Canada's task now clear in WC qualifying - sportsnet.ca

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Defending champion Spain was drawn into a difficult qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup on Saturday, pitted against 1998 winner France, Georgia, Belarus and Finland.

Officially kicking off proceedings for what will be the first World Cup in Brazil in 64 years, the draw placed England with 2012 European Championship co-hosts Ukraine and Poland in Group H. Montenegro, Moldova and San Marino also are in the group.

"It will be interesting, there won't be easy matches," England coach Fabio Capello said. "England will have to be very careful, especially against Montenegro, Poland and Ukraine."
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Italy will meet Denmark and the Czech Republic in Group B, while Germany faces Sweden, Austria and Ireland in Group C.

"Sweden and Ireland are very strong teams and that makes the group interesting," Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff said.

The draw in Rio de Janeiro determined the path of 166 teams in their bid to qualify for the tournament in three years' time. It was the first major World Cup event in Brazil since the South American nation was awarded the competition in 2007. As host, Brazil is the only nation that doesn't have to qualify.

"We are happy to be back in Brazil," FIFA President Sepp Blatter said.

Fifty-three European nations were divided into nine groups, with the winners automatically qualifying and the eight best group runners-up advancing to a playoff. The European qualifying matches will begin Sept. 7 and end Oct. 15, 2013.

Spain is in a difficult Group I, the only one with five teams instead of six.

The Netherlands, last year's runner-up in South Africa, was drawn in Group D with Turkey, Hungary and Romania, while Portugal will have to face Russia and Israel in Group F.

Group A has Croatia, Serbia, Belgium and Scotland. Greece will play Slovakia in Group G, while Norway was drawn in Group E with Slovenia and Switzerland.

The United States was drawn with Jamaica in qualifying for the North, Central America and Caribbean region. The other two teams in Group A will come from preliminary qualifying matches that include Haiti, Guatemala, the U.S. Virgin Islands and five other nations.

Canada was drawn in a preliminary stage group against St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and St. Lucia.

If Canada advances first in its group, it would join Group C in the qualifying stage, which includes Honduras and Cuba. Mexico is in Group B with Costa Rica. All three group winners and runners-up will advance to a final qualifying round, beginning February 2013.

In Asia, Japan will face Uzbekistan, Syria and North Korea in Group C, while Australia will play Saudi Arabia, Oman and Thailand in Group D.

Iran, Bahrain and Qatar were drawn in the same Group E, along with Indonesia, while China is in Group A with Iraq, Jordan and Singapore.

The African teams were divided into 10 groups for qualifiers beginning in November. South Africa, last year's World Cup host, was drawn in Group A along with Botswana. Ghana, the best African team last year, is in Group D with Zambia and Sudan.

South America was not included in the draw because the continent's nine teams will be placed in a single group. They will play each other twice, home and away, with the top four finishers securing a World Cup spot. The fifth-place team will advance to an intercontinental playoff against a team from Asia. The other playoff will pit teams from CONCACAF and Oceania.

The qualifiers began June 15 and will end Nov. 19, 2013, after 824 matches. Twenty-eight teams were eliminated in preliminary rounds before Saturday's draw.

The World Cup will be played from June 12 to July 13, and the complete match schedule will be announced in October.

"We love football," Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said at the draw. "Today, Brazil is admired for more than just football, music and its popular festivities. I invite you to come visit us. You will find a country very well prepared for the World Cup."

Brazilian media reported that about 1,000 protesters were protesting near the site of the draw against the removal of families from areas where the World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics will be held. Some were also protesting against the nearly $20 million of public funds said to have been spent for Saturday's event.

Riot troopers and mounted police were negotiating to end the demonstration, which remained peaceful by the time the draw began.

.There were some protesters holding banners criticizing Brazilian football federation president Ricardo Teixeira and FIFA.

The total of 203 teams vying for a World Cup spot surpasses by three the number that participated four years ago. The only associations not to have signed up to compete this time around are Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Guam and Mauritania.

Seven nations have qualified for each of the last six World Cups -- Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain and the United States. Germany has been the most successful team in World Cup qualifiers so far, with only two losses in 74 matches.

Ronaldo, Neymar, Zico and Zagallo were among the current and past Brazilian players participating in the draw, which also had local artists such as singer Ivete Sangalo. More than 35 coaches and representatives from 104 national teams were in attendance. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Pele and Michel Platini were also at Marina da Gloria harbour in Rio.

Strong wind damaged part of the auditorium holding the draw just before it was to start, but workers fixed the problem in time and the event was not disrupted by the event.

8:26 PM

This time, it’s not just talk: Juergen Klinsmann is the new coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team.

US hires Klinsmann to coach men’s national team

By CHRIS JENKINS, AP Sports Writer

U.S. Soccer moved quickly to name a replacement for fired coach Bob Bradley, announcing Klinsmann’s hiring Friday. The former standout player and coach for the German national team will be a familiar name to American fans, given that U.S. Soccer almost hired him twice—first after the 2006 World Cup and again last year before giving Bradley what turned out to be a short-lived contract extension.

Now, with the U.S. team’s progress seemingly stalled, it’s time to see what Klinsmann can do.

“We are excited to have Juergen as the head coach of our Men’s National Team,” U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement. “He is a highly accomplished player and coach with the experience and knowledge to advance the program. Juergen has had success in many different areas of the game, and we look forward to the leadership he will provide on and off the field.”

Klinsmann will be formally introduced Monday at a press conference in New York. His debut as coach will come Aug. 10, when the U.S. team faces archrival Mexico in an exhibition match in Philadelphia. Qualifying for the next 2014 World Cup in Brazil begins next year.

