30Nov/100
David Beckham Rumor: Star Accused of Affair With LA Lingerie Saleswoman
Reports this morning claim LA Galaxy and England star David Beckham has been accused of an affair with an unnamed lingerie saleswoman. The Daily Mail reports Bauer Media, who publish In Touch magazine, have alleged in secret court documents that Beckham slept with the LA-based woman several times. Beckham is already suing Bauer for £16 million over claims he slept with Bosnian Irma Nici, and it appears the publisher is looking to add weight to their case. But a Beckham source said the new claims were "completely unsubstantiated," and maintained the global superstar would go "full throttle" to clear his name.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com30Nov/100
Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs, Nov. 29, 2010
Morgan Freeman joins the fray for World Cup 2022 pushThursday, Dec. 2, 2010 will mark the day that will determine if the United States of America gets to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan will be making a presentation with the USA Bid Committee, and Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman will be in person to help state its case.The USA will be the fourth of the five bids to present on Wednesday in the hope of landing the 2022 World Cup. The FIFA Executive Committee will then conduct its final vote on Thursday at FIFA House (8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT), followed by the formal public announcement of the winning bid at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.Freeman, who is already a member of the US Bid Committee’s Board of Directors, will be joined for the presentation by US President Bill Clinton, US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati and Los Angeles Galaxy and American soccer star Landon Donovan. The presentations of each of the bidding nations will be streamed live on FIFA.com.The official unveiling of the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be televised live on Thursday in the United States via ...29Nov/100
Benny Is Back: D.C. United Sign Ben Olsen as Head Coach
Until an earlier announcement from the local media, there was much conversation across MLS as to whom would become the head coach for D.C. United next year. Given the fact that Kevin Payne even said that Ben Olsen, the interim head coach at the time, was not going to be taking the full reins next year, there was even more question as to who would become the Black-and-Red's seventh head coach. When the news broke that Olsen was going to be the new coach, it even surprised Olsen, himself. “I was surprised; I was,” he said. “I had my mind fully prepared to go back into an assistant coach role and resume learning the trade." That all changed when the United not only announced that Olsen signed a three-year contract as head coach, but when Payne said that he was the best fit for the job based on their knowledge of not only the game, but of the D.C. community in general. “It just became more and more apparent to us that Ben Olsen fit that bill better than any of the other candidates with whom we were speaking,” Payne said when describing why the United hired Olsen. Ready or not, the United will begin their ...29Nov/100
Cosmos Academy: The Heirs to the New York Cosmos’ Legacy
“The Cosmos are back in the field again and hopefully this is the base of what is going to go in the future.” – Giovanni Savarese; Director of the Cosmos Academy East While the New York Cosmos expect to join Major League Soccer for the 2013 season, Cosmos fans have the opportunity to see the Cosmos Academy in action. For the first time in 25 years, the New York Cosmos fielded a team that wasn’t playing an anniversary game. Making their debut, the Cosmos Academy U-18 team kicked off its season and demonstrated they are the New York Cosmos as they defeated Branford, Connecticut’s own South Central Premier Soccer Club, 3-2 at the Floyd Bennett Field. On a November Saturday where the weather was cold but the enthusiasm caliente, Cosmos fans witnessed the next generation of Cosmos players razzle-dazzle both the crowd and their opponents with their 4-3-3 style of play. For many parents in attendance, seeing their son in a New York Cosmos kit was evidence enough that the Cosmos have already arrived. While I covered the game from the stands, I had the privilege to meet Ozzie Torres’ parents, Osvaldo and Elizabeth. Both are from Paraguay, and thanks to the Paraguayan duo ...27Nov/100
Los Angeles Galaxy’s Australia Visit Ends in 2-1 Loss to Newcastle Jets
Two words: utterly tragic. Even though this was just an international friendly for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy, this was a lamentable ending to a season that otherwise had a lion's share of success. There was just no way a team that is eighth in a league of 11 in Australia should defeat a side that finished at the top in its own league of 16 (soon to be 18), right? But it happened. History was made in New South Wales' Hunter Region. Before a crowd of over 23,000 at EnergyAustralia Stadium in Newcastle, the Galaxy ended their year with a 2-1 loss to the host Newcastle United Jets FC. It was an unimpressive effort from Los Angeles that saw a goal by Juninho disallowed in the first half. That allowed Newcastle's Labinot Haliti to score a decisive strike in the 57th minute. I still have to wonder why this match did not end in a 2-2 draw. Clearly the goal by Juninho was legit because it passed the line. Unfortunately, the A-League's officiating has made MLS's counterparts look solid. I will have to say that the Jets put on a dazzling performance defensively, winning possession and frustrating the attack. But Los Angeles didn't take this match seriously. ...27Nov/100
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Newcastle Jets: Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)
It's one last hurrah this year for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy as they take on the Newcastle United Jets FC in the Qantas Challenge, live from EnergyAustralia Stadium in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Follow the action live on Bleacher Report as Landon Donovan, David Beckham and the rest of the Los Angeles Galaxy take on Branko Culina's Jets of the Hyundai A-League!Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com26Nov/100
Is Landon Donovan Considering a Return to Everton?
