Now this is just a proposal, which will be debated for quite some time, but just the fact that it is being considered at all is a major development. Even the Prime Minister has weighed in!
In voicing the proposal the EPL referenced the need to raise its global profile in an increasingly crowded sports landscape (case in point: the NFL returning to England for a regular season game this year), and that money generated from this int’l fixture will go to the EPL teams, who won’t be ones to turn away more money. Whenever money is involved in any sport, it usually wins out, which is what some expect will happen here.
What do you think? Smart move? Not needed? Is it a big deal that it will upset the balance of the current "1 home, 1 away" against every team format? Will it really happen? E-mail your opinions to us at scpodcast@gmail.com, and don’t be surprised to see this topic pop up in a future podcast!
]]>As Bill had suspected, FIFA rejected the transfer of Daniel Cousin from Rangers to Fulham. Soccer’s governing body cited its rule that a player cannot play for more than 2 teams in a season. Since Cousin played 20 mins. as a sub for Lens before his move to Rangers, he cannot switch teams again. Pretty ridiculous!
EPL side Middlesbrough are closing in on completing a transfer for Brazilian playmaker Afonso Alves. A hearing has been set to approve a work visa for Alves, which according to this article is not a done deal yet.
Finally, Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has expressed doubt that Jurgen Klinsmann can succeed as coach of Bayern Munich. Beckenbauer said he "can only hope" Klinsmann makes it to the end of his 2-year contract. Wow. Why he would say that publicly, and put even more pressure on Klinsmann, is beyond my comprehension.
Keep listening to Soccer Champions for more high-profile soccer discussion! You can also e-mail us at scpodcast@gmail.com with questions, opinions, or suggestions.
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In any case, what about soccer (or, to most Americans, "the other football") doing the reverse: playing regular season English Premier League matches in the US? It might happen in the not-to-distant future, according to some EPL execs.
What do you think about playing EPL games in America? Savvy promotional tool, or pointless publicity stunt? How about playing NFL games (and perhaps, as the commissioner has mentioned, the Super Bowl!!!) in Europe?
E-mail your thoughts to scpodcast@gmail.com!
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Link:
]]>Since become Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho led the Blues to the Premiership title (in 2005) for the first time in 50 years, and only the second time in the history of the team (and they have a long history). Then the following season Chelsea won the Premiership again. He’s also collected the FA Cup and the League Cup twice. Oh yeah, prior to Chelsea he led FC Porto to the UEFA Cup and Champions League titles in successive years, a very rare feat.
Probably 98% of soccer coaches worldwide go through their ENTIRE CAREERS without ever accomplishing what Mourinho has in the last 4 years alone. Most teams (and fans) would give anything to have a coach with that pedigree in charge of their club.
But apparantly, it was not enough. Following a disappointing draw at home to lowly Rosenborg in the Champions League, Mourinho suddenly resigned as Chelsea manager. While the timing was unexpected, the move itself was not, as it has long been suspected Mourinho has been at odds with Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
Supposedly, while the Premiership and Cup titles were nice, Abramovich above all wanted the Champions League trophy. And that was the one competition where Mourinho had failed to deliver at Chelsea, who reached the semifinals twice in the last three years before losing to Premiership rivals Liverpool each time. With Chelsea’s deep well of talent--acquired largely through Abramovich’s personal fortune--they should’ve dispatched Rosenborg with ease. But the draw in front of just a half full and apparantly apathetic Stamford Bridge crowd proved to be the final straw. Plus this weekend’s huge Premier League showdown at Man United was looming over Mourinho, and some believe that would’ve put unbearable pressure on him.
Mourinho has developed a reputation for being a hothead, arrogant and stubborn. But on the other hand, you can’t argue with his results at Chelsea and Porto. I think this is just a case of two "type A" personalities that could only co-exist for so long. In a sense Chelsea wasn’t big enough for the both of them; since Abramovich owns the team, it was Mourinho who had to go. In the interim period, Avram Grant will run the club with the help of assistant coach Steve Clarke.
