Ninja Attack In New York

Tim 'The Ninja" Cahill has officially signed for the New York Red Bulls and already has an exclusive interview up on the teams site. The new number 17 rounds out an already formidable attack in place at NY, and the edition of his contributions excites the piss out of me. 


From www.newyorkredbulls.com


“We are absolutely thrilled to bring in a player of Tim’s caliber to the Red Bulls,” said New York Red Bulls General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “He is the technical, physical presence we have been looking to add in our team and he brings a wealth of experience to our club having played in some of the highest levels of international soccer. Tim is a proven leader both on and off the field and we believe that he can help us immediately in our quest to win the MLS Cup this season.”  


For  a player standing 5'10, Cahill netted numerous headed goals for his previous club side Everton with his ninja like skills. What is most exciting about the Australian internationals signing is that he is at an age where he can make a impact for a handful of years. At 32, Cahill still has plenty to offer Major League Soccer and the signing of players like Cahill continues to contribute to the growth of the American game.

You've got to admire an attacking line up of Thierry Henry, Kenny Cooper, Sebastien Le Toux and Tim Cahill. Makes the LA Galaxy's attack look like Kris Kross.

Will David Beckham leave the Galaxy?

With the super nova footballing celebrity that Becks' is it would be no surprise if he was actually  leaving our galaxy to pursue football in Andromeda or some other galaxy yet discovered. But  on second  thought it might be hard to ping those passes without gravity.

Come Sunday the Los Angeles Galaxy will take the field with the Houston Dynamo, to compete for the MLS cup final, in a game that could be the last one played by David Beckham for the LA club. Beckham has been linked, strongly I might add, with the recent economically prosperous French club, Paris Saint-Germain. A club that has come into money recently, being bought by Qatari Investment Authority boasting backing worth 37 billion euros. PSG is building a super club and for their sporting director Leonardo, brand-Beckham is the final piece of the puzzle. 

Beckham is a status symbol, and for a club aspiring for Champions League football, the League 1 title and world-wide notoriety, Beckham's name alone will bring attention the world over. His shirt sales would practically pay his wages. Leonardo managed Beckham during his loan spells with AC Milan so he knows the player, knows what he can bring to the team, the club and the city of Paris, wanting to establish its self as a true footballing city.


Beckham came to the MLS in 2007, and in his tenure at the Galaxy opinions have been mixed over his play and devotion to the club, but in this last season, his devotion and will to fight for the club is apparent to see. A Player of the Year candidate, and winner of the Comeback Player award after bouncing back from an achilles injury, has lead the Galaxy to the MLS cup final with hard work and a un-soiling presence in midfield. 

The 36 year old is not getting any younger, but his fitness and play has barely wained since his prime playing at Manchester United and Real Madrid. Moving to PSG would be a massive move for the all parties included. MLS losing Beckham wouldn't be the biggest thing to happen, as the fanfare has subsided since his arrival at the Galaxy, but it might decrease the interest in those who are so-so on the sport. 


Having seen what he has done to the sport in the US,  I would render a guess that he would do the same for French football.  French football has always played the ugly cousin, so to say, to the Bundesliga, EPL, LA Liga and Serie A, but it is gathering steam. As a growing League 1 fan I would be delighted to see it grow even more.


If Beckham does go I will have deemed this time here as a success and will actually be a bit sad to see him go.

Fifa 12 Top MLS Rated Players.

With the release of Fifa 12 last week the world wide footballing public is once again presented with how their teams players' stand in terms numerical rating. With the top players of Messi and Ronaldo in the upper echelons of the 80's into the 90's, many fans wonder how their beloved MLS players stack up.  Looking at the list below you can clearly see that the LA Galaxy and NY Redbulls are well represented.

Having not yet bought the game, I remain interested in how the likes of Brek Shea  and Fredy Montero  rank compared toBeckham and Henry.

East vs. West aka: LA Galaxy vs. NY Redbulls

Tonights footballing action in America has the potential to be the star studded affair, in the classic rivalry of East vs. West. With both sides existing as the hubs for international players, David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane on the Westside, and Rafa Marquez and Thierry Henry on the East. A match-up that MLS fans drool over, has every possibility of being the fire fueled rivalry that it should be, and when the two clubs met 5 months ago they duked it out in a 1-1 tie that fit the build of the mammoth occasion.

