Yeah, Still Rooting for US

Pithy. Erudite. Loney.
Spain and England
Revisit MLS Cup 2011
Before the Calm
From now on, I will refer to Jameson’s whiskey as “Riot Squad potato salad.”

Hollywood Also Loves a Sequel
LA has the Cup along with their rainfall for the entire year, Cohiba Don got an early Christmas present and Sir David has every media outlet on the globe talking about what his future plans are.
Time to Get Schooled

Roger Allaway delivers a weekly dose of American soccer history.

Catching Minnows
Playing countries that are known more as beach resorts than as soccer powers isn’t always as relaxing as it sounds.

Sepp, Jack, & Bags o' Bills

No one is digging deeper into scandal than Bill Archer.

BigSoccer Has No Awards

The MLS Anti-Awards

Oh, One More Thing

Visit some of BigSoccer's other great blogs.

Paul Calixte
Dwreck
David Bolt
John Jagou
12:27 PM
On December 10, the World Futbol Tour will launch its 2nd small sided tour, theWFT 6v6 Tour, in NC and SC. The tour will be run separately from the WFT 3v3 Tour for youth players (entering its 3rd season), however, most of the events will include both tours. 
The 6v6 Tour Basics:
  • Local Qualifiers (1-day tourneys)
  • State 6v6 Champions Cups
  • WFT World Cup III (July 28-29, 2012)
  • 6v6 Tour Rankings
  • Affiliate Progams for 6v6 leagues and tourneys
The World Futbol Tour welcomes adult futbollers from across the country to join our tour. Game on!
World Futbol Tour Staff
If your soccer league or club/organization would like to host a 6v6 or 3v3/6v6 event or simply affiliate with the WFT 6v6 Tour, please email us atsupport@worldfutboltour.com for more details.

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6v6 Winter Season 2011-12
Local Qualifiers

REGISTER NOW ON LINKS BELOW
December 10 - Mooresville, NC 
(near Charlotte)
December 10 - Easley, SC
(near Greenville)
December 17 - Charleston, SC
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ATTENTION YOUTH FUTBOLLERS:
SEASON #3 KICKS OFF ON DECEMBER 10

BOYS AND GIRLS: U6-HS
12:18 PM
More about
Toronto FC»

MONTREAL—Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching has said loud and clear that if the Montreal Impact picked him, he would retire. But that didn’t stop the team from taking him as their No. 1 pick in the Major League Soccer expansion draft on Wednesday.

Montreal didn’t select any Toronto FC players.

After the draft, Toronto waived seven players who had been left unprotected: striker Javier Martina; defenders Demitrius Omphroy, Eddy Viator, Kyle Davies; and midfielders Leandre Griffit, Matt Gold and Gianluca Zavarise. Martina scored a highlight-reel goal in Toronto’s home opener in March but fell out of favour and had just one more league goal the rest of the way.

Impact head coach Jesse Marsch, who coached Ching on the U.S. national team, and sports director Nick De Santis hope to convince their No. 1 pick to come to Montreal for the start of the club’s 2012 season. But if that effort fails, the expansion team may use the 33-year-old forward as a bargaining chip with the Dynamo or other clubs that have expressed interest in the man who took home MLS championships in 2003, 2006 and 2007.

“We have the utmost respect for Brian, both as a player and a person,” said Marsch on Wednesday. “He made it clear he does not want to come here, but we think he represents good value. There are teams in the league who think the same thing.

“I want to consider what is best for Brian’s future, but I also want to consider what it best for the future of our club.”

Marsch noted Ching isn’t the first player who said he didn’t want to leave a city.

“But it’s a reality of the business. If you want to be a professional player, you must be open to the possibility of moving. It happens to all players and it will continue to happen. We believe he’s an excellent player. We’d bet on him here. If he doesn’t come, we’ll look at another scenario to improve our club.”

But the hidden treasure among the Impact’s picks may be 20-year-old defender Zarek Valentin, whom USA Chivas selected fourth in the MLS super-draft in 2011.

“There were so many people who were interested in him around the league,” Marsch said, adding Valentin is a player the team is interested in keeping.

Montreal also took Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Jeb Brovsky with its fifth pick.
11:16 AM
By ESPNsoccernet staff
AC Milan are refusing to comment on widespread reports that they have begun negotiations to sign rebel Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez on loan in January.

Carlos Tevez
GettyImagesCarlos Tevez: Still in Argentina.

