Montreal inches closer to a MLS expansion bid.

By now we've all seen the lovely quote from MLS commissioner Don Garber yesterday about future league expansion.

"We've had productive conversations with Montreal to be our 19th team," said Garber.

With all the issues going on with the USL/TOA crap you have to think that Montreal owner Joey Saputo is trying to figure out the best way to get his club into the top-tier league instead of a new breakaway league.

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Let's talk about Don Garber's remarks from yesterday. First, expansion:

"We've had productive conversations with Montreal to be our 19th team," Garber said. "We have not put a timetable as to when that team would join the league if we're able to reach agreement with them. We do not have any active discussions going on of note for the 20th team and certainly don't have any timetable for the 20th team.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave his annual State of the League Address on Monday and covered a wide range of topics, from expansion to the Collective Bargaining Agreement to the Designated Player rule.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave his annual State of the League Address on Monday and covered a wide range of topics, from expansion to the Collective Bargaining Agreement to the Designated Player rule.

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It happens to the best of us:

You meet someone new, they're not like others you've known before.

There's a spark. And so, it begins.

But inevitably, as in any relationship, the two of you become more comfortable around each other. You don't make the effort you used to before.

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It happens to the best of us:

You meet someone new; they're not like others you've known before.

There's a spark. And so, it begins.

But inevitably, as in any relationship, the two of you become more comfortable around each other. You don't make the effort you used to before.

Click to continue reading...

A rare photo of Diego Forlan inside the Old Trafford compound
Spare a thought for poor Diego Forlan.
You see, he still thinks Sir Alex Ferguson is his friend, and that he was released from the club because his boot studs were too short. But Forlan should have known that when Sir Alex asks you to wear a slightly longer stud to play in adverse weather to prevent the possibility of slipping when queuing up for a shot in the box, it probably means your use to him has run out. Click to continue reading...

Some you win.
And some you lose.
I do feel a frisson of patriotic spirit starting to build inside me.
I remember when my lover and I first started 'stepping out' together.
One of our earliest conversations comprised my lover listening to a diatribe from me about the awfulness of tying England flags to cars. Click to continue reading...

To follow up on posts about Caster Semenya and Eudy Simelane: Mark Gevisser writes a great editorial in South Africa's The Times calling attention to the links between the two stories, "Celebrated and Castigated." Gevisser asks if the conversations about gender sparked by Semenya's visibility had happened a couple years ago, would Simelane have been murdered? Click to continue reading...

This is not a joke. England are all but qualified and can book their trip to South Africa with a win over Croatia Wednesday. Northern Ireland can win their group with victories in their last two games and a little help. Their neighbors to the south, the Republic of Ireland, have an outside shot of winning their group but should at least finish second. Click to continue reading...

(Left over from a few conversations with the Crew for a story that has not yet run. Don't worry -- they're off this weekend, so they'll still have a five-game win streak and eight-game unbeaten streak in MLS play.)
Do the Columbus Crew play a more direct style when Guillermo Barros Schelotto isn't in the lineup? Click to continue reading...

Before I had a chance to read The Beckham Experiment by Sports Illustrated soccer writer Grant Wahl, I surmised that it could end up being the most important piece of American soccer journalism (while certainly there are a number of incredible pieces of soccer literature, never has the story taken place nearly exclusively in the good ol' U. Click to continue reading...

Moyes has complete control over transfer strategy at Everton and was therefore incensed, by Hughes's insistence that a deal for Lescott remains possible as "[City] are still trying to speak to the people who will ultimately make the decision over whether or not the deal continues".

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According to Sky Sports News, Manchester City boss Mark Hughes is still in pursuit of Everton defender Joleon Lescott despite three statements made by Everton boss David Moyes stating that he isn't selling anybody.

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Oh, Inverted World!� Besides being my favorite Shins� Album, it's how I'm feeling about Twitter.� � Allow me to explain.

I'm on twitter.� I use it to connect with friends, colleagues, and American footballers who by and large are willing to have frequent interchanges with you on Twitter.

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Is it just me or is halftime the most interesting thing about the All Star game? I'm sure that changes if you are actually there, but siting at home I find the pre-game and half-time shows to be the most interesting part of the show. That's probably just because I am a big nerd for things like the CBA, expansion and other topics that are typically only fit for message boards and conversations with the league's Business & Legal Affairs dept. Click to continue reading...

In a move that will surely not please Inter Milan fans, Jose Mourinho indicated that he would be a willing replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson when/if the aging Scotsman ever retires. "I would consider going to Manchester United, but United have to consider if they want me to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson.

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John Terry spoke to the press further after the final game of the tour in the USA and has given more of an insight into his conversations with the owner Roman Abramovich. He said:"I'm very flattered that Man City tried to sign me, When you hear that as a player and you get a phone call from the owner saying it doesn't matter what money they offer, he doesn't want to sell me. Click to continue reading...

