JULY 22 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

JULY 22 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

SHAKHTAR SIGN EDUARDO FROM ARSENAL

Shakhtar Donetsk have signed striker Eduardo from Arsenal.

The Croatia international, who suffered a career-threatening broken leg in 2008 and never found his way back to a regular position at Arsenal, signed for the Ukraine Champions for $9 million.

“FC Shakhtar have signed a Brazilian-born Croatian forward Eduardo Da Silva from Arsenal London on a 4-year contract being anticipated by all the international media.” The club website said. “Within the nearest time the newcomer will be introduced to Ukrainian media representatives as well as to the Pitmen fans.”

The 27-year-old leaves the Gunners having scored 20 goals in 67 appearances for the Gunners.

“We wanted to buy Eduardo before he moved to Arsenal.” Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu said. “Not everything went his way last season, but he is still a player of very high quality, a real marksman. Yes, he had a serious injury, we are aware of the risk, but at the same time we realize he can give a lot to Shakhtar. We expect a lot from Eduardo.”

LIVERPOOL SIGN DANNY WILSON

Scotland U19 international Danny Wilson has signed for Liverpool after passing a medical.

The 18-year-old defender comes to Anfield from Scottish Premier League Champions Rangers on a three-year deal worth as much as $7.5 million depending on results.

JULY 15 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

LUKAS PODOLSKI HAS PROVEN HE HAS THE STONES

JULY 15 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

CHELSEA’S AFRICAN PAIR READY FOR PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN

Chelsea’s African duo Michael Essien and Jon Obi Mikel are set to return to Stamford Bridge after long injuries that kept both out of the World Cup.

Nigeria’s Mikel and Ghana’s Essien both had time during the World Cup to return to fitness and now look set to join the club for Chelsea’s opening Premier League fixture August 14.

“There should be no problem whatsoever,” Chelsea assistant Ray Wilkins told soccernet. “Mikel is slightly in advance of Michael Essien but they are both working very well indeed.

“They have been working double sessions for the last week and we will get them really firing before the season starts.”

AC MILAN IN FOR PODOLSKI, BUT ONLY IF…

AC Milan will splash to cash to but German striker Lukas Podolski, but only if they can first find a buyer for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, preferably to a Premier League club.

The 1 FC Koln striker has come back into vogue after a successful run in the World Cup, and Milan have sized up the 25-year-old who is a more versatile player than Huntelaar, being able to play as a more conventional forward. Nothing however will move the Rossoneri to approach unless they have cah in hand for Huntelaar.

“Podolski will arrive only if one condition is met and that is the transfer of Huntelaar to the (English) Premier League, which would then open a few paths from a financial standpoint.” Milan Vice-president Adriano Galliani told Sky Sport 24.

BAYERN LOOKING FOR VAN DER WIEL

Bayern Munich have approached Dutch side Ajax regarding Gregory van der Wiel.

LEGO WORLD CUP FINAL!

LEGO WORLD CUP FINAL!

JULY 9 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

JULY 9 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

GOLDEN BALL FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The greatest players of the 2010 World Cup are all up for the prestigious Golden Ball Award. The title goes to the most valuable player of the tournament.

Finalists Spain lead all teams with three different nominees, Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Xavi head the list, all three play their club football at Barcelona.

Spain’s rivals in the final, the Netherlands contibute Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben to the ten-man shortlist.

Tournament semi-finalists Germany contribute two to the list in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Oezil and Diego Forlan is the lone representative from Uruguay.

LES ROUGES REPORT: An Occasional Update on Canadian Soccer

LES ROUGES REPORT

An Occasional Update on Canadian Soccer

NO CANADIAN WORLD CUP UNTIL 2034

Canada will not attempt to host the World Cup until at least 2034, according to the Canadian Soccer Association.

“Canada has great organizational ability to host a FIFA men’s World Cup, as it has for a Summer Olympics and two Winter Olympics, so certainly, from a Canadian perspective, we would be great hosts for a men’s World Cup,” said the CSA’s general secretary Peter Montopoli, who cited a number of concerns that would have to be addressed before the tournament could be even considered, including the proper time frame. “We would have to wait for our turn,”

The United States has put in a bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup and, if successful, the tournament would not likely return to North America for decades.

Montopoli also stated finance, infrastructure and national team performance as key areas that would have to be improved upon.

Stadium requirements would also have to be met, and the CSA would need a minimum of 10 world-class facilities capable of holding

PUGET SOUND-OFF – JUNE 14

PUGET SOUND-OFF – JUNE 14

Our man in the Pacific Northwest gives us his occasional opinions on the football world. Today’s take is on the World Cup, four days in…

PUGET SOUND-OFF – THE WORLD CUP, SO FAR…

Mike Mulvihill

Here’s my take on the World Cup, so far –

·         Still getting used to waking up at 4:30 – now going to bed at 9:30 to see if that makes it easier.

·         Seen most of all games…even watching at work via this web site… http://www.channelsurfing.net

·         Just an opinion but the ESPN radio crew is really good. SHEP Messing is very loud like he’s got the mic halfway down his throat but the play by play man is really good (can’t find his name)

Opinions So Far:

o   Group A: France sux, Uruguay could/should have won. Would have loved SA to beat Mexico and

2010 WORLD CUP – INJURY UPDATE JUNE 14

2010 WORLD CUP – INJURY UPDATE JUNE 14

LEDLEY KING RULED OUT OF WORLD CUP

Ledley King’s World Cup appears to be over after the England Center back injured his groin during Saturday’s draw with the United States.

