...off the post!

Since last time

2005-06-30T23:16:00.000-04:00

Apologies for the lack of posting of late. I've been busy and, well, not much has happened in the footballing world. Except, of course, the manic transfer speculation, which I try to avoid as much as possible.

Be forewarned that posting will continue to be sporadic for the near future. Below is some of the news from the past week.

The MLS All Star game quickly approaches on July 30. Here's Marc Connolly's ballot.

Whither the goal, Cletus?

Here are the Week 13 reports from MLS play.

Grupo Televisa, the conglomerate that owns Mexico's Club America, is reportedly close to sealing a deal to buy the San Jose Earthquakes and move them to Houston.

"How does the Bank of Bridgeview Stadium sound?" asks the Daily Southtown. That's likely to be the name of the Chicago Fire's new digs, with a reported deal "worth somewhere between $1 million and $2.4 million a year for 10 to 15 years" close to complete.

In addition to a match against the LA Galaxy at the HDC on July 18, Real Madrid is set to line up against Chivas Guadalajara in Chicago on July 16.

Bruce Arena's named his roster for the Gold Cup, which starts on July 7. Santino Quaranta (?!) has since replaced EJ on the roster.

The U-20s World Cup Final is on Saturday, pitting Argentina vs. Nigeria. Here's a preview.

Freddy Adu's eatin' some humble pie after his performance in the U-20s World Cup, say Christian Swezey of the Washington Post and Neal Thurman of ITV.

One American that did impress at the youth tournament is Marvell Wynne. Here's a profile of him.

Brazil crushed Argentina in the Confederations Cup Final, 4-1.

The Copa Libertadores final will be an all-Brazilian affair, with Atletico Paranaense set to meet Sao Paulo in the two legs on July 6 and 13.

The fixture list for British football next season has been released.

Disappointment for US U-20s

2005-06-22T13:30:00.000-04:00

Marc Connolly and Andrew Winner dissect the US loss to Italy yesterday at the U-20s World Cup, while this AP piece addresses Freddy Adu's disappointing tournament.

WBA to tour California

2005-06-21T16:55:00.000-04:00

West Bromwich Albion will be joining the European invasion of the US this summer, as they have scheduled matches against the Galaxy at the HDC on July 20 and Chivas USA in Santa Barbara on the 26th.

MLS: Week 12

2005-06-21T16:54:00.001-04:00

Summaries of Week 12 MLS action are available here. Jeff Cunningham of the Rapids was named Player of the Week after scoring four goals in two games.

MLS thinking bigger

2005-06-21T16:54:00.000-04:00

The LA Times' Grahame Jones follows up on the Anschutz ranch discussions from a few weeks back:

Somewhere between Major League Soccer as it is today and Tim Leiweke's vision of David Beckham in a Galaxy or MetroStar jersey lies reality.

It is Don Garber's job to find it.

Garber, commissioner of MLS for the past six years, has been entrusted with devising a plan to improve the quality of play in the 10-year-old league — while at the same time not breaking the bank.

...The consensus among the owners was that more money needs to be invested in MLS, particularly in player acquisition, so that the standard of play continues to rise.

In addition, they agreed large markets such as Los Angeles and New York need more marquee players if they are to reach their potential.

If that means bending salary cap rules so that, say, Juan Pablo Garcia can be brought to Jorge Vergara's Chivas USA, or Beckham can be brought to AEG's MetroStars, so be it.

...Garber is supposed to come up with some hard numbers and ideas by the time the MLS board of governors meets at the All-Star game in Columbus, Ohio, on July 30.

Elsewhere in the article, Jones notes that there is a slight concern that AEG is looking to set things up so that it can dominate the league, since it has by far the greatest purse strings.

With DC United close to being sold off, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised, then, that Tim Leiweke is most enthusiastic about what seems to be a modified NASL development philosophy for the league. I remain skeptical.

Confed Cup continues

2005-06-21T16:53:00.000-04:00

The FIFA Confederations Cup continues to mosey along, as well, with the major upset thus far being Mexico over Brazil.

Germany, Argentina, and Mexico have booked their places for the semifinals. Brazil is going to be fighting it out with Japan for the last spot tomorrow.

U-20s World Cup goes to knockout

2005-06-21T16:52:00.000-04:00

The U-20s World Cup continues, with group play now giving way to the knockout round.

The US squad wound up winning the so-called "Group of Death" and advanced to face Italy today. The Americans were sent packing, 3-1. I didn't see the game, but most reports indicate that it was disappointing.

And, via Du Nord, here's a list of notable players from the group stages. There's one American in there, midfielder Benny Feilhaber. The player that seems to have raised the most eyebrows, though, is the Netherlands' Quincy Owusu Abeyie. Check out some highlights of Arsenal's hot, young prodigy, here.

US soccer's racial divide

2005-06-21T16:50:00.000-04:00

Writing in the Guardian, Steven Wells looks across the pond and sees worrying racial disparities embedded in American soccer. He warns:

soccer has become - in the words of Tom Simpson, president of the A-League's San Francisco Bay Seals - the "dream alternate sport for the white suburbs". A safe place where the grandchildren of the "white flight" generation can play in monocultural safety.

Yes, there is still somewhat of a stigma attached to soccer in many regions of the country, but these stereotypes are slowly receding to the extent that I don't think they're worth worrying about as a whole. Things have been and will continue to improve.

With US Soccer investing wisely and looking to attract youngsters who might not have previously considered playing soccer and MLS providing a stable platform for young talent, the infrastructure for youth development is growing rapidly in the US, for all sorts of children.

Demographic changes, notably the growing Hispanic influence in the US, will also mean that American culture will become much more receptive to "futbol." This will probably have a spillover effect across the social spectrum.

And, to throw in some anecdotal evidence, just look at players like Gooch, DMB, and EJ. These are the types of black players that you never would have seen in the US national team pool ten years ago. Now they're thriving in each of their respective environments, with Gooch and DMB overseas, soon to be joined by EJ.

As a whole, racial and class disparities are growing in the US, and they do deserve a great deal of concern. Soccer, however, is one realm of society which will likely become more egalitarian as time goes by.

If Wells had written this piece 7 or 8 years ago, I likely would have agreed with him. Now, I think he's behind the curve.

Frantic action in the Premiership

2005-06-21T16:49:00.000-04:00

The London Times reports that the EPL is getting more roadrunner-ish, according to a recent study:

Data gathered by ProZone, which assesses a majority of Premiership clubs, reveals that the average number of sprints by these teams in league matches has increased by almost a half during the past two years, the figure of 1,699 last season comparing with 1,156 in 2002-03. The total distance covered by a team’s players has risen by an average of more than two miles per game in that period, from 67.5 miles to 69.8 miles.

The result is that players probably have less time on the ball and, perhaps in consequence, they are becoming more prone to giving away possession. While teams showed a slight improvement in this regard last season compared with two years earlier, the average tally of 190 successfully completed passes was well down from 226 in the 2003-04 campaign. Given the apparent greater urgency shown by teams, it is no surprise that they are entering the opposition’s third of the pitch more frequently. They achieved this an average of 55 times per match in 2002-03 but 73 times last season.

Take this or leave it. This seems terribly wonkish to me, but fanatical football observers might find this stuff interesting.

Libertadores semifinals set

2005-06-21T16:47:00.000-04:00

FSC's Bobby McMahon previews the seminfinals of the Copa Libertadores. Chivas takes on Atletico Paranaense in one bracket beginning on Thursday, while Sao Paulo will be lining up against River Plate. The winners will meet in a two-leg final on July 6 and 13.

Also notable is that the FIFA World Club Championship starts up this December with a new format, so whichever club lifts the cup will secure a place in a tournament later on in the year already featuring the likes of Liverpool (Europe), Deportivo Saprissa (CONCACAF), and Sydney F.C. (Oceania).

Germany wins Women's Euro 2005

2005-06-21T16:46:00.000-04:00

Germany won the Euro 2005 Women's tournament on Sunday, beating Norway 3-1.

The BBC's Mark Ashenden offers a post-mortem of sorts on the competition, as well as the state of women's football generally.

Brazil's #9

2005-06-21T16:43:00.000-04:00

Aaron Marcus: "Poor Old Ronaldo Or Lazy Ronaldough?"

Serving up a new stadium

2005-06-16T17:30:00.000-04:00

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a good article today on why the licensing agreement for Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas works out for everyone involved:

According to Dallas Business Journal and an MLS source, the deal calls for a 20-year partnership worth about $30 million, or an average of about $1.2 million to $1.5 million per year.

Why, when soccer is still working to find its place in the American sports landscape, would Pizza Hut pay that much?

Simply, the stadium provides more than the 25 or so FC Dallas home games per year. With 17 amateur fields surrounding the stadium, the facility essentially will enjoy usage on a daily basis with soccer practices, international youth tournaments, concerts, high school football and international soccer exhibitions.

