Getting off the topic of the "Hauptman Letter Debate" for a minute, some important info came out today regarding next Wednesday's MLS expansion draft. Here's the info, per Steve Goff (and NaperSteve -- who provided the tip):

Philadelphia will select 10 players; current clubs must submit their 11-man protected list by Monday afternoon; no club will lose more than one player, which means five teams won't lose anyone; Generation Adidas and home-grown players [(for the Fire that means Baggio Husidic and Patrick Nyarko] need not be protected; developmental players claimed must be offered a senior contract; clubs must protect designated players that have no-trade clauses.

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From Goff, about the earliest goal you can have.

That's Al Hilal's Nawaf Al Abed, last Saturday in a Prince Faisal bin Fahad Cup tie against Al Shoalah. The first goal in a 4-0 rout, so says the Times of London. That really set the tone, huh?

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I know I normally take the weekend's off but I do think this news is noteworthy enough to get me to the laptop to type it out. Steve Goff reported earlier today that former New York Red Bull academy player and Rutgers star Dilly Duka is set to sign with Major League Soccer.

Instead of exploring options in Europe like he had hoped after he left Rutgers earlier this fall, Duke now is set to sign a four-year deal with the league.

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FIFA vice president Jack Warner got a gift from the England World Cup bid people.
Needless to say, he had to give it back once people found out. Don't make your favoritism in awarding the next World Cup too obvious.
Fair and balanced, eh Jackie?
Now some links:

• Nigerian youth ages quickly.

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Okay, rather than that staid old, winner-take-all "next coach" poll that the Goffster is running, I'm going to run a tournament-poll competition in honor of our beloved MLS Cup playoffs. So take a look at the names that Goff has listed and toss out... Click to continue reading...

As always, Mr. Unprecedented Access, Steve Goff, has a sit down with Kevin Payne and Tom Soehn over on his blog. Some big quotes...

"We don't want to play like Colorado or New England, which most of the season sat with eight or nine guys behind the ball. How many people go to watch Colorado or New England play?

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I won't write what I wanted to write after watching the Kansas City game, because the more I kicked it around, it was a trite and cliche angle. The game was exciting, and the team fought as hard as they could (in the second half). Reckless desperation is always pretty fun to watch, but as DCUMD noted, a lack of defensive concentration (which is not a skill but an effort) ended our season.

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Wanna know some inside information on some of the best soccer bloggers out there? Ben Berger at Footiebusiness posted the business of soccer blogging yesterday and he interviewed some names you may know of like SBI, Steve Goff and Jason Davis over at MatchFit USA.

This is definitely word a read though if you want to hear the ins and outs of soccer blogging.

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A new look at Bayern Munich and Oktoberfest.
Kickette also has the pictures of booze and cleavage too.
If you're into that.
Now the links:

• Lotsa great high-quality goals. [101 Great Goals]
  
• Wicks suspended for Montero stomp. [Goff]
  
• USMNT ain't likely to get a W.

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A crowd approaching 25,000 is expected tonight for D.C. United's must-win battle versus visiting Chivas USA. With only three games remaining in the regular season, and United on the outside of playoffs (standings) looking in, the team is looking to go on a run beginning tonight. Chivas USA currently sits in the second (of four) wild card spots, but with every team within a few points, they're in need of a win, too.

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Just a little update from the desk of Steve Goff. The upcoming US-Honduras World Cup qualifier unfortunately will not be on any sort of TV. None.

No radio, no English TV, no Spanish TV, and who knows maybe even no internet feed.

Goff says this isn't the USSF's fault either. The media company (whoever it is) that owns the rights to this game wasn't able to sell it to any outlet.

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After dropping a 2-1 decision to the San Jose Earthquakes, United will be looking to get back to the win column with a Champions League match against San Juan Jabloteh. The Trinidad & Tobago side finds itself at the bottom of Group B without any points. A win over Jabloteh and a Marathon loss to Toluca tomorrow would give United a berth in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.

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Ok. So I know at first this title makes no sense at first. Think of it this way...United needed to score 2 more goals than Marathon to jump into second place. They did this...and they scored another to solidify it. Emilio, who has been in a real scoring drought this season, put in the first and the last goals.

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United faces a near must-win tonight at RFK Stadium when it faces Honduran side CD Marathon in its fourth CONCACAF Champions League match. After last week's win in Trinidad & Tobago over Jabloteh, D.C. finds itself in third place in Group B, three points behind tonight's visitors. A win for the Black-and-Red would draw the team even in the standings and put it in a position to advance into the knockout stage of the tournament heading into the final two games of group play.

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Red Bull Arena. The mere thought of what will be has fans going to the bathroom to change their underwear. It is that good.

So what better way to kick off a the new digs than playing our dreaded rivals in what should be the hottest ticket in town? That is right! Batton down the hatches, hide the wives and kids folks, because here come THE RAPIDS!

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Following their 1-0 win at San Juan Jabloteh on Sept 15th, the guys have been resting up, practicing, and hopefully getting some tactical and finishing work in before their next game on Thursday, against Marathon. I've been doing much of the same, save for the practicing or working on my finishing.

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The Philadelphia Union will become the 16th MLS club at the start of next season and will play in the new Chester Stadium. But news came out this morning that their first game could be in another venue.

Philadelphia's front office are keeping their options open as to the site of the first kick in 2010.

