The MLS 2010 season came to a close with Colorado Rapids winning the MLS Cup and LA Galaxy winning the Supporters’ Shield. Now that league and cup competitions are approaching their climax, Major League Soccer has gone on a break and waiting for the 16th season to start on March 15th, 2011.

Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will make their MLS debut – taking the total number of clubs to 18. Both the Timbers and the Whitecaps will join the Western Conference and Houston Dynamo will move into the Eastern Conference.

As far as the kits are concerned, adidas is the lone supplier of the kits for all the clubs playing in the league. Because of that, questions are raised about the amount of involvement by the club in the final decision of the kits. For example, when Seattle Sounders’ third kit for 2011 was unveiled, fans and media personnel wondered whether the Sounders actually opted for electric yellow or was it forced upon them.

The general consensus is that, clubs do have a final nod in the decision of the kits they will wear. So yes, Seattle Sounders did opt for electric yellow as their third color only after joining MLS in November 2007.

You can see the 2011 MLS jerseys here for all the 18 clubs participating.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

31 weeks down, just one to go. Major League Soccer’s 14th season has had its ups and downs, goalkeeping errors and bad refereeing taking the shine off a year which gave us a superb rookie class, some wonderful goals and more surprises than Portsmouth’s directors’ box. The Beckham Experiment threw the focus on David Beckham’s return from Milan and the Red Bulls…well, they sucked.

The season has been characterised by great goals, stoppage time drama and Garber-bashing, often deserved. While it would be a stretch to declare the opinion that strides have been made by MLS in 2009 to be consensual, I think credit is due and the future is bright.

The play on the field has been exciting. It’s quick and physical, but the league has enough skillful players to give games an technical edge. This is a good league, and its continued progress is encouraging. It just feels like football, perhaps the legacy of Ivan Gazidis.

It’s not perfect. FC Dallas supporters are still highly critical of its owners – the same owners who have, in Columbus, threatened the hardcore supporters with sanctions because of their bad language. But, in general, the league seems to be pulling in the right direction. 2010 and 2011 expansion can only further that effect.

When tonight’s match between Chicago Fire and Chivas USA reaches its conclusion, the Fire’s 30 games will be complete and everyone else will be staring down the barrel of their last match of the regular season. Columbus Crew’s squad depth has seen them to the top of the table and home advantage in the playoffs. Houston Dynamo have been in touch all season and join them, while a resurgent LA Galaxy have benefited from improved squad balance and a blossoming on-field partnership between Beckham and Landon Donovan.

In their debut season, Seattle Sounders FC have been inconsistent but more hit than miss, riding the abilities of Fredy Montero all the way to the post-season. Chivas USA have gone about their business quietly but efficiently and currently top the West.

Chicago can book their place this evening but have missed several opportunities to strengthen their position. With Chivas hunting home-field advantage and even the Supporters Shield, it won’t be an easy task. Colorado Rapids are also currently in a playoff position but have been too reliant on Conor Casey’s last minute penalties of late. At this stage both should make it.

But spanning the dotted line is a cluster of four teams on 39 points. Toronto FC currently sit in pole position, but along with Colorado are vulnerable to the three teams below: New England Revolution, DC United and FC Dallas. So who’s going to triumph this weekend and top The 39 Club?

Toronto FC

TFC started the season well and coped admirably with the loss of their head coach early on to keep themselves in touch with the leaders. The inevitable plateau did arrive, but the Canadian team have plugged away and kept the positive results piling up. They go into their final game in a playoff spot, meaning their destiny is in their own hands. The same is true of Chicago and Colorado, but if you asked the Revs, DC or Dallas I’m sure they’d swap.

The supporters have said an emotional goodbye to Danny Dichio and there can be no more fitting tribute to their first ever goalscorer than to embark upon a playoff campaign.

Ordinarily, one would argue that Toronto have the easiest task of all the clubs chasing playoff spots. A trip to New York Red Bulls has promised three points for most visitors this season, but it’s always foolhardy to underestimate the power of a sense of occasion. Saturday’s tie will be the Red Bulls’ final game at Giants Stadium before the Red Bull Arena opens its doors in 2010. And who knows, maybe Thierry Henry will be the star attraction.

New England Revolution

Having written off the Revolution early in the season, I’m delighted to see them in with a shout of post-season qualification. The coaching set up at the club has been something of a double act, with head coach Steve Nicol and his right-hand man Paul Mariner steering the Revs through a much-improved second half of the 2009 season. Mariner has now departed, returning to work with Paul Sturrock as the new first team coach at Plymouth Argyle after a long stay in North America.

The long-term injury problems of Taylor Twellman have slightly taken the bite out of the Revs attack but several key players have made themselves indispensable. Shalrie Joseph is the club’s most dominant player, while Kheli Dube and Steve Ralston have contributed vital goals all season long. Kevin Alston has been particularly impressive getting up and down the right wing.

The Revs do have the advantage of playing the final game of the weekend and will know exactly what they need to do. But they have the toughest task of all the teams on 39 points, travelling to the almost impenetrable fortress of Crew Stadium to face Columbus, who – depending on Chivas USA’s results – could still need a result to win the Supporters Shield.

DC United

United are a really interesting case. Major League Soccer’s most storied club, the legends remain but their powers are on the wane. The squad is a mix of aging stars and promising youngsters, and the blend has been used badly by coach Tom Soehn in a season which promised much. That’s not to say the players haven’t let him down, but United have been undone this year by teams that have power and pace and have exposed DC’s possession-based, slower football. Ben Olsen’s best days are behind him, but Jaime Moreno has another season in him from the substitutes’ bench. The younger players, like Chris Pontius, Danny Szetela and Santino Quaranta, should have the opportunity to quicken up the side and return them to glory. Under Soehn, it seems a distant dream.

United’s ambition at the start of the season was to challenge on three fronts. Their MLS form has struggled and has not been made easier by a constant run of games through the late summer in CONCACAF Champions League action and their attempt to retain the US Open Cup. The latter reached the last obstacle but Seattle Sounders swaggered into RFK for the final and took a deserved and dramatic victory. At the time of writing, United’s CCL draw with Toluca leaves them needing a favour from San Juan Jabloteh to make the quarter finals.

United have a challenging final fixture. Travelling to Kansas City is rarely easy and the Wizards are playing with a certain freedom at the moment and dangermen like Josh Wolff, Davy Arnaud and the intriguing Zoltan Hercegfalvi have the potential to play spoiler for DC. But a win puts DC in a strong position and it’s time for the team to stand up and be counted.

FC Dallas

In the early days of the season FC Dallas looked like one of the weakest teams in the league. But when Kenny Cooper went on Gold Cup duty with the US and sealed a move to 2.Bundesliga before his return, the team rallied. Their form in the second half of the season has been a huge improvement on the first, and while their surge into playoff contention has been carried out quietly it has been punctuated by a few spectacular, high-scoring games.

