It's still early in the season for Mexican club soccer, but some key players, like Cuauhtemoc Blanco, for example, are in fine form, as Luis highlights in his latest article. Thing is, most MLS players have only training camp scrimmages to match up against a number of players competing regularly in tough league games.
I'm wondering if this will play a role. Preseason MLS teams traditionally do poorly against outside competition, which could explain why Bradley may rely heavily on his European callups in the next match.
Read more...
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
More thoughts
Another good argument that popped up in my Inbox, this one from Ryan Dempsey (who ok'd me naming him as author). Ryan likes to talk soccer and is always willing to offer an opinion, though he's careful to state that these are just his own ideas.
In my opinion, there are three ways that Beckham’s arrival can help the MLS and they sort of are interrelated.
- The style of play in MLS is what creates the illusion that the level of play is inferior to the rest of the world.(although improving the style will also increase the level a bit as well). If he can help improve the STYLE of play, it will simply look more entertaining to the naked eye and that will improve the overall perception of the league and its players. Fan support will be a byproduct of that. The Argentine league is an example. The league and its players are good. The STYLE of play is attacking and entertaining. But I wouldn’t say that that league , which is of my favorites, is as far superior to MLS, in terms of LEVEL of play, as many would think. And many of the greatest talents to exit Argentina for Europe, become flops.(although I recognize that argentians are known for being hits In Europe as well) The fact is that MLS teams are just as good as Mexican Teams and you will see that during head to head matchups. Those same Mexican teams have a strong reputation of beating up on Argentine teams in the big south American tournaments. Some use the argument that those games mean more to Mexican teams and that is why they do so well in those south American tournaments. This may be true but its also true. One way to find out how we fare is to enter a team or two into those tournaments as well AND/OR win the Champions Cup again to see how we fare in a meaningful game against a CF Internacional or Barcelona . MLS teams losing to Costa Rican clubs on a regular basis is not good for the league. This is considered one of the weaker regions of the world of soccer. We have to dominate this region if we , at the club level, are to be taken seriously. Which brings me to…..
- The STYLE of play can improve if we bring more players who practice that style at a world class level. Beckham’s arrival can help us do that. He HAS to act as an advocate to the league during his stay here and after his retirement. If he does this, I believe that more players will come( and it will help offset all the hatin’ that comes out of Beano Cooke’s old ignorant mouth). The more players like that on the field per game the more the game will improve in terms of the level and style of play. We need everyone from your Rivaldo, Denilson, Bellamy, Puyol, Raul, to your Rodrigo Palacio, Nilmar, Theo Walcott. We need guys who are beginning careers with talent, guys who are established and in their prime and guys who are past their prime but established and experienced. We need guys from South Ameirica, Europe, Africa, Asia and of course North America . Even Austrailia. We need to broaden our horizons in terms of scouting. Beckham presence, the lifestyle in the US, the style and level of the play, the challenge of helping out a new league with great potential, the exposure to other big teams etc. can all be used to close deals. This will not only improve the product on our home soil and produce residual talent (domestic and foreign), But it will help us dominate the region and give us more opportunities to play(and defeat) other respected teams in the world in meaningful games.
- Beckham’s experience alone with two of Europe’s biggest teams in two of Europe ’s top leagues would probably mean that he know a thing or two about how things are done behind the scene’s. Now granted, USA has a different culture and different economic system. But David has probably seen some common denominators between England and Spain , two countries that are ALMOST just as different to each other as they are to USA . You and I both know that he has a lot of advice that our commissioners and general managers could use. He needs to be either a paid advisor to the league or simply work for the league himself when he has retired from playing. I think the league needs help in terms of how it markets the sport, how the sport is televised, how it finds new talent, how the refs influence the game, how to continue to improve the level and style of play, what types of relationship we have with the rest of the world of football, how the entire system is run. I wish he could have enough power to weed out all the soccer dad’s, who don’t know the game, from important positions within US soccer and MLS.
Read more...
Reader excerpts
My latest piece for espn.com, focused on the stigma of MLS, has garnered some interesting reader replies.
1)We are all fooling ourselves to think that MLS deserves any respect right now. The reality is this, until we start winning trophies against other leagues, we will never get any respect. It really is that simple. That is why the Super Liga is important. And, I think MLS should enter the Copa Libertadores.Until then, bringing older players from Europe is not going to elevate the leagues standing in the eyes of Footballing world. Trophies do.
2)Juan Pablo Garcia is making what he believes is the best decision for himself. No one could argue with that. I'm sure that he probably heard it all the time, "why play in MLS when you can be a star in your own domestic league". This is why. The Mexican leagues aren't very well respected either around the world. Even though their national team is highly ranked, you can count on one hand how many Mexican nationals are playing top flight football in Europe or even South America. Every player should aspire to play at the highest level. Playing for your country should not be dependent on where you play your game. MLS has lost an exiciting player. That may or may not contribute to others deciding not to take a chance on playing in the US.
Unfortunatly, it shouldnt be your national team coach making that decision for you.
3) People think MLS is inferior? Duh. Seria A thinks every other league is. La Liga also. P'ship also. Why the insecurity and need for the average fans and media perspective? 10 years ago the Mexicans thought out Nats still sucked. Even a mere 5. Now they show respect but still deride the style we play. That will never end. Who cares? No one ever gives anyone credit in the soccer world. Whether it's strength of league, style of play everyone is a homeboy to the end. Your article seems very simplistic and panders to the insecurity and ignorance of the average casual viewer here. The league is scouted more than ever. more offers than ever. More players are showing success abroad stepping out right from MLS. Maybe Garcia isn't as good as he or many think he is? Maybe his style just can't hack it here? He said it was tough, what more do you want? Do you actually think people are looking to give a non soccer US nation, with politics and fear of US soccer growth, any credit at all. Best part is you quote Peter V. A guy who is way overpaid by MLS satndards who people in LA would love to be rid of, especially withthe naive idiotic remarks he just made recently. Gee, he makes 120k a year, sucks, earns a decent salary for s guy that bad and he complains? Rich. Sorry, Andrea, this is a common sense article for those who understand the game here, and how it works elsewhere, and you try to turn it into some sort of epiphany that MLS supporters don't want to hear or understand.
Read more...
1)We are all fooling ourselves to think that MLS deserves any respect right now. The reality is this, until we start winning trophies against other leagues, we will never get any respect. It really is that simple. That is why the Super Liga is important. And, I think MLS should enter the Copa Libertadores.Until then, bringing older players from Europe is not going to elevate the leagues standing in the eyes of Footballing world. Trophies do.
2)Juan Pablo Garcia is making what he believes is the best decision for himself. No one could argue with that. I'm sure that he probably heard it all the time, "why play in MLS when you can be a star in your own domestic league". This is why. The Mexican leagues aren't very well respected either around the world. Even though their national team is highly ranked, you can count on one hand how many Mexican nationals are playing top flight football in Europe or even South America. Every player should aspire to play at the highest level. Playing for your country should not be dependent on where you play your game. MLS has lost an exiciting player. That may or may not contribute to others deciding not to take a chance on playing in the US.
Unfortunatly, it shouldnt be your national team coach making that decision for you.
3) People think MLS is inferior? Duh. Seria A thinks every other league is. La Liga also. P'ship also. Why the insecurity and need for the average fans and media perspective? 10 years ago the Mexicans thought out Nats still sucked. Even a mere 5. Now they show respect but still deride the style we play. That will never end. Who cares? No one ever gives anyone credit in the soccer world. Whether it's strength of league, style of play everyone is a homeboy to the end. Your article seems very simplistic and panders to the insecurity and ignorance of the average casual viewer here. The league is scouted more than ever. more offers than ever. More players are showing success abroad stepping out right from MLS. Maybe Garcia isn't as good as he or many think he is? Maybe his style just can't hack it here? He said it was tough, what more do you want? Do you actually think people are looking to give a non soccer US nation, with politics and fear of US soccer growth, any credit at all. Best part is you quote Peter V. A guy who is way overpaid by MLS satndards who people in LA would love to be rid of, especially withthe naive idiotic remarks he just made recently. Gee, he makes 120k a year, sucks, earns a decent salary for s guy that bad and he complains? Rich. Sorry, Andrea, this is a common sense article for those who understand the game here, and how it works elsewhere, and you try to turn it into some sort of epiphany that MLS supporters don't want to hear or understand.
Read more...
Pistol Pete
Pete Vagenas used to be the captain of the LA Galaxy, back before Landon Donovan assumed that post. Pete captained the squad back when they won their 2005 MLS title, and he's always been honest and staightforward with reporters.Knowing him as a member of the local media, I was pretty sad to see a statemant he made to Sean Wheelock, working as a correspondent for the BBC, get taken out of context and twisted all around the world as Pete resenting David Beckham's arrival to the Galaxy.
The original BBC radio clip doesn't even have the entire interview, but just a snippet of Pete's answer, which appeared to be in regards to how were some players who make a lot less going to feel about Beckham's large salary - could there be any resentment that they were making so little?
As frank as ever, and well aware of how little some of his teammates make, Pete responded, "I think people that say ‘no’ would be lying. I think at first, as we all are fans of soccer, he is David Beckham, and a wise man once told me, ‘you are worth what you negotiate.’ But at the same time, of course there is resentment. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t, but at the same time, he’s not stealing the money. So on one end you say ‘more power to him’ and the other end ‘why can’t I be getting some of that?’"
His statement was basically an indictment not of Beckham, but, rightly so, of a league structure that has other players making very little in comparision. Yet all around the world, Pete's statements were freely misinterpreted and taken as an attack against Beckham. Nick Green, another local writer, had fun mocking the whole episode.
Thing is, I'd talked to Pete the day Beckham's signing was public, when he was so effusive about Beckham coming, that I had quotes left over for another article that wasn't published until today. Somehow I doubt Pete dreams of aiding the national team comeback of a player he resents.
Read more...
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
On the dentist's chair
Today was rather weak. I had to go to the dentist. Recently, I found out I had five cavities (hey kids, brush your teeth) and I finally and begrudgingly had them filled. On Monday I had the first set filled. Then, Tuesday I had the second set. On the first day, the dentist didn't use enough Novocain and I felt some of the drilling. The second day had no such problems.
Still, while I was sitting there with the dentist's hands inside my mouth, several random soccer thoughts crossed through my mind.
* I can't wait until preseason camp starts for Chivas USA and the Galaxy. I miss going out to training sessions and talking to players. There will be a different feel to both camps this year. With Chivas, the only consistency has been inconsistency. Three years ago I got to know Thomas Rongen, then Hans Westerhof. Last year I got to know Bob Bradley pretty well and now it's Preki's turn. Hopefully Preki stays longer than his predecessors. The Galaxy, meanwhile, will try to keep the seat warm for David Beckham. I'm expecting a lot more media out for Galaxy training sessions, even in February with no Becks nearby.
* Every time something good happens for the Galaxy, I can't help but think of how Doug Hamilton would react. I miss Doug.
* Lalas... he's done well but this year will be a pivotal year for the rest of his career. Now that he's got Becks, the pressure will be gigantic. Competing in three tournaments won't help either. The Galaxy can't go cup-less again.
* Just speculating but we could see something like this Wednesday in Glendale, Ariz.: Tim Howard; Jonathan Bornstein, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo; DaMarcus Beasley, Pablo Mastroeni, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey; Eddie Johnson, Kenny Cooper.
* And we could see something like this for Mexico: Oswaldo Sanchez; Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Osorio; Andres Guardado, Gonzalo Pineda, Pavel Pardo, Gerardo Torrado; Adolfo Bautista, Kikin Fonseca, Jared Borgetti.
*Damn, what a game that would be.
* Trying to think the last time Mexico beat the U.S. in the U.S.... 1999 US Cup in San Diego. Mexico won 2-1. I wasn't there.
* I've only covered one US-Mexico game, the 2-0 US win in October 2000 when Landon Donovan scored his first-ever US goal. My lede that night: The future of American soccer has arrived.
* I wrote that game for internetsoccer.com. Ah, the good old days.
* Is this dentist finished yet?!?
Read more...
Still, while I was sitting there with the dentist's hands inside my mouth, several random soccer thoughts crossed through my mind.
* I can't wait until preseason camp starts for Chivas USA and the Galaxy. I miss going out to training sessions and talking to players. There will be a different feel to both camps this year. With Chivas, the only consistency has been inconsistency. Three years ago I got to know Thomas Rongen, then Hans Westerhof. Last year I got to know Bob Bradley pretty well and now it's Preki's turn. Hopefully Preki stays longer than his predecessors. The Galaxy, meanwhile, will try to keep the seat warm for David Beckham. I'm expecting a lot more media out for Galaxy training sessions, even in February with no Becks nearby.
* Every time something good happens for the Galaxy, I can't help but think of how Doug Hamilton would react. I miss Doug.
* Lalas... he's done well but this year will be a pivotal year for the rest of his career. Now that he's got Becks, the pressure will be gigantic. Competing in three tournaments won't help either. The Galaxy can't go cup-less again.
* Just speculating but we could see something like this Wednesday in Glendale, Ariz.: Tim Howard; Jonathan Bornstein, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo; DaMarcus Beasley, Pablo Mastroeni, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey; Eddie Johnson, Kenny Cooper.
* And we could see something like this for Mexico: Oswaldo Sanchez; Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Osorio; Andres Guardado, Gonzalo Pineda, Pavel Pardo, Gerardo Torrado; Adolfo Bautista, Kikin Fonseca, Jared Borgetti.
*Damn, what a game that would be.
* Trying to think the last time Mexico beat the U.S. in the U.S.... 1999 US Cup in San Diego. Mexico won 2-1. I wasn't there.
* I've only covered one US-Mexico game, the 2-0 US win in October 2000 when Landon Donovan scored his first-ever US goal. My lede that night: The future of American soccer has arrived.
* I wrote that game for internetsoccer.com. Ah, the good old days.
* Is this dentist finished yet?!?
Read more...
Bob and weave
Bob Bradley ducked a little bit when asked which players he was specifically requesting to come in from Europe.He did give some clues, though, saying that he welcomed the chance to look at younger, inexperienced players.
I'm still wondering if Jonathan Spector counts as a young player, or as a more experienced one. I guess we'll see eventually.
Read more...
Open shakeup
Ok, so the Open Cup format has changed. I guess all those who screech about how the MLS regular season doesn't mean much should be a little more placated now. I doubt it, though. I have to say, I like any change that favors the little teams a bit, because it's fun to see the Cinderellas come out to the big dance, so to speak. That's why I've always loved the Open Cup and have wanted it to gain prominance as a competition. But there's still part of me that is intrinsically bugged by the idea that better teams are knocking themselves out of the competition early.
For me, it's as if Wimbledon gave the top six seeded tennis players spots in the tournament, then made the next six seeds play each other in a qualifying tournament for two spots. Meanwhile, players from 20 to 12 got to qualify to enter by playing each other.
Basically, it's like Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova facing each other for a chance to even enter the tournament. I think it's kind of interesting, but not really conducive to the sporting ideal of having the best teams involved in the later stages. It may not last past this year, and I understand the motivation of trying to eliminate the fixture congestion, but it's a bit of an odd compromise.
Read more...
For me, it's as if Wimbledon gave the top six seeded tennis players spots in the tournament, then made the next six seeds play each other in a qualifying tournament for two spots. Meanwhile, players from 20 to 12 got to qualify to enter by playing each other.
Basically, it's like Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova facing each other for a chance to even enter the tournament. I think it's kind of interesting, but not really conducive to the sporting ideal of having the best teams involved in the later stages. It may not last past this year, and I understand the motivation of trying to eliminate the fixture congestion, but it's a bit of an odd compromise.
Read more...
Onyewucastle
Hopefully the Oguchi Onyewu saga is over. It looks like he's landed at Newcastle United on a loan deal that could make the transfer permanent in the summer.
Marseille was better than Liege but Newcastle is certainly better than Marseille. Gooch will get toughened up even more so than he has been already with the Magpies. The club has a fantastic history and a rich tradition and a demanding fan base. All that's certainly going to toughen Onyewu up.
Read more...
Marseille was better than Liege but Newcastle is certainly better than Marseille. Gooch will get toughened up even more so than he has been already with the Magpies. The club has a fantastic history and a rich tradition and a demanding fan base. All that's certainly going to toughen Onyewu up.
Read more...
More Brad
I finally got the Brad Friedel story written and it was published this morning. He was a real interesting person to talk to and was honest with a lot of different things. I still could not place his accent with his face. It didn't match but nonetheless we communicated just fine.
Read more...
Read more...
Monday, January 29, 2007
In the know
As I walked to the USMNT's training field today, I greeted the LA Galaxy's Ante Jazic, who was again loitering and watching the practice, while chatting with Pam Perkins, the U.S. squad's manager.
Jazic called after me, "What's the news? What's the latest?"
I think writing early that Beckham was on his way to MLS has cemented my rep for a bit. It'll be hard for me to top being right on that call for a while.
I turned back, "You're on the team - don't you have the inside info? Have they cleared out a space for his locker yet?"
"Is he coming early?" Jazic persisted.
Thinking it was amusing how we were both using the generic pronoun "he" yet knew exactly who we were talking about, I shook my head. "Not yet."
"What I want to know is, are we getting a private charter when he gets here?" Jazic asked. "That would be really nice."
Happy I could contribute some helpful info, I nodded. "Yeah, that one looks like it's going to happen, actually."
Pam Perkins added an interesting tidbit. "Yes, and I hear that Bruce is looking to do the same thing in New York. He's asked for a charter."
Read more...
Jazic called after me, "What's the news? What's the latest?"
I think writing early that Beckham was on his way to MLS has cemented my rep for a bit. It'll be hard for me to top being right on that call for a while.
I turned back, "You're on the team - don't you have the inside info? Have they cleared out a space for his locker yet?"
"Is he coming early?" Jazic persisted.
Thinking it was amusing how we were both using the generic pronoun "he" yet knew exactly who we were talking about, I shook my head. "Not yet."
