This is a blog, full of the blarney and here's the latest.

FFA are to renegotiate the Fox TV deal at Christmas. That's it no more no less. That's what I heard from those who know or think they do.

A new deal, including FTA, maybe with the league expanding a new deal is possible. Click to continue reading...

Can't help but let out a little cheer for the National Youth League which kicked off on the weekend. Australia has been missing this development stage now for a few years and it is fantastic to once again see a national comp for future Socceroos and A-League players.

Of course this first year is going to be pretty low key and I am not sure what the crowds are going to be like but the point is that we will now have year round competition for our up and coming youth. Click to continue reading...

After thoroughly enjoying the AFC Champions league match between Adelaide and Kashima on Wednesday it got me thinking, where is my "FoxSports Football" channel.

Late last year a lot of rumours were circulating that FoxSports was set to launch a dedicated Football channel. The channel was rumoured to have a much more expanded coverage of Football across the globe including :

1.

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Here is a link to Jaime Trecker's latest post regarding the proposed expansion of MLS to 20 teams. Jaime writes for Fox Sports and makes a lot of the same points that I made in the article that I wrote last night. Click to continue reading...

Quarter Finals of the Asian Champions League kick-off tonight with Australia's first club, Adelaide United, to get to this stage of the competition away in Japan against Kashima Antlers.

Two-legged affair so United will need to score against what should be a very strong Japanese side and a big big test for Adelaide. Click to continue reading...

Along with the picture, this is all you need to know...

"The owner and three other men, including one man named only as PK, downed an amazing 175 bottles of Cristal Champagne — the club's entire stock. They also necked 16 bottles of Dom Perignon, 29 of PJ Fleur Rose and three of Grey Goose Vodka. Click to continue reading...

Carl Valeri to start.

Remember the Socceroos at the World Cup in Germany 2006. How could you forget one of Australia's greatest sporting moments?

How many Canberrans played against Carl in his junior days. Maybe beat him in a sprint or a tackle, maybe even nutmegged him.

Well Canberra's Carl Valeri, the former Tuggeranong United junior, is crucial to Australia's hopes to get to South Africa 2010. Click to continue reading...

Let's hope the Dutch game tonight isn't like the last time we met them prior to the World Cup. It ended 1-1 but boy Holland should have beat us 7-1. It was tough to watch. At least the score doesn't matter tonight....yeah right!

MIERLO, NETHERLANDS / SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
6 September 2008

Mixed news from the Qantas Socceroos training camp in Mierlo, Netherlands, where the team is now resting prior to tonight's match (local time) between the Netherlands and Australia. Click to continue reading...

We're bad. We're worldwide.

We have 50 World Cup qualifiers Saturday, plus a handful Friday and Sunday, as we welcome Europe to the mix and start the last group stage in Asia. We even have a crucial qualifier in Oceania as New Zealand visits New Caledonia. First challenge is figuring out where New Caledonia is.

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Fox Sports Simon Hill is a big Man City fan. Most of the World follow, it seems, Manchester United. Why? Because they win!

I've two brothers who are Season Ticket holders at Old Trafford. Win, win and win again. Buy the best, despair if their team doesn't win every game and every tournament. Click to continue reading...

Apparently Ricky Herbert is furious with his sides display last night!

I'm more furious. I had to turn it off at half-time. Yes I lasted that long.

The difference between me and Uber Coach Ricky was I knew what was coming.

Some of the Fox Sports guys have talked the Phoenix up since they started in the league. Click to continue reading...

United and the Red Bulls meet at RFK Stadium tonight for the third and final time this regular season. Somewhat amazingly, both teams have earned a 4-1 win at home earlier in the year (United on June 15 and New York on August 10), which means tonight's game will determine the Atlantic Cup winner - given to the team that wins the season series between the two rivals.

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"Arshavin is a seriously good player. He was one of the best when I was in Russia."

"He is very quick. Technically he is very good. He is good in one-on-one situations and he can make chances for other players.

"How he would do in England is difficult to know. I didn't know how I was going to do in England. Click to continue reading...

From Fox Sports:

'MEDIA mogul John Singleton likens the A-League grudge between Sydney FC and Central Coast to that of bitter league rivals Manly and Western Suburbs in the 1970s.

"Central Coast work on a minimum budget, yet whenever they get a good player Sydney try to knock them off," said Singleton, on the eve of the first showdown between Sydney and the Mariners on Saturday night at Bluetongue Stadium.

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Canberra A-League bid update. Money, support and your help?
Last week the ACT Goverment put in $2.5 million and this week I'm expecting sponsor announcements. At least THREE possibly Four Gold Sponsors already lined up so expect news later in the week. One is rumoured to be for half a millon dollars! Click to continue reading...

We all know Cobi ain't the long-term answer for the Galaxy.

The L.A. Times think Nowak is the one favored. But at last night's Super Clasico, that Leiweke dude was chilling with Arena and raving about the former USMNT coach.

Hmmmm....

• Hilarious faux Lampard contract.

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Here is a link to a really good analysis by Fox Sports' Jaime Trecker of the U.S. Olympic team's performance after they lost to Nigeria and are out of the tournament. It really was an overall disappointing performance by the team. They should be looking to achieve better results at this point and I agree that its time for Peter Nowak to move on. Click to continue reading...

