Donovan interested in move to Australia

Landon Donovan has suggested he might end his playing days in Australia's A-League.

"My wife and I have talked about that (coming to play in Australia). Not now but maybe one day. I have got a couple more years at the Galaxy it might be a while (but) I love it here," he said.

He called the 80,000 strong crowd that watch the Galaxy take on Sydney FC 'awesome' and though they played a great game.

It is interesting that Donovan, who claimed that being near his home as his main reason for moving back from Europe a few years ago, would now be willing to go even further away to finish up his playing days. Then again, maybe he's thinking Australia might get the 2018 World Cup and he, at the age of 36, could get some local love as he takes the field one last time for the USA. Or maybe he thinks that 80,000 will show up to watch him play.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

The US's 2010 World Cup Qualification draw

The 2010 World Cup qualifying draw is over and the US men now know just what their opposition looks like as they will need to survive three rounds of play to make it to the finals in South Africa.

The first round match will take place in June of 2008 as they will face either Barbados or Dominica (these two play a home-home series earlier in the year to decide who will advance). If the US makes it out of that home-home series, they will enter into a four-team group in the semifinals.

The dates of the semifinal matches are 20 Aug, 6 Sept, 10 Sept, 11 Oct, 15 Oct and 19 Nov. The top two teams from each of the three semifinal groups (6 in total) will advance to the final round.

The six teams will place each other twice with the top three teams advancing to the 2010 World Cup and the fourth team playing a home-home playoff against the fifth team from South America.

Here are the dates for the final round (all in 2009): 11 Feb, 28 March, 1 April, 6 June, 10 June, 19 Aug, 5 Sept, 9 Sept, 10 Oct and 14 Oct.

Due to finishing in the top three spots in Concacaf, the USA, Mexico and Canada cannot face each other till the final round of qualification.

As far as who the US will play in their first match, chances are it will be Barbados.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

England out of Euro 2008

After a disgusting first half, England looked reborn in the second thanks in large part to the work of Beckham (sub at the half) and Peter Crouch. They were down 2-0 at the half way mark, but they were able to fight back into it thanks to a pk and a fantastic cross from Beckham to Crouch's chest, but in the end a horrible night by Wyde Bridge and Scott Carson, combined with plenty of other poor play are the reason England will not be in Switzerland/Austria next summer.

With Russia winning 1-0 against Andorra, England has now missed their first major tournament since the 1994 World Cup. Lots will be written (the bloodletting is going to be fierce with this one) but in the end it was all about quality. England just did not have the depth and style to make it happen.

So will Steve McClaren do the honorable thing and resign at the post game press conference or will he wait to be fired? Where will England look to find a quality keeper? How must Beckham feel being one game short of 100 matches for his country knowing that this was probably the end?

For the record, as far as Beckham, even at his unfit level, he was one of the few bright spots on the pitch for the squad. That says something about him and the squad.

As I wrap this up, a few more questions pop into my mind. How ecstatic do you think Lalas in the LA organization is right now knowing that they will not lose their cash cow for two months next summer? Also, how soon till someone from US soccer gets on the blower and tries to setup a match between the two countries for June? Finally, how much will this hurt the beer industry in England?

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

2008 MLS expansion draft - Those who are not protected

The teams have all submitted their list of those who are protected and those who are free to be taken. Below is the full list of players available for San Jose in the expansion draft. A reminder, the Earthquakes will get up to 10 rounds of picks, but they can only pick one player from a team.

Some interesting notes, Denilson (FC Dallas) is unprotected. I guess they are betting that San Jose will not use their DP spot on him. Also, both the Dynamo's number one and two keepers are available in Pat Onstad and Zach Wells. Either they don't think the 'Quakes are looking for a post minder or they are more afraid of a field player going back to California. Craig Waibel and Paul Dalglish are also on the list. Waibel is dependable but ageing while Dalglish has been hampered by injury this year.

Here are some other players that jumped out at me as I glanced over the list: Jose Burciaga (Kansas City), Clarence Goodson (FC Dallas), Andy Herron (Crew), Brian Carroll (DC), Avery John (New England) and Francis Doe (New York).

The draft happens on Wednesday at 1pm ET/10am PT.