• Milan considering Tevez move
• Zanetti talks up Tevez deal
Sky Sport Italia claim Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian met with Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and transfer director Ariedo Braida at the Italian club's head office on Thursday afternoon to discuss a deal.
It is believed City will demand a sizeable fee to take their unsettled striker on loan, with Gazzetta dello Sport claiming the Rossoneri may have to pay upward of €5 million to secure a temporary deal ahead of a potential permanent switch in the summer.
However, Milan would only say: "We cannot possibly comment on that. There is nothing we can say at all."
AWOL Tevez has fallen out of favour at City and fled to Argentina after being charged with misconduct and fined two-weeks' wages following his refusal to warm-up against Bayern Munich in September. He is expected to be sold in the summer, if not sooner.
Given the complete breakdown in the relationship between City and Tevez a number of European clubs are looking to broker a relatively cut-price deal for the 27-year-old. Inter Milan and PSG have already expressed an interest and AC Milan assistant coach Mauro Tassotti suggested on Monday that his club could also be interested.
Tassotti said: "Tevez to Milan? He is a great player but we need to evaluate his condition and his head because as well as technical ability, you need to be mentally ready to play. There are problems with Manchester City but it could be an idea."
Milan are expected to bring in a new forward in the January transfer window with Antonio Cassano sidelined for around six months following heart surgery.
Rossoneri legend Alessandro Costacurta said this week that Tevez could be the man to plug the gap at San Siro, although the former Milan defender also had a few reservations regarding the Argentine's behaviour.
"Tevez would be perfect to substitute Cassano," Costacurta said. "I get the impression that he could create some problems if he is left on the bench though - and that will happen at Milan when you consider the forwards they have in their squad.
"He would have to be managed properly. Nevertheless, he is the ideal attacker for Milan."
4:42 PM
This Sunday we will have our first kick around for the Pope Adult Winter League. This Sunday we will go from 7:00 - 8:30 and play two small sided games on the turf field to start sorting the teams. 

Show up early and be ready to start playing at 7:00. You must pay your league fee before you play, the cost is$60.00 in cash or a check made out to Pope Soccer Booster Club. After the first week I will post what rosters have been completed so far. If you have someone who wants to play be sure they come out! When all the spots are paid for the league is closed. No exceptions. Adult 11-11 Soccer League hosted at Pope High School in Marietta, GA.
This league is a tool used to help raise money to support Pope High School Soccer and provide local adults with a great venue to come together and play on Sunday evenings.Everything is ready for the Pope Soccer League winter edition (the only difference will be you get long sleeve shirts)

Please begin spreading the word and registering right away. Space is limited. Teams will be formed on the 1st two scrimmage nights. 

Schedule, registration, and other details on the website. 

https://sites.google.com/site/popemenssoccerleague
/Facility: Pope High School
3001 Hembree Road Northeast
Marietta, GA 30062-4202

Games are played in the stadium which is a new artificial grass field, dimensions of the field are 120x65. The artificial surface is playable in all weather conditions. Games will not be canceled because of rain!



12:36 PM

Champions League 2011-12

Arsenal 2
  • van Persie 49, 
  • van Persie 86
Borussia Dortmund 1
  • Kagawa 90+2
Robin van Persie, Chelsea v Arsenal
Robin van Persie. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
Doyle will be here from 7.15pm. In the meantime, here's David 
4:51 PM
Atlanta, GA – The Father Christmas Cup, which benefits families that recently lost a parent and holds an annual invitational soccer tournament fundraiser, announces the 2011 event at Atlanta Silverbacks Park on Saturday, December 10, 2011 from 1pm to 6pm. MediaFirst PR - Atlanta and Panorama Press are two of the very many annual sponsors of The Father Christmas Cup.

The purpose of The Father Christmas Cup is to provide comfort and financial support to a family who will be experiencing their first holiday season without a father. The annual event enables great generosity and community support from adult soccer players throughout metropolitan Atlanta.  The event is based around an annual soccer tournament fundraiser consisting of local soccer players, many of whom have ties to the beneficiary families.

The event venue is Atlanta Silverbacks Park, located at 3200 Atlanta Silverbacks Way, Atlanta, GA 30340. The Father Christmas Cup organizers would like to thank the Atlanta Silverbacks organization for its generous support this year and in the past.

The event exemplifies the power and unity of the Atlanta soccer community. According to Atlanta Soccer News, the community consists of adult players, past and present, from local adult leagues, such as ADASL, CASL, Dekalb, and Roswell. It consists of families, friends and business supporters, the adults who support youth soccer with their time, as coaches and referees, or funding as sponsors. The soccer community thanks our families for allowing us our healthy obsession.