Striker Jeff Cunningham has been scoring for fun since Cooper’s departure and, with Dave van den Bergh supplying the ammunition and Dax McCarty buzzing around the midfield to allow David Ferreira to flourish, FCD have been an exciting team to watch in the last few months. They’ve put six past both Kansas City Wizards and LA Galaxy and are currently on a four-game winning streak which has included key wins over playoff rivals Real Salt Lake, New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids.

Unfortunately for FCD their final fixture couldn’t be much more difficult. They travel to Qwest Field to face Seattle Sounders, a team which will be celebrating playoff qualification at the first attempt in front of its home supporters. The fact that there will be no pressure on the boys in rave green may or may not work in the Texans’ favour, but either way they’ll need to be right on top of their game to keep alive the impossible dream.

The situation is sure to be fascinating. TFC are in the box seat and play New York, but the Revs will not be relishing a trip to Columbus. DC and FCD are both capable of winning their games. With the possibility five teams battling it out for two spots, the MLS weekend should be a real cracker.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Things have been a little uncomfortable for Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas lately. Poor performances, bad results, a badly-located stadium and low attendances have led to outspoken criticism of the front office by supporters not only of FCD, but of MLS as a whole. The cold, hard truth of football is you can get away with almost anything if you’re winning on the pitch. But with Dallas getting off to a dismal start in Major League Soccer’s fourth season, the club’s off-the-pitch strategy has come under fire.

As the 2009 season got underway, there were questions among Dallas fans about both coaching and marketing. Schellas Hyndman was appointed head coach in June 2008, replacing sacked former Arsenal cup hero Steve Morrow, and the decision raised more than a few eyebrows. Hunt Sports Group and General Manager Michael Hitchcock have also been criticised for their frugality, management of Pizza Hut Park and inability to market the team effectively and appropriately.

When you’re promoting a club in a league which is growing, soccer moms should not be your target market.

Rotting from the head?

With FCD disappointing on the field, questions continue to be asked about whether the problems begin at the top. The ownership of Hunt Sports Group (HSG) has become difficult for many Dallas supporters. There is a feeling that the owners are not willing to invest in making FCD a successful franchise. Zach Woosley of Ginge Talks The Footy believes that HSG is more interested in profit than success:

“[HSG] may have saved FC Dallas from retraction in 2003 but every decision since then has been about profit for the Hunts and not about the success of the club on the pitch. Last season there was a Saturday night match against arch-rival Houston scheduled. HSG moved the match to a Wednesday night so they can have a concert at Pizza Hut Park instead of the match. It’s never about the soccer with HSG, it’s about the money. FC Dallas might be one of the few MLS clubs that’s making a profit but they have been one of the worst teams in the league for nearly two seasons.”

Coupled with that, the company’s inability to adequately market the club has frustrated fans and General Manager Michael Hitchock is expected to shoulder much of the blame. In essence, it’s the familiar mistake so often made by MLS clubs: focusing on family football when what’s really needed are passionate, noisy supporters with plenty of disposable income. After nauseatingly introducing the song “H-O-O-P-S Yes!” by The Polyphonic Spree as the team anthem, the club then abandoned “Hoops” as its nickname. Hardly a smooth marketing operation, I’m sure you’ll agree.

And then, of course, there’s the football. HSG’s hiring of Schellas Hyndman as head coach was a controversial one given his questionable pedigree in the game. Woosley thinks his appointment shows another downside to having the club owned by HSG:

“The hiring of Schellas Hyndman is a prime example of why Clark Hunt is a bad owner. Bringing in Hyndman wasn’t about finding the best man for the job, it was the culmination of a multi-year chase by Clark to get his old college coach buddy in charge of the club. For a team that claims to want to bring a championship to Dallas, it’s hardly a great move to hire a coach who didn’t win anything in over 30 years [in university soccer].”

3rd Degree‘s Buzz Carrick recently considered another way in which FCD front office is letting the club down. When Danny Szetela returned to the States, Carrick argued that FCD, who passed on Szetela to enable him to sign for DC United, should have secured something in return from United. He believes that Dallas should have taken a chance on the player (who, it seems, had his heart set on DC) or – at the very least – made some demands in order to let the next club take the option.

This hapless, spineless approach has translated onto the pitch over the last two seasons, but things have been looking up lately.

The Kenny Cooper Effect

A turning point in FCD’s season has almost undeniably and somewhat perversely been the departure of Kenny Cooper. Cooper spent much of July on international duty with the USA and was sold to 1860 Munich of 2.Bundesliga before the month was out. From the outside, it didn’t strike me as a disaster for Dallas. Cooper has some useful attributes but had become a stagnant talisman, symbolising his team’s lack of incision, dynamism and cutting edge. Despite a spectacular goal on the first day of the new season, Kenny Cooper has looked ready for a move.

The problem with a team that’s been built around a player like Cooper is that it becomes one-dimensional and sometimes lacks the creativity to use him in a variety of ways (as a decoy, for example). This is compounded by Cooper being the face of FC Dallas and his increasingly lumpen, leaden play. Adam Soucie of Soucie On Soccer explains how Cooper’s recent stint with the US national team demonstrated the weaknesses in his game:

“Aside from his goal, Cooper stood out for all of the wrong reasons. Coming on as a sub, Cooper was supposed to provide a spark. Instead, he dragged down the US attack. At times, Cooper would attempt to dribble his way into a shot, only to have it easily taken away. In other instances, Cooper found himself in open space with the ball at his feet. Rather than make a run and provide service, Cooper choose to take shots, some from as far as forty yards away. When Cooper did have chances on set plays, he sent them well high or wide of the goal. All in all, Cooper’s presence was more hindrance than help.”

Sure enough, FCD’s form has picked up since Cooper’s departure. While it’s not necessarily the case that simply removing Cooper has improved the side, it is true that the focus of the team has shifted to create a more dynamic attack.

Stepping up

With a Cooper-sized hole in the Dallas attack, Jeff Cunningham has really shone. It’s difficult to be surprised: Cunningham is Major League Soccer’s third highest goalscorer, with 113 league goals to his name. Nine of those have been scored this season, seven of them in July and August. Cunningham fired in four goals during a particularly impressive 6-0 home win against Kansas City Wizards on August 1st.

By finding the net with such ruthlessness since Cooper’s departure, Cunningham has positioned himself as the new focal point of FC Dallas. It’s certainly an upgrade. Cunningham is faster than Cooper, is more clinical in front of goal and has a better touch. While Cooper’s worthy contribution to the team came in the form of link-up play and (occasional) goalscoring, Cunningham combines better with his team-mates and allows Hyndman to get more out of his better players.

Fortunately for Dallas, several of those have taken responsibility for improving the club’s fortunes. Dax McCarty’s energetic presence in midfield has developed into more than just a nuisance factor in recent weeks, allowing the side’s more creative players to make a telling contribution going forward. Dave van den Bergh’s left foot has been one of FCD’s most productive tools all season, but the recent form of Brek Shea, a 19-year-old Generation adidas kid from Texas, has been a revelation. He has made 13 appearances for Dallas this season and is now pushing for a place as a regular starter.

