The 'Other' Football....

Latest Trades, Claims, Speculation and Movement

2007-03-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick round-up of the latest happenings in MLS:

The Waiver Draft passed with only one claim, Jon Busch to Toronto FC.
TOF: Great pick up for an expansion team, even if he will count as a foreigner on the TFC Roster. It will provide excellent competition to start and give the Canadians a proven starter during the Gold Cup period.

In other TFC news, they team finally announced the signing of Connor Casey.
TOF: The #1 allocation is a hefty price to pay. 5 forwards is also overkill, especially with 4 of the foreigner spots used for the front line. Could lead to a possible trade...my money is on Esky to NYRB.

Possibly linked to the delay is the Goff announcement that Robbie Rogers has signed a deal with MLS and will be distributed via a Draft Lottery this Thursday.
TOF: With the rumour that he wanted to join fellow Terp Mo Edu in Toronto, perhaps TFC were trying to swing a deal to bring Rogers into the fray alongside/instead of Casey. They'll have to take their chances, along with DCU, to try and get him now.

Back to the Waiver Draft, and it appears that Spanaird Aitor Karanka was one of the players waived by Colorado, along with once the hyped (and quite troubled) Fabrice Noel. As usual, information was sketchy on those waived.
TOF: Surprising moves on both counts in my opinion. I thought Karanka settled relatively well and was clearly still a class act. Perhpas Claivjo prefers a donkey like Petke, or the snail-paced Greg Vanney. Perhaps Karanka was long gone, but he's definitely not on the roster for 2007. I hope Noel finds another gig, he gave up so much to have his shot at pro soccer in the USA.

I read on the excellent Du Nord (which referenced the Chicago Tribune) that Tony Sanneh is in talks with 2 MLS clubs and expects to have a team before the start of the season.
OTF: He played well last year, but he's going to have to take one helluva pay cut to make a roster in 2007. He made a mind-numbing $365k in 2006.

In more from Goff, he says the latest player to get a look for DC United is Brazillian "Fred" from Aussie A-League side, Melbourne.
TOF: Having watched him during the A-League Highlights show, he looks okay, but then again, so did Diego Walsh (who goes by the cooler "Diego" on his shirt in Australia). He was a decent player on the League Champs (Regular Season and Playoffs). He might be an option on the right, because he's certainly not replacing Christian Gomez in the AMC position.

Latest Player Transactions....

2007-03-01T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it's the roster compliance day today, with the waiver draft tomorrow. We should see plenty of activity in the next 24 hours. Columbus started the ball rolling by releasing Becerra, Leitch, Busch and Reitiz.

FC Dallas also announced today the loan signing of young Colombian winger Juan Carlos Toja. The deal has been in the works for a while so no great surprises. You can read about the deal in on the FCD website : http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070228&content_id=84586&vkey=pr_fcd&fext=.jsp&team=t104

In other news, it appears Chicago Fire original Zack Thornton may have been traded to Colorado Rapids. After the departure of MLS' top keeper - Joe Cannon - to LA, an upgrade was anticipated. Rather than selecting Busch from Columbus, who when fit is an excellent keeper, they opted to bring in Thornton. The Rapids currently have Matt Jordan and Bouna Coundoul on their roster. I don't have an official link for this and will confirm once we know this is a done deal.

With trialist's all over MLS at the moment, this isn't exactly life changing news, but Toronto have brought in Sunderland Winger Andy Welsh on trial. He's a lefty, something in short supply in both Toronto, and MLS as a whole. I think MoJo needs to find some defensive depth plus a back-up GK.

NYRB To Add 2nd DP?

2007-02-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

Ives Galarcep is reporting that NYRB could have a new DP within a week at his trusty blog, http://njmg.typepad.com/sbi/ (Soccer by Ives).

I have to think it's Augustin Delgado, the Tin Man (or more Paper Man with his well documented ijury woes), but I'm sure I wouldn't be alone in being hugely disappointed if NY burned their second DP slot on the eratic Ecuadoran international. Still, they need to add some firepower up top.

At worst, I would hope this would be a 1 year deal to see the club through to 2008, and the Harrison Stadium opening. Surely Red Bull will roll out a marquee name to boost the club and fans ahead of the move to the new digs?

I will of course post when more details are revealed.

Season Kicks Off Today....

2007-02-21T06:05:00.000-08:00

By Alan Clark, Wednesday February 21st, 2007.

Not the MLS season, of course, but the first competitive games of the 2007 season will take place today in the CONCACAF Champion's Cup. Here's the games, along with my predictions. Of course, the biggest drawback for MLS teams has always been their pre-season fitness, relative to the mid-season fitness and form of the other teams in the competition.

Puntarenas 1 - 1 Houston (2:30pm on Fox Soccer Channel)

A goal for Houston's high power offense, will be tempered by a late goal that could prove costly. Fatigue will be a factor in both these games. I think this one will be comfortable over the two legs, with Houston sealing the deal on their own turf.

Olimpia 2 - 1 DC United (9pm on Fox Soccer Channel)

I want to think that DC could get a result of some kind in Honduras, but I just don't see it - fatigue/pre-season just seems to be the deciding factor. Plus Olimpia will be motivated to prove Emilio wrong for moving to DC from Olimpia just a few weeks ago. An interesting sub-plot, for sure. The tie will be wide open if DC can nick that goal on the road.

The CCC is not even close to the prestige of it's European Counterpart, however, don't forget, the winner gets to go to the World Club Championships, or whatever it's called now....and that's VERY worthwhile. I can't wait to get to see an MLS team on such a stage.

Maykel Galindo to Chivas USA

2007-02-20T12:34:00.000-08:00

By Alan Clark, Tuesday February 20th, 2007.

LA Soccer News is reporting the signing of former Seattle Sounder and ex-Cuban international Maykel Galindo by Chivas USA.

http://www.lasoccernews.com/teams/chivas2.php?article_id=1147

My take: Hardly a prolific striker in his time in the USL, what he does have is an abundace of pace, which should complement Ante Razov well as he tried to reprise his goalscoring exploits of 2006.

One thing he isn't is the name-draw of Paco Palencia, the Mexican legend he's supposed to be replacing on the roster. Still, I think John Cunliffe might challenge to start, so CUSA is piecing back together a viable front line again aroudn the prolific-again Razov. If it doesn't work, well, then CUSA will be labelled as cheap - Palencia, after all, earned a league high $1.3m last season. Galindo will probably earn about $45-50k in my estimation.

