hartley's flat back four

MLS Team of Week One 2006

2006-04-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

Tempting Lineup[s]
This will be a new [and I hope, regular] feature here on hartley's. ESPNsoccernet does such a great job on its EPL Team of the Week, but they don't do an MLS version. Well, now I do one.

I was tempted to go with a 4-3-3 like Bob Gansler, but I will start in a 4-4-2.

GK - Matt Reis [NE]
Ds - Matt Groenwald [KC], Nick Garcia [KC], Claudio Suarez [C-USA], Jose Burciaga [KC]
Ms - Clint Dempsey [NE], Sharlie Joseph [NE], Dwayne DeRosario [HOU], Arturo Alvarez [DAL]
Fs - Brian Ching [HOU], Ante Razov [C-USA]
Manager - Bob Bradley

Revenge -- Is it Sweet Enough?
Reis, Dempsey and Joseph visit the HDC and exact a little revenge for their team's poor form in MLS Cup. It's a good way to start a season, but let's see if NE can finally finish one.

Three Fourths
KC dominated CLB in more ways than one. The missing link here is Shavar Thomas, who played sleepy and looked unprepared for speed. If Jimmy Conrad was healthy, I daresay it would have been the four musketeers shutting out the Crew. Claudio Suarez steps right in for the Goats and with some help from Tim Regan, sends Salt Lake REaling.

Strike Force
Razov and Ching both sent out notice that though neither are going to Germany for Summer Vacation, they will be working hard to lead their teams to wins will plenty of scoring. Add in on the left side, Alavarez, who played so well Ruiz had no choice but to pass him the ball.

Rep to Bob Bradley. The pressure is on. Yeah, it was only Salt Lake. But the Goats must perform no matter the opponent. Bob will make sheer there are no sheeps straying this season.

A New Way to Spell Inconsistency

2006-02-13T11:25:00.000-06:00

Four — Charlton Athletic
As Curbs said later, the team looked lethargic in the first half. Are the Addicks only going to "get up" for the BIG clubs like Liverpool? Or will they continue to rise to the occasion in the FA Cup -- though against non-EPL clubs? To even finish in the top half of the Prem, these Red Robins have to start bob-bob bobbing along the road again, beating the teams they should. Getting Dennis Rommedahl healthy is very important at this point. The Addicks need every offensive threat they can get. Look to the summer for more defensive signings.

Three — Tottenham Hotspur
The Spurs go into the Stadium of Light looking to bolster their European hopes. After the dismantling of Charlton last time out, Martin Jol could have fully expected a walk over the bottom line Black Cats. Jol could see the headlines now, D. Murphy comes off the bench to score. Well, the wrong Murphy -- Daryl for Sunderland -- scored and gained a point for his Championship bound club. Danny Boy only gets a card for his trouble. Get used to than Mr. Murphy, cards and the bench.

Two — Middlesbrough [or is that Chelsea]
I wonder how bad it will be at the Riverside? Many were thinking just that as Boro took on Jose and the Blues. Well, it wasn't too bad at all -- unless you are a Chelsea fan. Turns out 3-0 is the worst defeat of JM since he became the rich man's manager. Will it be Chelsea with a Spring Swoon this season? Can Boro start gaining some points?

One — A Couple of Votes for Consistency
Bolton at Highbury. The Wanderers continue to surprise only because they continue to play ugly and get results everywhere. Though I didn't see it, I'm sure Sam's Students were the usual bruisers, as evidenced by the two-footed tackle on Reyes by Faye. In fact, Sam said afterward that he was proud of his team. It's no wonder the FA have cut Sam from the short list.

Wenger said, "That was not football what you see there." And he wasn't just talking about Bolton. Arsenal continue to snatch draws from the jaws of the loss ness monster season they are having. Instead of stoppage time goals winning matches, the Gunners are left to wonder what would happen if they could actually score first -- even at home. What a tragic way to say goodbye to Highbury. But maybe this is a true return to Arsenal's history. A story to be left at the old grounds. On to Ashburton Grove, ah, I mean Emirates Stadium! Whatever.

USA 3 - 2 Japan

2006-02-11T08:15:00.000-06:00

Well, here are my four points to take away from this match.

4.
Rob Stone doesn't do enough research. Or someone is not filling him in completely. How many times did he say this match was the "first soccer match in SBC Park"? A little history lesson for Rob. I believe the first match in SBC Park was between Chivas and Club America in 2003. Now, if Mr. Stone was actually saying that this was the first USA match at SBC Park, then he was correct. He really needs to be clear.

