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Okay folks, it's time to set your weekend schedules. Here is the listing for games being shown on Fox Soccer Channel and GolTV. First, here are five games you need to see:
Now, onto the rest of the schedule (apologies for not including Setanta but I ran out of time. Someone please include it in the comments section if they feel so inclined).
Good afternoon folks (I'll stick to referencing East Coast USA time even though it's night time here in Austria and I'm close to passing out). I've managed to settle into my hotel room and wanted to pass some thoughts on the trip here for those of you who might be interested.
The flight was six hours and. as anyone who flies from NYC to LA can tell you, spending that much time on a plane is just not a great thing. It wasn't terrible, but arriving in Frankfurt, Germany at 8am local time (and 2am in my body) was no party. Especially not when having to navigate what may be the longest security checkpoint line in international airport security. You would have thought it was Ellis Island with the huddled masses trying to get through the metal detector. In this instance, German efficiency did not come through.
I'm sure by now you're saying "Boo hoo, poor you for having to stand in a line while you travel to Europe to watch soccer." Yes, I know, I can't complain, but I'm just telling you how it is.
Continue reading "Newark to Salzburg: My journey to the Alps" »
Practice is over for the Red Bulls and coach Juan Carlos Osorio (as well as captain Claudio Reyna) shared quite a bit of insight into the team and what he (they) have seen so far in preseason.
Here is a rundown of some of the tidbits:
Dave Van Den Bergh will see time in central midfield in Saturday's exhibition. Osorio sees Van Den Bergh's passing skills benefiting the team in the middle of the field. That said, Van Den Bergh still isn't guaranteed to be on the team when the season starts (Osorio didn't say that but the writing is on the wall.)
Osorio sees Mike Magee as a player who could fill that attacking midfielder role behind the forwards in the 3-4-1-2 the team has used in pre-season. Osorio and Claudio Reyna singled out Magee for praise, stating that he has looked sharp in pre-season.
I'm coming to you from the Red Bull Salzburg stadium, where the New York Red Bulls are wrapping up training. If you are wondering about new players, there are two new trialists in camp. Jesus Mendoza is one, the other is an unidentified defender/midfielder. We will probably have to wait until tomorrow's exhibition match to find out who the player is.
Two Red Bulls not in attendance are Jozy Altidore and Hunter Freeman, who are with the U.S. Under-23 national team.
Today's training is a typical day before the game session, with heavy work on set pieces and finishing drills.
Good morning folks, I'm coming to you from Salzburg, Austria. I've just landed and will be heading straight to Red Bulls practice. I will try to post from the stadium. If I can't, I will check in when I get back to my hotel.
Stay tuned for more info shortly.
Good afternoon folks. I'm about an hour from departing to Salzburg and figured I could leave you with a You Write the Caption before I go.
Yes, I know, I still owe everybody the winners for the Oguchi Onyewu/Rafael Marquez YWTC, but when I saw this photo I had to post it.
Here is David Beckham and LA teammate Abel Xavier, whose head looks like its being humped by a baby polar bear:
Continue reading "You Write the Caption: Beckham and the Yeti" »
If you are wondering where the posts have been today, you can blame it on preparations for my next trip.
SBI is headed to Salzburg, Austria for Red Bulls training camp. I will be spending a week in the land of Schwarzanegger and energy drinks. This will mark the third trip of the young year for SBI. If you enjoyed SBI's coverage from the MLS Combine in Florida, and the US-Mexico friendly in Houston, then get ready for some coverage from Europe.
I'm not sure how frequent the posting will be--internet access will determine that--but you can rest assured that I will be bringing you an in-depth look at how Juan Carlos Osorio's reconstruction project is going.
There will be a Red Bull doubleheader on Saturday with RBNY playing the Salzburg reserves at the Salzburg stadium before Red Bull Salzburg plays its own league match. Sunday will include a trip to Germany for an 1860 Munich match, a trip that will allow me to catch up with New Jersey native and U.S. World Cup veteran Gregg Berhalter as well as felow World Cup vet Josh Wolff.
Don't fret non-Red Bulls fans, the SBI hotline will still be open to my sources so I will look to bring you other MLS news as the week moves along.
My flight isn't for another few hours so I will be setting up a few posts for Friday morning. I should also have a You Write the Caption shortly so stay tuned for that.
Feel free to discuss any other news that took place today in the comments section below.
Good morning folks. It is a pretty slow day today. Well, except for the whole MLS expanding to Philadelphia thing. We did have the official confirmation this morning of Toronto FC's heist trade with San Jose.
The posting will be light today as I am preparing for a trip tonight (more on that later). I will try to offer up some posts as I get ready, but for now, here are some stories to tide you over:
Cory Gibbs is back. Well, the former U.S. national team defender is at least back on the field, even if not in first team action yet. Gibbs started in the Charlton reserve team's 3-1 win against Southampton on Tuesday. It's a start for Gibbs, who broke multiple bones in his foot last fall. Given the state of the national team fullback pool, Gibbs can't return soon enough.