He's an SI for now, but as a Cuban asylum seeker, his 'Green Card' (which isn't green at all, it's white) should be obtainable in the medium-short term.

Talent Rating : 6.5/10
Wow Factor : 4/10

Conclusion, not the big name replacement for Paco Palencia even neutrals like I was looking for. Still, he could be the perfect foil for Ante, but he's hardly a goal machine.

MLS Off-Season Recap...My Thoughts So Far!

2007-02-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

An Off-Season Of Change…

By Alan Clark, Tuesday February 20th, 2007.

Well, where do I start? Well, in having turned to my blog it's clear I'm trying to band-aid my withdrawal symptoms; I've never missed a season - a sport even - as much as what I'm going through now. I've so totally immersed myself in all things MLS for 3 years now (to aid my research for Football Manager/WSM) that frankly I'm just about on par with a cold turkey crack addict.

Anyways.....I've used my other tool - Football Manager - to splice in Toronto FC, thus giving the game a fresh lease of life [sorry Kansas City fans, you were, erm, contracted]. I found the code responded better than expected when I added in TFC as a Canadian side. A few tweaks of the DB later and I had a workable facsimile of TFC's inaugural campaign, aside from the whole loss of the Wizards!

So, to the real business....

I didn't take the time to do an analysis of the Super/Supplemental Drafts, NCAA soccer isn't really my forte, but I did read up extensively on many of the players as I had a data update due to SI and I wanted to have something in for the new guys. I've been pretty down on the number of players leaving colleges and bypassing MLS to try their hand in Europe. I get it - $11,700 a year isn't really all that tempting - but it's still disappointing all the same. To lose players to the German 3rd division and Finland does not sit well with me. With all the money the MLS owners have (as evidenced by the Beckham signing if nothing else) I'd like to see a concerted effort to hold more of these players, at least in the short term. Sure, any with any real ambitions will likely venture abroad in due course, such as your Clint Dempsey, Bobby Convey, Carlos Bocanegra and DaMarcus Beasley types, but MLS could aid in their development in the short term, whilst helping the league develop at the same time. It's also proven to be pretty good for youngsters UNMNT aspirations to stay home under the watchful eye of the national coach; even more so now an ex-MLS manager is at the helm.

So, that brings me to Beckham. I can't say I didn't see this coming....it's been the combined destiny of Beckham and MLS to collide forever. The money ($10m a year) seems excessive, but you can tell already the amount of exposure he's bringing to the sport in the US. It's almost like he's single handedly accelerated the MLS timeline a decade or more. It doesn't necessarily improve the on-field product, single-handedly, but if it's the start of an influx of talent then I'd be lying if I said MLS couldn't use with a shot of technical ability. Kudos to AEG and the Galaxy (I don't have it in me to thank Lalas) for taking this considerable step, thank you, from me - an average fan.

So, what else is happening in MLS' transfer world?

Well, Toronto is building a team, from scratch. Having selected 10 players in the expansion draft, just two remain - Jose Cancela and Paulo Nagamura. Mo Johnston has assembled what looks like a decent roster - 5 Canadian internationals in Greg Sutton (GK), Jim Brennan, Marco Reda, Chris Pozniak and Adam Braz. Sometime US national players Alecko Eskandarian, Edson Buddle and newest recruit Conor Casey have provided some firepower upfront. Abbe Ibrahim's rights were acquired from NYRB. TFC are currently in Florida for camp. A couple of Canadian U20 players, most notably Andrea Lombardo, are in camp. I have a good feeling about Toronto FC, certainly it’s been a case of so far so good.

The rest of the league has been surprisingly quiet on the acquisition front; DC has added their long-time coveted Brazilian striker in Luciano Emilio; RSL has picked up Freddy Adu and a couple of decent Central American prospects, especially Luis Tejada. Claudio Reyna has made the inevitable trip home to NJ to reunite with Bruce Arena – that was probably even more predictable than Beckham! For $1m a year, Captain America seems like a good pick-up, if not exactly the most glamorous pick-up in MLS history.

And sadly, that’s about it. There’s been a lot of internal moves, infact, for a period in the aftermath of the Expansion Draft, MLS teams played musical rosters, but overall, I can’t help feeling more talent was lost this year than acquired. At least until Beckham arrives. Chivas USA lost Palencia and Juan Pablo Garcia (and Johnnie Garcia for that matter) alone, with fellow Mexican Abundis leaving after just 2 games for NE. Clint Dempsey headed for the EPL, Youri Djorkaeff retired, and several SI’s left for home, or other opportunities, including Jafet Soto, Douglas Sequiera, Alain Nkong, Sebastian Rozental and Avery John. In what was largely considered to be a weak draft, that’s not good for the on-field potential in ’07.

In good news, I was pleased to see MLS reject bids for the Rev’s pair Shalrie Joseph and Taylor Twellman. Infact, I was delighted to see the latter, and Brian Ching, be rewarded with new deals near the MLS wage ceiling for non-designated players. For me, they are the two best US strikers in MLS.

Coaching changes, well there’s been a few; DC’s Piotr Nowak joined up with Chivas USA’s Bob Bradley in the USMNT set-up. They were replaced by Assistant Coaches Tom Soehn and Preki respectively. Curt Onalfo came in at KC and duly cut Bo Oshonyi. So far so good at Arrowhead!

I’m going to do a roster evaluation for each team over the next couple of weeks as I fire my blog up into a daily dish of MLS fare. Stay tuned!

The Search For The Perfect [#] 10......

2006-10-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

By Alan Clark, Tuesday October 24th, 2006.

MLS has often been tagged as a physical, fast-paced league when energy and fitness rule and skill and technique come secondary. To be fair, the USMNT is hardly replete with playmakers and the majority in MLS are from foreign climes.

Only Landon Donovan and Canada's own Dwayne de Rosario could claim legitimate playmaker status in MLS with the balance coming from more skill-driven leagues, namely in South America.

