How will they fare at World Cup 2022?

Even with a better squad – their FIFA ranking has improved from 50 to 24 in four years – the draw provides a much tougher task.

The draw was not as kind, this year the Samurai Blue face Germany, Spain and Costa Rica.  

Japan’s Style of Play

Japan wants to attack as often as the can. They will pressure the defense and try to create chances from turnovers.

They can string passes together in a slow buildup, and they can beat teams with pace on the wings as well. Their ability to capitalize on errors can be seen in this goal against the United States in the summer friendly:

There are two questions they must answer if they are to have success in Qatar: 1) can they defend well enough; and 2) can they change their style to a more defensive and counter-attacking posture?

In 2018, they went ahead of favored Belgium 2-0, but they could not hold the lead and fell to a Nacer Chadli stoppage-time goal.

Japan World Cup 2022 Squad

The squad (4-2-3-1):

Shuichi Gonda looks to be the starter in goal. Gonda plays for Shimizu in the J-League, and the 33-year-old has earned 34 caps.  Elder statesman Eiki Kawashima (95 caps) and Daniel Schmidt are the other choices.

Though Kawashima was awarded the number one shirt, he has not played for his club team, Strasbourg, all season. Schmidt is playing in Europe as well, for Belgium’s Sint Truiden.

Japan’s attacking style can leave them short in the back when they turn it over, so Gonda will have to be sharp to keep them in the group.

The center of defense is expected to be anchored by Arsenal’s Tokehiro Tomiyasu and team captain Maya Yoshida.

Those two did not get into Thursday’s friendly against Canada; The Blue went with Hiroki Ito and Hiroki Sakai at fullback and Shogo Taniguchi and Kou Itakura in central defense. When Japan is clicking the fullbacks get as far forward as they can.

The Canada game showed that set plays can be a problem, as they were scored upon directly from a corner kick.

Midfielder Takumi Minamino is the biggest name on the club, having played for Liverpool before moving to his current club Monaco. He has full reign over the center of the park, and the lack of a star forward means the Blue will depend on his creativity.

The two players behind Minamino are good passers though they can get caught in possession. Leganes’ Gaku Shibasaki assisted on the lone goal for Japan against Canada with this terrific through ball.

Most of the wide players are playing in Europe’s top leagues except for today’s scorer, Yuki Soma, who plays in the J-League. One of these, Kaoru Mitoma, has broken into Brighton’s starting XI this season.

Who plays up front is a huge question mark. The top choices are Bochum’s Takuma Asano, Cercle Brugge’s Ayase Ueda and Celtic’s Daizen Maeda. These three only have 8 international goals between them, and they are going to have to find goals if they want to compete in this tough group.

Japan’s style of play can overload lesser squads; they recorded wins of 14-0 against Mongolia and 10-0 against Myanmar.

But they could not hold a lead against Belgium four years ago, or this week against Canada. They will not be afraid of Spain or Germany, but it is hard to see how the Samurai Blue will make it out of the group.

Photo credit: IMAGO / AFLOSPORT

Multiple sources have reported that Rafa Benitez is likely to stay at Newcastle United after club owner Mike Ashley has agreed to give the former Liverpool, Napoli and Real Madrid manager full control of transfers, scouting, the academy, and even medical staff. Why would Rafa stay? Maybe it’s because of the statue.

Outside St. James’ Park, there’s a statue of Sir Bobby Robson. The icon was born in the north east, and though he never played for Newcastle, he was a supporter all of his life. He managed the club for only five seasons, but in three of those seasons the club finished third, fourth and fifth. The club went through to the second round of the Champions League in ’02-03 and the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) in ’04-05.

The affection Benitez has received from the Newcastle fans has been undeniable, and that’s before he has accomplished anything. If he were to bring a trophy to the north of England, the fans would love him forever.

That has to be pretty enticing for a manager.

Newcastle will have a few inherent advantages in the Championship. First, the club will get the £40 million parachute payment from the Premier League.

Second, St. James’ Park seats 15,000 more than any club in the Championship except Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough – and the Owls may win promotion this month.

Third, it seems that similar to ’09, many of the senior players are showing an interest in staying with Rafa and the club, including all three goalkeepers. Daryl Janmaat and Andros Townsend have both expressed desire to stay, and it’s hard to see most of the second division sides would be able to handle this combination on the right flank. The central defense pairing of Jamaal Lascelles and Chancel Mbemba will have a full season to hone their craft on lesser opponents. If we assume that Papiss Cisse will be sold, the new strike pairing of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Adam Armstrong should provide a nice variety of skills, so long as Rafa can teach Mitro how to keep his temper in check.

If Benitez stays, it should be a frightening prospect for an opposing side to have this club and the Toon Army roll in on a Saturday afternoon.

Ashley seems to have agreed to give Benitez the control he wants for two reasons. First of all, it’s about the money. The difference between being a Championship club and a Premiership club is measured in the hundreds of millions of pounds. Even with a large stadium and a long history, Leeds United have not been able to make it back to the Premier League since relegation in 2004. If Newcastle cannot bounce back up again, the loss of revenue could cripple the club for years. Ashley may have finally realized that the way he has run the club must change, and Benitez’ pedigree and desire to make the north east a winner might finally force him to give a manager full control of the soccer side of the club.

But besides that, Ashley does seem like he wants to win. Unfortunately he’s had no idea how to do that, and has listened to his football people for far too long. Having a manager like Benitez fall into his lap must have seemed too good to be true, and he’s already how many players have pled for him to stay. Like Benitez, it’s a pretty enticing situation for Ashley, and he has to know that if he doesn’t get Benitez over the line, it might be the last straw for the supporters.

As for the on-field issues, there will be turnover, as there is for every club every year. In the summer of 2009, six top players left immediately – forwards Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka and Michael Owen, winger Damien Duff, and defenders Sebastien Bassong and Habib Beye. This year, there will certainly be players exiting for greener pastures, the most likely being Georginio Wijnaldum, Moussa Sissoko, and Cisse.

So, what could the side for 2016-17 Newcastle United look like? If Benitez stays, and we assume the players who have said they would like to stay do stay, the side could look like this without any new players:

4-4-2: Krul (c); Janmaat, Lascelles, Mbemba, Haidara; Townsend, Anita, Perez, Aarons; Armstrong, Mitrovic.

Subs – Darlow (Elliot will still be out with a knee injury), Mbabu, Dummett, Saivet and Toney.

If you want to play 4-2-3-1, then Armstrong or Perez comes off the bench and Henri Saivet comes in alongside Anita.
This lineup would assume no new players and a clearing out of fairly massive proportions – besides Wijnaldum, Sissoko and Cisse, outgoing players would include Colback, Shelvey, DeJong, Riviere, Tiote, and Coloccini. That’s a huge amount of salary off the books. It may even be the case that Benitez can convince some of these to stay, and it’s known that Benitez would like to retain most of the players.

But again, the trouble is if Benitez doesn’t stay then you can probably remove Townsend, Janmaat, Krul and maybe even Perez and Mitrovic. This would force the club into the bargain basement they faced in ’09. Yes, the bargains that turned out to be worth it, such as Danny Simpson (now an EPL champion), Wayne Routledge, Leon Best and Mike Williamson. The total expenditure was around £3 million, and they turned out to be Premier League caliber players. But with Benitez, Newcastle United wouldn’t even have to go that route as the squad would already have nearly all the players required to bounce right back. With Benitez as permanent manager, Newcastle would be prohibitive favorites for promotion. And once they get back to the Premier League for 2017-18, who knows? After all, Leicester have proved that anything is possible.

With Newcastle’s need for a manager to replace Alan Pardew, there are two ways to look at this: who would be right for the job, and who would take the job.

For me, the best man for the job just took a new position last month. At Everton, under similar restraints as he would have at NUFC, David Moyes always found a way to keep his club competitive. Unfortunately for the Toon Army, he’s now at Real Sociedad, and it’s very unlikely he’s available.

A lot of speculation has focused on Frank DeBoer, but Ajax have said he’s not available either. It’s not clear whether Ashley wants to either pay the salary of a big-name manager or if he would give such a manager any more say over transfers than he gave Pardew.

As for who might take the job, Steve Bruce at Hull seems to be linked to the Newcastle job every time it comes open. He’s been very vocal about coveting the job, having grown up in the northeast as a Toon supporter. You won’t find a lot of NUFC fans who want him at their club, though.

Other managers who have recently left other jobs have been mentioned are people like Tony Pulis and Tim Sherwood. Pulis left Palace because he didn’t have control over transfers, so how could he come to Newcastle under similar conditions? And Sherwood’s stay at Spurs was reportedly ended because many of his players were in open rebellion. Both Pulis and Sherwood are on West Brom’s short list as well, so one of these might not even be available for very long.

Under strong consideration is current team captain Fabricio Coloccini. For the past year, Coloccini has been rumored to want to go back to Argentina, and the speculation is he stayed Tyneside because he had been promised a managerial role down the road. Naming Coloccini player-manager would have the added benefit of keeping him in the club, which is already frighteningly thin in central defense. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the managerial badges to get the job right now, so he would not be able to get the job unless an arrangement was made with the other Premier League clubs similar to the Glenn Roeder situation in 2006.

My guess is Steve Bruce gets the job. He’ll take less money and less power to get to run his childhood team.  But it’s very unlikely that much will change unless Mike Ashley changes the way he runs his club.

Since Moyes is presumably not available, there’s one guy who hasn’t been mentioned by anyone as a candidate who I would love to get the job: Ray Hudson. Sure, he’s considered by many as a bit of a buffoon as a color analyst for beIN SPORTS. But he was a heck of a manager when he held the job for Miami Fusion in MLS.

My background in soccer includes being a season-ticket holder for the now-defunct Fusion. In their final season, they were arguably the most entertaining club in the history of MLS, and several of the players from that 2000-2001 season have become managers themselves – Jeff Cassar at Real Salt Lake, Jay Heaps at New England Revolution, Pablo Mastroeni at Colorado Rapids, and Preki at Chivas USA, Toronto and currently Sacramento (NASL champs this year). Two of that club’s youngsters, Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman, have gone on to tremendous careers, while Fusion goalkeeper Garth Lagerway is one of the most respected executives in MLS.

Hudson grew up in the Northeast, having been born in Gateshead, and played for Newcastle United for a few years before moving to the old North American Soccer League. I don’t know if Ray Hudson would have any interest in taking the Newcastle job, or if Ashley would even consider him, but it would sure be entertaining.

By now Alan Pardew has left Newcastle United, on his way to London to join Crystal Palace. On the surface, it seems an odd thing to do. He’s not yet halfway through his 8-year contract to manage a large club with a huge stadium and very passionate fans. He’s leaving all that for a much smaller club which hasn’t been relevant since 1991 and is in danger of being relegated again this season. However, it’s really a no-brainer for Pardew, for several reasons:

1. Pardew is working off one of the lowest base salaries for managers in the Premier League – about £800,000 (contrast that with the £7 million for Louis Van Gaal and Arsene Wenger), though with bonuses he actually made £2 million. His new deal with Crystal Palace is reported to be £1.5 million, with a million pound bonus if Palace stay up. Since Palace are paying somewhere between £2-2.5 million to Newcastle for Pardew, the deal also works for Ashley, as he makes more money (everything with him always seems to be about money) and gets him out of a long-term commitment.

2. Pardew had a lot to do with the best stretch of Palace’s history, playing midfield and scoring an extra-time goal against Liverpool in 1990 to put Palace in the FA Cup final. He’s a fan favorite there, and will be welcomed back. The fans at Newcastle, on the other hand, have had a pretty antagonistic relationship with Pardew (early this season sackpardew.com was a pretty popular site). Most NUFC fans are happy to see him go.

