The MLS Zone

New Site

2008-07-31T23:17:00.000-07:00

American Soccer News

2008-03-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

Starting this week, I will be a regular contributor for American Soccer News, focusing on the Los Angeles Galaxy and - to a lesser extent - Chivas USA.

Check it out... that site should manage to keep you updated on all things MLS and American soccer much better than this one ever could. www.american-soccer-news.com

We are also in need of a writer to cover the New England Revolution... if you know anyone, please send me an e-mail at themlszone@gmail.com

Season-Ticket Numbers Released

2008-03-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

Attention: Our site has moved! For all MLS news and analysis, visit ---> http://www.mls-daily.com

There's an excellent read in the upcoming issue of SportsBusiness Journal - an article focused on Major League Soccer season-ticket sales. Year-to-date, there are 60,783 season-ticket holders league-wide, 16% more than last year at the same time. That number includes partial-season plans and mini-packages and excludes the going-on-4,000 strong in the Bay Area.

Kansas City made the biggest percentage gain, with sales jumping 232%. Perhaps most surprisingly, the David Beckham-led Los Angeles Galaxy suffered the largest drop in season-ticket holders (-15%).

1. Toronto FC - 16,641 (+34%)
2. Los Angeles Galaxy - 7,915 (-15%)
3. D.C. United - 5,976 (+27%)
4. Real Salt Lake - 4,632 (+5%)
5. Houston Dynamo - 4,116 (+87%)
6. New England Revolution - 4,001 (+14%)
7. San Jose Earthquakes - 3,822
8. Columbus Crew - 3,227 (+1%)
9. New York Red Bulls - 3,170 (+33)
10. FC Dallas - 3,002 (-4%)
11. Colorado Rapids - 2,968 (+59%)
12. Chicago Fire - 2,759 (+8%)
13. Kansas City Wizards - 1,539 (+232%)
14. Chivas USA - 837 (-2%)

Overall, the league is healthy when it comes to season-ticket sales. Ten of 13 clubs posted gains year-over-year - only the two Los Angeles clubs and FC Dallas did not add to the momentum from last year. Toronto continues to show the rest of the league how it should be done, adding another 4,200 STHs, despite increasing the average ticket price by $10.

Interest is already running high in the two cities that have been tapped for expansion - Seattle and Philadelphia. Whether either city's numbers can touch Toronto's success at the turnstiles remains to be seen, but early reports out of the Pacific Northwest are a good sign - over 11,000 deposits have been taken for the kickoff of MLS in Seattle, which commences in 2009.

Rapids Shed Five Players, Sign Brazilian

2008-03-04T04:57:00.000-08:00

On Monday, the Colorado Rapids announced the signing of Brazilian midfielder Rafael Gomes for the 2008 season. Gomes, 27, most recently played for Clube Desportive Santa Clara of the Liga de Honra (2nd-tier) in Portugal. Prior to that, he played in his home country for the likes of Vasco de Gama, Bragantino, Olaria, and Atletico Mineiro."We welcome Rafael to the team with open arms," said head coach Fernando Clavijo. "His experience playing in one of the top South American leagues and in Europe will add depth to our midfield."

In order to make room for Gomes and become compliant with the salary cap and MLS roster restrictions, the Rapids chose to not offer contracts to midfielder Daniel Antunez and foward Kevin Forrest. In addition, the club waived defenders Chase Hilgenbrinck, Brandon Prideaux and Cliff Wilmes, as well as midfielders Scott Campbell and Jose Cancela.

Dempsey Confident Fulham Will Avoid Drop

2008-03-04T04:12:00.000-08:00

Fulham midfielder/forward Clint Dempsey is expressing optimism over his club's outlook for the rest of the 07-08 Premier League season. The former New England Revolution star says he is confident the Cottagers will avoid being relegated, despite their current troubles - FFC sits six points from safety, having taken maximum points from a match just once since early November.
"The reason you come to England is to play in the Premier League," said Dempsey, who has scored six goals in 27 league appearances this season. "It's one of the best leagues in the world and you want to be around that environment week in, week out. You can't really panic. All you can do is go out there and work as hard as you can.

"I think we'll be out of relegation and I think you'll see Fulham in the Premier League next season. For the most part, the team is together. We joke around a lot and everyone seems to get on well with each other."

The U.S. international is one of five Americans currently on the squad, joining Eddie Johnson, Kasey Keller, Carlos Bocanegra and Brian McBride on the roster at Craven Cottage. Several other American players are in danger of playing in the Coca-Cola Championship next season, including Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann at Reading and the Derby County duo of Benny Feilhaber and Eddie Lewis.

FC Seoul Downs Galaxy in PKs

2008-03-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Galaxy were defeated in penalty kicks by Korean side FC Seoul in an exhibition game on Saturday night. The friendly marks the latest loss in a disappointing preseason tour of Hawaii and Asia that has seen the Galaxy win just once - over Sydney FC in the third-place game of the Pan-Pacific Championship.

Alan Gordon put Los Angeles ahead in the 20th minute, floating a quickly-taken free kick into the box to an unmarked Alan Gordon, who chested the ball into the air before volleying it past Seoul keeper Kim Ho-Jun. It wasn't all good news for Gordon, however, as the Galaxy forward had to be removed later in the game with an injury.

Ruud Gullit's team would only hold the lead for 10 minutes as the troublesome Galaxy defense continued to give away multiple chances to the opposition, eventually culminating in a goal after former Newcastle defender Celestine Babayaro was judged to have taken down a Seoul player in the penalty area. Jung Jo-Gook calmly nailed the resulting PK straight down the middle and past a diving Steve Cronin to level the score.

The game went to penalties after ending in a 1-1 stalemate, with David Beckham being the first LA player to step up to the spot. His effort would hit the back of the net, but the four following Galaxy attempts were all turned away by Kim Ho-Jun, propelling FC Seoul to victory after their second successful try.

"We were disappointed to lose on penalties, but penalties are like that - there has to be a winner and a loser," said Beckham. "The overall play of the team in the first 30 minutes was good, some of the best football I've played with the Galaxy."There were some positives to take away from the match, namely the precision long passes shown off by Beckham and ability of recently re-acquired forward Carlos Ruiz to create chances for an offense that was dull at best in 2007.

However, Los Angeles must now deal with another injury to a potential starter (Gordon); forward Edson Buddle earlier suffered a dislocated shoulder during the Pan-Pacific Championship, leaving the shaky crop of Galaxy forward looking even more thin as the MLS regular season draws closer.

Before focus can be turned to the upcoming season, Los Angeles will take part in two more exhibition matches on their whirlwind tour of Asia: Hong Kong United in Shanghai on Wednesday and then the finale against Hong Kong Union on March 9th.

Philadelphia Franchise a Reality

2008-02-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Major League Soccer has awarded its 16th franchise to the city of Philadelphia, ending months of competition between the City of Brotherly Love, St. Louis, and - most recently - Miami for the increasingly coveted spot in the league. The news was made official at a press conference on Thursday with key members who made the deal possible, including the 1,000-member-strong supporters club Sons of Ben.

"It took us 12 years to bring the world's most popular sport to the City of Brotherly Love," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "Today I am proud to officially announce that in 2010, Philadelphia will be joining Major League Soccer as the league's 16th team."

The new club will play their home games in a brand-new waterfront stadium to be built in the Philly suburb of Chester, following the model of other cities that have chosen to build soccer-specific stadiums in suburbs within shouting distance of their major metropolitan areas. The plan is for a 20,000-seat arena that will cost roughly $115 million, the centerpiece of a broader $500 million development project.

"We're going to build a team, a stadium, and we're going to lift some trophies along the way, and have some fun, so get ready," said Nick Sakiewicz, chief executive officer of the triumphant ownership group. "The Philadelphia area wanted soccer, and today they got soccer."

Though the team won't play their first game for another two years, season ticket deposits are currently being accepted at www.MLSPhilly2010.com, as well as at (877) MLS-2010.

Crew Trade Ward for Nico

2008-02-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Columbus Crew have acquired forward Nicolas Hernandez from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for Generation Adidas defender Tim Ward and a third-round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.Hernandez, 28, is coming off a down year with the Rapids in 2007, scoring just once and adding a single assist in 21 games with 17 starts. In the previous year, it was a different story, as the Argentinean forward racked up seven goals and six assists in 30 games. Nico's performance in his first year with Colorado earned him the team's MVP award.

"He is busy and a very active player who can play a number of positions," said Crew head coach Sigi Schmid. "We felt he was a dangerous player, a good acquisition, and the price was right. We think of him more as a striker, but a striker who can combine well with Guillermo (Barros Schelotto). He's going to have the ability to read what Guillermo is doing and play off that."
Ward, 21, has struggled to see playing time with the Crew defense, appearing in just six games in 2007. He has posted three assists in 30 career games going back to his days with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in 2005. He has also represented the United States at various youth levels, including at last summer's Under-20 World Cup.

"Timmy is a player who needs to play now," said Schmid. "Looking at the options we have at outside back, we didn't think we could give him the playing time that is appropriate to what he needs."

Earthquakes Land O'Brien

2008-02-28T09:47:00.000-08:00

The San Jose Earthquakes have added a key offensive weapon to their arsenal, trading away their first-round pick in 2009 and an undisclosed amount of cash to Toronto FC for All-Star midfielder Ronnie O'Brien.
For O'Brien, 29, it will mark his second-straight campaign with an expansion team, having played for Toronto in their inaugural season last year. Prior to being traded to TFC, the right-sided Irish midfielder played for FC Dallas from 2002 - 2006. He has made 121 career appearances in Major League Soccer, scoring 12 goals and contributing 42 assists. In 2007, a knee injury limited O'Brien to 13 games (0 goals, 4 assists). He has also been named to the MLS All-Star Team for four years running.

"He's not afraid to shoot, not afraid to take players on," Quakes General Manager John Doyle said. "He's an offensive player. He's another player in this league that you pay to come watch."

Toronto has expressed concern over O'Brien's fitness, with Mo Johnston indicating that the player's health was one of the main reasons that the club decided to part with him.

"Ronnie's a hell of a player when he's healthy," said Johnston. "He's one of the best in the league, if not the best. But he was injured a lot last season. (The trade) gives us an opportunity next year to go into the market again and have two first-round draft picks," Johnston continued.

Olympic Qualifying Roster Announced

2008-02-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

United States U-23 Men's National Team head coach Peter Nowak has called 24 players into camp in preparation for the upcoming 2008 Olympic qualifiers. Headlining the roster are several players who have seen time with the senior squad, including Benfica's Freddy Adu and MLS sensation Jozy Altidore.
In 2004, the United States failed to make the Olympics after losing to rivals Mexico in the semifinals of the qualification stages. This time around the Americans' path to Beijing begins on March 11 against Cuba, a game that will be played in Miami. Their next opponent will be Panama on March 13, and they will close out the group stage of qualifying two days later with a date against Honduras.

Seventeen players were picked from Major League Soccer, two from Germany, and one each from leagues in Denmark, Mexico, Sweden, Portugal and England.

Nowak will commence camp in Bradenton, Florida on March 1st.

GK: Dominic Cervi (Chicago Fire), Tally Hall (Esbjerg fB), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)

DF: Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Hunter Freeman (New York Red Bulls), Kamani Hill (Vfl Wolfsburg), Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Mike Randolph (LA Galaxy), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

MF: Arturo Alvarez (FC Dallas), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96)

FW: Freddy Adu (Benfica), Jozy Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Chad Barrett (Chicago Fire), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

Fire in Mexico, Conde Not

2008-02-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Fire are in Mexico as part of their preseason training, which means throngs of fans are surrounding the team in hopes to get a better glimpse of Floyd Franks, Jeff Curtin and the rest of the club. They may also be interested in following midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco, but I'm not sure.

One person who is not in attendance as the Fire continues preparing for the start of the regular season is Colombian defender Wilman Conde, who is demanding that the club release or trade his rights to the New York Red Bulls so that he may rejoin Chicago's former coach Juan Carlos Osorio.As you may recall, Osorio was lured away from the Windy City in the offseason, shocking many Fire fans and players. Since Juan Carlos was responsible for single-handedly convincing the club's ownership to shell out a transfer fee to bring Conde to the team, it comes as no surprise that he would want to continue reaping the benefits of the defender's services at his new home in the Big Apple.

The problem is, Chicago still feels a bit jilted - and rightfully so - over JCO's hasty departure, and the last thing they would want to do is to help strengthen the weak defense of a fellow Eastern Conference team. Conde was benched for the Fire's preseason match against Toronto and did not even participate with the second team, leading many to wonder whether Conde will see the field at all this year if Chicago refuses to trade him.

According to the team, Conde is not in Mexico because of a paperwork issue.

Osaka Crowned Pan-Pacific Champions

2008-02-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

In a result few people saw coming, Gamba Osaka rolled to a stunning 6-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo in the final of the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship. Brazilian striker Bare put on a show for the 23,087 in attendance - the largest crowd to watch a professional soccer game in Hawaii - by scoring four times for the J-League side, two in each half.
The Dynamo looked set to continue their impressive form in the tournament in the opening minutes. U.S. international Ricardo Clark drove home a diving header from a hard angle in the 11th minute to stake the defending MLS champs to an early lead.

But Bare could not be contained on this night, firing back seconds later with a goal of his own and doubling up just three minutes later with what would prove to be the game-winner for Gamba Osaka. Though the game would go into halftime at 2-1, the game was quickly put out of reach in the 2nd half via another pair of goals from Bare, as well as strikes from teammates Lucas and Mazato Yamazaki to cement the final scoreline at 6-1.

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Earlier in the evening, the Los Angeles Galaxy bested Sydney FC in the tournament's third-place match, 2-1. Rookie Ely Allen scored on a volley from a David Beckham cross and Josh Tudela would mop up on a spilt ball by Sydney keeper Ivan Necevski in front of goal for the game-winner.

Red Bulls on Parade

2008-02-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

There are several newsworthy Red Bulls items coming out of New York this morning, provided to us from omnipresent MLS snitch Ives Galarcep.
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Firstly, the club has traded Dema Kovalenko to Real Salt Lake. In return, New York will receive an undisclosed draft pick in the 2010 SuperDraft.Kovalenko, 30, is an experienced midfielder who has appeared in over 225 MLS games, including stints with the Chicago Fire and D.C. United. He is a three-time All-Star who has contributed 41 goals and 39 assists over his nine-year career, though his production dropped significantly after joining the Red Bulls in 2006 (2 goals, 1 assist in 35 games).

2007 salary: $197,375

Also, the club has waived Liberian forward Francis Doe. The 22-year-old made eight appearances for New York last season - four starts - scoring two goals and adding an assist.

2007 salary: $48,000

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This one had been rumored for some time, but Ives is now confirming that the Red Bulls will indeed host Spanish giants FC Barcelona for an exhibition at Giants Stadium on August 7th. The two sides previously met two years ago, with Barca downing the MLS outfit by a score of 4-1 in front of over 79,000 fans.New York was also trying to stage a similar exhibition with Real Madrid around the same time, but Los Merengues have opted to do a tour of the West Coast instead.

Galaxy, Dynamo Going in Opposite Directions

2008-02-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

Sure, the MLS preseason only got underway in the last few weeks, but the opening round of the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship offered a little glimpse of what we might be able to expect from the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo in 2008.For Los Angeles, a shaky defense didn't show any signs of improvement. In the 3rd minute of play, Troy Roberts was beaten on a harmless through-ball that new Galaxy #1 keeper Steve Cronin couldn't keep out of the back of the net. Like the second half of last season, the rest of the game feature flashbulbs popping every time David Beckham got near the ball and absolutely nothing to celebrate on the offensive end. To be fair, LA was missing two big weapons to injury: Landon Donovan and Carlos Ruiz.

"I think we played an excellent game," said new Galaxy head coach Ruud Gullit. "It took us a bit of time to adjust but after 20 minutes we started to play well. We made some mistakes but it is valuable to spend this kind of time with the players."

Los Angeles Galaxy 0 - Gamba Osaka 1

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On the other end of the spectrum, the reigning back-to-back MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo looked ready to begin their conquest for a third-straight league championship, as Dwayne De Rosario, Stuart Holden and Chris Wondolowski all struck before halftime to stake the Dynamo to a 3-0 victory over Sydney FC. Hawaii's native son Brian Ching celebrated two assists on the night, on the club's first and third goals, pleasing the Honolulu crowd.

"It was fantastic for me to be able to play in front of my home crowd," said Ching. "For us to get the win and produce a good performance was even better. Hopefully I am saving my goals for the final and we can go on and lift the trophy on Saturday."

