Anthony Brooks and Alfredo Morales both went 90 minutes for Hertha Berlin, while Joe Gyau came off the bench for St. Pauli as Hertha Berlin won 3-2. Here is six minutes worth of highlights.
It looks like Jurgen Klinsmann would be open to staying on as USMNT manager beyond 2014.
Anthony Brooks recently did an interview with Berliner Kurier where he claims that he will make a decision on US vs. Germany in the coming weeks.
Mr. Soccer Insider Steven Goff is being told that Bryan Gerzicich might be making a move to MLS this summer. Greg Seltzer is also hearing the same thing and adds that he has an offer from a team in Belgium.
In the “sounds about right for his crazy career” department, Freddy Adu has been at the club for about a week now and his manager at Brazilian side Bahia has already been fired.
Brian Span and Djurgården’s game against Mjällby on Monday was suspended due to Djurgården’s fans throwing beer bottles onto the field.
Want to see Michael Bradley in an Italian Volkswagen ad? Why not.
US U-20 forward Daniel Cuevas has returned to full training after tearing his meniscus at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
Joe Gyau did a Google Hangout with SWOL yesterday where he talked about life in Germany and the USMNT among other things.
Jason Davis is doing a new morning daily show and had Terrence Boyd on as one of his first guests.
It was only a friendly, but Christian Eissele scored a goal this weekend in Kemi Kings’ 3-1 win over Alex Molano, Lester Dewee and Bodens BK.
The US U-17 team opened up the CONCACAF U-17 Championship with a 3-0 win over Haiti. They play Guatemala next on Thursday.
Terrence Boyd’s team-leading 12th goal of the year helped Rapid Vienna to a 1-1 draw with Wacker Innsbruck (highlights here).
Matt’s Pick – Joe Gyau (St. Pauli – German 2. Bundesliga)
Joe Gyau was very active over the weekend, help setting up one goal and nearly scoring on a couple chances for St. Pauli in a 3-2 loss to Dynamo Dresden (highlights here).
Joe Gyau and St. Pauli jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but lost 3-2 to Dynamo Dresden today. Gyau was pretty involved in the game, nearly scoring at the 0:35 mark and help setting up St. Pauli’s second goal at the 2:03 mark. Here are the highlights.
I posted this in The OT Report, but Fabian Johnson missed Hoffenheim’s game this weekend due to a hip issue. For those counting at home, the following potential USMNT players are injured/not playing for their club team: Tim Howard, Fabian Johnson, Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra and Edgar Castillo.
US U-20 forward Mario Rodriguez scored two goals for Kaiserslautern in a 5-1 win in a German Junior Cup match.
I am still looking for highlights, but Joe Gyau was involved in one of St. Pauli’s goals this weekend then celebrated with a teammate.
Hertha Berlin’s website has an interview up with Anthony Brooks. Now for some fun courtesy of Google Translate:
herthabsc.de: With your consistent performance you recommended you for deployments in U20 National Team, are accumulated because of your dual citizenship in both the U.S. as well as Germany. Perhaps there will come a decision up to you, what thoughts you’ve already done it?
John Anthony Brooks: I have not ever done me no thoughts. I let it come to me and just try here at the club Hertha BSC to bring my performance, because only then can I recommend for additional nominations for the national team. Everything else will then become evident. If the decision to be taken at some point maybe really, it is an abdominal or heart decision, whatever you want.
So the US US-20 team started its quest to qualify for the U-20 World Cup with a 2-1 win over Haiti yesterday. You can check out the goals right here. Tom Marshall got some quotes from Tab Ramos after the game.
As for my own little observations on the game. Daniel Cuevas was by far the best US player on the field, while no one else really stood out. The back line was pretty shaky and it seemed odd that Caleb Stanko, a defensive midfielder, started at centerback, while two centerbacks started at the two fullback spots while Eric Miller (right back) and Pablo Ocegueda (left back) also sat on the bench. Who knows.
These are sort of a day late, but here are two previews/looks at the U-20 team by Brian Sciaretta and Josh Deaver. Southampton’s website also has a story up on goalkeeper Cody Cropper. I thought Cropper has the “yelling at the back line while clapping your hands” thing that Tim Howard does down after watching him last night.
As for some news on some former U-20 players. Joe Gyau did not make St. Pauli’s gameday roster on Monday and Steven Goff is reporting that Gyau sat out due to soreness in his knee, but he should be back next week.
Sebastian Lletget has agreed to a new deal with West Ham. And West Ham’s website has a story up on Lletget.
We were told over the weekend that Landon Donovan would be returning to training with the Galaxy in late March and now Bruce Arena is telling people that he expects Donovan to be ready for game action by late April. Once again, he is likely out for the USMNT qualifiers in March.
If you read this site, you know that we have been pretty on top of the centennial jersey rumors for a while. That said, here are some more photos of the jersey and other centennial-based gear which should be on sale soon.
We haven’t heard Zak Whitbread’s name in a while as he has missed Leicester City’s last nine games with a calf injury, but it looks like he is finally returning and could be available for their next game.