3. Pardew has not had much input on transfer policies. NUFC Owner Mike Ashley has made a habit of unloading the club’s best players at every transfer window (e.g. Andy Carroll, Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy) without replacements coming in. At Palace, Pardew has reportedly been given a great deal to rule over transfers.

When Palace sacked Warnock this weekend, Pardew had to have been chomping at the bit to move to his old club. Now he gets his wish.

It wasn’t that long ago that Newcastle United was challenging for an UEFA Champions League spot and Alan Pardew was named Premier League Manager of the Season. At the end of the 2011-12 season only a masterful performance by Yaya Toure followed by a 3-1 defeat at Everton kept Newcastle out of Champions League qualification, and into the Europa League instead. Just over two years later, Newcastle look like a side that would struggle in the Championship, with Pardew acknowledging that his job is in serious jeopardy. Monday’s match against Stoke ended with both home and away fans singing, “You’re getting sacked in the morning,”

The 2011-12 side was in contention for Europe all season long. Early in the year, Pardew employed (for most matches) a 4-4-2 with two central midfielders – one defensive (usually Cheick Tiote) and one offensive (usually Yohan Cabaye) – and two wide men (Jonas Gutierrez on the left and either Gabriel Obertan or Hatem Ben Arfa on the right). Until Papiss Cisse came into the side in January, main striker Demba Ba was partnered by either the speed of Leon Best or the power and hold-up play of Shola Ameobi. Against stronger sides away, the second striker was replaced by a fifth midfielder, often Danny Guthrie, to bolster the defense. Cisse was brought in during the January window, and Pardew changed to a 4-3-3 with Ba on the left and Ben Arfa on the right flanking Cisse. Although Ba stopped scoring, and was pretty unhappy about the situation, Cisse scored 13 goals in 13 games, frequently in spectacular fashion (including the Goal of the Season in a 2-0 win over Chelsea). With Gutierrez and Cabaye in support of the forwards, the side was difficult to handle, and both were competent in tracking back to support the defense. When Ryan Taylor played right back, there were two excellent free kick takers on the pitch. James Perch was on hand to play anywhere along the defense or holding midfielder. Ben Arfa was freed of defensive responsibilities, which seemed the best way to deal with him. They finished fifth, ahead of Chelsea, Everton, and Liverpool.

Now the club looks like a relegation side. So how did we get here?

1) Mike Ashley’s transfer policy has limited the squad. Ashley runs NUFC like a cash-cow, not a football club. Every player is available for the right price. Several top players have been sold at the end of transfer windows with no time for replacements – most notably Andy Carroll and Yohan Cabeye. Newcastle are consistently being outbid by clubs like Southampton, Swansea, and Hull City for players, which seems ludicrous for a club that plays in the third largest stadium in England. The club has clearly needed strikers and central defenders, and this summer they brought in no central defenders at all and no proven goalscorers while not securing Remy’s services past his loan term. With Demba Ba available, they passed on him too, and he went to Besiktas. Meanwhile, the players they did bring in this summer had no EPL experience except Jack Colback. Most fans believe that things won’t get better at Newcastle until Ashley sells the club. Trouble is that’s not happening as long as he’s raking in the money.

2) Pardew is misusing the squad he has. Since he doesn’t have the offensive talent anymore, Pardew has decided on a 4-2-3-1 formation. Remy Cabella has been asked to replace both Cabaye and Ben Arfa and has failed miserably at both. Cabella has not been able to take on and beat defenders like Ben Arfa, and his distribution has been average. Cabaye’s free kick ability has not been replaced either. Daryl Janmaat has taken Mathieu Debuchy’s position at right back, but he is not as good defensively as Debuchy and the other defensive concerns often prevent him from getting forward as much as he’d like. The fine pairing in central midfield of the defensive Tiote and the offensive Cabaye is no more, and United are without a true attacking central midfielder until new signee Siem De Jong recovers from a groin injury.

Up front, with Cisse not available for a full 90 minutes, new signee Emmanuel Riviere has been the lone striker. Riviere has shown no ability to play up front by himself. He’s not tall enough or a skilled enough passer to be a hold-up forward and he’s not fast enough to beat defenders. He does seem to be able to hold up the ball once he gets it, but getting it to him is a problem. Without Cabaye, most free kicks have been ill-placed efforts from Colback or Cabella to get the ball onto the head of Mike Williamson.

Pardew made things worse by forcing out his most creative player, Ben Arfa, who was loaned to Hull City. The only players left on the squad who seem to be able to dribble around defenders are Sissoko, who doesn’t have a lot of pace; Sammy Ameobi, who Pardew won’t play for more than 15 minutes at a time; and Rolando Aarons, who looked promising before getting hurt.

Last year Pardew used Mapu Yanga-Mbiwa, a natural fullback, as a central defender, and it didn’t work at all. Pardew gave up on him, and now he is flourishing at Roma – in central defense. Pardew may have given up on him too early, which is pretty bad considering the state of Newcastle’s squad. NUFC have only three central defenders, and any injury there would make things even worse.

Pardew has to change things up drastically. Maybe with this club he needs a 4-1-4-1, with Tiote in front of the defense, Aarons on the left (Ameobi until he gets back), Obertan on the right, Colback and Sissoko in the middle and Cisse up front. Obertan and Colback can help track back on the defense, and the wings have enough pace to create some problems. He clearly has to do something – apparently he’s going to drop Cabella for Obertan for the Swansea match.

3) Morale is at a low. The club’s morale since the loss of Cabaye has never recovered. That got worse last year when Pardew was banned for 7 games for head-butting David Meyler of Hull City. The transfer window loss of Debuchy and Remy, along with the injuries to Cisse, Santon, and new De Jong has left the side with a serious lack of quality. Pardew hasn’t shown any idea on how to fix this, and while the legendary Newcastle fans hate losing, they really hate boring football. They also don’t see much chance for change, as Pardew is seen a yes-man for Ashley. During matches, there’s no sign the players believe that possession is going to lead to goal-scoring chances, so they commit just a bit too far forward and get burned on the counter-attack.

If Pardew has had full control or even most of the control over transfers, then he’s failed miserably and should have been sacked already. If he has very little control, well, he still should have been sacked by now because he hasn’t shown any ability to stop the bleeding. But just because I believe Pardew should be fired, that doesn’t mean I think a new manager will have much more success. I don’t think a strong manager would come in under the conditions, and restrictions, imposed by Ashley. Whether it’s Pardew or Ashley who’s at fault here – and it’s clear that both are at fault –the fact is the squad now looks nothing like the Champions League contenders of 2011-12, and an influx of talent in January might be the only thing that saves Newcastle from relegation.

As the season approached, there was quite a bit of anxiety about Newcastle United’s prospects for the season. The club finished midtable in the previous season, dropping from 9th to 12th position after blowing a 3-0 lead at home to West Brom on the last day, but the offseason was a serious rollercoaster. The team’s captain and 2010-11 leading scorer, midfielder Kevin Nolan, couldn’t agree on a contract and was sent off to newly-relegated West Ham. After a few poor showings in a US tour, the side sent popular left back Jose Enrique to Liverpool without securing a replacement. Talk of a relegation fight was rampant, and the pundits sneered at the side’s chances. Not long into the season Joey Barton was sent to QPR on a free after proving to be too much of a distraction. There were also serious doubts about manager Alan Pardew.

But here we are, 10 games in, and Newcastle is alone in 3rd position, unbeaten in the league with the best defensive record in the top four divisions, and the supporters at Saint James’ Park sing “Alan Pardew’s Black and White Army.” How did this happen?

It’s really simple: the side has been improved in all phases of the game.

Goalkeeping: Steve Harper waited a long time to become Newcastle’s number one, but due to injury young Dutch keeper Tim Krul has taken over as Alan Pardew’s first choice. Krul has been marvelous, and although he is prone to a rough patch or two, he has become a confident force in the box.

Defense: The improvement in defense is both in personnel and in tactics. Steven Taylor has returned from long-term injury, and he has been a huge improvement over Mike Williamson. The partnership with new captain Fab Coloccini has been a real force in the back. Pardew has chosen to play Ryan Taylor at left-back in Enrique’s place. Taylor, whose best position is right-sided midfield, has had some experience playing full back, but not on the left. Pardew has chosen to keep midfielder Jonas Gutierrez in a more defensive position to assist Taylor. Jonas played defense for Argentina in last year’s World Cup, and he has proved an asset on defense as well as offense this year. Part of the reason for this choice is Ryan Taylor’s ability on free kicks, which have provided two goals in all competitions this year, including the winner at Sunderland. The results have been staggering – only 8 goals have been allowed in 10 games.

Midfield: Nolan and Barton were popular players on Tyneside, but their replacements have been more than adequate. Johan Cabaye has been everything Nolan wasn’t in the center of the pitch. He has more pace, he’s much more creative, and he has the ability to score from long range. Similarly, new right wing Gabriel Obertan has provided pace and creativity and width, and has been as much a help on defense as Jonas on the other side. With more help on the flanks, and a more stable center half pairing, Cheick Tiote hasn’t had to foul as much and has not had the booking problem he did last season. Tactically, the midfielders can take a more defensive posture because the extra pace in midfield has brought the counter-attack back to Newcastle’s offense, something which has been lacking for some time. Further, last season the offense mostly flowed through the left wing interplay of Enrique and Jonas, which left Newcastle caught on defense. The new players Cabaye and Obertan are much better passers than their predecessors, and this has also increased the stability in the back. All this has led to Newcastle routinely dominating in midfield, and as much as Nolan and Barton were two of the bigger names in the 2010-11 side, that just wasn’t the case much last season.

Forwards: Demba Ba has come into the side and has scored 8 goals in 9 league appearances, including 2 hat tricks. He isn’t the imposing figure Andy Carroll was, but it’s hard to argue with that run of success, especially when Carroll is finding it hard to break into Liverpool’s starting XI. Best has shown flashes of brilliance, but his struggles in front of goal have continued.

Bench: Two of the other new players, Italian defender Davide Santon and French midfielder Sylvain Marveaux, look to push the starters in the near future. Dan Gosling at 21 still has a lot of room to grow. And then there’s Hatem Ben Arfa, who looked so promising before the horrific Nigel De Jong incident last year. The main concern so far this season has been keeping the two center halves healthy; while Williamson still injured, James Perch is the only cover until the next transfer window. Even a player like Danny Guthrie has had to find form or be left out of the side entirely. Guthrie has taken this to heart, and with Tiote out with an injury, he deputized last week at defensive midfield and put in a solid performance against Stoke. There seems to be a legitimate cover at every position except central defense, which is not something that could have been said last year.

Owner Mike Ashley has said that he would reinvest the Andy Carroll sale money. He hasn’t done so yet, and what makes the improvement so impressive is that the books virtually balanced over the summer window – a net £3.6 million were spent on a major refit.

Can things go wrong? Absolutely. An injury in central defense would be pretty devastating. There’s still a nagging suspicion that all Newcastle players are for sale at the right price. The club needs to find more goals from the other forwards. But from all accounts the club’s spirits couldn’t be much higher, even after the disappointing loss in the League Cup to Blackburn.

The next month will be a proving ground for Newcastle. After Everton at home, the club will travel to both sides of Manchester in successive weeks, and the following week will host Chelsea. If the club is still in a Champions League position after this stretch, who knows how far Pardew can take Newcastle.

As a Newcastle fan, I just have to throw my hands up at the Andy Carroll debacle. Whether it was the player or the owner or both, the result is the squad has been dealt a sucker punch. The fact that the deal wasn’t even on the radar until deadline day, of course, is the worst part of the the sorry affair.

As a South Florida sports fan, I can’t help but see the parallels for both Ashley and Carroll in the local sports teams.

