Daily news roundups

Crystal Palace friendly news, Lampard joins NYC FC, FIFA will not move 2018 WC from Russia, more

Photo: Brad Youtz

Philadelphia Union

The Union host Crystal Palace tonight in a friendly at PPL Park. You can purchase tickets for the game, which will not be broadcast or live streamed, here. For season ticket holders, the game is already loaded onto your card as a bonus game and you can use the bonus game parking pass at the back of your season-long parking pass booklet.

Previews of the friendly from from PSP, Philadelphia Union, Crystal Palace, Inquirer, Soccerly, and Brotherly Game.

Saying the team is treating tonight’s friendly as “a real game,” interim head coach Jim Curtin said of the Union’s roster plans, “We’re going to put a good group on the field, two good groups most likely, so it’ll be 45 minutes for most guys. A couple of guys will go 90, but we get to see some guys that will answer some questions that we might have, so it’s a good opportunity for them.”

Curtin also said, “I always think any time you’re representing your league, you should put your best effort out there. Too many times you see in these games, whether it’s against a club from Mexico, a club from England, they don’t get our best punch, so to speak, because we’re in the heat of the season.”

One player fans are likely to see in the friendly is Austin Berry. At Delco Times, Matthew De George recounts the various travails that have kept Berry out of the starting lineup for long stretches of the season. Berry says in the article, “It’s just been frustrating, more annoying than frustrating. Just anything I seem to do, I seem to get injured. The guys in the locker room are great, keeping my head up. I just have to stay focused, stay positive with everything, and now I’m finally 100 percent.”

Another player fans are likely to see is Brian Brown, who recently arrived on loan from Jamaican Premier League side Harbour View FC. Curtin said of Brown,

He’ll play Friday night for sure. He’s a guy who will see a lot of minutes. We’re going to see what he has. He’s on loan, so there’s no time to sit and wait and kind of bring him along nice and slowly. We’re going to throw him out there and see how he does. We’re gonna put a good team around him, too. I think it’s only fair to him to have a good group around him, so he’ll have a good chance to run out there. He might not be 90 minutes fit yet, but we’ll find out.

One player fans likely will not see tonight is Zach Pfeffer, who is nursing a groin injury he picked up while with the US U-20 MNT at the recent NTC Invitational tournament, an injury that Pfeffer says is “nothing too serious.” Injury aside, what does Pfeffer need to do to break into the Union starting lineup? Pfeffer tells Philly.com, “It just depends on what game we’re playing, who we’re playing against. I’m just going to try to be as consistent as I can in training, perform well and make sure that [interim head coach Jim Curtin] has a tough decision.”

More on Thursday’s announcement that PPL Park will be the site of the semifinals, third place game, and championship game for the CONCACAF qualification tournament for the 2015 Women’s World Cup from PSP, Philadelphia Union, Philly.com, US Soccer, CONCACAF, and MLSsoccer.com. An article on the US Soccer website says, “The final tournament schedule and kickoff times will be set at the Final Draw on Sept. 5 in Miami and ticket information will be made available to fans as soon as it is available.”

Nothing new on the Carlos Valdes front. What could that mean?!?

Freddy Adu has signed with Serbian club Jagodina (crappy Google translation here). Place your bets, place your bets…

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders are on the road on Saturday to face Richmond Kickers (7 pm, NSCAA TV, YouTube).

You will recall we linked to news yesterday that the Liverpool FC Foundation will be hosting a clinic in conjunction with Camden Youth Soccer Club and the Camden School District on Monday, July 28. At the Inquirer, Tim McManus has more on the story and notes that “20 lucky CYSC kids will travel to Newark after the clinic to meet Liverpool FC players, who will be preparing to play Manchester City at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.”

New Jersey’s PDA Harkes will face Georgia’s Concorde Fire Elite for the McGuire Cup, the national U-19 championship, on Saturday at 8 pm. You can watch a live stream of the game here.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune preview Sunday’s friendly at Heinz Field between Manchester City and AC Milan (4 pm, Fox Sports 1, ESPN Deportes, Fox Soccer 2Go, Fox Sports Go, ESPN Deportes Radio).