What do you think about this development? Was the fallout inevitable, or did Abramovich (+ media, fans) put undue pressure on Mourinho? Since he won basically everything else he could besides the UCL (Uefa Champions League), should he have been given more leeway? Chelsea only played 1 UCL game this season! Maybe the draw against Rosenborg was a fluke.
Make your feelings known! E-mail us at scpodcast@gmail.com.
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A showcase of European soccer’s best teams, the Super Cup is usually played in a jovial and celebratory atmosphere, but this time will be different. The thoughts of all are with Sevilla, who somehow have to deal with the shocking, tragic death of one of their own. Midfielder Antonio Puerta, just 22 years old and a rising star not just with his club but with the Spanish national side as well, collapsed on the field during Sevilla’s first La Liga match last weekend, and died a few days later.
Sevilla coach Juande Ramos has said his team is in a "trance-like state." While it must be incredibly difficult for anyone on the team to maintain focus on soccer in such a situation, perhaps the best way Sevilla players can honor their fallen teammate is to redouble their efforts on the field and perform to the very best of their abilities. They have a strong squad, and are certainly capable of achieving great results both in Spain’s La Liga and the Champions League, assuming they can see off AEK Athens in the second leg of their qualifying match to be played on Monday. Assuredly Puerta will be in Sevilla’s hearts and minds throughout the season, and I think all fans, no matter who they support, would like to see the team triumph over this terrible adversity.
--Scott
]]>In our next episode, to be posted this week (assuming no technical difficulties), we’re going to talk about the main concepts and structure of European soccer and the Champions League, in a way that will hopefully allow new fans to better understand what’s going during the season, and in later podcast episodes!
So if you know anyone--friends, co-workers, neighbors, relatives, spouses, friends of neighbors, neighbors of friends, etc. etc.--who’s been trying to follow the Champs League but isn’t sure how things work, or who is curious about Euro soccer and looking to learn more about it, this is the episode for them! But we think seasoned fans will have something to listen to as well, as we will discuss some of the more interesting questions/issues brought up by our overview of the Champs League. Stay tuned...
...and after Labor Day, Bill and I will break down all of the Champions League groups to get you ready for Matchday 1 on Sept. 18. Finally, our e-mail box is always open, so get in touch with us at scpodcast@gmail.com.
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And just in case you thought Real Madrid hasn’t spent enough money this offseason, the Spanish league defending champions made two more significant additions today. They picked up veteran Man United defender Gabriel Heinze and young Dutch star Arjen Robben (from Chelsea). Concurrently Real announced its Brazilian defender Cicinho has signed a contract with AS Roma.
In case you’ve lost track, that brings Real Madrid’s summer spending to 120 mil euros, or about $167 mil. But as we’ve seen in the past, just paying the most for the best players doesn’t necessarily guarantee wins, in soccer or baseball or any other sport. Real’s former coach Fabio Capello has criticized the team for waiting too long in the summer transfer window to start making moves, and the club’s preseason form has ownership and fans quite worried: most recently Real Madrid got battered 6-3 on aggregate by Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup (an exhibition mind you, but one featuring the previous season’s league and domestic cup winners). Consensus is that Real has looked disjointed and sluggish throughout the preseason.
Meanwhile, across town, Atletico Madrid spent sparingly in the summer and by accounts are looking in fine form. While the departure of Fernando Torres to Liverpool was certainly a blow, the striker pairing of experienced new arrival Diego Forlan with young Argentinian Sergio Aguero worked out beautifully in Atletico’s 3-0 win in UEFA Cup qualifying last week in which both scored. The third goal was scored by Aguero’s countryman Maxi Rodriguez, who scored that incredible volley goal vs. Mexico in last year’s World Cup.
So who does Atletico play in their first La Liga game of the season this Saturday? Real, in a Madrid derby at the Bernabeu. Should be quite an interesting matchup.
]]>One new signing of note: Real Madrid continued their busy summer by grabbing young Dutch international Wesley Sneijder from Ajax.
