MLS Draft, Non-Mainstream

Starter Fun

• The latest episode of Special1 TV: King Kenny(Dalgleish) Exclusive

MLS

• Steve Davis: Surprises at the MLS Draft
• Drew Epperly: Grading the MLS Draft
• Tweed Thornton: Gathering Assessments of the MLS Draft

Not in the Mainstream

• Sid Lowe on La Liga:  Real Madrid and Barcelona unchallenged at top - New TV Deal Ensures Status Quo 
• Club Business in Europe:  Key Fact and Figures as new UEFA Rules Loom
• Asian Cup
• David Hills:  Said and Done - I recommended this column before
• Gold Cup Qualification:  Costa Rica and El Salvador Qualify

---

Tourneys and more

MLS

• MLS Cup Semifinal: Rapids in Cup Final
• MLS Cup Semifinal: Dallas surprises LA to gain Cup Final berth 

Tournaments

• Asian Champions League: Seongnam(Korea Republic) seal ACL glory
• FIFA Club World Cup: The field is set

FIFA Club World Cup Bracket
Qualifier				Semifinals
Al-Wahda(UAE)	>>>		>>>
Hekari Utd(Oceania)		Seongnam(Asia)		Internazionale(UEFA)
		Mazembe(Africa)	>>>
		Pachuca(CONCACAF)		Internacional(COMNEBOL)
Dec 8-18 in Abu Dhabi

Interesting Reads

• Fullback Tactics: Out Wide Or In The Box? -Don't know if it would work, but would like to see some team try it.

---

A Bit of This and That

MLS

• Tactics: San Jose/Colorado
• Tactics: Los Angeles/Dallas
• Jeff Carlisle: Los Angeles/Dallas
• Combine: Pre Draft Combine details
• Renewal: 1st Re-Entry Draft details
• FC Dallas: Open letter to Dallas Media - Cover Us!

Interesting Reads

• Richard Farley: Different Standards For Good Football

Tournaments

• Asian Champions League: Iranian team looks for upset
• Copa Sudamericana : Defending Champions Liga Deportiva Universitaria(LDU) in Semis
• Copa Sudamericana : Independiente, Goias in Semis 
• Copa América 2011: Copa América groups are drawn

The Business of Soccer

• Tottenham loses money despite revenue increase
• EPL: Bolton chief calls for salary cap
• Rostering an International Doesn’t Pay - Good article, ignore the ignorant comments
• Serie A: Players set Nov 30 strike date

---

Club Tourneys redux

MLS

• Klein, Lewis, McBride, Petke retiring
  
• Steve Davis' 5 Things 
• Wondo hat trick secures Quakes win over Chivas USA
• Andrea Canales on MLS and the CCL 

Interesting

• In Case You've Never Visited:  Zonal Marking 
• Best Headline: Liverpool traded to Red Sox 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Toluca, Olimpia secure final spots in Quarters.
• Asian Champions League Finals Set
• Copa Sudamerica
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final
• UEFA: Champions League

---

A Friday Post

MLS

• The 'big' game is just an hour away. Of course, it's not really a big game. LA has clinched a playoff spot and the Red Bulls would have to collapse not to finish 2nd in the East. Of course, LA does want to stay ahead of RSL and win the Supporters' Shield, but otherwise, I'd say the KC/Dallas game is the 'big' game, featuring the two hottest teams in the league and KC making a late run to overcome Seattle for the 8th playoff position.
  

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Municipal, Olimpia win in group phase 4th round. Columbus and RSL lead their respective groups after 4 rounds.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica  

Interesting Reads

• Bundesliga: What makes it so attractive

---

Midweek MLS, CCL Champs League

MLS

• KC Wizards: Wizards wonder win in 97th minute The Wizards are now 3 points back of Seattle for the last playoff spot with a game in hand. Seattle hold the tiebreaker(head to head) with a 1-0 win at Qwest. The two meet on Oct 9 in KC
• Dallas: FCD's unbeaten string continues with stoppage time goal

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Seattle loses, RSL wins in group phase 4th round. Columbus and RSL lead their respective groups after 4 rounds.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica 

