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Amid the euphoria of Major League Soccer's latest offseason signings, the league was hit with a big piece of bad news when one of its top executives announced his resignation.
Nelson Rodríguez, MLS' executive vice president of competition, technical and game operations, will step down from his post on January 31. He has worked with the league in a range of capacities for 14 years.
The news was first reported by the New York Times' Jack Bell. While It's not yet known where Rodríguez is headed, I have since learned some more information about where MLS will go from here.
Rodríguez did a lot of things at league headquarters, and he will be greatly missed by a lot of people. The easiest way to describe his duties is to quote from his extensive bio on the league's website:
As Executive Vice President of Competition, Technical and Game Operations, Nelson Rodríguez, who has been with Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing since 2000, is responsible for all on-field competition and technical matters. Rodríguez supervises the League's soccer technical development, oversees League-wide game operations, disciplinary matters and expands the League's scouting capabilities. Rodriguez also serves as the League liaison with MLS coaches and club technical directors on game-related matters.
In addition to the above, he supervises supporter relations, safety and security, team travel and the League’s growing sports medicine initiatives. Over the last few years, the League has developed a traveling liaison policy, supporter steward program and a return to play concussion protocol.
In previous roles within MLS, Rodríguez served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Business Development, where he worked closely with the Commissioner’s Office in areas such as strategic planning, new business development and alliance development.
Rodríguez also served as Senior Vice President of SUM International. In that role, he managed the acquisition and development of SUM properties such as the Mexican National Team’s annual U.S. Tour, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, FC Barcelona Tour, InterLiga, SuperLiga and the Pan-Pacific Championship. Rodríguez also led SUM International’s expansion into the area of business operations and competition consultancy.
Those with inside knowledge of the league office's workings will tell you that his influence spread far and wide across the league. He did a lot of good things in his tenure. He was also a public face at the highest levels of MLS' operations, and took the heat for a lot of long-term decisions that drew short-term criticism.
In particular, Rodríguez chaired Major League Soccer's Disciplinary Committee. The committee's decisions often took all kinds of fire from fans, but it was created with two worthy aims: to improve refereeing standards, and to make explanations for suspensions more transparent.
An example of Rodríguez's public persona is this lengthy interview with the San Jose Mercury News' Elliot Almond on the aims of the Disciplinary Committee. He was also very involved in the league's Spanish-language outreach.
As for how MLS replaces Rodríguez, a source with direct knowledge of MLS' decision-making process on this shared some details. There won't be a straightforward one-for-one hire. Insetad, it's my understanding that Rodríguez's duties will be shared among a few current employees whose names you may know.
Todd Durbin, the league's executive vice president of player relations and competition, will take over day-to-day oversight of all competitive, disciplinary and technical matters. He will report to MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott, as he already does.
Jeff Agoos, the league's technical director, will get a promotion within the league's office. I'm sure many of you know that Agoos played for a long time in MLS and with the U.S. national team. After retiring, he worked in the New York Red Bulls' front office from 2007 to 2011, when he moved across the Hudson River to MLS HQ.
Agoos' new title will be vice president for of competition, and he will report to Durbin. Among those who will report to Agoos are Peter Walton, the head of the PRO referees organization, and MLS director of player programs.
Lino DiCuollo, the league's vice president of player operations, will be officially installed as being in charge of the league's player relations group. Among those working under him are Ali Curtis, who replaced Tim Bezbatchenko as the league's senior director of player relations and competition.
I'm pretty sure you have heard of Bezbatchenko. He left the league office in September to become Toronto FC's general manager. He has since signed Jermain Defoe and Dwayne de Rosario, and reportedly is about to land Michael Bradley.
DiCuollo and Curtis have done most of their work out of the spotlight, though I've quoted them on a few occasions in the past. I spoke with DiCuollo last May as part of a column on MLS' transfer rules for Americans coming into the league from abroad. Curtis and Bezbatchenko gave a seminar on the league's player acquisition system at the 2013 NSCAA Convention, and I talked to Curtis about it afterward.
(The 2014 convention takes place next week in Philadelphia, by the way. You'll see a lot of reporting on it here.)
It's a safe bet that DiCuollo will be a more public figure going forward. Among other things, MLS' current collective bargaining agreement with its players' union expires at the end of the 2014 season. It is no understatement to say the negotiations for a new deal could be the league's biggest story between now and then.
Read more at Nelson Rodríguez resigns from Major League Soccer
Nelson Rodríguez, MLS' executive vice president of competition, technical and game operations, will step down from his post on January 31. He has worked with the league in a range of capacities for 14 years.
The news was first reported by the New York Times' Jack Bell. While It's not yet known where Rodríguez is headed, I have since learned some more information about where MLS will go from here.
Rodríguez did a lot of things at league headquarters, and he will be greatly missed by a lot of people. The easiest way to describe his duties is to quote from his extensive bio on the league's website:
As Executive Vice President of Competition, Technical and Game Operations, Nelson Rodríguez, who has been with Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing since 2000, is responsible for all on-field competition and technical matters. Rodríguez supervises the League's soccer technical development, oversees League-wide game operations, disciplinary matters and expands the League's scouting capabilities. Rodriguez also serves as the League liaison with MLS coaches and club technical directors on game-related matters.
In addition to the above, he supervises supporter relations, safety and security, team travel and the League’s growing sports medicine initiatives. Over the last few years, the League has developed a traveling liaison policy, supporter steward program and a return to play concussion protocol.
In previous roles within MLS, Rodríguez served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Business Development, where he worked closely with the Commissioner’s Office in areas such as strategic planning, new business development and alliance development.
Rodríguez also served as Senior Vice President of SUM International. In that role, he managed the acquisition and development of SUM properties such as the Mexican National Team’s annual U.S. Tour, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, FC Barcelona Tour, InterLiga, SuperLiga and the Pan-Pacific Championship. Rodríguez also led SUM International’s expansion into the area of business operations and competition consultancy.
Those with inside knowledge of the league office's workings will tell you that his influence spread far and wide across the league. He did a lot of good things in his tenure. He was also a public face at the highest levels of MLS' operations, and took the heat for a lot of long-term decisions that drew short-term criticism.
In particular, Rodríguez chaired Major League Soccer's Disciplinary Committee. The committee's decisions often took all kinds of fire from fans, but it was created with two worthy aims: to improve refereeing standards, and to make explanations for suspensions more transparent.
An example of Rodríguez's public persona is this lengthy interview with the San Jose Mercury News' Elliot Almond on the aims of the Disciplinary Committee. He was also very involved in the league's Spanish-language outreach.
As for how MLS replaces Rodríguez, a source with direct knowledge of MLS' decision-making process on this shared some details. There won't be a straightforward one-for-one hire. Insetad, it's my understanding that Rodríguez's duties will be shared among a few current employees whose names you may know.
Todd Durbin, the league's executive vice president of player relations and competition, will take over day-to-day oversight of all competitive, disciplinary and technical matters. He will report to MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott, as he already does.
Jeff Agoos, the league's technical director, will get a promotion within the league's office. I'm sure many of you know that Agoos played for a long time in MLS and with the U.S. national team. After retiring, he worked in the New York Red Bulls' front office from 2007 to 2011, when he moved across the Hudson River to MLS HQ.
Agoos' new title will be vice president for of competition, and he will report to Durbin. Among those who will report to Agoos are Peter Walton, the head of the PRO referees organization, and MLS director of player programs.
Lino DiCuollo, the league's vice president of player operations, will be officially installed as being in charge of the league's player relations group. Among those working under him are Ali Curtis, who replaced Tim Bezbatchenko as the league's senior director of player relations and competition.
I'm pretty sure you have heard of Bezbatchenko. He left the league office in September to become Toronto FC's general manager. He has since signed Jermain Defoe and Dwayne de Rosario, and reportedly is about to land Michael Bradley.
DiCuollo and Curtis have done most of their work out of the spotlight, though I've quoted them on a few occasions in the past. I spoke with DiCuollo last May as part of a column on MLS' transfer rules for Americans coming into the league from abroad. Curtis and Bezbatchenko gave a seminar on the league's player acquisition system at the 2013 NSCAA Convention, and I talked to Curtis about it afterward.
(The 2014 convention takes place next week in Philadelphia, by the way. You'll see a lot of reporting on it here.)
It's a safe bet that DiCuollo will be a more public figure going forward. Among other things, MLS' current collective bargaining agreement with its players' union expires at the end of the 2014 season. It is no understatement to say the negotiations for a new deal could be the league's biggest story between now and then.
Read more at Nelson Rodríguez resigns from Major League Soccer
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Napoli denied midfielder Valon Behrami was set for surgery after the Switzerland international was quoted on Friday saying he would need to have an operation on a toe injury and would be out for six weeks.
"SSC Napoli, in agreement with Valon Behrami, communicate that the player will have further consultations with a world famous specialist to see if he will need an operation on his foot or not," the Serie A club said on their website (SSCNAPOLI.IT - Sito Ufficiale del Calcio Napoli).
Earlier on Friday, Behrami said on the Swiss Football Association's website (www-football-ch): "I've had this pain for a month now. Over the last few days the pain has got worse and for that reason I've decided to undergo an operation.
"However I will return within six weeks."
Italian media reported that the 28-year-old has been struggling with an injury to his left big toe and will undergo surgery at a specialist clinic in Germany.
The Swiss FA also announced that Behrami should be available to play for his national team in the friendly with Croatia on March 5, and that his World Cup participation is not under threat.
Y! SPORTS
"SSC Napoli, in agreement with Valon Behrami, communicate that the player will have further consultations with a world famous specialist to see if he will need an operation on his foot or not," the Serie A club said on their website (SSCNAPOLI.IT - Sito Ufficiale del Calcio Napoli).
Earlier on Friday, Behrami said on the Swiss Football Association's website (www-football-ch): "I've had this pain for a month now. Over the last few days the pain has got worse and for that reason I've decided to undergo an operation.
"However I will return within six weeks."
Italian media reported that the 28-year-old has been struggling with an injury to his left big toe and will undergo surgery at a specialist clinic in Germany.
The Swiss FA also announced that Behrami should be available to play for his national team in the friendly with Croatia on March 5, and that his World Cup participation is not under threat.
Y! SPORTS
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2006/12/07
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The winning streak of the Wellington Phoenix tonight came to an end, held to a 1-1 draw at home by the Central Coast Mariners.
A point against the reigning champions is far from a poor result but the Phoenix would have wanted - and perhaps expected - more after running up three victories on the trot.
But Kenny Cunningham's equaliser on the stroke of halftime was all the home side produced, with former Phoenix goalkeeper Liam Reddy barely required to make a save.
And it could have been worse for the Phoenix had Daniel McBreen - last season's golden boot - not blazed over the bar from the penalty spot. That chance was one of few in the second half, with the Phoenix the only side attempting to force the result but unable to produce any real opportunities.
The Phoenix were the better side in the second spell but weren't as assured as they have been in recent weeks.
In fact, they played better football during last month's 1-0 loss to the Mariners at North Sydney Oval.
The hosts would have considered themselves fortunate to head to halftime level, after 45 minutes which could be described as uneven at best.
The home side struggled in possession, manufactured little and rarely tested the Mariners' defence, with only a speculative strike from Jeremy Brockie to show for the first 20 minutes.
By that point Central Coast were ahead, with Matt Simon scoring his first for the Mariners since an unhappy spell in South Korea. It was a well-worked goal, with Mitchell Duke and Nick Fitzgerald combining well, but Ben Sigmund and Andrew Durante were probably guilty of being too close together as they allowed Simon to fire home.