"What I want to know is, are we getting a private charter when he gets here?" Jazic asked. "That would be really nice."
Happy I could contribute some helpful info, I nodded. "Yeah, that one looks like it's going to happen, actually."
Pam Perkins added an interesting tidbit. "Yes, and I hear that Bruce is looking to do the same thing in New York. He's asked for a charter."
Read more...
Two forwards, one coach
Sometimes, even when it's just a sideline interview after a practice, you get someone who says quite a lot. Sometimes someone is polite, but seems more interested in making it to lunch.
Sometimes it helps to speak German. After the Denmark game, assistant coach Peter Nowak gave what seemed to be an extensive interview to a pair of European journalists in German. They had their tape recorders out and were nodding along as he talked away. From what little I could make out (hey, don't laugh, my basic German got me around Hamburg all by my lonesome for the World Cup) he was talking about some stylistic differences between the soccer in Europe and in the U.S. Of course, when Nowak was done talking in German, he wasn't doing any interviews in English.
Where's Steve Cherundolo and his perfect German to translate when you need it?
Read more...
Sometimes it helps to speak German. After the Denmark game, assistant coach Peter Nowak gave what seemed to be an extensive interview to a pair of European journalists in German. They had their tape recorders out and were nodding along as he talked away. From what little I could make out (hey, don't laugh, my basic German got me around Hamburg all by my lonesome for the World Cup) he was talking about some stylistic differences between the soccer in Europe and in the U.S. Of course, when Nowak was done talking in German, he wasn't doing any interviews in English.
Where's Steve Cherundolo and his perfect German to translate when you need it?
Read more...
RIP Real?
Now, I don't know how things work in Salt Lake City. I couldn't keep track of all the twists and turns of the stadium saga. I was waiting for a done deal for the good, or for the not so good. This latest statement of Checketts may be a ruse.
However, the smoke and fire may have finally burned soccer in Utah for good. I don't know enough about the situation to cast blame, but I do know I'll miss Real Salt Lake as part of MLS if that's what all this means.
I'll never forget the view from the Rice-Eccles press box (best in the country), or the fans going crazy for the U.S. team versus Costa Rica, or Landon Donovan claiming Salt Lake was among his favorite cities. Even with the crappy season the first year, the fans had a way of marking the bitter irony that was unique, such as the black crepe paper streamers to mark their club's ignoble record.
Most of all, I'll miss the Salt Lake City journalists, who were the only ones I ever saw travel regularly with their team to matches, and, who, in RSL's short existence, raised the level of soccer reporting with both the depth and breadth of their coverage. The trio of Lauren Gustus, Michael Lewis, and James Edward were also really nice people - smart, funny, good to have around the game.
It's sad if it's true it's over.
Read more...
However, the smoke and fire may have finally burned soccer in Utah for good. I don't know enough about the situation to cast blame, but I do know I'll miss Real Salt Lake as part of MLS if that's what all this means.
I'll never forget the view from the Rice-Eccles press box (best in the country), or the fans going crazy for the U.S. team versus Costa Rica, or Landon Donovan claiming Salt Lake was among his favorite cities. Even with the crappy season the first year, the fans had a way of marking the bitter irony that was unique, such as the black crepe paper streamers to mark their club's ignoble record.
Most of all, I'll miss the Salt Lake City journalists, who were the only ones I ever saw travel regularly with their team to matches, and, who, in RSL's short existence, raised the level of soccer reporting with both the depth and breadth of their coverage. The trio of Lauren Gustus, Michael Lewis, and James Edward were also really nice people - smart, funny, good to have around the game.
It's sad if it's true it's over.
Read more...
Lalas abroad
I think Alexi Lalas is getting a lot more press abroad than he ever did back when he played in Italy. Though I doubt he's getting the salary MLS commisioner Don Garber is, Lalas may very well be considered the face of the league by those overseas at this point.
Read more...
The Gooch is still loose
I love how the chase is on for Oguchi Onyewu. At this point, top teams in Spain (Real Madrid), Italy (AC Milan, or was it Inter?), France (Marseille) and England (Man U, Chelsea, Fulham, Middlesborough and now Newcastle) have all reportedly sought his services.
I've only met Onyewu a few times, because he's been abroad for so long, but he leaves an impression. He was downright testy in the Hamburg press conference following the loss to the Czech Republic in Germany. Not in a surly, mean way, but as if his dignity was affronted that so many were writing the U.S. team off so early. He seemed really determined to turn it around for the team.
Obviously, he's a physical force on the field, but at times, he's had to be extremely careful with calls. Players can bump into him and fall back as if they've been wounded, and the referees fall for it. They look at his size and strength and probably assume that Onyewu did some damage.
Anyway, I'll be almost disappointed when Onyewu does settle down someplace. The "Runaway Bride" aspect of all these major suitors unable to finalize a deal is almost funny.
Read more...
I've only met Onyewu a few times, because he's been abroad for so long, but he leaves an impression. He was downright testy in the Hamburg press conference following the loss to the Czech Republic in Germany. Not in a surly, mean way, but as if his dignity was affronted that so many were writing the U.S. team off so early. He seemed really determined to turn it around for the team.
Obviously, he's a physical force on the field, but at times, he's had to be extremely careful with calls. Players can bump into him and fall back as if they've been wounded, and the referees fall for it. They look at his size and strength and probably assume that Onyewu did some damage.
Anyway, I'll be almost disappointed when Onyewu does settle down someplace. The "Runaway Bride" aspect of all these major suitors unable to finalize a deal is almost funny.
Read more...
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Dreaming of MLS
Maybe MLS is Sleeping Beauty, after all. Chivas USA is running a show for those who aspire to wear the famous stripes of the club.
Read more...
Home at last
I've never understood why some people get in a snit about movements placing the youngest MLS players near their homes. Yes, I understand that once they sign contracts, they're professionals, but they're still kids in some cases. When the LA Galaxy traded a 16-year-old DaMarcus Beasley back to Chicago nearly instantly, it just made sense to me. David Arvizu is finally with the team he wanted to play for all along and he's back with his family. Of course, it doesn't always work out for players to stay with their hometown club, but at least Arvizu's getting a chance there.
Read more...
Preki isn't patient
Actually, he's a little hyperactive. As an English journalist interviewed Antonio Cue today, Preki was waiting. The journalist had asked to speak to him next, but then kept questioning Cue repeatedly about David Beckham. Cue was a good sport, considering he was getting a little burnt by the sun while standing out there so long. Preki, meanwhile was shifting back and forth, retreating to the shade, and finally miming a golf swing to kill time. It's hard for the guy to stand still.
Read more...
Becks and his new life in MLS
So there's a Disney campaign starring the Galaxy's newest player, David Beckham, who actually is a pretty decent ringer for Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty. What I'm not sure about is if this means that MLS is Sleeping Beauty, or if that represents all the U.S fans that Beckham is supposed to wake up to about soccer.
Read more...
Read more...
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Run silent, run deep
I stopped by the USMNT/UCLA scrimmage today. Interestingly enough, assistant U.S. coach Peter Nowak is still declining any media interviews. I'd hoped he would loosen up after the win against Denmark. Nothing doing. He's still running laps with the team, though. Still barefoot.
As far as the scrimmage goes, the U.S. beat UCLA. However, if you count Jimmy Conrad as a Bruin still, UCLA actually won.
Read more...
As far as the scrimmage goes, the U.S. beat UCLA. However, if you count Jimmy Conrad as a Bruin still, UCLA actually won.
Read more...
Friday, January 26, 2007
No US vs Chivas USA?
For the last two years, the US has scrimmaged against Chivas USA at Home Depot Center. In 2005, the score was 7-0 in favor of the US. Last year, Chivas USA fared better but still lost 2-1 to the US.
This year, though, could be the end of that streak. The US doesn't have Chivas in mind as an opponent to test itself against because Chivas hasn't yet started training camp. The game in 05 was in March while the game last year was the same day as Mexico-Korea (Feb. 15 or thereabouts).
I was kicked out and kept away from both games but I wasn't singled out. All us media hacks were kept out. Lame.
Read more...
This year, though, could be the end of that streak. The US doesn't have Chivas in mind as an opponent to test itself against because Chivas hasn't yet started training camp. The game in 05 was in March while the game last year was the same day as Mexico-Korea (Feb. 15 or thereabouts).
I was kicked out and kept away from both games but I wasn't singled out. All us media hacks were kept out. Lame.
Read more...
Mexican headed to Kansas City
Kansas City's most popular player helped lure a big-time Mexican star to the U.S. this week. Friday, K.C. signed Ramiro Pruneda out of Monterrey and in the process kept him from going to Europe.
So, is Pruneda going to be a boost to Eddie Johnson and Co.? Well, not exactly.
Pruneda made his name playing futbol americano. The K.C. he signed with is the Chiefs, whose popular tight end, Tony Gonzalez, helped lure Pruneda to the NFL. In fact, Kansas City thought so highly of Pruneda that they did not make him go to NFL Europe and instead inked him to a two-year deal.
Pruneda is an oddity in Mexico. At 6-foot-6 and 317 pounds, Pruneda may as well have been a corn-fed good ol' boy from Nebraska. Instead, he is from Nuevo Leon and made his name leading Monterrey Tech to several Mexican championships (yes, they do play that kind of futbol in Mexico).
Read more...
So, is Pruneda going to be a boost to Eddie Johnson and Co.? Well, not exactly.
Pruneda made his name playing futbol americano. The K.C. he signed with is the Chiefs, whose popular tight end, Tony Gonzalez, helped lure Pruneda to the NFL. In fact, Kansas City thought so highly of Pruneda that they did not make him go to NFL Europe and instead inked him to a two-year deal.
Pruneda is an oddity in Mexico. At 6-foot-6 and 317 pounds, Pruneda may as well have been a corn-fed good ol' boy from Nebraska. Instead, he is from Nuevo Leon and made his name leading Monterrey Tech to several Mexican championships (yes, they do play that kind of futbol in Mexico).
Read more...
Becks could fit in
I have to say, most MLS players are out in the community a lot, visiting hospitals and hosting underprivileged children at events. The Los Angeles Galaxy players, for example, have done this for years. I wondered if Beckham would join in those activities. Apparently, he's starting early.
Read more...
Marseille wins out
It seems Olympique Marseille has won out in the Oguchi Onyewu sweepstakes. Marseille landed Gooch on Friday, according to reports.
Now, it's not Chelsea like many had speculated but Marseille and France is certainly a notch or three higher than Standard and Belgium. Playing for one of France's top clubs will only benefit Onyewu, perhaps even more than had he landed at Stamford Bridge.
Onyewu could step right in to Marseille's defense whereas a move to Chelsea could have prevented him from seeing a lot of playing time.
Onyewu is also under new management at the highest level. Seems Canadian businessman Jack Kachkar has bought Marseille for a cool 115 million Euros.
Read more...
Now, it's not Chelsea like many had speculated but Marseille and France is certainly a notch or three higher than Standard and Belgium. Playing for one of France's top clubs will only benefit Onyewu, perhaps even more than had he landed at Stamford Bridge.
Onyewu could step right in to Marseille's defense whereas a move to Chelsea could have prevented him from seeing a lot of playing time.
Onyewu is also under new management at the highest level. Seems Canadian businessman Jack Kachkar has bought Marseille for a cool 115 million Euros.
Read more...
Toronto is #1
Tom Payne of the Galaxy just stopped by for a minute (the lounge is a happening place) and shared some info.
The Galaxy have hundreds of players coming to their open tryouts. They've had to turn away a number of applications and he said he believes the list is closing entirely soon, just because they have a limit of players that they can handle. The Galaxy are renting all the Home Depot Center's outlying fields for the event and bringing in a number of local coaches with Galaxy ties, such as Paul Caliguri, Danny Pena and Ralph Perez, to supplement the actual Galaxy coaching staff in evaluating players.
But perhaps the biggest news he had is that despite the Beckham signing, the Galaxy are only second in new season ticket packages sold. Toronto is first, with well over 10,000. As Payne pointed out, the Galaxy tickets are at a different price point, but that's still remarkable.
I don't know what the totals are once renewals are included. Payne had to run off to lunch.
Read more...
The Galaxy have hundreds of players coming to their open tryouts. They've had to turn away a number of applications and he said he believes the list is closing entirely soon, just because they have a limit of players that they can handle. The Galaxy are renting all the Home Depot Center's outlying fields for the event and bringing in a number of local coaches with Galaxy ties, such as Paul Caliguri, Danny Pena and Ralph Perez, to supplement the actual Galaxy coaching staff in evaluating players.
But perhaps the biggest news he had is that despite the Beckham signing, the Galaxy are only second in new season ticket packages sold. Toronto is first, with well over 10,000. As Payne pointed out, the Galaxy tickets are at a different price point, but that's still remarkable.
I don't know what the totals are once renewals are included. Payne had to run off to lunch.
Read more...
Eavesdropping
I'm waiting in the main lounge of the Home Depot Center for an interview with Alexi Lalas. Two executives of a large local company are seated nearby, signing the deal on a season corporate package for a Chivas USA club suite. While they wait for the sales rep to bring them a welcome gift (Chivas caps signed by the players) the two execs talk about why they're buying the suite.
"Our employees are just much more interested in the game than in any other. I might never come to the suite, but it's a great way to reward employees or welcome new customers. They'll definitely enjoy coming here."
The other made an interesting point. "This is just a more friendly atmosphere. We used to have a suite at Staples, and there they act like they don't care at all. If you don't buy season tickets, someone else will. They don't really make you feel welcome."
Read more...
"Our employees are just much more interested in the game than in any other. I might never come to the suite, but it's a great way to reward employees or welcome new customers. They'll definitely enjoy coming here."
The other made an interesting point. "This is just a more friendly atmosphere. We used to have a suite at Staples, and there they act like they don't care at all. If you don't buy season tickets, someone else will. They don't really make you feel welcome."
Read more...
The more things change . . .
There's still a long way for soccer to go among certain segments of U.S. society. For example, as the U.S. team resumes training before the upcoming match against their traditional rivals, I'm the only English language media person at the practice today.
Televisa, from Mexico, is here. Telemundo, too, both with full camera crews. La Opinion, the local LA Spanish language paper, has sent a reporter out.
Of course, that means Pablo Mastroeni and Landon Donovan are in demand. The crews also want to put Bob Bradley's recent Spanish skills to the test.
Read more...
Televisa, from Mexico, is here. Telemundo, too, both with full camera crews. La Opinion, the local LA Spanish language paper, has sent a reporter out.
Of course, that means Pablo Mastroeni and Landon Donovan are in demand. The crews also want to put Bob Bradley's recent Spanish skills to the test.
Read more...
Wannabe Soothsayer
In 2005, during the youth World Cup in Peru, I was impressed by Josmer Altidore in the little bit of time he was on the field. Not only by his game, but also because he was strong and fast, and the youngest player to make the roster, but mainly because in a heated match versus Italy, he was on a breakaway and got absolutely mugged, grabbed hard by the Italian defender who Jozy was easily outracing to the ball. They both went down in a heap, Jozy plaintively still watching the ball even as he fell. Since the ref was on the other side of the field, slow to catch up with the play, the Italian defender took the opportunity to kick Jozy, who bounded to his feet in angry indignation.
Despite his youth, he stopped himself, though. You could practically see his entire thought process on his face, "We're ahead, I've been put in to help my team. Is this idiot worth risking my chance at more playing time?"
Jozy backed off, the U.S. won, the Italians got bounced out in the first round.
All that said, Jozy didn't play that well during U20 qualifying. I trust that he still has it in him, though. I see the games, I make my guesses. It's not an exact science.
Read more...
Despite his youth, he stopped himself, though. You could practically see his entire thought process on his face, "We're ahead, I've been put in to help my team. Is this idiot worth risking my chance at more playing time?"
Jozy backed off, the U.S. won, the Italians got bounced out in the first round.
All that said, Jozy didn't play that well during U20 qualifying. I trust that he still has it in him, though. I see the games, I make my guesses. It's not an exact science.
Read more...
Bloody, but unbowed
Hope Solo, the U.S. women's goalkeeper, wears a small silver medallion around her neck with a quote from William Earnest Henley "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul".
Those are the last two lines from his poem, "Invictus".
Anyway, in today's Four Nation's opener, it was defender Kate Markgraf paying the price of pain as the U.S. women battled to a scoreless draw with Germany.
Markgraf is one of the few holdovers on the team from the glory days of 1999 and the Rose Bowl.
Read more...
Those are the last two lines from his poem, "Invictus".
Anyway, in today's Four Nation's opener, it was defender Kate Markgraf paying the price of pain as the U.S. women battled to a scoreless draw with Germany.
Markgraf is one of the few holdovers on the team from the glory days of 1999 and the Rose Bowl.
Read more...
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Nerd with tape recorder
Yeah, I'm the one. So everyone else is listening to Sunil Gulati talk, and I'm turning on my tape recorder. I don't trust my memory, and I can't take notes fast enough. Actually, even tape isn't perfect, because soft voices are hard to hear. But for the most part, this is the transcription of Sunil's stadium statements.
Germany
And voicing support for South Africa:
Read more...
And voicing support for South Africa:
"When I was in
Read more...
It's just criminal
Three years and counting. Okay, it's more like 40 months and counting. Whatever countdown you have - years, months, weeks, days, whatever - South Africa 2010 is just __ ____ away. While everyone from FIFA president Sepp Blatter to South African politicians say the World Cup will go off without a hitch, I myself am worried.
This guy, however, is not. Andre Pruis, the deputy national commissioner of the South African Police Service, seems to think that there will be low crime levels around the games. That might be good but nobody is going to sleep at the stadiums. What I want to see is for police to tell us that there will be lower crime levels everywhere during the World Cup.
What's scary is this part from the story:
"In a 12-month period between 2005-2006 there were 18,528 murders, 54,926 rapes, and 226,942 assaults with grievous bodily harm intended, according to the Department of Safety and Security"
Holy crap. And they're going to take the World Cup here? 18,528 murders?!? In one year?!?