Los Angeles Galaxy captain Landon Donovan is apparently considering whether to play on loan or not prior to the club's Nov. 27 friendly match with the Newcastle United Jets.“My plan is to rest over the next few weeks and get in a mental place where I can make a proper decision,” Donovan said. “If you ask me today, I’d probably say no because my body is exhausted."“If you ask me in two months, I’d probably say yes because I’d be excited again. Once I come down from all this, see how my body feels, then I can figure it out.”Donovan's previous loan was to Premier League side Everton for 10 weeks and proved to be successful in his ventures with the Toffees.After rejoining Bruce Arena's Galaxy in March, the possibility of bringing back Donovan has gained more than just a mere footing.Aside from his club efforts, which saw him notch seven goals and an MLS-leading 16 assists, Donovan scored three goals for the USA men's national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The schedule left Donovan very fatigued.“It’s our job. That’s what we do. A lot of players do it around the world,” Donovan admitted. “The way the ...25Nov/100
DP Geovanni Released by San Jose Earthquakes
Earlier today, the San Jose Earthquakes released their first ever Designated Player, Geovanni. The ex-Hull City striker was released because of his high expenses and his lack of scoring, according to San Jose Earthquakes staff. The Brazilian was a critical factor in the Earthquakes' late-season push for the playoffs, which was highlighted by a semifinal run before bowing out to the eventual MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids. He came in midseason and made an immediate impact in the club's midfield, tallying a goal and three assists in his debut season. This has become a more commonplace trend, as clubs begin to emphasize building a core team of inexpensive, hard-working individuals that fit within a club's salary cap, which is currently $2.55 million. MLS is currently the one of the few premier soccer leagues in the world that implements a salary cap on its clubs. Another notable league is Australia's A-League. Ever since the DP rule was introduced in 2007, only one club with a DP has won the MLS Cup, the Columbus Crew in 2008. However, 2009 was the only year a club won the MLS Supporters' Shield without a DP. Perhaps those statistics of clubs with cheaper rosters and success are what San Jose is trying to mimic next season.Read ...25Nov/100
MLS Cup TV Ratings Down 44 Percent From 2009: Why MLS Should Worry
Yesterday afternoon, Goal.com reported that the recent television ratings for the MLS Cup final were lower—much lower—than the previous year. They were the lowest ratings in over a decade. The 2010 MLS Cup drew a nation-wide audience of about 1.1 million viewers, resulting in a 0.5 TV rating, down from last year's 0.9. We can look at these depressing statistics and presume that's the result a few things: unpopular teams playing in the final; it was prime-time on a Sunday; the American Music Awards were on; or there was an National (American) Football League match-up between Philadelphia and New York. However, Major League Soccer cannot use these excuses for their cup final; the match that's supposed to be the flagship of the league, to show the league's best, drew weaker ratings than regular season matches. MLS needs to accept the unfortunate realities of the American mainstream. Sunday Night and MLS Don't Mix Well If there's an NFL game on TV and Major League Soccer teams playing, odds are most people would pick NFL over MLS. Even the World Cup final drew twice as fewer ratings than last season's Super Bowl (28.5 and 53.0 respectively). It's not to say that MLS should not have their cup final on that ...25Nov/100