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Showing entries for Category: DC-United
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Gallardo and Beckham
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As members of Argentina and England, respectively, Marcelo Gallardo and David Beckham faced one another in both the 1998 World Cup and the 2002 World Cup. Funny enough, they were never on the field at the same time: in the second round in 1998, David Beckham got sent off in the 47th minute while Gallardo came on in the 68th and then converted in Argentina's penalty shootout win. In 2002, Beckham scored the game's only goal, from the penalty spot, as Gallardo watched from the bench. Even more funny, how badly Gallardo did not want to talk about either of those games. "No me interesan esas cosas en absoluta," is what I'm pretty sure he said. Loosely translated: "No friggin' way." In any case, they will meet again on Sunday. Here are Gallardo's thoughts. First, on Beckham: "He’s obviously a great player. He’s shown that in every team he’s been in, and he can really read the game well." Second, on the hype: "I think it’s weird, actually, that a game is getting so much attention because back where I’m from, every game is like this. But obviously, it’s good that a game like this is getting all this attention, that’s it’s on national television. It’s good for the sport of soccer." Third, on the weather: "I don’t understand why you would have a game at noon when it supposed to be such a big show, and there’s so many people coming to the game, that it’s such an important game. I don’t think that’s the ideal time for a game for athletes to play. It’s going to be so hot and humid. I just think that it’s sort of a contradiction because you’re trying to bring in so many people. But then it’s not going to be the best show because it’s a time of the day when it’s difficult to play." Also, here's what others had to say about Becks and Gallardo: Santino Quaranta: "Just to have them on the field again together, for me as a young player, it’s a dream. I’m very excited to watch those two. They’re brilliant. Even with a guy like Jaime [Moreno], that’s three soccer brains that are brilliant. For the people watching, it really is something. It’s rare to see three players on the field like that." Gonzalo Peralta, on the 1998 match: "I don’t remember the match really well. I remember the whole country was excited, but always when you play against England... In my country, soccer is the most important, everyone takes it very personally so everyone was excited... Against England, because the problem they have with us, it’s a game you always want to win. You can’t forget those games." Moreno, on Gallardo: "He’s used to playing with a sold out stadium so for him to come to a new kind of football, a new city and all that, it’s going to be exciting. I’m sure he’s excited like everyone else." |
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Niell voted off
| Shocker, D.C. United released Argentine forward Franco Niell, freeing up an international roster spot and $150K from its salary cap total five days before Major League Soccer’s contract guarantee deadline on July 1. The 24-year-old, on a one-year loan from Argentinos Juniors, struggled in first team games, collecting one assist in seven appearances (three starts). The diminutive striker (listed at 5-foot-4) had four goals and an assist in five reserve matches. |
Mediate out for Galaxy game
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D.C. United midfielder Domenic Mediate, who watched the final whistle of Sunday's win over San Jose in a daze behind the end line, said his mild concussion will keep him out for the rest of the week, and he won't start running again until next Monday. Mediate picked up the knock initially in United's reserve match last Wednesday, and then started to experience symptoms again just before the end of the match against the Earthquakes. "I felt like I was on a moving floor," said Mediate. "We are going to be very cautious when it comes to head injuries, and we'll just keep him out for a week," said United head coach Tom Soehn. |
As promised, and other DCU ideas
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Okay, maybe it's not a profile piece -- practice was closed today -- but here are a couple quotes on D.C. United defender Gonzalo Martinez from last weekend's match: Clyde Simms: "For a defender, he has so much composure. I think he throws guys off because he has some moves, and he’s so fast, and he’s good with the ball." Devon McTavish: "He’s great going forward for us, and he provides a different mentality, in terms of an outside back. We’re getting used to covering him when he goes on his runs, and he’s tough to stop when he goes forward. He’s got great feet, he’s fast, he’s quick, he provides a lot for us." Martinez himself spoke through and interpreter after the win over New York the weekend prior, comparing the ups and downs he's witnessed so far with D.C. United with what he's seen before in his career: "I think it’s normal, any club in the world, when things don’t go well to begin