San Jose has the inside track to the Supporters' Shield. (US Presswire)
With the MLS All Star game last night I felt like the league is well past the halfway point to
be able to begin doing a broader look at the league's Supporters' Shield race. I hope to do more
installments of this race as we go along here.
At the end of the 2011 MLS season, one of Major League Soccer's veterans retired. After 14 years in
the league, Andy Williams chose to hang up his boots and pick up a clipboard as he joined the
RealSaltLake technical staff. After winning an MLS Cup, representing his national team and building
a life in Utah, the Jamaican is able to look back on his career with pride.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is confident the Reds can emerge stronger next season after a
turbulent campaign at Anfield.
The Merseysiders' season has been full of ups and downs, with Kenny Dalglish's men reaching two cup
finals but struggling to make an impact in the Premier League.
Poor results in the league have heaped pressure on manager Dalglish, while director of football
Damien Comolli was dismissed by the club earlier this month.
With three games squeezed into seven days and Jamie Carragher having started on Sunday, it was
surprising to see Sebastian Coates begin the game on the bench against QPR. After coming on late in
the first half as a substitute and subsequently being the only Liverpool defender blameless in
Rangers' three late goals, and with not even the most hopeful fan entertaining dreams of a push for
the top four any longer, it would be rather more than surprising were he to find himself once again
starting on the bench against Wigan on the weekend.
The New England Revolution had a somewhat bumpy June, going unbeaten, but doing it with a 1-0-3
record. In fact, the Revs haven't won since June 2nd against Chicago, and twice in a row now have
had to come back from 2-0 down just to salvage draws out of what many would consider winnable
games.
Bayern Munich have responded to Wesley Sneijder's accusations that the club has not been
supportive of Arjen Robben following his penalty miss in the Champions League final defeat to
Chelsea, particularly since the winger was jeered by some fans in a home friendly against
Netherlands.
Tuesday night's exhibition match saw Bayern's Robben don his national team colors and every time
he touched the ball, sections of the crowd voiced their disapproval by whistling at him.
This article titled "Euro 2012: England unexpectedly expects a win against Ukraine" was written
by Barney Ronay in Donetsk, for The Guardian on Monday 18th June 2012 20.07 UTC
So: here we go again. England, unexpectedly, expects. There is something wearily familiar, but
also irresistibly chipper, about the customary boomeranging of public sentiment when it comes to
following England's footballers at a major tournament.
This article titled "Euro 2012: Fernando Torres and Spain end Republic of Ireland hopes" was
written by David Hytner in Gdansk, for The Guardian on Thursday 14th June 2012 20.53 UTC
Anything can happen in 90 minutes, said Giovanni Trapattoni. But when Spain play like this and
his Republic of Ireland team see their limitations so painfully exposed, only one thing can
happen.
In memory of Manolo Preciado is a post from: Just Football
by William Abbs
The death of Manuel Preciado in the early hours of last Thursday morning
plunged Spanish football into grief, relegating coverage of the country's build-up to Euro 2012
from the front page of the sports dailies.
In memory of Manolo Preciado is a post from: Just Football
by William Abbs
The death of Manuel Preciado in the early hours of last Thursday morning
plunged Spanish football into grief, relegating coverage of the country's build-up to Euro 2012
from the front page of the sports dailies.
Perry Kitchen is no stranger to adversity, having been apart of the U.S. Under-23 men's national
team that disappointingly did not qualify for this summer's Olympics in March. But while Kitchen
struggled in the U.S. team's failed attempt to reach London, he has had no such problems in his
second season in MLS.
It has been a roller coaster 2012 for young D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
He started it by earning his first U.S. national team cap, and was subsequently named by no less
than Jurgen Klinsmann as the No. 2 goalkeeper in the U.S. national team pool. He was starting on
the U.
Sometimes adversity brings out the best in us. Â Going into Wednesday's match with the undefeated
Puerto Rico Islanders, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers were without their head coach, Daryl Shore,
forward/assistant coach Abe Thompson and dependable defender Toni Stahl due to suspension following
Saturday's match with the San Antonio Scorpions.