For FC Dallas' part, the $1.5 million per year will take a major dent out of the organization's payroll. The player salary cap runs about $1.7 million. In 2002 the club reported in public documents to the City of McKinney that it carried $4 million in player and front-office salaries.

Note this last paragraph especially, and then throw in the knowledge that the new Adidas sponsorship agreement signed this year breaks down to $1.25M/team annually. That means a very significant percentage of operating expenses, at least for FC Dallas, are covered without even factoring in other ancillary revenues, merchandising deals, gate receipts, etc.

That's pretty remarkable. I recognize MLS has been in the red for some time, and will be for at least a few more years, but these deals are a major reason why the league's front office in NYC beams with confidence.

European invasion

2005-06-16T17:28:00.000-04:00

The AC Milan and Chelsea tour of the US in July has been finalized. They'll each play three matches total, two against each other and a third against a respective MLS side. Here are the games and dates:

Sunday, July 24
AC Milan vs. Chelsea FC
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA - Time is TBD

Wednesday, July 27
AC Milan vs. Chicago Fire
Soldier Field, Chicago, at 9 pm ET

Thursday, July 28
Chelsea vs. D.C. United
FedEx Field, Washington D.C. at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Sunday, July 31
AC Milan vs. Chelsea FC
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ - Time is TBD

To top things off, the LA Times' Grahame Jones is reporting that, around the same time, "Real Madrid will play the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center and possibly one other game against a Mexican club, at a site to be determined."

Don't forget that Fulham is set to line up against the MLS All Stars on July 30 in Columbus, as well.

Forlan vindicated

2005-06-16T17:26:00.000-04:00

Diego Forlan shared this season's ESM Golden Shoe award, which goes to the top scorer in Europe, with Thierry Henry.

I know. That just doesn't sound right, does it?

Garber milked for info in Dallas

2005-06-15T23:12:00.000-04:00

Buzz Carrick, who runs the excellent FC Dallas fan site 3rd Degree, was privy to some interesting remarks by Doug Garber at a media luncheon today. Here are his notes.

I started excerpting the important parts, but there's just too much good information in there. Be sure to read the whole thing.

Inter wins Coppa Italia

2005-06-15T19:36:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's Inter raising silverware. Your eyes aren't deceiving you. They beat Roma in the Coppa Italia final, 3-0 on aggregate.

Ruiz potentially unavailable for MLS Final

2005-06-15T19:30:00.000-04:00

If I supported FC Dallas, I'd be worried about this:

Here's a nightmare scenario developing for FC Dallas: Carlos Ruiz, the league's leading goal scorer, is one of the reasons the club likes its chances of landing in the Nov. 13 MLS Cup final.

But that date conflicts with a playoff for one of the final World Cup 2006 berths. The CONCACAF fourth-place finisher plays a home-and-away series against the fifth-place Asian finisher.

Your current fourth-place team in CONCACAF? That would be Ruiz's Guatemala. And the chance to lift the modest Central American nation, with roughly the population of Illinois, into a World Cup would probably be a pull too strong for Ruiz to resist.

Although it's a bit far down the road, I could easily see this conflict rearing its head.

Dilbert likes soccer

2005-06-15T19:29:00.000-04:00

Meet Drew Carey, unlikely posterboy for American soccer.

La Bombonera goes nuts

2005-06-15T12:04:00.000-04:00

Chivas players getting pelted with debris leaving the field

Disgraceful behavior down in Buenos Aires last night, where Boca players and fans decided to throw a hissy-fit since they couldn't overtake Chivas on the pitch in their second leg Copa Libertadores quarterfinal.

The scoreless match was abandoned in the 79th minute with Chivas up 4-0 on aggregate. The club from Guadalajara will await three other semifinalists, which will be decided in the next two days.

End-of-season handouts

2005-06-15T12:02:00.001-04:00

Good stuff from the Guardian, as usual: James Richardson and Sid Lowe are handing out their awards of the season for Seria A and La Liga, respectively.

Second U-20s match ends in tie

2005-06-15T12:02:00.000-04:00

The US played out a scoreless tie with Germany in their second U-20s World Cup match yesterday. Freddy Adu reportedly had a good game.

The Americans face Egypt in their last group match on Saturday. They can advance to the knockout round with at least a tie.

KC staying local?

2005-06-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

The KC Star is reporting that Andrew Murstein might have a little competition from a local ownership group in his bid to buy the Wizards.

Presuming they can muster a credible bid, Lamar Hunt would probably give them the nod over the NY businessman if it meant the team wouldn't relocate. Good news if you're a Wizards fan.

Record sales at Old Trafford

2005-06-14T00:10:00.000-04:00

For all the huffing and puffing over Glazer's buyout, Man U has sold a record number of season tickets for next year's campaign.

The mass-boycott threatened by supporters doesn't seem to have materialized, for whatever reason. Glazer is pretty close to asserting total ownership of the club, too.

Pizza Hut Park

2005-06-14T00:09:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's other major MLS news came from Texas, where Pizza Hut has acquired the naming rights to FC Dallas' new stadium complex in Frisco.

The actual dollar figure wasn't named, but Steve Davis of the Dallas Morning News provides a bit of speculation and context:

Although FC Dallas officials have revealed little about the naming rights negotiations, business analysts and other soccer officials have assessed the value at somewhere between $1.2 and $1.5 million annually.

That seems to compare favorably to the Rangers' deal for Ameriquest Field in Arlington. The baseball team's 30-year agreement with Ameriquest Mortgage Company averages $2.5 million annually.

American Airlines' deal for naming rights to the American Airlines Center is $6.5 million annually over 30 years.

"Pizza Hut Park" doesn't roll off the tongue, but I'm sure the folks in Dallas will adapt it somehow. This looks like a good deal, financially, for the team and league.

Fallout from Lalas appointment

2005-06-14T00:08:00.000-04:00

Michael Lewis over at Big Apple Soccer has a nice rundown of the teleconference yesterday announcing Alexi Lalas' appointment as Metrostars GM and President.

There was a lot of strong language thrown around that reflected disappointment with the current situation in Metro land and a strong intent to right the ship as soon as possible, if not before. The aggressiveness of the remarks coming from Tim Leiweke, in particular, makes me think that he got approval to start moving on some of those bold initiatives reportedly discussed at Anschutz's ranch last week.

It's also worth noting that there are a lot of people happy to see Nick Sakiewicz kicked out the door. Well, actually, he was kicked up the AEG foodchain a wee bit, and it appears that he'll handle the stadium project from here on out. I wish him all the best on his new endeavors as Anschutz's point man in the NYC area. He is still probably the best person to walk the Harrison project through to completion, something that -- brace yourself -- looks finally like it's going to happen. No more "60-90 days" smoke-and-mirrors!

Despite the ire most hardcore Metro supporters have for Nick, he has done a decent job on the business side of things. It's just, well, he's been horrible with player management (he's had help on this front, obviously) and community relations. As long as he's kept away from these two aspects of the franchise, which seems to be the case, then all's well.

I think this is going to be a very positive move, and this isn't just the hopeful Metro fan in me speaking. Lalas has ties to the area, and an enthusiasm that will help the team rebrand itself over the next two seasons. It's unclear what precise changes will come about in the short term (I wouldn't predict too many), but by next season you will probably see a different attitude on the pitch, in the executive boxes, and in the stands. Something, of course, which is direly needed.

What's on the front burner

2005-06-13T18:09:00.000-04:00

Here are Week 11 reports from MLS play on Saturday and Sunday.

Ives Galarcep reports that Nick Sakiewicz is out as President and GM of the Metrostars, to be replaced by Alexi Lalas. Galarcep adds that this could "signal a conclusion to the team's hunt for a soccer-specific stadium. Sources say that AEG has finalized a funding agreement with the state of New Jersey, paving the way for the construction of a stadium in the town of Harrison." It also could be a hint that San Jose has been sold by AEG, possibly to Club America.

DC United may be playing Chelsea in a July 28 exhibition at RFK. Chelsea will likely face AC Milan in two other games elsewhere in the US around the same time.

The US beat Argentina 1-0 in its first U-20s World Cup game. Andrew Winner reports from the Netherlands.

Soccernet's Steve Wilson and Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger preview WC06's dress rehearsal, the FIFA Confederations Cup, which is set to kick off in Germany on Wednesday.

Liverpool's into next season's UEFA Champions League, formally. They will have a huge mountain to climb if they wish to successfully defend their trophy.

Inter beat Roma 2-0 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia final. The second leg is on Wednesday in Milan. Additionally, here's a preview of the Parma vs. Bologna Serie A Playoff, with legs scheduled for June 14 and 18.

Real Betis won the King's Cup in Spain over the weekend, beating Osasuna 2-1.

