Soccer By Ives

Steve Nash interested in buying Tottenham?

NBA star Steve Nash has been linked to a potential ownership bid for struggling EPL squad Tottenham. Nash downplayed the rumors on Wednesday but did admit he liked the idea of owning Spurs.

Here's a question. What do you think of the idea of Nash owning an MLS club? Could he lead an ownership group for a second Canadian city, or maybe a Phoenix franchise? Yes, I know, a real longshot, but whenever you have a multi-millionaire with ties to the United States, who happens to love soccer, isn't it natural to ask the MLS ownership question?

What do you think of the idea of someone like Nash buying into MLS? Share your thoughts below.

Some mid-week European Soccer on TV

If you can't wait until the weekend to watch some great European soccer, don't worry. You don't have to.

Here is the slate of mid-week European games you can catch on TV today and tomorrow. Enjoy:

TODAY

3:30pm- FSC- Lazio at Roma- The Rome derby is always a heated and intense clash.

4pm- GolTV- Real Madrid at Valencia- Valencia waits for their new coach while Real looks to stay ahead of Barca in the standings.

5:30pm- FSC- Genoa at Inter- Apologies for originally listing Genoa at Juve. Inter rolls.

6pm- GoltV- Sevilla at Atletico Madrid- Sevilla is starting to turn things around, now we'll see just how far along they are.

THURSDAY

5pm- GolTV- Barcelona at Valladolid- You never miss a chance to see Barcelona play. Period.

So which match(es) will you watch? Share your thoughts on these matches below.

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year: Brad Guzan

Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan was named MLS goalkeeper of the year. MLS announced the award this morning. The league also named New England defender Michael Parkhurst as the winner of the Fair Play Award (Columbus won the team award).

These were two of the easier awards to give. There were some good goalkeepers in the league this year. Pat Onstad, Joe Cannon and Troy Perkins had outstanding seasons, while Matt Reis maintained his high standard, but Guzan was outstanding this year. Outstanding enough to have English power Arsenal scouting him.

I don't think the Fair Play team award is something to write home about but cheer up Crew fans, you have something to put in the trophy case.

What do you think of these selections? Share your thoughts below.

MLS PLAYOFFS: Who will win, DC or Chicago?

Good morning afternoon folks. Apologies for the absence of posts this morning. I had to crank out an Eastern Conference playoff preview for ESPN.com and also catch the Halloween costume parade at my son's school (He was Diego for those of you wondering.)

I wanted to start the day talking about the DC-Chicago series, which continues Thursday night at RFK Stadium. You know the particulars. Chicago has never lost to DC in the playoffs, DC had the best record in the league, DC played without Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno in the starting lineup in game one, Chicago is unbeaten in its past nine matches, etc, etc.

My question to you is simple. Who will win this series?

MLS Awards finalists announced

Major League Soccer announced the finalist for its regular season awards on Monday and while most of the nominees were easy enough to call, some were pretty surprising.

Here is the list of finalists for some of the awards:

MVP- Juan Pablo Angel, Luciano Emilo, Cuauhtemoc Blanco

Newcomer of the Year- Juan Pablo Angel, Luciano Emilo, Cuauhtemoc Blanco

Defender of the Year- Michael Parkhurst, Claudio Suarez, Eddie Robinson

Rookie of the Year- Dane Richards, Maurice Edu and Adam Cristman

Goalkeeper of the Year- Brad Guzan, Pat Onstad, Matt Reis

So which were the surprises? Here are some:

Add Australia to the 2018 World Cup mix

Just when you thought England was going to offer the toughest competition to a USA bid for World Cup 2018 comes word from down under that Austrialia is poised to bid on the event.

Having already covered a World Cup on the opposite side of the world in 2002 let me say that Australia would be a less than ideal alternative than England for American soccer fans, with the time difference being the biggest obstacle. It might be cheaper for American fans trying to attend (who knows how the dollar will compare to the pound (not Euro, sorry, had Germany on my mind) in 10 years) but it would mean that fans in the US would once again have to resort to waking up in the middle of the night or very early morning to watch the tournament.

Personally, I'd love to go to Australia, though more for a one-week vacation than five-week work assignment. I won't be turning down the chance to go if the Aussies do win the bid.

What do you think about Australia as a potential host? Share your thoughts below.

