Soccer archive

Another big soccer event is coming to St. Louis.

Major League Soccer on Friday announced that a match in the "Road to Brazil" series will take place May 30 at the Edward Jones Dome. Bosnia- Herzegovina's national team will play Ivory Coast. Kickoff time has not been announced. Tickets go on sale March 17.

The Road to Brazil is a series of matches across the U.S. from May 29 to June 7, as teams prepare for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

St. Louis hosted three soccer exhibitions in 2013 - two at Busch Stadium and one at the dome. Combined ticket sales were nearly 150,000.




Another soccer event coming to St. Louis

Brazilian-born forward Diego Costa was called up by Spain on Friday for next week's friendly against Italy, and veteran strikers David Villa and Fernando Torres were not wanted.

Dropping Villa and Torres for Wednesday's match at Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid does not mean they will not make the squad for the World Cup, coach Vicente del Bosque said.

"This list is exclusively for the game against Italy," Del Bosque said after announcing his 22 players. "There are three months left of competition, and many things can happen to convince us to bring other players. We don't close the door to anything." Diego Costa, a naturalized Spanish citizen, was summoned for a pair of November friendlies, but injury kept the Atletico Madrid striker sidelined.

"I'm very happy to have been called up," Diego Costa said. "Besides, it will be very special to play Italy in our stadium, the Vicente Calderon."

He has been at the centre of a few ill-tempered encounters with Real Madrid players, soon to be his new teammates in the national side.

Del Bosque said he wasn't concerned, adding that the latest run-ins were not as serious as the tension between Barcelona and Madrid players from recent years that didn't stop Spain from winning the World Cup and two European Championships.

"We don't make a big deal of it," the former Madrid manager said. "We know that there are conflicts, but I don't think it is the same case [as Barcelona and Madrid]. There was a recent match between Madrid and Atletico and no incidents occurred."

Del Bosque said Italy was Spain's "last great test" before he names his final 23-man World Cup squad on May 25.

Spain will play Bolivia in a friendly on May 30 and then take on El Salvador on June 7 in the United States before it faces the Netherlands in its opening World Cup match on June 13.

While Del Bosque was adamant that he has yet to pick his final squad, the group he has chosen to face Italy appears to indicate he may opt to rejuvenate a side that lost handily to Brazil in the final of last year's Confederations Cup.

Even so, the squad is still loaded with midfielders, meaning Spain's control-based passing style won't change.

Besides Diego Costa, Del Bosque will have only Alvaro Negredo and Pedro Rodriguez as traditional forwards with Villa, Spain's all-time leading scorer, and Torres left at home.

Del Bosque summoned the young Bayern Munich pair of Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, while Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta returned for the first time since the Confederations Cup.

Juan Mata and Alvaro Arbeloa were also dropped. Gerard Pique was unavailable due to injury, while Barcelona teammate Carles Puyol was left out as he struggles to return from nagging injuries.

———

Spain:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes (Barcelona), Pepe Reina (Napoli)

Defenders: Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raul Albiol (Napoli)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Jesus Navas (Manchester City), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)

Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid)



Spain drops David Villa, Fernando Torres for Italy friendly - CBC Sports - Soccer

The United States men’s national team’s friendly against Ukraine scheduled to be played in Kharkiv, Ukraine on March 5 will be relocated to Cyprus, according to a statement on the website of the Football Federation of Ukraine.

“After discussions with the Ukrainian Football Federation, we have decided not to play in Ukraine on March 5 and are planning to move the match to a city in Cyprus," US Soccer released in a statement. "We are in the final stages of discussions with Ukraine and the Cyprus Football Association to determine the location and kickoff time. We hope to have confirmation on all the match details by Wednesday.”

Last Thursday, a Dynamo Kiev-Valencia UEFA Europa League game was also moved to Cyprus.

In recent weeks, Ukraine’s capital Kiev has become a battleground in a stand-off between president Viktor Yanukovych and a popular uprising. Violent skirmishes between government forces and the demonstrators have left a reported 82 dead.


US-Ukraine soccer friendly to be moved to Cyprus | Fox News

When soccer-mad Canadians speak about their country’s potential rise on the pitch, it’s not unusual for their words to be met with snickers from cynics.

But the rapid development of Calgarian Marco Carducci is proof that their optimism isn’t unfounded.

Only a couple years ago, the 17-year-old might have struggled to find platforms to show off his considerable goalkeeping skills. Instead, when the Vancouver Whitecaps joined Major League Soccer in 2011 and expanded their youth development programs, Carducci made the move to the West Coast and was able to train full-time in a professional environment.

On Tuesday, his burgeoning career took another huge step forward when Carducci signed his first professional deal with the Vancouver club.

“(MLS expansion into Canada) is huge because this era of players are able to train and play in professional academies from a young age and take that next step,” Carducci said Thursday from the Whitecaps’ training facility. “The coaching staff, the medical staff here, everything is set up here and made for us to succeed.

“It’s huge for the national program and I think we’re already seeing the results.”

