Team America Spotlight of the Week (#4)

Staying within the USL, Division 2:



League: USL Division 2
Location: Richmond, VA
Coach: Leigh Cowlishaw
Website: www.richmondkickers.com
Stadium: University of Richmond Stadium (cap 9,000)
Avg Attendance: 2,262
Notable Wins:
1995 USISL Premier League Champions
1995 U.S. Open Cup Champions
2002 USL-1 Division Runner-Ups
2005 USL-1 Division Runner-Ups
2006 USL-2 Regular Season Champions
2006 USL-2 Divison Champions

Notable Players:

Robert Ssjjemba - Ugandan forward who previously played for D.C. United appearing mostly for the reserve team, USL Division 2 MVP

Mike Burke - third on the Kickers' all-time points list with 75

Ronnie Pascale - USL-2 Goalkeeper of the Year last season with a 0.99 GAA

Kevin Knight - the most tenured member of the Kickers' roster going on his 8th year with Richmond, will serve as Captain this upcoming season

Nowaf Jaman - new signing for 2007 from the Cincinnati Kings, USL-2 Rookie of the Year last season, a striker notching 4 goals and 8 assists in his first year

Notable Former Players:

Brain Carroll - stint consisted of 8 games on loan with the Kickers in 2003

Bryan Namoff - also spent much of his time on loan with Richmond, but not that much

Dwayne DeRosario - returned from playing in Germany for FSV Zwickau to score 17 goals in 35 Richmond appearances makes DeRo a legend at yet another club, Dwayne was here from 1999-2000 before heading to San Jose and then Houston

Richie Williams - 5'5" midfield demon started with Kickers and end with them in 2004 before he took his Red Bulls post; capped 20 times by the US National team

David Testo - had 28 caps with Richmond, notching 6 goals before moving onto the Columbus Crew

Brian Kamler - played for Richmond in its inaugural years before being drafted by D.C. United at the beginning of MLS in 1996

Clyde Simms - presently starting center mid for D.C. United after a full year in 2004 with the Kickers; at Richmond, appeared in 28 games scoring 3 goals before being signed as a discovery player

Rob Ukrop - his number was recently retired by the Kickers, MVP of the memorable 1995 season in which Richmond won the then named USISL and Open Cup championship

Blurb:

Founded in 1993, the Kickers have survived the contraction and expansion fever of late 20th century American soccer. In 2006, the Kickers decided to move from USL-1 to USL-2 on their own terms claiming cost-saving measures to preserve the integrity of the franchise. Despite the self-imposed "demotion" and in the midst of the USL turbulence, they have carved a rather fine history of soccer accolades. We should not forget to mention the rich crop of "alums" that the Kickers have helped produce. A big reason for that is their feeder squad, the Richmond Kickers Future. The Kickers senior team in turn acts as a pseudo-feeder team to D.C United. It is a career path shared by current D.C. roster members Bryan Namoff, Clyde Simms, and Brian Carroll and former members Jeff Causey, Richie Williams, and Brian Kamler. A lot of their success can also be attributed to their head coach Leigh Cowlishaw, a former University of Richmond and Richmond Kicker player who helped the hometown team win the 1995 USISL Championship and the U.S. Open Cup. He appeared 94 times for the Kickers, tallying 19 goals and 11 assists. As talked about before, the Richmond Kickers Future develops and fosters young talent for the Kickers senior team. Players like Malcolm Cephas, Cristian Neagu, Stephen Shirley (now with the Kansas City Wizards), and most importantly, Dominic Oduro (FC Dallas striker hopeful) all played several years with an increasingly solid Future squad. Altogether, the club is starting gain a real rabid following (with two supporter clubs: the Corner Kicks and the Side Kicks) and with annual friendlies against D.C. United it looks to get back to USL-1 status sooner rather than later. The Kickers open their 2007 USL Division 2 championship defense on April 21st against the Cincinnati Kings.

Here is an article on one of the craziest games I have ever seen in person: the final result of this Open Cup match was Ocean City Barons 8, Richmond Kickers 4. Check it out here.

2007 Season Signings


Tell me what you think about the Team America Spotlight of the Week at BonnWM3@hotmail.com. Have suggestions on next week's Spotlight, let me know

Young'uns - The New Generation: Brazil Part I

This is the first of many installments. Over the course of the year, I will cover every geographic region you can possibly think of. For those that think these are the only future stars I will cover left in Brazil, I assure you that there will be more.

Starting within Brazil, instead of Brazilians abroad:

Alexandre Pato
Club: Internacional
Birthdate: September 2, 1989
Fullname: Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva


Has already warranted comparisons to Ronaldinho, this 17 year old already has a FIFA World Club Championship under his belt after helping dispatch of his idol’s squad Barcelona, 1-0. He will most likely be part of the Brazilian U-20 team that qualified for this summer’s U-20 World Cup in Canada. Look for him to make the jump to Europe sometime soon. His contract, however, runs until 2009 with a minimum fee release clause of around 18 million Euros. Clearly, he doesn’t come cheap.