SBI European Club Top 25

Talk about a week of quality clashes. Arsenal tied Liverpool late, Chelsea thrashed Manchester City, Roma beat reeling AC Milan and big clubs from Juventus to Rangers suffered upset losses.

It was all enough to shake up the SBI European club rankings, though not at the very top, where Arsenal remains despite it's draw.

You will notice the change from a Top 10 to a Top 25. I have decided to put more time into these rankings and while no such rankings are every fully accurate, I'll try my best do to them justice.

Here are this week's SBI European Club rankings:

Wynalda talks about California comment

(Apologies for the re-post but the blog does that sometimes when changes are made.)

Eric Wynalda may make jokes about a lot of things, be it poor officiating or poor finishing, but the ESPN soccer analyst insists that the last thing he was trying to do was make a joke about the wildfires in California during the ESPN2 broadcast of the Chicago-DC United playoff game on Thursday.

As some of you know, Wynalda stated "Looks like California" when cameras panned to Chicago Fire fans lighting flares in the stands. The comment was followed by silence and Wynalda didn't say another word related to the comment. It wasn't because he didn't want to. It was because, according to Wynalda, a producer cut him off.

The odds of another USA World Cup just got longer

If you were already planning for the possibility of the 2018 World Cup being held in the United States, don't hold your breath.

FIFA has decided to scrap the rotation policy for hosting World Cups after Brazil hosts the 2014 World Cup. That means that rather than CONCACAF being assured of hosting 2018, the bidding for the 2018 World Cup will now be open to the highest bidder and provider of bribes perks).

England looks like the early favorite to host the event, but don't expect the US Soccer Federation to give up without a fight. Another World Cup in the USA would be a financial boom to several corporations so don't expect money to be the reason the USA doesn't win the bid.

What do you think of this news? Do you agree with FIFA's decision to scrap the rotation system? Where would you like to see the 2018 World Cup held? Share your thoughts below.

Monday Morning Center Back: The MLS Playoff Format

Good morning folks. It is a CHILLY day on the East Coast and it should be a busy day on SBI. I wanted to start the day off talking about the MLS playoffs, specifically the format, which needs to change.

Adu scores game-winner for Benfica

Freddy Adu's stock keeps on rising. The young American striker scored his first league goal for Benfica, netting a game-winner in the 87th minute to help Benfica score a 2-1 victory against Maritimo on Sunday.

Adu's goal follows his Champions League group stage debut at midweek and his late game-tying goal in Benfica's Portuguese Cup match last weekend. Then there was his impressive cameo for the United States against Switzerland.

Yes, it's still early, but this is clear sign of progress for Adu, who struggled for playing time in September. Now he's in the mix and making the most of his opportunities.

What do you think about Adu's rapidly rising stock and recent impressive performances? Share your thoughts below.

Red Bulls vs. Revolution (Running Commentary)

Good evening folks. I'm at Giants Stadium and we're a few minutes from kickoff. I will be doing a running commentary from tonight's match. Follow along and feel free to share your thoughts on the match below.

Enjoy the match:

Chelsea thrashes Man City, Man U rolls again

Good afternoon folks. I'm about to head to Giants Stadium in a little bit for tonight's playoff game between New England and the Red Bulls and had to post about this mornings Chelsea-Manchester City match.

WOW.

For those of you who missed it, Chelsea poured on the style and skill in absolutely destroying a Manchester City team that had looked pretty good this season. Apparently there is something to this change in philosophy at Chelsea. They were actually fun to watch for once.

Red Bulls announce 2007 Award winners

The New York Red Bulls announced the winners of their 2007 team awards on Friday. There weren't any real surprises:

• Most Valuable Player: Juan Pablo Angel
• Newcomer of the Year: Juan Pablo Angel
• Defender of the Year: Jeff Parke
• Young Player of the Year: Jozy Altidore
• Unsung Player of the Year: Jon Conway
• Humanitarian of the Year: Seth Stammler

Who is on your MLS Best XI?

 

After laying out my picks for MLS awards last week, it is time to present to you my picks for 2007 MLS Best XI and to find out what players you consider worthy of being MLS Best XI.

Here is the SBI MLS Best XI:

Wynalda's California comment

If you watched Thursday's night ESPN2 broadcast of Chicago vs. DC United there is a very good chance you heard ESPN color analyst Eric Wynalda deliver an unfortunate comment that had to leave some viewers stunned.

