Bob Bradley has always been a tremendous example for his players and leader as a soccer coach. Now, in the wake of a terrible tragedy, he is asked to do the same for a nation.
Bradley insisted Monday that he is "totally committed" to coaching Egypt's national soccer team despite the turmoil in the country following the riot at a game last week that left more than 70 dead.

In what was shaping up the be one of the most promising seasons and competitive teams the Beat had put on the field in recent years everything crashed to a grinding halt. On Monday, January 30th 2012 the league issued a statement to suspend the 2012 season citing the pending legal issues with former magicJack team owner Dan Borislow.

photo by ISIphotos.com

Five months is all that separates the U.S. men's national team from the start of its World Cup qualifying campaign, and a friendly against Scotland appears to be in the works prior to then.

According to a report in Scotland, the U.S. Soccer Federation is in talks with the Scottish Football Association over a potentialy friendly.

Another milestone was achieved this past weekend for women's professional soccer in the United States, as the U.S. women's national team qualified for the Olympics.

Unfortunately for the players, they might not have a domestic season in which to prepare for the Summer Games.

Jurgen Klinsmann, Dawn Scott (WNT Fitness Coach), Pia Sundhage, Caleb Porter (U-23 MNT Head Coach), Andreas Herzog, Martin Vasquez (MNT Assistant Coach), Eric Yamamoto (U-23 MNT Assistant Coach)
Two World Cup veterans. Two players who scored bushels of goals for club and country.

Jurgen Klinsmann, Dawn Scott (WNT Fitness Coach), Pia Sundhage, Caleb Porter (U-23 MNT Head Coach), Andreas Herzog, Martin Vasquez (MNT Assistant Coach), Eric Yamamoto (U-23 MNT Assistant Coach)
Two World Cup veterans. Two players who scored bushels of goals for club and country.

The U.S. Soccer Federation yesterday announced an expanded Open Cup format and schedule, one that will incorporate all MLS and lower division teams in a newly and hopefully more condensed way. In essence, the changes allow the Lamar Hunt U.S. ...
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"Wilma...!" -- Fred Flintstone in a paroxysm of ecstasy after he convinces Betty Rubble to "role play a bit."

We'll keep you posted. More on this at 5.

Wait, start from the beginning.

Out of seemingly nowhere, the U.S. Soccer Federation has cleared house. Today, the U.S. power that be announced U.

The picture here is my interpretation of the logo of Liechtenstein's national soccer federation. Just sayin'.

Now for MLS:

As far back as November, rumors swirled about David Beckham's next move. Under the surface of the MLS blogsphere, a small media circus simmered near a boil regarding whether Becks would stay, or move on to Paris.

If this is the apocalypse, gimme some It's been almost five months since I've posted something fresh to my blog. That's downright apocalyptic, which is apropos given it's after all 2012. Kinda sad for footie fans if the Mayans are right. After all, we're stuck with 2010 as the last World Cup--aside from Spain establishing itself as the best national team in a generation, the Mundial didn't give us much more.

Dr. Thomas Fleck, an icon in youth soccer coaching education, passed away on Saturday, December 24, at the age of 74.
A 40-year member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Fleck served as president of the NSCAA for two years (1984-85), Fleck was instrumental in the establishment of the NSCAA Academies, the association's soccer coaching education division.

U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati speaks to U.S. supporters (including the American Outlaws) in Chicago. He might have been taking about this....
The idea is simple: invite your friends to a soccer game, buy them a beer. There... you've done it! You're now a participant in the Free Beer Movement.

By Charlie Corr
Eclipse Select staff
CHICAGO -- Former Eclipse Select Soccer Club player and coach Leslie Osborne was one of many Women's Professional Soccer players waiting to hear about the league's future this week. And for the past several months, Osborne's WPS franchise, the Boston Breakers, has been trying to secure additional ownership after majority owner Gary Loveman put his share of the organization on the market.

Jurgen Klinsmann is bringing in former Bayern Munich teammate Andreas Herzog to be his assistant coach on the U.S. national team. The Austrian soccer federation made the announcement that Herzog, who had 103 caps for Austria, would be leaving his job as Austrian U-21 coach to return to the United States, where he finished his career with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2004.

By CALEB SONNELAND

David Beckham isn't going anywhere — for now.

Despite rumors that the LA Galaxy's Beckham was present at Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 clash with Lille on Sunday, reports have emerged to squash any notion of that kind.

With a reported move to PSG imminent, Beckham was thought to be in France to finalize an 18-month deal to the newly-rich club.

Steven Goff of the Washington Post wrote about the 604-page U.S. Soccer Federation budget for fiscal year 2013, which covers April 2012 through the following March, and must be ratified at the USSF's annual general meeting in March.
Among his discoveries:
* The USSF is projecting a $6.

Steve Goff of the Washington Post reports that Juergen Klinsmann will earn $2.5 million in base salary to coach the U.S. men's national soccer team — more than four times higher than his predecessor, Bob Bradley, and 13 times larger than women's coach Pia Sundhage.
No other details about Klinsmann's contract, including incentives and other payments, appeared in the U.

Women's soccer in America has encountered another setback. The top-tier female league in the United States, Women's Professional Soccer, is facing a loss of sanctioning by the U.S. Soccer Federation as a Division I league. Entering its fourth season, WPS "terminated" its Florida franchise, magicJack, bringing the number of teams down from six to five in early November.

An American in Cairo: Bob Bradley aims to revive the Egyptian national team (AP Photo).