The Florida Marlins, the local baseball team, is owned by Jeffrey Loria. Before he acquired the team from John Henry (yes, the current Red Sox and Liverpool owner) in the winter of 2001-2, he owned the Montreal Expos. He sold the Expos to the league, which had a two-step plan to fix them – move them, then sell them. Montreal has no Major League baseball team. So, Loria bought the Marlins.

After winning the World Series in 2003, the team since has been characterized by four things:

1. the lowest salary in the league, or close to it,
2. the lowest attendance in the league, or close to it,
3. a team that despite these handicaps still finds a way to be in the middle of the pack every year, and
4. a team that spins a nice annual profit for Loria.

None of these make Loria a loved figure here, of course. Most Marlins fans tend to speak of Loria through clenched teeth, and every trading deadline and off-season movement period becomes a time of anxiety rather than anticipation.

Apparently Mike Ashley is trying to be the Premier League’s equivalent of Jeffrey Loria. On one hand, Ashley doesn’t have to worry much about losing all the fans. Newcastle attendance was down last year in the Championship, but they routinely outdrew most EPL matches. On the other hand, the fans here aren’t nearly as rabid as the Toon Army, and I’ll be pretty surprised if Ashley takes his usual place in St. James’ Park on Saturday.

As for Carroll, he had the chance to be one of Newcastle’s all-time greats. A local boy turned football hero, he was on his way to be the new Alan Shearer. Now, he’s the new Lebron James. Carroll may find success as Liverpool’s new number 9, as well as a long-term role on the English national team, but he’ll never own Anfield the way he would have owned St. James’ Park.

I hope someone sends Carroll a tape of Lebron James’ first return to Cleveland – it was very, very ugly. He should be prepared for 50,000 angry people in black-and-white when Liverpool visits Newcastle next season. Of course, Newcastle are not guaranteed to stay up. They dropped to tenth Wednesday night after a lackluster performance at Fulham. Ashley has promised to keep the 35 million quid in the club in “transfers and wages” – notice he didn’t say just transfers – but if the club is relegated again, or if he sells the club, what happens to the funds then? It’s a serious gamble Ashley has made here, and the only people happy with it wear red and white (both in Liverpool and, I’d suspect, in Sunderland), and nobody would be surprised if it all turned sour.

Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson and his side currently lead the way and that will certainly make them favourites with the bookies and perhaps rightly so. United will enter 2011 undefeated and have yet to consistently produce the form that they are capable of. If Wayne Rooney can find his scoring boots in the New Year then the race for the title could be over before it begins. One thing that will concern the United manager and fans alike is their away form. With just one away win all season United have drawn far too many games on the road. With Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all still to face away from Old Trafford United will need to pick up more points on the road if they are to regain the title.

Manchester City
Currently second in the table are United’s noisy neighbours Manchester City, who arguably have the best squad in the league with an array of internationals throughout the side. With the transfer window opening City also have funds at their disposal. They look to set to be spending again with a deal to bring Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko to Eastlands from Wolfsburg already close. The problem that Roberto Mancini faces is keeping the squad a happy one. Everyone will want to play in the run in and with so many top players some are bound to be unhappy. The depth and cover they have though is enough to deal with all but the biggest injury crisis and that could be key come May.

Arsenal
After an emphatic win against Chelsea confidence was high in North London but the Gunners did what they have continued to do in recent years and that is drop points against the lesser sides in the league. A 2-2 draw away at Wigan has certainly dampened the euphoria around the Emirates Stadium and raised the ongoing questions about their need for a leader in the side. As Wenger’s men proved against Chelsea they are capable of blowing anyone in the league away on their day but that day doesn’t seem to come round enough for them to win the Premier League. Defensive and goalkeeping concerns still need to be addressed too.

Chelsea
Chelsea have been on terrible run of form of late which they finally ended with a narrow win against Bolton last night and many pundits and fans have already begun to dismiss the Blues hopes of retaining the title. This is far too premature. Chelsea have been without John Terry and Frank Lampard for large parts of the season and that is the focal point of their team. With both of these players now back along with Drogba and Essien Chelsea are more than capable of stringing a significant run of results together. Like Manchester United they have a squad full of players who know how to deal with the pressure in the final stages of a title run in and that could prove vital. Talk of them missing out on the top four altogether is nonsense.

Tottenham
Harry Redknapp and his Spurs side have been a revelation this season playing some mouth-watering football. Tottenham now have a very strong squad that are capable of competing with anyone across Europe as there results in the Champions League have proven and there is no getting away from the fact that they are in the title race. One problem that could hurt them is there goal difference which is poor in comparison to the other contenders .Whether they are capable of staying in the race right down to the wire remains to be seen but I wouldn’t bet against them being there.

With the race as open as it is you could make a good claim for anyone of the above sides winning the league but I see the title going to either the red side of Manchester or staying at Stamford Bridge. Experience is key in at the back end of the seasons when surprise results always occur and these two teams have it in abundance. Where do you see the league ending up?

Carlos Tevez
With Carlos Teves making his desire to leave Manchester City public knowledge a host of teams will be trying to prize the Argentine international away from Eastlands in January. While very few will be able to afford the player Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid will certainly be keeping close tabs on the situation. Manchester City will of course be hoping for a Wayne Rooney style u-turn.

Robbie Keane and David Bentley
While Spurs have won many plaudits this season for their free flowing attacking football two men that have found themselves very much frozen out of the side are Robbie Keane and David Bentley. Both proven at this level a number of clubs will be interested in securing their signatures. Keane has been linked with a return to Wolves while Bentley could be on his way back to Blackburn.

Andy Carroll
One of the players of the season so far is without doubt Andy Carroll. While the tall forward has had his fair share of problems of the field on it he continues to deliver. A local lad, Newcastle will be hoping that they can keep their number 9 but Tottenham are reported to be very keen on landing the England forward. Peter Crouch could be used as bait along with cash to tempt the Magpies into selling.

Michael Owen
An injury disrupted start to the season has once again limited the number of games Michael Owen has played. With Rooney, Berbatov and Hernandez all in front of him in the pecking order when he returns to fitness his opportunities will still be limited. Now in the latter in stages of his career Owen may now decide that he needs to play as many games as possible before hanging up his boots. Goodison Park is a possible destination.

Scott Parker
While the thought of Scott Parker leaving Upton Park is one that doesn’t bare thinking about for West Ham fans it could well happen. With the Hammers sitting bottom of the table the club may feel it makes more sense to cash in on the midfielder now rather then lose him for a cut price fee if they are relegated. There slim survival hopes will go out the door with Parker if he does leave.

Who else do you think could be on the move in the transfer window?

While the disappointment of England’s failure to land the 2018 FIFA World Cup will take some time to disappear and questions will be asked of where it all went wrong, one man did himself no harm and that is the legend that is David Beckham.

As a 24 year old male I’m not afraid to admit that I love David Beckham. The man has provided some great football moments during my lifetime and has continued to act with great dignity of the pitch. While he has had his controversial moments Beckham to this day continues to be a great ambassador for the English game.

A player who without doubt put his all into every single international appearance he made is still clearly so passionate for our country and football and despite being mocked by the press in the past over his intelligence he proved many people wrong with a great speech in the final presentation. Even if you are not a fan of David Beckham there is no denying how much effort he put into trying to bring the World Cup to England. After playing in three World Cups for England as a player it would have been a great moment for Beckham to help bring the beautiful game home to us all in 2018. Sadly it wasn’t meant to be.

I hope the knighthood he deserves isn’t too far away and I don’t think many people can deny he has been a great servant to football and represented England around the world very well.

He has clocked up over 640 appearances for the Reds and over the years has displayed the sprit and fight that Liverpool need right now but his form over the last few seasons and this season in particular has been questionable. This leaves us to ask the question whether or not the Merseyside club were right to offer him a new deal.

Sentiment would say yes because he has been a top quality player for the Merseyside club over the years but if recent form is anything to go by his time at the top is coming to an end. His lack of pace has been apparent in his performances this season and with Liverpool currently struggling at the bottom of the Premier League, offering him a new deal may be one of Roy Hodgson’s last significant decisions at the club and another one which he got wrong.

Liverpool fans hold Carragher in high regards as he has a local lad who has lived the dream playing for his boyhood club. Even some of them may now admit that is time for veteran defender to move on. The club need a fresh start and with new owners coming in it may have been the perfect time to let Carragher go on to pastures new before taking up retirement. Was Roy Hodgeson right to give the defender a new deal?

So John W Henry, current owner of the Boston Red Sox, is about to take over Liverpool. Being a Florida Marlins fan, and a baseball fan in general, I’m very well aware of Mr. Henry’s history as a baseball owner, so here’s my opinion about what I think he will bring to the club, both the good and the bad.

The good:

1. John W Henry cares about sports. Before buying the Marlins, he had made unsuccessful bids to purchase about a half-dozen clubs in several leagues before rescuing the Marlins from an uncaring Wayne Huizenga. Henry was looked upon as the savior of baseball in South Florida (more on that in a bit).
2. Henry will do what it takes to either upgrade or replace Anfield. Most of his tenure in Miami was focused on getting a new stadium for the Marlins. And when he bought the Red Sox, he started renovating Fenway Park almost immediately upon taking ownership. Talk of replacing Fenway was dismissed rather loudly by the fans, so they upgraded the existing facility instead.
3. Henry will bring in the best people he can find to run the football side of Liverpool, even if the choices are out of the box. He hired the youngest General Manager in the history of the league, and hired a well-known baseball writer whose claim to fail is looking at the game as an outsider and through scientific study. Did it work? Absolutely. Henry bought the club right before the 2002 season; in 2004 they were World Champs for the first time since 1918. They won again in 2007. Before Henry, baseball seemed to be the Yankees and everyone else; the Red Sox became equals almost immediately after Henry bought the club.
4. Henry has a very fan-friendly approach to the stadium experience. His organization listened to the public and did what they could to make things better at the stadium. Attention will be paid to detail, money will be spent on comforts for the fans, and you can expect Anfield (or whatever a potential new ground will be called) will be changed for the better.

However, things didn’t exactly work out in Miami. The bad:

1. When Henry came to Miami, the thought was he was so passionate about baseball, he couldn’t help but succeed. Unfortunately, he put all his eggs in one basket, that being a publicly-funded new stadium for the Marlins. When that didn’t happen, he basically got rid of all his best players on an annual basis, only getting prospects in return. If Liverpool’s finances are in jeopardy, you can expect Liverpool to be very active in the transfer market, and your favorite players might be wearing other shirts as soon as January.
2. It cannot be underestimated how much of a disaster Henry was for the Marlins. Once it became clear that the Marlins were not getting their stadium, Henry was secretly looking for a way out. The League actually found one for him – he was going to sell the club and at the same time become the owner of the Boston Red Sox. Imagine selling West Brom and purchasing, well, Liverpool on the same day. It was a three-franchise transaction in which the League Office bought the Montreal Expos from Jeffrey Loria, who bought the Marlins from Henry, who used the proceeds as a portion of the funds to buy the Red Sox. The kicker was the league wanted to put a club in Washington DC. They were going to move either the Marlins or the Expos, but they were not going to let Loria have the Washington club, so they gave Loria a choice as to whether he wanted to keep the Expos in Montreal or keep the Marlins in Miami. He chose Miami, and not long after the Expos relocated to Washington and became the Nationals. Miami was that close from losing their baseball team.
3. Henry burned quite a few bridges on the way out of Miami. He badmouthed the scouting system for bringing in “athletes” rather than “baseball players”, which turned out to be hilarious because 18 months after he left here the Marlins won the World Series. He made many promises, including saying he would build the stadium himself if no help was forthcoming, and broke most of them. I tend to root against the Red Sox because of Henry.