Coming from a soccer-obsessed Italian family, Carducci was basically born with a soccer ball at his feet. A Lazio supporter since “before I could walk,” Carducci split his time playing youth soccer with the Calgary Villains, MSB United and MacKenzie FC, and spent years playing goalie for the Alberta provincial team at both the under-13 and under-16 levels.

It was his dad Luciano, though, who Carducci credits with helping him get to the level where he caught the Whitecaps’ attention.

“He was my trainer until I came out here,” Carducci said. “We’d go on on a day where there was a chinook or just a patch of grass and we’d just go in the back and train. We’d put a couple extra layers on but we’d make due with what we had. Soccer was in my family’s blood.”

After joining the Whitecaps youth academy in ’11, Carducci began making his mark on the national scene. While the men’s team struggled in World Cup qualifying, the under-17 team showed it could compete with the world’s best by qualifying for the U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year.

There, Carducci started every game and was named captain for a team that managed ties with both Austria and Iran and finished third in its group.

Having put pen to paper on his pro contract, Carducci’s now focused on putting in the work to establish himself as the Whitecaps’ go-to keeper. Even if he doesn’t get MLS starter’s minutes in the immediate future, he should be getting lots of time manning the net for Canada’s under-20 team.

After that?

“As early as possible, I want to step up to the national team,” Carducci said.


Calgary soccer player signs with Vancouver Whitecaps | Soccer | Sports | Calgary Sun

For Northern Colorado Soccer Club coach Derek Starkey, coaching youth soccer is a reward in itself.

About a month ago, Starkey coupled the reward of coaching soccer with an award for coaching soccer.

Starkey — who has coached soccer for 16 years, five with the NCSC — was named the Colorado Soccer Association’s Girls Coach of the Year for 2013.

Starkey, 41, admitted when he first heard he had won the award, he wasn’t sure he had heard correctly.

“I had just come home from vacation, and I didn’t even know what to think. ... I thought maybe they made a mistake,” Starkey said with a chuckle. “I’m honored and humbled and shocked. ... I just couldn’t believe it.”

Starkey coaches the Bootleggers’ U12G Blue team. He stays plenty busy, even when he’s not coaching soccer, working as a recruiter for the Army National Guard.

“During the soccer season, it’s pretty much work and soccer,” said Starkey, who also coaches junior varsity at Greeley West. “Some of the days get pretty long. ... I’ll retire someday.”

Starkey, a sergeant in the army, said he sees some parallels between coaching soccer and his role in the military.

“I really like training anybody on anything,” Starkey said. “And, training little kids how to play soccer is just fun. I think it extends from my military experience, the teamwork, coming together and working on techniques and skills to be competitive.”

Starkey said his coach of the year award is just as much a credit to the hard-working players he coaches.

“I’m proud of my soccer club, really, for just all the good work we do here in Greeley,” he said. “It’s nice for the whole club to get this recognition.”

Starkey used much of his youth learning how to compete, as soccer was one of many sports he competed in when he was younger.

Starkey grew up in Speedway, Ind.; a part of the county known more for basketball than soccer.

“Every time it snows, I think I should have been a basketball coach,” Starkey joked.

After high school, Starkey moved to Colorado, attending Colorado Mountain College before ultimately moving on to a career with the army that now spans 18 years.

Starkey said his favorite part of coaching is being able to have a positive impact on young athletes.

“I value youth sports, because I think it’s just a great way for youth to learn how to love competition,” Starkey said. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win, and you work hard to learn different ways to be successful on game day. Win or lose — that’s valuable.”



Derek Starkey earns soccer coach of the year award | GreeleyTribune-com

Five teams from across the country came to Fort Wayne this weekend for a power soccer tournament at Turnstone Center for Disabilities.

The sport of power soccer actually got its start here in Indiana and organizers hope to make it an official event in the paralympics, our sister station WANE reports.

“Our athletes want to be treated the same as every other athlete. We’ve grown huge. I started five and a half years ago, and we had about four teams underneath the Turnstone umbrella, and we just found out not too long ago that we’re the fourth largest paralympic sport in the country,” Andrew Achenbach, Sports and Recreation Coordinator at Turnstone, said.

Achenbach said one of the two Fort Wayne teams will head to Arizona in June for the national tournament.

On one level, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, because a lot of devoted U.S. Men’s National Team fans would love to see a player with Gedion Zelalem‘s profile declare for the team. He’s young, talented, about to break through (in the next few years) with Arsenal, and while that doesn’t guarantee stardom, it still constitutes a profile that the U.S. hasn’t had in its talent pool.

On another level, the meme quality of Zelalem’s U.S. national team potential deserves a reset. The Berlin-born midfielder of Ethiopian descent who used to live in the United States, coming to the States as a nine-year-old. He trained with the U-15 team but couldn’t play because he wasn’t a citizen. Since, he’s appeared at U-15, U-16, and U-17 levels for Germany. He lacks citizenship, and according to a November report by the BBC, his parents would prefer he play for Ethiopia.