“I am proud and honored to be named the head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Klinsmann said. “I would like to thank the U.S. Soccer Federation for the opportunity, and I’m excited about the challenge ahead. I am looking forward to bringing the team together for our upcoming match against Mexico and starting on the road toward qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.”

Although the U.S. federation has discussed the job with Klinsmann in the past, the coach’s desire for extensive authority over the entire U.S. program has been considered a point of contention preventing a previous deal.

Germany coach Joachim Loew, who was Klinsmann’s assistant before becoming his successor, wished him well—and expects big changes.

“I am happy for Juergen, that he has found a new challenge and I wish him a lot of success,” Loew said. “The way we know Juergen, he’ll go into the job with power and shake up a lot of things.”

The German football federation said Loew, federation president Theo Zwanziger and three other top officials were told by Klinsmann by telephone that he was about to sign the contract with U.S. Soccer.

Klinsmann, who turns 47 on Saturday, has a considerable World Cup pedigree.

As a player, Klinsmann scored 11 goals in three World Cups, 1990, 1994 and 1998. That ties him for sixth on the all-time scoring list, just behind Pele.

Klinsmann was a key cog for West Germany’s 1990 World Cup-winning team and European championship-winning German team in 1996. He retired in 1998 and moved to the U.S. shortly afterward. Klinsmann and his wife, Debbie, reside in California with their two children, Jonathan and Laila.

Klinsmann took over as coach of the German national team in July 2004, after the team had a poor showing in the 2004 European championships. Klinsmann led the German national team to a third-place finish in the 2006 World Cup, which was hosted by Germany. In 34 matches, Klinsmann’s record was 20-8-6.

He went on to coach German club Bayern Munich but lasted less than a full season after falling out of favor with management. He has worked as a consultant since then, most recently with Major League Soccer’sToronto FC.

U.S. Soccer fired Bradley in a surprise move Thursday.

Bradley led the U.S. team to considerable success and several big moments, including an appearance in the round of 16 at last year’s World Cup in South Africa and a victory over Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup. But the U.S. team seemed to take a step backward this summer, and a stinging 4-2 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final last month—the U.S. blew a 2-0 lead—appears to have convinced U.S. Soccer officials it was time to make a change.

Last year, U.S. Soccer gave Bradley a contract extension through 2014.

2:09 PM

Amid concerns that progress had stalled during his tenure, Bob Bradley has been fired as coach of the U.S. men's national soccer team.

In a surprising announcement Thursday, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said Bradley had been relieved of his duties.

"We want to thank Bob Bradley for his service and dedication to U.S. Soccer during the past five years," Gulati said in a statement. "During his time as the head coach of our Men's National Team he led the team to a number of accomplishments, but we felt now was the right time for us to make a change. It is always hard to make these decisions, especially when it involves someone we respect as much as Bob. We wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Bradley was chosen as coach in January 2007 and went 43-25-12 overall. He helped lead the team to the Round of 16 of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But the United States is coming off a poor showing in the Gold Cup tournament, including a stunning 2-1 loss to Panama and an embarrassing 4-2 loss in the championship game against Mexico.

The dismissal comes nearly a year after Bradley was given a contract extension to continue coaching the team through 2014, the year of the next World Cup in Brazil.

But even as Bradley was given a new deal, there were concerns that the team had hit its ceiling.

from AP

4:56 PM

Europe's top clubs threaten to break away from Fifa and Uefa

• ECA teams unhappy about finances and international fixtures
• Clubs may bypass governing bodies and run their own affairs

European clubs will break away from Fifa and Uefa and create their own super league unless the world governing body urgently addresses their growing concerns over international fixtures and finances. It would be the most radical development in the history of football since the first World Cup in 1930, ripping up the established world order of the game and seizing power from Sepp Blatter, Fifa's president.

The Guardian can reveal the background to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's comments on Tuesday about a "revolution" for football: a European super league that would see the clubs seize control of their own affairs from the regulators. The European game is currently ordered through a memorandum of understanding between clubs and Uefa that was signed three and a half years ago. It runs until 2014, and when it expires the top European clubs will no longer be legally bound to play in Uefa's Champions League or, crucially, to release their players for international friendlies or tournaments, including the World Cup.

In a reflection of their belief that Fifa lacks legitimacy – especially in the wake of the damaging bribery allegations currently surrounding the organisation – the clubs will not shrink from breaking away if they do not receive sufficient guarantees.

A board member of the European Club Association of which Bayern Munich's Rummenigge is president told the Guardian on Wednesday: "The fact that Bayern Munich, who have always been close to the institutions, are being so vocal and loud about the situation is a clear sign we're very close to breaking point. We have a memorandum of understanding with Uefa that expires in 2014. After that time we can no longer be forced to respect Fifa statutes or Uefa regulations. And we won't be obliged to compete in their competitions."

When asked what that would mean for clubs' finances if they were to withdraw from the Champions League, which generates tens of millions of pounds a year for his organisation's richest and most influential members, the ECA board member responded: "Don't be naive. Don't think there would be no alternative competition."

Although the ECA has a broad constituency, representing 197 European clubs, it is the interests of nine in particular that will drive this agenda. They are Real Madrid, Milan, Liverpool, Internazionale, Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Rummenigge's Bayern. When the Guardian contacted the four English clubs for their views on the matter, all declined to comment. However, a director at one of the clubs said: "[Financially] there is a lot of unfulfilled potential in football as it stands."

The English experience of the past 20 years, since a breakaway group of the leading clubs withdrew from the Football League to form the Premier League (albeit under the auspices of the Football Association), has been exceptionally lucrative for the game domestically and the hawks within the ECA are pushing for a replica at European level.

