April 17, 2024, 10:09:29 PM

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Topics - Zeppo

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 6
1
Orlando City's Kevin Molino making strong case in USL PRO ahead of MLS jump in 2015.
By JC Camahan (MLSSoccer.com).


While Orlando City have been preparing for their move to MLS by pursuing global stars such as recently acquired Brazilian legend Kaká and potential transfer Robinho, the club’s first MLS signee is having a breakout season in USL PRO.

Orlando City midfielder Kevin Molino hasn’t had a lot of time to ponder what the 2015 roster might look like while helping the Lions (14-0-4, 46 points) remain unbeaten by way of an offensive explosion unlike any in his career.

“As a player that’s already signed for MLS, you always wonder who will come in and who you’ll be playing with next year,” Molino told MLSsoccer.com last week. “It’s great to see that a couple big names want to come here. It shows we’ve been doing some good over the past couple years.”

Entering Sunday’s match at Rochester, Molino leads the league in points (29) and assists (7) and ranks third in goals with 11 in 17 appearances. He was the first of five players to sign an MLS deal with the club for 2015 after he was originally discovered in his native Trinidad by head coach Adrian Heath.

“There was this little skinny kid on the right wing who kept catching my eye every time the ball went to him,” Heath said of the 5-foot-11, 145-pound Molino. “We were fortunate that he was out of a contract and so we brought him in here, and he’s gradually gotten better by the week. Now I think he’s close to being nearly complete. He’s starting to put goals and more assists to his game.”

Said Molino of Heath: “He’s someone that’s helped me a lot on and off the field. He’s someone I have full respect for, and I’m just delightful to work with coaches like Adrian and [assistant coach] Ian Fuller. I’m just happy to be here and looking forward to going to Major League Soccer next year.”


2
Football / CONCACAF president says Gold Cup could move outside the USA
« on: April 27, 2014, 02:59:48 PM »
CONCACAF president says Gold Cup could move outside the USA

Could the CONCACAF Gold Cup be headed off of US soil?

It certainly appears that way after comments made by Jeffrey Webb on Friday in Mexico, where the CONCACAF president told media that he’s interested in spreading the biennial tournament around the region.

The United States has played at least a co-host role for every edition of the tournament since its inception in 1991, including serving as the outright host each of the past five tournaments. The US and Mexico co-hosted the games 2003 and 1993.
 
(continue)

3
Gold Cup: Philadelphia Union happy for Keon Daniel's T&T call, but admit timing rough for club

Keon Daniel has already departed for CONCACAF Gold Cup duty with the Trinidad and Tobago national team, and it seemingly could not come at a worse time for the Philadelphia Union.

With midfielders Kléberson (right quad strain) and Danny Cruz (lower leg contusion) both banged up and striker Jack McInerney poised to be called up to the Gold Cup as well, the Union could be very shorthanded for their next three games: a grueling stretch against powerhouses FC Dallas (Saturday), Real Salt Lake (July 3) and Houston (July 6).

“It leaves us a little thin,” Hackworth said Wednesday during his weekly press conference, “Kléberson is about the same place he was last week at this time and that’s a negative. We think he’d progressively get better but it’s coming along a lot slower. Danny is another one … He doesn’t have a fracture but he can’t train right now. He’s definitely questionable for this week and that takes out a really important piece of our midfield right now.”

(continue)

4
Football / Wife of Uruguay coach Tabarez attacked with acid
« on: November 29, 2011, 11:23:36 AM »
Tabarez's wife suffers acid attack

The wife of Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has been taken to hospital after an attacker threw acid over her as she walked home in Montevideo.

Silvia Martinez, the 61-year-old wife of Tabarez, was admitted to hospital with burns to 25% of her body - including her face and arms - after a motorbike passenger covered her in what police called a "corrosive liquid".

(continue)

5
Football / Boateng quits Ghana national team
« on: November 04, 2011, 11:05:33 AM »
AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng quits Ghana national team

AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has decided to quit the Ghana national team, the country's FA has confirmed.

The FA announced on its official website that it has received a letter to that effect. Officials have refused to comment on the sudden turn of events, but a statement revealed that a decision is yet to be taken.

(continue)

6
Football / Jay DeMerit documentary hits movie theaters in November
« on: October 30, 2011, 05:23:19 AM »
DeMerit documentary gets November theatrical release

Ever since its trailer began grabbing attention on blogs and Twitter feeds this spring, Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story has been slowly gathering momentum toward a theatrical release.

