Union
Justin Mapp talks about how welcome he felt when he came to the Union, what he’s doing in the off season, and the team’s focus on winning in 2011. “Our fans are the best in the league. They’re loud. They’re supportive. They’re passionate. When we start stringing wins together, these fans are going to be the ones who deserve it. I think we’re all looking forward to next season. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” Hell, yeah!
Speaking of fans and passion, anticipation continues to grow for next Thursday’s SuperDraft in Baltimore. This piece from a New England Revolution blog remembers the excitement at last year’s draft in Philadelphia when rival Union and Energy Drinks supporters began a chant-off. The piece also mentions that the Revolution is providing a bus to transport supporters from New England to Baltimore. I’ve looked on the Sons of Ben and the Union websites to see what kind of transport is being organized from Philly but came up with nothing. If anyone knows about any plans to organize transport to the SuperDraft please post the details in the comment section so we can help to get the word out.
In more SupreDraft news, a tweet on the Union’s Twitter page says “The conditional second rounder sent to Columbus in the Carroll trade will be KC’s natural pick, meaning the Union retain #23 overall.”
MLSSoccer.com writers rank the top 30 players available in the draft.
Assuming his loan from San Luis is extended or made permanent, the importance of Michael Orozco Fiscal to the Union success in 2011 is undeniable. This piece looks at his versatility beyond the defense.
Amobi Okugo played in the first half of the USMNT U-20 scrimmage against a Miami-select team. This match report says he “was erratic at times with his distribution in midfield.”
Zach Pfeffer and his twin brother Jared turned 16 yesterday. Happy birthday!
Independence
The first game of the 2011 season for the Independence will be away to Northern New Jersey rivals Sky Blue FC on April 10. The match will be the first installment of “WPS Sunday on FSC” and will be broadcast live starting at 6pm. The Independence’s home opener at Widener University will be on April 16 at 7pm when they host—it pains me to write this—magicTalk SC/Washington Freedom. The WPS season will open on April 9 when Atlanta Beat host Boston Breakers.
MLS
Steve Davis looks at the changes at Toronto FC and Chivas USA.
This Canadian commentator is pleased with the new management team of Aron Winter, Paul Mariner and Bob de Klerk at Toronto.
In more Toronto FC news, it seems the whole flap over Dwayne De Rosario training with Celtic was the result of “some miscommunication in the media.”
Glidden have declined to renew their shirt sponsorship deal with Columbus Crew.
The parent company of San Antonio Spurs want a MLS team in the city. They’re starting the process by bringing in a USL team. A rival businessman has already announced plans to bring a NASL team to San Antonio.
Kevin Keegan thinks Beckham no longer has the stuff to hack it in the Premiership. Harry Redknapp is confident a deal will be signed by Sunday.
US
Former USWNT coach April Heinrichs has returned to USSF as technical director of US women’s national teams. Speaking of the dominance the US formerly enjoyed over the rest of the world in women’s soccer, Heinrichs said, “These countries have caught up. And it’s a matter of us now saying, ‘OK, where do we need to go now?” Jillian Ellis, who was the coach of the UCLA women’s soccer team, was named as director of development.
Oguchi Onyewu is set to have a medical today before signing a loan deal with FC Twente.
German 2. Bundesliga side FC Ingolstadt confirm that Freddy Adu is on trial with the club.
US soccer historian Roger Allaway looks at the movement of foreign players to the well-paying ASL in the 1920s. The migration of players was considered such a threat in Scotland that it was referred to as the “American Menace.” Allaway writes, “The flow of European talent to ASL teams in the 1920s was substantial. Over the original ASL’s 10 years, a total of 53 players who had been capped by other countries played in the ASL. Ironically, the first two teams to violate the 1927 agreement between the USFA and FIFA over signings were not ASL teams. They were Scottish teams who signed players under contract to ASL teams.”
Elsewhere
Sepp Blatter and Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam reaffirm moving the 20022 World Cup to January. Which makes senses considering that both spoke from Doha in Qatar where the Asian Cup, which typically happens in the summer, kicks-off today. Because it would be crazy for Qatar to host a tournament in the summer. As the diagram to the right demonstrates, it is freaking hot there then.
Sepp Blatterr describes criticism of himself and FIFA as motivated by “envy and jealousy.”
With the heads of four Premiership managers on the chopping block, the League Managers Association laments “short-termism” and the scapegoating of managers.
Custom officials in England found marijuana hidden inside a painting of Emmanuel Adebayour.
