Jamie Phoenix, a man who epitomises everything Les Rosbifs stands for, has finally reappeared on the international football scene in far-flung Albania. Phoenix, who has a string of clubs in England and abroad to his name, including Altrincham, Stafford Rangers, Bolton Wanderers (perhaps) and Manchester City (perhaps), is currently on trial with Superliga side KS [.

Good to see USA International Stuart Holden in a starting role at Bolton. More touches on the ball over 90 minutes would be better, however, Bolton has a long-ball style of play.

by Guardian Chalkboards

Roman Pavlyuchenko is enduring a torrid time at White Hart Lane. The Spurs frontman can't get into the team and boss Harry Redknapp seems hesitant to sell him until the summer despite interest from Russia. It seems certain he will go down as a ‘flop' in England, but he is by no means the worst of the bunch.

With the US National Team currently assembled in Amsterdam ahead of this week's friendly against the 3rd ranked Netherlands, one of the most talked about American players on the team is new Bolton Wanderers' midfielder Stuart Holden.

According to this article on the BBC, Stuart Holden has signed a contract with Bolton Wanderers and thus becomes the 2nd U.S. international player, along with Ricardo Clark, to leave the Houston Dynamo this offseason.

The finger-pointing began at the training ground yesterday morning, as after drawing 1-1 against Tottenham in the F.A. Cup, a shocked and disgusted Bolton Wanderers side carried out an inquisition into the series of sixteen passing errors that resulted in the catastrophe of an aesthetically pleasing goal.

Stuart Holden impressed in last weekend's game with English Premiere League's Bolton Wanderers. Bolton manager Owen Coyle hopes Holden will have the same affect on the team as Landon Donovan has at Everton:

Owen Coyle reckons his own transatlantic purchase can have similar resuscitating effects to those which Landon Donovan's arrival has had on Everton's season.

With J Hutcherson -- Stuart Holden looked fearless against Fulham on Saturday, something that should have Bolton Wanderers and United States National Team fans excited. Though it ended 0-0, it was Holden with some of the stronger moments. And that wasn't just because he hit the post in the 78th minute.

Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle has decided to pass on signing U.S. international Stuart Holden following a lengthy trial with the club, according to a report by MirrorFootball. The story goes onto say that the out-of-contract Houston Dynamo midfielder is now on his way to Portugal in hopes of signing for Sporting Braga on a free transfer.

Cautious optimism is the term I've got to use in reacting to the latest news on two of the America's most exciting young players. Yes, Stuart Holden is now a Premier League player after signing with the Bolton Wanderers. And yes, Charlie... Read more

Today's international fixture list includes some big ones in the English Premier League, the Coupe de France and Copa Libertadores, among others. Man City hosts Bolton Wanderers in a battle between a team looking to crack the top 4 and a team fighting to stay above the relegation zone. Other relegation battlers are on the field today as Portsmouth hosts Sunderland, Wigan hosts Stoke and Fulham hosts Burnley.

Stuart Holden, the USA player who got kicked out of the game by Nigel de Jong is out for six week. The Bolton Wanderers midfielder broke his leg.

De Jong's challenge gave fuel to an old debate. Everyone knows that players like Van Bommel and De Jong ( and before [read more]

Stuart Holden, Bolton Wanderers

Vs. Birmingham, 2-1, (24 minutes)

Holden returned to action on Sunday, coming on as a second half substitute and nearly scored in the 70th minute but his effort went narrowly wide of the post. The midfielder's return is encouraging and should boost his World Cup hopes.

The January 2010 transfer window is now closed in England. It was a much quieter window than in January of 2009, when Premier League teams spent a record £178 MILLION in that transfer window. We will continually update this as the last transfers get processed by the Premier League.

Updated Feb 1st.

With the exclusive story earlier this week reporting that Fox Soccer Channel is in talks with Setanta Sports to acquire the US company, EPL Talk has found evidence that Fox has trademarked the name Fox Soccer Plus (and also the variation Fox Soccer +) as well as acquired the domain name FoxSoccerPlus.

U.S. international Stuart Holden has revealed that his choice to move from the Houston Dynamo to Bolton Wanderers was partially influenced by the input a pair of his American teammates gave him. The former Houston Dynamo midfielder and MLS Best XI selection told The Bolton News on Thursday that he was in constant talks with Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard and on-loan star Landon Donovan in the days leading up to his decision, and they both recommended that Holden take the next step in his career.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Kenny Cooper's quest to help Plymouth Argyle avoid relegation has begun, and Cooper's next match could prove pivotal at achieving that goal.

Cooper will look to build on his 32-minute Plymouth Argyle debut, as the club takes on fellow relegation-threatened Reading.

The USA's most recent friendly in Amsterdam brought up some very big questions about the USA midfield. With Ricardo Clark and Benny Feilhaber injured US fans were treated to a midfield pairing they'd been asking to see: Jose Francisco Torres and Michael Bradley. Except it didn't exactly go as planned.

By Chris Wright

Here's the round-up...

Rumour No. 1: Despite only being in the job for less than a morning, newly-appointed Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is already drawing up plans to spend the £15 million transfer budget he has been handed.

By now we've all all read and heard about the decision that Houston Dynamo attacking midfielder Stuart Holden has to make: Should he sign a new contract with the MLS and stay in Houston on a much better one then he has had the last few seasons, or taking the next step to get to the promised land of where the world's best compete on a weekly basis?

