Celebrating No.18 with Houston's Red Army

This article first appeared in Aberdeen Football Club's RedMatchday Magazine on May 24, 2009.

Most people look forward to setting their alarm clock back a few hours at weekends, but long lie-ins are not a luxury enjoyed by devoted football fans across the United States. Instead, millions of hardy souls gather in expatriate haunts from Santa Monica to Massachusetts every week to cheer on their favourite English Premiership teams.

As expected, the “Big Three” of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal garner most support, while Fulham attract a healthy following thanks to their recent penchant for American players. Though modern-day fixture scheduling can be unsympathetic—brutal for those on the Pacific coast—there is a sadistic pleasure attached to following European football from North America.

Sure, there are occasions when you seriously question your sanity as you drive, half-asleep, down a deserted freeway at 5.30am on a Sunday morning, praying that the bar staff will arrive in time for kick-off. But then comes the flip side—that euphoric, energising feeling as you tentatively emerge from a darkened tavern into blinding sunshine, realising that most of the day still lies ahead.

America’s Eastern and Central time zones benefit from this appeal save for the occasional inconvenience presented by Setanta’s lunchtime starts, as was the case last weekend when Manchester United sought one point against Arsenal to clinch a third successive Premiership title.

Not being a Setanta subscriber, I opted for the popular British-themed Richmond Arms in Houston’s Galleria district. Doors opened at 6am to welcome the first punters arriving for the anticipated title party. Those quick enough to commandeer tables ordered traditional English breakfasts washed down with a refreshing first beer of the day.

A mixed crowd of Brits (the odd authentic Mancunian among them), Africans, and Americans—predominantly clad in United merchandise bearing the names of Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez—briefly found their voices as the teams took to the field. A cluster of Arsenal fans kept their counsel away from the main crowd, hovering around one of the smaller televisions, as the Gunners made a positive start.

Pub landlords can probably guarantee one inevitable outcome when broadcasting a game of this magnitude—satellite problems. The United fans’ angst was exacerbated by a number of pauses in the action as the main screen failed to perform under the pressure of the big occasion. Thankfully the assembled patrons refrained from trashing the joint, as follow followers of another team once associated with Sir Alex Ferguson might have done.

As our host worked diligently to remediate the technical difficulties, a menu appeared listing obscure alternative channels like Belarus TV. I doubt residents of the former Soviet state were displaying similar nervousness toward the game’s outcome—apparently the Manchester United 2009-2010 Season Review DVD has been on sale in Minsk market squares for months, never mind this season’s offering.

Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin made a promising early foray into the United penalty box, slaloming through a clutch of defenders and taking aim before the transmission froze once again. It seemed an ideal moment for former A Question of Sport host David Coleman to appear, posing the question: “What happened next?”

A nervy first half concluded with restored images but hushed surroundings as this particular Red Army outpost fretted over an uninspired showing by the champions-elect. Still, the job was half-done. Another 45 minutes of defensive fortitude would see Fergie’s men retain their domestic crown regardless of whether his attackers discovered their trademark resplendence. Confidence in the room returned as the second half commenced, helped by the bottles of champagne now littering the tables. It was now 7.45am after all.

A few late stragglers appeared, and the effects of early-morning alcohol consumption created a livelier environment as United’s struggle to find their fluidity continued. One Mancunian named Mike heightened the frequency and volume of singing as the unassailable 87-point mark loomed ever nearer. “U-N-I, T-E-D, United are the team for me”, he bellowed gustily before being joined in a cacophonous choir.

The lack of entertainment from this unusually languid encounter between the Premiership era’s eminent rivals faced competition from a more amusing game—Guess Whether the Song was Learned at Old Trafford or by Surfing the Internet. While Mark and the handful of Lancastrians were indisputably in the former category, the majority clearly were not. Still, the passion and enthusiasm displayed by American fans in their quest to embrace European football culture (brilliantly captured in Chuck Culpepper’s blithesome book “Bloody Confused!”) is to be commended, even if that culture cannot easily be replicated.

In the closing stages, one misguided fellow strayed beyond the comfort of “Glory Glory Man United” and succeeded only in butchering a staple of the Stretford End. “This is what it’s like to be (Manchester) City, this is what it’s like to be small…” he warbled, oblivious to the original Inspiral Carpets classic with slightly differing lyrics. Madchester would be spinning in its grave.

United’s muted performance barely mattered as they held out for a scoreless draw and anxiety turned to elation in the Richmond Arms. The astonishing might of Sky Sports was realised as a pub full of jubilant fans in Houston stood watching a section full of jubilant fans at Old Trafford, while off-camera a squad full of jubilant players paraded around the pitch with the Premiership trophy. It appeared that Setanta’s deal did not include permission to broadcast the award ceremony. Oh well, time or another celebratory tipple.

So the 17th Premiership season concluded with United winning an astounding 11th title. They have equalled Liverpool’s overall record of 18 despite trailing the Anfield club by seven points at New Year. Liverpool have now gone 19 years without a league title…and counting.

These, Mr Benitez, are facts.

Didier Drogba in WWE Switch?

Chelsea's gravitationally challenged striker Didier Drogba is renowned for his comical over-selling of the slightest physical contact, which could explain recent rumours reaching Hawksport that the Ivorian has been plotting an escape to World Wrestling Entertainment.

Drogba has spent much of the last two years pining for a new career venture. His apathy toward life in England first surfaced in the wake of Jose Mourinho's ignominious dismissal by the London superclub following a dismal 1-1 draw with Rosenborg in 2007. Not even the 500 fans in attendance that night could save The Special One from The Oligarch.

Now it appears that the 31-year-old's latest attempt to impress WWE chairman Vince McMahon came during this week's Champions League semi-final tie with Barcelona.

After yet another Swan Lake-inspired tumble failed to con Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, Drogba opted to channel his rage by perfecting his Spinaroonie—a move made famous by five time, five time, five time, five time, five time WCW Champion Booker T.

When asked his thoughts about being snubbed from the card at last month's Wrestlemania XXV, Drogba told Sky Sports reporters: "It's a disgrace. It's a disgrace. It's a f*ck*ng disgrace."

Eager to prove his worth, the Ivorian performed another Spinaroonie for the assembled press corps in his post-match interview before aiming a steely message at the megalomaniacal wrestling chairman.

An animated Drogba bellowed: "Can you dig it...SUCKAAAAAAAAAAAA?!?!?"

Following a Minority Sport in NYC

This article first appeared in Aberdeen Football Club's RedMatchday Magazine on May 2, 2009.

Football may be viewed as a minority sport in the U.S., but in a city as multicultural and monolithic as New York there are hundreds of thousands of soccer fans following the action from Europe and South America every week. The problem for Major League Soccer is getting those fans through the gates at New York Red Bulls matches.

The Red Bulls struggle to attract more than 15,000 fans to their home games despite inhabiting a greater metropolitan area of some 19 million people. It is a mark they achieved only six times in 16 fixtures last season. Arena location does not help. Giants Stadium, the current abode shared with the NFL’s Giants and Jets, was built across the Hudson River on the swampy wastelands of East Rutherford, New Jersey. Though only seven miles from Midtown Manhattan, the venue poses transportation challenges for many of the city’s vehicle-less residents…and tourists. Sacrifices are easily made to watch the NFL, but not MLS. Not yet.

Unperturbed, I made the journey a fortnight ago to see the Red Bulls clinch an unflattering 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake—their first victory of the season. I wondered how many others would join me.

I set off from my hotel at 5.15, travel instructions printed from the Red Bulls’ website in hand, allowing plenty of time for a 7.30 kick-off. Steps One and Two were a breeze as I strolled the three blocks to Penn Station and acquired a special $10 roundtrip ticket covering the train and bus rides to the stadium. By contrast, residents of Bronx, Brooklyn, or Queens firstly have to negotiate the city’s extensive transport network to arrive at Manhattan’s major rail hub. But there I was, ticket at the ready, scanning the departures board at 5.29, when major inconvenience reared its head.

Step Three involved taking a New Jersey-bound train to nearby Secaucus Junction. Plenty of trains cross under the river, but only one every hour was identified as stopping at Secaucus. With 42 minutes to fill until the 6.11 to Dover, I wandered the station concourse looking for gathering throngs of exuberant soccer followers heading to the match. None appeared. Instead, the platforms overflowed with New York Mets merchandise as fans returned home from an afternoon watching baseball at Citi Field.

I finally arrived at Secaucus station at 6.20 and embarked upon Stage Four—transferring to one of the buses heading for Giants Stadium. Within ten minutes Stage Five was complete as I alighted in a vast but desolate parking lot. Americans love to tailgate, but I could see no more than a dozen people enjoying a pre-game beer before entering the stadium confines.

Ticket prices are an appealing feature of MLS. I snapped up an excellent seat between the 18-yard and halfway lines—only ten rows from the front—for a mere $32 and settled down to see if Salt Lake could avenge their defeat in last season’s Western Conference Final.