Sometimes adversity brings out the best in us. Â Going into Wednesday's match with the undefeated
Puerto Rico Islanders, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers were without their head coach, Daryl Shore,
forward/assistant coach Abe Thompson and dependable defender Toni Stahl due to suspension following
Saturday's match with the San Antonio Scorpions.
Liverpool's squad have collectively let their heads drop in recent weeks, seeming to at least on
some level buy into the woe-is-me narrative suggested by many who believe the season's only real
problem has been a lack of luck and not tactics, execution, and team selection on the back of
perhaps the most wasteful transfer window in the club's history.
Oh it's happening, Kickettes. And it will be starring a real live WAG.
Jessica Lawlor, girlfriend of Aston Villa's Stephen Ireland confirmed on Twitter this morning
that she will have a role in WAG! The Musical. Jess added,
In my role I am simply making fun out of the pre conception that ppl have formed of 'WAGS'.
West Ham United's 4-2 reverse in today's crunch clash with Reading would have seemed apocalytic if
it were not for the torpor that the home support showed in adversity - fortune wasn't so much
hiding as participating in out and out hermit status as the team tumbled and even the bubbles had
to be artificially produced via vents at the pitch side.
It's high time again for another hat trick and QOTD. Today's piece will focus a bit more on the
USMNT as a couple of big games loom tonight and this weekend. One of the matchups includes two
American soccer icons in a clash this weekend, which should make for must watch TV. Also follow
after the break to have your say in the QOTD.
Who can forget the Santiago Bernabeu erupting in applause as Eric Abidal walked into the
limelight of the Champions League finals last year, his first appearance in months, battling liver
cancer. Barca was already enjoying a special moment cruising to the title over Man Utd. Abidal's
brief appearance was the cherry on top.
"Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it".
Whether you first heard this quote from pastor and author Charles R. Swindoll or famous football
coach Lou Holtz, its message is clear — you are measured not by what happens to you, but in how
you respond to those challenges.
USA were officially crowned champions of the U-20 Women's World Cup after a closely-fought 1-0
victory over defending champions Germany in Tokyo tonight. Ironically for the Germans,
Kealia Ohai's strike in the 44th minute was the first and only goal they
conceded at the tournament and despite a successful campaign so far, they weren't able to fight off
a hardworking USA side.
Two match days are in the books for the U-15/16 age group. The U-17/18s playing their final group
games tonight.
After two match days in the U-15/16 age group, the New York Red Bulls and St. Louis Scott Gallagher
Missouri have ground out results and taken the lead in their respective groups.
The new season is looming, and we are delighted to announce that Mungo will be returning for the
new season in the next few few weeks, with Mungo McCrackas having returned to Scotland after his
year long stint with Primrose Hill Ramblers in London. Here's our resident artisan Ed Carter to
tell you a little bit more about his return to Scotland.
Pollyanna had a hand in writing this one. You know, the girl with the constant optimism? Over
the last 6 weeks I have been pretty much depressed every Saturday night, except for the week of the
Sporting KC Game. However with the help of the community here I got through it and now I want to
help everyone else.
By Joel Greenwaldt @Joel Greenwaldt The Baltimore Blast faced a ton of adversity in their 8-2
victory in Game 1 of MISL Eastern Division Final against the Rochester Lancers. For
starters,...
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Coventry City fans were in vocal and defiant mood during the 2-0 defeat at Reading yesterday.
Several rousing choruses of their signature Eton Boating Song rang out and the raw commitment that
perhaps only comes with adversity and temperatures hovering around zero degrees was on full
display. Among the targets for opprobrium were the club's owners since 2007 – Sisu Capital – a
cabal whose very mention led the comments section to combust after Ian Palmer so expertly picked
apart Coventry's parlous financial state during our recent Turmoil Week.
The public are comfortable with Harry Redknapp. His rumpled, down-to-earth persona harks back to
a bygone era before football became a commercial monster, evoking soft fuzzy Sunday evening
television images of a time when society was less complicated and life was better. With Harry, like
him or not, you know where you are.
A favorite quote of mine comes from a statement I heard years ago about adversity being a building
block in developing one's character. I used to even prescribe to the theory: 'A B C - Adversity
Builds Character'.
Helen Keller once said, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
