Sportivo De La Groupo News
My beloved Minnesota Thunder kick off the 2006 season in just over 30 days (April 23 to be exact). And they have made a brilliant move to help get the season started right! Traditionally they have played the first game of the season indoor at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. The top reason for doing this is that late April in our city can still be pretty wintery. Not to me. But the team have heard the call of the fans who love seeing their team outside at the little pitch known as the Jimmy. James Griffin Stadium. Only holds 6000. This year the team intends to pack the place. Admission to the match v wretched Seattle will be FREE! A donation will then be taken up to give to the United Way.
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Yanks Abroad is reporting that not only is John O'Brien fit and ready for action, he has left his Dutch club ADO Den Haag and is in negotiation to join an unnamed team in MLS!! Can you believe that?!?!
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FIFA will take no action and drop the charges against VP Jack Warner after he took all of Trinidad & Tobagos WC tickets for himself and sold them thru his families travel agency. FIFA says that Warner is no longer an owner of the travel agency so the matter is dropped. Hahahaha. What a massive joke. But isn't that exactly what we all figured would go down?
~ ~ ~ ~
Here is the official press release from Major League Soccer and potential stadium partner Rowan University on bringing top flight football to South Jersey/Suburban Philadelphia.
MLSnet has a story on the subject.
Ok, this is all very cool. But is there anyone on the docket to actually OWN the team?
~ ~ ~ ~
Do you love USA big boss man Bruce Arena as much as I do? Then check this out! Viva Bruce shirts for sale! Kenny Arena just bought his!
~ ~ ~ ~
Frankie Hejduk joins the list of USAers dropping out of the match v Germany on Wednesday due to a strained hamstring. He is being replaced on the squad by young Hamburg midfielder Benny Feilhaber.
~ ~ ~ ~
Monchengladbach's Oliver Neuville will replace Wolfsburg's injured Mike Hanke on the German roster. Robert Huth will stay at Chelsea for their FA Cup match that same day, and handball expert Torsten Frings will miss the match due to a calf injury.
~ ~ ~ ~
And Bayern Munich & German midfielder Sebastian Deisler will not only miss this match, but he will miss the entire World Cup due to torn ligaments in his right knee. I feel very bad for him. He has had a tough time with multiple injuries over the last 4 years, so tough in fact that he has been suffering from depression on top of everything else.
~ ~ ~ ~
Frank Dell'apa has a look at Germany prior to the big match, for Soccernet.
~ ~ ~ ~
Glenn Davis of the Houston Chronicle does the same.
~ ~ ~ ~
US Soccer also has 2 new podcasts available. The first is coach Bruce Arena and various players talking about the Germany match, and the second is Cory Gibbs talking about his health and return to the squad for the first time in over 9 months.
~ ~ ~ ~
And US Soccer has video footage from training in Dortmand too.
~ ~ ~ ~
Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune looks at all the insanity racing through Germany right now - from the national team to the match fixing: Bayern not alone in feeling the heat
~ ~ ~ ~
Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger has immediately fired back at the German newspaper that claimed he was part of a new match fixing scandal. His lawyer filed a lawsuit against TZ for defamation! He has also gotten a lot of verbal support from the coaches and management at Bayern as well as from German coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
~ ~ ~ ~
New York Times writer Jere Longman has a feature on Germany's Klinsmann, and the battle he has faced within his own country and federation.
~ ~ ~ ~
The excellent Simon Kuper of the Financial Times writes about Klinsmann as well.
~ ~ ~ ~
Every time I type Klinsmann, I think of Klansman.
~ ~ ~ ~
The mighty Lothar Matthaus resigned his job as coach of Brazilian club Paranaense after about a month in charge. He had recently been suspended for 3 months due to his insane attitude toward the league and the referee's. Lothar said he was homesick. Fair enough.
~ ~ ~ ~
Yowser! Carlos Llamosa has signed with Chivas USA! Is Bob Bradley really that desperate??? The guy turns 51 next week. (Via Big Apple Soccer)
~ ~ ~ ~
I missed this one last week, but Hans Westerhof who coached Chivas USA in the second half of last season, was fired after just 10 games as coach of Guadalajara Chivas last week. The team were 3-4-3 for 13 points.
~ ~ ~ ~
Celtic beat Dunfermline 3-0 in the final to win the Scottish League Cup.
~ ~ ~ ~
A frankly astonishing piece of news from Lance: Glasgow Ranger's fans called off a protest against Hearts for the small ticket allocation they received to the match because they thought it was inappropriate to cause a ruckus so close to Celtic legend Jimmie Johnstone's death. Rangers fans honoring a Celtic player! That's greatness.