Glazer's plan for Man U

2005-06-13T18:04:00.000-04:00

The London Times got a hold of documents that purport to detail Malcolm Glazer's business plan for Manchester United. The main details:

Manchester United ticket prices are to rise by 54 per cent within five years, under plans by Malcolm Glazer, the club’s new owner, to boost club revenues to £246 million by 2010.

Previously unseen documents shown to The Times indicate that the American tycoon is also planning to increase the cost of attending Champions League matches by as much as 25 per cent from next year.

The plans are likely to fuel fears that United ticket prices will move beyond the reach of ordinary fans, and come as the Office of Fair Trading considers intervening in Mr Glazer’s £790 million takeover to protect United followers from what might be soaring prices.

...The documents also indicate that Mr Glazer is likely to have agreed a deal with the bankers that could make it difficult for United to sign more top stars such as Wayne Rooney, who cost them £27 million. Under the terms of the debt contract, the amount of money United have to spend on transfers has been set at £25 million a year, excluding receipts from player sales, over the next five years, although a further £25 million in total can be spent over that period.

Further analysis from the Times, here and here.

On a side note, this story broke on Friday. I headed over to the Times' football section, but it was nowhere to be found. Instead, it was deemed page one material. Football sure is important over in merry ol' England.

U-20s coming up

2005-06-09T12:39:00.000-04:00

The US squad is gearing up for the U-20 World Cup, which starts this weekend in the Netherlands.

USA Today profiles star players Freddy and Eddie, and throws in a handy reference sheet for American viewing audiences:

The World Youth Championships for under-20 teams take place Friday through July 5 in the Netherlands. The USA is among the field of 24 and is in what many consider the most difficult group.

Saturday: vs. Argentina, 11:30 a.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel and Telefutura. The match replays on FSC at 8 p.m. Argentina has won three of the last five world championships and four overall.

June 14: vs. Germany, 2:30 p.m. ET, FSC and Galavision. The match replays on FSC at 11 p.m. The youth team has filled the full German national team with stars, who eliminated from the USA in the 2002 World Cup.

June 18: vs. Egypt, 7:30 a.m. ET, FSC and Galavision. The match replays on FSC at noon and 4 p.m. Egypt finished third in this tournament in 2001.

After group play is completed among the six, four-team groups, 16 teams will advance to the second round that will be followed by knockout play (one-game elimination). The Americans had their best finish, fourth place, in 1989.

New DCU owners, soon

2005-06-09T12:36:00.000-04:00

Chalk up another sale for Mr. Anschutz:

A local group that includes D.C. United President Kevin Payne is close to a deal to purchase the Major League Soccer team's operating rights from Colorado billionaire Philip F. Anschutz, soccer officials said yesterday.

Details of the negotiations have been kept quiet as talks intensified in recent weeks. But those close to the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said plans are in place to announce the sale within the month.

...according to representatives from other Anschutz-run teams, AEG officials have told them that the United deal is all but done and would be announced shortly. The price is estimated at around $20 million. Investors who operate MLS's expansion teams, Dave Checketts of Real Salt Lake and Jorge Vergara of Los Angeles-based Chivas USA, paid a $10 million fee last year.

And on a related front, the San Antonio autopsy has begun.

Women Kick Iran's Ban to the Curb

2005-06-09T12:34:00.000-04:00

I thought this was a pretty cool story.

US 3, Panama 0

2005-06-09T12:32:00.000-04:00

NYT: "U.S. Makes Reservations for Germany." They made it look easy last night.

Other WCQs summarized, here.

MLS shifts focus to Canada?

2005-06-08T18:35:00.000-04:00

While MLS looks dead in San Antonio, it may have new life in formerly "slam dunk" Toronto.

Cletus & EJ

2005-06-08T18:33:00.000-04:00

If you're looking to check out what the new Striker Magazine is like, test the waters with these profiles of Clint Mathis and Eddie Johnson.

Off to Panama City

2005-06-08T18:32:00.000-04:00

Here's Marc Connolly's preview of today's US vs. Panama qualifier.

As far as I know, the game is not being broadcast on English language TV in the US. It's supposed to be tape-delayed on Telemundo at 11:30pm EST, though.

Rich get richer thanks to Abramovich effect

2005-06-08T18:30:00.000-04:00

From the London Times:

The true inflationary impact on English football of Roman Abramovich’s takeover of Chelsea is revealed today by a benchmark study that shows player costs in the professional leagues rising past the £1 billion mark in the Russian billionaire’s first full season of ownership.

Wages and net transfers in the 2003-04 season across the four divisions were £1.049 billion compared with £852 million the previous season, according to Deloitte and Touche’s annual review of football finance. It is the first time that player costs have exceeded £1 billion and is a phenomenon caused by Chelsea’s record spending spree in pursuit of the Barclays Premiership title.

To put the sum into context, it eclipses the gross domestic products, on an exchange rate basis, of Lesotho and Mauritania, the African countries that together comprise about five million people. The £786 million in wages alone paid to 2,347 professional footballers is roughly equivalent to the estimated GDP this year of Mongolia. Of that sum, £583 million went to Premiership players.

Here are some graphics on how the figures break down in England per club and over time.

This doesn't come as much of a surprise, but I still find it disturbing. I'm not sure how people can justify the absurd amounts of money thrown around in European football, particularly in England. A certain portion of this can be attributed to the "Ambramovich effect," but the expenditures seem to be growing across the board at the top tier clubs.

MLS in SA on life support

2005-06-07T14:52:00.000-04:00

MLS in San Antonio looks more unlikely as time goes by. From the SA Express-News:

A New York financier [Andrew Murstein] interested in moving a Major League Soccer franchise to San Antonio said Monday he would look elsewhere if the city asks the team to pay rent for home games at the Alamodome.

[...]

"If I owned the team and the package is what was discussed originally, I would try to move the team to San Antonio," Murstein said. "But if a lot of the concessions are taken back, there is just too much interest from other cities to continue" to look at San Antonio.

Murstein suggested his stance is shared by MLS, which has promised the city a franchise if it produces a local ownership group and sells 5,000 season tickets by Aug. 17.

Mayoral candidate Julian Castro said last month he wants the team to pay rent. His opponent in today's runoff election, Phil Hardberger, has said the city should "scrap completely" its plan to join the MLS.

Woly for Razov

2005-06-07T14:26:00.000-04:00

The Metrostars finally pulled the trigger on a deal for Ante Razov. In exchange, they sent John Wolyniec the other way to the Crew (along with parts of an allocation).

This was a slight surprise -- not the deal for Razov, which was forecasted for weeks, but the fact that Woly was the makeweight. The rumor was that Mike Magee was going to be involved at first, then Mark Lisi's name popped up in the discussions. I consider both of them to be better players, overall, but Woly probably was more valuable to Bradley because of the comparative lack of talent he has at forward.

I support the Metros, and am happy with this deal. While Woly's improved over the past two seasons and deserves credit for transforming himself into an MLS starter, I never rated him highly. Notwithstanding his work rate, I couldn't quite understand why Bradley was infatuated with him.

Ideally, Razov will provide the spark needed up top and remain healthy while playing on the dreaded Giants Stadium turf. The Metros have gotten some wind underneath their wings of late, and hopefully they can continue to build on their success in the weeks ahead.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The Convey riddle

2005-06-07T14:25:00.000-04:00

Steven Goff on the mystery that is Bobby Convey: "How can you be good enough to play against England but not play for us?"

The "us" being, of course, Reading FC.

UEFA making room for 'Pool

2005-06-07T00:14:00.000-04:00

According to the Guardian, Liverpool's probably going to be given a chance to qualify for next season's Champions League:

Liverpool appear to be winning their battle to play in next season's Champions League, albeit starting off in the qualifying rounds. The idea of fast-tracking them into the group stages was described last night as "remote" but Uefa is looking at other ways of bending the rules and an announcement may be made as early as tomorrow.

A decision was not originally expected for another 10 days but Uefa's president Lennart Johansson has indicated he wants to bring forward the talks. He plans to canvass Uefa's executive committee members today and will ask what they think of Liverpool joining Manchester United and Everton in the qualifiers.

Some people advocated putting 'Pool into the group stages directly, but I don't think that's prudent. UEFA would be going a few extra miles simply by giving them an opportunity in the qualifiers. Hopefully some scheme can be devised whereby the Reds' inclusion doesn't unfairly punish other clubs vying for a spot among the final 32.

Best 11s

2005-06-07T00:13:00.000-04:00

Check out Goal.com's "Teams of the Season" from England, Germany, and Spain.

Following Donovan

2005-06-06T17:03:00.001-04:00

Bruce Arena often hits the mark with his comments to the press. In this NY Times profile of Landon Donovan, he does it again:

"Consistency is the key for Landon," Arena said. "I hold him to a higher standard than he holds himself, sometimes. Each and every game, he doesn't need to score goals, but he's got to have a major influence on our team. That's not asking too much of him."

What did he mean about holding Donovan to a higher standard than he held himself? Arena was asked.

