Soccer By Ives

Rapids acquire attacking midfielder Rivero from Argentina

 

The Colorado Rapids recently hinted that a playmaking midfielder was on his way to the club. We now know who he is.

The Rapids announced on Thursday the acquisition of Martin Rivero on loan for the upcoming season. Rivero, 22, most recently played for second division side Rosario Central in his native Argentina, where he had earned a starting role through the first half of the 2011-2012 season before joining Colorado.

The 5-foot-10 Rivero is expected to join the Rapids before their preseason trip to Hawaii.

What do you think of the Rapids aquiring Rivero? Do you see him starting for Colorado this season?

Share your thoughts below.

MLS Notes: Nguyen draws ire for tweet, Rapids eye playmaker and more

Social media has been a revelation for players and fans to engage in talks, express themselves to each other and establish a stronger relationship. There's a downside to tweeting before thinking things through, however.

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Lee Nguyen used a homophobic slur in a joke-toned tweet at teammate Brad Knighton Monday night, drawing immediate backlash. He promptly deleted the tweet, issued an apology and corresponded with the advocacy website Gay4Soccer, but the damage had been done. The Whitecaps issued a warning to both players but is not taking any further disciplinary action.

In a club statement, team president Bob Lenarduzzi wrote: "Earlier (Monday), two Whitecaps players engaged in an exchange on Twitter that the club considered unacceptable. The players involved acted swiftly to remove the tweets on their own accord. We believe that the involved players are both sincere in their regret, and in their apologies. The club has issued the players a formal warning."

Here are a few more items from around MLS:

MLS Preseason: Zusi, Saad lift Sporting KC, Gaven shines for Crew and more

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

By CALEB SONNELAND

In a prelude to their season-opening match that is less than a month away, Sporting Kansas City topped D.C. United, 2-1, in Casa Grande, Ariz., Saturday on the strength of goals from Graham Zusi and Soony Saad.

Zusi scored on a 34th-minute free kick, and Saad finished off a feed from newly acquired Jacob Peterson in the 62nd minute to account for the goals for the defending Eastern Conference regular season champions.

United did pull a goal back late through former Kansas City player and current guest player Jose Burciaga Jr., who finished off a Danny Cruz cross and powered home a volley into the roof of the net in the 78th minute.

Highlights from the match and more scores and goalscorers from the weekend's full slate of preseason action are after the jump:

Houston trades draft pick for Kandji

Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

The Houston Dynamo are still actively trying to improve their forward options, and they took a step in that direction by swinging a trade Wednesday night.

The Dynamo traded a conditional 2014 draft pick to the Colorado Rapids for Macoumba Kandji, adding the athletic, Senegalese striker to a stable that currently has Calen Carr, Will Bruin, Cam Weaver and rookie Colin Rolfe.

For the Rapids, the trade frees up a decent chunk of cap space (Kandji's base salary for 2011 was $120,000). Kandji will forever have a place in Rapids franchise lore for coming on as a substitute in the 2010 MLS Cup and creating the play that led to George John's title-clinching overtime own goal. Kandji tore his ACL on that play, though, and missed a good portion of last season while finishing off his recovery.

What do you think of the move? Do you see Kandji finding success with the Dynamo?

Share your thoughts below.

Rapids edge Chivas in preseason friendly

Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com 

By ADAM SERRANO

CARSON, Calif. – The Colorado Rapids squeaked past Chivas USA, 1-0, in a physical preseason scrimmage between the two sides on Tuesday.

Second-half substitute Quincy Amarikwa put the Rapids ahead in the 85th minute. Rapids midfielder Steve Emory won a ball and then fired a cross to the waiting Amarikwa, who beat Chivas goalkeeper Tim Melia.

"It’s good to get out, it’s the first game in months [against MLS competition] so it’s good to get that one out of the way," said Colorado forward Omar Cummings, who went 61 minutes during the scrimmage. "Chivas is a team that we know, but they are going through changes, but so are we. We’re getting to know each other and we’ll see what we have to look forward during the season."

MLS Notes: Timbers' Valencia needs surgery, Folan leaves Colorado and more

After an offseason full of major moves, promise and tangible signs of improvement, the Portland Timbers were hit with a sizeable dose of bad news Friday. 