The news will not come as a surprise at Uefa where in some quarters there is a long-held view that the clubs will seek to go their own way. This has arisen from a number of points of conflict with the world football authorities. As revealed by the Guardian last month there is considerable disquiet about perceived moves to expand the international calendar, forcing clubs to release their expensively remunerated players to national associations without any payback. Fifa denies there have been any discussions about the subject but the ECA source claimed that the matter will be ratified at a Fifa executive-committee meeting in the autumn. As is consistent with relations between Fifa and the clubs, the decision will have been taken without any formal negotiations with the clubs about how the additional fixtures would be accommodated.

There is a further grievance, this time with Uefa about insurance. The ECA alleges Uefa has pulled back from its commitment to provide insurance for players who are called up for international duty. "Uefa said we would have our insurance after their presidential elections [in March]," the source said. "Now the elections have taken place and we're still waiting for talks." A spokesman for Uefa did not respond to the Guardian's call.

Yet despite the details of the enduring dispute between the clubs and Fifa and Uefa, there is an overriding financial motive. "When you have every club losing money every year and the only winners the players and Fifa," the source said, "how can that be allowed to go on?"

10:20 AM

THIS Friday, July 29: It's "BCBB GIG at MEEHANS" Week!! The BCBB does MEEHANS PUBLIC HOUSE, 227 Sandy Springs Place, Atlanta, GA (404) 843-8058 (view map) 9pm-1230-ish. Come Together (all You need is Love...)! Hope to see you...!

Soccer Music

2:58 PM

The next Mens Adult Tuesday Night League startsTuesday August 9th and runs for 8 weeks with the 9th week being the Championship. Registration is July 26th and August 2nd from 8:00 to 10:00 PM, including an organized scrimmage during that time.

We have had much success with making this league a fun way to play some soccer during the week and to relax a bit from work. .

Come and see the new look.  The ceiling has been raised to 23 feet which makes it play a lot faster without interruptions. 

  

The winners of the league will receive T-Shirts and a $50 Coupon to Sidelines Sports Bar and Grill
or Marietta Diner for refreshments.

The Marietta Indoor Sports Team

Marietta Indoor Sports

Office:770-419-1125

Fax: 770-419-1124

12:36 PM

South Sudan vs. the world: The birth of a national football team - CNN.com

A little under 24 hours after South Sudan became the newest country on earth after declaring its independence from Khartoum -- a bloody battle it had waged intermittently since the 1950s -- the first true test of the fledgling republic took place.

On July 10, South Sudan played its very first international football match, becoming not just the youngest nation on earth, but the youngest national football team too.

"We were all very emotional as it was the first time that our national team played, singing the national anthem," recalled Makuac Teny, Minister for Sport in the newly-formed South Sudan government.

South Sudan becomes newest U.N. member state

Like the rest of the crowd, he had gathered to watch his team take on Kenyan Premier League side Tusker F.C. for a match whose result, for once, wasn't important. "It was the first time our song was heard," explained Teny.

"They [the crowd] were very emotional and very touched. I thought that if we continue like this then our team could be very successful."
We were all very emotional as it was the first time that our national team played, singing the national anthem
--Makuac Teny, Minister for Sport in the newly formed South Sudan government
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Juba
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The obstacles facing South Sudan are large to say the least.

Years of civil war between the largely Christian and animist south and Muslim north had left as many as two million people dead, devastating the south's infrastructure in the process.

This is despite, or possibly because, of the fabulous oil wealth that the region has. Juba's new national football stadium is a case in point.

"I don't know if you can call it a stadium; it was a field without any grass on it. It wasn't playable," explained Stephen Constantine, an English coach who was in charge of the Sudan national team until last year.

The stadium was renovated right up until kick-off, with new grass laid and floodlights erected for the first time.

"You went down south and the boys didn't feel they got their chance as there were no teams from the [Sudanese] first division from the south. Were they not strong enough or didn't have the money to compete? They had the talent for sure," Constantine said.

"They were all very very proud of where they come from. They always said South Sudan. Never Sudan ... In the north they say: 'where has all the money gone in the south?'

"It was a huge difference in terms of organization and infrastructure. It will take them a few years."

The new South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) has to build a league, stadiums and clubs from scratch, as well as training referees and sport scientists. But the first goal is political: recognition by FIFA and by CAF, the Confederation of African Football.

"We are starting at zero. We have nothing in our hands, we are starting as God has created us," said Benjamin Oliver, the new head of the SSFF, who along with the coach held trials and managed to put a team together in under three weeks. None of South Sudan's players who play for clubs in the north were released for the fixture as it wasn't an official FIFA game day.
We are starting at zero. We have nothing in our hands, we are starting as God has created us
--SSFF head Benjamin Oliver

"We won independence with the help of the international community. We were clear what goal we had, we knew the tactics of the enemy," Oliver said.

"Now I'm optimistic that we will play international football in South Sudan. The international community ... will come to our aid."

It is no coincidence that South Sudan hosted a football match so soon after announcing independence. Football fan and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger famously argued that national football teams were not only an essential component of a nation, but that their style of play was also reflective of a country's identity.

"No team from a communist country (except Hungary, in 1954) has ever reached the World Cup finals or semifinals," he wrote in the LA Times ahead of the 1986 World Cup.

"Too much stereotyped planning destroys the creativity indispensable for effective soccer."

The link between football, identity, unity and nationhood is so strong that many newly-found states, or states divided by war, have used the soft power of football to achieve hard political aims.

The Palestinians, for example, have been recognized by FIFA since 1998, but not the United Nations. Football is seen by the Palestinian Authority as an important tool in fostering a sense of unity at home. The national football team is also one of the few visible entities allowed to fly the Palestinian flag on the international stage.
A national football team is the nation made flesh; it's the visible manifestation of a nation
--Author Simon Kuper

West Germany and Iraq can both point to football victories -- at the 1954 World Cup final and the 2007 Asian Cup respectively -- as transformative moments that helped to put fractured, war-torn states back on the path towards stability.