3.
Chris Klein is not, I repeat, NOT a defender. Now, I love Kleiny, but he is not a right back. Granted, he probably had a bad game period. The field was slippery, the ball was wierd, and he was playing a position he is still learning. He doesn't quite have the crossing angles down from that depth and his man marking was, well, goal-allowing.

2.
What does Kerry Zavagnin got to do to get the job? He was excellent last night. He was the constant pest a dmid is supposed to be. He broke up many attacks in the middle of the field. If he is on the bubble because of players like O'Brien, Pablo, and Armas, then Kerry really should be the one going to Germany. He may not have some of the attacking skills of those three, but he will do the dmid job consistently and he won't be injured.

1.
Not only should Twellman go to Germany, so should Wolff. Yeah, Twellman was Man of the Match with his assist and goal. But most of those things could have fallen to Wolff. Josh was in all the right places and constantly dragging a defender with him. He was again a catalyst and creator of space and passes. Taylor and Josh would be a great combination to bring on when the other team's defense is winded. And one more for Germany should be Todd Dunivant. His ability to cross the ball from depth, make the overlapping runs, and all around defending was a major spotlight.

Super, Just Super

2005-11-18T09:18:00.000-06:00

Okay, after that very poor posting yesterday, I had to put up something better. Trying to get back to me old self and all. Ah, I feel better already.

My Mom and KC
If KC was like my Mom was [God rest her soul], then KC would have already had a Super Bowl or two. Our house was always ready. But I guess if the thought of company coming over motivates KC to clean up its house and get things ready, so be it.

Who wants a Super Bowl Anyway?
I want an MLS Cup and an NCAA Final Four in our new soccer complex. I want another US Open Cup Final and a North American Champions League Cup and a World Cup Qualifier and…

Waiving the Waivers
Was it a conspiracy? Twleve teams, 49 players, and no action. So, why do we even have this foolish waiver draft? I wonder, how many of those DEVs will be resigned? How many will go to the USL? How many will quit playing professional soccer?

Same Blue Color, Same Blue Formation?
The Wizards wear a blue something like Chlesea. Why shouldn't the Wizards play in a similar formation? C'mon, Bob Gansler knows his formations well. He's played 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 with great success. How about 4-3-3 with an interesting twist. Here's how it could look:

------------------------------ New GK ------------------------------
Zotinca [Roberts] - Conrad - Thomas - Burciaga [Gutierrez]
------------------ Zavagnin - Garcia - Victorine -----------------
------- Klein ---------- Wolff [Sealy] ------- Arnaud ------------

Subs: Bo, Roberts [Zotinca], Gutierrez [Burciaga], Jewsbury, New Forward [Sealy]

That's right -- Garcia plays the Makelele role. He is a great stopper. And he won't have to make great passes. With three central defenders holding fort in the back, the outside backs can get forward more and add to the attack. This will also free Zavagnin up a little to show us his passing ability.

Just like riding a bike? Well, maybe.

2005-11-17T15:23:00.000-06:00

I haven't put up anything on this blog since 9/24/2004. Why? I just didn't have time and I ran out of creative energy. I should have just re-charged my batteries and gotten back to it.

So, why am I back now? Well, after seeing my site listed among du nord's links, I thought maybe I should give it a hack once again.

I won't be as prolfic as before -- but I do hope to get something up weekly. And again, I will try to stick to four points. Those may be four points on one topic or four topics. I just see where that takes me.

I hope some of you enjoy this blog and provide us all with some witty comments. Please give me some time to get my groove up and running again. And now, on with the show.

Four of Clubs
My first club is Kansas City Wizards. Gotta go with the homies. A tough finish to what looked a pretty good first season in the East Division of MLS. Things still look good for this club to stay put with local ownership and the development of a soccer complex. It really is too bad that this club is in limbo mode, though. This would have been an opportune time to go Bobbing for a new coach. Gansler has been great, but maybe this team needs a change. And Bob Bradley is available.

Second on my club list is Charlton Athletic. My beloved heartbreakers have gotten off to a good start. On away record alone, they would lead the EPL. Just check the OPTA analysis at Sky Sports. Another big game at home this Saturday hosting Manchester United. The Addicks have never beaten the Red Devils in the Prem. There's always a first time. Bent and Murphy will get their heads on straight and make amends for the debacle at Blackeye Rovers.

My third club is Hearts of the SPL -- quickly becoming Scotland's Chelsea [and maybe on steroids]. I must say with all the Russian around at Hearts, it has been difficult to keep up. It is truly unfortunate that Mr. Romanov wants to make team selections. Yeah, as fans we all do it on paper, on the web, in our heads. We constantly second guess our favorite managers. But once you own a team, aren't you supposed to be more than a fan? It's a shame Burley couldn't stay. He had Hartley and boys headed in the right direction. Here's hoping Rix can do the same and not get too broken up about the players brought to him and the ones he is told to play.

