[MLS] Carlos Ruiz, who scored 82 goals in seven MLS seasons (2002-08), is signing a six-month contract with Paraguay’s Olimpia according to Guatemala’s Prensa Libre newspaper.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA roster for Mexico clash takes shape
[HEXAGONAL COUNTDOWN] A squad of 20 has been selected as the preliminary U.S. squad to prepare for the Concacaf Hexagonal opener against Mexico Feb. 11 in Columbus.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA to announce bid plans
[WORLD CUP 2018/2022] U.S. Soccer has announced that it will hold a teleconference on Monday at which time President Sunil Gulati should formally announce its plans to submit simultaneous bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I think we have to try and score goals when we have the opportunity and create more chances.”
— Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson reveals his strategy for getting El Tri out of a slump that, after Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Sweden, has seen it win just once in its last six games. Mexico faces the USA in World Cup qualifying Feb. 11. (Reuters)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer America partners with U.S. Youth Soccer
Soccer America is partnering with US Youth Soccer, the nation’s largest youth sports organization with over three million registered players ages 5 to 19, to develop programs of joint interest.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Regular-season champion rewarded in playoff format
[WPS] Women’s Professional Soccer announced plans for the playoffs of its inaugural campaign that include rewarding the winner of the regular-season championship with a bye into the championship game — and home-field advantage.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New season begins on May 8
[W-LEAGUE] The W-League will open its 15th season on May 8 when the Hampton Roads Piranhas, one of the league’s original teams from 1995, visit the Charlotte Lady Eagles. The W-League will consist of 37 teams in 2009, playing in five divisions that comprise the three conferences.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Laursen Quits Denmark To Focus On Villa
“My knees cannot cope with the fact that I play for Aston Villa and for the national team. In this situation, the only real solution is to be available for the club.” Danish defender Martin Laursen quits international soccer to concentrate on playing for his club.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Lehmann Fined For Slating Team
“Criticism should not be expressed in public. That’s why he’s getting fined. We’ve accepted his apology, and that’s the end of the matter.” Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel on the fine imposed on goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, 39, following a TV interview he gave directly after its 1-5 home defeat to Bayern Munich in the German FA […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Strachan: English Transfer Market Will Implode
“The market is horrendous. The English league is killing everything. Everybody wants to go to England. And you can’t get anyone to leave there. I think what will happen eventually is that it will implode and it will get back to reality.” Glasgow Celtic manager Gordon Strachan predicts a collapse in wage demands and transfer […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Parke Looking To Belgium, Not Seattle
“We think Jeff [Parke] is a tremendous player, and that’s why we were willing to risk selecting him in the expansion draft. We will continue to keep in close contact. We continue to hold his MLS rights and we’re hopeful that he will some day play for Seattle Sounders FC.” Seattle Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Blatter: Brazil 2014 Can Have 12 Host Cities
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said Wednesday that it will allow Brazil to stage the 2014 World Cup in 12 cities rather than 10. Soccer’s world governing body had initially said it wanted the tournament staged in 10 cities to minimize logistical problems. “This country is not a country, it’s a sub-continent, five-times world champions, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Downfall Of England’s Top Ref
English referee Mark Clattenburg, 33, “was widely regarded as the brightest young talent in English football refereeing…who soared through the ranks in record time and looked destined for fame on the greatest stages,” writes Nick Harris. But all that came to an end Wednesday when he was sacked as a Premier League referee following an […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gomez For Gallardo Looking Likely At D.C.
The “hunch” that Washington Post reporter Steven Goff nurtured a couple of days ago that Marcelo Gallardo will return to Argentina and be replaced by his compatriot Christian Gomez as D.C. United’s playmaker looks a step closer to realization. Gallardo is trying to negotiate a contract settlement that will free him to join River Plate, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Injuries, Cash Problems Hit Newcastle
Newcastle United’s already troubled season hit more problems Wednesday when Michael Owen and Joey Barton both suffered serious injuries in the team’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester City, while manager Joe Kinnear said that the club’s owner, Mike Ashley, was suffering hard from the economic downturn and might be struggling to pay the players. Meanwhile, goalkeeper […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Donovan’s Teammates Think Bayern Would Be Best
Some of Landon Donovan‘s L.A. Galaxy teammates are in no doubt about his wishes to extend his loan period at Bayern Munich into a permanent transfer, writes Andrea Canales. “He’s desperate to prove it,” Eddie Lewis told her. “I think not only to himself, but perhaps some of his critics as well, that he can […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s the abductor. We’ll have to see how it is tomorrow. I felt it before the game and then again just before halftime. I got to 20 minutes in the second half and I felt it a little bit more. It’s painful, but hopefully I will be fit for the game at the weekend.”
— David Beckham, who scored in his second straight game for AC Milan, then left the field in the 71st minute of his team’s 1-1 tie with Genoa on Wednesday with a sore groin. (PA Sports Ticker)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mexico falls to Sweden
[HEXAGONAL COUNTDOWN] Two weeks before it faces the USA in World Cup qualifying, Mexico fell, 1-0, to Sweden, which the USA had beaten, 3-2, on Saturday. A crowd of 46,550 watched the Mexicans fall in Oakland, Calif.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Quakes to earn millions from shirt sponsor
[MLS] There’s been a bit of belt-tightening in regards to player salaries yet the San Jose ledger sheet has added a major entry on the plus side. Amway Global has signed on as the team’s jersey sponsor and, wasting no time, its placards went on display Wednesday night, a day after the sponsorship deal was announced, at the Mexico-Sweden friendly played at the Oakland Coliseum.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2009 MLS Schedule
[MLS] The ESPN network of channels, Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Espanol and TeleFutura will broadcast MLS games in 2009. For the 2009 schedule with TV info …
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International play impacts MLS schedule
[MLS] The MLS 2009 schedule is out. Finally. Just 50 days prior to the March 19 season opener the league unveiled its 225-game schedule by which each of the 15 teams will play 30 games, and from which eight teams will qualify for the playoffs.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
PDL phenom Garcia headed to Houston
[MLS] Felix Garcia, considered the top prospect to come out the amateur Premier Development League, is expected to sign with the Houston Dynamo on Thursday, according to multiple reports. The 18-year-old Garcia, who has impressed in stints with the U.S. under-20 national team, spent the last two seasons with the PDL’s Laredo Heat.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham scores again, then injured
[ITALY] For the second straight game, David Beckham scored for AC Milan, but he had to leave the game with a groin injury that threatened to complicate possible talks of a transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy to the Rossoneri — or at least put a damper on his hopes for a recall for England’s next international match.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Slumping Liverpool faces critical test
[ENGLAND] Liverpool’s hopes of its first Premier League title look dimmer after its 1-1 tie at Wigan on Wednesday left it two points behind defending champion Manchester United, which has a game in hand. The result left the Reds needing a victory when they host Chelsea on Sunday. Also on Wednesday, U.S. keeper Tim Howard helped Everton tie Arsenal.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Voodoo Dolls and Hate Talk
Well, well! Such a brilliant idea from a Mexican newspaper — Let’s whip up support for the Mexican national team by giving away voodoo dolls. Suitably dressed up in the colors of the USA, the dolls would then be available for fans to stick pins into or cut limbs off, or set fire to, or possibly blow up with semtex, who knows.