It’s my opinion that Henry will bring success to Liverpool, so long as the club is able to survive this current season. The conditions at Anfield will be much more similar to Boston than to Miami. Remember that the American version of “Fever Pitch” was based around the Red Sox (they had to change the ending because the Red Sox unexpectedly won the World Series while the film was being made), whereas Miami sports enthusiasm is pretty lackluster most of the time. If changes need to be made to improve the situation, he will make those changes. So long as he sees a bright future for the club, he will do everything he can to make that happen.

Of course, things don’t always work out the way you plan, and when things went wrong in Florida, he turned into Mike Ashley. But as a Newcastle United supporter, that’s a story for another day.

The Frenchman took Heskey to Merseyside back in 2000 for £11 million where the powerful striker enjoyed some of the best times of his career forging a good partnership with Michael Owen and breaking into the national side. While at Anfield his goalscoring wasn’t prolific but he played a big part in a successful Liverpool side and Houllier certainly appreciated that.

Since arriving at Villa the Frenchman has stuck with what he knows and brought Heskey straight back into the side in place of Norwegian John Carew. Heskey repaid this faith with the winner away at Wolves last week with a fantastic header. He will not go on and score fifteen goals this season but his game is about more than that. He will hold the ball up, win headers and prove an outlet for Villa when they have been under pressure. Houllier got the best out of Heskey at Anfield and if he manages to do so again at Villa he could just prove a very shrewd appointment. Even if the Villa fans still need to be convinced about both of the men in question it could prove to be a match made in heaven.

After an opening weekend thumping at Chelsea most pundits gave West Brom very little chance of bucking the trend this year but since that result West Brom have looked a very decent side. Home wins against Sunderland and Birmingham and a respectable point against Tottenham sees the Baggies currently in 10th position. The good thing for Baggies fans is that they merit that position. Unlike previous Premier League campaigns they look capable of competing at this level and more importantly capable of scoring goals, which is something they have struggled to do in the past when in the top flight.

New signing Peter Odemwingie has proved an instant hit with the Albion fans netting two goals in his first four games and seems to be flourishing in the passing system that the Italian Di Matteo likes his side to operate under. Chris Brunt has benefited from a season back in the Championship and now looks a player who can make a real impact in the top flight. His left foot could prove a major weapon for West Brom this season. Highly sought after Graham Dorrans also brings creativity and goals to the side to give Di Matteo’s men that extra edge.

There is no denying the fact that West Brom are better equipped to stay up this time around and with sides such as Wigan and West Ham struggling West Brom and Roberto Di Matteo could just put the yo-yo name to bed. Do you think the Baggies can beat the drop this season?

When Avram Grant took over in the summer a fresh sense of optimism surrounded Upton Park, David Gold and David Sullivan had promised fans that no top players would leave and the prospect of new arrivals excited fans Just three games into the new season and this optimism has quickly vanished. While no top players have left yet they may be hoping a move comes their way before tomorrow’s transfer deadline. Confidence is low within the team as you would expect and at the moment they look like a team with a real lack of quality. Robert Green seems to be finding it hard to put his disastrous World Cup behind him, while Carlton Cole has so far failed to show the form he found last season.

While the Hammers opening fixtures haven’t been the easiest, it is the manor of the defeats that will be worrying fans. Beaten convincingly in all three games, it seems that once they go a behind heads drop immediately. West Ham’s saving grace this year could be that there are other clubs struggling with sides like Wigan, Blackpool and West Brom likely to be a in the relegation mix come the end of the season. Unfortunately for West Ham all three of those teams have already picked up points. West Ham need to hope that Carlton Cole and Scott Parker are still at Upton Park this time tomorrow and then maybe just maybe they will have enough to avoid the drop. Do you think West Ham have enough to survive in the Premier League?

While Manchester City have undoubtedly got themselves a top quality player we will have to wait and see whether or not the move turns out to be a good one for Milner. City fans will take to Milner as the supporters of all his previous teams have done because he not only brings with him an abundance of quality but a great work ethic. However, the big question remains was the time right for Milner to move on?

Since moving to Villa permanently in August 2008 Milner’s game developed greatly under the guidance of Martin O’Neill. Playing alongside other young English prospects such as Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor the team flourished and established themselves as a top six Premier League team looking to make the next step and break into the ‘big four’. Milner played a big part in this and his impressive performances hadn’t gone unnoticed as he established himself in the England squad. Playing week in, week out, Milner was clearly enjoying his football and the timing of this move to City just seems strange in my opinion. While O’Neill has departed Villa they still have a squad capable of having another impressive campaign and Milner would be an integral part of this as his performance at the weekend showed.

The Villa side know each other inside out and play as a team and this is something that will take time to establish at Eastlands. Milner may also have to come to terms with the fact that he will not play every game. I don’t think he has moved for the money but that will accusation will be thrown at him because he will be getting paid significantly more than he was at Villa Park. A former teammate of Milner’s Gareth Barry made a similar move the season before and his game has not progressed a great deal since then, some would argue it has taken a step back. Milner is a great player and I would like him to do well at Manchester City but can’t help but feel he wouldn’t have gone far wrong by staying put at Villa for a while longer. As the saying goes, if it isn’t broken don’t try and fix it and Aston Villa football club despite O’Neill’s departure is anything but broken.

There is no doubt that every week Blackpool will be organised and hard to beat but the gulf in quality between the Premier League and Championship is a big one as so many promoted teams have found in the past. Teams have managed to avoid the drop in the past though and Blackpool need to take hope from that fact. The new arrivals that have joined in the past week will give the supporters a real belief that the club can survive whilst also showing the rest of the league that they are not here to simply make up the numbers as many have predicted.

Chris Basham and Marlon Harewood are both players with Premier League experience who may well feel that they have a point to prove to the footballing public. If they can both find form that they have shown glimpses of in the past then Holloway could have pulled a couple of gems out of the bag. Defender Craig Cathcart who joined from Manchester United will also be looking to make an impression in the top flight after finding his first team chances limited at Old Trafford. These signings along with players like Charlie Adam could prove enough to keep the Seasiders afloat. It won’t be easy but if teams think that that their visit to Blackpool will be a simple three points followed by a good night out they could be in for a rude awakening. Do you think Blackpool have enough to stay out of the relegation zone come the end of the season?

As the dawn of a new EPL season nears, I am preparing to spend countless hours over the next 10 months following the drama that is the Premier League.  The 2010 season also marks my first as a married man, and as a newlywed, I realize that some of those hours that I’m offering up at the Church of the Fever Pitch are not mine alone to tithe.  While I don’t profess to be a relationship expert by any stretch, I thought it might be useful to offer up 5 easy ways to convince your significant other that a few hours of soccer a week can actually be good for your relationship.  Results may vary, but if just one of these catches on, you can thank me later.

1.  Find the Common Thread –  As soccer aficionados, we were all drawn to the game for different reasons.  Some of us have played since childhood, others revel at the level of skill that is presented on pitch, some appreciate the technical aspects of the game.  For others it was the camaraderie, the pints, the enjoyment of spending an afternoon or evening at the stadium, singing until we are hoarse.  The approach to getting your significant other into the game should be as flexible as any supporter’s reason for getting into the game.  The key however, is to find a connection between what your significant other is already interested in and how that interest is present in soccer.  Is your significant other a math wiz with a keen sense for finance?  Talk up the income generated or lost by top flight clubs.  Introduce them to the inordinate salaries commanded by the best in the game.  Tie the near and actual bankruptcies, the debt, the placement on the Forbes list, the billionaire owners and how these factors bear on results on the table.  If  your significant other has a penchant for gossip, introduce them to Mr. Terry, Mr. Bridge, and Vanessa Perroncel.  History?  Well, that’s easy, talk about political unrest and the rich history of clubs that have been playing the game for over 100 years.  Whatever that angle may be, exploit it, and use it to your advantage.  Interest can grow from an aspect of the game that  doesn’t necessarily have to do with the tactics on the pitch.

2. The Beckham Effect – A slightly trickier method is to play on the star power of the top flight EPL footballers.  If you are not easily made jealous by 90 minutes of ogling, sometimes non-fans are introduced to the game via an affinity for a celebrity footballer.  It’s best not to offer this up (it’s cheap that way and likely to backfire), but if you happen to find your significant other paying special attention to a certain face on the TV screen or repeatedly perusing the World Cup Vanity Fair edition (for the articles of course), this can be an in to following the sport on a larger scale.  Maybe the suggestion to watch comes as “hey, wouldn’t you like to see what -insert famous footballer here- is up to?” instead of referencing the club that said footballer plays for.  Sometimes it’s about getting attention, however achieved.

3. Quality Time – A more straightforward approach would be to bill soccer time as quality time.  Make it known that the sport is something that you are passionate about but something that the two of you can share together.  This may be particularly effective when shared over a meal (the classic pub date), an early weekend brunch or lunch playing hooky from work (for us here in the States where matches often start in the morning or midday).  Either way, sometimes it’s the spin that matters.  Instead of presenting it as an interest you aim to keep separate from your significant other, it may prove beneficial to make your significant other feel like a valued part of your passion.  Buy them a kit, give them the basics and see where you end up from there.

4. Live Passion – One surefire way to truly appreciate the EPL is to see it live. While this isn’t a possibility for everyone, particularly if you have to buy two tickets (and airfare), there is truly no comparison to attending a match in person.  If you pick the right match, the energy and atmosphere can’t be denied.  This tactic is particularly useful if a vacation is incorporated into the trip, that way, it’s not just about the soccer, but about the great time that you had in London (for example) watching soccer.  Soccer can also be incorporated into a vacation that truly isn’t about soccer.  Maybe try to coordinate a match as part of the cultural experience during a trip.  This could serve as another way to reel your significant other in.

5. Take the Easy Route – If none of these work, there is always the easy way out.  Date a fellow supporter.  Just make sure that you both support the same team, because with all the challenges attendant in relationships, splitting support shouldn’t be added to the list.

What other suggestions would you offer to get your significant other into the EPL?  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood did a fantastic job stabilising the club and leading them to promotion at the first attempt but have they got enough quality at their disposal to keep the ‘Toon Army’ in the Premier League. Personally I believe they do. The additions of Sol Campbell and Dan Gosling strengthen a squad which is already full of experienced Premier League players. Although a lot of these players underperformed the last time the club were in the Premiership they will be keen to put things right. Players like Alan Smith and Kevin Nolan are experienced professionals and will not want to suffer the heartache of relegation again. Add to that the quality of players like Jonás Gutiérrez and I can’t help but feel Newcastle will be ok.

The one area of the team that would concern me is their strike force. Ameobi, Carroll and Best are all relatively unproven at this level and I would not bet on any of them scoring more than 12 league goals during the season. Newcastle fans can relax though as I think there are three teams who will struggle more than them this campaign. Everyone on Tyneside will then hope that the club push on and establish themselves as one of the country’s top sides again. Do you think Newcastle have enough to survive?

Tottenham will be hoping to secure a Champions League group stage place and for another successful Premier League campaign this season and Parker is not a player many would have expected them to be chasing this summer. Parker is a very good player as he has shown at Charlton and West Ham but Tottenham already have an abundance of midfielders at their disposal. Jenas, Huddlestone, Palacios, and O’Hara are all already competing for central midfield spots. Add to that youngsters Danny Rose and Adel Taarabt and you can’t help but think Tottenham should be prioritising other positions.

With Jonathan Woodgate’s playing career looking in doubt and the well documented fitness problems of Ledley King, Redknapp should be looking at bolstering his back line. Tottenham have a very talented midfield and front line and if they can bring in some good defensive cover they could just surprise a few people this season and have another very good campaign. Redknapp himseldf as mentioned a title challenge and with a bit of luck they may not be far off. There has been very little transfer activity at White Hart Lane this season and Spurs fans will be hoping this changes before the big kick off. Do you guys think Parker would improve the Spurs squad?