Looking round the league, here are a run down of the primary playmaker(s) on each side:

Chivas USA : Juan Pablo Garcia (Mex), Sascha Kjlestan (USA)
Chicago : Thiago (Brazil)
Colorado : Terry Cooke (Eng), Clint Mathis (USA)
Columbus : Sebastien Rozental (Chile)
Dallas : Ronnie O'Brien (Eire), Ramon Nunez (Hon)
DC : Christian Gomez (Arg), Jaime Moreno (Bol)
Houston : Dwayne de Rosario (Can)
Kansas City : No prototypical #10.
Los Angeles : Landon Donovan (LA)
New England : Andy Dorman (Wales)? Not really a #10 either. Could be Dempsey, but that's not how he is deployed.
New York : Amado Guevara (Hon), Youri Djorkaeff (France)
Salt Lake : Mehdi Ballouchi (Morocco)

There's a few other players poking round the league that could be considered playmakers - Ramon Ramirez (Mex) and John O'Brien (USA) at Chivas would be two. Jose Cancela (Uruguay) at New England another.

Of those on this list I would suspect only the afore-mentioned LD, DeRo, Thaigo, Guevarra and Djorkaeff have earned the right to be a #10. Others could yet grow to fill those boots admirably, such as Ballouchi and Kjlestan, but the majority of the rest are either wingers, or in the role by default. The league lacks some of the big name, creative talent that's been here in the past - the like of Carlos Valderrama, Piotr Nowak and Marco Etcheverry.

Ask many fans who stay away from MLS and the usual line will come back about poor play. What causes the perceived low standard (which in reality is much higher than most realise) is simply a lack of flair players. So, it would seem many fans simply want to see the craft in it's purest form. The individual skill of say your average South American, or African, can be a joy to behold, but not all will work well in any kind of tactical system. Many - even entire national teams - will fail to gel, and collectively they can lack the guile, strategy and workrate that is common place in the average North American player.

A marriage of the two seems to make perfect sense, and has proven effective in the past. I don't think it's any co-incidence that the teams with proven playmakers have been more successful - either with a #10 in the middle or a proven threat on the wings and from set pieces, such as Cooke and O' Brien.

So, that brings me to the point of this thread and the debate I desire; with the impending Beckham ruling, and even without it, MLS seems to desire and need some craft in the middle and to that end I'd like to see your suggestions for players MLS clubs could bring in.....especially TFC!

I'm not on about players like Ronaldinho, a player who could command a considerable transfer sum and wages in excess of an entire team's cap. I'm looking for a crafty older player (although in reality some may be younger, 'unknowns' like Gomez at DC) that could be incorporated into the league. The only real example of this in recent years would be Youri Djorkaeff (especially in 2005).

So, who do you think would work - even out of position, would he come here and why do you think they would be a success.

I'll start the ball rolling with the most obvious one Mr Posh Spice;

David Beckham, Fee : $0 if he doesn't sign a new contract. Age : 32

He's a known quantity, but the only thing I'd say on top of all the obvious things is that his preferred position is in the centre of midfield. A move inside would offset his diminishing pace, and extend his career considerably. His passing is precision personified and his set pieces are second to none, both on the cross and as shots on goal. His commercial boon would simply sweeten the deal, as many have alluded, MLS (and the USA in general) and Bex seems like a match made in heaven.

Claus Jensen, Fee: $0 if he doesn't sign a new contract. Age: 29 now (30 in 07 when his Fulham contracts expires)

Jensen is a very under-rated playmaker currently plying his trade for Fulham. It's about time MLS took a player from the Cottagers as they've pilfered a few freebies from MLS in recent years. Boca, Elliott and McBride are all MLS ex-pats on their team.

Jensen is a good dead-ball player, can cross and scores a few. His current contract expires in 2007 (signed a 3 year deal in 2004).

He's got a bag load of caps and has played in the EPL since 1998 for Bolton, Charlton and now Fulham.

At 30 - and free - he'd be an ideal choice.

Alan Thompson, Fee: Unknown (Low, if not free is my guess). Age: 32 (33 in Dec)

Plays in Scotland so might be an angle their for MoJo, he's creative, left-fotted (always a bonus) got a great free kick to boot.

He's been a little injury prone, but he has excellent experience and the rough-and-tumble of the SPL should have more than prepared him for the physical side of MLS.

He's been in Scotland for 6 years and has yet to feature this year I think so he's probably getting a little restless. I doubt he would command wages that would price him out of MLS.

Decent age and has a few years left. He's probably not quite a #10, but he's got enough technical ability that he could pull it off in MLS. He's certainly worth a shot.

Like Jensen, not a big name, but someone who could work out to be a very savvy pick up, Beckham rule or not.

Addendum:

Of course, the approval of the Designated Player Rule should see a spike in the talent in MLS, and likely at the playmaker (and striker) positions.

MLS Cup 2006 : Playoff Predictions

2006-10-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

By Alan Clark, Tuesday October 17th, 2006.

I'm back! I've been away, taking time to watch the 'Beautiful Game', working on my MLS data for Football Manager 2007 (a.k.a Worldwide Soccer Manager 2007) and generally getting the disappointment of WC06 out of my system.

So, after my blogging sebaticle, it's time to review my preseason predictions:

First up, the Eastern Conference:

Eastern Conference:
Chicago Fire (1st) - Actual - 3rd
New England Revolution (2nd) - Actual 2nd
New York Red Bulls (3rd) - Actual 4th
DC United (4th) - Actual 1st
Columbus Crew (5th) - Actual 6th
Kansas City Wizards (6th) - Actual 5th

I'll take solace in the fact that I went 4/4 on the qualifiers for the playoffs, even if my order was a little out. I believe I'll invoke this get out of jail card "To be honest, the top 4 could go any way". As it turns out, DC were the team in 2006 and rightly won the Supporter's Shield, though the somewhat backed into the playoffs after a poor run of result to round out the year.

KC were in with a shout all the way to game 32 of the regular season, but given EJ's no-show season, they didn't really deserve it. The one good piece of news out of KC this year was new ownership and a lifeline. I'm glad, it doesn't help anyone to play musical chairs with the teams in MLS.

Next up the West. Plenty of surprises there....

Western Conference:
FC Dallas (1st) - Actual 1st
Houston Dynamo (2nd) - Actual 2nd
Los Angeles (3rd) - Actual 6th
Colorado Rapids (4th) - Actual 4th
Chivas USA (5th) - Actual 3rd
Real Salt Lake (6th) - Actual 6th

4/6 spot on in the West, but who saw the defending 'Double' champs LA choking - even without WC-bound Landon and the dire guidance of the Grim Reaper (aka Steve Sampson)?