As ESPN2 cameras panned to the Chicago Fire supporter's group Section 8 with about 15 minutes left in the match, fans in the section set off flares that gave off a red, fire-like glare. Wynalda responded to this image by saying, "Looks like California," a flippant reference to the wildfires currently plaguing California. The haunting silence that followed after the comment leads me to believe Wynalda realized the mistake he just made.

This week's soccer on TV

If it feels like it's been a few weeks since big European clubs squared off in league matches, it's because it has been a while. The wait is over this weekend as a pair of games on Sunday will give you a can't-miss doubleheader.

AC Milan faces Roma and Liverpool meets Arsenal in a pair of Sunday fixtures you will be able to catch on your favorite soccer channels. There are some other qualify matches to enjoy, including Werder Bremen-Schalke 04 and Valencia-Sevilla. In other words, you won't be lacking for options this weekend.

So here they are, this weekend's soccer matches on TV:

Kaka admits to interest in Real Madrid move

Just when you thought Chelsea was going to break the bank to pry Kaka away from AC Milan, now comes word that Kaka would be open to a move to Real Madrid once his contract with Milan expires in 2011.

"I have a contract with Milan until 2011, I am not in a hurry to renew it and neither are Milan," Kaka said. "Florentino Perez must talk with Berlusconi. If they find an agreement OK, otherwise I stay here."

The story also includes Kaka stating that he believes Ronaldinho is really interested in going to AC Milan, which shouldn't come as a complete surprise.

What do you think of the possibility of Kaka going to Real Madrid? Do you think it could happen before his contract expires in four years? Share your thoughts below.

EPL games on American soil? It could happen

If you're an American soccer fan who loves the English Premier League, and have always dreamed of seeing an EPL game live, your dream may come true. No, you didn't win a contest for a trip to England. The EPL may come to you.

In the wake of the NFL's trip to London, with the New York Giants playing the Miami Dolphins, EPL owners have stated that playing EPL games in the United States could be a possibility. Just imagine it, Manchester United-Liverpool at Giants Stadium or Arsenal-Chelsea at Gillette Stadium.

Yes, I know, the chances of really big matches being chosen seems very unlikely, but with more American owners in EPL than ever before and EPL owners looking for new places to make a buck, it will be interesting to see what English games make their way across the pond. If we're talking Derby-Bolton then the experiment may not be worth it.

Will it happen? I doubt it highly, but it's fun to consider the possibilities.

What do you think of this possibility? Do you think there would be an uproar in England among fans if EPL clubs tried this? Would such an experiment help or hurt MLS? Share your thoughts below.

MLS PLAYOFFS: Fire downs DC in Game 1

All eyes were on Cuauhtemoc Blanco but it was a more familiar face that gave Fire fans reason to celebrate on Thursday night.

Chris Rolfe's 14th-minute goal gave the Chicago Fire a 1-0 win over DC United in game one of their Eastern Conference playoff series. The series now shifts to DC, where United will play host to the Fire at RFK Stadium next Thursday.

Red Bulls practice Report

Good afternoon folks. I'm back from Red Bulls practice and here are some of the things I can report on:

• Claudio Reyna is healthy and should start on Saturday.
• Dave Van Den Bergh and Francis Doe trained and will be available for selection.

I know, not much, but the Red Bulls being as healthy as they have been all year is a pretty positive sign.

As for a starting lineup,

What lineup should Bruce Arena use?

Good morning folks. I'm about to head to Red Bulls practice so I can enjoy some of this great weather and I couldn't help but wonder what Red Bulls fans were thinking as far as a lineup they would like to see on Saturday against New England.

It's game one of the playoff series and a victory is a must. What starting XI would you want to see? Make your suggestion below.

Here is the starting XI I see Arena using:

UEFA CUP: Group Matchday One

Good morning folks. The latest round of Champions League action is behind us but that doesn't mean there isn't good European soccer to be seen.

The UEFA Cup returns today with all 32 teams preparing for action in the first round of group stage games. There are some appealing matchups and some unique pairings in the mix. Fox Soccer Channel will be showing the Tottenham-Getafe tilt, otherwise known as the Martin Jol Death Watch, at 2:30 p.m. today. Tim Howard and Everton will face Larissa on Fox Soccer Channel at 4:45 p.m. Unfortunately for all of us, the Fiorentina-Villarreal match will not be shown on TV in the U.S.A.

