Top of Premier League table resumes familiar pattern; MLS 2011 expansion prediction

Things at the top of the Premier League table are starting to look awfully familiar.

After losing to the Tottenham "Redknapp effect" 2-1 Saturday, Liverpool now trail Chelsea (easy 5-0 winners against Sunderland) on goal difference, while Manchester United have shrugged off an indifferent start to their campaign, their latest scalp a tricky 4-3 win over Hull City. United lie in third, five points behind with a game in hand. Arsenal meanwhile, sit in fourth after their weekend debacle away to Stoke City.

Sound familiar? It's more than a little comical how it generally takes about 10 or so games, but the pretenders get shaken out sooner rather than later. There are questions to be asked of the Big Four (Can Liverpool do the business over the long term without Fernando Torres, will Arsenal suffer a total collapse due to injuries, will Man United get distracted by January transfer speculation?), but for all the talk of several teams "breaking in" to the Champions League positions, nothing seems to have really changed.

For all of the promise that Hull City have shown through the first quarter of the season, the Champions League will not be the next stop for the determined Tigers.

The only intriguing case for a shake-up at the top appears to be the pluck Aston Villa. Villa look to have mastered the task of navigating the lower-tier Premier League teams, and have already taken a point off Liverpool. Victory tonight at Newcastle would vault the Villains ahead of Man United into third. This at the same time that their chief rival to the Big Club, Arsenal, took a beating in more ways than one against Stoke.

The Gunners' best striker this term, Robin van Persie, got sent off and will miss the upcoming match against Manchester United. Emmanuel Adebayor, Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna all suffered injuries. Yesterday, manager Arsene Wenger admitted his team may already be burnt out. Not a good sign at this point, is it?

Like Arsenal, Villa are talented, but the depth of Martin O'Neill's squad is questionable over the gruelling English season. With UEFA cup group stage games, FA and Carling cup ties along with the Christmas schedule on the horizon, Villa's credentials will be truly tested over the next two months.

As for the rest, relegation battles and cup dreams remain the only possible consolation.

MLS Expansion

Since straying from my little piece of the 'Net, Major League Soccer announced its list of suitors for two expansion slots for the 2011 season. Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Miami, Atlanta, St. Louis and Portland all confirmed their intentions to bid for what would be the 17th and 18th league franchises (after Seattle and Philadelphia are admitted in the interim).

From my corner of the world here in Ottawa, I see two possible results, bounded by two factors. Remember: 1) the league wants to promote rivalries, 2) the league is split geographically into East and West.

This makes for two scenarios: Montreal and Portland or Vancouver and Atlanta.

The first assumption that this prediction makes is that MLS is hot for Canada. Toronto FC is, at least commercially, the most successful club in the league. Some of this comes down to the city of Toronto and not having enough holes for people to drop their bottomless pit of entertainment dollars into; some of this is because there are many people in this country who crave professional football.

MLS, in my opinion, sees the opportunity to cash in on Canadian footballing dreams and will take one bid from the three northern cities.

Montreal, with solid ownership and a "soccer specific" stadium which can easily be expanded, seems the most likely candidate. The Impact's run in the CONCACAF Champions League couldn't come at a more opportune time either. Also working in Montreal's favour is the age-old rivalry with Toronto (George Gillett, owner of the Canadiens/Impact vs. MLSE, owner of the Maple Leafs/TFC).

This would make way for Portland and the Timbers, who could then re-kindle their rivalry with Seattle at the MLS level.

The alternative would be Vancouver, also in the west and a potential rival for Seattle, but with no stadium. In the East, Atlanta would be the second pick of the litter behind Montreal, only because it is backed by Falcons owner Arthur Blanks. Atlanta however is a professional sporting nightmare, with little in the way of consistent fan support for any of the current franchises (Falcons, Braves, Hawks, Thrashers).

Miami, backed by Barcelona, was tried once before by MLS, why go back now? As for St. Louis, a team there would serve as a rival for Kansas City, but why prop up the weakest market in the league with another dubious football market?

As for Ottawa: no professional team + no stadium + no clue = no team. Senators owner Eugene Melnyk should look into the soon-to-be-burgeoning market for a USL team and build from the ground up, unless Millwall co-owner and city sporting rival Bill Shenkman beats him to it.

Canada v. Jamaica: World Cup 2010 Qualifying Preview

Canada starts the next stage in its bid to earn a berth in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with a match against the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica on Wednesday in Toronto.

The Canadian team, announced last week, is perhaps the strongest we've ever managed to assemble:

Goalkeepers: Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo); Greg Sutton (Toronto FC)

Defenders: Paul Stalteri (Tottenham Hotspur); Jim Brennan (Toronto FC); Mike Klukowski (Club Brugge); Kevin McKenna (FC Koln); Richard Hastings (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Adrian Serioux (FC Dallas)

Midfielders: Daniel Imhof (VfL Bochum); Julian de Guzman (Deportivo La Coruna); Issey Nakajima-Farran (FC Nordsjlland); Atiba Hutchinson (FC Copenhagen); Patrice Bernier (FC Nordsjlland); Tomasz Radzinski (Skoda Xanthi); Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo)

Forwards: Ali Gerba (MK Dons); Rob Friend (Borussia Moenchengladbach); Iain Hume (Barnsley)

Canada looks strongest in midfield, with the likes of De Rosario, De Guzman, Radzinski and Hutchinson. The forwards, particularly Gerba and Friend will also play a big factor in Canada's success. Defence is a weak spot with no true centre backs named in the squad.

For Jamaica:

Goalkeepers: Donovan Ricketts (Bradford City); Shawn Sawyers (Portmore United)

Defenders: Tyrone Marshall (Toronto FC); Ian Goodison (Tranmere Rovers); Keneil Moodie (Seba United); O'Brian Woodbine (Reno); Demar Stewart (Chengdu Blades); Jermaine Taylor (Harbour View); Demar Phillips (Stoke City)

Midfielders: Davion Thorpe (Reno); Evan Taylor (Reno); Rudolph Austin (Stoke City); Jevaughn Watson (Sporting Central); Jermaine Hue (Harbour View); Ricardo Gardner (Bolton Wanderers); Wolry Wolfe (Joe Public)

Forwards: Deon Burton (Sheffield Wednesday); Luton Shelton (Valerenga); Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids); Andy Williams (Real Salt Lake)

The Jamaicans also look strong up front, with Shelton leading the team with five goals in the opening qualifying round. Their defence looks decent, with a couple England-based players and TFC's Tyrone Marshall (who is questionable for the match, having picked up a quadriceps injury). The midfield is mainly composed of domestic-based players and remains somewhat of an enigma for us non-Jamaicans. They will surely benefit from their familiarity with one another, but the star, Gardner, didn't feature for Bolton on the weekend.