Jô
Club: CSKA Moscow
Birthdate: March 20, 1987
Fullname: João Alves de Assis Silva


Brazilians are in such demand on the world football scene that you can find them as far away as Russia (Japan even…if you count newly-minted Japanese citizen Alex). Won the Russian Premier League title with CSKA Moscow in 2006. Started out in the productive Brazilian youth grounds of Corinthians. Has already scored 15 goals in his first 20 games with the club. Will most likely move from CSKA Moscow as attention to him has been steadily growing. Should also be a part of Brazil’s U20 team this summer in Canada at the U-20 World Cup.

Lucas
Club: Gremio
Birthdate: January 9, 1987
Fullname: Lucas Leiva


Just recently received a call-up to the Brazilian senior national team by coach Dunga and looks to add to his total of 1 cap (controversial because it was against a Kuwaiti club) which he earned in October 2006. At 19, Lucas took the award for Best Player in the Campeonato Brasileiro in 2006. He is known for his seasoned-for-his-age midfield approach. Blends a holding midfielder with a keen attacking awareness. Has recently been heavily linked to Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid. Look for him to be on tap for the Brazilian U-20 squad in Canada this summer.

Accosting Frank Lampard

Tottenham 1, Chelsea 2
White Hart Lane
FA Cup Quarterfinal Replay

Everytime I watch Chelsea, the beauty of their goals is counterbalanced by the irreverance and arrogance on the pitch (especially in the waning moments of the match). With 5 minutes to go, time-wasting tactics was already at its max. Shevchenko kicked the ball away, Petr Cech booted it into the stands (receiving a booking in the process). Drogba started a catfight right after the penalty to delay Robbie Keane's attempt and concentration (although that would have already been effected by John Terry positioning himself right on the penalty mark for a few seconds). Regardless, the sublime upper 90 shot by Shevchenko (his 13th) and the right panel strike by Wright-Phillips (his 4th) were simply ridiculous. Drogba's set-up with a strong chest to Wright-Phillips was the perfect assist. Nobody doubts Chelsea can play, but I have yet to see them win with 100% class. I'm not saying they don't have any, they just don't have 100%. Or 80% for that matter. Also, when FSC came back from a commercial break, the whole Chelsea team was more or less piled on top of a Tottenham fan who jumped the barriers and went after Frankie Lampard. It looked they were all kicking him in the head, but at least they watch out for each other. Anyways, Tottenham miss out on a favorable semi-final match-up and Chelsea moves on, pushing one step closer to a possible showdown against Man Utd in the FA Cup Final.

CHE: Shevchenko (55), Wright-Phillips (61)
TOT: R. Keane (PEN 79)

Middlesbrough 0, Manchester United 1
FA Cup Quarterfinal Replay

Man U needed a penalty strike from Cristiano Ronaldo to seal their ticket to the semis. In the Red Devils' defense, their play was quite good but they just couldn't finish. There were many unlucky bounces, deflections, and too much errant miscommunication. Despite all that, Ronaldo made a nice run into the penalty box and was taken down. We all know his reputation, but it seemed a legitimate foul call with maybe a hint of Broadway. Ronaldo sunk the shot. No real response from M'bro and Man U booked a semi-final matchup with Jay Demerit and his Watford boys.


MID: NONE
MAN: C. Ronaldo (PEN 76)

FA Cup Semifinal Draw
Chelsea vs. Blackburn
Manchester United vs. Watford

Can Brad Friedel or Jay Demerit force the upset?!?

- Vasco Da Gama's Romario hit for a hat-trick recently to move his goal-total up to 998 goals. I'd love to see the list of all these goals, because I am positive all of these didn't come in professional matches. At 40, though, Romario can still finish his chances. Can somebody verify that? Or compile the list???


- Last night, there was one striker who understandably was the happiest man in the world. David Nugent, from the Championship side Preston North End, was called up by Steve McClaren to the English men's National Team for the upcoming qualifiers against Israel and Andorra. Many are on the fence about this, but clearly it is not as controversial as the call-up of Theo Walcott by former coach Sven Goran-Eriksson right before the 2006 World Cup. He's got 14 goals in the Championship for 4th place Preston. Oh yea, and he's only 21.


- Cobi Jones, legendary American wing midfielder and long time posterboy for dreadlocks, has announced that after the 2007 MLS season he will be calling it quits. I credit him for being one of the first guys on the U.S. soccer scene, probably with Alexi Lalas, to become rather mainstream with his feisty play, blistering speed, and distinct style. He will most likely end his career with 164 national team caps and 15 goals. Club-wise, he will finish his MLS stay with the Los Angeles Galaxy and playing alongside players with incredible international caliber like David Beckham and Landon Donovan. I will certainly do a rewind of Cobi Jones' career as his retirement draws near. Hopefully, he can leave with another MLS Cup championship under his belt.

