As we experience a lull in the off season roster moves, some of today's links take a look back at the big MLS and US National Team stories from 2012.
Rapids acquire allocation money, Sturgis in exchange for Cummings The Colorado Rapids sent forward Omar Cummings to Houston in exchange for midfielder Nathan Sturgis.
The silly season has begun for U.S. soccer fans, but if you think the off-season rumor mill in baseball is crazy, the beautiful game puts it to shame. Here's why.
Danish striker Mads Junker reportedly on trial with #Revs
The recently (temporarily) undead MLS Rumors tweeted earlier this evening that the Danish
striker was on trial with the Revs. While we tend to take reports from this source with a grain of
salt, the article linked above (in Danish) does quote Junker as saying he is trialing with the team
this week, and this would seem to fall in line with tweets from Kyle McCarthy earlier today about a
mysterious trialist at training today.
The New England Revolution have been busy bees so far in the 2012-2013 offseason. They've signed two new players (Andy Dorman and Kalifa Cisse), released four, and remain linked to one or two other moves in the near future as they look to improve upon a season that, while disappointing, was still better than the last.
With MLS Cup only a week or so away, and after taking a break from the soccer blogging game for a bit to reflect on the year, it's time to see if we can put a bow on the 2012 season in New England.
There is WAY too much material to cover in just one mega column, so starting here we are going to break it down position by position, as well as a couple of pieces on the coaching staff and front office.
For help in previewing the MLS Cup, which gets underway tomorrow night when the Chicago Fire host the Houston Dynamo, I have turned to MLS expert Kyle McCarthy. Kyle is the Revs beat writer for the Boston Herald, and also writes for MLSsoccer.com, Goal.com and FOX Soccer. You can follow him on Twitter @kylejmccarthy.
Accordingly to MLSsoccer.com former Chicago Fire midfielder and MLS-All Star Juan Carlos Toja
has re-signed with Major League Soccer and will be assigned via allocation order.
The New England Revolution are first in line for Toja. This late in the season it seems more
than likely that the Revs will select the 6'1" Colombian Midfielder.
Happy Tuesday everyone! It's actually my first effort at these Musket Rounds so be gentle with
you're feedback! Today, we take a look at a few things around the soccer world, with some Revs'
analysis, a look ahead to the CCL, and a quick and painful look at the MLS Power Rankings.
Enjoy!
REVOLUTION LINKS
Revs carry on, but come up empty - Boston New England Revolution Blog - ESPN Boston
Two major defensive lapses in the first twenty five minutes doomed the Revolution to their sixth
successive defeat, and good friend Brian O'Connell breaks it down over at ESPNBoston.
Good morning and welcome to this Monday edition of Musket Rounds. We have kind of a meager
lineup for you today, but that doesn't mean the quality of the news has dropped; far from it. It's
just Monday, and it's right after yet another ugly New England Revolution loss, so perhaps
our hearts just aren't in it today.
Doesn't it feel great to wake up Monday morning and have it be the day after a win?
Especially a comprehensive, dominant victory over a team from New York? The New England Revolution
put in a classic performance to crush the Red Bulls, although poor finishing kept it from being the
rout it probably should have been.
Varying reports out of Honduras are stating that Los Catrachos striker Jerry Bengtson, a veteran
of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup and a member of the Honduran Olympic Squad, has signed for the New
England Revolution and will be arriving for a medical this week. Some sources place the date of
that examination to be Tuesday the 3rd.
It's been awhile since we've seen a forward not named Saer Sene score for the Revs. In fact, you
have to go all the way back to May 5th to find a goal from another Revs forward with Blake
Brettschneider. Before that it was April 14th when Jose Moreno score his only goal of the
season.
Outside of Sene, who leads the New England Revolution with 7 goals, Brettschneider and Moreno
are the next highest scoring forwards at one a piece.
Is it Saturday yet? No? Ugh. Well, might as well read about soccer in the meantime. Here's some
links for you to make it through your morning, or whenever it is that you've stumbled into the
wonderful work of The Bent Musket today.
Revolution Links
Nguyen earns player of the week honors - RevolutionSoccer.
Boy oh boy, what a weekend! If you're anything like me, then you're going to find actual work
quite difficult today. So, to help you prolong the inevitable, here's some links. Happy Monday,
folks.
Revolution Links
Nguyen: "I couldn't have dreamt it any better" - RevolutionSoccer.
It's a rainy Tuesday in New England. The perfect type of day to spend a little extra time poking
around the internet and a little less time doing "work" or being "productive". What's that? You
don't know where to go or what to read? Oh, well, here... let us help you with that...
Revolution Links
Decision to waive Mansally painful one for New England - MLSSoccer.
Some mornings after a Revs game I just don't want to move, but not this morning. This morning I
woke up with a renewed sense of purpose. I guess there's nothing like a win to reinvigorate a
person. For those like me, who need something to do to pass the nine-to-five hours quicker, here
you go.