Here is the full list of UEFA Cup matches today:

Your questions answered (The Lost Questions)

Good morning folks. As you know, I try to make it a habit of answering all the questions submitted for the Q&As. Well, it didn't quite work out that way the last time. There were so many questions that I left off a good number of them. I didn't forget about them, I just needed some free time to get them done and I had to get them done so I could clear the way for the next session.

So here they are, my answers to the lost questions from the most recent Q&A. Enjoy.

Champions League: Matchday Three

 

Good afternoon folks. Today's Champions League action is about to get underway and there are a couple of matches on TV to tide you over.

Chelsea is facing Schalke 04 at 2:30pm on ESPN2, followed by Real Madrid playing Olympiakos on ESPN Classic at 5pm. Feel free to post your comments on these matches and any other matches you're watching today below in the comments section.

Here is the full slate of Champions League matches today:

FIFA to name Brazil host of World Cup 2014

 

In what can be best described as one of the worst kept secrets in soccer, FIFA will formally name Brazil as host of the 2014 World Cup. No formal announcement has been made yet but sources have told me FIFA has completed the formality of choosing Brazil, the only South American nation to bid for the tournament. FIFA will make the formal announcement on Tuesday in Zurich.

No offense to South Africa, hosts of World Cup 2010, but I will be counting the days until the 2014 World Cup. Talk about a can't-miss event.

What do you think about Brazil hosting the World Cup? Share your thoughts below.

Ian Joyce signs with Watford

Seton Hall alum and Don Bosco Prep product Ian Joyce has signed a contract with English club Watford FC. Joyce will join fellow American Jay DeMerit on the team currently running away with first place in the English Championship.

Joyce, who played for Seton Hall in 2006, spent time with English Conference squad Gray's Athletic before signing with Watford.

I saw Joyce play in high school a few times for Don Bosco Prep. He's about 6-foot-3 with good reflexes but was a bit on the skinny side at Seton Hall. Not sure if he's filled out or what but he's certainly a good young goalkeeping prospect who could join Watford in the EPL come August if he impresses enough in the spring.

MLS PLAYOFFS: DC United vs. Chicago Fire (Who will win?)

The MLS playoffs are set to begin tomorrow night and after doing my Eastern Conference preview for ESPN.com I found it very interesting how close the DC-Chicago series is. You would think DC is the easy choice based on records but this series really could go either way.

So here is my question for you SBI readers: Who will win this series and why? DC and Chicago fans should avoid providing responses but if you really want to then please identify yourself as a DC or Fire fan.

Who do I think will win? I see DC winning in PKs after the teams split the two matches.

Now it's your turn. Who wins this series and why? Share your thoughts below.

Now, about that list

Good morning folks. I'm cranking out my Eastern Conference playoff preview for ESPN.com and the Herald News and will start with the steady posting shortly. The first thing I wanted to talk about was my list of Top 5 players in the world.

Yes, it took less than a day but I have changed my mind. This is my new list:

• 1. Kaka
• 2. Christiano Ronaldo
• 3. Lionel Messi
• 4. Cesc Fabregas
• 5. Ronaldinho

I had Cesc sixth but he needs to be on the list, at least until Thierry Henry is back to his dominant self on a consistent basis. Yes, I'm sticking with Ronaldinho on the list because he's still such a special player. Maybe I'll list a Top 25 today. Again, this is just my list. Yours can be different.

Champions League (Your Running Commentary)

Good afternoon all. Today's slate of Champions League matches is about to begin and I figured since many of you will be watching several of today's eight matches it would be a good time for a running commentary post.

I will be watching Rangers-Barcelona and doing a commentary off it. If you are watching another match, be it via satelitte TV or internet, feel free to chime in on what's happening in the match you are watching. The same goes for those of you watching Rangers-Barcelona like I am.

Enjoy the action.

Americans in Europe: Weekend Rewind

It wasn't a bad week for Freddy Adu, was it?

After impressing in a reserve role for the U.S. national team against Switzerland on Wednesday, Adu rejoined Benfica and played the role of super sub again, scoring a stoppage-time equalizer to help Benfica salvage a 1-1 tie Setubal in the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup.

Adu's goal is his second in a row in Cup play and could help lead to the youngster seeing more time for Benfica, which will take part in Champions League play this week.

Here is how the rest of the Americans in Europe did last weekend:

Who are your Top Five Players?