In other words, there’s no reason to be broken-hearted if Zelalem doesn’t play for the United States, because it was always a long shot – one that’s about to go away.

According to the German Football Association’s website, Zelalem has been named to the squad for UEFA Euro U-17 qualifying. Were he to appear for Germany in that competition, he wouldn’t be able to switch the to U.S., with only dual citizens allowed to make a one-time change before appearing at senior level.

Germany’s first qualifier is March 26 against Georgia, but given the 18-man squad plays three games in six days, Zelalem is likely to get at least a cap, particularly considering he’s appeared at this level for Germany before.

But looking that deep into the conversation is overkill. This isn’t a matter of whether Zelalem should or should not be considered American. That’s an entirely different (and more important) discussion, one which sports writers have little to offer the debate. You don’t need Richard Farley’s hot sports take on something academics spend careers pursuing.

This is about eligibility and intent. Is Zelalem eligible to play for the United States? Right now, no. Does he intend to play for the United States? Right now, no. Is there good reason to think the answer to either of these questions will change? Right now, no, and in two weeks, the questions will be even less relevant than they’ve been since Zelalem first appeared for Arsenal in January.

There is, however, some good news: Though Zelalem is unlikely to play for the United States, there are literally thousands of players 17 and younger across the country with real aspirations of a professional soccer career. Some of them are already on the U.S. national team’s radar, with places in Major League Soccer academies and prominent clubs meaning team sites, blogs, and local media are ready to give them coverage. If you really want to see a U-17, future national teamer, there may be one near you.

These players are U.S. players coming through the U.S. system who have real dreams of representing the U.S. They’re not somebody who is moving toward playing for Germany.

The Aron Johannsson example says we shouldn’t close doors, but Johannsson wanted to switch. Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler all self-identified as Americans, at some point.

Zelalem’s been playing for Germany since 2012. And in 2014, he’s likely to make that commitment final. This shouldn’t be news.

Allow me to congratulate Gedion Zelalem, should he play against Georgia. Here’s hoping this is the next step in a long and successful soccer career. That it won’t be with the U.S. shouldn’t make it any less relevant.



Arsenal midfielder Gedion Zelalem about to jump off the U.S. Soccer radar | ProSoccerTalk

Shawn KuykendallShawn Kuykendall lost his battle with cancer early Wednesday morning. The former D.C. United and New York Red Bulls midfielder was 32 years old. Friends, family and fans have been posting tributes in Kuykendall’s memory online since news of his death broke, including a touching account of Kuykendall’s friendship with USA Today’s Mike Foss, which Foss published Wednesday. D.C. United drafted Kuykendall out of American University in 2005. He played two games for the then-defending MLS Cup champions before being traded to the New York Red Bulls after his rookie campaign. Kuykendall suffered a serious knee injury in 2006, prompting him to end his playing career. He then pursued a coaching career, serving as an assistant at American University and on a D.C.-area youth team. He also founded his own soccer school for young players in the region and worked with D.C. United’s summer camps. Kuykendall’s path turned again last year when he was diagnosed with Stage IV thymus cancer. He chronicled his battle with the disease on social media and on a website he started, Kuykenstrong-com. The Washington Post profiled Kuykendall and his fight against cancer last November. His attitude and faith inspired many readers. A memorial service is tentatively scheduled for March 22, according to the Washington Post.

Read more at: Former MLS Player Shawn Kuykendall Dies From Cancer At Age 32 | Soccer | NESN-com

A Brazilian soccer star jailed for ordering the murder of his ex-girlfriend is back in the game.

Bruno Fernandes de Souza, who reportedly paid an assassin to kill, hack up and then feed his former lover's flesh to dogs, has signed a new 5-year contract with Montes Claros.

It means the 28-year-old goalkeeper will be allowed out to train and play games with the Campeonato Mineiro league team.

But he will be accompanied by a police escort at all times.

Fernandes was jailed for 22 years in March 2013 after admitting to arranging the murder of model Eliza Samudio.

The former Flamengo captain, tipped to play for his national side at the 2014 World Cup, reportedly wanted her dead so he wouldn't have to pay child support.

Behind bars for four years, he is now set to exploit a legal provision which allows convicted criminals more freedom after four years of good behavior behind bars, according to Fox Soccer.

Ville Mocellin, Montes Claros club president, confirmed the controversial signing and said it was all about "giving an opportunity" to the player.

For him, it is a chance to return to play. To the club, he is an athlete who can strengthen the team and a way to invest in the social side," he told OTempo.

Read more: Brazilian soccer star who ordered killing of ex signs deal, will be allowed out to play games - NY Daily News

There's no doubt the Wellington Phoenix's final push to secure a playoff spot in the A-League will be entertaining.

Following a controversial 2-2 draw with the Melbourne Heart across the Tasman today, Ernie Merrick's side remain three points adrift of a finals berth in eighth place with four rounds left.

The game was essentially a dance of the desperates given both teams are outside the top six and there are precious few games left in the regular season.