River Plate tops Club America. Argentine power River Plate rode an injury time game-winner from Ariel Ortega to topple Club America on Copa Libertadores action Wednesday night. River's next Copa match is March 12 against Marcos Gonzalez and Universidad Catolica. America will face Peruvian champions San Martin on March 13.
Ireland to play Colombia. New Ireland coach Giovanni Trappattoni has lined up a pretty tough friendly for his second game in charge. Rejuvenated Colombia will face Ireland at Craven cottage on May 29. The match is the first of two against European countries for Colombia, which also faces France on June 3.
Share your thoughts on these stories below.
The long-rumored trade of Ronnie O'Brien to San Jose has been completed.
Toronto FC has traded the Irish winger to San Jose in exchange for a major allocation and San Jose's No. 1 draft pick, sources told SBI on Wednesday evening.
The trade is a significant one for both sides as it gives the Earthquakes their first major offensive weapon while Toronto clears salary cap room as well as acquires an allocation valued at approximately $300,000, an allocation it will use to either sign a foreign player or complete another significant trade with.
Then there is the draft pick, which could prove to be a valuable one. Why? The consensus around MLS is that San Jose is going to struggle in 2008, which could make the draft pick as high as No. 2 overall (with the Seattle expansion team picking first). That could help Toronto land Hermann Award winner and Toronto native O'Brian White, who will be one of the most highly-coveted players in the 2009 draft.
Was it too high a price for San Jose to pay? Considering the Earthquakes gave away the No. overall pick in the 2008 draft for Nick Garcia, a marginal veteran defender, they probably think they paid a fair price for Ronnie O'Brien.
What do you think of the trade? Share your thoughts below.
Philadelphia, MLS is coming your way.
As reported last week by SBI, Major League Soccer will announce Philadelphia as the league's 16th team at a ceremony at 2pm on Thursday at Turbine Hall in Chester, PA. MLS commissioner Don Garber and members of the Philadelphia expansion group will be in attendance for the event.
So there you have it. The team is coming. Philly fans can breath a sigh of relief and start saving their money for those tickets.
What do you think of the news? Share your thoughts (and joy) below.
Okay folks, the schedule of matches is set. We have Roma-Inter on Fox Soccer Channel, Barcelona-Valencia on GolTV and Bayern Munich-1860 Munich on Setanta. Since we can't all be so fortunate to A) be at home during the day or B) have access to ESPN360.com at work, I'm setting up this post to serve as a catch-all for comments and observations from today's televised matches.
You know what to do. Fill us in on the action in the matches you're watching so everyone can follow along.
Enjoy the action.
If you are having some Champions League withdrawal after the amazing games last mid-week, you are in luck. AS Roma and Inter Milan are set to square off today in a match that could end the race for the Serie A title, or make it very interesting.
Inter has a nine-point cushion on the Romas with 14 matches to play, but a Roma win today would make that margin a steep, but manageable six points.
Fox Soccer Channel will be showing the match at 2:30pm. Are you stuck at work and can't see FSC? You are in luck (maybe). The match is also being shown on ESPN360.com (otherwise known as the best thing since sliced bread).
There is other soccer action today, including the FA Cup replay between Middlesbrough and Sheffield United. German soccer fans will take note of the juicy German Cup derby clash between Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich today. The FA Cup match is being replayed at 5pm on Fox Soccer Channel. Not sure where you can see the Munich derby (anyone with suggestions is more than welcome to offer them up).
If you can't see the AS Roma-Inter Milan match, don't fret. I invite those of you who will see the match (and will be near your computers) to share your take on the action in the comments section below.
The Columbus Crew has traded fullback Tim Ward and a third-round pick in 2009 to the Colorado Rapids for Argentine forward Nicolas Hernandez.
The trade is an interesting one in that the Rapids are acquiring a young left back after trading for a left back (Jose Burciaga) in the off-season. The Crew's need for forward help is no secret but acquiring a forward who managed one goal and one assist in 21 matches last year may not be the answer. To be fair, Hernandez did manage seven goals and six assists in 2006 and could flourish playing in front of Guillermo Barros Schelotto and next to Alejandro Moreno.
What do you think of the trade? Share your thoughts below.
Good morning all. It was a quiet Tuesday in the soccer world but there appears to be more activity on the MLS front today as teams look to sign and trade for players as the start of the regular season approaches.
Here are some news nuggets to tide you over this morning:
Toronto trade winds blowing
Mo Johnston isn't talking but rumors of a Toronto FC-San Jose Earthquakes trade are picking up steam. A Ronnie O'Brien to San Jose trade is in the works. Just who would Toronto take from San Jose? The easy call is Canadian defender Chris Pozniak, but the reality is if TFC really rated Pozniak they would have kept him in the first place.
