Thursday, May 03, 2007

Outta Sight Man News

Pow! Real Salt Lake make the total team shake up today as general manager Steve Pastrorino resigns and head coach John Ellinger is replaced. Now were they smart enough to go with an experienced MLS coach who can set them straight quickly without having to learn on the job? No no no. Remember this is RSL they never do anything the easy way. They go the opposite direction and appoint player Jason Kreis as their coach! Yes, Jason Kreis! He retired as a player immediately and will take over right away. Oh my. We can only hope that for the sake of the great fans in SLC this guy can get it done. And Ellinger will stay in the organization as the technical director. This is a fancy way of saying they still have to pay him, so why not try to get something out of him. I am also wondering if Pastrorino resigned because he did not want to get rid of Ellinger, or if he thought it was time for a clean slate. Owner Dave Checketts compared Kreis to former New York Knicks coach (who also Checketts hired) Jeff Van Gundy. Krei later begged us to doubt his ability, so he can prove us wrong.

-and-

Kabooom! The other huge story of the day had Chivas USA shipping midfielder Amado Guevara north of yet another border, to Toronto. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, Guevara has said he is not going to TFC and play for Mo Johnston who he hated in New York, so the deal is dead but CUSA does not want Guevara back in their place. What will happen? Will he leave MLS? Juicy. From Andrea Canales at LA Soccer News. By the way, when CUSA's Jesse Marsch was told that Guevara has refused to go to Toronto he said, "Can he do that?"


MLS schedule this week (all times central):
Thu May 3
DC v New England - 6pm on ESPN2
Sat May 5
KC v Columbus - Noon on Direct Kick
Salt Lake v New York - 8pm on HDNet
Colorado v Houston - 8:30pm on FSC
Sun May 6
DC v Chivas - 2pm on Telefutura
New England v Chicago - 4pm on Direct Kick

Jeff Carlisle at Soccernet previews tonight' match up in the Capital City.

Here is a devastatingly interesting DCU factoid from Steve Goff at the Washington Post yesterday: "...six consecutive regular season losses (dating from last season). Since starting with a 13-1-6 record last year, United is 5-11-5 against MLS opponents in all competitions (regular season, U.S. Open Cup and playoffs) and has not won two straight since last July."

John Haydon of the Washington Times previews tonight's DC v NE game.

Ben Knight at Sports Net in Canada with a great article on the Toronto home opener. Knight had that great article a couple weeks back where he went to the sports bar and watched the TFC fans teach their hockey loving brethren how to cheer on their team. Very very cool stuff for us fans to read. I love it.

In the aftermath of the Guevara non-trade to Toronto, TFC did ship Paulo Nagamura to Chivas USA for a draft pick.

Also, Luis Bueno at LA Soccer News says CUSA captain Claudio Suarez told him that his is his last season on the field.

Allen Hopkins at Soccernet fills the rumor barrel to the top with all kinds of wild tales, and some excellent truths too. The top rumor has Sigi Schmid trying to pry Carlos Ruiz away from Dallas.

The Boston Globe talks to New England assistant coach Paul Mariner about the return of Michael Parkhurts to the teams starting line up. Parkhurst is a great one.

Mike Biglin of the MetroWest Daily News looks at the strong team unity of New England. After losing titles games two years in a row, you have to figure that any team is either stronger than ever or falling apart. I think we know after just 4 games where these players sit.

I have gotten more than a few emails from new fans of Ronald Wattereus telling me that, yes, he is that good. I still don't understand all the raves, but with so many people telling me he is great, then I gotta pay more attention. I love it when people stand up and cheer for their guy!

The LA Riot Squad did a Q & A with Galaxy defender Chris Albright. Excellent stuff. Please keep it up. (thanks to Jamesey for the heads up on this one)

LA Soccer News has a Q & A with Canadian Galaxy defender Ante Jazic.

MLS has named KC striker Eddie Johnson as the Player Of The Month for April. It seems like the writers and fans seem to all feel Taylor Twellman should have won that award.

During last Monday's match v Colorado, RSL TV announcer Robin Fraser called Claudio Reyna the best American player ever. I agree 100%!

Colorado is set to play China at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on June 10.

Chicago has lined up two international friendly's at home too: June 22 v Cracovia Krakow of Poland and July 22 v Celtic.

Sports Illustrated with their weekly MLS Power Rankings, plus other tidbits and goodies.

USL First Division
Friday
Carolina v Puerto Rico
Rochester v Vancouver
Sat
Atlanta v Carolina
Miami v Montreal
Seattle v Portland
sun
Charleston v Rochester
Minnesota v Vancouver

Jesse Erdmann's First Division Week 4 Power Rankings are up at Blue Sky Soccer.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune with an article on the Thunders new Japanese towering forward Keisuke Ota. Or Ota-son. There is a very interesting typo in the article that says Leo Cullen now plays for the Thunder. Of course they meant Leo Gibson, but I think all us Thunder fans would welcome Leo Cullen home with open arms.

Nice article on the Portland Tribune on former Thunder player, and incredibly nice guy, Kiki Lara. We Thunder fans wish Kiki good luck, but not too much luck.