MLS

Real Salt Lake defeated last place in the Eastern Conference Montreal 3-1 on Thursday night. Montreal went down to ten men in the 65th minute with the scoreline level at 1-1.

It’s official: Frank Lampard has signed with New York City FC.

Lampard said,

I am really excited about joining New York City FC and helping to play a real part in building something special in one of the sporting capitals of the world.

The passion of the nation’s fans at the World Cup was second to none and I am looking forward to meeting New Yorkers and tapping into their love of the game. “It is a privilege to be able to help make history here in New York City — I just can’t wait to get started and be part of it.

More on the announcement from MLSsoccer.com, ASN, ESPN, The Guardian, ProSoccerTalk, SBI, New York TimesNew York Daily News, Big Apple Soccer, Empire of Soccer, and Goal.com.

Lampard denied ever mocking the 9/11 attacks.

I categorically did not insult or set out to insult someone. Unfortunately, it was very much misreported at the time in England and it’s actually a chance for me to finally say that.

I was naive and a young boy at the time. I have some regrets, the fact that I was out and about shouldn’t be and I wouldn’t be if it was today. What I did want to say is that I categorically did not insult anyone, behave badly in front of Americans or in fact anyone. I was very sensitive straight away to the issue and the tragedy.

My point is I tried in my last 13-years in Chelsea to just be a good man really, not just a good footballer, but a good man off the pitch. I’d like to think I’ve kind of done that and I want New Yorkers to hear that and see that. It’s up to me to show and prove the footballer and person I am.

More on Lampard’s comments from the New York Post.

At ESPN, Graham Parker says that Lampard’s arrival feels long overdue.

The Lampard announcement was another opportunity for Orlando to show they’re the saltiest team in the league — and they haven’t even started playing in it yet.

Newly signed Houston Dynamo DP DaMarcus Beasley says he expects to continue at left back.

Former US international and Vancouver Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit has announced his retirement following an injury he sustained in the recent 3-3 draw with the Union. He made the announcement in a classy open letter to fans.

At the Daily News, John Smallwood weighs in on the gulf in quality revealed in summer friendly scorelines like the 7-0 drubbing LA experienced against Manchester United on Wednesday.

LA coach Bruce Arena said after Wednesday nights loss,

If [our players] aspire to be top-flight professionals, they see some of the top-flight professionals [with Manchester United] and the way they conduct themselves on the field and speed of play. Our young players and a number of our players still are not quality passers, and so tonight the passing by Man U was quick, it was crisp, it was of quality.

We have too many players that are technically deficient right now, and that’s something they should learn. And also speed of thought, quickness in moving, winning tackles, running off the ball. All the simple things we frequently talk about, but unless you see it live and in real life, it’s something hard to have a picture of it. And they got a great picture of it tonight.

US

Ahead of Saturday’s friendly against New York Red Bulls, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said of USMNT target Gedion Zelalem,

He will play on Saturday. Gedion has the qualities that I believe are very important to give in the States because the national team I’ve seen [is missing them]. He’s a creative player and he can create a spark, an opening with his pass, with his vision through the eyes and if he manages to build up his physique and his qualities, he can be a very important player. Let’s hope he will do it.

More at SI on Zelalem from Wenger and Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, who used to be the deputy commissioner of MLS.

The CONCACAF U-20 Championships, “a tournament that will yield four qualifiers for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand,” will be hosted by Jamaica, Jan. 9-24.

Elsewhere

Check out the latest Footy on the Telly for listings of live soccer on TV, online, and on satellite radio for the upcoming week.

The AP reports, “FIFA has rejected calls to move the 2018 World Cup from Russia, saying the tournament ‘can achieve positive change.'” Calls to move the 2018 World Cup have increased following reports of links between Russia and the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine last week.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter met with the Emir of Qatar on Wednesday. Echoing the “positive change” theme, Blatter said, “It was great to see his and Qatar’s commitment to use the 2022 FIFA World Cup to achieve positive social change and to promote the host country and region. Qatar takes its responsibility as hosts seriously. We also discussed the importance of further developing football in the region.”

Reuters reports, “The Costa Rica coach, Jorge Luis Pinto, has resigned his position with the World Cup quarter-finalists because he was refused the right to choose his own backroom staff.” Pinto, whose contract as coach of the Costa Rica national team ended after the World Cup, where the team advanced to the quarterfinals, it’s best showing ever, said of negotiations for a new contract, “It wasn’t possible to reach an agreement. I ask myself: ‘What use are the victories obtained in Brazil?'”