Colombian striker Jose Adolfo Valencia, signed as a Young Designated Player back in December, requires knee surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his left knee and is going to be out for anywhere from the next 6-to-12 months. According to a team press release, he will have surgery on Monday, followed by an extensive rehabilitation process.

As a result, the Timbers re-worked their loan agreement with Valencia's parent club, Colombian side Santa Fe, and Valencia will not count as a Young DP this season, nor will he occupy an international roster spot as he spends the season on the disabled list.

"Our No. 1 priority is ensuring the long-term physical health of Jose," Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson said in a statement. "We are very committed to Jose as a person and as a player, and intend to return to the original terms of his transfer agreement when he returns to full health following rehabilitation. We feel strongly about our long-term commitment to Jose and see him as a big part of the future success of this team."

Here are a few more items from around MLS:

MLS Notes: Bravo signs extension with Rapids, Revs sign Moreno and more

photo by JN Santos/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

The man who helped build the Colorado Rapids' championship side will be sticking around to try and help rebuild the squad under new head coach Oscar Pareja.

Technical Director Paul Bravo signed a new three-year deal with the Rapids on Wednesday, extending a stay that began in 2009. Bravo will continue to be in charge of the club's soccer operations and will look to help the club win another MLS Cup trophy after doing so in 2010.

Bravo remained with the club during the offseason despite the dismissals of managing director Jeff Plush and head coach Gary Smith. Bravo hired Pareja as Colorado's head coach and just added Wilmer Cabrera as an assistant.

Here are more stories from around the league:

MLS Notes: Alvarez signs in Portugal, Rapids add Cabrera to staff and more

Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com

As it turns out, Arturo Alvarez won't be suiting up for Chivas USA heading into the 2012 MLS season after all.

Alvarez, who was selected by Chivas in the first stage of the MLS Re-Entry Draft but never came to terms with the club as he sought opportunities overseas, has reportedly signed with Portuguese top-flight club Pacos de Ferreira on a two-and-a-half-year contract. 

The 26-year-old El Salvador international will be called upon to help Pacos de Ferreira stave off relegation, as the club sits just a point clear of the drop zone in the Primeira Liga. In nine seasons in MLS, Alvarez scored 24 goals and had 19 assists while playing for the San Jose Earthquakes, FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake.

Here are a few more items from around MLS:

Rapids bolster attack, sign Castrillon

The Colorado Rapids are shifting their philosophy after going through a front office and technical staff overhaul, and that change is spreading to the field as well after the club announced the signing of Colombian attacking midfielder Jaime Castrillon from Independiente Medellin.

The 28-year-old Castrillon, who is not going to be a Designated Player, adds a different dynamic to the Rapids' central midfield, which has been centered around the hard-tackling, ball-winning pair of Pablo Mastroeni and Jeff Larentowicz.

Castrillon has spent all but one year of his career in his native country. He played for Medellin from 2002-2008 before bolting to China for a year. He returned home to join Once Caldas in 2010 (where he played under former Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio) before going back to Medellin and scoring 11 goals last year.

He also has experience on the international level, taking part in 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He's gotten the best of the United States back line as well, scoring the lone goal in Colombia's 1-0 victory in the 2007 Copa America.

Video of that goal is after the jump:

Wednesday Kickoff: Stevenage hires Smith, Europe's financial woes and more

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Former Colorado Rapids head coach Gary Smith is headed back to England.

The man who took charge of the Rapids' surprising 2010 MLS Cup run has been hired as manager of League One side Stevenage FC. Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace said Smith's ability to produce success despite a low budget with the Rapids was a major reason for the hire.

Smith, who is one of the league's younger managers at 43, began his career as an assistant with Wimbledon, Wrexham and Arsenal before landing the Rapids job in late 2008. He became the first English coach to win the MLS Cup, but a falling out with team management led to his contract not being renewed after this past season.

Stevenage is currently in sixth place in League One and is in serious contention for a playoff promotion spot.

Here are some more stories to kick off your Wednesday:

MLS Notes: D.C. acquires Cruz, FCD signs Panamanian defender and more

Photo by Patricia Giobetti/ISIphotos.com

D.C. United's wing options got a little more intriguing on Friday.

The club acquired midfielder Danny Cruz from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a partial allocation, adding an up-and-coming player to the team's already up-and-coming nucleus.

Cruz, who took part in the U.S. U-23 camp in December and started all of Houston's playoff games last season, no longer qualified as a Generation adidas player and did not come to terms on a new deal with the Dynamo. The club still held his rights, though, and offloaded them to D.C., which happily takes on a player entering his fourth year in MLS.