Still, I correctly predicted 7/8 playoff teams and 5/12 placed exactly as I touted.

Not bad, I could probably have made some money off of that, were I not in a country with inexplicable and contradictory online gambling laws.

So, to the bracket.....

East:

Conference Semi Finals:

DC vs NY : Result DC. DC stumbled a little to end the regular season, but NY were far from on fire. It's a great rivalry, but I don't see NY pulling this one out. However, with the Supporter's Shield winner earning little more than the right to play their #1 rival in a two game aggregate series - starting on the road! - then anything could happen. This one is an upset in the making perhaps.

Score : DC to take both games, narrowly. I'll go with 1-0 at NY, 2-1 at home.

NE vs CHICAGO : Two good teams, both in decent form ahead of the post-season. Steve Nicol overcame some adversity (namely rumblings and dissention in his camp) before guiding the Revs' to 2nd place and home field advantage (which really is little advantage in a two leg tie). Chicago also overcame the mother of all road trips to start the season. Seem to plave plenty of fire power, something NE has struggled for despite boasting some blue chip offensive talent.

Score : NE to take it on aggregate goals. Fire to take game one 2-1, with the Revs 2-0 in game 2. This one is so close, an errant red card, or poor PK call could decide the tie.

West:

Conference Semi Finals:

FCD vs COLORADO : I don't envison any trouble here for the 'Super Hoops', but just like DC, they've reversed over the finish line.

Score : If this one goes according to talent, this could be a blow out.

HOUSTON vs CHIVAS : Hmmm, seems - dare I say it - that Chivas have Houston's number. Could that really happen? Can DeRo find one of his patented Goal of the Season contenders to decide this? One thing's for sure, it should be the best game of the semi's with two of the league's most attractive, attack-minded teams locking horns.

Score : Upset is possible, but I'm going to play it safe and say that the Dynamo will squeak through. 4-3 on aggregate.

Open Letter to Randy Lerner

2006-10-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

By Alan Clark, Tuesday October 17th, 2006.

Today I wrote an email and tried sending it to every possible variation of an email address that someone at Aston Villa might have! (using emails found on their website as a guide)

All but one came back (and that was a general info email) so I guess no luck, unless someone happens to pass it along. Anyways....I thought I'd post it here as an open letter...

Dear Randy

I appreciated the remarks made recently about your ownership in Villa being 'for the right reasons', I also understand your ties to the UK. The start of your tenure could not have been better, so congrats there and commendations on the appointment of Martin O'Neil, one of the best managers of our generation.

What I am wondering is why you aren't involved in MLS?

As a successful sports owner, with an apparent passion for football/soccer, surely helping the game out at home should be an option you consider?

Your experience and financial muscle would be an asset to the league and especially now you are invested in AVFC, the option to include North American sister team just plain makes sense. The ability share resources and staff, as well as providing a year round calendar for your players where required is also priceless. It's essentially a way to have two teams for the price of one! It would also be a great way to promote the Villa brand in the US where it concedes considerable ground on the 'larger' EPL/European clubs.

It's disappointing that Malcolm Glazer and yourself would choose to invest so heavily in the sport abroad, yet not at home where the costs are much smaller and the influence of your benevolence could be much greater.

MLS is a league on the brink - I say this as both a fan and an observer. The influx of new ownership, soccer-specific-stadia, expansion and a plethora of recent tv/commercial agreements, shows that MLS is on the rise. I think that other owners have noticed this and that now is the time to step in to be involved in the league as it prepares to take the proverbial 'next step'.

I appreciate single-entity is not for all, but it's clear that the league is moving away from this as it diversifies it's ownership and moves to a more conventional franchise model. The league is ripe, and I for one would love your experience and leadership to join the league.

I wish you well in all your ventures Mr Lerner, and I hope that one day [soon] that might include a foray into MLS - there's plenty of markets available and fans, like myself, willing and waiting to pick up a new team in our region. The US is a big place, big enough for the World's Game.

Best Regards

Alan Clark
aljarov@hotmail.com

Probably totally pointless, but it made me feel better.....

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1767_1591416,00.html

MLS First Kick....But Where Will The Ball Lie After The Last Kick?

2006-04-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

By Alan Clark, Saturday April 1st, 2006.

So I guess this is my take on a preseason prediction. I'll start with a recap for those who haven't been glued to the MLS News Wire over the winter.

OFFSEASON RECAP:

The biggest moves of all took place on a franchise level, rather than on the rosters. AEG finally lost patience with the SJ market (Spartan Stadium, San Jose State et al) and followed through on their threat to relocate. Soccer fans in Houston now have a 'new' team to cheer on - the Houston Dynamo. Let's not even revisit the 1836 debacle.

A new ownership group was introduced in March when Red Bull purchased the MetroStars. A quick facelift and rebranding later, and the New York Red Bulls were ready for business. The new ownership group has made it clear that they mean business (see my previous post on RBNY).

The Red Bull sale went some way to compensate for the unexpected collapse of the DC United sale. Kansas City remain on the market, and I can't help feeling that there wont be a happy ending in Missouri.

There was also the fantastical announcement of a stadium proposal in Glassboro (yeah Glassboro!), NJ. This ultra-ambitious $1BN plan includes a soccer-specific stadium that could house a new team as serve the Philadelphia Market. So, that could mean two teams in Jersey, neither of which bear the NJ name. Well, it works for the NFL....

The SuperDraft, back in January, helped infuse some fresh new talent into the league. Marvel Wynne was the hot favorite to first before the draft and sure enough, the TFKA Metros traded up to get their man. Other standouts in the early rounds look to be Mehdi Balouchy, a creative mid from Morocco, who looks like he could give RSL what they need (some creativity down the middle), Patrick Ianni went to Houston, which should help serve to replace Danny Califf who headed to Scandinavia in the offseason. With Columbus trading away Edson Buddle, #3 overall, Jason Garey may get a starting berth. Sacha Kjlestan stands to figure for Chivas USA who seem desperately short on talent this season. There are no doubt some other diamonds in the rough, like we see every season. Who will be this year's Jeff Parke, or Aaron Pitchkolan remains to be seen. Drew Helm would be a decent guess at one. Personally, judging by the way he's performed in the pre-season, the Rev's Tony Lockhead is also good money. They're late picks over the last two drafts,.