Houston Dynamo 3 - Sydney FC 0

The results mean Houston has advanced to Saturday's final and will square off against Gamba Osaka for the championship. Los Angeles and Sydney will meet in the third-place game, a re-match of last November's exhibition in Australia, a game Sydney prevailed in by a score of 5-3.

Money Trouble in Tinseltown

2008-02-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

Billy Witz of the LA Daily News recently wrote a story about how the Los Angeles Galaxy continue to face salary cap problems. As part of that story, he interviewed defender Abel Xavier, who offered some insight into the issue.

"Luis (Figo) is my close friend. He would like to come to join the Galaxy," Xavier said. "Alexi Lalas is aware of that but there is a restriction on (designated) players.

"Players want to come here," he continued. "Perhaps some players don't realize the situation in MLS. They think it is very easy to come, but then there are the restrictions. If you want to target outside players, you must open the market. I can bring (Chelsea's Claude) Makelele, Figo, everybody who wants to come here, but as long as you have this rule, it's not possible."

The Galaxy's trio of Designated Players - David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Carlos Ruiz - will account for 1/2 of the club's salary cap in 2008, a move that has GM Alexi Lalas looking at trimming the fat from the roster. Current efforts to pare down the current roster in order to somewhat comply with the MLS salary cap have some of the Galaxy's biggest contributors from 2007 worried about their future with the club.

Midfielder/defender Chris Klein said he has spoken to Lalas and head coach Ruud Gullit, who assured the 2007 Galaxy MVP that he is in their future plans.

Kyle Martino's future with the club seems to be more in doubt, as the 2002 MLS Rookie of the Year was left off the team's active roster for the Pan-Pacific Championship, even though he's perfectly healthy. Forward Carlos Ruiz will be making the trip to Hawaii, even though club officials acknowledge that there is no chance El Pescadito will see playing time in the tournament. It should be noted that getting rid of Martino would only save the club $55,297.

Pete Vagenas, once the team's captain, prefers not to discuss his place in the team with Lalas anymore; he was nearly traded to the Columbus Crew last year.

"I've always viewed this as a day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year thing," said Vagenas. "We try to stay away from Alexi. Usually when you're talking to Alexi, it's bad news."

Money issues led to the departure of defender Chris Albright last month. One of the Galaxy's most popular players, the U.S. international was traded to the New England Revolution for cash, a move that also rid the Galaxy of his salary ($142,500 in 2007) for the upcoming season.

Here's a list of several other Galaxy players who could be facing the ax, merely for monetary reasons:

Chris Klein - $187,250
Abel Xavier - $156,000
Edson Buddle - $150,000
Peter Vagenas - $131,875
Ante Jazic - $114,000 (injured)

Kilmarnock Signs Dalglish

2008-02-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock has signed former Houston Dynamo forward Paul Dalglish to a short-term contract.

The well-traveled Scottish striker played a big part in the Dynamo's first championship run in 2006 after joining the club late in the season, scoring two goals in the Western Conference finals to send the club to MLS Cup. But injuries limited Paul to just five appearances throughout the 2007 season, leading to his release. In all, Dalglish appeared in 15 games for the club over two seasons, adding four goals and one assist.

Here's Dalglish's resume, courtesy Wikipedia:

Musampa In Toronto Trial

2008-02-19T11:05:00.001-08:00

Former Manchester City midfielder Kiki Musampa is on a one-week trial with Toronto FC while the club continues preseason training in Florida.

His trial got off to a good start over the weekend, as Musampa helped TFC earn a 3-1 victory over the U.S. U-17 national team by scoring from the penalty spot and setting up another late in the game.
Musampa, 30, is currently a free agent after being released from his contract by Dutch club Az Alkmaar on January 1st. He has also had stints with Ajax, Bordeaux and Atletico Madrid in his career; his longest stay at one club was with La Liga outfit Malaga CF from 1999-2003 (96 appearances, 22 goals).

There has also been wide interest in the Dutch midfielder from Asian clubs, particularly in Korea and Japan.

Dynamo Stadium Plan Advancing

2008-02-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

The city of Houston has offered $15.5 million to purchase five downtown blocks that could become the future site of a new stadium for the Dynamo. Located east of U.S. 59, the tract of land is located in the city's so-called "warehouse district" which has seen some recent loft-style residential development.

The city council could vote on the proposal as soon as Wednesday, but even if it passes, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that the land will be used to build a new home for the back-to-back MLS Cup winners. Mayor Bill White has said in the past that he doesn't want taxpayer money to be involved in the construction of a stadium. Therefore, the team would have to make a deal with the city to acquire the space.

"They identified this tract of land as one in which they would be interested," said Andy Icken, deputy director for Public Works and Engineering.

Weekend Bits

2008-02-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

- MLS Rumors is reporting that a Philadelphia expansion announcement is forthcoming and will take place on Thursday, February 28th. The team would commence play in their own stadium for the 2010 season.

- The New England Revolution have signed Honduran left midfielder Mauricio Castro, who could join the team for traning in Bermuda once his visa is approved. He had been playing for CD Olimpia (Luciano Emilio's old club).

- Colombian defender Wilman Conde is asking to get out of his contract with the Chicago Fire so that he can join up with the New York Red Bulls and former head coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

- Speaking of those Red Bulls, Ives Galarcep reports that the club has already signed Colombian forward Oscar Echeverry.

- Benny Feilhaber is rumored to be coming to America once again, but Houston is ruling themselves out of the chase for the Derby County midfielder. Maybe San Jose or Chivas USA could be in the Irvine, CA native's future?

Galaxy Land Defender Vanney

2008-02-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Galaxy have continued their offseason wheeling and dealing, sending midfielder Quavas Kirk to DC United in exchange for veteran defender Greg Vanney, a three-time MLS All-Star.
For Vanney, 33, it marks a return to where his professional career started; he was originally selected by the Galaxy as the 17th overall selection in the 1996 MLS College Draft out of UCLA and made 194 appearances for the club between 1996-2001. Following a three-year stint with French Ligue 1 outfit Bastia, Vanney returned to MLS with FC Dallas in 2005. In 2007, he was traded to the Colorado Rapids, making nine appearances before being traded to DC in June.

"Greg is coming back to our club a stronger and more experienced player," said Galaxy Director of Soccer Paul Bravo. "Ruud and the entire coaching staff are pleased to be acquiring a true professional such as Greg."

General Manager Alexi Lalas echoed those sentiments.

"He's as good as a lot of defenders in this league and he's somebody I know who will bring a level of professionalism that, quite honestly, we need more of."

Kirk, 19, has made 33 appearances over three seasons for the Galaxy. The Generation Adidas product has yet to score a goal in his professional career after showing immense promise at the U-17 level by scoring 22 goals in 53 games. His only goal in a Galaxy uniform came in a 2-0 victory over Roma FC in the Fourth Round of the 2006 U.S. Open Cup.

"Quavas is a versatile player who has solid experience competing in our league," said United General Manager Dave Kasper. "He has terrific athletic qualities and approaches the game with energy and professionalism. We believe he will be a solid contributor for our club and are excited about his future at D.C. United."

United acquired Vanney in exchange for Facundo Erpen last season in hopes of solving the club's defense problems. However, his higher salary and advancing age made him less of an option for the team this season, especially after D.C.'s recent South American additions.

Kirk's salary ($111,000 in '07) won't count towards the salary cap as he is still a Generation Adidas player. Since United had little intention of re-signing Vanney, by trading the out-of-contract player to Los Angeles, D.C. has added a young prospect to their roster at literally no cost to the club.

Herron Returns to Fire

2008-02-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Fire have signed forward Andy Herron to a contract after arranging a trade for his domestic rights with the Columbus Crew. In exchange for the rights, Columbus will receive Chicago's 4th-round pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.Herron, 29, appeared in 48 games for the Fire between 2004-2006, scoring 15 goals and three assists. The Costa Rican striker was traded to Columbus in 2007, appearing in 18 games (10 starts) for the Crew. Despite only playing 794 minutes, Herron still managed to score four goals and add two assists. In the offseason, he returned to Central America and played with Puntarenas FC of the Primera Division de Costa Rica, but was persuaded to come back to Major League Soccer by his old club.

"In regard to Andy, it was a simple situation of picking up the rights to a player we know very well," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "We feel that Andy has shown that he can be a scoring threat in this league. The opportunity to sign him is significant as we continue to look for more options in the final third."

Another Yank Returns Home

2008-02-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

American Soccer Daily is reporting that Nat Borchers is coming home to play in the United States, as Real Salt Lake landed the defender via a special allocation lottery. Making the move from Odd Grenland, Borchers is the second ex-MLS player to leave Norway in favor of rejoining Major League Soccer, Ramiro Corrales, who was nabbed by the San Jose Earthquakes earlier this week.
Borchers originally played for the Colorado Rapids from 2003-2006, making 87 appearances and scoring three goals. The Tucson, AZ native played two years in Norway, but desired a return home after his team was relegated.

"Odd Grenland and the MLS reached a deal late last week regarding a transfer fee and I signed my contract with MLS yesterday," said Borchers. "I felt that after two years abroad I was ready to come back and play in the States."

RSL officials were very pleased after winning the defender's services through the special lottery.

"We are ecstatic to bring Nat Borchers on board as a member of Real Salt Lake," RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey said. "He is a defender who has already had success in our league, has enjoyed success abroad, and is someone that should continue to succeed upon his return to MLS. This acquisition is consistent with our goal of building a core of talented players that can contribute now and for the long term as well. We think we've added a tremendous and experienced talent today that will make our team better immediately."

Galaxy Defender Walks Away From Soccer

2008-02-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Galaxy defender Ty Harden has decided on a very early retirement, reportedly walking away from the game of soccer to pursue a business opportunity with his family."I'm not sure what's going on, other than it's personal reasons and we know he's in good health," said Galaxy forward Edson Buddle. "As far as I know, nothing's finalized, but I don't know a lot."

Harden, 23, was drafted out of the University of Washington by Los Angeles in the 2nd round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft (23rd overall). Earning a starting position immediately, the Junction City, OR native developed from unknown rookie defender to a solid contributor for the Galaxy over the course of the season, making 24 appearances and logging 2,086 minutes total.

Signed to a developmental contract, Harden's painfully-low starting salary of $17,000 made headlines around the soccer world by those astonished that a professional athlete could make such a small amount. At one point during the season, it was even revealed that Harden actually had a second job to supplement his income - cleaning pools. He eventually got a raise to $30,000 per year, but it apparently wasn't enough to keep his interest in soccer.

It should be noted that Harden's father, Rob Harden, is CEO and president of Goodwill Industries of Lane County in Oregon. It is unclear at this time if that is the business to which Ty is referring.

Earthquakes Felt Once Again

2008-02-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

The San Jose Earthquakes return has been made official, as the expansion team hosted the Houston Dynamo for a pre-season friendly last night.A respectable crowd of 3,182 fans turned out to PAL Stadium to welcome back professional soccer to the Bay Area, though the host Quakes lost the exhibition by a 1-0 score to a Houston club that boasted several players from the old San Jose days.

The game's only goal was scored by U.S. international Ricardo Clark, when the Houston midfielder received a pass from Chris Wondolowski and beat keeper Joe Cannon at the end of the first half.

Still, San Jose coach Frank Yallop sounded optimistic about what he saw on the field after only eight days of training camp.

"We have a solid core right now and we need to keep building," said Yallop. "I am happy with where we are at right now and we just need to keep getting better from here."

One such improvement was revealed yesterday, as the Earthquakes announced a trade with the Houston Dynamo for rights to defender Ramiro Corrales in exchange for allocation money.

It will be the third go-round in San Jose for Corrales, 30, who previously was a member of the San Jose Clash (1996-97) and Earthquakes (2001-04). The Salinas, California native spent the last three seasons playing in Norway with Ham-Kam and, most recently, SK Brann. He has also made six appearances for the US Men's National Team, including last week's 2-2 tie against Mexico.

Updated FIFA Rankings

2008-02-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

The February 2008 FIFA rankings have just been released. While there was little movement at the top, several countries did post noteworthy gains/losses. Many of the big movers are African countries, due in part to the recently completed African Cup of Nations.

* 14th - Ghana - gained 29 spots
* 24th - Ivory Coast - gained 14 spots
* 26th - United States - lost 6 spots
* 38th - Australia - gained 10 spots
* 45th - Nigeria - lost 26 spots
* 47th - Guinea - lost 14 spots

The top nine spots remain unchanged, but Croatia fell out of tenth place, allowing Greece and England to each inch up a spot.

World Rankings:
1. Argentina
2. Brazil
3. Italy
4. Spain
5. Germany
6. Czech Republic
7. France
8. Portugal
9. Netherlands
10. Greece
11. England
12. Croatia

CONCACAF:
16. Mexico
26. USA
50. Honduras
58. Canada
63. Panama
71. Costa Rica
88. Cuba
90. Jamaica
94. Guatemala
98. Trinidad & Tobago
100. Haiti

ESPN Classic to Air Pan-Pacific Championship

2008-02-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

ESPN Classic and ESPN360.com will be airing all four matches of the upcoming Pan-Pacific Championship live from Honolulu, Hawaii.
Major League Soccer will be represented by two teams in the tournament. David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy face J-League champion Gamba Osaka in the first-round (Feb. 20, 11:00 p.m. EST), while the defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo square off against Sydney FC of Australia's A-League (Feb 21, 1:30 a.m.). The winners of those two games will meet in the championship on February 23 at Aloha Stadium, while the losers will meet in a third-place game.

Sydney FC and the Galaxy have meet once before, in an exhibition last fall in front of over 80,000 fans. The Australian side prevailed by a score of 5-3, but Beckham stole the show by converting a trademark free-kick just before halftime.

Premier League's 'Global Round' In Doubt

2008-02-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

The English Premier League's newly-proposed "global round" is already encountering fierce resistance around the world.

As part of the plan floated by EPL chief executive Richard Scudamore, five international cities would be chosen to host two games each over the course of a weekend, with one game on Saturday and one on Sunday. The plan would add this 39th game to the schedule which would count toward official league standings.

But United States Soccer Federation head Sunil Gulati is already expressing concern over potentially hosting any such games.

"We've been reluctant to have official games played in the US," Gulati told BBC Sport. "We'll be guided by FIFA on this matter. But if it's not in line with its rules then we won't sanction it. We understand it's a global sport but it's about nurturing the home game.

"We have got a great relationship with the English FA and there's a lot of good reasons to look at it," Gulati continued. "But there are also some issues that we have got which would cause us to be very hesitant."

FIFA will look into the proposal at their executive committee meeting on March 14th. Several other countries have expressed broad opposition to hosting the games, mostly due to the negative impact it might have on each country's domestic league.

Asian Football Confederation chief Mohammed Bin Hammam has also spoken out against the plan in recent days.

"I always welcome the exchange of knowledge and expertise between foreign football associations and clubs, and support matches organized between AFC and other confederations which benefit the development of our clubs here in Asia," he said in a statement.

"But at the present time, I can't see the wisdom in the proposed plans," he continued. "My recommendation to the AFC executive committee would be to reject any initiatives of this nature. And we would urge the AFC member associations to protect their own national leagues and clubs within their territories. This is our position."

Turf Possible for 2010 World Cup

2008-02-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted that there is a possibility of games being played on artificial turf at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"We have envisaged, though it's not yet a final decision, that the 2010 World Cup could be played on artificial turf," Blatter told BBC Sport. "I think it's now time in this region to think about artificial turf."Under the "Win in Africa with Africa" project, FIFA is laying an artificial pitch in all of its 53 member nations on the African continent, with the only exception being South Africa. Due to the extreme climates, many fields can be damaged or even unusable. Blatter suggests that playing on an artificial surface would equal the playing field as all countries would have the same field conditions, no matter their climate.

"An artificial pitch gives you the same conditions during the whole year," said Blatter, who expressed his concern over the quality of the 2008 Nations Cup pitches in Ghana.

"Artificial turf is a solution to the owners of stadiums - you can use it more than just once a week, you can use it for other sports," he suggested. "I think it's better than uneven ground, where control of the ball is not easy."

Several of Major League Soccer's clubs use artificial turf, including the New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake, though New York and RSL are currently construction their own grass-field stadia. Many critics of the surface claim it is responsible for odd bounces and takes a greater toll on the athletes' body.

David Beckham famously spoke out against the surface last year when trying to recover from a myriad of injuries, saying the FieldTurf surface was one of the things "not right" about Major League Soccer. He later issued an apology after realizing that FieldTurf is an actual company and not just the name of the surface. The English soccer star also admitted that three FieldTurf pitches are in use at one of his youth academies.

"It's difficult but it's something we have to deal with," said the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder. It's part of the MLS and we have to come to terms with it and I'm sure it will be fine."

