Daily news roundups

Will Seitz be sat & more morning news

Union

Goal.com have our preview is much better.

Kerith Gabriel thinks Seitz may finally be sat. Nowak says who will start in goal will be a game-time decision.

The Sons of Ben’s recent send-up of Kansas City coach Peter Vermes has been internationally recognized. England’s Daily Mirror featured footage of the “cruel but hilarious” chants.

Independence

If the Independence manage to beat first place FC Gold Pride—something they haven’t yet managed to do—and Sky Blue FC either tie or beat Boston Breakers, they will move into second place and earn a bye for the playoffs. You can watch the match on Saturday at 8:30pm on FSC.

Local

Penn’s men’s team hosts George Mason, Lafayette and Villanova in the Penn Soccer Classic over the weekend. They face George Mason, who knocked Penn out of the first Round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, tonight at 8pm at Rhodes Field.

Temple’s men’s team will face Drexel at 2pm on Saturday at Ambler Sports Complex.

Philadelphia Biblical University’s women’s team had its first win of the season with a 3-2 victory over Valley Forge Christian on Wednesday.

MLS

The Timbers paid for this billboard in Seattle. You can see Qwest Field in the background.

Portland aren’t wasting anytime stoking the rivalry with Seattle: the Timbers have paid for a billboard that reads “Portland, Oregon, Soccer City USA 2011” about a half mile from Seattle’s Qwest field.

David Beckham has been taken off of the disabled list.

Ex-Liverpool and current Roma defender John Arne Riise says he would like to play in MLS after 2012.

WPS

The WPS players union has been certified.

NASL/USL

The Puerto Rico Islanders will leave the USL to play in the NASL in 2011. At present eleven teams are in the Division 2 league—Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, Rochester, St. Louis, Tampa, Vancouver, and expansion team Edmonton—although Vancouver is joining MLS in 2011. AC St. Louis, Crystal Palace Baltimore, and the NSC Minnesota Stars all fail to meet US Soccer’s new stricter ownership standards for Division 2 teams. Minnesota, for one, seems unlikely to be able to meet the new standards in time for the next season. Puerto Rico Islanders also fall short of the new standards. Read this piece from Bill Archer at Big Soccer for an overview of the wackiness that has been Division 2 soccer in the US.

US

FIFA concluded its inspection tour of the US for its 2018/2022 World Cup bids in Houston on Thursday. Harold Mayne-Nicholls, the head of the inspection delegation, said, “We have seen a number of excellent locations. All requirements and expectations should be met.” Just who will be hosting the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be announced on December 2.

After a humiliating 5–0 loss to Paraguay on Monday in the Cuadrangular Internacional in Peru, the US U-20 team lost 2–0 to Colombia on Wednesday. The US will face Peru today.

Elsewhere

The Italian Footballers Association has confirmed that Serie A players will go on strike on September 25-26 to protest “Lega Serie A’s proposals of introducing a collective agreement between clubs and players that would change the way contracts and transfers are made.”

Could the rule of Gillett and Hicks at Liverpool be close to the end? The Royal Bank of Scotland has placed their loans into its “toxic assets division.” The owners’ loans must be refinanced by October 6, which now appears to be the date when the owner’s association with the club will end.

Mindful of the stick he will receive from Everton supporters following the recent sex scandal, Sir Alex Ferguson may not start Wayne Rooney on Saturday. Or he may.

More on the possible rule changes for the World Cup.

Following the imposition of a 50% “top game” surcharge on ticket prices by Schalke ahead of the 77th Revierderby between Schalke and BV Borussia Dortmund, Borussia supporters groups will boycott the match. A spokesperson for one supporters group said, “We are not prepared to accept the unreasonable hiking of ticket prices and have therefore decided to say enough is enough.”

Footy on the Telly™

Friday, September 10
Hoffenheim v Schalke, 2:30pm on GolTV

Saturday, September 11
Everton v Manchester United, 7:30am on FSP
Dortmund v Wolfsburg, 9:30am on GolTV
West Ham v Chelsea, 10am on ESPN2
Arsenal v Bolton, 10am on FSC
Manchester City v Blackburn, 10am on FSP
Barcelona v Hercules, 12pm on GolTV
West Brom v Spurs, 12pm on FSC
Burnley v Preston North, 12pm on FSP
Cesena v AC Milan, 2:30pm on FSC
Inter Milan v Udinese, 2:30pm on FSP
Athletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid, 4pm on GolTV
Philadelphia Union v Chicago Fire, 6pm on FSC
Corinthians v Gremio, 6pm on GolTV
Millonarios v Santa Fe, 8pm on GolTV
FC Gold Pride v Philadelphia Independence, 8:30pm on FSC

Sunday, September 12
Brescia v Palermo, 6:30am on FSP
Newcastle v Blackpool, 8:30am on FSP
Juventus v Sampdoria, 9am on FSC
Birmingham v Liverpool, 11am on FSC
Wigan v Sunderland, 12:30pm on FSP
Villarreal v Espanyol, 1pm on GolTV
Napoli v Bari, 2:30pm on FSC
Marseille v Monaco, 3pm on FSP
Botafogo v Sao Paulo, 3pm on GolTV
Cologne v St. Pauli, 5pm on GolTV

Cover photo by Paul Rudderow

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