As much as I'd hate to see South Africans soccer fans lose out on the World Cup, for the sake of the rest of the world this event needs to happen elsewhere. I can think of 18,528 reasons for it.
Now, should the World Cup be moved, it is logical for the U.S. to host the event. Before the Denmark-US game Sunil Gulati sat with a group of reporters and talked about the United States and of its great stadiums. He brought up some interesting points. First, he said that the US still holds the attendance record for a World Cup. Since then, there have been more games added (24 teams in 94, 32 afterward) but more fans have passed through the turnstiles in USA 94 than in France 98, Japan/Korea 2002 and Germany 2006. Gulati also said that the number of stadiums has increased dramatically since 94.
He said something like - and I'm paraphrasing - there were stadiums in 98 that didn't exist in 94 that could have hosted the World Cup. There were enough stadiums to host the World Cup in, in 02 that weren't around in 98. There were enough stadiums to host the World Cup in, in 2006 that weren't around in 2002 and there will probably be enough stadiums in 2010 to host the World Cup in that weren't around in 2006.
Now, before I go on, Gulati made it clear that nobody in FIFA had contacted him about the possibility about hosting the World Cup, and in fact wouldn't even go so far as to say the U.S. would be the best option to host the World Cup should something happen in South Africa.
Anyway, let's take a moment to daydream, shall we? World Cup 2002 had 16 host cities I believe but that's because it was in two different countries. I know Japan had Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kobe and Oita (all of which I saw games at) as well as Sapporo and Yokohama (didn't make it out to those ones). Germany had 12 host cities.
The U.S. should have 12 as well. It could have 16 or 20 but do you really want to make fans and media travel that much?
Let's stick to 12 and break it down by region.
West: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif. (would need some major renovations but is best option in the LA area); U of Phx Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.; Qwest Field, Seattle; Invesco Field, Denver.
Midwest: Soldier Field, Chicago (a no-brainer); Reliant Stadium, Houston; Browns Stadium, Cleveland; Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis.
East: Lincoln Field, Philly; Gillette Stadium, Foxboro; FedEx Field, D.C.; Dolphin Stadium, Miami.
Yes, I left New York off. If the World Cup can do without Tokyo, it can do without New York. All these cities and venues have proven they can play host to large-scale events, with Glendale pulling off the Fiesta Bowl and the BCS title game in a span of a week without major headaches, and I'll give a first-hand account of that stadium in a few weeks' time.
It would be nice to keep groups to one part of the country, like have Group A play in the West cities, Group B in the East cities, and so on and so forth. That would cut down on travel time for teams and fans and the media.
Gulati can deny it all he wants; deep down, he knows what the rest of us know. The U.S. is the only country who would be able to host the World Cup with as little as a month of prep time. Blatter can call Gulati in May 1, 2010 and give him 18,528 reasons that he decided to move the World Cup and if the U.S. could host it. Gulati would make a few phone calls and then that would spur a few more phone calls and before you knew it the U.S. would be playing Poland in the opener at Qwest Field on June 12, 2010.
Like I said, daydreaming.
Read more...
This guy, however, is not. Andre Pruis, the deputy national commissioner of the South African Police Service, seems to think that there will be low crime levels around the games. That might be good but nobody is going to sleep at the stadiums. What I want to see is for police to tell us that there will be lower crime levels everywhere during the World Cup.
What's scary is this part from the story:
"In a 12-month period between 2005-2006 there were 18,528 murders, 54,926 rapes, and 226,942 assaults with grievous bodily harm intended, according to the Department of Safety and Security"
Holy crap. And they're going to take the World Cup here? 18,528 murders?!? In one year?!?
As much as I'd hate to see South Africans soccer fans lose out on the World Cup, for the sake of the rest of the world this event needs to happen elsewhere. I can think of 18,528 reasons for it.
Now, should the World Cup be moved, it is logical for the U.S. to host the event. Before the Denmark-US game Sunil Gulati sat with a group of reporters and talked about the United States and of its great stadiums. He brought up some interesting points. First, he said that the US still holds the attendance record for a World Cup. Since then, there have been more games added (24 teams in 94, 32 afterward) but more fans have passed through the turnstiles in USA 94 than in France 98, Japan/Korea 2002 and Germany 2006. Gulati also said that the number of stadiums has increased dramatically since 94.
He said something like - and I'm paraphrasing - there were stadiums in 98 that didn't exist in 94 that could have hosted the World Cup. There were enough stadiums to host the World Cup in, in 02 that weren't around in 98. There were enough stadiums to host the World Cup in, in 2006 that weren't around in 2002 and there will probably be enough stadiums in 2010 to host the World Cup in that weren't around in 2006.
Now, before I go on, Gulati made it clear that nobody in FIFA had contacted him about the possibility about hosting the World Cup, and in fact wouldn't even go so far as to say the U.S. would be the best option to host the World Cup should something happen in South Africa.
Anyway, let's take a moment to daydream, shall we? World Cup 2002 had 16 host cities I believe but that's because it was in two different countries. I know Japan had Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kobe and Oita (all of which I saw games at) as well as Sapporo and Yokohama (didn't make it out to those ones). Germany had 12 host cities.
The U.S. should have 12 as well. It could have 16 or 20 but do you really want to make fans and media travel that much?
Let's stick to 12 and break it down by region.
West: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif. (would need some major renovations but is best option in the LA area); U of Phx Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.; Qwest Field, Seattle; Invesco Field, Denver.
Midwest: Soldier Field, Chicago (a no-brainer); Reliant Stadium, Houston; Browns Stadium, Cleveland; Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis.
East: Lincoln Field, Philly; Gillette Stadium, Foxboro; FedEx Field, D.C.; Dolphin Stadium, Miami.
Yes, I left New York off. If the World Cup can do without Tokyo, it can do without New York. All these cities and venues have proven they can play host to large-scale events, with Glendale pulling off the Fiesta Bowl and the BCS title game in a span of a week without major headaches, and I'll give a first-hand account of that stadium in a few weeks' time.
It would be nice to keep groups to one part of the country, like have Group A play in the West cities, Group B in the East cities, and so on and so forth. That would cut down on travel time for teams and fans and the media.
Gulati can deny it all he wants; deep down, he knows what the rest of us know. The U.S. is the only country who would be able to host the World Cup with as little as a month of prep time. Blatter can call Gulati in May 1, 2010 and give him 18,528 reasons that he decided to move the World Cup and if the U.S. could host it. Gulati would make a few phone calls and then that would spur a few more phone calls and before you knew it the U.S. would be playing Poland in the opener at Qwest Field on June 12, 2010.
Like I said, daydreaming.
Read more...
Desire
Normally, the Gold Cup is the ugly stepsister of the regional championships, but this year, it's taken on a new allure. The U.S. and Mexico are in hot pursuit.
Read more...
Read more...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Who said what?
Emptying my notebook of quotes, I had a few leftover that I thought I'd share here. Just for a little fun, though, I thought I'd leave people to guess which statement was made by which person.
1) On playing Denmark - "It's an important game because we didn't have a great summer and it's the first game we've played since."
2) On Bob Bradley - "Hopefully I can catch his eye and get called into the full national team in the future."
3) On game tactics -"Sometimes you just know things will kind of go your way. You gotta make that run, and get in the right position. Both of us thought outside the box to get into the box."
4) On the Denmark result - It’s always good to win in front of the home fans against anybody. It’s exciting for everybody. We know we have bigger and better things to do now.
5) On the Superliga - "I think it might get some fans who are maybe sitting on the couch to come out and see what happens."
6) On David Beckham - "There’s no one who you could bring here who will bring more attention to the game."
7) On David Beckham - "It’s good for the football here. I think it’s a boost. He’s a top player and has been a key player for Man United and the English."
8) On being with the USMNT - "I’ve just been ready and waiting for this call for a long time."
9) On being with the USMNT - "I’m not really a regular right now. I’m still trying to break into a regular spot."
10) On what Beckham will expect from MLS - "I don’t know what his perception of the American player is, so I don't know if I can answer that. I think it's a very high standard. I feel like I’m progressing playing here."
A. Dan Flynn B. Justin Mapp C. Kenny Cooper D. Jonathan Bornstein E. Sunil Gulati F. Kyle Beckerman G. Ricardo Clark H. Morten Olsen I. David Arvizu J. Bob Bradley
Match 'em up! I'll be back later to reveal the truth. Some of these quotes are exclusive to interviews I did, but some have been floating around out there, I think. Some have little inherent hints about who might say something like that.
OK, here it is - the key to who said what -
1) E
2)I
3)D
4)B
5)A
6)J
7)H
8)F
9)G
10)C
Read more...
Musical choices
I know it's still two weeks away, exactly two weeks from today actually, but I'm trying to plan my road trip to Glendale, Arizona. Of course the most important part of any roadie is the music.
I know my travel companion will probably have had enough of my musical choices before we hit Indio so I'm going to make my choices count.
I might start off with a little Guns N Roses. I got the Greatest Hits CD for Christmas and it's really good. If I only have a few song choices, I'll probably start with track 2, move to 3, then go to 13 and 14.
Then, I think I may try a little Rage Against the Machine, in honor of their recent announcement. I may slip a song or two in while we pass by Coachella since I won't be able to make it out there in person.
A couple of bands I've fallen for lately I unfortunately don't have their CDs. I might still be able to catch some Black Stone Cherry and Wolfmother on my station of choice, Sirius Octane 20.
I know the drive is going to seem a lot longer than the 4 1/2 hours it will take from the Inland Empire. I'll be thinking about watching the best rivalry in North America and trying to picture the game and setting and all that stuff. I've actually only covered one US-Mexico game in person, the October 2000 meeting at the Coliseum. I wasn't able to make it to Mexico City in 1999, 2001 or 2005 or Columbus in either 2001 or 2005. Couldn't foot the bill. This time, though, it will be as energetic and electric as any other game. Bob Bradley and Hugo Sanchez will bring a different feel to the teams and a different style of play than their respective predecessors.
It'll be a good game and hopefully a good trip and if my travel buddy doesn't feel up for some rock n roll, it's all good. There's always this, one of my guilty pleasures...
Read more...
I know my travel companion will probably have had enough of my musical choices before we hit Indio so I'm going to make my choices count.
I might start off with a little Guns N Roses. I got the Greatest Hits CD for Christmas and it's really good. If I only have a few song choices, I'll probably start with track 2, move to 3, then go to 13 and 14.
Then, I think I may try a little Rage Against the Machine, in honor of their recent announcement. I may slip a song or two in while we pass by Coachella since I won't be able to make it out there in person.
A couple of bands I've fallen for lately I unfortunately don't have their CDs. I might still be able to catch some Black Stone Cherry and Wolfmother on my station of choice, Sirius Octane 20.
I know the drive is going to seem a lot longer than the 4 1/2 hours it will take from the Inland Empire. I'll be thinking about watching the best rivalry in North America and trying to picture the game and setting and all that stuff. I've actually only covered one US-Mexico game in person, the October 2000 meeting at the Coliseum. I wasn't able to make it to Mexico City in 1999, 2001 or 2005 or Columbus in either 2001 or 2005. Couldn't foot the bill. This time, though, it will be as energetic and electric as any other game. Bob Bradley and Hugo Sanchez will bring a different feel to the teams and a different style of play than their respective predecessors.
It'll be a good game and hopefully a good trip and if my travel buddy doesn't feel up for some rock n roll, it's all good. There's always this, one of my guilty pleasures...
Read more...
Taking the piss
Well, the English are having a go at their old idol, David Beckham. It is a sendoff to match the one he gave himself in the 1998 World Cup, I guess. Or maybe they kid because they still love.
Read more...
Read more...
Lost in translation
Christopher Sitz, Ofori Sarkodi, Daniel Sztela?
I guess the transfer to Spanish did a number on the names of a few of the U.S. U20 players. Tony Beltran's, though, got the extra spice of an accent mark.
Anthony Beltrán
Read more...
I guess the transfer to Spanish did a number on the names of a few of the U.S. U20 players. Tony Beltran's, though, got the extra spice of an accent mark.
Anthony Beltrán
Read more...
Hugo anxious
I have to say, I like the idea that Mexico's top guy is worried about how U.S soccer has progressed. That makes the Beckham signing worthwhile all on its own, I think.
Read more...
Read more...
Bornstein NOT captied
At the post-Denmark mixed zone, I was giving Jonny Bornstein a bit of a hard time, saying, "Well, I guess this is it for playing with Mexico's team." A USSF employee who was escorting Bornstein from the press conference interjected.
"No - he's not cap-tied until he plays in an official competition or qualifying."
Bornstein himself nodded in agreement. "Friendlies don't captie you."
He quickly added that he wanted to play for the U.S., though.
I have no idea whether this pertains to Freddy Adu, at all, as he only played a few minutes in a friendly against Canada, but apparently Bornstein could play against and even score against Mexico on Feb. 7th, but still be eligible to play for them.
Or Israel.
Anyway, I guess Gold Cup is the soonest he could be captied to the US.
Read more...
"No - he's not cap-tied until he plays in an official competition or qualifying."
Bornstein himself nodded in agreement. "Friendlies don't captie you."
He quickly added that he wanted to play for the U.S., though.
I have no idea whether this pertains to Freddy Adu, at all, as he only played a few minutes in a friendly against Canada, but apparently Bornstein could play against and even score against Mexico on Feb. 7th, but still be eligible to play for them.
Or Israel.
Anyway, I guess Gold Cup is the soonest he could be captied to the US.
Read more...
Blog policy change
We have caved. All those anonymous comments that were smart and insightful have convinced Luis and I that its worth just approving even the ones who bash. Of course, racist comments, spam, and the like will still be dumped off.
Read more...
Read more...
Could Reyna return to the USMNT?
I was at the press conference in Germany where Claudio Reyna announced his retirement from international soccer. One statement he made intrigued me a little, though.
"We don’t have a major European championship or something where I felt in two years I could still be playing. But four years was a little too much. So it’s best just to stop now."
It was a large conference, and there were a bunch of journos asking questions, but even then, I nearly yelled out, "What about Gold Cup?" The obvious objection there would be that the strain of travel from Europe would be too much for Claudio.
Now that he's with the Red Bulls, though, that's not an issue. His ties to Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley go way back, so some persuasion there could be effective.
Though it doesn't get the respect of the European Championships, the Gold Cup is the regional championship for the U.S., the closest equivalent we have. It may be farfetched, but I think there's a chance Reyna might participate. I mean, if he implied he could still play internationally for two years, the Gold Cup is this year.
For any of those who think that the Gold Cup is a good time to experiment with young players, leaving Reyna out even if he wants to play, I disagree completely. This Gold Cup is the ticket to the Confed Cup, which would provide invaluable experience in the venues of the World Cup ahead of time. The U.S. should experiment at Copa America - the Gold Cup, we need to win. Reyna can still help the team do that. Especially against CONCACAF competition, I think it would be a nice hurrah for his USMNT career.
Read more...
"We don’t have a major European championship or something where I felt in two years I could still be playing. But four years was a little too much. So it’s best just to stop now."
It was a large conference, and there were a bunch of journos asking questions, but even then, I nearly yelled out, "What about Gold Cup?" The obvious objection there would be that the strain of travel from Europe would be too much for Claudio.
Now that he's with the Red Bulls, though, that's not an issue. His ties to Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley go way back, so some persuasion there could be effective.
Though it doesn't get the respect of the European Championships, the Gold Cup is the regional championship for the U.S., the closest equivalent we have. It may be farfetched, but I think there's a chance Reyna might participate. I mean, if he implied he could still play internationally for two years, the Gold Cup is this year.
For any of those who think that the Gold Cup is a good time to experiment with young players, leaving Reyna out even if he wants to play, I disagree completely. This Gold Cup is the ticket to the Confed Cup, which would provide invaluable experience in the venues of the World Cup ahead of time. The U.S. should experiment at Copa America - the Gold Cup, we need to win. Reyna can still help the team do that. Especially against CONCACAF competition, I think it would be a nice hurrah for his USMNT career.
Read more...
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Commanding Respect
From time to time, you'll see some friends of ours share their thoughts here on Sideline Views. Here is a contribution from a friend of Sideline Views, Matt Zimmerman.
After Chivas' playoff loss to Houston, then-coach Bob Bradley was giving someone who I assume was a supervisor of officials an earful. Chivas USA felt like some of the calls had been bogus, and the coach was letting this gentleman know about it. Right next to him, offering support and interjecting with strong words was Preki, Bradley's right-hand man throughout the season.
During practices, Preki played with the team often, while Bradley would stand in the middle of scrimmages and instruct. Preki has the respect, especially as someone who not so long ago was making defenses pay in MLS.
It will be interesting to see how he does as a head coach, considering he only has a single season as an assistant under his belt. But at the very least, the players will not ignore MLS' only two-time MVP.
Read more...
Not so familiar
So Andrea talked about her not-so-long lost cousin Ricardo Canales. That inspired me to post about my not-so-long lost family members.
Before I start, however, I must say that these people stick out in my mind because they are Buenos and Bueno ain't too common a last name. If my last name were Hernandez, I wouldn't care. Actually, if my last name were Hernandez, I'd probably go by El Matador.
Anyway, there is a long-suffering coach in Mexico named Sergio Bueno. He's been with Atlante and Morelia and Atlas among others. He's been with six clubs and I knew right there that he couldn't be related to me because I haven't moved around that much. Okay, I write for like five different publications but all at once. I don't get fired once a year like good old Sergio.
Then, there's Carlos Bueno who plays with Sporting Lisbon. Aside from his ghastly looks, I knew he couldn't be my cousin because he scores a lot... and I'm married.
So then, D.C. was close to signing Ruy Bueno Neto of Brazil. I thought that maybe he could be my cousin but when negotiations fell apart I knew he couldn't be my relative because he apparently had a high asking price and I'm pretty cheap.
So finally I came across this character named Danny Bueno. I know this guy is related to me because he shows a good knowledge of the English language, a strong understanding of soccer and we also shared a room for about two decades.
Read more...