"When the games are tough, we need to see Landon," Arena said. "He can't be hiding. I think this year's been up and down. He's either been very good or just O.K. And I'd like him to be good every game."

In just a few short words, Bruce captures the two most worrying aspects of Landon's play: his seeming complacency and his frequent disappearances on the field.

Donovan needs to rid himself of these traits if the US is going to have much success in Germany next year. Not to beat a dead horse, but I don't know if playing in MLS is going to do him much good in this quest.

An anniversary

2005-06-06T17:03:00.000-04:00

Three years ago, yesterday: "Mine eyes have seen the glory!"

Jack Edwards will never, ever live that down.

Fruits from ESPN

2005-06-06T17:02:00.000-04:00

Two good articles from Soccernet today:

Ernst Bouwes on the Koreans' travails in the Netherlands.

Derek Rae recounts some of the WCQs from this past weekend.

Leiweke dreaming big for MLS

2005-06-05T23:02:00.000-04:00

Today, the LA Times has an interesting article that suggests AEG is getting antsy and looking to move MLS away from an operating plan that emphasizes gradual growth and towards a more competitive, risky one.

Apparently, there's a meeting at ~~Hank Scorpio's lair~~ Philip Anschutz's ranch this week to discuss the future of the league. Tim Leiweke, the second in charge at AEG, is set to make a presentation to fellow investors that outlines dramatic changes. The LA Times describes Leiweke's scheme this way:

On the agenda is a plan to pursue big-name European players, such as Beckham, which would involve substantial new money investments by the owners. MLS leadership has resisted such a strategy to this point, citing the tactic as one of the reasons the North American Soccer League, overloaded with over-the-hill European stars, collapsed in the mid-1980s.

Other points in the plan:

• Expanding rosters to accommodate the influx of these international players.

• Forming working relationships with European clubs that would enable MLS teams to cross-market with these clubs, play exhibition matches against them and borrow players on an on-loan basis.

• Allowing teams more local control over marketing and advertising.

"We're talking about how to make the sport better, how to make the league better," Leiweke said. "We'll throw some ideas out there for everybody to consider.

"It's revolutionary thinking on how to continue to grow the league. The league is doing well. We see it out here. The Galaxy, even before Landon [Donovan's signing] but certainly with Landon, we've become a very important part of the fixture in L.A. After 10 years, that team is one of the top teams in the marketplace now. And we're proud of that.

"But we're not going to rest until the league and the sport are top two [in America]. That's what we've got to do. That's our goal. Top two."

I have no problem with looking to grow the league and get more foreign talent in the States, but Garber & Co. need to be very careful about not biting off more than they can chew. MLS could do with a bit more flash on the field, but this shouldn't come at the expense of the league's (fragile) stability or the emphasis on developing a platform for American talent.

My message to Leiweke's audience: tread with extreme caution.

The weekend round-up

2005-06-05T23:01:00.000-04:00

Man U has signed Fulham's Dutch 'keeper, Edwin van der Sar. A good move for the Red Devils and pretty much what I expected them to do: quality, short term cover in goal until Howard matures.

The US trounced Costa Rica in their WCQ match, 3-0. Here's a round-up of other qualifiers around the globe from Saturday and Sunday.

"What is it about Chelsea?" asks John Rawling in The Guardian. "If they are not yet the most loathed football club in British football, they pretty soon will be the way things are going." First there was the Ashley Cole "tapping up"; now the Blues have moved for Spurs' director of football, Frank Arnesen.

Check out this interview with Ronaldinho from the OSM. Good read.

I haven't been able to catch much MLS action this weekend, as usual. Here's what went down.

ESPN has reportedly struck a new deal to air US national team matches.

Codey hot and bothered

2005-06-03T01:04:00.001-04:00

New Jersey's acting Governor, Richard J. Codey, is all upset that the US National Anthem wasn't played before the England-Colombia match on Tuesday.

Somebody please buy this guy a clue. Or, better yet, tell him to concentrate on other stuff, like getting that Harrison stadium built.

English silly season

2005-06-03T01:02:00.000-04:00

The Independent's Jason Burt previews the EPL's summer transfer season.

Ticos ahoy

2005-06-03T00:58:00.000-04:00

Marc Connolly looks forward to the US-Costa Rica qualifier on Saturday.

English tour aftermath

2005-06-02T18:02:00.000-04:00

Regarding England's much-maligned tour of the US, I don't have too much to say that you can't find expressed elsewhere. Choice remarks come from Marc Connolly, Jen Chang, and the BBC's John May.

The US-England match was mediocre, but nonetheless provided a few bright rays of sunshine. For England, Kieran Richardson got two nice goals for the Three Lions and looks to be worth a run out for Manchester United next season every once in a while to spell Giggs. If he was a right footed player, I'd tell you not to expect to see him in an England shirt too much in the future. But with England's notorious problems on the left, it makes for an entirely different situation.

The only other English players that I thought performed well against the Yanks were Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. The former made no mistakes on the ball and showed great positioning throughout the match; the latter showcased his exceptional ability to dribble at people and create all sorts of problems for defenses. Of all the youngsters who appeared in Chicago, they're the ones I would say best improved their chances for making the WC06 squad (Cole's pretty much a lock anyway).

For the US, Clint Dempsey had a good second half, topped off by his goal. His first half was full of deer in the headlights moments. Cory Gibbs went toe-to-toe with the English lads and didn't back down. He was probably the strongest player on the field for the US, both tactically and physically. Eddie Pope, on the other hand, looked to be well on the downward slope of his international career. I noticed one poster on Big Soccer labelled the RSL defender, "WC06's Jeff Agoos." Let's hope not, but Saturday's performance doesn't instill confidence.

Up front, Landon Donovan needs to work on his finishing. It looked like he was pressing too much during the match. Josh Wolff looked dangerous going forward on the left a number of times, but his inability to get off any quality shots or passes once he pierced the 18 was embarrassing.

I also got a chance to catch the England-Colombia match in person at Giants Stadium. England played better overall, and was clearly boosted by the likes of Beckham and Owen. Colombia looked disorganized, particularly at the back (it's worth noting that Ivan Cordoba didn't play and Yepes was caught going forward quite a bit). All three English goals came about because of ridiculously poor marking. Props to Owen, though, whose finishing was clinical on each service.

All in all, I don't think much was gained out of the English tour for any of the competing sides. The US got a runabout before this weekend's qualifiers, which I guess is a good thing. But Arena doesn't have much to show for the game, except perhaps providing Dempsey with some top flight experience. In England's case, Eriksson learned that he needs to pay attention to Crouch, Jenas, Zat Knight, Richardson, and Carrick some more. I don't think he needed to come across the pond to do that, though. As for Colombia, I doubt they got much out of their lone game, either. I am admittedly less fluent in their squad that showed up at Giants Stadium, but I don't think the game will do much to improve their confidence ahead of the upcoming CONMEBOL matches.

So, my conclusion is that England's tour was a wash. It probably made sponsors happy and netted some revenue for the participating sides, but it did little to boost their prospects on the field. At a personal level, I enjoyed the one game I was able to see live. My evening was even topped off by an amazing, last-gasp Amado Guevara goal against the Fire, so I can't complain.

Catch up

2005-06-02T18:01:00.000-04:00

I was away from the internet for a bit, so that explains the lack of posting. Here's some of the goings-on from the last few days.

To my slight surprise, Totti's pledged his future to Roma for what looks like the rest of his career.
Ashley Cole's taken a significant rap on the knuckles for his "tapping up" by Chelsea. Steve Wilson again speculates that this could have Bosman-like implications.
James Richardson closes out Serie A. Fiorentina survived, while Brescia and Atalanta go down. Parma is set to play Bologna in a June two-leg tie to determine the third squad to be relegated.
Likewise, Phil Ball drops the curtain on La Liga. And, yes, you read that right. Diego Forlan ends the season ahead of Eto'o as top scorer in Spain.
Some Liverpool supporters recount their magic night in Istanbul last week for the Observer.
Soccernet's Dan Brennan: "The Russians are coming..."
The Inter-Zapatista romance continues. Here's the latest exchange of letters.
Man U currently has only one GK on its roster following the release of Carroll and Ricardo. Good news or bad news for Timmy? Recall what I had to say last month (as if it matters).
Munich's Allianz Arena made its debut over the weekend. Check out some pics via the official website.
The FIFA U-20 World Youth Championship will soon be underway. Some of the games will be broadcast on Spanish language TV in the US, so check your listings.
Freddy Adu just turned 16.
The KC Star reports that the "Wizards' only known bidder remains in a holding pattern." Andrew Murstein is yet to receive word from Lamar Hunt about his $15M bid for the franchise.
Rongen out, Westerhof in for head coach of Chivas USA.

Growing pains for Adu and Nowak

2005-05-26T12:54:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post's Mike Wise notes trouble afoot in Freddyland.