Shea has plenty of charisma and has started to marry that to a confident swagger on the ball and a great eye for a killer pass. He’s one to watch.

With that form improving, FC Dallas had given themselves a very slim chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Although Saturday’s defeat at Crew Stadium probably put paid to that idea, a strong finish would still be beneficial. After all, for a large portion of the opening exchanges in 2009 Dallas have been a laughing stock. Finishing just outside the top eight would be a significant improvement and provide hope for the post-Cooper era.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If you already didn’t know that it’s a good idea to watch what you say and who you say it to, it looks like soon-to-be former Tottenham striker Darren Bent has decided to give us all a nice reminder with his Twitterific transfer-related tantrum.

While an apologetic Bent (well, that answers the question about whether or not it was really him, eh?) and Steve Bruce alike are waiting on Bent to move to Sunderland, and while the rest of us what the f**k Bent was f***king thinking, the transfer merry-go-round continues to spin, spin, spin.

Today’s roundup contains a few head-scratching rumors involving Premier League moves for a couple of top European players, the latest on Arsenal’s hunt for a new striker, and much more, including more frustration on the buying front for Hull City, whose list of summer transfer signings has not grown nearly as much as Phil Brown would like.

England

United To Bid For Ribery?

According to The Sun, Manchester United are lining up a £35m bid for Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery. However, the bid won’t come for another two weeks, as Ribery is set to receive a loyalty bonus on August 14, after which he is expected to turn in a transfer request.

Analysis: There’ve been multiple comments from Bayern about how they won’t sell Ribery unless it’s for an astronomical fee, even with Ribery exhibiting some behavior that didn’t exactly rub the club the right way. With that in mind, he might have to damage some of Bayern’s trophies, curse Louis Van Gaal to his face, and maybe a lot more to force them to accept £35m. Never say never, and there’d be a lot of excited United fans if this one did happen, but I’m not reading too much into it, not least because Ribery seems to have eyes for Real Madrid and Real Madrid only.

Liverpool To Move For Villa?

With the funds that they are set to receive from the impending sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, Liverpool will make a move for Valencia striker David Villa. (The Sun)

Analysis: Well, it has been said that the only club that Villa would move to the Premier League for would be Liverpool, so it’s not an impossibility. But with Valencia looking for a boatload to consider selling Villa, it might be more realistic to look at Liverpool using the Alonso reinforcements on multiple players instead of putting all of it on one.

Arsenal Ready To Start Spending?

The Independent says that Arsenal’s top midfield option is Roma’s Daniele De Rossi and that Arsenal could try to capitalize on Roma’s current financial issues to try to do a deal for the Italy international.

Analysis: Whether or not De Rossi would be a good signing for Arsenal is one thing (he would, for what it’s worth), but it’s hard to see Arsene Wenger spending as much as it’d cost to lure De Rossi (perhaps over £30m, as the report says). There’s a first time for everything though.

Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triand has revealed that Arsene Wenger recently contacted him about striker Marouane Chamakh. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Of the strikers that Arsenal have been mentioned with recently, Chamakh’s the least inexpensive option (Huntelaar and Vucinic would cost upwards of £15m). That being said, he might be the one that I have the most questions about. He’s been a regular for Bordeaux since he was a teenager, but he only really had his breakout campaign last season (13 goals in 25 Ligue 1 starts). The talent’s definitely there, but is he a late bloomer or a one-year wonder?

Arsenal are also closing in on an £8m deal for St. Etienne midfielder Blaise Matuidi. (The Guardian)

Analysis: If Arsenal are able to bring Patrick Vieira back to the club, he could be a good mentor for Matuidi and help him to learn, mature, and hone his skills for a season or two before he takes a prominent role in the side instead of full-on jumping into the fire immediately.

City Plan New Lescott Bid & Eye Delph

Manchester City are ready to make a final offer of £22m for Everton defender Joleon Lescott, and they’re also set to swoop for Leeds starlet Fabian Delph in a £10m deal. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Maybe Everton are warming to the idea of selling Lescott (more on that below), and though they’d be caving for less than what they wanted for him, there’s a lot that can be with £22m.

As for Delph – £10m? Delph’s a great talent with a huge future in front of him, I’m not disputing that, but whether it was City, Chelsea, or Aston Villa, I’d be really scratching my head about forking out £10m for a League One talent. Is that paying based on potential, or just to make a bid that they know no one else will want to match?

Everton Move For Senderos?

Everton have made an approach for Arsenal center back Philippe Senderos. (The Mirror)

Analysis: So, does that mean that they’re ready to cave in to Manchester City’s persistence and sell Lescott?

Villa Step Up Jenas Chase

Aston Villa are preparing to table an official bid for Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Jenas isn’t one of the few untouchables in Harry Redknapp’s squad, and if he does move anywhere, it’ll be to Villa. He likely won’t come too cheap, but he could prove to be worth it.

Blackburn In For Kalinic?

With Portsmouth’s deal for Hadjuk Split striker Nikola Kalinic having collapsed, Blackburn are looking to nab the highly-rated 21-year-old in a deal worth more than £6m. Talks have already begun with Hadjuk Split, and Blackburn are hopeful of persuading Kalinic to ink a four-year deal. (The Mirror)

Analysis: One club’s loss is another one’s gain. Blackburn’s striker pursuits thus far this summer haven’t really impressed me, but this is one they best get tied up as quickly as possible.

Viduka And Piquionne For Portsmouth?

Portsmouth are looking to sign Lyon striker Frederic Piquionne on loan, with former Newcastle striker Mark Viduka set to pen a one-year deal with Pompey. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Piquionne didn’t make much of an impact at Lyon after making the move from Monaco last summer, and I don’t see him being a regular starter at Pompey, but he could well be of some use. There’s no telling what Viduka will bring, but I think there are still a few goals left in him yet, and a one-year deal is a pretty low-risk move. But even with the addition of Piquionne and Viduka, Portsmouth’s front line isn’t going to really frighten many Premier League defenses straight away. They’d certainly do well to be able to iron out things with Hadjuk Split and land Kalinic.

Stoke Close On Ashton

Stoke City will land West Ham striker Dean Ashton as soon as the Hammers can find a replacement for the 25-year-old. (The Mirror)

Analysis: If, and it’s a big, big if, Ashton can stay away from the injuries that have plagued him over the last few years, this could be a massive bargain for Stoke.

Hull’s Beye Offer Rejected

Newcastle have rejected Hull’s £2m bid for defender Habib Beye. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Another £2m, and there could finally be some positive news on the transfer front for Hull after a summer full of disappointment. Is there a chance he could play up front too?