"A national football team is the nation made flesh; it's the visible manifestation of a nation," said Simon Kuper, journalist and author of "Football Against the Enemy," a book that looked at the relationship between football and politics across the globe.

"When you have 11 young men in national team shirts walk out onto the pitch, they are South Sudan. States tend to precede nations. The way to build a nation in the TV age is through sport, because sport provides the most-watched programs. In the past France and Germany could build a nation on the battlefield."

Politicians in South Sudan are aware of the political power that football wields both at home and abroad. The SSFF is confident that its application to join CAF will be accepted and that two years later it will be able to join FIFA.

"What is important is football's contribution to the new state," said Minister Teny. "We can can cement the national foundation and the anthem. We are bringing together so many tribes, 64 in total. We want to show them that there is a nation, and to integrate as a new nation."

And what of the match itself? After a promising start South Sudan self-destructed. Captain Khamis Liyano scored South Sudan's first international goal, but two own-goals helped the Kenyans overcome their hosts 3-1.

The result was one comparison between football and life that the South Sudanese would hope to avoid. But Benjamin was just glad that the game was even played.

"The honor goes to Kenya, the first country to hear the national anthem of Sudan. They honored us. That was a win in itself, to hear the national anthem played. Although they won 3-1, I knew the flag of Southern Sudan would be raised."

3:26 PM

Atlanta Down FC Tampa Bay

from http://www.atlfootball.net

Captain Lucas Paulini was a force in the midfield

A season best home crowd of 3,515 came to witness the Silverback's performance tonight as they defeated FC Tampa Bay at Silverback Park by the score of 2 - 1. The Silverbacks are now unbeaten in 3 straight games breaking Tampa Bay's 4 game unbeaten streak. The game itself was action packed and illustrated Atlanta's continued good run of form as they take their 7th point out of 9 for these 3 games. Goals from Junior Sandoval and Ciaran O'Brien were enough for Atlanta to finally get into double digits with 12 points for the season, bringing them even with Montreal on points.

The night was perfect for football with warm, dry weather and Atlanta heated up the action in the 7th minute when Junior Sandoval dispatched a Matt Horth cross to give Atlanta the early lead and plenty of momentum. After the goal, there was end to end action with both squads having plenty of chances to score, but it would be Atlanta to get the next breakthrough in spectacular fashion.

The goal areas of both teams were busy places

Tyler Ruthven put in a long throw in from the right side of the field where Ciaran O'Brien flung his body, head first to power in a header between 2 Tampa Bay defenders and past a flat footed Tampa keeper in goal. The Silverbacks were now flying with a 2 goal lead and plenty of momentum, but Tampa Bay would next take a bite out of the game with a fortuitous attack forward.

The old saying says that the most vulnerable time for a team is just after they have scored. Just minutes after Atlanta's goal, Aaron King fulfilled this saying as he sped into the Silverbacks area past his marker to slot home Tampa's goal to make the score 2 - 1 going into the half.

Raphael Cox terrorized Tampa Bay defenders with his pace

The second half began with the same intensity as the first with Tampa Bay having more of the control in the midfield as they put pressure on the Silverbacks goal but they would find AFN Player of the Game Jimmy Maurer, in fine form as he was equal to each challenge though he needed a header off the line from defender Tyler Ruthven to preserve the Silverback lead and eventual victory by the score of 2 - 1.

Next for the Silverbacks will be a away game to Carolina to challenge the high flying Railhawks who seem to be running away with the league. It's all getting interesting when you consider that Atlanta are only 6 points out of the current playoff race and can make up ground in the balance of the season. It's all still to play for and the fans of the Silverbacks will have enjoyed the ride so far with a promise of much more to come. AFN will be there to cover all the action.

The Silverback Fans were pleased with the result

10:22 AM

A Fantasy I Wish Were True

A Fantasy I Wish Were True

Silverback Defender, Mattias Schnorf is a product of Swiss Football now plying his trade in Atlanta

I've been following and supporting teams in football for longer than I care to admit. In all of that time, I've grown to love not only the game, but the culture and the compelling structure of the competition surrounding the world game. But my love of the game is troubled in the USA.

The sporting structure of top league sports is unique in America. The divisional and closed league and playoff structure permeates through the NFL, NBA MLB NHL and MLS. It's a tradition of structure that has been around since there have been sports in the country.

The USA arguable possesses the best sports facilities, business structure and pool of athletes than any other country on the planet. So with all of this, why do I still prefer Euro Football over the MLS and why are TV ratings for viewership for American TV soccer viewers so much higher for European and World football than it is for the domestic game?

There are lots of theories including:
* The MLS is still young and growing
* The level of quality is not yet matching the world game.
This may all be true, but my reasons for my disappointment in the domestic leagues are quite different. Unlike a lot "fans", I don't need the team that I support to be the best in the world to attract me. My love of a football club has more to do with my relationship with the club and the compelling nature of the competition that club plays in.

The drama of promotion and relegation played out in 2 different games highlighted here

I appreciate the progress the MLS, NASL and USL have been making in the last few years, but despite that, the competition in the U.S. lacks something that could be there for the U.S. soccer fan. That "something" is promotion and relegation, a league champion and inter-divisional cup competition. The reasons for the lack of these modules in the domestic game is a matter for another article, but I wanted to give my own take on the matter.

The problem with a closed league, devoid of the incentives of promotion and relegation, is that half way through your season, many teams have little to play for in the sense of league rewards. In fact the useless draft system in the MLS actually rewards teams that do more poorly with a better position in the draft. (The fact that a college draft is pointless in soccer is besides the issue.)