with, you get a lot of criticism. You have to perform. I’ve played at bigger clubs in my career, and it’s no different at D.C. United. I think that now, collectively, as a group, we’re starting to gel, and the results are going our way." Two other items I've been pondering. First, the goalkeeper situation (shocker). I asked DCU general manager Dave Kasper whether backups Jose Carvallo or James Thorpe were ready to start next week's U.S. Open Cup match. He passed, and recommended I ask head coach Tom Soehn. Fair enough. Kasper also said not to expect any new faces [trialists, signings] in training this week. Second, I wondered what the deal is with the Designated Player rule in terms of limitations associated with traded DP slots. In particular, D.C. United is preparing to offer a long-term deal to Luciano Emilio even though there is a finite time period in which the team owns the DP slot it acquired from Colorado in the Christian Gomez trade. But have no fear, basically the deal is this: the DP rule is under a trial run through the 2010 season -- meaning MLS can do whatever it wants and change the rules in whatever way it sees fit. While teams may need a specific DP slot to acquire players, don't expect that they'll need it to keep those players down the line, i.e. DCU's "special circumstances" mean the team could be extended the same grandfather-style treatment as the Los Angeles Galaxy -- who essentially have three DPs (David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Carlos Ruiz). I'm not sure how the Red Bulls will be affected if/when Claudio Reyna retires, whether or not they'll have to return the DP slot they acquired from Chivas USA. It's important to note that the DP has been regarded pretty much as a resounding success. Don't expect MLS to reign it back in the coming years. If anything, expect the rules to widen. I just wonder whether the salary cap will widen enough, too. |
Summer of D.C. United
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Who needs to spend $100 per tank of gas driving out of town for your summer vacation when you can simply get on the Metro and head to RFK? Petrol-friendly D.C. United, aside from the U.S. Open Cup (darned SoccerPlex) and maybe the SuperLiga semifinals, won't leave town again until Aug. 10. The fun starts Sunday afternoon versus San Jose. 15,000 tix have already been sold. Why is playing at home so great? Goalkeeper Zach Wells: "We’ve got a couple new babies on the team [Fred, Gonzalo Peralta, and assistant coach Mark Simpson]. Those guys can maybe rest a little more at ease, and you don’t get the fatigue that comes with traveling across the country so much, playing at altitude or flying all over the place. As our record shows, we’re doing pretty good at RFK, and I think we’re comfortable here. That’s another thing at this point of the season we really need our home support, and we need to go on a good run here." Hmmm, I recall sleep being prized above all else for new daddies, and surely it's easier to obtain in a hotel room than down the hall from the crib. Just saying, but I digress. What's different about United's playing style at RFK? Head coach Tom Soehn: "I think we tend to pressure a little bit higher. It’s the nature of the beast at home, which is a good thing if you’re winning balls high. I just want to make sure that through this stretch of having home games, you don’t get broken down, and now set yourself up for the counter. That’s something, you still have to be disciplined and make sure when you doing that, you do it with the proper numbers and keep your shape. That’s something you always worry about." |
D.C. United's goalkeeper search underway
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With more and more games being added to D.C. United's schedule, including six CONCACAF Champions League fixtures this fall, a U.S. Open Cup match just around the corner on July 1, and a pending rescheduled game with Houston, the team has begun to work on improving its situation at goalkeeper, with French goalkeeper Manuel Villaurio and United youth team and DeMatha goalkeeper Bill Hamid in training with the team this week. Recapping United's goalkeeper dilemma: Zach Wells plays all the time, as Jose Carvallo hasn't impressed at all and in fact hasn't played since D.C.'s 4-0 loss in Real Salt Lake. Third-string goalkeeper James Thorpe started the team's most recent reserve match. (Speaking of which, United's reserves will host Toronto's reserves tomorrow at 10am on the training field. Admission is free. Who will start in the net, I wonder?) Villaurio, 21, comes from AS Monaco, where he is under contract but out of favor. He's on trial with DCU through the end of the week, according to United general manager Dave Kasper. Hamid's situation is a bit more complicated. A United youth team prospect, the 17-year-old recently went to England with the U.S. under-20 national team and then traveled on to Glasgow for a trial with Celtic. The Scottish club is in negotiations with him on an academy contract. However, United could make it tempting for Hamid to stay in Washington. DCU expects to discuss options with him after evaluating him over the next week or two, said Kasper. Other notes from training: Jonathan Larossa, who is apparently Marcelo Gallardo's brother-in-law and just, played well in training. Another DeMatha and DCU youth player, Darnell Edwards, was in training with the pros on Monday. |
