Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Some News for Tue Mar 16, 2010

MLS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT

The current deal expired on Jan 31, 2010, but the two sides agreed to originally extend it until Feb 12, and a further 13 days to Feb 25. And now that Feb 25 has come and gone with no new deal being finished, we enter the Twilight Zone, with the players vowing to strike if a new contract is not agreed to by opening day - Thu Mar 25.

dN

The LA Times talks to Galaxy executive Tim Leiweke who is pretty pissed off that the players are threatening to strike. He says there is a deal that can be made and that the 2 sides need to shut up and get it done.

dN

Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times talks to Sounders owner Joe Roth who is not optimistic.

dN

Mike Wilbon of the Washington Post in an online chat answers a question about the strike. Good answer too. (scroll down about halfway for it)

dN

Seattle player Freddie Ljungberg and his ghost writer at ESPN Soccernet tell us what they think of the negotiations. Of course he sides with the players.

dN

Paul James of the Toronto Globe & Mail gives his 2 cents on where the league is at and what the labor stalemate means.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Lyon, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Arsenal as half of the Quarterfinals field is set.

dN

Round of 16 2nd Leg Matches & Scores (with 1st Leg scores included):
-Tue Mar 16
Sevilla v CSKA Moscow (1-1)
Chelsea v Inter (1-2)
-Wed Mar 17
Barcelona v Stuttgart (1-1) - Live at 2:30pm Central on FSC
Bordeaux v Olympiacos (1-0) - Delayed at 5pm Central on FSC

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Quarterfinals 2nd Leg Matches & Scores (with 1st Leg scores included):
-Tue Mar 16
Pachuca v Comunicaciones (1-1)
-Wed Mar 17
Toluca v Columbus Crew (2-2)
Cruz Azul v Arabe Unido (1-0)
-Thu Mar 18
UNAM Pumas v Marathon (0-2)

dN

Away goals is the tiebreaker.

STORY OF THE DAY

USA coach Bob Bradley was in Sweden this past weekend and watched Alejandro Bedoya play for Orebro, and then talked to the teams website and told them more in a few words then he ever tells the American media. Why is that?

About his World Cup roster plans (translated from English to Swedish and back again): "We have a clear frame of 16-17 players, and behind it there are many who fight for a place. Alejandro is in there. We will have a camp at home in May. There are around 30 players present, then the second phase of the camp to remain in South Africa when the squad will be reduced to the 23 players..."

See the full article here, mostly about Bedoya obviously, in Swedish.

And you can read more about coach Bradley's trip to Scandavia in the TEAM USA section below.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Jose Torres on why he has struggled to have a bigger impact with Team USA: "The game is a little faster. The position is played the same way, but the game is faster so you have to react faster. [Bradley] puts me in my place, but the soccer is much faster and you can't hold the ball as much. What he asks me to do, I just have to do it."

Read the full story by Brent Latham below in the Americans In Mexico section.

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

The Canadian Press reports that Toronto FC has sent forward Ali Gerba away from the team during training camp and friendlies this week in Charleston SC. The reason given is that his "...performance this pre-season has not been up to our expectations."

dN

Paul James of the Toronto Globe & Mail says the team is getting a change in "culture", and guys like Gerba will pay the price.
-How does this explain the teams poor handling of Danny Dichio, Adrian Serioux and Carl Robinson?

dN

Kansas City yesterday announced the signing of 3 foreign midfielders:
-Igor Kostrov - 23 - Moldova - Maccabi Herzliya - right midfielder
-Craig Rocastle - 28 - England - Forest Green Rovers - central midfielder
-Ryan Smith - 24 - England - Crystal Palace - left midfielder

dN

Kristian Dyer of ESPN Soccernet previews the seasons of the New York Red Bulls and new kids the Philadelphia Union.

dN

In This Week does a Q & A with Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

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The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports on a new Sounders signing - 18 year old Colombian forward Miguel Montano on loan from Quilmes in Argentina.
-David Falk of the Examiner fills us in on Montano.

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Recently retired New England Revolution defender Jay Heaps will join the teams TV broadcasts as a color commentator.

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Frank Dell'apa of the Boston Globe writes about the player who will fill the goalkeeper spot until Matt Reis recovers from surgery - Preston Burpo.
-The last 1/3 of the article focuses on the teams first year forward Zack Schilawski.

dN

Marc Narducci ofthe Philadelphia Inquirer says Union coach Peter Nowak does not like whiners.

MLS STADIUM BUILDING

If you are lucky enough like me to have the MSG channel then you can watch the first game ever at Red Bull Arena this weekend when the Red Bulls host Santos of Brazil in a friendly.
-Sat Mar 20
New York Red Bulls v Santos (Brazil) - 5pm Central on MSG

dN

Filip Bondy of the NY Daily News makes a trip to Red Bull Arena and sees the team's shot at a new beginning.

dN

The Viper's Nest blog has the 4 part video of MSG network's show The Game 365's episode on Red Bull Arena.

