Union

Jonathan Tannenwald reports the Carlos Ruiz deal is complete and that a signing announcement should be expected today or Tuesday. He reports the “source with direct knowledge of the deal” also says Ruiz has been training with the Union. No further details are presently known.

From the Union website, one of the major benefits from the upcoming trip to Greece will be bonding within the team. Says John Hackworth, “The players will get closer and we’ll be a family.”

Sheanon Williams agrees and he is “hopeful this trip will bring us even closer together.” Nevertheless, he says he will remain focused. Williams says, “we’re excited and all, but we have a season to get ready for. I’ve waited so long to get to this league, and I want to stay for a long time. I will act like I’m home. Being on a trip like this one, it will be neat to see the sights with my teammates. I think we all are aware of how cool that is. We’ll maximize this experience, but I expect myself and all of us to go to Greece and train just like we were [in Philadelphia].” I love that guy.

The Union are included among the six teams a Soccer By Ives writer considers to have had the best offseason in terms of player acquisitions: “The Philadelphia Union seemingly rectified its goalkeeping problems by acquiring Faryd Mondragon from FC Cologne and Zac MacMath in the SuperDraft. In addition to that, Peter Nowak’s side added pieces like Carlos Valdes, Brian Carroll and Chris Agorsor in an effort to make vast improvements in its second year in the league.”

Nick Sakiewicz says of the baseball spring training model, “That’s exactly what our vision is with our camp set-up.” Noting that Florida is a big market for Union shirt-sponsor Bimbo, Sakiewicz says, “Next year we’ll be able to plan retail promotions (with Bimbo) and a big exhibition game.” He adds, “This is something for fans to count on—three weeks in Florida, every year coming to Orlando.”

The club has announced seven changes to its schedule to accommodate television broadcasts. The broadcasters include the four matches to be carried by FSC as well as three matches on Canada’s TSN. Two are home games.

Friday, May 6: Philadelphia Union at Portland Timbers (FSC) 10:30pm
Saturday, May 28: Philadelphia Union at Toronto FC (TSN) 12:30pm
Saturday, June 18: Philadelphia Union at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (TSN) 10:00pm
Saturday, July 2: Philadelphia Union at D.C. United (FSC) 7:00pm
Friday, July 29: Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids (FSC) 7:30pm
Friday, Sept. 23: Philadelphia Union at Sporting Kansas City (FSC) 8:30pm
Saturday, Oct. 15: Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC (TSN) 4:00pm

The Brotherly Game looks at the changes in the Union’s midfield.

In case you hadn’t heard, Fred is back with DC United, where his younger brother, Junior Carreiro, also plays. United traded a 2013 second-round draft pick to New England Revolution for the 31-year-old.

MLS

New England Revolution defender Kevin Alston and captain Shalrie Joseph have been expelled from the club’s preseason camp for disciplinary reasons. This marks the first time in the history of the team that players have been disciplined during preseason training by sending them away. Last year, Joseph missed five games while participating in the league’s behavioral and substance abuse program.

This article on Sporting KC’s new stadium looks at how the larger dimensions of the field better serve the team’s strengths.

Goal.com looks at what it calls “the growing rift” between MLS academies and private academies.

US

Noting that the USMNT is “young up front and old in the back,” The New York Times says fans can take heart in a midfield with abundant talent.

Here’s an interview with Alejandro Bedoya, with Swedish side Örebro for the past two years, although he is now on trial with Birmingham City.

Elsewhere

Pele fears Brazil may suffer international embarrassment if preparations for the 2014 World Cup continue to fall behind schedule. including delays in building or improving stadiums as well as modernizing what he refers to as the country’s “frightening” airport system.

Citing ongoing political unrest, Egyptian soccer officials have asked that their upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa be postponed.

The FA will investigate crowd trouble at two matches held over the weekend. At the Black County derby between West Brom and Wolves, trouble started when a smoke bomb was thrown from the away section into the home crowd. West Brom supporters responded by throwing objects into the away section. At Milwall’s The Den, the match official twice stopped play and considered abandoning the match after objects were thrown at the Middlesbrough goalkeeper and an assistant referee. The trouble there started when the assistant referee allowed a Middlesbrough goal to stand that appeared to be offside.

Dani Aranzubia becomes the first goalkeeper in the history of La Liga to score from open play. “It happened in the 95th minute but by the time the commentator on the radio had finished shouting Gooooooool! it was the 99th—and for once you couldn’t blame him.”

After receiving death threats several weeks earlier about his club’s poor performance in Guatemala’s national league, Carlos Noe Gomez, vice-president of Deportivo Xinabajul, was shot to death on Friday by two gunmen as he left a team meeting.