- A little late to throw this out there, but the United States dropped 2 places to 30th in the FIFA World Rankings. The US women, however, are at number one with their Algarve Cup win.

- With the injuries recently to Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark and Chicago striker Chris Rolfe, two Houston Dynamo replacements have been summoned for. They are: William and Mary grad and Houston captain Wade Barrett and midfield general Brian Mullan. Barrett's age makes this pick an interesting one, but no one can deny that Wade's tenacity and determination is contagious. That's why he's won 3 MLS Cup championships. At outside back, though, there is a decent pool of players to pick from. Why no Jose Burciaga Jr.? Jeff Parke? Marvell Wynne? Dason Robinson? even a Michael Harrington or Bakary Soumare could use a brief glimpse. However, the lion-hearted, feisty, vet role has to be filled as Ben Olsen is not on the roster and neither is Mastroeni. Talk to me.

- According to Goal!, whose info is according to "Don Balon" a rather reliable Spanish football magazine, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United have already agreed to a deal with Barcelona in the vicinity of 75 million Euros (about 100 million dollars). All of this apparently is a counterbalance to the transfer speculation of Ronaldinho leaving Barca for AC Milan. We shall see. Here's the link to Goal.com. And here's the link to the Don Balon article in Spanish.

***I will have your 'games to watch" later this week as there aren't many games midweek due to the upcoming International Friendlies and Euro 2008 Qualifiers.

CASA Select vs. Xelaju

CASA Select 2, Xelaju 2
(CASA wins on penalties 2-0)


CASA Select's first competitive match got off to a great start. Our opponents were Xelaju, an amateur side consisting of mainly Guatemalan players but with no relation to the actual Guatemalan professional side Xelaju MC. Within the first 5 minutes, Jorge Montoy put in a loose ball in the penalty box to put Select up 1-0. The early play from CASA Select was organized and fluid and fatigue set in only with about 10 minutes to go in the first half. However, in the 38th minute, a restart was given to CASA about 20 yards out due to an errant tackle by a Xelaju player. Anthony Mitchell and Jorge Montoy both wanted the kick. The latter took it and drove it low past the wall and right into the side of the net. The fatigue and lack of match practice was apparent after the break as Xelaju began to stretch CASA's midfield and launch balls over the offside trap. Xelaju grabbed the tying goal with about 12 minutes to go in the second half. Despite the fatigue, CASA Select held onto the regulation tie and braced themselves for a windy penalty shootout. The MVP of the match, however, did not involve goalscorers. Instead, it was the lack there of. Evan Curtis, CASA Select goalkeeper, seemed inpenetrable and knocked several sure goals out of the goalmouth. Even more importantly, with the game tied and penalty-kicks imminent, Curtis proceeded to save 2 of 4 penalties with the other two drifting harmlessly by the goal. CASA Select has won its first piece of hardware: La Quezlataca Trophy. Thank you to Sussex Tech High School and those who put on this competition.




CASA Select Starting Line-up

GK Evan Curtis (Cannons FC)
DR Mario Gentile (Cannons FC)
DL Carlos Clay (South Jersey FC)
SW Wakengo Mahaniah (Cannons FC)
ST Brandon Bonnette (South Jersey FC)
MR Mike Mitchell (Cannons FC)
ML Chris Fahey (Cannons FC)
MC Jorge Montoy (South Jersey FC)
MC Craig Spear (Cannons FC)
FC Matt Acciani (South Jersey FC)
FC Anthony Mitchell (Cannons FC)

Substitutes:
MRL Breton Bonnette (South Jersey FC)
FC Scott Miller (Cannons FC)
MRL Adam Evans (South Jersey FC)

Goalscorers
CASA: J. Montoy (6), T. Mitchell (38)
XELAJU: 2 unknown goalscorers
Attendance: 150

Substitutions:
B. Bonnette for C. Fahey (45)
A. Evans for M. Mitchell (45)
S. Miller for C. Spear (45)

Frustration for the Rovers

English Premiership

West Ham United 2, Blackburn 1

I am now convinced that goal-line technology is now needed to ensure proper results. Carlos Tevez effectively blocked his own team's goal by roving on the goal-line. The shot, however, was ruled a goal which disrupted B-burn's game and momentum. Bobby Zamora, West Ham super-sub, got the credit. All in all, Blackburn was the better team but this time, the best team didn't win. A lucky win for Alan Curbishley and yet another review for the FA to take a look at.