The England medical team is continuing to monitor the Tottenham defender and England manager Fabio Capello’s initial comments that King’s injury would only prevent him from missing Friday’s Group C encounter with Algeria, now seem optimistic.

Capello, already dealing with the loss of Rio Ferdinand to an injury sustained in training, will be concerned about his backline’s attrition, with only Jamie Carragher, Michael Dawson and Matthew Upson remaining in his squad to partner John Terry in the heart of his defense.

JUNE 9 – SHORT CORNERS:INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

GETTY IMAGES

JUNE 9 – SHORT CORNERS:INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

CHELSEA RE-SIGN ESSIEN, RELEASE BALLACK AND COLE

Michael Essien, recently ruled out of the World Cup for Ghana due to injury, has signed a new two-year extension that will keep him at Chelsea through 2015.

”I am delighted because the club has shown a very big confidence and interest in me,” said Essien.

”I am looking forward to coming back and enjoying my football and winning more trophies with the club. That is why I am here. I think it is one of the most important contracts in my career.”

In other Chelsea news, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack will leave Stamford Bridge when their contracts expire July 1, after the club balked at their wage demands.

33 year-old Ballack was working on a two-year extension, but Chelsea were only willing to offer the midfielder a one-year contract on reduced terms, which he rejected.

The German International is out of the World Cup with injury and is likely to return to Germany.

The 28 year-old Cole, who had indicated that he wouldn’t decide his future until after the World Cup, will definitely not be playing for Chelsea next season.

Cole, a fan favorite at Stamford Bridge, had been working to secure a deal in excess of $140,000 a week, but Carlo Ancelotti could not convince the Chelsea board.

JUNE 8 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

JUNE 8 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

INJURED STARS DOWN, BUT NOT OUT
There may be good news for some of the high profile players at the 2010 World Cup who were injured over the weekend and some may even be able to play in the tournament.

Netherlands forward Arjen Robben is planning to travel to South Africa in hopes of joining his Dutch teammates. The Bayern Munich star has a small tear in his left hamstring but is hoping intense physiotherapy will help him take part in South Africa.

Speaking after his first session, Robben told reporters “It is impossible to say whether that (a return) will only be about four days or a week away. It was tedious exercises. But we will do everything to
get fit. I’m very hopeful.”

Meanwhile, Didier Drogba has undergone successful surgery on his broken arm and was due to link up with his Ivory Coast teammates yesterday.

SHORT CORNERS – JUNE 7 – INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

SHORT CORNERS – JUNE 7 – INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

INJURIES PLAGUE WORLD CUP

It was a black weekend in many World Cup camps as Rio Ferdinand, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben and Andrea Pirlo were all injured a week before the start of the World Cup.

More than just ‘big names’ some of the players that went down over the weekend were key to their teams success and will not be easily replaced

Ferdinand who was to be captain for England and a staple on the backline, suffered a knee ligament injury in training and will join David Beckham in the VIP box to watch the opening match with the United States June 12. Ferdinand has already been rep[laced in the squad by Michael Dawson.

Arguably the best striker in the world, Ivory Coast’s Drogba dislocated his elbow in a friendly against Japan on Friday. Coming off his best season ever, the Chelsea striker was the key element and talisman for the Elephants as they prepared for a tough Group G battle against Brazil,

JUNE 2 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

JUNE 2 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS, NOTES AND RUMORS

ROSSI LEFT OFF ITALY WORLD CUP SQUAD

New Jersey born Giuseppe Rossi was left off the Italian National Team’s 23-man World Cup roster. The 23-year-old Villareal striker was omitted from Marcelo Lippi’s squad in an announcement made Tuesday.

Scoring 33 goals in 91 appearances for his club side always insured Rossi a call-up to the national team where he has scored 3 times in 14 appearances for the Azzurri, since his debut in 2008.

Though a product of the United States, Rossi represented Italy at every youth level from U-16 through U-21 and was viewed as having a good shot at making the 23-man team.

SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS AND NOTES

SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS AND NOTES

US 23-man roster, Pellegrini Sacked, TFC Win Voyageurs Cup, AC-DC Battle at RFK, Red Bulls Run in USOC, Holden in Bolton Extension, Fabregas leaves it up to Wenger and more…

UNITED STATES NAMES 23-MAN ROSTER FOR 2010 WORLD CUP

Bob Bradley named his 23-man roster for the US National Team Wednesday, and there were surprises for many fans.

SOCCER ON THE BOX – Soccer on TV this Week

SOCCER ON THE BOX – Soccer on TV this Week

The big match of this mid-week is the US against the Czech Republic tonight. With Bob Bradley set to name his 23-man World Cup Roster tomorrow, this match will be the last chance for many of the bubble players in the United States 30-man camp. Previews for the US v Czech Republic match can be found here.

Mexico keeps up it’s intense World Cup preparations Wednesday as they take on the Netherlands in Germany. Mexico’s build up schedule has been packed with matches (this will be El Tri’s 6th match in May), and yet it still seems Javier Aguirre still seems unsure of the direction he wants this team to take. The Dutch, on the other hand haven’t played a match since the March encounter with the United States.

Amidst a few intriguing World Cup tune-up matches this week, don’t overlook the domestic game. Chicago Fire v FC Dallas should provide an intriguing encounter on the Major League Soccer schedule. the match, on ESPN2 Thursday Night, features two teams that face more questions than answers going into Week 10.