILE SERIES] The Chicago Magic, which for the last three years has occupied the No. 1 spot in Soccer America Magazine’s Top 20 Best Boys Youth Clubs, is among the first clubs accepted for the inaugural season of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy this fall. The Magic rose to national prominence under Mike “Matko” Matkovich, who remains Director of Coaching while serving as assistant coach of Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC. Famous Magic alumni include Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan, a member the USA’s Copa America squad, who joined the Magic at age 10. For more on the Magic story …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mexico stuns Brazil with spectacular goals from Castillo and Morales
After losing to the USA at the Gold Cup, Brazil looked downright easy. Mexico got spectacular goals from striker Nery Castillo and midfielder Ramon Morales midway through the first half and held off a second-half onslaught to earn a 2-0 win over the defending champion in their opening Group B game Tuesday. In the other Group B opener, Chile twice came from one-goal deficits on goals by Humberto Suazo, then got a goal from substitute Carlos Villanueva on an 87th-minute free kick to beat Ecuador, 3-2.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Underdog USA brings some bite to Copa
The much-maligned roster taken by Coach Bob Bradley to the Copa America is designed for long-term benefit, not short-term results. With 15 of the 22 players chosen based in MLS, and many eligible to compete as U-23 players in the Olympic soccer tournament next year, getting out of the group is a realistic, if difficult, task. It is not the main objective. Yet failure to do so, with two of the three third-place teams advancing, would be a disappointment. They need a win and a tie, plain and simple. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney rates the U.S. squad, position by position …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Michigan Hawks-Wolves pounce at Region II youth finals
[REGION II YOUTH CHAMPIONS] Teams from the Michigan Hawks-Wolves club won four titles on Wednesday on the final day of the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Two boys (Wolves) and two girls (Hawks) teams won championship matches. In the U-15 boys final, Sonny Saad scored four goals to lead the Wolves past the archrival Vardarstars. Another team from Michigan, the Bloomfield Force, will send its U-18 girls team to US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 24-29 in Frisco, Texas. Carmel United of Indiana won two girls titles. The NFC Bluejays defeated Ohio’s Internationals, 3-0, in the U-18 boys final to become only the second team from Nebraska to advance to the national championships.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FIFA’s high-altitude tweak doesn’t help Bolivia
FIFA eased up on its ban on high-altitude games, raising the limit to 3,000 meters from 2,500 while applying the ban only to World Cup qualifiers. But Bolivia, whose president Evo Morales [photos] led the campaign against the ban, won’t be able to play in its capital, La Paz (3,600 meters above sea level). Brazil suffered its first ever World Cup qualifying loss in La Paz 14 years ago. Further defeats in the Andean highlands by Argentina and Brazil, which have seats on FIFA’s executive committee, prompted the ban.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Once-discredited Valcke resurfaces as FIFA’s new general secretary
FIFA named Frenchman Jerome Valcke as its new general secretary on Wednesday — less than eight months after it had “parted company” with Valcke and three other employees in its Marketing & TV Division he headed after being discredited in a multi-million dollar lawsuit with long-time sponsor MasterCard.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Soccer mom goes on rampage
During a girls game in Norway, a mother stormed the field, attacked a 13-year-old player, pushing her to the ground. She swore at several other players and put the referee into a stranglehold before being restrained, reports the Aftenposten. “The referee was completely shaken and the players were crying,” said Tor Eriksen of the Bardufoss regional sports association.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2007 Copa America TV Schedule
The USA opens play at the 2007 Copa America on Thursday at 8:30 pm ET against Argentina. The game will be broadcast live in Spanish on Univision and English on GolTV. For the complete Copa America TV schedule …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Copa America a Big Test for Mapp
The American soccer press is largely disappointed at the squad Coach Bob Bradley has chosen to send to the 2007 Copa America; few expect the inexperienced side to make it past the group stage, and more than one reporter/columnist/blogger has already started cringing ahead of Thursday’s debut against a full-strength Argentina. Luis Arroyave of the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Becks and Co. to Sell out RFK
Tickets for D.C. United’s Aug. 9 match against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy are on pace to sell out, according to the Washington Times. United officials on Tuesday said that approximately 30,000 tickets had been sold to season-ticket holders, groups and fans who purchased muti-game packages for the game, leaving 12,500 upper-deck seats for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Protests in Madrid as Liverpool Eyes Torres
Atletico Madrid is staring at the prospect of a full-fledged fan revolt after reports in Spain revealed that star striker Fernando Torres is in advanced talks with English giant Liverpool. Angry fans gathered in a Madrid plaza to protest the sale of the 23-year-old, who was brought up in the ranks at Atletico and has […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beasley Confirmed at Rangers
As expected, American winger DaMarcus Beasley has completed the switch from PSV Eindhoven to Glasgow Rangers, signing a three-year deal with the Scottish Premier League giant. Beasley was in Glasgow on Wednesday to put the finishing touches on the deal, which is now only subject to him receiving a work permit. The club said the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Red Bulls to Revamp Defense?
The New York Red Bulls, porous at the back over the last few weeks, have taken the first of what The North Jersey Herald’s Ives Galarcep says could be a series of moves to shake up its “faltering defense” by trading left-back Todd Dunivant to Toronto FC in exchange for Kevin Goldthwaite. You’d think the […]
Posted inSoccer Business Insider, Story
A Naysayer View of Pro Soccer
Beckham is coming to America to lend his enormous global brand power to pro soccer, to underscore that the game has arrived here, and to help the former colonists grasp the gravity of the sport. Although I am a lifelong player and coach, and passionate about soccer, I believe “Beck’s” arrival will have even less impact on the pro game than did Pele’s in his era.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Chicago hones in on new coach
The list of candidates to take over the head coaching position in Chicago – interim coach Denis Hamlett, former U.S. international Frank Klopas, ex-MetroStar assistant coach Juan Carlos Osorio, and Revs’ assistant Paul Mariner – does have a favorite. President and GM John Guppy, a native of England, has stated the coach will speak Spanish.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rochester survives upset bid by Western Mass in U.S. Open Cup
[U.S. OPEN CUP RESULTS] The Rochester Rhinos needed an overtime goal from Aaran Lines to beat the West Mass Pioneers of the USL Second Division, 2-1, and avoid an upset in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Richmond Strikers, the 1995 Open Cup champions, and Harrisburg City Islanders are the lowest-ranked teams left in the final 16 of the competition. Both represent the USL-2. The USL-1 expansion California Victory got an overtime goal from Ricardo Sanchez to win, 1-0, at the Minnesota Thunder. Sanchez was ejected in the celebration that followed the goal for one of four red cards handed out in the game. For complete results and goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer youth academy moves full speed ahead
With more than a month to go before the deadline to apply to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, 21 clubs have already been accepted to field boys U-16 and U-18 teams in the program that launches next fall. The Academy, an extension of the U.S. national team program, was unveiled June 4. On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer named 10 clubs that are joining the 11 clubs that were accepted June 15. So far, clubs from 12 states are represented. The 10 newest clubs are Chicago Magic & Chicago Sockers (Ill.), IMG Soccer Academy, Kendall Soccer Coalition (Florida) & Clearwater Chargers (Fla.), Crossfire Premier (Wash.), Greensboro Youth SC (N.C.), Mustang FC (Calif.), Oakwood (Conn.) and Vardar (Michigan). U.S. Soccer coaches will select qualified applicants on a rolling basis until Aug. 1.