Ahead and away from home, the champions seemed content to let their out-of-sorts opposition do much of the running, making for a dull half. But the Phoenix sparked to life with only 60 seconds left, with Cunningham netting a fine equaliser.
The Cost Rican had just produced the best moment for his side, getting to the byline but finding the near post blocked by Liam Reddy, before skipping around Storm Roux and slotting a left foot strike just inside the far post.
The goal appeared to boost the Phoenix as they started the second much improved, with more energy and movement off the ball seeing them dominate proceedings. For all their possession, though, it was the Mariners who enjoyed the first chance to go break the deadlock, with McBreen sending a free header wide after Roux picked him out.
If that miss was bad, worse was to come from McBreen. Glenn Moss didn't need to bring down Trent Sainsbury, with the defender heading away from goal, but the goalkeeper was let off the hook when McBreen blasted the resulting penalty over the bar.
And, with the last clear opportunity of the game, Moss was again called to action late on, producing a brilliant save from close range when Anthony Caceres seemed certain to score.
Soccer: Phoenix held at home - Sport - NZ Herald News
A point against the reigning champions is far from a poor result but the Phoenix would have wanted - and perhaps expected - more after running up three victories on the trot.
But Kenny Cunningham's equaliser on the stroke of halftime was all the home side produced, with former Phoenix goalkeeper Liam Reddy barely required to make a save.
And it could have been worse for the Phoenix had Daniel McBreen - last season's golden boot - not blazed over the bar from the penalty spot. That chance was one of few in the second half, with the Phoenix the only side attempting to force the result but unable to produce any real opportunities.
The Phoenix were the better side in the second spell but weren't as assured as they have been in recent weeks.
In fact, they played better football during last month's 1-0 loss to the Mariners at North Sydney Oval.
The hosts would have considered themselves fortunate to head to halftime level, after 45 minutes which could be described as uneven at best.
The home side struggled in possession, manufactured little and rarely tested the Mariners' defence, with only a speculative strike from Jeremy Brockie to show for the first 20 minutes.
By that point Central Coast were ahead, with Matt Simon scoring his first for the Mariners since an unhappy spell in South Korea. It was a well-worked goal, with Mitchell Duke and Nick Fitzgerald combining well, but Ben Sigmund and Andrew Durante were probably guilty of being too close together as they allowed Simon to fire home.
Ahead and away from home, the champions seemed content to let their out-of-sorts opposition do much of the running, making for a dull half. But the Phoenix sparked to life with only 60 seconds left, with Cunningham netting a fine equaliser.
The Cost Rican had just produced the best moment for his side, getting to the byline but finding the near post blocked by Liam Reddy, before skipping around Storm Roux and slotting a left foot strike just inside the far post.
The goal appeared to boost the Phoenix as they started the second much improved, with more energy and movement off the ball seeing them dominate proceedings. For all their possession, though, it was the Mariners who enjoyed the first chance to go break the deadlock, with McBreen sending a free header wide after Roux picked him out.
If that miss was bad, worse was to come from McBreen. Glenn Moss didn't need to bring down Trent Sainsbury, with the defender heading away from goal, but the goalkeeper was let off the hook when McBreen blasted the resulting penalty over the bar.
And, with the last clear opportunity of the game, Moss was again called to action late on, producing a brilliant save from close range when Anthony Caceres seemed certain to score.
Soccer: Phoenix held at home - Sport - NZ Herald News
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In 2012, the Cathedral City boys’ soccer team finished second in the Desert Valley League standings with the help of five starting sophomores.
Last season, the five again guided the Lions to the postseason, only to lose in the first round for the second consecutive year.
Now seniors, the group has led the team to a 12-2-1 start and appear poised to compete for the DVL title and make a deep postseason run.
Among the group is striker Kaessen Nolan, who leads the team in scoring with eight goals on the season.
Nolan may be the fastest player in the valley this year.
With Nolan’s elite speed, the Lions have been able to play a more fasted paced style of offense, and have been able to consistently beat teams with the long ball.
Using the technique, teammates have routinely forced the ball down field with a single kick, creating a footrace to the ball, often creating one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper.
The Desert Sun recently caught up with Nolan to discuss this brand of soccer, this year’s squad, and what it’ll take to get his squad beyond the first round of CIF.
www-mydesert-com/article/20140112/SPORTS0604/301120029/High-school-soccer-Kaessen-Nolan-hopes-to-lead-Lions-to-title
Last season, the five again guided the Lions to the postseason, only to lose in the first round for the second consecutive year.
Now seniors, the group has led the team to a 12-2-1 start and appear poised to compete for the DVL title and make a deep postseason run.
Among the group is striker Kaessen Nolan, who leads the team in scoring with eight goals on the season.
Nolan may be the fastest player in the valley this year.
With Nolan’s elite speed, the Lions have been able to play a more fasted paced style of offense, and have been able to consistently beat teams with the long ball.
Using the technique, teammates have routinely forced the ball down field with a single kick, creating a footrace to the ball, often creating one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper.
The Desert Sun recently caught up with Nolan to discuss this brand of soccer, this year’s squad, and what it’ll take to get his squad beyond the first round of CIF.
www-mydesert-com/article/20140112/SPORTS0604/301120029/High-school-soccer-Kaessen-Nolan-hopes-to-lead-Lions-to-title
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2006/12/07
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29893
Cristiano Ronaldo recently opened a soccer museum is his Portuguese home of Madeira. And Monday he received something special to put in it when he was named winner of the Ballon d'Or, which goes annually to the player voted best in the world.
It was an honor the Real Madrid star clearly earned, scoring 66 goals in 56 games for club and country. And many of those goals came on soccer's biggest stages with Ronaldo scoring a record 14 times in Champions League play to help Madrid reach the tournament semifinals. He also scored all four of Portugal's goals in a two-leg sweep of Sweden in a playoff for a spot in this summer's World Cup in Brazil.
"I am deeply moved," Ronaldo said as he accepted the trophy at a gala in Zurich, Switzerland, marking the second time he has been selected as the world's top player in a vote of coaches and captains from international teams as well as journalists from around the globe.
Ronaldo's win ended an unprecedented streak by Argentina's Lionel Messi, who had won the award each of the last four years, with Ronaldo finishing second in three of those votes. The Barcelona star, who battled injuries in 2013, finished second in the balloting, just ahead of France's Franck Ribery.
On Monday, Ronaldo, who was named player of the year in 2008, said he has also settled his long-running feud with FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
"This is no longer an issue, neither for us nor for football," Ronaldo said.
Blatter was recorded in October telling a student audience in England that he preferred Messi's modest personality over that of Ronaldo, whose museum features a lifesize Ronaldo mannequin and more than 125 awards won by the 28-year-old striker. Ronaldo responded to Blatter's dig with a sarcastic message on social media that said the video "shows clearly the respect and consideration Fifa has for me."
Monday Ronaldo said that's all history now.
"We talked over the telephone and everything was cleared," he said.
Also Monday, German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer beat out 2012 winner Abby Wambach of the U.S. for the women's player of the year award. The honor figures to give a big boost to the flegdling Women's Professional Soccer League, which will see Angerer play this year alongside Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair and Tobin Heath on a star-studded Portland Thorns team.
With Wambach also in the league with the Western New York Flash, the WSPL now has the last two FIFA Women's Players of the Year.
Coach of the Year honors went to former Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes, while German national team manager Silvia Neid was named women's coach of the year.
And the FIFA First XI for 2013, a kind of international all-star team, became slightly more international than last year's version with the inclusion of players from outside Spain's La Liga.
The First XI goalkeeper was Germany's Manuel Neuer, who plays club soccer for Bayern Munich, while the defenders were Philipp Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Thiago Silva (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain) and Dani Alves (Brazil, Barcelona).
In the midfield were Spain's Andres Iniesta and Xaxi, teammates at Barcelona, and Ribery of Bayern Munich. The forwards were Ronaldo, Messi and Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Paris Saint-Germain.
The First XI honors were the first for Neuer, Silva, Lahm, Ribery and Ibrahimovic. And for the second time in as many years, the team did not include a player from the English Premier League.
Cristiano Ronaldo named soccer's world player of the year - latimes-com
It was an honor the Real Madrid star clearly earned, scoring 66 goals in 56 games for club and country. And many of those goals came on soccer's biggest stages with Ronaldo scoring a record 14 times in Champions League play to help Madrid reach the tournament semifinals. He also scored all four of Portugal's goals in a two-leg sweep of Sweden in a playoff for a spot in this summer's World Cup in Brazil.
"I am deeply moved," Ronaldo said as he accepted the trophy at a gala in Zurich, Switzerland, marking the second time he has been selected as the world's top player in a vote of coaches and captains from international teams as well as journalists from around the globe.
Ronaldo's win ended an unprecedented streak by Argentina's Lionel Messi, who had won the award each of the last four years, with Ronaldo finishing second in three of those votes. The Barcelona star, who battled injuries in 2013, finished second in the balloting, just ahead of France's Franck Ribery.
On Monday, Ronaldo, who was named player of the year in 2008, said he has also settled his long-running feud with FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
"This is no longer an issue, neither for us nor for football," Ronaldo said.
Blatter was recorded in October telling a student audience in England that he preferred Messi's modest personality over that of Ronaldo, whose museum features a lifesize Ronaldo mannequin and more than 125 awards won by the 28-year-old striker. Ronaldo responded to Blatter's dig with a sarcastic message on social media that said the video "shows clearly the respect and consideration Fifa has for me."
Monday Ronaldo said that's all history now.
"We talked over the telephone and everything was cleared," he said.
Also Monday, German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer beat out 2012 winner Abby Wambach of the U.S. for the women's player of the year award. The honor figures to give a big boost to the flegdling Women's Professional Soccer League, which will see Angerer play this year alongside Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair and Tobin Heath on a star-studded Portland Thorns team.
With Wambach also in the league with the Western New York Flash, the WSPL now has the last two FIFA Women's Players of the Year.
Coach of the Year honors went to former Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes, while German national team manager Silvia Neid was named women's coach of the year.
And the FIFA First XI for 2013, a kind of international all-star team, became slightly more international than last year's version with the inclusion of players from outside Spain's La Liga.
The First XI goalkeeper was Germany's Manuel Neuer, who plays club soccer for Bayern Munich, while the defenders were Philipp Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Thiago Silva (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain) and Dani Alves (Brazil, Barcelona).
In the midfield were Spain's Andres Iniesta and Xaxi, teammates at Barcelona, and Ribery of Bayern Munich. The forwards were Ronaldo, Messi and Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Paris Saint-Germain.
The First XI honors were the first for Neuer, Silva, Lahm, Ribery and Ibrahimovic. And for the second time in as many years, the team did not include a player from the English Premier League.
Cristiano Ronaldo named soccer's world player of the year - latimes-com
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Jurgen Klinsmann is giving American players an early chance to get to know Brazil ahead of the World Cup.
The U.S. began a 12-day training camp Tuesday in Sao Paulo, where the team will be based during the tournament in June. The Americans, with a roster of 26 players mostly from Major League Soccer, are the first of the 32 World Cup nations to arrive in Brazil this year in an effort to get acquainted to the host country.
The U.S. coach calls the dry run for the World Cup a great chance to know more about what to expect.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for us," Klinsmann said after the team's first practice session at the training center of Sao Paulo Futebol Clube.
"It gives us the opportunity to be already at the facility we are going to stay in the World Cup, to get to know the hotel we are going to stay at and to get a feeling for the country," Klinsmann said. "What we want to get out of it is that the players experience all those things. In the technical side there is a lot that we can achieve, on the organizational, logistical side there is a lot we can experience."
Klinsmann even wants his staff to start learning Portuguese in order to know some basic words by the time the team returns.
