The Official 2010 Pre- World Cup Thread

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[b][size=5]SAfrica police minister says no WCup terror threat[/size][/b]

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JOHANNESBURG (AP)—The World Cup faces no terror threat at the moment, according to South Africa’s police minister, who dismissed speculation less than two weeks before the tournament opens about plots by groups ranging from al-Qaida to homegrown white militants.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said Monday that if a threat were to emerge, his forces would be ready. He said preparations since 2004, when South Africa won the bid to be the first African country to host soccer’s premier event, have included working closely with security and intelligence agents from the United States, Britain and the 29 other countries sending teams to South Africa. The monthlong tournament begins June 11.

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[color=#111111][font=arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif][size=2]Mthethwa dismissed concerns that while South African security forces were prepared to respond, its intelligence agencies would be stretched to prevent an attack.“I don’t think that South African intelligence is weak,” said Mthethwa, adding that if so, it would have been pointed out by the foreign governments with whom it has been working to prepare for the World Cup.

South African investigators went to Iraq after security forces there announced they had arrested an alleged al-Qaida militant who had talked to friends about attacking the Denmark and Netherlands squads at the World Cup. Mthethwa said investigators dismissed that threat.

STRATFOR, a private security think tank based in Austin, Texas, said in a pre-World Cup review of South Africa that it was unlikely that groups like al-Qaida had the capacity to carry out a major attack here.

Mthethwa also said there was nothing to substantiate a report in a South African newspaper Sunday of terror cells and training camps in the region, and at least one arrest in South Africa linked to the World Cup.

Mthethwa added that white South African extremists arrested in recent weeks for stockpiling weapons are a “lunatic fringe” and no threat to the tournament.

“It would be folly for any country to grandstand and proclaim that it is immune to terror attacks,” Mthethwa told reporters in Johannesburg. But “there is no threat to South Africa as we speak now.”

The U.S. State Department made a similar point last week when it issued a warning to Americans living in South Africa or traveling here for the World Cup.

“While a number of terrorist threats against the World Cup in South Africa have appeared in the media in recent weeks and months, the U.S. government has no information on any specific, credible threat of attack that any individual or group is planning to coincide with the tournament,” the State Department said.

The State Department nonetheless said there was a “heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within South Africa in the near future.”

Asked about the U.S. warning at Monday’s news conference, Mthethwa said: “Each country has the right to say whatever they want to say to their citizens.

“All we are saying in South Africa is that together with the security forces of U.S., U.K. and others, we have prepared ourselves for any eventuality.”

In what could be read as a vote of U.S. confidence in South Africa’s security preparations, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to attend the first U.S. game in the tournament, against England on June 12 in Rustenburg.

When the U.S. squad arrived late Monday at Johannesburg’s airport, security appeared no more muscular than it has been for teams that had arrived earlier.

Mthethwa was repeatedly asked Monday whether his forces were preparing for the U.S.-England game as a high-risk event. Mthethwa refused to answer, saying discussing which events, teams or people were considered at higher risk could compromise security.

Terrorists have attacked huge sports events like the World Cup in the past— including the 1972 Munich Olympics, when Palestinian gunmen took hostage athletes and coaches from Israel’s Olympic team, killing 11.

Mthethwa said: “Our approach stems from an attitude that says: it is best to over-prepare than be found wanting.”

At least 40,000 officers out of a force of more than 190,000 would be devoted to World Cup security. Stations near stadiums, investigation teams and special courts operating 24 hours a day will be dedicated to the event.

Last week, a joint operations center led by police and including military, intelligence and other government agencies took over supervising World Cup security. The center will operate 24 hours a day from an undisclosed location in the capital until the World Cup ends.

The police arsenal has been boosted by $90 million worth of new equipment, including water cannon, helicopters, speed boats, jet skis, new high-performance police cars and heavy-duty emergency rescue vehicles.

In addition to terrorism, Mthethwa highlighted police determination to crack down on soccer hooliganism. He said his officers were working with counterparts in other countries, particularly Britain, to identify potential troublemakers.

Britain has identified some 3,000 hooligans who will not be allowed to travel to South Africa, Mthethwa said Monday. Those that slip through can expect a cool welcome.

[/size][/font][/color][color=#111111][font=arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif][size=2]“Those people present themselves as tough,” Mthethwa said. “We want to show them there are even tougher people out there.”[/size][/font][/color] [/quote]


[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup-security"]http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup-security[/url]

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[quote][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=2][b][size=5]No cars near S.Africa's World Cup stadiums: official[/size][/b][color=#676767]
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JOHANNESBURG — Private cars will be blocked from World Cup stadiums, forcing fans to use shuttles to ease traffic, Johannesburg officials said Friday, after bottlenecks marred dress rehearsal matches.

Highways leading to the 94,700-seat Soccer City, venue for the opening and closing matches, were jammed with cars Thursday as fans made their way to the friendly between the national team and Colombia.

Traffic stretched for over five kilometres (three miles), in a country where private cars are the preferred mode of transport.

"This won't be seen during the World Cup," said Sibongile Mazibuko, who heads the city's World Cup projects.

"Our park-and-ride facilities around the city will help reduce congestion around the stadium precinct as per FIFA regulations," she said.

An 800-metre (half-mile) security perimetre around the stadiums will allow only special vehicles, park-and-ride buses, and pedestrians to enter, she said.

"The park-and-ride buses will start operating during the pre kickoff concert in Soweto to the last day of the games," said Mazibuko.

[/size][/font][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=2]The system was first introduced during the curtainraiser FIFA Confederations Cup last year, when the system got off to a rocky start as bus drivers were confused about the routes and battled to get fans to and from the stadiums on time.[/size][/font] [/quote]



[url="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5nON4pRm3_NUS36r5gdh5MO1beQ"]http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5nON4pRm3_NUS36r5gdh5MO1beQ[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]USA must fine tune backline

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 2nd, 2010 2:01AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA 23] [/color]Whether by design or not, U.S. coach [b]Bob Bradley[/b] has given his three opponents in Group C a few variations to ponder. The U.S. midfield could take several radically different looks, depending on whom Bradley chooses to play in the middle, presuming [b]Landon Donovan[/b] and [b]Clint Dempsey[/b] man the wide slots. And even if [b]Michael Bradley[/b] is a constant, his possible partners – [b]Maurice Edu, Jose Francisco Torres, Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber [/b]– play very differently.
So, too, can the forward line, where [b]Jozy Altidore [/b]could be paired with [b]Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez, Edson Buddle[/b], or possibly[b]Clint Dempsey[/b], who started up top Saturday against Turkey before dropping into midfield for the second half.

[b]Bob Bradley [/b]can again utilize up to six substitutes Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavision) in the final warm-up match against Australia in Roodepoort to get a few final looks at certain players, but he’s expressed the possibility of starting his presumed starting XI; he might also choose to give more players a full 90 minutes than he has in the past two matches.

These myriad variations won't mean much, however, if the USA can’t stay tight at the back. Since qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in October, the Americans have conceded at least three goals three times: in losses to Denmark (3-1), Honduras (3-1), and Czech Republic (4-2).

Friendlies are for experimentation, yet regardless of personnel or opponent, that’s simply too many goals at the wrong end.

"First off, we need to sharpen up defensively," said defender and captain [b]Carlos Bocanegra [/b]at a press conference Tuesday, the first one staged since the team’s arrival Monday night after a 17-hour flight, including a refueling stop in Senegal, from Washington, D.C. "I think that could be improved on. We're trying to gel as a team and peak come June 12. The thing that sticks out to me at the moment is to be a bit better defensively and have a better team shape from the back to toward the front.”