Instead it took the hosts less than 100 seconds to go ahead. Nick Rimando could only parry a cross from Dane Richards and Senegalese striker Macoumba Kandji was on hand to thump the loose ball high beyond the prostrate goalkeeper.

The goal arrived too soon for many in attendance, including the stadium announcer who credited the goal to Richards. Even legendary English commentator John Motson would struggle to confuse this pair given that, at 6”4”, Kandji towers over his diminutive teammate by almost an entire foot.

As regular attendees will testify, there is a level of banter among football crowds which cannot be rivalled at any other sporting event. Not only has this humour survived the gentrification of many stadia—albeit in a watered-down format—but it exists in whichever country you watch the game. The U.S. is no different.

One typically brash New Yorker behind me filled the role of sarcastic, infuriated fan admirably, berating his team to the extent that his larynx risked permanent damage. His shouts increased in frequency and volume after half-time when left-midfielder Khano Smith switched to our side of the field.

Smith, signed from New England in the close season to replace departed Dutchman Dave van den Bergh, has a long way to go to win over the Red Bulls’ support. His every contribution or lack thereof provoked taunts from Mr Infuriated Fan, who questioned everything from Smith’s work ethic to his parentage.

The pessimistic support poured further scorn on their team as Salt Lake seemed primed for an equaliser, with one victim known as “Deadweight” serving as another prime target. The inevitable equaliser looked to have arrived when Yura Movsisyan’s deflected effort looped over Red Bulls’ goalkeeper John Conway toward an empty net, but defender Kevin Goldthwaite raced back to clear acrobatically from his goal-line. My question had been answered.

“Hey, it’s Deadweight!” roared one fan as ironic cheers and chuckles engulfed the disbelieving section.

A moment of brilliance from Kandji on 57 minutes set up Juan Pablo Angel to give New York a two-goal cushion. It was a deficit that Salt Lake failed to reduce despite the 66th minute dismissal of Red Bulls’ defender Jeremy Hall.

By 9.40, five minutes after the full-time whistle, I was back on the shuttle bus to Secaucus, arriving at 10.00 for the 10.20 train back to Penn Station. The slight delay caused my nostrils to fill with the putrid smell of the surrounding swamps as celebratory Red Bulls fans were joined by young revellers seeking the excitement and bright lights of a Saturday night in the Big Apple.

Overall, my journey had been seamlessly convenient. Then I learned that the attendance had been abysmally low—only 8,508 for New York’s second home game of the season. Queuing for trains and buses would be an altogether more unpleasant experience if joined by another 30,000 fans.

For now, following a “minority sport” does have its advantages.

FSC Needs To Step Up Its Domestic Coverage

An irreverent look at FSC’s Game of the Week

Fox Soccer Channel announced last Monday that it had acquired the rights to broadcast the UEFA Champions League in the United States—a privilege held by ESPN since 1994. FSC already provides extensive live coverage of English and Italian league matches, and is rightfully exalted for its promotion of soccer in North America, but the channel could provide a major boost to the league in its own backyard by improving its presentation of Major League Soccer.

Domestically, ESPN are blessed with the perceptiveness of former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder John Harkes who adds astute analysis to the experienced play-by-play commentary of J.P. Dellacamera. The story is markedly different on FSC—as I was reminded during Saturday’s clash between Houston Dynamo and New York Red Bulls.

Commentators are efficacious when keeping a low profile. Soccer fans are largely a savvy crew with a deep knowledge of the game, meaning that perpetual chatter is not required—the game speaks for itself. Cogent commentators enhance the viewing experience by punctuating the action with occasional facts, colourful statistics, or sound opinions on the tactical battle unfolding.

These are skills that FSC duo Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan are a long way from mastering. In fact, this duo could learn a lot from the punters on Sky Sports' Fanzone.

If there was a silver lining in the fourth minute collision between Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero and Dynamo forward Kei Kamara that saw the former depart the field with a concussion, it was that Bretos realised Cepero had been briefly keeping goal behind New York’s defence—the seemingly ubiquitous custodian having already been credited with a couple of smart saves from his own forwards some 110 yards away.

The perennially garrulous Sullivan shared his esteemed assessment of the incident and the medical team’s procedures. What looked like two committed players throwing themselves bravely at Brad Davis’ inswinging free kick took on new light as he opined: “Kamara has to have a better coordination.” Quite.

“Christopher’s Keys” followed—a segment where the veteran of the USA’s 1990 World Cup team outlines his three strategies for both teams. Revelations need not apply. Houston needed to “set the tone”—as the home team usually looks to do—while New York needed to “support the attack”—as any team usually looks to do. Sullivan’s knack for depicting the obvious shone through when Juan Pietravallo was booked for a high kick into the face of Brad Davis. He informed viewers that: “This is a dangerous play. He kicks right into the face.” What more that didn’t need to be said could be said?

As the first half continued, Sullivan treated his audience to his unique repertoire of soccer jargon. A forward making a yard of space to get a shot on goal makes a “separating movement”. A wide midfielder skipping past the full-back makes a “little change of tempo to separate himself”. A counter-attack is a “transitional breakout”. Team-mates passing the ball around make a “transition”, occasionally known as a “collective transition”, or a “three-man combination” if involving a trio of team-mates.

Listening to his analysis reminds me of reading the Anthony Burgess novel A Clockwork Orange—for a while you have absolutely no idea what language you are absorbing.

Dynamo striker Brian Ching had a rare chance to excite demoralised viewers on 36 minutes when he raced clear on substitute Alec Dufty’s goal despite appearing to be at least five yards offside. The U.S. international could only lob the ball over the approaching stand and into the adjacent car park as the stalemate continued.

A reason for the dismal nature of the opening period was offered by Sullivan. He said of Houston’s struggles: “It’s been very vertical…the wide points have been tight…no fluidity in the combination play.” Enlightening stuff.

The show was somewhat rescued at half-time by the slick studio presentation of Todd Grisham—well-schooled in dealing with pantomime from his alternative employment with World Wrestling Entertainment—but it didn’t take long for the deterioration to set in again. “Christopher’s Keys” to the second half saw Houston now needing “Higher Pressure” instead of simply “Pressure”, while it was the Red Bulls’ turn to “manage the tempo”.

Ching benefitted from commentators’ licence when his routine cutback was eulogised by Sullivan: “He separates himself and has the presence of mind to play that back on a diagonal.” Unfortunately, his strike partner Kamara could not get on the end of the cross with one of his “slashing runs”.

Bleakness turned to liveliness in the final 15 minutes when referee Hilario Grajeda issued two red cards. New York midfielder Carlos Johnson was dismissed for a late tackle on Geoff Cameron, while Dynamo substitute Mike Chabala followed for a recklessly enthusiastic lunge in stoppage time. It was a rare occasion where a CONCACAF official was spot on with his decisions, but Bretos seemed unconvinced of Johnson’s dismissal. “When I first saw the challenge, I thought it was definitely a foul…possibly a yellow card…possibly a red card.” Nothing like keeping your options open.

As Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio looked to reshuffle having already made his three substitutions, Bretos had me wondering whether a new ruling had been adopted by MLS. “Osorio still has some wiggle room”, he told the nation. “The first substitution will not count as it was an injury to the goalkeeper.”

The situation was clarified moments later as Bretos announced: “I do apologise. New York are out of substitutions.” It is doubtful whether Sage Sullivan pointed out the error of his colleague’s ways.

So a dreadful game came to a close—the 0-0 scoreline thankfully sparing us from Bretos’ trademark “Yaaaaaaaaay” shouts when a goal is scored—but the disappointment did not end there.

Osorio—one of the league’s more cerebral, tactically astute coaches—sullied his reputation with unnecessary and childish gesticulations to the home fans referencing his team’s 3-0 win at Houston in last year’s MLS play-offs.

Not that Bretos saw fit to criticise Osorio’s actions, as he gleefully told viewers that it was “almost worth watching the whole game just to see that”.

Please, Max, leave such observations in the playground in future.

MLS—Seattle Sounds Out A Warning

Seattle—the Emerald City based in the Pacific Northwest, famed for coffee, grunge music, Pike Place Market, and the Space Needle—could soon be elongating its list of attractions with the name of Seattle Sounders FC.

Granted we are only 90 minutes into the new Major League Soccer season, but the statement of intent laid down by Sigi Schmid’s expansion team in their 3-0 destruction of New York Red Bulls, last season’s beaten MLS Cup finalists, could not have been any more emphatic.

Scoring goals is the hardest part of the game, and players who have been cobbled together for a first tilt at America’s top level habitually struggle in this department. San Jose Earthquakes took until their sixth game last year to notch their third goal. Toronto waited until their ninth game in 2007 to achieve the feat. Seattle required a mere 75 minutes.

The outstanding performer on opening night was Colombian international Fredy Montero. The 21-year-old forward claimed last year’s Golden Boot award in his home country while playing for Deportivo Cali. He starts his loan spell in MLS in similar vein with two impressive strikes.

