She Said Ooh Ee Ah Ah News
I am dead serious when I say that MLS teams should be going all out to sign these three Argentines, who are all worth the money. In order of importance: 1. Andreas D'Alessandro (Zaragoza - corrected), 2. Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors), and 3. Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors). Now I know that 98% of all the clubs in the world would want these players, but I am saying it's time for MLS to act serious and show they are not the J-League, K-League or A-League (which I don't mean as a slight to those leagues, but I guess it is).
US Soccer prepares for friendly's v Ecuador & Guatemala:
-A new Royal Blue shirt for Team USA was introduced today as "the Third kit". It has white pinstripes. I'm not so sure about this one. Looks like pajamas to me. Hopefully they will look better with the whole uniform on, and from a distance, like thru a television.
-Lots of official training photos to see.
-For all you statistics & rankings fans - here are the latest rankings from Elo (Which I prefer) & FIFA of the USA & their 2 upcoming opponents:
Elo:
USA - 20
Ecuador - 29
Guatemala - 77
FIFA:
Ecuador - 24
USA - 30
Guatemala - 90
-US Soccer hosted a conference call with coach Bob Bradley and defender Oguchi Onyewu this afternoon. Here are three things I highlighted from that call:
1 Jay DeMerit has not yet fully trained yet due an abductor strain he suffered last week with Watford. He is doing light work and they hope he can train later in the week. It is highly unlikely that he will play on Sunday, but they are looking toward next Wednesday for him to get his debut.
2 Pablo Mastroeni was not included on this roster for two reasons, first, he had arthroscopic knee surgery after the Mexico game and is not fully back to full fitness, and second, he is with his family as his wife has just gave birth to a daughter this week! Congrats to the Mastroeni family.
3 24,000 tickets have been sold so far in Tampa, making it already the best attended USA game ever played in that city.
-Here is a podcast of that conference call. I am particularly impressed by the last questioner.
-Bill Ward at the Tampa Tribune previews the USA v Ecua match.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Did Los Angeles release midfielder Josh Gardner?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Looks like Dallas's motive for sending Richard Mulrooney to Toronto was to clear a roster spot and salary cap space for a foreign player they have their eye on. We shall see.
-The Dallas Morning News has quotes from FCD coach Steve Morrow on the trade.
-The rumored target for Dallas is Argentine Pablo Ricchetti who played for Valladolid in the early part of this decade, and most recently for Quilmes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
DJ Walker gets to take in a FC Dallas game right near his own house (he does not live in Dallas) and of course he turns it into his latest Stream Of Consciousness: Saturn Cup. From 3rd Degree.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The rumor mill says Real Madrid will be back in Salt Lake again this summer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Toronto midfielder Carl Robinson, a Welshman, talks to the BBC about the possibility of more British players heading to MLS. Good article.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Steve Goff at the Washington Post with a feature story on new DCU winger Kasali Yinka Casal. The 19 year old comes to DC from the Fulham academy. He is from North London.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Still no word on the contract status of Fred2. DC will be training in Mexico at altitude prior to the game v Guadalajara on April 3, and then go straight on to Denver for the season kickoff on April 7.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chicago has signed young midfielder Erik Hort who has spent the last two season with Sparta Prague.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Over in Spain yesterday, Colorado lost 4-3 to Valencia. It was Valencia's second team they played, which is not their reserves, but not their starters either. I guess that is an OK result. But with Zach Thornton in goal, Colorado are doomed.
-Brian Forbes match report for the Denver Post misleads readers into thinking this was Valencia's First 11 on the field. Don't get me wrong, Valencia are a really good team with tons of experienced players, and even playing their backups was a much better preseason game then lining up against the Columbus Crew in Santa Clarita.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Soccernet previews the New England Revolution for 2007.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shalrie Joseph's agent sure is doing a lot of talking this week. We don't usually see much of that in the league. Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America talks to Ron Waxman.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Boston Herald gossip column gets in on some Rev's action. Seems Joey Franchino was arrested for expired plates on his car or something really lame. You can be arrested for expired plates? I love the way this trashy article is written. It barely makes sense.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
New England will be in New Orleans on Sunday to take on Olimpia of Honduras (who were just ousted from the Champions Cup by DC United), and then in Baton Rogue next Wednesday to play the New Orleans Shell Shockers of the PDL.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Andrea Canales writing for Top Drawer Soccer talks to American youngster Robbie Rogers who just left Heerenveen in Holland to sign with Columbus in MLS.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America with a good article about the MLS players he calls "The Maestros". There will be 2 new ones coming into the league this season, and 2 big names within the league that are changing teams.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Drop by the RSLFM to read a Q & A with Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checkett's son, Spencer, who is in the family business.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Fresno Bee slobbers all over Freddy Adu. Don't get any on your shirt.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks to Jackie for sending me this You Tube link to a RSL-Freddy Adu TV spot.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The First Division's Puerto Rico Islanders host the Puerto Rico USL-MLS Challenge this weekend. Besides the home club, 3 other team will battle it out - Rochester, Los Angeles & Dallas.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Montreal gets the go ahead to begin building their new home stadium. It will seat around 13,000. And unlike some other new stadiums being built, it will have a GRASS field. From the Toronto Globe & Mail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yanks Abroad says St Pauli's American defender Ian Joy may look to move to MLS this summer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jack Bell of the New York Times writes about Jay DeMerit, Euro 2008 qualifiers and other earthly delights.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The potential owners of a re-animated San Jose Earthquakes are putting on the Mexico v Ecuador game at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland next Wednesday, and it's already sold out! Over 47,000 tickets. Damn, I wish our boys could sell that many tickets in our own country. The Sacramento Bee says MLS CBW Don Garber will be in attendance (which means he will NOT be in Frisco for USA v Guate.)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Club America's 1-0 win over Guadalajara last Sunday drew 4.3 million American television viewers, which is even more than last Decembers playoff match between the two. Massive!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Copa Libertadores - here are the week's matches:
Mar 20
Cerro Porteno 2-1 Cucuta Deportivo
Real Potosi 2-2 Maracaibo
Caracas 0-4 Colo Colo
-Match reports via SI.
