Hyundai A-League - Melbourne Victory win Grand Final

This morning at 3:30 AM, it turns out that I was awake to catch the Grand Final of the Hyundai A-League. How convenient.

Robb Watson gave us a pretty good preview of the match yesterday, and it turns out his final prediction was correct. He said the Melbourne Victory would get the win, and they did just that, beating Adelaide United 1-0. Midfielder Tom Pondeljak scored the match's only goal with a long-range strike on 59 minutes.

The match was turned on its head after just ten minutes, when Adelaide United's Brazilian striker Cristiano was sent off for an elbow on Melbourne's Rod Vargas. I'm not so sure it should have been a red card - there was a lot of blood, and definite contact, but he didn't swing the elbow at all. The colour commentator was particularly critical of the call.

After Cristiano was sent off, it was all Melbourne. They really should have scored a couple goals before the first half was over. After wave after wave of attack though, the Victory couldn't find the final product. After 59 minutes, the end product finally came, when Tom Pondeljak scored the eventual winner.

Down to ten men and losing one nil, it seemed like Adelaide were done and dusted, until Melbourne's Danny Allsopp was sent off in the 65th minute. This was when I dozed off (good timing, right?). It turns out that Adelaide had no answer, and the Victory won their second Grand Final.

From the 60 or so minutes that I saw, I thought it was awesome. The atmosphere was brilliant. It reminded me of the match in Montréal this past week. There were about 53,000 people at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne, and the Victory's supporters were really making their voices heard. As for the quality on the pitch, it was very similar to watching two of the top teams in Major League Soccer play.

Here are some links to match reports...

Victory prevail in epic - Hyundai A-League
Report: Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United - ESPN Soccernet
Victory victorious after controversial decider - Melbourne Herald Sun

MLS Preview '09: FC Dallas

Next up in my team-by-team preview is FC Dallas, a fixture I am very looking forward to this season because they have this one striker - what's his name again? Oh ya, that's right...

FC Dallas is another one of the league's original sides from 1996. Originaly called the Dallas Burn (wtf?), their only trophy to date is the 1997 US Open Cup. Their oldest rival is the Chicago Fire, with whom they compete with every season for the Brimstone Cup (get it? Fire, Burn...), but ever since the San Jose Earthquakes moved to Houston, their main rivals have been the cross-state Houston Dynamo.

Coach: Schellas Hyndman
Stadium: Pizza Hut Park (capacity 20,500)
Average Attendance in 2008: 13,024
2008 Record: 8-10-12 (5th in the Western Conference, 11th in MLS)
v. Toronto FC in 2008: 2-0 win @ Toronto, 2-2 draw @ Dallas

2008 Season Summary

Here's an interesting fact about the Hoops in 2008: They were the last team in the league to lose a regular season match. It's a pretty surprising statistic, considering how generally bad they were. One of their bright spots was obviously their big striker, Kenny Cooper, who finished second in the league's golden boot race with 18 goals. FC Dallas was never really in the playoff race last year, despite a bit of a late-season run of form. Schellas Hyndman will be trying to prove he is the right man to lead the Hoops after replacing Steve Morrow midseason last year.

Player Movement (as of February 27, 2009)

In: Dave Van Den Bergh, David Ferreira, Daniel Torres, Peri Merosevic, and Steve Purdy
Out: Adrian Serioux, Dominic Oduro, Diulio Davino, Bobby Rhine, David Wagenfuhr, Jeff Rowland, Spencer Wadsworth

Outlook for 2009

It's been a busy off-season at Pizza Hut Park, with significant players both coming and going. New players such as Dave Van Den Bergh and David Ferreira should be immense for Dallas, meanwhile the losses of Adrian Serioux and Diulio Davino could create a significant hole in their defense.

Dario Sala, their Argentine goalkeeper, isn't regarded as one of the league's best, but he isn't an inept choice in goal by any means. As I mentioned before, across the back, they'll have to rely on certain players to step up and fill the void left by Serioux and Davino. From what I've read, it seems that Marcelo Saragosa will take Adrian Serioux's spot. Hoops fans will hope that players like Drew Moor, Blake Wagner, and Andre Pitchkolan can be leaders in the defense.

Their two biggest off-season acquisitions have been additions to their midfield in Dutch winger Dave Van Den Bergh and Colombian playmaker David Ferreira. Van Den Bergh was traded from New York to Dallas for personal reasons, meanwhile Ferreira was brought on loan from Atletico Paranaense to play as their #10. Players from last year's squad, such as Andre Rocha, Pablo Ricchetti, and Dax McCarty will be providing some other valuable options in their midfield.

Up front, it's all about Kenny Cooper, but they also have this one guy, remember, the one who missed an open net from 12 inches out in last year's Canadian Championship final...what's his name again?

Overall, the acquisitions of Van Den Bergh and Ferreira should give their attack a lot more creativity, but I think there are some questions over their defense. Playoffs are a reasonable expectation for Dallas fans.

Star Player: Kenny Cooper
One to Watch: Peri Merosevic

Possible Best XI

GK: Dario Sala
DF: Marcelo Saragosa (RB) / Drew Moor (CB) / Andre Pitchkolan (CB) / Blake Wagner (LB)
MF: Pablo Ricchetti (RM) / Andre Rocha (CM) / David Ferreira (CM) / Dave Van Den Bergh (LM)
FW: Kenny Cooper / Jeff Cunningham

Other Team Previews: Chicago Fire, CD Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, DC United

Disclaimer: This preview is not an official preview, but my own view. Some things might be a little off, but I'm a poor college kid, not a paid reporter. If you support the team being previewed and something is wrong, or you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Hyundai A-League 2009 Grand Final Preview - Melbourne Victory v. Adelaide United

As promised earlier, here is a preview for the Grand Final of the Hyundai A-League, by Wellington Phoenix FC supporter Robb Watson. The match is at 3:30 AM Eastern Time - hopefully Saturday is a good day for sleeping in for you!

The Grand Final is between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. It will be played on 17th of February, 2007...hold on, that's not right. It will be played on the 28th of February, 2009.

Forgive me for feeling a little deja-vu there. Turns out the A-League has an unwritten rule that every second year, Melbourne and Adelaide must play each other in the final. So, no bets on who will contest the 2011 Grand Final.

In 2007, we saw Melbourne win the Premiership (MLS equivalent: the Supporters Shield). And in 2009? Melbourne won the Premiership. In 2007, Adelaide came second in the regular season. In 2009? Adelaide came second in the regular season. In 2007, we saw Melbourne beat Adelaide in the Semifinals, forcing the South Australians to contest a Preliminary Final to get to the Grand Final (MLS equivalent: the MLS Cup). And in 2009? Yeah...you see where I'm going.

In 2007, Melbourne utterly hosed Adelaide 6-0 in the Grand Final. In 2009? Wait and see...8/10 for style, 1/10 for originality. Nevertheless, this is gonna be one heck of a good match.

The Teams

Melbourne and Adelaide have one of the biggest rivalries in the league, only really contested by Newcastle v. Central Coast. This season has been a two-horse race, with Melbourne and Adelaide dominating the competition. Queensland struggled to keep pace, and the other teams basically fought it out for a five-team B-League Premiership, won by Central Coast Mariners. Their prize? Promotion to the A-League playoffs and a loss to Queensland.

At the start of the year, I picked these two teams to be the top two...though in all fairness, I picked them to be followed by Sydney and Wellington, but 50/50 ain't bad!

Melbourne's main concern is mental. Firstly, they're so widely picked to win ,they're more likely to choke than my Ottawa Senators in a Timbits eating race (Note - despite being an Australian article, this is a Canadian blog, thus Cancon laws still apply...right?). Secondly, they can get a bit aggravated, as is evident by their players collecting more cards than a rich kid at a Pokémon convention. I doubt they'd be stupid enough to earn a red card in the Grand Final, but you never know.

