CELTIC-SPORTING: ROSTERS FOR FENWAY FOOTBALL CHALLENGE

ROSTERS FOR FENWAY FOOTBALL CHALLENGE

Football at Fenway Park will kick off again Wednesday Night at 8pm ET Glasgow Celtic take on Sporting CP at the famous Boston ball park.

The match will be show on Live on Fox Soccer Channel.

SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL:

All players are Portugese unless otherwise noted.

Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio, Tiago Ferreira, Vitor Golas (BRA)

Defenders: Marco Torsiglieri (ARG), Daniel Carrico, Anderson Polga (BRA), Evaldo Fabiano, Leandro Grimi (ARG), Nuno Coelho, Joao Pereira, Abel Ferreira

Midfielders: Pedro Mendes, Marat Izamilov (RUS) , Maniche, Matías Fernández (CHL), Jaime Valdes (CHL), Miguel Veloso, Ander Santos, Simon Vukcevic (MNG)

Forwards: Carlos Saleiro, Florent Sinama-Pongolle (FRA), Yannick Djalo, Helder Postiga, Andre Martins, Liedson, Diogo Salomao, William Owusu Acheampong (GHA)

MANAGER: Costinha

CELTIC ROSTER:

Goalkeepers: Dominic Cervi (USA), Lukasz Zaluska (POL)

Defenders: Andreas Hinkel (GER), Glenn Loovens (NET), Jos Hooiveld (HOL), Darren O’Dea (IRE), Mark Wilson (SCO), Paul Caddis (SCO), Milan Misun (CZE), Charles Mulgrew (SCO), Cha Du Ri (KOR), Thomas Rogne (NOR)

Midfielders: Scott Brown (SCO), Joseph Ledley (SCO), Shaun Maloney (SCO), Patrick McCourt (IRE), Marc Crosas (ESP), Aiden McGeady (IRE), Simon Ferry (SCO), James Forrest (SCO), Ki Sung Yueng (KOR)

Forwards: Marc Fortune (GUI), Georgios Samaras (GRE), Morten Rasmussen (DEN), Benjamin Hutchison (ENG), Paul McGowan (SCO)

MANAGER: Neil Lennon

DESIGNATED PLAYER UPDATE: LJUNGBERG DRAMA

DESIGNATED PLAYER UPDATE: LJUNGBERG DRAMA

If, early in this 2010 Major League Soccer campaign, I told you a Seattle Sounders standout was discontented and looking to be transfered, you would have assumed I meant Fredy Montero.  The Colombian 23-year-old was visibly not interested on the field, while off the field rumors were circulate about a move to European club.

Now, approaching the midway point in the season, the Sounder most likely to want out of Seattle is designated player Freddie Ljungberg. The rumors are raging that Ljungberg is back in Sweden, and there is growing concern that he is not returning.

A move back to a European club is possible, as is a potential move to New York. If the Red Bulls are unsuccessful in landing Barcelona’s Mexican international midfielder Rafael Marquez, they may look to grab Freddie as quickly as they can.  New York boss Hans Backe is a big fan of Ljungberg and has made no secret of the fact.

Where the 33-year-old will end up is only half speculation.  What is more intriguing is how we got to this point.

Ljungberg practiced with the team last week, but didn’t play against FC Dallas, and didn’t make the trip to DC for Thursday Night’s showdown with United. In reality,

JULY 13 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEW NOTES AND RUMORS

JULY 13 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEW NOTES AND RUMORS

UNITED IN FOR BALOTELLI?

The Agent for Italian striker Mario Balotelli has confirmed that red sides of Manchester is interested in the 19-year-old’s services.

Inter Milan still has the player under wraps for three more seasons but for the proposed $50million price tag, the club could be persuaded to let him go, according to the players agent Mino Raiola who is heading to England to begin negotiations.

“The interest of Manchester for Balotelli is concrete and both clubs have confirmed it,” Raiola told Calcio Mercato. “The player is clearly happy to be followed by [Manchester United coach Sir Alex] Ferguson.”

The petulant striker clashed with then Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho, but new manager Rafael Benitez wants to meet and evaluate the player before letting him go.

“I want to speak to him and get to know him better as a person.” Benitez said. “All the quality players are important to me. But I need to see him, get to know him and see how he works.”

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti thinks that Manchester United would be an ideal fit for the Italian sensation.