Speaking of new signings, Bill and I talked in our last episode of how we were impressed with Bayern Munich’s recent moves. Well, their new additions paid immediate dividends over the weekend in the first Bundesliga match of the new season: granted it was against newly promoted Hansa Rostock, but new arrival Miroslav Klose netted 2 goals, and fellow summer signing Luca Toni added a third as Bayern cruised to a 3-0 victory. Hopes are certainly high this year in Munich...
In addition to domestic leagues, the third round of Champions League qualifying starts this week. It features: last year’s finalist Liverpool along with Arsenal; 2-time defending UEFA Cup champs Sevilla and fellow Spanish side Valencia; Scotland’s 2 entrants (and usual suspects) Celtic and Rangers; Freddy Adu’s new team, Benfica; and the now Klose-less Werder Bremen.
Who are you rooting for to make the group stage? Let us know at scpodcast@gmail.com, and you’ll have a good chance of hearing your message read on a future episode!
]]>My off-the-cuff reaction: this has the potential to be a great move for Adu. He will get to play (assuming, of course, he actually plays and doesn’t just ride the bench) on one of the elite teams in Portugal, against generally good quality competition. But, Portugal doesn’t have as intense a league as England or Italy. So the pressure on him to perform should be tolerable, which bodes well for his development.
We’ve seen what Adu can...uhh, do...for the US U-20 team. How will he play against some of Europe’s best? Benfica will play in the Champions League 3rd qualifying round on Aug. 14/15 and 28/29, so if his deal goes through in time we could get an idea pretty soon.
--Scott
]]>Thiscoming weekend Real travels to Real Zaragoza--who is trying to cling to a UEFA Cup place--while Barca hosts the city derby against this year’s UEFA Cup finalists Espanyol. For next week’s finale, Real hosts Mallorca while Barca plays at relegation-bound Gimnastic.
Can Real cap a remarkable rebound this season with the Primera crown? Or will Barca repeat as champions? Should be a great finish!
]]>France World Cup star Franck Ribery will attempt to return Bayern Munich to the Champions League next season, after confiriming a move from Marseille. Bayern will fork over 26 million Euros (about $35 million) for Ribery’s services, plus an extra 4 mil Euros if they do indeed qualify for the 08-09 Champions League.
Will there be a Galacticos reunion in LA? Galaxy GM (and former US international) Alexi Lalas has expressed interest in bringing Luis Figo to California, now that the Portuguese star has rejected an offer from a Saudi club and is a free agent. Newly restored English international David Beckham joins the Galaxy in July after his Real Madrid contract expires.
]]>This fan’s opinion? Ehh. Disappointing they couldn’t get someone with international experience, but not unexpected. We’ll see how the team does in the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America tournaments.
Perpsective on this decision, as well as a recap of the all-Spanish UEFA Cup final, and of course a preview of the Liverpool-AC Milan Champions League final grudge match, on our next episode, to come out May 20 or 21.
--Scott
]]>In Spain, Barcelona hold a two point advantage over Real Madrid, with Sevilla in third place 4 points behind the leaders, followed by Valencia 6 points out with 5 games to go. Yesterday surging Real Madrid--winners of 6 of their last 7 La Liga matches--overcame a 1-0 deficit to Sevilla and then outlasted the UEFA Cup Final contenders to win 3-2. This game not only featured entertaining play (including a beautifully struck goal off a volley by Sevilla’s Enzo Moresca) and a riveting, tense atmosphere, but the bizarre occasion of a Sevilla substitute getting a red card...while on the bench, and a Real player getting a red card purely for excessive celebration! A second Sevilla player was actually sent off for an on-field incident for good measure. :) Sounds like a great game!
In Germany’s Bundesliga, Schalke is hanging onto first place by a thread, with Stuttgart just 1 point back, and Werder Bremen hanging around in third place only 2 points out of first with only 2 games remaining. Now that Bremen are out of the UEFA Cup, can they make a run at the title?
Should be some great contests in these leagues down the stretch. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to see some of them. And let us know your thoughts! Who do you think will come out on top in Spain and Germany? Who are you pulling for? E-mail scpodcast@gmail.com.
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Clarence Seedorf and Alberto Gilardino will both be gametime decisions for visiting Milan.
