Robbie Rogers is finally talking to the press since coming out as gay. He spoke to Donald McRae of The Guardian and Sam Borden of The New York Times.
Chivas USA youth product Ben Spencer has signed with Molde FK. He is now the fourth American at the club, along with Josh Gatt, Sean Cunningham and Ethan Horvath.
Apparently there were “Jermaine Jones to MLS” rumors, but his agent has hit the brakes on those rumors.
Tim Howard surprised a Everton fan with season tickets for next season. That is pretty cool, but not as cool as Jonathan Bornstein and the Chivas goat coming to your door to give you Chivas USA tickets.
And if you need a podcast to pass the time at work today, the folks over at Total Soccer Show put up a bonus pod this week to talk about the US-Mexico match.
The 25-year old, who joined the club 12 months ago after a successful trial period, was made available for transfer at the start of the season and he has signed contract cancellation papers.
Robbie started just one game for the club since arriving from Columbus Crew and made three further appearances as a substitute.
A head injury ruled him out for a period last season before an ankle injury curtailed his campaign early.
There hasn’t been any chatter regarding a domestic return that I’m aware of. Unlike Mr. Findley, his rights belong to his former club so no trade would necessarily be required. Rogers was somewhat unsettled in his latter years in Columbus (after having been Best XI in 2008) including requesting a trade in March 2011. So, even though he isn’t subject to the allocation process, Columbus and Rogers might prefer to engineer a trade of rights. (Unsourced speculation: his time training with the Galaxy suggests that they could be interested in him— perhaps a trade to replace Donovan? Let’s start that rumor.)
Rogers made 13 total appearances in 2012— four Championship appearances, six League One appearances (under former Colorado Rapids manager Gary Smith at Stevenage), one FA Cup appearance, one League Cup appearance, and one Football League Trophy appearance.
Think he’ll return to America’s hardest working team? I doubt he returns to Columbus— that relationship was definitely broken, and Robert Warzycha is still there. A trade within MLS seems much more likely. He was making $140k in 2011. Beggars can’t be choosers, so he might have to take a pay cut. I’m half-joking with the Galaxy, although he is from California and Bruce Arena likes reclamation projects.
A return to the Netherlands seems unlikely (due to the international player minimum salary). I could see something in Scandinavia being an option.
Brian Sciaretta caught up with Sacha Kljestan to talk about about his rise in status at both the club and country level. And Daniel Renders gives Sciaretta a cool stat about Anderlecht’s record with/without Kljestan. And this has prompted me to start up on an Inside the Numbers piece, which will hopefully be up in the morning.
Kljestian has 18 months left on his contract, but there are on-going talks over a new deal/extension.
Julian De Martinis of ESPN writes about Michael Bradley’s first six months at Roma.
Noah Davis gives us 20 wishes for the USMNT in 2013.
The USMNT January/Camp Cupcake will now begin on January 7, not January 14. And expect the roster to be announced on Sunday, with the possibility of one small surprise.
Euan Holden has parted ways with Stockport County. Holden appeared in only one league game in 2012-13 after playing in 33 games last season.
Tim Ream and Bolton are trying to find out why they can’t win two games in a row.
I hope Brian Sciaretta has PennyTalk as after he was talking to Sacha Kljestan, he got an interview with Eugene Starikov in Russia. Maybe Sciaretta can teach me how to take a penalty kick…..
The always seemingly injured Zak Whitbread is out with a calf injury.
Robbie Rogers hasn’t played much as of late with Stevenage, but his loan ends on January 15.
Julian Green was nominated for some type of Sportsman of the Year award.
Brian Sciaretta introduces us to Aron Johannsson over at the NY Times blog. Johannsson is a 21-year-old Icelandic-American who currently plays for AGF Aarhus in the Danish Superliga (and leads the Superliga with nine goals).
Speaking of leading leagues in goals. With his hat trick over the weekend, Jozy Altidore has now scored seven of AZ’s 10 goals in league play and leads the Eredivisie in goals so far this year.
I have slowly become a bigger and bigger fan of the Men in Blazers podcast over the last couple months and they had Geoff Cameron on this week for an interview. Go listen to it just so you can hear “quarterback style” and giggle like a little girl like myself.