The Americans will stay in Brazil until Jan. 25 before heading home for an exhibition against South Korea on Feb. 1 at Carson, Calif., where it began its 11th annual January training camp last week. Klinsmann is using mostly U.S.-based players, including 10 who helped the Americans qualify for their seventh straight World Cup. Among them are midfielder Graham Zusi, defender Omar Gonzalez and forward Eddie Johnson. Star midfielder Landon Donovan also is in Brazil, but new Toronto FC signing Michael Bradley is among the absences.
"We can bring more players because the European-based players are not coming in, obviously," Klinsmann said. "So it gives more spots to young players who want to show how good they are. Maybe they can still jump on the train for the World Cup. They all have a point to prove. They all want to prove to me that they deserve to be back during the World Cup."
Klinsmann originally intended to bring only 23 players to Sao Paulo but after watching last week's training was pleased and decided not to trim his roster.
He never considered moving the team's World Cup training base from Sao Paulo after last month's draw gave the U.S. first-round matches in the northern cities of Manaus, Natal and Recife.
"We have probably the worst travel schedule of all teams, but we will take it as a challenge," he said.
The U.S. opens against Ghana on June 16, plays Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal six days later and closes the group stage against Germany on June 26. Klinsmann said the Americans may stay up north between their second and third matches rather than return to Sao Paulo, which would cut a group-stage itinerary currently at about 9,000 miles.
U.S. soccer gets early taste of Brazil ahead of World Cup
The U.S. began a 12-day training camp Tuesday in Sao Paulo, where the team will be based during the tournament in June. The Americans, with a roster of 26 players mostly from Major League Soccer, are the first of the 32 World Cup nations to arrive in Brazil this year in an effort to get acquainted to the host country.
The U.S. coach calls the dry run for the World Cup a great chance to know more about what to expect.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for us," Klinsmann said after the team's first practice session at the training center of Sao Paulo Futebol Clube.
"It gives us the opportunity to be already at the facility we are going to stay in the World Cup, to get to know the hotel we are going to stay at and to get a feeling for the country," Klinsmann said. "What we want to get out of it is that the players experience all those things. In the technical side there is a lot that we can achieve, on the organizational, logistical side there is a lot we can experience."
Klinsmann even wants his staff to start learning Portuguese in order to know some basic words by the time the team returns.
The Americans will stay in Brazil until Jan. 25 before heading home for an exhibition against South Korea on Feb. 1 at Carson, Calif., where it began its 11th annual January training camp last week. Klinsmann is using mostly U.S.-based players, including 10 who helped the Americans qualify for their seventh straight World Cup. Among them are midfielder Graham Zusi, defender Omar Gonzalez and forward Eddie Johnson. Star midfielder Landon Donovan also is in Brazil, but new Toronto FC signing Michael Bradley is among the absences.
"We can bring more players because the European-based players are not coming in, obviously," Klinsmann said. "So it gives more spots to young players who want to show how good they are. Maybe they can still jump on the train for the World Cup. They all have a point to prove. They all want to prove to me that they deserve to be back during the World Cup."
Klinsmann originally intended to bring only 23 players to Sao Paulo but after watching last week's training was pleased and decided not to trim his roster.
He never considered moving the team's World Cup training base from Sao Paulo after last month's draw gave the U.S. first-round matches in the northern cities of Manaus, Natal and Recife.
"We have probably the worst travel schedule of all teams, but we will take it as a challenge," he said.
The U.S. opens against Ghana on June 16, plays Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal six days later and closes the group stage against Germany on June 26. Klinsmann said the Americans may stay up north between their second and third matches rather than return to Sao Paulo, which would cut a group-stage itinerary currently at about 9,000 miles.
U.S. soccer gets early taste of Brazil ahead of World Cup
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With one swift Florida High kick, all the hard defensive work and phalanx-like strategy the Godby girls soccer team employed was undone.
Seminoles junior forward Anna Menendez’s goal from the top of the box in the 42nd minute proved to be the game winner as Florida High topped Godby, 2-0, in Wednesday evening’s District 2-2A semifinal contest.
“The shot was there and I really can’t squander opportunities like that if it’s going to be a tight game like this,” Menendez said. “If it’s there, we have to pull the trigger with the shot.”
The Cougars (8-12-1) lost matches by 2-0 and 5-0 scores to Florida High (11-8-0) earlier in the season, so Godby coach Chelsea Parmer packed nine players in the back third in an attempt to tick minutes off the clock without scoring.
It worked through halftime as Florida High was thwarted at goal by Cougars keeper Courtney Coughlin (nine saves) and scoring chances were cleared away with authority.
“They have a real good player and we wanted to man-mark her and take her out of the game,” Parmer said. “It worked well for a while. Great first half. We thought that was to our advantage. It was our plan going in and it lasted until half, but we got a little gassed.”
But then the ball got stuck in Godby’s box on too many occasions and Menendez found just enough space to create the separation the Seminoles needed to advance to Friday’s final.
“I guess there were nerves because we really wanted to win and we really want to (play in the) district (final), and coached talked to us about how crucial it was for us at that point,” said Menendez, speaking of the halftime adjustments. “It had to go in. It relieved a lot of pressure off the team, and then we started to play smart and together.”
Taylor Cherry’s 30-yard lofted shot from the left side in the 55th minute found net in the right corner of goal, over the outstretched arms of Coughlin, and Florida High escaped with a sluggish victory. The Seminoles managed to out-shoot Godby 20-2 on the night, the majority of the attempts coming in the second half.
“There coach at them physical and confident they could play with us,” Seminoles coach Kyle Crawford said. “They got us out of our game. They wanted it more than us, so we had to come out and made adjustments in our play, pick up the intensity and play the game Florida High knows how to play.”
www-tallahassee-com/article/20140116/SPORTS/301160048/Florida-High-soccer-advances-district-final
Seminoles junior forward Anna Menendez’s goal from the top of the box in the 42nd minute proved to be the game winner as Florida High topped Godby, 2-0, in Wednesday evening’s District 2-2A semifinal contest.
“The shot was there and I really can’t squander opportunities like that if it’s going to be a tight game like this,” Menendez said. “If it’s there, we have to pull the trigger with the shot.”
The Cougars (8-12-1) lost matches by 2-0 and 5-0 scores to Florida High (11-8-0) earlier in the season, so Godby coach Chelsea Parmer packed nine players in the back third in an attempt to tick minutes off the clock without scoring.
It worked through halftime as Florida High was thwarted at goal by Cougars keeper Courtney Coughlin (nine saves) and scoring chances were cleared away with authority.
“They have a real good player and we wanted to man-mark her and take her out of the game,” Parmer said. “It worked well for a while. Great first half. We thought that was to our advantage. It was our plan going in and it lasted until half, but we got a little gassed.”
But then the ball got stuck in Godby’s box on too many occasions and Menendez found just enough space to create the separation the Seminoles needed to advance to Friday’s final.
“I guess there were nerves because we really wanted to win and we really want to (play in the) district (final), and coached talked to us about how crucial it was for us at that point,” said Menendez, speaking of the halftime adjustments. “It had to go in. It relieved a lot of pressure off the team, and then we started to play smart and together.”
Taylor Cherry’s 30-yard lofted shot from the left side in the 55th minute found net in the right corner of goal, over the outstretched arms of Coughlin, and Florida High escaped with a sluggish victory. The Seminoles managed to out-shoot Godby 20-2 on the night, the majority of the attempts coming in the second half.
“There coach at them physical and confident they could play with us,” Seminoles coach Kyle Crawford said. “They got us out of our game. They wanted it more than us, so we had to come out and made adjustments in our play, pick up the intensity and play the game Florida High knows how to play.”
www-tallahassee-com/article/20140116/SPORTS/301160048/Florida-High-soccer-advances-district-final
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2006/12/07
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It's been quite the turnaround in the last four weeks for the El Cerrito High boys soccer team.
After starting the year with just two wins in their first eight matches, the Gauchos finished off a memorable four-week run Thursday night with a 6-0 home win over Salesian in a Tri-County Athletic League-Rock Division game.
El Cerrito has won nine straight games, with this one being perhaps the sweetest. It avenges the Gauchos' only league loss, 1-0 to the Pride on Dec. 10.
"We really wanted it," El Cerrito senior midfielder Luis Moreno said. "Last time we got a little unlucky, and they are hard to beat at their place. This time we wanted revenge, and we got it."
Moreno was one of three Gauchos to score twice, with his goals both coming in the first half. He started the scoring in the 22nd minute and gave El Cerrito a 3-0 lead in the 38th minute. He nearly scored a third goal before being substituted in the 64th minute.
"I've had a bunch of games where I've scored two goals, but the hat trick hasn't come," Moreno said. "Hopefully it's coming."
El Cerrito (11-4-2, 4-1-0 TCAL) got two goals from Brandon Sako, who leads the team with 13, and two from freshman Kevin Navarrete, who now has nine.
Salesian (2-4-1, 2-2-1) didn't have many scoring chances but received a great effort from keeper Efrain Valdez, who had six saves and was under siege all game long.
Football
El Cerrito's Adarius Pickett and De La Salle's Sumner Houston have been named second-team senior All-Americans by Student Sports.
Pickett, a UCLA-bound cornerback, was named the 2013 Bay Area News Group East Bay Football Player of the Year after an outstanding season on both sides of the ball.
The Oregon State-bound Houston was named the Bay Area News Group East Bay Defensive Player of the Year. He had eight sacks, 59 tackles and 14 tackles for loss for the Spartans. Pickett and Houston were named to the team as a defensive back and defensive lineman, respectively.
De La Salle's Kahlil McKenzie was selected as a second-team junior All-American by Student Sports as a defensive lineman.
McKenzie was a first-team All-Bay Area News Group East Bay pick at that position in 2013.
El Cerrito boys soccer team wins ninth in a row - San Jose Mercury News
After starting the year with just two wins in their first eight matches, the Gauchos finished off a memorable four-week run Thursday night with a 6-0 home win over Salesian in a Tri-County Athletic League-Rock Division game.
El Cerrito has won nine straight games, with this one being perhaps the sweetest. It avenges the Gauchos' only league loss, 1-0 to the Pride on Dec. 10.
"We really wanted it," El Cerrito senior midfielder Luis Moreno said. "Last time we got a little unlucky, and they are hard to beat at their place. This time we wanted revenge, and we got it."
Moreno was one of three Gauchos to score twice, with his goals both coming in the first half. He started the scoring in the 22nd minute and gave El Cerrito a 3-0 lead in the 38th minute. He nearly scored a third goal before being substituted in the 64th minute.
"I've had a bunch of games where I've scored two goals, but the hat trick hasn't come," Moreno said. "Hopefully it's coming."
El Cerrito (11-4-2, 4-1-0 TCAL) got two goals from Brandon Sako, who leads the team with 13, and two from freshman Kevin Navarrete, who now has nine.
Salesian (2-4-1, 2-2-1) didn't have many scoring chances but received a great effort from keeper Efrain Valdez, who had six saves and was under siege all game long.
Football
El Cerrito's Adarius Pickett and De La Salle's Sumner Houston have been named second-team senior All-Americans by Student Sports.
Pickett, a UCLA-bound cornerback, was named the 2013 Bay Area News Group East Bay Football Player of the Year after an outstanding season on both sides of the ball.
The Oregon State-bound Houston was named the Bay Area News Group East Bay Defensive Player of the Year. He had eight sacks, 59 tackles and 14 tackles for loss for the Spartans. Pickett and Houston were named to the team as a defensive back and defensive lineman, respectively.
