SoccerUSA!!!

By Sean Connolly

It was their chance to step up…they didn’t. Given a golden opportunity, the young “stars” of the US national team failed to take advantage of playing time and failed to stop the lowly Trinidad and Tobago, losing 2-1.

The lineup included just three starters from last week’s 6-1 win over Cuba win they clinched a berth into the next round. Michael Orozco made his first appearance as a member of the national team and Jose Francisco Torres was given his first start. Neither were impressive.

Captained by DeMarcus Beasley (for the first time), the US played down to Trinidad and Tobago’s level. They had no offense and at times were getting cut apart in the midfield by veterans Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy.

Jozy Altidore gave up an immature penalty by tugging on Makan Hislop, and allowed Yorke to score on a penalty. Charlie Davies was the only bright spot, I guess, when he scored to tie the game at 1-1. But, let’s be real, any one could have scored it as it was basically an open netter.

How are we supposed to trust this “youth movement” if they can’t beat up on a team like Trinidad and Tobago? Sure, they had already advanced to the next round, but this is a time to prove yourself and it’s never good to roll over going into the World Cup.

Tags: Bruce Arena US National team Coach, Charlie Davies, Demarcus Beasley captain of US, Makan Hislop, Michael Orozco first cap, trinidad and tobago upset over US, US national team world cup 2010, US young players

By Sean Connolly

On Tuesday Arsenal started their league cup match with a team average age of 19 years old. Now, this is common in the league cup, to try out your young talent and see how they do in the spotlight. The youngest who started on Tuesday was Jack Wilshere who is only 16 years old. So, here’s the debate. If England can show off 16 year olds without the media going wild, why can’t America?

Sports recruiting in England is much different than what it is over here. Usually over here, if you’re a young gifted soccer player you have to go through years of travel teams, lame camps, and eventually play in High School. At that moment is where the deal breaker is. Your success in the future depends on your High School’s success as an athletic program. For example I played at a crappy High School with an awful athletic program. Our team was o.k at best but never good enough to garner attention from college coaches. I had to go after coaches instead of the other way around. And when I played in college I was just as good as some players who were heavily recruited and who received hefty scholarships. And you know why? Because they played at a high school that either had money or one that has had success in the past.

Now, in England on the other hand, if you’re a young gifted soccer player at say, the age of 10, you have the top clubs in the league looking at you. At ten years old!!! I had to wait until I was in the last month of my soccer season in my senior year of high school to get a coach come out of his way to see me!! It’s a question of nature vs. nurture in America when it comes to soccer and 9 times out of 10 nature wins. Whereas in England they nurture young talent no matter where they’re from and turn them into superstars.

David Beckham was first noticed by Manchester United when he was 10 and the United bred him to be as good as he is now. He was given the world by Man United and probably had a decent child hood. So, why can’t an American team do that, in any sport?

If the heads of American soccer really want to improve the popularity of the sport we need to have kids as young as the 16 year old Wilshere of Arsenal on a club team. Look at the stir Freddy Edu created when he was named the next big thing when he was what 15? Let’s develop good players at a young age and solve the soccer recruiting mess.

Tags: American high School soccer recruiting, Arsenal Recruiting, David Beckham's recruiting process, England Soccer recruiting, Freddy Edu recruiting process, High School Soccer recruiting, Jack Wilshere, Jack Wilshere Arsenal Recruit, Manchester United Recruiting, Soccer recruiting, Sports Recruiting

By Sean Connolly

A crazy story out of Congo…During the middle of a game between Nyuki and Socozaki, to try and change the way the game was going, Nyuki’s goalkeeper went to the middle of the field and began to use some sort of witch craft.

Players from the opposing side weren’t enamered with the goalie’s tac tics to voodoo his team back into the game so a brawl ensued. Police immediately tried to break up the fight which then led fans to start rioting. The commander of the police was hit in the head by an object thrown by the fans so police began firing into the air to try and calm the crowd down. It did anything but.

Fans then tried to exit the stadium all at once creating a stampede that trampled many, leaving 13 dead. Reports at the beginning of the day had the death toll at 11, but has increased to 13. Most of the victims were aged 11-16 years old. It’s estimated that 36 are injured due to the riot.

Today, many teenagers marched in protests through the streets of Congo demanding something be done. Sadly this isn’t the first time a situation like this has happened in soccer. It seems that every couple of months something is mentioned about a riot that either injured someone or killed someone. I think it’s time for the United Nations or FIFA to address this situation loud and clear.

