Daily news roundups

Meulensteen taking his time, Mbolhi believes, Nogueira deserves, Vartughian lands, Adu clarifies, more

Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union

In a Q&A with Retro United, Rene Meulensteen says of his consulting role with the Union, “I will take my time to see if that new role suits and eventually will lead to a more permanent position.”

Rais Mbolhi says of Algeria in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, “The world is watching Algeria differently after the World Cup in Brazil, a lot of things have changed…People are now taken us seriously as they have not done before. They know we have animals on the ground and that with slightest luck, we can win the title…We are going to war for our country and we’ll do everything possible to win the cup.”

Bleacher Report includes Vincent Nogueira in its list of players who deserve to be Designated Players.

Former Union assistant coach and technical director Rob Vartughian has joined the coaching staff of NYCFC. “My background is in goalkeeping so I’ll work specifically with the goalkeepers, but [NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis] prefers all of his coaches to be involved with all areas of the team.” More from MLSsoccer.com, Empire of Soccer, and Big Apple Soccer.

Former Union man Freddy Adu would like everyone to take it easy:

The fact that he had no minutes in league play with Jagodina, only made the bench four times in 15 league games, and the sum total of minutes played during his time in Serbia was 14 minutes in a cup match against a second division team is not false information. Simple as that. More from MLSsoccer.comthe AP, and Yahoo Sports.

Let the Adu to the New York Cosmos speculation begin!

Local

The All-Star teams for the 2014 US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Winter Interregional have been announced. On the 1997 team are Darnell Brown (D; Burlington County Soccer Academy, Cinnaminson, NJ) and Devin Memis (M; Montgomery United, Lower Gwynedd, Pa.). On the 1998 team is Pierre Reedy (F; Lehigh Valley United, Kutztown, Pa.). On the 1999 team is Mason Remondelli (M; Holmdel NJX, Point Pleasant, NJ).

MLS

Tottenham have confirmed DeAndre Yedlin will be joining the club in January.

At the Irish Independent, Robbie Keane on his immediate future: “I’ve been asked to go on loan by clubs, mostly in the Premier League, but it’s not going to happen.”

Tim Cahill cryptically discusses his future in an interview with the AP, a future that will allow him to continue his international career with Australia, which he says is the reason he chose remain with New York rather than go on loan to the Premier League after the World Cup. He says it will take “will take a month or so” to make his decision, adding when he does, “I think people will be quietly impressed with what I’m trying to do.” Tease.

Chicago have signed defender Patrick Doody to a Homegrown Player contract. He is the club’s sixth Homegrown player.

Is 22-year-old Uruguayan striker Octavio Rivero on his way to Vancouver?

Soccer Gods has fun with a transfer rumor.

Houston will partner with USL PRO side Charleston Battery for 2015. The Dynamo partnered with Pittsburgh Riverhounds last season.

News OK reports, “Oklahoma City Energy FC announced Monday it terminated the contract of assistant coach Chris Spendlove after he was charged with murder in the death of an off-duty police officer in England.” Spendlove and Andrew Taylor, who were teammates at Oklahoma City University, and later at PDL side Austin Aztex (where they were coached by current Orlando City manager Adrian Heath), were involved in an early morning altercation last week that, in addition to the death of one off-duty policeman die, saw two others receive treatment for facial injuries. More from the Daily Mail and BBC.

US

On New Year’s Day, NBC Sports Network will air a “whip-around” show similar the NFL RedZone called “Premier League Breakaway.” ProSoccerTalk says, “Following on from hugely successful breakaway shows for Major League Soccer in past years, the Premier League will now be front and center on January 1 as all the best action from the eight games which kick off at 10 a.m. ET will be shown simultaneously on NBCSN.” Viewers can watch individual games via NBC Sports Live Extra.

Elsewhere

The BBC reports, “Secret talks between FIFA officials and Sepp Blatter have taken place over his future as the president of football’s world governing body.” The report says Blatter is “increasingly ‘weary’ following years of fire-fighting multiple scandals, a hectic work schedule and the acrimonious fall-out from the decision to award the next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar.” With questions about whether Blatter will run for another term alongside concerns about FIFA’s reputation if he runs and wins another term, “attention amongst FIFA insiders is starting to turn to Jeffrey Webb,” president of CONCACAF, as a possible candidate to replace Blatter. More from SI.

16 Comments

  1. Is it too soon for Adu to make the “where are they now” issue of sports illustrated? What an incredible fall for someone who once had so much promise.

  2. Animals On The Ground

  3. I am glad Rob V landed in a good spot. Talked quite a few times with him up at YSC and he was a very nice gentleman.

  4. Someone give me the odds of DeAndre Yedlin stepping foot on the pitch for Tottenham. I’m pulling for him but I just don’t see it- not a very good MLS defender let alone a premier league defender. Maybe Pochettino will see something.

    • Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

      As a Spurs supporter, I’m really hoping they find a good loan for him in the championship for the rest of this season. Let him get a bunch of quality minutes in a league where players be afraid of him. He’ll get bloodied and bruised and then will be ready for a full, restful offseason and proper preseason before joining Spurs as a smarter, better acclimated player before next season.

      • Can they loan him to the Union? I mean, I know he’s not a goalkeeper, but I’d take him.

      • Do you see him as a starter next season for Spurs? He will have to unseat some heady outside backs.

      • Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

        Some? You mean Kyle Walker? Because that’s it. When Walker was injured Kyle Naughton was third on the depth chart behind two centerbacks, one of whom, Vlad Chiriches, is probably gone in January anyway. I doubt he’s ready to displace Walker if he stays healthy, but he should be in the 18 next year as the fullback/general speed option off the bench.

      • What about the Rose kid? Thought Spurs were big on him or am I getting players mixed up- tall blonde kid about 19 or 20.

      • Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

        I think you’re thinking of Eric Dier. He fits that description. Tall, blond, 20, but he’s a center back. The only Rose on the team is Danny, who is a left back.

  5. Adu is over 30 years old, most of the Afrikaans who come here tend to claim to be a lot younger than they actually are, he is washed up because of his real age

    • I hope your just drunk on holiday cheer and not really as ignorant as your post indicates. First of all Afrikaans is a language, not a people. I assume you meant to call him an Afrikaner. However, that would be just as wrong since he is Ghanian. He has been in the US since he was 8. It’s not like he arrived at 18 and lied about his age. If you want to spread slanderous rumors about Adu, that’s your choice but stop with the sweeping generalizations about what “most” of group of people “tend to claim”.

  6. My son played against Adu at a tournament in Maryland when he was suppose to be 14 he was a man compared to all the other teenagers on the field, they had a team from Wilkes Barre that was barred from most tournaments because of suspect ages, its very common, there is a article about it in a soccer magazine

    http://www.serieaddicted.com/…/jerome-dufourg_95-of-african-players-in-eur.

    • Okay, you have a personal experience with Adu and please note I don’t say your allegation isn’t true. My issue is with your sweeping comment about “most of the Afrikaans (sic) who come here”. Can you see where that type of all inclusive comment would be offensive?

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