Canada leads the series between the two nations with a record of 6 wins, 4 draws and only 2 losses over 12 games. Particularly telling is the Canadians' record at home, with 5 wins and a draw. The confines of BMO Field should only help with this fine home form.

The Jamaicans dominated their second round qualifier against the Bahamas, winning 13-0 on aggregate.

There will be no games in the so-called Group of Death (also including Honduras and Mexico) that Canada can take for granted. They should be looking for three points against Jamaica, but by no means should these points be considered automatic.

Rene Simoes, the Brazilian who had been in talks with the Canadian Soccer Association to take over after the departure of Frank Yallop last year, manages the Jamaicans and will certainly have the Reggae Boyz prepared for the match.

Canadian manager Dale Mitchell would be advised to make the best of his limited training time with the largely European-based side, to ensure the squad is organized and acclimatizing his players to the artificial pitch at BMO.

Canada's next match is in Montreal on Sept. 6, against Honduras.

TFC's Edu makes Rangers switch

Glasgow Rangers have acquired Toronto FC and U.S. international midfielder Maurice Edu for a fee of £2.7 million (roughly $5.25 million Canadian).

According to the club's website, the move is still contingent upon Edu receiving a British work permit, but with six senior caps and his selection to the U.S. side for an upcoming World Cup qualifier against Guatemala, it should likely be nothing more than a formality.

Edu scored five goals in 38 appearances for Toronto FC, and won the MLS Rookie of the Year award in his debut campaign last season.

The midfielder has a bright future ahead of him in Scotland, but it leaves questions about what lies ahead for the TFC midfield. Aside from Welsh international Carl Robinson, there isn't really anyone else to mind the centre of the park for the Reds. Canadians Kevin Harmse, Tyler Rosenlund and Gabe Gala have all appeared in the role this season, none of the trio have managed to acquit themselves yet.

General manager Mo Johnston moved to pick up former U.S. under-21 forward Johann Smith late last week, but with Edu gone the transfers may not have wrapped up yet for Toronto. According to MLS rules, TFC receive two-thirds of the transfer fee for Edu.

Vancouver and Montreal to bid for pair of 2011 MLS slots

The Vancouver Whitecaps have confirmed they will join the Montreal Impact in the bidding for the chance to join MLS in 2011, according to The Globe and Mail.

Yesterday, MLS commissioner Don Garber announced the league would add two additional teams in 2011, bringing the total number of clubs to 18 following the introduction of Seattle in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010.

The Whitecaps and owner Greg Kerfoot will join with NBA star and Victoria native Steve Nash to make the bid. Nash's brother, Martin, is a midfielder for the Whitecaps.

As for the Impact, the Globe further confirmed the Saputo family, who own the Montreal USL team, will join forces with Liverpool FC and Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett to bring an MLS team to Quebec.

It has been previously reported in the Ottawa Citizen that the owner of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, Eugene Melnyk, is interested in bidding for an MLS team. Garber confirmed a group from Ottawa has expressed interest in an expansion team during his state of the league address in Toronto on Wednesday. In fact, Garber mentioned Ottawa alongside Montreal and Vancouver, making it seem that Melnyk is more than just curious in acquiring a football team. A video of the address is available on mlsnet.com.

A bid by Melnyk would not likely target the two spots opening in 2011, however. A later bid, closer to 2014-2015 is more likely.

Portsmouth look at Wright-Phillips bid

According to The Guardian, Portsmouth are looking at making a move for seldom-used Chelsea midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The south-coast team would make the diminutive winger the replacement for Sulley Muntari, who looks set to move to Inter Milan for around £12.5 million. Portsmouth would use the proceeds of that deal to acquire Wright-Phillips.

This would be a great move for both club and player. Wright-Phillips is a fantastic player who has stagnated on the bench at Chelsea.

For Wright-Phillips, it would be a great opportunity to vault himself back into England contention, as Fabio Capello will be watching UEFA Cup-bound Portsmouth intently this year with Peter Crouch, Jermaine Defoe, David James and Sol Campbell all likely to feature for Pompey this term.

MLS expansion plan to be revealed today

According to an article on the Montreal Gazette website, the MLS will expand to 24 teams by 2015. The plan will be revealed today by MLS commissioner Don Garber at the MLS All-Star game being held in Toronto. The announcement will follow a board of governors meeting.

Among the teams identified in the article as likely candidates for expansion are Montreal and Vancouver, along with fellow USL clubs Portland, Atlanta and Miami.

Such a plan would be earth-shattering for the 11-team USL, with Seattle set to join the MLS next season.

Also raised in the article is the fact that the Saputo family, who own both the Montreal Impact and Saputo Stadium, would need to find investment to help fund a stadium expansion and higher payroll demanded by a move up to the MLS. The story suggests that none other than Liverpool co-owner (and Montreal Canadiens owner) George Gillett could be involved in such a plan. Interesting...

I think most people who follow the league believe the league should be bigger, but I'm a little wary about a couple of things.

What indeed happens to the USL? Aside from the USL first division, there is a USL-2 which is roughly the same size, along with the PDL, which consists of several leagues across the U.S. and Canada. While it would be easy to simply bump some teams up to fill the void, the loss of strong markets would surely be detrimental to the USL as a whole.

For the MLS as well, the crippling of the USL wouldn't be the best of situations. Many North American players get a start in the USL -- it acts as an unaffiliated feeder league. Without a strong USL, the development of homegrown talent will suffer.

Perhaps as part of any expansion talks, the MLS and USL need to enter into some sort of partnership to ensure they are able to coexist. Hopefully the U.S. soccer federation will step in with their thoughts as well.

