Happy New Year everybody. 2010 has arrived and we here at SBI want to wish all of our readers a Happy New Year. 2009 was a special year in American soccer and 2010 should be even better.
The work never stops on SBI though. Our last news item of the year is a Generation adidas update. Sources have confirmed for SBI that Wake Forest standouts Ike Opara and Corben Bone have both signed Generation adidas contracts and will be available in the 2010 MLS Draft. Also, senior midfielder Austin Da Luz has signed a senior contract with MLS and will also be in the draft. That leaves U.S. Under-17 standout Luis Gil as the last of Major League Soccer's top Generation adidas targets who has yet to sign (at least we haven't heard of him signing yet).
That's all for now. Enjoy the parties and get ready for a 2010 to remember.
Happy New Year
Keep up the good work, Ives. Happy New Year!
Thanks for the well wishes and the excellent work, Ives and right back at you. Best of luck to you and yours, and to the SBI faithful. Here’s hoping for a solid showing for the Yanks this summer and a bust out year for the MLS.
Ives – can you give us any insight on what’s been going on with some of the youth we get so excited about, but then fail to hear anything about for months… I’m talking about the boys in Germany; Vedad Ibisevic, Charles Renken & Joe Gayu?!
Are they all in line for the USMNT or are we going to lose Ibisevic to Bosnia and the other boys to So. Africa / Ghana wherever…
Keep up the great work
RSLFANINCALIFORNIA
(SBI-Ibisevic has been playing for Bosnia for two years now so he’s long gone from U.S. national team consideration. As for Gyau and Renken, it’s far too early to tell what will happen with them.)
Sorry about the above miscue… I now remember that Ibisevic has been long gone & playing for Bosnia Nats. Still interested in Gayu & Renken though
Thanks
Wouldn’t it be awesome to see the NHL Winter Classic in Red Bull Arena next year! Say NY Rangers vs. NJ Devils. Better sightlines than Yankee Stadium and closer seats than Giants stadium. Whatdya think?
HAPPY NEW YEAR!”"
FC DALLAS, bring BONE and AKPAN home!!
2010 le tthe year of sport commence!
Good news about pulling in so many college prospects into MLS. Great job by the league. Now please get a labor deal done with the players’ union and all will be in place.
Funny. The blackhawks were trying to cross-promote with the bears, NFL shot it down. Any cross-promotion that shows personality and builds even a little realationship between franchises is good by me. What’s red bull’s capacity going to be? One year ago Wrigley was insanely packed
for the winter classic.
Happy New Year to Ives and all the SBI Mafia!
Flew out from cali to nyc for the first time… GREAT new years. Happy 2010 to you all.
Happy New Years Ives, thanks for the great work you do with the site – it is the best.
Let 2010 be the year DC United returns to glory and the MNT gets to the knock-out rounds of the WC.
Red Bull Capacity will be 25K and I agree it will be a good idea but the the NHL has been looking at Yankee Stadium for the event. I doubt they would have 2 local teams however
That’s a very intriguing idea.
I think the NHL would go to Yankee Stadium first just for the pub (and the extra tickets), but because of the sightlines and intimacy, RBA would actually be a much better choice.
Maybe Red Bull (the company, not the team)and AEG might have enough marketing pull with the NHL to get a gig like that.
Also, the NHL needs to find a way to get Ovechkin in one of these Winter Classics. Too damn entertaining to not see outside.
Evertons Brazilian striker Jo has been suspended by the club basically ending his run their although he was not that great there. One less person to play instead of LD
Happy new year to everyone on here including the SBI staff. 2009 was an unbelievable year for my family and 2010 will be even better.
What is the difference between generation adidas and the “senior contract” that da luz signed?
Less than 3 months till Sounders kick off, See you in Seattle. My wish is for another trophy, because we win them, Suck it D.C.
Ives, thanks for the info all year. Looking forward to Red Bull Arena and at least a knockout round performance from the nats in 2010.
Happy New Year to all the SBI staffs and readers.
A great clip on US’s run in the Confederations Cup
link to youtube.com
happy new year to ives and the sbi staff and readers! let’s hope for good things in 2010…..
Off topic but any info on Donovan? Is he is the Uk already? How long has he been there? What are the odds are him seeing the field especially considering the level of competition they are going against?
2010 Wishes:
A) A new neck tatoo
B) The nail grows back on my pinky-toe
C) the Union don’t suck.
C2) Shefki Kuqi is our 1st DP.
D) My broken wrist heals (so I can throw stuff at Red Bulls fans)
E) A great year to Ives and the SBI Mafia!!
Is this the most contracts signed pre draft? Is MLS making more of an effort to ensure seniors are locked in before the draft so teams dont get burned?
IIRC, AEG no longer has anything to do with RBA. Redbull bought out their 50% stake long ago.
Andolini,
Basically, Generation Adidas means his salary isn’t part of the salary cap. That’s the big draw for these players.
A senior contract is positive because the player does have a contract and can’t just sign in Europe or USL but his salary is included in the cap.
Matt
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
Congrats Ives!
100% of the GA confirmed as you previously posted. Nicely done.
link to mlsinsiderblog.com
Happy New Year Ives and all!
Happy New Years to everyone at SBI. Keep up the good work for next year