Chivas USA
Arvizu, David
Brooks, Desmond
Burling, Bobby
Burpo, Preston
Cunliffe, John
Flores, Jorge
Guevara, Amado
Hamilton, Anthony
Llamosa, Carlos
Lopez, Rodrigo
Hernandez, Jason
Merlin, Laurent
Myers, Justin
Nunez, Ramon
Perez, Orlando
Robles, Eder
Solorzano, Erasmo
Zotinca, Alex

Chicago Fire
Busch, Jon
Banner, Michael
Curtin, Jeff
Curtin, Jim
Franks, Floyd
Guerrero, Ivan
Gutierrez, Diego
Marques, Bruno
Noble, Nick
Plotkin, Brian
Russolillo, Jordan
Telesford, Osei
Thorrington, John
Woolard, Daniel

Colorado Rapids
Cancela, Jose
Casey, Conor
DiRaimondo, John
Gargan, Dan
Harvey, Jordan
Hernandez, Nicolas
Hughes, Justin
Keel, Stephen
Kirovski, Jovan
LaBrocca, Nick
Petke, Mike
Prideaux, Brandon
Sanneh, Tony
Thornton, Zach
Wilmes, Clifton

Columbus Crew
Garey, Jason
Gaudette, Bill
Grabavoy, Ned
Griffin, Leonard
Guenebaum, Andy
Herron, Andy
Hunter, Ben
Junge, Ryan
Miglioranzi, Stefani
Moffat, Adam
Moss, Brandon
Pacheco, Andrei
Peterson, Andrew
Pierce, Rusty
Thomas, Jacob
Virtuoso, Ricardo

FC Dallas
De Oliveira, Denilson
Botero, Juan
Daniels, Andrew
Dello-Russo, Michael
Gbandi, Chris
Gbandi, Sandy
Goodson, Clarence
Jones, Scott
Mina, Roberto
Oduro, Dominic
Pitchkolan, Aaron
Rhine, Bobby
Sala, Dario
Thompson, Abe
Wagenfuhr, David
Wileman, Chase
Yi, Alex

D.C. United
Addlery, Nicholas
Carroll, Brian
Carroll, Jeff
Crowe, Shawn
DeRoux, Stephen
Dyachenko, Rod
Gros, Joshua
Kpene, Guy
Mediate, Domenic
Monteiro, Jerson
Moose, Justin
Mupier, Mira
Nolly, Jay
North, Brad
Vanney, Greg
Walker, Jamil

Houston Dynamo
Ashe, Corey
Chabala, Mike
Cochrane, Ryan
Dalglish, Paul
Ebert, Eric
Hatzke, Nick
Hayden, John Michael
Hoerner, Kenneth
James, Jordan
Onstad, Pat
Ustruck, Erik
Waibel, Craig
Wells, Zach
Wondolowski, Chris
Wondolowski, Stephen

Kansas City Wizards
Burciaga, Jose
Colombano, Eloy
Elcock, Edson
Godbolt, AJ
Guadarrama, Willy
Hartman, Kevin
Hohlbein, Aaron
John, Will
Konopka, Chris
Kraus, Michael
Kronberg, Eric
Lowery, Amir
McMahen, Ryan
Pore, Ryan
Raybould, Ryan
Wahl, Tyson
Watson, Lance

LA Galaxy
Cronin, Steve
Caso, Mike
Friesz, Lance
Glinton, Gavin
Gordon, Alan
Gray, Kelly
Harmse, Kevin
Martino, Kyle
Mathis, Clint
Tudela, Josh
Vagenas, Peter
Veris, Kyle
Xavier, Abel

New England Revolution
Byrne, Bryan
Dorman, Andy
Flood, Gary
Franchino, Joe
Gonzalez, Miguel
Helton, Kyle
John, Avery
Knighton, Brad
Leonard, Marshall
Loftus, Chris
Mansally, Abdoulie
Nyassi, Sainey
Riley, James
Sims, Willie
Warren, Doug

New York Red Bulls
Doe, Francis
Caccavale, Sal
Camp, Blake
Cepero, Danny
Goldthwaite, Kevin
Ikangu, Elie
Karcz, Chris
Laventure, Jerrod
Leitch, Chris
Magee, Mike
Patterson, Randi
Quaranta, Santino
Schopp, Markus
Ubiparipovic, Sinisa
Vide, Joseph
Wolyniec, John