Busy Spring On Tap for Nats

2008-02-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Men's National Team is gearing up for a busy spring, as the United States Soccer Federation has lined up friendlies with three top 15 countries in late May and early June.
Ives Galarcep is reporting that the USMNT has agreed to face England (ranked #12) in a friendly on May 28 at Wembley Stadium. The meeting looks to be the perfect opportunity for new head coach Fabio Capello to give David Beckham his 100th cap, if he hasn't already earned it by that point.

Already confirmed, the US will take on Spain at a yet-to-be-determined site on European soil on June 4th. La Furia Roja are currently ranked fourth in the world, placing them between Italy and Germany in the latest FIFA rankings.

Less than a week later, it looks as if the US will host Argentina sometime around June 8th in the northeastern US. The Albicelestes are currently the top-ranked team in the world, edging out Brazil in the latest rankings.

If all of these friendlies go ahead as scheduled, Bob Bradley's squad could face three of the top 12 teams in the world in a two-week span leading up to their first World Cup qualifier. That kind of schedule stands in stark contrast to what we got used to under former head coach Bruce Arena. In the days and weeks leading up to the 2006 World Cup, the U.S. played a three-game "send-off series" against the likes of Morocco, Venezuela and Latvia.

Corrales Ready to Make MLS Return

2008-02-09T17:22:00.000-08:00

US international Ramiro Corrales has opted to return to Major League Soccer, according to a report from American Soccer Daily.

"We made a deal with the league," said Brann press officer Gorm Natlandsmyr. "Ramiro is now playing for one of the teams in MLS, but for which I do not know."
The Brann defender, playing in Norway's top division for the past three seasons, has seen a resurgence with the US men's national team under Bob Bradley, most recently appearing in his country's friendlies against Sweden and Mexico. He has received a total of six caps since he was first called up in 1996, and also represented the U.S. admirably at the U-20 level.

The rights to Corrales are currently held by the Houston Dynamo, but the expansion San Jose Earthquakes have also expressed interest in the defender. Corrales was with the Earthquakes from 1996-1997 and then again from 2001-2004, part of Frank Yallop's two-time MLS Cup winning squad. He has also suited up for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (56 appearances) and Miami Fusion (1 appearance), in his MLS career.

FC Dallas Update: Denilson, Gbandi Out

2008-02-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

FC Dallas' first Designated Player experiment has officially come to an end as four-time Brazilian champion Palmeiras has inked the World Cup veteran to an agreement that will last through the end of the year.
Denilson, 30, had a much-less-than-desired effect in his time at Pizza Hut Park, scoring a single goal (on a penalty kick) in eight appearances for the Hoops. Signed in August of 2007, many were skeptical of whether the midfielder would be willing to put in the work required to be successful, assuming he was just here to collect a big payday.

In two short months, Denilson had worked himself out of the FCD lineup. When the season ended, Dallas announced that they would be declining the option on Denilson's 2008 contract, leaving open the door for the Brazilian to re-sign for much less than DP-money. Apparently that wasn't an option, as Denilson's MLS career has officially come to a close already.

--------------------------------------------------

FC Dallas also announced this week that defender Chris Gbandi has formally transferred to FK Haugesund of the Norwegian Second Division. Rumors put the transfer fee for the 29-year-old Gbandi in the $100,000 range.
"We're proud that Chris was able to develop as a professional here in Dallas," said GM Michael Hitchock. "We want to thank him for his service to our club, both on and off the field, and wish him all the best in Norway."

Gbandi was selected by the club as the first overall selection in 2002 MLS SuperDraft after a successful collegiate career at the University of Connecticut. He went on to make 117 appearances for Dallas, scoring three goals and adding ten assists.

In 2004, he accepted an offer from the Liberian national team to compete in the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers, ending speculation that he might cap for the USMNT. However, he has yet to make a second appearance for the Lone Stars.

Yet Another Galaxy Friendly

2008-02-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

Look up the definition of 'overexposure' in the MLS dictionary and the first thing you will see is this:
As if last year's hectic second-half schedule/post-season tour wasn't enough of a lesson to the club, the Los Angeles Galaxy have already booked an aggressive agenda for the pre-season, including trips to Hawaii, China, Korea, and now Canada.

The latest stop announced in the ongoing David Beckham world tour is a late April/early May exhibition against the Vancouver Whitecaps... in Edmonton, which makes complete sense, since the Galaxy begin their MLS schedule in late March. The Edmonton Journal says an exact date will be confirmed next week, and the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (the pointy kind) will be involved in promoting the event.

"It's an event," said a source familiar with the negotiations aimed at bringing the Galaxy to Edmonton. "It's a one-off and he is one of the top five most recognized athletes in the world and he's a class act, a great ambassador for the sport."

The Galaxy have already played the Whitecaps once in the past three months, playing the USL team to a scoreless draw on November 7th. That game was played in Vancouver in front of 48,172.

Here are the non-MLS-related dates on the Galaxy's calendar for this spring:

Feb. 20 - Feb. 23: Pan-Pacific Championship - Honolulu, Hawaii

Mar. 1: vs. FC Seoul - Seoul, South Korea

Mar. 5: vs. China All-Star Union - Shanghai, China

April/May: vs. Vancouver Whitecaps - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

It's Official: Gomez to Rapids for DP Spot

2008-02-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

The long-awaited trade sending Christian Gomez from D.C. United to the Colorado Rapids has been finalized, with the former MLS MVP introduced by club officials earlier today. He reportedly signed a two-year deal, with an option for a third, worth about $400,000 per season, which will keep him just under the league maximum for a non-DP player. In exchange, D.C. will receive Colorado's first-round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and "future considerations" from the club.
Steven Goff is reporting that those "future considerations" may include Colorado's Designated Player slot for the next two years.

Gomez sounded an optimistic tone during Friday's press conference, promising to lift the team above what was a disappointing 2007 season.

"I feel like I can make a difference here and take it to another level," said Gomez through an interpreter. "I welcome a new period for the Colorado Rapids, where we're going to reach new heights and levels."

Head coach Fernando Clavijo couldn't be more pleased with the signing, perhaps hoping that Gomez will lead the team into contention and get Clavijo off of the hot-seat.

"Having a player of this caliber coming to the lineup is going to make us all better," said Clavijo. "He's going to be able to link with everybody else that we have up front. He's going to be able to find the back of the net. He's going to help us win games, and that's exactly what he's here for. He's a proven commodity in our league and we're really excited to have him."

The addition of Gomez should provide a badly-needed shot in the arm to the Rapids, with an offense that struggled mightily last season. Colorado found the back of the net just 29 times in 30 games last season, ahead of only the woeful Toronto FC offense (25).

"This is a great place with a beautiful stadium where I've come to play before," Gomez said. "You'll see me running, fighting for the ball until the very last minute. I'm going to leave it all on the field. I'm a dedicated soccer player. We have great players, we have a great base to build on this year. We're going to fight until the very end."

Team captain Pablo Mastroeni, rumored to be on his way out of Colorado this off-season, also expressed excitement over the signing.

"I think it's phenomenal," he said of the addition of Gomez. "It shows the commitment of the club to get results, to get a guy of his caliber that's proven himself year after year."

Ze Roberto to MLS? Not Yet

2008-02-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

Bayern Munich star José Roberto da Silva Júnior has revealed that he does not plan to extend his contract with the German club when it runs out in 2009. Instead, the Brazilian better known as Zé Roberto has insisted that he would like to come to America to end his playing career."I don't want to and I can't stay," he told Kicker. "I've spent long enough in Europe - 2009 will be the end for me at Bayern. I have contacts with a team in America and that is a possibility for 2009," he continued.

Zé Roberto, 33, has been capped 84 times for his country between 1995 and 2007, but the left-footed winger recently retired from the Selecao to concentrate on his club. He was included on the roster for the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2006, scoring against Ghana in the second-round of the latter competition in Germany.

On the club side, Zé Roberto started off in Brazil with Portuguesa in 1994 until his move to Real Madrid in 1997. After 15 appearances at the Bernabéu, he returned to his home country for a brief stint with Flamengo, but would soon be off to Germany, playing for Bayer Leverkusen from 1998-2002 (113 appearances). His first run with Bayern Munich lasted from 2002-2006, broken up by another return to Brazil with Santos FC. In June of 2007, he signed a two-year deal to return to Allianz Arena.

MLS Defender Marshall Delivers

2008-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

Jamaica's Tyrone Marshall scored in the 88th minute of an international friendly on Wednesday, lifting his country to a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica at the National Stadium in Kingston. Marshall, currently with Toronto FC of MLS, rose above a pair of defenders to meet a cross from Marlon King and was able to beat goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzales for the equalizer, coming ten minutes after Costa Rica first took the lead through a William Sunsing strike that came against the run of play.
"It was a good start to our campaign for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa," Jamaica's Brazilian coach Rene Simones said. "The boys played well and we could have won the game if we had taken those chances."

Marshall, 33, was the 11th overall pick in the 1998 MLS College Draft, selected by the Colorado Rapids. The central defender played only one game for the club before being traded to the Miami Fusion. After three seasons with Miami, that team folded and Marshall went to the Los Angeles Galaxy through the Allocation Draft. From 2002-2007, he was a mainstay on the backline of the G's, but was traded to Toronto FC eight games into the season after breaking Kenny Cooper's leg with a slide tackle in his last appearance with Los Angeles.

He has also made 60 appearances for Jamaica's national team, scoring three times, including the game winner against Trinidad & Tobago int he final round of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Next up for 98th-ranked Jamaica is a friendly against aforementioned T&T on March 26, the last tune-up for The Reggae Boyz before entering the second round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Jozy Subject of Secret Transfer Attempt

2008-02-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Lost in all the transfer talk surrounding Brad Guzan and Eddie Johnson, reports are now surfacing that New York Red Bulls and USMNT star Jozy Altidore was also very close to an overseas move, nearly joining Reading of the English Premier League just before the close of the winter transfer window. The story was kept so quiet that even MLS insiders Ives Galarcep and Steven Goff were unaware of what was transpiring.Reading, already the home to two Americans (Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann), had been scouting young Jozy for the past two years and were prepared to bring the youngster on board, as the club is in the midst of a relegation fight. The deal hinged on Reading's ability to sell off one of their other players and, when they failed to find a buyer, the transfer for Altidore fell apart.

"I've heard a lot about the club and it was an up and coming club that was interested in me," said Altidore. "It looked like it was something that was going to be a good idea for me but the Red Bulls are where I'm going to be.

"This is where my home is going to be right now," Altidore said. "I'm committed to the team and I'm not even worried about what happened."

Altidore's future has been the subject of constant speculation for New York Red Bulls and MLS fans, and his emergence on the national stage has only fueled those rumors. European clubs from Spain to England have come calling for the 18-year-old, with Real Madrid making it clear that they would welcome Altidore with open arms.

As with Guzan, MLS will not be able to hold on to Altidore for much longer if he does not want to stay. Jozy made $108,333 in guaranteed compensation last season, but stands to make much, much more by moving to just about ANY other league in the world. For now, he remains with the Red Bulls and is still in good spirits.

"I'm still happy to be with New York because I've watched this team since I was growing up. This is the team I wanted to play for in the beginning and the team I'm playing for now and I wouldn't have it any other way."

2008 MLS Schedule Revealed

2008-02-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

WEEK 1

Saturday, Mar 29
Toronto FC at Columbus Crew 4:00
Chicago Fire at Real Salt Lake 6:00
Houston Dynamo at New England Revolution 7:30 FSC/FSE
D.C. United at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Los Angeles Galaxy at Colorado Rapids 9:30 FSC/FSE & HDNet

Sunday, Mar 30
Chivas USA at FC Dallas 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 2

Thursday, Apr 03
New England Revolution at Chicago Fire 8:00 ESPN2
San Jose at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Apr 05
Toronto FC at D.C. United 7:30
Columbus Crew at New York Red Bulls 7:30 FSC/FSE/FSE
Colorado Rapids at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA 9:00 HDNet

Sunday, Apr 06
FC Dallas at Houston Dynamo 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 3

Wednesday, Apr 09
New England Revolution at Kansas City Wizards 8:00

Saturday, Apr 12
Chicago Fire at San Jose 4:30
Chivas USA at Columbus Crew 7:30
Colorado Rapids at New England Revolution 7:30
Houston Dynamo at Kansas City Wizards 8:00 HDNet
New York Red Bulls at FC Dallas 8:30
D.C. United at Real Salt Lake 9:00

Sunday, Apr 13
Toronto FC at Los Angeles Galaxy 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 4

Thursday, Apr 17
Columbus Crew at D.C. United 8:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Apr 19
Real Salt Lake at Toronto FC 3:30
New England Revolution at New York Red Bulls 7:30 HDNet
San Jose at Colorado Rapids 9:30 FSC/FSE
Houston Dynamo at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30

Sunday, Apr 20
Kansas City Wizards at Chicago Fire 3:00 TeleFutura
FC Dallas at Chivas USA 8:00
--------------------------------------
WEEK 5

Thursday, Apr 24
New England Revolution at FC Dallas 8:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Apr 26
Kansas City Wizards at Toronto FC 3:30
Houston Dynamo at Columbus Crew 7:30
Real Salt Lake at D.C. United 7:30
Colorado Rapids at Chicago Fire 8:30 HDNet
Chivas USA at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 FSC/FSE

Sunday, Apr 27
San Jose at New York Red Bulls 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 6

Thursday, May 01
New York Red Bulls at Toronto FC 7:00 ESPN2

Saturday, May 03
Kansas City Wizards at Columbus Crew 7:30 FSC Chicago Fire at New England Revolution 7:30
Chivas USA at Houston Dynamo 8:30 HDNet
Los Angeles Galaxy at Real Salt Lake 9:00
FC Dallas at San Jose 10:00

Sunday, May 04
D.C. United at Colorado Rapids 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 7

Thursday, May 08
Chicago Fire at D.C. United 7:30 ESPN2

Saturday, May 10
Colorado Rapids at Houston Dynamo 8:30 FSC/FSE
FC Dallas at Real Salt Lake 9:00
Columbus Crew at San Jose 10:00
New York Red Bulls at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 HDNet

Sunday, May 11
New England Revolution at Chivas USA 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 8

Thursday, May 15
Real Salt Lake at Colorado Rapids 9:30 ESPN2

Saturday, May 17
Columbus Crew at Toronto FC 3:30
San Jose at New England Revolution 7:30 HDNet
Kansas City Wizards at New York Red Bulls 7:30
Houston Dynamo at Chicago Fire 8:30
D.C. United at Chivas USA 10:30 FSC/FSE

Sunday, May 18
Los Angeles Galaxy at FC Dallas 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 9

Wednesday, May 21
D.C. United at Toronto FC 7:30

Thursday, May 22
Houston Dynamo at San Jose 10:30 ESPN2

Saturday, May 24
Toronto FC at D.C. United 7:30
New England Revolution at Columbus Crew 7:30 FSC/FSE
Real Salt Lake at FC Dallas 8:30
Chivas USA at Colorado Rapids 9:30
Kansas City Wizards at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 HDNet

Sunday, May 25
Chicago Fire at New York Red Bulls 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 10

Thursday, May 29
D.C. United at New England Revolution 7:30 ESPN2

Saturday, May 31
Los Angeles Galaxy at Toronto FC 3:30
New York Red Bulls at Houston Dynamo 8:30 HDNet
San Jose at Real Salt Lake 9:00 FSC/FSE
Columbus Crew at Chivas USA 10:30

Sunday, Jun 01
FC Dallas at Colorado Rapids 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 11

Wednesday, Jun 04
Houston Dynamo at D.C. United 7:30

Thursday, Jun 05
Chivas USA at New York Red Bulls 7:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Jun 07
San Jose at Columbus Crew 7:30 HDNet
D.C. United at Chicago Fire 8:30 FSC/FSE
Toronto FC at Houston Dynamo 8:30
Kansas City Wizards at Real Salt Lake 9:00
Colorado Rapids at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30

Sunday, Jun 08
FC Dallas at New England Revolution 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 12

Thursday, Jun 12
New England Revolution at Houston Dynamo 9:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Jun 14
New York Red Bulls at D.C. United 7:30 HDNet
Columbus Crew at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Toronto FC at Colorado Rapids 9:30
Los Angeles Galaxy at San Jose 10:00 FSC/FSE
Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA 10:30

Sunday, Jun 15
Chicago Fire at FC Dallas 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 13