Montero is exactly the sort of player that this league should be trying to attract—a young, raw, developing talent reared in the soccer hotbeds of South America who is desperate to become established at the professional level. The 32,523 fans that created a euphonic sea of green inside Qwest Field this evening were certainly excited by his repertoire of skills.

The hosts’ first meaningful attack on 11 minutes resulted in Montero opening the scoring. Three players combined to work the ball across the face of New York’s penalty area before Frenchman Sébastien Le Toux found Montero alone near the right corner of the box. The youngster steadied himself before steering a low drive beyond Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero’s despairing dive.

Nate Jaqua had a chance to double the lead four minutes later when he launched his rangy frame at Sanna Nyassi’s cross, but the former Houston Dynamo striker saw his flick drift agonisingly beyond Cepero’s far post.

With the excitable 52-member Sound Wave marching band, created at the behest of part-owner Drew Carey, setting the tempo in the stands, the Sounders continued their lively offensive spell and made it 2-0 on 25 minutes. Montero received a throw-in on the left before angling a precise reverse pass into the path of the on-rushing Brad Evans. The former Columbus midfielder burst into the penalty area undetected and drilled his low shot through the legs of the wretchedly exposed Cepero.

New York were now in disarray after looking the more composed outfit in the opening ten minutes. But even during those promising early stages, the Red Bulls were stifled in the final third by the industry of Seattle’s midfield. When the Sounders regained possession they quickly piled three or four players into New York’s penalty area to leave the visitors’ backline overwhelmed.

Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio tried to stem the green tide by replacing the embattled Andrew Boyens with Jeremy Hall on 34 minutes. Siniša Ubiparipović, his swamped defensive midfielder, lasted until half-time before making way for Danleigh Borman.

The pattern in the second half remained consistent despite Osorio’s reorganising as Seattle asphyxiated any attempted Red Bull charges. This particular brand of energy drinks supposedly gives its consumers wings, but it was the men from a city renowned for its coffee companies that appeared to be infused with a caffeine rush.

Londoner Steve Zakuani, the first pick in January’s Superdraft of college players, made his professional debut when he replaced the zestful Nyassi on 68 minutes. He almost scored with his first touch four minutes later.

Montero’s legerdemain saw him wriggle free from two New York players on the right flank before releasing Evans on the overlap. His low cross was deflected behind Zakuani, but the former Arsenal youth player still forced Cepero to make a smart save from his shot on the turn.

New York inflicted further damage upon themselves on 75 minutes when Mike Petke dwelled on the ball just inside his own half. Montero quickly seized upon the defender’s poor touch to steal possession and race clear on Cepero. A confident shimmy sent the goalkeeper to ground before the Colombian cemented his Man of the Match display with a composed finish high into the top corner.

All that remained was for Schmid to withdraw his ace in injury time to allow the fervent home support to roar their appreciation. Even they could not have envisioned such an impressive start. The pleasant surprise led to chants of “We’re so good it’s unbelievable” as the referee brought proceedings to a close and fireworks lit up the night sky.

If this is the shape of things to come in MLS in 2009—and over the next two years with the addition of franchises in Philadelphia, Vancouver, and Portland—then North American soccer fans are in for a real treat.

MLS 2009 Preview

Predicting the Major League Soccer champions days before the new season begins is an unenviable task.

Firstly, strict roster restrictions and salary caps guarantee a certain level of parity among the league’s 15 franchises.

Secondly, huge uncertainty exists around which players will be available for the entire campaign—flourishing performances can attract summer transfers to Europe, while American expatriates failing to make the grade abroad or nearing the end of their careers may be making the opposite journey.

Thirdly, MLS does not adjourn for international dates—this is especially relevant in 2009 with ongoing World Cup qualification and the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament taking place, as well as the U.S. team’s participation in June’s Confederations Cup.

Finally, as New York Red Bulls showed last year, anything can happen when it comes to the post-season play-offs.

Columbus Crew suffered three seasons of purgatory before rebounding to the top of the regular season table and lifting MLS Cup last year. Real Salt Lake fell agonisingly short of appearing in that final having also turned around three seasons of woe to mount a title challenge.

In this year’s Western Conference, I’m going for seasoned campaigners Houston Dynamo to reclaim their crown with Real Salt Lake as their closest challengers. In the East, another Conference Final between Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire could be on the cards but with a different outcome.

Come November 22 at Seattle’s Qwest Field, I’ll take Houston to clinch their third MLS Cup in four seasons over Cuauhtemoc Blanco and his Chicago teammates.

Here is a look at this year’s title contenders, play-off hopefuls, and helpless stragglers.

The Contenders

Chicago Fire (2008—3rd overall in regular season, lost to Columbus Crew in Eastern Conference final)

Head coach Denis Hamlett retains much of the squad that pushed Columbus all the way to the Eastern Conference title last year.

Cuauhtémoc Blanco, the team’s fiery 36-year-old Mexican captain, may be in the twilight months of his career, but he continues to inspire his teammates—particularly the impressive American forward Chris Rolfe.

Brian McBride, another 36-year-old veteran, adds his experience for a full campaign after arriving midway through last year to notch five goals in 11 games.

Former Manchester United trainee John Thorrington will be a major threat from midfield if he can remain injury-free.

This year could be MLS Cup or bust for Hamlett’s ageing stars.

Columbus Crew (2008—1st overall, MLS Cup Winners)

The champions’ title defence kicks off with much the same squad as last year despite fears that 35-year-old Argentine playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto, last season’s league and MLS Cup Most Valuable Player, may not return.

Schelotto is again supported by the highly-rated young winger Robbie Rogers and Venezuelan striker Alejandro Moreno.

Head coach Sigi Schmid’s defection to Seattle Sounders is a huge loss. Former Everton striker Robert Warzycha, who ended his playing days with Columbus, steps in to fill the void.

The Crew will remain near the Eastern Conference summit, but an expanded schedule with Champions League commitments will severely test their squad.

Houston Dynamo (2008—2nd overall, lost to New York Red Bulls in Western Conference semi-final)

The 2006 and 2007 champions were arguably the league’s best team last year, but they were undone by the most congested schedule in the league (participating in the Pan-Pacific Championship, CONCACAF Champions Cup, US Open Cup, Superliga, and CONCACAF Champions League) as well as the eminent fortune of New York’s post-season run.

Star player Dwayne De Rosario returned home to Toronto in the off-season, but his departure presents an opportunity for Aberdeen-born attacking midfielder Stuart Holden to cement his first team place. The Dynamo midfield remains formidable with Brad Davis, Ricardo Clark, Geoff Cameron, and Brian Mullan all capable of making strong contributions.

Houston’s defence has already been cruelly exposed by Atlante in the Champions League quarter-final, and the news that Eddie Robinson will likely miss the entire season is a devastating blow. Julius James arrives as part of the De Rosario trade but he will take time to settle into new surroundings.

Head coach Dominic Kinnear, however, is a master of strengthening his squad in the summer. His team remains serious title contenders. They have the experience and hunger to reclaim the title.

Los Angeles Galaxy (2008—13th overall)

No team finished 2008 with fewer points than the league’s self-appointed flagship franchise, leaving Bruce Arena with a major rebuilding job over the winter.

The former U.S. national team manager has overhauled his defence. Steve Cronin, Ante Jazic, Mike Randolph, Troy Roberts, and Greg Vanney have all being shipped out. Of that calamitous group, only Jazic remains in the league at present (with Chivas USA). Ukrainian Dema Kovalenko comes in from Real Salt Lake to fortify the midfield.

Landon Donovan returns from Bayern Munich to link up rejoin Edson Buddle in attack—a lethal partnership that netted 35 times for the league’s most potent offense last year.

Arena will definitely solidify this team and should have them mounting a challenge for the first time since 2005, but as always the key figure will be Galaxy’s English Tourist even though he misses the first four months due to more pressing commitments elsewhere.

Since Beckham’s MLS debut in August 2007, the team has accumulated 30 points from 30 games in his presence (33%). Galaxy performs markedly better in his absence—23 points from 17 games (45%).

Success or failure may hinge on whether Arena continues to hold the reigns when Beckham returns from his increasingly mediocre loan to Milan, or whether the club’s management will again be undermined by pop svengali Simon Fuller.

Real Salt Lake (2008—7th overall, lost to New York Red Bulls in Western Conference final)

Jason Kreis’ team were the form side toward the end of last season, with only the width of the Rio Tinto Stadium goal frame preventing them from reaching MLS Cup Final.

Kreis has built a solid squad around core team values—there are no high earners on this roster, but there is quality.

The departures of Dema Kovalenko, Fabian Espindola, and Kenny Deuchar frees up salary cap room should Kreis need to reinforce his squad in the summer.

Look for Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, and Yura Movsisyan to fire this team back into the play-offs.

Play-Off Hopefuls

Chivas USA (2008—5th overall, beaten by Real Salt Lake in Western Conference semi-final)

No team has endured greater misfortune with injuries in recent seasons, as exemplified by the signing of Swiss international Raphael Wicky. The former Hamburg midfielder was limited to 138 minutes of action last year before picking up an ankle injury which has subsequently led to his retirement.

