“I found out late in the week [that I was starting] and I just tried to make the best of the opportunity.”
— John Wolyniec, who started at forward for the New York Red Bulls against Columbus, because Jozy Altidore was attending his high school senior prom, and scored the first goal to set off a 4-0 rout in which he also notched an assist. (Herald News)
“Your dad is a cucumber!”
— What Crystal Palace fans chanted at Colchester United goalkeeper Dean Gerken, who was treated with “You should have stayed in a burger!” after giving up two goals. (BBC)
“Smiling sometimes is important. I haven’t thrown out any great jokes, but every now and then I may try.”
— U.S. men’s national team coach Bob Bradley, who has been criticized in the past for not smiling enough.
“Bob took this job as if it were his, and I think that’s a very positive thing. He looked at a lot of new players when it might have been safe to continue with more established players, and that was important for the long-term growth of the program.”
— U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati on Bob Bradley, who will remain as U.S. national team men’s head coach. Bradley was 3-0-1 in four friendly games played since being named interim coach in December. (AP)
“Refereeing with three people is obsolete. Three referees can’t see everything.”
— New UEFA president Michel Platini, the former French star, wants to add two more officials, in addition to the referee and the two linesmen. These additional officials would stay next to the goals and could monitor what happens in the penalty areas. (France Football)
“It just shows that Ronnie on one leg is better than most players with two.”
— Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston on Irishman Ronnie O’Brien, who set up the first two Toronto goals in his first start for the MLS expansion team, which beat Chicago, 3-1, on Saturday. Toronto had previously lost all four games and didn’t score a goal. The 28-year-old O’Brien had missed the four games after suffering a partial tear to his right knee ligament.
"People forget that I am still 17 years old. People criticize me and say I’m not this, I’m not that. Gosh! Come on! I’m still learning. I’m on track – I’m definitely on pace with the goals I set for myself, and hopefully I keep progressing."
— Freddy Adu (USA Today)
“Two finals in three years – not bad for a little club.”
— Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, whose team eliminated Chelsea in the European Champions League semifinals, chides Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, who once referred to Liverpool as a “little club.” In the May 23 final, Liverpool faces AC Milan, which Liverpool beat for the 2005 crown. (BBC)
“Chelsea and Liverpool are the clearest, most exaggerated example of the way soccer is going: very intense, very collective, very tactical, very physical, and very direct. But, a short pass? Noooo. A feint? Noooo. A change of pace? Noooo. A one-two? A nutmeg? A backheel? Don’t be ridiculous. None of that. The extreme control and seriousness with which both teams played the semifinal neutralized any creative license, any moments of exquisite skill.”
— Jorge Valdano, Argentine 1986 World Cup winner as a player and former Real Madrid coach and sporting director, wasn’t impressed with how Liverpool advanced to the Champions League final. (The Guardian)
"The reason that we published the numbers was the hope that it creates upward pressure on salaries. We hope Beckham can create that upward pressure. I don’t want to overstate the influence of one player but it helps. Average salaries have been increasing in the past year."
— Bob Foose, the executive director of the MLS Players Union, which has made public the MLS players’ salaries. David Beckham, at $6.5 million per year in guaranteed income, is tops, earning is more than 50 times the average for the league. (Reuters)
“Clint [Dempsey] has been on the verges of the team since he came over in the transfer window. He has been good in training and chomping at the bit to get on and prove he can offer something to Fulham.”
— Fulham coach Lawrie Sanchez on American midfielder Clint Dempsey, who scored the winner in Fulham’s 1-0 victory of Liverpool, which alleviates the Cottagers’ relegation fears. (AFP)
“Milan Baros merely wanted to tell [Stephane M’Bia] something he didn’t know how to say in French: ‘leave me alone and give me breathing space.'”
— A statement from French club Lyon, claiming its Czech striker Milan Baros wasn’t trying to insult Rennes’ Stephane M’Bia when Baros pinched his own nose and waved his hand in front of it while facing the Cameroon-born midfielder. Baros has been suspended for three games for the gesture. (Reuters)
“I thought I might do 45 minutes but ended up doing the full 90. It was quite a hot day but I felt OK at the end, and the next day I was able to do a bit of gardening in the greenhouse. Both teams acted like perfect gentlemen, and they just got on with it. They were very polite and respectful.”
— Antony Warren, an 82-year-old retired referee who was lured out of the stands at a Gwynedd League game in Wales to replace the assigned referee, who suffered a pregame injury. Warren borrowed referee gear and his 78-year-old wife kept time. (BBC)
“Wise, Wise, whatever have you done? You’ve taken Leeds to Division One. You won’t win a cup, you won’t win a shield, your biggest game will be Huddersfield.”
— A chant, to the tune of “Lord of the Dance,” from fans of English second-tier club Barnsley directed Leeds coach Dennis Wise. Leeds United, for which American Eddie Lewis plays in midfield, will be relegated to England’s third tier (Division One) unless it wins its last game of the season against Derby on Sunday by eight goals and Hull loses. (BBC)
“We’re not going to start pointing fingers and let this team unravel. It’s very important for us right now to stay together because we are frustrated. It is a tough stretch we’ve gone through. It takes its toll. We’re not getting breaks but we’re also killing ourselves.”
— Midfielder Ben Olsen of D.C. United, the preseason MLS favorite that has lost its first three games of the season. (Washington Post)
“Soccer is a cruel, cruel game.”
— Forward Alecko Eskandarian of Toronto. The MLS expansion club’s 1-0 loss to Kansas City in its home opener leaves it looking for its first goal after getting outscored, 10-0, in its first four games, all losses. (The Hamilton Spectator)
“When the season started we wanted David to stay, although we couldn’t arrive at an agreement. Looking back I realize that it was a mistake not to talk things through clearly. The comments in the press from me, the president and his agent confused the player and us and because of that mistakes were made.”
— Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic admits he made a mistake in not re-signing MLS-bound David Beckham.