Secondly, one of the strengths of the MLS has been their patient approach to expansion. Currently there are 14 teams. There are two more teams already set for expansion, Seattle in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010. Does this mean the league wants to add eight teams in the five years between then and 2015?

This seems a little over the edge. I think even 20 teams by 2015 would be a fine goal, allowing the league to reach what is globally recognized as pretty much as big as you want a single tier to get. Anyways, what's wrong with seeing how things are going at 20 teams? I'm not naive enough to think this isn't about money (the next set of teams admitted to the league will pay a $40 million expansion fee each, reportedly), but why risk it?

I've long thought the more MLS has tried to emulate the best leagues in the world, the more successful it's been. It should keep on that track.

CBC spoils Toronto FC - Montreal Impact clash

So I was searching the dial to find where I could catch the final match of the Canadian Championship between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact (tonight, 7:00 p.m.). Flicking through the menu on my digital cable box, I discovered the game is being shown on two channels: TLN (an Italian cultural channel out of Toronto) and something called CBC Bold.

Well, despite pumping out a considerable sum every month to ensure I get total football coverage (Setanta, check! GolTV, check! Fox Sportsworld, check! The Score, check!), I do not get either of these sideshow channels. This is not going over well.

The game will decide the supposed Canadian champions, since Montreal are in the driving seat, only a win for Toronto will snatch the title for the Reds. It's going to be captivating stuff, and will hopefully provide a new birth for Canadian club football. The winner will gain a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League to boot.

But I'm going to have to sit in front of my computer screen, watching the game via the CBC website, in a teeny, tiny viewing window, with a halting, grainy picture.

What would CBC need to preempt to put the game on their main feed? Coronation Street, Just for Laughs Gags, The Rick Mercer Report and This Hour Has 22 Minutes! That's it. A bunch of bleeding reruns.

The national, publicly funded network is showing reruns instead of what could be a defining moment in the country for the world's game.

I encourage anyone who is even marginally as outraged as I am to send the CBC an email, letting them know they missed the boat on this one.

Columbus is burning ... err, not really.

Apparently some Columbus Crew supporters decided to engage in some aggressive taunting at friendly match between the MLS side and West Ham United in Ohio last night. According to reports in the media, about 100 Crew supporters scuffled with about 30 West Ham faithful, resulting in approximately one (1) arrest, so far as I can tell.

The reports want to suggest the West Ham supporters somehow incited the brawl by entering the section of the stadium where the most dedicated Crew supporters congregate.

I find this dubious at best. Much like in other parts of the world, security at North American sporting events check tickets of patrons who want to enter a particular section before they are allowed to enter. However it is possible, at some stadiums, to walk in front of a given section to get to another section of the stadium. It's more likely the West Ham supporters were coming back to their own seats with a beer or hot dog or empty bladder and were taunted by the Crew contingent, and things devolved from there.

Where things have really devolved are on the message boards of the websites posting these stories.

If one were to take a look at ESPN Soccernet's story on the incident, scroll down to the bottom and open the link to the ESPN Conversations section of the story, you'd see a dizzying array of accounts from supposed eyewitnesses, a bunch of people who want to boast about their city's mostly collegiate sporting tradition and people who hate football (soccer, not American football, which many of them thump their chests about). Some of it is really funny, some of it is typical American arrogance.

Over on The Times' site, people seem to be a bit more composed, a bit more accurate with their commentary. One post, (which can be viewed via the link provided) by a gentleman named Graham Bunting of London, sums up who likely incited the brawl. Or at least I find it the wittiest explanation:

"I assume that the West Ham fans were dedicated members of the official supporters club, Americans with a passing interest or family link and holidaymakers, rather than a wealthy faction of the ICF, on a transatlantic tour of ultra-violence.
What is really depressing is the knee jerk reaction here."

Indeed.

World Cup 2010 rumor & Dwayne De Rosario to Copenhagen?

This week I tuned in to a podcast that I've been away from for far too long: World Soccer Daily. What the hell was I thinking? This is still, along with the Guardian Football Weekly and Footy Show, mandatory listening for any Canadian football fan.

Anyways, my reward for correcting my negligent behaviour was a pair of juicy rumours.

According to Steven and Kenny, FIFA has confirmed three contingency nations to host World Cup 2010 if things continue to go awry in South Africa. The United States, England and Spain apparently have agreed to host the tournament if South Africa continues to fall behind on development.

This week, Sepp Blatter announced that three nations had been contacted to provide cover in case of a natural catastrophe, but refused to provide the identity of the countries. As well, it was announced that a new stadium under construction in Port Elizabeth will not be ready for next year's Confederations Cup, casting further doubt on the status of the 2010 event.

The second rumour, heard on yesterday's show, which was not confirmed by the player himself (but not denied either), is that Canadian star midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, who plays for the Houston Dynamo of the MLS, could be lining up a move to Danish side FC Copenhagen. Such a move would allow De Rosario to participate in the UEFA Cup, for which Copenhagen have qualified, and a chance to play alongside fellow Canada international Atiba Hutchison.

I think De Rosario, two-time MLS player of the year, has proven himself at the MLS level and it's time for him to move on to a higher level of competition. This is great news, I feel, for Canadian fans as an improved Dwayne De Rosario would certainly improve Canada's chances to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, wherever it might be played.

Toronto FC miss out on Huckerby, Ronaldo doing his best to become most hated man in Manchester

Toronto FC target Darren Huckerby has signed for the San Jose Earthquakes. It had been hoped that former Norwich City teammate Carl Robinson and English coach John Carver might be able to sway the 32-year-old forward to sign for the Reds, but according to a story on ESPN Soccernet, Huckerby's agent said he "liked the idea of California."

The Reds will now pin their hopes on signing former Manchester City striker Paul Dickov.

Ronaldo thumbs his nose at Manchester

Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be doing his best to annoy everyone in the red half of Manchester these days. Not only has the Portugal winger essentially said his dream is to play for Real Madrid, he is now agreeing with the foggy commentary that spews from FIFA boss Sepp Blatter.

According to a story in The Guardian, on the topic of players and their public wishes to move from club to club, Blatter said there was "too much modern slavery" in football.

This was followed by Ronaldo agreeing with Blatter:

"It's true. I agree with what the president of FIFA said. I know what I want and what I would like. We have to see what happens. I do not know where I will begin next season."