“They are a team with great tradition, which helps that type of player,” he told Sky Sport24. “Here, the environment is different and I think a player with his character could find it better than in Italy. It’s difficult to find a player so young with his quality, and England has a lack of players at that level.”

Ancelotti mentioned he would be happy to coach a player like Balotelli.

BAYERN WON’T BREAK THE BANK FOR LEFT BACK

Chief executive officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says that Bayern Munich will not sign Fabio Coentrao or Michel Bastos this summer, even though the team is in need of a left back.

TUESDAY’S SHORT CORNERS – INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEW, NOTES AND RUMORS

Something to Cheer About at Eastlands

TUESDAY’S SHORT CORNERS – INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEW, NOTES AND RUMORS

MANCHESTER CITY SPENDING SPREE LOOMING

It is getting increasingly difficult for Manchester City fans to get a handle on all the signings that MAY take place at Eastlands, as there are so many and some contradict each other.

The most recent is the long rumored signing of Yaya Toure as part of a $100 million spending spree that also includes David Silva and Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko.

Toure’s move to City, which will put him on the same club as his brother Kolo, was all but confirmed by the Barcelona website.

“In the case of Toure,” the statement read “[Barcelona director-general Joan] Oliver has recognized an understanding between the club interested in the midfielder, Manchester City, and Barca, but the transfer cannot be made official yet.”

Silva is reported to be joining Toure in the midfield on the blue side of Manchester this season. The Spanish international, currently

JUNE 18 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

JUNE 18 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES ANNOUNCED

The 2010-11 Premier League fixture list has been released and the opening weekend features some very intriguing big-club battles.

Newcastle United will have a harsh welcome back to the Premier League when the travel to Old Trafford to battle Manchester United.

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton was hoping for a little easier of a start.

“It’s a tough start for us, we would have preferred a home game to kick the season off but you take what you get.” He told Soccernet. “We can take heart and confidence from the 1-1 draw we earned at Old Trafford two years ago on the opening day of the 2008-09 season. Villa at home the following

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: FENWAY PARK TO HOST CELTIC v SPORTING

CLICK HERE FOR CELTIC-SPORTING COMPLETE ROSTERS

FOR FENWAY FOOTBALL CLASSIC

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: FENWAY PARK TO HOST CELTIC v SPORTING

The long rumored Celtic match at Fenway Park is now official.

The match, being referred to as the Fenway Football Challenge will see Scottish powerhouse Glasgow Celtic take on Sporting CP of Portugal on July 21 at 8pm ET. The match, which will be the 19th soccer match to be played at the ballpark, will be televised locally by sports network NESN.

Tickets will range from $20-$120 and go on sale at noon on June 22.

Originally billed as the Battle of Boston, Celtic were to host perennial rivals Glasgow Rangers in the first ever ‘Old Firm’ derby to be played outside of Scotland.  That deal fell through when Rangers canceled their North American tour after being offended by a Boston Globe article that

JUNE 1 – SHORT CORNERS – INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

DominiqueFaget/GettyImages

JUNE 1 – SHORT CORNERS

INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

JOSE MOURINHO OFFICIALLY BECOMES REAL MADRID BOSS

Jose Mourinho was unveiled Monday as the new manager of super club Real Madrid, becoming the teams ninth manager in 6 years. Needless to say, the ‘Special One’ referred to himself quit a bit in his debut press conference.

“I don’t know if I was born to coach Real Madrid but I was born to be a football coach.” Mourinho said at the press conference. “I love important challenges. I am Jose Mourinho and I don’t change. I arrive with all my qualities and my defects.

“My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win. It’s a unique club and I believe that not to coach Real leaves a void in a coach’s career. Luckily, I’ve had a beautiful career and it makes me proud to have come here.”

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: CELTIC FENWAY PARK MATCH ON?

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: CELTIC FENWAY PARK MATCH STILL A POSSIBILITY

Hopes of a Old Firm battle at Fenway Park in Boston may have died when Glasgow Rangers pulled out of their North American tour earlier this month, but a Celtic match at Fenway Park is still a possibility, according to Boston Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino.

“It’s not definitely out, but it’s not definitely set either,” Lucchino said on New England Cable News program, This Week In Business.