Italy

Roma Target Negredo

AS Roma are looking to sign Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo on loan. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: Real Madrid could well prefer to do a permanent deal for him, but unless he happens to wind up in Liverpool (either as part of the Alonso deal or in a separate cash deal), a loan might be their best option to ship him out. That’s also the case for Roma, who would likely be priced out of unless they elect to sell Alberto Aquilani and/or Mirko Vucinic (or perhaps even De Rossi…).

Germany

Wolfsburg Sign Martins

Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins has signed for VfL Wolfsburg in a £9m deal. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Through all of the negatives currently surrounding the club right now, one can look at the fact that Newcastle have shed a lot of high wages as one positive thing that has gone on this summer.

MLS

Germany Move For Cooper

FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper is on his way to second division side 1860 Munich after a fee was agreed for the 24-year-old. (Goal.com)

Analysis: FC Dallas held on to him about as long as they could, but it was about time for Cooper to try his hand in Europe again. 1860 Munich do have Benjamin Lauth and a promising young forward in Manuel Schaffler, but Cooper does have the chance to stake his claim for a regular place in the side and help them potentially challenge for a return to the Bundesliga.

Daily Links

Sir Bobby Robson: 1933-2009

The legendary Sir Bobby Robson lost his battle with cancer on Friday, and the football world – and the world in general – lost a great man.

Should Footballers Be On Twitter?

I say yes, if the result is Twitter fights like this one. Excuse me while I go LMAO for a moment.

Win A Cell Phone (And Maybe A Trip To The World Cup)

Thanks to The Run Of Play, you can win a really, really, really awesome (and really expensive for everyone else) phone that could be your ticket to South Africa. But only if you’re from the UK.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Is the MLS the most balanced football league in the world? Why does the Galaxy insist on building teams around a single player? Will Seattle recover their grove? All this and more in our MLS weekly review.

1.) Parity like no other league

I cannot think of one league in the world that has the level of parity of MLS.  The salary cap keeps teams in check, and for it, on any given day, event he worst team in the league can win a game nobody would expect them to win.  We saw that this week.  

Winless in four, FC Dallas laid into Toronto, and on the back of the do it all Kenny Cooper, grabbed a win.  The win saw them climb out of the basement of the Western Conference, one point ahead of LA.  Houston, also collected their first win of the campaign topping an inform Colorado side to move from seventh to fifth in the standings.  

In the eastern conference, New York finally got in the win column by thoroughly dismantling a strong Real Salt Lake side.  If you’re planning on placing a bet, I’d peg New York to have a good stretch coming up.  Mac Kandji and Juan Pablo Angel are finally hitting their stride.

This just goes to show that disparity between any two teams is negligent.  It’s just about which team can consistently grind out results, and put fill up the win and draw columns in the standings.

2.) Where oh where is David Beckham?

Those who said the league did not need Beckham were right and wrong.  The league didn’t need him to add to the quality of play, but they sure do need him for his media presence and the butts he puts in the seats.  The average attendance this week was 11,019, and that does not even factor in the unannounced attendance in Dallas.  Based on what I saw in the broadcast, I would say there were no more than 5,000 fans in attendance.  Yikes!  

3.) Seattle learns why MLS is so tough

Seattle jumped off to a 3-0 start, but since has lost two in a row.  They fought an uphill battle courageously after Kasey Keller was red carded last week for a hand ball outside the box, and lost on a late goal, 1-0.  This week, they faced first place Chivas USA on the road and were beaten 2-0.  They didn’t play particularly poorly, but were not the same team that dominated their opponents in the first three games.  Kasey Keller will return this week from a one game suspension, and I’m sure they will welcome him back with open arms.

4.) I’ve heard this before

I initially thought the hiring of Bruce Arena was a good move, and in all honesty, Bruce is a great coach, but the guys he has to work with are dross.  Last year the team was carried by two players, David Beckham and Landon Donovan.  This year, the team is being carried by one player, Landon Donovan.  He’s scored two and assisted on three for a grand total of five goals that he has been involved in.  That’s great production, but the LA Galaxy have only scored six goals on the season.  Credit to the man after returning from a less than inspiring stint in Germany, but really, get him some help LA!

5.) 41 and counting…

Pat Onstad came up big again this weekend.  He pulled off a miraculous penalty save with his trailing hand against Conor Casey, then had the where with all to get up and make an instinctual save on the subsequent header.  Bravo!  Not to mention he was kicked in the face by Omar Cummings as well.  At 41, you begin to wonder how long Pat can go?  I’d bet that he’ll stay in the game until Vancouver enters in 2011, and try to play his final season in his home town.  

That’s about it for the weekend’s news and notes.  Share your thoughts and comments below.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Our last column, inspired at 2AM, carefully selected winners for MLS season openers. Some were slightly off, and today we discuss why these results went topsy and what to expect down the road.

1) NY Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders

Result: Seattle 3-0 New York
Prediction: New York 3-2 Seattle
Excuse: Seattle is a strong team, Sigi Schmid a champion coach, the fans passionate, the owners pulled the stops, but this result was better than chemistry. Hot young striker Fredy Montero triggered the magic and joyfully scored two goals and an assist. Even the glib announcers were blinded by the polish in this playoff bound team. They ate New York for lunch.

There is no excuse for New York. This was appalling. New Yorkers are heartless and largely responsible for the global economic collapse, borne of greed and corruption. They deserve this hopeless team. Learn from it.

2) Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo

Result: 1-1
Prediction: Columbus 3-1 Houston
Excuse: Loss of faith in virtue (see above). In a well-played game, it came down to the classic battle of two kings facing off. Brian Ching scored for Dynamo, Guillermo Barros Schelloto for Columbus. See them both in the playoffs.

2) Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas

Result: Chicago 3-1 Dallas
Prediction: 2-2
Excuse: 2AM, tequila. Cuautehmoc Blanco and Brian McBride are older, but not heading to pasture anytime soon. They both scored, Blanco ten minutes after entering the field at 79 minutes. Justin Mapp left his mark, Chris Rolfe will, and Chicago will be in the playoffs.

Dallas will struggle again this year, but Kenny Cooper’s blast from 60 yards distinguishes him from other MLS players – he’s the #1 reason to watch Dallas play. It might have been only one goal, but it was worth two.

3) Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards

Result: Toronto 3—2 Kansas City
Prediction: Toronto 3-1 Kansas City
Excuse: None, pretty much called it. Amado Guevara scored 2, Jim Brennan the other, and Toronto won its first season opener in its three-year history and it’s fifth away win. Expect to see more and their first trip to the playoffs. As predicted, the Wizard’s Davy Arnoud made the difference with two goals, but wins will be few and far between for KC.

4) New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes

Result: New England 1-0 San Jose
Prediction: San Jose 2-1 New England
Excuse: Quakes were disorganized and should have done better, unable to tally even though three of the four Revs defenders were rookies. The replacements kept it simple and persevered, but their future depends on the fitness of sidelined Steve Ralston, Taylor Twellman, Gabriel Badilla, Mauricio Castro, and two incoming players from Ghana. That’s a lot of X factors for the Revs and a thumbs-down for the Quakes.

5) Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA

Result: Chivas USA 2-1 Colorado
Prediction: Colorado 2-0 Chivas
Excuse: Paulo Nagamura not on radar. He is now, after scoring two second-half goals for Chivas in an ugly, physical match. Omar Cummings scored for the Rapids, but both these teams must improve to reach sea level.

6) DC United @ LA Galaxy

Results: 2-2
Prediction: Galaxy 3-2 United
Excuse: None. Donovan comes from behind with a header and a penalty. LA will prosper this year, DC will not. See LA in the playoffs with David Beckham. Put money on it.

7) Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders — to be played March 28

New Prediction: Sounders 3-1 Salt Lake
Old Prediction: Salt Lake 2-1 Sounders
Excuse: See above. Still looking forward to the Javi and Kyle show.

USL-1 Puerto Rico Islanders blow past MLS in CONCACAF tournament.

March 17, the USL-1 Puerto Rico Islanders trounced five-time CONCACAF champion Cruz Azul 2-0 in the CONCACAF semifinals with goals by Nicholas Addlery and Sandy Gbandi and clutch saves by Bill Gaudette. The Islanders face Santos Laguna (2-1 Atlante) April 28 in the return leg and could earn a berth in the FIFA World Championship.

They USL-1 Islanders danced past last MLS hold-out Houston Dynamo (3-0 loss to Atlante) and long outlived New England Revolution, DC United, and Chivas USA in the tournament. USL-1 Montreal Impact, cut down in the semi-finals, also went beyond every MLS squad but Houston.

How did this happen? How did these players fly under MLS radar? Coach Colin Clarke previously coached FC Dallas, keeper Bill Gaudette played for Columbus Crew, and striker Nicholas Addlery was a DC United reject. How did two teams from a lower league accomplish this with so little fanfare?

Revolution coach and former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol shared his thoughts with us.

LE: How do you explain how USL went beyond MLS in the CONCACAF tournament?

Nicol: I think it’s a fantastic result. For them to be where there are and get the results they are, it’s fantastic. The coach they have in [Colin] Clark — he’s been around, he was smart as a player and he’s smart as a coach, he has them well organized. Clearly their opponents are better paid, supposedly better qualified to win matches, but it shows you that some heart and good organization — and some ability as well — can take you a long way.

LE: Did the packed schedule hold MLS back last year or are Montreal and the Islanders really talented?

Nicol: I don’t think the MLS schedule had anything to do with it. They did well in their own right, shown that they’ve got ability, they’re well-organized and they’ve got heart. You put all these things together and it takes some beating.

MLS awards franchises to Vancouver and Portland in 2011, promises two more in 2012

After awarding contenders Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon MLS franchises, MLS Commissioner Don Garber promised two more clubs in 2012, mentioning St. Louis and Ottawa by name.

The proximity and fanbase of these northwest cities may have played into the decision, but more likely the deep pockets of investors and the likelihood of soccer specific stadiums in uncertain financial times factored heavily in the equation.

The Vancouver Whitecaps investors are by Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and Steve Nash. Nash is a two-time NBA MVP and like Mallet, (former president of Yahoo!) is an investor in Women’s Professional Soccer. Vancouver is hosting the 2010 winter Olympics and contracted to renovate the BC Place stadium from 60,000 to a 20,000 seat soccer specific stadium at a cost of $360 milion for the event. The stadium will have a retractable roof and a centrally hung scoreboard, the first in MLS.

Montreal was favored over Vancouver earlier this winter, but Montreal proposed the 13,000 seat Stade Saputo, which doesn’t line-up with the more ambitious MLS plans. The Vancouver deal went through at $35 million, not the $40 million fee. Saturday the Whitecaps sold four thousand season tickets out of 16,500 in just three hours.

Portland agreed to renovate PGE Park to the satisfaction of MLS, and has the wherewithal to do it. Owner Merritt Paulson and his father former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, that currently own USL Timbers, are well-heeled and have the background. Merritt Paulson was previously the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development at NBA Entertainment.

“The Portland City Council’s recent approval of the framework for the renovations of PGE Park was a key factor in Portland becoming our 18th team,” said Commissioner Garber.

Photo Credits: Traynor, KB Hall via Flickr.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The MLS season opens with fireworks Thursday night for the Seattle Sounders inaugural game at Qwest field against New York Red Bulls.

The Seattle Sounders management did everything right to create a model club, including stealing 2008 MLS Cup Champion coach Sigi Schmid from Columbus Crew.

The supporters group, FC Alliance can vote out the general manager, currently Adrian Hanauer, every four years if 20% of the members sign a petition, an idea lifted from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Comedian/owner Drew Carey put full media spin behind the club, which sold 22,000 season tickets and 32,400 seats for the opening game. “We’ll have this big drunken march down to the stadium before the game begins,” said Carey.

The inevitable and highly suspect predictions:

In a league where parity is king, it’s pointless to discuss MLS Cup at this point, so without further ado, here are the predictions for the season openers:

Thursday, March 19

New York Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Red Bulls 3-2

The Sounders have Kasey Keller in net, but designated player Freddie Ljungberg, recovering from hip surgery, might not take the field. Young Columbian Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua are the strike force, and with central defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, this team could be a threat on short notice.

Juan Carlos Osorio reinvented the Red Bulls with 15 foreign-born players to support Juan Pablo Angel, the top MLS goal scorer (14), who is fit and re-signed. Dynamic midfielder Dane Richards will be assisted by 33 year-old Albert Celades, former Barca and Real Madrid midfielder.

Danny Cepero, who scored the first goal by an MLS goalkeeper in his very first game, will continue his own fairy tale by substituting for Jon Conway, still suspended. The Bulls won their last preseason match 2-0 with Crystal Palace, with goals by Khano Smith and Mathew Mboto.

Saturday, March 21

Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo
Prediction: Columbus Crew 3-1

The Crew remain intact with 2008 MLS assist leader (19) and league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelloto, Robbie Rogers, and defenders Frankie Hejduk and Gino Padula.

Although Houston coach Dominic Kinnear still has national team striker Brian Ching, he lost goal scorer Dwayne DeRosario, recently suffered a humiliating defeat in CONCACAF, and striker Kai Kamara was just suspended for the first two matches for inappropriate comments. Midfielder Stuart Holden is expected to make miracles happen.

Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas
Prediction 2-2

The Chicago Fire will succeed as expected with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Brian McBride and Chris Rolfe, but the individual efforts of Dallas Kenny Cooper, Dave van den Bergh, and Dax McCarty will throw off their game.

Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards
Prediction: Toronto 3-1

Toronto has a team set on scoring and Captain Jim Brennan and Dwayne DeRosario will make it happen along with Pablo Vitti, Chad Barrett and Danny Dichio. The fans want goals and the fans will get goals with this roster.

Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnoud, and the rest of Kansas City will be hard pressed to keep TFC from running up the score.

New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes
Prediction: San Jose 2-1

San Jose has a versatile midfield of Bobby Convey, Arturo Alvarez, Darren Huckerby, and Ramiro Coralles, and Cam Weaver can tally goals.

The Revolution lost three big players over the winter and replaced them with untested rookies while dealing with serious injuries to goal scorers Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman. Shalrie Joseph, Jay Heaps and Chris Albright will control the back, but this team needs attacking players. Although the Revolution have troubles, they keep their spirits up by humiliating their coaches.

Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA
Prediction: Rapids 2-0

Jason Kreis kept the Rapids intact with linchpins Omar Cummings, Conor Casey, Colin Clark, and Pablo Mastroeni, and beat the Sounders in preseason. Sasha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein, and Ante Razov will toil for Chivas but it may not be enough.

Sunday, March 22

DC United @ LA Galaxy
Prediction LA 3-2

LA will come off solid, thanks to Bruce Arena, who shook the team up top to bottom. Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, and Dema Kovalenko will score goals without David Beckham, but still need to solidify a backline, particularly with the absence of new keeper Donovan Ricketts due to injury. DC also may be handicapped by the absence of their keeper Louis Crayton due to injury, but Francis Doe, Thabiso Khumalo, and Santino Quaranta will provide a show in the top half of the field.

Saturday, March 28

Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Real Salt Lake 2-1

Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan, and Kyle Beckerman give Real Salt Lake the stability and creativity to challenge the new Seattle Sounders, while still producing episodes of the Kyle and Javi show.

National teams drop in the clutch

The women’s national team failed to win their third straight Algarve Cup, handing it over to Sweden in penalty kicks after the 1-1 tie. Shannon Boxx scored for the US in the 90th minute.

The men’s U-20s fell 3-0 to Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Championship final, but secured a spot in the U-20 World Cup in Egypt with their 2-0 win over El Salvador.

FC Barca resurfaces near 2010 Philadelphia franchise

A few days before bowing out of the proposed Barca Miami franchise, Barca president Joan Laporta toured the site of the stadium being constructed for the approved 2010 Philadephia MLS franchise. Don Garber told Sports Business Journal, “the team has secured more than 6,000 season ticket deposits and two sponsors a year before kicking off,” but Philadephia is looking for partners. MLS Philadelphia CEO Nick Sakiewicz said that Delaware County and Pennsylvannia put up $77 million and expects Jay Sugarman, the majority owner-operator, and his fellow investors to produce the $38 million balance.

“FC Barcelona has expressed for some time an interest in Major League Soccer financially and strategically,” said Don Garber. “They spent a great deal of time with us looking at Miami and are continuing to look at opportunities around the league.”

Photo Credits: W. Jarrett Campbell/Triangle Soccer Fanatics

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When the Columbus Crew won the 2008 MLS Supporters Shield (the award given to a club with the highest point total in the regular season) and subsequently their coach Sigi Schmid won the MLS Coach of the Year award, it eloquently summarized the very odd and unusual MLS season.

For starters, the Crew didn’t even make the play-offs in 2007 despite a very liberal – some may say ridiculously high number of teams, then eight out of thirteen – qualifying standard.

Second of all, in the off-season, the Crew made only minor modifications to their roster, with the only significant addition being a journeyman holding midfielder Brian Carroll, obtained via a trade from the expansion San Jose Earthquakes.

Third, given the dismal results in the two previous years, Sigi Schmid’s hold on the job appeared tenuous, as Columbus finished dead last in 2006 and his coaching acumen was constantly questioned by the whatever dwindling fan base the franchise retained.

Former Boca Juniors Legend Schelotto Leads the Crew

Instead, the Crew proved its critics wrong and stormed out of the gate, led on and arguably off the field by an Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The thirty five year old Boca Juniors legend, with a haircut harking all the way back to the British Invasion of the mid-60′s, became a general on the pitch, presiding and directing over the much younger Crew attackers, a pair of the 21-year old wingers Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven and a veteran center forward Alejandro Moreno. As the result, Columbus scored eleven more goals and improved its goal differential from minus-five to plus-fourteen.

But whereas pre-season expectations of the heartland team were tempered, the opposite was the case on both coasts.

Red Bulls Change Matadors

In New York, an experienced Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio, took over the New York Red Bulls squad that did make the play-offs in 2007 but was knocked out in the first round under the guidance of the recently fired USA national team coach Bruce Arena.

Living off his reputation earned at the 2002 World Cup, Arena was given a fat contract and virtually unlimited, by the American soccer measurements. funds to establish a power house deserving of its hometown in the capital of the world. Never the one to turn down lucrative donations, Arena spent close to $3 million to bring in two free agent stars, an ex Aston Villa and River Plate striker Juan Pablo Angel and a well-traveled ex Manchester City-Sunderland-Rangers-Wolfsburg-Leverkusen midfielder Claudio Reyna. In the league where an entire team was officially operating under a $2.3M budget, Angel and Reyna came under a special exception called the “Designated Player” provision, something colloquially known as the “Beckham Rule”. (Each MLS team was allotted one DP but could trade with another team for the additional second spot)

Armed with a higher payroll than any MLS team at that point, Arena was expected to dominate the league but only managed 43 points (the 2007 Supporter Shield winner DC United had 55 on a much smaller budget) and a plus-2 goal differential.

When the oft-injured Reyna proved to be a colossal bust, NYRB was knocked out of the play-offs by a much more cheaply assembled New England team, managed by an 1980′s Liverpool stalwart Steve Nicol. Under fire for his performance and for the waste of approximately $2.5M on his old University of Virginia player Reyna, Arena’s was the first head that rolled and, for a small compensation, Osorio was brought in from the Chicago Fire.

Juan Carlos leaped an opportunity twice in the span of six months, as he only came to the Fire from Colombia’s Millionarios half-way into 2007. In Chicago, his half-season reign was considered an achievement and New York jumped at a chance to recruit its former assistant.

Sexy Football but Same Results for LA Galaxy

The West Coast was similarly bristling with anticipation. As the MLS propaganda never got tired of saying, in 2007 the LA Galaxy and its owner Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) have indeed managed a major coup – they have signed the most famous footballer in the world, the Posh Boy himself, David Beckham. The only problem was that Becks arrived with a bum ankle and missed a number of crucial games in the final stretch of the 2007 campaign. He was available for the very last contest in Chicago but LA went down by a 1:0 score and the AEG forced out its coach Frank Yallop, who was himself brought in only a year earlier.

(The coaching carousel continued with Yallop going to the San Jose Earthquakes, opening for business that very month).

Under a bombastically fatuous General Manager (Director of Football) Alexi Lalas, another major coup was launched. Seeking “sexy football”, AEG has hired a former two-time World Player of the Year Dutchman Ruud Gullit. Beside once having been a truly great pro, Gullit has managed a number of European clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle and Feyenoord and was fluent in English.