Clearly, much like Gareth Barry of Aston Villa, a statement like this is crudely designed to force a club's hand. It is unfortunate for the fans of Manchester United, who generally recieve a reasonable amount of loyalty from their players, that someone of Ronaldo's stature needs to continue with his childish ways off the pitch, instead of restricting his tantrums to the field of play.

Other Transfer News

Manchester United have bid £20 million for Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov, according to a report in The Daily Mail. Spurs apparently will insist on £30 million. The article goes on to state Alex Ferguson is not looking to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, but "the manager is interested only in strengthening his side." Really...

The Times reports Tottenham Hotspur are looking to sign top Espanyol striker Luis Garcia (not to be confused with former Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia, now of Athletico Madrid). The article suggests Spurs are looking to rid themselves of two of Robbie Keane (Liverpool?), Darren Bent (Wigan, possibly) or Berbatov. Garcia would apparently cost the north London club around £8 million.

Newcastle have signed Liverpool's Danny Guthrie for an undisclosed fee according to several sources. The 21-year-old midfielder impressed while on loan last season with Bolton enough that several clubs were interested in acquiring his services.

Things are getting strange at Blackburn. New manager Paul Ince apparently has no ambition of moving his side up the table, if his transfer dealings are any indication. It has been widely reported that former Cardiff City and Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has joined Rovers and a report in The Daily Mail has Ince lining up current Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant as a replacement for David Bentley, whom the former MK Dons manager has resigned himself to losing. Good luck with the new job, Gov.

Scolari a boost to Premier League, TFC need win to avoid embarrassment

After watching clips of the initial news conference held by Luiz Felipe Scolari, the new manager of Chelsea, I couldn't help but smile. Seeing the Brazilian in action was like a breath of fresh air ... almost like, like something special?

He also appeared to have no fear of his new boss, Roman Abramovich. When asked what his relationship is like with the Russian owner, he replied that he had met Abramovich twice and they're getting along well. I believe he even said they're friends. Bold, very bold, I'd say.

No he's not the second coming of The Special One. When asked whether he was special, the former Portugal manager replied, in much better English than Fabio Capello can muster, that he is special: to his family and friends.

There is a boldness, a confidence about Scolari. He appears ready for the task at hand, perhaps much more ready than several other managers who have recently been appointed (not to point fingers, but Kevin Keegan hasn't really exuded too much confidence in his second spell at Newcastle).

He'll need every ounce of courage he can muster, since chief executive Peter Kenyon, in an article posted on ESPN Soccernet, suggested that along about mid-season Scolari will learn what it means to be the manager of one of the top four clubs in England.

I'm sure with the media circus surrounding the club Scolari has already figured that out. The transfer saga surrounding Frank Lampard and the possible departure of the club's top striker in Didier Drogba (Scolari says he's 200 per cent in his plans, however) has surely given the man known as Big Phil all the warning he needs as to what he's about to experience.

I'm prepared to tip Chelsea for some form of success this year, they have deep pockets and now have a manager who appears a match for the task at hand.

Toronto FC have work to do after draw

After drawing 2-2 with the Vancouver Whitecaps last night at Swangard Stadium, Toronto FC have their work cut out for them to avoid embarrassment in the Nutrilite Canadian Championships. The three team tournament determines Canada's entrant into the 32 team CONCACAF Champions League.

TFC currently have four points through three games: a victory over the Montreal Impact at Saputo Stadium, their first home defeat of the season against Vancouver at home and last night's draw.

It wouldn't look good at all for Canada's sole MLS side to bow out to a USL foe, which is what will happen if Toronto fail to beat Montreal on July 22 at BMO Field.

The Reds striking woes continue to haunt them with only the disappointing Jeff Cunningham available to lead the line with Danny Dichio out injured. Head coach John Carver and company better get things sorted out in a hurry if they want to be playing in the continent's top competition later this year.

Transfer News & Rumours

As I alluded to above, Frank Lampard is threatening to quit Chelsea after they turned down a £7.95 million transfer offer from Inter Milan, according to The Guardian. The article goes on to say that the 30-year-old Lampard is considering exploiting a rule whereby a player who signed a contract before he is 28 years of age can buy out that contract after three years have elapsed. Very heavy stuff indeed, things could get ugly for Mr. Lampard.

The Telegraph is that Barcelona has agreed to a fee for Arsenal's unsettled midfielder Alexander Hleb. The Catalan club will pay £11.9 million up front, with the fee rising to £13.3 million depending on how Hleb's new club performs.

Fans of Olympique Marseille are trying to muster up enough cash to help the club purchase Didier Drogba from Chelsea, according to a report on ESPN Soccernet. The group has already raised £4,000 of the £22 million they feel is required to prise the striker from the London club. If you want to contribute to the cause, go to www.doodle.ch, but I'm pretty sure the sum is a bridge two or three too far.

The Daily Mail is reporting that striker Andy Johnson could be moving to Wigan if Everton accepts a £10 million bid. Johnson, who moved to Everton from Crystal Palace for £8 million, has become unsettled in David Moyes side the story reports. I think a move away from Goodison could be positive for the England international, who could benefit from playing alongside target man Emile Heskey at the JJB.

Also on Soccernet, eight of the 17 directors of Barcelona have stepped down following the near successful vote to unseat club president Joan Laporta on Sunday. This surely makes Laporta's position untenable and his days at the club will be numbered.

Are players running (or ruining) the transfer market?

Almost since the end of the European club season, there has been rampant speculation about the status of several top players from top clubs in England. Now I'm not naive enough to suggest this is a new phenomenon, or that it doesn't make for fine summer reading, but several of these situations strike me as being a bit odd.

The three I players I have in mind are Cristiano Ronaldo, Emmanuel Adebayor and Gareth Barry. All three were integral to the success of their teams, Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa, respectively, in the past season. Under normal circumstances, you might think that as players employed by successful clubs, they would be reasonably happy and would look forward to leading their teams out come August for another year in what is arguably the best league in the world.

Yet all three look poised to move to clubs that have through various means cast them a means of escape from such success. Real Madrid has done little to hide their adoration of Ronaldo, Barcelona have been bleating about Adebayor and Liverpool harbour ambitions of acquiring Barry. These are players under contract, but it appears under no circumstances were the clubs approached prior to it becoming public knowledge that suitors did indeed exist.