The player movement was minimal. A few teams shuffled their decks with some big names finding new homes; Chris Klein (RSL), Jeff Cunningham (RSL), Edson Buddle (NYRB), Eddie Gaven (CLB), Eddie Johnson (KC), Diego Gutierrez (CHI), Clint Mathis (COL), Jesse Marsch (CHV), Ante Razov (CHV), Douglas Sequiera (RSL) and some GK's were on the move too, Scott Garlick (RSL), Zach Wells (HOU) and Matt Jordan (COL).

I can't help feeling we saw more talent leave than arrive, so how much the player's who remained improved will determine whether or not this season is a step forward from last year. Departing were the afore-mentioned Califf, Nat Borchers, Simon Elliott and Michael Bradley, who all scored European deals. Of the foreigners who left, well, this was extensive, but included half of Chivas USA (even Hector Cuadros, whom I though did quite well), Samuel Caballero, Lubos Reiter, old King of Goals himself, Sergio Galvan Rey. The rest: Chinchilla, Umana, Pando Ramirez, Boucicaut, Wolde Harris, Diego Serna, Sumiala, Bigfoot Phillips, Tiger Fitzpatrick, Will Johnson, Robert Scarlett and Melvin Tarley were all waived or not resigned.

Inbound. Well, it's sad to say the two biggest arrivals in the US this offseason - legends Romario and Zinho, of Brazilian World Cup winning fame, both ended up in the USL, at the Miami FC expansion team. MLS saw, well, not very much. Adrian Serioux, a 2nd division player in England, and Canadian international, signed with the Red Bulls before being almost instantly shipped to Houston for Danny O'Rourke. Peter Canero also joined NYRB, and although unspectacular, the fringe Scottish international could be a solid acquisition. Kenny Cooper arrived from Man Utd's reserves at Dallas and will be something of a project. I predict success with him though. Chivas USA added Mexican legend Claudio Suarez and his 174 international caps. At 37 he's old, but on Wednesday he booted-up for the Mexican national team, so he's obviously still got something let in the tank. After 2005, Chivas USA could use any help they can get in defense.

So, the majority of teams seem to have invested in US talent this offseason; perhaps because it' cheaper; perhaps because the majority of foreigners wash out quickly from MLS. Personally, the most important signing of the offseason happened in Dallas, where they were able to resign Carlos Ruiz. 'El Pescadito' - the recent winner of 'Goal of the Decade' - is the real deal, and his return to MLS is key. He's one of the few players in MLS who can put the proverbial 'bums on seats'. I wouldn't have begrudged him a more to Europe, and he seemed well suited to the warmer leagues there - Italy, Spain or Portugal, for example. Perhaps he'll still get his chance, but that's another blog entirely....

So, now to the entree:

TEAM OVERVIEW/PREDICTIONS:

Eastern Conference:
Chicago Fire (1st) - Were strong last year and seem to have solidified. The sophomore form of Chris Rolfe and Jack Stewart will be important. The seem to have quality in all positions and likely will be the strongest team not decimated by WC call-ups.
New England Revolution (2nd) - Were the standout team in early 2005, and really faded. I felt it was their year last year. Call-ups will hit the Revs hard...they potentially could lose Avery (T&T), Twellman, Noonan, Reis, Dempsey and Ralston to Germany. Of the US guys, I think three will go, probably Twellman, Noonan and Dempsey.
New York Red Bulls (3rd) - Yes I said it. RBNY will make the playoffs. I think the change in management will energize the team and I think RB is thinking of making the ex-Metros live up to their Superclub tag. Talk is Pele, Shakira and Wyclif Jean will be entertain RB fans in their home opener. The bar has been raised ladies and gentlemen.
DC United (4th) - Freddy Adu gets to start in 2006. Not before time in my opinion. Novak is under pressure this year and his team is solid. To be honest, the top 4 could go any way.
Columbus Crew (5th) - With the last playoff place going to DC, Sigi and his transformed Crew will have to wait until 2007 for a return on his new squad. He's practically rebuilt the team in the offseason. Only the lack of a potent threat up front will hold them back.
Kansas City Wizards (6th) - EJ alone will not be good enough to motivate this dying franchise. Missing the playoffs, the sale of EJ after the World Cup and another poorly attended season could bring the death knell.

Oddly enough, and this may be my disclaimer, if you like, the only reservation I have about the East is that Chicago and DC may ultimately swap placed. Yeah, I know. 1st and 4th aren't close, but that's just how I see it. If I'm going to be wrong, that's where I think it will be.

Western Conference:
FC Dallas (1st) - The retention of Ruiz out shadows the loss of EJ, who will miss a good chunk with the USMNT. GK is the only potential weak area of the side; Sala is unknown; Cassar is really a backup. There's strength everywhere else, flair, finishing, leadership and enterprise flow through the squad.
Houston Dynamo (2nd) - SJ were the Supporter's Shield winner and they'll come close this season. DeRo and friends look strong and will be out to impress their new fans in Houston. I hope they start well so that the franchise gets a decent chance at survival.
Los Angeles (3rd) - Call ups to key players (okay, I mean Landon), will hold them back slightly during the regular season. But as in 2005, making the playoffs will be the key so they can give it a solid run at MLS Cup.
Colorado Rapids (4th) - Plenty of changes in Denver. A stadium on the way. The Rapids are building nicely. I was pleased to see the re-signing of the leagues #1 keeper - Joe Cannon. Clint Mathis' form will make or break this team. Will hurt when Pablo Mastroeni links up with the USMNT in Germany.
Chivas USA (5th) - I don't see enough strength in depth to break into the playoff picture. But they will definitely be better than in their rookie campaign. Palencia, Ramirez, Garcia, Marsch, Razov and Suarez will make this team worth watching. I think Bob Bradley was an inspired choice to step in at the HDC, but he'll need one more year.
Real Salt Lake (6th) - Will have the worst record in the league. Ellinger will be the first manager gone. Made improvements to his roster in the offseason, but wont be good enough.

I will do a playoff prediction soon.

Bottom Line : Today is the day! First Kick. Tune into ABC for the Chicago Fire against FC Dallas in Frisco. For my money, there's a reason these are the teams for First Kick. They will win their respective Conferences and I wouldn't rule out being reunited in MLS Cup Final.

Enjoy the season everyone!

