By ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif. -- For months, people have awaited Brian Ching's first match against the Houston
Dynamo.
After being left unprotected by Houston in the expansion draft, Ching threatened retirement
before eventually being selected by the Montreal Impact.
By DAVE MARTINEZ
As the New York Red Bulls opened their preseason camp two weeks ago, coach Hans Backe surveyed
the landscape of his young goalkeeping ranks and assessed the need for an established veteran to
take a leadership role.
Despite being heavily rumored to be grasping that role, Venezuelan netminder Renny Vega will not
be the one manning the posts at Red Bull Arena this season.
Philadelphia Union
Sky Sports reports that Bolton manager Owen Coyle "claims no decision has been taken as yet
regarding a permanent deal" for Sebastien Le Toux.
Jonathan Tannenwald tweets, "A Union source says the team 'would not use Tim Ream as a
benchmark' in any negotiations over Le Toux regarding transfer fee.
Boom. Well, at least if Ching is gone, we have no doubt that Geoff Cameron is ready to step up
in to a team leadership role...not that we ever doubted that would happen anyway.
Well said Geoff. I believe this is what you might call a "verbal bitch slap".
By Gordon Fleetwood, writing from New York
On a Saturday night in Peru earlier this year, Brazil went to Arequipa's Estadio Monumental de
la UNSA needing a win to clinch the South American Youth Championship. Coincidentally, their
opponents were Uruguay, the very team that they needed to overthrow.
So just a few things have happened while Bruce took in his 8th home opener in Kansas City last
night. Mexican national team players failed some drug tests, some Cubans reportedly defected, and
Chicharito is still riding a wave from Manchester United to the chair next to the heavenly father
in every Mexican household.
Woodbridge soccer player Kellsey Costello-Mays embraces leadership role:
"For some, putting others in a position to succeed is a way of life and something they enjoy
doing."
I don't normally spend much time talking about transfers so this is somewhat of an unusual post.
There have been some thoughts in my mind for a while and they clicked in place when I saw the news
that Clarence Seedorf is going to be a free agent in the summer.
In the Arsenalsphere, countless hours and column inches have been devoted to the discussion on
leadership, experience, and mentality issues.
Osbourn soccer player Zach Hoover assumes leadership role for Eagles InsideNova
Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By JOSE M. ROMERO
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. -- Joe Cannon spent the first few days of Vancouver Whitecaps training camp
in Arizona doing some rehabilitation on his left ankle, the one he broke last August while with the
San Jose Earthquakes.
At 31 years old, Nick Rimando is the elder statesman in a January camp where the average age is
just over 23 years old. But for goalkeepers, with age comes the experience that is the foundation
of success at that position. The California native has seen a lot since being drafted in 2000, and
comes into this cap physically fit and with his usual calm mentality.