Associated Press Writer Ahmed El-Sedaway is the latest to try to make a silk purse out of Bob Bradley's sow's ear quotes:

CAIRO (AP) -- Bob Bradley isn't interested in talking about the man who replaced him as U.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati sees innovation first, not losses, for the national team so far under new Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, seen at right Tuesday night directing things from the bench in New Jersey. Associated Press Sports Writer Ronald Blum has the full story in the wake of last night's loss to Ecuador:

HARRISON, New Jersey (AP) -- Jurgen Klinsmann has been backed by his boss at the U.

Former English national team goalkeeper Chris Woods has joined the U.S. staff under new coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Woods was at the U.S. team training session Monday, ahead of an exhibition game against Ecuador. Woods has been Everton's goalkeeper coach for 13 years, and Klinsmann says Everton manager David Moyes had given permission for Woods to take the U.

Big news on the sponsorship front from longtime partner Panasonic. The electronics company announced that they have extended their deal with Major League Soccer through 2014 to serve as the league's "Official Consumer Electronics Partner". In addition, the company announced that they have reached an agreement with US soccer to serve as a similar sponsor/partner for the Men's and Women's National Teams.

CONCACAF general secretary, nemesis of Mohammed Bin Hammam, and tabloid story-filler Chuck Blazer announced today he would step down from his role in the soccer federation at the end of the year. Blazer had been involved in CONCACAF's leadership for ...
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The Philly Soccer Page " Preview: Union at Real Salt Lake
A cursory look at Saturday's matchup between fourth place (in the east) Philadelphia Union and fifth place (in the west) Real Salt Lake would indicate these teams are in similar places. Mid-table, low scoring, strong defense. Don't be fooled.

FIFA took down Jack Warner and are now taking aim at his cronies in CONCACAF. AP Writer Graham Dunbar has the details; ZURICH (AP) -- Delving further into a scandal that shook the sport, FIFA will investigate 16 Caribbean soccer leaders about a bribery scandal involving former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.

Virginia women's coach Steve Swanson, an original member of the Milwaukee Wave, was named the U.S. Under-20 women's national team coach Monday.

Swanson will continue to coach the Cavaliers in addition to his latest role with the U.S. Soccer Federation – he's also been the Under-16 and Under-18 national team coach and has served as an assistant with the Under-17, Under-18 and Under-20 teams in previous stints with the national program.

By MIKE NASTRI

NEW YORK -- The U.S. Soccer Federation did not just hire the 35th head coach in national team history, but it perhaps altered the direction of the entire national team program.

Jurgen Klinsmann, the first foreign-born U.S. national team coach in 16 years, touched on a few topics during his first press conference since being hired to replace Bob Bradley on Friday, but he frequently emphasized the culture and direction of soccer in the United States.

A new era of US Soccer will start tomorrow, when Jurgen Klinsmann is formally introduced to the media as the new national team coach.
Rob Hughes of the NY Times writes of the potential influence that Klinsmann will have on his adopted nation.
When Jürgen Klinsmann took over as the German national team trainer before the 2006 World Cup, he opened the eyes of his birth nation.

CHICAGO (July 29, 2011) — U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati named Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today, making him the 35th coach in the history of the program.
"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," said Gulati. "He is a highly accomplished player and coach with the experience and knowledge to advance the program.

Poor Bob Bradley. He always was U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati's Plan B.
Twice, Gulati failed to land his prized national team coaching candidate, Jürgen Klinsmann, and twice he settled on the stoic but hard-working Bradley.
To his credit, the no-nonsense New Jersey native never indicated he suffered from wounded pride.

After years of dating but never consummating the relationship, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati finally got the man he has lusted after for years with the announcement that Juergen Klinsmann has been named head coach the U.S. men's national team.

"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," said Gulati.

Photo by Giftraum

The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed today what many had expected - Jürgen Klinsmann will be the next manager of the men's national team.

After reportedly twice trying to hire the German for the job in the past five years, Sunil Gulati has his man. The federation will hold a press conference in New York on Monday and his first match as head man will be against Mexico on August 10.

From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:
Former World Cup Champion's First Match in Charge of U.S. MNT Will be Against Mexico on Aug. 10 in Philadelphia
CHICAGO (July 29, 2011) — U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati named Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today, making him the 35th coach in the history of the program.

People's choice? Juergen Klinsmann now holds the future of the USMNT in his hands (AFP Photo).

Well, it took a few years longer than first envisioned, but it looks like U.S. Soccer - or should I say U.S. socer fans - finally got their man. And this time around he was hired with a minimum of fuss:

CHICAGO (AP) -- U.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati named Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today, making him the 35th coach in the history of the program.

"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," said Gulati. "He is a highly accomplished player and coach with the experience and knowledge to advance the program.

US Soccer President Sunil Gulati just announced that Jurgen Klinsmann as the new head coach of the US Men's National soccer team. Klinsmann is the 35th coach in the program's history.

An official press conference will be held Monday, August 1 in New York City. Klinsmann will be at the helm when the USMNT exacts revenge on Mexico August 10 at Lincoln Financial Field.

CHICAGO (July 29, 2011) — U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati named Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today, making him the 35th coach in the history of the program.

"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," said Gulati.

CHICAGO (July 29, 2011) — U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati named Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today, making him the 35th coach in the history of the program.

"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," said Gulati.

CHICAGO (July 29, 2011) — U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati named Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today, making him the 35th coach in the history of the program.

"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," said Gulati.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

It took five years, but U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati has the coach he's wanted all along.

Juergen Klinsmann was hired as coach of the U.S. men's national team on Friday, replacing the ousted Bob Bradley.

"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," Gulati said in a press release.