Union
The Daily News reports this morning, “It appears the rumor regarding Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon joining the Union is true.” Sources say the deal only needs approval from the league.
I would like to take this opportunity to start another rumor: Mondragon’s closeness with Juan Pablo Angel (Angel is godfather to Mondragon’s son) means that Angel will join the Union.
The Union website has a piece that was posted before my announcement of the Angel is coming to the Union rumor that considers the various striker options the Union has with the loss of Alejandro Moreno. Most important: the further development of McInerney and Mwanga.
Kyle Nakazawa will be leading a soccer camp for boys and girls aged 6-17 on the island of Kaua‘i keiki, where he spent summers growing up. Of life in Philly, while the lack of good waves and the seasonal temperature extremes are daunting, Nakazawa says, “Our fans in Philly are awesome. They welcomed us with open arms. So as far as playing, it was a real ideal situation to be in.”
Here’s a piece on Dave Rowan, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Philadelphia Union.
Local
Temple men’s team midfielder Cody Calafiore and forward Tyler Witmer have been named to the 2010 NSCAA Men’s Division I All-Mid-Atlantic Region team.
Holy Family women’s team forward Megan Tole and midfielder Lindsay Fisher have been named to the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer All-East Region team.
NCAA Championship
No. 1 Louisville topped North Carolina 2–1 and No. 3 Akron defeated Michigan by the same score to set up the final of the NCAA College Cup. Akron won the Cup 1–0, their first win in three final appearances.
Before the College Cup, the NSCAA announced the finalists for the Hermann Trophy: Will Bruin (Indiana), Darlington Nagbe (Akron) and Colin Rolfe (Louisville).
MLS
Goal.com looks at how academy programs are increasingly influencing the SuperDraft pool.
Here’s the first in a multi-part series analyzing what’s wrong with the MLS playoff system. Part One argues that too many teams qualify.
More player signings as Vancouver’s MLS roster continues to shape up.
US
The USMNT will play Egypt in a friendly on February 9 in Cairo, according to Egypt Football Association chairman Samir Zaher. US Soccer says negotiations are not yet complete.
ESPN considers who should be on Bob Bradley’s radar for a call up to the USMNT’s January training camp.
Great footage of Stuart Holden’s 88th minute game winner for Bolton over Blackburn.
Elsewhere
A memorial in Moscow for a Spartak Moscow killed after “huge brawl” broke out between soccer fans and emigrants from Russia’s Northern Caucasus region itself turned violent. Similar clashes also occurred at a memorial in St. Petersburg.
The Ghana FA and the GHALCA league clubs association have announced the resumption of league play in order to avoid FIFA sanctions. League play was suspended after the offices of the Ghana FA were raided by the country’s Economic and Organised Crime Unit last week.
Pachuca, CONCACAF’s representative at the FIFA Club World Cup that features US internationals José Francisco Torres and Herculez Gomez, lasted 90 minutes in the tournament, losing to Congolese side TP Mazembe 1–0. (Question: should the US pursue hosting the Club World Cup?)
Carlos Tevez confirms he wants out of Manchester City.
A player for the Nigerian Premier League club Ocean Boys died after collapsing on the pitch during a game.
Some of the Chilean miners will be in Manchester to see United host Arsenal. You can watch the game from 3pm on ESPN2.
Between Seitz and Knighton, I’m curious who’s going to be the odd man out if the Mondragon signing does truly happen. One could argue the former, due to his re-protection during the expansion draft, and yet the FO declined his option making him available during the re-entry draft. Consider this guy confused …
Yeah. Curious. The odd man out should be Mondragon. If someone walked up to me and said, “Hey. How would you like a 40 year old goalkeeper who is currently backing up the preseason third-stringer for the worst team in the Bundesliga. Oh did I mention he’s riding the pine because he said inappropriate and disparaging things about both his coach and the club’s owner?”
I would say, “No. I would not like that at all.”
Which is exactly what I’m saying RIGHT NOW.
Seriously, this guy is probably going to have a hefty salary. The other issue is can he even speak English? The whole point of bringing in a veteran keeper was to teach Seitz or Knighton how to be a veteran keeper, which is a little hard if you cant have a conversation with someone. Oh well, at least we will have Angel now!
But on the flip side, Eli, Mondragon will be coming in with boatloads of experience and is someone who could possibly show Seitz (or Knighton) how it’s done better than Romando (or Reis). Obviously the FO doesn’t have faith in either of their current ‘keepers, so it really couldn’t hurt to bring in a seasoned veteran. And, speaking of age, look at other over-the-hill keepers in MLS … would you turn your nose up at an Onstad or a Keller if they were available?
If he’s there to teach and he knows it, then sure, but it feels like he’s here to win and hold down the starting job. Where Keller and Onstad have been consistent as their ages advanced, Mondragon is a player on the decline. Keller chose to return home to play for Seattle, Mondragon looks to have run out of options. I hope I’m wrong because whatever goalkeeping coach they have been using thus far clearly hasn’t done a lick of good.
That goalkeeping coach would be a gentleman named Rob Vartughian, former coach at the University of Maryland. Coincidentally (or not), Chris “the Investment” Seitz is a former Terapin. Things that make you go “hmmm”.
Hmm, with Seitz gone, I wonder if Vartughian will be shown the door. 😉