~ ~ ~ ~
The second part (of two) of Andrew Hush's interview with the real Red Bull Alexi Lalas. Lalas talks about US Soccer and the World Cup.
~ ~ ~ ~
Day 1 (of 3) of the Carolina Challenge Cup
Held in Charleston, South Carolina, home of the Charleston Battery
Houston Dynamo 1-0 Charleston - goal by Ronald Cerritos
DC United 1-0 Red Bull New York - goal by Jaime Moreno & the Bulls finished with 9 players after Youri Djorkaeff and Taylor Graham were both red carded after a second yellow.
The Cup continues Wednesday evening with Charleston v New York & DC v Houston
Third & final matches are next Saturday: Charleston v DC & Houston v New York
~ ~ ~ ~
Brian McBride did his usual ass-busting work and this time it really paid off! His Fulham team knocked off Chelsea 1-0 at home! The home fans then stormed the field to celebrate! Awesome!
~ ~ ~ ~
Even though he is still playing for Fulham, it looks like McBride is going to have to stop playing soon and have hernia surgery. The injury has been bothering him for several weeks now. Its not serious, but will take him off the field for about 10 days. The sooner he gets it done the better he will be come World Cup time.
~ ~ ~ ~
And the London Sunday Times with a big feature story on our Brian McBride!!
~ ~ ~ ~
From BQ: Arsenal have tied up a deal to sign the world's tallest footballer, 6ft 10 Nikola Zigic, from Red Star Belgrade. In his first two seasons at Red Star, he scored 55 goals in 77 games.
~ ~ ~ ~
Czech & Juve midfielder Pavel Nedved Q & A today at UEFA.com - I wonder if it discusses his amazing flopping skills?
~ ~ ~ ~
USA U20 striker Sammy Ochoa scored his first ever (& game winning) goal for UAdG on Saturday in his teams 0-1 in Mexico City v Pumas!
~ ~ ~ ~
Barcelona & Mexico tough guy Rafa Mexico will be out of action for up to six weeks with a torn thigh muscle. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww.
~ ~ ~ ~
More from BQ: I heard this story today from Diana the producer at World Soccer Daily. She is a big Serie A fan. the story behind this is that a player DeRossi for Roma scored a goal yesterday for Roma. The Ref. called it a goal but he went over the ref. and told him that it hit his hand. the ref. reversed the call and gave them a free kick going the other way. I guess players from both teams were congratulating him. What Diana was saying was why is there not more stories on this. the press always wants the ugly stuff but when someone truly plays within the rules of the game nothing is celebrated. Really too bad. This was a great moment in the game. Truly Joga Bonita. Not karate kick bad actor Cantana talking about it. A real player doing it.
~ ~ ~ ~
Actually, I get a lot of my Italian news from Channel 4 (I know, far from the mainstream), and they had the story on Sunday: Roma hail De Rosi Gesture
~ ~ ~ ~
Real Madrid are courting Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti to be their next savior. How many chances at a holy leader do they get?
~ ~ ~ ~
CONCACAF Champions Cup Semifinals return this week featuring Costa Ricans v Mexicans:
Toluca v Saprissa on March 22 & 29
Alajuelense v America on March 23 & 29
Note: They do NOT use the "away goals count double to break ties" rule. So all ties are settled with PK's after extra periods are played.
~ ~ ~ ~
Here are the 6th Round/Quarterfinal matches slated for this week:
FA Cup Quarterfinals
Mon Mar 20
Manchester City v West Ham
Tue Mar 21
Birmingham v Liverpool
Wed Mar 22
Chelsea v Newcastle
Thu Mar 23
Charlton v Middlesbrough
~ ~ ~ ~
Copa Libertadores Group stage!! This week’s matches and scores:
Mar 21
Chivas Guadalajara - São Paulo FC - Grupo 1
Estudiantes LP - Independiente Santa Fe - Grupo 2
Universidad Católica - Deportivo Cali - Grupo 4
Mar 22
Newell's Old Boys - Goiás EC - Grupo 3
Corinthians - Tigres UANL - Grupo 4
Internacional - Pumas UNAM - Grupo 6
Mar 23
Libertad - El Nacional - Grupo 8
Rosario Central - Palmeiras - Grupo 7
Atlético Nacional - Cerro Porteño - Grupo 7
~ ~ ~ ~
Mike Ballack was seen in a Yonkers Bloomingdales snapping up all the discounted Metrostars gear he could get his hands on. Maybe he is starting his own squad using that now abandon name.