Adelaide's main concern is team chemistry. Rumours have it that there's internal politics causing difficulties at the club, leading to coach Aurelio Vidmar to have a massive rant to the press, in which he called Adelaide a "piss-ant town". Way to win the fans over, Viddy!

Players to Keep and Eye on

Archie Thompson (MVFC) - Most Kiwi's will hurry to point out that Archie Hargreav...err, Thompson...was born in NZ, but decided to play for a soccer nation with more chance of international success. I guess I just did myself, but I'm Australian, so it's okay. Anyway, he scored a hat trick in the 2007 final. Will this happen again?

Michael Theoklitos (MVFC) - Worth watching for several reasons. Firstly, the Melbourne keeper is damn fun to watch. Last season he was easily the best keeper in the competition, the only goalie I enjoy watching as much would be Glen Moss - currently of Wellington Phoenix, but next year, Melbourne Victory. Secondly, because he's had a less than stellar year and will want to make up for it, especially with scouts watching. He almost signed for Everton last year, and EPL scouts will still be keeping an eye on him. He'll definitely hope to win a contract. Thirdly, because if he doesn't go to Europe, rumours are he might be coming to Wellington Phoenix FC. Which is Toronto FC's sister team (at least in the eyes of Ben and myself). Fourthly, because
he'll be dueling with...

Eugene Galekovic (AUFC) - In 2007, Galekovic was sitting on the bench, wearing Melbourne's uniform, ready to replace Theoklitos if necessary. Two years later, Galekovic is starting for the opposite team, having had a stellar year which has seen his play act as a key factor in getting Adelaide to the final.

Cristiano (AUFC) - If you get bored of the footy, instead play a drinking game: Every time Adelaide's Brazilian striker dives, take a sip. I guarantee you'll be hammered by half time.

Diego Walsh (AUFC) - Because he'll be a Phoenix player next season. He's had MLS experience, having the experience of playing for Kansas City (2004-05) and the shame of playing for Columbus (2003). That being said, he's probably not going to be playing due to a rift with the coach...but you never know. As a Phoenix player with MLS experience, I had to point him out.

Who to cheer for?

None of them. Even though we're not in the finals, Wellington Phoenix FC is always the team to cheer for.

But if you have to chear for someone, Melbourne is a great city that absolutely loves its sport. It has the largest crowd support of any team - in terms of crowd average, their mean of 24,516 almost doubles Queensland, coming in second at 12,995. The recession has hit soccer hard, but Melburnians love their footy. Funnily enough, this number excludes the significant amount of Melbourne's population who abhor the Victory due to historical issues. Impressive. So if you want safety in numbers (or want to place a bet, or want to pick the winning side you bandwagon jumper), pick Melbourne.

Adelaide's a hole. But they're the underdog, and as far as I'm concerned, the pride of Australia as far as this season goes. They became the first Australian team to make the Asian Champions League final, where they lost to Japan's Gamba Osaka. They thus qualified for the Club World Cup, another massive achievement. They've had the entire city behind them this season, but that's no surprise because there's nothing else to do in Adelaide, unless you fancy wine tours. So if you want to cheer for the gutsy underdog who have a score to settle, pick Adelaide.

Training Notes - February 27, 2009

On a non-MLS note, the Grand Final of the Hyundai A-League is this Saturday (3:30 AM over here - awesome!) between the Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United. If you're an MLS fan, you might find it interesting to watch this one, because our league and their's are comparable in overall quality. Check back later today, as a buddy of mine down in New Zealand has written a match preview for me. So, if you do intend to watch, hopefully it will give you a better idea of what's going on.

Today's Links

Here is Goal.com's 2009 Toronto FC preview.

From Toronto FC TV: Goalkeeping coach Mike Toshack. It looks like he thinks very highly of each of Greg Sutton, Stefan Frei, and Brian Edwards.

The Houston Dynamo are set to announce a signing today at 2 PM. Dynamo Planet is speculating that it could be Canadian defender Andrew Hainault.

Also. the Dynamo are closing in even further on their stadium deal.

They may not have done it in front of 55,000 supporters, but the Puerto Rico Islanders pulled off another shock result in the CONCACAF Champions League last night. The USL side beat Honduran club Marathon 2-1.

The Kansas City Wizards drew Chivas de Guadelajara 1-1 yesterday in Mexico. Graham Zusi scored for KC.

Seattle Sounders FC centre half Taylor Graham has been sidelined with a broken foot.

This article has something about Alvaro Sanchez and FC Dallas. Through Google Translate, I'm able to see that this guy is heading to Dallas for a trial.

This picture is awesome: Mexican national team and Santos Laguna goalkeeper, Oswaldo Sanchez.

MLS Preview '09: DC United

Next up in my preview is DC United, who are historically the league's most successful side. They've had a busy off-season as well after coming off of a disappointing 2008.

Another one of the league's original sides in 1996, they won the first MLS Cup, as well as the US Open Cup that season. In 1997, they won the Supporter's Shield, and the MLS Cup again, and were runners up in the US Open Cup. A year later, they won the CONCACAF Champions Cup (which has now been replaced with the CONCACAF Champions League). This club has done it all in MLS.

Coach: Tom Soehn
Stadium: RFK Stadium (capacity 56,692)
Average Attendance in 2008: 19,835
2008 Record: 11-15-4 (6th in the Eastern Conference, 10th in MLS)
v. Toronto in 2008: 4-1 win @ Washington, 1-0 loss @ Toronto, 3-2 win @ Washington

2008 Season Summary

After bringing in a bunch of South American pre-season signings, including Argentine DP Marcelo Gallardo, many were tipping DC to easily win the Supporters Shield. This didn't happen though, as United started the season off slowly and were never really able to recover. They did have a good run of form in May and June that lifted them into a playoff spot, but as the season wore on, injuries took their toll and they finished second-last in the Eastern Conference. Despite this, they still won some silverware, as they took home the US Open Cup, beating the Charleston Battery 2-1. Their lack of success in the league, though, can partially be attributed to a number of things. Stars such as Luciano Emilio, Ben Olsen, Fred, and Marcelo Gallardo spent a lot of time out injured, meanwhile none of their pre-season signings really worked out.

Player Movement (as of February 27, 2009)

In: Christian Gomez, Ange N'Silu, Chris Pontius, Rodney Wallace, Andrew Jacobson, Mike Gracyk, Mamadou Danso, Dejan Jakovic
Out: Jeff Carroll, Gonzalo Peralta, Ryan Cordeiro, Quavas Kirk, Ibrahim Koroma, Craig Thompson, Marcelo Gallardo, Zach Wells, Joe Vide, Ivan Guerrero, Mike Zaher

Outlook for 2009

In my view, DC have neither improved or unimproved this off-season. If they can stay healthy this season, they should be okay. I would say the loss of Marcelo Gallardo has been cancelled out by the return of Christian Gomez.

There still is a lot of work to be done with United's defense. Last season, Marc Burch emerged as a quality defender, while Gonzalo Peralta and Gonzalo Martinez never lived up to expectations. Newly-signed Canadian Dejan Jakovic could provide some vital cover. The 23 year-old joins DC from Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. In goal, the mid-season acquisition of Liberian international Louis Crayton proved significant as Zach Wells never seemed good enough to be an MLS starter.

