Anyone who has read anything on Soccer Soap Box pretty quickly sorts out that I am a US Soccer supporter (and occasional complainer.) But after the United States, the country that gets the most coverage here is undoubtedly Colombia. Colombia is, after all, my adopted-by-marriage second country.

I've also been over-sharing Colombian related ideas lately because I was recently visiting the country (my ninth such visit if my math is correct) at the same time as my local team the New England Revolution was adding two and a half Colombian players and MLS is seeing an influx of Colombian talent.

Like many Americans of my generation, I fell in love with football at age 14 during the 1994 World Cup.
Prior to 1994, I did not even realize that you could play football professionally. I figured it was something to do for fun. It was nothing more than a PE activity to do in between American football and basketball seasons.

Sporting KC were not the only local team to announce a new signing today. The Missouri Comets also added a new player today, as they announced the signing of former Chicago Riot forward, Bato Radoncic. He's spent time in the US minor leagues and indoor games, mainly around the Milwaukee and Chicago area during his time here.

Interview with artist Craig Coulthard, the mind behind Forest Pitch, an event that will be part of the London 2012 Festival and Cultural Olympiad. Conducted by Eric Beard.

Succinct Briefing About Forest Pitch: A full size football pitch hidden deep within a commercial forest in the Scottish Borders.

No Shaq attack for Gunners Robin Van Persie's son has snubbed a move to Arsenal in favour of his local junior football team. Arsenal fans might be more concerned about keeping Van Persie Senior on their books, but the Gunners had invited five-year-old Shaqueel Van Persie to join their youth ranks. OTP isn't sure what [.

We tend to be quick to condemn the managerial merry-go-round as propelled by the Largs mafia.
But we're also too often suspicious of incomers who come into the SPL with their odd ways and their funny accents.
We should embrace them. Especially if they're such a delightful puzzle as Kenny Shiels.

The Pride of the North
FC Groningen 1-0 FC Utrecht (17:12:11)
West Brom fan Thomas Archer sidesteps the usual Dutch red tape for a rare chance to see FC Groningen...
As anyone who has travelled to watch football in the Lowlands, and The Netherlands in particular, you will be aware that it is easier to get a visa to enter North Korea than to enter most football grounds to watch some Eredivisie action.

NICOLAS Anelka's departure from Chelsea to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua got me thinking: how far the game has evolved in the world's most populous Country?

Ever since the formation of China's top flight division in 1994 and its subsequent re-branding 10 years later (From the Jia-A League to the Chinese Super League), the far-east nation has pumped vast sums of money into its Football Association and the results of this are now beginning to show.

As part of Stumptown Footy's continuing offseason autobiographical series on how soccer explains our lives, here's my very long story about my youth soccer playing days in Minnesota, stints in Europe, and eventual connection with the Portland Timbers. It's the story of a lifelong search for a soccer team to support, and all the stumbling blocks along the way.

You have to love Saturday mornings. Having a lie in, cooking a fry up, sticking on the telly and getting amongst all the hype and build up of the next round of games in the Premiership and Football League - then off on the train, to the pub for a few with your mates and then scuttling to the ground to watch your beloved local team get a good stuffing by some super rich oil baron owned team that puts your first 11 to shame.

Earlier this season, ambitious newly promoted premier league side, Queens Park Rangers (QPR) didn't hide their intention in grabbing England's veteran midfielder, David Beckham, but apparently that ambition has now died out.

QPR's hands off Beckham's deal was revealed by the club's manager, Neil Warnock, who stated that at the moment his team probably needs other players instead of the flamboyant LA Galaxy midfielder.

By Tony Attwood

We've talked a lot off and on about the Olympic stadium a stadium which by the EPL's own rules can only go to The Orient, since they are the local team (and before you ask, no, such rules did not exist when Woolwich Arsenal moved from Plumstead to Highbury).

But Tottenham, [.

Several weeks back it was aging AC Milan buggers hitting Jakarta, and Bali, in the name of a good, free, holiday plus an exhibition football match with plenty of hugging and back slapping thrown in for good measure, pandering to the masses.
Now, with the Thai Premier League limping to a slow and much delayed climax comes news that a bunch of aging Germans will be having a free holiday, will be slapping their thighs in public and also kick a ball around, expecting others to dig deep into their pockets in the name of charity.