Bradley named only seven defenders to the squad, and at least three seem to be lagging behind as the World Cup approaches. [b]Jonathan Bornstein[/b] didn’t look secure against either the Czech Republic or Turkey, [b]Jonathan Spector[/b] labored for a half Saturday before being replaced, and [b]Jay DeMerit[/b] – bothered by an eye irritation and an abdominal strain – is off his game.

Bocanegra expressed relief at playing 75 minutes against Turkey in his first competitive stint since undergoing sports hernia surgery in Munich May 5.

"I feel good. It was nice to get the 75 minutes,” said Bocanegra. “They’ve done a good job, the trainers and the coaches, with my program and easing me into it and not just throwing me out there full blast. I held up well. I just need to work on sharpening up the last five percent or so.”

[b]Oguchi Onyewu[/b] played the second half Saturday in his just second appearance since rupturing his patellar tendon Oct. 14 against Costa Rica.

[b]Steve Cherundolo[/b] missed more than a month of the German Bundesliga season with a shoulder injury, but returned in March and played a strong second half to help the U.S. overturn a 1-0 deficit against Turkey. [b]Clarence Goodson [/b]sat out the Turkey game after marring an otherwise strong showing in the Czech Republic encounter with a defensive miscue that led to the winning goal.

After starting in midfield and scoring the goal that gave the U.S. a lead 1-0 against Czech Republic, Edu dropped into central defense for the second half. The USA lost control of midfield, and in stoppage time the Czechs scored their final goal after a ball skipped off the top of Edu’s head and fell for [b]Tomas Necid[/b] to break through and beat keeper [b]Brad Guzan[/b].

“It's a position I played at the Olympics so it is familiar,” said Edu of his experience in 2008. "I got a little bit tired but I felt pretty comfortable back there. I played quite a bit in the back and the coaches have said they might play me in that position if need be.”

Edu in the back line would give the Americans yet another defensive version and alter the midfield as well.

The 74-room Irene Country Lodge, north of Johannesburg and south of Pretoria, is the team’s base camp. The USA will train at nearby Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria, a 5,000-capacity facility that is very familiar.

"It’s a place where I think we can really concentrate on our work," said Coach Bradley. "We trained at Pilditch last year during Confederations Cup and the field was quite good then and they tell me it’s even better this year. So, I think, we’ve done a good job in terms of getting these things squared away and it gives us the best chance for success.”

With 10 days to go before the opener June 12 against England, which dropped Arsenal winger [b]Theo Walcott[/b] from its 23-man squad in a surprising move, the U.S. team scheduled a light training session Tuesday.



"The team is excited to get started," said Bradley. "The first training session after we travel is always a shorter one, where we just try to get everybody going again but you can tell there is a good level of excitement to get started." [/quote]



What he said:

[quote][img]http://media.socceramerica.com/images/comment-bubble.gif[/img][b] Mike Gaynes [/b]commented on: June 2, 2010 at 10:22 a.m.
The headline of this article is a grim joke. With three half-fit center backs and no functional left back at all, the US defense needs magnitudes more than "fine tuning." And I don't know what Ridge has been watching, or not watching, or sleeping through, but Goodson wasn't solid, either against the Czechs or the Turks. He's a dominant player in the air, but marks poorly and gets caught out of position. The goal Turkey scored down Spector's side was Goodson's fault, not Spector's... he failed to cover when Spector made a strong attacking run. I believe Bradley blundered badly after the irreplaceable Onyewu was injured by not giving Spector -- a natural center back who has been stuck out of position at West Ham -- a run of play in the middle. And every minute of play that Bradley has given Bornstein and Pearce at left back over the past year has been wasted. The result is a backline that will presumably start with the unqualified DeMerit in the middle and the glacially slow Bocanegra at left back. That's not a defense, that's a prayer. [/quote]





[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38316/usa-must-fine-tune-backline.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38316/usa-must-fine-tune-backline.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color="#FF0000"][color="#000000"][size="5"]USA 1-23

[/size][b][size="1"]June 2nd, 2010 1:41AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]

[color="#FF0000"][BY THE NUMBERS][/color] The USA submitted its final roster for the World Cup to FIFA on Monday. Here are the numbers 1-23 the players will wearing ...

[b]GOALKEEPERS:[/b]
18-Brad Guzan
23-Marcus Hahnemann
1-Tim Howard.
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DEFENDERS:[i] (OUCH)[/i]
[/b]3-Carlos Bocanegra
12-Jonathan Bornstink
6-Steve Cherundolo
15-Jay DeMerit
21-Clarence Goodson
5-Oguchi Onyewu
2-Jonathan Spector
[b]MIDFIELDERS:[/b]
7-DaMarcus Beasley
4-Michael Bradley
13-Ricardo Clark
8-Clint Dempsey
10-Landon Donovan
19-Maurice Edu
22-Benny Feilhaber
11-Stuart Holden
16-Jose Torres
[b]FORWARDS:
[/b]17-Jozy Altidore
14-Edson Buddle
20-Robbie Findley
9-Herculez Gomez [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38315/usa-1-23.html"]http://www.soccerame...5/usa-1-23.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]'Shambolic' start to campaign

[/size][b][size=1]June 1st, 2010 12:13PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][ENGLAND] [/color]England coach [b]Fabio Capello[/b] has banned his players from commenting on Twitter, but that didn't prevent others from tweeting about who was going or not going to the World Cup -- before Capello even announced the England 23-player roster on Tuesday. That [b]Theo Walcott[/b] was among the topics "trending" on Twitter was indeed not good news as he was the most notable of the seven players Capello cut.

Almost two hours before Capello's scheduled announcement of the England 23, news of the seven players who had been dropped had spread across the web, and celebrity tweeters -- at least celebrities in Britain -- were adding their opinions on who was in or out.

"It's frankly a shambolic and unacceptable way for England's World Cup campaign to begin," [url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8715254.stm"]noted[/url] the BBC's [b]Jonathan Stevenson[/b].

England players will not be allowed to comment on any social media site or write articles for newspapers during the tournament.

Walcott had been [b]Sven-Goran Eriksson[/b]'s surprise pick to go to the World Cup four years ago, but Capello won't be taking the Arsenal winger.

[b]Joe Cole[/b] and [b]Shaun Wright-Phillips[/b] were preferred to [b]Adam Johnson[/b] and Walcott.

Capello also took the injured [b]Gareth Barry[/b], who may not be ready to go when England meets the USA June 12.

[color=#FF0000]England Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers: [/b]David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham), Joe Hart (Manchester City).
[b]Defenders:[/b] Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).
[b]Midfielders: [/b]Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), James Milner (Aston Villa), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Gareth Barry (Manchester City).
[b]Forwards: [/b]Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38304/shambolic-start-to-campaign.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38304/shambolic-start-to-campaign.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

Did ya make the right choice Rossi? LOL

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Cover boy Rossi dropped by Azzurri

[/size][b][size=1]June 1st, 2010 4:36PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][ITALY][/color][color=#FF0000] [/color]American-born [b]Giuseppe Rossi[/b], recently featured on the cover of ESPN Magazine as "America's Best Hope at the World Cup," won't be going to South Africa.Rossi, who scored two goals for Italy against the USA at last year's Confederations Cup, was one of five players who didn't survive Coach [b]Marcello Lippi[/b]'s final cuts.

AC Milan striker [b]Marco Borriello[/b] was the other notable player to be dropped from Italy's World Cup squad.

Lippi also released goalkeeper[b] Salvatore Sirigu[/b], defender [b]Mattia Cassani[/b] and midfielder [b]Andrea Cossu[/b].

Lippi's squad includes no players from Italian league and cup and European champion Inter Milan and only one from Serie A runner-up Roma. Ten Serie A clubs are represented.

Nine players remain from Italy's 2006 World Cup championship team.

Italy will play friendlies against Mexico in Brussels on Thursday and Switzerland in Geneva on Saturday.