How to Donate, Sponsor, Attend or Play

By mail, send donations to: Father Christmas Cup, Inc., 5300 Oakbrook Pkwy, Ste 200, Norcross, GA 30092. Checks should be made payable to "Father Christmas Cup, Inc."  Everyone is invited to attend. Attendees can buy a raffle ticket, t-shirt or make a donation on-site at the event. Click FatherChristmasCup.org to the website to make your donation online at any time.

For corporate sponsorship opportunities please contact Stephen O'Hare. Sponsors may also contribute in-kind donations, goods or services, such as for raffle ticket prizes. The event is an invitational tournament. For team registration, please contact Wade Meyer.

About The Father Christmas Cup

The purpose of The Father Christmas Cup is to provide comfort and financial support to a family who will be experiencing their first holiday season without a father. Each year, the directors of The Father Christmas Cup, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) non-profit, select a beneficiary family from the local community. The money is important, but the message of hope and love sent to the family at such a critical time is powerful and life changing.

The idea for The Father Christmas Cup originated from a 1914, World War I Christmas truce, when German and English soldiers stopped fighting and played a soccer match in the middle of no-man's land. The Father Christmas Cup uses as its fundamental basis this powerful depiction of hope for peace and civility and regard for one's fellow man. For more information or to make a donation online please visit FatherChristmasCup.org.
2:22 PM
FFC Frankfurt are the latest club to express interest in the 5 times consecutive World Player of the year, Marta.



Only last week, we reported that Swedish side Göteborg were interested in bringing the Brazilian player to the Damallsvenskan.



FFC manager Siggi Dietrich loves spectacular signings, and securing Marta to Frankfurt would be up there with one of the best. Dietrich feels Marta would be a worthy successor to Birgit Prinz.



Marta has recently finished a very successful WPS season with Champions WNY Flash and will soon be heading to Brazil international duty at the International Tournament of São Paulo's city this December.



What makes Marta such high demand? Not only is she a talented player on the field, both scoring and assisting goals. Her off the field work is admirable to; a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) she promotes women's empowerment. Her continued hard work has made Marta one of the most recognised names in women's football and would bring any club and league added exposure and promotion.



While rumours will continue to come in about where Marta will be moving to, if indeed she is deciding to leave the USA WPS league, we wish her luck and will continue to enjoy watching her make her mark at whatever club she chooses to join.
10:44 AM
New York, NY (Sports Network) - Philadelphia Union midfielder Freddy Adu and Sporting Kansas City forward Omar Bravo are among the players left unprotected for Wednesday's Major League Soccer Expansion Draft.

Adu, a one-time U.S. prodigy who debuted MLS in 2004 when he was 14, returned to MLS this season after an unsuccessful European stint and played 14 games in 2011 for the Union. He had two goals and assist.

Mexican international Bravo had nine goals and three assists in 27 matches for Sporting KC, which won the Eastern Conference regular season championship and advanced to the conference final in the playoffs.

The Montreal Impact join MLS in 2012, and will be able to select 10 players in the draft, which will be held at 3 p.m. (ET) Wednesday. Each MLS team had the opportunity to protect 11 players.

Generation adidas players (who did not graduate at the end of the 2011 season) and Homegrown players are automatically protected and do not count against a team's 11 protected roster spots. No team can lose more than one player in the draft.

Bravo is not the only designated player left unprotected, as Sporting KC also left Jeferson available, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC's Mustapha Jarju, Toronto FC's Julian de Guzman, New England's Revolution's Milton Caraglio, New York's Frank Rost, D.C. United's Branko Boskovic and Columbus Crew's Andres Mendoza are also available.

Columbus forward Jeff Cunningham, the all-time leading scorer in MLS history, and Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching were other notables left unprotected.

Following is a complete list of available players for the expansion draft:

Chicago Fire: Michael Banner, Diego Chaves, Jon Conway, Yamith Cuesta, Alec Dufty, Gabriel Ferrari, Dan Gargan, Baggio Husidic, Steven Kinney, Josip Mikulic, Cristian Nazarit, Daniel Paladini, Pari Pantazapoulos, Mike Videira, Kwame Watson-Siriboe.

Chivas USA: Sergio Arias, Andrew Boyens, Chukwudi Chijindu, Chris Cortez, Laurent Courtois, Simon Elliot, Victor Estupinan, Blair Gavin, Ante Jazic, David Junior Lopes, Michael Lahoud, Gerson Mayen, Marcos Mondaini, Zach Thornton, Mariano Trujillo, Zarek Valentin.