The strict definition of "tapping up" escapes me, but I'm sure a clever lawyer would be able to prove it has occurred in some form in each instance. Unfortunately for the fans of these clubs, even FIFA and UEFA have said little about these less than straightforward approaches.

What makes matters worse, is that none of the players in question have made even the most amateur attempt to remain loyal to their employers. Barry went so far as to lash out at his boss Martin O'Neill, trying to blame the manager for his new found desire to flee the club he captains.

If the clubs and the parent associations are unwilling to impose some form of policing on the transfer system, it appears as though players are simply free agents year round, with the lack of a fat salary from a huge club the only reason for them to stay where they are.

TFC looking at Dickov, Huckerby

According to a story published today in the National Post, former Manchester City striker Paul Dickov and former Norwich City forward Darren Huckerby are in talks with the MLS club.

The story indicated that the 35-year-old Dickov is the more likely to sign, with the oft injured Huckerby, 32, reluctant to play on BMO Field's artificial turf (still look like a good idea to put that stuff in?). At any rate, TFC owns the MLS rights to both players (and U.S. international Brian McBride, who is looking to finish his career in hometown Chicago), so if another team wants to sign them, TFC will be owed compensation.

Either man would be a bonus for TFC, who are once again struggling up front. The signing of a new striker would open the door for inconsistent Jeff Cunningham to be moved, which has been a long time coming.

Today's Transfers

Middlesbrough have completed the signing of Sparta Rotterdam forward Marvin Emnes. The Dutch under-21 international signed with the Teeside club for 3.2 million pounds.

Liverpool completed the signing of Italian full back Andrea Dossena from Udinese for an undisclosed fee. Dossena will play down the left, replacing Norwegian John Arne Riise who was sold to Roma earlier this week.

West Ham have signed 17-year-old defender Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson from HK Kopavogur for an undisclosed fee. According to the club's website, the Icelandic under-21 spent a week on trial at West Ham in February.

Daily Rumors

Barcelona's Ronaldinho is "80-90 per cent" certain to move to Italian giants AC Milan, according to The Times.

Former Liverpool and Leeds United midfielder Harry Kewell's agent denies his client has signed for Turkish side Galatasaray, The Guardian reports.

Tottenham are on the trail of Russia's Euro 2008 star forward Roman Pavlyuchenko, who plays at Spartak Moscow, according to The Telegraph.

MLS in Ottawa, We're off to see Canada and number 7

MLS coming to Ottawa?

According to a report by Hugh Adami in the Ottawa Citizen today, the owner of the Ottawa Senators and Biovail founder Eugene Melnyk is actively seeking to bring a MLS team to the city.

As Adami points out in the article, billionaire Melnyk faces a rough road in his quest, both from the City of Ottawa who are reluctant to pump money into either aging Frank Clair stadium or a new stadium at a new site and from competition for new franchises.

MLS wants to add four teams to its 14 league by 2012 according to Adami's piece, with Seattle and Philadelphia already claiming two berths. To make matters worse for a potential Melnyk bid, groups in both Montreal and Vancouver are eying teams of their own. They both happen to have the advantage of already owning USL teams with decent fan bases. Ottawa have the USL Player Development League Fury, which draws next to no media coverage and little in the way of fan support.

Melnyk's ambition is admirable, since football appears to be gaining a firm toehold in the Canadian sporting scene and top flight clubs will eventually dot cities here. I think MLS has other plans and as a U.S.-based league, they will surely look to build their business in U.S. cities.

As for the next Canadian team, I feel MLS will favour Vancouver, if only because it's profile will be high in the next few years with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and another West Coast team will balance out travel for a league strung across this massive continent.

As a side note, Adami mentions that NBA star and Victoria native Steve Nash is interested in putting some cash into an MLS team, also strengthening a Vancouver bid.

Canada vs. St Vincent & the Grenadines

I'm heading off today to see the second leg match in Canada's opening World Cup 2010 qualifying round. Canada lead 3-0 after the first leg, so a home tie being held at the brand new Saputo Stadium in Montreal should be a matter of course. It should be good fun, with a post tomorrow to fill in all the blanks.

One number 7 is playing well...

Anyone who follows this blog at all (yes, all two of you I'm sure) knows I admire the skills of Christiano Ronaldo, but despise him as an athlete competing in sporting events. Well, I am vindicated for another day after his uber-sulk yesterday against the Germans in Portugal's 3-2 defeat in the Euro 2008 quarterfinal.

Ronaldo put in about five minutes (total) of noticeable effort, resulting in one goal, as far as I could tell. Yes, not a bad return for a match. But when you are supposed to be the Greatest Player To Ever Play (as anointed by many in the naive media) and your team in fact needed two ADDITIONAL goals to win (plus the one he had nothing to do with) and you simply sulk because the Germans won't cave to your otherworldly footballing powers, you don't really deserve the hype.

Another player wearing number seven in this match, looked like he may be one of the best in the world right now. Bastian Schweinsteiger had a superb match, as did German captain Michael Ballack. If these two keep it up, Germany will be tough to beat. Schweinsteiger is playing like a man possessed right now, and is closer to being the player Ronaldo is supposed to be than Portugal's defeated number seven.

Putting Canadian football in perspective, David Beckham notwithstanding

It is somewhat of a strange weekend here in Canada, and not because it's almost June and we've seen not a whiff of humidity in southern Ontario.

Nor is it particularly out of the ordinary that David Beckham won't be playing for the L.A. Galaxy against Toronto FC later on this afternoon. That appears to have become a tradition, and I'm sure some other commitment will force Mr. Beckham to skip out on the fixture next year too.

But I digress...today is Soccer Day In Canada. This is a less than clever knockoff of what has become, in my opinion, a tired exercise when it is applied to hockey by the ubiquitous Canadian institution, the CBC.

Today the whole nation is expected to huddle around the television set and marvel at the beautiful game, in the form of U-14 games from Halifax and later yet another average production of the Toronto FC match. Interesting that Canada v. Brazil from Seattle isn't in the lineup, that match being shown on a rival network.

