“He just told me that was the first one he’s scored since he was 12.”
— U.S. midfielder Robbie Rogers on what Sacha Kljestan, 23, said after his free-kick goal against Sweden, Kljestan’s first goal in a hat trick as the USA beat Sweden, 3-2, in last Saturday’s friendly.
“I feel very good here. I arrived in a team that wanted me for years and I play for exceptional fans. I’ll stay here until March and then we’ll see. Right now I’m focused only on my football.”
— David Beckham, who scored for AC Milan on Sunday, hedges on his allegiance to the Los Angeles Galaxy, which loaned him to the Italian Serie A club while expecting him back for his third MLS season. (AFP)
“There’s no date. If I go back to the Galaxy, we have our first game March 21, so I’d have to return at least one week earlier. But that would be sad. I want to make it here. It is my dream. I want stay here a few years.”
— Landon Donovan, asked by German newspaper Abendzeitung on when a decision would be made if his loan to Bayern Munich will turn into a transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy.
“I think that if they have quality and a Mexican passport, they have to be in the Mexican national team.”
— Mexico coach, the Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson, defends the inclusion of four players in his squad who are naturalized Mexican citizens: Argentine-born Matias Vuoso and Lucas Ayala, and Brazilian-born Leandro Augusto and Antonio Naelson. (Reuters)
“To be a goalkeeper, you have to be a very special person. People remember only the goals. No one remembers how many saves you make.”
— N.C. State coach George Tarantini on the qualities of a goalkeeper fending off attackers that make Robert Gibbs well-suited to be President Barack Obama‘s press secretary. Gibbs was a backup goalie for the Wolfpack for three seasons (1990-92). (McClatchy Newspapers)
“I was just so angry at myself. For a little while, it was like I had no more hope. I worked so hard to get there, and then that happened. I learned the hard way that one dumb move can ruin everything. Something like that won’t happen again.”
— U.S. under-17 national team standout Carlos Martinez, who was dismissed from U.S. Soccer’s U-17 residency program in October for violating a team rule but invited back to the program in mid-January. (ESPN Soccernet)
“If Kaka is worth $150 million then [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Lionel Messi must be worth that, too. And as Cristiano has just been named World Player of the Year ahead of those two, you could say he is worth more – $180 million. There would be no chance of a deal, and that is the attitude of the owners even more than me. Cristiano is fully settled down here now.”
— Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson reiterates that his club won’t sell Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo as soccer ignores the global economic crisis. (goal.com)
“He’s big, he’s fast, his first name should be last, Stern John.”
— A chant from Bristol City fans about Stern John, the Trinidadian striker who starred in MLS before moving to England in 1999. (BBC)
“Gremio would never use professional athletes to experiment with a drug. If it is proven that it enhances an athlete’s performance, its use will be immediately considered as doping.”
— Marcio Bolzoni, team physician of Brazilian club Gremio, denies reports that the club was going to have its players take Viagra to cope with the high altitude when they play Libertadores Cup games in Bolivia. (AP)
[U.S. SOCCER] Tickets for the biggest game of the year in the USA go on sale Jan. 28 at noon ET. Prices range from $48 to $125.
The path for David Beckham‘s loan move to Milan was cleared when the Italian side loaned French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff to Bordeaux last summer, writes Ben Lyttleton. In his round-up of the weekend’s French action, he reports how Gourcuff “inspired his team to a 4-0 win over Paris St. Germain… put the French title race […]
One of the few young U.S. players getting regular starts in Europe is former Columbus Crew midfielder Danny Szetela, who disappeared off the radar somewhat after moving on loan from La Liga’s Racing Santander to Serie B Brescia in Italy. Despite suffering from homesickness, the player told Ravi Ubha that he hopes the move will […]
[ITALY] AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti says David Beckham is “still not in form” but that the Los Angeles Galaxy loan player could see Italian Serie A action Sunday when the Rossoneri take on Roma (TV: 2:30 pm ET, Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports en Espanol).
The 2008 European Footballer of the Year, Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 23, totaled his Ferrari on the way to training Thursday, but escaped unhurt. He later took part in the training session. His sports car crashed into a roadside barrier in a tunnel near Manchester airport. No other vehicles were involved. Witnesses said Ronaldo […]
The abolition of the Major League Soccer reserve division and the supplemental draft are going to make it even harder for rookies to make a name for themselves in MLS, writes Kyle McCarthy. True, teams will save money and resources from the reduced rosters, he says. And it may also be good for many […]
Sergio Aguero “will not go to Barca. He is doing well with Atletico and this is where he wants to stay.” Atletico Madrid President Enrique Cerezo denies reports that the 20-year-old Argentine prodigy is on the verge of joining Barcelona.
“I have absolutely no idea how they got hold of my number but some of the calls have made me sick to my stomach.
— Portsmouth striker Jermain Defoe, who has received death threats from Portmouth fans reacting to his expected move from the club to Tottenham, Manchester City or Juventus, which is reportedly offering a $29 million transfer fee. (BBC)
Former Watford FC chairman Sir Elton John could return to the club two months after renouncing his title of honorary life president in protest at the way the club was being run. The wealthy singer is now considering a return to the club after being critical of former chairman Graham Simpson and chief executive Mark […]
“It’s obviously a high point to be able to score against one of the best teams in the world. It’s the first time I’ve scored twice in a Premiership game. It rates up there near the very top (of my career). I mean, nothing is better than scoring in the World Cup [which Dempsey accomplished against Ghana in 2006], but it has to be up there because you don’t play against the best in the world, or play against the best competition, all the time.”
— Clint Dempsey on his two goals for Fulham in its 2-2 tie Sunday with Chelsea. (goal.com)
“The funny thing is Rick and Griff get on very well. They even had a party over Christmas at which they exchanged shirts. But Rick is a very volatile person and I can’t condone what he did.”
— Stoke City manager Tony Pulis, on teammates Ricardo Fuller and Andy Griffin. Fuller slapped Griffin, the Stoke captain, after the latter failed to stop West Ham’s Carlton Cole for the equalizer in their EPL game on Sunday, Fuller was sent off by referee Michael Jones, and West Ham went on to win, 2-1. (Guardian)
Jose Mourinho: “Maybe you should pick the [Inter Milan] team?”
Reporter: “I would if you gave me part of the nine million euros you earn.”
Mourinho: “It’s not nine, it’s 11 – and with sponsors it comes to 14.”
— An exchange between Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho and an Italian reporter from the Irish Times ‘ best quotes of the year roundup. (14 million euros = $19.5 million.)
“Cristiano [Ronaldo] is superb. He has timing getting into the box, ability with two feet — and you would never associate a Portuguese winger with such magnificent ability in the air. He is like an old fashioned center forward. He’s only 23 and still a very young lad and there’s a lot of things in his favor to go on and prove himself as a legend. The next few years, when he reaches 28 or 29, I think you will get your answers.”
— Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said Cristiano Ronaldo could reach the heights of Diego Maradona and Pele. Cristiano Ronaldo helped Man U win the FIFA Club World Cup last weekend. (AFP)
“Defenders are tall, strong and fighters, and the referees only give you a foul once you are bleeding.”
— Liverpool’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres on life in the English Premier League. (Irish Times)
“Pink is my daughter’s favorite color – and she is 5. It would have been unthinkable in our day.”
– Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer chimes in on the pink cleats of Bayern’s Franck Ribery. (Irish Times)
“I’m too old to rebuild for too long.”
— Sigi Schmid, the 55-year-old coach of expansion team Seattle Sounders FC who then corrected himself, “I’m not rebuilding. I’m building.” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