It appears that Nottingham Forest are trying to send Robbie Findley out on loan.
Marc Pelosi started for Liverpool’s youth team in their 3-2 loss to Inter Milan in the NextGen Series yesterday.
Greg Seltzer gives us his top five American players based in Europe under the age of 24.
Robbie Rogers has missed the last couple games for Stevenage with a strained hamstring.
I have heard from a few of you about helping out with the site. I am going to get back to you guys over the next day or two. I am also thinking of starting a “weekend commentary” type thread each week so you guys can comment away while watching the games, healthy discussions of course, while also linking highlights and other news. A good idea?
Andrew Wooten was loaned out to fellow German 2. Bundesliga side Sandhausen. While Kaiserslautern were relegated last season and he saw some first-team playing time at the end of last year, Wooten has only appeared in reserve squad matches in the Regionalliga so far in 2012-13 (three goals in three games with Kaiserslautern II). His first chance at playing time is on Friday against Union Berlin.
Over in England, Robbie Rogers was put on Leeds United’s transfer list earlier this month, but they have now sent him to League One club Stevenage on loan until January. Stevenage are currently managed by former Colorado Rapids manager Gary Smith.
Geoff Cameron finally got his visa and is headed back to England. Stoke City’s website has an interview up with Cameron right here. His first chance at playing time will be on Sunday when Stoke City host Arsenal.
Stuart Holden is still in the US rehabbing his knee, but Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle recently sent him a care package to make him feel a part of this year’s team.
Predict the following questions for various Americans in England in the unofficially official contest:
Brad Friedel, Totenham:
Totenham: Champions League, Europa League, or neither?
Yes/No: Does Fridel’s consecutive starts streak (a record 314 matches, meaning he could hit 350 this season) end?
Clint Dempsey, Fulham (?)
Who does Clint Dempsey wind up playing for?
Regardless of club, over/under on:
- 14.5 EPL goals (17 last year)
- 19.5 all competition goals (23 last year)
Geoff Cameron, Stoke City
Over/under:
- 15.5 starts (league only)
- 24.5 appearances (league only)
Does Cameron play more minutes at central defense or at defensive midfielder?
Brad Guzan, Aston Villa
Does Guzan make more appearances for Villa or for a hypothetical loan destination?
Which number will be greatest: Guzan cup appearances, Guzan league appearances, or Guzan national team callus?
Tim Howard, Everton
Yes/No: Everton: Europa League qualifiers?
Which Liverpool club finishes higher in 2012-13, Liverpool or Everton?
Eric Lichaj, Aston Villa
Over/under:
- 17.5 starts (league only)
- 26.5 appearances (league only)
Yes/No: Is Aston Villa safe from relegation entering Survival Sunday?
Tim Ream, Bolton Wanderers
National team caps through May 2013: over/under of 1.5?
Bolton: promoted, promotion playoffs, or outside promotion playoffs?
Stuart Holden, Bolton Wanderers
Over/under: September 15 for Stu’s first start (under is before [ie., if he starts August 25, say under])
Over/under:
- 22.5 starts
- 2.5 goals
- 5.5 matches missed due to injury
Jonathan Spector, Birmingham City
Birmingham: promoted, promotion playoffs, or outside promotion playoffs?
Most minutes: rightback, central midfield, or other?
Will Packwood, Birmingham City
Over/under:
- 5.5 league appearacnes
- 8.5 overall appearances
U-20s: U-20 World Cup knockout rounds, U-20 World Cup group stage, or another DNQ?
Robbie Findley, Notthingham Forest
Over/under: 3.5 goals (3 last year)
Nottingham Forest: promotion playoffs contender, mid-table, barely surviving, or relegated (19th last year)?
Zak Whitbread, Leicester City
Over/under: 20.5 league appearances
Over/under: 2.5 different reported injuries (must be separated by at least 2 games)
Robbie Rogers, Leeds United
Transfer result: Championship club, League One club, League Two club, or still with Leeds?
Does he score a goal this year wherever he lands?
Conor Doyle, Derby County
Over/under:
- 5.5 appearances (six last year)
- 0.5 goals (zero for career)
Doyle’s club after this year is __________.