Real Salt Lake
Brown, Chris
Brown, Kyle
Curfman, Steven
Cutler, Kenny
Forko, Willis
Hashimoto, Duke
Jimenez, Christian
Kipre, Jean-Martial
Kirby, Dustin
Kotschau, Ritchie
Lancos, Chris
Reynish, Kyle
Stewart, Jack
Watson, Jamie
Williams, Andy

Toronto FC
Boyens, Andrew
Attakora-Gyan, Nana
Braz, Adam
Canizalez, Maycoll
Djekanovic, Srdjan
Gala, Gabe
Guzman, David
Hemming, Tyler
Lombardo, Andrea
Lumley, Stephen
Melo, Joey
Nunez, Cristian
Pozniak, Chris
Reda, Marco
Stamatopolus, Kenny

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Houston Dynamo 2007 MLS Cup Champions - The Dynasty has begun

Houston Dynamo 2-1 New England Revolution
The first half saw the team from Houston looking out of place as their backline was confused and their passing game was pathetic, however, Coach Kinnear provided some halftime magic to regroup his side.

Half number two saw the team start pushing forward, but the big change was the marking in the midfield. New England was started having trouble pushing through, which gave Joseph Ngwenya and Dwayne De Rosario the room they needed to move into the attack. Ngwenya looked especially much improved in the second 45 as his first half was a mix of poor passing, selfish play and sloppy attacks.

But Ngwenya more then erased all that bad with his game-tying goal in the 61'. Actually, his sloppy attack came in handy as his whiff kick caused Matt Reis to dive, opening up the hole for the actual goal. Then came the winner. Brad Davis sent in the cross and De Rosario did the rest. How much force was on that header?

New England was playing their game through out the first half, but in the end, the same problem that they were some how able to overcome in the first two rounds of the playoffs was too much today. Their goal scoring ability, or lack there of, cost them. Okay, Pat Onstad had a lot to do with that, but with so few big options up top, Houston was able to keep control even when being out played. Off topic, but Onstad deserved the MVP a bit more then DeRo in my opinion.

Also, the Revs were very lucky to not get a pk against them in the first 15 minutes when Avery John took down Nate Jaqua from behind in the box (I think it was Jaqua, but my memory might be a bit fuzzy) and the Khano Smith as Zidane act should have been a red card (although hands off to ref Alex Prus for doing everything he could to keep calls from deciding this one).

So Houston repeats as MLS Champions and New England is officially the saddest team in the league (but way to not cry Matt Reis). The Dynamo have earned the MLS title and deserve all the dynasty talk and it is only fitting that it took place at RFK, the home of the only other team that has ever reached MLS dynasty status.

Congratulations to the Houston Dynamo and their outstanding fans.

Goals:
NE: Taylor Twellman (3) 20'
HD: Joseph Ngwenya (1) 61', Dwayne De Rosario (2) 74'
Attendance: 39,859

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

DCenters for Soccer Blog God

Over at US Soccer dot com, they are hosting their annual 'Best of' awards. They have best male goal, female goal, team, bar, etc., etc. But the big one, the one that will change the course of the game forever, the one that will cause grown men to cry and women to faint is none other then 'Best (damn) Soccer Blog' ever (or at least for now).

The nominees are the cream of the soccer crop (proven by the fact that this blog is nowhere near it), but there is one that stands out far above all the others, because only one gives you the freezer, the Supporters' Shield graphs, the karma bank, the soccer carnivals (whatever happened to those?) and all the DC homer feel they can cram down your bloody throat.

This is the blog that gets up at the crack of noon everyday thinking 'how can I make a DC United joke in French?' This is the blog that looks at anything and thinks, how can I insult the Red Bulls with it? And this is the blog that has taken the clichs out of the soccer lexicon.

Think what you will about the team for which they bleed, but without a doubt, DCenters is the best soccer blog this country has to offer. They have lead the way and pushed the sport forward as few others could. So do yourself a favor and go have a few drinks, but before you do, vote for DCenters.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Your team not in the MLS Cup? Here's your guide to picking a side.