And finally, a fourth club. Three is such a magic number. You remember Schoolhouse Rock, right? I have struggled to pick another league and another team to follow even in some small way. There's the Dutch with PSV and Ajaz and Feyenoord. There's the Bundesliga with many exciting teams and some Americans fighting it out on the pitch over there. Then there's Ligue 1 and the dominating Lyon. What, you say, no Spanish or Italian club for you? For some reason I just can't get into those leagues. What about Brazil or Argentina or even Mexico? Sorry. No go. So, who should be my fourth club? Send me a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Cups and Sportsmanship

2004-09-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

A Personal Red Card — Or Is That a White Flag?

American professional athletes should take note of this -- a Norwegian soccer player has suspended himself for the rest of the season. Did you get that? Suspended himself!

Jahn Nitter, a striker for Norwegian third division Aamot, has taken himself out for the season after fighting with defender Rune Larsen of Hadeland in a match on September 11. Larsen, on sick leave for two weeks, suffered a concussion and required three stitches.

Nitter, quoted as saying, "I do not condone what I did," will not be further discplined by his club. In the player's defense, his club has pointed out that Nitter is well known as a clean player and that he had just one yellow card thus far this season.

I daresay we won't see any American football players or chair throwing baseball pitchers doing the same. And what a shame that is.

Who's Thirsty? There's Plenty O' Cups Goin' Round

Hearts -- UEFA Cup against SC Braga of Portugal. Won first leg 3-1 on September 16, before 18,769 at Murrayfield. Those of you who know me better might find this interesting. Jambos midfielder Paul Hartley scored a spectacular goal in the 62nd minute.

Hearts also in Scottish CIS Insurance Cup at Tynecastle on September 22 against Kilmarnock. Paul Hartley again got on the scoreboard in cup play in minute 15.

Addicks -- An uncomfortable match in the Carling Cup at Grimsby Town on September 21. Charlton fortunate to get a Danny Murphy free kick goal in the 8th. Grimsby attacked often and had several good opportunities in the first half with Charlton's Dean Kiely coming up with some great saves. Addicks also lucky to get help from the crossbar.

Second half subs Euell and Kishishev calmed Addicks down. After Lisbie cam on, Euell found him with a good pass. Lisbie showed his pace before finding Jeffers in front for a fantastic finish. Charlton pretty much knocks it around after that with only a shot over the crossbar by Euell coming close.

Charlton eventually showed class but disappointed overall in this struggle to beat a team three rungs down the ladder from the Premiership. And yet, for the Addicks, a win in any cup competition is a win.

Wizards -- U.S. Open Cup Final, KC 1 - 0 Chicago Fire. Wow, what an overtime victory at home in Arrowhead. And of all the ways for KC to win -- on a set piece. The Wizards hadn't come close on any set pieces all night. And more confusing was the apparent game plan to attack the taller Fire by air. So, instead, Alex Zotinca ducks out of the way of Igor Simutenkov's free kick winner. Suddenly, the Wizards hold the Open Cup.

Down to the Wire in MLS

And looking over the schedule, I see some very interesting divisional match ups. But you know what? I don't see the standings changing from what they are right now. Everyone will get a win or two and a tie or two and some losses. But the placements will be exactly as they are now on September 24.

I Agree to Disagree with Sean Wheelock, Again

Every time I read one of Mr. Wheelock's articles, there seems to be much with which I can agree. Maybe it's because we both come from the Kansas City area. His perspective seems right and comfortable. But, you know, I always find something with which to disagree.

In his latest article, "A little tweaking could do great things for the U.S. Open Cup," [http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3032962] I agree when Wheelock states:

"…continue the trend of staging matches held in MLS cities at small, secondary venues. Clubs in the league should be forbidden to play cup matches in their regular stadiums, even if they can sell a few more tickets. An atmosphere should be created with an intimate, frenzied, standing-room-only crowd that is just yards off of the touchline."

Sean is dead on here. Even if every team in MLS had its own stadium -- which means MLS teams would experience a more intimate atmosphere than they do now -- these games should be like backyard celebrations. The close, neighborly confines of a high school or university field harkens to the history of the Open Cup when the champions were amateur squads. Still today, when this competition begins every year, there are amateur teams participating. Matches like the one at Blue Valley Activities Center between the Wizards and the Earthquakes is not nostalgic, its electric.

Where I disagree with Mr. Wheelock is when he states:

"…make the National Soccer Hall of Fame the permanent host for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final, and hold the match as part of the annual induction festivities."