Going into it:
Hans Backe's NY Redbulls had started the season in good form resting in first place for the first couple months of the season, but have since  lost their way plummeting like a meteorite from the heavens. Rafa Marquez has been an extreme disappointment, often the catalyst for their constant shipping of goals, whether alternated from midfield to center defense has looked a shadow the player who won the Champions League with Barcelona not tall that long ago. He has embraced the role of the pantomime-villain, boo-ed by the NY supporters when he touches the ball -only has been compounded by his recent calling out of teammates, blaming them for his short comings. Thierry Henry has been a productive player, having notched 13 goals but these high points have been masked by his disgruntled demeanor. Hans Backe has come under fire over his constant tinkering and his teams dismal record.


The LA Galaxy has looked a force in the West, constantly in and around the top spot looking a cohesive unit that has let in only 23 goals this season, nine fewer than any other team. Beckham leads the league with 15 assists, which is honestly what you expect from the man, even at his ripe age. Beckham, playing in his 5th, and final season on his contract has looked the best he has since arriving in the States, has some fire in his belly after getting into it with the Real Salt Lake manager Jason Kreis. Donovan has not traveled due to a problem with strained quadriceps, is a potential issue for the Galaxy going forward. With Robbie Keane looking a handy summer signing, should lead the line, but you can not shirk the value that Donovan has to the team. 


The game kicks off at 8pm ET, @ Redbull Arena on ESPN 2

Alex Morgan, Hope Solo And Miami Dolphins Mascot In: ESPN Fish Out Of Water

I remain continuously impressed with the comedic qualities of ESPNs commercials on all fronts,  but especially featuring the lovely ladies of the Women's National Team. I have found it sensational that both Alex Morgan and Hope Solo have been punting the women's game and soccer in general via various media outlets. The Women's National Team  marketing prowess seems to blow the MLS's out of the water, which in all truth seems to be non existent. I would like to pose this question. Is the fact that the Women are participation in these marketing schemes sending a desperate message to the American audience, as if to say, " come watch are game, we are entertaining and fun as well!" I  might be over analyzing  but I wonder if the MLS views this as sortof low and doesn't feel that participating in such acts necessary. Soccer  on a whole needs to be sold in the US and in terms of marketability the MLS is equal to the women's game, but fails to dip into that promise. 

Cesc finally signs for Barca!!! Thank Jesus! This and more...

Cesc has finally signed for his boy hood club of Barcelona, leaving the Arsenal for a fee of 35 million pounds. This makes me a jolly young lad, not for Cesc, but for my own personal reasons of never having the hear about this transfer deal ever again. This does bring the end of the longest transfer saga of all time, and  no matter what happens in this day, I will render it as a great one! It was Inevitable that cesc was going to get what he wanted, like a kid pouting in a toy shop. What bewilders me is why  he wants to go to a club where he won't necessarily get first team football. Xavi has a few goods years under his belt, at age 31, Andre Inesta, somewhat injury prone, but a fantastic player, who plain and simply starts when fit. It's the same situation of the Spanish National Team. Xavi, Inesta and Xabi Alonso start, not  Cesc. In terms of nostalgia, it's an inspiring transfer for the young Spaniard, but when looked at it seems a bit forced. With the emergence of future super-star, Thiago Alcantara, what's the point of Cesc?? Thiago is probably the person most disappointed with this transfer, also  Arsene Wegner and the Arsenal fans, but besides those few football fans can now rejoice over the end of the annoyingly arduous transfer saga, known as Cesc-gate.

After cast out at Liverpool, excess at Tottenham Robbie Keane has finally found some place to rest his head, and that is in the city known as La-la Land. The 31 year old Irish Captain signs for the Galaxy for a fee of $3.5 Million, a bargain considering this time-less relic still has some fantastic goals in him. The west coast giants are strengthening to prove their dominance over their east coast rivals, NY RedBulls who have been the DP procurers over the last few years.