WHU: C. Tevez (PEN 71), B. Zamora (75)
BLA: C. Samba (47)

Middlesborough 0, Manchester City 2

The life of Stuart Pearce just got a little easier. Gareth Southgate's life just got a little bit harder. He will come under scruting for leaving big-guns Mark Viduka and Jonathan Woodgate on the sidelines for this clash. A prime example of Man City losing a lot and then taking advantage of a sheer underestimation to gain momentum. DaMarcus Beasley got on in the 84th minute. By then, however, the damage was already done by new Belgian signing Emile Mpenza and French veteran Sylvain Distin.

MID: NONE
MNC: S. Distin (61), E. Mpenza (74)

Tottenham 3, Watford 1

Ben Foster, a young GK phenom, showed his inexperience today. Paul Robinson, an established England international, dealt the blow. Robinson struck a free-kick into the penalty box from his own half (clearly for someone to head). The ball fell however and bounced high, Foster who was out off his line judging the ball jumped to intercept but the ball went clear over his head and into the back of the net. This brought me great pleasure as it was retribution for Paul Robinson who against Croatia last year whiffed on a Gary Neville backpass which ended up in England's goal. To Foster's credit, he bounced back nicely and fought the onslaught from Tottenham. Watford, however, did nothing exciting or remotely productive proving their Championship worth. By the way, that goal was Paul Robinson's second of his career. A far cry from Jose Luis Chilavert, but close enough for a half-assed comparison.


TOT: J. Jenas (41), P. Robinson (63), H. Ghali (85)
WAT: D. Henderson (89)

Manchester United 4, Bolton 1

Manchester United is unstoppable lately. I would love to say it is also because of the new leadership of Americans Malcolm Glazer and his sons but no. However, I can safely say that the change in leadership has given the players something else to play for. They now have to reprove their worth and take whatever distrust and skepticism out on the opponents. Maybe that was the missing ingredient or maybe it never really mattered and football is football. Regardless, Park Ji-Sung and Wayne Rooney headlined this game by striking for two a-piece. We all know who the architect was, however. Cristiano Ronaldo was simply brilliant causing all sorts of trouble on the wings. This Drogba vs. Ronaldo debate shall continue until the bitter end. Anyways, Man U...amazing. They are going to win it all. Small backstep for Man U, though, as Gary Neville had to go off injured. No word on the verdict yet.


MAN: P. Ji-Sung (14, 25), W. Rooney (17, 74)
BOL: G. Speed (PEN 87)

Wigan 0, Fulham 0

Carlos Bocanegra and Brian McBride were quiet and Dempsey didn't get on again. Essentially, this was a bore draw. However, Fulham missed a chance to get a tad higher than 14th and frankly, their play has been crap as of late.

WIG: NONE
FUL: NONE


Chelsea 3, Sheffield United 0

Butt-whooping. In all honesty, not many were expecting anything much different. Chelsea and Man Utd are going win for win. Shevchenko deserves goal of the game with a beautiful volley real early in the game. Solomon Kalou has simply been brilliant as of late and this game was no different as he scored for the 2nd time in 3 games. Shevchenko seems to be slowly adapting to the pace and physical nature of the English Premiership. His touch is improving again (not exactly back to Milan-standard, but certainly close). Also, the fans and media are beginning to change their minds about the approximate 50 million dollar man.


CHE: Shevchenko (4), S. Kalou (17), M.Ballack (58)
SHF: NONE

Reading 0, Portsmouth 0

Reading actually missed the presence of Bobby Convey today. Glen Little hustled on the sideline with several brilliant crosses, but overall, he botched the chances that would have most likely led to results. Regardless, Convey is out. Glen Little is decent on the right and Shane Long has been playing fantastic filling in. These points were critical, however, as Reading and Portsmouth are locked in the European competition struggle. Hard fought game for both. No real stars in this one, except for Portsmouth's Hughes' shot from 30 yards out. Look it up and check it out.

REA: NONE
POR: NONE

Sunday, March 18th

Charlton Athletic 2, Newcastle United 0

The Shandong cast-off Zheng Zhi should have probably had 2-3 goals today and was, by far, the man of the match. Zhi, before coming over to Charlton on loan, had several skeptics as the transfer speculation was very Agustin Delgado-like. This really helps the Addicks out though. Onyewu went all 90 in a rather porous Newcastle back-line.


CHA: Zhi (53), J. Thomas (PEN 88)
NEW: NONE

Everton 1, Arsenal 0

The Gunners' woes continue and Andy Johnson gets the last laugh. Arsenal has been kicked in the teeth within all three competitions they are involved in. No Abou Diaby deflection to save Arsene Wenger this time. The game was fairly even but Everton's physical play clearly intimidated the vulnerable young Gunners. The Toffees had 6 yellows to show for it. David Moyes gave James Vaughan, part of an Everton young'un duo that is showing a lot of promise (Victor Anichebe is the other half), his first start of his Premiership career. Timmy Howard survived several Arsenal barrages and held his own, which is sort of becoming the usual. Goodison Park is a magical place.