On first blush, this sounds like a great idea -- a great way to promote the tournament and the Hall of Fame. But it is only promoting the Open Cup final, not the entire tournament.

MLS, USL, the Hall of Fame, and the USSF all need to work together to do a better job of educating and promoting this very important competition. Why, it's decades older than the Heisman Trophy and a contemporary of the Rose Bowl game. There should be coverage of matches from the first round to the end. No, not every game, but a few choice games here an there. Give some of the amateur teams a little of the limelight. And get those PDL and PSL teams on screen too.

The Hall of Fame and the USSF should put on a touring educational show that shows the great history of the tournament. This road show should go not only to MLS towns, but A-League, PSL, PDL, etc. Take it to every State in the Union.

Truly promote one of the oldest soccer tournaments of its kind. And then, keep the games on the home fields.

Though the Cup final this year at Arrowhead was missing some of the buzz of the matches at Blue Valley, I wouldn't have been able to witness history if the game were played in New York. Sorry, some of us hometown fans are lucky to spare the money to buy tickets to see regular season home matches. In fact, I wouldn't have been at this glorious final at all if not for "winning" free tickets from MLS Wrap's Hometown Tix contest.

Sean, for the same reasons you assert that Open Cup games should be played away from the MLS stadia, you should also push for the final to be played at someone's smaller home-away-from home field. The game is for the players and the fans to share. Far fewer of each team's fans would be present for a final in Oneonta. And teams would not have been able to share and dedicate their victory to their fans like the Wizards did this last Wednesday night.

A Week Off

2004-09-14T13:10:00.000-05:00

I could say I was gone on international duty. Truth is, I got busy with my real life at home and at work. But enough about me.

Would You Dump Your Date[s]?

Or dance with the gal that brung ya?

Should MLS suspend play during World Cup Qualifying dates? Or should they play on with some teams' stars absent from club play to perform their international duties?

Personally, I have gone back and forth on this one.

The MLS should suspend play.
Everyone else is doing it -- EPL, SPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, etc. etc. Why make club teams with the best international players suffer possible defeats simply because of international competition? It's not fair to take away opportunities for you first squad players to play for both club and country and succeed at both.

The MLS should not suspend play.
So, who cares if everyone else is doing it? Would you jump off a cliff if…well, oops. Didn't mean to sound like Mom, but you get the point. The MLS season is already very long. Why extend it further by taking unnecessary time off?

With play continuing -- and during the home stretch for playoff positions -- each MLS team actually has to be one. Here's the opportunity for which non-starters have been waiting. Here's an opportunity for the coach to show that his team is not only good but deep. The regular bench players better stay motivated and ready. The developmental players better be actually developing and be not only fit but a fit for any upcoming situation.

As you can tell…
I am really leaning toward not suspending play. Now is the time for the great teams to dig deep and show themselves. The playoff race tightens. The tension is heightened. What a great way to see the season finish.

Okay, Sometimes a Nil-NIl Draw Really Is Boring

Game off. Yawn.

Charlton Athletic 0-0 Southampton. Even the Valley faithful were groaning at halftime and booing at the end.

No scoring, obviously. But also no passing, no defending, no possessing, no playmaking. But there was goalkeeping -- though Dean Kiely of the Addicks seemed to have more work to do.

And speaking of Kiely. The Deano comes up with some great saves to keep a point for his side and it costs him £50. Kiely has pledged to donate £50 to the Demelza House children's hospice every time he keeps a clean sheet during the 2004/05 campaign. Nothing like paying for a job well done!

Anyone who dislikes Manchester United…

…must be having a lot of fun these days. I keep hearing chuckles when I have mentioned this particular mid-table side.

Should KC Have Kept Jay Alberts?

The Wizards drafted the Yale midfielder in the fourth round. But after camp and preseason, he was given his release. He signed with the Minnesota of the A-League and became Thunder Rookie-of-the-Year.

According to Thunder head coach Buzz Lagos, "Jay turned out to be a pleasant surprise and great player for us this year. On the flank his speed and flair added a great deal to our attack and his defensive skills improved every game.”

In 28 regular season and two playoff games, Alberts garnered only three assists but created many more chances for his team.

From my perspective, he seems a somewhat smaller version of Chris Klein at 5'8" and 150 lbs. And couldn't the Wizards use Klein's stand-in now? KC has a full roster, so someone would have to go. My choice? Cut Vuk or Walsh and leave the other one unprotected for the expansion draft.

Opticians, Groundskeepers, Mary Poppins, and the Curse

2004-09-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

Marketing Irony

It has come to my attention that irony, nay humor, has not been completely lost in the world of sports.