Interesting Reads

• If you read a lot of articles about soccer, and let's face it, you wouldn't be here if you didn't, you've often seen pieces done in the US on why MLS clubs don't take the US Open Cup or CONCACAF Champions League seriously. Fielding weakened teams is often the case as clubs put a priority on league play. Well, it was good to run into this piece on the same issue for English Premier Clubs: It’s Time for Premier League to Take the Carling Cup More Seriously

---

Tactics, Champs League and other Stuff

MLS

• Steve Davis: Talking tactics
• DC United: The team isn't winning, so why not have some fun

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Columbus wins, Toronto draws in group phase 4th round
• Asian Champions League

Interesting Reads

• First in a series: Who is US Soccer - Sunil Gulati
• Euro Club Soccer: Ready to crash and burn - A long read, but a good one
• A beginners' guide to tactics 
• Actual Fans, Are They Necessary

---

News and Views from Tues May 25

At the Top

• The 23 man USMNT squad will be announced on Wednesday.
• The 6 part series on the US road to South Africa, originally posted a MLS Talk. It would have been nice if 'Nutmegged' had given a proper attribution. 

MLS

• Brian Lewis: MLS VP Todd Durbin talks transfers, reserve league and more.
• MLS Tactics: The Galaxy.
• Dissecting The Success Of The Red Bull New York Academy.
• Revs academy update.
• Win and you're in the Open Cup - RBNY v Rapids on Wednesday.

Interesting Reads

• How football helped to heal Honduras.
• Rob Hughes: The future in the US plays it footloose.
• All about Sacha, Kljestan, that is. Part 5 of 5 with links to parts 1 thru 4.
• Reyna outlines plans for U.S. youth soccer.

Around the World

• AFC Cup quarterfinal draw.
• More EPL players off to La Liga?
• English players fail: Snub anti-bigotry campaign.
• Vancouver in must win game v Montreal in Nutralite Championship.
• Copa Libertadores breaks for World Cup, semifinals will be played July 28.

World Cup

• North Korea, Kim Jong-Il and football tactics.
• 10 Questions: Algeria.
• Andrew Guest: Group D - Germany, Australia, Ghana, Serbia.
• Greg Seltzer: US Group C opponents - England, Algeria, Slovenia.
• Another look at Group C.
• Czechs beat US 4-2.
• Pre Cup friendlies: Nigeria, Saudi Arabia draw. Ireland beats Paraguay. Cameroon, Georgia draw. North Korea, Greece draw.

The Business of Soccer

• Tom Dunmore: The Grand Failure Of A Real Soccer Club In St. Louis.
• England: More on parachute payments.

---

News and Views from Tuesday Mar 23

MLS

• MLS and keepers.
• MLS: Set for a breakthrough year.
• A stadium for Houston?
• Some CBA details.
• Revolution Academy update.
• Revs get first look at FiledTurf Duraspine PRO.
• Tim Staub(MFUSA) on MLS marketing to college students.

Player Moves

• Rapids waive Noonan.
• Wizards waive Michael Kraus.
• Red Bulls sign forward Salou.

Club Tournaments

• Asian Champions League.
• Copa Libertadores - Estudiantes win, Libertad draws

Interesting Reads

• Will Beckham now devote himself to the Galaxy? 
• Can Chester City fans raise the club from the ashes?

The Business of Soccer

• Soccer economics in Australia.

---

News and Views from Wednesday Mar 10

Columbus' Steve Lenhart, scorer of both goals in their opening leg CONCACAF Champions League draw with Toluca, signing autographs while in Arizona

MLS Preseason

• Quakes beat Tottenham's development team. 
• FC Dallas headed to Tampa to continue training.
• Victorine retires and other ChivasUSA notes.
• ChivasUSA defeats UCLA in scrimmage.

Player Moves

• Adrian Serioux's rights were traded by TFC to Houston. Take a moment and follow the link to Gareth Wheeler's post for more perspective. 
• It appears that the Fire and Collins John have agreed to terms. No link because there is no official announcement yet.

Interesting Reads

• FC New York names coach/technical director.
• Guus Hiddink reportedly named new coach of Ivory Coast early in the day. A few quirks in the deal, which later in the day is being denied.
• Soccer in the Big Apple?? No, RBNY is  not a New York team.
• Kyle McCarthy on MLS veterans and team roster decisions.