EVR: A. Johnson (90)
ARS: NONE

Aston Villa 0, Liverpool 0

Gareth Barry gave Steve McClaren a swift kick in the arse with his great performance against Liverpool. Barry was axed from English national team duty by McClaren along with delinquent Joey Barton. Unfortunately, Barry didn't put one in the net. In fact, not many chances were created for either side. L'pool still get one point closer to third place Arsenal.

AVI: NONE
LIV: NONE

Italian Serie A

Sampdoria 1, Palermo 1

Still no first Serie A appearance from former-Red Bull New York young'un Gabriel Ferrari.

German Bundesliga

VfL Wolfsburg 3, VfL Bochum 1

Kamani Hill saw 3 minutes in Wolfsburg's mastery of Bochum.

French Ligue 1

AS Nancy Lorraine 0, Olympique Lyonnais 3

Not exactly a dominant performance from OL, but the scoreline says all. With 5 shots on goal, OL scored 60% of those shots. In many senses, that is dominance. The 6th Championship in a row now seems a foregone conclusion. I think within the next year or so we are going to see a good many OL players seeking new challenges. Juninho shall be the first to go. It is unfortunate but probably true.

NAN: NONE
LYO: M.Baros (36), K.Kallstrom (76), Fred (81)

Scottish Premier Division

Falkirk 1, Celtic 0

Shared this because the Scottish Premiership minnows Falkirk gave the Hoops a real hard time and actually have a win to show for it. I told you I like upsets.

Other big results:

Recreativo 0, Barcelona 4
Real Madrid 2, Gimnastic 0
FC Sevilla 2, Celta Vigo 0
Ascoli 1, Inter Milan 2
PSV 1, Ajax 5
Heerenveen 4, NAC Breda 2
Hannover 96 0, Hamburg 0
Frankfurt 1, Bayern Munich 0

IN OTHER NEWS:

- Steve Davis writes about how a Cauhotemac Blanco signing could and would be bad news. Read here.



- Greece skipper Otto Rehaggel has shocked pundits by selecting 7 strikers (out of 23) for their upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Turkey and Malta next weekend. He even dropped one. The striker contingent is meant to keep the momentum as they have won their past five matches.

- Inter Milan are preparing a rather significant bid for Chelsea captain and central defensive stalwart John Terry. The bid is supposedly around 20 million pounds (40 million dollars). Inter's purchase of Terry would either shore up a defense that currently has won 16 in a row in the Serie A or it would stir a pot that doesn't necessarily need to be stirred.

- Shalrie Joseph is finally going to show his true colors apparently. He could be leaving the MLS sometime soon. I just hope we can get something along the lines of the offer we got before from Celtic. Here is the article.

Variety

- Take a look at the Fulham FC website splash. They like their American boys.

- Thanks to formerRedBullfan for the link to Giovanni Savarese's letter to fans and inquirers as to how he was dispatched of: CLICK HERE.

- Want to know what it's like in Norway. Cam Weaver, last year's USL Division One Scoring Co-Champion (with Romario no less) was transferred from the Seattle Sounders to FK Haugesund of the Norwegian Tipplegangen (1st Division). This kid can play and won Rookie of the Year and Scoring Champion awards last year. Here is a link to his take on the Scandanavian life on and off the field.


- I understand that the MLS Goal of the Week shows live clips of the nominated goals, but the English Premiership has a pretty sweet take on their Goals of the Week. Check it out here.

- First week of CASA Soccer League games are cancelled thanks to the wonderful Northeast weather. Same first week schedule next weekend.

Here's the USA roster for the friendlies coming up against Ecuador and Guatemala:

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
Goalkeepers (3) - Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC), Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
Defenders (8) -Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Jay Demerit (Watford FC), Oguchi Onyewu (Newcastle United), Heath Pearce (FC Nordsjælland), Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
Midfielders (7) - DaMarcus Beasley (Manchester City), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Brian Carroll (D.C. United), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburger SV), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire)
Forwards (6) - Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)

- Trust me when I say I didn't forget about the new partnership between the German Bundesliga and Major League Soccer. Regardless of whether or not it is pure crap, a partnership is a partnership and any marketing is good marketing. Here are several news sources to read up on it: Eurosport, MLSNet

- Ronaldinho's proposed transfer to AC Milan has been referred to as a "joke". His brother and agent has reports that Ronny is planning on sticking around at Nou Camp. Read here.

- Juninho Pernambucano, the midfield artist of Olympique Lyonnais, is uncertain about his future at Gerland. Terrible blow if this happens. Not that they don't have a solid midfield in Tiago, Kim Kallstrom, Jeremy Toulalan, and others. I guess it's just not the same when you've won 5 Ligue 1 titles and still no Champions League final to your name. Somebody tell Juninho that the Houston Dynamo of D.C. United would be happy to give him that Champions League (Cup) title...

