It's over for Roy Keane at Sunderland. He resigned the job today. And just two days ago I said he wouldn't do it. Foolish me, but that's nothing new.

~and~

The idea is being kicked around MLS to have the team with the best record host the MLS Cup final. While this might bring out more passion from the locals, I don't think the national coverage will be as good. Click to continue reading...

This question has been on my mind for a couple of weeks now - If Cuauhtemoc Blanco could be loaned out to Mexican club Santos Laguna immediately, then why are Beckman and Donovan not loaned out to Milan and Bayern immediately?


Copa Sudamericana

Finals
2nd leg Match & Score (with 1st leg score included):
-Wed Dec 3
Internacional v Estudiantes (1-0)
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MLS Team News

CHICAGO FIRE

Our main man Dan G sent us this hilarious video clip of Blanco v New England this past season, in which the editors do a very goofy voice-over in Spanish, then add tons of wacky sound effects. Click to continue reading...

Graham Fox who has helped out here at du Nord when I have been traveling launched his own blog on Monday. It's called Advantage Played. He starts with a month by month review of the 2008 MLS season. I think you will enjoy this.

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The 2009 MLS season will open on Thursday March 19 with new club Seattle Sounders hosting the New York Red Bulls. Click to continue reading...

Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch on the Crew's so far futile attempts to re-sign coach Sigi Schmid: "Traditionally, the Crew has preferred discounts."

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Brad Friedel has set an English Premiership record this weekend by appearing in his 167th consecutive league game. Click to continue reading...

Hey all.
We closed the shop for the holidays. Come back after the turkey coma wears off to enjoy the best links in all of world football.
And remember, we are all loved. Kinda.
Bruce Click to continue reading...

MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis was named CEO of Arsenal Football Club today. Here is the news from the team website. He begins his new job on January 1.

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I have to admit that I am baffled by some writers that are defending the Montreal Impact's low ball bid for a new MLS team. Click to continue reading...

Major League Soccer deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis has been named the new chief executive of Arsenal Football Club from North London.

He replaces David Dein who left the club 18 months ago.

This is a huge gain for Arsenal, but an even bigger loss for MLS.

I am going to assume that all the MLS muckity mucks knew about his all weekend long at the Cup final and just acted like nothing was going on. Click to continue reading...

So last month Montreal put in a bid for a new MLS franchise in 2011. Then last Friday we got word from MLS commissioner Donald U. Garber that Montreal had withdrawn their bid. A little later we got clarification from MLS that the bid had been rejected. Yesterday in Montreal bidder Joey Saputo of the USL First Division Montreal Impact said he had not withdrawn the bid, and was caught off guard that MLS would make that wild announcement, so he had a press conference to state his case. Click to continue reading...

Listen to Shpongle while reading Tales of Interest News (currently touring the mid-west instead of Russia)


A Wild and Crazy Ride
Wow! After countless hours of action, wild swings of emotion, and hundreds of dollars spent the MLS season has finally drawn to a close. What a ride. Almost every team in the league had a shot at getting into the playoffs just a couple weeks from the close of the regular season, and one of those long shots stepped up and made a run powered by a meticulous note taker. Click to continue reading...

MLS commissioner Don Garber held his annual State of the League address Friday night at the Board of Governors Meeting, and there is LOTS to report!

The U.S. men's national team will play Sweden in friendly this January, and the draw for the next round of World Cup Qualifying is set! See below. Click to continue reading...

MLS commissioner Don Garber will speak at the Commissioner's meeting tonight at 6 p.m. central time. Nothing earth shattering is expected, like expansion, but he might talk about roster expansion, the salary cap, developmental players and the future of reserve teams. Soccer America has some ideas. Stay tuned. Click to continue reading...

As David Hobbs would say, "Nice job boys. Well done." USA brings the kids + Pablo Mastroeni and knocks Guatemala out of World Cup contention 2-0 at a half full Dicks Sporting Goods Park in suburban Denver. Freddy Adu was the star of the show, no doubt about it.

~and~

The rumor mill has it that Bayern Munich will sign Landon Donovan of the LA Galaxy on a loan deal that begins in January and goes to mid-March, and potentially longer. Click to continue reading...

The word is that Bayern Munich has signed Landon Donovan of the LA Galaxy on a loan deal that begins in January and goes to mid-March, and potentially longer. Bayern supposedly wants him till the end of their season.

Donovan scored both goals yesterday in a Senior team v Reserve team game that the senior side won 2-1. Click to continue reading...

The first of two Group Stages in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying ended tonight.

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Schedule

Matches & Scores:
-Wed Nov 19
El Salvador 1-3 Costa Rica - ES goal by Rudy Corrales. CR goals by Roy Myrie(2) & Freddy Fernandez. Click to continue reading...

This will be the 4th year in a row that Pat Noonan tries to win MLS Cup. He is zero for the last three with New England, so will his luck change in Columbus?

~and~

Really bad news from the official Atlanta Silverbacks website: "Due to the state of the economy and the potential of an MLS team coming to town, the men's pro team has decided to sit the year out while the Silverbacks assess the landscape. Click to continue reading...