DC's midfield is pretty strong. Clyde Simms rose to the occasion last season, establishing himself as the team's best holding midfielder. After miserable year in Colorado, Christian Gomez has returned to fill the void left by the departure of Marcelo Gallardo. I'm not sure on Ben Olsen's status, but if he is healthy that is another added bonus. Another player that surprised MLS supporters was Santino Quaranta. I'd imagine he will continue to see time on the pitch. I also can't forget to mention Fred, who is one of the league's best left wingers.

Up front. Luciano Emilio will continue to lead the charge as the team's designated player. They also have the league's all-time leading scorer in Jaime Moreno, though I'm not sure he'll be a regular in the starting eleven because of his age. They also have Francis Doe, who I think could have a breakout season in 2009. On top of those three, DC has Thabiso Khumalo, and the newly-signed Ange N'Silu. I think their attack is looking pretty good.

Star Player: Luciano Emilio
One to Watch: Francis Doe

Possible Best XI

GK: Louis Crayton
DF: Marc Burch (RB) / Devon McTavish (CB) / Dejan Jakovic (CB) / Brian Namoff (LB)
MF: Ben Olsen (RM) / Clyde Simms (CDM) / Christian Gomez (CAM) / Fred (LM)
FW: Luciano Emilio / Francis Doe

Other Team Previews: Chicago Fire, CD Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew

Disclaimer: This preview is not an official preview, but my own view. Some things might be a little off, but I'm a poor college kid, not a paid reporter. If you support the team being previewed and something is wrong, or you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Training Notes - February 26, 2009

I'm trying to understand it, but I can't, so I'm just accepting it. You probrably already know that the Montréal Impact beat Santos Laguna 2-0 yesterday in the CONCACAF Champions League. You probably are also aware that there were over 55,000 people at this match.

Santos Laguna are one of the top sides in the region's best professional soccer league in Mexico. The Montréal Impact are in the USL, a league doesn't even compare with the Mexican league. How, then, does this happen? It makes no sense - on paper, anyways.

It was one of those games where the losing side had more of the possesion, but did nothing with it. Santos Laguna had some excellent link-up play in the midfield, with clever and quick passes. Their only attacking threat though, was when they sent a longball through to Christian Benitez. When the Impact got the ball, their offensive movements were quick and decisive. When they lost the ball, their defending was compact and organized.

I'm willing to say that Montréal isn't the better team. I have heard it said, though, that talent will only get you so far, and it's passion that gets you over the top. Santos Laguna had more talent, but the Impact wore their hearts on their sleeves, and played as if the world was ending if they didn't get the result. I have to give them full credit for this.

It's hard to believe that a USL side, let alone a side from Canada, is 90 minutes away from the CONCACAF Champions League semi-final. The Impact's run is bittersweet for me. As much as I love to see Canadian football showcased like this, I hate that it's in Montréal.

Today's Links

O'Brian White has begun jogging as he continues to recovery from a serious ACL injury.

John Carver is excited about the trade for Adrian Serioux. After watching his performances with our national team, he believes that Serioux can be a great centre half for us.

If you're planning on heading out to Qwest Field for our match at Seattle Sounders FC, there is a ticket pre-sale on until 10:00 PT tonight.

Dane Richards and Andy Boyens both scored as the New York Red Bulls beat the River Plate reserves 2-1 yesterday. Click here for more details.

In other Champions League action, Cruz Azul beat Pumas 1-0.

The Los Angeles Galaxy waived five players yesterday. Steve Cronin, Brandon McDonald, Troy Roberts, and Ely Allen were all let go.

The Examiner takes a look at the Rapids acquisition of Gregory Richardson. In fairness, he will get more playing time in Colorado than he would here.

After patching things up with his coach in Dallas, Dax McCarty may be forced into a substitutes role after the Hoops signed David Ferreira.

Remember when Frankie Hejduk received a little "love tap" from one of Mexico's coaches a few weeks ago? It turns out he has received no apology.

Richardson to Rapids

Attention Rapids fans: Jackie Chan is coming to a football pitch near you.

We hadn't actually signed Gregory Richardson, but we had his rights via the Discovery Claim. Last week, it seemed like he was going to be offered a contract with us, but it turns out he'll likely be calling Dick Sporting Goods Park his new home. According to Soccer by Ives, Mo Johnston dealt the rights to Richardson to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick (which is believed to be a first round or second round pick).

The trade makes sense for Colorado, who don't really have a third striker to compliment Omar Cummings and Conor Casey. It also makes sense for us, as with Pablo Vitti, Danny Dichio, Chad Barrett, and Fuad Ibrahim, we're looking pretty good up front.

MLS Preview '09: Feedback

I've noticed that there have been a few links to my team previews so far, so I just wanted to touch base with the supporters of the team's I'm previewing.

If you have any feedback or input, I'd appreciate it. I've already previewed a couple clubs, and if I got your club all wrong, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email to clear things up. I don't want to sit here pretending I know everything about every team in the league, because I don't. I'm as much a student of the game and of the league as the next guy.

Montréal Impact 2 - 0 Santos Laguna

WOW. More on this tomorrow.

MLS Preview '09: Columbus Crew

Of all the team previews I am doing, this is the one I looked forward to the least. The team I hate the most was the league's best in 2008, and that sucks.

Columbus is another one of Major League Soccer's original sides from 1996. They are perhaps best known for being the first club in the league to have its own soccer specific stadium, which was funded by the late Lamar Hunt. In 1999, Columbus Crew Stadium opened, and since then, the SSS has become a necessity in MLS. The Crew won the 2002 US Open Cup over the Los Angeles Galaxy, and just last November won its first MLS Cup, beating the New York Red Bulls 3-1.

Coach: Robert Warzycha
Stadium: Columbus Crew Stadium (capacity 20,555)
Average Attendance in 2008: 14,622
2008 Record: 17-7-6, first in the Eastern Conference, first in MLS
v. Toronto FC in 2008: 2-0 @ Columbus, 0-0 draw @ Toronto, 1-1 draw @ Toronto

2008 Season Summary

The Columbus Crew opened up the 2008 MLS season with a 2-0 win over us at a match which was attended by over 2,500 Toronto FC supporters. They had a bright start to the season, winning 5 of their first 6 matches, and never looked back. A slight dip of form in June saw them slip down to third in the Eastern Conference standings, however a strong finish ensured they won the MLS Supporter's Shield. They were anchored by Argentine playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who was the 2008 league MVP, scoring 6 goals and 18 assists. Other players, such as Eddie Gaven, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, and Robbie Rogers provided Schelotto with a very prominent supporting cast. After winning the league, the Crew went on to win the 2008 MLS Cup.

Player Movement (as of February 25, 2009)

In: None
Out: Brad Evans, Kevin Burns, Ryan Junge, George Josten, Andrew Peterson, Ricardo Pierre-Louis, Brian Plotkin, Ezra Hendrickson, Stefani Miglioranzi

Outlook for 2009

There have been no player additions for Columbus ahead of this season, and I can't really blame them for that. They have, however, lost Brad Evans, a key piece to their midfield last season, and head coach Sigi Schmid, both to Seattle Sounders FC.

They are set across the back, with American veteran and club captaion Frankie Hejduk leading the way. Included in their defense is 2008 Defender of the Year and newly re-signed Chad Marshall, and Argentine journeyman Gino Padulo. Their goalkeeper, Will Hesmer, had a bit of a breakthrough year in 2008. He was a finalist for the 2008 Goalkeeper of the Year, and should be be a very capable starter again for the Crew in 2009.

Their midfield is looking pretty good as well. With Brad Evans gone, it's being said that Adam Moffat will retake his place in the starting eleven. One player to watch out for is Emmanuel Ekpo. He has a lot of potential and could surprise a lot of people this year. Guillermo Barros Schelotto will continue to run the offense, with Brian Carroll acting as the holding midfielder. The wings are covered by Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven.

