MLS Newsstand – February 1, 2011
(This sampling of coverage is a service provided to members of the media by MLS Communications)
MLS Newsstand – February 1, 2011
1. Dynamo focus on scoring (Houston Chronicle)
2. Wheeler, Frei talk Turkey (Toronto Sun)
3. For D.C. United's Santino Quaranta, there will always be challenges on and off the soccer field (Washington Post)
4. Revs captain MIA (Boston Herald)
5. Good news for Pause, Johnson (Chicago Sun-Times)
6. Red Bulls sign Fair Lawn native Sacir Hot from academy program (Newark Star-Ledger)
7. Watch for the Houston Dynamo to rise again in the MLS East (Newark Star-Ledger)
8. Portland Timbers' Colombian striker revealed (The Oregonian)
9. Jordan trades two posts for one (Montreal Gazette)
10. Arena meticulous in rebuilding the Galaxy (Daily Breeze)
11. Sounders FC gets started in Arizona (Seattle Times)
12. Real Salt Lake scrimmaging Vancouver Tuesday (Deseret Morning News)
13. Union back to the beginning to kick off second season (Delaware County Daily News)
14. Homegrown defender Sacir Hot signs with Red Bulls (Associated Press)
15. Toronto FC get to work in Turkey (Canadian Press)
16. Attiba Harris starts anew with Whitecaps (Canadian Press)
17. Ten most intriguing figures in MLS (SI.com)
18. Red Bull academy signee Sacir Hot: From ballboy to the big club (NYPost.com)
19. Chivas USA sets scrimmage vs. San Jose (ESPNLosAngeles.com)
20. New York Red Bulls Pen 19-Year-Old Sacir Hot As Home Grown Player (Goal.com)
21. Red Bull Arena to host 2011 All-Star Game (MLSsoccer.com)
22. Backe, NY still shopping ahead of season opener (MLSsoccer.com)
23. Quakes' André Luiz eyes end of lengthy recovery (MLSsoccer.com)
24. Rookie Paul eager for big opportunities in Chicago (MLSsoccer.com)
25. Nyamekye the Crew's "rookie-plus" (MLSsoccer.com=====================================================================
(Additional articles for consideration can be submitted directly to Lauren Brophy of MLS Communications at Lauren.Brophy@MLSsoccer.com.)
1. Dynamo focus on scoring
Ching vows aggressive play in penalty area
By Jose De Jesus Ortiz
Houston Chronicle – February 1, 2011
The statistic caught Brian Ching by surprise, prompting the All-Star forward to take a step back after training Monday.
The Dynamo's all-time leading scorer took nine shots on goal last season, scoring on seven of them, including a bicycle kick during a three-goal display against the Chicago Fire in August.
"Wow," he said with a chuckle, "I need to shoot more. My goal this year is to create more opportunities for myself and my teammates."
Most elite forwards would love to convert their shots on goal at the rate Ching did last season, when he missed time with a hamstring injury and then during a training camp with the U.S. national team. But Ching expects more of himself, at least in terms of taking shots on goal.
Key departures
A year after leading the Dynamo in scoring, Ching, 32, is expected to lead the attack again. Dominic Oduro, who was tied with midfielder Brad Davis for second on the team with five goals last season, is gone.
Joseph Ngwenya is also gone, as is Luis Angel Landin, who was released last season.
Cam Weaver returns after a forgettable 2010, when he couldn't get rolling after suffering an ankle injury midway through an impressive start to camp. Jason Garey is a new addition along with rookie Will Bruin.
Tryout for Jamaican
Jamaican forward Steven Morrissey, the leading scorer in the Jamaican League, will enter the fray on a tryout today. Midfielder Lester Peltier of Trinidad and Tobago, also will begin his tryout today as coach Dominic Kinnear welcomes players on trial a week ahead of his previous plan.
Morrissey (5-9, 170 pounds) will get an opportunity to show he could be the speedy forward who can stretch the defense and complement Ching. Weaver, Bruin and Garey play more like Ching.
"I want to be creating more chances in the box, getting on the ball a lot more, getting the ball at the top of the box and taking shots," Ching said. "I want to create more shots for myself and my teammates."
Informed of Ching's comments, Kinnear approved.
"That'd be nice," Kinnear said. "That'd be great."
Ching didn't need to look back toward last season to find an example of the unselfishness he'd love to end. In Saturday's scrimmage against the Dynamo Academy, Ching beat his man and found himself alone near the end line with a scoring opportunity.
Instead of shooting, he passed the ball to midfielder Josue Soto, who couldn't convert a more difficult shot.
"Instead of shooting, I laid it off to Josue," Ching said, shaking his head. "I should have shot. I need to take more chances and take more shots."
Weaver took only six shots on goal last season, converting on half of them during an injury-plagued and frustrating season. More than most, Weaver is ready to put last season behind hm.
Weaver's woes
"It was frustrating for him, not only team-wise but fitness-wise," Kinnear said of Weaver.
Weaver agrees, and he's ready to compete for playing time while trying to remain healthy a year after playing only 14 regular-season games.
"For me," Weaver said, "I know I'm anxious to start playing and erasing last year."
2. Wheeler, Frei talk Turkey
By Gareth Wheeler
Toronto Sun – February 1, 2011
For the past two seasons, Stefan Frei has emerged as one of Major League Soccer’s top goalkeepers. Toronto FC’s starting ’keeper has been a reliable last line of defence and a shining light at the club.
For the next two weeks, Frei is adding another skill-set to his repertoire. The man with the safe hands will be the eyes and ears for TFC supporters. Frei has generously offered his time and services, writing home and contributing to this space to keep you up-to-date with what’s happening at training camp in Turkey.
Toronto FC staff and players touched down in Antalya, Turkey over the weekend and will call the southwestern Turkish locale homebase for the next two weeks.
Frei will break down TFC’s three exhibition games, in addition to letting you know what else the team is up to. Change is the key word at the club, and Frei will do his best to keep you in the loop as to what is happening with the players and new coaching staff.
From there, we’ll play a little “he said, he said,” as yours truly will chime in, providing some context for Frei’s writing.
So let’s get this started, with Frei’s initial impressions after a long journey and the start of camp.
Frei: The first thing I have to say is that although our travel to Turkey, instead of Bradenton (Florida), was obviously a bit longer, Turkish Airlines took care of us and made it a quite comfortable trip. Spirits were high and I think everybody was just ready to finally get back on the pitch and play some football. We had to be patient for one more day before we could strap on the boots as we arrived a bit later in the day and our coach, Aron Winter, decided to get the medicals of the trialists finished first, so that we could practice on the 29th all together.
Wheeler: Toronto FC released their list of trialists over the weekend. It includes three Canadians (Eddy Sidra, defender; Gianluca Zavarise, midfielder; David Monsalve, goalkeeper), three Dutch (Bas Ent, midfielder; Javier Martina, forward; Nick Soolsma, forward), one Uruguayan (Santiago Gonzalez Areco, forward), and one Ghanaian (King Osei Gyan, midfielder). Three drafted rookies and four Academy members are also in camp. This is just the first bunch of what should be a growing list of players coming through the doors at the club, trying to impress.
Frei: In the meantime, we had the chance to check-in to our hotel, which is quite a nice resort, and have a nice buffet dinner. We are not the only football team staying here. There are numerous other teams, from Austria as well as other countries, which have come down here to use these nice facilities and get ready for their season.
Wheeler: Antalya is a popular tourist destination, located on the Mediterranean Sea. It’s also the home of former Turkish national goalkeeper, Rustu Recber. This time of year the weather ranges from an average low just above freezing to the high teens. January and February is also the rainy season, so the fields will be particularly lush, and nice and heavy on the legs.
TFC is staying at the five-star Calista Luxury Resort, boasting two, FIFA standard sized fields and professional infrastructure. The suitable climate and proper fields makes Calista an attractive destination for pre-season training. European sides CSKA Moscow and Red Star Belgrade have hosted camps at the resort over the last year.
Frei: As soon as we finally on the pitch, we were quickly reminded of how gruelling pre-season can be. Double days are the norm and it will take a while for our bodies to get in top shape, I guess that’s what pre-season is all about. You know how everybody loves fitness tests and conditioning sessions.
Wheeler: Proper fitness will be a major focus of Winter’s. TFC has had issues with fitness in the past, partly because of improper training facilities. European clubs, tend to have more thorough pre-season fitness regimens, including a significant amount more work with the ball. Winter has brought a young team to Turkey, much alike the players he has typically worked with in the past at Ajax.