Mar 21
Flamengo - Parana
Banfield - America
Necaxa - Sao Paulo
Mar 22
Libertad - El Nacional
Boca Juniors - Toluca
Gimnasia - Santos
Emelec - Nacional
-Greg Lalas of Sports Illustrated raves about the Libertadores!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
English Championship Division 2nd place team Birmingham has acquired forward Andy Cole on loan from Portsmouth for the rest of the season.
US Soccer prepares for friendly's v Ecuador & Guatemala:
-A new Royal Blue shirt for Team USA was introduced today as "the Third kit". It has white pinstripes. I'm not so sure about this one. Looks like pajamas to me. Hopefully they will look better with the whole uniform on, and from a distance, like thru a television.
-Lots of official training photos to see.
-For all you statistics & rankings fans - here are the latest rankings from Elo (Which I prefer) & FIFA of the USA & their 2 upcoming opponents:
Elo:
USA - 20
Ecuador - 29
Guatemala - 77
FIFA:
Ecuador - 24
USA - 30
Guatemala - 90
-US Soccer hosted a conference call with coach Bob Bradley and defender Oguchi Onyewu this afternoon. Here are three things I highlighted from that call:
1 Jay DeMerit has not yet fully trained yet due an abductor strain he suffered last week with Watford. He is doing light work and they hope he can train later in the week. It is highly unlikely that he will play on Sunday, but they are looking toward next Wednesday for him to get his debut.
2 Pablo Mastroeni was not included on this roster for two reasons, first, he had arthroscopic knee surgery after the Mexico game and is not fully back to full fitness, and second, he is with his family as his wife has just gave birth to a daughter this week! Congrats to the Mastroeni family.
3 24,000 tickets have been sold so far in Tampa, making it already the best attended USA game ever played in that city.
-Here is a podcast of that conference call. I am particularly impressed by the last questioner.
-Bill Ward at the Tampa Tribune previews the USA v Ecua match.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Did Los Angeles release midfielder Josh Gardner?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Looks like Dallas's motive for sending Richard Mulrooney to Toronto was to clear a roster spot and salary cap space for a foreign player they have their eye on. We shall see.
-The Dallas Morning News has quotes from FCD coach Steve Morrow on the trade.
-The rumored target for Dallas is Argentine Pablo Ricchetti who played for Valladolid in the early part of this decade, and most recently for Quilmes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
DJ Walker gets to take in a FC Dallas game right near his own house (he does not live in Dallas) and of course he turns it into his latest Stream Of Consciousness: Saturn Cup. From 3rd Degree.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The rumor mill says Real Madrid will be back in Salt Lake again this summer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Toronto midfielder Carl Robinson, a Welshman, talks to the BBC about the possibility of more British players heading to MLS. Good article.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Steve Goff at the Washington Post with a feature story on new DCU winger Kasali Yinka Casal. The 19 year old comes to DC from the Fulham academy. He is from North London.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Still no word on the contract status of Fred2. DC will be training in Mexico at altitude prior to the game v Guadalajara on April 3, and then go straight on to Denver for the season kickoff on April 7.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chicago has signed young midfielder Erik Hort who has spent the last two season with Sparta Prague.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Over in Spain yesterday, Colorado lost 4-3 to Valencia. It was Valencia's second team they played, which is not their reserves, but not their starters either. I guess that is an OK result. But with Zach Thornton in goal, Colorado are doomed.