Good morning folks. Apologies for the slow posting but I had some blog-related work to do.

I was reading some soccer mags recently and stumbled on the issue of 4-4-2 that included a valiant though flawed list of the top 100 players in the world. The magazine's criteria wasn't based purely on current form only so some selections were a bit puzzling.

Another in that package was the magazine asking some of the world's best players who they considered the five best players in the world. That got me wondering what the consensus would be among you, the SBI readers.

So who would you rank in your five best current players in the world? Here is my list:

Champions League is back

   

The Champions League is back and what better way to welcome it back then with a juicy match-up between Barcelon and Rangers on ESPN2.

Ryan dumped as U.S. women's coach

US Soccer president Sunil Gulati just announced that Greg Ryan will not be retained as U.S. women's national team coach. A search is under way for his replacement and the federation wants a replacement selected within the next 30 to 45 days. Mia Hamm will play a key role in helping find a replacement.

It isn't exactly a surprise but, now that this formality is out of the way, what do you think should happen next? Who would you hire if the choice was yours? Share your thoughts on this news below.

SBI European Club Top 10

Good afternoon all. The SBI European Top 10 is back and we have a new No. 1 for the third week in a row.

Call it the SBI jinx as Barcelona suffered its first loss of the La Liga season to drop from the top spot.

Arsenal fans will be happy to see their team atop the list, though the Gunners could make it four weeks with new No. 1 teams considering the tough schedule that awaits this week.

Without any further ado, here is the SBI European Club Top 10:

Gulati to address Ryan's status today

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati will hold a conference call today at 4 p.m. to address the status of U.S. women's national team head coach Greg Ryan. It is unclear what Gulati has in store but if it is anything but announcement that Ryan will not be retained then Gulati will be in for more criticism than Ryan faced when he turned the Women's World Cup into his personal coaching bloopers reel.

Monday Morning Center Back: Philly expansion gaining momentum

Good morning folks. It was a pretty good weekend of soccer action, both in Europe and here in the United States and lost in the drama of the final weekend of the MLS regular season was word out of the Philly area that Philadelphia is gaining serious momentum toward being the next MLS expansion franchise.

Galaxy vs. Fire (Running Commentary)

Good afternoon folks. I was planning on watching some NFL today but the drama surrounding the Galaxy-Fire match made it a great candidate for a running commentary.

You know what's on the line. The Fire can clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie while the Galaxy need a win to complete the most improbable run to the playoffs in recent memory.

Here we go. Follow the match here and feel free to share your comments below:

Galaxy and Fire meet with playoffs on the line

Good morning folks. Apologies for the absence of posts on Saturday (Attending a wedding has a way of taking up your whole day.)

As you may know by now, the Kansas City Wizards clinched one of the two remaining MLS playoff berths with a 2-0 win against FC Dallas on Saturday. The other playoff spot remained unclaimed as the Colorado Rapids blew their chance to clinch by dropping a 1-0 decision at home to arch-rival Real Salt Lake.

The Rapids elimination means that today's match between the LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire will be for the final playoffs. spot. A Fire win or tie puts Chicago into the playoffs while a Galaxy win gives Beckham's boys the spot.

This weekend's soccer on TV

Good afternoon folks. It is that time. Time for you to plan your weekends around your addiction to soccer.

There are no true CAN'T-MISS matches this weekend (well, LA-Chicago for MLS fans), but plenty of action worth watching and TIVOing. Now remember, if there are games that I haven't listed you can feel free to add them in the comments section. I try to focus on the main soccer stations but I know there are plenty more places showing games, I just don't have time to dig them all up.

Now, without further ado, here is your soccer on TV this weekend:

SBI MLS Awards: Rookie, Defender and Goalkeeper of the year

Okay folks, I know some of you were wondering when I would post the rest of my picks for MLS awards. I figured I could just post the rest today, though they won't be having the in-depth analysis I provided for MVP and coach of the year awards.

Here are my picks for MLS Rookie, Defender, Newcomer and Goalkeeper of the Year:

Things that make you go hmmmm

From the "It could be nothing or it could be SOMETHING." Department comes a little-known tidbit from last night's Red Bulls-Galaxy match. The match official last night was Kevin Stott, or some may say an evil twin who found his FIFA badge in a cereal box, but Stott wasn't the referee originally assigned to the match.