Wednesday, Jun 18
San Jose at Real Salt Lake 9:00

Thursday, Jun 19
Chicago Fire at Chivas USA 10:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Jun 21
Kansas City Wizards at Toronto FC 3:30
FC Dallas at New York Red Bulls 7:30 FSC/FSE
Houston Dynamo at Colorado Rapids 9:30 HDNet
New England Revolution at Real Salt Lake 9:30
Columbus Crew at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30

Sunday, Jun 22
San Jose at D.C. United 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 14

Thursday, Jun 26
FC Dallas at Houston Dynamo 9:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Jun 28
Colorado Rapids at Columbus Crew 7:30 FSC/FSE
Toronto FC at New England Revolution 7:30
Real Salt Lake at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
San Jose at Chicago Fire 8:30
New York Red Bulls at Chivas USA 10:30 HDNet

Sunday, Jun 29
Los Angeles Galaxy at D.C. United 12:00 ABC (2.5 hour telecast)
--------------------------------------
WEEK 15

Thursday, Jul 03
Houston Dynamo at Real Salt Lake 10:00 ESPN2

Friday, Jul 04
Kansas City Wizards at FC Dallas 7:00 HDNet
New York Red Bulls at Colorado Rapids 9:30
New England Revolution at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30

Saturday, Jul 05
Chicago Fire at Columbus Crew 8:00 FSC/FSE
San Jose at Chivas USA 10:30 FSC/FSE
--------------------------------------
WEEK 16

Thursday, Jul 10
New York Red Bulls at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Chivas USA at Los Angeles Galaxy 11:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Jul 12
Colorado Rapids at San Jose 4:00
Toronto FC at Chicago Fire 8:30 FSC/FSE
Columbus Crew at Real Salt Lake 9:00 HDNet
--------------------------------------
WEEK 17

Thursday, Jul 17
Kansas City Wizards at Columbus Crew 8:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Jul 19
San Jose at Toronto FC 3:30 HDNet
Los Angeles Galaxy at New York Red Bulls 6:30 FSC/FSE
Real Salt Lake at Chicago Fire 8:30
Colorado Rapids at FC Dallas 8:30
--------------------------------------
WEEK 18

Thursday, Jul 24
MLS All-Star Game 7:00 ESPN2, TeleFutura

Sunday, Jul 27
New York Red Bulls at San Jose 3:00 TeleFutura
Los Angeles Galaxy at FC Dallas 7:00
Chicago Fire at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Columbus Crew at Colorado Rapids 9:30
--------------------------------------
WEEK 19

Monday, Jul 28
Toronto FC at Real Salt Lake 9:00

Saturday, Aug 02
Kansas City Wizards at D.C. United 7:30
New York Red Bulls at New England Revolution 7:30 FSC/FSE
Chivas USA at Chicago Fire 8:30 HDNet
Columbus Crew at Houston Dynamo 8:30

Sunday, Aug 03
Los Angeles Galaxy at San Jose 3:00 TeleFutura
FC Dallas at Toronto FC 7:00
--------------------------------------
WEEK 20

Saturday, Aug 09
Colorado Rapids at Toronto FC 3:30
Chicago Fire at New England Revolution 7:30 HDNet
D.C. United at New York Red Bulls 7:30
Chivas USA at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Houston Dynamo at FC Dallas 8:30 FSC/FSE
--------------------------------------
WEEK 21

Thursday, Aug 14
Los Angeles Galaxy at Chivas USA 10:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Aug 16
FC Dallas at Columbus Crew 7:30 FSC/FSE
D.C. United at Chicago Fire 8:30
Real Salt Lake at Houston Dynamo 8:30
Kansas City Wizards at Colorado Rapids 9:30
New England Revolution at San Jose 10:00 HDNet

Sunday, Aug 17
Toronto FC at New York Red Bulls 5:00
--------------------------------------
WEEK 22

Wednesday, Aug 20
D.C. United at New England Revolution 7:30
Chivas USA at Houston Dynamo 8:30

Thursday, Aug 21
Chicago Fire at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Aug 23
Real Salt Lake at Columbus Crew 7:30
Colorado Rapids at D.C. United 7:30
New England Revolution at Toronto FC 7:30 FSC/FSE
FC Dallas at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
San Jose at Chivas USA 10:30 HDNet

Sunday, Aug 24
Houston Dynamo at New York Red Bulls 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 23

Friday, Aug 29
Colorado Rapids at Real Salt Lake 9:00

Saturday, Aug 30
New York Red Bulls at D.C. United 7:30 FSC/FSE
Los Angeles Galaxy at New England Revolution 7:30 HDNet
Columbus Crew at FC Dallas 8:30
Kansas City Wizards at San Jose 10:00
Toronto FC at Chivas USA 10:30

Sunday, Aug 31
Chicago Fire at Houston Dynamo 7:00
--------------------------------------
WEEK 24

Thursday, Sep 04
Colorado Rapids at FC Dallas 8:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Sep 06
Chivas USA at Toronto FC 3:30
New England Revolution at Columbus Crew 7:30 HDNet
New York Red Bulls at Chicago Fire 8:30 FSC/FSE
D.C. United at San Jose 10:00
Real Salt Lake at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30

Sunday, Sep 07
Kansas City Wizards at Houston Dynamo 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 25

Thursday, Sep 11
Chivas USA at New England Revolution 7:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Sep 13
Columbus Crew at Toronto FC 3:30 Houston Dynamo at San Jose 4:00
Real Salt Lake at New York Red Bulls 7:30
FC Dallas at D.C. United 7:30 FSC/FSE
Los Angeles Galaxy at Kansas City Wizards 8:00 HDNet

Sunday, Sep 14
Chicago Fire at Colorado Rapids 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 26

Thursday, Sep 18
New York Red Bulls at Columbus Crew 7:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Sep 20
Toronto FC at Kansas City Wizards 8:00 HDNet
San Jose Houston Dynamo 8:30
Chivas USA at Real Salt Lake 9:00
New England Revolution at Colorado Rapids 9:00
D.C. United at Los Angeles Galaxy 11:00 FSC/FSE

Sunday, Sep 21
FC Dallas at Chicago Fire 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 27

Thursday, Sep 25
Los Angeles Galaxy at Chicago Fire 9:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Sep 27
Houston Dynamo at Toronto FC 3:30
Colorado Rapids at New York Red Bulls 7:30
Columbus Crew at New England Revolution 7:30
Real Salt Lake at San Jose 10:00 HDNet
Kansas City Wizards at Chivas USA 10:30 FSC/FSE

Sunday, Sep 28
D.C. United at FC Dallas 3:00 TeleFutura
--------------------------------------
WEEK 28

Thursday, Oct 02
San Jose at FC Dallas 8:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Oct 04
Los Angeles Galaxy at Columbus Crew 7:30 HDNet
Chivas USA at D.C. United 7:30 FSC/FSE
Real Salt Lake at New England Revolution 7:30
Toronto FC at New York Red Bulls 7:30
Houston Dynamo at Colorado Rapids 9:30

Sunday, Oct 05
Chicago Fire at Kansas City Wizards 3:00 TeleFutura
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WEEK 29

Thursday, Oct 09
New York Red Bulls at Real Salt Lake 10:00 ESPN2

Saturday, Oct 11
New England Revolution at Kansas City Wizards 8:00
Toronto FC at FC Dallas 8:30 FSC/FSE
Chivas USA atSan Jose 10:00 HDNet

Sunday, Oct 12
Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire 3:00 TeleFutura
D.C. United at Houston Dynamo 7:00
Colorado Rapids at Los Angeles Galaxy 8:00
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WEEK 30

Thursday, Oct 16
New England Revolution at D.C. United 7:30 ESPN2

Saturday, Oct 18
Chicago Fire at Toronto FC, 3:30, HDNet
Columbus Crew at New York Red Bulls, 7:30
San Jose at Kansas City Wizards, 8:00
FC Dallas at Real Salt Lake, 9:00, FSC/FSE

Sunday, Oct 19
Colorado Rapids at Chivas USA, 3:00, TeleFutura
Los Angeles Galaxy at Houston Dynamo, 7:00
--------------------------------------
WEEK 31

Thursday, Oct 23
New York Red Bulls at Chicago Fire, 9:00, ESPN2

Saturday, Oct 25
Kansas City Wizards at New England Revolution, 7:30
Real Salt Lake at Colorado Rapids, 9:30, HDNet
Toronto FC at San Jose, 10:00
Houston Dynamo at Chivas USA, 10:30, FSC/FSE

Sunday, Oct 26
FC Dallas at Los Angeles Galaxy, 3:00, TeleFutura
D.C. United at Columbus Crew, 5:00
--------------------------------------
Conference Semis 1
Thursday, Oct. 30 - Sunday, Nov. 2, TBD
--------------------------------------
Conference Semis 2
Thursday, Nov. 6 - Sunday, Nov. 9, TBD
--------------------------------------
Conference Championship
Thursday, Nov. 13 - Sunday, Nov. 16, TBD
--------------------------------------
MLS Cup 2008
Sunday, Nov. 23, 3:30, ABC/TeleFutura

News Briefs - February 7th

2008-02-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

While we all try to recover from last night's thrilling 2-2 tie between Mexico and the US, here are a few items making news today.

- Recap of last night's game from the Houston Chronicle's Bernardo Fallas.

- 2008 regular season schedule to be unveiled today.

- Colorado Rapids are planning a formal announcement of a player acquisition tomorrow - almost certainly D.C. United's Christian Gomez.

- FC Dallas rumored to be after Derby County midfielder Bob Malcolm and Wycombe Wanderers defender Sam Stockley, according to MLS Rumors .

USA vs Mexico - Running Blog

2008-02-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

90 - Last-chance free kick from Donovan turned away; game ends in a 2-2 draw.

90 - Announced attendance: 70,103 (sold-out)

90 - Mexico substitution - Arce out, Villaluz in.

88 - Everybody looks out of gas on the pitch. Corrales draws an unfortunate yellow card, setting up a free kick from the right side. Mexico's free kick is headed out by Gooch. Both teams look content with a tie.

83 - Players are dropping left and right. Lewis was down in the box; also Feilhaber is holding his hand. On the other side, Arce took some time getting up. Play is continuing now.

80 - Onyewu offside on a Donovan free kick; the defender's header traveled wide anyway.

79 - USA substitution - Rico Clark out, Mo Edu in.

77 - Altidore earns yellow card for repeated shoving. Dos Santos shot blocked in traffic.

71 - Mexico substitution - Bautista and Vela out, Zinha and Dos Santos in.

70 - USA substitution - Convey out, Eddie Lewis in.

69 - Yellow card on Onyewu.

67 - Mexico substitution - De Nigris out, Cacho in.

65 - De Nigris shot weakly on frame, no trouble for Howard.

63 - Substitution USA - Adu and Feilhaber in, Dempsey and Bradley out.

60 - Vela shot at an open net deflelcted in front by Drew Moor, denying Mexico their first lead of the game.

58 - Another bad giveaway by Bradley in the midfield; Bofo Bautista eludes two defenders and then draws a foul 30 yards away from the goal. Subsequent shot is covered by Howard.

55 - Fireworks erupt as De Negris crashes through Tim Howard. A minor scuffle ensues as play advances down to the other end of the field. Dempsey tries to do too much with the ball and a pair of defenders takes him out.

53 - Altidore threatens to get a second goal of his own, but his header flashes wide of the far post as he's taken out from behind.

47 - MEXICO GOAL - Magallon scores again on a set piece, as Vela's corner kick got flicked on before Magallon put it away in the roof of the goal. The two sides are again even, 2-2.

46 - A quick start to the half as Carlos Vela fires a low shot just wide of the net.

A slow start to the game built throughout the half, with the U.S. actually creating some decent chances over the last 15 minutes. The score should definitely be 3-1, but due to some horrendous officiating, the U.S. lead stands at one as the second half gets underway.

Update: Bob Bradley says referees called the Dempsey goal back because of offsides, though there was clearly never a point in the play where such a call would have made any sense. Awful call. Terrible.

45 - Bradley draws yellow just before the halftime whistle. Game heads into halftime with US leading 2-1.

44 - Corrales goes down, giving both sides a chance to calm the chaotic play of the past 10 minutes.

42 - USA goal from Clint Dempsey called back; Deuce turned and fired a bouncing shot past Ochoa from the top of the box - still unsure why the goal was called off. Game remains tied.

40 - USA GOAL - Jozy Altidore with a screaming header on a spot-on cross from Moor. US retakes the lead minutes before halftime.

38 - Salcido draws a yellow card for a harsh tackle on Donovan, taking the Galaxy star out at the ankles.

37 - Howard again called to make a save on a circus shot from Arce.

35 - MEXICO GOAL - Pardo free kick from the right side is put away by Magallon. It looks like Drew Moor is the one who lost his man in the scrum.

29 - USA GOAL - Oguchi Onyewu. Following a long throw-in from Gooch that Ochoa punched away, Donovan sends a looping ball back into the box, where Onyewu's awkward header finds the corner of the goal past a stunned Ochoa.

27 - Dempsey turns and shoots from the right side of the box, but Ochoa is easily able to smother the attempt.

23 - Defensive lapse by Drew Moor leads to another Mexican scoring opportunity, but the resulting shot is skied over the bar.

22 - Salcido's 25-yard rocket shot from the left side stopped by a diving Howard. The Everton keeper is forced into making a save on a De Nigris shot from the right just seconds later.

18 - Parkhurst is warming up on the sidelines, but Bocanegra is now up and appears to be able to continue.

17 - Bocanegra and Howard collide on a dangerous ball into the box. The Fulham defender is still down.

16 - Altidore appeared to beat Marquez to a ball over-the-top, but a timely dive by the Mexican defender drew a late whistle.

12 - US struggling to hold the ball for more than five consecutive touches; Deuce run down the left broken up by a pair of El Tri defenders.

9 - Donovan free kick fails to clear the first defender; subsequent attack leads to US shot, deflected in traffic.

8 - The absence of DaMarcus Beasley is already being felt; Bobby Convey tried to take on a defender one-on-one on the left side, but got completely stuffed.

6 - US has committed a series of bad fouls early; Mexico is ratcheting up the pressure.

3 - Both teams feeling each other out; Mexico has had the majority of possession, but can't string anything together yet.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-game preparations are underway. Here are the starting lineups from Houston.

USA:
GK - Tim Howard
D - Drew Moor
D - Oguchi Onyewu
D - Carlos Bocanegra
D - Ramiro Corrales
M - Ricardo Clark
M - Landon Donovan
M - Michael Bradley
M - Bobby Convey
F - Clint Dempsey
F - Jozy Altidore

MEX:
Ochoa, Salcido, Marquez, Magallon, Castro, Arce, Pardo, Torrado, Vela, De Nigris, Bautista

My prediction: USA 2 - Mexico 1

Aston Villa Still Want Guzan

2008-02-06T08:29:00.000-08:00

Though Brad Guzan's move to Aston Villa was thwarted due to his inability to secure a work permit, the English club has revealed that they will continue pursuing the Chivas USA goalkeeper, with an eye on landing the 23-year-old during the summer transfer window. Head coach Martin O'Neill has also expressed frustration over the process that denied the young American a move to his club."We wanted to try and get Brad Guzan in because I believe he has got really good ability," said O'Neill. "He wanted to come to Aston Villa, which was really encouraging, but his appeal for a work permit was turned down. They do not tell you why, six people sit in on it and take a vote. I am certainly going to have a look at it again in the future. If you are talking about the keepers that America has produced, then he is in line with those."

Tomorrow: US vs MEX Running Blog

2008-02-05T19:47:00.001-08:00

Update: For those of you who won't be close to your television sets tomorrow night, The MLS Zone will be offering a running commentary and analysis of the minute-by-minute action in the U.S.-Mexico clash. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. CST and will air on ESPN2.

Last Season for Diego Gutierrez

2008-02-05T19:30:00.001-08:00

Chicago Fire midfielder Diego Gutierrez said on Monday that the 2008 season will be his last. One of just two players on the club's current roster who was also with the Fire during their inaugural season in 1998, the 35-year-old Gutierrez has announced that he will retire after this season.
"I was very close to calling it a career three weeks ago," said Gutierrez. "I was done, mentally speaking. I wasn't sure which direction the franchise was going at that point and the roster looked a lot different. I had a lot of opportunities for other business ventures as well.

"When [the Fire] put the coaching staff together, I decided it was maybe time to give it one more run. Denis and I see soccer in the same way. I'm more excited for this season than I have been for any other season since coming into the league.

"I'm happy I will retire with the Fire jersey. I have the Fire logo tattooed on my heart."

The Bogota, Colombia native has split his 12-year MLS career between the Fire and the Kansas City Wizards, making 296 appearances and scoring 13 goals with 45 assists. He was selected to the All-Star team in 2001, playing the entire second-half of the game, and has made it to the post-season in all but two of his years in the league. He will be looked upon in 2008 to bring veteran leadership and solid play to the midfield under new head coach Denis Hamlett.