Red Bull New York? No Bull Here.....

2006-03-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

By Alan Clark, Saturday, March 18th, 2006.

So, I can't help but feeling I've just been hit in the face.

But in a good way.

Like a penny dropping, a lightbulb illuminating. An epiphany.

Someone gets it.

As much as I have never been a fan of the Metros, never really been a fan of New York [I blame the Yankees and their army of plastic fans, just reminded me of Man Utd at home]. I can't help but love Red Bull New York, and thus the New York Red Bulls.

For as much as the league, and soccer fans in general, owe to Uncle Phil and Lamar, I can't help but feel like we've just found another gear in MLS. Flattering to deceive or is this the real deal? I can only hope and wait. Time, as always will tell.

So, now that I've wiped the drool away from my mouth and I can concentrate on typing, let's just briefly recap the recent events.

It all starts with a rumor, Red Bull, the energy drink supremo, have an interest in a team. An expansion? No, the consensus is they're going to buy someone and hit the ground running.

BANG!

Wow, they bought a team. The NY/NJ Metrostars - one of the leagues most guilty under-achievers, in the largest market to boot. Bold. Brave. But ringing of similarities with Chivas last year, Red Bull owing already another team - Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.

The terms of the deal were sketchy, but as the hours and days passed, it turned out to be a blockbuster. Not only had they bought the Metros, they'd bought into the new Harrison stadium project, and ponied up for the naming rights - Red Bull Arena. Wow, I say again. These folk don't mess around.

The name change, I'm sure, will bother some. Others, mainly outside of the NY/NJ fanbase, will argue that the team needed an image change. I'm not a fan of that myself. Teams can turn around their fortunes. Man Utd languished in relative mediocrity for about 25 years before dominating in the EPL. Teams like Wimbledon ascended from non-league to winning the FA Cup. The pain of the last 10 years will make any future successes that much sweeter.

As it turns out, the name did change. At that point fans could have been alienated....so did Red Bull care? You BET they did.

Announced Thursday, RBNY is offering free transportation, free tickets and an exclusive tailgate party for fans to travel to their inaugural game under the NY Red Bulls moniker. So, did you catch that? Free transportation and free tickets. Way to make a statement Red Bull. Personally, I believe this is one of the most awesome acts in the history of MLS. Don't take it lightly, this wont be a cheap exercise. What a statement, what a signal of intent. I hope the Mets fans (until we knew what to call them) appreciate it, and take it with both hands. Someone clearly forgot to tell Red Bull that MLS is a penny pinching, salary-cap driven tax write-off for most of the owners.

I did wonder? Will fans wear their Metrostars shirts? No replicas will even be on sale for a while, such was the speed at the takeover. No one will even have seen their uniform before they take the field at RFK. Just a side thought, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they gave out freebies there too (round neck t-shirts complete with logos). I'm hoping the shirts they use are akin to their cans...blue and silver quarters, much like Blackburn Rovers of the EPL. I hope they're not like the Austrian team's colors, very basic and, actually, not at all dissimilar to the Metros road kit. Anyways, I digress....

Red Bull's efforts weren't restricted to the fans; Mo and friends were treated to a dressing room overhaul. Out: The sterile 'office' themed space they had used, as second class tenants, for the last 10 years. In: A complete refurb, with flat screens, X-Boxs et al. Way to go Red Bull.

So, it still remains to be seen what the effect on the squad will be. Any shortcomings this year, I think it can be said, will not be the fault of the new ownership. With money, experienced owners, a new stadium breaking ground on August 15th and a decent group of both playing and non-playing staff....it might actually be time for the MetroBulls to earn their self-proclaimed 'Superclub' tag. If they can, it should serve to raise the bar in MLS, to the benefit of all who follow and love The Beautiful Game in this country.

MLS Teams: What's In A Name? Houston....do we have a Problem?

2006-03-15T19:50:00.000-08:00

Written By : Alan Clark, Wednesday June 8, 2005. Updated 1/28/06.

What's In a Name?

As a Brit I grew up surrounded by the `greatest game on earth', it's traditions, it's rivalries and it's passion. I lived in Scotland, tasting the heat of the Auld Firm, and in the NorthWest of England, during the region's soccer glory days of Everton, Liverpool and then Manchester United.

With one notable exception - Milton Keynes Dons - the 2004 reincarnation of the 1988 FA Cup winning Wimbledon FC, relocation is not something that happens in soccer. As a consequence, there are not many times when a team has changed name, nor have their been new names created from new teams. The story with MK Dons is that Wimbledon did not fold, but in the absence of a permanent home and dwindling numbers through the turnstiles, the Board decided to relocate the team to Milton Keynes - the largest city in England that was not home to a professional football team already. MK was apparently second choice, Dublin, Ireland, was the original target but the League's ruling body dismissed such a radical relocation. But I digress..

The point is that in England the naming process is very different - most names have been around for in excess of a hundred years. Outside of America there is also a key difference - most clubs have a name, and a nickname - let's take Manchester United FC for example (and only because they are the most popular worldwide), their nickname is `The Red Devils'.

In America, the approach is different; teams nicknames are usually one-in-the-same as the team name; Rochester Raging Rhinos; Kansas City Wizards; San Jose Earthquakes. And then there are the exceptions; FC Dallas; Northern Virginia FC (NOVA FC); DC United.

Personally, I've always thought that to adopt a nickname in the official name is a step away from tradition - football tradition; my traditions. I often hear raging debate on the boards of Big Soccer, amongst other sources, as to what is an appropriate name; about America's soccer identity; respecting worldwide traditions and so on. I think it sounds somewhat tacky, cheap.and inherently `minor league'.

The question is...what is the right answer? Is there even one? I have been reminded on many an occasion that I am in America now, not in England (stopping a small step away from telling me to return there if I don't like it).

With MLS having ushered in two new expansion clubs in 2005, and with both relocation and further expansion talk burning like wild fire, names for the potential new locations are rampant. Everyone has an opinion and it's this diversity that made me sit down and write this.

On the radar over the next 2-3 years are potentially: Toronto, San Antonio, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Houston, St Louis, Miami (?!), Vancouver, Montreal, Seattle, New York City and so on.