Colorado Rapids: Eddie Ababio, Andre Akpan, Quincy Amarikwa, Steward Ceus, Miguel Comminges, Stephen Emory, Caleb Folan, Mike Holody, Ian Joyce, Macoumba Kandji, Kosuke Kimura, Ross LaBeaux, Tyrone Marshall, Sanna Nyassi, Scott Palguta, Wells Thompson, Anthony Wallace.

Columbus Crew: Kevin Burns, Jeff Cunningham, Emmanuel Ekpo, Shaun Francis, Josh Gardner, Eric Gehrig, Cole Grossman, Andy Gruenebaum, Tommy Heinemann, Andres Mendoza, Justin Meram, Danny O'Rourke, John Owoeri, Santiago Prim, Alex Riggs, Dejan Rusmir, Ben Sippola, Corey Veeder, Joshua Williams.

FC Dallas: Daniel Cruz, Maicon dos Santos, Edson Edward, Maykel Galindo, Bruno Guarda, Jeremy Hall, Daniel Hernandez, Josh Lambo, Chris Seitz, Jack Stewart, Ricardo Villar, Bobby Warshaw.

D.C. United: Brandon Barklage, Branko Boskovic, Blake Brettschneider, Marc Burch, Steve Cronin, Austin Da Luz, Stephen King, Devon McTavish, Kurt Morsink, Joseph Ngwenya, Santino Quaranta, Jed Zayner.

Houston Dynamo: Brian Ching, Carlo Costly, Daniel Cruz, Hunter Freeman, Jason Garey, Evan Newton, Eddie Robinson, JeVaughn Watson, Cam Weaver.

LA Galaxy: Sean Alvarado, Chad Barrett, Chris Birchall, Paolo Cardozo, Adam Cristman, Leonardo Da Silva, Frankie Hejduk, Hector Jimenez, Bryan Jordan, Daniel Keat, Miguel Lopez, Dustin McCarty, Brian Perk, Dasan Robinson, Michael Stephens, Ryan Thomas.

New England Revolution: Darrius Barnes, Zak Boggs, Milton Joel Caraglio, Ryan Cochrane, Franco Coria, Mkhokheli Dube, Ryan Guy, Ryan Kinne, Alan Koger, Otto Loewy, Abdoulie Mansally, Tim Murray, Pat Phelan, Zack Schilawski, Andrew Sousa.

New York Red Bulls: Chris Albright, Stephane Auvray, Mehdi Ballouchy, Bouna Coundoul, Alex Horwath, Mychel Jones, Tyler Lassiter, Carlos Mendes, Brian Nielsen, Marcos Paullo, Carl Robinson, John Rooney, Frank Rost, Teddy Schneider, Greg Sutton.

Philadelphia Union: Freddy Adu, Juan Diego Gonzalez, Chase Harrison, Hasley Thorne Holder, Levi Houapeu, Morgan Langley, Justin Mapp, Stefani Miglioranzi, Kyle Nakazawa, Veljko Paunovic, Ryan Richter, Joe Tait.

Portland Timbers: Eric Alexander, Freddie Braun, Adin Brown, Michael Chabala, Bright Dike, Jake Gleeson, Kevin Goldthwaite, Eddie William Johnson, Rodrigo Lopez, Peter Lowry, James Marcelin, Ryan Pore, Steve Purdy, Chris Taylor, Spencer Thompson, Brian Umony, Sal Zizzo.

Real Salt Lake: Chris Agorsor, Jean Alexandre, Arturo Alvarez, Yordany Alvarez, Paulo Jr. Araujo, Cody Arnoux, Nelson Gonzalez, Ned Grabavoy, Rauwshan McKenzie, Timothy Melia, Kyle Reynish, Robbie Russell, Blake Wagner, Collen Warner, Andy Williams.

San Jose Earthquakes: Anthony Ampaipitakwong, Nana Attakora-Gyan, Bobby Burling, Bobby Convey, Ramiro Corrales, Joseph Gjertsen, Maxwell Griffin, Chris Leitch, Matt Luzunaris, Ellis McLoughlin, Jacob Peterson, Brad Ring, Scott Sealy, Tim Ward, Andrew Weber.

Seattle Sounders FC: Terry Boss, Servando Carrasco, David Estrada, Josh Ford, Michael Fucito, Leonardo Gonzalez, Taylor Graham, Patrick Ianni, Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque, Bryan Meredith, Miguel Montano, Pat Noonan, James Riley, Amadou Sanyang, Zacharias Scott, Michael Seamon, Tyson Wahl, O'Brian White.