The 92-minute film, which was shot and produced by longtime friends of the Vancouver Whitecaps defender, spent the summer screening at select film festivals around the country and is now slated for nationwide release on Nov. 3.

The documentary recounts DeMerit’s career arc from unheralded collegiate player to World Cup defender, and offers a rare and candid look into the life of an American soccer star. Featuring interviews with DeMerit’s friends, family and teammates interspersed with archival footage from his time spent climbing the ladder of English soccer — including the so-called “£40 million goal” that helped promote Watford into the Premier League — the film is a widescreen look at DeMerit’s struggles and triumphs.

(continue)

7
Football / Real Madrid - Barcelona, what they cost ...
« on: April 15, 2011, 09:28:59 AM »
Real Madrid-Barcelona, what they cost ...

Real Madrid and Barcelona, which meet Saturday in La Liga action (TV: Gol TV, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com, live, 4 pm ET), have taken decidedly different approaches to building their powerhouse teams.

According to report by the Daily Telegraph, Real Madrid spent more on signing Cristiano Ronaldo ($136 million) than Barcelona did on its projected starting XI ($123 million).

Real Madrid should start only one youth product (goalie Iker Casillas), while Barcelona will start eight players (including Gerard Pique, who later moved to Manchester United) from its famed youth academy, La Masia.

(continue)

8
Football / BBC talks to an openly gay professional footballer
« on: March 21, 2011, 06:02:10 AM »
Hysen stands tall in 'man's game'

Gothenburg is a perfect backdrop to this story. It's stolid, self-confident, quiet and handsome - rather like the inhabitants.

But don't imagine that Gothenburg is dull. Because Sweden's second city harbours a global one-off.

One of its professional footballers is openly gay.

(continue)

9
Football / Mourinho escapes knife attack
« on: March 04, 2011, 02:06:39 PM »
Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho 'escapes knife attack'

A man armed with a dagger is reported to have tried to stab Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho as he signed autographs in a Spanish airport. A member of the club's security staff was said to have received a 4cm (1.5in) stab wound in the incident at La Coruna in Galicia, northern Spain.

The incident happened last Friday but has only just been reported by the Cadena Ser news channel. It is not clear if Mr Mourinho was aware of the attack at the time.

(continue)

10
Football / Manchester City Thread- Blue Moon has risen!
« on: March 03, 2011, 01:53:49 PM »
Manchester City's Kolo Toure fails drugs test

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has been suspended after testing positive for a specified substance. The 29-year-old was informed by the Football Association that an A sample he provided had returned positive.

City confirmed in a statement that Toure had been suspended "pending the outcome of the legal process". Ivory Coast international Toure, whose brother Yaya also plays for City, is a former club captain who joined City from Arsenal in July 2009. 

(continue)

11
Football / Shalrie Joseph arrested for trespassing at hotel
« on: February 25, 2011, 03:09:22 PM »
Joseph arrested for trespassing at hotel

Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph was sent away from preseason training camp after being arrested for trespassing at the team hotel early Sunday morning.

Joseph was taken to the Orlando Police’s central booking office at 3:31 a.m., according to an arrest affidavit. Trespass is a misdemeanor in Florida, according to police spokeswoman Sergeant Barbara Jones.

Both Joseph and defender Kevin Alston were sent home for disciplinary reasons, according to the team. Alston was not charged.

(continue)

12
Football / Stuart Holden on the rise with Bolton Wanderers
« on: December 18, 2010, 05:51:03 AM »
Stuart Holden planning big future with U.S.

A children’s charity fundraiser held a week ago probably wasn’t the place to be thinking about payback or a grudge, but you couldn’t have blamed Stuart Holden if he didn’t at least think about the idea of taking a run at Nigel DeJong.

The two players were celebrity bartenders at a charity fundraiser, but they shared more than just similar jobs as English Premier League midfielders. It was less than nine months earlier in Amsterdam where a reckless De Jong challenge broke Holden’s leg and risked jeopardizing his chances of staying with Bolton, not to mention his chances of making the U.S. World Cup team.

Instead of holding a grudge, Holden smiled and shook the Dutchman’s hand. The subject of the tackle didn’t even come up.

(continue)

14
Football / UEFA bans vuvuzelas from European competition
« on: September 01, 2010, 10:50:20 PM »
UEFA bans vuvuzelas from European competition

Vuvuzelas have been kicked out of European competitions after UEFA said that the controversial plastic trumpets drowned out supporters and detracted from the emotion of the game.

