What Are We Blaming Canada For Again News

Lot's of people are saying that Taylor Twellman is done in New England. What does Twellman have to say about that: "I'll be wearing No. 20 for the Revolution next year, that's for sure."

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The USA U18 team is in Australia for the Youth Olympic Festival and yesterday they beat China 14-0. Yes you read that right. 14 goals for our team, and zero for China. No details yet on who did the damage.

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Michael Parkhurst has joined the USA training camp in Southern California as they prepare to take on Sweden next Sat Jan 24 at 7:30pm Central time.


MLS Team News

CHICAGO FIRE

Drafted:
-Baggio Husidic - M
-David Sias - D
-Jokull Elisabetarson - M
-Richard Jata - M
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The team sent the rights to goal keeper Matt Pickens to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for a higher draft pick.
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Orrin Schwarz of the Daily Herald tells us who the Fire picked.
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Nick Firchau of the Southtown Star on those picks.
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Luis Arroyave of the Tribune on the draft choices.
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The Fire announced the formation of a Cup challenge with Club America of Mexico city. It will be a home and away exhibition of for some hardware. No other details available yet, but this is pretty cool.
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Long time Fire player and one year assistant coach Chris Armas has left the team to head back to his native New York and pursue options there.
-Arroyave on his blog The Red Card talks to Armas about why he has left the club.
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CD CHIVAS USA

Drafted:
-Michael Lahoud - M
-Kyle Christensen - F
-Jamie Franks - M
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Grahame Jones of the LA Times looks at the picks.
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Midfielder Sacha Kljestan has left the USA January training camp in LA for a try out with Celtic! See more in the Americans in Europe - Transfer Rumors section.
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Acquired left fullback Ante Jazic from the LA Galaxy.
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COLORADO RAPIDS

Drafted:
-Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe - M
-Steward Ceus - G
-Ross Schunk - F
-Jordan Seabrook - F
-Henry Kalungi - D
-Michael Holody - D
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Sadly, or should I say pathetically, neither the Denver Post or the Rocky Mountain News had anything posted about the draft!
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Colorado will not be re-signing goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul for this season. So what time is it now?
-The team has instead acquired the rights to former Chicago goalkeeper Matt Pickens who has signed a new contract after spending last season in England at Queens Park Rangers.
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Obviously new Technical Director Paul Bravo new something when he left the LA Galaxy last month - he knew that former LA defender Ty Harden who had retired after just one year as a pro, was ready to play again. So Bravo acquired his rights in Colorado and has a roster spot open for Harden to return.
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COLUMBUS CREW

Drafted:
-Paul Gerstenberger - D
-Alex Grendi - M
-Chris Clements - D
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Shawn Mitchell of the Dispatch on the Crew draft choices.
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FC DALLAS

Drafted:
-Peri Marosevic - F
-George John - M
-Brian Shriver - F
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Tobias Xavier Lopez of the Star Telegram looks at how the team did in the draft.
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Diego Aparicio of the Morning News on the FCD selections.
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DC UNITED

Drafted:
-Rodney Wallace - M
-Chris Pontius - M
-Milos Kocic - G
-Lyle Adams - D
-Brandon Barklage - M
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The official team blog has a Q & A with coach Tom Soehn & GM Dave Kaspar after the draft.
-And a Q & A with their first 2 picks - Rodney Wallace and Chris Pontius.
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Steven Goff of the Post on the teams picks.
-More Goff notes from his blog Soccer Insider.
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John Haydon of the Times examines the draft choices.
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HOUSTON DYNAMO

Drafted:
-Daniel Cruz - M
-Marcus Tracy - F
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Bernardo Fallas of the Chronicle on the teams only pick. (Yes I know they made two, but not really.)
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KANSAS CITY WIZARDS

Drafted:
-Matt Besler - D
-Doug DeMartin - F
-Graham Zusi - M
-Neal Kitson - G
-Akeen Priestly - M
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The Star reviews the teams picks.
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LOS ANGELES GALAXY