Up front, though, they are a bit thin. Venezuelan international Alejandro Moreno was often played as a lone striker in 2008, and with the support of Schelotto, Rogers, and Gaven, they were quite fine. Former Revolution striker Pat Noonan is their second choice, and he showed last year that he still has what it takes in MLS.

If the Crew can continue their form from 2008, the playoffs should be a lock once again. There will be a lot of pressure on their new coach, Robert Warzycha, but from what I've read, he has been generally well received from their fans.

Star Player: Guillermo Barros Schelotto
One to Watch: Emmanuel Ekpo

Possible Best XI

GK: Will Hesmer
DF: Frankie Hejduk (RB), Chad Marshall (CB), Danny O'Rourke (CB), Gino Padula (LB)
MF: Eddie Gaven (RM), Brian Carroll (CM), Adam Moffat (CM), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (CAM), Robbie Rogers (LM)
FW: Alejandro Moreno

Other Team Previews: Chicago Fire, CD Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids

Disclaimer: This preview is not an official preview, but my own view. Some things might be a little off, but I'm a poor college kid, not a paid reporter. If you support the team being previewed and something is wrong, or you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Training Notes - February 25, 2009

Man, things are getting serioux. I am seriouxly very excited about yesterday's trade. When I first saw the rumour, I wasn't sure if it was serioux, but it turns out, Mo was very serioux about bringing Serioux to TFC. Seriouxly though, all of this "Serioux" wordplay is getting a little annoying and overused.

That's the only bad thing about this trade though, as acquiring Adrian Serioux was exactly what we needed. Yesterday, Buzz Carrick at 3rd Degree cleared up some more details on the trade. We sent Dallas a first round draft pick in 2010 and some allocation money. If you remember, when we acquired Fuad Ibrahim last summer, we sent the Hoops a second round draft pick in 2010. When you put this together, Dallas has both of our first and second round draft picks next year. After our haul at this year's draft, I could really care less about this. SBI is reporting that the allocation amount was $50,000. Not too bad at all!

Today's Links

The Montréal Impact are ready for the biggest match in their history tonight. I haven't touched on this at all yet, but I will this afternoon some time.

After sending us Adrian Serioux, FC Dallas signed Colombian playmaker David Ferreira on loan with an option to buy.

Seattle Sounders FC are heading down to Argentina today to continue their preparations for their inaugural MLS season. No, Freddie Ljungberg is not with them.

The Houston Dynamo drew the first leg of their Champions League tie with Atlante FC 1-1 in Houston. Bobby Boswell scored for Houston, with Gabriel Pereyra. The 24th Minute has a great post about a certain attitude problem towards this match.

DC United have responded to some disgruntled fans in Virginia about the move to an SSS in Maryland.

The New York Red Bulls beat Argentine club Velez Sarsfield 2-1 in pre-season action.

USL in Hamilton...really?

Check out this article (courtesy of TSN, about soccer, I know...weird).

It turns out that the Bob Young, the owner of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, is in the process of applying for a franchise in the United Soccer League. I'm not entirely sure if they would start in one of the Premier Development Leagues, in the USL Second Division, or the USL First Division.

This is an interesting one for me, seeing as I'm 20 minutes east of Hamilton down the QEW. I can tell you right now that if Hamilton was given a USL side, Toronto FC would still be my number one club. In fact, I'm sure many Hamilton-based TFC supporters would say the same thing.

It's an interesting prospect to think about, though. The city of Hamilton is getting ready to build a new stadium at the waterfront because of the Pan-Am Games, so a stadium wouldn't be so much of an issue. A USL side would obviously ground-share with the CFL's Tiger Cats, and this could lead to those awful throwball lines being permanently on the pitch.

I'm not sure the team would be a success, though. With no disrespect to the USL, compared to MLS, it is the second tier league. The Hamilton Bulldogs, the city's AHL team, doesn't even fill 50% of Copps Coliseum, which has a capacity of 17,500 for hockey. Compare the popularity of soccer and hockey right now. That's right - hockey still owns soccer in Canada. In the hockey world, the NHL/AHL is somewhat comparable to MLS/USL, though the difference in talent between MLS and USL is much less than between the NHL and the AHL. That said, hockey fans in Hamilton would still rather see the NHL in Toronto (or even Buffalo). I think that the same thing would go for the footy fans.

Also, in the summer, Hamilton is all about one sports team, and one sports team only - the Hamilton Tiger Cats. Even though they suck, the city still goes nuts for them. I read The Spec every day and cannot believe that attention the Ticats get. In a city like Hamilton, I don't see this changing.

It's a lot different from the situation in Ottawa, with Eugene Melnyck bidding for an MLS franchise. The drive from Ottawa to Toronto is, what, 4 or 5 hours? Through the Senators, sports fans in Ottawa differentiate themselves from Toronto sports fans, and I think if MLS went to Ottawa, the same type of thing would happen.

In the end, I think that the soccer fan in Hamilton would rather support an MLS side in Toronto, than a USL side in Hamilton.

MLS Preview '09: Colorado Rapids

Last year, we beat the Rapids both home and away, but they still finished higher than us in the table. Go figure!

The Colorado Rapids are one of the league's original sides from 1996. In their second season of play, they reached the MLS Cup Final, but lost 2-1 to DC United. They reached the US Open Cup Final in 1999, but lost that match as well. Basically, in 14 seasons, the Rapids have won nothing. That's okay though, because their nice new soccer specific stadium rarely sells out, meaning there aren't too many people heartbroken over this.

Coach: Gary Smith
Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park (capacity 18,776)
Average Attendance in 2008: 13,659
2008 Record: 11-14-5 (4th in the Western Conference, 9th in MLS)
v. Toronto FC in 2008: 3-1 loss @ Toronto, 1-0 loss @ Colorado

2008 Season Summary

After using their DP spot to acquire Christian Gomez, Colorado had a bright start to the 2008 season, including a 4-0 demolition of the Galaxy on opening day and an impressive 1-0 away win at New England. This was short-lived, however, as Gomez quickly fell out of favour, and the they slowly sunk down the Western Conference standings. A coaching change worked well for the Rapids though, as Englishman Gary Smith took over from Fernando Clavijo midseason. Under Smith, the Rapids went on a late run, and it wasn't until the 88th minute of their last match of the season that they were eliminated from the playoffs. In the end, they finished fourth in the Western Conference.

Player Movement (as of February 24, 2009)

In: Ty Harden, Matt Pickens, Ivan Guerrero
Out: Christian Gomez, Mike Petke, Tim Ward, Bouna Condoul, Jose Burciaga Jr., Facundo Erpen, Tom McManus, Mike Graczyk

Outlook for 2009

Gary Smith certaily has his work cut out for him, and I think it will be another long year at the Dick (thank God our ground doesn't have that name).

Senegalese goalkeeper Bouna Condoul has left the club, but Matt Pickens, who they acquired from Chicago, is a worthy replacement. Their backline remains virtually the same as last year's, despite the loss of Jose Burciaga Jr. Burciaga was injured for the majority of the 2008 season.

In midfield, the loss of Christian Gomez would be a big one for many MLS sides, but not for Colorado. Gomez was seemingly frozen out during his time with the Rapids, and welcomed a move back to DC just a few weeks ago. Honduran winger Ivan Guerrero, who was included in the Gomez trade, gives Colorado a pretty good new option on the wing. The midfield will still be anchored by US international and club captain Pablo Mastroeni, who was immense yet again for them in 2008. Aside from these few guys, Colorado doesn't have too much to be hopeful over in midfield.