He joins Andy Najar, Chris Pontius and first-round draft pick Nick DeLeon on the wings for United.

Here are a few more items from around MLS:

Rapids name Pareja head coach

photo by John Dorton/ISIphotos.com

The Colorado Rapids have signed Oscar Pareja as their head coach, the club announced on Thursday.

Having beaten out three other finalists, Pareja will attempt to lead the Rapids to the MLS Cup final in his first head coaching position. Pareja served as an FC Dallas assistant coach and Academy Director last season, and was a long-time player for the Dallas Burn before that.

A native of Colombia, Pareja succeeds Gary Smith and is the sixth head coach in the history of the Rapids.

What do you think of this development? Did Colorado make the right choice?

Share your thoughts below.

Report: Rapids to hire Pareja as head coach

The Colorado Rapids are set to hire FC Dallas assistant and Academy Director Oscar Pareja has the team's new head coach, the Denver Post reported on Tuesday evening.

Pareja has beaten out a group of candidates that included Denis Hamlett, Tom Soehn and Richie Williams. The Rapids are expected to make the announcement this week.

Pareja was a long-time player for the Dallas Burn before eventually settling in as an assistant coach. He also worked with the U.S. Under-17 national team as an assistant. 

What do you think of Colorado's decision to hire Pareja? Think they picked the right coach? See the Rapids making the playoffs in 2012?

Share your thoughts below.

Who should Colorado hire as head coach?

The last remaining head coaching vacancy in Major League Soccer sits in Colorado, where the Rapids are expected to make a decision on their replacement for Gary Smith this week.

Four candidates have emerged as Colorado's leading contenders. Denis Hamlett, Oscar Pareja, Tom Soehn and Richie Williams are the four men sources have told SBi are the finalists for the job. There were rumors of former Portland assistant Trevor James being in the mix, but sources have told SBI that James is not a candidate.

Four coaches, two with head coaching experience (three if you count Williams' two stints as interim head coach in New York), and Pareja, a highly-regarded assistant who some think just might be the surprise favorite for the job.

While we wait for word on just who Colorado will settle on, here's a question for SBI readers. Who should the Rapids hire? Should it be Hamlett, an original Colorado Rapids player who did well in his time as Fire head coach, or should it be Williams, who was widely-regarded as one of the best assistant coaches in MLS before being abruptly fired by the Red Bulls a year ago? Will former D.C. United and Vancouver head coach Soehn get a team to run, or will Pareja be picked?

Who would you pick? Cast your vote after the jump:

Rounding up the MLS comings and goings: Western Conference

Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

For a team coming off of a championship run, the Los Angeles Galaxy have had plenty of major moving parts over recent weeks.

Between Landon Donovan going back to Everton on a short-term loan, Juninho returning to Sao Paulo, Donovan Ricketts being dealt to the Montreal Impact, Sean Franklin re-signing and David Beckham, well, still making a decision, the Galaxy remain the talk of MLS deep into the offseason.

Other teams in the Western Conference are positioning themselves for improvement while trying to catch Los Angeles, though, as teams that missed out on the postseason last year -- specifically San Jose, Vancouver and Portland -- have all added integral pieces ahead of their early selections in next month's SuperDraft.

Here is a look at the comings and goings in the entire Western Conference to date (and for a look at the Eastern Conference, read on here):

Berhalter's Hammarby signs Husidic

 

photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

Hammarby IF head coach Gregg Berhalter won't be the only one at the club with MLS experience next season.

Hammarby signed midfielder Baggio Husidic on Friday morning, the club announced on its website. Husidic, who has spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Fire, agreed to a two-year deal with the Swedish team.

Berhalter told the club website that he is quite familiar with Husidic, and that the Bosnian-born player is someone with good technical qualities and an ability to find his teammates in good spots with his passing.

Husidic received limited playing time this past season with the Fire, and Chicago chose not to exercise his contract option at the end of the year. Husidic was chosen by the Colorado Rapids in stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft earlier this month, but Hammarby beat the 2010 MLS Cup Champions in the race to sign him.

What do you think of this move? Thinking you'll see more MLS players signed by Hammarby in the coming weeks? How do you see Husidic faring in Sweden?

Share your thoughts below.