Given the glitz and the glamour of the two metropolitan giants, far less attention was being given to the 2007 finalist, the two far less glamorous but two very hardworking squads – Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution.

Houston was returning most of his line-up, sans a temporarily departed Nate Jaqua (7 goals in 2007) while Revolution’s only name loss was a released veteran forward Pat Noonan.

Once the play on the pitch commenced, however, the expectations weren’t always met.

While Columbus, Chicago and New England got off to a good start in the East, New York tumbled out of the gate. Reyna reverted to his oft-injured self and Angel must have received the same contagion, coming down with all sorts of maladies. Osorio’s juggling of players and line-ups didn’t produce either and New York had a rough going in the spring of 2008. early injuries and the eventual $10M transfer of Josmer Altidore to Spain’s Villarreal was another shock to New York’s system.

In the West, Gullit’s Galaxy began to assert itself a few weeks into the season and became the most exciting team on the field. Unfortunately for LA, the excitement had good and bad components. Its offense was averaging an almost unheard-of three goals per game but its defense was nearly as porous.

Still, a couple of months in, LA was seen in first place, a drastic departure from its previous MLS annuals.

New York was languishing in the standings. Looking at it in their rear-view mirrors were the aforementioned Columbus, Chicago and New England.

Out with Gullit, in with Arena

Then something snapped in LA. Its offense continued to be scoring reasonably well, but its defense was proving to be incapable of stopping anyone. The team went on a long winless streak. Its players began to rumble about Gullit’s coaching methods and, finally, the damage became irreparable. Gullit was pushed out of the door and replaced by Bruce Arena. So high was the admiration of Arena’s by the AEG’s head Tim Leiweke that Leiweke gushed about the former US gaffer in the most glorious terms possible when appearing on the national telecast shortly after Gullit’s departure.

With the Galz slipped out of the first place by then, they were still very much in the play-off picture, had the season ended at that moment. Arena, of course, was expected to push for the top spot that the Galaxy only recently vacated. For that, he received additional reinforcement in the form of a 34-year old US international winger Eddie Lewis, who had spent the previous season with Derby County of the English Premiership.

Nonetheless, showing repeated ineptitude, Arena coached Galaxy to less than one point per game and, when the 2008 was over, the Galaxy was back to its usual last place, even losing the goal differential to the expansion San Jose.

As noted prior, San Jose’s coach was one Frank Yallop, a former man in charge of the Galaxy.

As, once upon a time, was Sigi Schmid.

Returning to the East Coast : for a while, Osorio’s job seemed in as much jeopardy as of his West Coast counterpart. In New York’s last match at Chicago, Juan Carlos’s club needed a win to insure itself of the last play-off spot in the East but instead his men were hammered 5:2 by the in-form Chicago Fire. Only a last day defeat of the DC United at the hands of the league leaders Columbus Crew pushed the Red Bulls into that last spot. Backing into the play-off didn’t stop calls for Osorio’s firing but he was given a euphemistic chance to prove himself again in the playoffs.

Playoff Contenders

Chicago, New England and Kansas City were three other East Conference contenders.

There were a few more surprises. With the Galaxy self-destruction, the fourth year franchise Real Salt Lake scored on the last minute of its last match and made the knock-out stage for the first time ever.

Without much drama, the two time defending MLS champion Houston topped the West in the points total.

Chivas USA, a team ravaged by injuries throughout the season, still managed to finish a respectable second.

The league was gearing for the MLS Cup and the LA Galaxy, by then having gotten rid of Lalas as well, was gearing for its never ending rebuilding.

Three coaches (Gullit, plus Colorado’s Fernando Clavijo and Dallas’s Steve Morrow) lost their jobs.

Landon Donovan won the scoring title.

Columbus’s Chad Marshall won the Defender of the Year.

Chicago’s Jon Busch won the same award for top Goalkeeper.

The MVP vote is to be announced later with Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, Fire’s Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto the three finalists.

Also See:

The 2008 MLS Season Preview (Liviu Bird)

MLS, LA Galaxy and Ruud Gullit – A Very Long Way from ‘Sexy Football’ (Marco Pantanella)

Youth Football in the US (Dan Leo)

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There’s only one more month to go in the summer transfer window, and with seasons set to begin around Europe’s top leagues very soon, a lot of clubs are scrambling to get holes filled and squads solidified before the competitive action gets underway. So, there are some done deals to report in today’s roundup, and there are quite a few more that are set to be wrapped up – including a potential surprise or two.

England

Tottenham might be set to win the David Bentley sweepstakes, as they are currently in negotiations with Blackburn over the £17m rated winger, as confirmed by Blackburn chairman John Williams.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Bentley may not be the only Blackburn player Tottenham try to snag, as they could step up their interest in Roque Santa Cruz before long.

According to The Sun, Fulham are set to follow up their club-record signing of Andy Johnson with another club-record addition to their front line by getting VfB Stuttgart’s Mario Gomez for £15m. The 23-year old German international has also drawn serious interest from Arsenal, but the report says that he’s close to agreeing to personal terms with Fulham.

Rumor Rating: 3 – If Roy Hodgson could actually pull this off, it would be an extremely impressive coup for Fulham.

Newcastle are still waiting to see how things turn out with their pursuit of Deportivo defender Fabricio Coloccini, but they are reportedly set to seal a deal for one defender in Metz’s Sebastien Bassong.

Rumor Rating: 5 – The 22-year old Bassong, who’s a France U-21 international, had a week-long trial at Newcastle, and impressed enough to earn a move, which is set to cost Newcastle £1.8m.

Aston Villa have reportedly made a £9.5m bid for Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red. De la Red has also been linked with Tottenham and Arsenal, but it looks like Villa have done wisely to make the first move and test the waters.

Rumor Rating: 5 – De la Red has been valued as high as £15m, so this initial bid may only make Real blink, but it could set off a small bidding war.

Villa, Manchester City, and Fulham are in the hunt for Croatian international midfielder Jerko Leko.

Rumor Rating: 4 – Whatever Monaco get for the versatile 28-year old, who has 54 caps for Croatia, it’ll be a profit, as they got him on a free transfer from Dynamo Kiev two years ago.

Manchester City have made a £6m bid for Liverpool’s Yossi Benayoun.

Rumor Rating: 5 – West Ham are interested in buying Benayoun back, likely for more than the £4m they received for him last summer, but when it comes down to it, City would likely win in a bidding war. But, it’ll be money well spent, considering that Benayoun (hat trick in the FA Cup and in the Champions League last term) could really bag a lot of goals if he’s on top of his game.

Wigan have completed a £3.5m deal for Middlesbrough midfielder Lee Cattermole.

Rumor Rating: 5 – The 20-year old Cattermole wasn’t able to crack the starting lineup full-time at Boro, and his chances may have been limited this coming season with the arrival of a couple of new additions, but the England U-21 international could be a big hit with his new club in a short time.