Frei: It’s been good, though, everybody is getting their touch back and people are getting used to their new teammates. We all know that our first game is coming up soon and we definitely want to be ready for it. That’s all there is as of now, my muscles are sore and my roommate Milos (Kocic) reminds me that another double day awaits us tomorrow. With that in mind I should go to bed and get some rest. A second update will follow soon.
Wheeler: Toronto FC’s first exhibition game is on Wednesday against Serbian side, Partizan Belgrade (10AM ET). The 2009-10 Serbian League Champions are currently training in Antalya as well, preparing to return from their winter break. Frei will provide a game re-cap after the match.
3. For D.C. United's Santino Quaranta, there will always be challenges
on and off the soccer field
By Steve Goff
Washington Post – February 1, 2011
D.C. United's Santino Quaranta has been clean and sober for more than three years, but the effort never ends.
"When success comes and people think you are fine, it's forgotten about, but for me, it's a daily routine," Quaranta told the Insider in an extensive interview before the club's departure to Florida for the second stage of training camp. "I am not doing anything differently than the first day I got back to D.C. [from rehab for substance abuse in early 2008]. It's the same thing and it will never change. I am in a better place mentally. I have to stay in a routine. It's one drink or one little injury [and the appetite for pain killers] from going back."
Quaranta, who went public with his addiction in a lengthy and riveting story in The Washington Post in June 2008, says he attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings three or four times per week. His core fellowship of about a half-dozen members, including his sponsor, has remained the same, gathering in Bel Air, Md., which is about 20 minutes from Quaranta's home in the Perry Hall/White Marsh area of Baltimore.
Preseason is the most challenging time, when United is away for an extended period. Quaranta said he brings along reading material related to sobriety and spirituality, seeks out meetings in that area and speaks regularly on the phone with family and friends. Starting today, United will be based in Fort Lauderdale for about two weeks, then will return home briefly between trips to California and South Carolina before the March 19 season opener against the Columbus Crew at RFK Stadium.
In his meetings in Maryland, Quaranta says there are "guys 40 years sober and 40 days sober. If I don't have that community and I forget that, that is where it all goes wrong for me."
Quaranta said, since achieving sobriety, he has never felt himself slipping but must guard against temptation.
"Are there times when life throws you challenges? Of course. Was last year [during United's poor season] challenging? Of course, it was. But I have a choice. I am not living that obsession anymore. You ask God for help, and once that obsession is lifted, I have a choice when I leave [RFK Stadium] whether to go have a drink in a bar, you know? I go home to my family -- my wife [Petrina], my kids [Olivia, 7, and Valentino, 2], they depend on me now. A lot of people depend on me.
"Is there temptation sometimes? Sure. In the summertime, is it nice to think about crabs and beer? Yeah. I never had just one beer, though. That's the difference between me and you. You can have one. I can't have just one. It comes easier now. I can have fun without a beer."
As a public figure with a well-known story, Quaranta has become a role model for others seeking help. "Everyone is asking for advice. I'm Dr. Phil and Oprah," he said, laughing.
Quaranta remains in regular contact with Dan Cronin, a counselor overseeing the MLS substance abuse program. They have discussed a possible role for him in helping athletes with similar problems when his playing career is over. He is also getting involved in player development, serving as a partner in Pipeline Soccer Club, a new initiative in the Baltimore area.
Though he is just 26 years old, Quaranta is entering his 11th pro season. Among United's players, only forward Josh Wolff, 33, has more MLS experience. Quaranta started 26 league games in 2010 and displayed leadership qualities but lacked production (two goals, two assists in 26 league starts) on a team that set the league record for fewest goals in a season (21).
With Jaime Moreno's departure, Quaranta would seem to be a prime candidate for the captain's armband. Coach Ben Olsen has yet to decide whether to name a full-time captain.
"He has grown as a person 10 fold since he came back. I always joke to him: 'From where you came, 10 fold is just normal now'," Olsen said. "He's up to speed and I'd like to see him as a guy on the field who is unaffected by distractions. He has grown so much, and he can still grow as a soccer player. His life is in order, he seems to be doing great. We are all very happy for him. But as a player, he still has room to grow. I've talked to him about production, about getting to the next level as a leader and who has an influence."
While he works on his game, he also must continue working on his life.
"People think it's hard and it's a battle," Quaranta said. "I don't see it that way. I see it as being given a second chance. The battle was when I was actively in an addiction. That was the battle. For me now, this is an enjoyment. But I have to remember, it's that one drink, one mistake from falling back."
4. Revs captain MIA
Joseph a no-show for 1st day of camp
By Kyle McCarthy
Boston Herald – February 1, 2011
FOXBORO — The absence of a familiar and influential face provided an unanticipated surprise as the Revolution opened training camp yesterday.
Revs captain Shalrie Joseph did not join his teammates inside the Dana-Farber Field House yesterday morning as they went through their paces for the first time in 2011.
Revolution coach Steve Nicol said he did not hear from his missing midfielder prior to the training session, and did not know why Joseph had not attended the first day of camp. Nicol said he expects Joseph, who is entering the final year of a four-year deal signed in October 2007, to return to practice this morning.
Joseph did not respond to a request for comment.
Although the 2009 MLS MVP finalist did not make an appearance, several fresh faces joined the squad for the first time.
Former Newcastle United and Olympiakos left back Didier Domi linked up with his new teammates after completing his free transfer move earlier this month, while former Houston defender Ryan Cochrane settled into his new surroundings after joining the team through the re-entry process in December. A.J. Soares and Stephen McCarthy lead a cast of seven rookies hoping to carve out a role heading into the season.
“There are so many new people in here,” defender Darrius Barnes said. “The roster is completely revamped. I think it’s going to be a good thing. It’ll turn over a new leaf and create a fresh start for this team. Hopefully, we can rebound from last year and get things rolling again.”
In an effort to boost those efforts and bolster the squad even further, the Revolution hope to add three new international players into the mix during the next few weeks.
“We’ve made a couple of offers,” Nicol said. “We’re waiting for paperwork and all of that stuff to go through. Hopefully, that will all go through pretty quickly.”
Similar sentiments apply toward forging a revised identity on the field with this retooled squad. Extended trips to Orlando (Feb. 14-24) and Kennesaw, Ga. (March 3-13), will allow the Revs to come together as a group and train outdoors as they seek to return to the postseason after missing out last season for the first time since 2002.
“For a bunch of us who were around last year and who have been here, it’s just about putting it right,” midfielder Chris Tierney said. “I think we’re going to carry a little bit of a chip on our shoulder going through preseason. We’re looking to get after it and put the disappointment that was last year behind us.”
5. Good news for Pause, Johnson
By Len Ziehm
Chicago Sun-Times – February 1, 2011
The Fire used its first day of training camp Monday to name veteran midfielder Logan Pause the fifth captain in its 13-year history. Technical director Frank Klopas also released goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra, who began last season as the Fire’s starter.
Dykstra, 25, was released in part because of his age, even though his 5-6-6 record and 1.24 goals-against average were OK on a team that finished 9-12-9.
Coach Carlos de los Cobos opted to go with Sean Johnson, 21, over Dykstra. Though his numbers last season (4-6-3, 1.31 GAA) weren’t as good as Dykstra’s, Johnson was invited to the U.S. national-team camp last month and played the second half of a 1-1 draw two weeks ago against Chile.
6. Red Bulls sign Fair Lawn native Sacir Hot from academy program
By Michael J. Fensom
Newark Star-Ledger – February 1, 2011
The Red Bulls announced today they have signed academy product Sacir Hot, a Fair Lawn native whose game they hope is as incandescent as his name. The defender, 19, signed with the Red Bulls under the Home Grown Player Rule, which allows players to bypass the draft and sign directly with a team if they've played through its academy.
“Sacir has shown that he has the potential to be a very successful professional soccer player,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler in a statement released by the club. “He has a bright future ahead of him and we are excited to sign him as our fourth Home Grown Player.”
Hot is the fourth player the Red Bulls have signed from their youth academy, a burgeoning list that also includes Giorgi Chirgadze and Juan Agudelo, who has made a rapid ascent to the U.S. senior national team. Last week, the Red Bulls reached an agreement with Matt Kassel, a Bridgewater-Raritan High alum.
A 6-1, 185-pound defender, Hot is a former captain of the Red Bulls Under-16 and Under-18 teams. After spending a season playing collegiate soccer for Boston College, Hot earned his first cap with the U.S. U-20 national team in July as a substitute in the title match of the Milk Cup. Hot also spent time on trial with Borussia Monchengladbach of the German Bundesliga.