Up front, Conor Casey and Omar Cummings will likely continue to lead the charge. In 2008, Casey finished the season with 11 goals, and Cummings had 6 of his own. Beyond those two, their forward line is quite thin, so if either Casey or Cummings goes down through injury, they will be in definite need of some reinforcements.

There is no MLS side who will for certain NOT be in the 2009 playoffs, but I don't think Colorado is one to be hopeful of making the post-season.

Star Player: Pablo Mastroeni
One to Watch: Ciaren O'Brien

Possible Best XI

GK: Matt Pickens
DF: Kosuke Kimura (RB) / Corey Gibbs (CB) / Ugo Ilhemelu (CB) / Ivan Guerrero (LB)
MF: Terry Cooke (RM) / Pablo Mastroeni (CM) / Mehdi Ballouchy (CM) / Colin Clark (LM)
FW: Conor Casey / Omar Cummings

Other Team Previews: Chicago Fire, CD Chivas USA

Disclaimer: This preview is not an official preview, but my own view. Some things might be a little off, but I'm a poor college kid, not a paid reporter. If you support the team being previewed and something is wrong, or you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Canadian Championship schedule released

The 2009 Canadian Championship schedule has just been released. Toronto FC TV has an interview with Paul Beirne about it. Here are the dates for Toronto's matches:

Wednesday, May 6 v. Vancouver Whitecaps
Wednesday, May 13 v. Montréal Impact
Wednesday, June 2 @ Vancouver Whitecaps
Wednesday, June 7 @ Montréal Impact

I think we're all expecting Toronto to win this tournament this time around. It's been said that when we lost it to Montréal on July 22 last year, it was the darkest moment in our brief history. That could, though, be attributed to a lack of respect to the Impact and Whitecaps, both of whom are always among the top teams in the USL.

Since last year's tournament, we've added Chad Barrett, Dwayne De Rosario, Pablo Vitti, Adrian Serioux, and those draft picks (White, Cronin, and Frei). On paper, this year's tournament should be ours without a doubt. The game isn't played on paper though, so it is nice to know that we have a guy like John Carver running things from bench.

The return of Serioux

Update: It's official.

I went to bed early last night, so I missed the confirmation on this one. Buzz Carrick of 3rd Degree is reporting that we have, in fact, acquired Adrian Serioux.

Adding Adrian Serioux is a huge step forward in fixing our current centre back situation. He spent most of his time with Dallas playing at right back, but if any of you watched Canada's World Cup Qualifying campaign, you will have seen that he is more than capable of succeeding at centre back. Amidst a meager few matches for Canada, Serioux's performance in the heart of the defense was one of just a few bright spots.

Serioux already has his own place in Toronto FC history, as he was the first player ever traded by us. Mo Johnston selected him from the Houston Dynamo in the expansion draft, and just hours later sent him back to Texas to play for FC Dallas in exchange for Ronnie O'Brien.

He is from Scarborough, and according to 3rd Degree, had always expressed a desire to play in front of his hometown crowd. He is a more than welcome addition to our team, and I think coming here gives him the opportunity to really establish himself as a leader in our backline.

Training Notes - February 23, 2009

Monday's are my worst day for posting, and it sucks, because there is always a lot of post-weekend news to go over.

On Saturday, Toronto FC beat Florida Atlantic University 3-0, without many first team regulars. Danny Dichio scored twice and Sam Cronin scored the other. Click here for a match report.

Today, we faced some stiffer competition in Swedish Premier Division side BK Hacken. John Carver played a very strong starting eleven, including Portuguese trialist Miguel Garcia. The result was another 3-0 victory, with Carl Robinson, Pablo Vitti, and Dwayne De Rosario scoring for us. Click here for a report from this match. When Robbo is scoring, things must be good.

Today's Links

Steve Goff is saying that Adrian Serioux will be coming here. His sources are saying that we will be getting Serioux in exchange for a draft pick and some allocation money. Steve Goff is a very reliable source, so I'm going to assume that it is only a matter of time until this deal gets done, and acquiring Serioux will be a huge boost for our defense.

For our second stint in Florida, some new faces have arrived in camp on trial. The Footy Blog has a pretty good summary of who they are. To name then, we've got Portuguese right-back Miguel Garcia, Haitian international Alexandre Boucicaut, and Slovakian Martin Durica.

Toronto FC defenders Nana Attakora-Gyan and Gabe Gala have been included in Canada's U20 team for the CONCACAF U20 Championships in Trinidad and Tobago in March.

Seattle Sounders FC won their first ever match at Qwest Field on the weekend. Thanks to two goals from both Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero, the Sounders beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0.

The San Jose Earthquakes have signed Finnish international Aki Riihilahti on a four-year deal. The midfielder has played previously for Kaiserslauten in Germany and Crystal Palace in England.

The New York Red Bulls have invited former Real Madrid and Barcelona defender Albert Celades.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings win Pan Pacific Championship

It looks like the Los Angeles Galaxy's best chance for silverware in 2009 has come and gone, and as expected, the Gals have walked away with nothing. In last night's Pan Pacific Championship Final, Suwon Samsung Bluewings beat them in penalties, after the two tied after 90 minutes.

I watched most of the match, and it certainly wasn't very pretty. A Sean Franklin own-goal put LA 1-0 behind in the first half, before Mike Magee scored a 89th minute penalty to even things up. The match went straight to a penalty shootout, where Edson Buddle hit his shot over the net, and Kyle Patterson had his shot saved. Suwon scored all of theirs, and won the shootout 4-2. The third place match was won by Oita Trinita beat Shandong Luneng Taishan FC 2-1.

MLS Preview '09: CD Chivas USA

I told you posting would be busier. Next up in my MLS Preview '09 is Club Deportivo Chivas USA.

It was this club that had the honours of being our first ever opponents in a Major League Soccer match. On April 7, 2007, they beat us 2-0 at the Home Depot Center. More commonly known as Chivas USA, or simply Chivas, the club joined MLS in 2005. They are a sister club to Mexican giants Chivas de Guadelajara, and therefore wear the same style kits and have a similar club logo. They were originally stocked with second-string Mexican players from their sister club, however this plan backfired, as Chivas finished its expansion season with a record of 4-22-6. Often overlooked by their LA rivals the Galaxy, they have emerged as the city's best team, finishing either first or second in the Western Conference since their first year.

Coach: Preki Radosavljevic
Stadium: The Home Depot Center (capacity 27,000)
Average Attendance in 2008: 14,286
2008 Record: 12-11-7, second in the Western Conference, fifth in MLS
v. Toronto FC in 2008: 2-1 win @ Chivas, 3-1 @ Toronto

2008 Season Summary

Chivas USA had a very inconsistent start to the 2008 season, the cause of which being a rash of injuries to some of its best players. Included in their list of injuries throughout the season was former Swiss international midfielder Raphael Wicky, 2007 golden boot winner Maykel Galindo, veteran striker Ante Razov, and midfielder Jesse Marsch. They also sold Brad Guzan, arguably the league's best goalkeeper, to Aston Villa of the English Premier League, and have yet to find a suitable replacement. As the 2008 season progressed, the Goats had a late run of good form, during which they clinched second place in the Western Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, though, they lost to upstart Real Salt Lake.

Player Movement (as of February 21, 2009)

In: Ante Jazic, Michael Lahoud
Out: Alex Zotinca, Roberto Nurse, Francisco Mendoza

Outlook for 2009

In 2008, they were probably the league's most injured side. If they can stay healthy in 2009, they should easily make the playoffs in the somewhat weaker Western Conference.