(Photos: Earl Gardner)

Our two-part look at the Camden Youth Soccer Club concludes with a Q & A with coach Barry Evans. The series began with a photo essay by PSP photographer Earl Gardner.

Philly Soccer Page: Tell me a little bit about your soccer background.

Much is made of the booming interest in the Thai Premier League but I wonder how booming it really is. Yes, 2009 was a good season but instead of consolidating or improving, 2010 was a mess and so is the current season for reasons I have covered before.
But how about attendances? Are the fans supporting their local team?

Soccer clubs all over Australia see themselves as masters of the grassroots and sit waiting in their club houses for their local A-League team to see the apparently obvious and come knocking. In the absence of this knock, they carry on.
The A-League grassroots are the untapped crowd potential.
Families that enrol their kids at the local have taken a step that indicates that they are interested in watching the sport.

An apology for the lack of updates recently...this hasn't been because I couldn't be arsed. I was away on my travels in Thailand and came back to find my computer had died. Not good. I will be back up and running when tonight's match is done and dusted. In the Wo meantime, I will leave you with the above picture which I took when conducting some informal scouting for my local team (ahem).

Singapore Cup
Etoile v Home United 0-1 (Frederic Mendy)
Mendy's goal against his former team ensured at least one of this year's Singapore Cup Final would be a local team, Home winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Tonight Hougang United take on Albirex Niigata.
Recent Singapore Cup Finals
2010 Bangkok Glass v Tampines Rovers 1-02009 Geylang United v Bangkok Glass 1-02008 SAFFC v Woodlands Wellington 2-12007 SAFFC v Tampines Rovers 4-32006 Tampines Rovers v Chonburi 3-22005 Home United v Woodlands Wellington 3-2
To depress Singaporeans even more when was the last time a local team won any thing there?

Singapore Cup
Etoile v Home United 0-1 (Frederic Mendy)
Mendy's goal against his former team ensured at least one of this year's Singapore Cup Final would be a local team, Home winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Tonight Hougang United take on Albirex Niigata.
Recent Singapore Cup Finals
2010 Bangkok Glass v Tampines Rovers 1-02009 Geylang United v Bangkok Glass 1-02008 SAFFC v Woodlands Wellington 2-12007 SAFFC v Tampines Rovers 4-32006 Tampines Rovers v Chonburi 3-22005 Home United v Woodlands Wellington 3-2
To depress Singaporeans even more when was the last time a local team won any thing there?

With the victory of CSD Comunicaciones of Guatemala in the CONCACAF Champions League by the Seattle Sounders one phrase seems to have rocketed to the top of the charts. #ChurchOfFucito (now in the left sidebar here for your viewing pleasure) started as a way for someone to mock my near constant call for Mike Fucito to start.

Sell me some soup, you poor bastard.

I'm really excited about the EPL starting. I'm out of town, and I won't be able to see any of the games live, but I've set my DVR and I'm sure no one will text or tweet or email about results. When I get back home on Sunday night I'll just sit on my couch and watch kickoff as if it was only just happening at that moment.

Liverpool are through to the semi-finals of the Swiss U16 Cup after clinching first place in Group B on Saturday.
The Reds recorded an emphatic 5-0 victory over St Gallen in their opening game of the day in Ruggell to ensure they'd finish top, meaning their 2-1 defeat to Rapid Vienna had no impact on the final standings.

Send in your pictures supporting National team, Local team, or any football to get your place in this space. The pictures will be posted in the front page as well as stays here for an week starting Friday.
This week's Fan of the Week: Roshan Lechharbo, Sagun Rai and Shabda Shrestha
Description: National Jersey and National Flag in the Everest Base Camp

Once upon a time there was an American soccer fan who lived in a big American city. He was friends with a Manchester United supporter, a Bayern Munich fan, and a guy with a Brazil jersey.
One day he read that that a new Major League Soccer team was starting in his city. MLS guy had an idea.

I have been a soccer fan for many years. Since half of my family is English and lives in England, I have always been an England supporter and a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur (somewhat local team) and Reading (local team). A couple of years ago a friend suggested I should give MLS a chance.

