Mix Diskerud got the start and played 87 minutes in Rosenborg’s 2-1 win over Steve Clark, Kenneth Di Vita Jensen and Hønefoss.  Here are the highlights.

Lets get right to it.

Much like last year, it looks like AZ Alkmaar probably won’t release Jozy Altidore for the beginning of the upcoming USMNT camp.

It appears that Michael Bradley does know how to smile between this photo and this video.

Staying in the Bradley family, here is a trailer for the upcoming Bob Bradley/Egypt documentary.

Brek Shea made the travel roster, but did not dress in Stoke City’s 1-1 draw yesterday.  I guess Ian Darke talked about it more at halftime, but he also tweeted that they are working on getting him 100% match fit as he finally got over his foot injury.  Here is also a story from England where it mentions that Tony Pulis brought Shea to the club with next year in mind.

It is not quite the silly season just yet, but we have our first rumor on a possible Jonathan Spector move to newly promoted Cardiff City.

Jermaine Jones talked to Bundesliga.com about Schalke’s last couple of games.

Honefoss goalkeeper Steve Clark was fined for taunting opponents during the club’s Norwegian Cup match from last week.  He was fined 20,000 Norwegian crowns, which the internet tells me is about $3,500 or 1,000 Schrute bucks.

Jon-Paul Pittman was one of 12 players released by Oxford United this week.  Pittman scored two goals in 15 appearances in 2012-13.

I posted about Paul Arriola’s move to Tijuana last week and he recently talked to Tom Marshall about making the move.

Here is a photo of Junior Flores in his new Borussia Dortmund gear.

Finally, both Julian Green and Russell Canouse scored for their teams in German U-19 action and you can view the goals in this U-19 video recap of the weekend (their games are the first two games highlighted in the video).  Hell of a strike by Canouse.

Steve Clark and Kenneth Di Vita Jensen both went 90 minutes in Hønefoss’ 2-0 win over Strømsgodset.  Hønefoss’ second goal is pretty nice.  Here are the highlights.

Steve Clark and Hønefoss opened up the season falling behind 3-0 and rallied to score two goals, but could not complete the comeback in this 3-2 loss.  Clark made a couple nice saves that are in these highlights.

Lets start off with some Europa League-oriented links as the Round of 32 begins today.

Brad Friedel is getting the start for Tottenham as they take on Lyon in Europa League.  Friedel has started only three matches (1 Europa League and 2 FA Cup) since the beginning of December.

Left off the US U-20 roster, Marc Pelosi did not make Liverpool’s Europa League travel squad for today’s game against Zenit St. Petersburg.

While US fans were holding out hope for Pelosi to get the 20th spot on the US U-20 team, Tab Ramos announced yesterday that Colorado Rapids’ Dillon Serna will get that spot.  The US U-20 team kicks off the CONCACAF U-20 Championship on Monday against Haiti at 5:30 PM Central on Fox Soccer.

Steven Goff does his yearly look over US Soccer’s tax records.  This time for the time period between April 2011 through March 2012.  The US had a shortfall of $3.1 million over that time frame.

Brian Sciaretta caught up with Matt Besler to talk about his first callup with the USMNT.

Greg Seltzer clears his notebook with various stats and notes.

Sean Cunningham is currently training with Norwegian Adeccoligaen side Hødd.

A couple guys were saw the field yesterday.  Preston Zimmerman got the start and played 48 minutes in Darmstadt 98′s 0-0 draw to Babelsberg 03 in German 3. Liga action.  Justin Moose scored a goal in SJK’s 4-2 win in some tournament called IV KOMIA.  And Kenneth Di Vita Jensen scored a goal for Hønefoss and Steve Clark played the first half in a 3-2 win over HJK Helsinki in a friendly.  Here are highlights from the match with his goal coming around the 4:50 mark.

Team of the Year is based on the TV 2 Sport player market, where commentators and reporters have given character for every game.

Keeper:Steven Clark, – 5.30

Clark and Hønefoss narrowly avoided relegation in their first season back in the Tippeligaen.

