“Our philosophy is different from other clubs of Europe who go into Asia for making money. Our slogan is to create friends and have long-lasting commitments.” Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in West Bengal Wednesday, announcing the club’s first soccer academy outside Germany.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Scots Still Wary Of Team GB
Assurances from soccer’s world governing body FIFA that a united British team at the 2012 Olympics will not threaten the independence of the four individual nations — Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland — are not softening the Scottish FA’s opposition to the concept. “We await with interest the outcome of FIFA’s deliberations next month […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Coach of the Year Needs New TV
Sigi Schmid, the 55-year-old Columbus Crew boss who has been deservedly crowned MLS Coach of the Year, probably “watches more televised soccer than any other person in America,” according to Shawn Mitchell. “Sundays are for European games and MLS highlights from the weekend,” writes Mitchell. “Mondays are dedicated to watching recordings of the upcoming opponent. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chicago’s Bakary Backbone
The Chicago Fire was concerned that defender Bakary Soumare would be unable to make the transition from the college game to Major League Soccer, writes Nick Firchau, but those doubts were banished long before Soumare, 23, was nominated for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award. “‘We always had the idea that he would […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL Doping Tests Will Be ‘Invasion Of Privacy’
The spokesman for England’s professional soccer players has spoken out against tough new doping rules for the Premier League, claiming that they will constitute an invasion of privacy. The English FA has signed up to the World Anti-Doping Association code, and from July next year a pool of up to 30 players must be available […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gamba Osaka Crowned Asian Champions
It took Japanese side Gamba Osaka less than 15 minutes to kill off Adelaide United in the second leg of the Asian Champions League final Wednesday. After winning the first leg 3-0 two weeks ago in Osaka, Brazilian forward Lucas struck twice in the opening quarter of an hour to finish the series at 5-0 […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
LEADERS: NCAA Division I Women’s Scorers
After big weekends at the Horizon League Tournament, Cynthia Morote-Ariza of Loyola (Ill.) and Milwaukee’s Sarah Hagen are 1-2 in points among NCAA Division I women’s players. Hagen now leads in goals and Morote-Ariza is still No. 1 in assists. For all the NCAA Division I leaders …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Tennessee’s Lady Vols become winners
Perhaps the most remarkable story of last weekend’s conference tournaments was Tennessee’s SEC championship. With an 8-10-1 record, the Lady Vols’ only path to an eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance was to win the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala. To make their task more difficult, Preseason All-American Kylee Rossi was sidelined with a hip injury that has ended her career.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
LEADERS: NCAA Division I Men’s Scorers
With another big week, Akron sophomore Steve Zakuani extended his lead among NCAA Division I men’s scorers in points (45) and retained the lead in goals (19). For all the NCAA Division I leaders …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Men’s Conferences
In Tuesday conference tournament action, George Mason crushed Hofstra, 5-0, and Northeastern beat Old Dominion on penalty kicks in the CAA. Conferences in action on Wednesday: ACC, America East, Atlantic Soccer, Atlantic Sun, Big West, Conference USA and Missouri Valley. For all the results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: N.C. State ready for No. 1 Wake
It’s the No. 1 seed against the No. 8 seed, top-ranked and unbeaten Wake Forest against N.C. State in Wednesday’s ACC quarterfinals. A mismatch? Hardly. The Wolfpack is one of the hottest teams in the country, and Coach George Tarantini is relishing the opportunity to take on the mighty Demon Deacons.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Third Crew year a charm for Schmid
[MLS] The Columbus Crew has already won three prestigious awards in the 2008 postseason yet for one of those so honored the most important trophy is yet to be handed out. Coach of the Year Sigi Schmid guided the Crew to the Supporters’ Shield with a league-best record of 17-7-6 by melding a myriad mix of talents and personalities, and extracting performances like that of Chad Marshall, named 2008 Defender of the Year after finishing the 2007 season on injured-reserve following several concussions
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Playoff failures fill out preliminary roster
[USA] Coach Bob Bradley dipped deeply into the ranks of the vanquished to pick a preliminary squad of 19 players for next week’s World Cup qualifier against Guatemala in Commerce City, Colo., Nov. 19. Teams that missed the MLS playoffs – including Colorado, Toronto FC and FC Dallas – as well as those eliminated last weekend in the conference semifinals fill most of the slots.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
What’s Donovan doing at Bayern Munich?
Landon Donovan is training for 10 days at Bayern Munich to stay fit, according to Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann. But some German media have called his visit a trial and speculate that he could be a replacement for unhappy striker Lukas Podolski, the subject of winter transfer rumors.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bayern star denies Botox use
[OFF THE POST] Bayern Munich’s Argentine defender Martin Demichelis denied rumors that he injects Botox into his lips before games. “It’s laughable,” Demichelis told BILD newspaper. “I don’t have an earring, any piercings or tattoos. And yet I am supposed to be using Botox?”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Young Arsenal swats Wigan out the League Cup
[ENGLAND] A young Arsenal team impressed again in the League Cup, beating a full-strength Wigan Athletic 3-0. Manchester United edged QPR thanks to a late penalty from Carlos Tevez.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Third-tier Irun knocks Real out of Copa del Rey
[SPAIN] Despite a hat trick from Raul, Real Madrid was dumped out of the Spanish Cup by third division club Irun.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Under-17 Women’s World Cup Scoreboard
The United States faces Germany in the semifinals of the Under-17 Women’s World Cup Thursday in Christchurch, New Zealand (kickoff: 1 am ET; Wednesday 10 pm PT). In the first game of the doubleheader at North Harbour Stadium, North Korea faces England. For all the results and schedules …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I can remember the second year at Arsenal, I was in the car with my dad and brother. A kid was walking down the road with a ‘Walcott 32’ shirt on. I put the window down and I said, ‘I’ve got a shirt like that too.'”
— Theo Walcott, the 19-year-old forward now in his third year at Arsenal. (Irish Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions. They include college coaching opportunities, as well as jobs in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Schmid is MLS Coach of the Year
[MLS AWARDS] The Columbus Crew’s Sigi Schmid was named MLS Coach of the Year and San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Darren Huckerby won the Newcomer of the Year Award.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Landon Donovan is 2008 Honda Player of the Year
[U.S. SOCCER] Landon Donovan was voted 2008 Honda Player of the Year, winning the award for a record fifth time. Donovan, of the Los Angeles Galaxy, was MLS’s leading scorer in the 2008 regular season with 20 goals. He also played nine games for the U.S. national team, scoring three and notching five assists during a year that saw the USA advance to the semifinal round of 2010 World Cup qualifying.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham Could Stay In L.A. For Floppy Wool Hats
Cathal Kelly outlines why David Beckham could stay in or leave Los Angeles. “Reasons To Stay: Pleasant weather; large, local supply of floppy wool hats; leaving would crush Tom Cruise. Reasons To Go: Playing on the worst team in a struggling league that’s not getting any better; would have faded entirely from the public mind […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Andy Cole Calls It A Day
Former England, Newcastle and Manchester United striker Andy Cole has retired from the game after his contract with Championship club Nottingham Forest was terminated by mutual agreement. Cole’s 19-year career included a total of 187 goals in the Premier League, and with United he won the European Cup, five EPL titles, and two FA Cups.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Making The Case For Smith
“[Gary] Smith improved the team, plain and simple. He took a team that was foundering at 6-10-3 and collected 17 points in 11 games to finish the season.” The FC Rocky Soccer Blog makes the case both for and against (though largely for) the permanent appointment of Gary Smith as coach at the Colorado Rapids.