Soccer America Archives

Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake City Tribune makes a long-winded answer to the question “What does Freddy Adu mean to you?” You see, it depends: on the one hand, Freddy Adu at Real Salt Lake means people in seats. If he plays well, it could mean people stay in their seats. Everyone in the […]

MLS Cup 2006 ù The Great Dynamo

The team whose ownership group abandoned San Jose ended its first season in Houston with an improbable championship. THE OMENS WERE THERE for all to see, gleaming beacons of the same hue worn by the players, fans and even executives of the newest first-year team to claim an MLS Cup title. Buses, cars and SUVs […]

Soccer America Confidential, Story

Freddy Finds a Home

Despite claims that the trade that sent Freddy Adu to Real Salt Lake had only been formulating for a couple of weeks at most, the die was cast long before then. During his brief tenure as president and general manager of the Team Formerly Known as the MetroStars, Alexi Lalas hinted perhaps a change in […]

5. FIFA: Marketing chief and three others fired

In the continuing fallout from the U.S. District Court ruling that overturned FIFA’s planned eight-year sponsorship deal with Visa following a federal lawsuit brought by long-time financial services sponsor MasterCard, FIFA dismissed marketing director Jerome Valcke and three other employees. In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA acknowledged its World Cup sponsorship negotiations with rival credit […]

3. ENGLAND: Hammer falls on Pardew

Just 10 days after West Ham United was sold and its new owner, Icelandic Eggert Magnusson, gave Manager Alan Pardew his full confidence, the English Premier League club fired Pardew. Pardew was said to be in Magnusson’s camp as the Icelandic tussled with Kia Joorabchian in the fight for control over the Hammers that ended […]

MLS: FC Dallas promotes assistant Steve Morrow

FC Dallas, which fired Colin Clarke after he failed for the second straight year to guide Dallas to the MLS Cup it hosted, has named Clarke's assistant, Steve Morrow, head coach. Morrow, a Northern Irishman like Clarke, was assistant coach the past two seasons. Morrow, 36, played two seasons for Dallas (2002-03) after a career […]

FIFA: Marketing chief and three others fired

In the continuing fallout from the U.S. District Court ruling that overturned FIFA's planned eight-year sponsorship deal with Visa following a federal lawsuit brought by long-time financial services sponsor MasterCard, FIFA dismissed marketing director Jerome Valcke and three other employees. In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA acknowledged its World Cup sponsorship negotiations with rival credit […]

MLS: D.C. ditches Freddy

Freddy Adu, 17, will don Real Salt Lake's jersey when he starts his fourth season in MLS. D.C. United, which signed the Ghana-born star when he was 14, traded Adu, along with keeper Nick Rimando, for reserve goalie Jay Nolly, a major player allocation and significant future considerations. Adu, who moved to the USA at […]

ENGLAND: Hammer falls on Pardew

Just 10 days after West Ham United was sold and its new owner, Icelandic Eggert Magnusson, gave Manager Alan Pardew his full confidence, the English Premier League club fired Pardew. Pardew was said to be in Magnusson's camp as the Icelandic tussled with Kia Joorabchian in the fight for control over the Hammers that ended […]

4. MLS: FC Dallas promotes assistant Steve Morrow

FC Dallas, which fired Colin Clarke after he failed for the second straight year to guide Dallas to the MLS Cup it hosted, has named Clarke’s assistant, Steve Morrow, head coach. Morrow, a Northern Irishman like Clarke, was assistant coach the past two seasons. Morrow, 36, played two seasons for Dallas (2002-03) after a career […]

2. MLS: D.C. ditches Freddy

Freddy Adu, 17, will don Real Salt Lake’s jersey when he starts his fourth season in MLS. D.C. United, which signed the Ghana-born star when he was 14, traded Adu, along with keeper Nick Rimando, for reserve goalie Jay Nolly, a major player allocation and significant future considerations. Adu, who moved to the USA at […]

1. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

"Freddy desired to play a different role than the one we offered here at D.C., so we hope this move can aid that wish." — A statement from D.C. United coach Peter Nowak on trading Freddy Adu to Real Salt Lake. (Washington Post)

MLS: D.C. United trades Freddy Adu!

