Chasing the Big Leagues Greuther Fuerth (Bundesliga II) is a post from: Just Football

Tales from Tier Two is a new series on Just Football in partnership with @tiertwofooty, in which we assess the promotion chances of the clubs in tier two of Europe's major leagues at the halfway point of 2011/12.

Here's a little non-Sounders content that piqued my curiosity. Thanks to two consecutive wins by the Vancouver Whitecaps, for the first time in a very long time they're no longer at the bottom of the MLS table. Instead they've leapfrogged the New England Revolution, who are suffering what is probably the worst season in their occasionally proud history.

Ralf Rangnick has quit as manager of Schalke. The manager, who took his side to the Champions League semi-final last season, cited exhaustion as the reason he resigned.

So far this season, Schalke have lost against Wolsfburg, Stuttgart and Bayern Munich.

Schalke plays Freiburg tomorrow with Seppo Eichkorn taking over as interim manager.

MLSsoccer.com reports that former US national team coach Bob Bradley could be headed to the land of America's biggest soccer rival.
According to multiple reports out of Mexico, Bradley is set to take over Mexican Primera División side Santos Laguna. He was seen arriving at the Torreón airport on Sunday evening, reportedly to begin negotiations with the club.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Jorge Luis Pinto is returning to CONCACAF.

The Costa Rican Federation has announced the hiring of Pinto as coach of the national team.

The Colombian native has reportedly reached verbal terms with Costa Rica and will replace Ricardo La Volpe, who stepped down last month.

Cobi Jones is considered a legend of US Soccer and MLS. Having played in Europe, South America and for his beloved LA Galaxy, Jones truly is a great of the US game. The 4th of June sees him inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside former team mate Eddie Pope, as well as Earnie Stewart, Bruce Murray and former U.

When last we left Swindon Town, the Robins were putting the finishing touches on a lamentable 2010/11 campaign that saw them relegated from League One and undergoing the process of disassembly. Beneficent chairperson Andrew Fitton chose to step down after having cleaned up Swindon's financial flubs from the past but exhausted after a long and disappointing season which was to have season the Robins challenge for Championship promotion rather than battling the drop.

By FRANCO PANIZO

If you're anxiously awaiting to know who will be representing the U.S. men's national team in the Gold Cup, your wait will soon be over.

Head coach Bob Bradley will reveal his 23-man roster for the Gold Cup on May 23, U.

Chairman Tom Werner has vowed Liverpool's owners "won't rest" until the Premier League title has been won.
The American, who has arrived on Merseyside for Sunday's final home game of the season against Spurs, has been delighted with the progress the Reds have made under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish.

Liverpool owner John W Henry will watch his side at Sunderland before confirming his long-term ideas.
Henry has torn up his original plans and met interim manager Kenny Dalglish on Friday to discuss how his relationship with director of football strategy, Damien Comolli, could work if the Scot were to be appointed full-time.

My first encounter with DC United came in 2004. The arrival of Freddy Adu onto the world stage gained his club extra publicity. A year later Ryan Nelsen joined Blackburn Rovers from the Washington club, and at the time I questioned if someone from MLS could cut in England especially as he joined Rovers as a 28 year old.

Ryan Babel responded to the call that led to the Ryan Giggs spot kick by Twittering this photoshop of Howard Webb. Liverpool lost to Man Utd by that solitary goal. Webb also sent off Steven Gerrard for his two footed tackle on Michael Carrick. Both decisions were bitterly disputed by Kenny Dalglish on his first match as 'Pool's interim manager.

Since the shock sacking of Sam Allardyce, Rovers have averaged one point per game. The previous regime had a healthy 1.5 points per game average; a tally that would safely stave off relegation.
This has seen owners Venky's discard an expected 57 points finish for the new - far less comfortable - target of just 43 points.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is believed to be heading for the exit door despite the recent victory over Bolton Wanderers.
The Reds saw a mini-revival of sorts during the encounter at Anfield, as the side initially went down and mounted a comeback as Fernando Torres and Joe Cole scored as the Merseysiders took all three points.