In World football, no matter how far you are in the schedule, your team is always playing for something even if they are out of the league title race. Middle tier teams are looking to finish in the top spots to qualify for Cup tournaments, bottom tier teams are looking to keep playing hard to avoid the relegation drop to a lower league. Some of the most exciting football in England last year came on the last match day as 6 teams playing AT THE BOTTOM of the league were playing for their survival! In the USA, this type of excitement is unknown except to those fans of the world game.

The ADASL follows the world model for compelling soccer competition

What's frustrating is that it is easily implemented in the USA if the desire of the soccer governing body were open minded and creative. The MLS would never have it but it's because of the financial requirements put on an organization to field a team. So a potential MLS Premier League with a NASL 2nd division, USL 3rd division and 4th division cannot happen. But can you imagine the excitement of not only a promotion and relegation possibility but also an F.A. Cup competition that is inter-divisional that could have David Beckham's L.A. Galaxy coming to play the Atlanta Silverbacks at Silverback Park for a 3rd round Cup match up??? And the knockout Cup competition also satisfies the playoff hunger that many fans enjoy. Doesn't that sound appealing? If that were here, I wouldn't need to follow Europe to find that excitement, it would be right here for me to enjoy.

Quite frankly, I've always thought that the leagues here need to be regional much like the USL have done with the women and the PDL. It would be easier as a fan to follow their favorite team and also less expensive for a football club to operate considering fuel and travel expenses. Even Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson suggested this idea when asked about the MLS in an interview recently.

Fortunately for Atlanta, there is a "World Like" structure to football competition at the Amateur level. It's in the Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League (ADASL). There, we do have regional play (metro Atlanta) and a 3 tier system with promotion, relegation and a inter-divisional Cup competition. They also run their league on the same calender schedule as the world game. AFN covers this league and will be expanding coverage this season after the NASL season finishes up.

To sum up, I enjoy soccer in the USA, but I think it could be so much better if U.S. Soccer forged out to be different than the norm here. What I desire for soccer competition may never happen in the States, but there will always be something missing without it.

Reprinted from http://atlanta-footballnet.blogspot.com/

9:47 AM

Atlanta super club Rovers FC has had their Rovers65 team win their second, back to back, national championship. Rover FC is the premier veteran soccer club in Georgia with Mens and Womens teams from the 30s,40s, 50s, 60s.

3:48 PM

The 17-field soccer complex construction has been completed. Construction was delayed due to a large amount of wood mulch that was discovered on-site.

The project has multiple phases:

The County is working closely with the Cherokee Soccer Association.

The County is also currently working with Sawnee Electric for the setting of transformers and distribution of power throughout the site. This work by Sawnee is currently underway (June 2011) for completion shortly.

Bids were recently accepted by the County for the installation of irrigation systems for all fields. this work has been awarded and is underway. The irrigation work also includes the drilling of 3 wells to help replenish water in the onsite detention ponds that will save costs for watering and be more environmentally friendly. the well drilling work is underway also.

In addition, bids were recently received and approved by the Board for the award of field prearations and solid sodding of all 17 fields. This will make a remarkable and immediate impact on the fields, and is expected to be completed in close corrdination with the irrigation work to allow use of the fields this fall 2011 by the Soccer Association.

The County will also be contracting for design/build services in late April 2011 for construction of concession and toilet facilities. Interviews with the final firms will occur in June 2011, for a contract award in July. Design will then begin, with construcitn to follow shortly. Completin of the concessin building and toilets is expected to be completed in early 2012. The Soccer Association is award of this schedule and if soccer play begins this fall, they will make provions for temporary toilets this fall.

All work is expected to be complete by early 2012.

3:43 PM

3:37 PM

FIFA to test 9 goal-line technology systems

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ZURICH - Nine goal-line technology systems are to undergo tests to try to win approval for match-day use next year, FIFA said Thursday.

FIFA did not identify the nine candidates, all from Europe, which will be examined between September and December by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology.

"Each company's respective technology will be scrutinized across a broad range of criteria, in both daylight and floodlit conditions," FIFA said in a statement.

FIFA's rule-making body, the International Football Association Board, will study the results in London next March and invite the best systems to a second round of trials.

The IFAB panel, composed of FIFA officials and the four British associations, can approve successful systems at a meeting scheduled next July.

First, the nine candidates must show their technology's "recognition of free shots on goal, with 100 per cent accuracy required, as well as static and dynamic accuracy tests, to 90 per cent accuracy in the first phase."

FIFA also requires that the match referee must know within one second if a goal has been scored.

The message is relayed "with both a vibration and visual signal required to be sent to the referee's watch. This indication must be received wherever the referee is positioned on the field of play, or within the technical areas," FIFA said.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter reversed his opposition to tests after England was denied a clear goal in its second-round loss against Germany at the 2010 World Cup.

Blatter has said the technology could be in place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, though that plan will be opposed by influential UEFA President Michel Platini. He favours employing additional assistant referees beside each goal.

Nine systems were previously tested at FIFA headquarters before the annual IFAB meeting in March but their accuracy was unacceptable.

Hawk-Eye, the Sony-owned company whose ball-tracking technology is used in tennis and cricket, declined to participate because its system uses cameras that need to be set up in a stadium.

FIFA said the nine candidates can propose testing venues which have still to be agreed for the next round of trials.

3:52 PM

Gers agree Bedoya terms | Sky Sports | Football | Scottish Premier | News

Scottish champions Rangers have announced that they have agreed terms with American international Alejandro Bedoya.

The 24-year-old is currently with Swedish club Orebro - but they have shunned Rangers' bids for the player.

However, his contract is due to expire later this year and so Rangers have now agreed a pre-contract with the midfielder - subject to a work-permit.

Rangers still hope to agree terms with Orebro that would see Bedoya move this summer, but if no agreement is reached he will switch to Glasgow in January.