Before I start, however, I must say that these people stick out in my mind because they are Buenos and Bueno ain't too common a last name. If my last name were Hernandez, I wouldn't care. Actually, if my last name were Hernandez, I'd probably go by El Matador.
Anyway, there is a long-suffering coach in Mexico named Sergio Bueno. He's been with Atlante and Morelia and Atlas among others. He's been with six clubs and I knew right there that he couldn't be related to me because I haven't moved around that much. Okay, I write for like five different publications but all at once. I don't get fired once a year like good old Sergio.
Then, there's Carlos Bueno who plays with Sporting Lisbon. Aside from his ghastly looks, I knew he couldn't be my cousin because he scores a lot... and I'm married.
So then, D.C. was close to signing Ruy Bueno Neto of Brazil. I thought that maybe he could be my cousin but when negotiations fell apart I knew he couldn't be my relative because he apparently had a high asking price and I'm pretty cheap.
So finally I came across this character named Danny Bueno. I know this guy is related to me because he shows a good knowledge of the English language, a strong understanding of soccer and we also shared a room for about two decades.
Read more...
Deja Vu all over again
Justin Mapp isn't the only player I've compared to Clint Mathis before. The other one was Clint Dempsey, who has since, of course, gone on to debut with Fulham this week. Thing is, while Dempsey is undoubtedly creative, he's also more driven, in my opinion, than either Mapp or Mathis. He's super-competitive and incredibly fit, while Mapp and Mathis, well, at times have been less so.
Anyway - here's the article I wrote then (2005) - it's no longer on the web. "Out of print", one might say.
Read more...
Anyway - here's the article I wrote then (2005) - it's no longer on the web. "Out of print", one might say.
A Tale of Two Clints
It wasn't so long ago that soccer fans could mention Clint, and most everybody would know that Clint Mathis - he of the Mohawk, the southern drawl and the rebel persona, was the topic of discussion. Then versatile Clint Dempsey began to make his mark in the world of U.S. soccer - and now, if a young player mentions that Clint is his idol, further clarification may be needed.
Both players are back in MLS after stints abroad. MLS Rookie of the Year Dempsey's was shorter, as he had a trial with Feyenoord, where he was able to impress, but not secure a contract.
"I was playing in front of the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of. You're trying to catch the tempo of the game, so you don't know what to expect when you're going in."
"As soon as you get your first touch that (jitters) will go away, so that's the most important thing, just trying to get that first touch out of the way."
Dempsey was genuinely surprised to be named to the gameday squad. He considers carefully before answering the question of what Bruce Arena might have seen in him.
"I just think I have a little bit of versatility, so I'm able to play different positions, which allows me to make it on a roster because I'm not just stuck in one spot."
Mathis has shown versatility himself, playing as both a forward and midfielder for the USMNT and has often been the sparkplug for a squad that was known more for its workmanlike style than its flair and passion.
However, a spark can soon become a wildfire - and Mathis' temper had a reputation in his older MLS days.
Perhaps older and wiser now, he seems to be saying all the right things.
"For me, I'm just coming out here and I'll give a hundred percent," Mathis says. "If that's good enough to be able to help the team through qualifying and get us to the next World Cup, that's fine."
Mathis and Dempsey both are open to considering playing abroad as a future option, though it would seem that the window of opportunity might be closing for Mathis.
Never one for regrets or looking back to the past, Mathis doesn't dwell on what might have been in Europe, instead seizing on the chance he now has.
"I didn't know if I was going to get this opportunity ever again," Mathis states.
"A lot of people think that I've come back because of the sourness that happened." he shakes his head emphatically. "No. I made that decision. I could've gone to another Bundesliga club, or a club in Spain, no problem. But I'd already made my decision to play for John and I stuck with it."
What Mathis values most in a coach are the qualities he observes Ellinger has.
"He's a straightforward guy, he knows the game really well, and he relates to the players really well. It's a gift that was given to him, just like a talent that a player has. I've never heard a bad thing about John from any player, any staff member, anything."
Though his own European experience was limited to a trial, Dempsey hopes that it will lead to more.
"[I'm looking for] the best situation possible, depending on the environment and the team and how bad they want me and where I'm going to get playing time."
He did pick up some valuable lessons from his time at the Dutch powerhouse.
Dempsey comments, "Practice is like game pace. It was very intense. Training with Fyenrood, you're surrounded by good players. You're put in an environment where you can only get better and that's what you want to be in."
Mathis takes away his own memories of his Bundesliga days.
"You look at the practices - day in, day out, it's about getting on the field and giving it a hundred percent each and every day. Hopefully, I can bring that experience and show how important it is to work hard, each and every day, to know how much pressure there can be on each and every game- how much three points is when it comes down to the end of the season and to relay that to the guys who haven't gotten to experience that."
If Mathis is ready to teach, the young defender/midfielder/forward looks to improve by learning from his new experiences,such as his national team training. He has already prioritized the most important elements of the lessons there.
"Take care of your body. Anytime you can rest, rest as much as you can. Eat right, so you can come out every day and play as best as you possibly play. Another thing I've learned is just speed of play. It's a lot quicker, so you have to be mentally focused and ready for training."
While Dempsey's concern for his health makes him seem both mature and prudent, it contrasts against the old reputation of the more freewheeling Mathis.
Yet in spite of training and dietary habits that were described by former coaches as desultory, it was during this time that Mathis was able to lay claim to a history of impressive achievements for the USMNT.
He concedes, however, that now the national team is very competitive and appears philosophical about whether he makes the starting roster.
"It's fine with me. I've experienced the World Cup and the qualification. I'm just here to help the team in any way I can. If I come out here and give a hundred percent and Bruce decides that's going to help the team, so be it. If not, that's fine, too.""I'm at that point in my career where I'm not going to worry about the little things," Mathis says, smiling.
Read more...
Long lost cousin?
Actually, I'm not from Honduras, but the name still caught my eye.
Read more...
Read more...
Almost home
Looks like Captain America is close to coming home after all. Seems his contract has been ripped up by Manchester City.
I think it's a great move for Claudio Reyna and the Red Bulls and MLS if Reyna can stay healthy. It seems that he's been injured often in his career and playing on the Giants Stadium turf doesn't seem to be an ideal situation. Still, I think it's worth the risk.
Read more...
I think it's a great move for Claudio Reyna and the Red Bulls and MLS if Reyna can stay healthy. It seems that he's been injured often in his career and playing on the Giants Stadium turf doesn't seem to be an ideal situation. Still, I think it's worth the risk.
Read more...
LD Post game
To follow up on the Landon stuff below, here's a link to my Press-Enterprise article on Landon Donovan's thoughts about the Danes.
Read more...
Monday, January 22, 2007
Heath Pearce on the move?
Sometimes, there's just a little bit of info left from an interview that isn't quite enough to write up as its own article, but is interesting enough on its own that its worth reporting.Reporters often include stuff like that at the end of an article, in a Notes section. Anyway, here's a Heath Pearce tidbit.
"In terms of my club situation, I have six months left on my contract there (FC Nordsjaelland). There's some interest from other European clubs and different leagues. Right now, with the getting close to the end of January (transfer window), something could happen. I could make a move. But if not, then I'll finish this out. I'll keep my focus on my current club and finish it out and leave on a free (transfer) in the summer and see what else is out there for me. "
Read more...
Landon's blushing
Luis doesn't give compliments lightly. My theory is that Landon's gotten better at interviews because he gives so many of them. It's constant, and he's nearly always willing to do it. I don't think any U.S. soccer player has given more commentary to the press, not even Freddy Adu. Of course, I can't quantify that, but I do know that Freddy doesn't speak Spanish and a lot of the media questions Landon handles are from the Spanish-speaking press.
Read more...
Brad will have to wait
I had intended to write up a Brad Friedel article for the Press-Enterprise for tomorrow but with the Denmark game still fresh on my mind, I decided to shake my notebook and write about the stuff that fell out... and most of it was Landon Donovan stuff. Interesting.
It's not like Landon is the local soccer hero or anything. Nah.
Really it's not anything earth shattering but Landon has some good stuff to say as always. He's really gotten better with talking to the media over the years. First time I talked to him, he was 16 and gave answers like, well, a 16-year-old. He's very polished these days. Not sure if it's because he was groomed by someone or if he groomed himself but he's a great interview.
Sorry Brad. Get to ya next week.
Read more...
It's not like Landon is the local soccer hero or anything. Nah.
Really it's not anything earth shattering but Landon has some good stuff to say as always. He's really gotten better with talking to the media over the years. First time I talked to him, he was 16 and gave answers like, well, a 16-year-old. He's very polished these days. Not sure if it's because he was groomed by someone or if he groomed himself but he's a great interview.
Sorry Brad. Get to ya next week.
Read more...
Bob and Frank
Now that Frank Rijkaard has given his views on Beckham's situation with Real Madrid, I wonder if he has any thoughts on Bob Bradley as interim coach of the U.S. team?
I can imagine it now - "In theory I wouldn't hire an interim."
Read more...
Rocking the soccer cradle
I'm sharing an email I got today - it wasn't sent anonymously, but since they probably didn't expect to be featured in my blog, I'm not revealing who sent it. I'm just wondering if anyone else can relate.
Oh, yeah, the Justin Mapp article that caused the email to be written.
The Email:
It starts at the the youth level where club coaches and parents all want to WIN, WIN, WIN!
Instead of placing trust in the individual players to grow into their own game at their own pace. This is the single most important aspect of soccer in this country that must change if we are to improve our standing compared to the rest of the world. Many felt a Klinsmann or another foreign coach would be the answer to this problem as they would have brought their ideas of youth development to this country and thus begin to change existing ideas (in youth club soccer) of how to nurture young, dynamic soccer players. There are more than you think out there right now, but many get ignored due to their lack of consistent defending or hustle plays? As any coach worth anything will tell you, it is a lot easier to teach a kid to defend than it is to create on his own. Does Cristiano Ronaldo defend all the time and very well? No! But I doubt you wouldn't find one US coach that would leave him out of his team right now. But I doubt he would have made it coming up as a youth player in the US in the 90's.
Read more...
Oh, yeah, the Justin Mapp article that caused the email to be written.
The Email:
It starts at the the youth level where club coaches and parents all want to WIN, WIN, WIN!
Instead of placing trust in the individual players to grow into their own game at their own pace. This is the single most important aspect of soccer in this country that must change if we are to improve our standing compared to the rest of the world. Many felt a Klinsmann or another foreign coach would be the answer to this problem as they would have brought their ideas of youth development to this country and thus begin to change existing ideas (in youth club soccer) of how to nurture young, dynamic soccer players. There are more than you think out there right now, but many get ignored due to their lack of consistent defending or hustle plays? As any coach worth anything will tell you, it is a lot easier to teach a kid to defend than it is to create on his own. Does Cristiano Ronaldo defend all the time and very well? No! But I doubt you wouldn't find one US coach that would leave him out of his team right now. But I doubt he would have made it coming up as a youth player in the US in the 90's.
Read more...
Speed racer
Mirror, mirror, on the US U20 locker room wall, who's the fastest of them all? Andre Akpan? Johann Smith?
I asked Smith if he was the one.
"Ha, ha - maybe. I don't know," answered the Bolton striker.
Freddy Adu was more sure.
"We know that Johann is the fastest guy on the team."
Andre, at the least, was the undisputed US goalscorer of the tournament, with three, all in the first match versus Haiti.
Read more...
I asked Smith if he was the one.
"Ha, ha - maybe. I don't know," answered the Bolton striker.
Freddy Adu was more sure.
"We know that Johann is the fastest guy on the team."
Andre, at the least, was the undisputed US goalscorer of the tournament, with three, all in the first match versus Haiti.
Read more...
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Another viewpoint
Kenny Cooper on his Manchester United days:
"When I was there, there were four of us who were fromAmerica New Jersey Italy or New Jersey
Well, Cooper is understandably unsure. Rossi was born in New Jersey, lived there until a teenager, but has elected to play for Italy, his father's birthplace. Here's an article I wrote back when the U.S. tried inviting him to a camp.
Read more...
"When I was there, there were four of us who were from
Well, Cooper is understandably unsure. Rossi was born in New Jersey, lived there until a teenager, but has elected to play for Italy, his father's birthplace. Here's an article I wrote back when the U.S. tried inviting him to a camp.
Read more...
One viewpoint
Jonathan Bornstein, who is eligible to play for Mexico, on playing for the U.S.
"My dreams have always been with theUnited States Mexico once. United States Mexico
Read more...
"My dreams have always been with the
Read more...
Teaching the newcomers
When asked how the young players could adjust to playing at the international level, Landon Donovan said the only way guys like Jonathan Bornstein and Kenny Cooper would learn how is to learn it first hand.
"It is an adjustment. It is different. This isn’t DC United vs. Kansas City. This game is not going to look anything like the Mexico game. It’s going to be a few notches up and the only way you get that is with experience. I can’t tell them what the game is going to be like. You have to be in it and play in it to experience it."
Read more...
"It is an adjustment. It is different. This isn’t DC United vs. Kansas City. This game is not going to look anything like the Mexico game. It’s going to be a few notches up and the only way you get that is with experience. I can’t tell them what the game is going to be like. You have to be in it and play in it to experience it."
Read more...
Worth the yellow
Referee Mauricio Navarro chases Kenny Cooper down to deliver the yellow card for excessive celebration while Cooper puts his shirt back on."I wasn’t thinking about that at the time; I probably should have," said Cooper of getting booked. "Hopefully, there will be more goals and hopefully, I’ll remember next time – if I score again."
Read more...
Saturday, January 20, 2007
No Gooch?
U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said before Saturday's game that Bob Bradley would probably call in between 5-8 European based players for the Mexico game but said Bradley would not likely call up players who had a league match on the Sunday. For travel purposes, it wouldn't make much sense to do so, Gulati said.
The only EPL game scheduled for Feb. 4 is a Manchester United-Tottenham tilt. However, Standard Liege plays on the 4th. By Gulati's line of reasoning, Oguchi Onyewu then won't be called up.
Incidentally, should Mexico choose to leave players whose clubs play on the 4th out, both Barcelona (Rafael Marquez) and Stuttgart (Pavel Pardo, Ricardo Osorio) play on Sunday.
Read more...
The only EPL game scheduled for Feb. 4 is a Manchester United-Tottenham tilt. However, Standard Liege plays on the 4th. By Gulati's line of reasoning, Oguchi Onyewu then won't be called up.
Incidentally, should Mexico choose to leave players whose clubs play on the 4th out, both Barcelona (Rafael Marquez) and Stuttgart (Pavel Pardo, Ricardo Osorio) play on Sunday.
Read more...
Sweet relief
While we're waiting in the press conference room for Bob Bradley, US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati comes in, all smiles, and takes a seat in the gallery. He's clearly pleased at the win over Denmark. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if he was sweating out the one goal deficit in the first half, when the U.S. team simply wasn't playing that well. I decide to ask him. "Sunil, were you getting a little nervous there when the team went down a goal?"
He says nothing, and I think maybe he hasn't heard me. Then he looks over and nods, just once, but emphatically.
Read more...
3-1 win - game notes.
Denmark went tall to start the game, leaving speedy but small striker Jesper Bech on the bench and instead starting Dennis Sorensen
4th minute, shot in the box by
5th minute FK outside the box for Donovan.
Jaqua skied for header, knocking into Jesper Christiansen, who got the worst of it, but came back up.
Johnson bad pass, then cleared out ball for header.
US
Donovan stole ball, sent pass to EJ, who set it back for Rolfe, who, though far out, took a crack at it. The low ,hard shot was palmed just wide by Christiansen for a corner. Donovan took the corner, Chris Albright headed it on goal – into Christiansen’s waiting have CK.
Chris Albright booked for a yellow on Simon Busk Poulsen.
Later, Poulsen makes
Rolfe starts play where
Donovan takes, makes.
Shirt off, that’s a yellow.
Beckerman in. Califf in.
Danish bragging rights belong to the
Full-time.
Read more...
Who said anything about nil-nil?
Wow, was I ever wrong about that one... Not the first time I've been wrong, I suppose.
I'll post more later but it was a really good game for the US, Bob Bradley and Jonathan Bornstein. Very nice way to start the year as well.
Read more...
I'll post more later but it was a really good game for the US, Bob Bradley and Jonathan Bornstein. Very nice way to start the year as well.
Read more...
Real-time, blog style
So here I am in the press box watching the US-Denmark game. I realize it's only about 15 minutes in but I'm kinda worried we won't see a goal today. There are some games that have a 0-0 feel to it and this is close to that. Just call me the king of the overreactions I guess. Still, the InterLiga was a dreadful six-game borefest so maybe there is something about this building in 2007... okay, won't make that giant leap.
Anyway, I decided to put up a Bueno's Eye View shot of the USMNT and the Danes for your viewing pleasure.
Read more...
Last time out
I got up at exactly 4:30 this morning, Saturday morning. Today, after all, is Bob Bradley's debut as U.S. coach, the first U.S. game since last June and my first chance since last January to watch the US in person.
But I didn't exactly get up in eager anticipation. My 15-month-old woke up screaming, like she usually does every morning between 4 and 6, and crawled into bed alongside me. She was able to go back to sleep until 5:55 but not I.
As I lay there, trying to squeeze out every last minute of sleep from her tiny body, I thought about the game and imagined the scene and kept thinking of last year. But it will be a huge difference from a year ago.
To refresh your memory, the U.S. beat Norway 5-0 at Home Depot Center on Jan. 29, 2006. Bruce Arena was the coach. Taylor Twellman was the hat-trick hero. Todd Dunivant was the big revelation. Twellman, Eddie Pope and Chris Klein accounted for the offense.
So what came from that game? Fast forward a few months and neither Twellman nor Dunivant nor Klein were anywhere near Germany. Arena and Pope were present for the United States' forgettable performances and that 5-0 win seemed as meaningless as ever.
Today, of course, will be a different game. Last year, Arena was trying to find that one player who could have made a difference. I still contend that that person would have been Dunivant had he not gotten hurt. Nevertheless, the game did not produce that. But today, Bob Bradley will start his five-month job audition. Players like Kenny Cooper and Jonathan Bornstein will try to show their international worth while others like Eddie Johnson will try to show that they still have it.