At any rate, I've shifted most of my attention lately to North America, after suffering through the pain of Liverpool being knocked out of the Champions League and then having to watch Manchester United lift both the Premier League and European trophies. There have been some good things happening in Canada, while some of the same cancers remain.

If you haven't taken the time to watch Toronto FC this season, they have vastly improved over last year's edition. Laurent Robert and Amado Guevara have almost instantly improved the squad. Gone are the days of kick-and-chase, TFC are playing more attractive football. Possession is maintained, attacks are built in a more calculated manner and this has given the defenders a respite from the frantic displays from last season. Players like Maurice Edu, Jim Brennan and Carl Robinson also look more comfortable in the more settled side.

Yet another football specific stadium opened this spring in Montreal. Saputo Stadium will be the home ground of the Montreal Impact of the USL as well as a venue for Canadian national team games. The first such match will be the World Cup 2010 qualifier versus St. Vincent & the Grenadines on June 20.

The three top Canadian club sides are participating in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps will play each other home and away, with the top club moving on to play in the CONCACAF Champions League (this is a new 24 team tournament that replaces the Champions Cup). Toronto won the first match in Montreal 1-0 on Tuesday.

With all that's going on in Canadian football right now, there are still a number of warts. The Canadian Soccer Association still has a long way to go in order to resemble a true footballing association. The provincial associations continue to play power games at the expense of the national program, and there's little evidence this will end any time soon. With the World Cup qualifying campaign starting in a matter of weeks, Canadian supporters can only hope the players can succeed in spite of those running the association.

Television production of matches in Canada is a pet peeve of mine at the moment. While Canadians may have set the broadcast standards for hockey world wide, effective production of football matches seems to have eluded them. This is not that the commentators are particularly weak. Jason De Vos, a former Canadian international and Ipswich Town captain, recently joined the CBC and has provided some good analysis of TFC games.

The practice of having stationary field level cameras needs to end, however. During broadcasts, you can see this fool sitting at the center line with a stationary camera, providing some of the most bland shots I've ever seen.

Dear CBC: you've got more money than you know what to do with, buy some steady cams, hire operators and do things like the pros in Europe do. Throw-ins, free kicks and corners (where these cameras are usually employed) happen all over the pitch. A stationary camera can't hope to capture these moments in any compelling manner. While you're at buy some more pitch-level microphones. The reason English Premier League matches are great to watch on TV is that you feel like you're THERE. You see everything and you hear everything: the keeper hoofing the ball upfield, the players shouting at each other, the managers shouting at the players and the roar of the crowd. I've yet to go to a TFC match, but speaking with those who are there, it's noisy. You can't tell on your broadcasts. Get on the phone with Sky, Setanta, BBC or whoever, and learn how to do things right.

Oh yeah, the EURO starts next weekend.

MLSE looks to buy English club

My coffee maker broke the other day, so I took a walk over to a local convenience store to get my morning fix. I stopped in front of the news rack and one of the headlines caught my eye:

"Leafs owner eyes U.K. soccer"

(Toronto Star, 04/24/2008, A1)

For those who aren't from Canada, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment is a sports/real estate conglomerate based in Toronto, Ont. They are the owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs (National Hockey League), Toronto Raptors (National Basketball Association), Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) and the two facilities where these teams play, the Air Canada Centre and BMO Field. The estimate value of these clubs and MLSE's other holdings is $1.75 billion (Cnd.)

The thought of MLSE buying a English club is intriguing, but I believe U.K. supporters of some clubs should be wary. I say some clubs because MLSE is not an organization with a winning tradition. No MLSE sports franchise has won a single bit of silverware since the Leafs won the NHL championship in 1967.

Even Tom Hicks, the reviled part-owner of Liverpool, can claim his Dallas Stars of the NHL won a Stanley Cup in 1999.

So the article goes through a series of teams MLSE supposedly has interested in acquiring. MLSE President Richard Peddie said he recently visited Tottenham, Reading and Southampton. Peddie also went to Stamford Bridge to see the Chelsea operation, but I'll discount that as a purely informational session.

The article also suggests MLSE could be interested in Everton and Newcastle.

Of these clubs mentioned, I think it's safe to rule out two at the outset. I'm sure Everton has learned a lot from the plight of their rivals across Stanley Park and the owners would be very hesitant to sell to anyone even remotely related to an American (or Canadian for that matter).

The other would be Reading. Reading have a relatively new stadium built in 1998, but it's small if Premier League terms, with a capacity of just over 24,000. I understand it is a very nice facility, but not the sort of revenue maximizing vehicle MLSE will seek.

I'm sure Tottenham is the club that will most interest the MLSE folks, with its history, Premier League bona fides (as it were), decent stadium and relatively consistent European presence. I'm not sure how this would proceed, since Spurs are a publicly traded company, but I'm sure it could be done.

The purchase I would make if I was MLSE would be to snatch up Southampton. The Saints would be a bargain owing to their bottom-half Championship performance, but they are well supported and have a fantastic stadium in the St. Mary's. Southampton also has suffered from some financial instability since they dropped from the Premier League, so a fresh infusion of cash could be just what the doctor ordered.

Of course the perfect match for MLSE would be Newcastle, even though they seem unlikely to be sold by Mike Ashley any time soon (or...?). Newcastle has a huge stadium that is constantly filled by deluded fans who haven't seen a trophy in decades ... sounds just like the Maple Leafs to me. This would be such a perfect match, you could hardly come up with a better scenario. Back to reality...

At any rate, the American Invasion seems set to continue. I must admit that the chance for Toronto FC to have a ownership partnership/relationship with a top-class English club would be of unfathomable value to both North American football and Toronto FC. With TFC's summer schedule, it would be conceivable to see some top youth talent spend a few summer months playing on this side of the pond.

Watch this spot for this sure-to-be-ongoing saga...

The world does not need any more Premier League

One of the big stories swirling around the Barclay's Premier League this month has little to do with what's taking place on the pitch and a whole lot to do with marketing one of the hottest properties in world sport.

In early February, the Premier League began floating the idea of playing a 39th league match outside of Britain. The various scenarios concentrated on games to be played in China, Australia and the U.S.