All Manchester City fans were expecting a busy summer at Eastlands and while they have brought in £75 million pounds worth of talent, the players that have arrived will not spark fear into Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

City have added David Silva, Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng and most recently left back Aleksander Kolarov to their already impressive squad but it is not the statement of intent many including myself were expecting. City may have more money than any of their rivals but the fact remains that until they qualify for the Champions League or mount a serious title push players will still prefer to move to other clubs around Europe. The players City have brought will ultimately add depth to their squad but for the money spent if I was Manchester City fan I wouldn’t be able to feel anything other than slightly short changed .

When Roman Abramovich first came to Chelsea and they begun their spending spree the players they brought in were of the highest level which ultimately aided them in their two Premier League title successes. Manchester City are still a long way of achieving anything like what Chelsea did and until they make two or three world class signings that is how it will remain. Manchester United and Chelsea who have both been reasonably quiet in the transfer market this summer will still go into the season  as title favourites and Mancini and his coaching staff will have a hard task on the training ground to try and stop this from being a reality come the end of the season. How do you think Manchester City will fair this season?

Through some fortuitous timing on my part, and the benevolence of my wonderful wife, I was able to spend a large part of our recent honeymoon in South Africa…for the 2010 World Cup!  Since arriving back Stateside, I’ve attempted to settle back into a life devoid of 24/7 football and the sweet hum of the vuvuzela.  In reflecting on our trip, I wanted to share a few impressions and musings from our experience, the football portion, of course.

My wife and I arrived in Johannesburg from London the day of the US/England match.  As soon as we set foot in the OR Tambo Airport, we were greeted with the sight of colorful FIFA World Cup signage and booths hawking the latest World Cup gear and novelties.  The first question we were asked in customs was whether we were there for “the football.”  During our ride from the airport to our temporary residence in JoBurg, our driver was eager to discuss the World Cup; even while admitting he was more of a rugby fan.  He impressed upon us, as hosts of the World Cup, the casual South African soccer fan had been transformed into a full-fledged fanatic for the duration of the World Cup.

Our first match was the Netherlands blanking Denmark 2-0 at the Soccer City stadium.  The build up to the match was incredible.  While the traffic was thick en route Soccer City, the cast of characters entering the stadium was entertaining to say the least.  There were busloads of Danish supporters furiously waving their country’s flags.  This only spurred the Dutch fans walking beside the buses to reply with a frenetic chorus of vuvuzelas and their own flag waving.  Particularly amusing were the fans who had indulged in a few pints too many, and with no other option, were forced to handle their business on the side of the road.  All of this before we made it within a mile of Soccer City.  One of the cool sights along the way was seeing the level of entrepreneurial spirit exhibited by the vendors stationed along the path to stadium.  While you would expect the standard vuvuzela, replica soccer ball, or t- shirt, you could also find numerous national team specific wares, specifically targeted to the fans of the day’s match.  This day, it was all Denmark or Netherlands, from the flags being sold, to the pallets of face paint made available for willing patrons to have their nation’s flag painted on their person; all for a few South African Rand, of course.  Right before entering the stadium you could even pick up a pair of earplugs, just in case you wanted to drown out one of those recently purchased vuvuzelas.

While on the subject, a note about the vuvuzela.  There has been much made about the annoying nature of the instrument, and although I can sympathize with the unsavory hum while viewing at home, the vuvuzela is actually much less intrusive when present in the and around the stadium.  Much of the vuvuzela blowing is done in call and response fashion, and unless someone is blowing one right into your ear, you can pick up the musicality and interplay of the sounds much better in person.  Unfortunately, when you have 85,000 people all doing their own personal call and response, the interplay is lost in a cacophony of sound, thus the steady humming buzz you hear during broadcasts. I found the vuvuzela to be a unique addition to my experience…that being said, the random vuvuzela blowing outside of my window at 3 am was a tad annoying.  One final note on the vuvuzela, one of the funniest signs that I saw during my time in South Africa was a sign at the entrance of a shopping mall imploring people to please refrain from blowing vuvuzelas while on mall property.  Never mind that just about every sporting goods store and novelty shop within the mall had vuvuzelas for sale.  Again, the reach of World Cup fever is bigger than just the stadiums that host the games.

Our second match, Brazil/Ivory Coast, had an even more festive atmosphere than the Denmark/Netherlands build up.  The vuvuzelas were joined by drums and outlandish costumes.  We saw an Ivory Coast fan decked out as an elephant, faux elephant tusks and all, only to be rivaled by a Brazilian fan with fake four foot arms protruding from his Brazilian jersey.  There were joyful odes to Maicon and Luis Fabiano from the bus drop off point to the front gate of the stadium.  The crowd cheered every challenge and every corner.  One surreal portion of the match was Kaka’s sending-off for his second yellow card.  Without TV commentary, I’d venture to say the crowd didn’t know exactly what had happened, other than the fact that it was a bad situation.  The confusion on the pitch did little to quell the lively atmosphere in the stands.  When Didier Drogba scored the lone Ivory Coast goal, you would have thought that Ivory Coast had just advanced to the next round of the tournament the way the fans celebrated in their eye catching bright orange parka jackets.  While the final score line wasn’t indicative of a close game, the experience was still a memorable one, so much so that my wife claimed herself Brazilian for the evening (that’s not her on top of the celebratory pile though).

As much as I would have enjoyed having tickets to every match for the in-person experience, I realized that this wasn’t a reality; I was on my honeymoon after all.  Luckily, for matches for which we didn’t have tickets, the atmosphere in the many fan parks (we attended one in Cape Town that was set up to have the feel of a giant pub under a tent) was electric.  One of the more memorable moments was watching the South Africa/Uruguay match in one of the fan parks in Cape Town.  While South Africa’s performance on the day was far from their best, hearing the fans sing the National Anthem of South Africa was incredible.  For a nation with a bitter history of apartheid and racial segregation, the unified singing and the shared passion for the country’s national soccer team expressed a sense of pride that was inspiring.  As often as I’ve listened to my own country’s national anthem, during the World Cup, I came to view the singing of each national anthem as more than a routine precursor to the sporting action about to unfold.  Each anthem announced of a team, a country, its people.  Truly magical.

When our time in South African had come to a close, I was definitely sad to leave, in part because I was leaving behind a beautiful country with friendly people, but also because the reality set in that once I was back home, and at work, I wouldn’t be able to freely watch and talk about the games all day.  Thank goodness for fond memories and ESPN3.

There has been a fair bit of discussion on the message boards of late regarding what makes a true EPL supporter. There seems to exist this notion that one cannot be a true supporter of a club if they were not born and raised in close proximity to the club’s home pitch and have not at some point in their life rolled around on the grass of said fine pitch. While I will not delve into why I disagree with that limited line of thinking here, other than to say that it’s the respect for the club and its history first and foremost, the willingness to continue your support through good years and down years, and an inexplicable link between your emotions and your club’s results on a fixture list, I began to think of the “true” supporter concept in the context of the upcoming World Cup.

Thus the question, is it possible to support a national team representing a country that is not your own?

It logically follows that a person with an affinity for football from birth would be drawn to the national team of the country of their birth when said team is competing on the international stage. What happens, however, when this assumedly linear progression breaks down? I’d imagine many factors could lead one on the path to becoming a soccer turncoat. A few reasons come to mind:

1. Expatriates. While this category actually follows the supporter from birth scenario, it is the geography that changes. This may be the easiest for an outsider to understand. If you were born and raised in Ireland and decided to permanently reside in Canada, no one would question why you would don a green scarf in support of your team during a World Cup summer (or in protest with respect to the 2010 World Cup summer).
2. Genealogy. If you are of Italian parents in France, no matter the allure of the Les Bleus, there is a possibility that your lineage would dictate that you support Italy during the World Cup. This support is often on full display when your parents’ or grandparents’ birthplace makes a spirited run through the competition. Again, there is an easily offered defense to your choice of support during the World Cup. After the familial connection, things get a bit more difficult to explain.
3. Professional Connection. There is the supporter that is drawn to a national team because he or she avidly follows a particular club or professional league. Therefore, a Barcelona supporter may be drawn to Spain’s national team, Italy for an AC Milan supporter, or England for a fan of the EPL. While this construct is tenuous in light of the array of nationalities that make up any first team at the top clubs, if one watches Barcelona week in and week out for four years, it is understandable why Spain would be on their mind when the World Cup comes around.
4. Name on the Back of the Shirt. Having a favorite player could also influence World Cup support. If your favorite player of all time is Pele, then it may follow that Brazil is the National Team that you support. If your favorite current player is Lionel Messi, then maybe it is the Argentines this time around. While this type of support can waiver, simply because of the few opportunities for any one player to play in a World Cup, it is possible that the affinity will continue even after that favorite player has retired from International competition.
5. The Enamored Tourist. If you have been fortunate enough to spend any significant amount of time abroad, it’s possible that you’ve adopted the country that you’ve visited as your own. Because the World Cup happens during the summer, there is inevitably an influx of vacationers and students studying abroad on the shores of countries around the world. What better way to get pulled into the allure of the German national team than being in Germany during a lengthy World Cup run?
6. Pro-Choice. There are then those supporters that have made a decision to support a particular country based on reasons other than those listed above. There could be many factors that make up this choice, appreciation for a certain style of football, for example, the beauty and flair of Brazil’s attack, the staunch defense of Italy, the grit of the United States. There could be a political cause or movement that draws one to a club, an underdog country that pulls you in, or it could come down to not having your country represented in a World Cup and wanting to have a stake in the drama that unfolds on the pitch.

Any of these could give rise to why a person supports a national team that is not their own. Are there any others? For readers that support a national team outside of their country do any of these apply, and if so how?

I’m noticing between Twitter and a few other things, there seems to be confusion over Portsmouth and the Europa League — due to them making the FA Cup final.

Every year, UEFA makes any club who wants to take part in European competitions apply for a UEFA club license. Without the license, you can’t take part in either the Champions League or Europa League. As part of the review process, UEFA looks at a club’s accounts to make sure they are sound budget wise to handle a season in Europe. The application deadline for this year was March 1st.

On March 9th, the Portsmouth News reported that Portsmouth FC decided not to apply for a UEFA license. That decision was made because, according to the article, the club were not in a position to submit its accounts to meet UEFA criteria. They still had the option to apply even while in administration, but opted not to.

So, in the end, Portsmouth FC decided a month ago to not bother with an UEFA license, and so can’t go to the Europa League now.

Given Chelsea will most likely make the Champions League, that means 6th (or 7th considering Manchester United won’t be using their spot for winning the Carling Cup either) is now going to be enough for the Europa League.

According to Bert Kassies’ unofficial European Cup football site, there were four teams who would have made European competitions this year but did not get UEFA club licenses, including one domestic cup winner.  So while not common, it’s not totally unheard of.

This comes after Setanta rejected several last-hour deals for the highlights, including a 500,000 pound offer from FA broadcast contract partner ITV.  Setanta said that none of the offers made by free-to-air broadcasters reflected the value of the network’s investment to obtain the rights.  Free-to-air broadcasters had previously accused Setanta of putting an overly high price tag (1 million pounds) on the highlights.  The impasse resulted in no highlights being made available free-to-air in the UK for this past Satuday’s match against Andorra.

Alan Curbishley has handed in his resignation as manager of West Ham United. In a statement released by the club, West Ham confirms it has accepted the resignation, and has not yet announced any plans for a successor.

Curbishley became manager of the club in December 2006, several months after leaving his long-time job at Charlton Athletic.  During his time as manager, he lead West Ham out of relegation in the 2006/07 season with wins in seven of the team’s last nine Premier League matches, and finished tenth in the league the following season.  West Ham won two of its first three matches to start the current season, but Curbishley was reportedly upset at the team’s transfer policy.  West Ham sold Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney last month to fellow Premier League side Sunderland, but was otherwise mostly inactive during the summer transfer window. West Ham’s next league match is September 13th against West Bromwich Albion.