De La Salle's Kahlil McKenzie was selected as a second-team junior All-American by Student Sports as a defensive lineman.
McKenzie was a first-team All-Bay Area News Group East Bay pick at that position in 2013.
El Cerrito boys soccer team wins ninth in a row - San Jose Mercury News
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The Wellington Phoenix haven't lost in their past five games and they can now turn a realistic eye to making a charge towards the A-League playoffs.
After they hammered the Melbourne Victory 5-0 at Westpac Stadium tonight, it marked Wellington's fourth win in five games to go with a 1-1 draw against the Central Coast Mariners last Sunday.
It was Wellington's most complete performance of the season as they dominated one of the A-League's flagship teams.
A double to former Victory midfielder Carlos Hernandez plus a stunning striker from Kenny Cunningham in the first half, set Wellington off towards a memorable win.
The Phoenix are still lingering outside the top six but they're only one win away from joining the promised half dozen who qualify for the post-season.
That search for a playoff spot will continue in Brisbane next week, but after 15 games, Wellington have finally got a roll on after failing to find a win from their first 10 contests this season.
Hernandez began tonight's rout when he latched on to a pass from Vince Lia to finish smartly from the top of the box in the 18th minute as his pinpoint shot gave Victory goalkeeper Nathan Coe no chance.
An early goal was just the tonic for the home side who thrived in the cool conditions on offer at Westpac Stadium as they passed the ball around freely and simply dominated the third-placed Victory.
Melbourne struggled to impose themselves on the game as Wellington enjoyed a weight of possession during the first spell and should have added to their lead just after half an hour but Coe saved well from a Michael Boxall shot before Stein Huysegems had his effort cleared off the line.
But Wellington didn't drop their heads despite the near-misses and continued to press and they were well rewarded when Cunningham doubled their advantage in the 45th minute with a wonder strike from well outside the area.
The Costa Rican international received the ball a long way out and quickly hit a perfectly-timed speculator over Coe as Wellington grew in confidence.
Hernandez, the other half of Wellington's Costa Rican connection, then added a third right on halftime via the penalty spot after he was taken down in the box.
Penalties have been a slightly problematic proposition for Wellington this summer but Hernandez made no mistake as he sent Coe the wrong way.
The Phoenix were then given a standing ovation as they left the ground at halftime, something which hasn't been seen in the capital in a fair while.
No Phoenix player has ever scored a hat-trick since the club was formed in 2007 and Hernandez looked in the sort of mood that he might finally break the side's long-standing duck but Merrick decided his midfield maestro had done enough damage as he pulled him in the 51st minute.
Matthew Ridenton, who still doesn't turn 18 until March, was given an opportunity to continue his development as a professional footballer when he was the man summoned to replace Hernandez.
The New Zealand youth international certainly didn't disgrace himself during his time on the paddock and showed some nice touches in only his third appearance for the Phoenix.
The second spell looked like it would meander towards an uninspiring finish but the arrival of Jeremy Brockie in to the contest from the substitutes bench provided some late fireworks.
The All Whites striker finally broke his goal drought in fine fashion in the 85th minute as he scored for the first time since round four in November and then Huysegems turned one home as the committed crowd of 6813 went ballistic.
Wellington Phoenix 5 (Carlos Hernandez 18, 45+2, Kenny Cunningham 45, Jeremy Brockie 85, Stein Huysegems 88) Melbourne Victory 0 Halftime 3-0.
Soccer: Phoenix hammer Melbourne Victory - Sport - NZ Herald News
After they hammered the Melbourne Victory 5-0 at Westpac Stadium tonight, it marked Wellington's fourth win in five games to go with a 1-1 draw against the Central Coast Mariners last Sunday.
It was Wellington's most complete performance of the season as they dominated one of the A-League's flagship teams.
A double to former Victory midfielder Carlos Hernandez plus a stunning striker from Kenny Cunningham in the first half, set Wellington off towards a memorable win.
The Phoenix are still lingering outside the top six but they're only one win away from joining the promised half dozen who qualify for the post-season.
That search for a playoff spot will continue in Brisbane next week, but after 15 games, Wellington have finally got a roll on after failing to find a win from their first 10 contests this season.
Hernandez began tonight's rout when he latched on to a pass from Vince Lia to finish smartly from the top of the box in the 18th minute as his pinpoint shot gave Victory goalkeeper Nathan Coe no chance.
An early goal was just the tonic for the home side who thrived in the cool conditions on offer at Westpac Stadium as they passed the ball around freely and simply dominated the third-placed Victory.
Melbourne struggled to impose themselves on the game as Wellington enjoyed a weight of possession during the first spell and should have added to their lead just after half an hour but Coe saved well from a Michael Boxall shot before Stein Huysegems had his effort cleared off the line.
But Wellington didn't drop their heads despite the near-misses and continued to press and they were well rewarded when Cunningham doubled their advantage in the 45th minute with a wonder strike from well outside the area.
The Costa Rican international received the ball a long way out and quickly hit a perfectly-timed speculator over Coe as Wellington grew in confidence.
Hernandez, the other half of Wellington's Costa Rican connection, then added a third right on halftime via the penalty spot after he was taken down in the box.
Penalties have been a slightly problematic proposition for Wellington this summer but Hernandez made no mistake as he sent Coe the wrong way.
The Phoenix were then given a standing ovation as they left the ground at halftime, something which hasn't been seen in the capital in a fair while.
No Phoenix player has ever scored a hat-trick since the club was formed in 2007 and Hernandez looked in the sort of mood that he might finally break the side's long-standing duck but Merrick decided his midfield maestro had done enough damage as he pulled him in the 51st minute.
Matthew Ridenton, who still doesn't turn 18 until March, was given an opportunity to continue his development as a professional footballer when he was the man summoned to replace Hernandez.
The New Zealand youth international certainly didn't disgrace himself during his time on the paddock and showed some nice touches in only his third appearance for the Phoenix.
The second spell looked like it would meander towards an uninspiring finish but the arrival of Jeremy Brockie in to the contest from the substitutes bench provided some late fireworks.
The All Whites striker finally broke his goal drought in fine fashion in the 85th minute as he scored for the first time since round four in November and then Huysegems turned one home as the committed crowd of 6813 went ballistic.
Wellington Phoenix 5 (Carlos Hernandez 18, 45+2, Kenny Cunningham 45, Jeremy Brockie 85, Stein Huysegems 88) Melbourne Victory 0 Halftime 3-0.
Soccer: Phoenix hammer Melbourne Victory - Sport - NZ Herald News
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2006/12/07
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The Ouachita Christian School boys soccer team has had many important wins over the years, but this week the team did something that was a first for the program — win a district championship.
Since boys soccer was implemented at OCS as a varsity sport in 1999, the team had yet to win District 3 Division II, but the team took the title with a 5-3 win over St. Frederick at home and a 5-4 overtime thriller at St. Frederick that sealed the championship on Thursday.
In the first meeting, OCS led 3-1 early, but the Warriors refused to go away. After knotting things up 3-3 in the second half, St. Frederick could not hold the OCS offense down.
The Eagles scored two unanswered goals in the second half to pull away and set up the showdown Thursday for the outright crown.
Whit Chapman scored on a penalty kick in extra time to win the game for the Eagles. OCS led throughout the game, but St. Frederick had battled back to force the extra period.
“Our guys left their heart out there,” OCS coach Bill Chapman said. “It was a great battle, and our kids played magnificent. (Thursday) was the most magnificent soccer game I have ever seen.”
Chapman and Andrew Anderson each played a major role in the OCS offense all season long, but especially in district play where the duo accounted for nine goals and Chapman also had six assists.
Also important to the win were James Kelly, James Anderson and Daniel Culp. Kelly and Anderson each tallied an assist for the Eagles, while Culp added a goal.
“Goals are great,” Chapman said. “But I think assists and goals are really one in the same. An assist is just as important, because without the assist, there is no goal.”
www-thenewsstar-com/article/20140119/SPORTS/301180043/OCS-boys-win-first-soccer-district-crown
Since boys soccer was implemented at OCS as a varsity sport in 1999, the team had yet to win District 3 Division II, but the team took the title with a 5-3 win over St. Frederick at home and a 5-4 overtime thriller at St. Frederick that sealed the championship on Thursday.
In the first meeting, OCS led 3-1 early, but the Warriors refused to go away. After knotting things up 3-3 in the second half, St. Frederick could not hold the OCS offense down.
The Eagles scored two unanswered goals in the second half to pull away and set up the showdown Thursday for the outright crown.
Whit Chapman scored on a penalty kick in extra time to win the game for the Eagles. OCS led throughout the game, but St. Frederick had battled back to force the extra period.
“Our guys left their heart out there,” OCS coach Bill Chapman said. “It was a great battle, and our kids played magnificent. (Thursday) was the most magnificent soccer game I have ever seen.”
Chapman and Andrew Anderson each played a major role in the OCS offense all season long, but especially in district play where the duo accounted for nine goals and Chapman also had six assists.
Also important to the win were James Kelly, James Anderson and Daniel Culp. Kelly and Anderson each tallied an assist for the Eagles, while Culp added a goal.
“Goals are great,” Chapman said. “But I think assists and goals are really one in the same. An assist is just as important, because without the assist, there is no goal.”
www-thenewsstar-com/article/20140119/SPORTS/301180043/OCS-boys-win-first-soccer-district-crown
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2006/12/07
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Jérôme Champagne has spent most of his career in soccer behind the scenes, quietly operating in the shadows with little fanfare or credit. But on Monday, Champagne, a Frenchman who once served as FIFA’s deputy general secretary, is set to become front-page news in Switzerland and beyond.
At a news conference in London, Champagne plans to announce his candidacy for the presidency of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body. That would be the first open challenge to FIFA’s longtime president, Sepp Blatter. Champagne also will unveil several initiatives that he contends would boldly reshape and democratize soccer’s governing body.
“I won’t say that if I am elected, I would not face any hurdles; I would face a lot of hurdles,” Champagne said of the intense spotlight that comes with the job, and sometimes merely the pursuit of it.
“But it is a privilege to run for president,” he added. “It is not a job. It is a mission.” Champagne’s candidacy is something of a surprise, as he once served as a loyal aide to Blatter, 77, who has held the presidency since 1998. And it will be considered an uphill fight by many, given Blatter’s iron grip on the post — he was re-elected without opposition in 2011 — and because other, more prominent candidates may yet enter the race.
Much of the debate in advance of the vote in 2015 surrounds the question of whether Blatter will pursue another five-year term, and whether the former French player Michel Platini, the president of European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, will challenge him if he does. Blatter has said he will announce before this summer’s World Cup in Brazil whether he will seek another five-year term, and recently dropped hints that he would.
On Monday, Champagne is set to become the only candidate who has officially announced his intention to run. A former soccer journalist and French diplomat, he joined FIFA after the 1994 World Cup and later became Blatter’s political adviser and right-hand man. He was fired in 2010 after trying to push through changes that upset powerful members of FIFA’s executive committee and has since served as a consultant to soccer organizations in a number of countries.
He is proposing an agenda that, he said, would democratize FIFA and redistribute some of the huge sums of money being made in the European leagues and competitions to the world’s poorer federations. Champagne’s proposals include a tax on the wealthiest leagues to set up a fund to help soccer development around the world.
“The role of FIFA in the economy of football is a mix of Robin Hood and the sheriff of Nottingham,” Champagne said. “When a competition becomes very successful internationally, it takes a lot of money away from the local leagues.”
He said he wanted to see Asia, Africa, and North America better represented in the game, with more seats on FIFA’s executive committee and more places at the World Cup finals.