[color=#FF0000]Italy Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers: [/b]Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari).
[b]Defenders: [/b]Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan).
[b]Midfielders:[/b] Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan).


[b]Forwards: [/b]Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38308/cover-boy-rossi-dropped-by-azzurri.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38308/cover-boy-rossi-dropped-by-azzurri.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

And he's a defender...we could use a few of those right about now.

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Former U.S. U-17 Subotic headed to World Cup

[/size][b][size=1]June 2nd, 2010 12:40AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][SERBIA] [/color][b]Neven Subotic[/b], who played for the USA at the 2005 Under-17 World Cup, has made Serbia’s World Cup roster.

The 21-year-old defender, who plays for German club Borussia Dortmund, made his debut for Serbia in March 2009 after having his bid to play for Germany turned down because he did not meet citizenship requirements.

Subotic was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina to Serbian parents spent several years living in Germany before moving to the United States.

Serbia coach Radomir Antic's team includes players from clubs in 11 countries.

[color=#FF0000]Slovenia Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers: [/b]Andjelko Djuricic (Leiria), Bojan Isailovic (Zaglebie Lubin), Vladimir Stojkovic (Wigan).
[b]Defenders: [/b]Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea), Aleksandar Kolarov (Lazio), Aleksandar Lukovic (Udinese), Ivan Obradovic (Real Zaragoza), Antonio Rukavina (1860 Munich), Neven Subotic (Bor. Dortmund), Nemanja Vidic (Man. United).
[b]Midfielders: [/b]Milan Jovanovic (Standard Liege), Gojko Kacar (Hertha Berlin), Milos Krasic (CSKA Moscow), Zdravko Kuzmanovic (VfB Stuttgart), Nenad Milijas (Wolves), Milos Ninkovic (Dynamo Kiev), Radosav Petrovic (Partizan), Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan), Zoran Tosic (FC Cologne).
[b]Forwards:[/b] Danko Lazovic (Zenit St. Petersburg), Dragan Mrdja (Vojvodina Novi Sad), Marko Pantelic (Ajax), Nikola Zigic (Birmingham). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38313/former-us-u-17-subotic-headed-to-world-cup.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38313/former-us-u-17-subotic-headed-to-world-cup.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]McCarthy out of Bafana Bafana team

[/size][b][size=1]June 1st, 2010 12:45PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][SOUTH AFRICA] [/color][b]Benni McCarthy[/b], who is South Africa’s all-time leading scorer but has struggled with his form in recent years, was among the six players cut by Coach [b]Carlos Alberto Parreira[/b] to get Bafana Bafana's squad down to 23 players for the World Cup.

McCarthy scored 32 goals in 78 games for South Africa. He had its first goal at the World Cup, scoring against Denmark in 1998.

“No one’s place in the final squad is a given," McCarthy said in a statement. "I am proud to have been given the privilege to have been capped in the South African national squad, unfortunately this time it was not to be. The final squad is a tough call for any coach to make and I am sure it was not made without heartache.”

Veteran striker [b]Siyabonga Nomvete[/b] was picked over McCarthy.

South Africa beat Guatemala, 5-0, on Monday to extend its unbeaten record under Parreira to 11 games. It will face Denmark on Saturday before opening against Mexico on June 11.

“The mission of our boys is to make this country proud,” Parreira said. “And the goal, the goal is to go as far as we can in the World Cup. That’s it. Once the ball moves, anything can happen. Everyone knows our group is a tough one. But we are ready.”

[color=#FF0000]South Africa Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers:[/b] Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United).
[b]Defenders: [/b]Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates).
[b]Midfielders: [/b]Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns), Steven Pienaar (Everton), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan).
[b]Forwards: [/b]Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows), Bernard Parker (FC Twente). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38305/mccarthy-out-of-bafana-bafana-team.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38305/mccarthy-out-of-bafana-bafana-team.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]No surprises in Kek's squad

[/size][b][size=1]June 1st, 2010 4:21PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][SLOVENIA][/color] There were no surprises in Slovenia coach [b]Matjaz Kek[/b]'s 23-player squad for the World Cup.

The final cuts were midfielders [b]Mirnes Sisic [/b]and [b]Darijan Matic[/b] and defender [b]Dejan Kelhar[/b].

Slovenia meets the USA June 18 in their second Group C game.

[color=#FF0000]Slovenia Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers: [/b]Samir Handanovic (Udinese), Jasmin Handanovic (Mantova), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta Rotterdam).
[b]Defenders: [/b]Bojan Jokic (Chievo Verona), Marko Suler (Ghent), Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble), Branko Ilic (Lok. Moscow), Matej Mavric Rozic (Coblenz), Elvedin Dzinic (Maribor), Miso Brecko (FC Cologne), Suad Filekovic (Maribor).
[b]Midfielders: [/b]Andraz Kirm (Wisla Krakow), Andrej Komac (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Rene Krhin (Inter Milan), Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse), Robert Koren (West Bromwich), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Larissa), Valter Birsa (Auxerre).
[b]Forwards:[/b] Milivoje Novakovic (FC Cologne), Zlatko Dedic (Bochum), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Ghent), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional), Tim Matavz (FC Groningen).[/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38307/no-surprises-in-keks-squad.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38307/no-surprises-in-keks-squad.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Wins for Australia, Netherlands and Portugal

[/size][b][size=1]June 1st, 2010 5:36PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN] [/color]Australia, which will face the USA Saturday in its final World Cup tuneup, beat Denmark, 1-0, Tuesday at Roodeport's Ruimsig Stadium, site of Saturday's game. The Netherlands and Portugal won easily in matches against Ghana and Cameroon, respectively.

[b]June 1 in Roodepoort[/b]
Australia 1 (Kennedy 71) Denmark 0.
[b]June 1 in Sion[/b]
Switzerland 0 Costa Rica 1 (Parks 57).
[b]June 1 in Eindhoven[/b]
Netherlands 4 (Kuyt 30, van der Vaart 72, Sneijder 80, van Persie pen. 87) Ghana 1 (Gyan 78).
[b]June 1 in Leiria[/b]
Portugal 3 (Raul Meireles 32, 46, Nani 81) Cameroon 1 (Webo 69).[/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38309/wins-for-australia-netherlands-and-portugal.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38309/wins-for-australia-netherlands-and-portugal.html[/url]

[JC]

LOL at Rossi. Could be in our starting 11 right now. Instead he's at home. I really wish the US could sustain their top talent and keep them here..

[MAGICTOUCH]

Yeah, I think we could use a good defender somewhere on our backline...............


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[b][size=6]Loss of Subotic to Serbia still haunts U.S.[/size][/b]
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[font=Georgia,][url="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/Loss-of-Neven-Subotic-to-Serbia-still-haunts-US-program#"]Neven Subotic[img]http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_11pxw.gif[/img][/url] honed his soccer game on the fields of Utah and Florida, represented the United States as a youth international, and once stated that wearing any other crest besides U.S. Soccer's would be akin to backstabbing.

None of that will matter when he dons a Serbian national team jersey at this summer's [url="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/Loss-of-Neven-Subotic-to-Serbia-still-haunts-US-program#"]WorldCup[img]http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_11pxw.gif[/img][/url].[/font]

[font=Georgia,]One of the most highly-coveted young defenders in European soccer, Subotic has been the subject of eight-figure transfer rumors and linked to prestigious clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal. Before all that, however, he was an immigrant child living in the United States trying to adjust to life in a new land and keep his love of soccer alive.

Discovered by a U.S. youth national team coach when he was training on his own in a local Florida park, Subotic quickly assimilated into the U.S. program set-up as a teenager, playing in the Under-17 World Cup in 2005 for the United States. His youth national team play eventually led to an opportunity to try out for German club Mainz 05. He signed and quickly rose up through the ranks, helping Mainz earn promotion back to the German Bundesliga.