That distinction went to Brian Hall. Yes Mr. "How dare you call me an egomaniac, here's a red card." Apparently Hall suffered an injury leading up to Thursday's match and had to be replaced (no word on whether he hurt himself trying to lift his overinflated head). The cynic in me can't help but wonder if MLS pulled Hall off the match after his embarrassing display in the previous week's ESPN2 game between Chivas USA and FC Dallas, where Hall gave a straight red card to FCD captain Bobby Rhine for dissent (Yes, dissent.). The harcore conspiracy theorists might suggest that MLS assigned Stott to the match to give the home team (and Beckham) the calls. I'm not going to go that far.

Maybe Hall was simply hurt. That said, it still makes for interesting conversation.

What do you think? Share your thoughts below.

TGIF: What are your weekend soccer plans?

Good morning folks. It is a dreary Friday here on the East Coast and even though the weather is a bit ugly I couldn't help but wonder what is on tap in the soccer world this weekend.

This is where I ask you, the SBI readers, what are your soccer plans for the weekend? Taking in a match in person? Hitting the pub in the AM to watch some European footie? Hitting the field for some final games before the weather gets too chilly?

What are my soccer plans? With the Red Bulls off I will probably be confined to checking out some MLS matches via the internet while watching as much European soccer as possible (Keep an eye out for the Soccer TV schedule later today.)

So fire away. Tell me what soccer plans you have for this weekend.

Waterreus to retire at season's end

Ronald Waterreus' time in Major League Soccer will only last a year.

According to Red Bulls sources, Waterreus will retire from professional soccer at the end of the season, signaling the end to a 16-year professional career.

Waterreus started strongly for the Red Bulls before an ankle injury sidelined him and left him a shell of his former self upon his return. He recently lost the starting job to Jon Conway and appears unlikely to start for the Red Bulls when the playoffs begin next week.

Now that we know Waterreus' time is up, what did you think of his one-year term in MLS? Share your thoughts below.

Red Bulls at LA Galaxy (Your running commentary)

Good evening folks. We are about an hour from kickoff of the Red Bulls and Galaxy match and I'm afraid I won't be able to do a running commentary tonight but I figured I could put up a post to give you folks somewhere to discuss the match.

Here is the Red Bulls lineup for tonight's match:

MLS eyeing Portland

MLS commissioner Garber was in Portland recently to gauge the interest in awarding an expansion team to the soccer-crazed northwestern city and things are looking good for the home of the Timbers. This article in the Oregonian paints a nice picture of the city's chances of landing one of the league's next expansion teams.

With Seattle set to join MLS in 2009, adding Portland would create an automatic rivalry that would be among the best, if not the best, in the league.

What do I think? I like the idea of establishing cities with natural rivalries so I'm all for Portland as an expansion city, but I'm also an East Coast guy and am still hoping a Philadelphia expansion team happens. As for the second New York team, that is happening in the next five years.

What do you think of Portland joining MLS? Share your thoughts below.

SBI MLS Awards: Coach of the Year

Hello all. I know I was supposed to post my choice for coach of the year on Wednesday but things got a bit busy in SBI Land.

So what makes someone worthy of coach of the year? Is it taking a team without talent and helping it exceed expectations? Is it taking a talented team and helping it surpass lofty goals? Is it helping turn around a season that looked lost early on or at the midpoint? Or is it taking a good team in need of fixing and making it great?

It can be any of these things.

When I made my first attempt at picking a coach of the year I thought about the award in traditional context. In other words, having followed mainstream sports my whole life, I had an idea of what a coach of the year should be. The only problem was that MLS is different from the NFL, NBA and MLB in one major aspect. MLS coaches are almost always heavily responsible for the acquisition of players.

In other sports, general managers have the task of scouting and identifying talent and judging it and selecting players to sign or trade for (there are rare exceptions in the NFL, where some people where the coach and GM hat). In MLS, general managers are usually more involved with the business and marketing aspect of the team than the actual handling of team personnel.

This very important factor helped me decide who should be MLS Coach of the Year.

Guatemala upsets Mexico in ugly 'friendly'

When I said the best thing you could root for is carnage when Guatemala played Mexico, I didn't expect the CONCACAF rivals to grant my wish.

Guatemala upset Mexico, 3-2, in an exhibition match marred by six red cards at the LA Coliseum on Wednesday night.