* * *
The Red Bulls have outlined their preseason training schedule, a two-month tour leading from New Jersey to Mexico, Florida and Arizona.
Along the way, the Red Bulls will face Mexican league clubs Chivas de Guadalajara, on Feb. 15 in Guadalajara, and Atlas de Guadalajara, Mar. 8 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The latter event has been named the "Red Bull Reto Del Sol" or "Red Bull Challenge of the Sun."
Other preseason matches pit the Red Bulls against NASL side Miami FC, along with Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas of the MLS.
The Red Bulls open their season Mar. 19 against the Seattle Sounders at Red Bull Arena.
7. Watch for the Houston Dynamo to rise again in the MLS East
By Frank Giase
Newark Star-Ledger – February 1, 2011
While the Columbus Crew proved to be the Red Bulls’ biggest obstacle in winning the Eastern Conference last season, there’s a new factor to consider this year.
There’s a Dynamo headed this way.
Major League Soccer has shifted the Houston Dynamo from the Western Conference to the East for the 2011 season, balancing both conferences with nine teams with the addition of the expansion Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps in the West.
While the league had to think twice about affecting the rivalry between Houston and FC Dallas in the West, they were the two Eastern-most teams in the conference and one of them had to go. Since Houston was approximately 100 miles farther east, that was the deciding factor.
For Red Bulls management, including sporting director and general manager Erik Soler and coach Hans Backe, as well as players who arrived for the 2010 season, it would be a big mistake if they judged the Dynamo based on what they saw last season.
For the Dynamo, 2010 was an aberration. They finished seventh in the West with a 9-15-6 record, behind six playoff teams as all four wild-card teams in last year’s playoffs came from the Western Conference.
That was a down year for, perhaps, the league’s best franchise this past decade.
The Dynamo was once the San Jose Earthquakes and won MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003. The franchise relocated to Houston for the 2006 season and won back-to-back MLS Cups in 2006 and 2007. They also reached the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League in 2006 and 2007.
Former U.S. international midfielder Dominic Kinnear was an assistant coach under Frank Yallop for the first two championships and head coach for the latter two. He was also MLS Coach of the Year in 2005 and guided the team to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup in 2009.
That immediately becomes the best résumé in the Eastern Conference.
With the balanced schedule this year, Houston will not have to play as many games against the Western Conference, which advanced all four teams to the playoff semifinals a year ago. The West also produced the past two MLS champs in the Rapids last year and Real Salt Lake in 2009.
While you can say the West should be an easier conference this year with the addition of the two expansion teams, remember that Seattle came into the league two years ago, and all the Sounders have done is win back-to-back U.S Open Cups and make the playoffs both years.
The East should be much friendlier to the Dynamo. The Red Bulls look strong and the Crew, while rebuilding, have consistently been a winning franchise. But the rest?
Kansas City needs a goal scorer, Chicago has defensive issues, Toronto has yet to make the playoffs in its four-year history, New England missed the playoffs in 2010 for the first time since 2001, Philadelphia is a second-year team that had a leaky defense last year and D.C. United had the worst record in the league.
With those prospects, the Eastern Conference has to be looking pretty good to the Dynamo right now.
HOME-GROWN RULE
MLS not only brought back the Reserve League this year, but it has dramatically changed the rules for signing homegrown players.
Each team may now sign an unlimited number of homegrown players, quite a change from when teams had to pick and choose carefully because signings were so limited.
The league this year is also requiring Toronto and Vancouver to have at least three Canadian players on their roster, and the same rule will apply to Montreal when it enters the league in 2012.
To ensure a competitive playing field for the Canadian teams, MLS announced that players considered domestic players in the United States will also be considered domestic players in Canada, which will allow Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal an even playing field with the U.S. teams.
8. Portland Timbers' Colombian striker revealed
By Geoffrey C. Arnold
The Oregonian—January 31, 2011
The Portland Timbers are closing in on signing Colombian striker Jorge Perlaza, the mystery Colombian player the Timbers have talked about for the past month.
Perlaza is a 26-year-old player who played for Deportes Tolima in the Colombian League. Perlaza helped the team win the Copa Mustang League in Colombia and scored a total of 16 goals in 28 games in all competitions this year.
Perlaza is expected to join the Timbers as a trialist Wednesday in Ventura, California, where the team is training this week.
According to Soccer by Ives, Perlaza is going to sign with the Timbers. However, the deal is far from done. Sources told me that the Timbers aren't the only MLS or European team that is trying to snag Perlaza. And there are complicated legal issues that still could derail the Timbers signing of the player.
Apparently Perlaza is out of contract with Tolima and the team may not be receiving a transfer fee. Perlaza reportedly entered into two contracts at the same time with Tolima. His original contract was due to run out on December 31, 2010, but the team claims he signed another contract during his original contract, one that expires in 2013.
Colombian media is reporting that Perlaza will ask the Colombian Football Association to void the new contract on the basis that a player cannot enter into two contracts at once.
The team is apparently taking legal action, so Perlaza will only "train" with the Timbers until all the legal issues are cleared up.
9. Jordan trades two posts for one
Veteran goalkeeper retires as a player to become team's director of soccer operations
By Randy Phillips
Montreal Gazette – February 1, 2011
Matt Jordan hasn’t exactly called it quits.
The veteran goalkeeper with the Montreal Impact retired as a player, but will stay with the club as its director of soccer operations. The 35-year-old from Aurora, Colo., dropped the bombshell Monday, saying he was calling it quits as a player after being the team’s top ’keeper for the past four seasons.
Surprising as well was an announcement shortly after by technical director Nick De Santis that Jordan will become his right-hand man in the day-to-day operation of the club. De Santis was also named to a new position as sporting director as the franchise continues the transition process before joining Major League Soccer in 2012.
“I want to surround myself with people I can trust,”
De Santis said at Saputo
Stadium. “Matt knows the team’s philosophy and knows what it will take to get to the next level and achieve success.
“He understands the league very well and adds even more credibility to our staff. Matt Jordan was the ideal candidate for this position.”
Jordan played 115 games for the Impact, recording 42 shutouts while playing a combined 10,238 minutes. His career regular season goals-against average was .881, and he won 11 of 16 playoff games. Six of those wins came in 2009, when the Impact won its third league title in franchise history.
Jordan played eight seasons in MLS with three clubs before joining the Impact.
“Of all the teams I’ve played for in my career, my time here in Montreal has been the most rewarding,” Jordan said.
“I am extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the last four years,” Jordan said. “I am so thankful to all of the countless people that have helped me throughout my career and with the Impact. I know without their support I wouldn’t be here today.”
Unknown until Monday was that Jordan had already signed a contract with the Impact for the coming season in the North American Soccer League, the team’s last at the second-division level before moving to MLS. Jordan said that after taking “a long look at myself in the mirror,” and despite the fact he remained fit and ready to play at least one more season, he sought a new challenge. With the Impact preparing to join MLS, there was no better opportunity than now.
“Today, after a very long and rewarding playing career, I’m announcing my retirement as a professional soccer player,” said Jordan, who began by welcoming the media in French. “This has been one of the most difficult decisions of my entire life, but a lot of you who know my personality, who I am and what I stand for, know I’m all about challenges in life. I feel it’s time for me to move on to the next challenge.
“I’m very, very thankful to have followed a dream to be a professional soccer player. It was something I aspired to ever since I was a kid. To have such a long career, I feel very blessed and very appreciative.”
Jordan said he had no doubt he could have played this season and next, and signed a contract about six weeks ago after turning down opportunities to go elsewhere.
“At the end of the day, this opportunity, this challenge, moving forward was one I didn’t feel I could pass up,” Jordan said. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge and all of the work that’s going to go into helping us make this transition.”
Jordan thanked the organization with which he’s been since June 2007, when he was signed to replace longtime starting ’keeper Greg Sutton, who left for Toronto FC when it joined MLS that year.
Jordan told the handful of teammates who gathered for Monday’s news conference – including team captain Nevio Pizzolitto – he could not have enjoyed the success he did without their efforts and constant support. Jordan thanked team president Joey Saputo and De Santis and made a special mention of longtime goalkeeper coach Youssef Dahha.
“Youssef … that’s a good man back there,” Jordan said of Dahha, who was standing at the back of the room. “Being a goalkeeper, it can be very lonely. It’s hard. It’s a tough way to live in life, but it’s good to know you have somebody by your side, and I appreciate you, Yous.”
Overcome by emotion, Jordan also thanked his wife Lori Carlson – a former all-American volleyball player at the University of North Carolina – and the couple’s young children, daughter Sydney and son Myles, for their endless support.
