With a couple of upcoming Friendlies (Macedonia on Nov 14 & Poland on Nov 18), and with a break
in my Masters happening right now (oh, how convenient), I finally have chance to to write a proper
blog post that isn't a summary of my Twitter stories.
Yeah a lot has happened lately. First Begovic, then Jacob Lensky (and thank you, Stephen Hart,
for publicly expressing your disappointment).
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Serie A Weekly readers Puma Canada has been gracious enough to supply us with several team
jerseys...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at,
owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca
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Perhaps not remembering what happened to Duane the last time someone wanted to move the Columbus
Crew, Jason Davis over at MatchFit USA decides he wants to take a crack at getting rid of the team
everyone loves to hate now that they win a lot.
Last night, only 10,109 could be bothered to watch the men in yellow go down to Real
Salt Lake.
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A quick note to our Canadian readers (and residents of other countries who are interested). EPL
Talk will be interviewing Canadian football legend Paul Peschisolido tomorrow, so if you have any
suggested questions about his international or club playing career, please post them at
http://www.
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Could you imagine Marvel Wynne or O'Brien White getting racially abused in the BMO parking lot by a
Toronto FC supporter? Not that I'm of the whole "there's no racism here, we live under Pierre
Trudeau's beautiful multicultural rainbow where nothing ever goes wrong" school of Canadian self
back-slappery, but let's just say if it happened, I suspect you would get headlines in every single
national daily, weeks of op-eds about how racism persists in Canada, and anti-racist tifos in the
south end that would make Dichio's tribute look like a bit of tissue paper.
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Foreign fans rejoice! The 2009 leg of the Bucks for Becks World Tourâ„¢ is on. Having already run
through Australia, Asia and Canada in off-seasons past, the Galaxy are spending this Thanksgiving
in Europe...kind of like that rich kid you went to school with who always rocked Lacoste and had
cool parents who would let him have wine at dinner.
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Unbeatable England
20 Countries That Have Never Won A Football Match Against England
1. Albania (4 attempts)
2. Bulgaria (8 attempts)
3. Cameroon (4 attempts)
4. Canada (1 attempt)
5. China (1 attempt)
6. Colombia (5 attempts)
7. Ecuador (2 attempts)
8.
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The weekend of November 20th 22nd, Major League Soccer fans and specifically, Supporters Groups of
MLS clubs from across the U.S. and Canada will converge in the city of Seattle for the MLS Cup
Finals. This is Our Passion, these are Our Clubs and this is Our League. We will all be celebrating
[...
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The Footie 30 September @ 01:23 PM EST
The traditional after match soccer handshake will be banned in minor league soccer games
throughout Canada for fear of spreading the H1N1 virus. The move was decided by league members who
have said that everyone needs to do more to stop the spread of the swine flu virus. The flu is
spread from infected people to others through handshakes, fluids or air.
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A More Splendid Life, a football blog out of Canada, is looking for stories from footie fans that
have experience with MLS. Read the author's appeal below and shoot him an email with your favorite
MLS/soccer stories!
I would love it if you could send me (amoresplendidlife[at]gmail.com) a unique story or experience
with your time in Major League Soccer, even if it's only a few sentences, or even one sentence.
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Remember a few years ago when "How Soccer Explains the World" came out and everyone thought
Franklin Foer was the next Simon Kuper? For 8 minutes and 9 seconds you can relive those heady
times once again courtesy of the CBC. Thanks Canada!
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With J Hutcherson -- The United States National Team's involvement in the Under-20 World Cup kicks
off on Saturday in Suez, Egypt (10am - ESPN Classic/Galavision) minus the associated hype we saw
last time around in Canada. Blame it on relative proximity and a lineup not dominated by players on
the short list to be the next big thing in Major League Soccer.
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WVHooligan 23 September @ 06:41 PM EST
With this winter quickly approaching now that we are in the fall season it seems only fitting to
really start the discussion on what will certainly be the number one topic all off season in Major
League Soccer, the CBA negotiations. The big one comes down to the great wage debate.
I bring it up today because of a link I found late last night over on one of my favorite sites,
Pitch Invasion.
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the yorkies 22 September @ 05:21 PM EST
First came Toronto FC, then Vancouver Whitecaps got an expansion team and now Montreal L' Beckhams
are trying to join MLS. Throw in further interest from Ottawa and Major League Soccer has a sudden
influx of Canadiana! Don't tell our friends to the south that a whole list of possible expansion
clubs are lining up as we speak.
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With J Hutcherson -- For all the knocks he's taken for the frequency of moves Toronto has made in a
relatively short time, manager - but not coach - Mo Johnston doesn't seem overly bothered. How else
to explain spending designated player money on a primarily defensive midfielder? Julian de Guzman
suiting up for Toronto is a very big deal.
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A potentially significant moment in Charlton's history took place on Tuesday night - I nearly
missed it, eyelids drooping due to jetlag (thanks to Stuart for holding the fort while I swanned
around the US and Canada), but it definitely happened. The Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust has
been given fans' backing.
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Major League Soccer announced a balanced schedule for the 2010 season, with each team playing the
other twice. The League also announced that no League games will be played during the World Cup
group stage, semifinals, or final. "The decision to stop League play during the group phase of the
2010 FIFA World Cup is part of MLS' commitment to deepen its connection with the millions of soccer
fans in the United States and Canada,".