With the seriousness of doping and judging mistakes still clouding the sky, it is a breath of fresh air to find that Scottish referees have been sponsored by none other than a firm of opticians.

How Do They Do It?

The New England Patriots played a home preseason game on August 13. So, the field at Gillette Stadium had to be marked for their game. Yet, when the New England Revolution played a home match on August 21 against the Kansas City Wizards, you could barely see the football markings. And I do mean barely.

How does the grounds crew at the Razor do it? And why can't crews at other NFL/MLS stadiums do the same?

Once the KC Chiefs start playing, the Wizards and their fans are stuck with all those ugly American football lines. Oh, yeah, that's probably because Carl Peterson hates the Wizards.

Just a Spoon Full of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down

The Illness
Tough weekend. Charlton got roasted at Manchester City, 0-4. Another Bolton fiasco. No defense. Curbs, go buy a good defender or two to clog up the middle. And play Euell at striker for goodness sake, He is not a midfielder. Put Murphy in the middle and put more of a winger outside.

And Hearts lost at Motherwell 0-2. Both goals on PKs for questionable calls in the box.

The Sugar is the Medicine
The sun shown bright on Sunday as my daughter's 4 v 4 team raced up and down the field. Even though I'm the coach, I don't keep track of the score. It's not really important. The girls are having fund and learning to play better. But we did win going away. Must have been 10-1.

Later that day, my son played in his first premier game. He didn't get the start but came on as a defender and played quite well. He is protecting the ball better than ever and surprised me with a couple of good turns and smart passes. In the second half he played midfield. If not for the referees whistle, he would have had a chance on goal. His teammate was fouled and got the PK, but missed. My son's Elite team also won going away, 6-0.

The Chicago Curse

What a woeful loss by KC in Chicago, 3-1. The Wizards were lucky to get the one goal -- and off one of their few chances the entire match. Will KC ever win in Chicago?

Everyone is saying Chicago has a curse. Well, in MLS, KC fans are saying Chicago itself is a curse. KC is 0-9 when playing in the Chicagoland area.

The Wizards only defeat the Fire in KC or when it counts -- MLS Cup 2000 for example. So, KC should win the Open Cup since the game will be played at Arrowhead and it does count.

So, I guess the Fire can own us all they want during regular season games. I would rather see KC hoisting the hardware.

Of Numbers and Men

2004-08-26T15:43:00.000-05:00

Yeah, Right, MLS Attendance Stinks

Yep, you're right, MLS attendance is only up from last year because of Freddy Adu. And next year, it will only be up because of Chivas. And the year after that, it will only be up because… Well, just because.

Here are some facts. Average attendance in MLS in 2003 was 14,898. That was down from the 15,822 of 2002. But so far this year the average attendance is 15,191. That figure could climb a little with important playoff position games coming as the season winds down.

Sure, that can't compare with the EPL, which averaged 35,019 league wide in 2003.

But let's make a comparison that is possibly more fair. According to sportsbusiness.com the MLS average attendance is better than that of leagues in both Argentina and Holland. Apparently Agentina's clubs average about 10,000 per game while the Dutch Eredivisie draws about 12,500 per game.

So, though MLS doesn't draw like the NFL or MLB, you could say MLS attendance is just about right. Nothing smelly about that.

Cleaning the Sheets Over the Weekend and Beyond

It started on Friday, August 20, continued through the weekend on hasn't stop as of this writing. All A-League matches during that time ended with shutouts, including the double clean sheet between Minnesota and Calgary on Sunday.

The most notable shutouts were the Montreal Impact's 1-0 victory Sunday over Atlanta and their 2-0 victory over Edmonton FC on Wednesday. The Impact have set a new league record for team shutouts in a season with 19. In the Sunday match, Greg Sutton tied Pat Onsted's 1998 clean sheet record of 16 in one season.

Should we look to see Mr. Sutton minding some nets somewhere in MLS next season? I certainly hope so.

We might also want to keep our eye on Minnesota goalkeeper Joe Warren. On Monday, Warren picked up clean sheet number 14 in helping the Thunder to their first road victory of the season over Edmonton 2-0.

Man of the Match -- Twice -- And He Doesn't Even Get on the Field

His team had lost three matches in a row. He had lost his top assist man this year to a season-ending injury. Then his starting goalkeeper comes up lame as well. Something had to change, but good.

So, Bob Gansler made changes to his lineup. Twice.

And now he's got two consecutive wins. First, a league victory against New England in Gilette. And second, a U.S. Open Cup semifinal victory over San Jose at the Blue Valley District Activities Center in Overland Park, Kansas.