The Celtic-Rangers match, originally billed as the “Battle of Boston’ would have been the first Old Firm match to be played outside of Scotland.  Tentatively schedule for July 21st during a Red Sox west coast swing, the match date would allow plenty of time for the grounds crew at the oldest stadium in Major League Baseball to revert from soccer pitch back to baseball diamond.

It is feasible that a match can still be scheduled for that date. Celtic is still interested in playing the match on that date, but scheduling another team is the lone hang-up.

“We are trying to find a second team, because it is important for us to use Fenway — and its charm and its central local and the fact that everyone knows how to get there and get out of there — it is important for us to use it year-round,” Lucchino said.  “It is also something that our fans look forward to.”

Local Major League Soccer side New England Revolution, who play at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro have that date free on their schedule and could make for a perfect potential opponent.

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: Fox Soccer Channel Expands Coverage of Summer Friendlies

FOX SOCCER CHANNEL EXPANDS COVERAGE OF SUMMER FRIENDLIES

MAY MATCHES

Fox Soccer Channel has lined up a tasty menu of Summer Friendlies. This week the network will show both the Seattle
Sounders v Boca Juniors from Qwest Field on Wednesday and Chicago Fire v AC Milan from Toyota Park on Sunday.

Both matches are scheduled to be shown LIVE on the channel.

The Boca-Sounders match, which kicks off at 10:30pm ET (7:30 PT), will be the second summer friendly to air on FSC after the New York Red Bull v Juventus match, which aired on Sunday.

Next Sunday’s Fire-Milan match, which kicks off at 8:30pm ET will feature a half hour pre-match show beginning at 8pm ET.

UPDATED SUMMER FRIENDLY CALENDAR

2010 SUMMER FRIENDLY CALENDAR

Updated: May 12 2010

European club soccer makes a return to Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium as Manchester City will face Serie A titans Internazionale Milan on July 31.

This is the first North American match announced regarding this summer for Inter Milan, a team which is one of the most popular, successful, lucrative in the world. Managed by Jose Mourinho, one of the most unique personalities in the game, Inter will looking to win their first European Champions League Final on May 22 and are poised become Serie A Champions for as a 5th consecutive year.

The Baltimore match is the fourth scheduled match of Manchester City’s North American summer tour. City, who finished 5th in the Premier League, will play two matches at the New York Football Challenge at Red Bull Arena in Harrison NJ from July 22-25, then take on Mexican power Club America July 28 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, before heading to Baltimore to take on Inter.

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: VALENCIA PULL OUT SUMMER TOUR, CELTIC STEPS UP

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: VALENCIA PULL OUT SUMMER TOUR, CELTIC STEPS UP

Valencia CF, who currently sit in 3rd place in the Spanish Primera División, has withdrawn from their summer tour of North America, leaving dates with DC united, New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union up in the air.

The Spanish club has given no reason for the withdrawal.

This is a double blow for DC United who also lost their July 24th date with Glasgow Rangers when the Scottish Champions pulled out of their North American tour earlier this week.

How this will affect United and New England remains to be seen, but Philadelphia Union have already filled their calendar with Scottish Super-team Glasgow Celtic.

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: RANGERS PULL OUT OF SUMMER TOUR AND OLD FIRM MATCH IN BOSTON

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: RANGERS PULL OUT OF SUMMER TOUR AND OLD FIRM MATCH IN BOSTON

Glasgow Rangers are pulling out of their July North American Tour and canceling a high profile Old-Firm contest planned for Fenway Park in Boston, according to Rangers chief executive Martin Bain.

“We have decided not to pursue that [match],” Bain told the BBC.

“Instead, there is the possibility of matches in Australia and an announcement on that will be made in the next couple of days.”

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: MANCHESTER UNITED v ALL-STARS AND OTHERS

SUMMER FRIENDLY UPDATE: MANCHESTER UNITED v ALL-STARS KANSAS CITY AND PHILADELPHIA

Manchester United will play five matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada in July, including a showcase match with the Major League Soccer All-Star’s, in the run up to starting their 2010-11 Premier League campaign in August.

The world-famous Red Devils will begin their tour in Canada, taking on perennial Scottish power Glasgow Celtic in Toronto at Rodgers Centre.  The Friday, July 16 match will be played on an overlaid natural-grass pitch, brought in for the game.