There are still question marks over their goalkeeping situation, as aging American Zach Thornton is no longer considered to be one of the league's top keepers. Their defense, however, is pretty solid. Jonathan Bornstein will continue to lead the line from left back, meanwhile Bobby Burling and Jim Curtin proved to be solid players last season. The addition of Ante Jazic could be a good one as well, as the Canadian can play anywhere across the back, as well as in the midfield. It will be interesting to see if 41 year-old Mexican legend Claudio Suarez can still cut it after an injury ravaged 2008.

Their midfield is obviously lead by USMNT player Sacha Kljestan, and a healthy Raphael Wicky could be immense. Brazilian Paolo Nagamura will likely continue to anchor the midfield in a holding role, allowing Jesse Marsch to roam a bit more. If the club's injury problems persist, the loss of tricky Mexican winger Francisco Mendoza could be a significant one.

Up front, charismatic striker Alecko Eskandarian proved in 2008 that when he's healthy, he can still do the job. A lot will be expected of Cuban Maykel Galindo, who scored 12 in 2007, meanwhile youngsters Bobby Braun and Jorge Flores could provide some added flare from the bench. I can't forget to mention Ante Razov, one of the league's all-time leading scorers. Chivas has a good mix of experience and youth in their strike force.

Star Player: Sacha Kljestan (MF)
One to Watch: Jorge Flores (MF)

Possible Best XI

GK: Zach Thornton
DF: Carrey Talley (RB) / Claudio Suarez (CB) / Jim Curtin (CB) / Jonathan Bornstein (LB)
MF: Sacha Kljestan (RM) / Paolo Nagamura (CM) / Jesse Marsch (CM) / Ante Jazic (LM)
FW: Maykel Galindo / Ante Razov

In case you missed my preview of the Chicago Fire, click here to check it out.

Disclaimer: This preview is not an official preview, but my own view. Some things might be a little off, but I'm a poor college kid, not a paid reporter. If you support the team being previewed and something is wrong, or you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Toronto plays FAU today

After a few days back in the bubble at BMO Field, the guys are back in Florida to resume pre-season training. Today, they face Florida Atlantic University at 3:00 PM.

Danny Dichio dropped a nice hint via twitter when he arrived: "Touched down in Fort Lauderdale(FL) for the start of our 2nd pre-season trip. Ran in2 a friend who might be signing 4 us 2moz!"

What are the chances this "friend" features in today's friendly? Word on the street is that FC Dallas is in Florida as well, and Dichio did play with Adrian Serioux at Millwall in 2004...just saying. Let the speculation begin!

On a side note, I started my MLS Preview '09 yesterday, previewing the Chicago Fire. If you missed it, click here to check it out.

Vitti Video

Check out the video below.

Toronto FC TV takes us behind the scenes with some more footage of pre-season training. There is a lot of attention paid to Pablo Vitti. Enjoy!

MLS Preview '09: Chicago Fire

Time to officially start previewing 2009, and I'm starting by going through each individual MLS club. First up is the Chicago Fire.

Many of us Toronto FC supporters will forever remember the Chicago Fire as the team we scored our first goal against, and the team we first won against. That day was May 12, 2007, when Danny Dichio, Kevin Goldthwaite, and Maurice Edu scored in a 3-1 win at BMO Field. The Fire joined MLS in 1998, and won the MLS Cup in their first year. Since then, they have won the Supporters Shield once as the league's best team during the regular season, and the US Open cup four times.

Coach: Denis Hamlett
Stadium: Toyota Park (capacity 20,000)
Average Attendance in 2008: 17,034
2008 Record: 13-10-7, second in the Eastern Conference, third in MLS
v. Toronto FC in 2008: 2-1 win @ Chicago, 3-2 loss @ Toronto

2008 Season Summary

The Chicago Fire started the 2008 season as the league's hottest team before stretches of inconsistent results ultimately placed them second in the East heading into the playoffs. The first player everyone thinks of when "Chicago Fire" comes to mind is midfield maestro Cuauhtémoc Blanco. The Mexican showed some signs of his age last season, but finished the year with 7 goals and 11 assists. The Fire's biggest acquisition in 2008 was American striker Brian McBride. We ended up sending the rights to McBride to Chicago for Chad Barrett, allocation money, and a first round draft pick in July. In 11 appearances last season, he scored 5 goals and 2 assists. Once all was said and done, the Fire ended up losing 2-1 to the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final.

Player Movement (as of February 20, 2009)

In: Baggio Husidic
Out: Tomasz Frankowski, Diego Gutierrez, Andy Herron, Stephen King, Lidier Marmol

Outlook for 2009

As you can see above, there have been no significant additions to the Fire. This is probably because they are, in general, one of the league's deepest sides. In losing Frankowski and Herron, their strike force has gotten a little bit thinner, but in Chris Rolfe and Brian McBride, they at least have two of the league's best strikers. They also have young Patrick Nyarko, who is considered to be quite the prospect.

I think that the Fire's strongest area on the field, though, is in defense. Jon Busch was the 2008 Goalkeeper of the Year, meanwhile each of Wilman Conde, Bakary Soumare, and Gonzalo Segares, are considered to be among the league's top defenders. In 2008, only Houston conceded less goals than Chicago.

Overall, the team is pretty well set in every position. They do have a lot of veteran players, but also have a good mix of youth in their side. If everyone remains healthy, the playoffs should be a lock for Chicago, with the MLS Cup definitely not out of the question.

Star Player: Cuauhtémoc Blanco (MF/FW)
One to Watch: Patrick Nyarko (FW)

Possible Best XI

GK: Jon Busch
DF: Justin Prideaux (RB) / Wilman Conde (CB) / Bakary Soumare (CB) / Gonzalo Segares (LB)
MF: John Thorrington (RM) / Logan Pause (CDM) / Cuauhtémoc Blanco (CAM) / Justin Mapp (LM)
FW: Chris Rolfe / Brian McBride

Disclaimer: This preview is not an official preview, but my own view. Some things might be a little off, but I'm a poor college kid, not a paid reporter. If you support the team being previewed and something is wrong, or you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Training Notes - February 20, 2009

For those of you who missed it, Shep Messing gave us his offering for joke of the year on MLS Extra Time this week, stating that Danny Dichio is having attitude problems. He clearly pulled this one right out of his ass. Way to go Shep! On a side note, Tyler Rosenlund is no longer listed on Toronto FC's roster. There has been no official word on his release, though if he is in fact gone, I wish him all the best.

Today's Links

Chad Barrett is excited by Pablo Vitti's arrival. I am excited to see how the two can work together. They are both pretty young and bring different qualities to the forward role.

Soccer by Ives is reporting that NYRB head coach Juan Carlos Osario is in El Salvador scouting left back Alfredo Pacheco.

The latest Freddie Ljungberg news is not good news for Sounders fans. Sounder at Heart found an article stating the Swede will likely be out until mid-April. The good news? We won't have to deal with him at our home opener. You almost feel bad for Sounders fans, having to watch their team kickoff without its best player.

DC United have signed midfielder Ange N'Silu.

AC Milan are saying they've made progress towards signing David Beckham. The Galaxy, though, are saying that the deal is nowhere close to being done. It seems Galaxy fans want Becks gone, so maybe they should just let him go.

FC Dallas are considering signing 31 year-old Argentine playmaker Walter Gaitan. Gaitan has previously played for Mexican sides Tigres and Necaxa, as well as Boca Juniors in Argentina.

Major League Soccer Talk writes about Notable English MLS Flops. Included are Shaka Hislop and Steve Guppy.

The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed Marco Reda.

Season Preview Preview

Yes, you read that correctly. This is my Season Preview Preview. Do you get it now? If you still haven't caught on, this is a preview to my Season Preview. That's right, previewing a preview. Everyone's doing it.