So, should these potential new franchises follow history or continue the Americanized trend? A brand is the most important thing for a team, the name is it's identity. And let's face it, MLS doesn't have a good track record. Since the 1996 inaugural season, MLS' owner/operators have renamed three teams - 25% of the original franchises (and even ignoring contraction) The Burn, Clash, and Wiz are all now [thankfully] consigned to the history books.

Of course, the primary target of an MLS team is not a European nor South American fan (or at least not those based abroad), but to it's core, namely the American consumer. As such, should the brand not reflect this?

2005's new entries were not inspiring; CD Chivas USA - barely tolerable but at least there is an obvious reference to the parent club in Guadalajara; and Real Salt Lake which is, well, frankly a seemingly random Spanish reference in Utah. Not much logic there. And in the absence of a meaningful relationship between RSL and *insert legitimate'REAL Real, then this seems like a rather cheap gimmick, trying to be passed off as a tip of the hat. That said, the RSL fans seem to be buying into it.even if no one else is.

Possibly the most disturbing rumor at present must be the potential purchase, relocation and renaming of the SJ Earthquakes (already on their 2nd name) by Club America of Mexico. Yes, you guessed it - Club America USA has been touted and I hope and pray (and I'm an atheist!) that this never, but never, sees the light of day.

With so many names to choose from, not just from England - though it would make sense to pick a name that makes sense in this country's primary language, namely English - surely the next generation of franchises can hit the mark without selling their souls.

*Addendum (1/26/06):
Fresh on the back of this week's Houston '1836' annoucement of the new team name for the former SJ Earthquakes franchise, there's been plenty of dissention in the camp about the name and why a 'europoser' name was picked - again - in MLS. Infact, I've already alluded elsewhere that actually, it's less of a copy of Europe and more an established American norm.
In Europe, the number usually represents the year the team was formed. So, this isn't the case with Houston, being the year Houston itself was formed and not the team.

On the other hand, in America, the numbers are usually something significant to the city or region the team is based in - Phaldelphia 76ers, or San Francisco 49ers. So this is consistent with the Houston naming.

Slagging it off is just a knee-jerk reaction, but it's not as bad as it seems, and certainly not in the FC Dallas or ReAL Salt Lake league as blatant rip-offs. Thankfully, it's also not in the Burn, Wiz or Clash's league either.

All in all, I think it's a reasonable name, with Thirty Sixers, or just Sixers as their nickname works for me.

*Addendum (3/15/06):
So, the name 1836 went the way of the Clash, Burn, Wiz etc... Personally, I thought it deserved better.

I even wrote to Oliver Luck in an attempt to have the PC minority not win over what was a sensible and well-thought out name for the new team. I mentioned that parallels could be found both in other sports, and in MLS itself - the Philadelphia 76ers and the New England Revolution - both of which, if certain 'squeeky wheels' should be believed, would mean that those teams are offensive to me and my British brethern. Naturally, this is nonsense, but it goes to prove that there are double standards everywhere.

On the flip side, I concede that alienating, if that's what it was, a large target demographic straight off the bat would not be considered good business. For that, I can see a glimmer of reasoning. For those that would drag this through the PC gutter I wish you adieu.

PS. Dynamo Houston would have sounded so much better. If that makes me a 'eurosnob' to some, so bei it; I am English after all.

MLS Supporter's Shield - Untold Potential

2006-03-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Written By : Alan Clark, Wednesday September 28, 2005

The MLS Supporter's Shield. It's something of an enigma in American sports.....it's a break from the traditional, in an American sense, and a tip of the cap to the 'footballing' traditions of the rest of the world. The Supporter's Shield is awarded to the MLS team with the best regular season record, regardless of conference, essentially as if there were a single table format.

Inaugurated a couple of years after the commencement of MLS after the fans demanded a trophy in lieu of the regular season champ - think of it as a compromise for soccer traditionalists - whilst the MLS Cup, a playoff format tournament, remains the defacto championship of Division 1 Pro Soccer in the United States.

Now, ten years in, and with two rounds of expansion, one of contraction, and a move away from many of the gimmicks first associated with MLS (though KC still insist on playing music during games), many fans and pundits alike have started to look for a solution to the problem of lackluster regular season games. The MLS fan has had their appetite whetted by continental tournaments - recently DC were the first MLS team to compete in a CONMEBOL tournament...and the pursuit of a Copa Liberatadores place remains one of MLS's highest priorities. Add in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and with so many teams qualifying for the playoffs (8, out of 12 in 2005 - up from 8 of 10 in 2004), and without the motivating factor of relegation, the late summer months, and early fall can often be a stale representation of the 'great game'. Add in numerous international call-ups, and oppressive heat and the gameplay is the obvious loser. Well, and the fan who is paying to watch it.

So what can be done to help motivate teams to push hard, year long? It's obvious that seeding placement isn't working. The teams who are fighting for their playoff lives have incentive enough, so that leaves the top teams...many of which are in cruise control once August comes round. How can we motivate those teams, assured of a playoff spot, to go for the proverbial jugular each and every game in the closing weeks of the season? How? By making the Supporter's Shield actually mean something.

Right now, the Supporter's Shield has no real prestige. This is probably in no small part because it was something of an after thought, but it has no monetary, nor competition benefit. It is bragging rights alone, and with the current culture of MLS, this doesn't amount to much. In fact, last year's Supporter's Shield winning Coach, Greg Andruilis, was fired a couple of months ago. Not much of a reward is it?

My proposition would change this, to make the Supporter's Shield warrant respect from all the teams. To make it a prized trophy, sought after by players, fans and GM's alike. In the absence of the monetary compensation, we need to look to an alternative means of motivation.

I believe that the solution would be to award the Supporter's Shield winner the place in the Copa Sudamericana. It is a prestigious tournament, although relatively young, and offers a chance to brand both the winning club and MLS abroad - a big responsibility. Under our present system, the winner of MLS Cup takes home the trophy, and earns a place in both the Copa Sudamericana and the CONCACAF Champion's Cup (which in itself offers the chance of a place in the World Club Championships). Surely this is excessive and some of the spoils should be spread around? We already devalue the US Open Cup by not rewarding it's winner with a place in a continental tournament (and this is a topic all by itself), let us not pass up the opportunity to spice up the regular season and reward those loyal fans who endure depleted rosters and the blazing sun to cheer their team towards a meaningful reward.