Sporting Kansas City: Olukorede Aiyegbusi, Omar Bravo, Daneil Cyrus, Ibrahim Diop, Jeferson, Michael Harrington, Eric Kronberg, Scott Lorenz, Lawrence Olum, Joseph Peterson, Craig Rocastle, Soony Saad, Luke Sassano, Seth Sinovic, Milos Stojcev, Shavar Thomas, Konrad Warzycha.

Toronto FC: Danleigh Borman, Elbekay Bouchiba, Adrian Cann, Kyle Davies, Julian de Guzman, Matt Gold, Leandre Griffit, Peri Marosevic, Javier Martina, Demitrius Omphroy, Nick Soolsma, Nathan Sturgis, Eddy Viator, Dicoy Williams, Mikael Yourasskowsky, Gianluca Zavarise.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Michael Boxall, Jeb Brovsky, Joe Cannon, Bilal Duckett, Greg Janicki, Mustapha Jarju, Jonathan Leathers, Alexandre Morfaw, Jay Nolly, John Thorrington, Pete Vagenas.
9:20 AM

THE HISTORY OF Alianza Soccer Club


During the month of August of 2000, a new initiative emerged between a group of parents to create a new soccer team. The team that emerged was headed by Carlos Jacinto. Without much experience but with a great deal of enthusiasm, he began to work with a group of approximately 15 young players between 7 and 10 years old.

The first challenge was to select a name for the team. The second week they decided that the name of the team would be Alianza Latina: Alianza for the parents that decided to unite their kids into a team and Latina because all the players were Spanish speaking.

The second challenge was to decide the colors for the team's uniform. Pretty quickly the people decided that the first uniform's color would be orange and white. Since then these have always been the colors of Alianza.

For more than 18 months, Alianza Latina began its soccer quest with the orange and white colors around the Atlanta area and people began to recognize the team for their good soccer skills when they played in the first recreational league in Marietta. Alianza Latina began an inminent and continuous growth.

During this period of growth, Mr. Domingo Mondragon got incorporated into the club helping with coaching and technical matters. At that time, Alianza Latina had grown the number of players to approximately 35 young people.

In the year 2002, Mr. Jorge Loo began to work for the club, giving a turn of 360 degrees to all administrative matters of the club. Mr. Loo was the person responsable to find an opportunity for Alianza Latina to play organized soccer in the State of Georgia. The first months of 2002, Alianza Latina participated in a recreational program in Gwinnett county with excellent results.

During August 2002, with the management of Mr. Loo and the help of Mrs. Dot Smith (North Dekalb Soccer Association), Alianza Latina was admitted to their junior program and began to participate in competitions affiliated with the State of Georgia.

In 2003 the growth continued and we decided to change the name of the team. What began as a team of friends now was becoming transformed into a club. During the first months of 2004 we began to participate in competitions with the name of Alianza Soccer Club.

Since then, Alianza Soccer Club has won respect for the good soccer they play in the different categories, for their discipline and their respect to the other teams.


9:18 AM
Checking in with Chacon: MLS Cup
Posted in Amateur, Mens Pro on Tue, Nov 22, 2011



The Los Angeles Galaxy emerged as MLS Cup Champions on Sunday night, defeating the Houston Dynamo, 1-0, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Viewers across the country watched the title game, but few spectators were as connected to the game as Silverbacks Head Coach Alex Pineda Chacón.
While Chacón’s banner year in MLS came with the Miami Fusion in 2001, he spent time playing for three other teams within the league, one of them being the L.A. Galaxy. The Honduran spent the better part of the 2003 season with this year’s MLS champions, and he liked what he saw from his former club on Sunday night.
“After watching the game, I can say that the Galaxy controlled it from the beginning,” Chacón said. “They created a lot of chances, and with the way Houston was playing and just hoping for a counterattack, you knew the Galaxy probably only needed to score one to win.”
The Galaxy did just that in the 72nd minute when U.S. soccer icon Landon Donovan broke the deadlock, finishing past Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall for the game’s only goal. For Chacón, it was clear which team deserved the title.
“Houston had very little to say offensively, and if a few more chances fell the Galaxy’s way, the score could’ve been 4-0,” Chacón said. “In the end, they were fair winners and they played well enough to fully deserve the championship.”
Ever since David Beckham came into the fold in Los Angeles, the Galaxy has been made out to be somewhat of a “dream team” by MLS standards, but Chacón said the Galaxy’s roster was quite strong in his playing days as well. Chacón played in Los Angeles alongside celebrated teammates including Cobi Jones, Alexi Lalas, Sasha Victorine, Carlos ‘Pescadito’ Ruiz, and Mauricio Cienfuegos.
Sunday’s final took place in front of a sellout crowd of more 30,000 fans at the Home Depot Center. The Home Depot Center has been the Galaxy’s home base since 2003, and Chacón played in the first-ever MLS game there.
“I still remember that first game to this day — everything was so new,” Chacón said. “I got to see the stadium’s building process, and once it was finished, it was such an amazing place to play.”
6:24 PM
Cobb Classic
The 2012 Adidas Cobb Classic
Cobb County, NW Atlanta
February 11th/12th 2012
Click here to register