The riot patrol and protocol is some of the rural cities around the world are just appalling. How is shooting a gun in front of hundreds of fans who believe they just saw a goalie perform witchcraft gonna calm them down? There should be a standard procedure implemented at all professional venues so that these embarrassing and deadly events can stop. Every time something like this happens it gives the sport of soccer a black eye and I don’t think the sport can take any more head shots.

Tags: 11 die congo riot soccer, 13 die congo riot soccer, Africa Soccer, Africa soccer riot, Africa soccer riot caused by witchcraft, Africa Soccer Witchcraft, African Soccer, Congo Riot soccer, Congo Soccer riot witchcraft, Fifa Riots, Fifa Rules Riots, FIFA World Rules, Goalkeeper Congo Nyuki Witchcraft, Nyuki soccer, Nyuki Soccer Africa, Sean Connolly, Sean Connolly Soccer, Sean Connolly Sports, Sean Connolly Writer, Socozaki soccer, Socozaki soccer Africa, United Nations, United Nations Riot, United Nations Soccer Riot, United Nations Soccer Rules, witchcraft riot soccer, witchcraft riot soccer congo, Witchcraft soccer goalie, World Soccer Riots

By Sean Connolly

He’s had it. Lukas Podolski of Bayern Munich and Germany, is tired of coming off the bench for his club team and has said it’s time to get out. He has had trouble getting into the starting lineup seeming that Luca Toni and fellow German Miroslav Klose are Bayern’s starting strikers. Here’s what Podolski had to say in his own words…

I wouldn’t have [signed] had I known that things were going to turn out like this,I would be a bad footballer if I contented myself with sitting on the bench. This is too much! I’m not making any progress here.

Lukas Podolski on his situation with Bayern Munich

With such a talented player, several teams have reportedly shown interest in the striker. So far rumors have circulated that Manchester City, Roma, and Fiorentina will all try to pursue Podolski. Manchester City has been adament on trying to get a big name player as a part of their squad but has failed to do so. During the summer, they tried to acquire Ronaldinho but failed to do so as he signed with AC Milan.

Podolski deserves to be a starter somewhere and it’s a shame he can’t get enough playing time on Bayern Munich. It’s amazing to think that Bayern has one of the most talented young players coming off the bench behind the likes of Toni and Klose. This may be a trade that Manchester City can actually complete as Podolski has shown interest in coming to England to play. He would without a doubt be a starter at City and may be the proper place for him to land at.

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By Sean Connolly

Pretty funny story i just read…some guy in England placed a bet that Barack Obama would turn out to be the coach of West Ham by the end of the season. Sounds ridiculous, right? Well here’s what happened…

An unidentified bettor wanted to show his friends back in America a betting slip with Barack Obama’s name on it. Knowing He went to bookmaker William Hill and asked for the bet. Obama is a fan of West Ham after a trip he took to England five years ago and West Ham is having a lot of coaching problems with the resignation of Curbishley last week. So, The guy put 10 bucks (or pounds…whatever) at William Hill and they gave him 10,000 to 1 odds for a 100,000 pound win possibility, 260,000 in dollars.

So where did this idea come from? Well, Obama has family in England(his sister married an Englishman), and when he went to England 5 years ago he soon became a fan of West Ham. All his relatives are fanatics and I guess it rubbed off on him.

Obama hasn’t just been a fan in the past 5 years though as his campaign revealed that he is in fact an avid soccer fan and even played a lot as a student at Harvard Law School.

He never really followed it, though, until he was told all about the passion of West Ham fans by some of his English relatives. He’s always keen to find out how his adopted club are getting on.

Barack Obama Campaign Source on Obama’s Love of West Ham

So, who knows, maybe if Obama decides that this whole leader of the free world thing isn’t for him, he’ll take on the task of managing the Hammers.

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By Sean Connolly

And the winner is…Alan Curbishley! Beating Kevin Keegan by what looks to be a week!! We all thought Keegan would be the first casualty of this season’s firings, but it turns out that Curbishley has been the first to step out.

Blaming a “breach of trust and confidence,” Curbishley resigned today as West Ham United’s skipper and taking the prize of first coach leaving in the 2008 EPL season. Curbishley has been under enourmous pressure for the past few months and has been the favorite to be the first fired until last weeks tabacle with Kevin Keegan. But, not to be defeated Curbishley has taken the crown.