~ ~ ~ ~
Nine cities in South Africa have been approved to host the match of the 2010 World Cup: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Pretoria, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, and Rustenburg.
~ ~ ~ ~
Yanks Abroad is reporting that not only is John O'Brien fit and ready for action, he has left his Dutch club ADO Den Haag and is in negotiation to join an unnamed team in MLS!! Can you believe that?!?!
~ ~ ~ ~
FIFA will take no action and drop the charges against VP Jack Warner after he took all of Trinidad & Tobagos WC tickets for himself and sold them thru his families travel agency. FIFA says that Warner is no longer an owner of the travel agency so the matter is dropped. Hahahaha. What a massive joke. But isn't that exactly what we all figured would go down?
~ ~ ~ ~
Here is the official press release from Major League Soccer and potential stadium partner Rowan University on bringing top flight football to South Jersey/Suburban Philadelphia.
MLSnet has a story on the subject.
Ok, this is all very cool. But is there anyone on the docket to actually OWN the team?
~ ~ ~ ~
Do you love USA big boss man Bruce Arena as much as I do? Then check this out! Viva Bruce shirts for sale! Kenny Arena just bought his!
~ ~ ~ ~
Frankie Hejduk joins the list of USAers dropping out of the match v Germany on Wednesday due to a strained hamstring. He is being replaced on the squad by young Hamburg midfielder Benny Feilhaber.
~ ~ ~ ~
Monchengladbach's Oliver Neuville will replace Wolfsburg's injured Mike Hanke on the German roster. Robert Huth will stay at Chelsea for their FA Cup match that same day, and handball expert Torsten Frings will miss the match due to a calf injury.
~ ~ ~ ~
And Bayern Munich & German midfielder Sebastian Deisler will not only miss this match, but he will miss the entire World Cup due to torn ligaments in his right knee. I feel very bad for him. He has had a tough time with multiple injuries over the last 4 years, so tough in fact that he has been suffering from depression on top of everything else.
~ ~ ~ ~
Frank Dell'apa has a look at Germany prior to the big match, for Soccernet.
~ ~ ~ ~
Glenn Davis of the Houston Chronicle does the same.
~ ~ ~ ~
US Soccer also has 2 new podcasts available. The first is coach Bruce Arena and various players talking about the Germany match, and the second is Cory Gibbs talking about his health and return to the squad for the first time in over 9 months.
~ ~ ~ ~
And US Soccer has video footage from training in Dortmand too.
~ ~ ~ ~
Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune looks at all the insanity racing through Germany right now - from the national team to the match fixing: Bayern not alone in feeling the heat
~ ~ ~ ~
Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger has immediately fired back at the German newspaper that claimed he was part of a new match fixing scandal. His lawyer filed a lawsuit against TZ for defamation! He has also gotten a lot of verbal support from the coaches and management at Bayern as well as from German coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
~ ~ ~ ~
New York Times writer Jere Longman has a feature on Germany's Klinsmann, and the battle he has faced within his own country and federation.
~ ~ ~ ~
The excellent Simon Kuper of the Financial Times writes about Klinsmann as well.
~ ~ ~ ~
Every time I type Klinsmann, I think of Klansman.
~ ~ ~ ~
The mighty Lothar Matthaus resigned his job as coach of Brazilian club Paranaense after about a month in charge. He had recently been suspended for 3 months due to his insane attitude toward the league and the referee's. Lothar said he was homesick. Fair enough.
~ ~ ~ ~
Yowser! Carlos Llamosa has signed with Chivas USA! Is Bob Bradley really that desperate??? The guy turns 51 next week. (Via Big Apple Soccer)
~ ~ ~ ~
I missed this one last week, but Hans Westerhof who coached Chivas USA in the second half of last season, was fired after just 10 games as coach of Guadalajara Chivas last week. The team were 3-4-3 for 13 points.
~ ~ ~ ~
Celtic beat Dunfermline 3-0 in the final to win the Scottish League Cup.
~ ~ ~ ~
A frankly astonishing piece of news from Lance: Glasgow Ranger's fans called off a protest against Hearts for the small ticket allocation they received to the match because they thought it was inappropriate to cause a ruckus so close to Celtic legend Jimmie Johnstone's death. Rangers fans honoring a Celtic player! That's greatness.
~ ~ ~ ~
The second part (of two) of Andrew Hush's interview with the real Red Bull Alexi Lalas. Lalas talks about US Soccer and the World Cup.
