Hoi News

There is an article in today's edition of the Mexican tabloid newspaper La Opinion saying Jose Pekerman of Argentina has been offered the USA coaching job, and Fernando Clavijo will be his main assistant.
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Toronto has picked their players in the "Expansion" draft. Compared to the players Chivas USA & Real Salt Lake got to choose 2 years ago, I think this is a slightly better bunch to begin building with. Here you go:
Jose Cancela - New England
Rod Dyachenko - DC United
Will Hesmer - Kansas City
Nate Jaqua - Chicago
Ritchie Kotschau - Columbus
Jason Kreis - Salt Lake
Paulo Nagamura - Los Angeles
Danny O'Rourke - New York
Tim Regan - Chivas
Adrian Serioux - Houston
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The Toronto Globe & Mail talks to TFC coach Mo Johnston about what type of players he wants from today's draft.
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DC United coach Petr Nowak lays his thoughts about Freddy Adu on the table. Direct and to the point. Excellent reading from MLSnet.
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Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America looks at the long, trying & in-the-end great season for Houston coach Dominic Kinnear.
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By winning the MLS Cup, Houston becomes the other American team, along with Supporters Shield winners DC United, to qualify for next years CONCACAF Champions Cup.
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FC Dallas owner Clark Hunt tells Tobias Xavier Lopez of the Fort Worth Telegram that he does not see his team using their Designated Player spot to sign an older star power Euro player.
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Real Salt Lake has become the first MLS team to sell the front of their shirt to a sponsor. It's to some company called XanGo. Their website says they make a mangosteen (different from mango) fruit energy drink. Sounds better then that Red Bull drink crap to me.
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The USA U20's beat Guatemala 2-1 in a friendly in Boca Raton FL yesterday. Coach Thomas Rongen & player Freddy Adu have a post-game interview available via podcast, and the US Soccer site has video highlights too. Guatemala scored first to apply lots of pressure on the home team. Then, if you can believe it, Freddy scored on a header(!) to tie the match. The Gaute keeper then gave up an incredibly soft goal to Anthony Wallace for the winner.
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Brian Straus of the US Players Assoc writes about his likes and dislikes in MLS.
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Another Roundtable discussion from the fine folks at the LA Soccer News talking about the next USA coach.
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Yanks Abroad has a long chat with former New England and current Aalesund (Norway) keeper Adin Brown, aka the Lumberjack.
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American striker Kamani Hill who has been playing at UCLA just signed a deal with Wolfsburg that starts after the Bundesliga winter break. Great for him!
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The BBC with a feature on the soccer Academy Brad Friedel has started in his hometown of Cleveland.
-Sports Illustrated also has a Q & A with Friedel.
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The CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup starts on Sunday. These games are the regions qualifying tournament for next summers Women's World Cup in China. 2 teams will go.
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Here are the Mexican Apertura first leg playoffs scores, and weekend schedule:
Scores-
Veracruz 1-2 Guadalajara
Chiapas 1-0 Toluca
Games-
Guadalajara v Veracruz - Saturday
Toluca v Chiapas - Sunday
-The winners meet up with the 6 other qualifiers for games starting next Wednesday.
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Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas has passed away. Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian says Puskas was better than Beckenbauer, Best, Platini & Zidane! That is quite a list. Here's another chance for us neophytes to learn more football (& world) history.
-Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune with words on the great Hungarian as well: Puskas star of greatest Hungary and Real Madrid teams
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Soccernet has recently started their own weekly podcast on the world of football. I have not heard it yet, so I can't comment. But I just downloaded it today for listening. You should do it too.
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Big Euro matches this weekend:
Bayern v Stuttgart - the old strangler v the current Bundesliga #1.
Sevilla v Valencia - #2 v #6 in a very tight race - 5 points separate the top 6 teams.
Feyenoord v AZ Alkmaar - #5 v #3, as Feye seek to get back in the top echelon.
Chelsea v West Ham - a minor London derby.
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Don't miss out - Champions League Matchday 5 is next week, Tue the 21st & Wed the 22nd.
Here is a rundown on the status of the groups:
Group A - still wide open, Levski is out
Group B - Bayern is through, Spartak is out
Group C - Liverpeople & PSV are through
Group D - Valencia are through, Olympiacos & Shaktar are out
Group E - Lyon & Madrid at through
Group F - still wide open, no one is out
Group G - still open, Hamburg it out
Group H - still open, Anderlecht is out
-You can see the full schedule and standings here.
-We will list the TV schedule on Monday.