“My No. 1 team is right here,” Jordan said while fighting back tears and pointing to his family in the front row. “I’ve asked a lot of them … this is a hard day for my kids ... because they don’t know anything different than what I’ve done, and for them it’s tough. I’m I’m very thankful to have them.
“For me now … I’ve reached a lot of dreams in my life … it’s about helping them reach their dreams. And the most important person is my wife. I could sit here all day and talk about her. She’s an amazing woman. I wouldn’t have had the career I’ve had without her.”
To the fans who were there for his first season, when the team played at Claude Robillard Stadium, and for the last three at Saputo Stadium, Jordan said they gave him “energy he never thought was possible.”
Jordan’s new role with the club will include acting as a liaison between the Impact and the MLS head office when it comes to trades, player signings and releases, the loaning of players and the acquisition of foreign players. In addition, he will support De Santis with regards to team budget, salary cap, contract negotiations, league regulations, and the recruitment and development of players with the club’s academy.
De Santis’s duties have been expanded from supervising the first team to overseeing all technical aspects of the club’s four development academy teams (U21, U16, U15 and U14).
“We’re already starting to assemble the pieces that we believe will lead to success from the moment we join MLS,” Saputo said. “We expect our team to be competitive from the very first season. Nick proved in the past that he’s capable of leading this club to victory, and I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the entire technical staff.”
10. GREEN: Arena meticulous in rebuilding the Galaxy
By Nick Green
Daily Breeze—January 31, 2011
When Bruce Arena took over in August 2008 as the Galaxy's fourth coach in two years he inherited a team with just six wins all season and in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.
The once-proud club was at its lowest ebb ever, despite a star-studded roster that included part-timer David Beckham.
"We're going to have to be a little bit patient and do the right things everyday to build this team where we want it to be," Arena said on his first day on the job. "We can turn this around. (The team's owners) realize it's not going to happen overnight."
It didn't.
The Galaxy missed the playoffs yet again after winning just two games in the final 4 1/2 months of the year.
But in 2009, the Galaxy made it all the way to the MLS Cup final before losing on penalty kicks, a run that left even Arena surprised.
Last season, they followed up with the best record in the league and just missed a second consecutive MLS Cup appearance, falling to Dallas in the Western Conference final
So if Arena came in with a three-year rebuilding plan, this is the season his patience should pay dividends.
Beckham is still jogging around a training field in London, hoping to impress the England manager, but will return before the season starts for a change in what is the final year of his five-year contract.
Top scorer Edson Buddle departed to Germany, but in came veteran striker Juan Pablo Angel, 35, last
year's top scorer with the New York Red Bulls who notched 13 goals in 30 regular-season games.
And sprinkled in for good measure are a couple more promising attack-minded players who played on the same team in Argentina - last year Arena brought in a trio of Brazilians, you'll recall - and a few draft picks.
"We think we should be better," playmaker Landon Donovan said on Monday as the team took to the practice field for the first time after a week of tests and fitness work in the gym. "Our team looks deeper, we look younger, more athletic and it looks really competitive this year.
"Bruce has done a really good job at filling in the pieces," he added. "When push comes to shove we have the most talented team in the league, the deepest team in the league and we should win."
Arena isn't one to cast hopefully around for an undiscovered gem. He likes known quantities, players and coaches with whom he has worked.
So in comes the likes of Angel, whom Arena brought to MLS when he coached at New York.
Newly acquired veteran defender Frankie Hejduk, a Southern California native and regular on the U.S. men's national team under Arena, was picked up from the Columbus Crew.
Then there's newly signed forward Chad Barrett, drafted out of UCLA in 2005 by then-Chicago Fire coach Dave Sarachan, now assistant head coach at the Galaxy.
The philosophy extends to coaching staff, too. Arena brought aboard assistant coach Curt Onalfo, a player and coach he worked with for years at D.C. United and the national team, to compensate for the loss of an institution like Cobi Jones, who left for the reshaped New York Cosmos.
"It's a smart approach because it works," said the fast-talking Hejduk, still wearing his scraggly surfer-dude hair long at age 36. "It has been working for a number of years.
"It's a good way to build a team," the UCLA product added. "He knows what he's getting out of me ... he's getting a guy whose going to work hard, bust his (tail) and push the younger players."
All this means that despite the exits of veterans Eddie Lewis and Chris Klein (both retired) and Dema Kovalenko (whose option wasn't picked up) the same essential elements prevail.
Veterans whom Arena relies on, mixed in with a few promising youngsters and a largely unchanged back four and midfield provides the solid foundation for another contending year.
Arena's teams generally aren't stunningly spectacular creations.
But in the stolid MLS, they usually get the job done, even when the unit isn't performing to its full potential.
And as Arena has proved over the last couple of seasons using the same basic mix of ingredients, that's better than 95 percent of the teams in the league.
"I came here to win a championship," Hejduk said. "With the tradition in this club and the way this club has been playing in the last couple of years, a championship is the next step. Hopefully I came at the perfect time."
11. Sounders FC gets started in Arizona
By Jose Miguel Romero
Seattle Times—January 31, 2011
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — The late-morning weather couldn't have been more Seattle-like:
Rain showers and temperatures in the high 40s at Grande Sports World, a patch of green soccer fields in the midst of desert, a few trees and shrubs.
But as Sounders FC's first daytime practice of the preseason in Arizona started, the sun came out. And it was business as usual for not only Seattle but the two other Major League Soccer teams sharing the complex, Real Salt Lake and the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps.
"The first day of really trying to build fitness," coach Sigi Schmid said. "It's always much nicer to do fitness work with the ball than without the ball. The games were good."
Those games were four six-minute matches for five teams of seven players including a goalkeeper, and the team that wasn't on the field taking part in a game was either resting or playing Schmid's favorite fun-day competition: soccer tennis.
These weren't leisurely matches. The intensity was high and competition for loose balls and goals fierce as players began to make their cases for roster spots. Rookie draft pick Servando Carrasco, a defensive midfielder, made a textbook tackle on one end, then was knocked to the ground going after a ball that was headed over the end line by another young midfielder, second-year player Michael Seamon.
In another game, center back Patrick Ianni sent forward Fredy Montero tumbling with a hip check and Montero took his time getting back up to play. Ianni walked over to make sure Montero, one of the team's designated players, was OK.
Forward O'Brian White and midfielder-forward Mike Fucito scored multiple goals.
"O'Brian, it's like I said before, he's fast, he's big and he knows his way around the goal box," Schmid said. "I think he's going to be a good player, we've just got to continue to build on his fitness ... he's got the physical prerequisites to play very well."
Facility just fine
The Sounders are return visitors to Grande Sports World — they spent some time during the 2010 preseason at the site. The difference this year is that the grass has taken firmer root and can only get softer, thus reducing sore backs for the players.
The club also likes the proximity of everything in one place. GSW is on the grounds of a resort hotel where the players and staff eat and sleep, and the fitness facility and locker rooms are in another building just steps away.
"From the standpoint of the staff and the equipment room and the way you can lay things out, it's sort of like being at home. You're not working out of a hotel room, you're not trying to do laundry at a laundromat," Schmid said. "It's not like when training's over, if some guys want to stay after and do a little bit of work, they can because everything's within walking distance."
The isolation from town — central Casa Grande is a good 5 miles away and southern suburban Phoenix 40 minutes north — also helps build camaraderie.
"We have a tradition at each meal, we pick a different new player and he's got to get up and say something about himself and the players are allowed to ask questions," Schmid said. "So that always turns up a lot of interesting facts."
Schmid isn't the only MLS coach digging the digs.
"It's not bad," Vancouver coach Teitur Thordarson said. "We have a lot of opportunities to be together and do a lot of being together as a group outside of training."
Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis is able to meet with the club's residential academy (youth development) staff and players whose home base is the site.
"It's extremely nice for the coaches to have their own office space right next to the locker rooms," Kreis said. "The performance center here is fantastic for us."
12. Real Salt Lake scrimmaging Vancouver Tuesday
By James Edward
Deseret Morning News—January 31, 2011
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — Real Salt Lake will put the wraps on its first stretch of the 2011 preseason Tuesday with a scrimmage against the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps here.
The club has been training in Arizona since Jan. 23, but will return to Utah Tuesday night. It will hold Utah-based training sessions this Friday and Saturday before returning to Casa Grande on Sunday for another week of warm-weather training.
The MLS regular season doesn't get underway for RSL until March 19, but an early start to training camp was necessary because of the club's advancement out of CONCACAF Champions League group play last season.
