Some 14 months after Major League Soccer announced initiatives that would allow MLS teams to
sign players they develop through their own youth programs, three MLS teams are set to take
advantage of those initiatives.
Chivas USA, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls have been identified by MLS as having players
who qualify to be signed to the senior teams directly.
Can you believe we shopped around JPA?!
Well, get ready for this one folks.
Óscar Héctor Quintabani, head coach of Colombias treasured NACIONAL, was looking for some
extra fire power heading into the Copa Libertadores.
Who did he want? You guessed it.
Angel filled Nacionals need for a quality striker, and was said to be part of the transfer
process.
Good afternoon everybody. While we await word on some big news on the MLS front, here are some
of the answers to the last Q&A session I did on the old SBI site.
JASON- USA MNT 1st XI since 1990?
According to some pictures on the main site of Greek side Ergotelis FC (because, honestly, who
can read greek anyway? anyone?), and some nifty investigating by theoffsiderules.com, Clint Mathis
is going to Greece!
Ah . . . now we can all smile again.
Mathis gets a rare opportunity, especially amongst veteran American players - a second chance
for a shot abroad.
ITS GOOD TO BE BACK!
And we have definitely missed a bit haven't we?
Where to begin?
JON CONWAY
Conway has been negotiating his return with the Bulls, and is eyeing the starting spot. With a
raving supporter in Jeff Agoos, who has publicly stated that Conways time is now, and that he
deserves the starting spot, and with very little competition for signing on any other team, I would
venture to say his position is secure, for the first time in his career.
The New York Red Bulls have bid farewell to assistant coach John Harkes, choosing not to retain
the former U.S. national team captain on the staff of new Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
Currently in Colombia looking at players, Osorio could not be reached for comment. Phone messages
left for Harkes were not returned.
Here is an interesting tidbit from Boston.com :
In yesterday's training session, Twellman was paired with New York's Jozy Altidore at
striker during a full-field scrimmage. The opposing team included Revolution defender Michael
Parkhurst and forward Pat Noonan.
Its in a story relating to Preston North Ends interest in Twellmans service.
Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio has settled on his first, and only, assistant coaching
hire. Osorio is set to name New Jersey Ironmen head coach Omid Namizi as Red Bulls assistant coach,
a source with knowledge of the decison told Soccer By Ives on Tuesday. The club will announce the
hiring on Wednesday.
Hey Guys,
Since I am constantly trolling sites for information, and speaking to anyone who wants to hear
about MLS, I figured i should share the wealth - be the Drudge of Red Bulls Soccer - with the
simple twist of my own commentary.
So here are some headlines from around the US - RBNY related of course .
In what should be seen as a landmark moment in MLS player development, the Red Bulls are set to
make their youth academies free to all participants. This decision will make the Red Bulls the
first MLS team to do so.
The standard structure for MLS youth programs has been similar to traditional youth programs,
where players pay fees and costs to be a part of the club, but now the Red Bulls have become the
first pro club to waive these fees and pick up costs for all players.
The Red Bulls have waived oft-injured forward/midfielder Santino Quaranta.
Acquired from Los Angeles for a conditional fourth-round draft pick, Quaranta played just three
games for the Red Bulls for a combined total of 47 minutes. He missed most of the second half of
the season with a foot injury.
Red Bulls developmental goalkeeper Danny Cepero impressed observers all season who watched his
exploits in training sessions. Now he is impressing coaches in Holland.
Cepero is training with Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven. Recently-retired Red Bulls goalkeeper
Ronald Waterreus helped arrange the training stint and the 6-foot-2 Cepero is taking full advantage
of the opportunity.
The New York Red Bulls have reached an agreement with goalkeeper Jon Conway on a new contract
that will keep the 30-year-old Rutgers product with the club for the 2008 season. Terms of the
contract were not disclosed.
Conway finished the 2007 season with a 6-5-2 record and split time with Dutch vetera Ronald
Waterreus before taking over the job late in the season.