The plastic horns became a hallmark of the World Cup in South Africa, producing a monotonous droning sound, often likened to a swarm of bees, which provided a backdrop for every match.

But they will not be allowed in stadiums in UEFA competitions such as the Champions League, Europa League and Euro 2012 qualifiers after UEFA’s ruling on Wednesday.

(continue)

15
Football / Bob Bradley being considered as next Fulham manager
« on: July 14, 2010, 01:32:31 PM »
Now Bob Bradley linked to Fulham job

Fulham have yet to hold formal discussions with any of the three managers that the media have reported as The Cottagers shortlist - and USA boss Bob Bradley is now said to have joined the running.

Bradley has emerged as the front-runner after Hodgson's move to the Liverpool hotseat.

Bradley earns £330,000 a year as US coach and has just five months of his current contract to run.

(continue)

16
2010 World Cup - South Africa / The 2010 World Cup final standings
« on: July 14, 2010, 06:42:42 AM »
Fifa 2010 World Cup standings:

1 Spain, 2 Netherlands, 3 Germany, 4 Uruguay, 5 Argentina, 6 Brazil, 7 Ghana, 8 Paraguay

9 Japan, 10 Chile, 11 Portugal, 12 United States, 13 England, 14 Mexico, 15 South Korea,  16 Slovakia

17 Ivory Coast, 18 Slovenia, 19 Switzerland, 20 South Africa, 21 Australia, 22 New Zealand, 23 Serbia, 24 Denmark

25 Greece, 26 Italy, 27 Nigeria, 28 Algeria, 29 France, 30 Honduras, 31 Cameroon, 32 North Korea

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8814195.stm

17
Football / BBC: Out of the ghetto and into the spotlight
« on: June 08, 2010, 02:15:25 AM »
Out of the ghetto and into the spotlight

"In Africa it is very, very rare to find a football player who grew up with a silver spoon. Probably 0%." - former Nigeria striker Daniel Amokachi.

Stories of players shrugging off an underprivileged background to reach the top can be found all over the globe, and the superstars of African football are no exception.

With standards of play and facilities on the continent continuing to improve and the production of global superstars like Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o, African football looks to be in rude health - but some players have to do it the hard way.

(continue)

18
Football / West African nations lack development of playmakers
« on: May 31, 2010, 05:58:47 AM »
West African nations continue to struggle to find skillful playmakers

Two decades ago, the general characterization of African football was that it was too undisciplined. Africa could produce great, powerful forwards and skillful midfielders, but it was let down by defensive inadequacies. The stereotype has proved hard to shift, but if it was ever true, African football left it far behind a long time ago.

The powerful forwards still exist, and they have been joined by great driving holding midfielders and defenders. In North Africa, there are skillful creators -- Egypt has Mohamed Aboutrika and Mohamed Barakat; Algeria has Karim Ziani; Morocco's Adel Taraabt shows great promise -- but in West Africa there is nothing. Even Ivory Coast, with its so-called "golden generation" of players, has lacked real flair.

(continue)

19
Football / Maradona runs over cameraman in car
« on: May 21, 2010, 03:09:43 AM »
Maradona runs over cameraman in car

Argentina coach Diego Maradona yelled insults at an injured cameraman after running over him while driving his Mini into the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex.

"What an asshole you are," Maradona shouted from the car after braking. "How can you put your foot under the wheel, man?"

Paramedics ran to the scene to attend to the cameraman who was taken away for further treatment.

(continue)

20
South Africa to earn 1 million rand for each goal scored

Bafana Bafana are being given the incentive of a R1 million bonus for each goal they net at the World Cup, which gets underway in 36 days.

The South Africans have been woefully short of goals in the last few years, netting just 32 in their last 34 matches.

It was a problem even highlighted by FIFA president Sepp Blatter – and one which SAFA is keen to solve by offering the cash incentives for the players to share.

(continue)

22
Why the World Cup won't make money

In South Africa, a third of the population lives on $2 or less a day.

In rural Nelspruit, where many of the locals live without electricity or running water, four World Cup games will be played in a state-of-the-art, 46,000-seat structure that was built at a cost of $137 million.

The South African government has spent an estimated $6 billion on World Cup-related infrastructure, from new stadiums to transportation improvements.

The justification for the monumental cost of hosting this summer's World Cup: an economic bonanza; a watershed moment for the African continent; an investment that will reap handsome rewards; an opportunity to attract foreign investors.

All these arguments are tenuous at best.

(continue)

23
How much would Ghana miss Essien?

At their first World Cup four years ago, Ghana's campaign came off the wheels when Chelsea star and midfielder Michael Essien missed the second round clash against Brazil.