Wise isn't a regular commentator on soccer, and it shows through in his piece. It's awkward and full of fluff. Still, it contains a few snippets that raise some eyebrows.

Adu apparently has had a falling out with DC United's coach, Peter Novak, who gave the teenage star a tongue lashing in front of the rest of the team following their loss to the Revolution two weeks ago. Adu hasn't spoken to Novak since.

To add to the sense of crisis, Wise indicates that Trevor Moawad, Freddy's mental-conditioning coach from Bradenton's IMG Academy, is "very worried about Freddy's state of mind." Moawad's gone so far as to line up "a bevy of IMG clients to speak on Freddy's behalf" with Novak in order to rectify the row.

American fans shouldn't panic yet. The situation Novak and Adu find themselves in is a sticky one. Wise floats the idea of trading Adu to the Metrostars and even having Freddy's mom sit down for a heart-to-heart with the DC coach. Both of those ideas are horrible. Just let this play itself out, for now. Freddy may be a teenager, but he needs to learn how to be a pro and deal with problems like this with little outside interference.

US tour a waste of time

2005-05-26T12:51:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, I'll have to agree with Dominic Raynor:

With an absentee list that reads like the regular England line-up and a squad that can be only kindly termed 'experimental', just what does Sven-Goran Eriksson hope to achieve during England's current two-match tour of the USA?

According to the FA 'this tour has always been an opportunity for Sven and the coaching staff to look at some new players a year before the World Cup in Germany'.

Well at the risk of labouring a point, may I reiterate once more the suggestion that the England manager, and the FA, attempt to do that during the regular season friendlies that have been so devalued, undermined and misused.

And schedule the rare opportunities to play non-European sides at an appropriate time to further the experience of England's regulars.

No matter how the FA attempts to package this tour, it remains a waste of time. The Premiership managers know it, England's regulars know it and that's why every conceivable excuse for not travelling half-way around the world has been rolled out by the aforementioned parties.

It'll be nice to see England line up against the US, but the game serves no true purpose. I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt when it was first announced, but the match makes little sense looking at the rosters now, particularly from England's point of view. Fans who are shelling out significant amounts of money for tix and/or travel arrangements to Chicago are likely to be disappointed, too.

Ataturk disappointing

2005-05-25T23:06:00.000-04:00

Interesting note from the Guardian:

Fears that the Ataturk Olympic Stadium would prove unfit to stage a Champions League final appeared justified last night as the approach of the biggest game in European club football exposed the failings of the white elephant facility.

Built as part of Turkey's vain efforts to stage a convincing Olympic bid, the lack of adequate infrastructure and basic preparations left Uefa officials sweating as kick-off approached and privately embarrassed at the choice of venue, made two years ago by its executive board.

Turkey in Red

2005-05-25T23:05:00.000-04:00

There are some great images from Istanbul, here.

Liverpool wins the CL!

2005-05-25T19:32:00.000-04:00

Unbelievable. I was this close to turning off the TV at halftime, and I'm sure glad I didn't. I think Man U's victory over Bayern in '99 was more traumatic because of the bang-bang nature of the Sheringham and Solskjaer goals at the end of full time, but this was probably the more remarkable of the two Finals, overall.

I'll try to avoid hyperbole, and assume that most reports will express how different the two halves were, as well as the match's rollercoaster qualities. With that in mind, my quickly-jotted-down thoughts:

Kewell's selection burned 'Pool in the first half. This was less because of the Australian's play or quick substitution due to injury, and more because of the sort of tactical decisions that flowed from his inclusion.

For one, I didn't like the idea of leaving Baros up top alone against Stam and Nesta. The Czech did an admirable job trying to get some knock ons, but it's expecting too much of a single striker against those two mountains. Yes, 'Pool has been doing this throughout the CL, but it doesn't make sense to sacrifice a forward and still not beef up your defense. They needed Hamann or Biscan to slow down Kaka, who was given license to stroll through the center of the pitch in the first 45. Worse still, leaving the ball winning duties to Gerrard and Alonso only neutralized their creative play, and kept Liverpool on their back feet.

Credit to Benitez who went to a back three at the break by throwing on Hamann for Finnan. Rafa could have just as easily kept the status quo in order to avoid embarrassment, which is precisely where the match seemed headed. I don't think anybody would have criticized him for it, either.

Milan's counterattack looked potentially lethal throughout the game. They had something like 6 or 7 extremely dangerous chances in the first half that were either called back for offsides or barely defused by a dissheveled Liverpool back four. When the Rossoneri could get a break in the second half, which was far less often, they looked to be on the brink of pulling this one out.

In the first half, Hyypia's organization was horrible. Finnan and Traore looked like scared rabbits running around in circles. Carragher was sluggish, but as far as I could tell not the weak link. To make up for it, he pushed himself to the limit in the second, and perhaps even beyond that.

This may seem trite, but I thought the key point in the match was the way Gerrard reacted after his goal. He could have just went back to the center circle and calmly urged his mates to remain focused and plug on. Instead, he got physically riled up, which appeared to reignite everyone in Red -- from supporters to players -- when the game still looked far out of reach.

Generally speaking, Stevie played his heart out, as usual. His defensive work on the right side during the game's last 50 minutes kept Liverpool in the game. Man of the match. He's going nowhere this summer.

Milan has a gripe about Smicer's goal, which came in the run of play following an obvious offside that referee Mejuto González discounted. From the match commentary I've seen, I'm surprised more people aren't raising this issue.

Dudek was shaky throughout the game, but his Grobbelaar-esque performance in the shootout and his Herculean efforts to deny Shevchenko in extra time will put him in Anfield's Hall of Fame.

Ironically, all of those players on the pitch for Liverpool who are leaving this offseason had exceptional games: Smicer, Hamann, and Dudek. Baros less so. Kewell? Eh, he doesn't count.

Both sides were winded in extra time, but the Reds clearly looked the more desperate of the two. PKs couldn't come quick enough.

As for Milan, Shevchenko's PK miss tips his performance from mediocre to poor. Kaka was awesome in the first half, nowhere to be seen in the second. Crespo looked consistently dangerous, and his second goal was pure class. Stam and Maldini were solid throughout. For better or worse, nobody else in white stood out to me.

I think Ancelotti is gone. There already was griping going on before this game about his job performance. Milan's collapse in Serie A and the CL (remember they were lucky to get by PSV) will see him out the door.

Liverpool has to be let into the CL next year. It would be criminal to keep them out.

This game should have made every neutral smile. How could you not pull for the Merseysiders?

Stewart retires

2005-05-24T13:25:00.000-04:00

Earnie Stewart's hanging up his boots. He's been playing in Holland for the last year with VVV Venlo, and is set to take over as technical director there.

MLS' low jersey sales

2005-05-24T13:23:00.000-04:00

Saw something interesting in a backgrounder on Malcolm Glazer from the Tampa Bay Business Journal:

Sales of team jerseys tracked by SportScan Info show that fans in the United States have bought about 2,500 Man U jerseys so far this year -- more than all MLS teams combined, and even outselling baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Ack. That can't be true, can it? That's pretty darn low.

Down to Serie B?

2005-05-24T13:19:00.000-04:00

Amazingly, nine Serie A clubs are still potential relegation victims going into the last matchday of the season.

Blurbs from the weekend

2005-05-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

The countdown to the Champions League final has commenced. Check out UEFA.com for some features as Wednesday draws near.
Man U played better football for 120 minutes, but Arsenal won the FA Cup on PKs Saturday. Tough luck for the Red Devils, who definitely need to work on their finishing in the offseason.
The Glazers are set to start their "charm offensive" aimed towards disgruntled Man U supporters, says the London Times. Meanwhile, the Independent speculates about a potential "Man USA."
Dramatically, Celtic lost its final match of the season to Motherwell. This handed the SPL title to Rangers, which has to sting like a f&^$er. Martin O'Neill is also rumored to be on his way out of Glasgow.
Ruud Gullit's already out at Feyenoord.
Milan handed Juventus the Scudetto by drawing with Palermo on Friday. Antonio Labbate looks back on the Old Lady's season. "All hail the Don," too.
"Pathetico Madrid." Hehehe. That's catchy.
Lyon's midfield dynamo Michael Essien won France's Player of the Year award, which is decided by the country's National Union of Professional Footballers. Like last year's winner, Didier Drogba, I expect Essien to be in England next season. Not necessarily at Chelsea, though.
In upcoming-friendlies-in-the-US news: 1) the England roster has been substantially revised; 2) Intriguingly, David Beckham picked up a card this weekend that will rule him out for Real Madrid's last game of the season. Some thought this might free him up to play in Chicago, but Eriksson has since ruled that out; 3) The US squad has undergone a shake-up as well, with Zavagnin and Pope set to take the place of Mastroeni and Onyewu; 4) Colombia's roster for the England game at Giants Stadium has been announced.
Look who's back from the dead: Diego Forlan. I can hear Man U fans grinding their teeth at the news that he's second in goals in La Liga with 23, just behind Eto'o.
Another one back from the dead is John O'Brien, the former Ajax player and US international. Marc Connolly sat down for an interview with him.
I didn't pay much attention to MLS this weekend. Here's the usual round-up and pointy observations from Footballs Are Round!
US Soccer UK relays a couple of disparate items, including news that San Antonio's city council has given the thumbs up on $2.9M to improve the Alamodome for MLS. This prompted a positive, but nonetheless lukewarm response from Doug Garber, who stated, "The improvements should help make the venue more attractive for future events, whether or not an MLS team becomes a primary tenant." Check the link for other news about US players here and abroad.
MLS in Milwaukee? Maybe...
Looks like Mike Petke's going from DCU to the Rapids in a deal that will probably also include the Crew. This follows on last week's move by the Rapids that sent Mark Chung to San Jose.