Drafted:
-Omas Gonzalez - D
-AJ DeLaGarza - D
-Josh Boaten - F
-Kyle Patterson - M
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The Daily News on the draft choices.
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Grahame Jones of the Times looks at the picks.
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Yes it is true, LA has acquired midfielder Dema Kovalenko from RSL. This will be his 5th MLS team.
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NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

Drafted:
-Kevin Alston - D
-Ryan Maxwell - M
-Andrei Gotsmanov - M
-Denaldin Hamzagic - M
-Chris Salvaggione - f
-Darrius Barnes - D
-Tyrel Lacey - G
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Monique Walker of the Globe reviews the teams choices.
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Kyle McCarthy of the Herald on the team's newest prospects.
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RED BULL NEW YORK

Drafted:
-Jeremy Hall - M
-Babajide Ogunbiyi - D
-Jack Traynor - D
-Nick Zimmerman - M
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Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer assesses the Bulls draft picks.
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Stefan Bondy of the Herald on the teams selections. Very interesting story about the first round pick and the coach.
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Brian Lewis of the Post on his blog Extra Time with - One - Two - Three (includes video interview with Hall) - articles on the teams choices.
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Frank Giase of the Star Ledger tells us about the players selected.
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REAL SALT LAKE

Drafted:
-Jean Alexandre - M
-Raphael Cox - M
-Futhi Bhembe - F
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Michael Black of the Deseret News on the RSL picks.
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Michael C Lewis of the Tribune on the team's day at the draft.
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SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

-Brad Ring - M
-Quincy Amarikwa - F
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The Mercury News has nothing on the Quakes picks. Just brutal.
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Jay Hipps of Center Line Soccer fills us in the Quakes choices.
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SEATTLE SOUNDERS

Drafted:
-Steve Zakuani - F
-Evan Brown - D
-Jared Karkas - D
-Michael Fucito - M
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The Post Intelligencer on the first overall pick - forward Steve Zakuani.
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Jose Romero of the Times also writes about Zakuani.
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TORONTO FC

Drafted:
-Sam Cronin - M
-O'Brian White - F
-Stefan Frei - G
-Mike Grella - F
-Kyle Hall - F
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Larry Millson of the Globe & Mail takes a look at TFC's draft outcome.
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The Star reports on the teams draft picks.
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The National Post reviews Toronto's choices.
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GENERAL

Ives Galarcep at ESPN Soccernet grades all 15 teams draft effort. Toronto scores the top grade.
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Jeff Carlisle of ESPN Soccernet tells us a little about each of the first round picks.
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Kyle McCarthy of Goal.com answers 5 important questions from the draft.
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Richard Snowden of Soccer365 takes aim at the terrible scouting MLS does in the USL divisions, and how that MUST improve. I have had this conversation with many people over the years, and could not agree more. You want a good example of how bad the scouting is? 3 years ago my Minnesota Thunder made a tenacious run through the US Open Cup, destroying RSL 6-4 and Colorado 4-1 along the way. Next thing we know RSL has offered up decent money to buy forward Melvin Tarley nabbed 4 goals against them. Great move right. Well they obviously only saw one game and went with that. Now don't get me wrong, Tarley is a nice player, and has his moments of greatness. But he is also very frustrating and inconsistent. He goes to RSL spends the rest of the season with them, does little to nothing and is released at the end of the season. Next season begins and he is back with the Thunder, but not for long. Colorado comes calling. They had a chance to scout him even more than RSL did, but they apparently didn't do their job either. But the Thunder sold Tarley again, and it didn't work out again. After spending time in 07 with Puerto Rico, he was back in Minnesota all last season, and contributed some good goals. Now get out and scout somebody.
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MLS College Draft Talk

Beau Dure of USA Today gives us an overview on how the draft went.
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MLS Rumor City - Don't Tease Me Bro!