Friedel Gets Contract Extension

2008-02-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

American goalkeeper Brad Friedel has agreed to a contract extension with Blackburn Rovers, a move that will keep him playing at Ewood Park until at least June of 2010, reaching a decade with the club.

"I'm delighted to have extended the agreement by a further 12 months," said the 36-year-old Friedel. "It was not a difficult decision to make. Blackburn Rovers is home to me. This is my club and I have a special affinity with it."Friedel has been with the Premier League outfit since 2000 and recently celebrated his 300th appearance in the league. He has played every minute of league action for the club this season, leading them to a 10-6-9 record, good for eighth-best in the league.

He was a force in American soccer in the late '90s and early '00s, making 82 appearances for the US MNT between 1992-2005. He was also named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year while with the the Columbus Crew in 1997 and U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2002.

Bid to Block KC Development Project Abandoned

2008-02-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

The petition drive to block Kansas City's Bannister Mall redevelopment has been abandoned by organizer Richard Tolbert due to a stunning lack of support. Of the 8,475 signatures required to call for a vote on blocking the project, businessman Tolbert turned in two - yes, just TWO - and informed the city clerk that there would be no other signatures forthcoming.The city council recently approved the near-$1 billion plan, which calls for the construction of an 18,500-seat soccer stadium that would become the home of the Wizards, as well as 12 youth fields, a hotel, and retail and office space by 2010.

Tolbert had said that he and other business owners had joined together in the bid to resurrect the run-down mall site, insisting that the area could be turned into a thriving black business hub with proper management.

"This seemed like it was all a game to Mr. Tolbert," said Councilman John Sharp. "I think people were extremely upset that a group that didn't even live in this area could hold up a project so important to us by turning in two signatures."

QPR Picks Up Pickens

2008-02-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

Luis Arroyave is reporting on his blog The Red Card that goalkeeper Matt Pickens has signed with Queens Park Rangers of the Football League Championship after turning down an offer from the Chicago Fire.Pickens, 25, had been with the Fire since 2004 but wasn't a regular starter until last season. In 27 games, he posted a 9-8-10 record to go along with a 1.15 GAA in 2007, a good enough performance to merit the attention of U.S. MNT coach Bob Bradley last month. While in his first camp with the senior national team, however, he decided to leave early to go on trial with a handful of English clubs, a move that has apparently paid dividends for the 19th overall selection in the 2004 SuperDraft.

Incoming?

2008-02-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

While the international transfer window closed last week, Major League Soccer operates by a slightly different set of rules. The league's transfer window runs through April 15, meaning MLS teams are still free to sign and negotiate transfer fees for players from other clubs before that deadline. For instance, Chivas USA completed the transfer of Raphael Wicky from FC Sion just today.

With that in mind, there are stories linking several international players with an MLS move this morning. Here are the links to a few of them.

Andre Rocha - Clube Atletico Paranaense to FC Dallas (loan)

Lars Ricken - Borussia Dortmund to Columbus Crew

Tomasz Frankowski - unaffiliated to Chicago Fire (trial)

McBride Makes Return

2008-02-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

American striker Brian McBride has made his return to the Fulham lineup, coming on in the 70th minute of his club's vital 2-1 victory over Aston Villa this weekend.McBride, 35, had been sidelined since mid-August with a dislocated left kneecap, but showed no signs of the injury in a mid-week friendly against Cardiff City, prompting manager Roy Hodgson to bring the former U.S. international on late in the second-half.

"Brian has done extremely well to be back so early from the injury," said Hodgson. "He's worked very, very hard at it. It was good that he played 90 minutes on Wednesday and I thought the longer the game went on the happier he looked on the field."

McBride has become one of the Cottagers most popular players, and led the club with 12 goals last season. They will look to him - as well as fellow Americans Eddie Johnson, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Kasey Keller - to lead a late-season resurgence needed to keep the club from being relegated. Their win on Sunday moves the club to within a single point of Reading, who currently holds the last spot in safety.

Budding Supporters Groups

2008-02-03T12:34:00.000-08:00

With the topic of MLS expansion on everyone's radar, we thought we'd pass on links to three budding supporters groups, in case you live in the area and are interested in joining their cause. Also, check out MLS Underground - a fantastic sounding board for supporters groups on the net.

If you have a supporters group in a city that does not currently have an MLS team, send The MLS Zone your website's link and we'll gladly pass it on to our readers.

Here are a few that have been brought to our attention:

Miami - www.miamisoccerfan.com

Philadelphia - www.sonsofben.net

St. Louis - www.gatewaycitysupportersclub.org

New York - www.boroughboysnyc.com

Rumor: Raphael Wicky to Chivas USA

2008-02-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

Several reports tonight indicate that Chivas USA is prepared to sign defensive midfielder Raphael Wicky.
The 30-year-old Swiss international is currently playing for FC Sion in his native Switzerland after losing his place in the first team at Hamburger SV. He has also played for Werder Bremen and Atletico Madrid in his career, but is preparing to move to Major League Soccer at this hour. Wicky actually trained with Chivas in August of last year, but ultimately returned to Europe, despite drawing interest from several MLS teams.

Wicky has been capped 75 times for the Swiss national team and performed well for the Nati in World Cup 2006, as Switzerland was the only team in the tournament that did not concede a goal during regulation - though they were ultimately dumped out of the tournament in penalty kicks by Ukraine in the round of 16. Wicky was also called up for the European Championships in 1996 and 2004, and could again appear in the competition this year, as Switzerland automatically qualified for Euro '08 as a co-hosting country.

Section 8 to Expand

2008-02-02T19:25:00.000-08:00

Members of the Chicago Fire supporters group rejoice: Section 8 will be expanding to two seating sections for the 2008 season. Section 117 will be added as the newest part of the standing-room-only home of Section 8 supporters, joining current location Section 118, which sold out for 13 of the Fire's 15 home games last year, prompting the addition."By expanding our supporters seating, we recognized the growing passionate support that you'd expect from fans of the Chicago Fire," said team president John Guppy. "We hope that, in time, Toyota Park will be filled to the brim with the same energetic, diehard fan base we've come to expect from Section 8.

If you live in the Chicago area and are interested in joining the group or finding out more about them, check out www.section8chicago.com.

Personal Milestone

2008-02-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

Today on The MLS Zone, we reached a bit of a milestone: 500 posts since creating the site about a year ago. That's just about 1.5 posts per day, a number we hope to raise in the coming months.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the daily readers of The MLS Zone, and welcome new readers in. We have seen a 31% increase in visits to the site over the past month and hope to be able to keep growing the site, eventually taking it off Blogger so it can blaze its own trail, independent of the blog scene. Each month, visitors from over 75 different countries log on to our site to get updated, and that's something we are extremely proud of.

We are grateful for all of the support we have received over the past 12 months, and hope to keep being a daily go-to source for all of your MLS and USMNT news. The 2008 MLS season is approaching quickly, as are our country's World Cup Qualifiers, and we are excited to cover the league and the sport in the United States as it continues to grow its fanbase and credibility.

Don't forget to bookmark us in your favorites and keep sending feedback and site ideas to us at TheMLSZone@gmail.com.

Bradley Announces Roster

2008-02-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

US Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has announced the final roster that he will lead into battle against regional rivals Mexico at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Wednesday. A dozen European-based players have been called into the fold to join up with the team, with Fulham duo Carlos Bocanegra and Clint Dempsey and Everton keeper Tim Howard leading the way."With the match falling on an international fixture date, this is an excellent opportunity to get the nucleus of our team together as we continue to prepare for World Cup qualifying," said Bradley. "The special nature of a USA-Mexico match provides a great test for our players, and it is something that as players and coaches we all look forward to. The experience can only benefit our group as we attempt to build a team that will help us achieve our goal of competing in South Africa in 2010."

The U.S. has a lifetime record of 14-29-10 against Mexico, but boasts a 12-6-8 advantage in home matches since 1957. In the "modern era" of American soccer (since 1990), the U.S. holds a 12-7-7 edge over their southern neighbors, including two wins in two meetings last year.

Full roster by position:

GK: Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC)

DEF: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Ramiro Corrales (SK Brann), Drew Moor (FC Dallas), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Eddie Robinson (Houston Dynamo)

MF: Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Bobby Convey (Reading FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Lewis (Derby County)

FW: Jozy Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Pat Noonan (Aalesund FK)

Polish Striker Spurns Crew

2008-02-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

The Columbus Crew's rumored signing of Maciej Zurawski fell apart in the dying hours of the transfer window, with the Polish striker agreeing to a move to Greek club Larissa instead. Columbus officials were a bit miffed over the situation, saying they were almost certain the Crew had landed the Celtic forward, right up until they learned of his transfer through the Scottish club's website.
"Nobody is more disappointed than me, " said Crew general manager Mark McCullers. "But we don't have time to dwell on it. We have to get back in the saddle and get back after it.

"We really don't even know what happened. It's not like the agent came back to us and said make us a better offer. To not even get a call indicating that another offer had been made is very aggravating to me."

Those comments were echoed by head coach Sigi Schmid, who had hoped to gain a proven goal-scorer in Zurawski.

"We were negotiating in good faith with Zurawski's agent. Apparently, though, (Larissa) was a team who had show interest in him before. They came back with a substantially improved offer. It was over the top.

"That's the nature of the business," said Schmid. "Those things happen. Sometimes teams don't get who they're pursuing the first time around. It's important to realize that the Hunts stepped up to the plate, and the league did what they needed to do."

TJ's take: The willingness of the Hunt Sports Group to go after a bigger name, higher-quality player is very encouraging for the league. Though Zurawski ultimately spurned MLS for a higher payday in Greece, it at least shows that the league's teams have gained some ground in the international credibility game.

For Columbus, I wouldn't be surprised if they aggressively went after Brian McBride this summer, especially if the former Crew star's Fulham side finds itself relegated out of the Premier League.

Sanchez Announces Mexican Roster

2008-02-01T22:10:00.000-08:00

Mexico head coach Hugo Sanchez has unveiled his roster for El Tri's upcoming clash against the United States, as the two neighbors get set to renew their intense rivalry at Reliant Stadium in Houston this coming Wednesday.Over 50,000 tickets have been sold for the game, the first meeting between the countries since the dramatic Gold Cup finale in Chicago last June. The U.S. holds an 8-0-1 advantage over Mexico in all home games since 1999, and triumphed in both of last year's meetings, outscoring Sanchez's squad by a combined total of 4-1.

Bob Bradley is expected to announce the United States roster by Saturday, with several of the country's European-based players likely to be called into camp.

Here's Mexico's roster:

GK: Luis Michel (Guadalajara), Moises Munoz (Morelia), Guillermo Ochoa (America)

DEF: Israel Castro (Pumas), Jonny Magallon (Guardalajara), Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Fausto Pinto (Pachuca), Oscar Rojas (America), Carlos Salcido (PSV)

MID: Fernando Arce (Santos), Andres Guardado (Deportivo), Antonio Naelson (Toluca), Pavel Pardo (Stuttgart), Garardo Torrado (Cruz Azul)

FW: Adolfo Bautista (Jaguares), Juan Carlos Cacho (Pachuca), Giovanni Dos Santos (Barcelona), Antonio de Nigris (Ankaraspor), Carlos Vela (Osasuna)

ESPN's New Broadcast Team

2008-02-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

ESPN has overhauled it's Major League Soccer broadcast team, most notably giving Eric Wynalda the boot. Replacing the sometimes-controversial commentator on MLS Primetime Thursday will be former U.S. national team captain John Harkes, though Wynalda will remain with the network as an analyst for European Champions League coverage."I've been covering the game as an analyst for three years, and this is a big change to do Champions League games," said Wynalda. "I'm excited when I look at the schedule."

Wynalda, known for his brashness and arrogance, was the center of a controversy prior to the beginning of the 2007 season when he made some colorful remarks to soccer blog Fulham USA about fellow ESPN talent and notorious soccer hater Jim Rome. The following excerpt earned Wynalda a one-game suspension:

'Jim Rome can suck my d***! And he should be very afraid because I'm the kind of guy, if I get too many drinks in me, I will club his a**'."

He also stirred up trouble toward the end of the season after making comments that some felt were insensitive to those affected by the Southern California wildfires. The incident led to a nasty back-and-forth exchange with popular soccer writer Ives Galarcep.

As for the rest of the team, JP Dellacamera will be joining Harkes in the booth. He will be taking over play-by-play honors from Dave O'Brien, who will move primarily to baseball and college basketball coverage for ESPN. Previously, Dellacamera had been teamed with Shep Messing for coverage of the New York Red Bulls.

Rob Stone and Julie Foudy will return as on-site studio hosts, while Allen Hopkins will continue in his role as on-the-pitch reporter.

Coach No Mo'

2008-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

There has been a "restructuring" within Toronto FC's soccer operations, the team announced today. Mo Johnston has stepped aside as head coach of the club after just one season to take a more senior position with the team. He will assume the role of Toronto FC Manager and Director of Soccer, allowing him to focus more on the procurement of talent, player transactions and the management of off-field decisions."We are pleased to be able to expand Mo Johnston's duties to club manager and director of soccer operations," said Tom Anselmi executive vice- president and chief operating officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, and Alternate Governor Major League Soccer. "Mo will continue to be responsible for all aspects of soccer operations and we are providing him with more resources to support his objectives. John Carver has been added to serve as head coach of Toronto FC, which will enable Mo to devote more time to manage the assessment and procurement of talent which is even more important now with the expanded international player mix available for MLS teams."

Mo's replacement is John Carver, who was introduced as the club's new head coach this morning. Prior to taking the TFC job, Carver commanded Football League One side Luton Town last year and also served as an assistant to Bobby Robson at Newcastle United in 2004.

"I am delighted to have John Carver alongside me as we start to prepare for the 2008 season," said Johnston. "He brings a lot of experience with him in all aspects of the game and I'm looking forward to working together. We are committed to making this team better in every way, and John will be a big part of that."

Guzan Denied Work Permit

2008-01-31T12:23:00.001-08:00

So it's not just Iraqi players who get denied work permits from the Home Office after all.
Brad Guzan's $4 million transfer to Aston Villa has been thwarted this afternoon as the goalkeeper's request for a work permit has been turned away by an appeals board in England. He will rejoin the US Men's National Team camp ahead of next Wednesday's game against Mexico and will be a member of Chivas USA when the 2008 MLS season kicks off in late March.

"We're very disappointed with the outcome as we were really looking forward to Brad joining us but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be," Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill said.

A minor setback for the player, this development will allow Chivas some time to plan for a future Guzan exit, as the netminder will certainly be at the top of many teams' lists when the summer transfer window rolls around.

"Although we share in his disappointment at the denial of his British work permit, we know that Brad, like the true professional he is, will continue to work hard to improve every day on and off the field with Chivas USA," Chivas USA coach Preki Radosavljevic said.

Update: Guzan Awaits Appeal

2008-01-31T07:53:00.000-08:00

Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan has left the US Men's National Team training camp in Carson, California, presumably to fly to England as the final details of his transfer to Aston Villa get hammered out.

The final step in the process is to go before an appeals committee in hopes of obtaining a work permit, since he doesn't meet the requirement of having played in 75% of his national team's games over the past two years. It's a relatively routine thing to see nowadays, with Eddie Johnson going through a similar hearing before his recent move to Fulham could be finalized. The thing that Johnson had on his side is something working against Guzan: time - the international transfer window closes today, meaning an up or down decision on the keeper's future must be made before the end of business today.

If approved, MLS would stand to inherit more than $4 million for selling the 23-year-old, roughly the same amount that current U.S. #1 Tim Howard was worth to Manchester United in 2003.

And again, Chivas USA has zero other goalkeepers on its current roster.

Christian Gomez Trade Likely

2008-01-31T07:16:00.000-08:00

As D.C. United has made officially the acquisitions of a quintet of South American players, it has become apparent that Christian Gomez no longer figures in the club's future plans.

Though a Middle East departure is still possible, several MLS teams have inquired about obtaining rights to the former MLS MVP. The Colorado Rapids are aggressively pursuing D.C.'s former #10, and there are whispers of a trade, according to Insider Steven Goff. In fact, negotiations have progressed well, leading Goff's source to say he "would be surprised if it does not happen."What United would get in return is uncertain, but they likely will settle for some combination of draft picks and allocation money. Gomez made it clear that he would not be sticking around unless D.C. was willing to use their Designated Player slot on him, a spot now being occupied by United's new #10, Marcelo Gallardo. Therefore, anything they can get in return for the 33-year-old would be a positive.