It seemed that if Curbishley could get off to a good start this season that this whole thing would just be forgotten. And sure enough he did leading West Ham to their best start in 9 season. Nevertheless Curbishley jumped before he was pushed off the plank landing in the seas of lost coaches.

For now Kevin Keen will take over West Ham as they search for a permanant replacement for Curbishley. Keen will now have to deal with what Curbishley has been complaining about. Curbishley said he was not involved in player moves and transfers and felt, rightfully so, that he should be considered when signing or releasing a player.

However, the club continued to make significant player decisions without involving me. In the end such a breach of trust and confidence meant that I had no option but to leave. Nevertheless, I wish the club and the players every success in the future.

Alan Curbishley on Leaving West Ham United

Now, we wait for Kevin Keegan’s turn, as it seems imminent that he and Curbishley will be swimming in the same waters soon.

Tags: 08 EPL Season, 2008 EPL Season, Alan Curbishley, Alan Curbishley Quotes, Alan Curbishley Quotes Breach of Trust, Alan Curbishley Resigns, Alan Curbishley Trust, Alan Curbishley West Ham United, Breach Of Trust Curbishley, Curbishley Sacked Manager West Ham, English Football, English Football Coach Curbishley, English Premier League, English Soccer Problems, English Soccer Rumors, English Soccer Rumors Coaches, EPL Coach Rumors, EPL Rumors, EPL Rumours, Kevin Keegan, Kevin Keegan Coach Fired, Kevin Keegan Fired, Kevin Keegan Loses Job, Kevin Keegans Problems, Sean Connolly, Sean Connolly Soccer, Sean Connolly Sports, Sean Connolly Writer, Soccer, West Ham, West Ham Fires Curbishley, West Ham United

By Sean Connolly

We’re only what, 2 weeks into the season? Yeah, that’s right, and already it’s obvious(again) who will be crowned champions. Chelsea or Manchester United. It’s that simple, it’s that agravating.

I’m all about competition and it’s evident already that this season is going to be a two-horse race. Manchester United has only gotten better since they won the league title last year. Their one concern, Cristiano Ronaldo leaving, seems to have subsided and they are again playing great soccer.

As for Chelsea, they seem to be playing with an enormous chip on their shoulder. And they are playing well with it. After coming in second to United last year in the Premier League and losing in penalties in the Champions League final, they seem determined to reclaim those titles and hand United a little payback.

This is the thing, it’s not that United and Chelsea are so good, it’s that the rest of the league is so inconsistent. Arsenal seem to immature and young to ever make a title run for the next five years. It seems as if they are unwilling, or unable, to pay the money United and Chelsea have given out to keep up with the best. Liverpool seemed to be one of this year’s biggest threats but it seems to me that nothing has been done to be classed with Chelsea and Man United. Although they’ve shown hope so far this season, I don’t think it will last.

Listen, I know its early but let’s be frank here. Arsenal sucks, Tottenham is never good but not great, Liverpool just won’t make it and Manchester United has Cristiano Ronaldo. I’m praying that I’m wrong here and we’ll all look back at this post and laugh, but I’m afraid it won’t happen.

Tags: Arsenal, Arsenal Soccer, Arsenal Sucks, Arsenal Trade Rumors, Champion's League, Chelsea, Chelsea EPL Champions, Chelsea Loss Champions League Final, Chelsea Loss Manchester United Champions League, Chelsea Manchester United, Chelsea Soccer Team, Chelsea Trade Rumors, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo Trade, Cristiano Ronaldo Trade Rumors, Didier Drogba, Didier Drogba Trade, EPL Trade Rumors, Liverpool, Liverpool Play, Liverpool Soccer Team, Liverpool Trade Rumors, Man United Soccer, Manchester United, Manchester United EPL Champions, Manchester United EPL Champions 08, Manchester United Soccer Team, Tottenham, Tottenham EPL, Tottenham Soccer team

By Sean Connolly

David Beckham and the Galaxy haven’t had much luck in the past month. Becks, Landon Donovan, and the Galaxy have fallen from the top of the Western Conference all the way to 5th. Last week head coach Ruud Gullit left the team for personal reasons, a move that Beckham understood but was not happy with.

Obviously, it’s disappointing, it’s disappointing to lose somebody who’s a good coach and a good person.It happens in football clubs and it’s happened here. Maybe it happened too early, but we wish him good luck in whatever he goes on and does.