From a Premier League operating standpoint, this makes good sense. Go over to the States, fill a 70,000 - 80,000 seat American football stadium, charge ridiculous prices for seats and negotiate a fat TV contract for the rights to broadcast the one-off match with a U.S. network.

The Premier League clubs seem cool to the idea, especially since most of the bigger clubs complain about too many matches. FIFA has outright condemned the move.

I think it is right to be skeptical of the proposal. While it would likely be a great moneymaker, it would continue to distance the game from fans who already feel alienated from the teams they support.

In North America, the MLS has been moving in the right direction for the past five or so years, slowly changing their league format to something more familiar to cultured football fans. It has come a long way, but still pales in comparison to the European game.

The MLS needs to continue to grow on its own terms, and doesn't need the added pressure of competition from Europe. The MLS will become a great league by continuing to spread its brand of football throughout the U.S. and Canada, not by trying to keep up with the Premier League.

An incursion by the Premier League or any other foreign league into developing football markets will have a detrimental effect on the progress the game is making in those countries. Fans can always get their fix via television, but live football should remain a domestic experience, free from the glow of brighter foreign lights.

Alarm Bells Go Off In Toronto

Alarm bells rang in the heads of Ontario football fans yesterday after reading that the Toronto Argos of the Canadian Football League were in talks with the City of Toronto about possibly moving into BMO Field as soon as 2009.

The disturbing part of this development is moving the Argos into what is also the National Soccer Stadium would require renovations to the stands to squeeze a CFL-sized field into a soccer specific stadium.

The owner of the stadium is the City of Toronto. I would expect the Argos would be on the hook for the estimated $10-20-million for the renovations but what is more important is what this will do to the atmosphere at BMO.

The center line would remain the same, according to an article in the Globe and Mail, requiring the end stands to be moved or removed. These areas contain the seats of the Red Patch Boys and U-Sector (among others) supporters groups.

As it is clear to anyone who follows football, by moving the seating further away from the action, this diminishes the atmosphere. Anyone who cares about Toronto FC or the Canadian national side in Ontario should keep on top of this story and let the city of Toronto know the Argos should find and pay for their own home.

The MLS wants football-specific stadiums. I'm sure I speak for the core of TFC's fan base when I say that they want a football specific stadium. Let's ensure we keep it a football specific stadium.

How North American Journalists Are Trying To Spoil Football For Us All

With the FIFA U-20 tournament and David Beckham pushing football into the North American media limelight, it's interesting to see how sports writers are undermining the growth of the biggest sport in the world in what has been a perpetual backwater.

Exhibit A: The article published in the L.A. Times on July 13 by award winning writer Bill Plaschke.

Clearly, Plaschke is not much of a football fan. He spends much of the piece portraying Beckham as a sideshow amidst the other, more worthy, more American stories flying under the radar because of a "celebrity" not an athlete. At the same time, Plaschke shows that on this day he's not much of a reporter either.

His opening dig at Beckham involves pondering why the new L.A. Galaxy midfielder took so long to come to his new home. The Spanish season ended almost a month ago, Plaschke points out.

Uhhh, Bill, I think that he was still in Madrid because they still owned him. Unlike North American sport, where free agency occurs on a set date for all players, Football contracts have varying termination dates. Yes many of these dates are the end of June, but Beckham's ended in July. He arrived in L.A. when he was no longer employed by his previous club.

That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, but seemed to escape the venerable Mr. Plaschke.

Exhibit B: Where are the stories?

If Toronto FC play a mid-week game, particularly out of town, a sports section is likely to run a inch long brief about the result at most. Pundits on the radio or TV will then talk about how football doesn't capture their or the general public's imagination like the domesticated sports.

How do you generate interest if there is no outlet to spread the word about football? 20,000 people go out to BMO field every game, and that's at least 20,000 people who would read an actual story about TFC, not to mention stories or at least briefs about other MLS teams. Fans are cultivated by learning about a league, not just one team.

Yes, highlights on the nightly wrap shows on TV help, but the context that is provided by well written news stories is invaluable.

Exhibit C: News is not made, it happens.

Just because the 40 - 60 year-old writers who dominate the sports writing industry dislike "soccer," doesn't mean it can be ignored. More people play football in Canada than any other sport, and by a large margin at that. This means there are thousands of football stories out there. Go find them. That's your job.

Stephen Brunt of the Globe & Mail is an exception to this trend. He also happens to be the best sportswriter in Canada and one of the best on this continent. Many of his colleagues would do well to follow his example.

A new player comes to TFC or a young Canadian player goes overseas, interview them. This is news. Simply ignoring this sport because you've been coddled on a strict diet of American football, baseball, hockey and basketball doesn't mean you're right. Editors and journalists not paying attention to the world's game is a failure of the profession.

Fortunately there are great online outlets for Canadian and American football fans. We can only hope that the mainstream will catch up some day with the rest of us.

Two for TFC?

Canadian duo available after being released in England

With the close of the English league seasons, there have been a pair of players come available that might figure into the near future of Toronto FC.

Tomasz Radzinski and Paul Peschisolido have both figured in the recent history of both the Canadian national side and varying levels of English football. As Canadians, they would seem to be a natural fit for Canada's only MLS side. Just as Jim Brennan made the move from England to North America, both Radzinski and Peschisolido are in a position to follow.

Radzinski would be the most logical choice for head coach Mo Johnston to take a crack at signing. He was released by Fulham FC on May 22, after turning down a appearance-based contract offer from the club in late 2006.

He was a good Premiership goalscorer, which would figure to translate easily into a good MLS goalscorer. Radzinski has transformed his game in recent seasons, morphing from a out-and-out striker to a player who is comfortable in a forward midfield position, on a wing or just behind a striker.

He would add age to a veteran TFC club, but if utilized in a midfield role in the MLS, he would prove to be valuable to the fledgling club. Growing up in Mississauga, TFC would provide the opportunity for him to become a hometown-favourite type player. And at 33, Radzinski could continue to contribute to the Canadian national set-up (his last cap was in March) with regular play and without the arduous travel often involved with playing club football in Europe.

Peschisolido is a different case. At 36, he is older than Radzinski. He also no longer features in the Canadian side, playing his last international match almost 3 years ago. Also a striker, he was recently released by Derby County after their promotion to the Premier league, starting in the playoff final against West Brom at the new Wembley.