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF Champions League.
• Asian Champions League.
• UEFA Champions League.
• Copa Libertadores.

The Business of Soccer

• The third post in a series on Supporter ownership of football teams. Find a link to the first part in Monday's post. The link to the second post in Tuesday's post. 
• EPL and SPL rights and more.

Other Stuff

• NASL news.
• Earthquakes Development Schools will return in the summer of 2010.

News and Views from Tuesday Mar 9

 Hejduk and Schelotto both missed the 1st leg of the Crew's CCL tie with Toluca due to yellow card accumulation during the group phase.

MLS Preseason
Quakes update from London.
The Fullback Files' DC United roster reset.
I generally like to get more than one point of view on whatever it is I read about. With that in mind, here are a couple of preseason looks at DC United. One from Avi Creditor on Ives website, the other from Drew Epperly at WV Hooligan.(note that Drew's piece is a week old, lots can happen in one week)
Continuing with the theme from above, a pair of looks at the KC Wizards. Again please note that Drew's look is now nearly a month old. First, Kristian Dyer of ESPNSoccernet. Then, the WV Hooligan view.
RBNY wins 5th preseason match.

Player Moves
Rapids roster moves, one keeper in, one striker out and more.
Houston waives Harmse. Also, Houston signs academy product Navas Cobo.

Interesting Reads
Pros like the inside of the foot.

The Business of Soccer
Footiebusiness with some tidbits on FIFA World Cup sponsorship and MLS event revenues for host cities.
Russian clubs on shaky ground as season set to open.
The second post in a series on Supporter ownership of football clubs. Find a link to the first part in yesterday's post.

Club Tournaments
CONCACF Champions League - Columbus comes back to draw Toluca.
Asian Champions League update.
Copa Libertadores - Sao Paolo upset.

Around the World
Tom Vickery reports on World Cup bound Argentina.
Colombia Apertura - Round 8.

After the Weekend - Mar 6-7

 Arizona Sahuaros/Kansas City Wizards action

MLS Preseason
Dallas/Chicago will scrimmage in Magnolia state.
ChivasUSA to scrimmage with Fresno.
RSL preseason scrimmage.
The Fullback Files looks at DC United's roster.
Houston and Austin scrimmage to a draw.
Sounders and Whitecaps in scoreless draw.
Wizards end Arizona stay with win.

MLS
One of my favorite writers, Bill Archer, lays into both sides of the CBA. One shot for the players, one for the owners.

Player Moves
Philadelphia signs Colombian Roger Torres.
Toronto release Carl Robinson, who is on trial now with RBNY.

Interesting Reads
International Football Association Board (IFAB) say no to technology in football.
Thanks to Richard Whittall for this own goal.
A brief intro to the 2010 J-League.

The Business of Soccer
Painting an un-pretty picture of EPL club finances.
FC Moscow go out of business.
A proverbial guide for new football owners.
Footiebusiness: What it means to mediate.

Club Tournaments
An Idiot's Guide to the Asian Champions League.

Around the World
Melbourne will play in the A-League's Grand Final for 3rd time in 4 years.

---

Title and Champions League Races in Europe

	GP	W	D	L	GD	Pts
EPL
Manchester Utd	29	20	3	6	43	63
Chelsea	28	19	4	5	39	61
Arsenal	29	19	4	6	37	61
Tottenham	28	14	7	7	23	49
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich	25	15	8	2	30	53
Schalke 04	25	15	6	4	21	51
Bayer Leverkusen	25	13	11	1	29	50
Hamburg	25	11	10	4	18	43
Ligue 1
Bordeaux	25	16	4	5	22	52
Montpellier	27	16	4	7	9	52
Lyon	27	14	8	5	17	50
Marseille	26	14	7	5	19	49
Serie A
Internazionale	27	17	8	2	30	59
AC Milan	27	16	7	4	20	55
AS Roma	27	15	7	5	16	52
Palermo	27	13	7	7	7	46
La Liga
Real Madrid	25	20	2	3	47	62
Barcelona	25	19	5	1	45	62
Valencia	24	13	7	4	16	46
Sevilla FC	25	13	4	8	10	43