Featured image: Bobby Moore, Gerry Francis and Pele before the Team America vs. England game at JFK

The news that PPL Park will be host the 2012 MLS All-Star Game means that Philadelphia will be the host of a major pro sport All-Star event for the first time since the NBA came to town in 2002.

In my debut article I'm taking on the hat trick format to discuss a needed holiday tradition in MLS, a quick look at the revival of Italian soccer, and a couple familiar faces playing with their respective national teams. Does anyone have any fireworks ready?

1. The holidays may have lulled most of the soccer world into a brief slumber, but the English Premiere League is still going full speed ahead with their traditional Boxing Day matches.

What's In a Name: England's Greatest Football Surnames - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

On Tuesday night Tottenham's youngster, Kyle Walker, who made his debut on Saturday started his first England game. The promising defender is the 4th player named Walker to have a have represented his country.

• Kop That: Why England's ban on racism-row questions has left John Terry gagging to face Sweden http://t.co/57e5uLFZ 23:34:54, 2011-11-14
• Kop That: It's my duty to be here says race-row Terry http://t.co/9mqkFGZR 23:04:26, 2011-11-14
• Kop That: Terry: Swedes' Ibrahimovic will be a handful http://t.

England game ref was banned for being rubbish

String of mistakes in Czech fixture got Kralovec beaten up by fans

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-11-14 18:01:27 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Why Wembley fans must not boo young Lions against Spain

Newcastle have found their Moyes, but Ashley won't hold onto him Why Stoke's humiliation gave me the giggles This week could see the fulfillment of a lifetime's ambition for four young Englishman. But before Daniel Sturridge, Kyle Walker and Jack Rodwell get too carried away with the prospect of making their international debuts against Spain or Sweden, and Danny Welbeck on starting his first England game, they should speak to four others who stood in their shoes a year ago.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Philadelphia Union manager Peter Nowak can prove Sunday just how good a manager he really is.

It will happen when the starting lineup is announced.

Outsiders may think Nowak's a potential coach of the year, but those who follow the Union closely know he's been a better executive than a chooser of starting lineups.

The International break means there's little Fulham news to talk about. England did what they needed to do and qualified for Euro 2012 but the press had a field day over Rooney's sending off. How perfect for the British media that the man most in the spotlight should rise to the bait and give them something to write about.

Quick Recap:

The Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes turn back time and instead of playing the game take a break as the show a replay of their previous meeting. Portland ties San Jose 1-1.

First Half:

This game started out differently then the New England Game but in the first 9 minutes the result was the same.

Photo: Paul Rudderow

In the past two home games, the Philadelphia Union recorded 42 attempts on goal—including 13 shots on goal, 18 shots off target and 11 blocked shots. They also had 12 corner kicks, 46 open play crosses, a duels won percentage of 52.5, completed 691 of 892 passes for a passing accuracy of 77.

Amanda and Kirsten review a dramatic week in MLS (seriously, we still can't believe that Philly/New England game) and take a look at the emerging playoff picture. Then they preview the next round of CONCACAF Champions League group play, try to figure out how to pronounce some of the other teams' names (Alajuelense?

By Alan Duffy

Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has had a big problem with "parasites" for the last six months, that's according to Black Cats' boss Steve Bruce. However, those of you hoping to see the Ghana striker on an edition of Celebrity Embarrassing Bodies (a series that really should exist) will be disappointed.

England on the box tonight, then, eh? Wembley. The lads. Battle of Britain. Rooney. Ramsey. Erm, did I mention the lads? Yes, well maybe nothing to get too enlivened about but there'll at least be a couple of familiar phizogs under the lights this evening.

I put it to you that deadline-day recruit, Scott Parker, put in a tidy shift in Sofia.

For the 4th time this season KC dropped points late in a game. KC dropped 2 in Vancouver giving up 2 late goals, a point in Seattle once again, and 3 points at home against both Seattle and Dallas. Those 9 points (and 4 and 3 removed from Seattle and Dallas respectively) would see KC sitting on 45 points, putting them 5 points clear of Columbus for first in the East and second in the entire league behind LA.

All of at the PSP hope that all of you, yours and all of your stuff made it through Hurricane Irene safe and sound.

Union

RSL's Kyle Beckerman will not join the US team for the Costa Rica friendly on Friday but will stay in Salt Lake City for Saturday's match against the Union.

With the rescheduled New England game meaning the Union will play three games in seven days—Real Salt Lake (A), New England (H) and Portland (H)—Chris Vito writes in the Delco Times that it is time for the Union to get some points.

Owen Hargreaves has given a frank interview today in The Daily Mail where he discusses his injury hell as well as his hopes for the future. He doesn't have an agent and offered to play for United for free this season, showing the measure of the man, and sadly, making his story all the more heart breaking.