Let's face it, for most MLS fans, your team isn't going for glory on Sunday afternoon, but being the proud soccer fan that you are, you will still watch the game. Now you can do it impartially, judging the game not on an alliance but on the actual play on the field, but what fun is that.

Go ahead and pick a side so there can be an 'us vs. them' motif. It will give you more of a reason to cheer every shot, jeer every hard tackle and curse at every bad call the ref is bound to make. But have no worries about anything long term, this is just a one afternoon stand that will be gone faster then a New York Red Bull coach. With that in mind, here is a guide to help you pick your short-term personal cup team based on your own true MLS love.

Chicago - Can you really cheer for the team the beat you especially on a 'tainted' Taylor Twellman bicycle kick? Plus, do you want the MLS Cup to go to a team that plays on turf? One last thing, Dallas is your enemy and Houston is Dallas's enemy thus Houston is your friend. Where there is a Dynamo, there is bound to be a Fire.

Chivas - You've got much better over the last couple years but you still can't make anything happen against Houston. Plus, that 0-0 tie against the Dynamo on the last match of the regular season exposed the weaknesses that Kansas City used to beat you in the playoffs. The Goats are kicking for the Revolution.

Colorado - Much like the play on the pitch, this club has little excitement either way. Still, the Revs play a style of soccer that lends itself to a bit more of a snore nature then Houston, so maybe if the Revs pull one off, it proves that Colorado has a chance. New England for a new Rapids.

Columbus - Let's use some logic here, this season the Crew did not lose to the Revs once (1 win, 2 ties), therefore, if the Revs beat Houston, the Crew are actually MLS champions. Then again, if Joseph Ngwenya plays a big roll for Houston, it's like the Crew made it happen. So really, either way you go, Columbus comes out on top. Go halftime show!

DC - Okay, watching a team break one of your most cherished records (back-to-back titles) on your own pitch is bound to hurt, however can you really cheer for New England? I mean do you really want to see Matt Reis holding the cup high over his head at RFK? It has got to be Houston.

Dallas - Texas pride runs strong and it runs deep but hatred between Dallas and Houston runs deeper. Not only have they achieved more in two years then you have in twelve, but they have even done it on your own soil. Then again, New England did take the US Open Cup from you this year on your own soil, but I'm guessing that hurts less then the repetitive beatings Houston hands you. New England all the way.

Kansas City - Houston kicked you out of the playoffs, but it was such a one sided night that the only way to not look foolish is to have the same thing happen to another team. Hope for a Dyno-tastic Sunday.

Los Angeles - Until next season, Houston is still the Earthquakes and LA doesn't like Earthquakes. As an added bonus, a New England win in DC makes United look less like the Superclub the Galaxy aim to be. Also, with AEG Houston and LA's corporate parent, aren't you tired of your brother getting the better grades? La-La wants a Revolution.

New York - New England is the team New York was suppose to be and sure this might not be baseball, but a New Yorker going for a team from Boston just doesn't seem right. Besides, if the Revs win, that's one less team that you could point at as and example of a team without a MLS title. Houston to smack the Revs.

Salt Lake - Real is looking for a revolution in their play next season so they need to look at this game with strategy in mind. The winner will get a berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup and if tradition holds, those who play in it will have a bad start to the MLS season. Since Salt Lake has a better chance of playing Houston early, the Dynamo are the way to go.

Toronto - Like there is even an option here. Between Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad, Houston is the proxy team Canada. A win for them is like a win for the maple leafs. Go, go Dynamo!

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Get a free Houston Dynamo t-shirt Thursday afternoon

The Dynamo and Gallery Furniture are hosting a 'Keep the Cup' pep rally on Thursday, November 15, from 5-6:30pm. Fans will get a chance to see the 2006 MLS Cup, meet the team's mascot and get a free "Dream! Scream! Believe!" t-shirt.

Gallery Furniture is located at 6006 I-45 North, Houston TX 77076.

Houston fans can also try to win a free trip on a luxury bus to Sunday's MLS Cup by listening to LaNortena 850 AM and 101.7 FM, 790 The Sports Animal, LaRaza and XO.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

2007 'Western' Conference Championship - KC vs. Houston

Kansas City Wizards vs. Houston Dynamo
Saturday - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (30 min pre&post), FSE, HDNet

So if the Wizards pull off the upset, they will be the champions of a conference to which they do not belong. That would make for an interesting footnote in the MLS story.