MLS RUMORS

How great would it be if Jens "I'm insane & I will prove it" Lehmann suited up for a MLS team? It could happen!

dN

Today's rumors from Soccer 365.

MLS PRESEASON GAMES

-Wed Mar 17
Duke (NCAA) v New England Revolution
-Fri Mar 19
Colorado Rapids v Seattle Sounders
Tampa Bay Rowdies (USSF D2) v Philadelphia Union
-Sat Mar 20
New York Red Bulls v Santos (Brazil)
FC Dallas v Columbus Crew - Pioneer Cup - to honor Lamar Hunt
Kansas City Wizards v AC St Louis (USSF D2)
-Sun Mar 21
LA Galaxy v CD Aguila (El Salvador)

dN

The Carolina Challenge Cup starts this weekend:
-Sat Mar 13
Real Salt Lake 1-2 DC United
Charleston Battery (USL2) 0-0 Toronto FC
-Wed Mar 17
Charleston Battery (USL2) v Real Salt Lake
DC United v Toronto FC
-Sat Mar 20
Charleston Battery (USL2) v DC United
Real Salt Lake v Toronto FC

USL NEWS

The USL has begun posting their countdown of the Top 25 USL First Division players of the past Decade:

#6 Greg Sutton

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
25-21

TEAM USA

Yanks Abroad reports that USA coach Bob Bradley spent last weekend catching up with some of his players in Scandanavia.

USA U20 TEAM

The USA U20 team will partake is this year's Dallas Cup tournament.

dN

Group Stage Matches & Scores:
-Sun Mar 28
USA v Mexico
-Mon Mar 29
USA v Vancouver Whitecaps
-Wed Mar 31
USA v Eintrecht Frankfurt

dN

Here is the USA U20 roster:
G:
Justin Luthy - Boston College
Zac MacMath - Maryland
D:
Chad Barson - Akron
Jesus Gonzalez - CZ Elite
Ian Hines-Ike - Chivas USA Academy
Tyler Polak - CSA Legacy
Kofi Sarkodie - Akron
Zarek Valentin - Akron
Jared Watts - Wake Forest
M:
Jose Altamirano - San Diego State
Bryan De La Fuente - Chivas USA Academy
Ruben Gonzalez - Chivas USA
Amobi Okugo - Philadelphia Union
Will Packwood - Birmingham City
Dillon Powers - Notre Dame
Cesar Zamora - Chivas USA
F:
Will Bates - Virginia
Ryan Finley - Duke
Francisco Navas Cobo - Houston Dynamo
Moises Orozco - UANL Tigres

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Greg Seltzer of MLS Soccer ponders the health and timing of Jermaine Jones.

dN

Game Action: (only those that played are listed)

SWEDEN - Allsvenskan Liga
Alejandro Bedoya - Orebro - went the full 90 as they opened the season with a 2-0 home win over Atvidabergs.

AMERICANS IN MEXICO

Brent Latham at MLS Soccer talks to Jose Torres who has struggled to fit in with Team USA despite his obvious talent.
-His younger brother Guillermo is now at Pachuca too.

BRAZIL

The Associated Press with a report on Brazil pushing to get Futsal into the Olympics. (second half of article)
-That sounds good to me.

COPA LIBERTADORES

GROUP STAGE (runs through to Apr 22) - This Weeks Matches & Scores:
-Tue Mar 16
Juan Aurich v Alianza
Banfield v Nacional
Morelia v Cuenca
Colo Colo v Velez Sarsfield
-Wed Mar 17
Cerro Porteno v Corinthians
Monterrey v Once Caldas
Caracas v Universidad Catolica
Universidad v Flamengo
-Thu Mar 18
Sao Paulo v Nacional
Independiente v Racing Club
Cerro v Internacional

3 Comments:

Blogger Patrick said...

I think Freddie L. might be writing the column himself, since the English grammar is atrocious.

8:13 PM  
Blogger Demko said...

I hear Ali Gerba kept stealing Preki's breakfast sandwiches.

11:20 AM  
Anonymous Brian said...

Interesting...that comment by Bob Bradley to the Orebro website is quite different than what the ESPN Studio & Commentator guys said during the Netherlands game. They made it sound like Bob was gonna name his final 23 in May, before the Turkey & Czech Rep. friendlies.

I like this though. By picking an initial 30 or so, it allows Bob to get a good look at Davies, Holden, Deuce, Benny, Gooch, and Jones and see if they are ready to go

12:51 AM  

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