Welcome to the Adidas Cobb Classic! The Cobb Classic annually attracts almost 300 boys and girls U9 to U16 teams from all over the Southeast. Last year's tournament hosted teams from AL,FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, and VA across 45 divisions of play.
With so many teams across so many divisions, we'll be able to offer your team some excellent competition whatever your level of play, so come join us for the traditional Georgia soccer spring season kick-off event!
To view more information about the tournament and to register, please visit the tournament website by clicking here.
2:35 PM

The Soccer Six Tournament Series returns to Savannah for the 9th Annual Soccer Six Frost Bite Cup.  The adult 6-on-6 soccer tournament will be held December 10-11 at Chatham Soccer Complex.
Teams participating in the Frost Bite Cup may compete in any one of eight adult divisions: Men's A, B, 30+, 40+ Women's A & B or Co-ed A & B. ( A - premier, B - competitive.) 
The Frost Bite Cup is part of the 2012 Soccer Six Tournament Series, a network of six-a-side soccer tournaments that provides amateur adult soccer players a chance to compete in local and regional qualifying events in FL, GA, SC, NC & VA.
Tournament weekend includes a three-game guarantee and players’ party.
                                             
The fast-paced Soccer Six game is played on a 60 x 40 yard pitch with five field players and a goal keeper.  Goal sizes are 6 1/2 x 12 feet, and a smaller size 4 ball is used. Rosters are limited to 10 players.
Co-ed games require two females on the field at all times, and each goal scored by them is worth two scores.

Over twenty five teams are expected to compete in this year's tournament. Adult players or teams interested in competing during the Soccer Six Tournament Series may contact Bear Foot Sports at:843/757-8520 or visit our web site at http://www.bearfootsports.com/soccer.htm

9:48 AM

Celtic Pride
THE CELTIC PRIDE
Savannah, GA
December 3 and 4, 2011

U8 to U18 Age Groups!!!

Games will be played at Savannah's Premier Soccer Facilities
11v11 option for U12 Boys and U12 Girls teams
Refund policy in place for weather/travel complications
Private access coaches lounge that is catered
All U10 games will have a crew of 3 referee's

Thank you for your interest in The Celtic Pride. The staff and membership of Savannah Celtic FC are committed to making The Celtic Pride the best possible experience for all of your teams. This tournament attracts the very best Recreational, Academy, Select, and Classic teams in the Southeast Region. It is our goal to offer excellent competition for U8 to U18 age groups. 
8:37 AM
Congratulations to AYSA Academy Player Donnell Worthem (U11 Blue) for being selected to attend the AC Milan Academy soccer camp in Milan, Italy. During his week in Milan in October, Donnell was joined by other players from around the world and received training from some of the best coaches in Europe at the world famous Milanello Facility. The players also attended an AC Milan game and had access to behind the scenes opportunities, including meeting AC Milan players. Donnell recently learned he was selected for the AC Milan Elite Junior team! Donnell will be joined on the team by 11 other players from around the world including South America, Europe, and even South Africa. As part of the team, Donnell will have the opportunity to travel and compete with the team off-season. 

Congratulations to Donnell for being selected for this opportunity of a lifetime!
4:13 PM
With the 16 teams competing in Euro 2012 now selected and the qualifying process complete, all eyes look to Poland and Ukraine as time ticks down. The seeding for the selection of the group stages has been completed also, with the draw for the pool stages happening in Kiev on December 3rd. English and Irish fans will look for a favourable draw, but both nations will know that the competition is packed with top teams.


Pot 1

Pot 1 consists of co-host Poland and Ukraine, world champions Spain and a technically gifted Netherlands side; most participants will be keen to draw the hosts rather than the other two powerhouses.
SPAIN

Spain’s mantle as the top team in the world has been slightly diminished of late, as poor results in friendlies against Spain and Costa Rica have tarnished the end of 2011 for La Roja. Vicente Del Bosque has a plethora of players to choose from however, with a strong base from Barcelona and Real Madrid making up the majority of the team.