I normally don't get too excited about friendlies. As evidenced by last year's 5-0 U.S. rout, they typically mean little. But today's will carry extra weight and should be an enjoyable match.
I just hope my early-morning wake-up call doesn't make me fall asleep at halftime.
Read more...
But I didn't exactly get up in eager anticipation. My 15-month-old woke up screaming, like she usually does every morning between 4 and 6, and crawled into bed alongside me. She was able to go back to sleep until 5:55 but not I.
As I lay there, trying to squeeze out every last minute of sleep from her tiny body, I thought about the game and imagined the scene and kept thinking of last year. But it will be a huge difference from a year ago.
To refresh your memory, the U.S. beat Norway 5-0 at Home Depot Center on Jan. 29, 2006. Bruce Arena was the coach. Taylor Twellman was the hat-trick hero. Todd Dunivant was the big revelation. Twellman, Eddie Pope and Chris Klein accounted for the offense.
So what came from that game? Fast forward a few months and neither Twellman nor Dunivant nor Klein were anywhere near Germany. Arena and Pope were present for the United States' forgettable performances and that 5-0 win seemed as meaningless as ever.
Today, of course, will be a different game. Last year, Arena was trying to find that one player who could have made a difference. I still contend that that person would have been Dunivant had he not gotten hurt. Nevertheless, the game did not produce that. But today, Bob Bradley will start his five-month job audition. Players like Kenny Cooper and Jonathan Bornstein will try to show their international worth while others like Eddie Johnson will try to show that they still have it.
I normally don't get too excited about friendlies. As evidenced by last year's 5-0 U.S. rout, they typically mean little. But today's will carry extra weight and should be an enjoyable match.
I just hope my early-morning wake-up call doesn't make me fall asleep at halftime.
Read more...
Friday, January 19, 2007
Frankie?
I was thinking of participating in the Galaxy's open tryouts. I have some experience against MLS caliber players. I tripped Landon Donovan once, too, walking beside him for an interview, so I've got that part of the game down pat.
But I was stymied by the requirement of "MALE soccer players over 18". Hmm.
Nothing is holding back this guy, though, except a few thousand miles and perhaps the part in his audition video where he waxes nostalgic about Frank Yallop. Hilarious.
Read more...
But I was stymied by the requirement of "MALE soccer players over 18". Hmm.
Nothing is holding back this guy, though, except a few thousand miles and perhaps the part in his audition video where he waxes nostalgic about Frank Yallop. Hilarious.
Read more...
All that remains
Time to play. Well, stretch first, then play. Jonathan Bornstein and Eddie Johnson demonstrate.
Read more...
Tak, Denmark!
Tak is "thanks" in Danish. Today when I arrived at Denmark's training, their press officer, Lars Berendt, came over to inform me that media access was usually at the start of practice. I'd forgotten that, but he said not to worry, he'd get players to talk to me after practice, but they just couldn't stay too long. I watched the Danes run through some scrimmage plays. Morten Olsen still gets out and demonstrates to his players what he wants to see them do with the ball. A few Danish fans watched from the sidelines, respectfully observing. I asked Lars who on the team was comfortable speaking English. I felt silly when he answered, "They all speak English just fine." True enough, the three players I finally spoke with were more articulate than many Americans. It was harder to get to talk to the U.S. players, actually. The scrum around Landon Donovan after practice was discouraging. I took a picture instead of asking any questions.
Read more...
Best gossip at left back
There goes Luis, stealing my thunder. I was at practice today, and it was pretty much confirmed by a regular observer that Johnny Bornstein will start.
From what I've seen of the three options, my observations are - Heath Pearce is the most athletic, physical defender, Todd Dunivant has the sweetest cross, and Bornstein has the best attack and shot.
It looks like Bradley is going with the shot.
Read more...
From what I've seen of the three options, my observations are - Heath Pearce is the most athletic, physical defender, Todd Dunivant has the sweetest cross, and Bornstein has the best attack and shot.
It looks like Bradley is going with the shot.
Read more...
Best guess at left back
I haven't been out to US training as often as I would have liked so I'm not about to formulate a guess in terms of a possible lineup for Saturday's game against Denmark, but I will take a guess at one position.
I think Jonathan Bornstein will get the nod at left back. Bob was around a group of reporters two days ago and, when asked what players had impressed, the only player he mentioned specifically was Jonathan Bornstein.
Read more...
I think Jonathan Bornstein will get the nod at left back. Bob was around a group of reporters two days ago and, when asked what players had impressed, the only player he mentioned specifically was Jonathan Bornstein.
Read more...
The clincher
So the U20 team can sew up qualifying, while Bob Bradley can start sealing the deal on earning his post permanently tomorrow.
Bob isn't Bruce Arena, though they respect each other. Players have pointed out that this camp has been more regimented than others in the past.
, though. He was practically whistling as the squad left practice. Maybe their sightseeing trip was to the beach. Or Disneyland.
UPDATE: They went to Universal Studios Hollywood. Not a bad local option.
Read more...
Bob isn't Bruce Arena, though they respect each other. Players have pointed out that this camp has been more regimented than others in the past.
, though. He was practically whistling as the squad left practice. Maybe their sightseeing trip was to the beach. Or Disneyland.
UPDATE: They went to Universal Studios Hollywood. Not a bad local option.
Read more...
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Denmark - First look
They're tall. And, well, ok, I'll admit, I missed their practice, and got there only to see them stretch and walk off the field, so I don't have much of a scouting report for Bob Bradley. I did talk to the coach of the Danes, though, so that info will go in another article later. Grahame Jones of the LA Times was also there. He was very popular with the Danes, because he fondly recalled with the training staff their World Cup run in 1986 and the 1992 European championship - when the Danes won the title. Grahame covered all those games.Read more...
Bob and the Boys
Two days from now the US will return to action for the first time since, uh, well, it seems like years, doesn't it? Remember back in June when Zinedine Zidane was in the same class as Maradona and Pele, when David Beckham was a key figure for both England and Real Madrid and Bob Bradley's Chivas USA team was still trying to gain respect in MLS.
A lot has changed since then. Bob's gone from Chivas and Preki has replaced him. Several US players have walked off into the sunset and a new batch of players has been called up.
When Bob left Chivas, I was both delighted and disappointed. In the year he spent with Chivas, I got to know Bob fairly well on a professional level. I gained the utmost respect for Bob. There was a scene in an episode of The Sopranos where Tony and Christopher are having some sort of confrontation and Christopher tells Tony "I would walk with you to the gates of hell." That's kind of how I feel about Bob.
I was disappointed with his departure because I thought he could have built something really special out here and I would have liked to have had him around for that. I think Chivas has the pieces in place to do something special this year and Preki is a good fit but I'll miss Bob this year.
I hope Bob's Boys win 4-0.
Read more...
Clausura Eve
Well, I finally made picks on the other teams for the Clausura 2007.
Group 2
Pachuca
Atlante
San Luis
Monterrey
Veracruz
Tecos UAG
Group 3
America
Toluca
Tigres
Pumas
Santos
Morelia
Group 3 is very, very strong. Among the players who joined clubs in Group 3 are: Oswaldo Sanchez, Kikin Fonseca, Julio Cesar Caceres, Daniel Bilos, Daniel Luduena, Erwin Avalos, Nicolas Pavlovich, Hugo Sanchez Guerrero, Francisco Palencia and Juan Pablo Garcia. That's a pretty damn good list.
Season starts Friday with Tecos-Tigres on Fox Sports Espanol. Can't wait.
Read more...
Group 2
Pachuca
Atlante
San Luis
Monterrey
Veracruz
Tecos UAG
Group 3
America
Toluca
Tigres
Pumas
Santos
Morelia
Group 3 is very, very strong. Among the players who joined clubs in Group 3 are: Oswaldo Sanchez, Kikin Fonseca, Julio Cesar Caceres, Daniel Bilos, Daniel Luduena, Erwin Avalos, Nicolas Pavlovich, Hugo Sanchez Guerrero, Francisco Palencia and Juan Pablo Garcia. That's a pretty damn good list.
Season starts Friday with Tecos-Tigres on Fox Sports Espanol. Can't wait.
Read more...
Ready for action
Mostly out of boredom while waiting for the TV interviews to finish at Preki's press conference, I picked up the Chivas USA ball that their new coach displayed in this picture. I was still holding it when Preki came over for print interviews."Hey, you want to play? No problem," he said. I knew by his smile that he hadn't forgotten how he scored during the Chivas USA media game.
Preki is going to practically be a player-coach. He's out on the field mixing it up with the squad every day. I've seen him participate in finishing drills where he smokes the other Chivas USA players. Honestly, I don't know if it lights a fire under them or demoralizes them a bit.
Read more...
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
New World/Old World
Proof positive that language can mean different things to different people. Back when Roberto Duran of Panama said "No mas" in his famous bout with Sugar Ray Leonard, the boxer meant the fight was over. No more. He was done.
However, the Spanish in Spain is apparently different. When Fabio Capello said, "Beckham no jugara mas." his "no mas", I suppose, was just a "maybe".
What else are we supposed to think when Capello backtracks so profoundly?
Read more...
However, the Spanish in Spain is apparently different. When Fabio Capello said, "Beckham no jugara mas." his "no mas", I suppose, was just a "maybe".
What else are we supposed to think when Capello backtracks so profoundly?
Read more...
Boys vs girls
The women's national teams have traditionally taken on guys teams for practice. Often, they pick boys club teams. It's an interesting rivalry, because even if the girls are older, the guys really don't want to lose. Here, the U16 girls, in camp under the direction of Kazbek Tambi, take on Valley United's U14 squad.
It was really cold on the sidelines, so I missed the one goal of the game, scored by Jenna Richmond, though the moment just after is shown here.
Read more...
Ya lo ves
It was crowded in the room where the announcement of Preki as head coach of Chivas USA was held. It was also a little tense. Many of the Spanish press present were asking, as tactfully as possible - considering Preki was right there, if a Mexican, or more generally, a Spanish-speaking coach would not have been a better fit for the squad. I think owner Antonio Cue really learned his lesson about going with someone who has experience with MLS and knows the league well. Still, the question will be asked of any coach of Chivas USA for a long time - and there is some validity to the fact that there is only one Hispanic coach in the league (Fernando Clavijo) and if a Mexican-owned team like Chivas USA isn't going to extend a helping hand, who will?
Read more...
Happy camper
Rico Clark might be one of the U.S. players to watch for in the future. One of the things he offers in his skillset is a pretty nice shot from distance. I was curious if the U.S. camp coaches were emphasizing using that as an offensive weapon. Here's Clark's response."I think anytime you get around the goal, you should be ambitious, whether you’re a midfielder, forward, what-not. There’s nothing wrong with shooting. Now, that’s not really what I’m going to be going after in the game. Like I said, I want to fulfill my role, play one-two touch and keep the ball moving, be a connection on the team. But if I’m around the goal, I’m definitely going to shoot, especially in a game."
Read more...
Brad the Goalie
As a beat writer for Chivas USA, the only goalkeeper named Brad that I usually deal with is Brad Guzan. Today, though, I interviewed Brad Friedel of Blackburn and formerly of the USMNT. I talked to Brad Friedel for about 15 minutes on a wide variety of topics. I'm sure I'll link to the stories when I publish them and that will only happen until after I write them, of course.
Brad's a cool guy. Any guy that can take time out to talk to me from across the pond while holding a 10-week-old in his arms is a cool guy. We chatted about the Premiership, Becks and the MLS, the US and his Youth Academy. That was actually the reason behind the interview. He's been trying to get publicity for the academy and I wanted to talk about that and all the other stuff as well.
I gained a lot of respect for Brad Friedel in the short amount of time we talked over the phone. I've always had respect for him as a player because of his accomplishments for the US and helping the US reach the quarterfinals in 02 and for becoming a top-flight keeper in the English Premiership. In some ways, guys like Clint Dempsey and Bobby Convey owe a lot to guys like Brad Friedel for going over to England and having success and giving Premiership clubs reasons to look at MLS for players.
Anyway, Brad is very serious about the academy and developing soccer players. He called the current system here "farcical" and said that about 70 percent of youth soccer coaches are only in it for the money. He said that lately MLS and US Soccer have gotten better about their own youth development programs. He also said... wait, I don't want to scoop myself. You'll have to wait for the story to be written to find out all of the interesting stuff he said about youth development.
At the end of the interview, I was down to my final question and he asked me if he could call me back. He'd been going back and forth between a pesky reporter (me), his 10-week-old and another older child in the background and a roofer that showed up to do work on his home. It didn't bother me because I was trying to hide from my own children. It went something like this:
---
Me: Okay, final question Brad. In my opinion, there haven't been enough minority players represented on the youth and senior national teams over the years. It's gotten better recently with the inclusion of several African-American players on the 2006 World Cup team but the level of Mexican-American players is, in my opinion, short of what it could be. Are you going to target minority players and go into inner cities to try and get players that might choose a different sport or choose a different path altogether?
Brad: Hey Luis (he pronounced it Lewis), can I call you back later today and answer that question? I've got a roofer waiting outside and I'm trying to hold a 10-week-old.
Me: (Laughing) Sure, no problem.
---
I just thought it was kind of funny how I asked this intense thought-provoking question and he had to go. I didn't care, really. He called me back and I totally understand having to deal with kids and life in general. So when he called me back I started to ask him the same question and he said "Oh yeah, minorities. We intend to target..."
Oh yeah, you'll have to wait for that response.
Read more...
Brad's a cool guy. Any guy that can take time out to talk to me from across the pond while holding a 10-week-old in his arms is a cool guy. We chatted about the Premiership, Becks and the MLS, the US and his Youth Academy. That was actually the reason behind the interview. He's been trying to get publicity for the academy and I wanted to talk about that and all the other stuff as well.
I gained a lot of respect for Brad Friedel in the short amount of time we talked over the phone. I've always had respect for him as a player because of his accomplishments for the US and helping the US reach the quarterfinals in 02 and for becoming a top-flight keeper in the English Premiership. In some ways, guys like Clint Dempsey and Bobby Convey owe a lot to guys like Brad Friedel for going over to England and having success and giving Premiership clubs reasons to look at MLS for players.
Anyway, Brad is very serious about the academy and developing soccer players. He called the current system here "farcical" and said that about 70 percent of youth soccer coaches are only in it for the money. He said that lately MLS and US Soccer have gotten better about their own youth development programs. He also said... wait, I don't want to scoop myself. You'll have to wait for the story to be written to find out all of the interesting stuff he said about youth development.
At the end of the interview, I was down to my final question and he asked me if he could call me back. He'd been going back and forth between a pesky reporter (me), his 10-week-old and another older child in the background and a roofer that showed up to do work on his home. It didn't bother me because I was trying to hide from my own children. It went something like this:
---
Me: Okay, final question Brad. In my opinion, there haven't been enough minority players represented on the youth and senior national teams over the years. It's gotten better recently with the inclusion of several African-American players on the 2006 World Cup team but the level of Mexican-American players is, in my opinion, short of what it could be. Are you going to target minority players and go into inner cities to try and get players that might choose a different sport or choose a different path altogether?
Brad: Hey Luis (he pronounced it Lewis), can I call you back later today and answer that question? I've got a roofer waiting outside and I'm trying to hold a 10-week-old.
Me: (Laughing) Sure, no problem.
---
I just thought it was kind of funny how I asked this intense thought-provoking question and he had to go. I didn't care, really. He called me back and I totally understand having to deal with kids and life in general. So when he called me back I started to ask him the same question and he said "Oh yeah, minorities. We intend to target..."
Oh yeah, you'll have to wait for that response.
Read more...
El Traidor
Ah, the Spanish soap opera continues. Ramon Calderon, Real Madrid's president, slags off on David Beckham, and the info gets leaked to the press. This after coach Fabio Capello proclaims publicly that one of the team's most expensive players will never appear for the club again.With the pettiness of criticizing Beckham and the pouting that he will never, ever play for them again, Real Madrid's administration is acting like a jealous, jilted boyfriend. You know, the good-looking, wealthy one who can't believe his girl left him (though he was always ignoring her) for some scrub.
Read more...
Random info
The Galaxy's Pete Vagenas is colorblind.
Reading and US national team regular Bobby Convey is partially blind in one eye.
The Galaxy's Alan Gordon's nickname, "Gordo" means "fat" in Spanish.
Chivas USA's Brad Guzan's nickname, "El Gusano" means "the worm" in Spanish.
Neither player really speaks Spanish, though Guzan is pretty decent at ordering his defenders around in the language.
He admitted to getting a little confused a few times when called into the national team camp last year, yelling, "Fuera!" (out) to his defenders before realizing they all spoke English.
The two players named Ante in the league share Croatian heritage, play in the same city, but claim different nationalities. The Galaxy's Ante Jazic is Canadian, while Chivas USA's Ante Razov is American.
Peter Nowak, Razov's former teammate with the Chicago Fire, called Razov, "Antonovitch" when Razov dropped by to visit the U.S. training camp.
Read more...
Reading and US national team regular Bobby Convey is partially blind in one eye.
The Galaxy's Alan Gordon's nickname, "Gordo" means "fat" in Spanish.
Chivas USA's Brad Guzan's nickname, "El Gusano" means "the worm" in Spanish.
Neither player really speaks Spanish, though Guzan is pretty decent at ordering his defenders around in the language.
He admitted to getting a little confused a few times when called into the national team camp last year, yelling, "Fuera!" (out) to his defenders before realizing they all spoke English.
The two players named Ante in the league share Croatian heritage, play in the same city, but claim different nationalities. The Galaxy's Ante Jazic is Canadian, while Chivas USA's Ante Razov is American.
Peter Nowak, Razov's former teammate with the Chicago Fire, called Razov, "Antonovitch" when Razov dropped by to visit the U.S. training camp.