During that time, his ties to U.S. Soccer were tested and eventually frayed. He was left off the U.S. Under-20 [url="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/Loss-of-Neven-Subotic-to-Serbia-still-haunts-US-program#"]World Cup Team[img]http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_11pxw.gif[/img][/url] in 2007, a snub that has frequently been blamed for Subotic's ultimate decision to stop playing for the United States.

“Anybody who has ever dreamed of something and worked hard for it can understand how it is when you feel like you deserve something and then your dreams get shattered," Subotic told ESPN when asked about the Under-20 World Cup omission.[/font]

[font=Georgia,]“The bizarre thing about this was that three months later I got called up for the senior national team (for an October 2007 friendly vs. Switzerland in Basel). For whatever reason I was not good enough for the U-20 squad, but weeks later it seemed as if I was good enough for the A team.[/font]

[font=Georgia,]"Obviously this did not make my feelings stronger for the U.S. But it didn't do any damage either."

Subotic has tried to downplay what role U-20 coach Thomas Rongen's decision played in him turning his back on the U.S. national team, but his comments always reveal the tinge of bitterness that lets you know it played a major part in his choice.

Rongen's role as the perceived villain in Subotic's decision has helped keep Subotic from facing the same venom from U.S. national team fans that American-born striker Giuseppe Rossi faces for choosing to play for Italy. To some, Subotic was driven away by a coach's terrible mistakes (Subotic has also pointed to public criticism Rongen made of him), though Rongen has long insisted that an injury to Subotic led to him not making the Under-20 World Cup team.

Ultimately, Subotic wasn't born in the United States and wasn't born to American parents. You can argue that he owed it to the United States to play for his adopted country because of what it did for him, but you can't make players play for a shirt when their heart is somewhere else.[/font]

[font=Georgia,]As frustrating as the Under-20 World Cup snub might have been for Subotic, if that's what it took for him to give up playing for the United States, then you have to wonder if he was ever truly committed. If he wasn't, and if him playing for the United States was simply a stepping stone to get him where he always wanted to go, then he isn't a player American fans should fret over losing.[/font]

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[font=Georgia,]Regardless of why Subotic left the U.S. Soccer fold, the fact remains that the national team lost a player who could have helped immensely. Subotic has blossomed in Germany, starring for Borussia Dortmund. It should come as no surprise that he has flourished in Germany because that is where Subotic was raised after his family left Bosnia and before the family moved to the United States. It was Germany that inquired about having Subotic play for its national team before it became clear he wouldn't meet the requirements for German citizenship.

Subotic ultimately chose to play for Serbia, where his parents are from, rather than Bosnia, where he was born. While there is a belief in some circles that Subotic wanted to play for Germany, he has insisted that Serbia was his choice all along.

Subotic the Serb just might get the chance to face some of his former U.S. teammates (including Jozy Altidore) in the World Cup, with the United States a potential Round of 16 opponent. If that match happens, American fans will likely bemoan the loss of another talented player who could have worn the stars and stripes, but Subotic insists that his decision to play for Serbia was one that he was always destined to make.

"The main point that I based my decision on was my heritage, origin and family," Subotic said via e-mail. "It was a step back to my birthplace. I was always different than the American kids because my parents were from Yugoslavia. I was raised a different way all my life, and even though my family and I learned to love the U.S., we were still Serbs."[/font][/quote]



[url="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/Loss-of-Neven-Subotic-to-Serbia-still-haunts-US-program"]http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/Loss-of-Neven-Subotic-to-Serbia-still-haunts-US-program[/url]

[JC]

Sweet jesus.

Fuck..

Oh my god.



[quote] BREAKING NEWS: U.S. F Jozy Altidore hospitalized for sprained ankle. 31 minutes ago via TweetDeck [/quote]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote name='JC' date='03 June 2010 - 12:10 PM' timestamp='1275585004' post='891404']
Sweet jesus.

Fuck..

Oh my god.




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Like we need more injury snags...


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[b][size="6"]Altidore day to day with ankle sprain[/size][/b]
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[color="#333333"][font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]IRENE, South Africa -- U.S. forward [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/75589"]Jozy Altidore[/url] has sprained an ankle during a training drill and is day to day.[/font][/color][font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#333333"][size="3"]Altidore hurt his right ankle during a workout on a shortened field Wednesday, U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Neil Buethe said. Altidore was taken to a hospital for X-rays and was diagnosed with a mild sprain.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]"It's nothing more than that," Buethe said Thursday. "He'll undergo a fitness test tomorrow to determine whether he can play Saturday."[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]The U.S. faces Australia on Saturday in Roodepoort in the final exhibition for both teams ahead of the World Cup. The Americans open against England on June 12.[/size][/color]

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[url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5247681/ce/us/jozy-altidore-united-states-sprains-ankle-day-day?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us"]http://soccernet.esp...&cc=5901&ver=us[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Jose Torres makes East Texas town proud

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/40/mike-woitalla/"][size=1]Mike Woitalla[/size][/url][size=1], June 2nd, 2010 8:15PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA 23][/color] On a Wednesday in May, the news arrived that [b]Jose Francisco Torres[/b] of the East Texas town of Longview had made the U.S. World Cup team. On Thursday, when [b]Margaret Wright[/b] arrived to teach at Foster Henry Middle School, half her pupils announced they were related to Jose.

"This is so huge here," said Wright with a chuckle. "Jose's going to find out he has relatives he never knew about."

Longview, a city of 77,000, lies 118 miles east of Dallas and 50 miles west of the Louisiana border. It has of late been celebrating athletes who have gone on to fame, including Torres’ classmate at Longview High School, Texas Rangers’ first baseman [b]Chris Davis[/b]. Also out of Longview, offensive tackle [b]Trent Williams[/b] was a 2010 first round draft pick by the Washington Redskins, where he joins Lobo alum wide receiver [b]Malcom Kelly[/b].

Nearly half those on Wikipedia's list of Longview’s “Notable People” – which includes actor [b]Matthew McConaughey[/b] and union activist[b]Karen Silkwood[/b] -- are football and baseball players.

Torres became the first soccer player and first Hispanic on the list.

"Jose is a celebrity in the Hispanic community here," says [b]James Wright[/b], head coach of Longview High’s soccer team, whose assistant is his wife, Magaret. "Being named to the World Cup team was a big relief to the Hispanic community. They really believed he deserved it but were worried till the last minute if he’d make it."

Torres was born in Longview in 1987 to [b]Francisco “Pancho” Torres[/b], an immigrant from Tampico, Mexico, and [b]Lisa[/b] (née [b]Mezzell[/b]).

Pancho had a chance to pursue a pro career in Mexico, but instead opted to move north of the border, where he met Lisa and introduced her to soccer.

"When we were dating," she says, "he told me he was taking me to futbol game. When we got there I said, 'Football in Spanish is different than our football!"'

Lisa liked the game. She started playing and coached Jose’s longtime youth team, Bad to da Bone. Jose later played for the Elite. By his sophomore season at Longview High, he smashed school scoring and assist records for the Lobos.

The Wrights say a crucial part of Torres’ development was playing in the Longview adult league known to non-Hispanics as "The Mexican League."

"That’s really where he developed his skills," says Margaret. "You’ve got teenagers playing with and against 35- and 40-year-olds. He really matured playing in that league."

Torres left high school before his junior season to join Mexican first division club Pachuca, where he made his first-team debut one month before his 19th birthday in 2006 and broke into the starting lineup in 2008.

It was the realization of a dream. Lisa remembers once when Jose was very young, watching Mexican soccer on TV, he pointed to the screen and said, "One day I'll play there."

"Jose was always behind the ball," she says. "He slept with his ball. He would watch Mexican soccer on television with his dad, and when he saw something he wanted to learn, he'd go in the backyard and work on it until he could do it. We had mini-goals in the yard. He also went to his father and his uncles' games."