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WVHooligan 16 September @ 02:57 PM EST
News that may finally get some folks off the MLS front office executive's backs for a little
bit. Today the league announced that next year's schedule would include a two week break during the
World Cup in South Africa.
The two week break will be during the group phase of the World Cup starting June 11 through the
June 25.
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WVHooligan 14 September @ 07:02 PM EST
Over the last week and a half I missed out on quite a bit of stuff so I felt tonight would be a
good way to recap some things and give you all my opinion on each. We've had plenty of new players
get signed this past week, including one Designated Player...which in Major League Soccer is always
a big deal.
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Match Fit USA 14 September @ 11:01 AM EST
U-20 National Team Defender Kyle Davies Two years ago in Canada, the United States U-20 team called
some attention to themselves with clever attacking play, a undefeated group round, a 6-1
drubbing...
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Friday September 11th, 2009 was the day that Toronto FC announced the signing of their first
designated player, Julian de Guzman. This has been rumoured for so long that it is difficult to
accept this as a done deal. Yet there he is at a press conference between Mo Johnston and Chris
Cummins in uniform, so it must be happening.
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I have now reviewed video of the foul called on Clint Dempsey that nullified a nice goal by Jozy
Altidore the other day over a dozen times. While the official could have certainly just waved on
the play (which I may have done, but I am not an official and do have a rooting interest when the
US plays), which often happens when the US plays at home in CONCACAF (just ask Canada or Panama) I
have to defend his decision to stop play and disallow the goal.
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MLS Rumors 07 September @ 04:50 PM EST
UM02 May want to get ready to welcome Becks...
Could David Beckham teaming up with the ever vocal, Joey Saputo? Strange as that may sound
according to at least one insider the two have spoken of the possibility.
Courtesy of Jack Bell's Goal Blog at the New York Times:
And according to a person with knowledge of Beckham's planning who spoke on condition of anonymity
because of concerns about jeopardizing any potential deal, Beckham and his management team at 19
Entertainment (led by Simon Fuller) and Creative Artists Agency (led by Jeff Frasco) are interested
in partnering with Joey Saputo, the owner of the Montreal Impact (the club now plays in United
Soccer Leagues' First Division, one tier down from M.
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the yorkies 07 September @ 11:01 AM EST
With it being Labour Day (yes, our American friends, we spell it with a "u"),
The Yorkies
want to celebrate the true workers who have so far worn the Red for Toronto FC. Channelling the
proletariat spirit of Karl Marx we offer you a starting line-up of the most blue collar, hard
working and enthusiastic lads to run out on our Eastern Bloc era artificial turf.
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Kartik Krishnaiyer of Major League Soccer Talk invited me onto his show to discuss the ongoing
situation between the USL-1 Team Owners Association (TOA) and the United Soccer League. As you
know, the USL announced Nike's sale of the league to NuRock Holdings last week after a supposed
high bid was awarded to a group headed up by Jeff Cooper of St.
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Kartik Krishnaiyer of Major League Soccer Talk invited me onto his show to discuss the ongoing
situation between the USL-1 Team Owners Association (TOA) and the United Soccer League. As you
know, the USL announced Nike's sale of the league to NuRock Holdings last week after a supposed
high bid was awarded to a group headed up by Jeff Cooper of St.
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Here's a link to the press release.
I know, this is MLS Talk, not USL Talk. But given recent events, this is newsworthy.
This has been rumored for awhile, not always the Fury, but that a party in Ottawa was interested
in entering the USL First Division. But they picked a really strange time to do it, didn't
they?
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USL News 31 August @ 08:51 AM EST
Friday, August 28
Portland Timbers 0:0 Charleston Battery
Charleston clinches USL playoff berth Charleston Post and Courier
Timbers push unbeaten streak to 24 with draw The Oregonian
Saturday, August 29
Minnesota Thunder 1:3 Puerto Rico Islanders
Thunder lose on the road to Islanders Inside Minnesota Soccer
Miami FC Blues 0:1 Austin Aztex
Key breaks finally fall Aztex' way in shutout Austin American-Statesman
Rochester Rhinos 1: 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
Rhinos rally for tie in Vancouver Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Whitecaps, Rhinos duel to 1-1 draw Vancouver Sun
Sunday, August 30
Carolina RailHawks 1:1 Montreal Impact
Carolina steals a draw Canada.
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WVHooligan 26 August @ 01:21 PM EST
We've been talking long and hard about Portland's troubles with their stadium but now it looks
like Vancouver could be joining the mix? While both cities were awarded expansion bids it went with
certain stadium situations that the league agreed on. Now Portland seems to have taken care of
their issues but now Vancouver could be headed down a tough road of stadium fun.
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I had the honor of being a guest on the outstanding Canadian based show, It's Called Football.
You know the cast of characters involved in the program well if you follow MLS north of the border,
so without further adieu here is the link.
Related posts:
- Is Canada's Club Football Brighter than in the US?
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The Offside 24 August @ 05:00 PM EST
As Giuseppe Rossi became, officially, Giuseppe Rossi this summer - you know, finally fulfilled that
enormous hype on the international scene - Jonathan de Guzman is officially becoming Jonathan de
Guzman, man hated by Canadians - though for a better reason than Americans hate Beppe. For those
naive to Dutch and/or Canadian football matters, Jonathan de [.
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