The Spaniards midfield is still as menacing as ever, with Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso world class players that opponents will struggle to compete against; however Xavi is still Spain’s main man and will orchestrate long periods of possession for the world champions.
NETHERLANDS

Royal Netherlands Football Association Logo Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewHolland impressed during the qualifying rounds, and again must go into the tournament as one of the favourites. Bert van Marwijk’s men, similar to Spain, have had an under-par end to the year however, as the Oranje lost their last qualifying game to Sweden and were put to the sword by Germany in a recent friendly, losing 3-0.

Despite this the squad is full of talent and a number of young players are battling the established names for a place in the starting XI. Although their defence at times can be questioned, their attack cannot.

Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder will look to provide chances for red hot striker Robin van Persie. The Arsenal man is proving himself to be one of the top hitmen in Europe, and will look to fire his nation to glory.
POLAND

Polish Football Association logo Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewOn of the downfalls of hosting a major tournament is the fact that you do not get to take part in qualification, and Polish fans will hope that Franciszek Smuda’s men do not suffer due to a lack of competitive fixtures. Solid performances in friendlies over the last 12 months have seen the host draw with Germany and beat the likes of Belarus and Hungary; the home crowd will also play a key part in their chances.

Borussia Dortmund attacker Robert Lewandowski was a key figure in the German club’s Bundesliga success last season, and will be counted on to get goals for the Eastern European side.

Poland are co-hosts.
UKRAINE

Logo of Football Federation of Ukraine Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewUkraine have had inconsistent form over the last year, and with the glory days of Sergei Rebrov and Andriy Shevchenko over, Oleg Blokhin has had to look to the youth in his side.

Dynamo Kiev forward Andriy Yarmolenko holds the weight of expectation on his shoulders, as the 22-year-old has shown the necessary promise to fill the boots of the generation before him.

Ukraine are co-hosts.


Pot 2

England find themselves in the second tier of the seeding, alongside old enemy and highly-fancied Germany; 2006 World Cup winners Italy and an unpredictable Russia team make up this quartet.
ENGLAND

England crest 2009 Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewEngland have been inconsistent over the qualifying rounds, and despite showing their quality at times can also lack creativity and the ability to break teams down. Fabio Capello will be buoyed on by an unbeaten qualifying campaign and friendly victories over Spain and Sweden, but will look for more from his team if they are to pose as realistic challengers.

Wayne Rooney’s absence in the pool stages will be a real blow for The Three Lions, and the Italian coach will be under pressure to find a replacement that can fire the side into the knockout rounds. Scott Parker has really matured over the last 12-18 months, and the Tottenham man could showcase the determination and will to win to inspire his team-mates; a North London central midfield partnership alongside Jack Wilshere could just prove the balance England needs.
GERMANY

DFBEagle Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewGermany, as always when a major tournament rolls round, must be considered as serious contenders.

Joachim Low has comprised a squad with an enviable mix of experience and youth, and a flawless qualifying campaign proves testament to the side’s motivation to succeed.

The German side is packed full of quality, but playmakers Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze in particular have vital attributes in creating chances for sharpshooter Mario Gomez.
ITALY

FIGC logo Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewItaly traditionally have blown hot and cold when it comes to international tournaments, and the Azzurri this time round have shown inconsistency and a lack of a real killer instinct in the qualifying rounds.

Cesare Prandelli has a football mad nation keen to recapture the glory days, and a wide ranging player base to choose from – however the side in blue will most likely adopt cautious tactics and look to win fixtures by the odd goal.

Mario Balotelli looks to have been given a real chance to start up front in the absence of Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Cassano, and may lead the line alongside Juventus’ Alessandro Matri.

However the key man for Italy will be at the back, where Giorgio Chiellini will look to emulate great Italian central defenders of the past, and organise a stubborn rearguard upon which the midfield and attack can build upon.
RUSSIA

rnft Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewDick Advocaat’s Russian side will fancy their chances of upsetting some of the bigger names, as the proximity of the tournament favours the Eastern European side. A solitary defeat in qualification has shown that Russia are an emerging superpower in the game, and they undoubtedly harbour a number of excellent players.

Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko are struggling currently at their North London clubs; the experienced duo will need to find their form to inspire a talented but not yet proven team.