Colorado has been shopping around Pablo Mastroeni for the duration of the offseason. Any chance he could end up in the nation's capital as part of a mega-deal for Gomez?

Chivas USA Coach Joins Klinsmann

2008-01-30T22:56:00.000-08:00

Chivas USA assistant coach Martin Vasquez has accepted a position as assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann with German giant Bayern Munich and will be leaving the MLS club immediately, according to a press release put out by the club today.
"Martin Vasquez has been a member of Chivas USA since the very beginning, and I would like to thank him for his service to our club. He will be sorely missed," said head coach Preki. "Our search for an assistant who can capably fill Martin's shoes has begun in earnest, and we look forward to making an announcement in the coming weeks."

Vasquez has been with Chivas USA since their inaugural MLS season in 2005. Prior to joining the rojiblancos, he served as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy, the San Diego Spirit of the WUSA and Cal Poly-Pomona.

"Working with Chivas USA since its first season in 2005 has been a valuable learning experience and a tremendous source of pride for me. I would like to thank Chivas USA's players, coaching staff, and all my colleagues and friends in the organization for the chance to work with this special club during the past three years," said Vasquez. "Although I look forward to working with Jurgen Klinsmann at an important institution such as Bayern Munich, out of respect for Bayern's current manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, I shall refrain from making further public statements until officially assuming my new post in July."

Update: Expansion Race

2008-01-30T20:41:00.000-08:00

The race to be granted the 16th MLS franchise is coming down to the wire, with both Philadelphia and St. Louis feeling Miami's breath on their necks. There are significant developments to pass on tonight, as each city tries to upstage the others in vying for attention from the league.

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Philadelphia: The long-dormant plan to build a soccer-specific stadium in suburban Chester is moving forward with new life this evening, as several sources say a big announcement is planned for Thursday. According to at least one report, state leaders are planning to announce the arrangement for $45 million worth of funding to assist in building a facility on the waterfront.

Governor Ed Rendell and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi will be present at the press conference, scheduled for 2 p.m. EST at the Wharf at Rivertown, a renovated office complex close to where the stadium site would be. Getting state funding was seen as the last key hurdle into bringing an MLS franchise to the fourth-largest market in the country.

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St. Louis: Not to be outdone, the city of Collinsville, Illinois is stepping up their efforts to land the next new MLS club. On Monday night, the City Council approved a tax increment financing (TIF) plan by a 4-1 margin, which should help draw potential investors to the project.

The major holdup with the Collinsville plan is not funding; it's a lack of investors. Commissioner Don Garber has gone on the record that he would like to see a broader, better-bankrolled ownership group. Currently, the biggest investor lined up is Jeff Cooper, whose vocal support is rooted in the idea of bringing a team to an area that has been integral in the country's soccer history.

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At this point, it appears to be Philadelphia that may cross the finish line first, as MLS has been eager to get into the area for a long time now. It's not clear if a Philly team would begin play in 2009, as was originally planned, due to the delays in getting funding lined up.

St. Louis and Miami have all but locked up the other two spots that would bring the league to 18 teams. Beyond that, there will be a final push from all interested cities for the final pair of slots, with a second New York club, Las Vegas, Montreal, Atlanta, Phoenix, Vancouver and Portland all in the running.

Dynamo Sign Backup Keeper

2008-01-30T17:43:00.000-08:00

The Houston Dynamo have wasted no time in replacing Zach Wells, inking European veteran goalkeeper Tony Caig to a four-year deal (two guaranteed, with an option for two more).

"I'm delighted to be joining Houston and MLS," said Caig. "The league has gotten so much exposure worldwide and with it getting stronger year by year, this is an opportunity I couldn't turn down."The backup role is one Caig, 34, has gotten quite accustomed to over the latter part of his 18-year career. Making 244 starts for Carlisle United in the '90s, the English netminder spent much of the following decade serving as the #2 netminder for Newcastle, Hibernian, and Charlton Athletic. After three consecutive years without a start for the Magpies, Caig opted to come to North America, signing with the Vancouver Whitecaps, where he would lead the team to a USL championship. Following a brief stint with Gretna of the Scottish Premier League, Caig has landed in Houston and will serve as back-up to 40-year-old Pat Onstad.

"We are excited to obtain a player of Tony's caliber," coach Dominic Kinnear said. "Tony has a wealth of international experience and will fill a need on our roster."

But can he play forward?

Szetela Loaned to Italy

2008-01-29T19:26:00.000-08:00

Danny Szetela has been loaned with an option to purchase to Serie B club Brescia Calcio, according to the website of his current side, Racing Santander. The agreement will last through June of this year.
Playing time has been extremely scarce for the former Columbus Crew midfielder, as the 20-year-old midfielder has not appeared in a single La Liga game and has logged just 65 minutes total - all via a start in the club's fourth round Copa del Rey draw against Malaga CF.

Solid play with the US MNT over the summer at the U-20 World Cup increased interest in the Passaic, New Jersey native. Before moving to Spain, Szetela had been pursued by Roma and Newcastle United, among others, but ultimately joined Racing after the conclusion of the 2007 MLS season.

He received his first call-up with the senior squad in last October's victory over Switzerland, setting up Michael Bradley for the game-winning goal.

Reports: Zurawski to Columbus

2008-01-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

Several reports are coming out tonight that say Celtic striker Maciej Zurawski has officially agreed to play for the Columbus Crew, a solid signing if it is indeed true. MLS Rumors claims that it is a "done deal" and goes on to offer a few other details:
- Zurawski's salary will be somewhere in the range of $500,000 per year, but allocation money will be involved in a way that will allow the crew to hang on to their Designated Player spot. The Polish forward's contract has been structured with performance incentives.

- Zurawski will be leaving for Ohio as early as tomorrow afternoon. An official introductory press conference will be held by the Crew either at the end of this week or the beginning of next week.

Zurawski, 31, has played for Celtic since 2005, appearing in 55 games and scoring 22 times. He has also appeared 67 times for Poland, including in the 2006 World Cup, scoring 16 goals in international play. Together with Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the Crew attack can boast two major spark plugs with worldwide credibility, a major plus for both the club and the league.

CONCACAF Champions League

2008-01-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has announced today the official launch of the new continental club championship, the CONCACAF Champions League, which will commence in August 2008. The CONCACAF Champions League will replace the Champions' Cup, which will cease to exist after the 2008 edition.

The CONCACAF Champions League will feature four teams from Mexico and USA; three Caribbean sides; two clubs each from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama; and one representative coming from Canada, Belize and Nicaragua.

Eight clubs (two Mexican, two USA, one each from Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador) will be seeded and progress directly to the first round of the Champions League, while the Caribbean slots have been increased to three teams for this event.

The remaining 16 teams will be paired in eight home-and-away preliminary match-ups taking place from August 26-28 and September 2-4.

The preliminary round winners will join the other eight seeded teams in the group stage that consists of four groups of four. All the teams in each group will play each other in a round-robin system during six match dates from September 16 - October 30.

The top two clubs from each group will advance to the knockout phase, playing home-and-away elimination. The quarterfinals commence in February 2009; semifinals begin in March; and the Finals will take place in late April.

The CONCACAF Champions League winner will qualify as the region's representative to the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Capello Doubts Beckham's Fitness

2008-01-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

Fabio Capello is set to start his tenure as new head coach of the England squad by continuing his frigid relationship with David Beckham in much the same way it ended when the two were at Real Madrid together.Beckham, 33, has been training with Arsenal over the past few weeks in an effort to keep up his fitness in the MLS offseason. Currently sitting on 99 caps, he has made no attempt to conceal how important it is to him to reach the 100-appearance milestone for his country. It was thought that England's upcoming friendly against Switzerland on February 6th would be a fine occasion for the footballing legend to reach that plateau, and it was even reported that Beckham would again be named captain of the squad in honor of his achievements.

But word is leaking out that Capello is unsure of Beckham's match fitness, seeing as how the midfielder has not played in a competitive match with the Los Angeles Galaxy since the end of October. So concerned is Capello that he recently had a talk with Arsenal fitness coach Tony Colbert and his own fitness coach, Massimo Neri, about whether Beckham warrants a place in the first lineup produced by the Italian.

Capello is said to be keen on Blackburn's right-sided midfielder David Bentley, who some say is the new David Beckham.

"Hopefully he will get his 100th cap and then I will come on for him as a sub," Bentley said. "I really respect him, and it is nice to hear people sometimes describe me as the next David Beckham, but it is a dog eat dog world. I am there to take his place, which will hopefully make England a better team."

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has come to Beckham's defense.

"David deserves to play in the team, and not just because it will be his 100th cap," the former England coach said. "Even if he is in America I think he can still fight for his place in the team, certainly his right foot is no worse than it used to be."

Key Transfers

2008-01-27T23:25:00.000-08:00

With the international transfer window drawing to a close, here's a rundown of some of the major transfers and signings that have taken place. After looking over the list, cast your vote in the poll at the upper-right corner of the site on whether MLS has made a net-gain or suffered a net-loss in talent so far this offseason.

Incoming:
Chase Hilgenbrinck - Colorado Rapids from Nublense (Chile)
Franco Niell - DC United from Argentinos Juniors (Argentina)
Gonzalo Martinez - DC United from Millonarios (Colombia)
Duilio Davino - FC Dallas from Club America (Mexico)
Ian Joy - Real Salt Lake from St. Pauli (Germany)
Marcelo Gallardo - DC United from Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Rumored Incoming:
** Celestine Babayaro - Los Angeles Galaxy from Newcastle United (England) **
** Gonzalo Peralta - DC United from Club Atletico Brown (Argentina) **
** Fabrice Pancrate - Chicago Fire from Paris Saint-Germain (France) **
** Maciej Zurawski - Columbus Crew from Celtic FC (Scotland) **

Outgoing:
Marcos Gonzalez - Columbus Crew to Universidad Catolica (Chile)
Troy Perkins - DC United to Valerenga IF (Norway)
Bryan Arguez - DC United to Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Joseph Ngwenya - Houston Dynamo to SK Austria (Austria)
Nate Jaqua - Houston Dynamo to SC Rheindorf Altach (Austria)
Eddie Johnson - Kansas City Wizards to Fulham (England)
Clint Mathis - Los Angeles Galaxy to Ergotelis (Greece)
Andy Dorman - New England Revolution to St. Mirren (Scotland)
Pat Noonan - New England Revolution to Aalesund SK (Norway)
Clarence Goodson - San Jose Earthquakes to IK Start (Norway)

Rumored Outgoing:
** Taylor Twellman - New England Revolution to Preston North End (England) **
** Brad Guzan - Chivas USA to Celtic (Scotland) **
** Matt Pickens - Chicago Fire to Norwich City/Preston North End (England) **

Others Enter Guzan Sweepstakes

2008-01-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

Though Celtic may be readying a formal offer for Brad Guzan, the final destination for the 23-year-old Chivas USA goalkeeper remains up in the air with only days left in the transfer window.
Guzan, who spent last week training with Celtic, was offered a contract shortly before returning to the United States to consider his options. But now, the Guardian is reporting that Aston Villa has launched a bid for the 'keeper, and there is also significant interest being expressed by Liverpool and the French club Auxerre.

Wherever he ends up, it should be a great career move for El Guzano, and Chivas USA will be reeling without him.

Houston Gets A for Affordability

2008-01-27T18:25:00.000-08:00

From the housing market to gas prices to the war in Iraq, it seems there is not much good news to discuss when talking about America's economy. But when it comes to sporting event ticket prices, Houston can boast three affordable choices, according to the Houston Chronicle - the Rockets, the Texans, and the back-to-back MLS champion Houston Dynamo.
In a study of average ticket-prices league-wide, the Houston Dynamo ($20.50) rank below the MLS average of $22.47. The most-expensive tickets, no surprise, can be found in Los Angeles at an average of $32.50, while cross-town rivals Chivas USA offer better quality on the pitch at a lower price ($19.40). The cheapest tickets are for sale in Kansas City ($17.50), just ahead of the Colorado Rapids average ($17.90).

"I'd say the Dynamo, then Astros, then the Texans offer the best value," said Keith Rubenstein, a casual sports fan who attends a couple of games per sport per year. "The Dynamo are probably the best value for your money probably because of where they play," said Rubenstein, who has attended one match at Robertson Stadium.

Heading into their third season in the Bayou City, the Dynamo are hoping to covert walk-up fans into season-ticket holders by raising ticket prices around $2 on the day of the game, and are having some success - Dynamo senior vice president of business development Steven Powell cited a 140% increase in season ticket sales, a very promising figure for the club.

Average MLS ticket prices:

1. Los Angeles Galaxy ($32.50)
2. Toronto FC ($30.29)
3. D.C. United ($29.00)
4. Chicago Fire ($24.00)
4. New England Revolution ($24.00)
League Average - $22.47
6. New York Red Bulls ($21.83)
7. Houston Dynamo ($20.50)
8. Chivas USA ($19.40)
9. FC Dallas ($18.50)
9. Columbus Crew ($18.50)
11. Real Salt Lake ($18.25)
12. Colorado Rapids ($17.90)
13. Kansas City Wizards ($17.50)

Source: Houston Chronicle

Iraqi Star Denied Work Permit, U.S. Blamed

2008-01-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

Iraqi soccer star Nashat Akram has been denied a move to a top club in the English Premier League after British officials rejected his application for a work permit, and many blame the United States for the situation.

Akram, 24, had been playing with Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates, where he was scouted by officials with Manchester City. So impressed was the club that they immediately bought out the remainder of his contract for $800,000, and the midfielder had begun training in England in anticipation of his transfer. Things looked promising until Britain's Home Office denied the application, not once but twice, citing a technicality that the Iraqi national team is ranked outside the top 70 (two-year average rank - 71), and has not played against any of the worlds top 20 teams recently.

"This is a very, very unfair decision," said the player's agent, Najim Mohammed. "We want to make good relations between Iraq and the U.K. and America. We want to show Iraqi people these people want to help give us a hand. But this is against Iraqi people. They keep the people suffering. They don't give them any joy."

Akram's skills were expected to land him immediately in the first squad at Manchester City.

"We genuinely don't understand the decision. We thought the immigration authorities would take into consideration that Iraq, because of the domestic problems, would have difficulty playing against any of the top 20 countries."

Reaction in Iraq was naturally angry, with protests and demonstrations being planned in support of Akram.

"Thanks to the Americans, we can't do this," said Ahmed Abbas, general secretary of the Iraqi Football Association. "We couldn't have games in Iraq. Even abroad, we can't have games."

Iraqi lawmaker Fawzi Akram (no relation) is asking the foreign ministry to investigate the issue.

"Highly decorated Iraqi players from different kinds of sports are prevented from entering different countries regardless of their high level of professionalism," he said. "They are trying to repress Iraqi professionals from attaining their objective and goals.

Some Akram highlights:

Miami Offers Rent-Free Stadium

2008-01-27T15:05:00.000-08:00

The movement to re-activate Miami as an MLS franchise has gathered steam in recent weeks, with several proposals to build a soccer-specific stadium being bandied about. Florida International University is attempting to get a leg up on the competition however, by offering use of their brand-new stadium RENT-FREE, an idea that has heads turning to southern Florida, perhaps away from Philadelphia and St. Louis.

Pete Garcia, athletic director at FIU, has suggested that a professional soccer team could use the Panthers' 18,000-seat stadium, which is set to open in September, at no charge. He is hoping that the campus' facility can become a choice venue for domestic and international matches in the future, since the Orange Bowl is shutting down.
"I basically told Major League Soccer that we'd do whatever it takes to get them here, even if we have to give them free rent," said Garcia. "I know the city of Miami is talking about building a $100 million soccer stadium with 25,000 seats, but by September 20, we will have an 18,000-seat stadium with 19 suites, lots of parking, and easy access from the Florida Turnpike. If the Miami deal falls through, we'd love to have MLS.

"We will become the perfect venue to host international tournaments, exhibitions, and pro matches," Garcia continued. "There are a lot of soccer fans in West Dade, and hosting games would be great exposure for FIU, plus we would benefit from the concessions and other game-day activities."

For their part, MLS has sent representative Dan Courtemanche to tour the venue, but the league's official stance remains that they would like to see a new $100 million stadium built instead.

"Our focus right now is working with the mayor of Miami and the city officials on the potential stadium at the Orange Bowl site," said Courtemanche. "We are still very interested in that project, and that is what we are focusing on."