~ ~ ~ ~
Day 1 (of 3) of the Carolina Challenge Cup
Held in Charleston, South Carolina, home of the Charleston Battery
Houston Dynamo 1-0 Charleston - goal by Ronald Cerritos
DC United 1-0 Red Bull New York - goal by Jaime Moreno & the Bulls finished with 9 players after Youri Djorkaeff and Taylor Graham were both red carded after a second yellow.
The Cup continues Wednesday evening with Charleston v New York & DC v Houston
Third & final matches are next Saturday: Charleston v DC & Houston v New York
~ ~ ~ ~
Brian McBride did his usual ass-busting work and this time it really paid off! His Fulham team knocked off Chelsea 1-0 at home! The home fans then stormed the field to celebrate! Awesome!
~ ~ ~ ~
Even though he is still playing for Fulham, it looks like McBride is going to have to stop playing soon and have hernia surgery. The injury has been bothering him for several weeks now. Its not serious, but will take him off the field for about 10 days. The sooner he gets it done the better he will be come World Cup time.
~ ~ ~ ~
And the London Sunday Times with a big feature story on our Brian McBride!!
~ ~ ~ ~
From BQ: Arsenal have tied up a deal to sign the world's tallest footballer, 6ft 10 Nikola Zigic, from Red Star Belgrade. In his first two seasons at Red Star, he scored 55 goals in 77 games.
~ ~ ~ ~
Czech & Juve midfielder Pavel Nedved Q & A today at UEFA.com - I wonder if it discusses his amazing flopping skills?
~ ~ ~ ~
USA U20 striker Sammy Ochoa scored his first ever (& game winning) goal for UAdG on Saturday in his teams 0-1 in Mexico City v Pumas!
~ ~ ~ ~
Barcelona & Mexico tough guy Rafa Mexico will be out of action for up to six weeks with a torn thigh muscle. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww.
~ ~ ~ ~
More from BQ: I heard this story today from Diana the producer at World Soccer Daily. She is a big Serie A fan. the story behind this is that a player DeRossi for Roma scored a goal yesterday for Roma. The Ref. called it a goal but he went over the ref. and told him that it hit his hand. the ref. reversed the call and gave them a free kick going the other way. I guess players from both teams were congratulating him. What Diana was saying was why is there not more stories on this. the press always wants the ugly stuff but when someone truly plays within the rules of the game nothing is celebrated. Really too bad. This was a great moment in the game. Truly Joga Bonita. Not karate kick bad actor Cantana talking about it. A real player doing it.
~ ~ ~ ~
Actually, I get a lot of my Italian news from Channel 4 (I know, far from the mainstream), and they had the story on Sunday: Roma hail De Rosi Gesture
~ ~ ~ ~
Real Madrid are courting Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti to be their next savior. How many chances at a holy leader do they get?
~ ~ ~ ~
CONCACAF Champions Cup Semifinals return this week featuring Costa Ricans v Mexicans:
Toluca v Saprissa on March 22 & 29
Alajuelense v America on March 23 & 29
Note: They do NOT use the "away goals count double to break ties" rule. So all ties are settled with PK's after extra periods are played.
~ ~ ~ ~
Here are the 6th Round/Quarterfinal matches slated for this week:
FA Cup Quarterfinals
Mon Mar 20
Manchester City v West Ham
Tue Mar 21
Birmingham v Liverpool
Wed Mar 22
Chelsea v Newcastle
Thu Mar 23
Charlton v Middlesbrough
~ ~ ~ ~
Copa Libertadores Group stage!! This week’s matches and scores:
Mar 21
Chivas Guadalajara - São Paulo FC - Grupo 1
Estudiantes LP - Independiente Santa Fe - Grupo 2
Universidad Católica - Deportivo Cali - Grupo 4
Mar 22
Newell's Old Boys - Goiás EC - Grupo 3
Corinthians - Tigres UANL - Grupo 4
Internacional - Pumas UNAM - Grupo 6
Mar 23
Libertad - El Nacional - Grupo 8
Rosario Central - Palmeiras - Grupo 7
Atlético Nacional - Cerro Porteño - Grupo 7
~ ~ ~ ~
Mike Ballack was seen in a Yonkers Bloomingdales snapping up all the discounted Metrostars gear he could get his hands on. Maybe he is starting his own squad using that now abandon name.
~ ~ ~ ~
Nine cities in South Africa have been approved to host the match of the 2010 World Cup: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Pretoria, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, and Rustenburg.
posted by brucio at 12:23
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