Due to a problem with our host’s server, the Philly Soccer Page was offline for approximately an hour and a half on Tuesday night. We apologize for the interruption.
Union
The Union will introduce “a new team member” at Fado’s on Thursday. Doors open at 11:30am with the introduction scheduled for noon. Who will it be…?
MLS Rumors reports that Colombian forward Jorge Perlaza will sign with the Union. According to an article on Terra.com.co, the 25-year-old is out of contract with Deportes Tolima. If his stats on ESPN Soccernet are correct, Perlaza is something of a goal scoring machine with 15 goals in 23 starts during the regular season in 2010.
Abendzeitung Nürnberger reports on Marek Mintal’s trip to Philadelphia, in town from last Saturday through Tuesday to see Philadelphia, PPL Park, the Union’s training facilities and school options for his 6-year-old son. The article concludes, “he should abandon his hesitation. For a 33-year-old will hardly get better deals.” (Crappy translation in two-parts: first and second.)
According to Nürnberger Nachrichtung, Mintal will make a decision this weekend, though the allure of playing in the US may be dampened by the possibility of becoming the coach of FC Nürnberg’s junior training center. (Crappy translation here.)
According to Nürnberger Zeitung: “His move to Major League side Philadelphia Union seems questionable.” (For a crappy translation of the relevant paragraph in the article, click here.)
Southampton’s very own Ryan Richter the Union’s first pick in Tuesday’s Supplemental Draft. Richter talks about what an honor it is to be selected by the Union. Here’s a look at his highlight reel.
John Hackworth says the Union valued Richter over any other player in the Supplemental Draft. “Ryan was an easy pick for us.”
Hackworth is critical of the MLS Combine.
Richter followed the path of JT Noone to the Union: both played for the PDL side Ocean City Nor’Easters.
Michael Farfan is excited to move to Philadelphia. “I’ve never been there, and I’m so excited because I’ve heard so many good things and I got a chance already to spend time with the Sons of Ben. I spent time over there and they were fun to be around. It’s great having that kind of support. It’s very exciting.”
The first installment of the new The Brotherly Game podcast is available. Meanwhile, TBG says ignore the sceptics, Piotr Nowak has a sound goalkeeper plan.
Independence
Coach Paul Riley share his thoughts on the Independence draft picks.
MLS
Here are some thoughts on which teams did best at the Supplemental Draft.
This piece by SI’s Steve Davis manages to use over 1000 words to ask if maybe it’s time MLS clubs start spending DP money on goalkeepers without once mentioning the impending Faryd Mondragon deal with the Union.
Leicester City wants Thierry Henry on loan.
Goal.com wonders if Omar Salgado is USA’s answer to Mexico’s Javier Hernandez.
Former LA Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit is the new coach of Russian Premier League side Terek Grozny.
Eric Cantona has been named Director of Soccer by the New York Cosmos. That’s right, Eric f’ing Cantona.
US
Want to know why Saturday’s USMNT friendly against Chile isn’t on ESPN or FSC? Here are your answers.
Here’s a look at the upsurge of foreign-born players eligible to play for the US on the USMNT. Says Bob Bradley, “It’s important in soccer these days to be very aware of your radar screen.”
Michael Bradley could be headed to Sunderland.
USMNT defender Gale Agbossoumonde, named the top young male player by US Soccer in December, is on a two-week trial with Swedish team Djurgarden.
Elsewhere
Chuck Blazer says switching the 2022 World cup to winter was discussed before the executive committee vote awarded hosting rights to Qatar. “There were comments like that some weeks before the decision. Otherwise I really couldn’t understand how they voted for football in that level of temperatures, because I knew them well enough, and their support for their own teams, so it seemed illogical.” I guess “illogical” is one word for it.
This piece from last week looks at how Qatar bought the World Cup.
UEFA delivers a lifetime ban to the Ukrainian referee found guilty of match-fixing.
Apparently, you have to fight for your right to play soccer. Emil Cohen, a 17-year-old Canadian student, received a two day suspension for daring to of his high schools athletic program “soccer is synonymous with the word unnecessary.” Hundreds of supporters attended a rally in support of Cohen early December. School administrators have agreed to remove the suspension from Cohen’s record and to bring in a moderator to help find ways to improve the school’s soccer program.
I can understand Mintal’s hesitation on coming here … make boatloads of cash and take your family out of their comfort zone, OR stay at the club where you’re clearly a fan favorite, keep your family in their current environs, but cease playing for the team. I don’t envy him and his decision. However, there was another article saying the deal was “plausible”, but that could be chalked up to Google translate machinations. The Colombians are coming! The Colombians are coming! Jeez, think Gutierrez’s contacts are panning out much?! At this rate, a good quarter of the squad will hail from that country. Dayamn!
If all of these Colombian players were such world beaters, wouldn’t at least one other club on the planet Earth have interest in them? Perhaps not. Good scouting can pull quality from places you’d never expect. I’m sure the Union will be happy to open up their books and show us the math that adds up to a possible 5 Colombian players in the lineup for opening day 2011.
The Dragon’s in the waning years of his career, and he’s played with/against the “big boys” already both on the club and national levels. Valdez and Perlaza could be diamonds in the rough; afterall, nobody really heard of Fredy Montero before joining the Sounders, and now he’s Seattle’s third Designated Player. Stranger things have happened.
If they all pan out. Beautiful. But diamonds in the rough are diamonds in the rough because they are so very rare.
Gutierrez’s middle name isn’t “Dowsing” for nothing.
viva Colombianos! in other breaking news: http://kitwatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/unions-new-shirt.html
GO UNION!!
its a fake.
MS Paint at its best.
Update on the new player introduction: The Union website is now saying two new players will be introduced. Odds on favorites are they will be Faryd Mondragon and Carlos Valdes.
I concur. The Perlaza news is too new, and Mintal is (reportedly) back in Germany deciding on whether to make the move. Mondragon and Valdez have been the 2 names linked to the Union for a while now, and all but confirmed by the team (until tomorrow).