In the most surprising MLS trade in history, D.C. United today announced the club has traded teen-aged star Freddy Adu and the rights to goalkeeper Nick Rimando to Real Salt Lake. In return, United receives a major allocation, the rights to goalkeeper Jay Nolly and future considerations, including a share of any future replacement allocation […]

World Cup Stars ù Where Are They Now?

What's happened to the 2006 World Cup principals? Zinedine Zidane and Marco Materazzi, protagonists in one of the worst incidents in World Cup history, have kept their reputations intact. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo remain teammates at Manchester United. Italy coach Marcello Lippi revels in retirement. Nothing has changed for referee Horacio Elizondo, while Ronaldo […]

My View ù By Mike Woitalla

By Mike WoitallaExecutive Editor, Soccer America Magazine Nearly three decades since the creation of the Olympic Development Program, the question remains: Are we finding the best players that this huge nation has to offer? AN EXTREMELY TALENTED YOUNGSTER — national team material according to his club coach — has his parents drive him six hours […]

Backline ù Joe Machnik

By Mike WoitallaExecutive Editor, Soccer America Magazine American soccer vet Joe Machnik runs MLS's 'customer complaint department.' IN 1949, WHEN JOE MACHNIK was 6 years old, fewer than 5 percent of U.S. households had a television set. His New York City home was one of them. ''My father was an avid sports fan of all […]

EPL: At Least it’s a Two-Horse Race

Looks like we have a title race on our hands, a rare and special occurrence in the EPL these days. After Chelsea coasted to victory in the last two seasons and Arsenal went undefeated in 2003-04, it’s been four years since the neutrals have had a Premiership dogfight to look forward to, but this year, […]

Lazio Ends Roma Streak in Derby

High-flying Roma was brought crashing back down to earth last weekend by bitter cross-town rival Lazio, which easily won the Roma derby, 3-0. The loss, the Gialorossi’s first in eight games, leaves Roma seven points behind undefeated league leader Inter Milan, and a point ahead of third-place Palermo. Coach Luciano Spalletti was defiant in defeat, […]

Iraqi Passion Doesn’t Wane Despite War

Baghdad may be a war zone, and one of the most dangerous places on earth, but the city still gets up for its national team. ABC News reports on the celebrations from Baghdad following Iraq’s quarterfinal win over Uzbekistan in the Asian Games. “This is a great victory for a wounded Iraq,” the game’s announcer […]

Bradley Move ‘Terrible’

Jeff Carlisle couldn’t disagree more: “This is a terrible development for both American soccer in general and U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati in particular,” the Soccernet columnist says of Gulati’s failure to hire Klinsmann. He likens the arrival of Bob Bradley as head coach instead of Klinsmann to Clay Aiken filling in for Luciano […]

Bradley Move ‘Genius’

While most pundits criticize Sunil Gulati for failing to produce Juergen Klinsmann, Ives Galarcep of ESPN Soccrnet says, “The reality is Gulati has hired a man who just might make him look like a genius.” Why? Precisely because he’s the antithesis of everything we thought U.S. Soccer was looking for in a Bruce Arena replacement. […]

WORLD: íChivas campe=n!

Guadalajara, Mexico's most popular club, won its first title in nine years when it came from behind to beat Toluca, 2-1, away in the second leg of the Torneo Apertura final. Second-half goals from defender Francisco Rodriguez and striker Adolfo Bautista gave Chivas a record 11th title and its first since flamboyant businessman Jorge Vergara […]

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP: Islanders win qualifying opener

The USL1's Puerto Rico Islanders opened action in Group C of the 2006 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship with a 3-1 victory over Hoppers FC of Antigua at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon on Saturday. U.S. beach soccer international Yuri Morales scored twice, while Chilean Alejandro Gonzalez added another. Play continues Monday with […]

U.S. ABROAD: Bad weekend for Americans in England

American players took it on the chin in the English Premier League. Fulham, for which Brian McBride played 71 minutes while Carlos Bocanegra sat out injured, fell, 4-0, to Liverpool. Claudio Reyna played the first half before suffering from hamstring problems while DaMarcus Beasley came on in the 76th minute as Manchester City lost its […]

3. U.S. ABROAD: Bad weekend for Americans in England