Head coach Preki also loses the experience of veteran Mexican defender Claudio Suarez to retirement. Francisco Mendoza, another Mexican, returns south of the border to Chivas de Guadalajara.

With no major signings, much will depend on the health of forwards Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo. After contributing 23 goals between them in 2007, injuries restricted the pair to a combined 22 starts and 6 goals last year.

A question remark hovers over the future of midfielder Sacha Kljestan. The U.S. international trained with Celtic in January and remains on the radar of European clubs. Impressive displays in either the Confederations Cup or Gold Cup could see him depart in the summer.

Expect Chivas to reach the play-offs again, but no more.

D.C. United (2008—10th overall)

The most decorated franchise in MLS history suffered a dreadful campaign in 2008, missing out on the play-offs after two successive years of winning the Supporters’ Shield.

Some pride was restored by lifting the U.S. Open Cup, but head coach Tom Soehn knows that vast improvement in the league is essential to keep the pressure off his shoulders.

Argentine midfielder Christian Gomez returns to the capital after one season with Colorado Rapids. He replaces his countryman Marcelo Gallardo who has returned to River Plate after a disappointing campaign as D.C.’s designated player.

Brazilian striker Luciano Emilio and veteran Bolivian playmaker Jaime Moreno continue to carry the attacking threat.

United will improve this season, but not enough to pose a genuine title threat.

New England Revolution (2008—4th overall, lost to Chicago Fire in Eastern Conference semi-final)

The Revs were another team who stagnated last year as a result of injuries to key players.

After three successive MLS Cup Final defeats from 2005 to 2007, Steve Nicol’s team exited tamely against Chicago in last year’s Eastern Conference semi-final.

Taylor Twellman, one of the league’s top strikers, missed half of last year through injury. His health is vital to New England’s success, especially with his understudy Adam Cristman moving on to Kansas City Wizards.

Shalrie Joseph and Steve Ralston remain as the driving forces in midfield, while much will depend on the continued development of Gambian youngsters Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi.

The loss of defender Michael Parkhurst to Danish Superliga outfit FC Nordsjælland is a significant loss at the back.

Another Conference semi-final exit could be on the cards.

New York Red Bull (2008—8th overall, lost to Columbus Crew in MLS Cup Final)

Mired in mediocrity for the entire 2008 regular season, the Red Bulls somehow summoned the spirit—and generous doses of luck—to reach MLS Cup Final having overcome both Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake on the road.

Head coach Juan Carlos Osorio is a shrewd tactician with a peripatetic nature on the touchline, but he has been unable to enhance his squad for this year’s challenge.

Greater contributions are essential from skilful Venezuelan playmaker Jorge Rojas, Colombian forward Oscar Echeverry, and Argentine midfielder Juan Pietravallo. The South American trio joined during the 2008 summer transfer window but quickly fell out of favour.

Juan Pablo Angel returns to Giants Stadium despite suffering a series of aggravating back and hamstring injuries exacerbated by the unforgiving artificial surface.

Dane Richards showed his qualities toward the end of last season. The Jamaican winger needs to be more consistent this time around if the Red Bulls are to enjoy further success.

San Jose Earthquakes (2008—14th overall)

Last year’s debutants finished bottom by virtue of their inferior head-to-head record against Los Angeles Galaxy—a team they had a better goal difference than.

The summer acquisition of Englishman Darren Huckerby brought the Quakes from the brink of obscurity to the forefront of the play-off race before flaming out in the final fortnight.

Head coach Frank Yallop has been busy in the off-season. His major acquisition is American international Bobby Convey from Reading. His capture, added to the presence of Huckerby for the full year, should provide enough firepower to see San Jose reach the play-offs.

A good start is essential—San Jose have five of their first seven fixtures at home.

The Stragglers

Colorado Rapids (2008 – 9th overall)

A dramatic injury time equaliser from Real Salt Lake’s Yura Movsisyan in last season’s final game denied the Rapids a place in last year’s play-offs.

Gary Smith enters his first full year as head coach with largely the same squad of players, although Senegalese goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul and Scottish forward Tam McManus have left after failing to agree new contracts.

Conor Casey and Omar Cummings link well in attack and will again thrive off the service provided by English right-midfielder Terry Cooke, but with a weakened squad a run at the play-offs may be slightly beyond them this year.

F.C. Dallas (2008 – 11th overall)

Dallas spent most of last year in the lower reaches of the Western Conference despite the impressive goalscoring exploits of former Manchester United trainee Kenny Cooper,

The 24-year-old striker notched 18 goals, using his combination of size, strength, two-footedness, and pace to unsettle defenders. A $2million bid from Cardiff City last July was turned down and Cooper remains in MLS…for now.

First year head coach Schellas Hyndman has acquired Dutch midfielder Dave van den Bergh from New York, but he still needs a quality replacement for Colombian Juan Toja following his move to Steaua Bucharest last August.

Another successful start for Cooper may see him leaving in the summer, ending any hopes Dallas may harbour for reaching the play-offs.

Kansas City Wizards (2008—6th overall, lost to Columbus Crew in Eastern Conference semi-final)

Curt Onalfo’s side is perhaps the hardest to judge in the entire league.

For a start, the Wizards do not attract the same weight of attention as the league’s more successful franchises or bigger market teams. Secondly, their form last season fluctuated wildly.

Kansas fell to the depths of the Eastern Conference after an excellent start, but then mounted an unlikely resurgence to reach the play-offs—16 points from their last seven games saw them finish sixth overall in the combined standings.

That turnaround came after their designated player Claudio Lopez, the former Valencia and Lazio striker, had been dropped to the bench. The Argentine remains with the club despite his disappointing displays.

Adam Cristman is a good signing from New England Revolution, and captain Jimmy Conrad will guarantee that the side remains spirited. The organisation is more settled off the field this time around, but a lack of quality will prove fatal to their play-off hopes.

Seattle Sounders (2008—n/a)

The league’s newest team embarks on their inaugural campaign with an impressive ownership group in place, last season’s MLS Cup-winning head coach Sigi Schmid at the helm, and a passionate fan base already snapping up over 20,000 season tickets.

Sadly, Seattle faces the age-old problem for expansion teams—trying to get an entirely new squad of players to gel. Experienced acquisitions such as Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg will bring stability, while the development of this year’s first draft pick Steve Zakuani will be interesting to watch.

Expect the Sounders to be competitive, but a play-off spot will be slightly beyond them.

Toronto F.C. (2008 – 12th overall)

General manager Mo Johnston is renowned for his frequent dalliances in the transfer market. This off-season has been no different.

Returning hometown hero Dwayne De Rosario is by far the club’s biggest capture and a real statement of their ambitions. He is not the only Toronto native returning from Texas as Adrian Serioux moves north from Dallas to bolster the defence.

The Reds feel the effects of international dates more than any other franchise with a core of Canadian internationals at the heart of the side. Last September, head coach John Carver was forced to field three defenders signed on one-week contracts—including one retired MLS player employed as a scout—in a 3-1 home defeat to Chivas USA.

July’s Gold Cup will not help Carver as he bids to take Toronto to a first play-off appearance.

Austin Aztex prepare for USL debut

This article was written for the March 18, 2009 edition of RedMatchday Magazine.

Austin Aztex, the newest professional team in the U.S., continued their preparations for their inaugural season in the United Soccer Leagues First Division—North America’s second tier behind Major League Soccer—with a spirited 2-2 draw against Texas rivals Houston Dynamo last weekend.

Formed in 2008, the Aztex organisation has quickly assembled a squad which stands every chance of being competitive when the 11-team USL-1 season kicks off on April 18. The club is owned by Stoke City board member Phil Rawlins, an Englishman based in the Texas state capital, and the two teams have a formal partnership which will see the Aztex acting as a potential source for future Potters players.

Further links between the teams run deeper than Austin’s adoption of red-and-white jerseys. Manager Adrian Heath is best remembered for his trophy-laden Everton days in the mid-1980’s but he was born in the Stoke area and started his career at the old Victoria Ground. Heath has bolstered his fledgling squad of young American talent with four players from England’s lower leagues, the most notable being another former Stoke man Gifton Noel-Williams.

The Aztex will play their home games at Nelson Field; a humble 8,800 seated high school stadium that promises to unsettle visiting teams. The two-sided ground lies adjacent to the main highway running eastbound to Houston and its open ends create a wind tunnel which, compounded by the artificial surface and dominating presence of American football lines, adds complexity to the simplest of tasks.

As with any new business, attracting customers in the opening months and retaining their loyalty thereafter is paramount to building future success. Rawlins will be pleased that the 4,177 fans in attendance last week—albeit a sizeable chunk making the 160-mile trip from Houston—were treated to an entertaining game. The travelling El Batallón and Texian Army supporter groups did their part to create a lively atmosphere while Austin’s stadium announcer enlightened the novices among the home crowd with frequent updates on the action. Hopefully he won’t be required to trumpet every “Corner to Austin” for too long.