According to the FA’s television contract, ITV automatically gets to air a highlights package for any home England match shown on Setanta.  However, television rights for England’s away matches are owned by the host country, who are free to sell to whomever they want.  In November 2007, Setanta won the rights to all but one of England’s away qualifiers through deals with media distribution companies Sportfive and Kentaro.  As such, Setanta is free to do whatever with these match highlights, and the FA is powerless to stop them.

The situation is not that simple though.  Let’s consider where Setanta stands right now.  Yes, the company is still not profitable at this point, and it needs more subscriptions.  But Setanta is dealing with an image problem right now in Great Britain.  Its broadcast of England’s friendly with the Czech Republic last week was met with mostly mixed reviews, and an audience half the size of the highlights program on ITV later that night.  Setanta just can’t seem to shake the image of being a poor value version of Sky.  And while that’s ok (for now) with the Premier League, who are required by the European Commission to offer some matches to a second TV service, the FA has no such issue.  They have to honor the current contract, but there is no reason for them to stay after that if they don’t feel Setanta is a good partner.  The FA wants as much coverage of its team as they can get, and they’ll turn up the heat on Setanta to give these rights to someone.

If a deal is not reached, the FA and Setanta will hear about it from a lot of quarters.  They’ll hear about how, in just one month, Setanta will have done something that Sky never did in many years when it had the rights.  Never mind that, with the total control of the market they have long had, Sky could afford to be a little generous.  Suddenly, Setanta’s image among fans goes from being a poor man’s Sky to being greedy broadcasters who kept a nation of fans in the dark.  Not a step in the right direction for any company, profitable or not.

Setanta is under no obligation to sell the highlights of these matches, but my guess is they will.  A public relations fight is not a way to get new subscribers watching Setanta, and its also a bad way to start a new broadcast partnership.  There’s no good ending here.  The company will have to take their lumps and move on.  After all, with profitability still eluding them, Setanta has much bigger fights to be concerned about.

Top Up TV, a subscription service that offers on-demand programming alongside the Freeview TV platform, has announced today that it’s offering Setanta Sports 1 free for the 2008/2009 EPL season to new customers who buy one of Top Up’s digital recorder boxes. The box sells for either 90 or 100 pounds depending on recording space, and there’s also a 20 pound connection fee charged to all customers who take any service. People who already have Top Up TV can sign up for three free months of Setanta, but can’t take part in the full season offer.

This is the third bundling deal Setanta has reached with television providers in the UK. Last year, Virgin Media began offering Setanta to customers who sign up for it’s XL cable TV package. And just last month, BT Vision announced it will be offering Setanta as part of any package starting at 14 pounds a month.

Again, Setanta is being offered by a UK TV service as an alternative against the giant elephant that is Sky Sports. And for Setanta, gaining any visibility against Sky is needed. But Setanta doesn’t get as much money from bundled customers compared to those who sign up directly. Reports suggest Setanta only receives 2.50 pounds per bundled customer per month on Virgin Media compared to 11 pounds per month via direct subscription thru Freeview. For a company which has never turned a profit, Setanta’s need for higher paying subscribers is clear. Will these trades of viewers for money be able to secure Setanta’s future? For now, the answer isn’t clear. But for fans who want to see the Premier League, such deals does make life a little bit easier.

But there is a second reason, and its one that is also set to take a bite out of Major League Soccer as well.  Darren Rovell, sports business expert for CNBC, called it a potential ‘great equalizer’ in player salaries.  That reason?  The recent steep decline of the US dollar.

Certainly, the US dollar has traded unfavorably with the Euro, the standard currency of most of Europe, for roughly the last six years.  However, it has now quickly reached a level that seems shocking to believe.  At this time in 2006, the going exchange rate was around $1.25 to 1 Euro.  Now, the exchange rate stands at $1.57, a jump of over 30 cents during that time span.

How does this affect MLS?  Two ways.  First, it makes it cheaper for European clubs to match up or exceed the salaries that MLS offers to its players.  Currently, the maximum salary allowed in MLS for a non-designated player is $300,000.  Two years ago, equalling that salary took just over 238,500 Euros.  Last year, it would have taken 218,800 Euros.  Today, matching the league maximum will only set a club back 191,300 Euros; a greater than 12% drop in the last year, and a 20% decrease over two years.

Second, it makes it cheaper for European clubs to make large transfer offers for higher-end talent.  Last month, Jozy Altidore transferred from New York Red Bulls to Spanish side Villareal for $10 million, the highest fee ever paid for an MLS player.  On the day the contract for the move was completed (June 11th), 10 million dollars was the equivalent of 6.4 million Euros.  Go back to the same day last year, and that same $10 million would have cost Villareal 7.5 million Euros instead.

With less currency needed to match salary demands and transfer payments, there is now less risk and more upside than ever before for European clubs to make deals for MLS talent.  And recent transfers show that clubs are beginning to pounce.  Just in the last month, we had the Altidore deal.  Elsewhere, FC Dallas midfielder Juan Toja is reportedly being scooped up by Romanian side Steaua Bucharest, while teammate Kenny Cooper is being hunted by multiple clubs.  And Brad Guzan, for the second time, is awaiting a move to England’s Aston Villa.  Go back to this past off-season, and you’ll see a lineup of European travellers that includes Bryan Arguez, Chris Gbandi, Eddie Johnson, Pat Noonan, Clarence Goodson, and Nate Jaqua, who all jumped to bigger money at Fulham, Hertha Berlin, Austrian side SCR Altach, and three different Norwegian clubs.

The good, and bad, news is that the exchange rate, in current trading, looks to remain flat for the next 18 months.  Futures contracts trading today for December 2009 have an exchange rate of $1.53 per Euro.  That means the price won’t get cheaper for European clubs, but it also means that the current discount on MLS players will be available for the forseeable future.  So, MLS now faces two possibilities: either increase the amount of money it is spending to keep its current crop of players, or accept that European clubs will continue to scour the league for more bargains in the forseeable future.  Either way, the current currency crunch will leave a heavy mark on the league for years to come.

Well, below, we have the matches left for FSC following Setanta’s announcement.  Obviously, we don’t know which matches they will show live at 10AM on Saturday and which will be on delay yet, but Fox will be able to pick and choose from these matches.  In addition, like last year, FSC will also get the Saturday 12:30 PM and Sunday 11AM matches.

Fox Soccer Channel’s Unofficial BPL Schedule For August and September (all times eastern)-
August 16th:
Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City, 10AM
Everton v Blackburn Rovers, 10AM
Middlesbrough v Tottenham Hotspur, 10AM
Sunderland v Liverpool, 12:30 PM

August 17th: Manchester United v Newcastle United, 11AM

August 23rd:
Blackburn Rovers v Hull City, 10AM
Stoke City v Aston Villa, 10AM
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland, 10AM
Fulham v Arsenal, 12:30 PM

August 24th: Manchester City v West Ham United, 11AM

August 30th:
Bolton Wanderers v West Bromwich Albion, 10AM
Everton v Portsmouth, 10AM
Hull City v Wigan Athletic, 10AM
Arsenal v Newcastle United, 12:30 PM

August 31st: Aston Villa v Liverpool, 11AM

September 13th:
Newcastle United v Hull City, 10AM
Portsmouth v Middlesbrough, 10AM
Wigan Athletic v Sunderland, 10AM
Manchester City v Chelsea, 12:30 PM

September 20th:
West Ham United v Newcastle United, 10AM
Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal, 12:30 PM

September 21st:
Chelsea v Manchester United, 9AM
Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic, 10AM

September 27th:
Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion, 10AM
Newcastle United v Blackburn Rovers, 10AM
Stoke City v Chlesea, 10AM
Arsenal v Hull City, 12:30 PM

September 28th: Wigan Athletic v Manchester City, 11AM

So, any matches here you are looking forward to?  What would you pick to show live if you were FSC?

Setanta Ireland’s schedule for 3PM Saturday matches:
August 16- Aston Villa v Manchester City
August 23- Liverpool v Middlesbrough
August 30- None chosen
September 13- Blackburn v Arsenal
September 20- Liverpool v Stoke City
September 27- Manchester United v Bolton
October 4- Manchester City v Liverpool
October 18- Liverpool v Wigan
October 25- Everton v Manchester United (note: according to the Premier League, this match has been moved to 12PM GMT, so it would be on delay if it aired at 3PM.)
November 1- Manchester United v Hull City
November 8- Manchester City v Tottenham
November 15- Arsenal v Aston Villa
November 22- Liverpool v Fulham
November 29- Tottenham v Everton

Liverpool seems to be a favorite with Setanta Ireland, with five matches selected inside this time slot.  Manchester United and Manchester City were each picked three times; Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham appear twice.  Interestingly, none of Chelsea’s matches were selected.  To be fair, Chelsea’s lineup of 3PM Saturday matches is not the strongest.  But to think that such a broadcast slate could leave a member of the big four out entirely is rather surprising.

BT Vision, which is available to customers who have BT’s broadband internet, combines a series of pay-tv packages and replay functions alongside Freeview, a free digital television service offered by several UK television companies including the BBC, ITV, and Sky.  In addition to Setanta, BT was awarded the rights last year to show 242 Premier League matches on a same-day delayed basis along with Sky.

Setanta’s deal with BT Vision is the second bundling partnership the channel has lined up with UK television providers after last year’s deal with cable service Virgin Media.  Setanta, BT, and Virgin are all part of a complaint against Sky with British regulator Ofcom over control of the pay-tv market within the United Kingdom.

Setanta in the UK is continuing its attempt to align the channel as a cheap alternative to Sky for soccer fans just as they add more depth to the channel with the FA Cup and England National Team matches.  With slowing economic conditions and a marketplace that has mostly made the switch from analog to digital tv, it will be interesting to see where Setanta and Sky stand this time next year, when the next Premier League TV contract will be put on the block.

Here are the announced matches and first air times:
Wednesday, July 16– Luzern v Liverpool, 1:35 PM ET (live)

Saturday, July 19– Odense Boldklub v Aston Villa, 2PM ET (live);
Wizla Krakow v Liverpool, 8PM ET (same day delay)

Tuesday, July 22– Hertha Berlin v Liverpool, 1:45 PM ET (live)

Saturday, July 26– Aston Villa v Odense Boldklub, 11:45 AM ET (live)

Monday, July 28– Cobh Ramblers v Sunderland, 2:30 PM ET (live)

Wednesday, July 30– Nottingham Forest v Sunderland, 2:45 PM ET (live)

In addition to these seven matches, Setanta North America has also told us that it will be showing several Chelsea friendlies through the network’s partnership with Chelsea TV, though nothing specific has been announced. Chelsea is spending their pre-season touring Asia and playing in a tournament in Moscow. Setanta may also announce more friendlies making its way to North America in the future. At present, Setanta in the UK are showing about 30 friendlies over the next month, so there are more matches that could eventually make the jump across the Atlantic.

So, English soccer fans in America, get ready; you are only a few days away from seeing your teams take to the pitch yet again.

Thank you to the people at Setanta North America for their assistance in this article.

So, first, a quick dose of reality; the number obviously pales in comparison to the 8.6 overnight rating the network got for the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy.  That’s not a surprise given the higher profile of the World Cup, but it shows there were a considerable number of casual sports viewers who have watched soccer and did not tune in.  Also, that number is certain to go down once the last batch of households with televisions, mostly in rural areas, are counted up later in the week.  For example, the Netherlands-Russia match saw a 20% drop in its rating once these were added, going from 1.5 to 1.2.  Assuming a similar percentage drop for this match would put the final rating down to around 2.5.

