Soccer Blogs Posts Tagged Soccer

Half rolled cigar

2008-09-07T02:07:00+00:00

As spoken by Robert Evans in the amazing 'The Kid Stays in the Picture' -- "There are three sides to every story, yours, mine and the truth." The way you want to look at the USMNT's 1-0 win over Cuba Saturday night in Havana falls somewhere in that middle. On the one hand, the result is the result.

Gianfranco Zola the favorite for the West Ham job

2008-09-06T22:02:00+00:00

ESPN is reporting in this article that Gianfranco Zola is emerging as the favorite to replace Alan Curbishley as manager of West Ham United. I must admit that I am amazed that West Ham would be able to interest a man like Zola in their managing position. I realize that West Ham are a fairly successful mid-level Premiership club, but what does Zola hope to accomplish with this move beyond managing the club for a couple of seasons in the hope of moving onto a bigger club?

Revs Try to Get Back on Track

2008-09-06T17:56:00+00:00

After being upset on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium by an embarrassing 4-0 score line to Joe Public F.C. -- the fifth place team in Trinidad and Tobago's Pro League -- and missing out on the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League as a result, the New England Revolution have a chance to regain some respect and first place with a much needed win in Columbus Saturday.

Youth vs. Experience

2008-09-06T16:54:52+00:00

No Cooper. No Adu. No Altidore. Really? To the disappointment of many American fans (myself included), Bob Bradley continues to call up players like Brian Ching, Eddie Johnson, Frankie Hejduk, and Eddie Lewis over younger players. The most common excuse given by supporters of Bradley's strategy is the experience argument.

Where do you get your Euro football fix from?

2008-09-06T16:18:42+00:00

So I recently learned GolTV, you know, the non-stop soccer channel and U.S. home to the Spanish Liga and German Bundesliga, was dropped by Dish Network and is available only through DirectTV on satellite television That's great for DirectTV customers,...

Big Soccer Weekend

2008-09-06T15:59:34+00:00

Lots of soccer taking place this weekend. Lots of MLS action and lots of World Cup qualifiing action across the world! Here's a few to keep an eye on today and tomorrow: USA at Cuba - 8pm- ESPN Classic and Telefutura Jamaica at Mexico - 5:30pm- Telemundo New England Revolution at Columbus Crew - 7:30pm- HDNet New York Red Bulls [.

Super Soccer Saturday

2008-09-06T15:31:00+00:00

Despite the scribblings of MLS Asst. Commissioner Ivan Gadzidis, tonight's scheduled MLS matches are a complete fiasco.

However, it'll be a great night for sports bar viewing if you can convince the local barkeep to keep two sets on soccer. I'll be at FATS in NYC on W. 33rd Street for the US-Cuba and Fire-Red Bulls matches.

Alan Shearer is the worst man for the Newcastle job

2008-09-06T09:44:46+00:00

Few clubs have supporters quite as adept at knowing who they want to be their next manager as Newcastle United. Then again, few clubs give their supporters quite as much practice as Newcastle United. The hugely unpopular departure of Kevin Keegan has left Mike Ashley in a sticky situation where he needs to make an [.

Can England put a stop to the madness?

2008-09-06T06:19:18+00:00

Football has gone crazy this week. Manchester City got rich and Robinho got signed, there was Alan Curbishley and Kevin Keegan's decision to leave their posts, and the whole Dimitar Berbatov saga. What we need to settle things down is a return to normality. And what could be more routine than England struggling to beat a [.

Lucas Neill To Rally His West Ham Troops

2008-09-06T01:46:59+00:00

Thomas Rooney Freelance Sports Journalist West Ham United are in a strange situation right now. Their manager Alan Curbishley quit yesterday after a disagreement with the clubs owners over the transfer policy at Upton Park and now it seems no-one wants to take over the reigns. Both Harry Redknapp and Slavin Bilic [.

Balotelli scores on Azzurrini debut

2008-09-05T22:17:16+00:00

After the delusion that was the Olympic games, the Azzurrini returned to the pitch to continue qualifying for the UEFA 2009 U21 Championships. The big story was the debut of Mario Balotelli, who after receiving Italian citizenship a few weeks ago was finally eligible to be called up. The Azzurrini needed a win to guarantee first place in the qualifying group, but anything less meant they would have to conquer qualification on Tuesday in Croatia.

STO Soccer Film Review: Ladybugs

2008-09-05T21:51:18+00:00

Rodney Dangerfield often joked that he "didn't get no respect." Well, anyone who has seen his 1992 soccer film Ladybugs doesn't owe Dangerfield any respect. In fact, it's fair to say he rightfully earned their eternal disrespect by appearing in such an appalling excuse for soccer cinema. The movie's plot is as insane and deranged as Dangerfield himself: Rodney's character [.

Red Bull Arena Website Launched

2008-09-05T20:49:00+00:00

If you've ever wanted to check in on the day-to-day progress of construction at Red Bull Arena, there is a now a website that should keep you pretty informed and up-to-date. Red Bull New York has launched a site - www.RedBullArena.us - that includes all of the key design information and even has a link to a webcam firmly trained on the Harrison, NJ site, so people can watch as the stadium gets built from the ground up.

Call me clairvoyant...just don't call me "Clair"

2008-09-05T19:27:00+00:00

What did I tell you about instant replay? Once you open the door just a little bit, SWAT comes in and BASHES it right down...See? Baseball writer Jayson Stark's already championing for more of it.

Thank God there's no instant replay whatsoever in soccer.