“Look at how football is progressing in North America; it should have four slots at the World Cup,” he said (Concacaf has three or four slots). He added that Africa should have six rather than its current five places.
Those places are very likely to come at the expense of European teams, which have long had the most. Europe receives 13 World Cup berths in the 32-team field. That will probably cost Champagne votes, but he is no doubt counting on picking up more by giving the many smaller federations a bigger voice.
For Champagne, the biggest problem facing the global game is inequality. Match fixing, racism and the trafficking of young players, he contends, all have roots in the failure of the game to redistribute its money fairly.
“Do we want the N.B.A.-ification of football?” he said, adding that in theory, FIBA, basketball’s equivalent of FIFA, “is above the N.B.A. But we all know that isn’t the case.
“Do we want an increasingly narrow game, where a tiny number of teams in the Champions League share all the money? FIFA is the only organization that can balance this out.”
His manifesto of redistribution is certain to prove unpopular with Platini and UEFA, which runs the world’s richest soccer competition, the UEFA Champions League, a tournament among top clubs from across Europe. But despite Champagne’s status as a largely unknown candidate outside FIFA, his connections in the game and his proposals to transfer power from the executive committee to the federations could help him win votes. It is FIFA’s 209-member congress, not the executive committee, that decides on the president, on a principle of one member, one vote. It is the same political calculus that Blatter used to win the presidency, and the one that has allowed him to keep it.
Champagne’s immediate challenge is to secure the support of five member associations, a nominating requirement to enter the presidential race. He said he was confident that he had them, but his time in FIFA made him understandably wary to name them.
“I don’t want to say who the five are; otherwise, they will be pressurized into not backing me,” he said. “I don’t want to put them in that position.”
After Monday’s news conference, Champagne will have a little more than a year to persuade the soccer world to back his vision. He also knows the risks; the last candidate to challenge Blatter, Mohamed bin Hammam, was removed from the ballot on the eve of the election in 2011 amid charges of vote-buying. He was later barred from soccer for life.
“This election is so important,” Champagne said. “It is about the future of soccer and what the game will look like in 2030.”
www-nytimes-com/2014/01/20/sports/soccer/candidate-for-global-soccer-chief-vows-to-challenge-europes-dominance-html?_r=0
At a news conference in London, Champagne plans to announce his candidacy for the presidency of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body. That would be the first open challenge to FIFA’s longtime president, Sepp Blatter. Champagne also will unveil several initiatives that he contends would boldly reshape and democratize soccer’s governing body.
“I won’t say that if I am elected, I would not face any hurdles; I would face a lot of hurdles,” Champagne said of the intense spotlight that comes with the job, and sometimes merely the pursuit of it.
“But it is a privilege to run for president,” he added. “It is not a job. It is a mission.” Champagne’s candidacy is something of a surprise, as he once served as a loyal aide to Blatter, 77, who has held the presidency since 1998. And it will be considered an uphill fight by many, given Blatter’s iron grip on the post — he was re-elected without opposition in 2011 — and because other, more prominent candidates may yet enter the race.
Much of the debate in advance of the vote in 2015 surrounds the question of whether Blatter will pursue another five-year term, and whether the former French player Michel Platini, the president of European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, will challenge him if he does. Blatter has said he will announce before this summer’s World Cup in Brazil whether he will seek another five-year term, and recently dropped hints that he would.
On Monday, Champagne is set to become the only candidate who has officially announced his intention to run. A former soccer journalist and French diplomat, he joined FIFA after the 1994 World Cup and later became Blatter’s political adviser and right-hand man. He was fired in 2010 after trying to push through changes that upset powerful members of FIFA’s executive committee and has since served as a consultant to soccer organizations in a number of countries.
He is proposing an agenda that, he said, would democratize FIFA and redistribute some of the huge sums of money being made in the European leagues and competitions to the world’s poorer federations. Champagne’s proposals include a tax on the wealthiest leagues to set up a fund to help soccer development around the world.
“The role of FIFA in the economy of football is a mix of Robin Hood and the sheriff of Nottingham,” Champagne said. “When a competition becomes very successful internationally, it takes a lot of money away from the local leagues.”
He said he wanted to see Asia, Africa, and North America better represented in the game, with more seats on FIFA’s executive committee and more places at the World Cup finals.
“Look at how football is progressing in North America; it should have four slots at the World Cup,” he said (Concacaf has three or four slots). He added that Africa should have six rather than its current five places.
Those places are very likely to come at the expense of European teams, which have long had the most. Europe receives 13 World Cup berths in the 32-team field. That will probably cost Champagne votes, but he is no doubt counting on picking up more by giving the many smaller federations a bigger voice.
For Champagne, the biggest problem facing the global game is inequality. Match fixing, racism and the trafficking of young players, he contends, all have roots in the failure of the game to redistribute its money fairly.
“Do we want the N.B.A.-ification of football?” he said, adding that in theory, FIBA, basketball’s equivalent of FIFA, “is above the N.B.A. But we all know that isn’t the case.
“Do we want an increasingly narrow game, where a tiny number of teams in the Champions League share all the money? FIFA is the only organization that can balance this out.”
His manifesto of redistribution is certain to prove unpopular with Platini and UEFA, which runs the world’s richest soccer competition, the UEFA Champions League, a tournament among top clubs from across Europe. But despite Champagne’s status as a largely unknown candidate outside FIFA, his connections in the game and his proposals to transfer power from the executive committee to the federations could help him win votes. It is FIFA’s 209-member congress, not the executive committee, that decides on the president, on a principle of one member, one vote. It is the same political calculus that Blatter used to win the presidency, and the one that has allowed him to keep it.
Champagne’s immediate challenge is to secure the support of five member associations, a nominating requirement to enter the presidential race. He said he was confident that he had them, but his time in FIFA made him understandably wary to name them.
“I don’t want to say who the five are; otherwise, they will be pressurized into not backing me,” he said. “I don’t want to put them in that position.”
After Monday’s news conference, Champagne will have a little more than a year to persuade the soccer world to back his vision. He also knows the risks; the last candidate to challenge Blatter, Mohamed bin Hammam, was removed from the ballot on the eve of the election in 2011 amid charges of vote-buying. He was later barred from soccer for life.
“This election is so important,” Champagne said. “It is about the future of soccer and what the game will look like in 2030.”
www-nytimes-com/2014/01/20/sports/soccer/candidate-for-global-soccer-chief-vows-to-challenge-europes-dominance-html?_r=0
Join:
2006/12/07
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A farewell to people with Oklahoma ties who enjoyed a game day experience:
*Frank Parr, 92, of Oklahoma City was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Away from work, he was heavily involved in local soccer. Parr spent 30 years as a member of the Oklahoma Soccer Association as a player, coach, referee or administrator. He served eight years as the Central Oklahoma Soccer League president. Parr was just one of three people given the Oklahoma Soccer Officials' Golden Whistle Award.
*Ed Sheldon, 84, of Bartlesville served in the Army during the Korean War. While stationed in Augsburg, Germany, he played basketball. Sheldon later became recognized for handmade turkey calls. The outdoorsman made the devices out of three turkey hen wingbones — and they became so popular with fellow hunters that a turkey calling competition was named in Sheldon's honor.
*Mark Champion of Tulsa was an auto racing enthusiast. He provided color commentary over the public address system at now-defunct Tulsa Speedway, while also contributing articles to the Speedway News. Champion did not mind handling the dangerous side of racing, too. He often patrolled Turn 1 at the Tulsa track, working as a fireman and paramedic. Champion died recently at age 65.
*Former Weatherford chief of police Byron Cox, 57, volunteered at Kiwanis Baseball Park. He also umpired high school and summer league baseball. Cox suffered from diabetes the last few years and lost both legs. He had been fitted with prosthetics and continued to work for the police department; Cox hoped to someday return to umpiring.
*Oklahoma City resident Dave Roberts, 67, was a standout athlete in the 1960s at Dewey High School. He turned down several baseball scholarship offers, instead choosing to play football at Oklahoma. Roberts played for the Sooners' freshmen team, and then gave up sports to focus on studies that led to a juris doctorate from the OU law school.
*Rodney Moody, 55, of Edmond was a standout athlete at Altus High School. He particularly excelled at golf, earning a scholarship to Cameron University in Lawton. Moody worked in the grocery business for several years, before returning to school, this time at Southwestern State in Weatherford. He played golf for the Bulldogs. Moody participated in the 85th U.S. Open qualifier at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. He also played in the 84th U.S. Amateur qualifier in Oklahoma City.
*Paul Mathews, 86, of Ninnekah was a self-made millionaire. He was a politician and realtor in Seminole County, owning several pieces of land during his lifetime. Mathews operated the Little League in the 1960s in Seminole, and he helped build a ballpark behind the town's armory. He also assisted in the development of a baseball field in Wewoka.
*Jack Mars, 78, moved to Tulsa to work for B.F. Goodrich. As a youngster in Akron, Ohio, Mars was quite the athlete. He stood 6-foot-7 and starred in football, basketball, baseball and boxing. Perhaps before a growth spurt, Mars participated in the legendary Soap Box Derby in Akron.
*Leonard Tunnell of Miami, OK, coached sports at Ketchum, Wyandotte, Locust Grove and Bluejacket schools. The six-time Bronze star recipient during World War II died at age 89.
*Henryetta resident Ken Wion was a text book consultant for D.C. Heath & Co. As a young man, he played football and basketball and ran track for Woodward High School. He then played college football at Southwestern State in Weatherford. After retirement, he spent time supporting Henryetta High athletic teams. He died at age 73.
*John Mahaffey, 14, of Cache participated in Special Olympics. He was a member of the Hammer Heads swim team.
*Clayton Smith, 18, played baseball for Morris High School. He received an athletic scholarship to Highland Community College in Kansas shortly before he died in an automobile crash.
*Oklahoma City physician James Wenzl acquired an interest in medicine while playing high school football in Greenleaf, Kan. Wenzl suffered a broken nose, a broken tibia, a dislocated shoulder and a broken foot over his junior and senior seasons. He told family members, “I spent so much time talking to doctors in those two years that I became intrigued by the work.” Wenzl, a former pediatric nephrologist at The Children's Hospital, was also a standout half-miler for the Greenleaf track team. He died at age 78 after a five-year fight with cancer.
*Oklahoma City resident John Meek, 84, played basketball at Westark Junior College in Fort Smith, Ark. ... Terry Myrks, 43, played boys basketball at Idabel High School. ... Clarence Cox, 96, coached youth baseball and softball in south Oklahoma City. ... Ruben Potter Jr., 76, was an All-State football player at Elk City High School. ... Walters native Keith Hooker, 71, was a farmer by trade, but he also raised race horses. Attended the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas every December. ... Brian Martin, 51, of Ardmore played high school football and baseball in his native California. ...
*Martha Scroggin, 77, of Midwest City played basketball for Buffalo Valley High School. ... Jeannie Hutton, 71, was a twirler on football Friday nights at Wynnewood High School. ... Herman Hackett, 80, of Enid sponsored softball and Little League baseball teams. ... Michael Wahl, 57, of Edmond was president of the Oklahoma City Men's Senior Baseball League. ... Dana Pitts Orebaugh, 64, of Edmond was a swimming instructor at the downtown YMCA. She was also a member of The Sportsman's Club swim team. ...
*Doris Stephens Puckett, 95, of Edmond played basketball at old Marshall High School in Logan County. ... Gladys Lunow, 93, of Oklahoma City was a four-year letter winner for the Moore High girls basketball team. ... Dolores Dial Renfrow, 81, of Duncan was a championship swimmer for the University of Central Oklahoma. She was also a twirler. ... Retired Army Ranger Mack Haymaker, 82, of Enid raced motorcycles in the late 1950s.