Jose Torres was courted by the Mexican Olympic team, but opted to play for his native country, and debuted for Coach [b]Bob Bradley[/b]’s team in 2008.

In Longview, James Wright says everyone knew Jose could go far. Wright played on the “Mexican League” team with Jose, Pancho and Jose’s uncle on the Zacatecas.

"You couldn't get the ball away from Jose,” says Wright. “He was truly amazing. I have one picture of him with me when we played in a tournament in Tyler. Now that all this is happening, you wonder, 'Why didn’t we take more pictures?'" [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38325/jose-torres-makes-east-texas-town-proud.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38325/jose-torres-makes-east-texas-town-proud.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Stronger, broader game boosts Torres' value

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 3rd, 2010 2:10AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA 23][/color] Remember that celebratory dance pairing up [b]Clint Dempsey[/b]and [b]Jose Francisco Torres [/b]after Dempsey scored the winning goal against Turkey in a 2-1 win Saturday in Philadelphia? As it turns out, there's a closer connection between them than Texas roots, a penchant for flair, and post-goal dance moves.

Every day in South Africa, a few U.S. players are trotted out for press conferences, and Wednesday Torres took a place at the table between[b] Jonathan Spector[/b] and [b]DaMarcus Beasley[/b]. The synergy injected by Torres and several other subs enabled the USA to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Turkey and pull out a win in its final send-off match before leaving for South Africa.

When asked about Dempsey, Torres replied, “Well, he’s a bit older than me. He played against an uncle that I have back in Texas, they played against each other in high school. I look up to him a lot, he’s a great player and he’s done a lot in the past few years.”

Longview, Texas, where Torres grew up, is just 65 miles north of Dempsey’s home town, Nacogdoches.

“I’ve talked to him about this being my first World Cup and ask him about his first one, and every day I learn different things from him,” said Torres.

Comparisons to [b]Claudio Reyna[/b] and [b]Tab Ramos[/b] are inevitable, though neither is Mexican and Ramos wasn’t born in the United States. Skilled enough to hit a variety of passes, shots and serves, and strong enough to shrug off a tackle, Reyna and Ramos brightened U.S. midfields with flair and vision most of their teammates weren’t capable of.

Dempsey plays a somewhat Latino game, a product of playing in heavily Hispanic leagues when he wasn’t being ferried by his parents to train with the Dallas Texans club team.[b] Landon Donovan[/b]credits his Hispanic teammates and opponents for much of his guile and flair.

Scouts from Mexican club Pachuca spotted Torres while he was in high school. Dempsey went to college (Furman), Donovan headed to Germany (Bayer Leverkusen), and Torres crossed the border into Mexico to start a pro career in his late teens.

Bradley called Torres into the U.S. squad after he’d turned down an opportunity to join the U.S. Olympic team prior to the 2008 Summer Games. He broke into the starting lineup at Pachuca and didn’t want to jeopardize his place.

As the son of a Mexican father and American mother, he had a choice to make. When the USA called again after the Olympics, after he’d asked for advice from his teammates about whether he should wait for a call from Mexico, Torres signed up.

After Torres debuted for the USA against Cuba and made his first start against Trinidad & Tobago four days later in October, 2008, the coach said to si.com, "In the two games that he's played, he has shown that he has a good way get into open spots to get the ball. He's a simple player as far as seeing the next play and making the right pass.”

So rich with attacking players is Pachuca that Torres usually plays a fairly conservative role, supporting attacks and linking the back line to the forwards with timely dribbles and sharp passes. In his early U.S. stints, what he wasn’t doing was clogging up passing lanes and getting into tackles.

Bradley took a lot of heat for removing Torres at halftime of a Hexagonal qualifier last year against Costa Rica with the USA trailing, 2-0. While he showed good touch and vision, Torres couldn’t break up plays or win the ball, and spent the second half on the bench. He didn’t play three days later in a 2-1 victory over Honduras, and though he went to South Africa for the Confederations Cup he didn’t get into a game. He wasn’t selected for the Gold Cup.

His tenacity and positional acumen had increased sharply by last October, when Bradley inserted him into the final Hexagonal qualifier at RFK in the 63rd minute with the U.S. trailing Costa Rica, 2-0. Torres won tackles and intercepted passes in his own half, and regularly pushed the ball upfield as the U.S. battled back to get within a goal, and then scored a stunning stoppage-time equalizer.

He fulfilled much the same role Saturday against Turkey. Said Bradley after the match, “Similar to the second half against Costa Rica, at that point when you’re behind, we’re pushing [b]Michael[/b][[b]Bradley[/b]] to be more active and more mobile and the understanding between the two was good. I thought Jose really played well and was sharp, found the right people and covered all the holes really well . ”

Son Michael concurred. “I think he came on at a time when we needed to get the ball in play and move,” he said. “I think he comes on and finds a good rhythm and is able to connect things at a quick tempo and at the same time then allow me to be a little bit more mobile, a little more dynamic and find some spots forward.”

His use off the bench might indicate Torres’ role at the World Cup will be as a sub, and offensive catalyst. Yet the rounding of his game since being substituted nearly a year ago could pay off in more extensive duty, as his place within the squad is not only assured, but welcomed by his teammates.

“I've started to gain a lot more confidence and I feel good,” he said at the press conference Wednesday. “I feel good about my teammates and every day I'm learning something from them. We have a great group of guys and we all get along." [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38334/stronger-broader-game-boosts-torres-value.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38334/stronger-broader-game-boosts-torres-value.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Brazil gets scare in Zimbabwe

[/size][b][size=1]June 3rd, 2010 12:39AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN] [/color]Brazil, the co-favorite with Spain to win the World Cup, played its first international match since March on Wednesday and easily beat host Zimbabwe, 3-0, on goals by [b]Michel Bastos[/b], [b]Robinho[/b] and[b] Elano[/b] in a span of 15 minutes either side of halftime.

Brazil got a scare when Inter Milan goalie [b]Julio Cesar[/b] had to leave the game with a back injury. He was replaced by Tottenham's[b]Heurelho Gomes[/b].

In other World Cup games, Paraguay beat fellow finalist Greece, 2-0, while Honduras and Serbia were held to 0-0 ties by Azerbaijan and Poland, respectively, in Austria. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38327/brazil-gets-scare-in-zimbabwe.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38327/brazil-gets-scare-in-zimbabwe.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]ESPN2 offers 24-hour World Cup countdown

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/66//"][size=1]Julian Quisquater[/size][/url][size=1], June 3rd, 2010 1:54AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][TV WATCH][/color] ESPN2 will offer an unprecedented 24-hour block of World Cup countdown coverage, starting at 10 am ET on June 10 and running right up to kickoff of the opening match, between Mexico and South Africa June 11 on ESPN. The programming includes a U.S. national team preview, player profiles and human interest pieces.

Highlights include the Kick-off Celebration Concert, which features prominent artists [b]Black Eyed Peas[/b], [b]Shakira [/b]and [b]John Legend[/b], as well as other acts. A poignant episode of "Outside the Lines" focuses on the soccer league of South Africa’s notorious Robben Island, where political prisoners, including [b]Nelson Mandela[/b], were held captive during apartheid.

[b]Landon Donovan[/b] and [b]Clint Dempsey[/b] will be profiled. Early morning coverage includes a documentary on the last World Cup, "The Grand Finale," narrated by actor [b]Pierce Brosnan.[/b]

Although it's far too early to pass judgment on the quality of ESPN’s coverage, it appears to be setting a new benchmark for dedicated American programming of the world’s most popular sporting event.