Pesch has managed to maintain a high level of performance, but he would seem to be a less likely candidate to make the move back to Canada. His wife, Karen Brady, is employed by Birmingham FC and the couple have two children. One would conclude that he would seek work in the English lower divisions before leaving Britain.

Clearly this is mere speculation. Radzinski could certainly find work in England, but there are compelling reasons to think that a properly ambitious Mo Johnston (and MLSE, TFC's owners) could see the attraction of luring such a player. Pesch would be well received in Toronto to be sure, as he has always been one of the more dynamic performers on the pitch for Canada. Circumstance will likely stand in the way of such a move occurring, however.

Their Little Big Horn

A great deal of the talk in the English media as well as the American media have pegged England's match tomorrow as the make-or-break match for manager Steve McClaren. I'd certainly have to agree. His failure to break away from the same habits and tendencies that were despised in his predecessor, Sven Goran Eriksson, have him equally despised by the England faithful. Anything less than a victory against Estonia will certainly lead to his firing or will at least see him fall on his own sword, sparing the FA bosses the embarrassment of the past 11 months.

The other culprit who needs to be wary of an England loss is midfielder Frank Lampard. He has somehow earned the undying trust of his manager, being included despite well over a year's worth of lacklustre performances for the national side. While it almost goes without dispute that Lampard is an great player, even great players need to be dropped if they fail to perform.

An England failure in Tallinn will likely mean the end of McClaren, hence continued Lampard failures while wearing the Three Lions will make the choice about his future selection as clear to the next England manager as it should to the current one.

Beckham for England and on loan; Toronto FC thoughts

BECKHAM ENGLAND'S MAN?

As the guy in my circle who follows football on a regular basis, friends and acquaintances asked me what all the hoopla was when David Beckham joined the L.A. Galaxy. Was he still any good? Isn't he a washed-up has-been who is simply trying to cash in one more time before a full-time acting career calls?

I calmly answered no to such questions and explained to the uninitiated that I thought the Galaxy had signed the man who would become the best player to show up for an MLS fixture.

To be entirely fair, Beckham earned his bad rap on a Real Madrid team chock full of superstars who have become complacent in their Galactico roles. Until recently, Madrid looked nothing like a side who seemed even remotely interested in living up to their considerable pedigree.

Madrid now sit atop the La Liga table alongside the 2006 European champions (who are also looking to claim the underachiever's crown by crawling to the league title). Beckham has played an inspiring role in this reversal of fortunes, looking much more like a savvy veteran footballer in the process. So much so in fact, England manager Steve McLaren has given him a recall to the squad.

So what, right? McLaren needs to save his job so he goes back to the well? I think this may be the brightest thing McLaren has managed to do since he took over from Sven. As he was quoted in an article on ESPNsoccernet.com, McLaren will "stand or fall" over the decision to recall the former captain. It seems that a year after Germany, England need Beckham again.

Beckham won't single-handedly save England from missing Euro 2008. However, like Sheringham in the run up to WC 2002, a wise manager can use Beckham's considerable talents, particularly to win games against the sides like Israel and Andorra that seemed to present such a problem.

Beckham, on the right to start or coming on in the middle could provide an inspiration that has been sorely lacking from the English sides of late. Beckham still works hard, can cross the ball and is their best set-piece option. A match, either in a starting role or as a sub, against a side like Estonia (next week) will show that he still has a role, albeit diminished, in the side.

GALAXY MUM ON LOAN POSSIBILITY

This leaves the question: how will the Galaxy handle an England star, not just a former England star? Reports on various sites have discussed the possibility of Beckham going on loan to Europe (likely England) during the MLS close season.

Initially, club general manager Alexi Lalas shot down the idea. Now, some reports are saying Lalas is okay with the idea whilst coach Frank Yallop is the one opposed.

I can understand their apprehension. You've got a guy who you're paying $25-million (USD) a year and what happens if he gets broken while across the Atlantic? He will be the best player on the Galaxy when he arrives, if not the best player in the MLS (Juan Pablo Angel might have something to say about that though). Yallop didn't run from the dysfunctional CSA just to have is meal ticket ruined putting games in overseas to maintain a England squad place.

I don't, however, think that this should be seen as a bad thing. The MLS league season is 32 games long and is largely devoid of the additional games that wear down players in the European leagues. Teams like Chelsea or Manchester United played in excess of 60 games this season accounting for the League, FA and European cup competitions.

If MLS sides can loan a player out to participate in quality, competitive football for a short period during the off-season, they should take advantage of the opportunity. Players currently play in winter leagues anyways, so continued participation in a professional league would only serve to benefit the league.

As for the Galaxy's particular concern for an extremely valuable asset, these can be somewhat alleviated too. Loan deals are contractual. Contracts, particularly of this nature, carry clauses with them that would help to protect Beckham or any other player. A maximum number of games, no cup competitions, only brown M&M's in the training room, whatever. Clauses could also be inserted to cover salary in the event of a long term injury.

Not only would specific clauses limit the exposure of a player to injury and the club to financial loss, they would likely dissuade potential suitors as well. In other words, Beckham wouldn't be loaned to Derby County who couldn't take such a chance. A side like Newcastle or Aston Villa, with deep pockets and great aspirations, could afford these risks.

At any rate, the loan list status of Mr. Beckham will be worth watching once he joins up with his new club.

TORONTO FC

As a Torontonian by birth if not much else, I follow sports in that city: the Maple Leafs, the Blue Jays, the Raptors and now Toronto FC.

I caught the second half of the game between TFC and the Columbus Crew on Saturday night. I've followed the team through the papers and the 'net previously, but it was great to catch some live action.

Aside from some spotty camera work, the match was entertaining. TFC live up to their reputation as the roughest side in the league, throwing themselves into tackles with abandon at times. However, they play with passion and I think that they will quickly cement themselves in the hearts of many Torontonians, just as they have with the supporters who turn up to BMO field.

Jeff Cunningham, acquired earlier in the week from Real Salt Lake, will be a hit. This guy is fantastic, with a knack of slipping behind the last defender for runs on goal. He was unlucky to be kept off the score sheet on Saturday, but him and Danny Dichio will be formidable up front in the matches to come. Keep an eye out for these two this Saturday against Colorado.