Pot 3

The third pot is made up of four seasoned and competitive nations, as Portugal, Sweden, Croatia and Greece lie in wait. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahmovic and Cristiano Ronaldo are first rate players in supposed third rate teams, but none of the participants in this pot will be pushovers.
PORTUGAL

Portugal FPF crest Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewPortugal were beaten to the top of Group H by Denmark, but the Iberian nation powered past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs to book their place at Europe’s top table. Coach Paulo Bento has ruffled some feathers since taking charge of the team, with veteran duo Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa retiring from international football after falling out with the former midfielder.

Despite the absence of the experienced pair, Portugal still have an abundance of quality, with the likes of Nani and Joao Moutinho sure to terrorise opposition defences. Their key man is obviously Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and if the 26-year-old can replicate the form and goalscoring ability he shows for his club on the international stage, Portugal will take some beating.
SWEDEN

Sweden national football team logo Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewThe Swedes have a technically gifted and balanced side, made from a mix of players playing in their homeland and the top European leagues. Erik Hamren’s side qualified as a top runner up in qualification, and had they not had Netherlands in their group may well have topped a pool.

Temperamental but clearly gifted Zlatan Ibrahimovic hold the nation’s destiny in his hands.

Although Ibra was ineffective in the recent game against England at Wembley, his club record tells a completely different story. It will be a long-shot, still, to believe that he can single-handedly take his nation all the way through the competition.
GREECE

Greece National Football Team Euro 2012 Nations A team by team preview
The Euro 2004 champions look to have recovered form and showcased some excellent football in an unbeaten qualification process.

Fernando Santos’ squad still has some remnants from the triumphant side from seven years ago, which is complemented by exuberant youngsters breaking into the international fray.

PAOK striker Dimitris Salpingidis has learnt from some of the senior goal-getters in recent Greek history, and has the ability to cause opposition defences a headache.
CROATIA

Croatia football federation Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewSlaven Bilic’s men made the finals by comprehensively beating Turkey 3-0 in the playoffs, and should not be written off. The Croats follow Luka Modric’s direction, and the Tottenham playmaker has the ability to hurt any side in the world, whilst Bayern Munich attacker Ivica Olic will be keen to add to his tally of 15 international goals.

Modric’s club teammate Niko Kranjcar and Bolton Wanderers’ Ivan Klasnic will also be available for selection. Both of them last played for the national team in October against Latvia.


Pot 4

Finally, Republic of Ireland find themselves in the lowest tier of seeding for the tournament, but will have expected this. Giovanni Trapattoni’s men are bunched alongside an under-performing France, dark horses Czech Republic and Denmark.
FRANCE

Le nouveau logo FFF Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewFrance have not shown enough quality to make it into the top pots, and the French public will not be happy as being deemed as a fourth-tier side. A late goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured Les Bleus automatic progression to the tournament, but their form in qualification was nothing to write home about.

Laurent Blanc is widely seen as the man to spark a renaissance, and the coach undoubtedly has talented players to call upon. Experienced international heads such as Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema will harbour most of the responsibility for leading their nation’s dreams – but look out for Sochaux playmaker Marvin Martin.

The starlet has rose to fame over the last 12 months, and his craft and guile has prompted many in the game to compare him to Zinedine Zidane; it could be Martin’s time to announce himself to the world game.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Ireland Football Team Badge Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewThe Emerald Isle will be competing in the European championships for the first time since 1988, and a wave of expectancy has washed over the country since a 5-1 aggregate victory over Estonia ensured Ireland’s place at the finals.

Giovanni Trapattoni still relies on old heads Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Robbie Keane, but faith should be put in some of the younger players such as Aidan McGeady to compete at the highest level.
DENMARK

Danish football crest Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewThe Danes qualified for the tournament by topping Group H ahead of Portugal, and Morten Olsen’s men will go into the competition full of confidence.

If the Scandinavians can get off to a good start they will be a match for most, and in Christian Eriksen they have one of the brightest prospects in the world game. The Ajax midfielder will look to impress to force a transfer to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, and has the energy and guile to win a game for Denmark.
CZECH REPUBLIC

Czech Republic FA Euro 2012 Nations A team by team previewIt is fair to say that the Czech Republic are not the force that once saw them challenge for international tournaments in the 2000′s, but Michael Bilek’s men will still provide a tricky test to their opponents next year.

Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky captains the side and is a talisman for the nation, but the Czechs are going through a transitional period as a number of the under-21 players make the step up to the seniors.

However, still the elders of the team, like Milan Baros, carry the hopes of their nation.

So there you have it; although there is a lot of football to be played before Euro 2012 starts in earnest, most of the major players in the continent will have one eye on the finals. With the groups being drawn in the forthcoming weeks excitement over the tournament should build, as there are many nations that could realistically experience glory next year.
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