Hold the front page — Arsenal has signed a Frenchman! Midfielder Samir Nasri has, after the customary protracted talks, signed a four-year contract with the north London club.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hejduk Likes His Beer German
Frankie Hejduk bares his soul to Shawn Mitchell on the subjects of beer, kids, fatty foods and skateboarding.
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FIFA Sends Reminder On Player Release For Beijing
Just so there”s no ambiguity, FIFA has reminded clubs of their obligation to release players aged under 23 for the Beijing Olympics.
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Unbelievable! British Commentators In A World Of Their Own
Exaggeration and hyperbole serve sports commentators well around the world, but few have so profoundly embraced the language of over-excited incredulity as British soccer pundits, writes Harry Pearson. Where “you or I see a footballer striking the 3,758th best shot we have ever witnessed, Andy Townsend and Ally McCoist see the equivalent of a yeti […]
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Ronaldo Agrees With Blatter: I’m A Slave
On Thursday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter belched out one of his periodically idiotic opinions when he said that he thought Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently earns around $240,000 a week, was a modern-day slave. Now, in what Ian Herbert calls “an utterance as remarkable as any he has issued this summer,” Ronaldo has agreed, […]
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Kreis Takes A Second Suspension
Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis is clearly unfazed by MLS suspensions for criticizing game officials. Earlier this season he sat out a one-game ban for venting about referees. On Thursday, MLS doubled the punishment for remarks Kreis made about the officials following last weekend’s 0-0 tie with Houston. MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis has […]
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Guzan ‘On Verge Of Joining Villa’
Chivas USA and U.S. national team goalkeeper Brad Guzan may have made his last save in MLS for a while. “The 23-year-old reportedly is on the verge of signing a contract in Europe,” writes Graham L. Jones, “most likely with Aston Villa of the English Premier League, although sources said Celtic of the Scottish Premier […]
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McBride MLS Talks Have ‘Stalled’
Negotiations to bring Brian McBride to the Chicago Fire and Major League Soccer by way of Toronto FC have stalled, writes Greg Lalas, quoting “a source with close knowledge of the situation” who doubts whether the deal will take place at all. Chicago does not want to gut the nucleus of its young side, and […]
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Soccer on TV
MLS clubs face Mexican foes when Superliga 2008 kicks off on Saturday. The U.S. women host Brazil in an Olympic tune-up on Sunday.
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Ref falls off the Wagon
[VIDEO/REF WATCH] The Belarus soccer federation has suspended Sergei Shmolik, who was named “best referee” last year, for alleged alcohol abuse after he had to be escorted off the field. Shmolik appeared to be suffering from back pain, but postgame hospital tests showed high levels of alcohol in his system.
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Slavery?
After FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that “there’s too much modern slavery” in player-club relations, UEFA Communications director William Gaillard dismissed the idea of exploited players, citing player power for salaries that are “spiraling out of control.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Preki flies as Chivas USA ties
The history of the Galaxy-Chivas USA derby is a short one but perhaps the fiercest match in the series history ended 1-1 Thursday night at Home Depot Center with a Galaxy player contributing to both goals, and one of the head coaches ejected
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Kansas City downs, and knots up, Red Bulls
[MLS] Those two scoring machines for their respective teams each scored a goal Wednesday night, but Jimmy Conrad got some help from his Kansas City teammates.
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U.S. under-23 women set out for title defense
[NORDIC CUP] The U.S. under-23 women’s national team is headed Friday to Falun, Sweden, for the 2008 Nordic Cup, being held from July 15-21.
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12th Man to the Rescue
[VIDEO/OFF THE POST] A team’s trainer goes beyond the call of duty …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“The game caused problems and tensions in the camp where I was a prisoner. Some people were on my side and were supporting France, while others took the Italian side. I adored the head-butt by Zidane and I think I would have done the same thing. I stand against those who criticized him.”
— Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombian-French politician who was rescued on July 2 after six-and-a-half years in captivity by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Betancourt was the Green Party candidate for the Colombia presidency when she was kidnapped in 2002 by the FARC guerrillas. (Goal.com)
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Revs’ trio heads All-Star list
[MLS] Tops amongst all MLS teams in points, New England (10-4-3, 33 points) also leads in All-Star selections, with three Revs named for the July 24 match against English Premier League club West Ham United at BMO Field in Toronto. Goalie Matt Reis, defender Michael Parkhurst, and midfielder Shalrie Joseph – three of six players on the 11-man squad who are returning to the All-Star Game – head the team that will be coached against West Ham by their club coach, Steve Nicol. Two teams each placed two players:
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Liverpool boss Benitez looking to spend
[TRANSFER TALK] Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has cash that’s burning a hole in his pocket. Peter Crouch‘s $22 million departure to Portsmouth, John Arne Riise‘s $8 million move to Roma, and Xabi Alonso‘s rumored $30 million switch to Juventus, have all left Benitez eager to make a splash in the summer transfer market.
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MLS TV Schedule
San Jose hosts Colorado, one of the few teams it’s beaten this season. … Chicago aims to end a five-game unbeaten streal when it hosts Toronto. … Real Salt Lake protects its home unbeaten run when Columbus comes to town. For all the MLS matchups through the weekend and television schedule …
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Belarus Suspends Drunken Ref
Top Belarusian referee Sergei Shmolik has been suspended after he was helped from the field at the end of a weekend game, apparently in a state of inebriation.
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Of Heaps And Hoops
Maria Burns Ortiz recalls Jay Heaps’ college career — as a basketball player.
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Hard-Working Soehn Of An Immigrant
Bob Cohn profiles and interviews D.C. United’s industrious coach Tom Soehn.
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FIFA To Give More Tickets To The Fans
Soccer’s world governing body FIFA announced that it is to allocate more tickets to the supporters of individual countries in World Cup first-round games. The amount will increase from the current eight per cent of total stadium capacity to 12 per cent. “We have always been criticized for too many tickets going to the […]
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Bostock Transfer Fee Highlights Need For Reform
The English Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur has signed Crystal Palace prodigy John Bostock, aged 16, for $1.5 million, with a further $1.1 million to be paid depending on the number of times he plays for his new team. The price was the ruling of a Football League tribunal, and it has left Palace infuriated at […]
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Quakes Hungry For New Signings
The San Jose Quakes have joined Toronto FC in the quest to sign former Norwich City, Leeds United and Manchester City forward Darren Huckerby in an attempt to solve its striking woes. Coach Frank Yallop doesn’t want to panic (which is good, because panic doesn’t tend to win games), but said: “We want to get […]