- The UEFA Cup Quarterfinal Draw

FC Sevilla (ESP) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
AZ Alkmaar (NED) vs. Werder Bremen (GER)
Bayer Leverkusen (GER) vs. Osasuna (ESP)
Benfica (POR) vs. Espanyol (ESP)

Three Spanish teams. Not bad. I can't believe Newcastle choked.

- England squad for the upcoming Euro 2008 Qualifiers against Isreal and Andorra


Goalkeepers: Scott Carson (Charlton Athletic, on loan from Liverpool), Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur), Ben Foster (Watford, on loan from Manchester United)
Defenders: Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Phil Neville (Everton), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Gary Neville (Manchester United), Jonathan Woodgate (Middlesbrough, on loan from Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United), Scott Parker (Newcastle United), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards: Darren Bent (Charlton Athletic), Andrew Johnson (Everton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur)

Beckham would have fit right nice in there. Joey Barton got arrested and consequently dropped from the squad.

- Here's another analysis of the problems and benefits of the Designated Player Rule. So far this rule has done nothing but good, unless somebody can prove to me otherwise. Anyways, here it is.

- Can somebody please tell me why I should keep giving FSC Commentator Christian Miles more chances to redeem himself? This guy is terrible. There is not one redeeming quality about his presentation and commentating. Please persuade me to like him (I muted the last game).


***I was asked recently to cover some aspect of World Soccer for a website, Sportingo.com. I would really like your input as to what I should write about. Americans Abroad? Team Breakdowns, A Breakdown of Great Young Players Worldwide by Continent (I'm partial to that one)? PLEASE throw me any suggestions you might have!

A Decent Start...

CONCACAF Champions Cup


D.C. United 1, CD Guadalajara (Chivas) 0
First Leg, Washington D.C.

A last minute thriller by the man of the month, Luciano Emilio, saved D.C. United from having a defecit heading into Guadalajara for the second leg. Both goals came in the last 25 minutes making this one a nailbiter in front of the 27,000 or so on hand. Omar Bravo looked Andres Guardado-like for Chivas but D.C. kept fighting. I'm just wondering where Yinka Casal and Fred are going to fit in as I had absolutely no problems with De Roux on the left side today. That's what the last few preseason games will tell us. It is still a tough route to get through to the final as nothing comes easy in Guadalajara.


DCU: Emilio (90+)
CHV: O. Bravo (63)

Houston Dynamo 2, Pachuca 0
First Leg, Houston, TX

I think yesterday's Robertson Stadium power outrage helped Houston out. Calm and collected was NOT Houston's game, but they got the job done. The shakiest aspect of the game was Houston's defense in the early moments of the game. The Dynamo also started without DeRo who came on in the 76th still smarting from a tight hammy. The amount of defensive miscues Houston had were equaled by the amount of crap marking jobs Pachuca had. Ching's header was golden. Wondolowski, MLS reserve scoring champ, connected wide-open as well. The marking was atrocious. Just like D.C., however, we have to remember that heading to Mexico will be interesting. I think the Dynamo will pull through.

HOU: Ching (57), Wondolowski (84)
PAC: NONE

UEFA Cup


AZ 2, Newcastle 0
AZ wins 4-4 on away goals.

How sad is that. Onyewu, cup-tied, had to sit and watch the mess that was the boys from Tyneside. Sadness. They even had a goal called back in injury time. Shota Arveladze and Danny Koevermans dispatched the Magpies with their respective goals. Now all Newcastle can do is fight really hard for a European spot next year. Looks real unlikely.

Other Scores:
Espanyol 4, Maccabi Haifa 0 (Espanyol wins 4-0 on aggregate)
Benfica 3, Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Benfica wins 4-3 on aggregate)
FC Sevilla 3, Shakhtar Donetsk 2 (Sevilla wins 5-4 on aggregate)

- Benny Feilhaber, Frankie Simek, and Jay Demerit all got call-ups to the US National team for their friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala. I single these three out because they have never played for the national team before. Other than that, it is rather European-based heavy. The statistics, however, tell us otherwise as 11 of the 24 are MLS-based. I'm looking forward to seeing Benny in the middle the most. Benny plays his ball with Hamburg of the German Bundesliga, Frankie Simek plays with Sheffield Wednesday, and Jay Demerit plays for Watford of the English Premiership.

- Toronto FC has sold out their 14,000 season tickets. That's amazing. Go to Jesses' Toronto FC blog for more info.

Navarro who?

English Premiership

Manchester City 0, Chelsea 1

Man Citeh continues their slide, but hey, at lease their consistent...in losing. Damarcus Beasley didn't even dress. You really would expect a tad more roster turnover considering their current one is clearly NOT working. Stuart Pearce either has loyalty in his squad or a severe case of stick-up-his-ass. I guess when you have a 17 year old as your most effective defender, your only play is blind faith. The worst part is Chelsea has played terrible the whole game managing 2 shots in the first 73 minutes and relying on a Frankie Lampard PK to get ahead. The question is, which relegation battler can benefit from this?!