Jeff Carlisle at Center Line Soccer reports that San Jose is going hard after Bobby Convey.
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Greg Seltzer of No Short Corners feels that fullback Ian Joy has played his last game for Salt Lake" "RSL left back Ian Joy is working out with 3.Bundesliga promotion hunters Fortuna Düsseldorf. He's likely headed back to Germany after a season in MLS."
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David Falk at the Examiner tells us about forward Freddy Montero from Deportivo Cali who is said to be coming to the Sounders training camp.
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Soccer 365 repeats the rumor that the Galaxy have offered 38 Million Euros to Juventus for Alessandro Del Piero. Now THAT is funny.
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MLS Stadium Talk

The Delaware County Times says the county bonding issues have all been cleared up and the money will be available for stadium building. So last weeks negative articles were really "the boy cries wolf."
-The Philadelphia Daily News with a similar story.
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MLS Expansion News

Tom Timmerman of the St Louis Post Dispatch reports that contrary to earlier rumors, lead investor Jeff Cooper has NOT found the big money investor needed to back his bid for an MLS team in St Louis. What a drag. That city needs a team NOW.
-Timmerman on his blog Free Kicks also has a Q & A with commisioner Donald W Garber.
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The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that the Atlanta expansion bid has been dropped. They join Montreal on the sidelines, and we are down to 5. (thanks to James G for the link)
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Starting Monday you will be able to help name the new team in Philadelphia by voting for the choices that will offered on the team's website. How heinous will the choices be?
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I want St Louis & Portland to get the next 2 teams, but I think Miami is a lock, and with St Louis still not shoaring up the finances I see Portland getting the 2nd - Miami and Portland it is.
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USL First Division News

The Portland Timbers announced the signing of 7 players.
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US Soccer News

Goal.com has a Q & A with the head of the US Soccer Development Academy John Hackworth.
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Team USA

Official team blog
-"Jason Hernandez was diagnosed with a slight calf strain." Yet another defender down!
-So centerback Michael Parkhurst has been added to the roster!
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US Soccer gives us audio of an interview with coach Bob Bradley. Download or listen here.
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Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan has left the USA January training camp in LA for a try out with Celtic! He will supposedly be back in LA for the game against Sweden on the 24th. Not if Celtic likes him.
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Goalkeeper William Hesmer got the keys to the company blog last night and left us this message from training camp.
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USA U20 News

The USA has learned their opponents for the group stage of the CONCACAF U20 Championship. This tournament will also qualify 4 teams to the U20 World Cup.
Group A
El Salvador
Jamaica
Honduras/St Vincent & Grenadines winner
USA
Group B
Canada
Costa Rica
Mexico
Trinidad & Tobago
-The tournament will take place in T&T, with the dates tentatively set for Mar 6 to 15.
-The 2009 FIFA U20 World Cup will be held in Egypt from Sep 25 to Oct 2.
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The team goes to Trinidad this weekend for a 6 day training camp to get used to the surroundings.
-Here is the roster for this trip:
G:
Sean Johnson - U Central Florida
Brian Perk - UCLA
D:
Kyle Davis - Southampton FC
Connor Lade - St John’s U
Kofi Opare - St. Catharine’s Concord
Chris Taylor - U Tulsa
Anthony Wallace - FC Dallas
Marcus Watson - Los Angeles Galaxy Academy
M:
Richard Balchan - Indiana U
Tony Cascio - U Connecticut
Danny Cruz - UNLV
Dilly Duka - Rutgers U
Jared Jeffrey - Club Brugge
Aaron Maund - Notre Dame
Brek Shea - FC Dallas
F:
Will Bruin - Indiana U
Felix Garcia - Laredo Heat
Tony Taylor - Jacksonville U
Casey Townsend - U Maryland
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USA U18 News

The Australian Youth Olympic Festival.
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Matches & Scores:
-Thu Jan 15
USA 1-1 Chile - USA goal by Amobi Okugo. Chil goal by Jose Silva.
Match report from US Soccer.
Australia 7-1 China
-Fri Jan 16
USA 14-0 China
Australia 2-2 Chile
-Sun Jan 18
USA v Australia
Chile v China
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USA U17 News