[color=#FF0000]ESPN2 24-HOUR COUNTDOWN SCHEDULE (ET)
Thursday, June 10[/color]
[b]10 am[/b] 2010 FIFA World Cup Preview
[b]1 pm [/b]2010 U.S. National Team Preview
[b]2 pm[/b] 2010 FIFA World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert
[b]5 pm[/b] SportsNation Presented by Toyota
[b]6 pm[/b] Outside the Lines: Robben Island – A Greater Goal
[b]6:30 pm[/b] E:60 (with in-depth profile of Clint Dempsey)
[b]7 pm [/b]Re-air 2010 FIFA World Cup Preview
[b]10 pm[/b] MLS Game of the Week (Seattle-DC United)
[color=#FF0000]Friday, June 11[/color]
[b]12:30 am[/b] Re-air SportsNation Presented by Toyota
[b]1:30 am[/b] Re-air 2010 U.S. National Team Preview
[b]2:30 am[/b] Homecoming with Rick Reilly: Landon Donovan
[b]3:30 am[/b] The 2006 World Cup Film – The Grand Finale
[b]6–9:30 am[/b] Mike and Mike in the Morning Presented by Progressive Insurance
[b]9:30–10 am[/b] SportsCenter
[i]South Africa vs. Mexico airs on ESPN at 10 am.[/i] [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38333/espn2-offers-24-hour-world-cup-countdown.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38333/espn2-offers-24-hour-world-cup-countdown.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[b][size="6"]Q&A with [/size][size="6"]Jürgen Klinsmann[/size][/b]

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[font="verdana"][size="2"]German legend [b]Jürgen Klinsmann[/b] says he doesn't have any regrets over walking away from the U.S. head coaching position that was offered to him in 2006, not long after he'd led Germany to the semifinals of the World Cup. It seemed like an ideal fit: Klinsmann had lived in California with his American wife and their two children since he retired as a player in 1998. He knew the peculiarities of U.S. soccer from spending time around the Los Angeles Galaxy and observing the way the game works here. And he's an innovator who has often departed from the orthodoxies of European managers.Yet Klinsmann walked away from the negotiating table at the last moment, setting in motion the path that would culminate in [b]Bob Bradley[/b] taking over the U.S. job instead.

Bradley now leads the U.S. to the World Cup, which starts on June 11, while Klinsmann will be in South Africa working for ESPN. He and I sat down for a one-on-one interview at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn., recently and talked about a number of things, from the reasons he left the U.S. at the altar to [b]Landon Donovan[/b]'s loan spell under Klinsmann at Bayern Munich to his attendance at the week-long leadership conference run by Duke basketball coach [b]Mike Krzyzewski[/b].

Klinsmann's coaching rep has taken a hit since '06, the result of a tumultuous tenure at Bayern Munich, where the board jettisoned him after less than one season. But Klinsmann is still a managerial commodity who has drawn interest of late from English Premier League teams and might still have a chance to coach the U.S. someday.

Why do I think this? Just call it a hunch. While Klinsmann shied away from answering my questions about someday taking the U.S. job, he is clearly open to managing again, and his family has just recently re-settled back in California from Europe. Klinsmann takes pains to say that he maintains a good relationship with U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, and the feeling is mutual. At this point it's impossible to know if the U.S. job will be open until we see how the team performs at the World Cup. But whatever ends up happening, it could be fascinating to hear Klinsmann the analyst discuss the performance of Bradley and his U.S. team.

Here's my conversation with Klinsmann (edited for length and clarity):

[b]SI.com:[/b] You recently said that U.S. soccer has not yet found a style, a philosophy, that marks every big soccer nation. Could you elaborate on that?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] It's a country that is heading more and more toward the most popular sport in the world. Obviously there's a lot going on now, and the World Cup bid [for 2018 or '22] is huge. The U.S. has qualified for the World Cup for the sixth time in a row and is getting more experience on the world stage. The U.S. is known worldwide as a melting pot. Soccer in a certain way transmits the culture of a country. It reflects so much about the people. That's what I meant. It's going to be very interesting to see where U.S. soccer from an identity point of view will head to.

It will be a mixture. You have the Latin influence. You have the cultural backbone of your university system, which is completely different from the rest of the world. You have the fact that it's mostly organized soccer, when we know that the best players in the world come out of unorganized events. I think it's a fascinating topic. It will be defined in the years down the road. You know about Brazil, but even Brazil goes through those discussions every day now with [b]Dunga[/b] [as coach]. He has a more European approach that isn't the [i]joga bonito[/i]. Argentina is always passing and creating out of nothing. Italy has always been about waiting until the opponent makes a mistake and then we kill you. So every country shows certain characteristics through the game of soccer.

[b]SI.com:[/b] Is there a particular kind of style you think the U.S. should develop?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] This is a difficult discussion, because what players do you have available? Where do those players come from? What is they style of play that they fit into? You can't just say I love to play attacking football and a Brazilian type of football if you don't have the players to do that. At the end of the day you need to have success to move this sport forward. I think the U.S. is a nation that wants to always be No. 1 in the world. It's the leader in so many areas, and in a certain way you're almost forced to be proactive in your approach to how you do things. They're not waiting always until the other countries do something. They just do it.

[b]SI.com:[/b] You came close to taking the U.S. coaching job in 2006. Would you have any interest in coaching the U.S. in the future?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] It's a question that is absolutely not up in the air because you're not discussing something that you have a very good, highly qualified coach [Bob Bradley] working on and being totally focused on. The soccer world is crazy, you know. Things come up overnight. I never thought I'd take the German national team to the last World Cup. I never thought that two years later I would take over Bayern Munich. So I don't know what happens tomorrow. There were calls coming in the last month [from Europe], but I resisted, because my family moved back in December to California, and we needed to get the kids settled. So you're not jumping on the next thing that becomes available. It might be a couple years down the road. You take things as they come. But you're not discussing something that other people are in charge of.

[b]SI.com:[/b] I know you had some interest to coach from teams in the English Premiership. Is there any chance you could take a job over there?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] The coaching side is a role where you really have to fit in with the people that run the environment. This is really important. And the next opportunity that I take on needs to have an environment where I feel really happy. I want to work with people that do it for the right reasons. I want to fit into an environment that kind of shares my philosophy, and my philosophy is an attacking style of football. That's just the way I think, and it's how I built the German team for the 2006 World Cup over two years, which was highly criticized over a long stretch of time, and then they embraced it. It's a style of plays that takes time to implement, and you need the environment that gives you that time. That's why I'm very cautious. It needs to fit.

[b]SI.com:[/b] What do you think of the U.S. team's chances at the World Cup?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] There's no easy group. Anything can happen. It will be a World Cup completely different from what we've ever experienced, the first one in Africa. The circumstances are very challenging, from maybe hotels to training fields to playing at 5,000-foot altitudes to sea level to the traveling. It's going to be a very stressful World Cup for all the teams. And the teams that deal the best with that type of environmental stress will go through. There might be some teams that you think are the best, and if they get impatient and don't want to deal with it anymore, for whatever reason, they might go home early. And a team that's highly focused and says we are here to get a job done, they might make it all the way.

If you take the U.S. Olympic basketball team for a seven-week stretch with all these superstars, [b]Kobe Bryant[/b] and [b]LeBron James[/b] and all these guys, when do they run out of patience? After week two, three, four or maybe six? So this is the type of environment where it's really going to be interesting to see how they deal with all that. Also, everybody else is down there. Us too. It's not going to be a nice summer like it was in 2006, when it was sunshine for four weeks and it was a party. It's wintertime [in South Africa]. It's dark at 4:30.

[b]SI.com:[/b] If you hang with me it'll be a party.

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] We'll leave you in the Kruger National Park [with the lions] (laughs).

[b]SI.com:[/b] When you ended up walking away from the U.S. coaching job in '06, the word was that U.S. Soccer wasn't willing to give you the degree of control that you wanted. Is that true?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] Yeah. The timing was just too difficult. Because the Copa América and the Gold Cup were being played [in 2007], and we had discussions about who you can bring down there, and those discussions were not going in my direction. That's when I said it's not the right time for it. We left it totally positive. It was no problem at all.