Gansler, with Chris Klein out for the season, has pushed Alex Zotinca forward from his usual left back slot into the left midfield position. And Zotinca has shown. Second-year defender Taylor Graham has done more than an adequate job in his two starts at right back. Igor Simutenkov had added more to the attack with his speed and creativity and Jack Jewsbury has proven a timely super sub. And though not match fit, Preki is, well, Preki.

Mr. Gansler now has his team tied with L.A. for the best record in MLS as the Wizards prepare to host Chicago for the Open Cup final.

It's unlikely Sigi can now win the honor. Only one other name should come to mind. From Man of the Match to
Coach of the Year.

Debut -- Taunt

Debut.
Francis Jeffers got his first start for new club Charlton Athletic on Wednesday and netted a brace before a home crowd at the Valley. The Addicks went on to defeat Aston Villa 3-0. The Fox in the Box came out full of fire and scored on his first two chances. Jeffers looks to continue his form all season and be the 20-goal scorer Charlton has never had.

Taunt.
Carlton Cole, now on loan to Aston Villa, marks his return to the Valley with a disappointing performance as the Red Robin crowd boos his every touch. While displaying speed and hustle he rarely showed last year for the Addicks, Cole was left with only one consolation. At least at the end of this match, Alan Curbishley actually shook his hand.

From Low Energy to Go Energy

2004-08-19T09:46:00.000-05:00

From First to Worst

Okay, at the moment, they are no longer the worst team in the A-League. But the Charleston Battery are no longer energized. They have stopped going and going and going.

In a quick look at the history of last year's A-League champs, this club has never finished at the bottom of the league or even its division. In fact, the Battery have reached the playoffs in every season of its 11-year existence. Not this year.

Right now they are at the bottom of almost everything. Yes, it's true that Edmonton FC and Calgary are either tied or below them, but those two teams are new to the league this year and should be at the bottom.

And yes, the Battery have picked things up a bit lately by thrashing the Rhinos 5-1 last Friday. Still…

The Battery do have a shot at redeeming their season and possibly picking up some hardware. If Charleston can overcome the cooling embers in Chicago on August 25th, they can get to the U.S. Open Cup finals. Winning the Cup probably wouldn't cure all the club's ills, but would put it back on track for a return to greater things next year.

Who Will Coach Whom?

Who will coach in Salt Lake City? Who will be the new coach in LA? Well, we know Steve Sampson is coaching the Galaxy now, so the other LA.

Several names are have been mentioned for either one of the current MLS openings. John Ellinger. Thomas Rongen. Glenn Myernick. Dave Dir. Octavio Zambrano. Mo Johnston. Sigi Schmid. A. Guimaraes [?]. Yayo De LaTorre [former Chivas coach]. Argie Romano [now with Morelia]. Cuellar [Mexico's Nats woman coach].

One name not rolling off everyone's tongue but probably should be is that of Juan Carlos Osorio. Osorio is a native of Colombia who played college soccer at Southern Connecticut State and later in the A-League. He was a former assistant for the Metrostars and is now the fitness coach at Manchester City of the EPL. And he has recently earned his A coaching license from the English FA.

He is not just a fitness coach. And he would be an especially good fit for Chivas USA. He speaks Spanish and knows the latin styles of play as well as MLS and its players. He also knows what is beyond Mexico and America. Most importantly, this is a man who says he wants to do it all. He wants to be in charge and he wants to win.

Brazil's Good Deed for a Day

In an effort to promote peace in worn-torn Haiti, Brazil played the Haitians in an exhibition match on Wednesday in Port-au-Prince's renovated 15,000-seat Sylvio Cator Stadium. Both Brazil's and Uruguay's presidents will attend with plenty of U.N. troops in force.

It is reported that event organizers originally considered inviting fans to turn in guns for admission to the match. But since it would be seen as rewarding criminals, that plan was shot down.

Most folks would say that this was just going to be another friendly soccer game between the World's number one team and a lowly opponent that is ranked 95th. But it is much more to the people of Haiti.

To quote Djari Theophilo, a Brazilian native living in Haiti, "In Brazil, we have a party when our team plays, but in Haiti it is insanity. The Haitians are bigger fans of Brazil than we Brazilians."

Brazil won the game going away, 6-0. And it seems everyone had fun. What a win-win. Here's hoping that the match truly lifted the spirits of a very depressed nation and helps the people not only hope but reach for their dreams.

Oh, Canada!

When was the last time you saw such excitement out of our northern neighbor when it came to soccer? Has there ever been this much excitement? Frank Yallop hasn't recharged his nation's program, he has truly energized the program and all its players.