I just want to link again to the footage of Stuart Holden running around as it makes me happy to see.
Speaking of Holden, Bolton manager told BBC Radio Manchesterthat Holden could make his senior-team return next Tuesday in Bolton’s FA Cup replay at Sunderland.
Will Packwood is going to have a third round of surgery to insert a metal plate into his leg.
Zach Pfeffer scored again for Hoffenheim’s U-19 team in his second friendly with the club.
Michael Parkhurst got the start at right back in Augsburg’s 4-1 win over Hansa Rostock in a friendly on Wednesday. Here is also a photo of Parkhurst in action.
Bob Bradley and Egypt lost to Ghana today, 3-0, in a friendly.
While most of Brøndby’s players are looking for new homes with the club’s financial issues, Clarence Goodson is not ready to return to the US/MLS.
Jürgen Klinsman called in twenty players for the Russia friendly, including two potential debutantes and some long-absent faces:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (6): Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg), Maurice Edu (Stoke City), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Michael Bradley (Roma), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Joshua Gatt (Molde), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)
FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna)
The biggest name is Timmy Chandler, making his first appearance in a year. In a Q-and-A with USSoccer.com, the on-again, off-again rightback discusses his commitment issues:
ussoccer.com: The first question on many people’s minds will be: Why now? Timmy Chandler: “I spent a lot of time thinking this over. I have had many conversations with Jurgen, my family, my girlfriend and the people close to me, and I finally feel ready to make the commitment.”
ussoccer.com: What were some of the issues you felt were holding you back from being fully committed? TC: “I was a young player trying to get settled into my club team and wasn’t sure about the long travel and everything that goes into being a part of this National Team. My coaches didn’t like the idea, so I think even I felt some pressure. I’ve had a chance to get settled in with the club and also have grown up a lot. I know what I want to do.”
ussoccer.com: Given what has transpired in the last two years, there may be some people who are skeptical of your commitment to the U.S. team at this point?
TC: “I understand that a lot of people in the USA may be unsure because they think I have said [I’m committed] in the past. All I can say is that I am clear in my head about the commitment moving forward. This was about me being ready to accept the responsibility of being a part of the National Team and everything that goes with it, and now I am ready. I hope I will get chances in the future. I am in 1,000 percent.”
Actual wingers [Josh Gatt (Molde) and Joe Gyau (St. Pauli)] are nice to see. Despite a down year in MLS, Juan Agudelo is back, and despite a recent spat with the head man, Jozy Altidore is back.
Sacha, Gatt, Mix, Herc….it’s like the fan favorite XI.
Some of these are a couple days old, but between life and the USMNT, I was saving them up for one big link drop.
Speaking of the USMNT, Greg Seltzer gives us a pre-Hex to-do list for Jurgen Klinsmann.
These were written before Tuesday’s game, but here are some interviews by Brian Sciaretta with Joe Corona and Geoff Cameron.
Sciaretta also informs us that Bolivian-American center back Alejandro Melean became cap tied to Bolivia this week.
Back to the US’ 3-1 win over Guatemala. Jon Arnold got some post-game quotes from various USMNT players. And if you missed this, ESPN/Julie Foudy did a great video piece on Herculez Gomez.
And Grant Wahl talks about Eddie Johnson’s comeback. I will admit that I was skeptical about Johnson’s call-up, but he looked very good in both games and looks to be playing with a lot of confidence right now.
I got e-mailed this over the weekend, but here are two radio interviews with Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron and Maurice Edu.
Some good news on the Stuart Holden front. He will be returning to training with Bolton this week.
ESPN’s Ravi Ubha has a story up on Oguchi Onyewu about his move to Malaga.
We already told you about Christian Eissele scoring 20 goals for Kemi Kings in Finland this season, but it looks like he won the Golden Boot for the season.
St. Pauli played some friendlies during the international break and it looks like Joe Gyau scored a goal in 6-1 win over SC Wiener Viktoria on Saturday. Here are highlights of the goals, including Gyau’s goal.
It looks like Kenneth Di Vita Jensen has moved on to Ullensaker / Kisa in the Norwegian First Division (second tier) and scored a goal this past weekend.
We told you last week about Babajide Ogunbiyi training at Hammarby. It doesn’t look like Hammarby is going to sign him and he apparently failed his medical with the New York Red Bulls because of some heart condition.
Still can’t find any highlights of Matt Taylor’s brace, but here are some highlights from Joe Gyau’s debut at St. Pauli.
Jann George was one of four American goal scorers today. Can’t find highlights of his goal, but here is a photo of him celebrating the goal. Also, here is Fabian Johnson’s goal and Timothy Chandler’s goal. And I am also looking for something on Charles Kazlauskas’ goal.
A Johann Smith sighting! Smith played 90 minutes for KuPS earlier today.
Here is a video interview with Alejandro Bedoya and one of his teammates at Helsingborgs IF.
The US U-20 team will be playing three friendlies in Spain in October.
And finally, there are some rumblings that Arsenal might be looking at Icelandic-American forward Aron Johannsson. But his agent claims that there is nothing to see.