The two-leg quarterfinal series begins in Columbus on Feb. 22, with the return leg scheduled for March 1 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
13. Union back to the beginning to kick off second season
By Christopher A. Vito
Delaware County Daily News – January 31, 2011
UPPER MERION — Using a shirt sleeve to dry his face, Danny Califf smiled at practice’s conclusion last Friday.
Maybe it was a smile of relief that the day’s workout was through. Maybe it was a smile that his career with the Union remains intact.
The Union’s captain and first-choice centerback, Califf is back for Round 2 — a distinction that wasn’t bestowed upon a handful of his teammates from the club’s inaugural campaign.
With new faces comes new focus, and even a new training regimen for Peter Nowak’s team, which departs Philadelphia today and lands in sunny Orlando, Fla., for a month of preseason fitness.
“The preseason is a marathon,” said Califf, “and we’re just through the first three or four miles of that marathon.”
The preseason, which began last week at YSC in Wayne, consists of two-a-days and four friendlies, the opponents and times for which were announced Monday.
This time a year ago, the Union were familiarizing themselves with, well, themselves. The players were new to one another, coming from leagues, colleges and clubs across the globe. This season, there’s a level of comfort within the locker room … but it all still feels new.
At least, for the Union’s sake, there’s less running involved.
“It’s great that we get to actually play,” Califf said. “Last year we were at the Healthplex and all we did was run. And that’s not fun.”
According to Nowak, the Union shouldn’t get cozy in their YSC training routine.
“They are going to be 19 difficult days (in Orlando),” Nowak said. “We are not going to hit the walls right from the get-go like last year … but we’re going to work.”
Nowak said he and his coaching staff will use the month in the Sunshine State to individualize workout plans for their players. That means they’ll be using the club’s medical and training teams to improve players on a one-on-one level.
“Because,” Nowak said, “they don’t all have a tank like Sebastien.”
Sebastien Le Toux, the Union’s leading scorer last season, and several players look upon this stage of the preseason as the time when points in the regular-season standings are earned. Despite finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference table, the Union had the third-most successful season ever enjoyed by a Major League Soccer expansion side.
That happened to be a focal point of discussion at YSC.
“As a team, we have lots of ambition,” Le Toux said. “We want to make the playoffs first, then win the title — like any team. This year, because of our first year (being behind us), we can avoid being scared and learn from being a first-year team.”
There are going to be positional battles — and lots of them. The Union can carry a 30-man roster, but only 18 will dress on match day. Not including their six trialists in camp, the Union have a 28-man team.
Of course, it helps to have the not-so-new MLS Reserve Division at their disposal. Disbanded after the 2008 campaign, it’s back this year. The 10-game reserve schedule allows clubs to give their deepest reserves much-needed playing time in order to stay fresh.
It also helps Nowak in the personnel department. Now that Nowak has had a year to develop personal relationships with his players, that doesn’t always make his roster decisions any easier.
“We’ll try to keep it open-minded,” the Union manager said. “We know what the number eventually is going to be. We’ll see what the next couple of days will bring.”
NOTE: Two sources have confirmed that The Haverford School’s Jeremiah White, the 1999 Daily Times Player of the Year, is among the six trialists in camp with the Union. Per club policy, the Union do not release the names of trialists unless they are signed to a professional contract. White said publicly last year that an opportunity with the Union would be welcome. The 28-year-old midfielder, who could not be reached for comment, has spent the majority of his professional career playing in European and Middle Eastern soccer leagues.
14. Homegrown defender Sacir Hot signs with Red Bulls
Associated Press – February 1, 2011
(AP) — Sacir Hot, a 19-year-old defender, has signed with the New York Red Bulls a a homegrown player under Major League Soccer rules.
Hot, who played for the U.S. under-20 team at the Milk Cup last July, became the fourth graduate of the Red Bulls academy to sign with New York, following Juan Agudelo, Giorgi Chirgadze and Matt Kassel.
Hot, who is from Fair Lawn, N.J., played at Boston...
15. Toronto FC get to work in Turkey
Canadian Press – February 1, 2011
Toronto FC has little to say about reports that assistant coach Nick Dasovic's future with the club is in question.
“There's nothing to report at the moment on Nick,” a TFC spokesman said Monday in Toronto. “The club isn't commenting on the reports.”
The spokesman confirmed that Dasovic in not in Turkey where the MLS team is currently training at the Calista Luxury Resort.
Dasovic took over as interim coach last season when Preki was fired. The team has since hired Aron Winter of the Netherlands as head coach.
The team, meanwhile, said players in camp on trial in Turkey included Javier Martina, Bas Ent, King Osei Gyan, Nick Soolsma and Santiago Gonzalez Areco. Toronto has some 30 players in camp, 14 of which are under contract.
Martina is a 23-year-old Dutch striker who spent three years in Ajax Academy before being promoted to the senior team. He spent part of 2010 on loan at HFC Haarlem.
Ent, a Dutch midfielder, spent time on trial with Toronto last season and appeared in the Carlsberg Cup international friendly against visiting Bolton Wanderers. He played for Dayton Dutch Lions in the USL PDL last season.
Gyan is a Ghanaian midfielder who was signed by Fulham in the English Premier League in 2007 but did not make an appearance for the London club and was loaned to Germinal Beerschot in Belgium.
Soolsma is a 23-year-old Dutch striker who has played in the Netherlands for HFC Haarlem and VV Young Boys.
Areco is a Uruguayan forward who has represented his country at the under-17 level. The 18-year-old has been playing in Uruguay for Atletico River Plate Montevideo's B Team.
Three Canadian trialists are also with the squad: David Monsalve, Eddy Sidra and Gianluca Zavarise.
Four Toronto FC Academy players made the trip: Matt Stinson, Oscar Cordon, Keith Makubuya and Ashtone Morgan.
Toronto's first pre-season game is set for Wednesday against Partizan Belgrade. The Serbian side is also training in Antalya for its return from winter break.
16. Attiba Harris starts anew with Whitecaps
Canadian Press – January 31, 2011
A lot of things changed in the life of Vancouver Whitecaps forward-midfielder Atiba Harris in a very short period of time.
The likable Harris became a father for the first time, lost in the Major League Soccer championship game, then became part of new team in a different country, all in a span of six days.
Through it all Harris rode an emotional roller-coaster from joy to dejection and confusion. Typically he came out smiling.
"I'm excited for the new challenge," said the native of Basseterre, the capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. "At the same time it was a bit bittersweet."
The Whitecaps plucked Harris from FC Dallas in the MLS expansion draft back in November. That ended a whirlwind week.
On the Friday before the expansion draft, his wife needed an emergency caesarean section in Los Angeles to give birth to the couple's daughter. At the time, Harris was in Toronto where Dallas was preparing to play the Colorado Rapids in the MLS championship.
Dallas lost the final 2-1 in extra time on Sunday. The winning goal came on a deflection off a Dallas defender.
On Monday, Harris returned to Los Angeles to be with his wife and new daughter. He was at the hospital on Wednesday when a Dallas teammate called him.
"He said 'Dude, are you listening? You got picked up,"' Harris said.
"At that point I didn't have any emotions. I was just focused on my wife and daughter, hoping they would be healthy. After it kind of sunk in."
The Whitecaps dealt away half of the 10 players they took in the expansion draft. Harris is one of those they decided to keep.
At six foot three and 185 pounds, Harris brings size and speed to the Whitecaps. Coach Teitur Thordarson also thinks the 26-year old has the potential to become the goal-scorer the Whitecaps need.
Harris has 15 goals in five MLS seasons with three teams.
"He's physically strong," said Thordarson. "He's a big lad that's willing to work. That's something that pleases me.
"He has a lot of good qualities to be a striker and become a very good striker. We have to work hard to fix little things. There are a lot of things about him that I like."
Harris was surprised when Dallas decided not to protect him in the expansion draft.
"The coach told us he had a difficult decision," Harris said. "He had a whole bunch of good players on that team.
"Some players were bound to be left unprotected. It was disappointing. At the same time I was happy coach Teitur and the staff didn't trade me away. They kept me."
Harris has brought a positive attitude to the Whitecaps. He could have sulked after going from a team that played in the final to a club making its MLS debut.
"Coming here was a bit bittersweet," said Harris. "It's exciting at the same time.
"It's a new challenge, a new beginning. A different environment.
There are a bunch of new cultures up here. I'm petty excited."
So far, Harris has found it easy to mesh with his new teammates.
"Everyone has worked hard in training," Harris said. "We are a close group already."
Besides his physical skills, Harris brings MLS experience, something the Whitecaps hope he can pass onto the other players.