Today, in the "News we all saw coming" category, the word out of LA is that Galaxy head coach, Ruud Gullit, has resigned after less than a year in charge for "personal reasons" according to this Fox Sports article. In addition, everyone's favorite man to hate, Alexi Lalas, has finally been released from his position [. Click to continue reading...

Well now we know what the meeting was about and now we can now confirm what we called a while back.....

According to this article on Fox Sports Gullit and Lalas are out in LA and Cobi Jones of all people has been announced as interim coach. Who does AEG think they will get to replace Gullit? Click to continue reading...

Boo hoo, poor Andrei Arshavin, he has a successful year for Zenit St. Petersburg and low and behold they actually want to hold him to the contract he signed. I know that this isn't the best writing that I've done, but I'm sorry what a load of crap. According to this article on Fox Sports, Arshavin's agent claims that he too is being treated like a slave because he can't move onto to the club of his choice in Western Europe. Click to continue reading...

Whats a Mourinho to do when Massimo Moratti won't spend any money like you want him to do? According to this article on Fox Sports, Inter Milan are not going any further into the transfer market and won't be bringing in players like Frank Lampard and Ricardo Quaresma that Jose Mourinho had targeted. I guess Roman Abramovich isn't looking so bad right now. Click to continue reading...

Both Marco Van Basten and Paul Ince have begun new managerial jobs and so far have had different results. Van Basten is remaking Ajax into the club that we have all grown to know them as throughout their history. He is discarding veteran players that don't fit his vision and adding younger players that he can mold into what he hopes will be champions. Click to continue reading...

I read this article by Jose Moran from Fox Sports.com and I disagree with a lot of it. Its very easy these days to criticise Gareth Barry, but to say that he betrayed Aston Villa is taking it a bit far. You have to try and look at the situation from his perspective for a minute. Gareth Barry has given his all to that club for many years and they continue to be a team that will finish in the top half of the table, with a slim hope of challenging for a place in Europe. Click to continue reading...

He was fantastic to watch and what a difference he made to the game."

"It's not often that we lose 5-1 and I'm smiling watching the opposition playing football. He was just a real delight to watch."

Dundee United Manager Craig Levein on the machine that is Leo Messi, via Fox Sports. Click to continue reading...

I'll admit, I laughed off the Eto'o to Uzbekistan link -- probably like many of you.

But the Barca striker seems crazy enough. And he was over there getting all chummy with PFC Kuruvchi.

Thanks to The Spoiler for the picture compilation.

• Are Mexicans starting to respect the MLS?

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Tuesday night, the USL showed what it was really capable of doing. Montreal, a point out of last place in the second tier USL-1, drew with Toronto 1-1 to win the Canadian Championship on points. In winning the Championship, Montreal gained access to the preliminary round of the Champions League this fall and, if they beat Nicaraguan side Real Esteli in a home and away series, will enable USL-1 teams to enter the North American Club Rankings. Click to continue reading...

NEWS: Back in late June, when the Dynamo hosted a press conference at Fox Sports Grill to promote SuperLiga, defender Eddie Robinson couldn't hide his desire - as well as the team's - to play defending tournament champion Pachuca again,... Click to continue reading...

You know what I hate about the transfer season? Mixed messages from the press. I mean, of course I don't believe things until they appear on Arsenal's site, but seriously. Check out these articles, both from today. Milan end Adebayor interestAdriano Galliani says AC Milan have halted their interest in Emmanuel Adebayor amid reports that the Italian club are close to signing Ronaldinho. Click to continue reading...

Taking time out from his stay in England Australia's Number One Football Commentator Fox Sports Simon Hill says, "I'll do anything I can to help. I think it's vital Canberra is represented." Click to continue reading...

Well I have discovered that the pro soccer calendar never truly ends as we have the second leg of the Copa Libertadores to look forward to on Wednesday night. The link leads you to a story in the New York Times, which describes how L.D.U. Quito, a club team from Ecuador are playing Fluminense of Brazil. Click to continue reading...

We do not want Uzbekistan.
The draw is on Fox Sports at 7pm.
A shocking draw would be Australia, Iran, Japan, Uzbekistan and North Korea.
A great draw would be Australia, Iran, Bahrain, Qatar and North Korea or UAE. Click to continue reading...

Harry Kewell has been linked with a move to Italian giants Roma - but insists he is "in no rush" to decide his future after leaving Liverpool.

The Australian winger is looking for a new club after seeing out his contract at Anfield.

Kewell has been linked with a possible move to Roma, who have already signed his former Reds team-mate John Arne Riise. Click to continue reading...

I can't say that I am shocked, but I am a bit surprised that Russia pulled it off. Holland had so much momentum going to the game that I really thought it would carry them through to the semi-finals at least. Full credit to the Russians, who played a terrific game, constantly attacking the Dutch and their one true weakness - their defense. Click to continue reading...

I can't say that I am shocked, but I am a bit surprised that Russia pulled it off. Holland had so much momentum going to the game that I really thought it would carry them through to the semi-finals at least. Full credit to the Russians, who played a terrific game, constantly attacking the Dutch and their one true weakness - their defense. Click to continue reading...

Socceroos outrate Super 14 Show piece.

Football continues to rate well on PAYTV. The Socceroos, who used to play in front of dismal crowds only a few years ago, outrated all the recent AFL, NRL games shown on PAYTV over the las two weeks; and even the Rugby Union showpiece final between The Waratahs and Crusaders. Click to continue reading...