Premier League fear riots will cause big kick-OFF

Unrest threatens ALL top-flight matches after England game is postponed

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-08-09 22:01:36 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Wenger defiant over Wilshere England absence

"If he's out next week, he will not play in Benfica, so he will certainly not play for the England game" says Arsenal boss

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-08-01 08:54:48 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

The bus eventually moved, revealing the church, but we didn't get a shot of that.
The U.S. team went out to dinner tonight at a local Italian restaurant and had a good meal while watching the dramatic and exciting England-France semifinal. But before the team hit the restaurant, the team bus stopped in the main square in Dresden and the team took a photo in front of the famous and appropriately named Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady).

Never before has women's football ever garnered such interest in England. That's because the Three Lionesses have a team in this World Cup that is considered the best in the nation's history.

The women's game was once banned in the UK, and often ignored, even after its legalization has soared in popularity recently.

The first day of the 2011 Women's World Cup is in the books with all four Group A nations making their first appearances. Four goals were tallied today in front of almost 100,000 fans in two of Germany's premier stadiums. France took on Nigeria for a 1-0 win at Sinsheim in the early match and Germany edged by with the 2-1 victory against Canada in Berlin.

The once and future kings of Major League Soccer, Real Salt Lake, enter today's game with a mortal 1-2-2 record over their last five games. The Chicago Fire's record of 1-0-4 over their last five is 2 points better for what it's worth. Marco Pappa is available for selection in tonight's game for the first time since May 28th when he started against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Another New England game and once again they were held scoreless as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Toronto last night at Gillette Stadium.

New England (3-7-5), which has the fewest goals (11) in MLS this season ran its winless streak to five matches (0-4-1), while Toronto (2-5-9) extended its own winless slump to seven (0-2-5).

If you saw the New England game, you saw a heart-stopping moment of defensive scrambling that resulted in not one, but two gol-line clearances in rapid succession. First AJ Delagarza, the Landon Donovan made determined, desperate plays that helped preserve the victory and clean sheet for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

This week's From the Byline to the Back Post is now up for your listening pleasure on Posterous and iTunes. This week Thad and I discuss the New England game, the upcoming New York game, Collin's suspension being rescinded (this was recorded before Diop's suspension was handed down), and the ever wonderful topic of promotion and relegation.

Here is this week's From the Byline to the Back Post. This week Thad and I were joined by KC beat writer for MLSsoccer.com, Andrew Wiebe. In the first segment we talked about the Columbus game, New England game, and the season so far. In part two we spent time talking about former Wizards. In part three that Thad and I recorded last week, we talk about the Firehouse Sub deal and it's relation to building a rivalry and Gooch's article about playing style for KC.

The latest podcast is up. In the first segment we discuss the Columbus game, the New England game and the season so far with MLSSoccer.com writer Andrew Wiebe. The second segment is mostly the former Kansas City player update. In the third segment (recorded last week without Andrew) we talk about the Firehouse Subs "Put out the Fire" deal and if that is manufacturing a rivalry.

The Newcastle scouting team are already in full swing and will be out again watching prospective targets over the weekend, even though this is an International break. Both of these will be scouting games for Newcastle this weekend Alan Pardew has said today he will indeed watch the England game against Wales in Cardiff [.

CHICAGO (March 15, 2011) – U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named a roster of 23 players to travel to the United Kingdom on March 21 in preparation for the USA's first match in England on April 2 at Brisbane Road in East London. The game will be televised live on ESPN2 at 3 p.

Image courtesy of Kickette reader NK. Thanks!

You see the image above? This picture of Danny Agger and his abs was taken by a Kickette Soldier Girl present at the Denmark vs. England game last night. There were other photos, but unfortunately our gal's next move was to leap the hoardings and race towards Danny, brandishing a bottle of tanning oil and a copy of ‘Tattoo Monthly' and she was brought down by five burly security men before any contact could me made.

Ashley Young and Darren Bent scored both goals for England in a 2-1 victory over Denmark in Copenhagen tonight. It capped a pretty decent performance from England despite conceding an early Daniel Agger goal.

It was Ash's first goal for England, winning his 12th cap, and Bent's 2nd goal in what was amazingly only his 8th appearance for the national side.

It's been a manic, surprising and very entertaining few days in my life, so much so I've not been able to write about my beloved Spurs or mention 4-4-2 once. I did of course manage to watch the Bolton game but there's very little point in me going into that now, especially as that's been superseded by more bickering and handbag waving between Levy and Brady.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

United States national team centerback Oguchi Onyewu is finally in position to resume getting regular minutes in important matches, and while the opportunity isn't happening at AC Milan, that doesn't mean it can't be beneficial for him and his future.

Herculez Gomez for Pachuca...

I had the hardest time coming up with angle for our in-depth conversation with Herculez Gomez below and then I chuckled. In the interview, Herculez and I "debate" what player his game is most like. I suggesting Salomon Kalou and that's not really a great one. He suggesting.