20 Comments

  1. Andy Muenz says:

    So do we find out tonight that Curtain’s been stringing us along all week and that Carlos is really in Philly getting ready to walk out with the starting XI against Crystal Palace?

  2. Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

    Corey Ashe to the Union. Please. Send them back a centerback, one of which they are in dire need, and some cash, draft picks, whatever.

    • Austin Berry could use the change in scenery (again!)

      • Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

        Kinnear is a big fan of old fashioned, big centerbacks. Think of Boswell, Taylor, Horst, etc. Kinnear might be able to get the best out of Berry.

    • +3 . . . 1 is not just good enough

    • The Black Hand says:

      I like it. Berry & cash?
      .
      What would a move like this do to Sheanon? He would fetch a nice return, as well.

      • I doubt Sheanon would get much. He is on the cusp of getting the dreaded injury prone tag.

    • Timothy H says:

      Exactly what I said as soon as Beasley was in Houston. Ashe and Gaddis together? Along with a Valdes return? Playoff caliber defense there, plus no more Fabihno!

  3. I find Bruce Arena to be completely full of it. He is the head coach of probably the strongest and most stable MLS club, seems to have a completely free hand running the show there, is sitting on top of a gold mine of SoCal soccer talent, and wants to take zero accountability for his team? What a dick.

    • I would take Arena as coach here in a second! Our prior two managers were useless.

    • Zero accountability? Gold mine? His assessment is completely onPoint and accurate. What else is the man supposed to say. LA Galaxy. Stable. Big MLS club 0. ManU. Unstable though likely stabilizing-7. Beginning middle end of story. The difference in quality at every level of the game is an open wound for all to see. English soccer is lagging tactically behind all the rest of Europe yet the individual technical quality of the players over there is way way better than here. I repeat!!! Until US Soccer stops thinking the game is the best teacher and utilizes whatever pedigree of coaching we have at the youth level we will never catch up. Italians Germans Turks French- you name it they are way smarter players than us and much more technically adept

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        So what is Arena doing to fix the technical deficiencies?! Besides whining…

      • I do not infer what he is saying as a whine. I think he is making an honest assessment. I imagine he is doing whatever he can to improve the quality of his players. Im surprised ‘you’ construct his comments as a whine.
        .
        I go up to YSC often (PPD for my kid) and watch the U18-U14 kids practice and to a man- every last one of them walks off the field and showers and leaves. BAM! They are in their car and rolling. 90 minute practice. Shower. CAR. They actually arrive after my child and leave before his training is over. Gone! Not one time have I ever seen a kid pull over another kid or go outside and practice the technical skills he speaks of. Hone there game. Play a small sided. Anything. Not ONCE. State of the Art facility. State of the Art teaching, at least I think it is.
        .
        Maybe Arena’s assessment speaks more to the the work ethic of our future MLS players than it speaks to his failures as a coach.
        .
        He is arguably one of the most respected US coaches in MLS and US Soccer history and you chalk off his comments like he is whining. Unbelievable IMO… and endemic to what is wrong with the game and our perception of the game stateside.

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        I suppose whine is a bit harsh. Reading it again, it does seem to be more of an assessment as opposed to a whine.

      • Sorry, but it’s his team and has been for some time. He picked the players, he trained them, he put the team out there. Not every MLS team got whacked 7-1 by an EPL side, just his.

        And, yes, SoCal is a goldmine of soccer talent in our country and if the Galaxy isn’t benefiting from that they have nobody to blame but themselves. High level athletes playing year-round in an environment where soccer is numero uno. It’s extremely competitive and teams from Mexico, MLS and the rest of the world are paying attention.

  4. Lehigh’s U18 are also doing great at the Nationals; are in the Semis!

  5. Great One says:

    Does anyone take fifa seriously anymore?

  6. Let me instantly motorola clutch ones rss feed when i can’t discover ones e-mail subscription website link as well as e-newsletter service. Accomplish you may have virtually any? Nicely ok, i’ll notice to ensure that I possibly could join. Appreciate it.

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