Adam Henley, Blackburn Rovers
Over/under:
- 10.5 appearances league appearances (seven last year)
- 13.5 overall appearances (seven last year)
In May 2013, is Adam Henley American, Welsh, or still undecided?
Jon-Paul Pittman, Oxford United
Over/under:
- 2.5 goals (3 last year)
- 15.5 appearances (15 last year)
Mike Grella, Scunthorpe United
Over/under:
- 15.5 league appearances (13 last year between Brentford and Bury)
- 3.5 league goals (4 last year total)
Yes/No: Is Grella still with Scunthorpe at season’s end? In August 2013?
Open-Ended
Do the following players find a club in England?
- Jemal Johnson
- Marcus Hahnemann
- Anton Peterlin
- Cody Cropper
Over/Under on 1.5 Americans winding up in England in January (transfers & MLS free agents)
Finally have a break in the day to post some links.
Here are some highlights of Sacha Kljestan’s goal from yesterday (thanks to the couple people who sent this in). The top video has his goal, while the bottom video has the whole game.
I missed this the other day, but Jurgen Klinsmann is expected to announce the USMNT roster for the Mexico friendly on Sunday. And it looks like Chris Pontius made the preliminary roster drafted by Klinsi, but we don’t know yet if he will make the final cut or not.
US U-20 centerback Anthony Brooks has been called in for a Germany U-20 camp. I believe this is like the equivalent of being asked to a US U-18 camp as Germany’s U-21 team is a much more serious thing (like the US U-20 team). Either way, Germany is at least going to look at him.
Mikkel Diskerud has a new home with Norwegian side Rosenborg with a contract that runs through the rest of the 2012 season. Here is a video interview with him and he tweeted out a photo of him holding his new jersey.
It looks like Robbie Rogers might be finding a new home in the future as Leeds United has put him on their transfer list.
According to Greg Seltzer, Alejandro Bedoya is traveling to Sweden in hopes of transferring to Helsingborg this week.
Cody Cropper continues to play with Southampton’s U-21 team. Unless I missed something over the last week or so, I don’t think he has signed with them as of yet.
Yanks Abroad had an interview up earlier this week with Etchu Tabe as KuPS took a 1-0 lead into today’s second leg of Europa League against Bursaspor, but they were knocked out of the competition today with a 6-0 loss. In other Europa League news, Terrence Boyd scored a goal as Rapid Vienna moved on and Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 also advanced to the next round.
This friendly was from the other day, but Robbie Rogers scored his second goal of the preseason in this easy win by Leeds United. Rogers’ goal starts up around the 2:45 mark.
Did I just quote Montell Jordan? Yes. Deal with it.
A quick recap of Thursday’s Europa League action. Daniel Antunez went the full 90 minutes as Inter Turku got a nice 1-1 draw with FC Twente. Joe Funicello and Thor Akureyri (with Josh Wicks on the bench) lost 3-0 to Mlada Boleslav. And Etchu Tabe and KuPS won 2-1 over Leo Krupnik and Maccabi Netanya.
Geoff Cameron will be a Stoke City player pending completed personal terms and a work permit (he will have to win an appeal). He has two fewer USMNT caps than Tim Ream, who won an appeal last January, but it seems easier to get a UK permit these days.
The US U-20 team begins it quest for a Milk Cup title this weekend. They played Liverpool’s reserve team earlier this week and lost 4-2. Marc Pelosi scored a goal, but it was for Liverpool. You can see some highlights of the game right here.
One of those players on that US U-20 team who is looking for a home is goalkeeper Cody Cropper. He was on trial at Southampton and “hopes to receive a contract soon” according to this article.
I know there was some speculation that Bobby Wood could be on his way out at 1860 Munich at the end of last season after picking up more injuries, but he was in the starting lineup today for 1860 Munich II as they started their Regionalliga season. Wood played 70 minutes and scored two goals in a 3-0 victory.
Robbie Rogers, sporting a new black eye, scored a goal for Leeds United in their 5-2 win over Farlsey in a preseason friendly.
Tom Marshall introduces us to a Mexican-born goalkeeper, William Yarbrough, who holds a US passport.
And finally, Brian Sciaretta gives us six players poised for a breakout season in 2012-13.