CD

2005-05-20T15:32:00.000-04:00

Here's a good, extended profile of Clint Dempsey of the NE Revolution from the Boston Globe.

Wembley progress

2005-05-20T15:28:00.000-04:00

The Guardian has some nice pictures of the construction underway on the new Wembley Stadium.

Barca shirt sponsor

2005-05-20T15:27:00.000-04:00

It looks like the deal is almost finalized to turn over FC Barcelona's formerly unscathed jersey to a sponsor. Starting next season, the Catalans will be hawking the 2008 Olympics in Beijing across their chests.

FA Cup Final

2005-05-20T15:23:00.000-04:00

The FA Cup Final pitting Manchester United against Arsenal is tomorrow. I don't think the game is on FSC, although I'm not 100% sure. It might be PPV.

In any case, I'll hopefully be listening in via the web broadcast on The FA's website. The game starts at 10AM EST.

Looking forward

2005-05-19T13:50:00.000-04:00

With the end of the European footballing calendar nearly upon us, the silly season of transfer rumors, wanton speculation, and hopeless conjecture is starting to warm up.

Some people find this sort of stuff fun, perhaps because it fills the time until September. Unfortunately, I don't.

So I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the blog once the season is over. Yes, MLS continues and the summer features some highlights (Confederations Cup, WC qualifiers), but it's usually a pretty barren time for news and views. I suppose I could keep up with the major transfers and all, but that might become a bit tedious.

Just giving a heads up, that's all.

Landon chat

2005-05-19T13:49:00.000-04:00

Landon Donovan appeared in a chat on the USA Today website and the transcript makes for an interesting read.

I'll refrain from commenting on it, but it's always fun to see the contradictory interpretations flow over at Big Soccer.

Mr. Garber goes to Washington

2005-05-19T13:42:00.000-04:00

Hehehe. "Maximum Don."

Becks, Owen officially out for Chi-Town

2005-05-19T13:33:00.000-04:00

Real Madrid won't be releasing Beckham and Owen early so they can play against the US in Chicago.

This is not what I expected and, frankly, I don't think it makes a lot of sense for any of the parties involved.

RM may not want to risk their assets, but I think the ancillary benefits of having their stars suit up against the US would be worth it. Unless, that is, Perez and company would rather save up the media exposure for the US exhibitions RM is looking to play in July.

CSKA wins UEFA Cup

2005-05-19T13:29:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to CSKA Moscow, which became the first Russian club to lift European silverware with its 3-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Cup final. Here's the match report from UEFA.com.

Football at Cannes

2005-05-17T23:30:00.000-04:00

Here's an AFP story on it.

Glazer's a fish out of water

2005-05-17T23:27:00.000-04:00

FSC's Bobby McMahon isn't too optimistic about Glazer's prospects in Manchester:

Doubtless Malcolm Glazer has a business plan for Manchester United but without major trophies being lofted at Old Trafford on a regular basis the plan will be as much use as screen doors on a submarine. The Glazer family's sport experience is in the socialist environment of North America where failure isn't punished but actually rewarded.

Failure doesn't cut it in the shark-invested waters of top-class European football where you are only as good as your last season. If United win successive FA Cups on Saturday the truth is still that the last two seasons have not been very good.

The Toronto Maple Leaf business model of gouging fans while showing no ambition to win the Stanley Cup will not work at United or any another self-respecting European football team.

Malcolm Glazer has vastly overpaid for a team that needs investment, not debt in order to compete with the likes of Chelsea, Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The move to buy Manchester United doesn't make financial sense and it doesn't make football sense. It will turn into a disaster.

Denis Campbell strikes a similar, ominous note in the Guardian.

Timmy speaks

2005-05-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

Here's an interview Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl conducted with Tim Howard on the heels of his recently signed extension with Man U.

The excerpts I found most interesting:

SI.com: Is there any chance you might be loaned somewhere else next season, and would you be open to that if United brought it up?

Howard: When you're talking about Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager knows best. He's been in the game such a long time, and he's such an intelligent manager. I don't think that's the case, but if that were brought up and that was something he thought was necessary, I'd completely trust his judgment. But I don't think that's the case at this point in time. The club and I are well aware that as long as I put things right, we'll go forward and I can be where I want to be.

So no on a loan move, then.

SI.com: Switching gears to the U.S. national team, what's your status these days, and have you spoken recently to head coach Bruce Arena?

Howard: I'm certainly in the mix, battling and competing. Bruce and I have spoken about my current situation. I've been dealing with some shoulder injuries. Predominantly my left shoulder, but it's actually both. I saw a specialist, and there's bone rubbing on bone causing pain. So much so that I've had trouble sleeping, and it causes pain in training and matches. So I need to get those rested and sorted out, because if not then I'll need surgery, and that's the last thing I want. We're going to try rest and maybe an anti-inflammatory injection, so that puts me out of the next three U.S. matches [a friendly against England on May 28 and upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Panama].

Otherwise I would have been involved for those three matches. In terms of my status as a starter or not, I don't know. I know for certain I'd be involved. Then going forward to the Gold Cup [July 7-24], we are back in preseason training with Man United on June 25. So that puts me out of the Gold Cup.

Out for the summer. This won't help his bid to overtake Keller or hold off Marcus Hahnemann. Then again...

SI.com: I know you want to be the No. 1 U.S. 'keeper at the World Cup one year from now. Hypothetically, what would need to happen between now and then in your mind to get in that position?

Howard: When it comes to positions with the national team, particularly in the World Cup, it's about who's playing on a regular basis and who's in form. I hope that that's the way it plays out -- because politics does play a part, and there's no sense in hiding that. Yet I'm hopeful politics won't play a part and the best goalkeeper playing at the time will play. But I don't make the decisions, I just try and help them along.

I'm not sure how to interpet this. The "politics" bit sounds more like something Friedel would have said.

All in all, a good interview by Wahl. He asked the important questions and Howard handled them well.

ChampionsWorld taken over by MLS

2005-05-17T12:20:00.000-04:00

Jack Bell reports in the NY Times:

Major League Soccer's marketing company, Soccer United Marketing, yesterday completed the acquisition of the name, logo, Web site and contracts of ChampionsWorld, a bankrupt outfit based in New Jersey that promoted North American tours of European clubs the past two summers.

MLS supporters who were frustrated with ChampionsWorld's apparent lack of respect for the league will probably find this a welcome development.

What it means long term, though, I'm not sure. Past history suggests more exhibitions featuring foreign clubs in the US...

Zapatistas woo Inter

2005-05-17T00:09:00.000-04:00

Inter vs. the Zapatistas? It could happen, if Javier Zanetti gets his way.

Tough adjustment

2005-05-17T00:05:00.000-04:00

What next for the three relegated Premiership sides? The BBC peers into the future.

Serie A down to the wire

2005-05-17T00:03:00.000-04:00

James Richardson reports on happenings in Italy, where Juve's on the brink of capturing the league, Milan looks exhausted ahead of the CL Final, and an amazing 11 clubs are still candidates for relegation with two weeks to go in the season. He also narrates the apparently miserable Roma-Lazio derby:

Sunday's meeting of these two Roman sides - who between them have mustered a terrific one victory in the last two-and-a-half months - was billed in the capital as the Derby of Fear. Frightening it certainly turned out to be; the kick-off saw Roma's stand-in captain Antonio Cassano stun Lazio with a crafty flick to release Mancini, who fired on goal - only for Angelo Peruzzi to tip it wide. And that was it. Twenty-three seconds in, the only shot of the entire match. Roma and Lazio spent the entire remaining 89 minutes and 37 seconds (plus stoppage time) huffing and puffing but doing absolutely nothing to win the game, as the clock wound down and the fans wound up. It finished with the teams' sharing the points, 0-0.

Not surprisingly, the 70,000 crowd - who'd turned up expecting a real Derby, like the 3-1 back in January - took a dim view of this, uniting as the second half wore on in chants of 'idiots, idiots', 'what are we doing here', and 'can this game be suspended too?'. Eventually Lazio's Curva Nord (whose banner midweek at training had read 'there are two ways to return from battle; with your enemies head or without your own') simply turned their backs on the spectacle en masse.