Rangers director of football Gordon Smith said: "It would be to start in January but if we were to sign him now, we would have to agree a fee with his club. That's under discussion as well."

3:42 PM

Quit moaning Modric | Sky Sports | Home | Picks of the day

In an industry of sharks, hawkers, filchers and knaves it should come as no surprise when a talent as big as Luka Modric uses the summer as a season of change to prostitute himself out to the highest bidder, but even those that deem every silver-lining to have a cloud should be disappointed.

The sight of the pocket-sized Croatian cutting a dash through the continent's finest in Tottenham's maiden Champions League voyage was as invigorating a sight as any other last term. Here was a fresh chapter being written into a grand club's history but after the collective disappointment of finishing fifth, and lest we not forget it was a collective failure, talisman Modric has inched towards the plank with a lip considerably lower than Lady Gaga's hemline as Chelsea's cooing becomes irresistible.

And yet, it was only in May this year that Modric penned a new six-year contract to tie him to White Hart Lane to 2016. The signing of extraordinarily long contracts is a reoccurring motif throughout his career, as while at Dinamo Zagreb he committed himself to a ten-year deal.

"A lot of people asked me why I did that," he said in a candid interview given earlier in the year.

"They couldn't believe it. But the club came to me and offered the 10 years and I thought, 'Yeah, why not?' I love the club, so I signed. I spoke with my family and my agent beforehand and I knew I would not stay for 10 years.

"But I wanted to sign it to show I was not looking to leave, while at the same time giving them some protection when it eventually came to me leaving. That was the biggest reason I signed it, because it was best for the club.

"I think it is important in football to make a commitment to a club. I think the relationship with the club is important. That's my view on these things and that is why I have signed a long contract here (at Tottenham), too."

It seems peculiar then that after this selfless act of committing to Tottenham he has reacted with such ire at Daniel Levy's decision to do just as he preaches and 'protect' his club's interests by not selling, or at least driving up the price. After clear-the-air talks last week with a man known to be one of the hardest negotiators in football, Modric claimed that in breaking a gentleman's agreement Levy had 'disappointed, threatened and blackmailed' him.

Whether there was an agreement in place before the last contract was signed is open to conjecture and only those involved in the deal will know for sure, however, to be aghast at Levy's failure to act in a gentlemanly manner is laughable. Surely to commit to a long-term contract you have no intention of fulfilling is no different to a husband saying he demonstrates loyalty to his wife by not having sex with other women in front of her.

It may be that my senses have been dulled by the monotony of yet another transfer saga but even if my hearing missed Modric adding: 'I'm staying for now but if a bigger club comes calling with a sackload of cash I'm off. Levy's said he'll sell me for three quid more than he paid for me, in fact, if I recall correctly, I think he said he'd deliver me to Stamford Bridge himself. On a white horse', I'm definitely picking up the distinct whiff of baloney.

Hey Luka, I want to be the editor of Esquire and drink every night at the Groucho Club but life's a b**** and then you move on. Of course neither is courting me in the same way Chelsea pursue Modric but if they were I'd be out the door like a shot. The reason, I haven't just this year signed a six-year contract with BSkyB. I haven't been cruelly tricked into putting my name on an agreement that would see me earn over a quarter of a million a month. They're not ensnaring me that easily - I am a slave to no-one.

This shouldn't come across as a love letter to a gallant Spurs fighting a brave battle though; it's difficult to feel sorry for a club complaining about having one of their stars unsettled while Harry 'he's a good player and I'd love to have him but he's under contract at X' Redknapp is at the helm, but rather a call to arms for football as an industry to flick a middle finger in the direction of multi-millionaires who are swapping their agents for Kofi Annan in a bid to release themselves from such tyrannical contracts.

The old dog Redknapp is playing it well. By constantly referring to Modric as a 'great kid' who has 'never caused him a minute's bother' he's simultaneously ensuring the bridge between them on a personal level never buckles, while reassuring potential suitors they're not bidding for the next Carlos Tevez. The fact Modric hasn't done a Prince and come into training with 'slave' etched across his cheek is cause enough for his professionalism to be praised.

It's not just Modric that tests the gag reflex of the average supporter over the morning papers though. They're all at it.

Just last week Estanis Fors, mayor of Cesc Fabregas' home town of Arenys de Mar and said to be a friend of the Arsenal skipper, could hardly contain himself as he said: "Arsenal have kidnapped Cesc and should let him leave England. Cesc's family are very worried about his future because they want him to sign for Barcelona."

Kidnapped? It's not exactly Terry Waite handcuffed to a radiator in Beirut. Although to be fair I'd rather endure 1,763 days in solitary confinement than read another Cesc to Barcelona story. There was less of an uproar when Deidre Barlow did a stretch in Strangeways after an ill-advised fling with bogus pilot Jon Lindsay, with 'Free the Arsenal one' tees outselling Messi shirts outside Camp Nou.

Paul Scholes has suddenly found his voice after retiring his boots and last week was ruminating on the selfishness of the average footballer, lamenting those at clubs 'like Villa' who use international football as a showcase to cement a move further up the food chain. He's probably right but he didn't take his point far enough.

The Premier League has always been a carousel of talent that only stops off at the top four, but it's getting worse. Since the dawn of time players have wanted to better themselves but with clubs of the stature of Tottenham and Arsenal in danger of becoming stepping stones to better things there is a genuine fear that the divide between the mega-monied and mere mortals is becoming wider than ever.

Where are the players with the minerals to believe it is their talent that can make a good club great? If Fabregas and Samir Nasri really are two of the best midfielders in the world then surely in tandem, along with the likes of Robin van Persie, they should be looking to mould a side around their collective abilities rather than perennially hankering after moves to clubs already at the peak of their powers. Is there really that much satisfaction that can be gleaned from moving to Barcelona and making the best club side in the world half a per cent better? I'm not so sure.