It made for an open affair as all involved knew a draw wouldn't be the desired outcome given the quickest way to progress up the ladder is grabbing three points for a victory.

Sadly, referee Ben Williams had a noted influence on the game with a collection of debatable decisions.

Heart defender Patrick Kisnorbo clearly blocked a Tyler Boyd shot with his arm in the 18th minute and he should have been given a red card, while the Phoenix should have received a penalty.

But the whistle didn't sound as play continued and Williams then gave Phoenix defender Ben Sigmund two yellow cards in the space of a few minutes and Wellington were then reduced to 10 men mid-way through the first half.

The second yellow card was certainly soft, which made life tough for Wellington as they had to rejig their personnel with the scores level at 1-1 following a goal to Roy Krishna for the visitors and an equaliser to Jonatan Germano for the home side.

Krishna, who was given his first start for the club during last weekend's 1-1 draw with the Perth Glory, looked lively throughout the contest and his maiden A-League goal would have given him a huge dose of confidence.

The Fijian international has been impressive recently and was a constant threat to the Heart's defence.

With Sigmund gone the Phoenix rallied, as teams often can when shorn of a player, and they took the lead again during the second spell when Tyler Boyd grabbed a goal.

Boyd's well-taken strike came against the run of play but it was great reward for a gallant Wellington team who never dropped their heads.

Referee Williams then judged Heart skipper Harry Kewell was fouled in the box just after the hour-mark by Phoenix utility Manny Muscat and David Williams then drew Melbourne level with a well-taken spot kick.

It was certainly on the softer-side of penalties that you would see and it just added to Wellington's frustration towards the man with the whistle.

Eventually, despite chances both ways, the game ended in a stalemate, which wasn't the result either side wanted given their respective positions on the ladder.

Phoenix skipper Andrew Durante was immense for Wellington in his 150th game for the franchise as he carried the defensive line in the absence of Sigmund.

Wellington's next fixture is away from home against the Newcastle Jets next Saturday.

Wellington Phoenix 2 (Roy Krishna 6, Tyler Boyd 56) Melbourne Heart 2 (Jonatan Germano 29, David Williams 62 pen) Halftime: 1-1



Soccer: Phoenix held to controversial draw - Sport - NZ Herald News

The Sacramento Republic FC soccer team played against the UC Davis men’s soccer team in a friendly match to a sellout crowd Sunday.

Many fans believe the more than 1,200 tickets sold reflect the momentum of support for the newly-formed professional team.

“I think Sacramento is a great soccer town. I think it’s been a long time coming. It’s great to see a sell-out crowd supporting the support. I think we’re all excited and looking forward to having a team of our own,” said Steve Azar, who was attending the exhibition game.

Republic FC will play at an 8,000-seat, $3 million stadium being built at Cal Expo. The project is is expected to be done by end of April, at the earliest.

“One of the important reasons we’re building a multi-use facility at Cal Expo is the soccer pitch. It’ll be 120 by 80 yards. It’ll be one of the largest in the country as far as a professional men’s team,” said Erika Bjork, a spokesperson for Republic FC.

The Cal Expo facility will help the team move closer its goal of getting promoted to Major League Soccer by 2016.

“Now every team is starting to build their own stadium and the fans are starting to come out and appreciate the sport. It starts with youth,” said player Rodrigo Lopez, who was previously in the MLS.

Republic FC has received more than 4,000 deposits for season ticket packages.

The team has arranged to play the first three home games at Hughes Stadium on the Sacramento City College campus, in the event the Cal Expo facility won’t be finished in time.

Republic FC lost to the Aggies 1-0.

Read more: Sacramento Republic FC loses to UC Davis men's soccer team | News - KCRA Home

FIFA banned the British-born Southern Stars players from any involvement in the world game anywhere in the world for life.

Reiss Michael Noel and Joe Nigel Woolley were banned for life from soccer in Australia in September, following police raids last year that led to the arrest of several Victorian Premier League stars.

FIFA yesterday announced the two would receive lifetime bans from “any football-related activity’’ anywhere.

In December, both men, 24, were convicted in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court of engaging in conduct and facilitating conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome.

The court heard that in ******August and September, the two players with the Cheltenham-based Stars conceded goals to ensure a particular match result and passed on ******instructions.

Woolley was fined $1200 and Noel $2000.

Two other players from England and one Australian official remain banned from the sport in Australia.

The global bans came as Victoria Police released images of five men it wants to speak to in relation to a vicious brawl between rival soccer fans in Melbourne’s CBD last December 28.

Police have charged 11 men — seven from Victoria and four from NSW — over the fight outside a Bourke St pub.

Three NSW teenagers were issued with cautions and two other NSW men are expected to be charged on summons with assault-related offences.

Investigations are continuing and police believe the five men can assist with their inquiries.



No Cookies | Herald Sun

Striker Jermain Defoe's electric debut with Toronto FC has earned him the first Major League Soccer player of the week award of this season.

