Some News for Thu Dec 31, 2009

STARTERS

Official notice from Fulham FC: "American striker Eddie Johnson has joined Greek club Aris Thessaloniki FC on loan until June 30, 2010"
-The team is managed by Argentine Hector Cuper, who has a 15 year long resume including: Huracan, Mallorca, Valencia, Inter Milan, Real Betis & Parma.
-Aris, as they are known, is in 6th place at the midpoint of the Greek season, 16 points behind the leaders Panathinaikos.

SOCCER IN AMERICA

Joel Engel of the Santa Barbara Independent tells us, in 9 chapters, the staggering story of Eric Frimpong, former UC Santa Barbara soccer player who is serving 6 years in prison on a rape conviction. Many have thought all along he did not do it, and are more convinved now than ever.

MLS GENERATION ADIDAS 2010

Danny Mwanga of Oregon State is the latest to sign a lucrative developmental deal with the league.

dN

Stefan Bondy writing for the US National Soccer Players Association talks to Dilly Duka who signed with the league last week.

MLS COACHES MERRY-GO-ROUND

Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer pimps for Jurgen Klinsmann to be the next Red Bulls head coach.

USL-1/NASL MESS

Following yesterday's announcement from US Soccer that the governing body would not sanction any division 2 league at this time, and wanted the arguing parties to find a solution, both leagues have made press statements.
-USL press release.
-NASL responds.

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Andrew Hush of ESPN Soccernet examines Jozy Altidore's first half season at Hull.

dN

Coming Up: (all possible players are listed)

ENGLAND - FA Cup 3rd Round
-Sat Jan 2
Jemal Johnson - Milton Keynes - v Burnley
Brad Friedel - Aston Villa - v Blackburn Rovers
Brad Guzan - Aston Villa - v Blackburn Rovers
Tim Howard - Everton - v Carlisle United
Frank Simek - Sheffield Wednesday - v Crystal Palace
Clint Dempsey - Fulham - v Swindon Town
Zak Whitbread - Millwall - v Derby County
Jozy Altidore - Hull City - at Wigan
Eric Lichaj - Lincoln City - at Bolton
-Sun Jan 3
Mike Grella - Leeds - at Manchester United
Jay DeMerit - Watford - at Chelsea
Jonathan Spector - West Ham - v Arsenal
Marcus Hahnemann - Wolverhampton - at Tranmere Rovers

ENGLAND - League One
Jon-Paul Pittman - Wycombe - Sat Jan 2 v Norwich City

SCOTLAND - Premiership
DaMarcus Beasley - Rangers - Sun Jan 3 at Celtic - have won 5 in a row
Dominic Cervi - Celtic - Sun Jan 3 v Rangers - have won 4 out of 5
Maurice Edu - Rangers - Sun Jan 3 at Celtic - have won 5 in a row

MEXICO

Interliga

Official Web Site

The tournament starts on Jan 2

2 teams from this tournament get a spot in the 2010 Copa Libertadores.
The 8 teams are split into 2 groups and the teams in each group play a round robin.
Then the winner of Group A plays the runner up from Group B for one spot, and winner of Group B plays the runner up from Group A for the other spot.

Group A
Atlante
Estudiantes
America
Santos
Group B
Tigres
Chiapas
Monterrey
Puebla

Matches & Scores:
-Sat Jan 2
Atlante v Estudiantes Tecos
America v Santos Laguna
Venue: Robertson Stadium - Houston TX
-Sun Jan 3
UANL Tigres v Chiapas Jaguares
Monterrey v Puebla
Venue: Pizza Hut Park - Frisco TX
-Tue Jan 5
Estudiantes Tecos v Santos Laguna
Atlante v America
Venue: Pizza Hut Park - Frisco TX
-Wed Jan 6
Chiapas Jaguares v Puebla
UANL Tigres v Monterrey
Venue: Robertson Stadium - Houston TX
-Sat Jan 9
Santos Laguna v Atlante
America v Estudiantes Tecos
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
-Sun Jan 10
Puebla v UANL Tigres
Monterrey v Chiapas Jaguares
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
-Wed Jan 13
Final 1 - A1 v B2
Final 2 - B1 v A2
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA

ENGLAND

Reuters reports that Wednesday's game between Arsenal and Portsmouth featured not a single English player in either starting 11. First time that has ever happened. Wow. Could you imagine an MLS game with no Americans on the field?

dN

The 3rd Round of the FA Cup takes place this weekend. Here are the games.

dN

Next Premier League games are on Sat Jan 9.

dN

Top Team Standings:
45 Chelsea (20 played)
43 Manchester United (20 played)
41 Arsenal (19 played)
37 Tottenham (20 played)
35 Manchester City (19 played)
35 Aston Villa (20 played)
33 Liverpool (20 played)

dN

Top Goal Scorers:
14 Jermain Defoe - Tottenham
14 Didier Drogba - Chelsea
14 Wayne Rooney - Manchester United
13 Darren Bent - Sunderland
12 Fernando Torres - Liverpool
10 Louis Saha - Everton

SCOTLAND

The Old Firm Derby is on Sunday. 6:30am Central USA time.

SPAIN

Next La Liga games are on Sat Jan 2 & Sun Jan 3.

dN

Top Team Standings (after 15 played) & Next Matches:
39 Barcelona - Next: Sat Jan 2 v Villarreal
37 Real Madrid - Next: Sun Jan 3 at Osasuna
30 Sevilla - Next: Sat Jan 2 at Atletico Madrid
29 Valencia - Next: Sat Jan 2 v Espnayol
27 Mallorca - Next: Sun Jan 3 v Athletic Bilbao
27 Deportivo La Coruna - Next: Sun Jan 3 at Real Zaragoza

dN

Top Goal Scorers:
12 David Villa - Valencia
11 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Barcelona
10 Roberto Soldado - Getafe
10 Gonzalo Higuain - Real Madrid
9 Lionel Messi - Barcelona
8 Luis Fabiano - Sevilla

ITALY

Roma has signed forward Luca Toni from Bayern Munich on a loan.

EUROPE

Hurriyet reports on Turkey's bid to host Euro 2016.