Can the Dynamo make 2007 a 2006 repeat? All they need to do is get past an uneven Wizards side to make it all come true, but that could prove harder then it looks.

The Wizards will need Eddie Johnson at full steam if they want to make it happen in Houston. Scott Sealy is a dangerous attacker, but having just one player causing pain for the Houston defense is not going to be enough. Johnson looked lively at Chivas last week, but he was much better at putting the ball over the crossbar then under it.

The Dynamo need to keep the momentum from their thrilling victory last Saturday going. Brian Ching and Dwayne De Rosario will be important as always, but if they really want to take it to KC, they will need the midfield to shut down the Wizards quick counters and they will need their defense to not give up a goal off a sloppy event in the box (something they do a bit too often).

Much like the New England in their match, Houston has players everywhere that can strike at goal while KC, like Chicago, are limited. Also, Houston has home pitch advantage and is not suffering from injury woes like Chivas, meaning this one will be theirs to lose. In the end, it will be a harder struggle then most expect, but Houston will move on to the finals.

Prediction: Me: KC 0-2 HD, Wife: KC 1-2 HD

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

2007 Eastern Conference Championship - Chicago vs. New England

Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: ESPN2

Tonight decides who will represent the Eastern Conference in MLS Cup 2007. Will it be the hard charging, Blanco fueled, giant killers Chicago Fire or the always dependable, Matt Reis backed New England Revolution?

Without a doubt, Chicago has had a good run of form over the last couple months, but it really has not been as impressive as it sounds. Yes, they have not lost in their last 10 league matches, however, six of those games ended in ties and they scored one goal or less in seven of them. It makes for a good record but when you are in a must win situation, it doesn't hold up as well.

The Revolution have had a bit of a bumpier ride in terms of results and they looked a little soft against New York in the first round, but overall, they hold a number of key advantages. First, they are playing on turf in their own house. Second, they have a goalkeeper who is getting close to top form. Third, they have multiple scoring options. Fourth, unlike DC, injuries are not hurting a number of key players.

All of these will make Chicago's job extremely difficult, but there biggest issue is the same one they have had all year, failure to score. The Fire have the fewest goals of any playoff team (31) and are second worse when compared to the league as a whole (TFC holds the bottom spot at 25). This lack of attack, especially up against a keeper like Matt Reis, is what will doom them.

On the other side of things, the Revs have one of the most productive offensives in the league and with seven of their regular starters having two or more goals, this productivity is not limited to one area. This will force Chicago to pull players back behind the ball, meaning they will again be counting on break aways and counter attacks to see them through this match.

A very telling thing to look at concerning the Fire is the way they played in the first leg of the DC series. When they went up a goal, they said that they were going to push it in order to get a second. But what happened? The team didn't know how to push forward and instead they wasted the clock and helm off a limping United. So even when they decided to push forward, they could not.

Without a doubt Blanco will play a major role in Chicago's night, but which Blanco will it be? Will it be the Blanco from the first leg who gave away the ball over 40 times or the Blanco of the second leg who was placing the balls were needed and catching the United defense cheating? But the center of attention might not be the most important person to watch as the Fire will need Chad Barrett and Chris Rolfe roaming into the final third regularly if they hope to beat Reis.

The Revs will call on one of the best midfields in the league to dictate this game. Steve Ralston and Andy Dorman have made trouble for their opposition all season with Jeff Larentowicz and Khano Smith adding a great fight to the center. On defense, Michael Parkhurst has been making a case for international duty with his 'defend hard, defend everywhere' style while Jay Heaps likes to get involved when numbers are needed. Combine all this will Pat Noonan and Taylor Twellman and you have all the makings of a whooping.

Chciago might be able to hold off that whooping due to their strong defensive work, however that normally is the result of keeping 10-players behind the ball, meaning that if they go down to the Revs, their style will open up as they push forward, resulting in more possible chances for New England.