Footy on the Telly™
Saturday, January 7
Arsenal v Leeds, 7:30am on FSP
Sheffield United v Aston Villa, 10am on FSC
Scunthorpe v Everton, 10am on FSP
Stevenage v Newcastle, 12:30pm on FSC
Real Sociedad v Sevilla, 2pm on GolTV
Deportivo La Coruna v Barcelona, 4pm on GolTV
Melbourne v Adelaide, 11pm on FSC
Sunday, January 9
Sampdoria v Roma, 6:30am on FSP
Manchester United v Liverpool, 8:30am on FSC
Catania v Inter Milan, 9am on FSP
Leicester v Manchester City, 11am on FSC
Napoli v Juventus, 2:30pm on FSC
AC Milan v Udinese, 5pm on FSC
Monday, January 10
Hercules v Atletico Madrid, 3pm on GolTV
Crawley v Derby, 3pm on FSP
Burton v Middlesbrough, 5pm on FSP
Sepp Blatter’s most recent jackass comment: http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=5998254
what a douche
Unbelievable. And delusional.
The SOBs are running a bus or buses to Baltimore and plan to meet up at Tir Na Nog, which is located in Harborplace, at 11am. They then plan to march the two or three blocks from Harborplace to the Baltimore Convention Center. Looking forward to it!
Thank you Sean for the info. If there is a link for people to purchase/reserve tickets, or more info on where and when the buses are leaving from in Philadelphia, could you post it? I’ll be sure to put the info in the roundups leading up to Thursday.
And would someone please pull Mr. Simon Borg’s soccer/press credentials. He doesn’t have Corey Hertzog rated in the Top 30 available prospects?!?!!? Most every mock draft I’ve seen has Hertzog going in the top ten, and all have him gone in the first round. Mr. Borg, get your head examined!
I’m with you!
March on, you Sons of Ben. If I show up to watch Arsenal demolish Leeds using 18 year olds, the 700 will be open?
Unfortunately, the 700 doesn’t have Fox Soccer Plus because Comcast doesn’t have a clue. We will be open at 8:30am on Sunday to witness the continuing sad decline of Liverpool. Sad, that is, if you are a Liverpool supporter, which I am not.
The U are also sponsoring a bus for founding members to head down (free of charge)- but space is limited. They will also be meeting at Tir.
Just got the email this morning from the Union PR office.
Thanks Matt, I just saw the email myself. To be clear, the Union bus for founding members will be leaving from the Wharf at Rivertown (adjacent to PPL Park).You must have a reservation to get on the bus. Folks will be meeting up at Tir Na Nog Baltimore before the draft to march over to the convention center at 10:45am and then there will be a welcome party for the draftees at Tir Na Nog Baltimore after the draft at 6pm.
Received the following email today:
Join us on Thursday, January 13 for the 2011 MLS SuperDraft! There will be a Founding Member Only bus leaving from the Wharf at Rivertown (adjacent to PPL Park) at 8:15 a.m. heading down to the draft. The bus will leave Baltimore at 7:30 p.m.
Parking at the Wharf and all draft day activities are free of charge (not including food and beverage). There will be a reserved section in the draft room for Union fans traveling down on the Founding Member bus, and afterwards we’ll be hosting a Welcome Party for our new draft picks at Tir Na Nog Baltimore.
To reserve your place on the Founding Member bus, respond to this email with the following information:
1) Name
2) Email address
3) Cell phone number
4) Number of seats needed on the bus (limited to number of seats on season ticket account – for example, if you have four seats on your season ticket account, you may reserve up to four spaces on the bus. If you try to reserve additional spaces your entire request will be denied.)
You will receive a confirmation email by Monday, January 10 confirming your reservation and details of the trip. Please note that space on the bus is extremely limited.
Schedule of Events:
8:15 a.m. – Depart from Chester
10:30 a.m. – Arrive at Tir Na Nog
10:45 a.m. – March from Tir Na Nog to convention center
12:00 p.m. – Draft begins in ballroom of convention center
5:00 p.m. (approximate) – Draft ends/walk back to Tir Na Nog
5:30 p.m. – Draft analysis by panel of local coaches and media (panelists to be announced) moderated by Union play-by-play commentator JP Dellacamera at Tir Na Nog
6:00 p.m. – Welcome Union draft picks at Tir Na Nog (subject to player availability)
7:30 p.m. – Depart from Tir Na Nog
9:00 p.m. – Arrive at the Wharf at Rivertown
Schedule and attendees subject to change.
Space is extremely limited. Reserve your place today!
More information:
Tir Na Nog Baltimore
201 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-1039
(410) 483-8968
MLS SuperDraft – Baltimore Convention Center
1 W Pratt St
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
The SOB’s will have full 2 busses going to Baltimore on Thursday (that’s 100 SOB’s!). Together with the 50 Founding members in the Union bus + others who drive down by themselves, looks like we’ll have 175 noisy Union supporters at the Draft!!!!