There isn't much on San Jose's roster for Toronto to ask for. A package of a major allocation and high draft pick could do the trick for O'Brien, a former all-star who endured his share of injuries last season. Toronto FC wants to stockpile allocation money to bring in several new international players during this transfer window.
Good morning folks. If you are a Red Bulls fan, and you took a quick look at the above photo, you just might be able to convince yourself that this picture was taken from the newly-completed Red Bull Park in Harrison.
Unfortunately, that isn't the case. The photo is from Red Bulls training camp in Austria, where the Red Bulls got a chance to train in Wals Siezenheim Stadium, a Euro 2008 venue and home of sister club Red Bull Salzburg, on Wednesday. It might not be Red Bull Park, but you know that at least a few of the players must have looked around and thought about the possibilities of what it will be like when Red Bull Park does open in the summer (or fall) of 2009.
The Pan Pacific Champions came and went last weekend, with Gamba Osaka claiming the new crown and MLS champions Houston came away with a little Egg Soup on their face.
The tournament was more than just an excuse for MLS, LA and Houston officials to go to Hawaii. It was a chance for MLS fans to travel to Hawaii and for Hawaiians to experience MLS action.
SBI correspondent Dominghosa was lucky enough to take the trip to Hawaii and he has returned from paradise to give us his take on the experience.
Enjoy:
Continue reading "The Pan Pacific Championship: A look back" »
Photo by ISI Photos
U.S. Under-23 national team coach Peter Nowak has named a 24-man roster for training camp ahead of next month's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Jozy Altidore, Freddy Adu, Maurice Edu and Chris Seitz were among the standouts chosen.
Players not on the training camp roster include Michael Bradley and Jonathan Spector, who could still be added to the official 20-man Olympic qualifying roster up until two days prior to the tournament, which begins on March 11 in Tampa.
The United States will face Cuba (March 11), Panama (March 13) and Honduras (March 15), with the top-two teams in the four-team group advancing to the tournament semifinals in Nashville, Tennessee on March 20 (The other qualifying group includes Mexico, Canada, Guatemala and Hait). The winners of the two semifinals will automatically qualify for the Olympics in China.
Continue reading "Nowak names training camp roster for Olympic qualifying" »
The New York Red Bulls have gone to Austria for the next phase of their preseason and plenty of questions about the squad remain unanswered as we sit just five weeks away from the start of the MLS season.
I touched on some of the key questions still to be answered in my column in today's Herald News. Here are some other things to go over:
Matt Kassel has not joined the team in Austria and will not join the team in South Carolina. In order to protect his NCAA eligibility the Red Bulls will not have him travel anywhere with the senior team. That said, Kassel will have a chance to train with the team once it returns to New Jersey for good. I have stated repeatedly that the club won't be signing Kassel before the start of the season and that isn't likely to change. That being said, the Red Bulls like what they have seen so far and want to see him train against first-team players to get a sense of whether he is someone they want to sign.
Good morning all. Does the gloomy weather have you reaching for another cup of coffee? Here are a few soccer stories to tide you over and help keep you awake (well, except for the third one, which may put you to sleep.)
American owners to sell Liverpool. Tom Hicks and George Gillett are reportedly ready to sell English giant Liverpool just a year after buying the club. Apparently running a soccer team was tougher than they thought it would be. Hey Tom and George, if you REALLY want to own a soccer team there is this opportunity in St. Louis you might want to take a look at.
Good morning all.
As you read recently on SBI, Major League Soccer is preparing to announce Philadelphia as the league's 16th franchise and, with that in mind, I thought it was a good time to take a look at Philly and what the city will be bringing to the MLS table.
Here is my story on Philadelphia expansion for ESPN.com. I found it very interesting that there are so many long-time MLS fans in the city, fans who rooted for either D.C. United or the Red Bulls/MetroStars who are ready to root for Philly's new team. Add that to the instant rivalries created by D.C. and New York and these are elements that will help a Philly team be a success right away.
Those of you who have read SBI for a while know that I have backed Philly as an expansion city for a while now and I'm still convinced that it will be a big hit. After working on this piece I am even more convinced.
League officials are putting the finishing touches on the announcement, though I am told the league's Board of Governors has yet to put its stamp on it. Could this lead to a delay? Sure, but just like the Seattle expansion news (which you read first on SBI and which wound up being delayed by almost two months), Philadelphia expansion is happening. In a league where simple trades wind up getting delayed by a week because of red tape, it isn't a surprise to see such a major announcement getting stuck in the MLS mud.
Here is a question. What will you be looking forward to the most about a Philadelphia expansion franchise? Visiting a new stadium? Enjoying a new rivalry? Having an excuse to travel near Atlantic City? A chance to have some quality cheesesteaks?
Share your thoughts below.
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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