The enthusiasm in Heath’s side was evident from the first whistle as the two-time MLS champions struggled for time on the ball. Despite some slick play by Dynamo midfielders Brad Davis and Stuart Holden, the Aztex struck first on 21 minutes when Noel-Williams released Sullivan Silva down the right to score the club’s first ever goal. An exuberant Silva sprinted to the West Stand to be embraced by fans and team-mates alike while our trusty announcer did his best to sour the historic moment by blasting DJ Ötzi over the tannoy.

An amusing indicator of the highly-professionalised approach ingrained in American fitness methods was provided when Silva emerged from the ruck. There was no card-happy referee laying in wait to punish his over-elaborate celebrations; rather the team physio demanding that he sup from a water bottle to replenish lost fluids. Sadly for Silva he was to become better acquainted with the physio minutes later after limping out of the game.

Brian Mullan restored parity for the visitors on 34 minutes before Noel-Williams’ ebullience saw him dismissed following a second caution for a hard challenge on Holden. In truth, it was a harsh decision and one of many abysmal calls made by the match officials. Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear came to the aid of his opponents by asking the referee to allow Heath to introduce a substitute in place of his fallen captain. Kinnear said afterwards: “We wanted to play against eleven. It’s an exhibition so it doesn’t do either team any good to play with a man down.”

Austin received further assistance in first half stoppage time courtesy of a unique officiating gaffe. Former Dynamo reserve Kyle Brown’s effort was thwarted on the goal-line by young goalkeeper Tally Hall. Dynamo captain Wade Barrett reached the rebound ahead of Eddie Johnson, but his attempts to clear were derailed when the former Manchester United trainee clearly bundled him and the ball into the net.

As the referee ran to the six-yard line signalling a direct free kick, the opportunistic Johnson wheeled away in delight towards the same section of the crowd while Austin’s players again joined the melee. Still our esteemed officials waited before realising nobody was paying attention to them. With “Pump up the Volume” by M/A/R/R/S now filling the night sky, the referee simply cut his losses and trekked back to the halfway line.

Kinnear made wholesale changes at the interval with only one outfield player reappearing, but his reserves drew level on 47 minutes when trialist Eric Quill completed the scoring. Kei Kamara looked to have won the game for Houston when he rounded goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo and found the net, only to be denied by another bizarre refereeing decision. Gallardo was adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball outside his penalty area as he failed to deny the Sierra Leone international. Play was pulled back in any case—Houston were rewarded with a free kick; Gallardo went unpunished.

From then on the Aztex backroom staff became the busiest people in the ground. Waiting substitutes received thorough muscle rubs to prepare them for action while those being replaced were diligently checked by the physio before being put through their warm-down paces by the fitness guru.

At first glance, the rigorously attentive preparation off the field allied with a combative, enthusiastic spirit from his players suggests that Heath can look forward to a promising opening campaign. Whether the team’s successes or failures are debated in the city’s famed Sixth Street bars or not...well, that may have to wait another few years.

Mexican Domination Continues in CONCACAF

The inaugural CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals took place this past week with Mexican teams continuing their dominance of the region’s premier cross-border club prize.

In 43 years of the antecedent Champions’ Cup tournament, Mexican clubs lifted the trophy on 24 occasions. Atlante, Cruz Azul, and Santos Laguna remain alive this year in a draw that increasingly resembles last season’s UEFA tournament when it took English teams to eliminate English teams.

Mexico’s only casualty so far are Universidad Nacional—2-0 aggregate losers to Cruz Azul in the quarter-finals. The semi-finals see Santos Laguna hosting Atlante while Cruz Azul travel to meet Puerto Rico Islanders—an unlikely opponent from United Soccer Leagues First Division, the second tier of professional soccer in North America.

Puerto Rico, along with their USL adversaries Montreal Impact, have breathed life into an otherwise stale competition that has failed to gather the public’s interest. The Islanders, under the guidance of former Northern Ireland striker Colin Clarke, qualified for the first time in their short six-year history via the Caribbean Championship.

Clarke’s men caused a huge shock in the preliminary round by defeating Costa Rican powerhouse Alajuelense 3-2 on aggregate—a team that won the Champions’ Cup as recently as 2004. Their successful run continued when, after narrowly emerging from the group stages, they prevailed 3-1 on aggregate against Marathón of Honduras to reach the last four.

The Irishman has had mixed experiences in his managerial career in the U.S. over the last decade with abrupt stints at a number of lower level clubs. His sole MLS appointment at FC Dallas ended in dismay at the end of 2006 when he was dismissed for failing to translate three years of promising regular season form into play-off success.

In two years with the Islanders, Clarke has transformed a team of USL also-rans into championship contenders. They finished top of the regular season table last year before losing the play-off title decider 2-1 against Vancouver Whitecaps.

Clarke’s popularity with the natives has escalated to the point that he now combines his club role with that of Puerto Rican national team manager.

Montreal appeared certain to become the second USL team to reach the semi-finals when they took a 2-1 half-time lead against Santos Laguna in Torreón to build a 4-1 aggregate advantage. Santos’ Argentine striker Matias Vuoso scored twice as Montreal dangerously retreated toward their own penalty area, but the hosts still needed two goals as normal time expired.

Unbelievably, Colombian international Carlos Quintero supplied the required strikes in the third and fourth minutes of injury time to complete an amazing turnaround as the Canadians shrivelled under relentless pressure.

Despite such a cruel exit, the entire Montreal soccer community can be proud of their team’s progression to the quarter-finals. While the tournament has been characterised by feeble attendances, Impact have impressed with average crowds approaching 20,000 for their five home games—almost 7,000 higher than any other club.

Their first leg encounter with Santos Laguna was switched from their 13,034 capacity Stade Saputo to the adjacent Olympic Stadium to meet unprecedented demand for tickets—a staggering 55,571 fans inspired a 2-0 win for the 2008 Canadian Cup winners.

Montreal were in the running for one of two MLS expansion slots being granted in 2011. Liverpool co-owner George Gillett expressed his interest in jointly investing with club owner Joey Saputo, but the bid was rescinded last November stating concerns around meeting the necessary capital requirements in the current economic environment.

The success of the two USL clubs proved to be an acute embarrassment for Major League Soccer. New England Revolution and Chivas USA stumbled against weak opposition in the preliminary round while D.C. United limped to a single point from six group games—the lowest of all 16 teams.

Houston Dynamo soldiered on as the sole MLS flag-bearers until being dismantled by Atlante in the second leg of their quarter-final. After conceding a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Robertson Stadium, the Dynamo travelled to Cancún looking for their first ever win on Mexican soil.

Woeful defending quickly shattered that possibility as Atlante strolled to a 3-0 win.

MLS and USL teams are severely hampered at this stage of the tournament as their respective seasons have yet to commence.

Puerto Rico’s league season starts on April 18, at which point the Mexican Clausura championship will be in Round 14 of 17. Should the Islanders manage to reach the two-legged Champions League final, the first leg will be played four days after their league opener with Vancouver.

Four of the previous seven CONCACAF finals have been all-Mexican affairs. Despite the heroics of Clarke’s team, another such occasion seems highly likely.

Melbourne victorious while Adelaide regain pride

Melbourne Victory completed a clean sweep of Australia’s domestic titles last Saturday with a narrow 1-0 win over Adelaide United in the Hyundai A-League Grand Final.

The Victory’s second championship follows on from their success in the Pre-Season Challenge Cup last August and the Premiership title earned by finishing first in the 21-game regular season standings.

A near-capacity crowd of 53,273 inside Melbourne’s Telstra Dome saw Tom Pondeljak score the only goal of a tense game on 60 minutes. The defeat was harsh on the unfancied visitors—resoundingly written off after being thrashed 6-0 on aggregate by Melbourne in an earlier play-off round—especially given their dogged perseverance with ten men for the majority of the match.

Only eight minutes had elapsed when Cristiano contested an aerial challenge with Melbourne centre back Rodrigo Vargas. Both men seemed firmly focussed on the ball as they collided innocuously before Vargas tumbled to the ground with blood streaming from a cut above his right ear.

Referee Matthew Breeze briefly delayed to consult with his assistant before producing a red card for Adelaide’s stunned Brazilian striker. Replays showed the clash to be purely accidental but the cosmetic damage suffered by the unfortunate Vargas—not to mention the vociferously animated remonstrations of Victory captain Kevin Muscat—undoubtedly influenced the officials’ decision.

Adelaide made a positive start despite having to return to a venue which holds so many recent traumatic experiences for them. Four teams qualify for the A-League post-season with the league’s top two sides meeting in a two-legged Major Final to decide who will host the Grand Final. That meant a tie between these two southern rivals after Melbourne clinched the regular season title on goal difference from Adelaide.