MCY: NONE
CHE: Frank Lampard (28 pen)

Aston Villa 0, Arsenal 1

Young'un Vassiriki Diaby's 10th minute strike gave Arsenal the win in a fairly even match-up. A much needed win for the down and out Gunners, although Aston Villa ain't doin' too much themselves lately.


AVI: NONE
ARS: Diaby (10)

Other News:

- The penalties were doled out to Inter Milan and Valencia players after their fantastic brawl a week ago. David Navarro, the Valencia defender who broke Nicolas Burdisso's nose with a sucker forearm punch, will be banned from UEFA Competition for 7 months. UEFA, however, is trying to get that to apply to international matches as well. Burdisso, meanwhile, added to his a broken nose a 6-game ban. Same with former Monaco middle-man Maicon. 3 games suspension to Inter player Ivan Cordoba and 2 games to Julio Cruz. Maicon, Cordoba, and Cruz were all involved in the aftermatch of the punch. They chased Navarro and lunged at him several times. Cordoba and Cruz attempted but Maicon connected, hence the heightened sentence. The only other Valencia player to be suspended was defender Marchena got 4 games. Both teams were fined 106,000 euros and no stadium ban will be implemented (shows the economic drive of the game these days as Valencia plays Chelsea next). Here's the brawl.

- There is a heavy rumor that Ronaldinho will be joining AC Milan in the summer. Read about it here.

- A guy in contract/playing time limbo that the MLS should be pursuing is in fact on the trading block: 31 year old Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel was displaced at Aston Villa with the purchases of John Carew (Yohn Carev is the pronunciation) and ex-Watford young'un Ashley Young). He recently was looking at West Brom on year end loan, but that fell through. Now, he is linked to River Plate in Argentina. Anybody know if there is any contact with him?


- I put it up as a link, but haven't introduced it. Red Bull Arena Webcam is a live look at the ongoing construction at the Arena's Harrison, NJ site. Go and check it out. Best webcam out of the many that have been used over the years.

- There has been a small exodus of MLS castoffs to the USL which is a good sign in my opinion. Kevin Novak, a starting right back for Real Salt Lake last season, will be plying his trade with the Virginia Beach Mariners. Great for them to get such a decent defender. Maybe it'll actually up their attendance figures for the season. The Portland Timbers have gathered the signature of defender Leonard Griffin, formerly of the Chicago Fire. The Mariners also snapped up Jared Montz of the Chicago Fire. Montz was a reserve team starter and veteran. Good luck to you boys in your new setting.

South Jersey FC

For those looking for the normal stuff, I will be back to that tomorrow. Recap the news. Throw in my two cents. I will be following my club team through its season statistically, analytically, and non-sensically. This is what makes soccer fun.


First Match, March 17th, 2007:
vs. UPenn Dental Molars
(Past Meetings 0-0-0)

Should have played them last year, but game was rained out and never re-scheduled.

Roster Breakdown and Potential Starting Line-up

Goalkeeper: Eric Wirth - starting GK with moderate experience but a lot of heart, won MVP for the team last season, a regular Jeremie Janot
Right Fullback: Chris Gercke - consistent at fullback last season, scored 2 goals (in the same game no less)
Left Fullback: Mike Mellencamp - excellent ball control and movement, looks to make the attacking run; will move back to his regular position this season after Brendan Oakes' return; collected and technically sound
Sweeper: Brendan Oakes - returning from a broken collarbone, will probably not start here until his fitness is fully regained, tough and strong competitor, equally as calm and collected
Stopper: Brandon Bonnette - will push up when necessary, strong long shot, good footwork and excellent marking abilities, his awareness is contagious
Right Midfield: Breton Bonnette - pacy and reliant on a simple cutback, had 5 goals last season alternating between striker and right midfield
Central Midfield: Jorge Montoy - the heartbeat of the team, calm distributor, vocal captain, and alert at all times, restart taker; relies on the good simple pass that people often neglect but will get creative if he has to, also has one hell of a work rate, he is a Michael Essien with the great combination of defensive and offensive prowess
Central Midfield: Matt Acciani - big, strong, and relatively fast; wicked long throw, great in the air, he is Brian McBride's aerial ability when it meets Kenny Cooper's footwork, scored 5 goals last year and looks to tack on more, moving back from striker to try his hand at midfield
Left Midfield: Adam Evans - a pacy workhorse with great skill to compensate for a less physical presence, however - he plays a lot stronger than he looks, reminds me of Ki-Hyeon Seol of Reading
Striker: Eric Danner - strong, pacy, balls-to-the-wall guy from New England, his combination of speed, determination, aggression, and strength last season earned him 3 goals in 4 appearances, think Bobby Convey meets Vinnie Jones...
Striker: Carlos Clay - very aggressive and an all-out clutch performer, scored a beautiful winning goal against West Philly FC, strong all-around and versatile as he could also see some time at fullback