Ah, the Roman faithful. Even when they're not battling the police outside Stadio Olimpico, assaulting Totti on the pitch, giving Fascist salutes to Di Canio, or hitting referees in the head with missiles, they can be counted on to provide some kind of colorful display.

Quick hits

2005-05-16T13:05:00.000-04:00

Tim Howard has signed an extension at Man U that will keep him there until 2009.
WBA escaped EPL relegation at the weekend, while Norwich, Crystal Palace, and Southampton are set to go down next season.
Nick Webster wraps up the concluded EPL season.
Bruce Arena has named his squad for the England friendly. Surprise call-ups include the oft-injured John O'Brien, DC United midfielder Clyde Simms, and Zach Thornton of the Fire.
Barca has won La Liga for the first time in six years. Phil Ball revisits their marvellous season.
US Soccer UK summarizes week 7 of MLS, while Footballs Are Round! serves up some additional thoughts.

Money spent...

2005-05-14T13:15:00.000-04:00

Soccernet's Norman Hubbard offers his list of the best and worst transfers in the EPL this season.

Football, Inc.

2005-05-14T13:14:00.001-04:00

I thought this post over at blogfc.com hit pretty close to the mark:

There seems to be a large amount of schadenfreude regarding the takeover of Manchester United by Malcom Glazer, but I can’t take any pleasure in it myself because this is just the latest chapter in the corporatisation of the sport.

The Manchester United supporters groups are doing all they can to resist, but their claims that football is a special case have no grounds; once a company becomes a PLC, as United did, the only legal obligation they have is to their shareholders. Morality is actively prohibited by the charter of incorporation if it means reduced profit.

United are a victim of their own success; now a global brand, they are big money - and big money attracts predators like Glazer. And in order to recoup his investment, money will have to be squeezed from the externalities of the business - mainly, the fans. Ticket prices were already set to rise by around 25% in some cases next season, and you can expect to see that continue. If the original fanbase can’t pay it, there are plenty who will.

...PLCs don’t care about customers (much less fans), they care about keeping the numbers up. McDonalds don’t make most of their profit selling hamburgers, they make it buying property and leasing it to franchisers, who are also locked into an exclusive provision deal for food and equipment; hamburgers are just a way for the franchiser to afford his rent. Similarly, Football Club PLC makes its money from TV, merchandising and investment - the 40-50,000 fans in the stadium just facilitate those transactions.

So what’s the way to defeat a PLC? Take away its profit. Don’t go to games, don’t watch on Sky, don’t buy merchandise. Do that for a whole season and you’ll see how fast changes get made. But it takes a concerted effort from everyone to make it work; you have to make a big dent in revenue to get a corporation to hear you.

I wish the Manchester United fans all the best in their fight, and will give my support if I can. And anyone who laughs at them now, let’s see how hard you’re laughing five years down the line.

What began in most places around the world as a working class game that fostered communal bonds and, at times, a blinding tribalism is quickly turning into one more manifestation of late capitalism. All of the big boys now view themselves less as clubs and more as brands eager to penetrate untapped markets in Asia and the US. To them, the action on the pitch is becoming relevant so much as it keeps worldwide interest and profits high.

Am I exaggerating? Yeah, a bit. But if the elites of football view their game as just another entertainment product to be marketed and distributed around the globe, that is precisely what it will become. And in that case it won't matter too much if local support erodes or the traditional fanbase loses touch with the club. Yes, the stands need to be kept full, but this will be important mostly to maintain the quality of the "product" inside the stadium (what's traditionally been called "atmosphere"). The old supporters may stay home, but an adequate expansion of the fanbase will more than make up for it.

Glazer may deserve the ire of Man U supporters, but it's important to keep his actions in context. What's going on at Old Trafford is a window into a larger phenomenon that's shaping our world, spinning old institutions into unrecognizable ones with a speed and furor that hasn't been seen before.

Fans need to realize that with the glamour and glitz of a media-saturated, globalized game comes tradeoffs. And those tradeoffs include an erosion of a club's local bonds, along with an explosion of inequality and instability in the sport as a whole. They also threaten to make football less a participatory experience that expresses some kind of collective spirit and more an object of passive consumption. Some cynics will say it's always been this way, and supporters have always mistaken their club's gratitude for their money as their hearts. I disagree.

What made football so special to so many people has been undergoing a rapid transformation in the last decade plus. The oft-invoked "passion" of the game is being replaced by "brand loyalty," a fitting metaphor for the times. It's yet to be seen whether this sort of sentiment can propel the sport through the 21st century with a comparable amount of meaning and vitality that we witnessed in the last one. At this point, I wouldn't bet on it.

Murstein interview

2005-05-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

FSC's Sean Wheelock sat down for an interview with potential MLS owner Andrew Murstein. Main points:

Murstein's interest in MLS is very recent. Dave Checketts really sold him on MLS as, above all, a sound business opportunity
Buying KC is still an option, but he seems to be warming to the idea of an expansion team. He drops New York, Houston, San Antonio, and Rochester as potential locales. It's interesting to see Rochester back in the mix.
Still trying to pry the Cosmos name from Peppe Pinton...
Claims to be interested in MLS for the long haul ("I hope to be involved in the sport for the next 30 years")
Actually says he likes MLS' single-entity format

Glazer fallout

2005-05-13T08:56:00.000-04:00

The British media, predictably, is going apeshit over Malcolm Glazer's seizure of Man United.

A sampling of some of the coverage:

Sir Alex may retire (the stock story everytime anything of import happens at Old Trafford)
Glazer's "not the disease but an extremely unedifying symptom," says the Independent's James Lawton
"Glazer is a predator that all of English football must resist. This man will damage our national game," says the Telegraph's Henry Winter
Amusingly, the Tampa Bay Bucs have turned into a crystal ball of sorts for Man U analysts
In what is the odds on favorite for biggest-move-to-come for Glazer, the EPL's existing TV deal could be attacked to drum up new funds
Red Devil supporters will likely have to pay more out of pocket in the future, while facing what the BBC calls other "nightmare" scenarios

Becks & Owen still possible for US match

2005-05-12T18:24:00.000-04:00

This is new. Sven-Goran Eriksson held a conference call with the American media today and left open the door for Beckham and Owen to play in Chicago against the US:

Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham and forward Michael Owen will be available for the second match but might miss the first because the final games of the Spanish league season are that weekend.

"I might try if I see that Real Madrid is out of winning the league, try to take them for both games," Eriksson said. "But that's nothing I can do anything about today. I have to wait at least one week to do that."

So if Barça wraps up La Liga this week, I'll go out on a limb and predict Real Madrid will let Beckham and Owen go. Presuming he's healthy, it just makes too much business sense for Beckham, in particular, to be on the field in Chicago. Adidas and all of his sponsors have to be clamoring for that to happen.

Real Madrid could even justify an early release for the England stars as helping to boost their own "brand" in the US, however indirectly. After all, that seems to be Florentino Perez's central concern of late.

Baseball World Cup

2005-05-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

Not soccer-specific news, but interesting nonetheless: baseball's getting its own version of the World Cup, an 18-day tournament being branded the "World Baseball Classic."

The NY Times sketches out the proposal:

[Next] March, by invitation, 16 teams will play four-team round-robin tournaments at four sites. Although details were not announced yesterday, one group is expected to play in Japan, one perhaps in Puerto Rico and two in the United States, one in Florida, one in Arizona.

The top two teams in each group will advance to the next round of eight teams, which will also be a round-robin and played in major league parks at warm-weather sites. The top four teams will play single-elimination semifinals in the United States, and the final will follow. The date being contemplated for the final is March 20.

The most attractive feature of the World Baseball Classic is that major leaguers will play to determine which of their homelands, not which team, is best.

I'm not sure what it means for MLB's spring training, but this is a pretty significant development. It could be a major shot in the arm for baseball's flagging prospects, particularly at the international level.

The soccer and, more recently, basketball elites have learned of the enormous revenue potentials of a thoroughly globalized sport, something that MLB's brass has been extremely slow to pick up on. This tournament could change that for good.

Glazer bid launched

2005-05-12T09:52:00.000-04:00

Malcolm Glazer's started his takeover of Manchester United.

This should make for an interesting few weeks, as the American tycoon is opposed rather vociferously by many supporters of the Red Devils.

SA cooling down

2005-05-12T09:50:00.000-04:00

Two stories from the SA Express-News worth mentioning today: one deals with Garza's revised (and paired down) MLS proposal, the other with the absurdity of the potential Saints relocation.

According to the first, Garza proposes that the city now spends only $2.74 million on improvements to the Alamodome and scuttles the related youth-development and field construction projects. This is likely to be met with scorn from MLS, and I suspect it will kill the league's interest in SA.