And already Yallop is helping his young players climb the ladder. The coach brought up left winger Josh Simpson and defender Adrian Serioux for matches with Millwall and Hearts this past July, When given the chance, these two players excelled against the highest competition they have yet faced. And now both have been signed by Millwall of the English Championship Division.

It could be that Yallop just stepped in at the right time. But this is the same coach that won two MLS Cups in three years. Maybe his countrymen and soccer fans around the world will be singing, Go Canada!

Unfortunately the Canadians are off to a bumpy start in WC play as Guatemala wins last night 2-0. Yallop is still having trouble with the little fish as Carlos Ruiz scored both goals for the Guatemalans.

Eight Eleven Oh Four

2004-08-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

Colorado's Carrierror?

Looking at some A-League stats for this season, I found a very telling one. Chris Carrieri is tied for second in the league in assists with 7 in 23 games played.

And Colorado is not very rapid when it comes to scoring this season -- an MLS low of 0.80 goals per game.

Could it be that no one is passing the ball? Well, let's put it this way. The Rapids leading assist man this season is defender Antonio de la Torre. He has four assists in 19 games played. Last season it was, who else, Carrieri with eight in 30 games played.

Someone pass the Hanki, please.

It's August, but I don't know about April.

Heinrichs that is.

I would really like to see the last five of the old ladies take the gold in Athens. That would be a great way for those that are retiring from international play to say goodbye to that part of their careers. Mia Hamm will be missed on the big stage. Here's hoping the WUSA gets back up and running and starts to build a little success so we can see Mia play some more. Maybe Chicago should have a team now since Nomar is a Cub.

But at the same time, I would like to see April Heinrichs fail again and get terminated from her post as coach of the US Women's National Team. And it's not just that she has lost a World Cup and an Olympic already.

It has to do with the style of play. We no longer take advantage of each player's strengths to attack the other team's weaknesses. It's all power and set pieces. As we saw in the last World Cup, you can't score everything on set pieces. And we were not prepared to play Germany.

Heinrichs is a great trainer. Those ladies will be in great shape. But she is not a great manager or tactician.

It's August. April has come and should be gone in my opinion.

What's going on in the EPL?

The campaign starts Saturday and it seems players are still going here, there and yon before the transfer window closes. Fans of every club should be abuzz.

Will Vieira go to Real? Will Owen go to Real or Barcelona? Will Fergie get some money and buy Fernando Morientes or Wayne Rooney for Man U? And will Spurs, who are desperately trying to sign just about anyone they can get their hands on, actually sign Owen Hargreaves away from Bayern Munich?

I must say I am excites as my club, Charlton Athletic, have acquired Danny Murphy from Liverpool and Francis Jeffers from Arsenal. And Alan Curbishley has plans to get at least one more -- maybe two. Go Addicks!

Seismic activity detected in the Houston area.

Though it's only about a 2 on the richter scale at this time, the rumbles are growing that Club American is going to purchase the Earthquakes and will most likely move the team to Houston. If a Houston accommodation cannot be acquired, the team may shake down in San Antonio.

In a related rumor, MLS is supposed to be working on a lucrative deal to keep Landon Donovan in the league. If the Quakes are moving to Texas, will Landon don a ten-gallon hat or a European jersey?

And from the substitutes bench -- Are you sure that attendance figure is right?

Being kinda goofy, I sometimes check the attendance figures for certain games. So, after the Dallas-Colorado match, I took the time to look up the box score. There was no attendance figure listed.

My first thought was -- was attendance so bad the stats guys didn't want to list it? With Dallas only averaging over 9,000 per game at the Cotton Bowl, this certainly seemed a possibility.

But on Monday I checked again. Then I stared and stared hard. Can that be right? The box score lists 17,792. Wow! Over 17k and this wasn't even an Adu match. In fact, when Freddy and United played in Dallas on July 24, the attendance was only 11,088.

So, what gives?

Yep. Chivas played Santos following the MLS match.

August Fourth

2004-08-04T15:46:00.000-05:00

#1 -- Beautiful AND Simple?

I was amazed as I walked the dogs around the park last night during my son's first premier team practice. There were at least four or five other teams practicing at this park.

Coaches and players running through drills and participating in scrimmages. I even saw a U16 girls team scrimmaging against a U14 boys team. I would hate to be one of those boys -- those girls are tough.

It was wonderful to see how beautiful and simple play and practice was going.

Then I noticed one boys team over to south side of the park. This group of boys had to be first or second graders. There were seven adults helping coach this team. Seven! Why so many coaches? Oh, yeah, it was a baseball team.

#2 -- This is a Great Month to be an American Soccer Fan.

The dictionary says August, the adjective, means inspiring awe or admiration. And this month promises to bring us some August play on pitches around the world. Think of it…

The local recreational and premier leagues are ramping up. So are high schools and colleges.