Read more...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Clausura Preview: Group 1
I think the Clausura 2007 group will finish like this:
1. Cruz Azul
2. Jaguares
3. Chivas
4. Necaxa
5. Atlas
6. Queretaro
Necaxa will fold because of their dual campaigns. Chivas will miss Oswaldo and Jaguares is better than they appear at first glance. I like the additins of Javier Campora and Walter Fretes. Cruz Azul will be fine with Jared Borgetti but they won't be winning the championship or anything.
Read more...
1. Cruz Azul
2. Jaguares
3. Chivas
4. Necaxa
5. Atlas
6. Queretaro
Necaxa will fold because of their dual campaigns. Chivas will miss Oswaldo and Jaguares is better than they appear at first glance. I like the additins of Javier Campora and Walter Fretes. Cruz Azul will be fine with Jared Borgetti but they won't be winning the championship or anything.
Read more...
Not all females are fans
Tobin Heath and Casey Nogueira are two of the most talented prospects for the women's national team, which arrived in China yesterday for the Four Nations Cup (Heath faces off here with Nogueira in the third video clip on this page). Interviewing the duo yesterday, I asked if either was a David Beckham fan.
"No," they both responded immediately.
Nogueira did cop to being a fan of Ronaldinho and Theirry Henry.
Read more...
"No," they both responded immediately.
Nogueira did cop to being a fan of Ronaldinho and Theirry Henry.
Read more...
Monday, January 15, 2007
El Yeemee
Jaime "Jimmy" Lozano is pretty good. I came away with that impression after watching him train and play in the InterLiga. He was left off the Mexico World Cup team last summer and his career seemed to be in a spiral. But this guy can still play. He can knock a free kick in with the best of them and can still be of use to Mexico. He's a key player for Tigres so, if nothing else, we'll get to see him perform with that club over the next six months.
Read more...
Clearance sale
InterLiga is done, and is my opportunity to take pictures of Mexican clubs. So I will start to clear out some the pictures that I shot that I didn't use for anything and don't intend to use for anything.
This first one I snapped at the Monterrey training on Monday Jan. 8. The three gentlemen there are (from L to R) David Beltran of the Galaxy communications department, Larry Morgan of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Greg Daurio of MLSnet.com.
This particular training session was a long, long, long session. It started at around 10 a.m. or so. Greg called me at about 2 p.m. (I was already on my way home) and said the players were having some sort of team meeting on the field and were still there. Maybe they were trying to figure out whey the looked so crappy in their first two games.
Whatever the reason, the meeting seemed to work. Monterrey beat Cruz Azul 1-0 the next day.
Read more...
InterLiga thoughts
Last week was crazy and hectic out at Home Depot Center. There were six games played as soccer returned to HDC.
I'm still waiting for goals, though.
The scores of the six games were:
1-0
1-0
3-1
1-0
1-0
0-0
Eight goals in six games but if you ignore the Morelia-Tecos game, there were four goals in five games.
I hope there are more goals this weekend in the US-Denmark game. At least it won't be as cold as it was for the InterLiga finals. I can sit through a dull 0-0 game but if it's cold it just makes it worse.
Read more...
I'm still waiting for goals, though.
The scores of the six games were:
1-0
1-0
3-1
1-0
1-0
0-0
Eight goals in six games but if you ignore the Morelia-Tecos game, there were four goals in five games.
I hope there are more goals this weekend in the US-Denmark game. At least it won't be as cold as it was for the InterLiga finals. I can sit through a dull 0-0 game but if it's cold it just makes it worse.
Read more...
Who to believe?
Real Madrid are leveling an interesting charge against Beckham - saying he signed with MLS before even listening to Real Madrid's offer. The sources I have say this didn't happen - yes, MLS made an offer, but Beckham did not agree to it until he heard out Real's pitch. No details on what Real offered, but it was apparently not to Becks liking, even insulting, I hear. So he accepted MLS's deal.
Thing is, when I wrote that the signs looked good for Beckham to come to MLS, that's what they were, indications that MLS was making a substantial offer and Beckham would be tempted. I wonder where Madrid got the info that Beckham signed before speaking to them.
Read more...
Thing is, when I wrote that the signs looked good for Beckham to come to MLS, that's what they were, indications that MLS was making a substantial offer and Beckham would be tempted. I wonder where Madrid got the info that Beckham signed before speaking to them.
Read more...
Luis the I, Luis the II
Luis Arroyave (and Don Garber, sorta) name-checks Luis Bueno in his blog entry (On the Bus, 10:25) about the SuperDraft.
Luis A. shouldn't feel too bad about the mix-up. When I covered MLS in 2005, my credentials would keep getting printed out as Andreas Canales. I, of course, wouldn't write it that way on my applications. It's gotten better since I started writing for MLSnet's site in Spanish - I guess they figured out who I am.
Read more...
Luis A. shouldn't feel too bad about the mix-up. When I covered MLS in 2005, my credentials would keep getting printed out as Andreas Canales. I, of course, wouldn't write it that way on my applications. It's gotten better since I started writing for MLSnet's site in Spanish - I guess they figured out who I am.
Read more...
The "other" football
Boise State players are in town for training. Greg Daurio, who writes for MLSnet.com, told a few how much he appreciated the effort of the upset win in their bowl game. "Best football game I've ever seen." They were running this fitness exercise on the turf field at the Home Depot Center complex.
Read more...
Go, go, goalkeepers
Troy Perkins heads the goalkeeper group during the interval run at the close of today's tough training. He had a sizable lead on the rest of the guys, but then Joe Cannon closed with a big kick once Bob Bradley gave the one-minute warning.
Read more...
Esky sighting
No pic, but we caught Alecko Eskandarian heading out of his LA rehab. He's always friendly, and he stopped to say that he's doing well. He had a small bandage on that bad knee. He mentioned that he hasn't been to Toronto yet, but that he'd gotten some of the latest info from the team about season tickets up there in Canada. Apparently, they're at over 10,000 total.
Wow.
Read more...
Wow.
Read more...
Winning women
The young blood of the U.S. women's national team (coach Greg Ryan has brought in a number of new members) had a scrimmage today with the U21 women's national team (they're the ones in the yellow mesh tops over their jerseys). This is the moment when the final goal was scored.
I'm not completely positive, but I think it was Casey Nogueira with the finish here.
Read more...
Lalas Land
Interviewed Alexi Lalas today for an article - he's been doing interviews almost continuously since the signing.
Read more...
Run, rabbit, run
Josh Gros leads out his group in the post-training run. Landon Donovan is the middle of the group here, but he closed the gap and caught Gros at the end. Todd Dunivant and Sacha Kljestan are running just behind Gros here.
Read more...
Blog business
Luis has a policy about anonymous email letters - he deletes them. Same business with comments on the blog. Incidently, this blog isn't sponsored by any of the sites we write for. We've made exactly 15 cents on the AdSense ads you see here. The blog actually takes time away from our writing work, but we're both doing it for a little fun, to try to get some stuff out there that we can't normally fit into articles. It's usually not going to be earthshattering, because if we have anything newsworthy, we're actually going to write it for a site that pays.
Read more...
Read more...
The Ring
Ok, I know, I'm such a girl about these things, but here's a shot of Landon Donovan's wedding ring. It's inscribed on the inside in Latin, and reads, "Wherever you are, I am."
Read more...
Boyz 2 Men
I try to be objective as a reporter, I really do. But it's hard not to have a soft spot for the young US national team players that I covered when I traveled to the 2005 U17 World Cup in Peru. The "baby NAT's" as they're sometimes known, were a neat group of guys. At that age, they don't hide their emotions and they really leave it all on the field. It's been nice watching them progress - some, like Preston Zimmerman, made the jump to Europe, others moved to MLS, like Quavas Kirk. But that isn't a smooth road for a lot of young players, actually.
Read more...
Read more...
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Bueno's Eye View
Here's my view from the press box. I'm usually busy writing during games but I managed to snap one picture off.
Read more...
Davino's not Dodgy
Is dodgy a word? Well, whatever... you get the point.
Anyway, here's Duilio Davino taking a moment to chat. See, it didn't cost him any trouble to stop by.
Read more...
Mixed Zone Mix Up
Covering international soccer games are cool and a change of pace from MLS games. I like Galaxy and Chivas USA games but the occasional Mexican league game, USMNT match or Tricolor contest is also enjoyable.
However, one of the least enjoyable aspects of that is the mixed zone. Whereas in MLS, if I want to talk to, say Brad Guzan or Tyrone Marshall, I can walk right up to them in the locker room... after they've put on their pants at least. But in international soccer games, you can't. Us media types need to wait in the mixed zone, which means we have to fight for spots (if the number of us media types is large), be on our toes in case the person we want to talk to suddenly appears before us and have some luck. Players don't have to walk over to you and talk to you. In MLS, if a player doesn't want to talk to you, at least he has to tell you to your face. Here, they can just ignore you.
After the America game, Cuauhtemoc Blanco did his best to avoid all of us. Amidst shouts of "Temoc!" and "Cuauhtemoc!" and "Unas preguntas" he walked by as if nobody had said a word.
I think he was the only one who blew people off. Among the interviews I jumped in on were Juan Carlos Mosqueda, Duilio Davino, Memo Ochoa, Luis Fernando Tena, Manuel Lapuente, Walter Gaitan and Javier Saavedra. Lapuente stopped to talk and he's a busy man and he doesn't even have to but Blanco can't stop and say a few words?
That's Blanco walking up there past us media. Notice how far he is away from us. I guess it makes it easier to ignore us if we're not right in his face.
Read more...
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Breaking Becks news
I'm pretty pleased that I was the first, I believe, to get the response from the Galaxy and MLS that Beckham may be brought in early to the league.
But I could have had a bigger, albeit speculative, scoop on Wednesday. See, I was sitting next to Grahame Jones in the press box covering the InterLiga games (shout-out to www.interliga.com), and he was complaining about how Alexi Lalas wasn't returning his calls or emails.
Jones writes for the LA Times. He gets exclusives all the time, not only because he's a very good veteran soccer writer, but because it's the LOS ANGELES TIMES.
You don't stiff the Times when your sport is still growing and trying to get publicity. Unless something big is up.
Jones knew it, too. "Beckham is coming and I can't get anyone to confirm it," he said.
He was right.
Read more...
But I could have had a bigger, albeit speculative, scoop on Wednesday. See, I was sitting next to Grahame Jones in the press box covering the InterLiga games (shout-out to www.interliga.com), and he was complaining about how Alexi Lalas wasn't returning his calls or emails.
Jones writes for the LA Times. He gets exclusives all the time, not only because he's a very good veteran soccer writer, but because it's the LOS ANGELES TIMES.
You don't stiff the Times when your sport is still growing and trying to get publicity. Unless something big is up.
Jones knew it, too. "Beckham is coming and I can't get anyone to confirm it," he said.
He was right.
Read more...
And the winner is...
Okay, here's a blow-by-blow account of the penalty kicks.
First up for Tigres is Emmanuel Cerda. He actually has played the best of any Tigres player. Pretty active player tonight. He hit the crossbar earlier. Here goes:
BLOCKED!!! by Memo Ochoa. Ochoa dived to his right and knocked the ball out.
Here comes Blanco. The crowd is going crazy. Whistles and chants and claps everywhere. He's taking like a 20-yard run-up.
GOAL!!!! He beat Edgar Hernandez pretty easily. Crowd is loud. My fingers have frostbite i think.
America 1-0.
Walter Gaitan is up. Stutter step and...
GOAL!!! Ochoa dived left, ball went to his right.
Tied 1-1.
Salvador Cabanas comes up. Takes about five steps back and...
GOAL!!! Looked like it might have been going high but it's in there. I'm starting to shiver.
America 2-1.
Jimmy Lozano now. And...
GOAL!!! Right at Ochoa but he dived out of the way. Probably a good thing. The ball probably feels like a cannon ball right now with as cold as it is.
Tied 2-2.
Oscar Rojas. Hmmm... I have a bad feeling about this...
GOAL!!! Guess not. Hernandez guessed correctly but Rojas hit it well.
America 3-2.
Javier Saavedra is up. The crowd is getting really loud, like thier trying to will Ochoa to save it.
BLOCKED!!!! AND HE DOES!!!
America 3-2.
Nelson Cuevas is coming up. If he scores, it's ball game. Cuevas is from Paraguay and I'm cold.
GOAL!!! Slow little roller. They're not going as crazy as I thought. Probably because they are $#@% COLD!!!
Read more...
First up for Tigres is Emmanuel Cerda. He actually has played the best of any Tigres player. Pretty active player tonight. He hit the crossbar earlier. Here goes:
BLOCKED!!! by Memo Ochoa. Ochoa dived to his right and knocked the ball out.
Here comes Blanco. The crowd is going crazy. Whistles and chants and claps everywhere. He's taking like a 20-yard run-up.
GOAL!!!! He beat Edgar Hernandez pretty easily. Crowd is loud. My fingers have frostbite i think.
America 1-0.
Walter Gaitan is up. Stutter step and...
GOAL!!! Ochoa dived left, ball went to his right.
Tied 1-1.
Salvador Cabanas comes up. Takes about five steps back and...
GOAL!!! Looked like it might have been going high but it's in there. I'm starting to shiver.
America 2-1.
Jimmy Lozano now. And...
GOAL!!! Right at Ochoa but he dived out of the way. Probably a good thing. The ball probably feels like a cannon ball right now with as cold as it is.
Tied 2-2.
Oscar Rojas. Hmmm... I have a bad feeling about this...
GOAL!!! Guess not. Hernandez guessed correctly but Rojas hit it well.
America 3-2.
Javier Saavedra is up. The crowd is getting really loud, like thier trying to will Ochoa to save it.
BLOCKED!!!! AND HE DOES!!!
America 3-2.
Nelson Cuevas is coming up. If he scores, it's ball game. Cuevas is from Paraguay and I'm cold.
GOAL!!! Slow little roller. They're not going as crazy as I thought. Probably because they are $#@% COLD!!!
Read more...
Danish saves the day
For the Superliga announcement this morning, there were some muffins, danish and the like out for the press. As soon as the confetti settled, staff was on hand to dismantle the stage and take everything away to get ready for the InterLiga finals.
Because they mentioned having to throw away the extra pastries, I piled a plate high and took it to my corner table in the press box.
Hours later, with the press food long gone, two InterLiga games gone, and the second match into overtime and penalties, everyone is starving and my stash has become gold. I'm a heroine just for sharing. Edward Cauich takes a cookie, Luis Bueno has a muffin, and Miguel Melendez takes the danish.
Meanwhile, Guillermo Ochoa is the big hero for Club America in the InterLiga, having saved two penalty kicks in the shootout to secure the win.
Read more...
Because they mentioned having to throw away the extra pastries, I piled a plate high and took it to my corner table in the press box.
Hours later, with the press food long gone, two InterLiga games gone, and the second match into overtime and penalties, everyone is starving and my stash has become gold. I'm a heroine just for sharing. Edward Cauich takes a cookie, Luis Bueno has a muffin, and Miguel Melendez takes the danish.
Meanwhile, Guillermo Ochoa is the big hero for Club America in the InterLiga, having saved two penalty kicks in the shootout to secure the win.
Read more...
Cold night
Tigres is inept. America is , uh, inepter. Okay, that's not a word but you can't really blame me for not being able to complete a thought. My fingers are frozen. The rest of my body is catching up too. It's fitting that I read the Jack London story "To Build a Fire" just the other day. I think I'm going to slap my fingers against my legs to get some feeling in them.
The America-Tigres game is going into penalty kicks. The game is 0-0. Nobody wants this game, and it's a shame because there are 27,000 fans here and it's cold and they came out to see their team (America) and it's damned cold.
I'll put up some pictures later... if I don't freeze to death first.
Read more...
The America-Tigres game is going into penalty kicks. The game is 0-0. Nobody wants this game, and it's a shame because there are 27,000 fans here and it's cold and they came out to see their team (America) and it's damned cold.
I'll put up some pictures later... if I don't freeze to death first.
Read more...
Taking it easy
Notice the figure in the top right corner? The New England Revolution's Pat Noonan didn't participate in the full training the day the pic was taken. Like Chris Albright, who just returned to training after a slight hamstring injury, Noonan probably suffered something similar.
Though most U.S. and MLS fans can name the players on this jog, it's trainer Shad Forsythe (who worked with Jurgen Klinsmann & the Germany team previously) leading the group.
Read more...
Friday, January 12, 2007
Me, a manager? Not quite
Awaiting me under the Christmas tree last month was a copy of Worldwide Soccer Manager. I'd asked for it but still was surprised when it appeared in my hands. I'd heard a lot about this game and wondered if it really was worth the hype.
It is. Oh, is it ever.
From the moment I figured out how to use it, I was hooked. I spent a lot of time on that game while trying to simultaneously keep my daughters from hurting each other (they're 3 and 1 and they fight a lot).
I decided to jump right in and took over managing Mexico. I was doing really well and calling up a lot of young players. Hugo Sanchez? Ha! Meet Luis Bueno. Well, I actually felt a little like Manuel Lapuente. See, I lost to Canada in a Gold Cup game. The final score was 1-0 and I was thoroughly embarrassed, much like Lapuente was when the real Mexico lost to the real Canada in the real Gold Cup, back in 2000. I was stunned and decided to start over, at the club level this time. So I took over Chivas USA, the club I feel I know the best. I wanted to start there to see if the game was accurate and try my luck at MLS.
Managing a club is preferable to a national team. You can transfer and the like. So I was enjoying my time at Chivas USA. I made it to the semifinals in my first year before losing to the Galaxy. Herculez Gomez scored two goals in extra time as my bonehead tactics cost me the game. My second season has not gone well. I am on the verge of being fired. I went with the youth movement and the youth has gone sour. I picked up a few high-priced players and they've been injured.
I haven't played the game in more than a week because it's gone to crap for me. Plus, you know, work has gotten in the way. I might try and play it some more but I could use some tips. Anyone reading this with knowledge of the game and willing to help some sad sack of a manager, help. Any pointers would be much appreciated.
Read more...
It is. Oh, is it ever.