MLS: The Football Star's Retirement Home.

With a increased influx of European  players migrating to the MLS, it makes me wonder... where is the attraction? Former Arsenal starlet Thierry Henry, Freddy Ljungberg, Frank Rost , German bull- dog Torsten Frings and last but not least David Beckham. These elder statesmen can no longer compete at the highest level (Ryan Giggs Excluded), due to miles on the engine. When you reach this point of your career it seems second nature now to follow the trend of becoming a Designated Player (DP) in the MLS. Forgive me but let me compare this to a similar event occurring in Baseball. The position, appropriately named (DH) or Designated Hitter is becoming obsolete.  A team in the American League must have this position in the team, a position reserved for the meaty-ist of sluggers;  big burly fore-armed men, who cannot field. Their sole purpose in the team is to hit.  These player's can play for  a longer duration of time due to the lack for action they see, somewhat akin to the lengthly careers of goalkeepers'. Once procurers' of high salaries the DH's now face a predicament as they age, and their value as a member of the team decreases. They suffer financially, as they they seem to hop annually in search of games. A role once valued has been left with it's star patrons  receiving 1 year deals, for far less money, instead of long well payed contracts. Only If they had a league that  equates to the MLS in Baseball to flock to. The DP isn't becoming obsolete, clearly seen by the growing number of them, but their situation coalesces with the DH, in that DPs have to seek out new pastures in lower profile leagues to play.


The fore-mentiond talent of Thierry Henry and company,  saw it harder to be picked at their respective club's, so in response they fashioned moves to the MLS and in return practically where guaranteed  first team football.  These marquee name players seem to be highly cultivated by MLS managers, but what attracts the player to MLS? Do they do it because the think it will be a cake-walk? Is it the pay? Surly not because of the salary-cap. The location? What's the attraction for these aging stars? When David Beckham signed for the LA Galaxy in 2007, it was HUGE deal! American soccer fans thought it was going to be the second coming having an international star of Beckham's stature playing soccer in the U.S.  Reasons for this astronomic move was due to Beckham wanting to market his worldwide brand more so than him wanting to be integral part of Soccer's growth in this country. Now, I am not sure if this is down to him, but ever since his arrival I have noticed that the game's popularity has come on leaps-an-bounds in this country. Moving to the MLS is a sure-fire way of  stars who have faded slightly to regain the spotlight. The excitement of a player of Torsten Frings or Thierry Henry playing in the United States get's endless attention, and American soccer fans eat that shit right up. It's a doubled edged sword sort-of situation, but not in the negative way it usually connotes. The player's get their spotlight, and the game get's publicity. Such big news end's up gracing ESPN Sports Center type shows that the non-soccer fans watch, leading to my non-soccer supporting friends to say   " Hey, I heard that a big name soccer star is coming to the MLS."This exposure helps the game for the simple fact that the American public becomes aware, hopefully sparking interest.




I see the interest, feeling it myself when I catch wind of a  player I admire showing interest in wanting to come play in my country. We as fans of the game want to view the top names, even if their older and slower. The influx of such players can only help the game, and the media coverage may be a tad excessive, but that's needed for a game that still needs to be sold to the American public. Look at what the NY Cosmos has done. A team that won't even be relevant till after 2012 has ripped a page out of the fire-strom marketing handbook with advertising of their uniforms. The Cosmos are a perfect example to use as reference to how soccer clubs in America have always been a destination for aging stars, such as Pele.  Back in its NASL days it attracted  top world talents who were getting on a bit,and this still holds true today. 


I believe that having DP's in the MLS is necessary. This, with a mixture of youth development is a large stride in the right direction. Our goal, in the long run is to make the MLS a top league, produce talent who are starting for teams such as Manchester United, Barcelona, and Inter Milan, and to get more people in this country interested in the world's game. The DP's help in terms of notoriety, and the fact that they basically come to MLS because it's an easier league doesn't bother me. 

LA Galaxy 1:4 Real Madrid, World Football Challenge

                   Some highlights from Real Madrid's intergalactic performance over LA.

On Cristiano's goal, keeper should not be beaten at that angle. Making him look better than he is.

Nifty footwork tho.