Actually, in all seriousness, I'm going to try to cover a lot in my preview for this season, and with the kickoff exactly one month away, I figured now was a good time to start. So, over the next month, in and amongst the daily posting, you'll see posts previewing a number of things.

Having some information on our opposition and the different players in this league will make MLS a lot more interesting. I will be individually previewing each club in MLS this season because of this. The main focus, though, will definitely be on our own club. I hope to do individual player profiles, where I plan to talk about what they might add to TFC in 2009. On top of this, I will do one final preview for Toronto FC shortly before the season kicks off.

As a result of all of this, I anticipate posting to be a bit busier, so please keep checking back. As well, if there is anything you'd like to see previewed, or any information you are hoping to see in these previews, please leave a comment and I'll see what I can do.

Training Notes - February 19, 2009

From what I read in yesterday's article from a local Guyanese news source, only two trialists have been asked to return to Florida this week (with Gregory Richardson being one of them). I would assume this means that Darren Kenton, Michael McGlinchey, Pablo Salinas Manacho, and any others weren't up to snuff. Interesting how a South American source can get us this information...

Today's Links

Soccer by Ives has shot down any rumour of Adrian Serioux coming our way. He does, however, mention that we are poised to make a flurry of signings before the season begins. Obviously, this means more than one player, and I am optimistic that there are a few defenders coming in.

Nigel Reed writes about how John Carver will be the key to our successes or failures this season.

From Toronto FC TV: Carl Robinson and Sam Cronin.

We have four exhibition matches over the next few days in Florida. Click here for the details.

Matchday One of the Pan Pacific Championship was last night. Here are the results: Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1 - 0 Shandong Luneng Taishon FC, and Los Angeles Galaxy 2 - 0 Oita Trinita. Yes, you read that correctly, the Galaxy won. I watched a bit of both of these matches, and they definitely weren't too nice to look at.

Seattle Sounders FC have made quite a significant defensive signing. Colombian centre half Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, a recent trialist with AC Milan, have joined the expansion side.

Peter Byers has returned to the Montréal Impact on a two-year deal. He was recently linked with a move to the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Colorado Rapids have re-signed striker Omar Cummings and defender Ugo Ilhemelu to four-year contracts.

The New York Red Bulls have re-signed Jamaican winger Dane Richards to a multi-year contract. He's gone from earning $33,000 in 2008 to a six-figure salary over the next few seasons.

The Late Show by TFC Connected - Episode 5

Just when he thought he'd seen everything, Benny Canuck runs into President Obama in Beamsville. Luckily, our cameraman was on the scene as well, and we were able to get an interview from Mr. Obama. Enjoy!

Notice something different?

If you've been to TFC Connected before, you might notice a slight change from the last time visited. Did you notice it? See it now?

The best thing about being a blogger and having a sister who is a graphic designer is...well, being a blogger and having a sister who is a graphic designer. Props to her for this. It's her first real blog-design experiment, and I'm very pleased with the results!

I hope you guys like it. Please leave me a comment with some feedback on the layout!

Adrian Serioux rumour

Use your own discretion on this one. The Adrian Serioux rumour has resurfaced. Someone has a source who tells them that a Canadian centre half who is already playing in MLS will be with us within the next two weeks. It turns out the Canadian in question is indeed Adrian Serioux. Click here for the thread on the Red Patch Boys forum. I suppose only Mo knows!

Incoming: Gregory "Jackie Chan" Richardson

It would appear we're set to add some more South American flavour to our side. Guyanese international striker Gregory "Jackie Chan" Richardson is allegedly on the brink of signing a contract with us.

According to the article, only two out of eight trialists were asked to return when the team heads down to Florida at the end of the week. Richardson is obviously one of them, with an unnamed African player being the other. Perhaps the player in question is Amadou Sanyang who featured in the scrimmage against the Red Bulls.

Pan Pacific Championship 2009

The word "prestigious" doesn't exactly come to mind when I think about the Pan Pacific Championship, but since it involves MLS, I figured I should pay some attention to it.

This year's representative from Major League Soccer is the...Los Angeles Galaxy? I'm confused on this one as well. I'm not entirely sure how the league's worst team got in, especially since David Beckham will not be playing. I understand that it's a pre-season tournament and it means absolutely nothing, but couldn't the league have gotten one of the 8 playoff teams from 2008?

Anyways, this year's tournament is just a two-day showdown between the Los Angeles Galaxy, Oita Trinita of the J-League, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC of the Chinese Super League, and Suwon Samsung Bluewings of the K-League. All matches will be played at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Matchday One is tomorrow (February 18), with Suwon Samsung Bluewings taking on Shandong Luneng Taishan FC in the first match, and then the LA Galaxy against Oita Trinita in the second match. Matchday Two is on Saturday (February 21), with the two winners advancing to the finals, and the two losers playing a consolation final. If I'm around and can find any streams of the matches, I'll try to post links.

The first PPC took place last February, with Gamba Osaka of the J-League winning the tournament, with a 6-1 thrashing of the Houston Dynamo in the championship match.

If anything, this tournament could give us a look at how MLS stacks up against two of Asia's top leagues in the J-League and the K-League. However, with the Galaxy representing our league, this season, it's a pretty poor representation. I guess if LA wins, it means that the rest of MLS is miles ahead of our Asian counterparts.

Something I liked about last year's tournament was seeing MLS teams against Sydney FC of the Hyundai A-League. Major League Soccer and the Hyundai A-League are very comparable, so I can't say I was too disappointed when both Houston and LA beat Sydney in 2008.

Landycakes unfit for Munich... who knew?

For those of you that care, Landycakes isn't good enough for Bayern Munich. Really, I'm serious - even though the Yanks talk him up to be the second-coming of the Messiah, he is still really bad. Who'da thought?

His return to the LA Galaxy is apparently imminent. In all seriousness, this is good for both Los Angeles and the league as a whole. He is still one of Major League Soccer's best players (and one of the league's biggest tools as well).

Robbo and defense

Carl Robinson will not be playing centre half for us this season. Not unless there is an emergency situation, at least.

Robbo wants to play midfield, and Carver wants him there. I don't think we should be expecting him to slot back into defense if we don't bring in reinforcements (which are coming). In fact, I would wager a bet that Kevin Harmse and Marco Velez would start at centre half before Robbo gets moved there. It's not because Robbo can't play centre half. He can. We've seen it before. It's because he's too valuable to our midfield.

What Carl Robinson brings to our midfield is immense, and often unnoticed. I know some people rate him very highly, and others see him as overrated. I fall into the first category. He's clearly one of the league's best holding midfielders, and also one of the league's most experienced players. If we took him out of the midfield on a regular basis, we'd notice he wasn't there.

That's just my $0.02. Any thoughts?

More on Becks

Report: Galaxy accept Milan's offer for Becks

This whole "Becks to Milan" thing is getting old. Yesterday, he was apparently returning to the Galaxy. Today, he's apparently staying in Milan. I'm just going to wait on this one to see what pans out.

Red Bulls re-sign Angel

The league's best striker will be staying around a little longer. According to SBI, the New York Red Bulls have extended Juan Pablo Angel's contract through to 2011.

With everyone focused on the David Beckham soap-opera these days, I thought this move was pretty significant. The Red Bulls are still shite, of course, but re-signing the league's most successful designated player is definitely a good move for both their organization and the league.

Since joining New York at the beginning of the 2007 season, Juan Pablo Angel has established himself as undoubtedly the league's best striker. The 33 year-old has scored 35 goals in 49 appearances for the Red Bulls, and was a driving force behind their shocking MLS Cup run this past season.

For MLS, being able to keep players like this is a very significant thing. I'm going to have to give props to the Red Bulls organization for this one, seeing as Angel is one of the league's most exciting and dominating players to watch.