CONCACAF U17 World Championship Group B Qualifying Tournament kicked off yesterday in Kingston Jamaica. Here is the match schedule:
-Costa Rica became the first team to qualify for the Youth World Cup from this group.
Sat April 28
-Costa Rica 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago - goals by Jorge Castro & Diego Brenes.
-Jamaica 0-3 Canada - goals by Daniel Tannous, Jarek Whiteman & William Hyde
Mon April 30
-Canada 0-0 Costa Rica
-Trinidad & Tobago 0-3 USA - goals by Alex Nimo (2) & Ellis McLoughlin, who was also red carded.
Wed May 2
-USA 2-1 Canada - USA goals by Billy Schuler & Mykell Baytes. Canada goal by Cedric Carrie.
-Jamaica 0-1 Costa Rica - goal by Esteban Lunar.
Fri May 4
-Canada v Trinidad & Tobago
-Jamaica v USA - 7pm
Sun May 6
-USA v Costa Rica - 5pm
-Jamaica v Trinidad & Tobago
-Standings (points - games played - team - goal differential)
7 - 3 - Costa Rica +3
6 - 2 - USA +4
4 - 3 - Canada +2
0 - 2 - Jamaica -3
0 - 2 - Trinidad & Tobago -5
-The top 3 from this group will advance to the finals in Korea in late summer.

Match report from US Soccer on the U17 win over Canada.
-Plus post-game quotes from the coach and players.
-And photos.
-USA midfielder Daniel Wenzel was named Man of the Match
-Another match report from Robert Zeigler of Top Drawer Soccer.

Yanks Abroad talks to USA midfielder DaMarcus Beasley about the Gold Cup and Copa America.

Mexican Playoffs - 10 teams qualify with the bottom 4 playing home and away with winners joining top 6. Here are those first matches:
Wed May 2
Morelia Monarcas 1-1 Atlas Zorros
Santos Laguna Guerreros 0-1 San Luis Tuneros
-Return legs are on Cinco de Mayo - Saturday May 5.
-The other 6 teams awaiting match-ups are:
Pachuca Tuzos
Guadalajara Chivas
Cruz Azul Cementeros
America Aguilas
UAG Tecos
UANL Tigres

Copa Libertadores:
-This week begins the round of 16 in the knock out stages.
1st Legs:
Wed May 2-
Caracas 2-2 Santos
America 3-0 Colo Colo
Defensor Sporting 3-0 Flamengo
Sao Paulo 1-0 Gremio
Boca Juniors 3-0 Velez Sarsfield
-Match reports via Sports Illustrated.
Thu May 3-
Parana v Libertad
Nacional v Necaxa
Cucuta Deportivo v Toluca
-Second leg matches next week.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals - Matchday 12 scores:
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea - ended 1-1 after regulation on a goal by Daniel Agger and extra times so they went to PK's a Liverkeeper Pepe Reina saved two to give him team another shot at Euroglory.
AC Milan 3-0 Manchester United - Milan dominated for a 5-3 aggregate win. Goals by Rikki Kaka, Clarence Seedorf & Alberto Gilardino.
-Milan v Liverpool for the title on May 23 in Athens Greece.

Hello rematch my old friend! I think this is the match I wanted to see. A rematch of the 05 final and Liverpool's miracle comeback. Milan played the best 45 minutes of football I have ever seen in the first half of the original. They are now older, so are they wiser. The Liverpeople are younger, and more fiery. This could be a great one. Aaaaaah Kaka.

Peter Berlin at the International Herald Tribune with a match report.

UEFA Cup semifinal second leg matches today (with first leg scores included):
Thursday May 3-
Werder Bremen v Espanyol (0-3)
Sevilla v Osasuna (0-1)

Jonah Freedman at Sports Illustrated with his all new World Power Rankings.

New diary entry from Mortiz Volz of Fulham, fairly sobering. But always cool

"Nine months after the World Cup ended birthrates in parts of Germany increased by nearly 30 percent compared to last year at the same time. The newborns have dubbed the Klinsi Generation." Hell I was in Germany last summer, so where was I when everyone else was getting all that action? Mike Woitalla of Soccer America has the story!

Author Andrew Jennings and Transparency In Sport have released a revised edition of FOUL! The book that claims Sepp Blatter and FIFA are a corrupt bribe taking machine. I don't think any fan would doubt those ideas. Interesting stuff here.

One of the great (worst) goalkeeping gaffs of recent memory. Complete with bad Homer Simpson sounds effects.

2 Comments:

Blogger Allen said...

Isn't Cullen busy finishing up his law degree at UofMD or something like that?

As for RSL, Checketts made a comment that they had talked with other MLS teams. It may be that those who were available weren't interested and other teams weren't willing to give up their coach (I'm thinking Mariner at NE and Hamlet at the Fire) for what RSL was willing to offer so Howes, Checketts & Co. went with what they could get. Then again, Kreis talked with them about it tuesday night (they lost to CO monday night). So did were they talking to other MLS clubs before the CO loss at RES? Or was that just a comment snuck in there to imply they had more ambition than taking on a newbie?

1:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

wonder if Reyna has any tales to tell regarding psychothug Joey Barton from his days at Man City. I can't believe that guy, from his 2nd attempt at blinding someone from his club, to his brother murdering a black guy in a hate crime, to him now fleeing England? Jermaine Pennant and Craig Bellamy must be so happy

sleepylabeef

12:09 PM  

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