Defoe scored both goals Saturday in a 2-1 road victory against Seattle Sounders FC, helping Toronto start their season with a win for the first time in club history.

Defoe opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he collected a through ball from midfielder Jonathan Osorio and slid the ball past former Toronto goaltender Stefan Frei.

It was Defoe's first attempt on goal in his MLS career.

The England international struck again seven minutes later when he intercepted a Seattle back pass and blasted a shot past Frei.

Defoe was one of three big-ticket designated players signed by Toronto during the off-season, along with American midfielder Michael Bradley and Brazilian striker Gilberto.



Jermain Defoe wins MLS honour after electric debut - CBC Sports - Soccer

Manchester United will take their usual place at the top table of European soccer in the Champions League quarter-finals draw on Friday but like an impoverished lord at a society dinner, they will hope no-one notices their moth-eaten garments.

United will be among familiar faces when they go into the pot with defending champions Bayern Munich and the rest of Europe's elite in the shape of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Paris St Germain.

But unlike other seasons in the past two decades when they have swaggered in with all the confidence of either champions or strong favourites, this season they are simply relieved to be just a part of the proceedings.

And of course, the other guests know all too well that United are turning up as a team in transition with new manager David Moyes enduring a tough baptism after following the retired Alex Ferguson into the job.

Wednesday's spirited 3-0 Round of 16 second leg victory over Olympiakos gave United a 3-2 aggregate win over the Greek champions and a place in the last eight for the first time since 2011, which was also the last time they reached the final.

PRESSURE EASED

The win, thanks to a first Champions League hat-trick from Dutchman Robin van Persie, relieved some of the pressure that has been building on Moyes.

He has come under increasing criticism from pundits and fans alike following a series of poor results which has left them seventh in the Premier League table, a distant 18 points behind leaders Chelsea.

Moyes said before Wednesday's win he felt his job was safe and that the board were fully supportive of him, and after steering United into the last eight, he was relishing the challenge ahead but would not say this was a turning point.

He told reporters: "It was a magnificent team performance. I don't want to come out and say, 'this is the moment', but I hope it is.

"We have been asked a similar question before and we have not shown it. This is a work in progress and it will take time to get it as we really want it. It is a big job.

"I have got a lot of things I want to do but the players gave the crowd something after we lost to Liverpool (3-0 at home on Sunday) and we are delighted to see Manchester United in the last eight of the Champions League.

"We played very well and deserved our victory. I'm not feeling any pressure from inside the club... it's coming from you lot (the media).

"We know the job we have to do. It's probably bigger than I thought when I first came to the club.

"And if we go into the last eight as the underdogs, that suits me fine. We can be more than a match for anyone."

MIDFIELD MAESTRO

While looking towards the future, Moyes showed he still has time for the past with the recall of Ryan Giggs to orchestrate the midfield, and the 40-year-old Welshman did not let him down.

Giggs was making his 140th appearance in the competition, two shy of Raul's all-time record, and he had a hand in two goals, and contributed a series of other telling passes as United took control.

It was also noticeable that United played with a strong and effective spine down the middle.

David De Gea had an outstanding game in goal, Phil Jones was authoritative alongside a rejuvenated Rio Ferdinand at the core of the defence and Wayne Rooney showed leadership qualities in attack.

With Danny Welbeck cutting from one flank and Antonio Valencia, despite a huge swelling on his eye from an early collision, powering down the other, United looked more like the menacing Red Devils of old.

Olympiakos, who held a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, threatened at times and one goal, even when they were 3-0 down, would have been enough for them to qualify, meaning United could never truly relax.

In the end, United held firm to turn the tie around after coming from two goals down in the first leg to win on aggregate for the first time for 30 years.

The victory keeps their season alive and a route open to next season's Champions League, but the only way that United can realistically take part in the elite competition for a 19th successive season is by winning this year's final in Lisbon.

That, though, might just be too much of a tall order for the fading aristocrats at the moment.



Soccer-Bruised United among familiar faces at Europe's top table | Reuters

Spain's El Clasico is Sunday: Real Madrid against Barcelona in the Spanish capital. Can Cristiano Ronaldo knock out Lionel Messi? Fans around the globe will flock to screens to see who owns the punch.

In the past 10 years, stamp the contest for the Spanish football crown as exclusive. Barca or Real is dominant. Spain's other clubs spar beneath the heavyweights, unable to get a shot at the title. This year is different. Another Madrid team, Atletico, is in the ring fighting for first, a rogue upsetting the balance. Mark the card for relief.

Europe's elite club soccer is an oligopoly's dream. A few sellers of football dominate the market forever and ever, amen. Occasionally, the odd upstart clambers up from below, prompting the superiors to purchase its valuable playing assets, snuffing out the threat for next season. Arrivistes can stick around if they can tap lines of credit from oligarchs, billionaires, sports magnates or oil wells.

In the lower divisions, teams struggle. But few die. There are always business interests willing to invest in the promise of miracles. Who knows? Perhaps a young player comes out of the sticks, leads the team to glory and then gets sold for a healthy profit.