Goals from Costa Rican international Carlos Hernandez and former Manchester City striker Danny Allsopp gave Victory an assured 2-0 win at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium on February 7. The rout was sealed seven days later with a 4-0 win at the Telstra Dome, giving an aggregate score which evoked memories of the 2007 Grand Final in Melbourne when Archie Thompson slayed Adelaide with five goals in a humiliating 6-0 rout.

The Reds enjoyed a successful run to the Asian Champions League Final last November – an achievement which saw them participate in the following month’s Club World Cup – but further glory looked unattainable in the aftermath of their insipid Major Final second leg defeat.

Manager Aurelio Vidmar launched an impassioned, if misplaced, rant in the direction of everyone bar himself or his players in the aftermath of the defeat, saying: “Politics, that’s what I put it down to. There are too many people in this club with hidden agendas.

“Whether you are involved directly or indirectly you have an effect. Because of a piss-ant town, this club will never win anything until you get rid of that crap.”

He could easily have pointed the finger at any number of his listless defenders, particularly the calamitous Macedonian Saša Ognenovski, or his diffident midfielders.

After two days of apologising and patching up his differences with the club’s directors, Vidmar turned his attention towards earning a shot at redemption by seeing off Queensland Roar—winners of the Minor Final between the league’s third and fourth placed teams. A stunning strike by Fabian Barbiero was enough to ensure Adelaide’s daunting return to the Telstra Dome.

Despite the pre-match obituaries—further compelled by the early dismissal—Vidmar’s men showed formidable resolve and stifled Melbourne’s dangerous attacking trio of Thompson, Allsopp, and chief orchestrator Hernandez. Indeed, Adelaide had two excellent chances to take the lead shortly after the interval but they were denied by Victory goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos.

Firstly, the impressive former Bolton Wanderers trainee Scott Jamieson contrived to hit Theoklitos from six yards out with an empty net gaping. Soon afterwards captain Travis Dodd dribbled past three Melbourne defenders before steering a tame finish straight at the goalkeeper.

Adelaide were made to pay for those misses on the hour mark as Pondeljak curled his right-foot shot beyond the despairing dive of Eugene Galeković. After putting up such stout resilience, it was a rather simple and unexpected goal for Adelaide’s defence to concede.

A late flurry of desperate attacking by the visitors proved fruitless, and so the curtain fell on the fledgling A-League’s fourth campaign with Melbourne deservedly taking the honours.

At least Adelaide can hold their heads high once again after pushing their rivals all the way.

A-Rod the latest to be revealed as A-Fraud

This article was written for the February 28, 2009 edition of RedMatchday Magazine.

“I was young. I was stupid. I was naïve.” So reads the remorseful apology from Alex Rodriguez—third baseman for the New York Yankees, baseball’s highest earner, the game’s biggest star, arguably its best player, and the latest figure to be sullied by the Steroids Era.

On February 7, Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez tested positive for two banned substances—Primobolan and testosterone—during anonymous tests in 2003. After years of resistance while widespread allegations of substance abuse plagued the sport, Major League Baseball and its detrimentally powerful Players’ Union finally agreed to preliminary tests to determine whether mandatory policies were needed.

A random drug-testing program was introduced in 2004 after 104 of the 1,198 samples taken showed traces of steroid use. Ironically, the union which ferociously fought against testing never destroyed the samples. These were later seized by federal agents during investigations into Victor Conte’s infamous BALCO nutrition company. The star name on that blacklist has now been unveiled—others will undoubtedly follow.

As baseball fans—desensitised by six years of scandal—meekly sigh at another unsurprising revelation, it is incredulous that the game’s rulers remain unmoved from their lofty positions. MLB’s tarnished commissioner Bud Selig emerged from off-season hibernation to scold Rodriguez for having “shamed the game”—one wonders how many windows in his glass house were smashed during the stone-throwing.

The oft-told story goes that in the aftermath of the 1994 players strike—which saw the World Series cancelled and audiences evaporate—Selig’s office turned a blind eye as a crop of musclebound power-hitters arrived to spark unparalleled fan enthusiasm. Attendances broke all records and MLB revenues increased four-fold as historic home run landmarks crumbled. In a period of unbridled financial greed, the monetary legacy of Selig’s term will be celebrated as a rousing success. His moral and sporting legacy is an entirely different matter.

The U.S. is currently experiencing unprecedented meltdown—incompetent bankers receive taxpayer-funded bailouts to reward monumental failures with multi-million dollar bonuses; the Naked Emperor Obama flippantly talks of “change”, then appoints a convicted tax cheat to oversee the Internal Revenue Service; states like California have increasingly astronomical budget deficits, yet continue to dole out benefits to burgeoning illegal populations; and America’s Pastime has deteriorated into a source of national derision.

Since 1900, there have been eight instances of a player hitting 60 or more home runs in a single season. The legendary Babe Ruth reached 60 in 1927—a record that stood for 34 years until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. Under Selig’s watch, that benchmark was surpassed six times in four years—twice by the disgraced Mark McGwire (70 in 1998, 65 in 1999), three times by the dishonoured Sammy Sosa (66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, 64 in 2001), and once by the discredited Barry Bonds (73 in 2001).

After Bonds seized the All-Time Home Run record from Hank Aaron in 2007, Rodriguez became the fans’ great hope—a supreme talent, a formidable athlete, a prolific home-run hitter who could return honour to the game’s most prestigious title. That dream now lies in tatters.

In an interview with ESPN on February 9, Rodriguez went where Bonds has never ventured by confessing his guilt. Two years after categorically denying on CBS’s 60 Minutes that he had ever taken banned substances, the 33-year old admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during his time with Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003. He insists he has been clean since joining the Yankees in 2004.

Rodriguez gained worldwide prominence in 2001 when Rangers’ owner Tom Hicks signed him to a staggering 10-year, $252 million contract. His abilities had long been lauded. Former Rangers general manager John Hart claimed Rodriguez had the greatest high school scouting report he had seen in 40 years in baseball. Boston Red Sox assistant Allard Baird marked the young teen as a future Hall of Fame player.

At 17, Rodriguez skipped college and was selected first in the 1993 draft by Seattle Mariners where he quickly realised his potential. It begs the question why he felt the need to cheat while still in his prime.

According to his testimony, Rodriguez buckled under the pressure of his record-breaking deal. He said: “I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day...I wanted to prove to everyone I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time...I started experimenting with things that, today, are not legal...that today are not accepted.”

Like many, he labours under the misguided notion that steroids were somehow legal in baseball before mandatory testing was implemented. In reality, they were implicitly banned by a 1971 policy requiring compliance with federal legislation which outlawed the use of anabolic steroids without a valid prescription.

Rodriguez continued the theme of youthful stupidity at a press conference on February 17, stating: “If I had a son, I would definitely recommend going to college...I didn’t think they were steroids. That’s part of being young and stupid. It was basically amateur hour.”

If Outside Eyes—the communications firm providing media strategy to Rodriguez in his attempts to manage his personal crisis—reckoned that appealing to the public’s sympathies would soften the blow for their client, they are badly mistaken. As SI’s Ben Reiter subsequently wrote: “25-year-old multi-millionaire athletes know precisely what they are doing when they bend over to allow their cousins to administer secret injections to them, whether or not they’ve been to college.”

For all of A-Rod’s contrition, for all his repentance, for all of his seeking forgiveness, his name is added to the lengthy list of players who have left fans feeling despondent. The real crime however, much like in the banking industry, is that the facilitators of this mass fraud continue to call the shots.

United victory over Inter far from a forgone conclusion

Manchester United’s stirring performance in the San Siro on Tuesday night has provoked two polarised views of who will progress to the Champions League quarter-finals. One view has the Red Devils winning comfortably after pummelling Internazionale in their back yard for most of the first leg. The other has the Italians sneaking through on away goals. Jose Mourinho rates his side’s chances as “50-50”—for once he may be worth listening to.

Since the inception of the rebranded Champions League in 1992-93, 76 first leg ties from all knock-out matches (including preliminaries) have ended goalless. On 54 occasions, the away team from the first leg won the return game on home soil. Statistically speaking, Mourinho’s side have marginally less than a one-in-three shot.

Of those 76 ties, however, Manchester United have been away from home in the first leg on three occasions. Only once have they progressed.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s cavalier attacking approach may provide compelling entertainment for those famed European nights at Old Trafford, but his teams have had a tendency to fall victim to clinical counter-attacking over the years.

In 1998, David Trezeguet’s early strike saw Monaco triumph on away goals after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. In 2000, United’s celebrated treble-winners were dethroned by Real Madrid as Argentine midfielder Fernando Redondo inspired a commanding 3-2 victory.

United’s sole success came in last season’s semi-final against Barcelona when Paul Scholes settled a nervy tie with a typical long-range drive. Lionel Messi drove the Catalans forward in search of that crucial away goal, but United survived.

Inter have never travelled to a second leg after a scoreless home game, but their overall record in away games during knock-out rounds is far from impressive. They have won only twice in 14 ties and those were in preliminary matches—at Skonto Riga in 1998-99 and Shakhtar Donetsk in 2005-06.