And guess who got one of these red cards? The saint himself, Carlos Ruiz, who was sent off for the sneaky and vicious studs up challenge you see above. Talk about a picture that will leave U.S. fans conflicted.

What do you think of this result? Surprised? Happy? Upset that Ricardo Clark didn't jump out of the stands and do a reverse Cantona on Ruiz? Share your thoughts below.

Drogba: I want to leave Chelsea

To the surprise of nobody, Didier Drogba is not happy at Chelsea. For the first time though, Drogba is set to state publicy that he wants to leave the English club. Friday's France Football magazine includes an interview with Drogba where the Ivory Coast striker states, "Something is broken with the club."

Chelsea didn't waste time responding. The club released this statement: "Didier Drogba signed a new four-year contract last year. As a top professional we are sure Didier is committed to Chelsea and intends to honour that contract."

You know what this means. It's a chance to speculate about where he will wind up. Drogba looks to be a bit past his peak but he's still one of the world's best strikers. I could definitely see him in Italy, perhaps at Milan. Where could you see him winding up? Share your thoughts below.

U.S.-Switzerland (A second look)

Good morning folks. It was a busy day on the international soccer scene yesterday, with Euro qualifiers, South American World Cup qualifiers and the U.S. national team's friendly in Switzerland.

I'll start today's proceedings with a look back at the U.S. team's 1-0 win against Switzerland.

U.S. vs. Switzerland (Running Commentary)

Good afternoon folks. Apologies for the late start but I'm ready to roll with the running commentary. Follow along below:

Thierry Henry a future Red Bull?

There aren't many more famous and more talented soccer players in the world than Thierry Henry, so when the French striker and Barcelona star says he loves America and New York is the best city in the world, you have to take notice.

In an interview with the New York Times, Henry spelled out his affection for the United States and stated that he would love to play here one day.

Newcastle United eyeing Eddie Johnson

The large crowd in attendance to watch the Red Bulls beat Kansas City on Saturday included one very interested spectator. Newcastle United's chief scout was in attendance and, while sources state he was there to gauge the quality of play in Major League Soccer, it appears he was there to scout a particular player.

No, it wasn't Jozy Altidore, at least that is what sources tell me. The scout was there to see Wizards forward Eddie Johnson, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Finding signs of MLS in everyday life

This isn't a news post, just some observations from my Tuesday that might be of some interest.

Given the relatively small size of MLS it isn't easy to find signs of the league's existence in your every day life. At least nowhere near as many as you find of the NFL, MLB or NBA. With those leagues you see jerseys, bumper stickers, television commercials, etc., in other words you don't have to look too far.

I can't say that I spend a ton of time looking for signs of MLS but when I see them I notice and yesterday was the first time in a long time where I saw two random signs of MLS' existence.

Messi magic lifts Argentina (and where to see today's CONMEBOL qualifiers)

Lionel Messi worked his magic yet again, scoring in the 43rd minute to help Argentina down Venezuela, 2-0, in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying on Tuesday night.

Del Piero re-signs with Juve (So much for MLS in his future)

Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has signed a new deal with Juve through 2010, putting an end to speculation that he might wind up playing in Major League Soccer. Reports out of England linked Del Piero to a move to MLS, but I have a feeling some of those reports were pure fiction.

I stand by my belief that Del Piero would have been a great signing for some MLS team, but now, the chances of him coming have all but disappeared.

SBI MLS Awards: Most Valuable Player

There is still a week left in the MLS regular season but with ballots for the MLS awards due this weekend I figured it was time to reveal my choices for the main awards.

Yes, I know, I wrote a column for ESPN two weeks ago stating my choices for the awards but some things have changed in those two weeks and I have changed at least two of my choices. I will offer up MVP today, MLS Coach of the Year tomorrow, MLS goalkeeper and defender of the year on Thursday and MLS Rookie of the year on Friday.

Today, we'll start with MLS MVP.

Should Sigi Schmid keep his job?

Good afternoon all. Apologies for the lack of posting this morning. I had a preschool field trip with SBI junior and haven't gotten the blog phone yet (that's coming though).

Now, onto a subject that Crew fans surely have an opinion about. Mr. Sigi Schmid. For those of you who didn't hear, Schmid told the Columbus Dispatch that his option was picked up by the Crew so he will be heading into his third season as Crew coach in 2008.

So here's the question. Does Sigi deserve a third year?