Massimo Oddo starting anew in Germany

2008-09-05T19:19:49+00:00

One of the Italians to move abroad this summer was World Cup winning fullback (and team barber) Massimo Oddo. The 32 year old right back had a nightmare season last year. He wasn't himself at all, he played poorly, all his crosses ended up in Row Z, and he found himself left out of the national team set-up, missing Euro 2008.

New Indoor Soccer League, Come On Down!

2008-09-05T18:02:55+00:00

Apparently Tuesday is the day for The Other Indoor Soccer League (the one that's not Xtreme). The Baltimore Blast just sent out this release:

Djebbour Called Up By Algeria for World Cup Qualification Battle with Senegal

2008-09-05T16:05:45+00:00

Article here.

Know Your Opponent: Cuba Edition

2008-09-05T15:25:31+00:00

The Republic of Cuba is the largest island of the Greater Antilles and the most populous nation in the Caribbean. The name "Cuba" means "great place" which, depending on your political preference, you may or may not agree with. Cuba has been a Socialist Republic for almost fifty years now, but its history extends as far back as 1492.

Fighting Talker Road Trip to George Mason Tonight

2008-09-05T14:47:21+00:00

I'll be going to GMU tonight to watch highly-hyped UVA freshman Chris Agorsor take on Mason tonight. If any readers spot a guy in a blue dress shirt and a red DC United hat, come say hello. Though strangely for a college match, that might not be easy to do. Mason is saying they've sold [...]

Zidane Comes to Portland!

2008-09-05T13:46:00+00:00

I've been dreaming for the great one to journey to my hometown of Portland, Oregon, for many... well, two years now. Not as a member of my club the Timbers, not in the flesh, but in 24-frames per second. Moving pictures... in the hyper-reality of cinema... in the celluloid guise of the brilliant film Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait.

Portland and Vancouver make MLS bids

2008-09-05T12:26:00+00:00

Of course, Seattle's rivals couldn't even wait until the Sounders got in the league before crashing the party.

But honestly, both cities have great bids. They both love soccer, which means full stadiums and excitement for all.

Portland, which calls itself Soccer Town U.S.A., is planning on renovating PGE Park to make it a soccer specific stadium.

Photo of the Day: In Cuba EJ is The Louis Vuitton Don

2008-09-05T11:43:00+00:00

As TOR reader/informant FERENGi® pointed out to me via email this is straight out oxymoronic, communist-stuntin'. You see Eddie Johson does not care to limit his couture to Craven Cottage or any one place in particular. After all he is a grown-ass man and Cuba is not his momma.

On one hand I'm thinking perhaps US Soccer should have given the team one of those awkward cultural sensistivity classes like they did that one time on The Office and maybe mention something about how we're viewed as materialistic and "capitalist pigs".

Can I Get An Amen?

2008-09-05T09:00:00+00:00

I was going to sit down and write something interesting, perhaps funny, and hopefully relevant last night with lots of ideas and a few imported Tecates swimming through my head. Then I saw what my buddy Greg Seltzer wrote about MLS management and heard myself saying "yeah, yeah" over and over.

So, instead of my cheeky offerings today, I offer you Greg's excellent description of how MLS continues to shoot itself in the foot.

A moment of inspiration courtesy of George Best

2008-09-05T03:34:00+00:00

With soccer ever becoming affected by the amount of money in the game, and the changing of the older ways of doing things as shown by the mess at Newcastle United I thought that we could all use some inspiration about what a truly great game that soccer is. When you need the best you turn to the best and in this case its the goal that George Best scored for the San Jose Earthquakes back in his NASL days.

Football’s Hidden Story - new show

2008-09-05T00:37:50+00:00

New Programming: Football's Hidden Story Thursday's at 8:30pm ET on GolTV An inspirational 26-episode documentary-style program, which captures extraordinary stories from around the world of people whose lives have been positively impacted by the game of soccer. From helping sufferers of schizophrenia rehabilitate in Italy to taking orphans off the streets and getting them into schools and [.

Behind the Times

2008-09-04T23:22:29+00:00

We have only an inkling of what the new Xtreme Soccer League is about, and we're still waiting for word on That Other League (the one that supposedly will include Baltimore, Philadelphia, Monterrey, Orlando and perhaps another city in Mexico). Flashback to August 13, when Orlando put out this press release: Contact: Darren Moore Manager of Media and [.

Setanta Sports Canada Live Matches

2008-09-04T22:41:02+00:00

SETANTA SPORTS CANADA LIVE EVENTS Friday, September 5 to Sunday, September 14 (All times subject to change) All times Eastern SOCCER BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool vs. Manchester United Saturday September 13 @ 7:30 AM Blackburn Rovers vs. Arsenal Saturday September 13 @ 9:40 AM Manchester City vs.

This, that & everything else

2008-09-04T21:15:00+00:00

Sorry up front for loyal readers. The last couple days I've come down with a cold which didn't seem like much at the time and has sapped my strength like a 'Halo 3' power drain. Guess that's what happens when you make fun of Jose Mourinho and bird flu one too many times. Any-hows, it's been a pretty interesting, if not busy couple of days.

Sportsnet - What, no Mexico? Are you serious?

2008-09-04T16:10:54+00:00

Just when you think TV coverage might be geting a bit better for soccer in this country comes the shocker that Sportsnet may not be carrying the Mexico-Canada WCQ on Wednesday from Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiappa. The V's boards are lighting up with responses from Sportsent to their emails reagrding coverage.

Rivaldo Explains Himself

2008-09-04T14:01:54+00:00

Rivaldo finaly explains, in a little more detail, how and why he abandoned AEK for the football hinterland of Uzbekistan. A few things to note about this article. First, Bunyodkor general director Tavakkal Kadirovich is quoted as saying the negotiations took two months. SO basically as soon as last season was over [.