Union

Is Carlos Ruiz heading back to his former club Puebla FC? Two articles on the the Spanish language website periodicodigital.com found by the Brotherly Game say he is. The first article, published on June 1, says “it is known from a good source that Carlos ‘El Pescadito’ Ruiz will return to play with La Franja [Puebla].” The article says Puebla vice president and minority shareholder Jesus Lopez Chargoy has been quiet on the impending transfer because other teams—the article mentions Estudiantes, in particular—are interested in Ruiz. (You can read a crappy translation here.) A second article on the website, published on June 8, says “Diego Cervantes (América) and Carlos Ruiz (Philadelphia Union) are waiting to make official their arrival to La Franja.” (Crappy translation here.) An interview with Ruiz on the website about the Guatemalan national team published on June 15 makes no mention of the move to Puebla. (Crappy translation here.)

Did you know that Vancouver’s 14-game winless streak began with their loss to the Union at the home opener on March 26? Here’s hoping the Whitecaps fans don’t riot when the Union extend their winless streak to 15-games like the Canucks “fans” did when Boston won the Stanley Cup.

Sebastien Le Toux says, “I’m a leader on this team, even if I don’t score. I still have other roles to fill as a leader, even if it is getting back on defense or getting an assist.” Don’t worry, Sebastien, we believe in you.

With 21 starts, Sheanon Williams is sixth on the list of US U-23 players in MLS.

Zach Pfeffer says of not being selected for the US U-17 World Cup team, “Of course every player wants to represent his country at the World Cup. Of course it’s on my mind. It’s a little disappointing, but at the same time I’m in a good place right now. I’m doing well. So I’ll just continue to build off that.” Pfeffer, who has been on the gameday roster the past two games says of his professional debut, “Whether it’s home or away, playing in a league game would be awesome.”

Philly Union Talk vents some spleen on the officiating of the last two Union games. We feel you, brother.

The First XI in early voting for the 2011 MLS All-Star Game includes five Energy Drinks, three LA Galaxy players and no Union players.

SI ranks PPL Park the eighth best stadium in MLS. “A beautiful stadium, barely a year old, that suffers some due to the sketchy neighborhood, way beyond downtown Philly in suburban Chester.” Ah, yes, “suburban Chester.” Anyone who describes Chester as suburban loses all credibility in my book.

MLSsoccer.com confirms Chris Agorsor is trialling with Real Salt Lake.

Alecko Eskandarian has been appointed youth technical director. Eskandarian played for Peter Nowak at DC United and was an assistant coach at University of Virginia after retiring early from professional play due to repeated concussions. The press release on the Union website says, “Eskandarian will oversee the club’s academy under the direction of coach John Hackworth, assist Brendan Burke in MLS Reserve League competition, as well as help manage club partnerships in the region.” Alecko’s father, Andranik Eskandarian, played for the New York Cosmos and the Iranian national team.

Local

The Ocean City Nor’easters will open their youth academy in the 2011-2012 season.

MLS

Toronto drew 0–0 at New England on Wednesday night. Only 6,680 were on hand as the Bruins played the final game of the Stanley Cup.

MLSsoccer.com has launched a new fan page.

US

Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will miss training on Friday and Saturday ahead of Sunday’s Gold Cup match with Jamaica to attend  family weddings. Insert joke containing the words “Dempsey” and “missing” here.

US fans of Timothy Chandler can rest easy after reading this excerpt from a profile on the rising star:

“Supporters of Bob Bradley’s U.S. team don’t have to worry about a possible Chandler defection—a spokesman of the German Football Association told SI.com that Chandler, who has dual-citizenship, is no longer under consideration for a call-up. (FIFA regulations allow players to switch sides before their first competitive match). ‘He was being looked at,’ the spokesman said, ‘but after his debut for the U.S .and his statements about identifying with America we don’t see him playing for Germany in the future.'”

TV

Fox Soccer Channel is now Fox Soccer. A “a multi-platform makeover” will be unveiled on August 13, the day the Premiership season begins. A reort on the Fox Soccer website says, “In addition to FOX Soccer’s youthful look and tight integration with FOX Sports, the makeover includes bold new graphics, new studio sets, a vastly expanded website and the same hard-hitting and trusted analysis fans have come to demand.” Now, if only Comcast would pick up Fox Soccer Plus…

Elsewhere

A strike by workers at Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, one of the stadiums to be used in the 2014 World Cup, has slowed downed renovations.

Former Juventus executive Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo, as well as former Italian soccer federation and unintentionally ironically named Innocenzo Mazzini, have been banned from soccer for life for their role in a match-fixing scandal in 2006. Juventus was stripped of the 2004-2005 and 2005-06 Serie A titles in the wake of the scandal.