Even Garza appears to see the writing on the wall. "While this new plan is politically acceptable [for San Antonio], it may not be acceptable to the MLS," he said.

The second piece more or less reiterates what I said yesterday: the Saints ain't coming to Texas and the suggestion they might is a calculated political ploy by Hardberger and McCombs.

England set for US

2005-05-12T09:47:00.000-04:00

England's announced their squad for the tour of the US later this month:

GK
Green (Norwich)
Carson (Liverpool)
James (Manchester City)
DF
Campbell (Arsenal)
Upson (Birmingham)
Brown (Manchester United)
G. Neville (Manchester United)
A. Cole (Arsenal)
P. Neville (Manchester United)
Johnson (Chelsea)
MF
Jenas (Newcastle)
Downing (Middlesbrough)
Beckham (Real Madrid) [COL only]
Carrick (Tottenham)
J. Cole (Chelsea)
Hargreaves (Bayern Munich) [COL only]
Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)
FW
Smith (Manchester United)
Owen (Real Madrid) [COL only]
Crouch (Southampton)
A. Johnson (Crystal Palace)
Defoe (Tottenham)

Ticket holders will no doubt be disappointed that several big names are not on the list, but this is still a squad with quality talent and, most importantly, youth. Many of these players are top flight performers in the EPL who will be looking to impress Eriksson and get a leg up on selection for the WC06 squad. Several will also be making moves up the food chain this summer to bigger clubs.

I'll be at the England-Colombia match at Giants Stadium. This means that I'll catch Becks and Owen, but I'm most looking forward to seeing Defoe, Carrick, Downing, Wright-Phillips, and the Cole boys.

Foudy

2005-05-12T09:42:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting piece on what Julie Foudy's been up to since her retirement from soccer. She's becoming quite the power broker.

Paranoid, delusional Nick

2005-05-11T19:43:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already, check out this interview with MetroStars GM Nick Sakiewicz.

Several of his responses provide ample reminder why MLS' "cornerstone" franchise is in shambles.

Tankin' the MLS in SA

2005-05-11T19:21:00.000-04:00

It looks like the MLS' too-good-to-be-true deal is evaporating in San Antonio. The media there has not taken well to Garza's plans, to say the least, and today comes a curiously timed story about a potential relocation of the NFL's New Orleans Saints to the Alamodome.

The article in question is sourced almost entirely through figures in San Antonio that are against MLS and Garza, to the extent that it's reasonable to view it as a plant meant to derail MLS for good.

Dangling the prospects of an NFL franchise has been a recurring theme in recent San Antonio politics, and this story is meant to keep that hope alive in the city. Reading between the lines, it reduces to this: pick up MLS now and you have no chance whatsoever of landing a NFL team down the road, no matter how unlikely that may be.

To add further insult, it comes through relatively clearly that the Saints are simply using San Antonio for leverage in their own negotiations with New Orleans. Moreover, there is every indication from the NFL that Los Angeles would beat out any competitor for the Saints if they decide to pack things up.

Then there is this:

Before any team seriously considers relocating to San Antonio, several hurdles would have to be overcome. The biggest obstacle would be bringing the Alamodome up to NFL standards, a project likely to cost close to $200 million.

Sure, the NFL is light years ahead of MLS in terms of prestige and brings certain benefits to its host cities that Garber & Co. can only dream of at this point. But if it was hard to swallow MLS' asking price, I wonder how folks will react to this comparably astronomical cost. I hope, for the sake of consistency, that the media responds with at least equal amounts of skepticism.

I personally don't care whether MLS goes to SA. I don't like the idea of having a team under a dome and on FieldTurf, but the deal initially offered to MLS was incredibly attractive. I couldn't blame MLS for being interested, and for putting aside its now standard demands for new cities (SSS, most notably).

San Antonio residents and their media have every right to object to such a deal if it is not in the best interests of the city, but the impression I get from reading the media coverage is that certain vested interests (McCombs, Clear Channel; now Hardberger) have attempted to sabotage MLS from the outset, whether for their own personal gain or because of a latent bias against soccer. A story like today's only makes me believe this more.

Bradford City disaster anniversary

2005-05-11T08:40:00.000-04:00

It's been 20 years since the horrific fire at Bradford City that killed 56 and injured some 200 spectators.

Read retrospectives from the Guardian, Independent, and the BBC.

Bruce speaks

2005-05-11T08:31:00.000-04:00

Bruce Arena drops several interesting comments in a USA Today interview a little more than a year ahead of the World Cup.

Pulling no punches, the US national team coach states that players in their 30s are going to find themselves "on the fence" for Germany, the door is open for Adu, and a European club pedigree could be detrimental for aspiring nationals if they play for a losing side.

Freddy: PotW

2005-05-11T08:28:00.000-04:00

Freddy Adu won this week's MLS' Player of the Week award following his goal and two assists against the Crew last Saturday.

This has kick started the predictable "will he be on the WC06 squad?" thread over at Big Soccer, which, surprisingly, is a pretty good read.

El Chino

2005-05-11T08:26:00.000-04:00

Antonio Labbate wonders what's next for Inter's struggling Uruguayan, Alvaro Recoba, who seems a shell of the player who stole the spotlight from Ronaldo during his first season in Milan.

Going up & down

2005-05-10T07:28:00.000-04:00

FSC's Bobby McMahon looks forward to the playoffs for promotion to the EPL. Ipswich, Derby County, Preston North End, and West Ham duke it out beginning this weekend to determine who'll join Wigan and Sunderland up with the Big Boys next season.

Meanwhile, Norwich, Southampton, Crystal Palace and WBA remain embroiled in a very close battle to stave off relegation.

Landon's $$

2005-05-10T07:27:00.000-04:00

Interesting bit from SI's Grant Wahl:

Landon Donovan has replaced Freddy Adu as the highest-paid player in MLS. Donovan's deal will pay him a guaranteed $4.5 million over the next five years and includes several lucrative performance incentives. The league also holds three additional one-year options, which means Donovan should be in MLS through the end of 2012 (averaging seven figures annually over the full term) unless he discovers an urge to return to Europe full-time or makes like Bison Dele and goes sailing in the South Pacific.

We'll have to see if Landon grows soft living out his dream in southern California. All of the pieces are falling into place for him, at least at a personal level.

Next year's World Cup is going to be a major test. It will either vindicate Donovan's elevation of "happiness" above all else, or prove that his unwillingness to pursue a European career has stunted his development on the field.

Lyon wins Ligue 1

2005-05-10T07:26:00.000-04:00

I gave props to Bayern and Chelsea, so I guess I need to do the same with Lyon. With a victory over AC Ajaccio this past weekend, they've captured Le Championnat for the fourth straight year. Only St. Etienne in the late '60s and the notorious l'OM sides of the early '90s have matched such a feat.

There hasn't been too much time to celebrate, though. Already, boss Paul le Guen has left for greener pastures, possibly to serve as Wenger's right hand man at Arsenal. And raids on the Stade Gerland are likely to continue throughout the summer, with the core of Lyon's midfield and attack -- Essien, Malouda, Juninho, and Govou -- all potential departures.

SA in flux

2005-05-10T07:25:00.000-04:00

I find this story from the San Antonio Business Journal about Ed Garza's troubled plans for MLS in the Alamodome interesting for two reasons: 1) Andrew Murstein's name is mentioned nowhere in the piece and 2) Garza seems particularly enthusiastic about having at least partial Mexican investment in San Antonio.

PV4

2005-05-09T00:04:00.000-04:00

This OSM profile of Patrick Vieira is a good read.

Milan-Juve

2005-05-06T11:31:00.000-04:00

Here's UEFA.com's brief preview of the crucial AC Milan-Juventus tie on Sunday. The outcome of this match could very well determine who wins the Scudetto this year.

I'm pleasantly surprised that this game will be carried by RAI International, which means I'll probably get a chance to see it on the local public TV station that features each Sunday's RAI broadcast. This might be the case for you, too, so check your listings.

The FA: D'oh!

2005-05-06T08:45:00.000-04:00

This is amusing:

Under pressure to make a decision before the end of the season, the FA finally ruled yesterday that the team finishing fourth in the Premiership would be given the chance to play in the Champions' League next season. However within hours, The Independent discovered a page on the FA's official website, thefa.com, that ruled that the winners of the European Cup would take the qualifying place even if they finished outside the top four.

The page, that was dated 10 March, 2004, is likely to cause great frustration at the FA who had made every effort to be as fair as possible after both Uefa and the Premier League handed them such a difficult decision. The website explanation which is headed "The Road to Europe: we clear up for you how the European places are awarded" refers to Arsenal and Chelsea's meeting in the semi-final last year.

The page reads: "Should Arsenal or Chelsea win the Champions' League they will automatically qualify for next season's competition but England will not get an extra Champions' League place even if they finish outside the top four in the Premiership. In that scenario the fourth placed team in the Premiership will play in next season's Uefa Cup."