UEFA? We don't need no stinkin' UEFA
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Time for Champions League -- CONCACAF style!! Yeah, it might take a while for it to catch on. |
Craving something sweet after D.C. weather wreaks more havoc
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Just got back from trying to catch the U.S. Open Cup first round match between USL-2 newbie Real Maryland and USASA's Pancyprian Freedoms. NO DICE! Lightning scares people who don't want to be sued. So the match is moved to Friday at 8, again at Maryland SoccerPlex. The Monarchs will have to get Saturday's league match at Harrisburg rearranged... With that done, ponder the following for some sweet dreams: - Fred is a daddy. So sweet. - My personal affinity for Spain -- which thanks to David Villa's hat trick, thumped Russia, 4-1 -- due to my sweet semester abroad in Madrid back in the 90s. - Zlatan Ibrahimovic's super sweet strike in Sweden's 2-0 win over Greece. That was the vaunted inside-out forehand of soccer -- way harder than the tennis shot made famous by Jim Courier. - The U.S. roster for Barbados. Sweet? Only if Freddy Adu and Landon Donovan both start. And at the risk of getting in trouble and with all due respect, is Michael Bradley already untouchable? Just saying. - A shout out on Grant Wahl's blog. Sweet. |
Themes of the week
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Here's what I'm thinking about. In order: D.C. United, U.S. Soccer, and Euro 2008: First off, D.C. United can seriously make some reservations for the primo pool-side lounges, as it's stifling hot in Washington, and they're not leaving town again for a long while. If they don't go on the road for the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, they won't have another away game UNTIL AUGUST 10. That's about the exact opposite of the Kansas City Wizards, who will play a regular season game at home this weekend for the first time in over TWO MONTHS. United has submitted a bid to host it's U.S. Open Cup third round match at Maryland SoccerPlex on July 1. As for the rematch with Houston, D.C. wants it in July, Houston wants it in September. Both teams await a ruling from league headquarters. Speaking of United, how about Luciano Emilio's performance, which earned him my vote for player of the week. D.C. had to adopt the total war strategy, sacrificing both Bryan Namoff and Marcelo Gallardo to red cards in the win at Chicago. Depth issues are part of what got United into trouble in the first place. I thought Cuauhtemoc Blanco's work rate really suffered in the second half of that match... As for the U.S., Tim Howard was a star against Argentina -- can we get some love for former Maryland Terrapin Dan Califf, too? -- and U.S. head coach Bob Bradley needs to find a way to get Freddy Adu and Landon Donovan on the field together to start this weekend against Barbados. Period. Oh, and Eddie Johnson needs to be on the bench. Period. Can't wait for today's matches in Euro 2008: Romania/France at noon followed by Netherlands/Italy at 2:45. Poor Austria, what a valiant effort yesterday. |
Post-deluge thoughts
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I mulled over last night's flash flood at RFK Stadium as I walked home from the Metro into a dark neighborhood -- oooooh, creepy -- where the power was still out this morning. Sunlight also revealed a massive felled tree on top of a car down the block, and apparently another neighbor had a tree invade his house. Carnage. My first thought, things happen in threes: Monday -- Comcast SportsNet replays D.C. United's soaking 1996 MLS Cup win. Tuesday -- Comcast SportsNet replays D.C. United's soaking 1997 MLS Cup win. Wednesday -- Comcast SportsNet broadcasts D.C. United's soaking 15 minutes. There's nothing like Championship Week. Second, how did the match ever kickoff in the first place? At 8 pm -- following the first 30-minute delay -- a quick glance at any weather radar suggested building an ark, not playing a soccer match. Third, D.C. United hosts Houston on Saturday, July 19, for SuperLiga, right before All-Star week. Surely the rematch should be right around then, since the Dynamo will already be in town. The biggest problem, however, is that it would be each team's fourth game in less than two weeks. If that July date doesn't happen, I forsee a midweek match in September. |
The Washington Examiner's Craig Stouffer blogs about soccer.
- Development Academy finals on ESPN
- Wells nets for World Cup-bound U.S. U-20 WNT
- Gallardo and Beckham
- What are you doing?
- Niell voted off
- A couple stops to make before Charlottesville
- Mediate out for Galaxy game
- As promised, and other DCU ideas
- Get ready for the Gonzalo Martinez profile pieces
- Summer of D.C. United
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Turner Classic Movies pick for July 6, 2008: Casablanca