PSV and Arsenal have striker worries of their own. PSV will likely not have the services of Jefferson Farfan, who picked up a foot injury in an Eredivisie game over the weekend. Visiting Arsenal will be without Robin van Persie, out with a metatarsal injury, and William Gallas is expected to take the place of Emmanuel Eboue in defense.
Only a couple hours to go! Enjoy the games!
]]>Don’t get me wrong, I’m pleased that the
Bayern is currently struggling, in fifth place in the Bundesliga and in danger of missing out on the Champions League next season (where they have, admittedly, struggled under Magath’s reign). But shouldn’t Magath’s recent track record at least allow him the opportunity to turn things around!? Seems to me that Bayern was a little trigger-happy with this move, unless there are other things going on behind the scenes that the public doesn’t know about.
However, Hitzfeld has a pretty decent pedigree as well, guiding Bayern to the 2001 Champs League title in his last stint there (after doing the same for Borussia Dortmund 4 years prior).
-Scott
]]>One of the more controversial tenets of Platini’s campaign is his desire to limit the number of Champions League births for any country to 3. While probably not a very popular policy in England, Spain, Germany, and Italy--who now have 4 spots each--it will make more entries available to smaller countries, and give more teams the chance to experience the grandeur and spectacle that is the Champions League.
So just who is Michel Platini? If you don’t know or need a refresher, check out this BBC profile.
Comments or opinions on his selection as President? scpodact@gmail.com is the place to send them!
]]>Almost 400,000 fans voted for the best starting 11 from European club teams, based on performance in the last year. Congratulations Cesc!
]]>A horrid, shameful incident to be sure, but it brings up some very interesting questions. 1) Is kicking the team out of the competition an appropriate punishment? After all, it was the fans, not the players, whose behavior led to the punishment, so why should the players have to suffer as a result by being removed from a competition? (you could make the same argument regarding the Italian teams involved in the match-fixing scandal, and question why players were punished with relegation or point removals for actions they had nothing to do with. But I have a little easier time buying into the punishments here because at least the offenders had official ties to the teams)
2) Is this type of punishment effective? Will taking a team out of a competition really cause fans to change their behavior?
3) If UEFA’s course of action wasn’t the best one, what is?
E-mail us your thoughts at scpodcast@gmail.com. Plus stay tuned to the podcast, this topic could very well come up on a future episode... :)
P.S. This situation also puts Feyenoord’s scheduled opponent for the round of 32 in February--England’s Tottenham Hotspur--in a precarious position. UEFA officials are trying to decide whether to give Spurs a "bye," and a free pass to the last 16, or have them play Wisla Krakow, the 4th place finisher from Feyenoord’s group in the group stage. And it might not be as clear cut as you think- while I’m sure Spurs would love to be automatically qualified for the next round and alleviate their busy schedule by removing 2 games--the home and away legs of the matchup they would’ve had with Feyenoord--it also means they’d miss out on the ticket and TV rights proceeds from that home leg. We’ll see what happens.
]]>We welcome any avenues to spread the word about our show, and we appreciate your help!
--Scott and Bill
]]>E-mail your opinions to scpodcast@gmail.com, and we’ll discuss them on an upcoming episode!
The Dempsey deal now hinges on him getting a British work visa. The transfer fee could reach upwards of $4 million, which would make it the largest in the history of MLS, the US’s professional league (in the US, the league owns players’ contracts, not individual teams).
In other Fulham-USA-related news, the club could not come to terms with central defender Oguchi Onyewu. According to the article, Onyewu--who is also negotiating with AC Milan--rejected Fulham’s offer of $2 million.
For my mind he’s absolutely nuts to turn down that kind of money, and the chance to play in the spotlight of the English Premier League. He would get a chance to play in one of the top-quality leagues in the world, and by doing so could hopefully raise his level of play, which would in turn benefit the US national team. It’s gotta be better than playing in Belgium (though no offense to any Zulte Waregem fans out there), where he’s been with Standard de Liege since 2004. And you’d think that with Fulham he’d have a good shot at being a starter, whereas I can’t imagine he’d see much playing time with AC Milan. Oh well...