Tim Green: a GK, striker combination who looks to use his strength and skill to act as a holding man right behind the striker; also real experienced in the net and will most likely see some time with the gloves on
Devin Oakes: a solid fullback who can also move forward to wing midfield; will see a lot of time at fullback, tight marker and aggressive in his tackles (not sliding of course...)
John Vick: a skilled midfielder who likes to play on the left, has a nose for crashing the goal mouth but was unlucky in his tally last season, will certainly see much time at outside midfield
Lee Pease: an aggressive fullback with the ability to push up to outside midfield, another strong voice on the field with experience and a good work rate
Emily Pease: a talented and skillful midfielder, great ball control and vision, good acceleration and pace allows to her effortlessly move past defenders
Gerald Van Wilgen: a big, physical fullback who would always like to slidetackle but can't, will occassionally fire a shot from the back, strengths are his strength and aggressiveness, hails from the Netherlands
Scott Sebens: another big, physical holding midfielder, lacks experience but reacts well to the game, his strengths are fitness, physical, and aerial ability, will be real hard to mark on restarts

New Acquisitions:
James Andrew Huff
Keith Kushin
Kevin Murphy
Steve Fatula
Katie Ponzi

CASA Spring 2007 Preview

For those who are unaware of the CASA Soccer League (which is highly likely). It is a non-profit soccer league based out of Philadelphia, PA. It's low-cost, well-run, and people-friendly. It's co-ed and real competitive. It is only two seasons into it's existence but has rapidly gained supporters and people who want to see it succeed. There are two divisions - Primera and Segunda - with promotion and relegation between the two. There is also a ban on slidetackling in order to avoid lawsuits in its nascent years. Me, I am the captain of South Jersey FC, the Fall 2006 champions. Here - to those from CASA who read this - is a brief preview of the Spring 2007 season.


South Jersey FC
A team mostly consisting of, what else, South Jerseyans; the only team from New Jersey in the league. SJFC has a good blend of skill levels - those that played in high school, in college, and never before. They were led by the goal scoring of Matt Acciani with 4 goals and the leadership of central midfielder Jorge Montoy. Other notable players include GK Eric Wirth, SW Brendan Oakes, DMC Brandon Bonnette. Schools represented are: Union College, Harvard University, Wheaton College, Rutgers-Camden.

Cannons FC

The Summer 2006/inaugural season champions return this spring looking to win 2 out of 3; they lost on penalty kicks to South Jersey FC in the fall of 2006. Solid throughout, Cannons fell upon some tough losses in the playoffs. Anthony Mitchell won the Fall 2006 Golden Boot with 15 goals. Other notable players to watch out for: SW Derek Segesdy, GK Evan Curtis, DRL Wakengo Mahaniah. Schools represented are: Allegheny College, Haverford College, and some others.

University of Penn Dental Molars

A large contingent team looking to intimidate with line changes (as there is no cap to subs). All of these players are fittingly from the UPenn Dental School plus several guest players I am sure. Their roster consists of 35 to be exact.

Real Men Wear Pink

A tough team which would be known for racking up an 11-0 win last year. Fell to South Jersey FC 5-2 in the second round of the Fall 2007 playoffs. They largely can contribute their late season run to playmaker Evan Anderson. Should be rather competitive this year.

The STEAGLES

Formerly the SEI Leg Cannons, the majority of these guys work for SEI and had a good showing last year. They were led by the scoring prowess of a man simply known as 'Tim' with 10 goals and Steve Andrews with 6.

McCrossen Cosmos

A late surge at the end of the season. McCrossen looks to improve their record and by the looks of their preseason roster, they should do so. On it there are two names that stand out: Dave Daigle who spent some time with the PDL team South Jersey Barons and Schools represented: Rowan University, Dario Mescia led the Cosmos with 4 goals last season.

West Philly FC

Second place in the regular season, but bowed out to Philly United in the play-offs. Solid up front with the presence of Jeremy Lane (10 goals) and Martin Kerin (5 goals) look to compete again this season.

The Skulls

The lone new team for the new season. Their roster looks rather deep and is highlighted by the presence of Andy Kulinski, an All-Atlantic 10 performer at Saint Joseph's University. As of yet, no logo and no real sense of what their team will play like.

CONTENDERS: South Jersey FC, West Philly FC, Cannons FC
UNKNOWNS: McCrossen Cosmos (with some interesting acquisitions, The Skulls (now)
RELEGATION BATTLERS: Real Men Wear Pink, UPenn Dental Molars

GOLDEN BOOT CHALLENGERS: Matt Acciani, Eric Danner, Jeremy Lane, "Tim", last year's Champion Anthony Mitchell

CASA Soccer Champions:
Summer 2006: Cannons FC
Fall 2006: South Jersey FC
Spring 2007: ?????????