Predictions:
Me: CF 0-2 NE
Wife : CF 2-1 NE
But the wife did not stop there, she predicts that NE will go up a goal in the first half hour, Chicago will tie it just a few minutes after halftime and get the winner sometime between the 82-86'. Specific enough for you?

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Pele - Beckham in US handled 'very, very bad', likes England for World Cup 2018

Pele believes that the way David Beckham was introduced to the US audience was 'very, very bad' because he was introduced as 'a scorer of goals.'

But Beckham is not the only problem he sees for MLS as he also believes that the current salary cap is hurting the game.

Pele believes MLS players' salaries need to be raised to the level of American football or baseball players. He also wants the lifting of restrictions on player movements, which are designed to stop wealthy teams from amassing the best players.

"This was one of the mistakes. They have to give freedom to the owners of the teams to buy the players and (chose) which players they want to put (out)," Pele said. "The big mistake in the league now is to control the level of the teams. If they opened this up, it would be much better.

The biggest problem with this move, of coarse, is that it is basically what NASL did back in the 70's, and that didn't end up so well.

Still, he is correct that if the league ever wants to see the attendance numbers of the Cosmos (50-60,000 per match), they will need to have more money to spend to attract top talent. However, at this point the league is not looking for such numbers, instead, they want to build a strong foundation for later improvements. Yet it is hard to argue that raising the salary cap a few million dollars per team is a bad idea.

In other Pele news, he thinks England is well suited to hold the 2018 finals. He sited stadiums as the main reason the country should get the Cup. He then went on to talk about his own country hosting the 2014 World Cup.

'It is fantastic. The Brazilians love football, they live football.
'When Brazil was nominated to get the World Cup it was fantastic.
'Of course there is a lot of controversy about the situation and people ask if Brazil is ready to host the World Cup.
'If you look now, no-one is able to play in the World Cup. If FIFA was there now they would say no, but seven years from now Brazil will be in shape to host the World Cup.'

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Houston Dynamo and the league's TV ideas

A number of fans in Houston were upset this past Friday when they could not find the FCD-Dynamo match anywhere on local television. Since the Dynamo are, by MLS rules, responsible for getting any non-national televised games on the glowing box, some felt that this lack of a broadcast was a way to insure a healthy crowd on Friday night.

However, Houston insists that their decision had nothing to do with ticket sales. Instead, it was the result of budget limitations. The team says they only had the money to pay for one of the legs of the first round and decided it would be better spent getting the match from Dallas aired since fewer fans had a chance to see that one.

The idea makes a great deal of sense, however it reflects another way that the league's structure is hampering the growth of the sport. The game on Friday night was one of the most exciting examples of league play this year, but only 30,000 out of 5.5 million people in the area had a chance to see it (Direct Kick and MLStv are nice, but they don't come close to matching broadcast numbers).

Oh I know, even if the game was aired, an overwhelming majority of people in the area still would not watch it, however, they would have got some people to stop and watch (and it probably would have been on in a number of sports bars). But even if the final number was 30,000 people, that still doubles the viewers for the game and increases the possibility of getting people involved with the club.

But the Dynamo have a budget that could not afford such an undertaking, which makes me thank that the league should step in at playoff time and assist teams that do not get national broadcasts. It doesn't have to be full payment for a match, a 50/50 split seems fair. Since the total matches would only be four, the cost is relatively small with the results being very worth while as every playoff team would be able to say that all their post season matches, which are suppose to be the most important games in the league, are on television.

If you are not going to air the games leading up to the biggest game of the season, how can you expect to build a crowd for it? And I know, not every match is going to be as action packed as Friday's, but when they are, it makes everything so worth while.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

New York fires Bruce Arena

The New York Red Bulls have sacked Bruce Arena after the club failed in the first round of the MLS playoffs this past Saturday.

"We've made progress this season, but it is not where we want to be, said Red Bull New York Managing Director Marc de Grandpre. We made a promise to our fans to provide the best quality product on the field. Unfortunately, we havent achieved that promise to this point. Thus, weve come to a mutual agreement to part ways. I want to thank Bruce for his hard work. I am certain that he will have success in his future endeavors.

In just a year and a half, Arena went 16-16-10 including going 12-11-7 this season.

The Red Bulls will start their search for a new coach immediately, which will be the fourth since Red Bull purchased the team in 2006.