"A guy like him, who has played on good teams in MLS, it's a bigbonus for us," said Thordarson.
Harris said adapting to the speed may be the biggest challenge for the Whitecaps getting their first taste of MLS.
"It's going to be a fast-paced game, very physical," he said.
Harris grew up in a family of four children. His cousin is Micah Richards, who plays for Manchester City and England's national team.
Harris was just 12 when he played for his town's under-18 team, scoring two goals in his first game. He made his first appearance for the St. Kitts and Nevis national team at age 15 in 2000. He has 22 caps and seven goals.
As a 17-year-old he joined the youth system of Newcastle. In 2003 he moved to Cadiz, then of the Spanish First Division, who loaned him to CD Linares, a second-division side.
Harris joined MLS in 2006 when he signed with Real Salt Lake. He had four goals and one assist in 22 games.
In 2006 he moved to Chivas USA. He was traded to Dallas in July 2009.
The Whitecaps opened their first MLS training camp in Vancouver last week but have moved to Casa Grande, Ariz., until Feb. 9
Harris has not moved his family to Vancouver yet, but has sent them plenty of pictures.
"It's an amazing city," he said. "I like the diversity here. I think my family is going to have a great time in this city."
17. Ten most intriguing figures in MLS
By Steve Davis
Sports Illustrated – January 31, 2011
Preseason started early this year around MLS, a reflection of season openers moving forward about two weeks. So most teams are into their preseason routines now, with trips ahead to Florida, Arizona or other places where the weather is more suited to soccer and less to Winter X Games.
To prime things, here are the 10 most intriguing figures for the coming 2011 campaign (listed alphabetically):
1. Juan Agudelo, F, NY Red Bulls: Funny thing about all the hoopla attached to America's scoring protégé du jour: he has yet to start an MLS regular season match. A reasonable account in two national team appearances has everyone stoked to see how far the 18-year-old forward can go. First question, how much will he even play? Red Bulls coach Hans Backe said Agudelo can man outside attacking spots as well as striker, which helps in dispersing minutes. But Backe also warned about overexposure and over-the-top expectations, especially if Agudelo has some early success and Europe beckons. "It's so, so easy that you lose focus on your game," Backe said Friday from New York. "We definitely have to do some things to protect him a little this year."
2. Juan Pablo Angel, F, L.A. Galaxy: For all the hype and hysteria surrounding the Galaxy over the last few years, titles and trophies have proved painfully elusive. Can Angel be the missing piece at the Home Depot Center? He replaces Edson Buddle, and while the former Galaxy hit man struck at an impressive rate, it wasn't Angel-esque. Aside from being a more well-rounded forward, Angel put away 58 goals in 102 games over the last four years, usually for lesser teams. Buddle meanwhile struck 42 times in 97 games in the same period. One question: Can Angel, 35, hold up adequately? (If we knew the answer, he wouldn't be so intriguing in 2011.)
3. Robin Fraser, Chivas USA coach: Chivas USA might be known as the most dysfunctional club in MLS if only Toronto hadn't so stubbornly hoarded the dubious distinction. Attempts to establish an identity at Chivas USA have failed miserably. Now comes Fraser, formerly the highly regarded assistant to Jason Kreis at Real Salt Lake. Players are already talking about more purposeful practices under Fraser, who hopes to emulate Kreis' success. He's got his work cut out; Chivas USA's threadbare roster looks nothing like Kreis' capable assemblage at the moment.
4. Sebastien Le Toux, M/F, Philadelphia Union: Since 2008 no one in MLS had a higher combined goal-assist total than the Frenchman's last year. Le Toux's breakout season (14 goals, 11 assists) is even more impressive considering the expansion team around him last year. He probably would have been the league MVP if Philly had sneaked into the playoffs. No one works harder and that, as much as the scoring, has endeared him to Philly's demanding sports fanatics. Not at all bad for a guy left unprotected the previous season by Seattle.
5. Darlington Nagbe, F, Portland Timbers: The top MLS draft pick, Omar Salgado, remains a project; check back in three or four years. But check back in three or four months on Nagbe, and we should have a good idea on the overall No. 2. Nagbe wears the look of a mature goal scorer already. Rookie forwards can certainly excel in their freshman MLS seasons: Danny Mwanga in Philly and Steve Zakuani in Seattle, the previous No. 1 choices, set a brisk pace. Now Portland's Nagbe may be partnered with returning man Kenny Cooper in Portland, so there's intrigue all across the front line.
6. Merritt Paulson, Portland Timbers owner: Remember how Seattle Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer was the toast of the MLS town a couple of years back? Well, he's still a cool fellow and all ... but he's so 2009. Portland and Vancouver are going to boost the league profile and collective energy the way Seattle and Toronto did in recent years, and that's largely about Paulson. The Portland Timbers exist in MLS today thanks to his aggressive movement on PGE Park -- they kicked baseball out of there! -- and to his ability to get city leaders in Portland on board. Not bad for someone who was a midlevel exec at NBA Entertainment just a few years ago.
7. Tim Ream, CB, New York Red Bulls: Let's talk about the tremendous burden of expectation: It's one thing to handle the job when no one expects it; it's totally different when everyone expects it. Ream was the outta-nowhere man in 2010, accelerating from completely unknown to Rookie of the Year finalist in record speed. Throw in a couple of mature, impressive nights in the U.S. shirt and, well ... let's see what his sophomore MLS season brings.
8. Paul Tamberino, MLS Competition committee member: Mark down 2010 as the year MLS officials began to grudgingly concede that officiating needs some dents pounded out. You know what they say: admitting you have a problem is half the battle. Tamberino's task is now the other half, having just joined the MLS competition committee as a director. Formerly the U.S. Soccer Director of Referee Development, he will remain in close/proximity to the body that assigns referees to MLS matches. He's also now the tip of the spear for planning and implementation of strategies to improve MLS quality, a big part of which is improving performance from the men in the middle. (Hint: Just call the darn fouls, guys, and don't acquiesce to this mess about MLS being a "physical league.")
9. Aron Winter, Toronto FC coach: Toronto FC has been place where attractive soccer goes to die, which is a shame considering a loyal audience that matches a sophisticated knowledge of the game with a laudable "rock on!" attitude. The newly appointed Dutchman has made it clear that the previous TFC ways -- kick and rush under early managers, defend and foul under the latest one -- offended his soccer sensibilities as much as the rest of ours. Assuming he can get disgruntled star Dwayne De Rosario on board, the action should look better around BMO, at very least.
10. Chris Wondolowski, F, San Jose forward: The world is full of one-hit wonders; It's Wondolowski's job in 2011 to stay off that list. He was the league's improbable Golden Boot winner last year with 18 goals in 28 games. That came after a career that included just seven goals in five years. (Not a misprint!) So, will he prove to be more "Beatles," prolific over a longer period? Or more "Baha Men," who gave the world Who Let the Dogs Out and then disappeared? The Earthquakes had better hope he keeps it up; while "Wondo" hit 18 goals in 2010, the rest of the team contributed a paltry 16.
18. Red Bull academy signee Sacir Hot: From ballboy to the big club
By Brian Lewis
NYPost.com – January 31, 2011
Seven years ago, Sacir Hot was trotting along the sidelines at Giants Stadium, as a ballboy for the MetroStars. Six years ago, the Fair Lawn (NJ) native was dreaming of playing in the Meadowlands when he joined the MetroStars’ youth academy.
Today, the 19-year-old centerback officially became a Red Bull, signing with the rebranded club and practicing alongside French superstar Thierry Henry and looking forward to picking the brain of fellow defender Rafa Marquez.
“It's surreal,’’ said the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Hot, adding he signed for either three or four years. “It’s surreal. I can't wait until the first day when we can walk into the stadium, whether it’s on the bench, starting or anything. Just to be walking out wearing the jersey is going to be surreal for me.
“Not everyone gets a chance to play with Henry and Marquez and Tim Ream as well. You saw how big (Ream) got in a year; he’s obviously doing something right. It's not bad learning from Tim Ream, Marquez and these guys. Not even just them. Everyone around here is really teaching me a lot.’’
Hot is the fourth homegrown player the Red Bulls have signed, after Giorgio Chirgadze, Juan Agudelo and last week’s addition, Matt Kassel. It’s a suddenly-burgeoning academy that Hot likened to an MLS version of the world’s best.
“When you look at Barcelona and you see all their academy players coming up on the rise, and I feel like Red Bull, they’re going to be producing the same for MLS,’’ said Hot. “Agudelo’s coming up, Matt Kassel, I am; they have a bunch of great talent in the academy coming up. I like what red bull is doing now. Hans is giving a lot of chance to the youth, which is very, very good for the club.’’