There would be no Rolling Stones if Keith Richards had joined the Beatles as soon as he realised he had an ear for a tune, while if Noel had a footballers' mindset there would have been no Oasis but just the Inspiral Carpets reimagined as a six-piece.

And no-one would have wanted that. Not even Clint Boon.

2:28 PM

Atlanta Silverbacks Atlanta Silverbacks Park. 07/14/2011 - Road Trip Continues in Montreal. Silverbacks Park ... Atlanta Silverbacks Camps 2011. AC Milan Camp. Striker / GK Camp ... http://www.atlantasilverbacks.com/ Home | Atlanta Silverbacks Soccer Livescore: (CHI-FAC) #Deportes Concepcion vs #Colo Colo: 0-0 ... The Atlanta Silverbacks are committed to giving back to the soccer community. ... http://www.atlantasilverbacks.com/pro/ Atlanta Silverbacks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in ... Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Silverba..       News: Atlanta Silverbacks (soccer team) Silverbacks Women Claim Conference Title With 4-1 Win ATLANTA - The Atlanta Silverbacks Women clinched the Eastern Conference title Saturday night, finishing the USL W-League regular season with a 4-1 win over the Virginia Beach Piranhas at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/rele.. The Impact Faces Atlanta Sunday At Saputo Stadium MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact will play its 16th regular season game, Sunday at 3:30pm, against the Atlanta Silverbacks, at Saputo Stadium (CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, radio-canada.ca/sports). http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/rele.. Phone call to Brandon Tarr beneficial to Knoxville Force soccer team Brandon Tarr got a call a couple of weeks ago to try out for the Knoxville Force soccer team. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jul/16/phon..

 

11:15 PM

By Doug Roberson 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Soccer, the dominant organizational group for the sport in the state, is trying to enhance its image and expand the number of participants in its organization.

The goal is to turn Atlanta into a soccer destination worthy of the biggest youth soccer tournament in the world, games featuring any of the U.S. national teams and potentially a team in Major League Soccer.

“One of the things we think about all the time is the better job we do making a bigger and better profile for soccer, the more the public will help and desire a franchise,” executive director Rick Skirvin said.

Georgia Soccer is moving quickly. For the first time it added two independent directors — Falcons chief marketing officer Jim Smith and international corporate attorney Scott Moran — to its board in January with the goal of adding a fresh set of ideas.

Smith’s involvement is independent from Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who has expressed an interest in helping Atlanta obtain an MLS team. Before joining the Falcons, Smith was the president and general manager of the Columbus Crew in MLS. He grew up playing the sport and tried to walk on at Northwestern.

As a soccer fan and marketing expert, Smith sees how helping Georgia Soccer improve its image can help the city join MLS, which repeatedly has said it likes the Atlanta market and wants to have a presence in the Southeast. Smith was given the task of helping Georgia Soccer increase its adult membership.

Skirvin estimates there are at least 25,000 adults playing soccer in leagues throughout the state. Only 4,500 are registered with Georgia Soccer, which is 100,000 strong.

The adult market is important because not only do some of them play, but their children play as well. Two target demographics with disposable income could be hit: parents and people who exercise.

“If we can grow an adult market, we’re better positioned to grow soccer down the road,” Smith said.

Skirvin and Smith believe Georgia Soccer’s fees are the biggest hurdle. The organization charges $24 per adult. The fee covers insurance ($9.50) with $2 going to the U.S. Soccer Federation, $3.50 to the U.S. Adult Soccer Association, and the remaining $9 going to Georgia Soccer, which is a non-profit organization. Their balance helps pay referees, secure fields and pay other administrative costs. Last year, for example, Georgia Soccer spent $100,000 helping Atlanta and the United States in a failed World Cup bid.

There are two sizeable groups that aren’t members of Georgia Soccer: the Atlanta Silverbacks and the Latino leagues, some of which form and disband quickly.

Silverbacks president Michael Oki said he appreciates the purpose of Georgia Soccer, but the expense of belonging is cost-prohibitive for the more than 200 teams that compete in their seven-on-seven leagues. The Silverbacks charge as much as $750 per team for a nine-game season and don’t offer insurance.

“Without the additional fees of affiliating our league with Georgia Soccer, [Silverbacks Park] already incurs significant losses on an annual basis,” Oki said in an email. “Moreover, we feel that the cost of affiliating players does not provide enough benefits at this time.”

The two groups have worked together, but haven’t found a solution. Smith and his committee have recommended that Georgia Soccer reduce its fee for adults, which would help the Silverbacks and the other groups. Skirvin said they are considering that suggestion.

“Does it take nine dollars for us to provide services? Not anymore. It costs less,” Skirvin said. He said the target range for fees is around $11, if they can find a way to reduce the cost of insurance. “We think we could grow soccer everywhere with less stress on our existing members.”

In an attempt to grow the youth side, which represents 80 percent of its membership, Georgia Soccer also is reaching out to Upward Sports and other church-affiliated youth leagues that aren’t members. This fall it will collaborate with an Upward league in Stockbridge that Skirvin hopes can be a model for future relationships.

“The fees are less important, but we want more participation and more kids playing soccer,” he said.

Georgia Soccer recently adopted a new logo and motto, “Your state. Your game.” It has added a Facebook page and is working on an app for mobile devices.

It also works with the Atlanta Soccer Cabinet, a group of CEOs of Atlanta-based businesses who are trying to use soccer to grow their companies. One of their mutual goals is to grow the Atlanta Cup from the 650-700 teams that have played the past few years to 1,200 by 2020, which would make it one of the larger amateur tournaments in the world.

Despite these efforts, there still are more significant hurdles that must be cleared if Atlanta is to one-day host a MLS team. An ownership group must step forward and a stadium must be built.