[b]SI.com[/b]: Was there an issue with MLS releasing players for Copa América?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] It was about the organizational issues approaching those tournaments, who you can have and all that stuff. But it was no problem. That's when you say as a coach, 'O.K., it seems we're not there yet.' Maybe now they look at it differently. I think they did great with Bob, because he's a great personality, he's working tremendously hard and he will give everything he has. He has tremendous experience, knowledge, leadership. It's down to the players now to prove their point. Are we able to compete with the best in the world? Are we able to keep our nerves under control when a [b]Frank Lampard[/b] or a [b]John Terry[/b] walk up?

It's different when you're on the way out to the field and you see those guys in the corridor. You say, 'O.K., I want to play in the Premier League, but maybe not only on a mediocre team. Maybe I want to play in one of the top four teams in the Premier League.' So then you've got to beat those guys. It's really down to the players now, and they have nothing to lose. Play England!




[b]SI.com:[/b] Landon Donovan played for you on loan at Bayern. Why do you think he succeeded in his Everton loan in a way that he didn't in his Bayern loan?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] Because he needs total support. Every athlete, no matter the sport, when he's on a certain level -- and Landon proved he can play on the highest level -- he needs absolute support from his total environment. And he didn't get that support in Munich.

[b]SI.com:[/b] In what ways?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] Because he came on loan and didn't get the loan prolonged. He needed a little bit more time, which I asked for. [The Bayern directors] didn't give it to him. Or to me either [laughs]. It's very simple. If you don't have the psychological support, if you don't have the feeling that everybody is counting on me, and they give me my chances and I'm here for the right reasons, then it's not meant to be. That's why players perform in certain environments and don't in others. I think this experience in Munich made him even stronger.

It didn't work out the way he hoped, and I felt bad about it. Because I knew: Give him more time. I asked the club: Leave him there for another two months. But others made those decisions. So I was really pleased when he said I'll do those three months with Everton. Good, good for you! There he got the support, he got the playing time. At Bayern it was far too difficult with [b]Luca Toni[/b] and [b]Miro Klose[/b] and [[b]Lukas[/b]] [b]Podolski[/b] on the bench. I made [Donovan] the No. 3 ahead of Podolski, which caused huge issues in Germany. But I knew if he was given the time he would break through. He didn't get the time.

[b]SI.com:[/b] Switching gears, I heard that you once visited the week-long leadership conference held by Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. Why did you go, and what did you learn?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] You're constantly learning. Coach K is one of the most influential leaders coming from sports here in this country. When I got here I read most of his books, which I found highly interesting. My business partner went to Duke University, so we always had kind of an eye on that. By reading through all that material, I saw there was a lot of stuff you could use for the soccer environment as well. Leadership is about people in every environment. That seminar there was amazing because other business leaders gave presentations and examples of how they solved issues.

It was really impressive. We don't have those types of seminars in Germany. Not at that level, because our university system doesn't have the recognition it has in the United States, and it certainly doesn't have the connection to sports. The American system is completely different. You need to understand America and how it works in order to get that picture, and I have been lucky to live here 11 years and see a lot of places. Coach K is really good stuff for any coach in whatever sport he's in.

[b]SI.com:[/b] There is a chance that Germany and the U.S. could face each other in the second round of the World Cup. How do you think the U.S. would match up against this German team?

[b]Klinsmann:[/b] I think they can match up with anybody at the right moment. They just need to have the right momentum. They were very close in 2002 [in the World Cup quarterfinals]. I was actually at that game and they could have beaten Germany there. So if it's a possible match-up it would be a very close game. The knockout stage is just fascinating stuff because it's really down to the wire. You can't make a mistake. You can't lose your head emotionally. But that is also something where the Germans might have a little advantage because they know how to deal with this type of environment. They keep their nerves under control and stay focused.

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[size="3"][url="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/world-cup-2010/writers/grant_wahl/06/02/klinsmann/1.html"]http://sportsillustr...linsmann/1.html[/url][/size]

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[MAGICTOUCH]

LOL, alrighty then.


[quote]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"]
[b][size="5"]'Put it in', say Brazil's patriotic prostitutes[/size][/b]
[color="#666666"][font="inherit"] [/font][/color][/size][/color][/size][/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"][color="#666666"][font="inherit"][size="3"]Jun 2, 2010 8:49 PM | By Sapa-AFP
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[b][size="2"]Prostitutes in Rio de Janeiro adopted World Cup fever, launching a range of green-and-gold t-shirts emblazoned with raunchy football phrases.[/size][/b]

[/size][/color][/size][/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]"Eu jogo pelada" read one of the Portuguese-language slogans, playing on a phrase that means both "I play naked" and "I play football".[/size][/font][/color][color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"Put it in, Selecao!" went another exhortation to the Brazil side.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]In a further bit of innuendo, the numbers on the backs of the t-shirts were all 69.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Each of the t-shirts were selling for 17 dollars -- "or half of what I get for turning a trick in the Rio suburb where I work," one of the prostitute-models showing off the attire, Gerenilza Marinho, 56, explained to the Folha de Sao Paulo daily.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]She and fellow sex workers were to parade the novelty t-shirts in a Rio fashion show later Wednesday.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[/font][/color][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Money raised was to go to Daspu, an association fighting against discrimination of prostitutes and for alternative revenues for older sex workers.[/size][/font] [/quote]


[url="http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/article484279.ece/Put-it-in-say-Brazils-patriotic-prostitutes"]http://www.timeslive...tic-prostitutes[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
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[b][size=5]England coach agrees to stay through Euro 2012[/size][/b]
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[color=#111111][font=arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif][size=2]LONDON(AP) —Fabio Capello signed a contract deal Wednesday to ensure he stays as England coach until the 2012 European Championship.The agreement removes an escape clause that could have let the Italian leave after the World Cup in South Africa.

“I always wanted to stay until the end of my contract,” Capello said. “In South Africa, we are totally focused on the World Cup.”

The announcement by the Football Association came just before England flew to Johannesburg and seemingly ends the possibility of Capello replacing Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.

“We’re very pleased to have Fabio’s commitment for another two years and it’s good that we have been able to resolve this before the team flies to South Africa,” Club England chairman Dave Richards said. “Now we can all concentrate on the World Cup and give Fabio and the players our full support.”

[/size][/font][/color][color=#111111][font=arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif][size=2]Capello, who has transformed England’s fortunes since becoming coach in 2008, will take charge of the team at a major tournament for the first time on June 12 when it takes on the United States in its World Cup opener.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote]


[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=txwcupenglandcapello"]http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=txwcupenglandcapello[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
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[b][size=5]Overhauling Maracana expected to cost $393 million[/size][/b]
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[color=#111111][font=arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif][size=2]RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)—Officials say overhauling Rio de Janeiro’s huge Maracana Stadium for the 2014 World Cup will cost more than $390 million.Marcia Lins, Rio de Janeiro state Sports and Tourism secretary, tells O Globo newspaper that the stadium’s renovation will begin in August and end in December 2012.

She says total costs should come in at an expected 720 million reals ($393 million).

Lins told the newspaper on Wednesday that Maracana will be ready to host the Confederations Cup in 2013.