Soccer's structure provides incentive. Interleague relegation and promotion, the trapdoor and the elevator, are integral to hope and fear for fans and money alike. See it as a free-market fight for a seat at the top table where the big boys eat. "Best to throw a crumb to the up and coming," the portly say. After all, they need teams to play and beat every week. (Note: Major League Soccer is a single entity without promotion and relegation.)

Soccer powers are global. On the TV news, witness riots in various countries and you might see a Molotov cocktail being thrown by a rebel wearing a Barca or Real jersey. The game's economy is also local, where the roots run deep. An English Twitter feed, Football Away Days, posts photographs of traveling supporters often in half-empty stadiums, wearing jerseys of teams that will not be appearing in the middle of a televised revolution in a febrile part of the world. These fans follow clubs that will win nothing, one generation passing down emptiness to the next. Call it loyalty to the local, the small-town economy keeping football alive beneath the elites.

Rallying the Quakes: Many witnessed the super performance of the Earthquakes on Saturday in their opening game of the MLS season against Salt Lake. Marvel at it. The Quakes fought back from 3-1 down and scored the equalizer in the 95th minute. The Earthquakes have 17 second-half stoppage-time goals in all competitions since 2012, 15 of which tied or won the game. Defy the laws of football math!

I watched the game standing in Section 109 at Buck Shaw Stadium, the manor of the 1906 Ultras, the Quakes' supporters group. Their rallying call ceaseless, a magnet, they pulled in the Quakes' attack like a tide. The players love it. You can see how much it means to them to score at the Ultras' end. It's pretty special. When the tying goal went in, the Ultras exploded behind the net. Proof that when the support is fierce and close to the action, the fans influence the result.

The Quakes would do well to integrate the Ultras into the plans at the new stadium - as close to the action as possible. Polish the 12th man cliche. At San Jose, it delivers wins.

(Sunday: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, 1 p.m.)






Soccer's appeal runs international and local - SFGate

If you’ve ever kicked a soccer ball barefoot, you probably noticed a couple of things. First of all, it kind of hurts. But more importantly, you get some incredible control over the ball. As entertaining as it would be to watch professional soccer players run around on the field barefoot, that’s probably never going to happen. Nike has gotten one step closer to an athlete’s natural state with the Magista, its newest soccer boot.

Developed for the world cup, the Magista is a totally new form of boot. Nike designers spent the last four years developing the shoe, which looks like half sock, half traditional soccer shoe. It’s a strange-looking piece of footwear, but this odd form has a purpose.

Over an extensive research period, Nike designers talked to players about what was important in a shoe, and they quickly realized the game was changing significantly. Today, soccer is faster. It’s about quick moves, quick decisions and strategy, and their hope was to create a new boot to reflect this. “Players wanted no distractions,” says Denis Dekovic, Nike’s Global Football Design Director. “They wanted to be able to focus on the game.”

This meant eliminating some traditional elements of a boot, and adding others. For example, the Magista has no tongue, which can be bothersome as it moves side to side when the players run. “This also creates a unibody surface,” Dekovic says.

In its place is a stretchy sock-like material that extends up past the ankle. This Dynamic Fit Collar is meant to provide extra support for the players and make the boot feel like an extension of the leg. “The big aha moment was when we realized that we shouldn’t be designing a shoe for just the players’ foot,” he says. “The foot is integrated with the body.”

This is harder than it sounds. You can’t just stitch a sock onto a soccer shoe and call it a day. The Dynamic Fit Collar needed a just-right tightness that allows the boot to fit like a second skin while still being easy to slip on. To do this, Nike adapted its Flyknit technology for soccer for the first time, which allows the upper of the shoe to be knit, just like a sock.

The benefit of Flyknit is that every square millimeter of material can be micro-engineered, by adding in special weaves or threads. “You can transition from stretch to solid in a very smooth way,” Dekovic explains. This is what you’re seeing in the Magista, as the collar connects seamlessly to the more solid boot.

When you run your fingers on the outside of the shoe, you feel rubbery ridges. This bumpy, 3-D knit texture creates friction on the ball to ensure accurate dribbling and striking, while the rubbery feel is a waterproofing layer that’s thinner than a single sheet of paper.

Nike hopes this silhouette will be the standard for future soccer boots.But mostly, the designers are just hoping players will spend less time looking down at the ball, and more time looking ahead and making plays.



Nike's World Cup Soccer Shoe Fits Like a Sock | Wired Design | Wired-com

An English soccer referee has been accused of racism after he mistakenly sent off the wrong mixed race player.

Social media erupted after Andre Marriner dismissed Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs for handball instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who committed the offense.

Both players are mixed race.

Twitter users accused the hapless official of getting confused because of the players' skin color.

"The ref can't differentiate between Gibbs n Ox. Surely there's a racist undertone," tweeted @tharmahomed.

