With the immediate success of youth players during Team USA's win at the Mandela Challenge Cup, Coach Bob Bradley has set his sights on bringing in younger soccer stars to the senior team. 8-year-old Zachary Jesus-Salvatore Kpodo is the 4th player selected under 23 since after the USA's successful run at the 2010 World Cup.

Stephen Dunn - Getty Images

6 months ago: CARSON, CA - JUNE 5: Goalkeeper Pat Onstad #18 of the Houston Dynamo reaacts after giving up the fourth goal of the game against the Los Angeles Galaxy on June 5, 2010 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

PSP

Some of the work that PSP photographer Nicolae Stoian did with Photographers for Hope at the 2010 Homeless World Cup is on display at UEFA's House of European Football in Nyon. You can view photos from the show on UEFA's website.

Union

Jack McInerney talks about his motivation during his recent USMNT U-20 call up and the chemistry he has with Amobi Okugo: "Everywhere we go, we're right there with each other," McInerney said.

NSC Stars fans will see Italian forward Simone Bracalello take the field for the Stars again in 2011. Photo by Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

IMS has learned the NSC Stars have picked up the option on 11 players from last year's 2010 Minnesota Stars Roster.

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America looks at the start of Pat Onstad's career as an assistant coach for D.C. United.
In addition to reviving the fortunes of D.C. United, a four-time MLS champion who posted the league's worst record last year, ex-Dynamo keeper Pat Onstad is looking forward to other aspects of his new role as assistant coach.

1987 SEA Games Final
The local sports tabloid has had some interesting pieces ahead of the AFF Cup Final between the two Melayu speaking rivals.
Back in 1987 they met in the SEA Games Final in Jakarta with Indonesia winning 1-0 thanks to a Ribut Waidi goal in injury time, not much has changed eh, in front of 110,000 fans.

Robbie Findley played out his MLS contract in search of a European contract and appears to have secured one.

The U.S. national team striker and former Real Salt Lake forward has signed with English League Championship side Nottingham Forest, the club announced on Thursday.

World Cup Host Vote

Today is the big day. In the 21 years since the US was chosen by FIFA to host the 1994 World Cup the development of US soccer both domestically and internationally has been a continuous upward line of growth. Today is the day we will learn if the next twelve years of the development of soccer in this country will enjoy the reward of something larger than itself.

From the Chicago Fire Premier website:

The first tryout for the 2011 Chicago Fire Premier teams will be held on January 9, 2011 at 9:00 PM

We will be selecting players for the 2011 Chicago Fire PDL, Chicago Fire NPSL, and Chicago Fire Super-20 teams.

The tryout will be held at the Bridgeview Sports Dome located at 8900 South 77th Avenue, Bridgeview, IL 60455

The fee for the tryout is $65.

As you can tell from the above graphic, the Torrance-based Daily Breeze is more than a few balls short ahead of the Friday deadline.

So c'mon all you local soccer clubs, donate a few soccer balls and challenge your peers to match your contribution.

In other soccer news today:

*It appears the Galaxy reportedly have an English rival for the signature of Brazilian Ronaldinho.

Amos Magee

The Portland Timbers announced today that head coach John Spencer has secured Minnesotan Amos Magee along with Tervor James and Adam Smith as assistant coaches for the newly elevated MLS team.

The 39 year old Magee spent some time playing in MLS himself with the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Chicago Fire from 2000 through 2002.

Virginia Youth Soccer Annual Convention and Awards Luncheon
The 2011 VYSA Convention will take place just a few weeks after the holidays. Mark your calendars for Friday evening, January 21, 2011 and all day Saturday, January 22, 2011.
For more information go to our web site at www.

A national championship for Caleb Porter began on the soccer fields of Southwest Michigan.

Porter, who was a two-time all-stater for the Blue Devils in the early 1990s, became the first area person to coach an NCAA Division I athletic team to a national title when his Akron men's soccer team upset No.

Coach Caleb Porter talked throughout the weekend about how the journey to Akron's NCAA championship win began on Dec. 14, 2009.
After his team's College Cup final triumph, Porter reminisced about losing the final a year prior.
"Painful loss last year where we were the best team in the country but it ended on one kick," the coach said Sunday about the penalty shootout loss to Virginia.

BLACKBURN, England Sam Allardyce was sacked because his football vision did not fit in with that of Blackburn Rovers' new Indian owners who believe the club should be fourth or fifth in the Premier League. Allardyce said he was "shocked and disappointed" after being axed on Monday despite the club winning four of its [.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby FC plans to continue their fairytale run. The club which was officially launched in March this year has been promoted to the Premier League after winning the FAM League.

They were unbeaten in the league, winning eleven games and three draws. The club is now looking to win fans by making an instant mark.

Torrance Mayor Frank Scotto, a long-time AYSO coach and official, and A.Y. Olds pose with a municipal proclamation issued at a recent City Council meeting (Photo courtesy city of Torrance).

Here's the text of the proclamation:

WHEREAS, the City of Torrance recognizes with great pride, A.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands The cold snap wiped out three of Sunday's four scheduled games in the Eredivisie, including the clash between arch rivals Ajax and Feyenoord. The Dutch FA opted to postpone the fixture due to heavy snowfall in Amsterdam with the game rearranged for January 19. They were advised that road conditions around the [.

Amos Magee and Charlotte Joan Tuttle

Just last week I reported that Amos Magee was named to the coaching staff of the MLS Portland Timbers. Amos had been with the USL and USSF D2 Portland Timbers and was asked to stay on as an assistant coach when the team goes to MLS this coming season.

The Philadelphia Independence will hold open Tryouts January 27-28, 2011 at United Sports Training Center in Downingtown.

A press release on the Independence website says, "This tryout event allows the Independence coaches to evaluate potential picks before January's WPS College Draft, while also giving free agents or players who were not picked in last year's draft the opportunity to earn a spot on the Independence roster.

Today, Italy and the Football world mourn Enzo Bearzot, the man who lead Italy to victory in the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain. Bearzot, 83, died in Milan after battling a long illness.
Bearzot, a defender, began his playing at Pro Gorizia in 1946 and went on to play for Inter, Catania, and Torino before retiring as a player in 1964.

Goalkeeper Pat Onstad has enjoyed a long championship-winning career, but the 41-year-old Canadian net-minder has stopped his last shot.

Onstad retired on Tuesday, and immediately took a position as an assistant coach with D.C. United, joining the coaching staff of new head coach Ben Olsen.

Juan Carlos Osorio, a former head coach for the Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls who has been coaching in Colombia, will become the new coach for Chivas USA, multiple sources, including a club official, confirmed Wednesday to ESPN Los Angeles.

Chivas USA officials plan to make an announcement after Christmas.