However, that number also gives ESPN and owner Disney a reason to smile.  At 2.5, ABC’s performance for the Euro 2008 final would equal the national rating picked up by Univision for its American broadcast of another continental championship: last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final between the United States and Mexico.  What this shows is that there is a noteworthy, if smaller, audience on American television for big event international soccer outside the World Cup, both with and without local teams to drive it.

So, what does ESPN do now?  Well, while these results are good, it’d be hard to justify using them for the purpose of adding European league soccer, given they are far more dragged out events (months instead of weeks) and can’t guarantee big star affairs every single time.  On top of that, most of the European leagues already have deals for this season tied up.  And for next season, the only contracts due to run out in the US are for Spain’s La Liga and Germany’s Bundesliga.  It’d be hard to capitalize on the momentum of this tournament without any big leagues coming straight away to the network.

What ESPN could do next, however, is try to solidify their position as the home of big event international soccer.  The network already has the rights to next year’s Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup.  2011 could see the network try to pick up the Gold Cup or Copa America, either of which offer English and Spanish language possibilities, and then ESPN would finish the cycle by getting Euro 2012.  Another move might see ESPN expand its portfolio when it comes to online broadcast rights through ESPN360.  They already have the online rights to Serie A and the Russian Premier League, and most American broadcasters have done little in this area to make use of those rights.  The other networks might be receptive to parting with their online rights to pick up some additional cash.  ESPN360 was a major success during the tournament, with eight of it’s 10 most watched single events being Euro 2008 matches, and it’s an area they can try to expand on right away.

Wherever it goes from here, Euro 2008 represents a step forward for soccer on ESPN, and is a moment worth celebrating.  Now fans will have to wait and see for what the network’s next step ahead is going to be.

As noted in the headline, the Spain v Italy quarterfinal shown on ESPN Sunday was the most watched Euro 2008 match before the semifinals.  The game scored a 1.4 rating, with 1.39 million homes and 1.91 million viewers tuning in.  Given these were two of the highest-profile teams in the tournament, the result doesn’t come as much of a surprise.  Overall, in six matches shown on the ESPN, the average rating is a .9, with 835,000 homes and 1.1 million viewers.  Compared to the same time slot (2:30-5PM eastern) on ESPN in 2007, this represents an 80% increase in rating, a 90% increase in households, and a 116% increase in total viewers from the network average.

Meanwhile, ESPN2 in 16 matches aired has a .5 rating with 506,000 homes and 635,000 viewers, which respectively represent a 67%, 59%, and 75% increase on ESPN2’s average for the same time slot in 2007.  And the online video service ESPN360 has had it’s biggest month in history between Euro 2008, the US Open, and Wimbledon, with eight of the 10 most viewed single events being Euro matches.

As for the one game broadcast on ABC, the Netherlands v Russia quarterfinal finished with a 1.2 rating and 1.84 million viewers according to ratings site TV by the Numbers.  Compared to other Saturday afternoon sports broadcasts, it roughly fell in the middle of the pack.  The match finished well behind FOX Saturday Baseball and the Men’s Gymnastics Olympic Trials on NBC, but it did finish ahead of the rest of NBC’s afternoon sports lineup and the PGA Tour on CBS.

Overall, the ratings seem fairly positive given this is an event without an obvious American interest and with most of its matches falling in the middle of the workday. Positive enough to ensure its return in four years time, or to cause ESPN to bring in more European soccer? We will have to wait and see. For now, the focus will be on a big finish with Sunday’s soccer doubleheader on ABC, with the LA Galaxy playing DC United in MLS action before the Germany v Spain final.

Among the highlights:
*The lone remaining amateur side, Hollywood United, were bounced from the tournament by the MLS bound Seattle Sounders 6-0.  Seattle put two past Hollywood in the opening 15 minutes, and then striker Sebastien Le Toux took over, netting four consecutive goals (two in the first half, two in the second half) to lock up advancement.
*The Cleveland City Stars were the only USL Second Division club to defeat a USL First Division opponent in 4 games, winning on the road against the Minnesota Thunder 2-0 after extra time.  Cleveland finally broke through in the 104th minute of the match, and despite being down to 10 men for the second 15 of extra time, got a late penalty to secure their win.
*And in the lone game to feature two USL First Division sides, Miami FC shut out the Atlanta Silverhawks 1-0.  Alex Afonso netted the lone goal in the 40th minute to secure Miami’s place in the next round.

Also advancing were the Richmond Kickers, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Charleston Battery, Carolina Railhawks, and Rochester Rhinos.  You can read more on the matches at the USL website, or check out the running blog of the night over at USOpenCup.com.

Next week’s introduction of MLS teams sees half of the eight on the road and the other half hosting.  Will MLS see an improvment on last year’s third round, where five of the eight MLS clubs were bounced in their first game?  With a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League now officially on the line, you would think so.  Your third round matchups (all matches July 1 at 7:30 local time unless noted):

Kansas City Wizards at Carolina Railhawks
Houston Dynamo at Charleston Battery
New York Red Bulls at Crystal Palace Baltimore (time and date TBD)
Chivas USA at Seattle Sounders (time 7PM)
Richmond Kickers at New England Revolution (time 7PM)
Cleveland City Stars at Chicago Fire
Rochester Rhinos at DC United
Miami FC at FC Dallas

ESPN announced today that, for the 15 Euro 2008 matches shown on ESPN2 through Tuesday, June 17th, the average rating for the tournament is .5, with 521,000 homes tuning in and 655,000 viewers.  Compared to the network average for the same time block (Noon to 5PM eastern) in 2007, this represents a 64% increase in households tuned in to ESPN2 (2007 average of 318,000 homes), a 67% increase in rating, and an 81% increase in viewers (2007 average of 362,000 viewers).  The most watched match of the tournament on ESPN2 was this past Saturday between Sweden and Spain.  The match netted a .9 rating from 831,000 homes and 1.01 million viewers.

In addition to ESPN2, the Spanish-language broadcasts on ESPN Deportes have been averaging an additional 74,000 Hispanic homes per match.  This puts the combined household average of ESPN2 and Deportes for each match at just shy of 600,000 homes.  Interestingly, the most watched match on Deportes so far is the opening-day broadcast of Portugal v Turkey, seen in 123,000 Hispanic homes.

Along with the viewership on TV, ESPN is also getting more eyeballs online.  ESPN’s Soccernet website has averaged over 1 million daily visits during the tournament, an 82 percent increase over the same period during Euro 2004.  The tournament is also contributing to ESPN360’s most watched month online since it’s relaunch in September of last year.

With increased viewership being seen on cable, ESPN will now be hoping for a successful jump to broadcast TV with the Netherlands v Russia quarterfinal this Saturday and the final next Sunday on ABC.  But for now, programmers will be breathing a little easier at the worldwide leader in sports.

Saturday (ESPN Classic)
Switzerland v Czech Republic- 169,000
Portugal v Turkey- 291,000

Sunday (ESPN2)
Austria v Croatia- 445,000
Germany v Poland- 683,000

Monday (ESPN2)
France v Romania- 393,000
Netherlands v Italy- 553,000

Note that these numbers are just for the English language broadcast, and doesn’t include the ESPN Deportes Spanish language broadcast.  Do the math, and it comes out to an average of 422,000 viewers per match.  While ratings are dependent on households tuned in and not total viewers, that would suggest an average rating of .3 so far.  While expected due to being available in more households, all four matches on ESPN2 did better than the two shown on ESPN Classic.  The four games shown on ESPN2 had an average audience of over a half-million.

For ESPN, these numbers are ok, given these are group stage matches and not the more dramatic all-or-nothing knockout rounds.  The best news of the bunch maybe the over 500,000 for Netherlands v Italy, given that was squarely in the middle of the American workday.  Now ESPN will be looking for these numbers to build as the tournament goes on, especially with the final airing on broadcast network ABC.  In reality, while good numbers early are nice to have, it will be the numbers at the end that will determine how much of a success ESPN’s Euro 2008 broadcast will be.

The Guardian broke an exclusive story today on comments made by Sir David Richards, chairman of the Premier League for the last nine years, to a conference in Dubai late last month.  In the comments, Richards basically dismisses the League’s insistance it has nothing to do with the downfall of the England National Team, telling the group that the member clubs don’t develop young players because of how easy it is to go out and buy stars.  He goes even farther after that, telling the crowd that, for all intents and purposes, the league led to the firing of Steve McClaren as England manager due to an inability to get the best players.

Richards told the Guardian that he did make the comments (hard to deny given the audio available on the newspaper’s website), but that they weren’t quite what he had meant.  The league, for its part, later released a statement saying “These comments do not represent the collective view of the Premier League.”  While that maybe true, and while the real power of the league is in the hands of the club owners, it doesn’t change the fact that one of the most senior members of Premier League management has told the world the league is holding England back.  And now it will have to figure out a way to extract itself from this mess without looking like it is just punishing a man for thinking differently.

This sort of problem is hardly a new development for the league; just look back at game 39.  If you look at the league’s initial announcement, the plans given were loose at best and showed very little work had been done both inside and outside the league in tying it down.  The PL basically went in believing that the its stature would give them what they wanted in time.  Instead, the league found itself hammered by all fronts, varying from FIFA and the FA to other national football federation and its own supporters.  Facing this tidal wave, the league’s response was scattershot, letting itself and the plan get destroyed until they finally surrendered.  The league ended up with weeks of bad headlines and didn’t even get what it wanted in the end, a clear public relations loss.

And then there is the constant accusations of the league being top-heavy, repeated again recently by Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan, a debate the league never truly gets away from.

These situations show one difficult truth: for all the enemies it has, the Premier League’s greatest enemy is themselves.  Because of its different member clubs, it has a hard time keeping a straight story.  But this is true for every soccer league, and yet the PL seem to be the most unable to put its house in order, or at least hide the rough spots.  For better or for worse, these teams need to accept that it has to work together to face its critics, or it will keep losing its public relations battles.  Unity is not in the individual teams best interests, but it should be the league’s highest interest.  This has already cost them in the past, and without a change, it’s guaranteed to do so again.

Euro 2008 is finally here after the standard mega sports event buildup.  And for ESPN, today is the beginning of their broadcast of the entire tournmanet for the first time.  The network has been rolling the ads for weeks and made a big addition to its on-air talent with Andy Gray.  Now, at last, the coverage itself is the focus.  So how did the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports do?

Overall, it seemed to go fairly well.  Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth was pretty much their standard selves on the first game, which means you already love them or hate them based on their past broadcasts.  Personally, I’m a fan of Rae, and thought he was great.  I was worried about how Adrian Healey and Andy Gray would come together, but it ended up just fine, with Gray’s class shining but not overpowering Healey, who was able to work well with him.  Part of me, however, wishes for a Derek Rae/Andy Gray booth at some point.  Maybe for the final.  As for the on-screen look, I’m glad to see ESPN’s graphics was in line with UEFA’s own TV feed, right down to the scorebox in the top right.  There were no unnecessary large boxes with mismatched color, and nothing that popped on-screen interfered with the match itself.

The studio show, however, left something to be desired.  First off, Steve Bunin seemed to be having a hard time keeping the show moving.  I’ve seen Bunin before on MLS broadcasts, and he’s always seemed uncomfortable with soccer.  But given Bunin was not on the network’s original slate of hosts, maybe this ends up being just a last minute call-in.  Then there is Julie Foudy.  Foudy is ok as an analyst, but when she was alongside Andy Gray, she seemed superfluous.  Gray just knows everything to talk about and how to say it, and so Foudy seemed unsure what to do.  Foudy with Smyth was better, but seemed disjointed compared to Gray’s own efforts.  Hopefully this gets ironed out as the days go on.