One former soccer player, Stan Collymore, tweeted: "All look the same those mixed race boys".
EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications Shaun Botterill/Getty
Other former players also questioned Marriner's action on television broadcasts, though many were quick to defend the referee against the grounds of racism, instead saying he made a bad decision.

One former Arsenal player, Kenny Sansom, said, "I don't think it's racism."

The incident happened during the biggest game in the English Premier League at the weekend, Chelsea versus Arsenal, two London teams.

Chelsea won 6-0.




English soccer referee accused of racism after penalizing wrong player during game - NY Daily News

One of the world’s most famous soccer stars continued to build his case Monday for reshaping the world’s busiest cruise-ship port.

David Beckham swept back into the public eye to rally support for a stadium and development plan that would place both his soccer team and persona at the heart of PortMiami. He plans a trip to Tallahassee on Tuesday in a hunt for state subsidies, and on Monday told reporters he hopes to win over critics from the cruise-ship industry.

“I want to change their minds,’’ Beckham said at a well-attended afternoon press conference at Miami-Dade College’s downtown campus. “I don’t want to be an enemy to the people that are opposed to the stadium. I want to work with them.”

Beckham’s first public appearance in Miami since announcing his bid for a stadium at the county-owned port came after his negotiating team outlined both the vision for the facility and their case against traffic concerns raised by Royal Caribbean. The world’s second-largest cruise operator has a corporate campus that overlaps with Beckham’s proposed 25,000-seat stadium site, and top executives are warning elected officials that Beckham’s plan would hurt port operations.

At a morning press briefing, Beckham aide John Alschuler, a top real estate consultant in New York, revealed selected details from a traffic study he said is the most comprehensive ever performed at the port. He declined to release it, saying the final version would be made public in about a month.

The presentation showed a stadium heavily reliant on parking in downtown Miami, with thousands of fans walking a pedestrian bridge to the island port. He also insisted the soccer and cruising schedules were so distinct — with cruise ships boarding in the afternoon and spectators arriving in the evening — that the two uses have little chance of conflict.

Alschuler also said he expected about a third of the stadium’s spectators to bypass downtown and arrive through the new port tunnel scheduled to open in May. The nearly $700 million tunnel was designed to divert cargo trucks from downtown and make it easier for cruise passengers to get to the port.

Alschuler did acknowledge the parking plan as outlined wouldn’t hold up if Beckham’s team succeeds in recruiting the University of Miami’s football team as a tenant. While the deal would deliver UM’s political cachet to Beckham’s stadium bid, the college team would also bring requirements for at least 40,000 seats — making the soccer venue twice the size of the Heat’s 19,000-seat AmericanAirlines Arena. College football games also take place during Saturday mornings and afternoons — boarding and departure times for cruise ships.

The UM question highlighted just one moving part in Beckham’s soccer ambitions. While three other sites have been listed as fall-back options — land near the Miami International Airport, Florida International University’s western campus, and a site adjoining Marlins Park in Little Havana — Alschuler only presented renderings for a port stadium, and he said that remains Beckham’s top choice.

Funding is another question mark. Beckham pledged not to seek any local aid and to pay market rent for a 12-acre site that a port consultant said could lease for at least $3 million a year.

Beckham hired a lobbyist to pursue state aid for the stadium, citing existing subsidies for most Florida stadiums, including Sun Life and AmericanAirlines Arena, both of which receive $2 million a year from Tallahassee (Sun Life as compensation for a baseball retrofit in the 1990s).

“We want to be treated like every other franchise,” Beckham said Monday. “We’re not asking for anything more or anything less.”

Should Beckham persuade Miami-Dade leaders to lease him part of the port’s southwest corner, his development team could play a significant role in creating a new commercial district for downtown Miami.

In his presentation, Alschuler offered new details on a one-million square-foot commercial complex woven into their stadium site plan, a potentially lucrative new development opportunity that could have Beckham’s organization as the master developer. While he emphasized the plan was mostly a placeholder, Alschuler said two of the four proposed buildings would be hotels and the other two would be office complexes.

“There may be a role — and I stress may be — for the team as the developer and builder of the public spaces,’’ Alschuler said, referring to the plazas and outdoor gathering spots that were part of the larger stadium design. “We are open to any process that creates a kind of public realm and unity of the site. Our goal is to create a stadium that is inside a great urban destination.”

He said the development parcels should be opened up for bids, with Miami-Dade County earning all of the proceeds. But he did not say whether the Beckham group itself would be interested in competing for the sites. As the group creating the stadium and wanting to manage the surrounding plaza and other public areas, Beckham’s team could bring unique advantages to the bidding process.

The stadium renderings depict an open-air soccer stadium with the Miami skyline as a background and the kind of architectural flourishes sure to bring significant costs. With Beckham seeking a relatively modest operating subsidy from the state (the Heat receive more than $6 million a year from Miami-Dade, plus $2 million from Florida) and pledging to pay rent, the elaborate stadium design suggests he and his investors may need the kind of extra revenue that the surrounding land could bring.