David Beckham on Ruud Gullit’s Choice to Leave LA Galaxy

Along with Gullit out the door went Alexi Lalas, who was intregal in getting Beckham to the states. With a negative aura surrounding the Galaxy, they had to make a move quick. Thankfully the made the right move in hiring Bruce Arena, former US national team coach. This move puts Arena at the helm in place of the temporary coach, Cobi Jones, who despite his inexperience could turn out to be a good coach in this league very soon.

Now, I’m not a fan of the Galaxy. Quite frankly I’m not a fan of any particular MLS team. What I am a fan of is soccer in the USA. And as of late it seems as if the sports’ success in the USA is reliant on David Beckham and the LA Galaxy. The move was a gamble, and almost an all or nothing effort to intensify the sport of soccer in America. As of today I can easily say the move has been a failure. But all hope isn’t lost. Bruce Arena is a coach who is capable of picking this team up and bringing them into the playoffs.

Arena led DC United to two MLS Championships in the early stages of the MLS as well as rebuilding a US team that seemed doomed after their 1998 performance in the World Cup. As of late he has had some difficulty as the US team failed to get out of the group stage in ‘06 and his last MLS coaching job with the Red Bulls left him with a record of 16-16-10, a record the Red Bulls expected to be better. Despite the recent troubles Arena is still a great coach, arguably the best American coach and is exactly what the Galaxy need right now.

Arena’s first game will be against the Brian McBride and his new team the Chicago Fire on Thursday night. Chicago sits 3rd in the Eastern Conference and look to build around the newly acquired McBride. The Galaxy are winless in their last 8 games and are searching for something. That something will be found by Bruce Arena who if his resume reads correct will turn this Galaxy team around and turn US Soccer around…again.

Tags: 1998 World Cup, 1998 World Cup USA, 2006 World Cup, Alexi Lalas, Alexi Lalas Beckham, Alexi Lalas Fired, American Soccer, Brian McBride Chicago Fire, Bruce Arena, Bruce Arena DC United, Bruce Arena Galaxy, Bruce Arena MLS, Bruce Arena New Galaxy Coach, Bruce Arena Stats, Bruce Arena US National team Coach, Bruce Arena World Cup, Chicago Fire, Chicago Fire Trade, Chicago Fire Trade Brian McBride, David Beckham, David Beckham Galaxy, David Beckham MLS, David Beckham Quotes, David Beckham Quotes Galaxy, David Beckham Ruud Gullit, David Beckham Soccer in USA, DC United, DC United MLS, DC United MLS Championship, L.A. Galaxy, Landon Donovan, McBride Galaxy, MLS, MLS Head Coach, Ruud Gullit, Ruud Gullit Resigns Head Coach Galaxy, Sean Connolly, Sean Connolly Soccer, Sean Connolly Sports, Sean Connolly Writer, Soccer in the USA, U.S. soccer, US Soccer McBride, World Cup

By Sean Connolly

Today Los Angeles Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit has resigned from his position, leaving former US National Player Cobi Jones at the helm for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Also leaving the Galaxy is president/GM Alexi Lalas. Maybe this David Beckham idea hasn’t worked out as planned.

Both parties have agreed on mutually agreeable terms to part company, it is an amicable arrangement and we appreciate and respect the issues that Ruud has highlighted with the club and are very grateful for all the hard work he has contributed while with the organization. Hopefully, he has laid the foundations for future success for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Tim Leiweke, president and chief executive officer of Galaxy

The Galaxy are winless in their last 8 games after a solid beginning to the season. Beckham was dazzling, Landon Donovan was finally working well with the new structure of the team and it seemed as if everything was going right. Becks was filling stadiums and fans left satisfied with a Galaxy victory. Then suddenly everything went south. The team soon looked tired and seemed to be getting outplayed every game. All of a sudden now they are 6-8-5 and in fourth place in the west.

Now Ruud is out. Alexi is out. And Cobi is in. If the Galaxy don’t make the playoffs again this year, what does that say for the MLS and this entire situation involving Beckham? Optimists could say, ‘hey look the MLS is so difficult and so competetive that even with David Beckham and Landon Donovan the Galaxy can’t even make the playoffs’. Pescimests will say, ‘what’s the point of Beckham coming over here if he can’t get the Galaxy in the playoffs, he must not be as good as everyone says he is’. And they’d both be right.

Bottom line is, the Galaxy need to make it into the playoffs this year. But going through all this to make the playoffs certainly would be a great story and a testament to David Beckham’s career. For now, we just have to roll with it.

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