What’s next for the 26 year-old? If there is a January camp this year, I’d like to see Clark called in. Norway isn’t the best league, but it’s not a bad one, and he had a very strong season. While Brad Guzan seems to be strengthening his position at #2, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t compete with Nick Rimando for #3 (with Sean Johnson and Bill Hamid on a different track as the young contenders).

Link

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.

 Norway Eliteserien

Top Three

Molde (Champions League) enter 2nd round

Stromsgodset (Europa League) enter 2nd round

Rosenborg (Europa League) enter 1st round

Bottom Three

Stabaek (Relegated)

Fredrikstad (Relegated)

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.

A few links from the last couple of days.

Liverpool will have a hearing soon over their “illegal approach” of Clint Dempsey during last summer.

Brad Guzan won Aston Villa’s Player of the Month honors for October.

Here is a video of Michael Bradley answering questions in Italian.

Want to have a dance party?  Want to have a dance party while watching highlights of Steve Clark?  If so, click this link.

DaMarcus Beasley is sitting at 97 caps with the USMNT.  Not a total surprise, he wants to hit 100.

Greg Seltzer talked to Will Packwood about his first season as a professional at Birmingham City.

Jann George is looking for a new home.  He was kicked off Nurnberg for talking back to his coach.  I have heard some rumblings over the last year that he is a head case.

Apparently Jurgen Klinsmann has talked to Shawn Parker about playing for the USMNT.  Parker is a 19-year-old forward who has scored four goals in nine games with Mainz II this year and has even made one appearance with Mainz’s senior team.

A few things worth checking out.

It looks like Rosenborg are planning on offering a contract extension to Mix Diskerud.  And a Norwegian report claims that Mix would be open to a Norway call-up, but he doesn’t think he will get one.

Staying in Norway, Brian Sciaretta caught up with Steve Clark to talk about his season with Honefoss.

Eric Lichaj picked up an injury over the weekend in Aston Villa’s 1-0 win over Sunderland.

Zac MacMath is headed back to Everton to train with the Toffees again this offseason.  MacMath has trained with the English club in the past and some might know that Everton’s goalkeeper coach, Chris Woods, is also the US goalkeeper coach (since Klinsmann took over).

Finnish club Haka will be debating over the offseason whether to keep Jordan Seabrook or not.  Seabrook played in 11 games with Haka as they were relegated from the Veikkausliiga to the Ykkönen.

Brent Latham, writing for ESPN FC (Insider), writes about the challenges Tab Ramos will face as the U-20s begin their 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup qualifying in February.

And finally, CONCACAF should be having a live online stream of the World Cup hexagonal draw on its website on Wednesday at 8 PM Eastern.

A few odds and ends from the week.

CONMEBOL came out yesterday claiming that the 2016 Copa America would be hosted in the US featuring teams from both CONMEBOL and CONCACAF.  As of today, both CONCACAF and US Soccer have stated that nothing has been finalized.

Landon Donovan is always an open person when it comes to interviews, almost too open.  Donovan gave another open interview to Roger Bennett earlier this week, where he thinks his chances of playing in the 2014 World Cup is “50-50″.

Ravi Ubha has a nice story up on Charlie Davies’ recent career path.

Grantland’s Graham Parker decided to do a write up on recent USMNTer Alan Gordon.

Greg Seltzer looks at some potential records that could be broken by some Americans playing overseas.

Grant Wahl recently talked to Brad Friedel about the goalkeeper situation at Tottenham.  The quote that I found the most interesting.

I think the media over here wanted to make it that it was this big fight between Hugo and myself and the manager, and there was never a big fight. The fact is, Tottenham have been looking for the last year and a half for a long-term No. 1 goalkeeper. I don’t think they envisioned what my fitness levels would be at this age, and I sort of surprised myself.

Matt Pyzdrowski hasn’t played with Angelholm since late July (and has been shut down for the season) due to concussions, but the 26-year-old goalkeeper has signed a two-year extension with the Swedish club.

Staying with the goalkeeper theme, this Norwegian site rates Steve Clark as the eighth best player in the Tippeligaen this season.  Josh Gatt is sitting at #18.