There's U.S. Open Cup play. More of the MLS season. The finish to the A-League regular season.

And then there's the PDL Championship [ this Saturday night on FSW]. The W-League Championship [this Sunday afternoon of FSW]. And don't forget Olympic play.

French League 1, the Bundesliga, and the SPL start this weekend. The EPL starts the following weekend. La Liga and Serie A should be getting started soon also.

My wife says I'm obsessed. I say passionate. What do you think?

# 3 -- MLS Parity? What Parity? Certainly Not Viewing Parity?

Okay, so if you look at MLS as a single table, the most points separating any two team's positions is three. A win or two by this team and a loss or a tie by that team and the whole table could change.

But ask yourself, if you are really a soccer fan, which MLS teams do you want to watch?

Here's one quick way to identify those teams. Check the goal differential stat. +10, +7, and +2. That equals KC, LA, and San Jose. Add in the -1 Metrostars because you never know what they're going to do, and you have the four most entertaining teams for 2004.

# 4 -- Burpo -- Excuse Me

Seattle Sounders keeper Preston Burpo, in his eighth season, could surpass the 500 career saves mark as early as this Saturday in a match against the Minnesota Thunder. Only five other A-League goalkeepers have reached the milestone. Unfortunately, my source didn't name those five. Anyone know where a guy can find A-League statistical history?

[Note: Tony Meola in his eight plus seasons in MLS has 956 saves.]

For 7-28-2004

2004-07-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

1 --

Vote for the Camel?!

Shall we as fans of the beautiful game vote for the soccer-playing presidential candidate? [Don't answer that.]

According to the New York Times, Democratic candidate John Kerry could try to win votes from a different fan base by publicizing his soccer pedigree.

Kerry -- nicknamed the Camel by his teammates because of his size, the shape of his face and his loping running stride -- started playing soccer while in boarding school in Switzerland. He continued to play in prep school in New Hampshire and in college at Yale.

It is rumored that his position was, what else, right wing.

2 --

Who needs an SSS? Why not use Radio City Music Hall?

Hey Metrostars, forget Harrison, New Jersey. Why don't you follow the lead of the WNBA's New York Liberty and play matches at Radio City?

If you haven't heard, the WNBA's New York Liberty have been forced out of Madison Square Garden for six games due to the upcoming Republican National Convention. The ladies will be playing those six games on a court laid upon the Music Hall stage. During play, the ball could actually bounce into the orchestra pit. Oh and by the way, the Liberty won their first game in the Hall against the Detroit Shock, 78-69, before a capacity crowd of 5,945.

Look at it this way, the "field" at Radio City probably wouldn't be much harder than the one at Giants Stadium. And if the homeboys played LA, the Gals could really kick up their heels in a full chorus of dissent and show the Big Apple their Rockettes form.

3 --

One for the future -- the next Davy Arnaud.

I should send this information to Bob. I know he's always on the look out for good, hard-working, no-nonsense players.

Seems a young man out of Oswego State in New York is making his way up the soccer ladder. Remember this name, Derek Popovich. He's 6' 0" tall and weighs 175, which puts him about the same size as Davy with a little more weight.

Scouting reports say he has good strength, endurance, and agility. He has a great work rate and gets up and down the field well. He plays both outside midfielder and striker. Needs to improve his quickness in decision making and play within tight spaces.

In the past few seasons he has gone from second all-time scorer in Oswego State history to leading scorer for the PDL's Albany Blackwatch Highlanders. And now he has been signed up by the A-League's Atlanta Silverbacks.

Let's keep an on on this 23-year-old and see how far his hard work gets him with the Silverbacks. This might be the kind of developmental player we need to pick up after the expansion draft.

I feel a Troy Perkins coming on.

4 --

Heat Index? What Heat Index?

This time of year we're all usually talking about how hot it is and how to stay cool. Well, this summer has been more than nice when talking about temperatures.

But there's still one very hot spot in the midwest. How about a Heat Index of 49.9? Doesn't sound hot to you? Well on the weather map known as MLS, KC is too hot baby.

For your consideration:

-- KC is unbeaten in their last nine games. The longest unbeaten streak by any team in the league this season.

-- KC has the current and longest road unbeaten streak at six games.

-- KC has the best overall winning percentage at .639.

-- KC has the best home winning percentage at .722.

-- KC has the best road winning percentage at .556.

-- KC has the best record and winning percentage when scoring first at 8-0-4 and .864.

-- The Wizards have only lost four times out of 18 games this season -- once each to Dallas, DC, New England and the Metrostars. The only team in that list not to receive a return defeat is the Metrostars.