Crew Insist Schelotto Stays

2008-01-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

One of the more interesting stories during the MLS offseason thus far has been the plight of Argentina's Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The Columbus Crew midfielder, who will turn 35 in May, quickly became a fan favorite in Ohio's capital. He lead the team's charge back to mediocrity with five goals and 11 assists in 22 games, lifting the club to challenge for a playoff spot until the last week's of the regular season.
Then, things turned ugly. Reports from Argentina linked Schelotto with a return to his native country. He was even quoted as telling a local television station that he would like to return to play for his hometown team of Gimnasia y Esgrima de la Plata (currently in a relegation battle), but the "only problem is this contract with MLS. I don't have anything to talk about with Gimnasia, as we could seal an agremeent fast. I am going to try to break the relationship now, as in June, I would have the same problem."

Apparently, GBS has had a change of mind over the past few weeks, at least in the eyes of Crew head coach Sigi Schmid, as Allen Hopkins reported on his 'Hot Stove' segment for ESPN SoccerNet.

"I talked to Guillermo a couple of days ago and he will get his P-1 visa stamped in Argentina on Jan. 21 or 22 and his itinerary for his return to Columbus is all set," Schmid said. "It was much easier for us to play 'bad cop' for Guillermo because of all the pressure on him to help his hometown club. Everyone is telling him he's the club's savior and he wants to help because that's the type of pro, type of person he is, just a great guy. It's all fine with me because that's part of the game you have to play sometimes."

Christian Going, Going, Gomez

2008-01-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

Steven Goff has been giving us insight into the negotiations that have been taking place, off-and-on for the past 18 months, between D.C. United and former MLS MVP Christian Gomez, and it doesn't sound as if he will be returning to the club in 2008.

At some point during this year-long process, United did offer two guaranteed years with incentives for a third guaranteed year, valued at between $300,000 and $350,000 per season, but Gomez had it in his mind that he was a $1 million player. To clarify, not $1 million per season, but $1 million over two, which would have meant $500K per year and DCU's designated player slot. United was not going to go there, and you probably can't blame them.

One source told me that Gomez also became too emotional about things, such as United's pursuit of Juan Sebastian Veron, even though that signing had nothing to do with his standing on the club. Along those lines, Gomez apparently was also miffed that he did not receive any of the team's major postseason awards.

"It's a sad ending," said another source.

Through an intermediary, Gomez wanted to say: "Thank you to D.C. fans. My family and I will miss them."

With all that being said, Gomez may choose to remain in MLS next season; Goff noted that a half-dozen teams have shown interest in signing or trading for rights to the 33-year-old. There is also apparently a $600,000/year offer from an unnamed club in the Middle East.

Where will Christian Gomez end up?

RSL Jumps for Joy

2008-01-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

Attempting to solve the defensive woes that plagued the club in 2007, Real Salt Lake has signed San Diego native Ian Joy to a senior roster spot. He will help fill the hole created by Eddie Pope's retirement in a backline that was third-worst in the league last year.At 26 years of age, Joy has spent most of his professional career overseas, playing for St. Pauli of the German 2 Bundesliga for the past three seasons. As a teenager, he spent time in the youth system of Manchester United before moving on to Division One side Tranmere Rovers. Following that, Joy had short stints with Scotland's FC Montrose and England's Kidderminster Harriers and Chester City. Though he returned to the US in 2003 with the Columbus Crew, he never officially saw action with the club and soon departed for Germany.

Joy has represented the United States at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels.

"Ian brings a wealth of knowledge of playing at a high level and at the international level," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "Obviously, he has some ability, but we also brought him in because we feel he can be a real leader."

For his part, Joy says he relished the opportunity to return to his home country, and thought that Real Salt Lake would make the perfect fit for him.

"Major League Soccer has always been a dream of mine, and I didn't want to be 30 years old and finishing my career when I joined," said Joy. "I have come to Real Salt Lake to do the best I can, to become a better soccer player, and learn from the coaches, but most importantly I have come to win. It's in my blood and I will do anything it takes to walk off the field after every game a winner."

Supplemental Draft Complete

2008-01-26T15:33:00.000-08:00

The 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft was held via teleconference on Thursday afternoon, with a total of 51 players selected over the draft's four rounds. All players who met draft eligibility requirements that were not selected in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft and additional players nominated by teams were eligible for selection.

The San Jose Earthquakes selected UC - Santa Cruz forward Adam Smarte with the first overall selection. He was informed of the club's decision to select him when SJ head coach Frank Yallop left a congratulatory phone message for the 20-year-old who was born in Monrovia, Liberia."I'm excited," Smarte told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "I was hoping to get picked up. Then when I went No. 1, I can't ask for anything better than that."

1. San Jose - Adam Smarte, F
2. Toronto FC - Xavier Balc, F
3. Colorado - Kevin Forrest, F
4. Los Angeles - Michael Gavin, D
5. COL - Cesar Zambrano, M
6. Columbus - Billy Chiles, GK
7. New York - Danleigh Borman, M
8. New England, Mkokheli Dube, F
9. Chivas USA - Kraig Chiles, F
10. D.C. United - Brandon Owens, D
11. Kansas City - Pat Healey, M
12. Chicago - Kai Kasiguran, M
13. New England - Chris Tierney, D
14. Houston - Johnny Alcaraz, M

15. SJ - Tim Bohnenkamp, F
16. TFC - pass
17. Real Salt Lake - Tino Nunez, F
18. LA - Charles Alamo, GK
19. COL - Mike Graczyk, GK
20. CBS - Cory Elenio, M
21. NYRB - Michael Palacio, M
22. FC Dallas - Yannick Reyering, F
23. CHV - Javier Ayala-Hil, F
24. DCU - Dan Stratford, M
25. KC - Vicente Arze, M
26. CHI - Adrian Bumbut, F
27. NE - Kyle Altman, M
28. HOU - Craig Thompson, F

29. SJ - Greg Curry, D
30. TFC - pass
31. RSL - Kevin Reiman, M
32. LA - Greg Folk, D
33. COL - Daniel Antunez, M
34. CBS - Lukasz Tumicz, F
35. NYRB - John Gilkerson, D
36. FCD - Ben Shuleva, D
37. CHV - El-Hadj Cisse, M
38. CBS - Zola Short, F
39. KC - Tom Gray, M
40. CHI - Zach Pope, M
41. NE - Saidi Isaac, F
42. HOU - Kieran Hall, M

43. SJ - Tim Jepson, D
44. TFC - pass
45. RSL - Kenny Anaba, F
46. LA - Daniel De Geer, M
47. CHI - Steve Bode, D
48. CHI - Tim Conway, M
49. NYRB - Manuel Laurent, D
50. FCD - pass
51. CHV - Andre Sherard, D
52. DCU - James Thorpe, GK
53. KC - Andrew Kartunen, GK
54. CHI - Melford James, Jr., GK
55. NE - pass
56. HOU - James Georgeff, F

Twellman To PNE Back On?

2008-01-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

In the UK, the Lancashire Evening Post is reporting that Preston North End has not given up in their chase for New England Revolution star Taylor Twellman.
PNE's previous offer of $2.5 million was firmly turned away by Major League Soccer, prompting the Football League Championship side to look elsewhere. Back in America, Twellman vented his frustration over the situation to several media outlets, giving MLS a black eye of sorts for keeping him in the dark over his international options.

Now it appears that Preston is readying another run at the Kick Medic spokesman.

"We have got until midnight on Thursday," said Preston boss Alan Irvine, "and, the way things have been going, I'm fully expecting to be sitting here at Deepdale at 11:55 p.m."

From the article:

Preston, who said last week the deal was 'dead and buried', have now set Tuesday as the cut-off point for agreement to give Twellman enough time to fly over from Boston and complete the formalities, including a medical.

Jaqua Follows Ngwenya out of Houston

2008-01-25T17:05:00.000-08:00

The reigning back-to-back MLS Champions may be facing a goal-scoring drought next season if this trend continues. Just days after forward Joseph Ngwenya opted to sign with Austrian club SK Austria Karnten, fellow striker Nate Jaqua has followed suit and signed a deal with SC Rheindorf Altach, also of the Austrian Bundesliga.
And just like that, a sizeable chink has been put in the armor of the defending champs. Past statements from team officials fervently denied that the club would be making use of their Designated Player slot in 2008, because 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' but an offensive spark may be necessary at this rate.

Jaqua, who bounced around from Chicago to Toronto to Los Angeles before being traded for Kelly Gray, finished 2007 with seven total goals (six with Houston) and two assists. He has notched 30 goals and 14 assists in 129 career MLS games.

Together, Ngwenya and Jaqua tallied 13 goals for the Orange in 2007, which accounted for 30% of the team's offensive production. The remaining major sparkplugs for Houston are now an aging Dwayne De Rosario, who sleep-walked through most of last season before waking up late, and an increasingly injury-plagued Brian Ching.

Houston fans, is now the time for the club to find a DP, or at least make a trade for a big MLS name? And if so, who would be on the top of the 'wanted' list?

French Striker Fire-Bound?

2008-01-24T18:30:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Fire are in negotiations to bring French striker Fabrice Pancrate to the club from Paris Saint-Germain of Ligue 1, the Chicago Tribune's Luis Arroyave writes on his blog - The Red Card.
Pancrate, 27, is currently on loan to FC Sochaux-Montbeliard from PSG, having also been loaned out to Real Betis of Spain last season, where he scored a single goal in seven appearances for the La Liga side. The 6'1" attacker could be paired up top with Chris Rolfe, but can also be used as a right-sided midfielder under new head coach Denis Hamlett.

"Obviously, we're looking at finding another forward, and finding someone who can help us out a little more on that right side," said team president John Guppy. "I don't think we're done making moves yet."

Another MLS Player Lost to Norway

2008-01-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

As reported here last week, the New England Revolution declined their 2008 option on forward Pat Noonan, freeing him up to sign with any club outside MLS, and today it appears he has done just that, reportedly inking a deal with Norwegian side Aalesund. There, he will be joining former Revs goalkeeper Adin Brown, who made the move to the Tangoshirts after losing his starting job to Matt Reis in 2004.

He becomes the third high-profile MLS player to bolt the league in favor of a Norwegian club, following similar moves from D.C. United keeper Troy Perkins and FC Dallas/San Jose Earthquakes defender Clarence Goodson.

Here are some statistics from Noonan's MLS career:

* Third-highest scoring player in Revolution history, behind Taylor Twellman and Joe-Max Moore.
* Regular season (119 games): 37 goals, 29 assists.
* Post-season (17 games): 5 goals, 1 assist.
* Set career highs in 2004 with 11 goals and 8 assists in the regular season.
* Was selected for the All-Star Game in 2004, playing 45 minutes.
* Appeared in three MLS Cups with New England.
* Has earned 12 caps for the senior U.S. MNT, and most recently recorded an assist in their 2-0 victory over Sweden on January 19, 2008.

Update: Benny Rules Out MLS

2008-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

Those hoping to see Gold Cup hero Benny Feilhaber suiting up for an MLS club will have to wait for that day, as the Derby County midfielder's agent has told the media his client is not interested in making a move to the U.S. league at this point in his career.

Rumors heated up last week when Derby turned down an offer believed to be in the £275,000 range from Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv for the former UCLA Bruin, citing increased interest from MLS, but that interest apparently doesn't match the player's goals.

"Benny really isn't interested in a move back to MLS right now," said Feilhaber's agent, Henner Janzen. "He would prefer to stay in Europe.

"The deal with Maccabi isn't completely out of the picture yet."

Ngwenya Headed to Austria

2008-01-22T11:10:00.000-08:00

Continuing the trend of established MLS players going to Europe (seems like there's one a day now), forward Joseph Ngwenya has reportedly left the Houston Dynamo to sign a contract with SK Austria Kärnten. Ngwenya has chosen to leave behind the defending back-to-back MLS champions in favor of a team that is fighting to stay afloat in the Austrian Football Bundesliga. The development was not completely unexpected; Ngwenya has in the past used the MLS offseason as a chance to train with clubs overseas.
"We've been aware of (Ngwenya's) desire to explore his options in Europe," Dynamo president Oliver Luck said. "Some players really believe Europe is the place to be."

Ngwenya, 26, started his career with the LA Galaxy before moving on to Columbus and then eventually Houston. The native of Plumtree, Zimbabwe was a big factor in helping the Dynamo score a second consecutive MLS Cup, providing an offensive spark with seven goals (tied for the team lead with Brian Ching) and 3 assists in 25 games played after being acquired from the Columbus Crew early last season. He has 17 career goals and 10 assists in 95 career games. He scored the tying goal in the 61st minute of MLS Cup 2007 against the New England Revolution, before teammate Dwayne De Rosario put the Men in Orange ahead for good.

Crew Looking to Make International Splash

2008-01-21T17:36:00.000-08:00

The Columbus Crew are searching the globe for a player who will help elevate the club into the upper tier of Major League Soccer. Head coach Sigi Schmid has dropped a few hints as to which players are on his list of possible Designated Player signings.

Polish striker Maciej Zurawski is the most frequently mentioned name in conjunction with a move to the Crew these days. Linked with the Los Angeles Galaxy for the past several weeks, it appears that Columbus has taken the lead in negotiations to land the Celtic forward."Certainly he has the background we are looking for," said Schmid recently.

Negotiations are ongoing but are apparently going well enough that a transfer fee is being negotiated, believed by Soccer365.com to be in the range of a half-million dollars.

"Our offer is concrete," said Crew assistant Robert Warzycha. "His agent Mark Donaghy is now negotiating with Celtic over the transfer fee."

At last Friday's MLS SuperDraft, Schmid also said Columbus is zeroing in on a Romanian midfielder who does not play professionally in Romania and would fill their DP slot. The only caveat, according to Schmid, is that the player would not be available until the summer.

Jaime Moreno Re-Signs with D.C.

2008-01-21T15:33:00.001-08:00

Steven Goff of the Washington Post is reporting that Jaime Moreno has signed a new contract with D.C. United with guarantees for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, but will involve a pay cut for the all-time leading scorer in MLS history.
Moreno, now 34, has scored 112 regular season goals in his 12-year MLS career, three better than Chivas USA's Ante Razov. The six-time All-Star had an injury-riddle season in 2007, starting just 15 games. In 21 total appearances, he scored 7 goals and 6 assists, but critics say the Bolivian international has visibly lost a step and is no longer the offensive threat he once was - four of his seven goals last season came from the penalty spot.

Moreno had been linked with a move to Qatar for one last paycheck before retiring, but apparently he believes he has at least two years left in his legs, opting to stay in D.C. even though he will earn a reduced salary from the $275,000 he made in 2007.

Chicago Making Moves

2008-01-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Fire remain active on the trade circuit, this afternoon sending central defender Jim Curtin to Chivas USA in exchange for conditional draft picks.Curtin, 28, was hampered by injuries in 2007, making just 10 starts and coming on once as a substitute. He has appeared in 162 games for the Fire since 2001 (145 starts), and was named to the All-Star team's starting lineup in 2004, playing all 90 minutes in the Eastern Conference's 3-2 win. He has four goals in his career to go with six assists. At 6'4", 205 lbs, Curtin's size should help him pair nicely in the Goats backline with Claudio Suarez.

Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Tribune is also reporting that the Fire have traded a fourth-round pick in the 2010 SuperDraft to the Columbus Crew for the rights to Andy Herron. The Costa Rican forward appeared in 18 games for Columbus last season, scoring four times and adding two assists. He also played for Chicago from 2004-2006, adding 15 goals and three assists over three seasons.There are rumors floating around that Herron wants to return to Costa Rica to sign with Saprissa, but should he decide to stay in MLS, he will be property of the Chicago Fire.

Pickens Turns Down Fire Offer

2008-01-21T02:12:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Fire have come to the realization that Matt Pickens may not be their starting goalkeeper in 2008 after all. After a breakout year in '07, Pickens, currently exploring options overseas, has turned down the club's contract offer according to Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Tribune, leaving the Fire to search for Plan B.

"We made what we felt was a good offer last night and his agent turned it down," said Fire coach Denis Hamlett.
Pickens, 25, made 102 saves last season and posted a 1.15 GAA over 27 games for Chicago. His performance earned him a ticket to USMNT camp earlier this month, but Pickens chose to leave camp early to go on trial for Norwich City of the English League Championship.

Faced with the potential loss of Pickens, Chicago used their second pick of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft (12th overall) to select Tulsa goalkeeper Dominic Cervi. The problem is, Cervi is ALSO looking into his chances overseas and may choose to spurn MLS altogether.

"We couldn't just sit around and wait," said Hamlett on the decision to select Cervi. "We needed to protect ourselves. We were excited he was available at that number."