El Pupi Zanetti and his beloved Banfield's stadium in the background.

In today's Ole an interview with Javier Zanetti

Q Alright, let's review all your managers with short answers, Passarella?

Z The first manager that bet on me, who gave me alot of confidence along with a group of young players that consolidated to play our first world cup.

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Given his phenomenal goalscoring record since arriving at Anfield two years ago Fernando Torres' status as the darling of the Kop has been well and truly earned.
It isn't just the Spaniard's goals that mark him out for hero worship though, it is the way he has integrated himself into Liverpool the club and Liverpool the city pretty much from the moment he first got here. Click to continue reading...

As Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard is apparently taking new teammate Glen Johnson under his wing and helping him adjust to his new home. The following is a transcript of one of their recent conversations.

Gerrard: Feel free to ask me anything you may be pondering about, Glen.

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Grant Wahl discusses his new book, The Beckham Experiment, out now from Crown

Why do book reviews have to be summaries of the book? I never got that. I understand it but don't get it. I do get jacket blurbs, though. Those few sentences of praise on the back of a boo I'm always curious what names are there and what they say.

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The latest striker to be linked to Manchester City today is Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor. City have already got Santa Cruz, and the arrival of Tevez appears to be imminent, but will City really be able to cope with having 5 top class strikers at the club? Tevez, Bellamy and Robinho may be forced to play wide at times which isn't exactly their greatest position, and if Tevez left United because he was fed up of not playing enough matches/playing out of position and he leaves the club after Ronaldo is sold, then why join a club like City where they seem to have strikers all over the place?

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The player evaluations in the recent transfer market windows have been nothing if not a latter day Hurufist numerological contortion of Reality.
In this post, which is largely for subscribers only, we address the pseudo-market in both a macro- and a microeconomic fashion in order to discover not only the Real pricing mechanisms but also a true assessment from the market of what constitutes a superstar. Click to continue reading...

Pre-season is an exciting time for two reasons. First and foremost because the withdrawal symptoms from the season proper start to fade away. Secondly it provides an opportunity for Reds fans to catch a glimpse of the upcoming youth players who might get a shot at the big time.
The astonishingly talented Pacheco as well as Ayala, and San Jose are players which Rafa has singled out as having had conversations with regarding their immediate future (their destiny is in their own hands). Click to continue reading...

After getting sent off in USA's historic win over Spain on Thursday, Michael Bradley could not seek solice with his dad, USA coach Bob Bradley.
For Bob Bradley, his son Michael is just one of the guys and treated him as such after his red card against Spain cost him a place in Sunday's Confederations Cup final. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool have confirmed that Glen Johnson has joined them today from Portsmouth, in a deal reportedly worth £18.5 million, though there has apparently been some negotiation around the fee due to Pompey still owing the Merseysiders money from the deal that took Peter Crouch to the South Coast. Click to continue reading...

Well I really decided not to write a post game due to:

1. didn't see the whole match because of a wedding

2. people told me that it was a bad coaching choices

3. lots of bad/missed calls

so it came down where the Crew were up 1-0 and then in the 80th minute Eric Avila scored.

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Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby believes that the expected £80 million transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo from Premier League champions Manchester United to La Primera giants Real Madrid would not be enough to land Steven Gerrard who, he believes, would never be up for sale.

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Claudio Lotito is without a doubt one of the more entertaining owners in Serie A. He talks a mile a minute, his press conferences and interviews last forever because he likes to hear himself talk, and also he always likes to make it known that he constructed a very good side for very little money.

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Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has stated that he and team-mate Steven Gerrard dream of meeting each other in the World Cup final.
The Spanish striker is currently on international duty at the Confederations Cup, and is confident that Spain could overcome England if they met in the final of the biggest football competition. Click to continue reading...

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Here they are, the last of the questions from the most recent Q&A session (and yes, I use the word recent loosely).

Lots of topics discussed in this batch, including the following subjects: Landon Donovan, U.

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�

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Photo by ISIphotos.com

Here they are, the last of the questions from the most recent Q&A session (and yes, I use the word recent loosely).

Lots of topics discussed in this batch, including the following subjects: Landon Donovan, U.

Click to continue reading...

The Daily Post reported that Liverpool has pull out of the interest in Valencia's midfielder after the Los Che outfit demands £30million.

As we all aware, Rafa Benitez is given £20million to spend on new players this summer by the co-owners. Unless, Rafa can offload some of the players in time before Real Madrid and Barcelona enters the bidding war.

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Oh.

Silly season is nearly upon us!

Meanwhile, Brede Hangeland's agent refuses to say anything, which may just as easily be a negotiating ploy as a sign that our man is Arsenal bound.

"It is natural that there will be interest such has been his form this season, and it is my job to listen to such interest," Solbakken told skysports.

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