Hola, Ya Bastards, News

Nick Sakiewicz, CEO of Keystone Sports who are starting the new MLS team in Philadelphia: “I wish we could give you hard commitments today, but we’re not even sure the stadium is going to be built. If the markets tank next month, then we won’t build this thing. We’ll be out $15 million and everyone goes home.” Holy smokes. See all the details below in MLS Expansion News.


MLS Team News

COLORADO RAPIDS

George Tanner of the Rocky Mountain News blog FC Rocky gives his Rapids' year in review.
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SEATTLE SOUNDERS

David Falk of the Examiner posts 5 questions that the Sounders need to answer for a successful first season.
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GENERAL

Allen Ramsey of Goal.com gives us his MLS Team of the Season for 2008.
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MLS Rumor City - Don't Tease Me Bro!

Soccer 365 ties T&T/Coventry City midfielder Chris Birchall (we know him as the white guy on T&T) to the San Jose E-quakes. This does not excite me in the least.
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MLS Expansion News

The Delaware County Daily Times in the Philadelphia area is running a series of articles on events this week that could spell total DOOM for the new team and their stadium deal. Wow. Chaos in the final hours of planning is never a wise idea. But then again I can give you two words why this mess does not surprise me in the least: Nick. Sakiewicz.
-County Not Kicking In Stadium Funds Just Yet - Dec 26
-Stadium developers, C.U. scramble for deal - Dec 30
-Stadium developers toss request for tax exemption - Dec 31
-Editorial: Storm clouds loom on the riverfront - Jan 2
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The Columbian newspaper near Portland sees a plus in having a MLS team in their city. There are negatives as well.
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USL General News

The league reviews itself for 08. The Champs: Vancouver Whitecaps, Cleveland City Stars, Thunder Bay Chill and Pali Blues.
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Team USA

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America looks ahead to the very full 2009 schedule, and the large pool of players that will be used to fill all the different situations.
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Brent Latham of Yanks Abroad feels the loss of Neven Subotic to Serbia is a real blow to American soccer.
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Andrea Canales of Goal.com tells us why Stuart Holden plays for the USA and not his native Scotland.
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Soccer In America

Andrea Canales of Goal.com gives us the Worst 2008 Soccer Moments In US. Those are some real bummers.
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Beau Dure of USA Today previews 2009.
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Americans In Europe

Troy Perkins writes his own column for his team Valerenga's website. Cool. (thanks to Michael for the heads up.)
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Bayern Munich starts their winter training camp today with Landon Donovan.
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The Daily Mail with an article on Maurice Edu - with quotes aplenty from Bruce Arena of all people.
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Greg Seltzer of No Short Corners connects us to a video interview with Jared Jeffrey at Club Brugge.
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UPCOMING MATCHES

Several Americans are potentially in action in the English FA Cup:
Sat Jan 3
-Bobby Convey - Cardiff v Reading
-Jay DeMerit - Watford v Scunthorpe United
-Clint Dempsey - Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham
-Marcus Hahnemann - Cardiff v Reading
-Tim Howard - Macclesfield Town v Everton
-Eddie Johnson - Cardiff v Reading
-Frank Simek - Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham
-Jonathan Spector - West Ham v Barnsley
-Zak Whitbread - Millwall v Crewe Alexandra
Sun Jan 4
-Kyle Davies - Southampton v Manchester United
-Brad Friedel - Gillingham v Aston Villa
-Brad Guzan - Gillingham v Aston Villa
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There are Americans in the 9th round of the Coupe de France:
Sat Jan 3
-Carlos Bocanegra - Sochaux v Rennes
-Andrew Jacobsen - Alencon v Lorient
-Quinten Westburg - Louhans-Cuiseaux v Troyes
Sun Jan 4
-Freddy Adu - Blagnac v Monaco
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Mexico News

INTERLIGA

The annual tournament (held in the USA) to send Mexican teams to Copa Libertadores, kicks off today!
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Official website.
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Matches & Scores:
-Fri Jan 2
Venue: Pizza Hut Park - Dallas TX
Toluca v Morelia
UAG Teccos v Pachuca
-Sat Jan 3
Venue: Robertson Stadium - Houston TX
UANL Tigres v Atlas
Guadalajara v America
-Mon Jan 5
Venue: Robertson Stadium - Houston TX
UAG Tecos v Morelia
Toluca v Pachuca
-Tue Jan 6
Venue: Pizza Hut Park - Dallas TX
UANL Tigres v America
Guadalajara v Atlas
-Thu Jan 8
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
Morelia v Pachuca
Toluca v UAG Tecos
-Fri Jan 9
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
Atlas v America
UANL Tigres v Guadalajara
-Sun Jan 11
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
Finals
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England News

The BBC lets you follow all the English transfers.
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John Ashdown of the Guardian tells us which young players in the Championship division we should watch out for in this new year.
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European News

Kevin McCarra of the Guardian looks into his crystal ball to predict 2009.
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SCOTLAND

Ewan Murray of the Guardian says Scotland will miss the retiring Trinidadian midfielder Russell Latapy.
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The Weekends Biggest Club Matches From Around The World

Scotland Premiership
-Sat Jan 3
Hearts v Hibernian - the 2nd biggest Scottish derby
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Spain La Liga
-Sat Jan 3
Valencia v Atletico Madrid - #4 v #3, could be a great offensive show to kick off the new year
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Spain La Liga
-Sun Jan 4
Real Madrid v Villarreal - #5 v #6, and a losing team will fall a long way off the pace
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Greek Super League
-Sun Jan 4
Panathinaikos v AEK Athens - long standing rivals
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UEFA Champions League

From Gazzetta Dello Sport: The Inter Milan v Manchester United series is still nearly 2 months away but Inter coach Jose Mourinho has already started in with one of his favorite games - baiting Alex Ferguson.
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World News

Luis Bueno at Sports Illustrated gives us his big predictions for 09 - including USA over Mexico at Azteca. Luis really seems to think Mexico is in a bad bad way.
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Robert Burns of Fox Sports on his column Side Kicks finishes off the year with a review.
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Kyle McCarthy of Goal.com gives us his favorite soccer moments of 2008.
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Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune tells us who the youngsters are that will turn our heads in 09.