SUMMER FRIENDLIES UPDATE: BOCA AND CELTIC TO SEATTLE

SUMMER FRIENDLIES UPDATE: SEATTLE TO HOST BOCA JUNIORS AND CELTIC

The Seattle Sounders dove into the international summer friendly pool on Wednesday announcing a pair of  friendlies either side of the World Cup.

Boca Juniors, the Argentine Super Club will play Seattle on May 26 at Qwest Field , just three days after they take on the LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center.

Boca Juniors will have a lineup that is scheduled to include the ageless Martin Palermo and Juan Roman Riquelme, both of whom had been pursued by MLS teams in the past.

One of the most popular clubs in the world, Boca Juniors have another fan in Seattle coach Sigi Schmid “They have always been the team in South America that I sort of followed just because of their history and their tradition,” said Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid.

July 18th will see Scottish powerhouse Glasgow Celtic return to Qwest Field on July 18, making it the clubs fourth trip to Seattle.

Team owner and General Manager Adrian Hanauer, looked forward to the Sounders friendlies against what he called “two very storied franchises that will bring a lot of fun to Qwest Field in May and July.

“It’s an opportunity for us to test ourselves against some of the best teams internationally and we are looking forward to it.”

Hanauer said that although there were some more recognizable clubs out there and available for summer friendlies, the Sounders avoided teams that would have depleted star-power due to the proximity of the friendlies to the World Cup.

“That didn’t sit very well with us relative to delivering for our fans,” Hanauer said.

Sounders faithful will be delighted to find that both games are included in the Sounders season ticket package and that a third friendly was being lined up for this fall.

Fans may be less delighted to hear that Seattle will be sporting their new third kit, named ‘Electricity Yellow’ in both matches.

Individual tickets for the Boca Juniors match go on sale Monday May 3 and for Celtic on June 1.

UPDATE-SUMMER FRIENDLIES: SPURS AND CITY IN NEW YORK, OLD FIRM AT FENWAY?

UPDATE-SUMMER FRIENDLIES

This summer is shaping up to be one of the most incredible in memory for fans of the World’s Game. More and more teams are announcing North American tours either just after the end of the European Season in late May or as part of a tune-up for the 2010-11 European Season in July.  The Big Apple has already seen legendary Brazilian side Santos FC this year and just days after announcing a match with Juventus comes news of three more European teams playing at Red Bull Arena.

NEW YORK FOOTBALL CHALLENGE

Red Bull Arena will host a four-day tournament called the ‘New York Football Challenge’ from July 21-25 which will feature New York Red Bull taking on Sporting Lisbon from Portugal and Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.  Spurs and City are battling for fourth place in the Premier League, the prize being the final spot in the prestigious and lucrative Champions League. City had already announced their plans to tour North America and have already penciled in a match in Atlanta against Mexico’s Club America.

“We have big ambitions for the Premier League next season, and this tournament will give us the perfect opportunity to prepare for our season with some highly competitive games, enthusiastic supporters and world class facilities,” Mancini said on the Manchester City website.

MILAN RETURN TO CHICAGO

The Chicago Fire have confirmed that AC Milan’s May tour of North America will have a stop in Chicago as The Italian Giants will take on the Fire at Toyota Park on May 30. This will be the second meeting between the two teams after a 2005 encounter at Chicago’s Soldier Field with Milan winning 3-1.

Milan have already scheduled matches against DC United at RFK Stadium on May 26 and Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium on June 2.

OLD FIRM AT FENWAY?

Many sources are reporting that Glasgow Celtic and Glasgow Rangers will contest the first ever Old Firm Derby to ever take place outside of Scotland this summer in Boston. The rumors of a potential July match between the two massive rivals had been focused around Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, but Steve Goff of the Washington Post reports that the site may actually be Fenway Park; ancient and revered home of the Boston Red Sox.

Both Celtic and Rangers have been busy penciling in July dates around North America in the past few days. Rangers is scheduled to play DC United at RFK and Club America in the massive Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Celtic is lining up a match with Toronto FC and a match in Philadelphia. None of this is confirmed, but watch this space.

MORE RUMORS

Manchester United may a date in Philadelphia in addition to their match to open the new Chivas de Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico and, of course, the MLS All-Star Game in Houston. another Portuguese powerhouse, Benfica may be playing the New England Revolution and possibly Toronto FC, again stay with me for details when I hear them.