So here we go with the wrap on Norway. The regular season ended yesterday, while the First Division ended last week. Most of the promotion and relegation is all set with the exception of the last promotion/relegation playoff spot.
Sandnes ULF (Relegation/Promotion Playoff v Ullensaker)
The Relegation/Promotion Playoff First Leg will be on November 21st. Ullensaker will host the first game. The Second Leg will be at Sandnes ULF on November 24th.
From a US OT perspective
Josh Gatt will be playing Champions League football next year. Mikkel Diskerud will be playing in the Europa League.
Chad Barrett with Valerenga will be staying in the Eliteserien as will Steve Clark with Honefoss.
Sean Cunningham (on loan from Molde) and Erik Benjaminsen with Stabaek will be in the First Division.
Decided in the Playoff; either Kenneth Di Vita Jensen (on loan from Honefoss) with Ullensaker will be in Eliteserien or will remain in the First Division.
Michael Bradley returned to training with Roma earlier today. Some good news with two more qualifiers left to go in a couple of weeks.
Speaking of the upcoming qualifiers, the game against Guatemala in Kansas City is officially sold out. Hopefully that crowd brings it like Columbus did earlier this month.
Josh Gatt could be returning to action this week according to this report out of Norway. Gatt probably needs to return soon if he wants to play in that qualifier in Kansas City.
Jamie Hill of Yanks Abroad talked to Chad Barrett recently about his new life in Norway.
And finally, Sunil Gulati was named chairman of the new CONCACAF Gold Cup committee.
A few guys scored goals today, but I can’t find any highlights as of right now. Chad Barrett had a good game, getting involved in two of the goals. As for the goal scorers, Charles Kazlauskas scored a goal in Helmond Sport’s season-opening 2-1 victory over Telstar. And Jann George (Nurnberg II) and Andrew Wooten (Kaiserslautern II) each scored in their respective Regionalliga games.
Also while looking through the box scores from today, I noticed that Quentin Westberg is no longer with Evian TG. He got the start at goalkeeper for US Luzenac in their 1-0 loss to Boulogne in the French National (third division) today.
Geoff Cameron made his debut for Stoke City in a friendly against Gruether Furth. Cameron started the game in the midfield, but played the last 30 minutes or so at centerback. Here are some highlights of the game.
It looks like Cal FC’s Danny Barrera is on trial at the moment with Derby County. While Anton Peterlin is on trial at Oxford United.
Former Cal Golden Bear Jacob Wilson has signed with CD Feirense in the Portuguese Liga de Honra (second division).
Jurgen Klinsmann will announce his USMNT roster for the upcoming Mexico friendly via ussoccer.com on Sunday at 4 PM Eastern. Mexico announced its roster earlier today.
Brian McBride and Wembley FC will be playing in the FA Cup tomorrow against Langford FC.
UEFA held its draw for the playoff rounds of Champions League and Europa League earlier today. Here is a breakdown of all the teams with Americans on them.
I haven’t done new jerseys/kits in a while, so here are a bunch more.
Chad Barrett got the start today and was involved in both of Vålerenga’s first two goals in their 3-1 win over Odd Grenland (his shot was rebounded in for the first goal and he assisted on the second goal). Here are the highlights.
Some of this may be old news, but it is new to me since I have been out of the loop for a while.
A few different clubs are after the services of Mikkel Diskerud. Mix has also been training with Rosenborg this week.
Chad Barrett nearly scored in his debut with Vålerenga over the weekend.
US U-20 centerback Anthony Brooks made his first team debut with Hertha Berlin last Friday, getting the start in a 2-2 draw to Paderborn as 2. Bundesliga action started up.
Still playing catch up, but those are a few things that you might have missed over the last few days. I have an Inside the Numbers piece in the works with regards to a USMNTer likely to make his XXth (don’t want to give it away) cap at a young age against Mexico.
There were two goals scored this past weekend for those that don’t know how to scroll down and see the highlights. Matt Taylor scored for the second straight week in Germany, while Michael Orozco Fiscal scored his first goal of the season for San Luis.
I also posted some highlights of Anthony Brooks and Alfredo Morales in a friendly against Juventus. It is looking like the U-20 center back, Brooks, could be in the starting lineup for Hertha Berlin in their season opener against Paderborn on Friday.
Also of note from the weekend, Charlie Davies came off the bench in Randers’ 2-1 win and Bobby Wood scored twice for 1860 Munich II in the Regionalliga. And in Finland, Christian Eissele scored four goals, while Daniel Stevens and Joey Spivack each scored once in Kemi Kings’ 8-0 win over Warkaus. Once the bigger leagues start up in the next couple weeks, I will bring back the full The OT Report for the weekends.
Rangers manager Ally McCoist said this weekend that Alejandro Bedoya was talking to Swedish side Helsingborgs about a transfer, but Bedoya’s agent denied the report to Yanks Abroad.
Geoff Cameron’s UK work permit appeal hearing has been set for August 8. Here is a random photo of Cameron in Stoke City training gear.
Chad Barrett will be headed to Norwegian club Vålerenga on loan through the rest of the 2012 season. Vålerenga also holds the option to buy at the end of the loan.
The US U-20 team finished fourth in last week’s Milk Cup after losing to Chile in the third place game.
Brian Sciaretta gives us 23 guys he thinks is Jurgen Klinsmann’s favored USMNT sqaud as of today.
I also want to point out that I might be light on posting and tweeting for the rest of this week as I make my annual summer pilgrimage to Chicago starting tomorrow to visit some family and friends (as well as check out Lollapalooza again).
In case you missed it earlier tonight, Michael Bradley scored for Roma in their 2-1 win over Liverpool. And I don’t think Bradley knows how to smile.
Andrew Wooten scored a goal in a recent Kaiserslautern victory over some Brazilian team in a friendly. You can see footage of the goal here (14:30 mark).
Brian Span didn’t play for Djurgården in their game earlier this week, but he did play with their U-21 team and scored a goal (highlights here).
Zak Whitbread did the whole “hold a jersey and smile” photos after signing his new deal with Leicester City, although he looks like he is trapped in this goal and wants to offer the jersey for his freedom.
Geoff Cameron signed his new deal with Stoke City and met up with the team in Orlando for training. I believe the only hurdle left is a UK work permit and he should have his hearing for that in early August.
Chad Barrett returned to the LA Galaxy after going out on trial with Vålerenga in Norway, although no decision has been made on his fate.
Andrew Vorce talked to Mike Grella recently about his decision to move to Scunthorpe United.
And Jon Arnold has an interview up with Edgar Castillo about finding his home with Club Tijuana.
“We look for opportunities to enhance our offense against the fall season. We have some good reports on Chad and he wished himself to come to Norway to show off. That’s why he comes here this week to train with us. Then we saw him in our environment so we can make an even more thorough assessment of him as to whether we want to tie ourselves to him.”
Barrett makes over $200k with the Galaxy. Even with the retirement of Adam Cristman, the Galaxy are using $600k of cap space on forwards Robbie Keane and Edson Buddle so I can see why they wouldn’t mind letting a guy with one goal in 700 minutes go.
Vålerenga are currently 6th in the Tippeligaen, up one spot from last year’s finish. They’re in the midst of a decade-long run in the top flight that has included a handful of Champions League and Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup) appearances. Portland Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins earned a few national team caps while playing there.
If he lands a transfer, he’ll have the chance to celebrate the club’s centennial on July 29 of next year and will play in the stadium that hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, speed skating, and figure skating for the 1952 Winter Olympics.
