Top O' The Heap News

Jose Mourinho steps down as Chelsea manager! Yes. Really. Maybe Alexi Lalas has tempted him to take over the LA Galaxy. I mean, who wouldn't want to coach under Alexi?

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Steven Goff of the Washington Post is reporting that former MLS player and current DC United TV commentator (not to forget that he is one of the sharpest wits in all of American soccer) Gareth Lagerway is going to be named General Manager for Real Salt Lake. Wow. Interesting. His personality alone will help carry the team to a new height.

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A friend of du Nord, Jeff in Kansas City, sent us a link to some You-tubed highlights of that amazing ending to the KC v Columbus game last weekend where KC got 2 goals in stoppage time to steal all 3 points from Columbus. Because the game was on HDNet there were no game highlights posted on MLSnet. So that means that 11 people saw the game - but they did get to see it in glorious hi-def, which is cool. (thank you thank you Jeff!!)

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Real Salt Lake fans on the AYL Soccer show podcast talking about the Toronto FC 822 minutes goalless streak: "They're going to depths we haven't even been too."


MLS
Matches & Scores:
-Wed Sep 19
Salt Lake v Los Angeles - The latest edition of the Toilet Bowl - 8pm central on Direct Kick & HDNet.
Match preview from Billy Witz of the Daily Breeze.
Match preview by James Edward of the Deseret Morning News.
-Thu Sep 20
Dallas v Chicago - 7pm central on ESPN2
Match preview by Jeff Carlisle of Soccernet.
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Salt Lake will be without two of their new Argentine's tonight as Fabian Espindola is suspended due to a Red Card he earned last weekend v Toronto, and Matias Mantilla must sit out a game as he has already garnered 5 Yellow Cards in only 6 games played for the team.
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Michael C Lewis of the Salt Lake Tribune with an article on former player Chris Klein who returns to town with LA.
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Soccer 365 has a Q & A with LA Galaxy boss Alexi Lalas (the man never shuts up) about the teams near legendary player Cobi Jones who is playing in his final few MLS game before retirement takes him from us.
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Buzz Carrick at 3rd Degree with this weeks FC Dallas Practice Observations.
-Here is my favorite part from this article: Players seem to be calling Denilson, “Denny.” It’s sorta a running joke to call some of the Latin players by “Americanized” names here. Ricardinho is “Ricky” (or Rico), Arturo is “Artie,” Roberto Mina is “Bob,” etc.
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Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Tribune on his Red Card blog with some new Chicago Fire news items - Talks to new Fire re-signing John Thorrington, Ivan Guerrero injury update, and a guest blog entry from former MLS assistant coach and current UIC head coach John Trask.
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Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch lets the Columbus Crew cry about poor refereeing in their last second loss to KC last weekend. Please shut up. It was a PK. Your guy fouled the KC guy. Get over yourselves. You still should have at least gotten a point. Then you let that get away too. It is YOUR fault Columbus, not the ref's.
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Dan Steinberg filling in for Steven Goff with this week's DC United notes on the Soccer Insider.
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Steinberg also writes for the Washington Post on DC's newest signing, Angolan Jerson Monteiro.
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John Haydon of the Washington Times with an article on the solid play of DC midfielder Clyde Simms that has been one of the contribution that has boosted the team this season.
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Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle with a wrap up of various Dynamo notes including the health & future of forward Paul Dalgish.
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Fallas also has an article in the Chronicle about the Dynamo's team effort in raising money and helping to try and bring some joy to kids with cancer.
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Doug McIntyre of Soccernet raves, hypes & hopes for the best for/from NY's 17 year old striker Jozy Altidore.
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The Boston Herald with an article on New England defender James Riley who has lined up at every spot on the back line this season.
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Larry Millson of the Toronto Globe & Mail checks in on TFC forward's Danny Dichio injury status. Not looking good.
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Millson also talks to TFC forward Andrea Lombardo about the historic goal scoring drought the team is in.
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Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star writes that while TFC is massively frustrated but still motivated.
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Dean McNulty of the Toronto Sun also writes about the miserable drought.
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Bob Luder of the Kansas City Star with an article on the stronger influx of foreign talent into MLS this season.
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Pete Grathoff also of the KC Star looks at the possible expansion of MLS into state neighbor/rival St Louis. And other MLS related notes.
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Many have questioned why Kansas City gave away the potential of forward Yura Movsisyan so easily, but the teams technical director Peter Vermes said they let the player go because he was desperate to get on a team where he would have better chances to get on the field regularly. I have thought for quite a while that Movsisyan does have the skills to succeed.
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Andrew Wiebe of the Daily Kansan looks at the KC Wiz run to the end of the regular reason and hopefully the playoffs.
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Metrofanatic with their Top Ten list of the New York teams best draft picks ever. A great list!
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Nick Green of the LA Daily News with an article on Chivas USA's new team executive Shawn Hunter, and what needs to be done to help this team off the field.
