Some News for Fri Dec 18, 2009

STARTERS

Kasey Keller: "...we have been told of a probable lockout date of Feb. 1st" - AND - "...he major points for the players are: guaranteed contracts, free agency, and the right to negotiate with other MLS teams." See all the rest of Keller's words in the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement section. [LINK CORRECTED]

dN

Everton says the deal with Landon Donovan is complete. He will be with them on Jan 1 or 2. Includes video of coach David Moyes.

dN

Every time I see ESPN make their grandiose claims that they are 100% committed to soccer, we get proof that it is a charade. Here is the latest: ESPN is launching more and more localized sports coverage, and on their page to find local news we get many sports listed, but no soccer of any kind, just sections for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Coll Football, Coll Basketball, NASCAR, PGA & MMA. Busted again.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Here is the draw for the first round of knockout games:














dN

Matchday 7 will be played on Tue Feb 16, Wed Feb 17, Tue Feb 23 & Wed Feb 24.

CHARLIE DAVIES

The Washington Post gives us the first glimpse at details in the car crash that killed one person and seriously injured USA forward Charlie Davies.

MLS

The great Metrofanatic announce their MetroStars/Red Bull Player of the Decade. It might surprise you. But I love it.

dN

DC United has signed Cristian Castillo from El Salvador on a loan deal. He played last year for Alianza in his homeland, and was loaned out to Leon in Mexico, who have recently bought him, and now Leon turns right around and loans him out to DC. Weird.

MLS RUMORS

Several juicy DC United player rumors coming from the Washington Post as usual. And also a mention of some young Brazilian's for the Galaxy.

dN

Soccer By Ives with a couple of cool sounding rumors - Stuart Holden to Blackburn - and - John Spencer to coach Portland.

dN

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America ruminates on the future of Stuart Holden.

dN

River Plate wants Juan Pablo Angel to return and help revive the struggling club.

dN

Patrick Viera to MLS? From Soccer 365.

MLS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT

Kasey Keller takes to his own blog to give us some off season thoughts, and some real opinions on the players negotiations with MLS.

dN

Jose Romero of the Seattle Times with more words from Keller, and Sounders player rep James Riley.

dN

The current deal expires on Dec 31, 2009.

MLS COACHES MERRY-GO-ROUND

The Washington Post reports on a possible kick up stairs for a DC United assistant.

MLS STADIUM BUILDING

The Kansas City Wizards blog has video of team pres Robb Heineman talks about their new stadium plans. Very upbeat.

NCAA

Soccer America has announced their list of 2009 MVPS (FIRST TEAM):
G Diego Restrepo, Virginia, Jr.
F Andre Akpan, Harvard, Sr.
M Anthony Ampaipitakwong, Akron, Jr.
M Corben Bone, Wake Forest, Jr.
F Teal Bunbury, Akron, Soph.
M Irving Garcia, UC Irvine, Sr.
D Zach Loyd, North Carolina, Sr.
M Ashley McInnes, Tulsa, Jr.
F Danny Mwanga, Oregon State, Soph.
M Kyle Nakazawa, UCLA, Sr.
D Ike Opara, Wake Forest, Jr.

dN

And Soccer America's Player of the Year: F Teal Bunbury, Akron, Soph.

AMERICANS IN EUROPE - RUMORS

In the first knockout round of the UEFA Europa League Clint Dempsey & Fulham have drawn Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine, while Tim Howard and Everton have been drawn against Sporting of Portugal. Both will be tough, but not impossible! Very exciting.

dN

Bryan Arguez is out the door at Hertha Berlin. Where will he go?

CANADA

Rumor going 'round that Canada will play Jamaica on Jan 31. Where?

GERMANY

Soccer365 translates some Juergen Klinsmann quotes ripping Bayern Munich's former general manager & new chairman Uli Hoeness.
-These are the same criticisms that I have written about this club many times.

dN

BUNDESLIGA - Standings - And - Last round before winter break Matches & Scores:
32 Bayer Leverkusen - Next: Sat Dec 19 v Monchengladbach
31 Schalke - Next: Fri Dec 18 v Mainz
30 Bayern Munich - Next: Sat Dec 19 v Hertha Berlin
28 Werder Bremen - Next: Sun Dec 20 at Hamburg
28 Hamburg - Next: Sun Dec 20 v Werder Bremen
27 Borussia Dortmund - Next: Sat Dec 19 v Freiburg

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE

The final 5 teams - Anderlecht, Lille, Happoel Tel Aviv, Panathinaikos & Villarreal - joined 19 teams - Hertha Berlin, Panathinaikos, Roma, Fulham, Club Brugge, Kobenhavn, Ajax, Sporting, Hamburg, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Salzburg, Benfica, Everton, Shakhtar, Werder Bremen, Athletic Bilbao & PSV - that have advanced to the knockout rounds already.

And 8 teams from the Champions League - Juventus, Wolfsburg, Marseille, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Rubin Kazan, Unirea Urziceni & Standard Liege - will drop down to fill out the 32 team field.

dN

Here is the draw for the first knockout round.

ARGENTINA

Gregory Sica of Sports Illustrated writes about Banfield winning the Argentine championship, the first time in their 113 years!!!
-Neither Boca Juniors or River Plate have qualified for the 2010 Copa Libertadores. Wow.

CLUB WORLD CUP

Barcelona meets Estudiantes in the Final on Saturday.

dN

The tournament is being played in Abu Dhabi.

dN

Matches & Scores:
-Wed Dec 9 - Match 1
Al Ahli FC 0-2 Auckland City FC - Auc goals by Adam Dickinson & Chad Coombes.
-Fri Dec 11 - Match 2
TP Mazembe 1-2 Pohang Steelers FC - TPM goal by Mbenza Bedi. PS goals both by Denilson (no, not that one).
Sat Dec 12 - Match 3
Auckland City FC 0-3 Atlante FC - Atl goals by Daniel Arreola, Christian Bermudez & Lucas Silva.
-Tue Dec 15 - Semifinal
Pohang Steelers FC 1-2 Estudiantes de La Plata - PS goal by Denilson - EDLP goals both by Leandro Benitez.
-Wed Dec 16 - Semifinal
Atlante FC 1-3 FC Barcelona - Atl goal by Guillermo Rojas. Bar goals by Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi & Pedro.
-Sat Dec 19 - Final
Barcelona v Estudiantes

ALL AROUND THE WORLD

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated announces his All-Decade Starting XI.
-While we all might have other favorites we would like to see in a First 11, it's pretty tough to argue against anyone on this team.

dN

And Wahl lists the best and worst soccer events of the decade.