Though no official announcement has been made regarding Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden's quest to get a contract in Europe, his American club has just conceded that they will not be able to re-sign him for the upcoming MLS season.
"We're certainly disappointed that Stuart is not returning to the Dynamo," Dynamo chief operating officer Chris Canetti.

U.S. international Stuart Holden has spoken out for the first time since leaving the Houston Dynamo to play for Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League. The 24-year-old midfielder shared his thoughts in a posting on his personal website on Tuesday morning, expressing excitement over the opportunity to play in England and gratitude to the fans of the Dynamo who have supported him for the past four years.

Midfielder Stuart Holden, 23, will reportedly make his debut with English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers in the club's fifth round match in the FA Cup against Tottenham Hotspur FC. The match kicks off at 2 p.m. Houston time.
ASN's Michael Simpson, who has seen Holden grow up before his eyes the last four years in Houston, checks in with some well wishes.

U.S. international midfielder Stuart Holden is nearing a return for Bolton Wanderers after missing more than a month with a broken leg, BBC Sport reports. The former Houston Dynamo star suffered a fractured fibula while playing for his country in a 2-1 exhibition loss to the Netherlands back on March 3rd, but expects to resume full training in about two weeks.

Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle is keen to keep U.S. international Stuart Holden with the club and has offered him a one-year extension, according to a report in the Bolton News. The Scotland-born midfielder left Major League Soccer behind for the English Premier League this past January, impressing Bolton officials with his skills despite being sidelined for more than two months with a leg injury.

Con una silueta propia de estrellas de la NBA, estos futbolistas despliegan sus dos metros y más por las canchas del mundo. Una recopilación realizada por la revista española Don Balón.
1. YANG CHANGPENG (杨昌鹏) - 2,09 m.
Milita en el Chengdu Blades, la filial china del Sheffield United.

Britain's icy weather has forced the postponement of five Premier League matches this weekend.

Saturday's game between Hull City and leaders Chelsea and Sunday's Liverpool-Tottenham Hotspur clash were postponed on Friday after three earlier games fell victim to the freezing weather.

With every day that passes, the chances of Stuart Holden returning to the Houston Dynamo and Major League Soccer next season seem to get slimmer and slimmer. The budding U.S. international has just completed a well-publicized trial with Premier League club Bolton Wanderers and is apparently on the verge of being offered a contract, according to new Bolton manager Owen Coyle.

Stuart Holden continues to lead the US assault on the English Premier League, joining other US stars Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and Jozy Altidore in having appeared in the EPL this season.
Holden made his English Premier League debut for Bolton Wanderers in a 1-0 victory over visiting Wolves on Saturday.

By Chris Wright

Here's what may prove to be both the first and last round up this week...

Rumour No. 1: Real Madrid have told Liverpool that they are unwilling to meet their £30 million valuation of Steven Gerrard, with the La Liga giants only willing to go as high as £20 million for the 30-year-old England midfielder.

Cash-strapped, poverty-stricken Real Madrid (yes, the very same side that spent over £200 million pounds on transfer fees last summer) have apparently baulked at the exorbitant price tag Liverpool have slapped on Steven Gerrard's head and requested that they be allowed to pinch the influential midfielder on the cheap the cheeky sods!

The Christmas weekend matches were possibly the round of matches that passed us by without much talking points. Apart from the sacking of Gary Megson, every match and result went according to script. What are The Flat Back Four's conclusions from watching the matches over the Christmas period? Here goes.

By FRANCO PANIZO

It appears age is nothing but a number for Brad Friedel.

The 38-year-old Friedel posted his eighth shutout in Aston Villa's last ten league games by making five saves in the Villans' scoreless draw with Tottenham. Averaging less than a goal against per game, Friedel now has 11 cleansheets on the season.

It was just like old times, those sepia-tinged, heady days of late-summer 2009, when rubbish teams would traipse up to the Lane and be promptly destroyed, with our heroes requiring nothing beyond second gear. From the outset the only worry last night was that we might fail to turn domination into goals, but merrily this was not to be one of those wretched occasions.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Jozy Altidore proved to be a handful for centerback Johnny Heitinga in the U.S. men's national team's friendly vs. the Netherlands, and Altidore will look to replicate that performance this weekend, when he'll likely face the Dutch defender again.

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Benny Feilhaber has made a smooth transition back into AGF Aarhus' lineup since recovering from an ankle injury that threatened his World Cup hopes, but while Feilhaber has enjoyed individual success, his club has not.

By FRANCO PANIZO

A week after providing two assists in a 4-0 win, Mikkel Diskerud continued his fine run of form with a pretty game-winning goal in Stabaek IF's 2-1 win against Lillestrom.

Diskerud helped Stabaek further distance itself from the relegation zone by playing 90 minutes and scoring just before the end of the first half with a clever chip.

photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Benny Feilhaber just cannot be stopped.

Having scored four goals in the past seven days, Feilhaber continued his tear with AGF Aarhus on Sunday as he assisted on two goals and scored a clutch game-winner in a 3-2 victory over Koge.

On a day which saw Europe's golfers win back the Ryder Cup from the team from across the pond, it begs the question as to whether the US will ever have a football team capable of beating Europe's elite?

You have to give credit to the current USA soccer squad. They have improved year on year, and have had some impressive results.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The England NT warmed our hearts and loins all weekend long.

Saturday

- While away on international duty, England stars Steven Gerrard, Joleon Lescott, Shaun Wright-Philips and Ashley Young took time out from training to visit the children's Ward of Watford General Hospital.