So the Bruce is no looking for a job. Maybe the Women's national team will come calling.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

2007 MLS Playoffs - Round 1 Leg 2 Preview - Are you ready for some Friday night action?

Will last night be an omen for what is to come this weekend or will Chicago be the irregular that makes it on? Every match has something worth watching, but sadly the best two will be the hardest to find. I really think the FCD-Houston match is going to be something classic, while the KC-Chivas game will be shocking in the end.

FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo
FCD up 1-0 on aggregate
Friday - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv

Friday nights in Texas are all about football, so it is only fitting that the second match of this series is tonight. Dallas comes into the game up a lucky goal while Houston is fumbling on offense. The good news for the Dynamo, overall, they looked better last Saturday in Frisco then FCD did. However, the good news for Dallas, the score is what matters.

FCD will probably go with Ruiz and Cooper up top, which really didn't produce anything last week. Ruiz, as always, will play for the foul, but he is ridding a yellow and if his team does get out of Houston alive, they are going to need him next week. Will this mean that the little fish will alter his ways at all? I doubt it. Cooper needs to push himself into the box. The Dynamo kept forcing him out wide last week, which isn't horrible as he can center some good balls, but it means his size becomes a minor factor. Also, Dallas really wasn't getting anyone into position to do anything with the centering passes.

But the big question for me is can Dallas get something out of their midfield? With the exception of a couple plays by Adrian Serioux, their middle suffered. If Juan Toja can return to early season form and start placing good passes that open up the attack, they have a great chance of finally getting a win in Houston, but short of that, it is going to be a tough night.

With FCD's problems, Houston should be able to spring attacks. With Dwayne De Rosario, Brian Mullan and Richard Mulrooney clicking, the middle of the park should be theirs, but will Ching, Jaqua or Ngwenya be able to do anything with it? The lack of quality finishing is the only reason the Dynamo are down in the series. As his playoff history shows, Ching can explode at any moment, but it does seem that his injury from August is still hurting his game. However, he likes big games so I think he will find the next at least once.

This game really should be outstanding. Expect a really strong, vocal crowd and an intensity level that will make soccer fans proud (by the way, if you live in the area, the game will not be on local TV, so to see it you will need to be there).

Prediction: Me FCD 1-2 HD (HD wins series on pks), Wife FCD 0-2 HD (HD wins series 2-1)


New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
Series tied 0-0
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (30-min pre & post), FSE

So the playoff team with worse road record has to go to New England and win to advance. That should tip the balance in the Revs direction right off the bat. Much like Houston, the Red Bulls had their chances in the first leg, but they did not finish. Angel and Francis Doe should have got something from all the work Claudio Reyna was doing in the middle, but it did not happen.

The Revs say they are confident and they should be. Michael Parkhurst is doing wonderful work in the back, Steve Ralston and Shalrie Joseph own things in the middle and Taylor Twellman and Pat Noonan offer good options up top. If it wasn't for a bit of a slip in form for goaltender Matt Reis, there really wouldn't be much to talk about, and that's why Angel and Altidore need to expose.

New England is a quality side, but they depend a lot on the skill of their keeper. In the regular season he made 120 saves off 169 shots, meaning he made the second most saves off of the third most shots in the league (by the way, none of the other teams that had this many shots or saves made the playoffs). So even if he is just a tad off his game, the Revs are in danger.

For the Revs to keep the Eastern Conference final from being a #3 versus #4 affair, they will need to limit that chances the Bulls have. If they can do this, they have enough talent at the top get the win.

Prediction: Me NY 0-1 NE (NE wins series), Wife NY 1-2 NE (NE wins series)


Kansas City Wizards vs. Chivas USA
KC leads 1-0 on aggregate
Saturday - 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT
TV: HDnet, Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv

First the good news for Kansas City. They are the only team that owned a game in Los Angeles this year against Chivas. They controlled the pass, had the better opportunities and frustrated the goats. The bad news, they still lost the match 2-1.

With Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov still either out or less then 100% for Chivas, the Wizards defense should again be able to dictate the pace of the match. With a goal, KC all but has the series, so they will need Eddie Johnson (who might be playing his final MLS match) to actually get involved in the game and Scott Sealy needs to work on staying on sides and his movement in the box. Brad Guzan is a fantastic net minder, so they will need to either catch him with a quick dump pass in front of goal or create a mess in the box and hope for the best.