Some other random thoughts:
*Loved that ESPN showed the national anthems before the game.  It’s a nice small touch.
*I understand the event is on a related network, but the Belmont Stakes segment between matches was unnecessary, and reminds me why I get fustrated with ESPN’s promotion at times.
*ESPN Axis is a great addition to the studio show analysis, and I hope it makes its way to the network’s MLS and Champions League broadcasts as well.

My final verdict is that this was a good first day of broadcast.  I would like to see the studio show get straightened out a little, but overall it was a job well done, and showed that ESPN is serious about this tournament.  Hopefully the network will be able to keep it up over the next three plus weeks.

Verizon and Setanta have confirmed that Setanta Sports USA will be added to Verizon’s fiber optic cable system beginning next month in some areas, and will be available in the following months to all FiOS areas. Just like on DirecTV or Dish Network (or IPTV providers Gek TV or NexTV), the channel will cost $14.99 a month to FiOS subscribers.

Verizon told Multichannel News that at launch, it will be the only cable system to offer the channel. This would mean that Setanta’s other rumored cable deal with RCN would not start at the same time. FiOS is currently available in 13 states, and had 1.2 million subscribers as of March 2008. There is no word at this time about whether or not Verizon will offer Setanta’s overflow channel Setanta Xtra, which is currently only on DirecTV.

The network has announced that former Scotland National Team player Andy Gray will be joining ESPN for the entire run of the tournament, serving as both a game and studio analyst. Gray, who has worked for Britain’s Sky Sports since 1990, is one of the satellite service’s top commentators, and is a regular on Sky’s Premier League and England National Team broadcasts.

The remainder of the announcing team is made up of ESPN Champions League coverage regulars. Derek Rae and Adrian Healey will serve as the two play-by-play announcers, while Tommy Smyth will work as both a game and studio analyst. Robbie Mustoe will also serve as an analyst during select matches.

The studio side, meanwhile, is mostly made up of the network’s MLS and World Cup 2006 broadcast lineup. Both Rece Davis and Julie Foudy, who served as host and studio analyst respectively during the last world cup, will be back in their jobs. Rob Stone, who hosts on ESPN’s MLS broadcasts, will also host on certain matches. Finally, Pedro Gomez, most famous (or infamous) for his two years spent covering baseball player Barry Bonds, has been tapped to work as a on-site reporter from Austria and Switzerland.

Today’s announcement shows that ESPN is bringing in almost all of the network’s soccer team, both domestic and international, to work for the European Championships. How well will they all work together? We will have to wait for June 7th to find out.

However, the articles contain an interesting quote from the USSF’s President Sunil Gulati about another subject; the possibility of hosting one of the FA’s own events, the Community Shield, as well as the Premier League’s much talked 39th game.  Gulati told reporters “I don’t think the principle is a foolish one. We have to follow Fifa guidance and in the past when countries wanted to play official games in the US we have declined. We have hosted the Italian equivalent of the Community Shield in 1993 and that would be very different to holding a Premier League game. We would consider it. The message about the 39th game was released the wrong way.”

The USSF is scheduled to meet with Premier League officials during their current trip to London.  The Italian version of the Community Shield, the Supercoppa Italiana, has been hosted twice in the United States: in 1993 at RFK Stadium and in 2003 at Giants Stadium.

This isn’t the first time the idea of the preseason event being held outside the UK has been talked about, but this does make the United States an interested candidate should such an excursion be made.  It also shows that, for all the negativity generated when the plan was first unveiled, the Premier League could still find some national allies in their fight to add international matches to the league’s schedule.

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck was quoted hours before by the Press Association as saying “Although we never would have thought in September when Jose Mourinho left that we would be able to make it into a Champions League Final – as we did, and that is fantastic – Chelsea is here to win trophies so, although it was an excellent season, we are still disappointed.” He also indicated that some of the club’s current players would be cleared out to reduce team size in the summer transfer window.

With Grant no longer in charge, speculation is already rife on who will follow him.  The early names being floated around include recently sacked Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard, current Russian National Team coach Guus Hiddink, Inter coach Roberto Mancini, and the currently under-fire Sven-Goran Eriksson of Manchester City.  There is no word as of yet on the fate of the current Chelsea coaching staff.

According to overnight Nielsen ratings, ESPN2 netted a .8 rating for their broadcast of the Chelsea v Manchester United final, averaging 798,000 homes and 1,097,000 viewers throughout. This is the single highest rating for a UEFA match in ESPN’s history, and marks the first time in 218 UEFA broadcasts on the network that average viewership topped the 1 million mark. The previous record was set in the 2006 final between Barcelona and Arsenal, which got a .7 rating from 613,000 homes and 770,000 viewers.

The numbers are even better if you include the Spanish-language broadcast seen at the same time on ESPN Deportes. According to Nielsen’s Hispanic rating, the Spanish version was seen by 213,000 viewers over 153,000 homes. That would bring the grand total of viewers between both broadcasts to over 950,000 homes and 1,310,000 viewers.

For ESPN, these numbers represent a breakthrough at the best moment possible, with the network’s Euro 2008 broadcast just two weeks away. It also represents good timing for UEFA, as bidding for the next Champions League broadcast contract in the United States is expected to happen in the latter half of this year.

One last note: the game is being rebroadcast as one of ESPN’s instant classics. It will be on ESPN Classic tonight (Saturday, May 24th) at 8 P.M. Eastern time.

The 24 team competition will feature entrants from 10 countries and the Caribbean, with the United States and Mexico each getting 4 teams in the event.  Last week, CONCACAF confirmed this year’s US teams as being the Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, the New England Revolution, and Chivas USA.  The first two will automatically make the 16-team group stage, while the latter two will have to play a two-leg preliminary round to reach the same stage.

Fox Soccer Channel says it plans to air approximately 56 of the tournament’s 78 matches, including all quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches as well as all group stage matches with MLS clubs.  The Spanish-language rights to the tournament in the United States was previously won by Univision.

The first half saw few opportunities on either side, with both teams combining for only five shots on goal. The best chance came in the 24th minute when a Colorado corner kick from Christian Gomez was hit perfectly to the head of Omar Cummings. However, goalkeeper Nick Rimando was able to collect the resulting header after he blocked it to the ground. Two minutes later, Salt Lake’s Chris Wingert was given the game’s only yellow card for a late tackle on Jacob Peterson.

The second half started with Colorado dominating possession but unable to get any shots on the net. That finally changed in the 65th minute when Herculez Gomez found Colin Clark on the run down the left side. Clark then delivered a centering pass right at the feet of Omar Cummings, who was able to angle it inside the far post for Colorado’s first goal of the game and Cummings’ third of the season.

Real Salt Lake had a chance to level it at 77 minutes with a corner kick, but Kenny Deuchar’s header soared over the top of the goal. 5 minutes after that, Colorado was awarded a penalty kick after Salt Lake’s Matias Mantilla handled a Rapids’ pass inside the penalty box. Christian Gomez took the spot kick and beat the keeper on the left side, giving Colorado the two goal advantage. Salt Lake would get one more chance in the first minute of stoppage time through a free kick just a yard outside the box, but Fabian Espindola’s effort was successfully picked up by Bouna Coundoul in what ended up being RSL’s only shot on goal in the second half.

By winning, the Rapids stay in the lead in the Western Conference with 12 points from 4 wins and 4 losses. Colorado has won three of four matches at its home stadium this year. Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake gets their fourth loss of the season and remain on 8 points after 8 matches. RSL is one of only two teams in MLS, along with D.C. United, who has failed to keep a clean sheet in any match this season.

Sky announced its plans for the pay-TV offering, called Picnic, in February 2007. The plan calls for Sky to replace its three channels currently on Freeview with a subscriber-only service of six channels (four from Sky, two from third parties) sharing time on three streams. One of the six channels would be Sky Sports 1, meaning subscribers would have access to Sky’s lineup of 92 Premier League matches a season. Sky had hoped to launch Picnic before rival Setanta Sports, and their lineup of 46 Premier League matches per season, launched their channel on the Top Up TV pay Freeview service.

Freeview, launched in 2002, is a free digital TV service offered by a consortium of British broadcasters. It currently reaches 15 million households across Britain, 6 million more than Sky’s satellite offering.

Sky’s Picnic now finds itself becoming a part of the larger fight on pay-TV in Britain as a whole. In March of last year, cable provider Virgin Media accused Sky of unfair pricing practices and abusing its dominant position in the market. Setanta Sports, broadband television provider BT, and Top Up TV has since joined Virgin in its criticism of Sky. Today’s ruling means the two investigations into Picnic and Virgin’s complaints will now be combined.

What does today’s delay mean? It means Setanta, which is adding FA Cup and England national matches alongside the Premier League this fall, will have at least a two year headstart on Sky for Freeview customers. And while Sky maintains an advantage in terms of sports subscribers at present, Setanta can continue to try and make progress on a major platform not available to their rival. It also means that, for the moment, Virgin’s complaints has found some resonance with British regulators, which could mean future trouble for Sky and its plan to expand into more British households.

For finishing on top, England have been automatically awarded a fourth spot to next year’s UEFA Cup competition, joining the winners of the FA Cup, League Cup champions Tottenham, and the 5th place finisher on the final Premier League table.  The fourth spot will be awarded to the highest finisher on the Premier League’s own fair play table who has not otherwise qualified for a UEFA competition next season.

That distinction right now is held by Manchester City, who lie fifth on the fair play table after four teams who have already won European places.  This would be the second time City has made the UEFA Cup on fair play; they also were best in fair play when England last won an automatic spot in 2003.  However, it will only be official once all matches are played.  Two teams lie within a tenth of point of City on the current table; Everton and Fulham. Everton, however, only need a last day draw or Aston Villa not winning to get its own UEFA Cup spot, meaning Fulham has the best chance of taking away City’s place.  And I have a feeling Fulham has its mind on something other than fair play right now.

It’s not the most glamorous way to get European play, but you can be sure City and Sven will be on their best behavior against Middlesbrough this Sunday.

Now to the big news. ESPN announced it’s broadcasting plans for Euro 2008 today. First, like with U2 during World Cup 2006, a single artist has been tapped by the network to provide all the music of the tournament. In this case, it will be the English band Coldplay, who will be releasing a new album on June 12th. So, if you are not a fan, start getting ready now, as you’ll be hearing a lot of them.

Second, and more importantly, is the schedule itself. The blog Awful Announcing have already broken it down by day (with one correction: the Turkey v Czech Republic match on June 15th will be on ESPN Classic, not ESPN2). So, how many matches will each network get? The bulk of them (17 of 31) will be airing on ESPN2, seven will be showing on ESPN, five will be on ESPN Classic, and two matches (a quarterfinal and the final) will be airing on ABC. ESPN also announced that, before the final, ABC will be showing an MLS matchup between the Los Angeles Galaxy and D.C. United at noon eastern. For those of you with HD, 26 of the 31 matches will be available in high definition on either ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC HD; ESPN Classic matches will only be available in standard definition. ESPN 360, the network’s online video service, will show all matches except the two on ABC, and ESPN Deportes will be providing Spanish-language coverage of all matches. Finally, ESPN Classic will show a half-hour highlight program during every evening of the tournament just in case you miss something.

The last announcement is one that should interest historical fans of the game; each weeknight from May 26th to June 5th, ESPN Classic will be showing each of the last nine Euro final matches.  From West Germany’s three straight final appearances between 1972 and 1980 to Greece’s shocking victory over the hosting Portugese in 2004, you’ll get to see them all before this year’s tournament.

I’m glad to see the powers at ESPN have shown a willingness to put the final on ABC, but I do have to wonder if the lack of additional matches on that network will hamper it’s viewership.  It’s also good to see that most matches will be available in HD.  Overall, I would say I’m happy with the schedule announced today.  Now all that’s left is for the tournament to begin.