The USA has learned their opponents for the group stage of the CONCACAF U17 Championship. This tournament will also qualify 4 teams to the U17 World Cup.
Group A
Canada
Cuba
Honduras
USA
Group B
Costa Rica
Guatemala
Mexico
Trinidad & Tobago
-The tournament will be held at the Estadio Caliente in Tijuana Mexico from Apr 21 to May 2.
-The 2009 FIFA U17 World Cup will be held in Nigeria from Oct 24 to Nov 15.
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Soccer In America

Jeff Agoos & Joy Fawcett have been voted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
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Americans In Europe

Andrew Rogers of Soccer 365 has a Q & A with Michael Parkhurst at his new team Nordsjaelland.
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Here is what is on the docket for Landon Donovan and Bayern Munich over the next 2 weeks:
-Friendlies
Bayern Munich 3-0 Bamberg -Sat Jan 17 - the game was played on a snow covered pitch with an orange ball. LD came on at half time already up 2-0 and did not figure in the last goal.
Bayern Munich v Kaiserslautern - Mon Jan 19
Bayern Munich v Mainz - Thu Jan 22
-DFB Pokal Round of 16
Stuttgart v Bayern Munich - Tue Jan 27
-Bundesliga
Hamburger v Bayern Munich - Fri Jan 30
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TRANSFER RUMORS

Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan has left the USA January training camp in LA for a try out with Celtic!
-Greg Seltzer of Soccer 365 reports that a price has already been agreed upon between MLS and Celtic for Kljestan if this goes well.
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Mexico & FMF News

The Clausura opening round kicks off today!
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Matches & Scores:
-Fri Jan 16
UAdG 1-2 Indios Juarez
-Sat Jan 17
Chiapas v Atlas
Monterrey v Puebla
Guadalajara v Cruz Azul
Morelia v San Luis
Necaxa v UNAM
-Sun Jan 18
Toluca v Atlante
Pachuca v UANL
Santos Laguna v America
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Luis Bueno of The Touchline gives us his season preview.
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South America News

BRAZIL

Santos of Brazil has signed one of du Nord's favorite strikers, Luis Bolanos from 2008 Copa Libertadores champions Liga de Quito. Good luck Luis. Go make Pele proud.
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England News

Duncan White of the Telegraph calls Manchester Untied defender Nemanja Vidic the best player in the Premiership so far this season. I can't argue with that. He is fantastic, and of course on the 2008 du Nord World Best 11.
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Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has tweaked a knee and could be out of action for 2 months.
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All the English January transfers via The BBC.
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European News

FRANCE

Mamadou Bagayoko of Nantes has been suspended for 6 weeks after pushing the referee in their match last weekend against Monaco.
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SPAIN

Real Madrid team president Ramon Calderon has resigned in shame after being implicated in a scheme to rig the member voting to approve his budgetary wants. Here is his statement that was released by the club.
-Check out this crazyhuge picture of Calderon's eyes that appeared on the front page of Madrid sports daily paper Marca. Yes it ran at this size! The headline read "Calderon leaves in tears." So why doesn't the picture show the tears. Hyperbole!
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Copa Del Rey

Round of 16 Second leg Matches & Scores (with First leg scores included):
-Thu Jan 15
Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Osasuna - AB adv 3-1 on agg.
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The Weekends Biggest Club Matches From Around The World

England
-Sun Jan 18
West Ham v Fulham - another of the London derbys
-Mon Jan 19
Liverpool v Everton - the Liverpool derby - Red v Blue
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Italy
-Sat Jan 17
Milan v Fiorentina - two teams desperately trying to staty in the hunt
-Sun Jan 18
Lazio v Juventus - Lazio want to be in the Champions League next year, while Juve want to be Champions now
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FIFA News

Countries interested in bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups must officially announce their intentions to FIFA by Feb 2.