Hot _ who was on the field alongside Agudelo for the U.S. Under-20 team in their 3-0 win in the Milk Cup final _ recently had a couple of trials in Germany, including with Borussia Moenchengladbach, where U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley is under contract.
“We’re so happy his dream came true,’’ said Hot’s mother Valjbona, while his father Salih added “We’re really happy and excited he’s back home. He belongs to them because he’s been with the red bull organization. He joined their academy six years ago, and that God he came back home. For him and for us this is a very big thing. His hard work paid off and he’ll have a good future.’’
Hot was coming up in the MetroStars’ academy, saying “I was there in the beginning,’’ watching as Bradley started his career in New York. He saw Bradley, then Jozy Altidore start here and leave for Europe, watched former academy teammate Agudelo break in with the big club and join Ream as a U.S. debutante.
“It's always good to start off here, make a name for yourself, get some experience, and make your way over. A lot of the full National Team people have done that, so why not me?" asked Hot rhetorically. “I always wanted to go with the Red Bulls, whether it was now or (later). I love the Red Bulls. I always wanted to be with them. I saw the opportunity and I took it. I can always go to Germany (later).
“There were no official contracts offered (in Germany). They really liked me. The sporting director told my agent that after two or three practices they don't usually give out contracts, so they wanted me to stay longer for a trial in the summer, at least two or three weeks. (But) we have the Under-20 World Cup in the summer, so I didn't have any time to waste."
Hot hasn’t wasted time rising up the ranks in the U.S. Under-20 setup with coach Tom Rongen _ saying he’d prefer to play for the U.S. than Montenegro _ or earning a contract from Red Bull GM Erik Soler and coach Hans Backe.
"Right now I’m focused with the U.S. The U.S. is my No. 1,’’ said Hot. “If I ever fall out of the equation and I’m not on the team anymore, why not? I have a Montenegro passport; I have dual citizenship. U.S. is always my first, then it’s Montenegro. I was raised here, born here; I want to give back.’’
Backe saw Hot play a handful of times, but spoke at length with his academy coaches who saw him captain the Red Bulls' U-16 and U-18 teams, as well as Rongen, who gave the teenager a glowing report.
“I had talked to Tom Rongen a lot about him. He rates him very high for the Under-20. (And) he has been very solid for our academy,’’ said Backe. “It’s difficult (to say) what level he is. He's a strong, solid center back, definitely. We just have to wait and see in the upcoming weeks. No stress."
19. Chivas USA sets scrimmage vs. San Jose
By Scott French
ESPNLosAngeles.com – January 31, 2011
Chivas USA will get a test next Monday, taking on the San Jose Earthquakes in a scrimmage at Home Depot Center -- the only Southern California preseason match on the Goats' schedule so far.
The 2 p.m. game will be played on Field 6, Chivas' practice field southwest of the main stadium. Fans may watch from the sidewalk and bluff overlooking the field, but space is at a premium.
The Goats play their first preseason scrimmage Tuesday in Templeton, in San Luis Obispo County, against USL Premier Development League club Fresno Fuego. The 10 a.m. game will be played on a private ranch (717 Marguita Ave.) and is open to the public.
Chivas returns to L.A. after Tuesday's game and resumes training Friday. The team Feb. 11 heads to Casa Grande, Ariz. -- assistant coach Greg Vanney's headquarters -- for a week of work, with games slated (but not yet scheduled) against other MLS clubs working out in Arizona.
A COUPLE MORE THINGS: MLS says the full regular-season schedule will be announced the second week of February. … The league plans a “major soccer announcement” Tuesday and has scheduled a conference call that will include Galaxy captain Landon Donovan and New York Red Bulls star Thierry Henry. We hear it's an All-Star Game announcement and anticipate it will be played in New York or New Jersey.
20. New York Red Bulls Pen 19-Year-Old Sacir Hot As Home Grown Player
By Zac Lee Rigg
Goal.com – February 1, 2011
The New York Red Bulls signed its second Home Grown Player of the offseason by penning Sacir Hot to a contract. The 19-year-old becomes New York's fourth Home Grown Player overall, following after U.S. international Juan Agudelo, attacker Giorgi Chirgadze and midfielder Matt Kassel.
Hot, a U.S. U20 international, had a trial with Bundesliga side Borrussia Monchengladbach in January.
“Sacir has shown that he has the potential to be a very successful professional soccer player,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “He has a bright future ahead of him and we are excited to sign him as our fourth Home Grown Player.”
The central defender was formerly a ball boy for the MetroStars and has fulfilled his childhood dream by signing for New York.
“I’ve always wanted to be with the Red Bulls, whether it was now or at the end of my career,” Hot told MLSsoccer.com. “I love the Red Bulls.”
21. Red Bull Arena to host 2011 All-Star Game
New York Metropolitan area to host first All-Star Game since 1997
MLSsoccer.com – February 1, 2011
NEW YORK – The Big Apple will finally get another bite at the MLS All-Star Game.
For the first time in 14 years, the New York metropolitan area will host the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game after the league announced on Tuesday that the 2011 edition will be played at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., on July 27 at 8:30 pm ET.
The All-Stars’ opponent and ticket details will be announced by MLS at a later date.
“The combination of one of the most spectacular stadiums of its size in the world with the passionate soccer supporters in the metropolitan New York area will provide a terrific showcase for our All-Star Game,” league commissioner Don Garber said. “Red Bull Arena will be a tremendous venue for this marquee event and we are pleased to bring the All-Star Game to an area with a rich soccer tradition.”
Garber will join LA Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan and New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry to discuss the event in further detail on a media teleconference call that will be streamed by MLSsoccer.com later on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
New York was the venue for the All-Star Game in back-to-back years during the league’s first two seasons in 1996 and 1997. The old Giants Stadium hosted East vs. West match-ups on both occasions.
The league has since moved to a format which showcases the stars of the league against renowned international opponents including Chelsea, Manchester United, Celtic, Chivas Guadalajara and Everton. The MLS squad has lost only one of those eight matches, against Manchester United last year at Reliant Stadium in Houston in front of a record-breaking crowd of more than 70,000.
Now it will be the turn of $200 million Red Bull Arena, the 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium opened last year.
Tickets for the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will be made available to Red Bulls full-season ticket members and partial plan holders before they go on sale to the general public.
22. Backe, NY still shopping ahead of season opener
By Kristian Dyer
MLSsoccer.com – February 1, 2011
WALDWICK, N.J. – Even as they inch closer to the season, the Red Bulls are still eager to sign two more players ahead of their March 19 opener, head coach Hans Backe said on Monday.
While no new additions are expected to join the team before the club heads to Mexico on Friday, Backe is still keen to add a right back to the squad as cover and either a central midfielder or another center back to the senior roster.
And while the scouting and discussions continue, Backe admits that any moves might still be a few weeks off.
“Not that close; we have some names,” Backe said. “I’m confident we can find someone before the season starts.”
One option for New York could be moving Mexican international Rafa Marquez to the back line. Márquez, who will join the team in Cancún later this week and is currently training with his old club Atlas, has played as a defender for both club and country. Last year, Backe told MLSsoccer.com that moving his Designated Player from the midfield to the back four wasn’t on the top of wish list.
Now with perhaps a central midfielder available to add to the roster, Backe admits he could slide Márquez alongside Tim Ream in the center of the defense.
“There are some good central midfield players [available] that could make it easy for us to move Rafa to the back,” Backe admitted.
English forward Luke Rodgers, meanwhile, will hopefully be ready to train when the club goes to Florida, Backe said. Rodgers is still bothered by a right knee injury and is currently rehabbing with team trainer Rick Guter.
Rodgers has donned No. 9 thus far during his brief time with New York, the number former RBNY star Juan Pablo Angel wore during his time with the club.
23. Quakes' André Luiz eyes end of lengthy recovery
By Fidencio Enriquez
MLSsoccer.com – February 1, 2011
SAN JOSE, Calif. – While players from the San Jose Earthquakes congregated for the first time last Thursday to get ready for the upcoming 2011 season, there’s one player whose preparations began long ago.
Last June, Andre Luiz suffered a season-ending knee injury and underwent surgery in August to reconstruct the posterior cruciate ligament and repair the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He’s been on the recovery trail since, but his journey’s not over yet.
“It’s been just over five months since the operation,” André Luiz told MLSsoccer.com. “The doctor that operated on me here in California said – and doctors in Brazil [where he also trained during the offseason] said the same thing – that recovery will take between seven and eight months.”