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This picture makes me smile.
That is all.
Now the links:

• Eduardo's dive ban lifted. [SkySports]
  
• No TV for the Honduras qualifier? [Goff]
  
• BMO might get some grass. [TOW]
  
• The Premiership has a new home-grown rule. [Daily Mail]
  
• Fernando Torres has a new book.

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ESPN is reporting its package of MLS matches on Spanish language ESPN Deportes has experienced "significant growth" for 2009. The package which features a Spanish language telecast of the MLS primetime match shown on ESPN2 in English has seen a huge growth to about 45,000 household viewers and 69,000 total viewers, up approximately 70% from last year.

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Our postgame podcast will be taped in a few hours. Guests will be Richard Farley of Inside the Six and World Soccer Reader, along with Jamie Trecker of FOX Sports.

What I plan to address on the pod.

• Officiating at Azteca. Honduras lost on a pk.
• Bob Bradley's job performance: I rate him highly given the USSF's constraints, but I am certain my guests will differ.

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2008 MLS Referee of the Year Jair Marrufo (pictured above with Sr. White), Michael Kennedy (hearing it from Jay Heaps to the left and below there) and the reliably bad Abbey Okulaja (who is so bad I will not stoop to searching the Internet for an image of him)have all been suspended for the rest of the season by the USSF. Click to continue reading...

John Terry, wants the deal?
I'm hoping that's intentionally played in good fun. It probably is, but it's still ridiculous. And is that Rooney behind you with some high ones too?
Let's do some links:

• Milan managers looking sharp. [Kickette]
  
• Three MLS refs booted from the league.

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Courtesy of Stephen Goff of Soccer Insider comes word that the US Soccer Federation has suspended three referees for the remainder of the 2009 MLS season. Former Referee of the Year Jair Murrufo, he...

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The Washington Post's Steve Goff is reporting that three Major League Soccer referees will no longer be available for assignment, a decision made by the US Soccer Federation. Jair Marrufo, Michael Kennedy, and Abbey Okulaja will be sidelined. Marrufo, one of the US Soccer Federation's full-time referees and a FIFA-listed official, is eligible to work non-MLS games. Click to continue reading...

A pretty big deal to those who want MLS clubs to get better youth academies. Steve Goff is reporting that DC United has signed Abdul "Bill" Hamid, a 18-year-old goalkeeper from their youth academy.

A few adjustments were made to the original offer from the league and should be finalized in the coming days, a source close to the negotiations said.

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Great picture find by The Original Winger.
Beauty.
To the links:

• VIDEO: Kenny Cooper scores. [SBI]
  
• Grown man punches a child. [Sports Rubbish]
  
• Tevez thinks Fergie is scared of City. [ESPN]
  
• A soccer brawl in India? [Dirty Tackle]
  
• Veron done with Argentina after W.

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Almost the end of the week here as Friday gets closer by the second. Tonight I've got a couple links and items to discuss. Pretty much they are all MLS based, with some reactions to stuff that people wrote earlier in the day.

First up I want to get into a post that Steve Goff wrote earlier today about the lack of quality on Tuesday night's FSC broadcast of the CONCACAF Champions League.

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Looks like we have a trade in the works according to Steve Goff. DC United has traded for Trinidad and Tobago defender Julius James from Houston. No official word on compensation yet for James but more than likely a draft pick will be sent Houston's way.

James as we all remember was apart of the Dwayne De Rosario deal back in January with Toronto FC.

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This man is all smiles thinking about coming back to MLS.
According to Steve Goff's SoccerInsider Twitter, former San Jose Earthquakes and Ventura County Fusion 5'11" speedy Liberian forward is on trial with DC United.
Smarte only played 3 games in 2008 with the Quakes and was released last year ending up with the Ventura County Fusion. Click to continue reading...

Big USMNT news in the first one:

• Goff says Freddy Adu is headed to Denmark. As long as he's playing.
  
• Jozy completes Hull move.
  
• Barcelona keeps talking up Cesc Fabregas.
  
• Lack of signings a concern for Everton's David Moyes.
  
• Fiorentina sign Zanetti from Juve.

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Ha.� Sorry I was a little late on this one.� Goff is now reporting that Odense have expressed interest, but there is no deal on the table.� Maybe Holland isn't off the table...

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Steve Goff of the Washington Post is reporting� that sources close to Adu and Danish team Odense say that a one-year loan deal is close to completion.� Odense finished second in the Danish Superliga last season and are current participants in the Europa Cup (their next tie is against Genoa).

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If you think about it, this result actually makes a lot of sense. DC United's starters at full fitness were able to admirably shut down Real Madrid's starters for the entire first half. But as our players grew more fatigued in the 95 degree heat, our defense was worn down by some of the world's best players.

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Bye bye Velez?
Steve Goff, from the Soccer Insider, is reporting that we are closing in on a deal for Haitian international left-back Lesly Fellinga. The 23 year-old has been capped 4 times by Haiti, and for me, would be a welcome addition to a very weak Toronto FC defense.
If we do sign Fellinga, we will have back up for Jim Brennan at left-back, and that gives us the potential to put Jimmy B at centre half, where he played quite well for us in year one (but that year sucked, so it's really hard to say. Click to continue reading...

In a way I guess the writing has been on the wall for a while for this move (or any for that matter) for Kenny Cooper. Today we have learned that FC Dallas has sold the star striker to German side TSV 1860 Munich of the 2. Bundesliga pending a medical examination.

Not official word yet on how much the deal is for.

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