“It would be very interesting to see their operating model…. They’re making some concessions you don’t see at this stage of the game,” said Irwin Raij, a stadium-finance attorney at Foley & Lardner in Miami. “That’s a beautiful building that has the potential to be an iconic building in the marketplace. It’s going to have the price tag of an iconic building.”

Beckham’s backers describe the re

One day last year, Jim Pallotta was walking through the Sistine Chapel with some friends. As the group admired Michelangelo’s stunning frescoes, one of Pallotta’s companions took out a cellphone to take a picture.

Almost immediately, a security guard rushed up; photography is strictly forbidden inside the chapel. But as the guard began to admonish the offender, he stopped short.

“Presidente Pallotta!” the guard said gleefully, recognizing the American president of one of this city’s fabled soccer clubs, A.S. Roma. He threw his arm around Pallotta’s shoulder. “Please,” he said to the group, “let’s take a picture!”
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Global Soccer: For Barcelona and 2 Madrid Rivals, Plenty Left to SayMARCH 25, 2014

Of course, not all fan interactions here are so pleasant for Pallotta. It has been 18 months since he took control of the club’s operations, and there are still some members of the community disappointed over decisions like the one to alter the club’s logo. A general distrust lingers, too, about foreign ownership in Serie A; in 2011, Pallotta’s group became the first foreign investor to buy a major Italian soccer club. This opposition was particularly noticeable when the team struggled last season. (“Yankee Go Home” was one of the more memorable signs displayed by fans. It should be noted, however, that Pallotta, who is also a minority owner of the Boston Celtics, roots for the Red Sox.) Recently, though, things have been primarily positive. Roma is second in the league standings and will almost certainly return to the Champions League next season. On Monday morning, Pallotta sipped coffee at his hotel and smiled when the doorman said, “Good morning, Presidente!” He had just arrived in town, where on Wednesday, Roma will reveal the design of the club’s much-discussed new stadium, which it hopes will open in 2016. The project, which will be financed privately and includes the 52,500-seat stadium as well as other entertainment sites and mass-transit additions, is expected to cost more than $300 million.

“The stadium is a very important piece for us,” Pallotta said in an interview. “With the stadium there and if we do what our plans say we’re going to do, I believe we can be one of the top three clubs in the world. That’s the goal — I’m not afraid to say it.”

Pallotta’s spirit is hardly surprising; global ambitions are de rigueur for any soccer club of meaningful size these days. Barcelona and Manchester United are pushing for an even greater presence in Asia; Bayern Munich has opened an office in New York; and this summer, Roma will tour the United States for the third consecutive year.

In other words, Pallotta’s plans are not unique. But the task and challenges facing him are surely different, primarily because of Italy’s soccer culture, not to mention its history and notorious bureaucracy.

While clubs in England and Germany have, for the most part, updated their stadiums and ticketing policies, or at the least modernized the game-day experience for fans, the infrastructure in Italy has generally lagged. Juventus is the only top club in Serie A, the top division, that owns its stadium. Roma currently shares space with its fierce city rival Lazio at Stadio Olimpico, a historic but decrepit building that has antiquated facilities and awful sightlines for fans, who are set back from the field because of the running track that surrounds it.

Sean Barror, Roma’s chief commercial officer and a longtime associate of Pallotta’s, likened the situation to what might have been found in England’s Premier League in the 1990s. That regressed reality allowed Pallotta’s group to buy into Italian soccer at a value price (he and three other investors initially paid about $89 million to buy two-thirds of Roma in 2011), but has also meant there is considerable work to be done.

“It’s generally realized that there is a significant infrastructure issue in Italy,” Barror said. “But all of it is linked together. The one thing the leagues in England and Germany have done is embrace progress in a lot of ways, and we’re trying to be at the front end of it here.”

Initially, Pallotta, who previously built a lucrative hedge fund, expected to be a passive part of the investment group. Thomas DiBenedetto, another Boston businessman, was the first frontman, but Pallotta replaced him as the head of operations in July 2012 after the group put in another infusion of cash (reportedly about $160 million).

Since then, the club has revamped its executive structure, pushed hard on the stadium project and expanded its business partnerships, selling a five-year plan of growth to brands like Nike and Disney. “One thing I think we do really well is focus on the business side as a business,” said Italo Zanzi, the club’s chief executive. “That sounds basic, but in football, it isn’t as common as you might think.”

Zanzi was being diplomatic. In Italy, in particular, the track record for owner focus has traditionally been shortsighted. Andrea Monti, the editor in chief of the sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, said Italian owners had historically been interested exclusively in wins and losses or making big acquisitions in the player transfer market.

“The owner of the club, he usually sinks a lot of money into football for his personal joy and entertainment,” Monti said. “My personal perception is that the American way is to put together passion and business. They buy players, they sell players at a good price. They have a plan.”

Monti noted that numerous factors made building a stadium in Rome difficult — including traffic patterns and the lack of specific laws related to stadium building projects — but he said that if Roma succeeded in creating its own home, it would be a significant moment for Italian soccer.

Of course, the

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