Union

On the Faryd Mondragon Watch front, the FC Köln keeper reportedly coming to the Union had a tough one this weekend, giving up a hat trick to Schalke’s Raul Gonzalez in a 3–0 loss in his last game for Köln.

Deutsche Welle put Mondragon in goal for their worst Bundesliga 11 of 2010: “Many players pitch a hissy fit if they get benched, but ex-Cologne keeper Faryd Mondragon took his tantrum to a previously unknown biblical level. Having been relieved of his starting role for poor performances and absence due to international duties, the Colombian refused to play at all, and then held a press conference comparing his martyrdom to that of Jesus. Cologne are apparently non-believers, shipping the malcontent messiah to Philadelphia Union in the MLS. Cologne fans will be happy that Faryd is Mondra-gone.” Are we sure we want this guy?

In “a ranking of how teams look based on last year’s performance and whatever recent moves they’ve made” at Soccer America, the Union are placed at number 15.

Amobi Okugo played the full 90 in the USMNT U-20 5–0 win over Canada. Jack McInerney did not play.

Lehigh Valley United Soccer Club becomes the sixth Philadelphia-area club to be affiliated with the Union.

Independence/WPS

Caroline Seger has been traded to WNY Flash or the Flash’s second round picks in this year’s and next year’s WPS Drafts. The Swedish international and FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year nominee had one goal and five assists in 18 appearances (17 starts) for the Independence.

It seems the talent pool is deep when it comes to the DiMartino sisters. In addition to Christina and Gina, both of who play for the Independence, there is Vicki, an all-American forward at Boston College, and Rosie, a scoring star at Massapequa High School on Long Island. Here’s more on Christina and Gina.

Delran, New Jersey native Carli Lloyd has signed with the Atlanta Beat. Llloyd was with Sky Blue FC in 2010.

MLS

If there is any doubt about how fickle fortune can be when it comes to how the guy between the posts will measure up to pre-season expectations, the first sentence of this piece says it all: “Eleven months after trading away Fred, a 2010 first-round draft pick and allocation money to the Philadelphia Union for the Union’s place in the allocation order just to re-sign goalkeeper Troy Perkins, D.C. United parted ways with Perkins on Friday, sending him to the expansion Portland Timbers in exchange for goalkeeper Steve Cronin and allocation money.”

A New England Revolution blog ponders the pros and cons of signing Fred.

Everton manager David Moyes says he will look elsewhere if he doesn’t hear from Landon Donovan by next week.

Premiership matches on ESPN have surpassed MLS matches for average viewing audience. So far, an average of 324,000 (21 games) watch English matches on ESPN2 compared to 249,000 (25 games) for the 2010 MLS season. The recent Manchester United v Arsenal match was the most watched Premiership match ever for US Television with an estimated 570,000 viewers.

Wolverhampton are interested in Robbie Findley.

Kasey Keller has signed a contract extension to remain with Seattle through 2011. Keller says he will retire after the 2011 season.

City officials in Salt Lake City expect a $7.5 million gift from Real Salt Lake to help fund the development of a regional sports complex will remain in place despite a recent lawsuit which put a halt to the council’s plans to issue bonds to fund construction.

Through the prism of the experience of Sporting Kansas City, one writer wonders if there is a change of philosophy ahead regarding the Designated Player.

David Beckham says he would only return to England to play if it was for Manchester United.

US

SI takes a closer look at the upcoming USMNT January training camp. The roster for the camp could be announced as early as today.

Charlie Davies was selected to the Sochaux first team for the first time since the auto accident 14 months ago for Sunday’s match against Bordeaux but did not play.

Elsewhere

Players on Japan’s national team have threatened to boycott upcoming international friendlies if they do not get a pay increase.

A secret inscription on the inside of the trophy presented to winners of the Swedish first division has been revealed.

Winter weather shut down much of football in Britain over the weekend (although you can watch Manchester City v Everton today from 2:55pm on ESPN2). The snow didn’t stop the Club Brugge v Anderlecht match in Belgium, but the snowballs thrown by fans did.

The cold and snow is leading many of us to cast our thoughts on warmer, happier days, not that warm weather can’t produce its own problems for field conditions, as this YouTube clip makes clear.