Revolution Links
Revolution's Reis finally joins century club with 2-1 win
Over at MLS's website, Kyle McCarthy gives us the rundown of how Matt Reis's 100th win went.
Word (Kyle McCarthy's) on the street (Twitter) is that Matt Reis will be with the Revs for another season. The Revolution will not be releasing an official list of players whose options were either picked up or declined until next month (also per McCarthy) but it sounds as though the Revolution will be keeping Reis around for a bit longer.
Top of the morning to you, and welcome to this Thursday edition of Musket Rounds. It's the eve
of a USA match that actually means something, and I think we're all excited to see how Jurgen
Klinsmann's Nats are going to perform in a competitive match. Keep in mind, by the way, that
anything less than a 4-0 scoreline against Antigua & Barbuda is probably too close.
It's an odd thing for a Seattle sports fan. Despite odd votes that indicate East Coast proximity
bias, or worse, among mainstream media in the United States and Canada, when it comes to players
and agents around the game the Seattle Sounders are a have. No they are not the New York Red Bulls
or the LA Galaxy (or Toronto FC if they were good), but they are a have.
Happy labor day, everyone! Today's open thread for all things Union, MLS, barbeque, etc.
Monday MLS Breakdown: John Hackworth plans for his permanent future in Philadelphia [Kyle
McCarthy, Goal.com] - "Player development and team building rank high on the agenda as Hackworth
attempts to continue the work started during his interim reign with the Union.
Before I forget, it was great to meet more of the Sounder at Heart community at The Berliner,
which was a cracking good time until the very end. This is going to be a short one as I, like many
of you, am still in mourning over Wednesday's weird loss. I AM ONLY HUMAN!!! *sobs*
MLS' 90 Plus Week 22 is up, which mercifully includes Seattle's LA romp without a mention of any
Open Cups.
In a time when everything about American soccer is growing, we just finished the first round of the
new season in the English Premier League and the only 2 American players to see the field were both
goalkeepers. Feels like a step backwards doesn't it?
STORY OF THE DAY
The always amazing Steve Sirk has a great tribute to recently deceased Kirk Urso from the Columbus
Crew.
Just a few quick hits from around the world of Fox Soccer. First, the television network has
inked a deal with CONCACAF to serve as the television home of the Gold Cup and the Champions League
for the next four years. At Fox's discretion, it can also stream the matches over its website.Â
According to Soccer By Ives, the rights last thorough the 2015/16 event.
As the regular season winds down for Reading United, Reading's Kyle McCarthy talks about his club
preparing for this weekend's big games, practicing at PPL Park, and trying to survive off the field
in a ... minimalist way.
(Editor's Note: Our series of posts from Reading United and Villanova defender Kyle
McCarthy continues as he gives an inside look at training in the lead-up to gameday on one of the
top Premier Development League teams in the country.)
Last week I covered the events of a typical gameday experience, so it's only fair that I mention
the hard work and effort that we go through building up to that moment.
(Editor's Note: Our series of posts from Reading United and Villanova defender Kyle
McCarthy continues as he gives an inside look at what game day is like on one of the top Premier
Development League teams in the country.)
As a player, nothing is more exciting than the day of a big game.
Danny Califf was surprised by the Nowak departure but he thinks John Hackworth can turn things
around for the Union—if Hackworth is given the power he needs to do so.
"I was pretty well in shock and I was hoping that it would be John who would get a chance to
take over and run the team.
(Editor's Note: Our series of posts in which Reading United and Villanova defender Kyle
McCarthy gives an inside look at what life is really like playing for one of the top Premier
Development League teams in the country continues.)
For many of the players who have been here since the first few weeks of May, we have now reached
the halfway point of our stay in Reading.
(Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of posts in which Reading United and
Villanova defender Kyle McCarthy gives an inside look at what life is really like playing for one
of the top Premier Development League teams in the country.)
Hello again! It's been a long week since my last post, with the highlight being a trip to the
beautiful Blackbauld Stadium for our U.
Photo: Glenn Riegel, courtesy of Reading United AC
(Editor's Note: Over the next three months, PSP will give readers an unprecedented look
inside one of the nation's top minor league soccer clubs, Reading United AC, which plays in theÂ
Premier Development League, the fourth tier of American soccer, and draws its players from
colleges around the country.
Sheanon Williams says Boston will bounce back. Sports Illustrated sees McInereny's as MVP, Gold Cup potential. Kleberson says his debut felt good, praises fans. Danny Califf says his future could be in Philly.
Yesterday, an email from an anonymous "senior staff member at Kraft Sports Group" was re-posted
on The Drug Is Football. The message purported to bring some damning facts about the state of
ownership in Foxboro to light, and basically let everyone know that Robert Kraft is disappointed,
and wants to move the team.