Skirvin said that Georgia Soccer has done everything it can to this point to grow the game and help bring a team. If they succeed in their mission of increasing membership and raising the sport’s profile, it can only help. “You can’t talk about promoting the game without the pro game,” he said.

 

12:18 AM

The New England Revolution announced today that the team has signed central defender Otto Loewy to a Major League Soccer contract. A native of Liberia, Loewy is a U.S. permanent resident and will count as a domestic player on the Revs' roster. Per MLS and club policies, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Loewy is expected to join the team following the Revs' return from next week's trip to Vancouver. Loewy played four seasons at Winthrop University and earned all-region honors as a senior in 2008. A leg injury suffered in his final collegiate game – against William & Mary in the 2009 NCAA Tournament – prevented him from participating in the 2010 MLS Combine, to which he was invited. Loewy made 80 appearances – 79 starts – and scored five goals and added 11 assists in his career. "Otto performed well during his trial with us in Georgia," Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel Michael Burns said. "He's a strong player and will provide added depth along our backline this season." The Revolution (1-0-1, 4 pts.) will host the expansion Portland Timbers on Saturday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium (TV: Comcast SportsNet New England; Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub). For up-to-the-minute information on the Revolution, visit the team's official web site at revolutionsoccer.net, or follow the team on Twitter at @NERevolution, or on Facebook at facebook.com/NERevolution. For more information about Revolution tickets, including tickets to the July 13 match against European giants Manchester United, call 1-877-GET-REVS or visit revolutionsoccer.net. TRANSACTION: New England Revolution (MLS) – Signed D Otto Loewy OTTO LOEWY Jersey Number: No. 4 Pronunciation: LOW-ee Position: Defender Height: 5-10 Weight: 170 lbs. DOB: June 4, 1987 (Monrovia, Liberia) Hometown: Lawrenceville, Ga. College: Winthrop Nationality: Liberia (U.S. permanent resident) Status: Senior Roster

5:36 PM

Head Case - - Sports - The Telegraph

9:52 AM

Georgia Soccer hoping new efforts hit goal  | ajc.com

11:46 AM

8:34 AM

By Jason Kirk - Regional Editor

Someday Atlanta will have a chance to prove it can be a MLS town. But for now, local soccer fans should make it a great NASL town.

Follow @sbnatlanta on Twitter, and LikeSB Nation Atlanta on Facebook.

Jun 28, 2011 - The first thing you notice while walking into Atlanta Silverbacks Park for the first time is the scrambled rainbow created by the facility's black, yellow, navy, purple (and so on) seats. Light blue seats and red seats, too, which matched the Atlanta Thrashers gear worn by displaced hockey fans invited in for cheap beers at a fun venue.

In the 10th minute of Saturday night's game, the one-win Silverbacks took a 1-0 lead on the league-leading Carolina RailHawks thanks to a strike by forward Matt Horth. It wasn't quite as improbable as the United States running out to a 2-0 advantage on Mexico two hours later, but you'll have to remember it was only the ninth goal the Silverbacks have scored since their rebirth.

The second thing you notice is the drumming. As they're an Atlanta sporting institution, the Silverbacks are required by city code to feature a drumline. While theirs is a volunteer corps composed of one kick and one tom, a full line would have to break a sweat to duplicate Section 109's total wattage.

Though Westside 109 stayed busy all night, my two favorite moments were their chants of "FC! Willie B!" and their helpful shouts up to the PA announcer after he announced a yellow card had been delivered to RailHawks defender Justin Krause.

"There were two!"

The voice of the Silverbacks sent a thumbs-up back to 109; he was still waiting to see Brad Rusin officially assessed with the other yellow. So interactive! You try going to a Hawks game and giving feedback to Ryan Cameron without aid of Twitter.

There were quite a few Thrashers jerseys in the house, though they tended to stick near the ground level watering hole, according to their kind. Still, attendance lagged behind the marks the team is regularly praised for by rival NASL fans -- considering the Gold Cup schedule, the night's maybe-drizzly weather and local club teams being on a break, seeing so many colorful seats didn't set off any alarms.

A discussion outside the park after the game: how can a team that plays this sport succeed in Atlanta, perhaps the weirdest sports city in the United States? My only real suggestion is the same as it is for everything else. Just have Arthur Blank buy some stuff!

Though some sort of Blank soccer project does appear to be in the works, that doesn't really help the city's current highest-level team. Attendance doesn't seem like a problem by any means, especially considering how new the team is, but more than a couple pro soccer teams have folded here before.

Selling the game to reeling Thrashers fans makes sense, though hopefully it didn't call to mindKasim Reed's tonedeaf promise to replace the NHL team with something else. Both games are foreign to the Southeast, as once was every Southern sport except stock car racing. You'd think SEC East fans would fall in love with a sport that features four or five scores per game, but apparently a 13-9 football game sounds much more Dixie than a 3-2 soccer game does.

There are soccer fans in Atlanta. One thing people don't get about Atlanta: there are fans of absolutely anything here. A team like the Silverbacks is in the advantageous position of selling itself to fans of the game, not just the team -- it's cool for FC Willie B to sell patches of Premier League teams, but that doesn't mean you should sell Kobe Bryant jerseys, Atlanta Spirit.

A common exchange:

"Soccer will catch on. Give it time."

"People been saying that for 20 years."

Doesn't make it any less true. But around here, you pay your respects in addition to your dues.

In 1966, the Atlanta Falcons chose to wear red, black, white and gold in honor of the Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Kennesaw St. Owls wear black and gold for the same reasons. Saturday night, the red-and-black Silverbacks put in work beneath a rainbow drummed up by a Georgia shower as sports fans without a team drank it all in.

 

11:50 PM