-Brian Forbes match report for the Denver Post misleads readers into thinking this was Valencia's First 11 on the field. Don't get me wrong, Valencia are a really good team with tons of experienced players, and even playing their backups was a much better preseason game then lining up against the Columbus Crew in Santa Clarita.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Soccernet previews the New England Revolution for 2007.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shalrie Joseph's agent sure is doing a lot of talking this week. We don't usually see much of that in the league. Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America talks to Ron Waxman.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Boston Herald gossip column gets in on some Rev's action. Seems Joey Franchino was arrested for expired plates on his car or something really lame. You can be arrested for expired plates? I love the way this trashy article is written. It barely makes sense.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
New England will be in New Orleans on Sunday to take on Olimpia of Honduras (who were just ousted from the Champions Cup by DC United), and then in Baton Rogue next Wednesday to play the New Orleans Shell Shockers of the PDL.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Andrea Canales writing for Top Drawer Soccer talks to American youngster Robbie Rogers who just left Heerenveen in Holland to sign with Columbus in MLS.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America with a good article about the MLS players he calls "The Maestros". There will be 2 new ones coming into the league this season, and 2 big names within the league that are changing teams.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Drop by the RSLFM to read a Q & A with Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checkett's son, Spencer, who is in the family business.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Fresno Bee slobbers all over Freddy Adu. Don't get any on your shirt.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks to Jackie for sending me this You Tube link to a RSL-Freddy Adu TV spot.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The First Division's Puerto Rico Islanders host the Puerto Rico USL-MLS Challenge this weekend. Besides the home club, 3 other team will battle it out - Rochester, Los Angeles & Dallas.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Montreal gets the go ahead to begin building their new home stadium. It will seat around 13,000. And unlike some other new stadiums being built, it will have a GRASS field. From the Toronto Globe & Mail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yanks Abroad says St Pauli's American defender Ian Joy may look to move to MLS this summer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jack Bell of the New York Times writes about Jay DeMerit, Euro 2008 qualifiers and other earthly delights.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The potential owners of a re-animated San Jose Earthquakes are putting on the Mexico v Ecuador game at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland next Wednesday, and it's already sold out! Over 47,000 tickets. Damn, I wish our boys could sell that many tickets in our own country. The Sacramento Bee says MLS CBW Don Garber will be in attendance (which means he will NOT be in Frisco for USA v Guate.)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Club America's 1-0 win over Guadalajara last Sunday drew 4.3 million American television viewers, which is even more than last Decembers playoff match between the two. Massive!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Copa Libertadores - here are the week's matches:
Mar 20
Cerro Porteno 2-1 Cucuta Deportivo
Real Potosi 2-2 Maracaibo
Caracas 0-4 Colo Colo
-Match reports via SI.
Mar 21
Flamengo - Parana
Banfield - America
Necaxa - Sao Paulo
Mar 22
Libertad - El Nacional
Boca Juniors - Toluca
Gimnasia - Santos
Emelec - Nacional
-Greg Lalas of Sports Illustrated raves about the Libertadores!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
English Championship Division 2nd place team Birmingham has acquired forward Andy Cole on loan from Portsmouth for the rest of the season.
posted by brucio at 16:33
13 Comments:
doesn't spector play for west ham? jack bell made an uh-oh.
ugh. why is the current trend ugly, ugly uniforms?
Would love to see Palermo play in the US. He has been fun to watch this season.
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11018960&postcount=59
check out this fan created alternate to the horrible new US 3rd jersey.
I like the new uniform, but then again, I always thought a purple suit with a blaze orange shirt and a green tie would be a rather neat look.
I hate to keep correcting you, but D'Alessandro plays for Real Zaragoza.
I wanted to comment on the "article" from the Boston Herald on Joey Franchino's expired plates.
Don't put too much stock into that trash. The Inside Track is a cheap gossip column written by two, (and I never use this term to describe women but these two vile, repuslive human beings just bring it out of me), fat cows who spread sleaze sometimes made up out of thin air.
How sad. Two 40 something women writing crap that looks like it was written by a tween.
Martin Parlermo, I think, once missed three penalty kicks in the same match.
that is a genius stat about palermo - 3 misses in one game! outrageous!
i know that boston herald thing was trash gossip bullshit, thats maily why i includedit, like i wrote - the article barely made any sense - for me it was humor not anything more
and to you el guero, if you keep correcting me and making me look i might have to tell you to get your own damn blog - but wait, you already have one, and its really good, everybody go to Who Ate All The Cupcakes right now!
http://whoateallthecupcakes.blogspot.com/
and i certainly don't mind you correcting me, i need it
by the way, the answer to Who Ate All The Cupcakes? is: Me and Tony "I shave my legs" Meola
I was just in Argentina when Riquelme made his return and it was as though an exiled holy monarch had come back, so I don't think he'll be leaving. Palermo, on the other hand, should be a major target.
It's interesting to see the difference in where Ecuador's players play their club now as opposed to before the World Cup, given their success they had in the tournament. Before the WC, there were about seven or eight members of the squad that played for LD Quito. That roster they relased now there is only one or two, and about half of the team has a European club next to their name.
" Zach Dundas said... I was just in Argentina when Riquelme made his return and it was as though an exiled holy monarch had come back, so I don't think he'll be leaving."
i dont disagree zach, but money talks, and riquelme has a lot to offer
not to mention the fact that he is only on loan to boca
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