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Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports looks at the part of Chivas USA that does work properly, the one on the field.
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Paul Gardner of the New York Sun looks ahead to the MLS playoffs, and says the teams need to score more goals.
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Jack Bell of the New York Times with notes on MLS playoffs and other worldly soccer topics.
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The Las Vegas Sun with an article on the next best possible shots at MLS expansion cities.
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We here at du Nord have been doing this since day 1 of this season, but MLS now has a playoff standings page.
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MLS has hired a former NBA executive to run their new expanded ticket sales and fan service department. They know they need to get serious about this. But of course being an NBA guy you know the emphasis will be on big buck corporate accounts, not us, the real fans.
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I have discussed this topic with a couple of readers lately - J Hutcherson of the US Soccer Players Assoc writes about the lack of uniformity in MLS team management positions and titles. I personally don't care what teams call people they hire, or how many they hire. Its up to each team to figure it out for themselves. I don't think J agrees with me.
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Women's World Cup
Matches & Scores:
Group Stage Round 3-
-Mon Sep 17
Germany 2-0 Japan
England 6-1 Argentina
-Tue Sep 18
Nigeria 0-1 USA
N Korea 1-2 Sweden
-Thu Sep 20
Norway v Ghana
Australia v Canada
China v New Zealand
Brazil v Denmark
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So far Germany (A1), England (A2), USA (B1) & N Korea (B2) have advanced to the Quarterfinals.
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Some WWC matches were delayed one day to avoid the typhoon that has hit China.
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Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Tribune talks to the great Peter Wilt about the new women's professional league in the USA that is scheduled to start up in 2009.
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Yanks Abroad talks to USA & Watford defender Jay DeMerit who is very happy he stayed at his relegated club rather than transfer back into the Premiership. I think its the wrong move, but if he is happy then I simply cannot argue with it.
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Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald News with an article on the high and growing quality of players from New Jersey in the world of soccer today. The 180 degree opposite of what is going on here in my state of Minnesota.
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USA Today with an article on USA father-son coach-player team Bob & Michael Bradley.
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Goal.com with an article on the early season success of American Clint Dempsey at Fulham.
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The US Soccer Players Assoc has a Q & A with former USA & MLS keeper Tony Meola, now beginning an indoor soccer career.
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UEFA Champions League Matchday 1
The Groups Stages
-Tue Sep 18
Marseille 2-0 Besiktas - goals by Julien Rodriguez & Djibril Cisse.
Porto 1-1 Liverpool - Por goal by Lucho Gonzalez(PK). Liver goal by Dirk Kuyt.
Chelsea 1-1 Rosenborg - Chel goal by Andriy shevchenko. Rose goal by Miika Koppinen.
Schalke 0-1 Valencia - goal by David Villa.
Real Madrid 2-1 Bremen - Real goals by Raul & Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Bremen goal by Boubacar Sanogo.
Olympiacos 1-1 Lazio - Oly goal by Luciano Galletti. Laz goal by Luciano Zauri.
Milan 2-1 Benfica - Mil goals by Andrea Pirlo & Pippo Inzaghi. Ben goal by Nuno Gomes.
Shakhtar 2-0 Celtic - goals by Brandao & Cristiano Lucarelli.
-Wed Sep 19
Rangers 2-1 Stuttgart - Ran goals by Charlie Adam & Jean-Claude Darcheville. Stu goal by Mario Gomez.
Barcelona 3-0 Lyon - goals by Francois Clerc(PK), Lionel Messi & Thierry Henry.
Roma 2-0 Dynamo Kyiv - goals by Simone Perrotta & Francisco Totti.
Sporting 0-1 Man United - goal by Cristiano Ronaldo.
PSV 2-1 CSKA Moskva - PSV goals by Danko Lazovic & Kenneth Perez. CSKA goal by Vagner Love.
Fenerbahce 1-0 Inter - goal by Deivid.
Arsenal 3-0 Sevilla - goals by Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie & Eduardo da Silva.
Slavia 2-1 Steaua - Slav goals by Zdenek Senkerik & Tuani Belaid. Stea goal by Dorin Goian.
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I know it started yesterday but it runs until late May so please use Greg Lalas's "Tips for playing hooky to watch Champions League." From Sports Illustrated.
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Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian writes about the new money success of Ukrainian club team Shakhtar Donetsk - the new fave team of my soccer pal Steve L. Go Rats Go.
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AP, via Sports Illustrated, with an article on a Brazilian player named Kerlon that has a move called the "Seal Dribble" that is driving fans and opposition players mad with joy and rage!
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Tim Vickery of Sports Illustrated is impressed with Brazil as they prepare for CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying.
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Jeffrey Marcus of the New York Times Goal blog looks at the globalization of ownership in European club soccer with a Q & A with author Franklin Foer (How Soccer Explains the World - the inferior rip-off of Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy).
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Last month in a League Cup match in England, Leicester defender Clive Clarke collapsed on the field from a heart attack (he luckily survived). The game was near half time and immediately called off with opponents Nottingham on top 1-0. Last night the match was replayed, and in a show of sportsmanship the Leicester team allowed Nottingham to start the match by walking down the field and scoring untouched to bring the score back to where it hand been in the initial match. Leicester said they allowed Nottingham to do that because even though the first match was abandon, it was the score in the first game and it was the right thing to do. Kind of amazing really. Incidentally Leicester came back to win the game.