From the moment I figured out how to use it, I was hooked. I spent a lot of time on that game while trying to simultaneously keep my daughters from hurting each other (they're 3 and 1 and they fight a lot).
I decided to jump right in and took over managing Mexico. I was doing really well and calling up a lot of young players. Hugo Sanchez? Ha! Meet Luis Bueno. Well, I actually felt a little like Manuel Lapuente. See, I lost to Canada in a Gold Cup game. The final score was 1-0 and I was thoroughly embarrassed, much like Lapuente was when the real Mexico lost to the real Canada in the real Gold Cup, back in 2000. I was stunned and decided to start over, at the club level this time. So I took over Chivas USA, the club I feel I know the best. I wanted to start there to see if the game was accurate and try my luck at MLS.
Managing a club is preferable to a national team. You can transfer and the like. So I was enjoying my time at Chivas USA. I made it to the semifinals in my first year before losing to the Galaxy. Herculez Gomez scored two goals in extra time as my bonehead tactics cost me the game. My second season has not gone well. I am on the verge of being fired. I went with the youth movement and the youth has gone sour. I picked up a few high-priced players and they've been injured.
I haven't played the game in more than a week because it's gone to crap for me. Plus, you know, work has gotten in the way. I might try and play it some more but I could use some tips. Anyone reading this with knowledge of the game and willing to help some sad sack of a manager, help. Any pointers would be much appreciated.
Read more...
Captain USA
Claudio Reyna is going home. It looks as if Reyna will be joining New York fairly soon. If it happens, it will be a good thing for New York and the league. Reyna's best days are behind him but he still possesses star power and the ability to pique fans' interest.
Reyna captained the USMNT for quite a few years. Admittedly, I was never a true Reyna supporter. I felt he was good but I think some people made him out to be a more influential player than he really was. In some ways, I felt justified when he made that horrendous error against Ghana in the World Cup last year. Still, I can't say I'm happy with the way his national team career ended, in a crumpled heap as he cost his team a chance to advance in the World Cup.
With Reyna, New York coach Bruce Arena will find a player willing to do anything for him and mentally and emotionally capable enough to carry the load in New York, and that's a big load. If his body holds up, I think Reyna will be a fine addition to the league.
Read more...
Reyna captained the USMNT for quite a few years. Admittedly, I was never a true Reyna supporter. I felt he was good but I think some people made him out to be a more influential player than he really was. In some ways, I felt justified when he made that horrendous error against Ghana in the World Cup last year. Still, I can't say I'm happy with the way his national team career ended, in a crumpled heap as he cost his team a chance to advance in the World Cup.
With Reyna, New York coach Bruce Arena will find a player willing to do anything for him and mentally and emotionally capable enough to carry the load in New York, and that's a big load. If his body holds up, I think Reyna will be a fine addition to the league.
Read more...
Necaxa fights for spot
Necaxa's Kleber looks to lead his squad all the way to the InterLiga win when it most counts, to secure the team a berth in the Copa Libertadores.
Read more...
InterLiga musings
The lengths I go to for my readers…
Anyway, the tournament has been good. I don’t know if the soccer has been all that great or if I’m just happy to be out at Home Depot Center covering soccer again but it’s been a good tournament.
Saturday’s finals should be even better than the first two matchdays. Necaxa-Jaguares will be a wide-open game with Jaguares throwing numbers forward while Necaxa’s talented Kleber Boas will look to continue scoring goals.
America will play the nightcap. Hordes of America fans will likely be out in full force yet again. On Wednesday, the stands at HDC danced and hopped, chanted and cheered in ways not often seen there. Legion 1908 is often as lively but fall short in sheer numbers. Legion typically sets up shop in the section directly behind the goalpost to the left of the press box (northwest, southeast, don’t know… I’m horrible at directions). But America supporters filled sections on opposite sides with yellow jerseys dotting the rest of the stadium. The Riot Squad fills up a few rows in a smaller section over by the tunnel; the America supporters would have drowned them out.
I’ll be out there early and, if I were a tailgater, I’d invite people to drop by for a beer. As it stands, though, I’ll have work to do and thus the tailgating will have to wait.
Read more...
Draft day
The MLS draft was today and it was a pretty busy day. On top of the whole Beckham situation and InterLiga, the draft elbowed its way into our schedule.
The Galaxy entered the draft with about 20 draft choices or so but traded its first two picks, each a first-rounder. I can't argue with their strategy because they ended up picking up an allocation out of it. The draft is such a crap shoot that an allocation seems the safer bet but the Galaxy could have helped itself by taking guys like Anthony Wallace and/or Bryan Arguez, a couple of teenagers who could have paid off big down the road. Still, Frank Yallop was pleased with the draft.
I like the first player they took, forward Robbie Findley out of Oregon State. He seems to be a speedy forward who could step in and at the very least run at defenders and create some sort of danger with his speed. If nothing else, he adds to the Galaxy's Trini contingent: both he and Cornell Glen are from Trinidad & Tobago.
Chivas had a decent draft day. I can't say I'm overwhelmed by John Cunliffe. He had a great collegiate career but then again it's D2. But he did have a pretty good showing at the combine. But the best acquisition was the addition of David Arvizu. To get him for a fourth-rounder was a steal, and that's a fourth-rounder in the supplemental draft. Together, one of the two should pan out. Chivas took defender Cameron Dunn in the fourth round. Here's a short Q & A I found on Dunn.
The draft has been good for the local teams in the last two years. Sacha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein and Brad Guzan joined Chivas via the draft while Troy Roberts, Quavas Kirk and Nathan Sturgis were all Galaxy draft picks.
I was pretty busy all day with the draft/InterLiga/Beckham. For The Press-Enterprise, I had to track down Maurice Edu, the first overall pick. He was nice enough to take some time to talk to me. I also tracked down his high school coach; Edu was the BMOC at Etiwanda High. Dude scored 35 goals and had 33 assists in three years. Even by high school standards, that's pretty damn good.
Read more...
The Galaxy entered the draft with about 20 draft choices or so but traded its first two picks, each a first-rounder. I can't argue with their strategy because they ended up picking up an allocation out of it. The draft is such a crap shoot that an allocation seems the safer bet but the Galaxy could have helped itself by taking guys like Anthony Wallace and/or Bryan Arguez, a couple of teenagers who could have paid off big down the road. Still, Frank Yallop was pleased with the draft.
I like the first player they took, forward Robbie Findley out of Oregon State. He seems to be a speedy forward who could step in and at the very least run at defenders and create some sort of danger with his speed. If nothing else, he adds to the Galaxy's Trini contingent: both he and Cornell Glen are from Trinidad & Tobago.
Chivas had a decent draft day. I can't say I'm overwhelmed by John Cunliffe. He had a great collegiate career but then again it's D2. But he did have a pretty good showing at the combine. But the best acquisition was the addition of David Arvizu. To get him for a fourth-rounder was a steal, and that's a fourth-rounder in the supplemental draft. Together, one of the two should pan out. Chivas took defender Cameron Dunn in the fourth round. Here's a short Q & A I found on Dunn.
The draft has been good for the local teams in the last two years. Sacha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein and Brad Guzan joined Chivas via the draft while Troy Roberts, Quavas Kirk and Nathan Sturgis were all Galaxy draft picks.
I was pretty busy all day with the draft/InterLiga/Beckham. For The Press-Enterprise, I had to track down Maurice Edu, the first overall pick. He was nice enough to take some time to talk to me. I also tracked down his high school coach; Edu was the BMOC at Etiwanda High. Dude scored 35 goals and had 33 assists in three years. Even by high school standards, that's pretty damn good.
Read more...
On the global sidelines
Today our blog had its first visitor from Iran. Salaam! Hale shoma chetore?
Luis, meanwhile, contributed his thoughts on the Beckham deal to a site in Turkey. From the West Coast to the Middle East (though Turkey is considered Europe) - not bad.
Read more...
Luis, meanwhile, contributed his thoughts on the Beckham deal to a site in Turkey. From the West Coast to the Middle East (though Turkey is considered Europe) - not bad.
Read more...
In with the new (Beckham)
Galaxy jerseys, t-shirts, and other merchandise was moved front and center in the Team LA store after the signing of David Beckham. Several out-of-town reporters were miffed when they entered and found that no Galaxy jerseys with Beckham's name and number were available yet. They're coming, though.
Read more...
Out with the old (Blanco)
Staff at the Team LA store, located at the Home Depot Center stadium, move Club America merchandise off the main rack in the store, even though the popular Mexican club is playing a final here on Saturday.
Some of the jerseys bore Cuauhtemoc Blanco's name and number.
Read more...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Power Player
Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas on Tim Leiweke, AEG's main man and the major impetus behind the David Beckham deal:"You hear these things, and you believe half of what you hear. This had obviously been rumored for a long time, but it’s not something you readily believe -- until Mr. Leiweke says something. I think he’s proven. If he told me the sky was falling, I’d take cover."
Read more...
Symbiosis
Chris Albright, on what he needs a good right-sided midfielder to do in a game: "I need him to cover for me when I go on my runs."
Read more...
Team chemistry/ psychoanalysis
Joe Cannon, trying to address the issue of team psyche with the arrival of David Beckham."If we have problems with everything else, that’s our fault. That’s our insecurities, that's our issues that we bring to the table."
"Obviously, with all the hoopla, that’s up to the rest of us to sort out on our own and see if we can handle it. It’s a good test. Everybody knows I like to talk, and I’m pretty friendly, but there’s other guys who might be more uncomfortable with it. I just think –"
Chris Albright, standing nearby, mutters something.
Cannon doesn't miss a beat.
"Whatever Chris thinks, which stems from his childhood, it’s just exciting."
Read more...
The #2
Landon Donovan contemplates life as the second banana after the signing of David Beckham today.
"I'm no longer a star," Donovan said.
Then he grinned.
Donovan's going to be fine.
Read more...
Outdated HDC
The TV guy for the Home Depot Center was just coming through the press box, where I'm feverishly working on articles. He's worried that there's not enough TV and radio booths in the facility to handle all the requests to broadcast Galaxy games now that David Beckham is here.
Read more...
Read more...
D-day for MLS
David Beckham day for the Galaxy, especially. Personally, since I wrote the story a while ago for espn.com about Becks coming, there's a petty part of me that wants to reply "Ha!" to all the emails I got telling me I was deluded, that it would be another five years before Becks would set foot in MLS. It's interesting that the Ronaldo to MLS story is also picking up steam. I've believed that possibility ever since SI ran a story talking about how he loved walking on the streets of New York unrecognized.
I wonder if maybe two years ago, after playing the Galaxy in that friendly, Becks and Ron happened to be sitting near each other on the bus, and one said, "Hey, this trip has been fun. We should come back again some time. I'm tired of jamon serrano."
Read more...
I wonder if maybe two years ago, after playing the Galaxy in that friendly, Becks and Ron happened to be sitting near each other on the bus, and one said, "Hey, this trip has been fun. We should come back again some time. I'm tired of jamon serrano."
Read more...
I owe Becks a favor
My first story for ESPN.com, where I'm now a regular columnist, was about David Beckham. It's much easier to pitch an article that has the pull of a big name. Part of the piece concerned Beckham possibly coming to LA one day.While I think that Beckham, like his friend Jovan Kirovski (who was also featured in the article), might find MLS more difficult than he had anticipated, I'll be glad to see him if the move to MLS works out. Becks took the time back then to talk to a lot of reporters, and in my case, helped me get through the door a little.
Read more...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
LateNight InterLiga
Last night was a bit hectic, tiring and aggravating all the same time. When Necaxa beat Tigres 1-0 in the first of two InterLiga games, it meant that the Cruz Azul-Monterrey game would have life. Cruz Azul needed a two-goal win to advance to one of the two InterLiga finals on Saturday.
Well, the game was supposed to have life. Instead, it was as dull as a butter knife. Dreadfully boring, and there's nothing more difficult to write about and sit through than a dreadfully boring soccer game here at Home Depot Center because it gets downright cold up here in the press box. Heck, my fingers are cold as I'm typing this (Morelia's up 2-1 on Tecos in the 50th minute right now... ooh, nice save by Moises Munoz).
Anyway, I figured the post-game would be worth it. Cruz Azul has some quality players like Jared Borgetti and Gerardo Torrado that would be worth talking too. So after Cruz Azul crashes out of InterLiga, they took their sweet time in the locker room. All the media is down there waiting, most of us waiting for Borgetti. After about 20-25 minutes, Monterrey players start to walk through the mixed zone so I jump in on an interview with Luis Perez. I had one ear on what he was saying and both eyes on the tunnel, awaiting for Borgetti. So after that makes me woozy, I go to the opposite side of the mixed zone where, sure enough, Cruz Azul is trying to sneak out the back way. The horde of media quickly assembles on one end of the mixed zone and I'm fighting with TV cameras and a multitude of print media and even some autograph seekers - I don't know how they get down there.
So right away I pretty much give up on even trying to ask him a question or even to try and get my digital recorder near Borgetti. So, of course, I start to snap some pictures instead. What the hell? I might as well get something out of the 30 minutes I wasted down there.
Read more...
Asi es
Landon Donovan was asked by Spanish media if he'd ever received an offer from a team in Mexico to go play there. Landon didn't quite hear the question, and asked, "Que?" The interviewer changed it slightly, to ask if he would ever come to play for a team in Mexico.
Landon smiled. "I don't think so. I like my life here."
Technically, he said, "Me encanta mi vida aqui."
Read more...
Landon smiled. "I don't think so. I like my life here."
Technically, he said, "Me encanta mi vida aqui."
Read more...
Beckham, Beckham, Beckham
Patrick Donnelly, the Galaxy's media director, was good-humored about the latest Beckham rumors swirling around.
"I've gotten a lot of practice with this lately," he said. "No comment."
Read more...
"I've gotten a lot of practice with this lately," he said. "No comment."
Read more...
Kleber the Colts fan
After the Necaxa-Tigres game, I went down to try and talk to some players and, of course, to take some pictures. I had planned on taking some of Kleber. I just didn't realize he'd be sporting some NFL colors.Maybe Kleber happened on the Colts-Chiefs game on Saturday. Or maybe he just likes blue. Or maybe he was turned on to the NFL and pigskin football when he was in Mexico City. After all, the NFL is very popular in Mexico City. Heck, former NFL commish Paul Tagliabue said that the next time the NFL expanded, it would be to Mexico. Of course, that would have been under his watch and I don't think the NFL would or should expand, at least not in the foreseeable future.
Anyway, Kleber is talking into a cell phone. There are some reporters who actually conduct live interviews from the mixed zones, the area where the players pass through between the locker rooms and their bus. It's funny because these guys will be in their radio voices and dominating interviews and then they'll ask the player to say a greeting to their listeners (Something like, This is Kleber Boas and you are listening to 103.5, or something). It's actually kind of annoying because I don't try and write my stories in front of everyone else but whatever.
Read more...
Another Cuauh pic
Here's just part of the craziness that ensued when Cuauhtemoc Blanco tried to walk up the steps from the training field to the bus. This stairway has rails and is flanked by grass and dirt and weeds. It didn't matter. The fans all surrounded their hero and tried to get pictures and autographs and he complied.One fan asked someone to take a picture of him. Blanco grabbed the camera from his hands and said "Here, I'll take it" but the fan said "No, I want to be in the picture with you."
If America does not lose against Jaguares on Wednesday, America will have at least one more training session here in SoCal and perhaps more fans will get the chance to see their beloved hero.
Read more...
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Love to hate
As much as the club is revered, the one the fans all came to see Tuesday was Cuauhtemoc Blanco.As much as U.S. supporters love to hate him, Blanco is idolized in Mexico, but in particular among America fans. He is a god. He is immortal. He is their Cuauh, their beloved, their idol.
Anyway, Blanco was cheered for his every move. When he scored a goal during a short-sided game, fans cheered. When he hit a nice ball during a game of soccer-tennis, fans cheered. But when he walked back to the team bus, fans cheered the most. For Blanco was the last member of America to leave the field but took time to sign jerseys and pose with pictures.
Read more...
Passionate supporters
January at Home Depot Center would not be complete without InterLiga. On the field the Galaxy used as their main training field in 2006, Club America set up shop. It's probably the easiest field to keep fans away from.
Which apparently was the intention. Just walking up toward the training field, I heard the unmistakable chants from La Monumental, America's large and feisty supporters group. I knew it was them when I heard them mention Chivas and Cruz Azul in not-so-flattering terms.
You can say what you want about America's fans and the club itself but you can't say that they aren't passionate and loyal. Like them, hate them, don't care about them, whatever the case is, you have to respect their fire, especially when they come out en masse to watch a practice.
I mean, we're talking about practice here.
Read more...
Chilling out
While waiting to interview Landon Donovan this morning, the group of reporters speculated about where his honeymoon took place. While a couple guessed exotic locations like Fiji or St Barts, Luis Bueno maintained that Donovan would probably stay somewhere local, so as not to risk jet lag before training.
"The honeymoon is over," Donovan announced, after finally finishing the extra laps he had put in after practice.
The location?
"
Read more...
Tatted up
It's kind of hard to tell some players apart, especially from a distance. When they are all wearing blue jerseys, some of them look very similar.
But when the shirts come off, it's easy to spot some players. Danny Califf would fall into this category. Califf would be the one with the multiple tattoos covering his chest and arms.
I like tats, have two myself, so I'm partial to Califf's artwork. I never did ask him what they represent, though. I guess I've got to get on that.
Read more...
Random shots
So I had my camera with me today. I've taken a real liking to shooting pictures over the last year or so. I guess it's my two daughters that have prompted me to learn to use the camera better, to better document their lives and their childhood.Anyway, I snapped some random shots during training today. Here's one of the newlywed, Landon Donovan, as he ran laps around the perimeter of three soccer fields as he tried to make up for the time he lost while on his honeymoon.
Read more...
Where the cool kids sit. . .