Los Angeles Signs Celestine Babayaro

2008-01-21T00:29:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Galaxy and new head coach Ruud Gullit are continuing their roster overhaul, reportedly signing former Chelsea and Newcastle left back Celestine Babayaro to a three-year deal.
Babayaro, 29, came to prominence on the world stage at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where his performance helped Nigeria capture the gold medal in men's football. Following a stint with Belgian club Anderlecht (1994-1997), Babayaro was purchased by Chelsea for £2.25 million and went on to appear in over 200 games for the Blues. In January of 2005, Babayaro moved on to Newcastle United. After 47 appearances, a series of injuries led to his release by the club, allowing Gullit and the Galaxy to swoop in and sign the Nigerian international.

The signing of Babayaro makes last week's trade of U.S. international fullback Chris Albright slightly more understandable. Albright was shipped to the New England Revolution in exchange for allocation money during Friday's MLS SuperDraft. Given LA's defensive woes in 2007, it didn't seem like a great idea to jettison one of their most proven backs.

...Of Note: Babayaro's unique approach to defending will instantly improve the Galaxy backline. He received a three-game ban in 2006 after admitting guilt to a charge of violent conduct in a match against Liverpool. Following a corner, Babayaro's arm or elbow apparently made contact with Dirk Kuyt, striking the forward in the face. Though the incident wasn't noticed by the official, it was caught on videotape, leading to the player's suspension.

Celtic Courting Guzan

2008-01-20T23:41:00.000-08:00

Fresh off of a sparkling performance in the 2-0 U.S. victory over Sweden on Saturday night, Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan is reportedly on his way to Scotland for a date with SPL powerhouse Celtic, who have offered him a trial. Hoops manager Gordon Strachan is prepared to launch a £1 million bid for Guzan, if the netminder impresses while training with the club.

"It's always exciting when a club such as Celtic are in for you," said Guzan. "I know all about them, they are a world-renowned team with a great history."

A number of other high-profile teams have shown interest in Guzan, including Arsenal of the Premier League, but Celtic has taken the lead over all others in speculation over recent days. If an offer is made for the goalkeeper's services, he would have to receive approval for a work permit, as he doesn't meet the Home Office requirements.

Guzan, 23, was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2007, a year in which he posted a 14-6-7 record and 0.93 GAA. The second overall pick in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft, El Guzano has also rapidly climbed the GK depth chart for Bob Bradley, nestling into the #2 position behind incumbent Tim Howard.

The loss of Guzan would have a huge impact on reigning Western Conference champions Chivas USA. They recently traded their back-up and one-time starting keeper Preston Burpo to San Jose and currently do not have another netminder on their roster. Complicating matters further, the club used their only pick in last week's SuperDraft (43rd overall) on midfielder Keith Savage, instead of picking a young 'keeping prospect.

Enjoy some highlights of Guzan at his finest:

MLS SuperDraft '08

2008-01-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

The 2008 MLS SuperDraft was held on Friday at the Baltimore Convention Center, yielding surprising results to even the most knowledgeable of experts. Patrick Nyarko and Eric Avila, widely considered to be the top two prospects in the draft, fell to 7th and 19th, respectively.

UCLA defender Chance Myers (below) was taken first by the Kansas City Wizards after the club traded defender Nick Garcia to San Jose for the rights to the pick.

"I'm just looking to come in and play soccer," said Myers, who molds his game after U.S. defenders Chris Albright and Frankie Hejduk. "My expectations are high of myself and the team. I always want to succeed. They have a good foundation, they made a good run last year and hopefully we can build on that and get better."

Below is the complete list of players taken in the 2008 draft.

1. Kansas City - Chance Myers - D
2. Dallas - Brek Shea - M/D
3. Real Salt Lake - Anthony Beltran - M/D
4. Los Angeles - Sean Franklin - M/D
5. Colorado - Ciaran O'Brien - M
6. Columbus - Andy Iro - D
7. Chicago - Patrick Nyarko - F
8. FCD - Josh Lambo - GK
9. Toronto - Julius James - D
10. TOR - Pat Phelan - M
11. KC - Roger Espinoza - M/D
12. CHI - Dominic Cervi - GK
13. New England - Rob Valentino - D
14. RSL - David Horst - D
15. San Jose - Shea Salinas - M
16. New York - Eric Brunner - D
17. RSL - Alex Nimo - M
18. NE - Michael Videira - M
19. FCD - Eric Avila - M
20. CLB - George Josten - F/M
21. LA - Ely Allen - F
22. CLB - Ricardo Pierre-Louis - F
23. KC - Yomby William - D
24. DC - Andrew Jacobson - M
25. KC - Jonathan Leathers - D
26. CHI - Peter Lowry - M
27. NE - Joe Germanese - M
28. TOR - Brian Edwards - GK
29. LA - Julian Valentin - D
30. TOR - Mike Zaher - D
31. CLB - Ryan Miller - D
32. NY - Luke Sassano - M/D
33. DC - Ryan Cordeiro - F
34. LA - Matt Allen - GK
35. TOR - Joseph Lapira - F
36. COL - Adrian Chevannes - D
37. RSL - Brennan Tennelle - M
38. CHI - Dwight Barnett - F
39. KC - Matt Marquess - D
40. CHI - Stephen King - M
41. NE - Matthew Britner - D
42. Houston - Geoff Cameron - M
43. Chivas USA - Keith Savage - M
44. NY - David Roth - M
45. FCD - Jamil Roberts - D
46. LA - Brandon McDonald - F
47. COL - Brian Grazier - M
48. CLB - Steven Lenhart - F
49. COL - Scott Campbell - M
50. FCD - Ben Nason - M
51. LA - Matt Hatzke - M/D
52. DC - Tony Schmitz - D/M
53. KC - Rauwshan McKenzie - D
54. CHI - Austin Washington - D
55. NE - Spencer Wadsworth - M
56. HOU - Jeremy Barlow - M

Donovan Sets Record in U.S. Win

2008-01-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

For the second consecutive year, the U.S. Men's National Team started the year off with a win over a Scandinavian counterpart, dismantling a star-less Sweden side 2-0 at the Home Depot Center on Saturday night.Eddie Robinson scored the game-winning goal in his first-ever international appearance, chipping a loose ball in the box into the top corner of the net less than 15 minutes into the match. Shortly into the second half, Josmer Altidore earned a penalty kick after being tripped up in the box, setting the stage for Landon Donovan's historic goal in the 48th minute.

"For us it's a good way to start the year," said head coach Bob Bradley. "This camp is always a challenge because guys have been off for a while, but we felt throughout the camp that things we worked on throughout last year were coming back, especially working as a team. Our fitness levels came along quickly, and tonight we played against a team who is always a good match for us. The game had tempo. It was physically challenging. I think to come out of it with a good result was important."

For Donovan, it was his 35th career goal for his country in 97 appearances, moving him past Eric Wynalda to the head of the all-time list.

"I wouldn't classify it as important, but it's something I'm very proud of," said Donovan of the record. "More so than scoring goals, being a part of this team for a long time and contributing is something I'm proud of. That being said, I can still be better."

Robinson's 15th minute tally marked the 44th time in U.S history that a player scored a goal in his first career cap.

"I told my wife yesterday when I found out I was going to start that if this is the only game that I play I'm going to make sure I give it my all and come away happy that I got the chance to do this, because not many people do," said Robinson. "It was a wonderful experience. It was awesome."

Up next for the U.S. is a clash against regional rivals Mexico, slated for February 6th at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

Chris Albright to New England

2008-01-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Galaxy continued to clear salary space, trading U.S. international defender Chris Albright to the New England Revolution in exchange for allocation money.

"We're thrilled to be able to add a proven defender like Chris to our roster," Revolution director of soccer Michael Burns said. "He's had success on the field at both the league and international levels, and he has experience winning championships with his past clubs."
The move, in line with the Galaxy's other recent transactions, should help Los Angeles clear room under the salary cap, a key step in bringing in other big-name players. It's unclear as to whether this deal went down to help the team offset some of the salary of recent acquisition Carlos Ruiz or if there is yet another deal brewing in the works (Zidane, anyone?).

Albright, 29, started his career as a forward with D.C. United before being moved to right-back with the Galaxy. He was and later blossomed into one of the league's best defenders, even gaining acclaim in the backline of the U.S. National Team (21 caps, 1 goal). His 2007 season was cut very short after his hamstring was ripped away from the bone during a derby match against rivals Chivas USA in May. For his career, Albright has notched a dozen goals to go with 23 assists in 186 games.

Update: Real Stadium

2008-01-18T10:25:00.000-08:00

The much-maligned $110 million future home for the Real Salt Lake franchise is more than halfway to its completion in Sandy, Utah.A few notes on the facilties:

- Project expected to be completed in early fall.
- First home game will air on ESPN2 on October 9th.
- Capacity will be roughly 21,000.
- Player entrance tunnel located at mid-field.
- Most of the seats are red, but some will be black, white or blue.
- Removable stage to be constructed on south end of stadium.
- Only 6 of 32 suites are still available for purchase at prices between $25,000-65,000.
- Stadium naming rights offered to several companies, expected to fetch between $1.5-2 million per year.

Revs Decline Noonan Option

2008-01-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

I'm not calling it a sinking ship yet, but...

The New England Revolution may be facing a rebuilding year following their fourth MLS Cup loss since 2002. With Taylor Twellman and Shalrie Joseph wanting out, and Andy Dorman having already left, the club has declined to pick up Pat Noonan's option for the 2008 season, effectively making him free to negotiate with teams outside MLS."This is a great opportunity to try to go overseas," Noonan told the Boston Globe.

Noonan, 27, was a key part of the Revs offense in '07, contributing with seven goals and four assists in 27 games (21 starts). In his five-year career, Noonan has amassed 42 goals and 30 assists, and was selected to the 2004 All-Star Game.

"His option was not picked up, but we are in discussions to try to bring him back," Revolution director of soccer Mike Burns told the Globe. "He is obviously someone we want to bring back. He is free to sign outside the league and that is a risk we are well aware of. But we hope he makes the decision to come back to play for the Revolution."

Noonan's hard work has been noticed by USMNT head coach Bob Bradley, resulting in the midfielder's call to the first national team camp of 2008, ahead of Saturday's friendly against Sweden.

Several high-profile MLS players have bolted for Norway in the offseason... could Noonan join them?

Mexican Club Targets Emilio

2008-01-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Mexican club Monarcas Morelia has cast an eye toward D.C. United's goal-scoring machine Luciano Emilio, according to the Washington Post's Steven Goff.
Emilio, 29, had a sensational first year in Major League Soccer, scoring 20 goals and adding an assist on his way to the Golden Boot, MLS MVP and Newcomer of the Year awards. After the season ended, word leaked out that the Brazilian wanted to be more fairly compensated for his contribution to the team (he earned $293,125 in 2007).

Since Emilio is under contract with D.C., Morelia would have to pony up a transfer fee for the forward. But United probably isn't willing to let him go for cheap, especially since the futures of Jaime Moreno and Christian Gomez with the club remain in doubt.

US Interest in Benny Grows

2008-01-16T21:57:00.000-08:00

Derby County Football Club has rejected the latest offer from Israeli club Maccabi Tel-Aviv for Benny Feilhaber, citing increased interest from the United States.
"Maccabi Tel-Aviv showed an interested in Benny and we allowed him the chance to speak to them," said Derby Chairman Adam Pearson. "However, we have now rejected their latest bid and have called Benny back to Derby. There is a lot of interest in the player in the MLS in the States and this is something we are likely to pursue."

The Tel-Aviv offer was reported to be in the area of £275,000 ($538,000), which is about 1/4 the amount that Derby paid for the U.S. midfielder. Feilhaber, 22, has notched two goals in 12 appearances for the United States, most memorably volleying home the game-winner against Mexico in the 2007 Gold Cup final.

EJ-to-Fulham Update

2008-01-16T14:18:00.001-08:00

Update: MLS Rumors is reporting that Eddie Johnson's transfer to Fulham will cost the Cottagers £3.2 million, or somewhere in the range of $6.25 million. Such an astronomical fee would smash the previous highest amount paid for an MLS player, a record already held by Fulham when they paid $4 million for Clint Dempsey over a year ago.

Israeli Move in Bornstein's Future?

2008-01-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

Following news that an Israeli club has shown interest in U.S. international Benny Feilhaber, reports from that country suggest that Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein may also be mulling over a possible Middle East move to Maccabi Tel Aviv.Bornstein, 23, was recently photographed in Israel, taking in a game between Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifi, fueling speculation that he might be on his way out of Major League Soccer. He was voted the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2006 after posting six goals and four assists, helping the club reach the playoffs for the first time in their short history. He slipped back to a more defensive role in 2007, adding just one goal and one assist.

The forward-turned-left-back has also featured in Bob Bradley's national team since the former Chivas USA head coach took the reigns of the program. Bornstein has received 10 caps and scored a goal in his first-ever appearance with the senior squad, a 3-1 win over Denmark on January 20, 2007.

Wizards Nab Top Pick Through Trade

2008-01-16T11:32:00.001-08:00

The Kansas City Wizards have made a big move ahead of Friday's MLS SuperDraft, trading away veteran defender Nick Garcia to the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for the top pick in the draft.
Garcia, 28, has played 247 games (all starts) for the Wizards since joining the league in 2000 - the year Kansas City won MLS Cup. He was a solid anchor for the KC defense that made it to the Western Conference Finals last season, playing 2,420 minutes during the regular season and all 270 minutes in the postseason.

"I am very excited to play in San Jose and I am grateful for the opportunity that (head coach) Frank Yallop and (General Manager) John Doyle are giving me," Garcia said. "I will work very hard to make the Earthquakes a great franchise and win many more championships."

San Jose will use his presence to fill the hole left by the departure of Clarence Goodson, who opted to sign with Norwegian team IK Start after being selected by the Earthquakes in last fall's expansion draft.

"Nick will be the centerpiece of our defense for a long time," Doyle said. "Nick is not only a great soccer player but will be a leader in our young franchise."

Did Somebody Order Fish?

2008-01-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

It was only a matter of time before Carlos Ruiz ended up in a Los Angeles Galaxy uniform again. One of the worst-kept secrets in Major League Soccer, the deal was made official today, with the G's ponying up a 2nd-round draft pick in 2009 and allocation money for the Guatemalan forward known as El Pescadito. The Galaxy had tried several times over the past 18 months to re-acquire Ruiz, but for one reason or another, the deal fell apart each time.He is one of three players who made more than the league maximum salary in 2007 but does not count as a DP - as is also the case with new teammate Landon Donovan. His production was well down last season at just 7 goals and 2 assists, but Ruiz still averages 13.5 goals per season.

"It means a lot to play for the Galaxy again because I feel like I am going back home and I am very excited about that," Ruiz said. "I have a big responsibility now because the Galaxy's goal is to win every game, so I want to play hard and score as many goals as possible and win the MLS Cup again."

Ruiz was with the Galaxy for their MLS Cup run in 2002, the same year that he was named MVP of the league. He played for Los Angeles from 2002-2004, contributing 61 goals and 10 assists in 83 games before being shipped to FC Dallas before the start of the 2005 season. For his career, he boasts 97 goals and 19 assists in 157 games played.

"We are very pleased to be bringing a proven goal scorer and veteran leader in Carlos Ruiz back to Los Angeles," L.A. Director of Soccer Paul Bravo said. "Carlos is an experienced forward who has averaged better than a goal every two games during his MLS career and we believe that he will be a tremendous asset to our attack."

Feilhaber to Israel?

2008-01-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

Gold Cup hero Benny Feilhaber may soon be leaving English soccer in favor of a move to the Middle East. English media is reporting that Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv has offered the Derby County midfielder £275,000 (roughly $538,000) to join up with their side.

The U.S. international, who turns 23 on Saturday, has been stuck on the bench for much of his tenure with Premier League relegation-favorites Derby County, making 1 start and 7 appearances as a substitute since his £1 million move to club last summer.

Why is it that no MLS teams are trying to lure the talented youngster? Too expensive?

EJ Transfer Rumor of the Day

2008-01-13T22:10:00.000-08:00

Eddie Johnson may finally, finally be on the move. Yes, that's right - the self-proclaimed Grown-Ass Man, linked with just about every non-MLS team under the sun over the last few years, has reportedly left the USMNT camp in Carson, CA for the friendly confines of Craven Cottage. The relationship between Fulham and the Kansas City Wizards forward has apparently become serious.
Negotiations between the two sides are ongoing, but it appears to be a good bet that EJ and his bling will become the fifth American on the books with Fulham, joining fellow Yanks McBride, Bocanegra, Keller and Dempsey. Derby County had also be mentioned as a serious contender for the 23-year-old's services in recent days, but have dropped out of the running.

Will Fulham be willing to break their own record for highest transfer fee paid for an MLS player? (Dempsey was acquired for $4 million over a year ago.)

Where does this leave the Wizards for 2008?