Mourinho has mixed experiences of such occasions. His Porto team triumphed 1-0 at Deportivo La Coruña in the 2004 semi-final, but Chelsea were undone a year later by Luis Garcia’s controversial early winner at Anfield as Liverpool prevailed in a titanic struggle.

United will be favourites to go through—they are the holders and world champions after all—but as Liverpool, Milan, and Porto have shown in recent seasons, the best team is never guaranteed to prevail.

Landon and Bayern struggle as Hertha go top

Landon Donovan suffered an afternoon of frustration as Hertha Berlin moved to the Bundesliga summit with a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich on Saturday.

The on-loan Los Angeles Galaxy striker received an unexpected call-up from the bench after 35 minutes when Luca Toni limped off with an Achilles problem. But Donovan failed to shine as Bayern struggled to involve their front line.

Hertha took the lead three minutes after Donovan’s introduction with a goal directly attributable to the negligence of Christian Lell. The Bayern full-back needlessly conceded possession in midfield with an unnecessary cross-field switch which found Hertha’s Patrick Ebert free on the right flank.

Ebert advanced towards the Bayern penalty area before hoisting a speculative deep cross which the recovering Lell badly misjudged. Andriy Voronin nipped in to steer a header beyond goalkeeper Michael Rensing from eight yards.

Donovan had his first sight of goal on 54 minutes when Zé Roberto’s inswinging cross found him with a yard of space near the penalty spot. His header was denied by a brilliant diving stop by Jaroslav Drobný. The Czech goalkeeper recovered quickly to thwart Miroslav Klose’s follow-up as Bayern finally began to threaten.

Aside from the energetic Franck Ribery, Bayern were stale in midfield and lacked the desire to push ahead of the ball. Manager Jürgen Klinsmann put Lell out of his misery on 58 minutes as Tim Borowski was introduced to shake up his team’s core. The change brought instant dividends as Bayern drew level on 61 minutes.

Lucio strode forward before firing a viciously swerving 35-yard attempt at goal. Drobný could only parry the Brazilian defender’s effort down to the feet of Bastian Schweinsteiger, but he recovered brilliantly to deny the German international with a wondrous reflex save. As four Bayern players closed in, Drobný palmed the loose ball away from Schweinsteiger but only into the path of the onrushing Miroslav Klose who bundled home an untidy equaliser.

Ribery sought to console the beleaguered goalkeeper after his commendable display of resilience, but he seemed uninterested. He was entitled to expect better assistance from his momentarily inattentive back line.

Donovan had a second opportunity to find the net on 71 minutes when he was sent clear on the left by Ribery. His low shot was blocked by the sprawling Drobný. Although neither of his openings had been clear cut, the American international would have expected to score one of his two chances.

To the delight of the majority of the 74,228 crowd in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, the hosts made him pay for that miss on 77 minutes with a game-winner of the highest quality.

Hertha launched a quick break from deep inside their half with Brazilian Raffael advancing towards Bayern’s retreating backline. Voronin displayed textbook movement in eluding his marker Lucio and timing his diagonal run to perfection, allowing Raffael to slip an immaculately-weighted pass into the path of the on-loan Liverpool striker. The Ukrainian buried his first time effort beyond Rensing to seal a momentous and richly deserved victory.

Hertha leap-frogged Bayern and Hoffenheim – thrashed 4-1 at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Friday – to take pole position, with Martin Jol’s vastly improved Hamburg also firmly in contention one point behind the new leaders.

With Drobný in spell-binding form, a recall to the Czech national team may be on the horizon – especially given the continuing fragility of Chelsea’s highly over-rated Petr Čech.

As for Bayern, Donovan will likely receive his first start in next week’s clash with Köln. His chances of earning a permanent deal will be greatly enhanced if he can make an impact.

CONCACAF: The Road to South Africa

This article was written for the February 21, 2009 edition of RedMatchday magazine.

The fourth and final round of CONCACAF’s convoluted World Cup qualifying process began last week with six remaining nations competing for three automatic places in next summer’s Finals. Recent protocol suggests that the USA and Mexico easily progress along with one other, but this year’s tournament could bring a shock to the region.

Team USA could not have wished for a better start to their campaign as they cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over Sven-Goran Eriksson’s misfiring Mexican team. While the road to South Africa looks clear for the Stars and Stripes, the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol has reached a crossroads – whether they continue onwards or seek a change of direction remains to be seen.

There was much to be admired in the opening game from an American perspective. Faced with the prospect of a hostile atmosphere on home soil – so often the case in big city stadiums where large numbers of passionate immigrants out-sing and outnumber American fans – the US Soccer Federation opted to play this fixture in the intimate confines of Columbus Crew’s 23,000-seat Crew Stadium. Freezing Mid-West temperatures added a second discomforting factor for the visitors to contend with – they failed dismally to rise to the challenge.

After Tim Howard had produced a significant third-minute stop to deny Tottenham’s teenage striker Giovani Dos Santos, the hosts seized control of the game. Rangers’ winger DaMarcus Beasley justified the faith shown in him by manager Bob Bradley with a stirring performance on the left flank which belied his inactivity at Ibrox. His efforts were matched on the opposite touchline by the industry of Fulham’s Clint Dempsey, while Bradley’s son Michael further showcased his goalscoring ability from a deep-lying central midfield role with strikes in the closing minutes of each half.

The 21-year-old gained prominence last season with 16 goals for unfashionable Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie. That was enough to earn a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach last summer, but this season has been a struggle for Bradley as the former Bundesliga powerhouse fights for survival in Germany’s top flight in their first season back after a brief stint in the second division. Bradley’s selection has attracted accusations of nepotism in the past, but the denunciations will surely end after this fine display.

One minor disappointment for the US was the performance of recent Celtic trialist Sacha Kljestan alongside Bradley in the centre of midfield, but even this should have a silver lining. Kljestan notched a hat-trick – his first goals for his country – in last month’s 3-2 friendly win over a shadow Sweden squad, and he has become an established figure in the national team following his impressive displays during last August’s Olympic Games – notably in a 2-2 draw with fancied Holland. This, however, was his first taste of international football at the highest level.

The 23-year-old Californian was guilty of surrendering possession far too easily on far too many occasions, but he will learn from his mistakes. Coach Bradley’s risky decision to select the Chivas USA player ahead of Houston Dynamo’s reliable holding man Ricardo Clark did not backfire and the experience gained by Kljestan will help in developing his potential as one of the team’s pivotal playmakers in the run-up to next summer. Kljestan’s hopes of a transfer to the SPL champions may have been dashed by the Parkhead club’s unwillingness to meet Major League Soccer’s lofty valuation, but a move to Europe in the near future remains likely.

By contrast, the future for Eriksson’s side appears less than rosy. Their cause was not helped on 65 minutes when, already trailing to Bradley’s scrambled opener, skipper Rafael Marquez committed a heinous challenge on Tim Howard. He was rightfully dismissed. It is not the first time the Barcelona defender has let his country down in this fixture. He was sent off in the closing minutes of their 2002 World Cup encounter in South Korea for a similar assault on Cobi Jones as the US again won 2-0.

The captain’s act of folly could not have been more ill-timed with Mexico pushing hard for an equaliser. Seconds earlier, Dos Santos had contrived to miscue his volley from Pavel Pardo’s free-kick across the face of Howard’s goal before failing to divert the returned ball into an empty net from one yard out. Marquez launched his attack on the Everton goalkeeper as he gathered the subsequent cross into the penalty area.

Mexico’s misconduct did not end there. Assistant coach Paco Ramirez struck Frankie Hejduk with a petulant slap as the players made their way to the dressing rooms, but to the American right-back’s great credit he ignored the provocation. Eriksson’s greatest failing during his time with England was his reluctance to curtail the self-absorbed indulgences of his star players. Unless he can quickly instil a sense of discipline into his current squad he may be heading for an even quicker exit than the one he experienced with Manchester City.

Despite reaching their highest ever FIFA ranking of fourth less than three years ago, Mexico are fortunate to remain in contention at this point. Three home wins in the previous round were undermined by defeats away to Jamaica and group-winning Honduras. Ultimately, a second half equaliser in Canada sealed a 2-2 draw which was enough to see them sneak through ahead of the Reggae Boyz on goal difference. Three further defeats in friendlies, including last month’s loss to the unfamiliar Swedes, have heaped the pressure on Eriksson. Next up is a vital double-header at the end of March: firstly Costa Rica visit the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City before El Tri head back to Honduras for what could be a make-or-break tie.

Anything less than four points could result in the former England manager being relieved of his employment.

A Kljestan of Time

There was much to be admired in the USA’s 2-0 win over Mexico in their World Cup qualifier last night – a passionate pro-American crowd in Columbus, another authoritative display by Tim Howard, Frankie Hedjuk’s insatiable appetite to attack, the craft of DaMarcus Beasley on the left flank, the industry of Clint Dempsey on the right, and, of course, the goalscoring exploits of Michael Bradley.