Even with him the Black Stars' hopes were slim but without a man whose group displays were heroic, those hopes were wafer-thin - as shown when Brazil won 3-0.

Now Ghana's World Cup dreams are being revised again with the news the midfielder may not just miss the last five months of Chelsea's season but June's finals as well, because of a nagging knee problem.

"Until I know how the injury improves, it'll be difficult to say whether I'll make the World Cup," he told Ghanaian media this week.

(continue)

24
Football / Horrible leg-breaking foul on keeper in Austrian league
« on: April 20, 2010, 08:27:46 AM »
Happened last Sunday. Not for the squeamish.

Foul an Edward Gustafsson

25
Football / FIFA dress code rules Iran's girls out of Olympics
« on: April 05, 2010, 02:16:25 PM »
FIFA dress code rules Iran’s girls out of Olympics

Iran's girls football team has been kicked out of the Youth Olympic Games because FIFA rules prevent players wearing an Islamic head scarf.

Thailand was nominated on Monday to replace the barred Iranians, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on its Web site.

"FIFA decreed that the wearing of Islamic hijab was not in accordance with the laws of the game," the Asian governing body said in a statement.

(continue)

26
White supremacist group gives World Cup warning

A South African white supremacist group whose leader was killed warned other countries Sunday to avoid sending their soccer teams to the World Cup and "to a land of murder.''

The country's ruling ANC party criticized the far-right Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging movement over the warning.

"We don't think that it's the right thing to do,'' ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu told The Associated Press. "This is a World Cup for all of us, not only black people of this country. And we have to give all the support we can for the World Cup to happen here in South Africa. We think our compatriots in the AWB should do the same as other patriotic South Africans.''

(continue)

27
Brazil police pepper spray footballer

A football match in Brazil was abandoned after police pepper sprayed a player who refused to leave the pitch after he was red-carded, reports say.

Genus defender Robson was dismissed after a poor tackle in Saturday's lower league match, which they were losing 3-0 to Moto Clube.

Police were called after he refused to leave and confronted the referee along with some teammates.

(continue)

28
The struggle of African coaches

Ever since South Africa was awarded the 2010 World Cup, the organisers' oft-repeated desire has been for a pan-African World Cup.

On the coaching front, they are going to be disappointed because Algerian Rabah Saadane will stick out like a sore thumb in June as the only African coach among the continent's six finalists.

It would have been two but Nigeria's Shaibu Amodu was forced out after the Nations Cup earlier this year. We can also safely predict that the Ivory Coast's new coach won't be African, with Mark Hughes, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Bernd Schuster apparently the three main contenders.

A look at Africa's World Cup history, not to mention tradition, should have prepared us for such a reality.

(continue)

29
Football / MLS avoids a strike, agrees to deal with players union
« on: March 21, 2010, 04:25:51 AM »
MLS avoids a strike, agrees to deal with players union

Major League Soccer and its players' union reached a deal on a five-year collective bargaining agreement  Saturday, averting a strike less than a week before the league was scheduled to begin its 15th season.

The sides emerged from two days of round-the-clock negotiations at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Washington to announce a pact that boosts salaries, provides guaranteed contracts to a majority of players and allows for greater freedom to move between clubs in the league without the implementation of traditional free agency.

Although the agreement must still be ratified by MLS's board of governors and the players, it ends the threat of a work stoppage that might have been severely damaging. Despite numerous positive developments, including expansion to 18 teams by next year and the opening of two new stadiums this season, MLS has only two profitable clubs and continues to operate in the shadows of other U.S. pro sports leagues.

(continue)

30
Football / Inter's Kenyan player Mariga breaks new ground
« on: March 18, 2010, 12:21:37 PM »
Inter prospect breaks new ground

Amid the hullabaloo surrounding Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea on Tuesday, there was one player at Stamford Bridge who also has claims to be a 'special one'.

The moment may have gone unnoticed in London but not in Nairobi where McDonald Mariga's mum was blowing, yes, a vuvuzela as her son became the first Kenya - and the first East African - to play in the Champions League.

Matilda Mariga, whose husband Noah is a former Kenya international, was at home in their apartment (paid for by the Inter Milan player) as 15-20 friends and neighbours squeezed in to watch one of the building's few satelliteTVs.

And just five minutes from time, they were all jumping around when Mariga, 22, finally made his appearnace as a substitute for the excellent Wesley Sneijder.

(continue)

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 6
1]; } ?>