[/size][/font][/color][color=#111111][font=arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif][size=2]Seating capacity at the stadium, built for the 1950 World Cup, is expected to increase from 82,238 to 90,000.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote]


[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup2014-maracana"]http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup2014-maracana[/url]

[JC]

I am nervous. If this would have happened like 2 or 3 weeks ago..it would be fine..but we need Jozy so bad in 9 days. So badly. One of the top 5 biggest games in US history. Coming off a second place finish in the CC. Beating the world's number 1 team, then almost handing #2 a loss in the finals. Momentum was at a all-time high. October rolls around, we lose our starting striker to a stupid car accident, and our best defender not too long after that and all the sudden the roller coaster starts. Getting our shit pushed in by a few teams in the process. Losing multiple players to injuries throughout the process, we finally have a great friendly. Jozy looks polished, Landon and Clint the same. We find a speedster to pair with Jozy..then bam. Sprained ankle. 9 days before the game. I know he is day-to-day, but he isn't going through the fitness training he needs to be playing at altitude. Now we have 3 strikers with a combined number of caps of less than 10 and 1 goal. Woah. What a momentum roller-coaster since the CC. We were playing with the top dogs, now we might have trouble getting out a weak group. I can't wait four more years. After 2006, these guys have to be hungry, but some are unfit and not ready for the challenge. What a bizarre last 8 months..

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Bradley gets last chance to evaluate starters

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 4th, 2010 1:57AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-AUSTRALIA][/color] Reading between the lines -- always a treacherous exercise when the U.S. national team is concerned -- would suggest a projected starting XI to face England June 12 will be on the field against Australia Saturday when both teams play a final World Cup tune-up game (8:30 am ET, ESPN2, Galavision). U.S. coach [b]Bob Bradley[/b] and counterpart [b]Pim Verbeek[/b] both want a crisp, clean game with good energy and moderate intensity minus studs-up tackles and flailing elbows, and both teams are monitoring injuries to key attackers.

U.S. forward [b]Jozy Altidore[/b] suffered a sprained right ankle in training Wednesday and is scheduled for a fitness test Friday to ascertain his condition. An MRI performed Thursday came back negative.

Australian forward [b]Harry Kewell[/b] (strained groin) and midfielder [b]Brett Emerton[/b] (injured calf) sat out a friendly against Denmark on Tuesday, a 1-0 Aussie win, but both players have undergone strenuous training sessions this week in preparation for the U.S. game at Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort.

“We’re still determining how to balance it out,” said Bob Bradley of his approach to this match against Australia, which qualified through the Asian confederation for the first time following decades of much weaker competition in the Oceania region. “Certainly a week before the match, we want to continue to move our team forward, but that sometimes involves different plans for different guys. So we look at each individual, try to sort out what’s best, and at the same time keep in mind the group and how to be ready for a big match next week.”

One player who must be as ready as possible is defender [b]Oguchi Onyewu[/b], whose appearances against Czech Republic and Turkey in the final send-off games before the team departed for South Africa represented his first competitive play in more than seven months. He played 65 minutes in the first match and the second half against Turkey; fitness coach [b]Pierre Barrieu[/b] and the team’s medical staff are closely observing his progress and recovery from a ruptured patellar tendon.

“We will certainly use him more against Australia, and try to assess exactly where that fits in as we make the decisions for the starting XI vs. England,” said Bradley, who has a few lineup decisions up in the air: a forward partner for Altidore, assuming he’s fit enough to start; a central midfield partner for [b]Michael Bradley[/b], and whether to play [b]Carlos Bocanegra[/b] in the middle with Onyewu or keep him at left back.

In case Altidore isn’t ready to start, Bradley could give more time to [b]Herculez Gomez[/b], [b]Robbie Findley[/b] and/or [b]Edson Buddle[/b].

Findley, along with three other halftime subs, sparked a sharper second half that yielded two goals against Turkey. Gomez came on as a sub against Czech Republic and headed in a goal; he had replaced Buddle, whose challenge on keeper [b]Peter Cech[/b] from a corner kick triggered a scramble that[b]Maurice Edu[/b] polished off with a goal.

Or, if Altidore’s ankle doesn’t heal sufficiently, Bradley could again start Dempsey up top -- as he did in the Turkey game -- and juggle his midfield to utilize [b]DaMarcus Beasley[/b], whose pace might give England coach [b]Fabio Capello[/b] another possibility to ponder. Still, Bradley’s modus operandi is to focus on his team, not pump out smokescreens.

Australia is also kicking off its World Cup with the group heavyweight; a day after the U.S. faces England, the Aussies play Germany. Keeper [b]Mark Schwarzer[/b], who had been sidelined with a thumb injury, returned to the starting lineup against the Danes, and on Saturday gets a chance to thwart Fulham teammate [b]Clint Dempsey[/b].

“In any game you play in, you always want to score, but it would be good to score against him because he’s always running his mouth in training,” said Dempsey. “Really, he’s a great goalie. He helped us out a lot at Fulham. I think a lot of the success of the team goes to having that experience between the sticks.”

The experience of facing Australia, which is well-stocked with English Premier League players past and present, should hone the Americans. Midfielder [b]Tim Cahill[/b], who briefly was a teammate of [b]Landon Donovan[/b] during his loan stint with Everton, is one of several players who can stretch the U.S. in any game, friendly or otherwise.

“Australia plays well as a team,” said Bradley. “They have a great mentality; we’d like to think that there are similarities between the mentalities of both teams in that regard. Their game against Denmark was a fast game, their field is a little tight and it made for a fast game, some turnovers and put a premium on reactions when the ball turns over, so it wasn’t a game that had a great flow.

“But I think it provided a good kind of match for getting teams ready, so we’ll try and have the same thought as we prepare.” [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38343/bradley-gets-last-chance-to-evaluate-starters.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38343/bradley-gets-last-chance-to-evaluate-starters.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Big boost to Tri's confidence

[/size][b][size=1]June 3rd, 2010 5:23PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][MEXICO] [/color]Against defending champion Italy, which was fielding close to what is expected to be its starting lineup at the World Cup, Mexico earned an emphatic 2-1 win in Thursday's friendly played before a pro-Italian crowd of 30,000 fans in Brussels.

[b]Giovani dos Santos[/b] set up [b]Carlos Vela[/b] for the first goal and former MLS star [b]Cuauhtemoc Blanco[/b] fed [b]Alberto Medina[/b], who scored after beating the offside trap as the Tri made the Italian backline to look slow and disorganized.

The game was Mexico's fourth since heading to Europe for its final preparations, while Italy was playing its first international match since March.

Mexico fielded the same 4-3-3 formation it opened against England last week with young [b]Javier Hernandez[/b] playing in place of the injured [b]Guillermo Franco[/b] in the only change in the lineup.

Veteran [b]Oscar Perez[/b], who played for Coach [b]Javier Aguirre[/b] at the 2002 World Cup, again started in place of young star [b]Guillermo Ochoa[/b]in goal.

Blanco looks set to play a key role off the bench for Mexico.

Aguirre tried to downplay the importance of the win, while Italy coach [b]Marcello Lippi [/b]acknowledged that his players were tired.

“We’ve been up in the mountains for 10 days," said Lippi. "We arrived here this morning and we were up against a team in much better form than us -- you can’t analyze this game based on anything else. The players told me their legs felt very heavy.

[color=#FF0000]June 3 in Brussels[/color]
[b]Mexico 2 Italy 1. [/b]Goals: Vela 17, Medina 84; Bonucci 89.
[b]Mexico -- [/b]Perez, Aguilar, Osorio, Rodriguez (Moreno, 69), Salcido, Juarez (Guardado, 87), Marquez (Barrera, 46), Torrado, dos Santos (Medina, 52), Hernandez (Blanco, 71), Vela (Castro, 83).
[b]Italy -- [/b]Buffon, Zambrotta (Maggio, 63), Bonucci, Cannavaro (Bocchetti, 89), Criscito, De Rossi (Quagliarella, 76), Pirlo (Palombo, 82), Iaquinta, Marchisio, Di Natale (Pepe, 46), Gilardino (Pazzini, 63).
[b]Att.: [/b]30,000. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38342/big-boost-to-tris-confidence.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38342/big-boost-to-tris-confidence.html[/url]