No Dogg shirt Rapper Snoop Dogg has failed in his attempts to wangle a free shirt out of either Manchester United or Manchester City perhaps because he wanted Didier Drogba's name on the back. David Beckham's mate was snubbed by both Manchester clubs. He regularly dons the jersey of a local team during his [.

While the result does not matter, it will certainly be a spectacle as one of the best teams in the world host Manchester United. Wait, sorry, as one of the best teams in the world comes to Seattle to play against the Sounders. This game will not be broken down tactically, as the point Wednesday night will not be to win, but first to not get hurt and second to see some unique players showcase their skills.

Below you can find several photos from Lazio training session at Auronzo di Cadore and the first friendly with the local team.

By Oliver Sparrow, writing from London.

In the words of my unimpressed girlfriend as she caught me hunched in front of the computer screen in my darkened front room: "Bloody hell. You must be desperate!"

And in a sense, I was. My girlfriend was disappointed, but I was starting to get football withdrawal symptoms.

Not being Irish, I don't really understand the whole "second team" malarky. When Robbie Keane signed for Liverpool, claiming they were his boyhood team, before signing for Celtic, and claiming the same, he was ridiculed on this blog. I, like many, didn't and don't understand how you can support two teams.

Tonight is the second of four total international friendlies and the first of three in the month of July. It also happens to be the singular international friendly that was not included as part of the Portland Timbers season ticket package which means that if you want to see the guys play tonight you're absolutely going to have to fork over some cash.

Think media coverage of Major League Soccer in your area is poor? Try being a second division team. The Austin Aztex played in the FBM's backyard last season (before chasing the almighty dollar to Orlando) and local media coverage of the team was scant to say the least.
So kudos to North American Soccer League's NSC Minnesota Stars for taking it upon themselves to produce and promote a series that takes a behind-the-scenes look that the team and the players.

STARTERS
Holy smokes - Fulham started their new season today. A Europa League qualifying match at home against NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands.
dN
The USA U17 team got blown out of the World Cup today 4-0 by Germany. It wasn't even that close. A very sad performance.

I'll be honest, I haven't bought or played a FIFA game in about two or three years now. I was tempted to buy it this past year for my iPad and never did. I kept saying, I'll wait until next year and when that came I still never bought it. Oh well, I don't have the same time for gaming that I used to.

Maddy's Note: Ladies and Gents, presenting the latest in BigFourZa's long line of guest authors; Vivek. United fan primarily, but he supports his local team Real Zaragoza as well (at least he plans to when he gets there next month). You can read more of his work over at his blog; Afterthoughts where this post first appeared.

Think media coverage of Major League Soccer in your area is poor? Try being a second division team. The Austin Aztex played in the FBM's backyard last season (before chasing the almighty dollar to Orlando) and local media coverage of the team was scant to say the least.
So kudos to North American Soccer League's NSC Minnesota Stars for taking it upon themselves to produce and promote a series that takes a behind-the-scenes look that the team and the players.

Michael Wells, Lafayette Part (2008)"You don't belong here!"
It was a surprising turn in the argument.
We were standing on the sidelines. I was in a heated discussion with an AYSO parent/volunteer who played in our league. (We were arguing about field 'security' - the subject of a forthcoming post in this series.

On the day SAFFC defeated Home United in the rather ridiculously named 'Uniform Derby' I thought what cyber space really needed was my rants and thoughts on some of the dafter derbies I've come across down the years!
The premise for the Uniform Derby is that SAFFC represent the military in Singapore, while Home United, who started life as Police, represent the whole gamut of civil defence forces which I guess includes cops, firemen and traffic wardens for all I know.

Newport Pagnell Town 1 Peterborough Northern Star 1 - United Counties League, Premier Division
Newport Pagnell is a town in the Borough of Milton Keynes It is separated by the M1 motorway from Milton Keynes itself, though part of the same urban area. Newport Pagnell services on the M1 are named after the town.

I'm delighted to announce a new Arseblog feature, a weekly column from Tim Stillman who you might know from his stuff at Vital Arsenal. He'll still be there, Vitalfans, don't worry, but once a week he'll do his stuff here too. This week Orient, the magic of the cup, Stoke and a trip to Wembley.