[
*Frank Parr, 92, of Oklahoma City was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Away from work, he was heavily involved in local soccer. Parr spent 30 years as a member of the Oklahoma Soccer Association as a player, coach, referee or administrator. He served eight years as the Central Oklahoma Soccer League president. Parr was just one of three people given the Oklahoma Soccer Officials' Golden Whistle Award.
*Ed Sheldon, 84, of Bartlesville served in the Army during the Korean War. While stationed in Augsburg, Germany, he played basketball. Sheldon later became recognized for handmade turkey calls. The outdoorsman made the devices out of three turkey hen wingbones — and they became so popular with fellow hunters that a turkey calling competition was named in Sheldon's honor.
*Mark Champion of Tulsa was an auto racing enthusiast. He provided color commentary over the public address system at now-defunct Tulsa Speedway, while also contributing articles to the Speedway News. Champion did not mind handling the dangerous side of racing, too. He often patrolled Turn 1 at the Tulsa track, working as a fireman and paramedic. Champion died recently at age 65.
*Former Weatherford chief of police Byron Cox, 57, volunteered at Kiwanis Baseball Park. He also umpired high school and summer league baseball. Cox suffered from diabetes the last few years and lost both legs. He had been fitted with prosthetics and continued to work for the police department; Cox hoped to someday return to umpiring.
*Oklahoma City resident Dave Roberts, 67, was a standout athlete in the 1960s at Dewey High School. He turned down several baseball scholarship offers, instead choosing to play football at Oklahoma. Roberts played for the Sooners' freshmen team, and then gave up sports to focus on studies that led to a juris doctorate from the OU law school.
*Rodney Moody, 55, of Edmond was a standout athlete at Altus High School. He particularly excelled at golf, earning a scholarship to Cameron University in Lawton. Moody worked in the grocery business for several years, before returning to school, this time at Southwestern State in Weatherford. He played golf for the Bulldogs. Moody participated in the 85th U.S. Open qualifier at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. He also played in the 84th U.S. Amateur qualifier in Oklahoma City.
*Paul Mathews, 86, of Ninnekah was a self-made millionaire. He was a politician and realtor in Seminole County, owning several pieces of land during his lifetime. Mathews operated the Little League in the 1960s in Seminole, and he helped build a ballpark behind the town's armory. He also assisted in the development of a baseball field in Wewoka.
*Jack Mars, 78, moved to Tulsa to work for B.F. Goodrich. As a youngster in Akron, Ohio, Mars was quite the athlete. He stood 6-foot-7 and starred in football, basketball, baseball and boxing. Perhaps before a growth spurt, Mars participated in the legendary Soap Box Derby in Akron.
*Leonard Tunnell of Miami, OK, coached sports at Ketchum, Wyandotte, Locust Grove and Bluejacket schools. The six-time Bronze star recipient during World War II died at age 89.
*Henryetta resident Ken Wion was a text book consultant for D.C. Heath & Co. As a young man, he played football and basketball and ran track for Woodward High School. He then played college football at Southwestern State in Weatherford. After retirement, he spent time supporting Henryetta High athletic teams. He died at age 73.
*John Mahaffey, 14, of Cache participated in Special Olympics. He was a member of the Hammer Heads swim team.
*Clayton Smith, 18, played baseball for Morris High School. He received an athletic scholarship to Highland Community College in Kansas shortly before he died in an automobile crash.
*Oklahoma City physician James Wenzl acquired an interest in medicine while playing high school football in Greenleaf, Kan. Wenzl suffered a broken nose, a broken tibia, a dislocated shoulder and a broken foot over his junior and senior seasons. He told family members, “I spent so much time talking to doctors in those two years that I became intrigued by the work.” Wenzl, a former pediatric nephrologist at The Children's Hospital, was also a standout half-miler for the Greenleaf track team. He died at age 78 after a five-year fight with cancer.
*Oklahoma City resident John Meek, 84, played basketball at Westark Junior College in Fort Smith, Ark. ... Terry Myrks, 43, played boys basketball at Idabel High School. ... Clarence Cox, 96, coached youth baseball and softball in south Oklahoma City. ... Ruben Potter Jr., 76, was an All-State football player at Elk City High School. ... Walters native Keith Hooker, 71, was a farmer by trade, but he also raised race horses. Attended the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas every December. ... Brian Martin, 51, of Ardmore played high school football and baseball in his native California. ...
*Martha Scroggin, 77, of Midwest City played basketball for Buffalo Valley High School. ... Jeannie Hutton, 71, was a twirler on football Friday nights at Wynnewood High School. ... Herman Hackett, 80, of Enid sponsored softball and Little League baseball teams. ... Michael Wahl, 57, of Edmond was president of the Oklahoma City Men's Senior Baseball League. ... Dana Pitts Orebaugh, 64, of Edmond was a swimming instructor at the downtown YMCA. She was also a member of The Sportsman's Club swim team. ...
*Doris Stephens Puckett, 95, of Edmond played basketball at old Marshall High School in Logan County. ... Gladys Lunow, 93, of Oklahoma City was a four-year letter winner for the Moore High girls basketball team. ... Dolores Dial Renfrow, 81, of Duncan was a championship swimmer for the University of Central Oklahoma. She was also a twirler. ... Retired Army Ranger Mack Haymaker, 82, of Enid raced motorcycles in the late 1950s.
[
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Major League Soccer (MLS), the premier football league in the US, is hoping to add a new team in Miami, fuelled by the star-power of David Beckham and LeBron James.
An option in Mr Beckham's record-setting contract allows the former England captain to buy a franchise for a discounted $25 million (£15.3 million), and he has set his sights on the bustling South Florida metropolis.
The last MLS team in Miami folded in 2001 after just four seasons with sparse attendance and the lowest revenue in the league. Now, league executives and Mr Beckham believe that demographics have shifted even more in their favour, with an ever increasing influx of Latin Americans calling Miami home.
The BBC's Jonny Dymond went to Miami to see if the city cares as much about soccer as the league hopes.
BBC News - Can David Beckham bring Major League Soccer to Miami?
An option in Mr Beckham's record-setting contract allows the former England captain to buy a franchise for a discounted $25 million (£15.3 million), and he has set his sights on the bustling South Florida metropolis.
The last MLS team in Miami folded in 2001 after just four seasons with sparse attendance and the lowest revenue in the league. Now, league executives and Mr Beckham believe that demographics have shifted even more in their favour, with an ever increasing influx of Latin Americans calling Miami home.
The BBC's Jonny Dymond went to Miami to see if the city cares as much about soccer as the league hopes.
BBC News - Can David Beckham bring Major League Soccer to Miami?
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Real Madrid and Barcelona are soccer’s biggest moneymakers for the fifth straight year, and Manchester United lost its place among the top three biggest-earning clubs for the first time.
United, which is enduring a lackluster season under new manager David Moyes, dropped to fourth behind European champion Bayern Munich in the Football Money League compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte. The biggest growth in 2012-13 was at Paris Saint-Germain, which went from 10th to fifth as the club’s global profile was enhanced by David Beckham’s four-month spell in the championship-winning team.
Madrid stayed on top for the ninth straight year after revenue rose slightly to $703 million. Spanish rival Barcelona had revenues of $654 million.
“Real Madrid remain firmly at the top of the Money League, even though the club experienced a trophy-less end to the 2012-13 season,” said Dan Jones, a partner in the sports business group at Deloitte.
“Despite tough economic conditions, particularly within Spain, the club’s ability to generate substantial commercial revenue both domestically and internationally is central to their success.
“This helped widen the gap to their nearest rivals in the Money League, Barcelona, to 36 million pounds. Both Spanish clubs enjoy substantial revenue from individually negotiated broadcast deals, which is key in contributing to their overall revenue advantage over their European peers.”
In Germany, Bayern’s income jumped 17 percent to $584 million as the German club won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.
United’s growth was slower — 13 percent to $602 million — as the team collected the Premier League title before manager Alex Ferguson retired in May.
“It is the first time Manchester United have dropped out of the top three but Bayern had an exceptional year,” Jones said. “Next year United will have the Chevrolet (shirt sponsorship) deal plus other new commercial deals in their figures, and the new Premier League TV deal so we are confident they will be back in the top three.”
But in the Premier League, United is seventh, 14 points behind leader Arsenal, with a fight to secure one of the four Champions League spots.
“The longer term depends in part what happens on the pitch and if they do not qualify for next season’s Champions League that is probably worth 50 million euros directly in terms of money from TV and attendances at Old Trafford,” Jones said.
Deloitte revealed details of clubs yet to publish their 2012-13 accounts, including two of the biggest spending clubs, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, who face a challenge complying with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. The Gulf-owned teams have benefited from sponsorship deals related to their owners.
Income at Qatar-owned PSG soared by 180 percent to $540 million as it won the French league for the first time in 19 years.
“We expect to see them become a mainstay in the top five in years to come, backed by their ambitious Qatari owners and strong commercial support,” said Austin Houlihan of Deloitte.
“The high-profile signing of David Beckham in the second half of the 2012-13 season only served to enhance the club’s worldwide profile. Importantly, commercial success off the pitch is translating into improved on-pitch performance for the club.”
Man City’s turnover increased by 17 percent to $449 million despite the Abu Dhabi-owned team failing to win a trophy last season.
Two Premier League rivals are directly below City, with Chelsea seeing turnover drop slightly to $431 million and Arsenal’s rising to $404 million.
Madrid, Barca remain top soccer moneymakers - The Washington Post
United, which is enduring a lackluster season under new manager David Moyes, dropped to fourth behind European champion Bayern Munich in the Football Money League compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte. The biggest growth in 2012-13 was at Paris Saint-Germain, which went from 10th to fifth as the club’s global profile was enhanced by David Beckham’s four-month spell in the championship-winning team.
Madrid stayed on top for the ninth straight year after revenue rose slightly to $703 million. Spanish rival Barcelona had revenues of $654 million.
“Real Madrid remain firmly at the top of the Money League, even though the club experienced a trophy-less end to the 2012-13 season,” said Dan Jones, a partner in the sports business group at Deloitte.
“Despite tough economic conditions, particularly within Spain, the club’s ability to generate substantial commercial revenue both domestically and internationally is central to their success.
“This helped widen the gap to their nearest rivals in the Money League, Barcelona, to 36 million pounds. Both Spanish clubs enjoy substantial revenue from individually negotiated broadcast deals, which is key in contributing to their overall revenue advantage over their European peers.”
In Germany, Bayern’s income jumped 17 percent to $584 million as the German club won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.
United’s growth was slower — 13 percent to $602 million — as the team collected the Premier League title before manager Alex Ferguson retired in May.
“It is the first time Manchester United have dropped out of the top three but Bayern had an exceptional year,” Jones said. “Next year United will have the Chevrolet (shirt sponsorship) deal plus other new commercial deals in their figures, and the new Premier League TV deal so we are confident they will be back in the top three.”
But in the Premier League, United is seventh, 14 points behind leader Arsenal, with a fight to secure one of the four Champions League spots.
“The longer term depends in part what happens on the pitch and if they do not qualify for next season’s Champions League that is probably worth 50 million euros directly in terms of money from TV and attendances at Old Trafford,” Jones said.
Deloitte revealed details of clubs yet to publish their 2012-13 accounts, including two of the biggest spending clubs, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, who face a challenge complying with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. The Gulf-owned teams have benefited from sponsorship deals related to their owners.
Income at Qatar-owned PSG soared by 180 percent to $540 million as it won the French league for the first time in 19 years.
“We expect to see them become a mainstay in the top five in years to come, backed by their ambitious Qatari owners and strong commercial support,” said Austin Houlihan of Deloitte.