Stoke have agreed a £3m fee with Sunderland for goalkeeper Marton Fulop, but time is running out for the Hungarian keeper to reach a deal with the Potters. By the time you read this, Fulop will have had to tied things up with his new club, or he’ll have to return to Sunderland, according to Roy Keane.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Fulop would be much better off in terms of playing time if he went to Stoke, but he may prefer to stay at Sunderland and play for a club on the up-and-up instead of being involved in a relegation battle as he could be with Stoke.

Birmingham are closing in on a loan deal for Spartak Moscow attacker Quincy Owusu-Abeye. The 21-year old Ghanaian international was on Arsenal’s books until 2006, before making a move to Russia.

Rumor Rating: 5 – The move will be a loan move with a view to a permanent £3.5m deal. Birmingham were actually interested in him last summer before he went on loan to Celta Vigo, so their interest is nothing new.

After pulling out of a £1.5m deal for Egyptian striker Emad Moteab last week, Bristol City are pulling out of a £1.5m deal for Coventry striker Michael Mifsud.

Rumor Rating: 1 – Well, if you don’t make the best impression with the manager right off the bat, then it’s better to nip it in the bud instead of letting things go bad down the road. Moteab and Mifsud are quality goalscorers and would have been big additions to a side who could use a good goal-bagger.

Spain

Getafe have agreed a €6m deal with Real Madrid for striker Roberto Soldado. Real were pushing for €8m, but the two sides finally agreed on the 6m fee that Getafe had reportedly offered initially.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Getafe will pay €4m up front and €2m from any fee they receive if/when they sell Soldado, so if Soldado can fully tap into the potential that he wasn’t able to show at Real, it’ll be a small price to pay.

France

Lyon have been linked with Samuel Eto’o recently, but it doesn’t appear that they’re going to make a concrete move for the Barcelona striker, not because they can’t afford him, but because his large salary could have a negative impact on the rest of the side.

Rumor Rating: 2 – Lyon have achieved the success they have by not spending exorbitantly, even though they have more than enough money to do so.

Turkey

Turkish side Kocaelispor are reportedly set to sign Edgar Davids by the end of this week. According to the club’s chairman, the veteran Dutch midfielder has already agreed terms, but there are some loose ends yet to be tied up.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Though Davids, who played last season at Ajax after leaving Tottenham last year, is now 35, it’d be a big signing for the newly-promoted Kocaelispor, who were the champions of Turkey’s second division last term.

MLS

FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper will not be moving to Cardiff City after all. The 23-year old looked set to move to Wales in a $4m deal last week, but he’ll have to wait to get his ticket back to Europe.

Rumor Rating: 2 – In the end, it may be better for Cooper to stay in Dallas for the time being. If he can finish out the season as hot as he’s been thus far, he should draw plenty of interest come the winter transfer window.

Well, that’s it for the day in transfer news and rumors. What do you think of today’s tidbits? Bentley to Spurs – will they be able to fulfill his ambitions for the highest level of European football? Gomez for Fulham – funny or for real?

I’ll be back tomorrow with all of the latest headlines, but until then, chime in with your thoughts on today’s bits, chip in with ones that you’ve read and heard, and do make sure to check out the summer transfer lists, which are in the process of being updated.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Guess who’s back? A hurricane in the area knocked out the electricity for a few days, but I’m alive and in one piece, and I’m back to deliver all the latest in the world of transfers.

It appears that I’ve missed a lot, but thanks to Ahmed, you haven’t. Big thanks to Ahmed for keeping things going!

England

Everton are going to have to go a little higher if they want to nab Sporting’s Joao Moutinho. The Toffees made an 11.8m bid for the budding star, but a) Sporting don’t really want to sell him, and b) the bid was much lower than his release clause of 19.7m.

Rumor Rating: 3 – 19.7m might be a little too high for Everton. That kind of cash could be well spent on two or three players, but hey, it’s fun to be a big spender every now and then.

Tottenham are interested in Monaco winger Nene. The 27-year old Brazilian moved to France from Celta Vigo last August and had a terrific season for Monaco, scoring five league goals and providing on several more.

Rumor Rating: 4 – Tottenham have no shortage of attacking options, but it never hurts to have more, eh?

Newcastle have made a bid for Arsenal’s Philippe Senderos. The bid for the 23-year old Swiss defender is reportedly 4m.

Rumor Rating: 3 – What was that sound? Oh, just Arsene Wenger’s head exploding. Actually, though, considering that Senderos didn’t hold down a regular starting spot last season, he could be expendable.

Newcastle are also set to make bids for Nicolas Burdisso or Julio Baptista.

Rumor Rating: 3 – Burdisso may well be heading for Fiorentina rather than Newcastle, while the Beast is said to prefer Roma over anyone else.

Brad Friedel has completed his 2.5m move to Aston Villa, while Paul Robinson has quickly filled in Friedel’s slot by moving from Tottenham to Blackburn in a 3.5m deal.

Rumor Rating: 5 – With a fresh start and a new outlook, Robinson will have an excellent chance to be a part of Fabio Capello’s plans for World Cup qualifying and beyond.

Sunderland have been extremely busy recently, and after tying up one Tottenham man in Teemu Tainio, have also secured Pascal Chimbonda. Also, a 2.5m deal for El-Hadji Diouf could be in the works.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Roy Keane could also be set to table a 12m bid for Middlesbrough’s Stewart Downing.

Cardiff City have reportedly agreed to a deal with Major League Soccer for FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper.

Rumor Rating: 5 – After not making a dent at Manchester United, Cooper has become one of MLS’ top forwards. At 23, he could still very well be set for a career in England, though he’ll have taken the long way to do it.

Spain

Osasuna could be ready to step in and make a move for Real Madrid striker Roberto Soldado if Getafe can’t broker a deal. Getafe have been the favorites to sign the 23-year old Spaniard, but they’ve had trouble reaching an agreement over a fee.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Soldado had a successful loan spell at Osasuna in the 2006/07 season, scoring 12 goals in all competitions, so there’s a good chance he’d be up for a move there if things fell through with Getafe.

France

PSG have had a bid turned by Fenerbahce for striker Mateja Kezman.

Rumor Rating: 4 – With Dani Guiza having arrived in Istanbul and Fener not being short on scoring options, Kezman could be on his way out, even after being in solid form last season.

Nancy defender Sebastien Puygrenier has made a 5m move to St. Etienne.

Rumor Rating: 5 – Fortunately for Puygrenier, the move isn’t a step down, as St. Etienne, like Nancy, will be playing in the UEFA Cup next season.

Well, that’s it for the day in transfer news and rumors. I’ll be back tomorrow with more, but until then, chime in with your thoughts on today’s rumors, chip in with rumors you’ve heard and read, and keep checking out the summer transfer lists for all of the latest completed transfers from around Europe’s top leagues.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News