Chivas has their own offensive worries as they have only scored one goal in their last four games (which matches Razov's injury). Sacha Kljestan and Jesse Marsch can make trouble, but overall, they have no solid strikers for this match. Jonathan Bornstein should help control things in the back, but with nothing to really push the game, the Wizards have a golden opportunity to knock off the second number one seed of the playoffs.

Predictions: Me KC 1-0 Chivas (KC wins series 2-0), Wife KC 0-1 CV (Chivas wins series on pks)


By the way, I am now taking bribes to predict that a team will win. I do this because I have been incorrect about every game for the last two weeks. If you want your opposition to lose, just bribe me and I'll pick them to win.

One last thought, what happens if FCD, NY and KC win this weekend? If all four top seeds are knocked out in the first round, will MLS finally change the playoff format to actually give top seeds an advantage in the first round or will they point to it as proof that the playoffs are the most exciting time of the year?

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Thursday Night Soccer Chicago vs. DC - Can United finally beat the Fire?

Chicago Fire vs. DC United
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: ESPN2
Chicago leads 1-0 on aggregate

So it comes down to this. Will it be a repeat of 2005 when the Fire came to DC the underdogs and walked out with four goals and some of Christian Gomez's spit or will United finally find a way to put out the fire (I promise, this is my only fire pun) in the playoffs?

There are some big differences between the clubs that meet today and those that meet in 2005 with the biggest being scoring ability of the Fire. Back in those lazy days of two years ago, Chicago were much more of an offensive team averaging 1.5 goals per match while this year, they pop in at just a hair over 1 goal per game. The only thing that kept Chicago from being a wash was the ability to defend, where they were second best in the East. The problem for them, the number one defending and scoring team in the East was DC.

United is going to come out expecting Chicago to play a bunker style match because the Fire really does not have any other option. They tried to push the offense in the first leg, but they feel flat thanks to horrible control in the midfield and there is nothing from their season that suggests this will change tonight.

This should give Fred lots of room to move and try to free up Emilio and Moreno, but to fully counter the Chicago wall, they will need to call on Ben Olsen, Bryan Namoff, Bobby Boswell and others to create messes in the final third that might open up the space needed to place one into the net. The problem for Chicago is if one goes in, it will not be the only one.

If United tie of the series score, especially if they do it early, they will not sit back and wait for penalties. They will find the errors and Chicago will go home. One last thing, don't be surprised if the Fire give up a goal after the 80th minute as they have done so on many occasions.

Predictions: Me DC 2-0 CF, Wife DC 2-1 CF (DC on pks)

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]

Could an American lead Iran to 2010 World Cup glory?

Could it really happen? Could an American citizen be named Iran's next national team coach? In the current geopolitical environment, it seems a bit off, but Afshin Ghotbi might change that.

Ghotbi was born in Iran, but lived outside the country (mostly in the US, where he become a citizen) for 30-years. However, he returned to Iran in August to take over the coaching job at one of Iran's biggest clubs, Persepolis F.C. and so far it has been very successful. In 11 matches, he has seven wins and four draws and is nine-points clear at the top of the premier league. Other Iranian managers have panned his tactics, but the results speak for themselves.

With the Iranian national team still without a coach and 2010 qualification beginning in February, there has been talk of Ghotbi, thanks to his domestic work, taking over. If it did happen, it would not be the first time he was on the sidelines for an Iranian World Cup match as he was part of the US coaching team during the 1998 World Cup when the US lost to Iran.

So could it really happen? If the results keep coming his way and if the federation continues to have trouble finding a 'Western European' coach, it might. Still, even if it did happen, it might come to nothing as their is a situation concerning the top position in the federation.

Mohammad Aliabadi , one of Iran's Vice-Presidents, wants the top spot in the federation but does not want to give up his position in the government. With FIFA recently suspending Kuwait for government involvement in their FA, it would seem that if Aliabadi got the post, the same thing might happen (again) to Iran. If so, it might kill any hope of reaching the World Cup, thus making the job a lot less interesting.

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[Source: My Soccer Blog]