“The high-profile signing of David Beckham in the second half of the 2012-13 season only served to enhance the club’s worldwide profile. Importantly, commercial success off the pitch is translating into improved on-pitch performance for the club.”
Man City’s turnover increased by 17 percent to $449 million despite the Abu Dhabi-owned team failing to win a trophy last season.
Two Premier League rivals are directly below City, with Chelsea seeing turnover drop slightly to $431 million and Arsenal’s rising to $404 million.
Madrid, Barca remain top soccer moneymakers - The Washington Post
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Monaco says star forward Radamel Falcao will have surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that could cause the Colombian to miss this year's World Cup.
A 27-year-old who finished 11th in FIFA Player of the Year voting this month, Falcao left the field on a stretcher Wednesday night after getting hurt when tackled by defender Soner Ertek during a French Cup match against the amateur club Chasselay.
Monaco says in a statement Thursday that "the player will have surgery in next few days. Doctors will do everything possible to speed up recovery."
ACL surgery usually requires a recovery time of about six months, and Colombia plays its World Cup opener against Greece on June 14. Japan and Ivory Coast also are in Group C.
The injury would appear to be a big blow for the Colombian national team, which is currently No. 4 in the FIFA world rankings, but inclusion as one of the seeded teams for the World Cup in Brazil has been questioned.
English national team winger Theo Walcott will miss the tournament after tearing his left ACL while playing for Arsenal against Tottenham in an FA Cup match on Jan. 4.
Colombian Soccer Star Radamel Falcao Injures Left Knee, Likely To Miss World Cup | Fox News Latino
A 27-year-old who finished 11th in FIFA Player of the Year voting this month, Falcao left the field on a stretcher Wednesday night after getting hurt when tackled by defender Soner Ertek during a French Cup match against the amateur club Chasselay.
Monaco says in a statement Thursday that "the player will have surgery in next few days. Doctors will do everything possible to speed up recovery."
ACL surgery usually requires a recovery time of about six months, and Colombia plays its World Cup opener against Greece on June 14. Japan and Ivory Coast also are in Group C.
The injury would appear to be a big blow for the Colombian national team, which is currently No. 4 in the FIFA world rankings, but inclusion as one of the seeded teams for the World Cup in Brazil has been questioned.
English national team winger Theo Walcott will miss the tournament after tearing his left ACL while playing for Arsenal against Tottenham in an FA Cup match on Jan. 4.
Colombian Soccer Star Radamel Falcao Injures Left Knee, Likely To Miss World Cup | Fox News Latino
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The Canadian Soccer Association released its 2014-18 strategic plan Thursday, with an eye on a huge prize further down the line.
Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"The process has to start now," CSA president Victor Montagliani said Thursday of a bid to stage "the grand-daddy of them all."
Brazil is hosting the men's World Cup this summer, with Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) in the wings. A 2026 bid would probably have to be filed around 2018.
Canada is hosting the women's World Cup next year. Getting that right is key to being able to giving the men's tournament a shot.
CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, has not hosted the men's World Cup since the U.S. in 1994.
"We're the only G-8 nation to not host the World Cup," Montagliani added. "We've hosted almost every other event. I think it's time for Canada to step up to the plate."
By next year, Canada will have hosted every FIFA event except for the world futsal, beach and club championships and Confederations Cup.
Montagliani says the World Cup bid is part of the new blueprint's strategy to encourage growth in the game in Canada.
Ranked 111th
Such a bid goes hand in hand with reviving a national men's team that currently ranks 111th in the world, sandwiched between Bahrain and Guatemala.
While the Canadian women turned heads with a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics, the men have not won since being knocked out of World Cup qualifying in a 8-1 humiliation in Honduras in October 2012.
A 2-0 loss in Slovenia last November stretched the Canadian men's winless streak to 14 games. Canada is 0-11-3 over the streak and hasn't scored in 10 games. The winless run has seen the Canadian men outscored 27-2.
Canada has not won since a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Cuba in Toronto four days before the Honduras debacle.
In the national team's defence, Canada has played tough opposition in Australia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Slovenia and the U.S.
And coach Benito Floro has looked to young talent since taking over the squad last summer.
Montagliani pointed to the U.S. successful bid for the '94 World Cup.
"When they bid for the World Cup, I wouldn't say the game was in a healthy state in the U.S. both professionally and domestically. Their leadership group decided to put a bid together and I think that was a bit of a lightning rod for people to come together."
A World Cup bid would require eight to 12 stadiums with 10 the optimum, according to CSA general secretary Peter Montopoli. All would have to accommodate at least 40,000 with more for the venue for the final.
Questions about artificial surfaces
The CFL's recent trend towards new stadiums and plans to revamp BMO Field in Toronto help the CSA cause although much work would remain, not to mention questions about artificial surfaces.
"There are a lot of requirements from a hosting perspective for a men's World Cup," Montopoli acknowledged. "It's massive."
FIFA, CONCACAF and the federal sport minister are aware of the CSA's intentions, he added.
"We have been trying to get to the prime minister. He's busy. But we will be getting to the prime minister on this file."
CONCACAF seems on board, tweeting its congratulations on the CSA's "ambitious new strategic plan."
A bid to co-host the World Cup was possible, with the subject already having been raised with U.S. Soccer, Montopoli said.
With FIFA yet to issue its 2026 hosting guidelines, Montopoli said talk of a co-hosted bid "might be a little premature but it certainly is possible."
The CSA's 2014-18 blueprint is titled "Leading a Soccer Nation." It is a pithy document divided into four goals with 27 sub-points.
The four major goals are:
Invest in technical leadership.
Ensure consistent world-class performances by our national teams.
Govern the game in Canada professionally.
Encourage and oversee the grown of the game.
The CSA plan also calls for mandating technical development across the country and establishing a national player database.
Strategic plans
The strategic plan was 18 months in the making with input coming from town hall meetings and an online survey (which got 3,000 responses).
It also involved looking at the strategic plans of other sports in Canada including hockey, figure skating, volleyball and golf, as well as foreign soccer organizations from the U.S. and England to Mexico and the Netherlands.
"Because we believe there was no point in re-inventing the wheel here," said Nick Bontis, director and chair of the CSA's strategic committee.
Changes in CSA governance have made the association better able to institute its policies. The makeup of the CSA board is no longer made up of regional interests, with the emphasis on skill set rather than geography.
Bontis says the new strategic plan will pay immediate dividends.
"We've never historically necessitated a certain behaviour by our provincial associations," said Bontis. "This strat [strategic] plan is the opposite. It necessitates certain behaviours."
That includes provincial governance reform, investment in technical leadership and mandating provincial strategic plans.
"Historically it was 10 different countries writing their own strat plans, their own technical plans, moving forward and somehow — in some sort of magical way, Abracadabra — the CSA was supposed to co-ordinate 10 national plans. That is something that needs to go away in the short-term."
Bontis will be front and centre in the CSA's plan to create a national player database, allowing it to better leverage its 850,000-plus registered players.
"We are in the year 2014 and we are archaic," he said. "It's an embarrassment how we register players across the country."
"Harvesting a million registrants will have fundamental changes in the way we do business in soccer in Canada," he added.
Players currently register w
Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"The process has to start now," CSA president Victor Montagliani said Thursday of a bid to stage "the grand-daddy of them all."
Brazil is hosting the men's World Cup this summer, with Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) in the wings. A 2026 bid would probably have to be filed around 2018.
Canada is hosting the women's World Cup next year. Getting that right is key to being able to giving the men's tournament a shot.
CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, has not hosted the men's World Cup since the U.S. in 1994.
"We're the only G-8 nation to not host the World Cup," Montagliani added. "We've hosted almost every other event. I think it's time for Canada to step up to the plate."
By next year, Canada will have hosted every FIFA event except for the world futsal, beach and club championships and Confederations Cup.
Montagliani says the World Cup bid is part of the new blueprint's strategy to encourage growth in the game in Canada.
Ranked 111th
Such a bid goes hand in hand with reviving a national men's team that currently ranks 111th in the world, sandwiched between Bahrain and Guatemala.
While the Canadian women turned heads with a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics, the men have not won since being knocked out of World Cup qualifying in a 8-1 humiliation in Honduras in October 2012.
A 2-0 loss in Slovenia last November stretched the Canadian men's winless streak to 14 games. Canada is 0-11-3 over the streak and hasn't scored in 10 games. The winless run has seen the Canadian men outscored 27-2.
Canada has not won since a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Cuba in Toronto four days before the Honduras debacle.
In the national team's defence, Canada has played tough opposition in Australia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Slovenia and the U.S.
And coach Benito Floro has looked to young talent since taking over the squad last summer.
Montagliani pointed to the U.S. successful bid for the '94 World Cup.
"When they bid for the World Cup, I wouldn't say the game was in a healthy state in the U.S. both professionally and domestically. Their leadership group decided to put a bid together and I think that was a bit of a lightning rod for people to come together."
A World Cup bid would require eight to 12 stadiums with 10 the optimum, according to CSA general secretary Peter Montopoli. All would have to accommodate at least 40,000 with more for the venue for the final.
Questions about artificial surfaces
The CFL's recent trend towards new stadiums and plans to revamp BMO Field in Toronto help the CSA cause although much work would remain, not to mention questions about artificial surfaces.
"There are a lot of requirements from a hosting perspective for a men's World Cup," Montopoli acknowledged. "It's massive."
FIFA, CONCACAF and the federal sport minister are aware of the CSA's intentions, he added.
"We have been trying to get to the prime minister. He's busy. But we will be getting to the prime minister on this file."
CONCACAF seems on board, tweeting its congratulations on the CSA's "ambitious new strategic plan."
A bid to co-host the World Cup was possible, with the subject already having been raised with U.S. Soccer, Montopoli said.
With FIFA yet to issue its 2026 hosting guidelines, Montopoli said talk of a co-hosted bid "might be a little premature but it certainly is possible."
The CSA's 2014-18 blueprint is titled "Leading a Soccer Nation." It is a pithy document divided into four goals with 27 sub-points.
The four major goals are:
Invest in technical leadership.
Ensure consistent world-class performances by our national teams.
Govern the game in Canada professionally.
Encourage and oversee the grown of the game.
The CSA plan also calls for mandating technical development across the country and establishing a national player database.
Strategic plans
The strategic plan was 18 months in the making with input coming from town hall meetings and an online survey (which got 3,000 responses).
It also involved looking at the strategic plans of other sports in Canada including hockey, figure skating, volleyball and golf, as well as foreign soccer organizations from the U.S. and England to Mexico and the Netherlands.
"Because we believe there was no point in re-inventing the wheel here," said Nick Bontis, director and chair of the CSA's strategic committee.
Changes in CSA governance have made the association better able to institute its policies. The makeup of the CSA board is no longer made up of regional interests, with the emphasis on skill set rather than geography.
Bontis says the new strategic plan will pay immediate dividends.
"We've never historically necessitated a certain behaviour by our provincial associations," said Bontis. "This strat [strategic] plan is the opposite. It necessitates certain behaviours."
That includes provincial governance reform, investment in technical leadership and mandating provincial strategic plans.
"Historically it was 10 different countries writing their own strat plans, their own technical plans, moving forward and somehow — in some sort of magical way, Abracadabra — the CSA was supposed to co-ordinate 10 national plans. That is something that needs to go away in the short-term."
Bontis will be front and centre in the CSA's plan to create a national player database, allowing it to better leverage its 850,000-plus registered players.
"We are in the year 2014 and we are archaic," he said. "It's an embarrassment how we register players across the country."