Training Notes - February 16, 2009

According to some unsourced rumours, there is bad news about our centre back situation. From what I've read, it seems that we had a replacement (Jaroslaw Fojut) for Tyrone Marshall lined up but he ended up signing elsewhere. Sean Keay has also mentioned to keep an eye out for the names Jack Pelter and Ben Starosta.

Today's Links

It took Pablo Vitti 13 minutes to get on the scoresheet for us. He scored our first goal in our 2-1 win over the Red Bulls on Friday. For those of you wondering, Vitti will wear the #8.

From Toronto FC TV: O'Brian White

The Vancouver Whitecaps have invited former TFC players Joey Melo and Marco Reda in on trial. The article also mentions that the Caps have signed Canadian U23 international striker Marcus Haber.

David Beckham limped off the pitch at the San Siro on Sunday with a hamstring injury in AC Milan's 2-1 loss to rivals Inter. According to Reuters, the English midfielder is still determined to stay in Itlay.

Former Colorado Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo has popped up again in the North American soccer scene, this time to coach the USL's Miami FC.

Former FC Dallas and Ajax Amsterdam winger Victor Sikora has re-signed with the Perth Glory of the Hyundai A-League.

The San Jose Earthquakes beat the Houston Dynamo 2-0 in an exhibition game on Sunday. Cam Weaver and Ryan Johnson scored the goals for the Quakes.

DC United are expected to formally announce their plans to build an SSS in Maryland today.

Back like Becks

Just in case you were wondering, I'm back from Muskoka. Very tired - I'll probably post later tonight or tomorrow.

Since I left on Friday, one really major story has surfaced. Here it is. Becks is apparently coming back. Good news for MLS, but the Galaxy still have a lot to sort out.

Gone up north

Just as we finally get some live blogging of a pre-season scrimmage, I have to head up to the frozen tundra of Muskoka. If anything significant happens over the weekend, please leave a comment on this post so I can check up on it when I get back (comments are moderated).

Toronto FC v. New York Red Bulls scrimmage

I you'd like to follow today's scrimmages against the Red Bulls, click here for a live blog courtesy of Red Bulls reader. Just a reminder, the match is four 25 minute periods. Kickoff was at 3:00.

Our Lineup: Stefan Frei, Darren Kenton, Marco Velez, Jim Brennan, Marvell Wynne, Amadou Sanyang, Michael McGlinchey, Dwayne De Rosario, Sam Cronin, Chad Barrett, Pablo Vitti.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the trialists do. One name, Amadou Sanyang, is completely new. It's possible he's one of the Gambian teenagers. According to Red Bulls Reader, trialist Darren Kenton is playing centre half.

Training Notes - February 13, 2009

Toronto FC has two scrimmages today against Red Bull New York (yes, the same Red Bulls who are shite). Apparently both are 50 minutes long with two 25 minute halves. These pre-season matches really do mean nothing, but it's always nice to see some wins on the board.

Today's Links

Duane Rollins at the 24th Minute has some excellent insight on the MLS to Ottawa issue. He has a 4-part blog-series - be sure to check that out.

Amado Guevara played a full 90 minutes two nights in World Cup Qualifying as Honduras lost 2-0 to Costa Rica.

There have apparently been 42,000 tickets sold for the Montréal Impact's CCL match against Santos Laguna at the Big O.

According to the Times Online, a delegation has been sent to Los Angeles to help figure out this whole David Beckham thing.

The Houston Dynamo beat the Galaxy 2-0. Surprise, surprise.

What's Andy Welsh doing now? Apparently not enough. "More to come from me", says Andy Welsh.

The Red Bulls have acquired Khano Smith from Seattle Sounders FC. Is he their answer to losing Dave van den Bergh?

The Kansas City Wizards have signed Argentine midfielder Santiago Hirsig. It's always interesting when MLS clubs sign South Americans. It seems to be hit or miss, with the exception of Pablo Vitti of course.

Jamaican international Eric Vernan has joined DC United on trial.

Meanwhile DC are still committed to building a soccer specific stadium in Prince George County.

Becks and the Galaxy

Just yesterday, Don Garber gave AC Milan until Friday, February 13 (tomorrow), to sign David Beckham from the LA Galaxy. Now, according to the Daily Mail, Milan have offered MLS £8M for the England midfielder.

This whole saga has gotten a bit over-dramatic. There seems to be different stories coming out everyday now, so who knows what to believe. Ultimately, I believe David Beckham will be leaving the LA Galaxy. If it's not before his loan deal is up, it will be after this season. He allegedly has a get-out clause in his contract after year three in LA.

I think that any MLS club aside from the LA Galaxy would miss having David Beckham in their team, but losing Becks really could be just what LA needs. After the mess Alexi Lalas got them in to, they are in desperate need of a rebuild.

It'd be a bitter pill to swallow for Los Angeles. After all, the benefits of having a guy like Becks have been evident worldwide in jersey sales and international recognition. In the end, though, it's the results that matter, and Los Angeles haven't made the playoffs since 2005. Not only have they not made the playoffs, but they haven't been close. A 12-match winless streak emphasized that in 2008, as not even Ruud Gullit could make the disfunctional Galaxy work.

Since Bruce Arena took charge of LA, he's signed an international goalkeeper in Donovan Ricketts, drafted the NCAA's best defender in Omar Gonzalez, and traded with us for a good option at left back in Todd Dunivant. He also signed USMNT veteran Eddie Lewis at the end of last season.

It's pretty obvious that Arena is trying to bring a solid core group of players to LA, which is something the team lacked. When you look at teams who have been successful with designated players, such as New York or Chicago, you notice that before they added their DP's, they had a solid squad in place. I don't really think it's any secret when I say that DP is useless without solid players around him, and aside from Landon Donovan, David Beckham has never had this in Los Angeles.

For the league, losing David Beckham could be very bad, but for the Galaxy, it could give them a fresh start. What do you think - do you see any positives to Beckham's imminent departure? Can Bruce Arena make the Galaxy a respectable side this season? Do you not care at all?

The Late Show by TFC Connected - Episode 4

It's been a few weeks since Benny Canuck graced us with his presence on the Late Show by TFC Connected. This time around he's live on location in Florida, talking to Paul Winsper at the hotel the team is staying at. Paul and Benny discuss the recent car incident, David Beckham, and Seattle playing at an NFL stadium. Enjoy!

Pablo Vitti Interview

Toronto FC TV has an interview with Pablo Vitti up. It's embedded below. Anyone else as excited as I am to see what this guy can do for us?

Garber to Melnyck: Get your stadium deal and you're in

Eugene Melnyck and the folks behind Ottawa's bid for an MLS club got a major boost today. Yesterday, Don Garber said, "It's highly unlikely and almost inconceivable that with a stadium deal in place we would not grant an expansion team to Ottawa."

WOW - what to make of this? Obviously, being a Canadian footy fan, I love the idea of Canada getting another MLS club. I am very surprised, though, that Ottawa has seemingly been put ahead of Vancouver's bid. Apparently an SSS means a lot this time around.

I think MLS supporters across the league will be disappointed by this news. One thing that has to be said, though, is that city size does not determine the success of attendance of sports teams. I'd be willing to bet that an MLS club in Ottawa would be better supported than clubs like Kansas City, Chivas USA, Colorado, and New England.

It would provide us with a nice opportunity for roadtrips, with Ottawa being a quick 3 hours away form Toronto, and how awesome would a three-way rivalry in the Nutri Lite Canadian Champions between Toronto, Ottawa, and Montéal be?

If you're from Ottawa and have any additional information on MLS to Ottawa, please leave a comment.

Any other thoughts on this?