--Scott
]]>Later yesterday, an unnamed source commented to ESPN.com that Bob Bradley, currently the manager of MLS squad Chivas USA, will be officially named the nat’l team coach today. But the appointment is only an interim one--apparantly ANOTHER search for a permanent coach will resume next summer. So it’s unclear whether or not Bradley will be coach of the team at either the Gold Cup or Copa America, though he could be considered a candidate for the permanent post. Confusing enough!?
So where did this choice come from? Bradley wasn’t even considered a likely candidate for head coach by the popular press. Sometimes the ineptitude of our soccer federation is startling. You better believe we’ll be talking about this on an upcoming show!!
]]>The only problem? A US Soccer Federation source told ESPN today that no decision has been made and no deal has been reached as of yet.
US national team defender Steve Cherundolo is among those saying that it’s a done deal, and Klinsmann is the choice. He is certainly our choice. Heck, the German maestro even has Pele’s seal of approval!
But adding further intrigue to this situation, a Spanish language newspaper based in Los Angeles ran a story in mid-November stating that former Argentina manager Jose Pekerman had already signed a contract, and would soon be introduced as the coach.
In any case, Team USA has already scheduled a friendly against Denmark on Jan. 20, so let’s just hope they have it figured out by then.
]]>However, opposition apparantly remains to using a "video referee" for other aspects of the game. One step at a time, I guess.
]]>You can read more about this development here.
So, we want your feedback! Is this good news for Beckham? For MLS? Or will it end up being a mistake?
E-mail us at scpodcast@gmail.com with your opinion.
]]>In other news discussed on Soccer Champions, looks like Jurgen Klinsmann has met with US Soccer to discuss the coaching vacancy. Bill and I hope he accepts! Refer to Episode 4 for more on this as well.
]]>Moving on to more somber news, all US soccer fans were saddened to learn today of the death of men’s national team assistant coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick, who has been involved in all different levels of US soccer as a player and coach since the late 1970s. Myernick has been an integral part of the national team for the last two World Cup runs, and was often the voice of US soccer through sound bites and interviews.
Myernick suffered a heart attack last Thursday, and passed away this morning with his family at his side. He was 51 years old. He will be sorely missed.
]]>Please send comments and questions to scpodcast@gmail.com!
]]>Speaking of thigh injuries, the same ailment will keep Roma’s Brazilian winger Mancini and AC Milan defender and captain Paolo Maldini out of action this week. Lastly on the injury front, Real Madrid suffered a harsh blow over the weekend (in domestic play) when their young Brazilian defender Cicinho went down with an ACL tear. He is expected to be out for 6 months.
Finally, Inter Milan’s Patrick Vieira, Hamburg’s Sascha Kirschstein (their keeper), and Valencia’s Joaquin Sanchez will not see playing time on Matchday 2 because of suspension.
--Scott
]]>Yeesh. I think it would be a huge mistake for the US to hire Eriksson. Though it’s far from definite according to the report, largely due to the US’s ability or desire to meet his asking price. His flameout in England, and the antics that dominated his tenure, are enough to make him a poor choice. Although, since there is about 1000 times more intensive coverage of soccer in England than the US, those same antics could go on if he’s the US coach and we’d probably never hear of it, but that’s besides the point...
As I’ve told Bill numerous times, the US needs a coach with two main attributes: 1) foreign coaching experience at a high level, so they know what it takes to succeed at the World Cup; and 2) an understanding (or at the least, working knowledge) of the US soccer system/environment.
Arena had #2, but not #1. Erikkson has #1, but not #2.
The person that first comes to mind who has a good combination of the two is Jurgen Klinsmann, who has also been linked with the position. He lives in California after all, and for my money would be a vastly superior choice to Eriksson.
--Scott
]]>http://onceinalifetime-movie.com/
And it will be broadcast NEXT WEEK on ESPN2: Wed. Sept. 20 at 9:00 pm eastern.
Thanks to listener ScottyJ for the detail!
]]>Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos.
It might still be playing in some theaters, and is supposedly going to be shown on ESPN in October.
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