"Harvesting a million registrants will have fundamental changes in the way we do business in soccer in Canada," he added.
Players currently register w
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Saturday's encounter with Adelaide at Eden Park will offer another opportunity for the Phoenix to illustrate their improvement away from Wellington.
Despite the 2-1 defeat suffered in Brisbane on Friday night, Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick thought his side's performance was the latest example of their increasingly impressive away form.
And, given the circumstances, it would be hard to argue. Missing two of their most influential players and having to battle extreme humidity, the Phoenix took the game to the league leaders before tiring in the second spell.
In seasons past, Wellington may have been content to play a reserved style in an attempt to eke out a result but, like they have shown throughout the campaign, the players weren't over-awed by their task across the Tasman.
While a five-game unbeaten streak would have helped to create that confidence, the attitude away from home has been the biggest difference in Merrick's reign, although the coach was keen to pass credit to the players.
"You have to say that the players have changed it,'' he said. "They've done that themselves with a bit of encouragement, and it's a big plus.
"We're going out to win games and, despite being extremely stressed with the physical aspects of the game, I thought they really gave everything they had to win that game.''
Defeat instead left the Phoenix in ninth, three points outside the playoff positions, with last night's trip to Auckland bringing a chance to close the gap on the fifth-placed Adelaide.
The Phoenix have failed to earn a win against Adelaide since February 2012, although the two teams are yet to meet this season. Adelaide will come into the contest after a 2-2 draw at home to last-placed Melbourne Heart, and the South Australians may be ripe for the picking.
If the Phoenix can repeat the result from their last trip to Eden Park - a 1-0 win over Perth last season - it could kick off another winning run, with their following two matches coming against sides in the bottom three.
Wellington will be boosted by the return of Carlos Hernandez and Kenny Cunningham after the pair missed the Brisbane match through international duty. Both men started in Costa Rica's 4-0 loss to Chile and both should do likewise against Adelaide, with Merrick conceding his side were lacking the service the duo typically provide.
"There's no doubt we missed Kenny and Carlos,'' he said. "There was no service coming forward for the strikers towards the end of the second half.''
Merrick thought one man who was especially let down in that regard was Roy Krishna, with the Fijian frontman struggling to make an impact when summoned from the bench.
Krishna, who has made two brief appearances for the Phoenix since signing with the club earlier this month, should get another chance in the city where he made his name with Waitakere United.
"He was making little runs in behind [against Brisbane],'' Merrick said. "Although he struggled a little bit, there were a few flashes that showed me his ability.''
Soccer: Merrick proud of away form - Sport - NZ Herald News
Despite the 2-1 defeat suffered in Brisbane on Friday night, Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick thought his side's performance was the latest example of their increasingly impressive away form.
And, given the circumstances, it would be hard to argue. Missing two of their most influential players and having to battle extreme humidity, the Phoenix took the game to the league leaders before tiring in the second spell.
In seasons past, Wellington may have been content to play a reserved style in an attempt to eke out a result but, like they have shown throughout the campaign, the players weren't over-awed by their task across the Tasman.
While a five-game unbeaten streak would have helped to create that confidence, the attitude away from home has been the biggest difference in Merrick's reign, although the coach was keen to pass credit to the players.
"You have to say that the players have changed it,'' he said. "They've done that themselves with a bit of encouragement, and it's a big plus.
"We're going out to win games and, despite being extremely stressed with the physical aspects of the game, I thought they really gave everything they had to win that game.''
Defeat instead left the Phoenix in ninth, three points outside the playoff positions, with last night's trip to Auckland bringing a chance to close the gap on the fifth-placed Adelaide.
The Phoenix have failed to earn a win against Adelaide since February 2012, although the two teams are yet to meet this season. Adelaide will come into the contest after a 2-2 draw at home to last-placed Melbourne Heart, and the South Australians may be ripe for the picking.
If the Phoenix can repeat the result from their last trip to Eden Park - a 1-0 win over Perth last season - it could kick off another winning run, with their following two matches coming against sides in the bottom three.
Wellington will be boosted by the return of Carlos Hernandez and Kenny Cunningham after the pair missed the Brisbane match through international duty. Both men started in Costa Rica's 4-0 loss to Chile and both should do likewise against Adelaide, with Merrick conceding his side were lacking the service the duo typically provide.
"There's no doubt we missed Kenny and Carlos,'' he said. "There was no service coming forward for the strikers towards the end of the second half.''
Merrick thought one man who was especially let down in that regard was Roy Krishna, with the Fijian frontman struggling to make an impact when summoned from the bench.
Krishna, who has made two brief appearances for the Phoenix since signing with the club earlier this month, should get another chance in the city where he made his name with Waitakere United.
"He was making little runs in behind [against Brisbane],'' Merrick said. "Although he struggled a little bit, there were a few flashes that showed me his ability.''
Soccer: Merrick proud of away form - Sport - NZ Herald News
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This is undeniably a publicity stunt, but credit Doncaster Rovers for taking their exploit to the next level. Rather than be content with One Direction member Louis Tomlinson signing a non-playing contract on English television this fall, the second-tier English club are ready to give the boy bander a chance on the field, saying the 22-year-old will debut for his hometown club “in the next month.”
That debut will come in what’s essentially a reserve league match, with Tomlinson expected to be named to the Rovers’ squad for an upcoming Final Third Development League game. Understandably, that relatively low-level didn’t prevent the club from touting the singer’s debut, with Doncaster Chief Executive Gavin Baldwin expressing his club’s excitement about the upcoming event.
From the team’s web site:
“We are very much looking forward to Louis making his Rovers debut and I know that he can’t wait either.
“Louis has an incredibly busy schedule and we have been working hard with him to ensure we can get a date in his diary for the game.
“Louis is lifelong Rovers supporter and he comes to watch the team whenever he can, so it will be great for him to put on his Rovers shirt and make his debut for us.”
To a certain extent, Tomlinson has already made his soccer debut, having briefly appeared in a fall charity match for Aston Villa’s Stiliyan Petrov. That day ended badly for Tomlinson, however, with an injury inflicted by Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor delaying the singer’s Doncaster debut.
Baldwin’s hoping the incident hasn’t diminished excitement about Tomlinson’s soccer career.
“I am sure that the Louis’ appearance for Doncaster Rovers will attract lots of attention from One Direction fans and I hope that we will generate lots of new Rovers supporters.”
According to Doncaster’s web site, details about Tomlinson’s upcoming debut will be available next week, conveniently giving the club another chance to get its name out there next to their famous supporters’. That, after all, is the end game here, though Tomlinson and his fans will undoubtedly get a lot of entertainment out of the ordeal.
One Direction star closing in on English soccer debut | ProSoccerTalk
That debut will come in what’s essentially a reserve league match, with Tomlinson expected to be named to the Rovers’ squad for an upcoming Final Third Development League game. Understandably, that relatively low-level didn’t prevent the club from touting the singer’s debut, with Doncaster Chief Executive Gavin Baldwin expressing his club’s excitement about the upcoming event.
From the team’s web site:
“We are very much looking forward to Louis making his Rovers debut and I know that he can’t wait either.
“Louis has an incredibly busy schedule and we have been working hard with him to ensure we can get a date in his diary for the game.
“Louis is lifelong Rovers supporter and he comes to watch the team whenever he can, so it will be great for him to put on his Rovers shirt and make his debut for us.”
To a certain extent, Tomlinson has already made his soccer debut, having briefly appeared in a fall charity match for Aston Villa’s Stiliyan Petrov. That day ended badly for Tomlinson, however, with an injury inflicted by Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor delaying the singer’s Doncaster debut.
Baldwin’s hoping the incident hasn’t diminished excitement about Tomlinson’s soccer career.
“I am sure that the Louis’ appearance for Doncaster Rovers will attract lots of attention from One Direction fans and I hope that we will generate lots of new Rovers supporters.”
According to Doncaster’s web site, details about Tomlinson’s upcoming debut will be available next week, conveniently giving the club another chance to get its name out there next to their famous supporters’. That, after all, is the end game here, though Tomlinson and his fans will undoubtedly get a lot of entertainment out of the ordeal.
One Direction star closing in on English soccer debut | ProSoccerTalk
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South Africa's soccer association has reached a five-year sponsorship deal with Nike, with the American sportswear label replacing German manufacturer Puma.
Terms were not disclosed of the deal announced Tuesday.
The sponsorship begins Feb. 1. Nike says it will make a "limited edition" outfit for South Africa's exhibition against Brazil in Johannesburg in March.
Puma ended its agreement with South Africa last year over allegations of match-fixing in the country's pre-World Cup exhibitions in 2010. FIFA asked South Africa to investigate the allegations but little has been done.
South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan says the Nike deal is part of the process of rebuilding the country's soccer reputation. The national team has been severely criticized by South Africans for poor performances.
Nike, SAfrican Soccer Announce Sponsorship Deal - ABC News
Terms were not disclosed of the deal announced Tuesday.
The sponsorship begins Feb. 1. Nike says it will make a "limited edition" outfit for South Africa's exhibition against Brazil in Johannesburg in March.
Puma ended its agreement with South Africa last year over allegations of match-fixing in the country's pre-World Cup exhibitions in 2010. FIFA asked South Africa to investigate the allegations but little has been done.
South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan says the Nike deal is part of the process of rebuilding the country's soccer reputation. The national team has been severely criticized by South Africans for poor performances.
Nike, SAfrican Soccer Announce Sponsorship Deal - ABC News
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"I'm making my homosexuality public because I would like to advance the discussion of homosexuality among professional athletes," Thomas Hitzlsperger, 31, told Germany’s Die Zeit newspaper in an interview that will be published on Thursday.
Homosexuality is still widely regarded as a taboo subject in the highly competitive ranks of international soccer.
Being gay is a topic that is "simply ignored" in soccer, Hitzlsperger said.
"Fighting spirit, passion and winning mentality are intrinsically linked, which does not fit the cliché of ‘gays being softies,’” said Hitzlsperger, who represented Germany in 52 international matches between 2004 and 2010. The prominent midfielder who played for European top teams like Bayern Munich, Lazio Rome and Aston Villa, retired in September.
"In England, Germany and Italy, homosexuality is not an issue that is discussed in earnest, not in the dressing-room at any rate," he said.
"I was never ashamed of being who I am, but it was not always easy to sit at a table with 20 young men and listen to jokes about gays. You let them get on with it as long as the jokes are somewhat funny and not too insulting," said Hitzlsperger, who had been known under the nickname 'Hitz, The Hammer' among his fans in England.
International soccer has seen very few gay players come out, especially during their active careers, out of fear of retribution by coaches, players and fans.
A lot of the fear comes out of a tragic case in Britain where former Norwich City striker Justin Fashanu came out in a tabloid newspaper in 1990 and committed suicide eight years later.
For years, soccer officials in Germany have been advocating for more tolerance for minority groups, such as homosexuals and black players, and they were quick to support Hitzlsperger’s announcement.
Prominently posted on the front page of the German Soccer Federation (DF😎 website under the headline "Support for Hitzlsperger," the president of Germany's highest soccer authority wrote:
“During his time as a player on the national team, Thomas Hitzlsperger always was a role model, who I had the highest respect for – and this respect has now grown further."
Other experts also welcomed the coming out and called the decision “brave,” but criticized that only a few have shown the courage to speak out.
"Almost eight years the casting show dragged on, but now Germany has its gay super kicker,” wrote Ronny Blaschke, author of a book about a homosexual amateur soccer player, which was published in 2008.
"I hope that this coming out will now also bring more tolerance on lower levels, in amateur and youth sports," Blaschke told NBC News.
First high-profile former German soccer star says he is gay - World News