Right now, Bob Bradley is putting the U.S. team through a fitness exercise involving those giant gym balls that I've personally found really annoying. Maybe part of the point of the drill is to teach patience. I just peeked over the fence as I was going by, because media access is for the morning sessions only. After the evening practice ends Bradley will probably join those of us watching Mexican soccer tonight. At least that's what he responded when he was asked this morning if he was planning to watch any of the InterLiga games. He'll likely be in the Stadium club, having a nice dinner at one of those tables that overlooks the field.
"I’ve been able to see the InterLiga games most of the past few years, because I’ve been out here with Chivas or the MLS combine. I’m looking forward to seeing the games - tonight, tomorrow and Saturday."
Read more...
"I’ve been able to see the InterLiga games most of the past few years, because I’ve been out here with Chivas or the MLS combine. I’m looking forward to seeing the games - tonight, tomorrow and Saturday."
Read more...
Camp observer
Wearing a hat, sunglasses and toting a backpack, a mild-mannered observer strolled the sidelines as the U.S. national team finished its morning session on Tuesday. U.S. coach Bob Bradley walked over to the man, hugged him and the men exchanged pleasantries.
It took me a while to figure out that it was Ante Razov. With the huge load slung on his back, Razov looked different than usual. I guess I'm used to seeing him walk off the field after a grueling practice and not onto it like a member of the media.
I talked to Bob Bradley for a few minutes. Apparently the team had all left back for their hotel or whatever destination they had. Earlier, I got to say hi to Todd Dunivant, whom I had grown rather fond of while he was with the Galaxy (I'm still upset by that trade). I said hey to Jonathan Bornstein and interviewed Sacha Kljestan as well as Landon Donovan.
When practice ended, I was making my way over to Club America training when I saw a red minivan making its way toward the Avalon street exit. Driving the van was Bob Bradley. Riding shotgun was Peter Nowak. It's not every day you see two MLS Cup-winning coaches cruising together in a minivan. I just wonder who got to choose the music - and what they chose.
Read more...
It took me a while to figure out that it was Ante Razov. With the huge load slung on his back, Razov looked different than usual. I guess I'm used to seeing him walk off the field after a grueling practice and not onto it like a member of the media.
I talked to Bob Bradley for a few minutes. Apparently the team had all left back for their hotel or whatever destination they had. Earlier, I got to say hi to Todd Dunivant, whom I had grown rather fond of while he was with the Galaxy (I'm still upset by that trade). I said hey to Jonathan Bornstein and interviewed Sacha Kljestan as well as Landon Donovan.
When practice ended, I was making my way over to Club America training when I saw a red minivan making its way toward the Avalon street exit. Driving the van was Bob Bradley. Riding shotgun was Peter Nowak. It's not every day you see two MLS Cup-winning coaches cruising together in a minivan. I just wonder who got to choose the music - and what they chose.
Read more...
Two for one
While a few reporters, including me, interviewed Landon Donovan today, Larry Morgan of the San Gabriel Valley News was talking to Jimmy Conrad nearby. Conrad is an excellent interview, partly because he's never shy. He also isn't particularly soft-spoken; his enthusiastic replies to Larry's questions meant that everyone's recorders were picking up both Donovan and Conrad.
Finally, the U.S. team's press officer relocated the Donovan group, joking to Conrad about the volume of his conversation.
"I can't help that I'm well-educated!" Conrad protested.
Read more...
Finally, the U.S. team's press officer relocated the Donovan group, joking to Conrad about the volume of his conversation.
"I can't help that I'm well-educated!" Conrad protested.
Read more...
First Aid needed, stat
Cruz Azul (whose logo looks like a first aid cross, except that it's blue) is most likely to be bounced from the InterLiga today, despite the help the squad might get from"The Desert Fox", as Jared Borgetti is known.
Isaac Mizrahi, the team's coach, is on the hot seat for his job, and it's apparently made the guy rather pissy. He ordered his players not to do interviews as they left the training field. Jared Borgetti, gentleman that he is, partly complied. He walked to the bus without stopping, but answered a few questions reporters desperately shouted out.
Mizrahi was grumpy about that. "No mas!" he snapped.
Considering that the press had waited hours to talk to Borgetti, the upshot is that a bunch of reporters are hoping the rumors are true and that Mizrahi gets the ax.
Read more...
Isaac Mizrahi, the team's coach, is on the hot seat for his job, and it's apparently made the guy rather pissy. He ordered his players not to do interviews as they left the training field. Jared Borgetti, gentleman that he is, partly complied. He walked to the bus without stopping, but answered a few questions reporters desperately shouted out.
Mizrahi was grumpy about that. "No mas!" he snapped.
Considering that the press had waited hours to talk to Borgetti, the upshot is that a bunch of reporters are hoping the rumors are true and that Mizrahi gets the ax.
Read more...
Monday, January 8, 2007
Tigres trains, fans fawn
Tigres was one of four teams that trained in Southern California on Monday. Tigres trained on the field that Chivas USA used for most of the 2006 season, University Field 1. There was a crowd that gathered there, a crowd of anxious and excited fans. They did not appear to be solely Tigres fans, for Chivas, Morelia and El Tri jerseys dominated the landscape. They were simply fans of Mexican soccer, thrilled at the opportunity to see one of their beloved teams training within yards of them.
Jimmy Lozano knocked his famous set pieces - in this instance a corner kick - as interested onlookers gazed excitedly.
Read more...
Now and then
This U20 team is actually the second that Rongen has been in charge of. He first led the squad to the U20 World Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates in 2003, where the team advanced under Bobby Convey's captaincy to a tough quarterfinal loss to Argentina, after leading for most of the game. Eddie Johnson won the tournament's Golden Boot as leading scorer.
Here are Rongen's thoughts on the two U20 teams:
Read more...
Here are Rongen's thoughts on the two U20 teams:
"I think that first group was pretty special. So is this one, but that group was pretty special. If you look at that group, Clint Dempsey scores the only goal for the
"Freddy was part of that U20 group. I think finally Santino Quaranta is turning the corner again and getting another chance in LA with Frank Yallop. He still has a lot of soccer in him. Mike Magee, too. We all hope that Eddie Johnson, who’s getting another chance with that injury to Taylor Twellman, that he will perform again at the level he did prior to the World Cup, at the level he played for me with the 20’s. Ricardo Clark is now in camp with the senior team. Ryan Cochrane and
"I think in this group now, there are some similarities. If you look at Eddie Johnson and look at Jozy, there are some similarities there with their skill and striking power. If you look at Justin Mapp and compare him with Robbie Rogers. Robbie Rogers is very special off the dribble, going to goal. If you look at Bobbie Convey and Freddy Adu, there’s some similarities there. If you look at Danny Szetela and Ricardo Clark – there’s true grit and they’re tough and hard-working guys. If you look at the back, at Nathan Sturgis, who, although smaller than
Read more...
Moment of truth
Thomos Rongen names his final U20 roster today, after a week of multiple games to see where the players in his camp stand.
The team leaves for Panama on the 14th.
Read more...
The team leaves for Panama on the 14th.
Read more...
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Can't be found in Denmark
Defender Danny Califf, who now plays for Aalborg in Denmark, on whether he misses following the giant yellow arrow sign to get some burgers.
"Yes, I do. In-N-Out is aSouthern California staple."
Read more...
"Yes, I do. In-N-Out is a
Read more...
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Much-maligned Monterrey
"Hey, who invited Monterrey?"
That's probably a question many are asking after Saturday's InterLiga games. Not only did Monterrey lose - again - but they looked bad doing so.
Literally and figuratively.
Purple might work for Fiorentina but it does not look good on Monterrey. In their disgusting purple uniforms, Monterrey lived down to their attire by losing 3-2 to Necaxa.
Monterrey is off to an 0-2 start and has already been eliminated from the finals.
When it comes down to it, Monterrey is just an average team at best. There are a few quality players, including Saturday's goal scorers in Jesus "Cabrito" Arellano and Lucho Perez. Monterrey, though, is mostly just a collection of mediocre players that produce mediocre results.
But with those ghastly uniforms, Monterrey can make anyone shudder.
Read more...
Cape Town capers
Talking to a few reporters, US Soccer federation president Sunil Gulati was mentioning that they would try to schedule a match in South Africa at some point in this cycle before 2010. "If you could make it
Gulati smiled. "Happens to be one of my favorite cities in the world as well, so we’ll make sure to bring you along on that one, Jones."
"Thank you."
Read more...
Seen and heard at camp
Today I arrived at the US men's national team training scrimmage just in time to see new LA Galaxy aquisition Nate Jaqua score a nice goal on a header. He got on the end of a pass and sent the ball past Troy Perkins.
Matt Reis was the goalkeeper nearest where I was standing, and he kept talking to his defenders, shouting warnings and encouragements nonstop. He had Michael Parkhurst and Bobby Boswell in front of him as his centerbacks. At one point, Heath Pearce sent in a pass, and as Boswell prepared to head it away, Reis yelled, "I'm on line, right here," and Boswell headed the ball down towards the goal for Reis to pick up.
After that, there was a little break in the play and Boswell went to Reis, saying that it was nice to hear him talking, since it allowed Boswell to know where his goalkeeper was. Reis slapped hands with Boswell, saying, "No problem, man, you're doing a good job out there."
They kept a clean sheet on their side for the rest of the scrimmage.
After the scrimmage, the players did some group fitness with interval laps, speeding up to a sprint when a whistle blew, then a steady run when it blew again. For a goalkeeper, Perkins ran well, near the front of his group. Jimmy Conrad and Jonathan Bornstein led theirs.
Assistant coach Peter Nowak was running the drill barefoot. I asked the team equipment manager, Ryan Maxwell, if Nowak was missing his shoes. He shook his head. "Do you know why he's running barefoot?" I asked.
He shook his head again. "I have no idea."
I didn't get a chance to ask Nowak himself, as he has declined to speak to media this week.
Read more...
Matt Reis was the goalkeeper nearest where I was standing, and he kept talking to his defenders, shouting warnings and encouragements nonstop. He had Michael Parkhurst and Bobby Boswell in front of him as his centerbacks. At one point, Heath Pearce sent in a pass, and as Boswell prepared to head it away, Reis yelled, "I'm on line, right here," and Boswell headed the ball down towards the goal for Reis to pick up.
After that, there was a little break in the play and Boswell went to Reis, saying that it was nice to hear him talking, since it allowed Boswell to know where his goalkeeper was. Reis slapped hands with Boswell, saying, "No problem, man, you're doing a good job out there."
They kept a clean sheet on their side for the rest of the scrimmage.
After the scrimmage, the players did some group fitness with interval laps, speeding up to a sprint when a whistle blew, then a steady run when it blew again. For a goalkeeper, Perkins ran well, near the front of his group. Jimmy Conrad and Jonathan Bornstein led theirs.
Assistant coach Peter Nowak was running the drill barefoot. I asked the team equipment manager, Ryan Maxwell, if Nowak was missing his shoes. He shook his head. "Do you know why he's running barefoot?" I asked.
He shook his head again. "I have no idea."
I didn't get a chance to ask Nowak himself, as he has declined to speak to media this week.
Read more...
Friday, January 5, 2007
Como se dice?
In Landon Donovan's absence, Chris Albright did his best to fill in as one of the designated Spanish-speaking options for the Latino press who turned out on the first day of Bob Bradley's camp. Pablo Mastroeni also did his bit in that regard.
Chris warned the interviewer before questions started that he was out of practice.
Another player in the January camp who can get by in Spanish is Joe Cannon, but I don't think some of the Spanish press guys in LA are aware of that yet.
Read more...
MAYBEckham
Standing outside of the fence yesterday, watching the national team train under Bob Bradley, were two LA Galaxy players. Ante Jazic and Alan Gordon had come in for some off-season weight training and stopped by to check the scene out.
Jazic asked me if Beckham was coming to join the club.
"You guys would be his new teammates, shouldn't you be the ones to know first?" I asked.
Jazic shrugged. "We don't know. We hear it's a 'maybe'."
I mentioned to Gordon, a tall forward, that he should be happy about Beckham's arrival, if it happened, since he could be a beneficiary of Beckham's crosses.
"That's true," he answered. "Put in a good word with Alexi, will you?"
"For Beckham? I don't think he needs my recommendation."
"No," Gordon responded, "Put in one for me."
Read more...
Jazic asked me if Beckham was coming to join the club.
"You guys would be his new teammates, shouldn't you be the ones to know first?" I asked.
Jazic shrugged. "We don't know. We hear it's a 'maybe'."
I mentioned to Gordon, a tall forward, that he should be happy about Beckham's arrival, if it happened, since he could be a beneficiary of Beckham's crosses.
"That's true," he answered. "Put in a good word with Alexi, will you?"
"For Beckham? I don't think he needs my recommendation."
"No," Gordon responded, "Put in one for me."
Read more...
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Blast from past
Former US men's national team great Hugo Perez was part of the coaching group observing Bob Bradley's first day of training as U.S. coach. I talked to Perez before, and he'd shared some thoughts with me on what the U.S. should do to improve and to also become a more inclusive team.
Perez is now in coaching, as an assistant to a USL team, the California Victory, a team based near San Francisco.
I wonder if there's any part of him that was thinking as he watched the training, "I could show these young guys a thing or two."
Read more...
Back to soccer. . .
Someone sent an email requesting more pictures from the training camp. I have to say, I've a pretty puny digital camera, and I'm not much of a photographer by nature. Apologies.
Anyway, here's Justin Mapp trying to get around Michael Parkhurst. Parkhurst is a smart player and he's perfectly positioned here, though it's a pretty good cut-back move from Mapp.
Read more...
Disinterested
Thursday was an important step forward for the U.S. national team. For the first time since 1998, the U.S. ran through a training session and Bruce Arena was not evaluating players. Nope, that task fell to ex-Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley, who took over on an interim basis officially on Thursday.
So that spurned me to write about my favorite topic: Mexico.
The InterLiga is in full swing now. Watching those two games last night made me want to go out to Carson and catch the InterLiga action in person. Of course, I'll have to wait until Tuesday and Wednesday and Saturday for that. It will be nice to go back to soccer after nearly three months without it.
Being as how this tournament involving Mexican teams is going on, I got to thinking about the proposed, I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it tournament between the Mexican First Division and Major League Soccer. To be honest, I couldn't not be any less enthused about this tournament. It's a manufactured tournament that means nothing. Mexican teams will use it as a chance to test youngsters out and new players and get their teams ready for the Clausura 2007 season. MLS teams will be in the hunt for a playoff spot and will think twice about sending out anybody important for more than 45 minutes.
It will look like Chivas USA's game against America last July. Chivas starters came out and played the whole first half (except for Jonny B is memory serves me correctly) and then the reserve unit came out for the second half. Call me crazy, but I wasn't exactly sitting on the edge of my seat watching Esteban Arias try and thwart the America attack. Maybe if Chivas had played all their starters the entire game the match might have had more of a long-lasting affect. As it was, both teams gave a good showing for a half, youngsters and reserves gave a solid, workmanlike effort for the other half, PKs were taken and missed and the crowd walked away having been entertained.
It was a friendly. Individuals may have proven something to their respective coaches and teammates that day but Chivas USA did not prove that they nor MLS was superior to America or the Mexican league. What will some glorified friendlies prove to anybody?
All this is is a way for SUM and MLS to try and market to the market they've always wanted to tap into: the Mexican fans. First, they brought some heroes to the U.S. Then, they brought a beloved franchise to the U.S. Now, they're bringing Mexican teams here for supposedly meaningful games. And just because they put some prize money and slap some Copa Mexico/MLS/Whatever-the-crap, we're supposed to be excited about it?
Yawn.
Read more...
So that spurned me to write about my favorite topic: Mexico.
The InterLiga is in full swing now. Watching those two games last night made me want to go out to Carson and catch the InterLiga action in person. Of course, I'll have to wait until Tuesday and Wednesday and Saturday for that. It will be nice to go back to soccer after nearly three months without it.
Being as how this tournament involving Mexican teams is going on, I got to thinking about the proposed, I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it tournament between the Mexican First Division and Major League Soccer. To be honest, I couldn't not be any less enthused about this tournament. It's a manufactured tournament that means nothing. Mexican teams will use it as a chance to test youngsters out and new players and get their teams ready for the Clausura 2007 season. MLS teams will be in the hunt for a playoff spot and will think twice about sending out anybody important for more than 45 minutes.
It will look like Chivas USA's game against America last July. Chivas starters came out and played the whole first half (except for Jonny B is memory serves me correctly) and then the reserve unit came out for the second half. Call me crazy, but I wasn't exactly sitting on the edge of my seat watching Esteban Arias try and thwart the America attack. Maybe if Chivas had played all their starters the entire game the match might have had more of a long-lasting affect. As it was, both teams gave a good showing for a half, youngsters and reserves gave a solid, workmanlike effort for the other half, PKs were taken and missed and the crowd walked away having been entertained.
It was a friendly. Individuals may have proven something to their respective coaches and teammates that day but Chivas USA did not prove that they nor MLS was superior to America or the Mexican league. What will some glorified friendlies prove to anybody?
All this is is a way for SUM and MLS to try and market to the market they've always wanted to tap into: the Mexican fans. First, they brought some heroes to the U.S. Then, they brought a beloved franchise to the U.S. Now, they're bringing Mexican teams here for supposedly meaningful games. And just because they put some prize money and slap some Copa Mexico/MLS/Whatever-the-crap, we're supposed to be excited about it?
Yawn.
Read more...
Winter wonderland
Sideline chatter at the US men's training included details about Landon Donovan's New Year's Eve wedding at a Santa Barbara resort. Apparently, there was a snow theme designed to mimic Prague, in the Czech Republic, where Bianca and Landon first truly fell in love in December of 2003. They weren't in Prague for any romantic getaway, though. Bianca's brother Andre had been hit by a train there, and the family was maintaining a vigil by his bedside as he fought a potentially deadly infection. Landon had helped the grief-stricken family by arranging to get them to Prague as soon as possible, traveling himself to the country to be with them and support them through the crisis. Andre survived. Three years later, Bianca and Landon got married. The snow was fake, but I'm betting the love is real.
Read more...