Throughout much of the year, South Florida is a football wasteland, with little in the way of meaningful professional soccer taking place locally. International breaks are different, with frequent US National Team training sessions and of course frequent friendlies featuring the likes of Honduras and Colombia.

The next several days here are different, however. Tomorrow, the first ever Annual General Meeting of the North American Soccer League will convene. The new second division for the US and Canada will feature two teams from Florida, Miami FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The NASL has successfully placed a spotlight on second division soccer in North America over the past few months, although most of the press has been focused on the legal machinations of USL and the sanctioning/mediation role of the USSF. UPDATE: The issues between the USL and NASL have been resolved with the USSF scheduling a 3pm ET press conference to discuss the compromise which will allow the 2010 season to go forward.

Today, I had the honor of meeting in person and interviewing Simon Kuper the co-author of Soccernomics, and the author of Soccer Against the Enemy and Ajax: The Dutch, The War. Tomorrow, Kuper will be conducting a book reading of Soccernomics at Books and Books in Coral Gables.

Beginning Friday, the MLS will hold its annual scouting combine in Fort Lauderdale. For more on the combine, please listen to the latest edition of the MLS Talk Podcast with Sean Grybos of Soccer City FC.

For South Floridians interested in football, this is a great time to be around the area.