André Luiz’s recuperation has gone according to schedule. After resting his knee following surgery, the 36-year-old Brazilian began physical therapy. By the time the Quakes’ season ended in November, he was training off to the side, running with the aid of a knee brace.
Throughout the offseason, André Luiz kept working on his rehab. With the help of the personnel at his former club, Corinthians, he followed the regimen the Quakes staff drew up for him.
“I took advantage of the two months I stayed over there [in Brazil] to work out with Corinthians,” said André Luiz. “I left [San Jose] with the workouts I needed to do over there. I took advantage of Corinthians' structure, of the personnel they have. That was important. I didn’t waste time and was able to keep up the important work I had been doing here.”
The offseason work done in Brazil – which focused on strengthening the leg – has allowed him to start running without the aid of the brace. And while he still feels some pain and swelling, it’s slowly going away.
“I feel a lot better,” he said. “I’m happy about my progress. I feel good. I’m still running, but I’m taking things slowly.”
According to the midfielder, he won’t be able to touch the ball for nearly another three weeks and could miss the first game or two of the season. But that doesn’t matter. What’s most important, he says, is getting back to full fitness.
“We’ve got to give time time so that I can return at 100 percent, that’s what’s most important,” said André Luiz. “I think we’re on the right path. If I lose one game or two, it won’t be much. But it’s important that I return at 100 percent so that I can play until the end of the season without a problem.”
Last season, injuries to André Luiz and defender Ike Opara put San Jose in a little bind. Holding midfielder Brandon McDonald had to slide back into a central defensive role, leaving the Quakes with a shortage of midfielders.
On top of that, the loss of André Luiz meant that the Quakes lost some of their spirit in the middle of the pitch. It was a two-edged loss, really. With the two-way Brazilian midfielder gone, so, too, was some of San Jose’s ball-winning bite. But where it really hurt the most was on offense. The Quakes didn’t have their general, the person who could rally the troops and lead the charge with his link-up play.
To solve the issue, the team traded for Sam Cronin from Toronto and signed Khari Stephenson and Geovanni (the club’s first-ever Designated Player) midway through 2010. Although Geovanni is no longer around and the Quakes are still in negotiations to re-sign Stephenson, the midfield was bolstered for the 2011 campaign with the pick up of Anthony Ampaipitakwong in the SuperDraft and the signing of Tony Donatelli. Needless to say, cracking the starting lineup won’t be an easy task for André Luiz once he’s back to full health.
“I think we’ve missed him and his guile and his ability to play soccer, so I’m looking forward to having him back in the fold,” Quakes head coach Frank Yallop told MLSsoccer.com of the big Brazilian. “We did have a good year last year with Sam Cronin and Khari and Scotty [Sealy] and Brad Ring. All those guys did a good job in the middle of the field, so [André Luiz] is not gonna walk into the team, for sure.”
André Luiz’s contract runs out at the end of this season. Questions abound as to how effective he’ll be at 36, but especially after the injury and surgery he’s gone through. Only time will tell if the midfielder can’t perform on the pitch anymore, but if he can’t, San Jose general manager John Doyle says André Luiz future could still be as a member of the Quakes.
“We’re hoping he gets better and healthy,” said Doyle. "He’s a terrific player and great person. From that standpoint, if there was a reason that he couldn’t come back to play at the level we know and expect from him, we could have him work in the front office.
“He could be an international scout for us. … He’s incredible. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, French, English. He’s well traveled. He’d be a great ambassador for the club.”
André Luiz proved his negotiating chops by convincing Geovanni to come to San Jose. And though he’s admitted interest in working in the Quakes front office once his career is done, at the moment, he's focused solely on returning to the playing field.
“Recovering is difficult,” he said. “It’s the first time an injury like this has happened to me, but I’m happy because little by little I’m getting better. I want to think that in two more months [I’ll be 100 percent ready], but I’ll have to keep working as best I can. Who knows, maybe I can come back earlier.”
24. Rookie Paul eager for big opportunities in Chicago
By Sam Stejskal
MLSsoccer.com – February 1, 2011
Chicago Fire rookie forward Davis Paul officially started his professional career this weekend, undergoing physicals at Toyota Park and training with the team at an indoor facility just outside Chicago.
For the 22-year-old Cal product, simply beginning preseason practice was a thrill. The fact that he’ll have an immediate shot to earn some serious playing time – the Fire only return one forward from last year’s team – is just icing on the cake.
“As a young player, you can’t ask for a better situation,” Paul told MLSsoccer.com. “It’s great to get an opportunity to show I’m one of the guys. I believe that if I work hard and play well, the opportunities will come, and I’m stoked to be a part of a program in which those opportunities are there.”
Paul, whom the Fire selected with the 51st overall pick in the SuperDraft earlier this month, was one of four forwards drafted by Chicago this offseason. At 5-foot-8, he's the smallest of the bunch, but he isn’t concerned that his lack of height will hold him back.
“I’m more of the playmaking, quick, crafty underneath striker, but I can still get into space and I can still make good runs,” he said. “I’ll adapt to whatever. Yeah, I’m not a 6-foot-2 target guy, but I’m still going to find a way to get it done.”
Paul’s confidence is justified. His size shouldn’t matter a great deal if Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos’ possession-based, build-up-on-the-ground system works like it’s supposed to.
“When they called me after I got drafted, the first thing they said [was that they’re a possession-based team],” Paul said. “That was great news to me because when you’re 5-foot-8, the last thing you want is balls dumped into you when you have a 6-foot-4 defender on you. It’s like my entire style of football fits exactly what they’re trying to push.”
Paul, who scored 15 goals and notched 21 assists in four years at Berkeley, has received a good deal of post-draft advice from a fellow Cal Bear: Fire forward Calen Carr.
“Calen’s been a huge help for me through all this,” Paul said. “He called me the same day I got drafted and gave me a little 30-minute lowdown on what to expect, how to prepare, what to pack, the ins and outs of the city, where to live. He definitely took care of me and I’m very grateful for it. He’s a great guy and I’m excited to play with him.”
“I’m just excited to be in such a great city with such a great club and such great supporters,” he added. “I’m just hoping to contribute this year.”
25. Nyamekye the Crew's "rookie-plus"
By Craig Merz
MLSsoccer.com – February 1, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Categorizing defender Kwaku Nyamekye is not easy.
He’s a Harvard economics major who opted to finish his schooling last year rather than turn pro after being selected by the Crew in the 2010 SuperDraft. But to question his commitment to soccer would be misguided because he spent part of his winter break from Harvard a year ago training with the Rangers of the Scottish Premier League.
And for parts of the second half of the 2010 season, the 23-year-old central defender even practiced with Columbus when it appeared for a while that he might receive a contract.
When Nyamekye finally signed with the Crew last week, he joined the six 2011 draftees for preseason camp. But he doesn’t really consider himself a rookie.
“I don’t know how to categorize myself,” he said. “It’s weird because I’ve been with the team a total of four months or so, but I haven’t been officially on the team until now. I’ll let the team decide exactly what my status is.”
How about rookie-plus?
“Maybe,” coach Robert Warzycha said. “He knows everybody. That’s basically one of the steps when you go to a new team. He has an advantage over the other new guys.”
The newcomers look to Nyamekye for guidance given the defender's experience.
“Since we’ve been in camp, [the rookies] have been asking the players who’ve been a little more familiar with the team, including myself, how to go about, just getting around Columbus,” he said. “They look to me for advice, but I don’t consider myself the senior guy on the team that every guy should look up to.”
Nyamekye spent about 10 weeks last summer training with the Crew, but from the onset, there wasn’t a roster spot.
When defender Jed Zayner was traded to D.C. United in early August, the team wanted to sign Nyamekye. But because some medical matters weren’t resolved by the Sept. 15 roster deadline freeze, the club instead signed defender Josh Williams.
“There were a couple of medical questions that I had to have checked,” Nyamekye said. “It took a couple of weeks. All that is good now.”
Once Nyamekye was cleared to play, he resumed training with the Crew until the end of the season in hopes of securing a deal for 2011.
Signing him became more important after center back Eric Brunner was plucked by Portland in the Expansion Draft.
The Crew hope Nyamekye, who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 200 pounds, can be a solid backup in central defense for Chad Marshall and Andy Iro.
“It’s up to him to perform,” Warzycha said. “I’m not going to say he will take anybody’s spot, but he will help the team because the season is so long and we have so many games.”
CAMP QUOTABLE:
“I make fun of him because he Tweets too much. He’s not big-time enough to Tweet like he does.”
– Cole Grossman on fellow rookie Justin Meram’s use of Twitter.