The Copa Sudamericana is very much flavor of the month, DC gave a reasonable account of itself this year and I think all the teams can see the benefit to participating in such a tournament. The CONCACAF Champion's Cup does not carry the weight, prestige not financial spoils of its more illustrious European cousin. CONMEBOL tournaments are the key to establishing MLS club sides in this region.

This change would be simple to implement and without cost. As long as it was announced before the 2006 season, there is no reason why this couldn't go 'live' next year. All the teams would have equal chance of winning, and all would be motivated by the fact that they know one single team would not reap all the benefits. I think this is especially important now the Champion's Cup has reduced it's format and now only 2 MLS teams are represented, as opposed to the 4 previous.

MLS has proven it can adapt and change over the past ten years, it's time to ring in the next step of it's evolution.

Soccer: What Do MLS, Bex and the NY Cosmos Have in Common....?

2006-03-15T19:28:00.000-08:00

Written By : Alan Clark, Tuesday 5/31/05.

So, in a media frenzy, David Beckham had `arrived'. Not for the first time in his career, having already faced the British, Asian and Spanish paparazzi more times than taking the field, as arguably the world's most recognizable sports personality, the Beckham hype machine finally hit the ground running, Stateside.

The planet's most famous footballer stood before press in NY ahead and after his American playing debut for the English national team. The Captain had assisted on the game winning (hattrick) Michael Owen goal, as his team rode out a comfortable 3-2 victory over Colombia at Giants Stadium.

The questions rear their heads, including the inevitable.. `Will you play in MLS'?

Again the answers flatter to deceive, say nothing at all. Will-he/Wont-he?

Here is my take on the Beckham to MLS rumors-cum-hype-cum-fantasy, which seem to plague popular discussion boards and spark many a heated debate.

David Beckham, at 30, with 2 years left on a contract worth $8m a year (and total earnings in the ballpark of $30m+ a season) with world soccer giants Real Madrid, is not going to join MLS tomorrow. In all likelihood, MLS is 4-5 years in Mr Posh Spice's future. That said, I don't think it'd a stretch to see soccer's highest paid and highest profile player turning out in MLS in the future. Given the relative infancy of MLS and a seemingly insurmountable salary cap of just $2m a year - for the whole team - David Beckham seems hopelessly priced out of the reach of MLS.

However, there's two possibilities that could see `Bex' adorned in the colors of the LA Galaxy, Metrostars or Chicago Fire. The most simplistic link is the relationship between DB and Adidas, the primary sponsor of MLS (in a $150m 10 year deal). You must understand, David Beckham is a commercial machine; After his move from English Powerhouse Manchester United to Real Madrid (for circa $41m), it was speculated that he would repay his transfer fee within 6 months through commercial opportunities, such as shirt sales, particularly to the seemingly insatiable Far East markets. His vast branding in Asia is seen as gold mine to the front offices of his employer. The man is not only one of the world's top footballers, he has pin-up looks and is married to a former Spice Girl (Posh Spice, Victoria Adams). As the Captain of England, he and Victoria represent more than the consummate celebrity couple - he is almost considered royalty in the British Isles.

So, America would provide not one but two un-tapped markets. Soccer, the great participation sport here in the US, has not yet hit full flight as a professional spectator sport - and let's face it, there's lots of competition for fans from not just the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, but also NASCAR, Tennis, PGA and the ranks of collegiate sports. It's also untapped as a David Beckham market. Having won over the UK, Europe and Asia - the US remains the one last challenge in DB's commercial conquest of the planet.

So Adidas could step up and guarantee commercial endorsements in lieu of the money he would not make playing in MLS. In return, Adidas would have his imaging rights, and could extort the maximum for the Beck-buck. It would be a gamble, and assumes his success both on and off the field, and likely an `A' market team, but for a powerhouse such as Adidas, who have already seen the power of the Beckham brand, this could be an easy decision.

So, the US and Beckham seem destined to meet and fall in love. Soccer, and MLS in particular as the US Men's (and Women's) National team's do garner some interest, seems to need someone with the charisma, profile and outright talent of a David Beckham to help move it to the next level. In the seventies, the NASL had Pele as the icon of the league. Now Beckham may not be a match for Pele on the pitch, but as a marketing tool he is light years ahead and in commercial America, money is everything. In reality, David Beckham isn't even the most talented player on the `Galacticos', yet, outside of footballing circles, the average American would struggle to recognize Zinedane Zidane or Ronaldo, regardless of how good they are on the ball.

Beckham, it seems, to also be planting roots here - his first son, now 6, is named Brooklyn - and has used the English team's current tour to launch both a new (Adidas) product line and open a new soccer academy. Perhaps he is planning a corporate takeover, it would be ironic if in the fallout of Malcolm Glazer's unpopular assault and ultimate victory on Manchester United, David Beckham - an English institution and former United star - was to make his own counter-strike on the USA.

The second option would be for Beckham to take his interest to another level. Namely, ownership.

Who could write a better script than to have David Beckham sail into New York, revive the NY Cosmos brand and lead America's famous old team to MLS glory? New York and Beckham seem a perfect match. Beckham certainly has the wealth to pursue this alone, though a consortium may provide better financial stability. Recent stories have Andrew Murstein interested in both an MLS franchise and Cosmos trademarks. With the inevitable expansion preparations and delays, 2008 or 2009 is not out the question. David, do you have a window in January 2009? Could Beckham use his own image to push MLS to another level? In the days of NASL, the Cosmos were head and shoulders above the other teams, with huge crowds and famous players they were a diamond in the rough, and ultimately their huge success played a large part in the downfall of the entire league. Franchises struggled to keep up with the Jones's/Cosmos and folded as a consequence. MLS has a different financial model - a single entity structure - to help it grow at a more steady rate and to try and ensure that history does not repeat itself.

The Single Entity system has it's draw backs, though it's days seem numbered as more and more of the MLS teams move into Soccer Specific Stadiums (SSS) and for the first time in 10 years the league has a real shot at hitting the black. Recent ventures into expansion (in Salt Lake and Los Angeles) have seen a change in direction from MLS. Chivas USA, a spin-off from CD Guadalajara in Mexico, was an attempt to win over many of the Hispanic soccer fans in the country, and at the same time provided MLS with it's first Derby - between the incumbent Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA.

David Beckham could be the next evolution of soccer in the states. Be it as a player, owner - or both - the USA is wide open, and as a fan of the game, I hope he steps up and bends it into the top corner, as only Beckham can.