If there was one disappointment it was the performance of Sacha Kljestan. The Chivas midfielder’s effort was highly commendable, but he was guilty of surrendering possession far too easily on far too many occasions. But even this negative will have a silver lining for head coach Bob Bradley in the coming months.

Kljestan is one of a number of young American players to have impressed me during my two years of following Major League Soccer. A work trip to the West Coast in August 2007 allowed me to attend a SuperClasico where Kljestan inspired Chivas to a 3-0 whipping of L.A. Galaxy with his field coverage, his intelligent counter-attacking and his acute passing – traits which he continues to hone.

The 23-year-old Californian made his international debut two months prior to that match in a 4-1 friendly win over China before gaining valuable experience as a member of Bradley’s experimental Copa America squad that summer. He received minimal playing time as a substitute over the next year, but his impressive displays for the US Olympic Team in China last August, particularly in the 2-2 draw with fancied Holland, saw him emerge as a regular starter in CONCACAF’s previous qualifying round.

Last night, however, heralded a huge step-up in opposition.

Kljestan entered the game full of confidence after training with Celtic in January before returning to notch a hat-trick – his first international goals – in the 3-2 friendly win over Sweden. His hopes of a permanent transfer were thwarted by the Glasgow club’s unwillingness to match MLS’ valuation of the player, but a move to Europe in the near future remains probable.

Coach Bradley took a risk in selecting Kljestan ahead of the tried and trusted Ricardo Clark, Houston Dynamo’s combative holding midfielder, but the collective spirit of his Stars and Stripes team ensured that the gamble did not backfire.

For Kljestan, he now knows what it is like to play at the highest level. The experience will stand him, and the US, in good stead for this summer’s Confederations’ Cup and hopefully in next summer’s World Cup Finals.

Beckham: Good, But Not That Good

On Monday’s Fox Football Fone-In show in the US, regular Milan-based guest Hyder Jawal gave a refreshing take on David Beckham’s tenure in Serie A by describing it as no more than ordinary. Having watched Beckham’s six games in their entirety rather than relying on the viewpoints peddled by the Associated Press, I am fully in agreement.

Beckham has surprised everyone – himself included – with his form since debuting on January 11. He has slotted comfortably into the Rossoneri’s star-studded line-up despite the obvious problems for foreign players arriving in a new country, adapting to a new environment, and overcoming a language barrier.

While most observers envisaged the on-loan Los Angeles Galaxy man being little more than a bit-part player during his three-month stay, a window of opportunity opened when Gennaro Gattuso tore a cruciate ligament last December. Ancelotti entrusted Beckham with a starting berth at Roma, but the formidable Brazilian duo of Kaká and Alexandre Pato stole the show – the latter scoring twice in a 2-2 draw. Beckham performed conservatively by keeping his passes short, simple, and unspectacular.

The pattern has continued. Beckham’s play remains cautious, dictated by a fear of conceding possession. The majority of his passes remain routine, shifting possession inside to Andrea Pirlo or wide to the rampaging right-back Gianluca Zambrotta. Genoa goalkeeper Rubinho was caught out by a wily free-kick in the 1-1 draw on January 28, but his set pieces and deliveries from wide areas have largely been disappointing. Pato and Kaká have many outstanding qualities – rising above central defenders to attack crosses is not one of them.

The Genoa game came three days after Beckham notched his first goal having been given the freedom of Emilia-Romagna to top off a 4-1 win against a bedraggled ten-man Bologna. It marked his best performance to date although he wilted in the final thirty minutes as the Grifone pressed for a deserved equaliser.

Beckham’s army of sycophants turned up the volume after his two “assists” in the 3-0 win at Lazio on February 1. The first pass for Pato – a square ball across the penalty box after both players had been left in acres of space by Lazio’s faltering offside trap – would have been made by any player in the Milan squad. The second – a routine set play hoisted towards the back post – owed everything to the tenacity of Massimo Ambrosini as the Italian midfielder evaded his marker to power a header beyond Fernando Muslera. Otherwise it was another inconspicuous afternoon for the Englishman.

Overall, Beckham has done okay. He certainly has not looked out of place; nor though has he resembled the second coming of Maradona circa 1986 as some would have you believe. For all the plaudits being showered upon him, he has performed no better than fellow midfielders Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, or the scandalously under-rated vice-captain Ambrosini.

On The Plus Side……

Should Milan and Beckham, as seems increasingly likely, obtain their wish in prizing the player away from his five-year contract with Major League Soccer:

1) MLS fans will no longer have to stomach the insipid, lifeless performances served up on a weekly basis by a patronising and plainly-uninterested $50m-a-year man.

2) The millions who brazenly champion England’s “best league in the world” might take a greater interest in Serie A, discovering in the process that Calcio offers infinitely greater aesthetic talent than the dire fare served up on a weekly basis by the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Stoke…..

Michael Carrick: He Can Pass, Shoot, and Head

In December 2007, I was on a flight back to Houston after travelling to Madrid to see Aberdeen take on Atletico in the UEFA Cup. I was sitting beside a pleasant Italian fellow and we spent the journey comparing football experiences as we fans are prone to doing.

He was a season-ticket holder at Hannover, having relocated to Germany and away from his beloved Fiorentina. He filled me in on the up-and-coming stars of the Bundesliga and Serie A, while I boldly defended the standard of Major League Soccer as well as talking about the Scottish and English leagues.

Steve McClaren had been dismissed as England’s manager the previous week after their disastrous 3-2 defeat by Croatia ended the Three Lions’ hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008. Inevitably we turned to the hot topics of the day – Could Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard coexist in England’s midfield? Did David Beckham deserve a place on the right side?

I offered my viewpoint which could have solved McClaren’s dilemmas. Play both Gerrard and Lampard but switch the Liverpool captain to the right (hence solving the weaknesses inherent in picking either of Beckham, Wright-Phillips, Bentley, or Lennon). Select an intelligent, skilled, ball-playing holding midfielder to play alongside Lampard in the centre. This would allow the Chelsea man to roam forward as he does to such devastating effect with his club. The ideal player to slot into the holding role would be Michael Carrick.

My comrade’s response was telling: “Who is he?”

While the likes of Gerrard, Lampard, and Beckham generate vast amounts of hype in no way reflective of their playing abilities – some way more than others – Carrick comes from the Paul Scholes school of understated elegance. His progression has continued steadily through his time at West Ham and Tottenham and his subtle string-pulling has blossomed into a key element of Manchester United’s assault on all fronts this season. Now in his third season at Old Trafford, the brilliance of Carrick’s play continues to be overlooked in favour of more heralded names, but he continues to produce devastating displays both domestically and in Europe.

Last Saturday’s game with Everton provided further evidence of Carrick’s stature at the top level. One sublime volleyed pass stood out – a deft feed to Ronaldo whose toe-poked effort struck Tim Howard’s post – as well as his surge into the penalty box which brought the game-winning penalty. As always, the Portuguese attacker hogged the commentators’ discussion. Carrick quietly got on with dictating the game.

It was a relief to finally see some glowing praise aimed in Carrick’s direction this Monday courtesy of James Lawton in The Independent. When it comes to being duped by propaganda, Lawton is firmly at the end of the line. The award-winning writer suggests that Carrick’s odds for England’s Footballer of the Year prize “will surely shorten in spite of his slender presence in the celebrity game”.

Carrick will not win the award irrespective of how he performs. But like his play, he will not be ruffled – especially if he completes a hat-trick of Premiership medals come May.

Federer Still On Course For Record

Yesterday’s Australian Open final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer might not have reached the dizzying heights of last July’s Wimbledon epic, but these two phenomenal players still served up another compulsive episode in their generation-defining rivalry.

With the World No.1 further cementing his position atop the ATP rankings, Federer’s pursuit of a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title goes on. It is a goal which many are now questioning: he no longer reigns on grass, and now Nadal has overcome his previous fallibility in the hard court opens.

But it would take a brave man to write off Federer’s chances of matching Pete Sampras in 2009 despite the Majorcan’s recent dominance. After pushing Nadal to four sets at Roland Garros in the 2006 and 2007 finals, Federer regressed last year taking a measly four games as Nadal bullied him into submission within 108 minutes. On current form it is hard to imagine anything other than a fifth straight Paris title for Nadal, but the prospect of the Spaniard achieving the first calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969 is remote.

Federer has come closest to reaching that particular feat in recent years. Only Nadal’s mastery on clay prevented the Swiss from completing the set in 2006 and 2007 whereas Sampras never won more than two Grand Slams in a calendar year. Federer’s chances remain highest at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow where the pool of potential winners, and threats to Nadal, runs deeper – Fernando Verdasco pushed his compatriot to the Australian Open’s longest ever match in last Friday’s semi-final; Novak Djokovic has beaten Nadal four times in North American Masters Series events in the last two years; and Andy Murray earned his first win over Nadal in last year’s US Open semi-final.

As Federer proved when sweeping aside the young Scot in New York; if someone else can take care of Nadal at the big events, he can take care of the rest.