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Soccer Banter

Off the Ball 

6/17/2013

4 Comments

 
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1.  It might not be as bad as the new Liverpool away jersey, but I don't think the Los Angeles Galaxy third kit will set any sales records. 

2.  Is Roberto Martinez covering the Confederations Cup for ESPN to help his future broadcasting career or to scout players?  If Giovani Dos Santos ends up at Everton this Summer, I guess we know the answer.

3.  This Saturday in Piscataway, the two top teams in NWSL face off in a possible preview of the NWSL Championship match.  Hopefully for the Sky Blue and Portland Thorns players, the match will get the attention it deserves from the New Jersey faithful. 

4.  Seattle. Soccer City USA. All of America is screaming about how great the atmosphere was at the United States - Panama match.  For those not living in the Pacific Northwest, come back for any Sounders game, the supporters are always like that. We are spoiled in Seattle. 

5.  Brendan Rodgers thought he was doing a nice little bit of public relations by being interviewed by a nine year old. Then young Finn asked, "When I'm naughty, my mum bans me from playing on my Playstation 3. What do you when the players are naughty?". And is Rodgers rocking the snood around his neck? Maybe the Liverpool manager is to blame for those new away kits! 



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6.  The Revolution was up 2-0 on the road at Vancouver and I was preparing an entire Off the Ball to the boys from Foxboro.  One red card and 5 goals later, the Revs were back at .500 and on the outside looking in on the playoff race.

7.  The Tom Sermanni era as Head Coach of the US Women's National team is off to a great start with eight wins in two draws since he took the reigns in January.  The winning is expected, but the inclusion of new players is an eye opener.  Three current college players - Crystal Dunn, Morgan Brian, and Julie Johnston - have all earned their first caps this year. Add in Christen Press and Kristie Mewis and Sermanni's starting a youth movement with the national team program. I like it. 

8.  Seriously, two responses to the "Question of the Week"? I won't be discouraged. Here we go again. Better free kick goal in the Confederations Cup - Pirlo or Suarez? Share your answer below. 


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9.  Who's betting against Spain winning the 2014 World Cup? Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla couldn't even find a place in the starting lineup for the reigning World Cup Champions starting lineup in their 2-1 win over Uruguay.

10.  Speaking of Sermanni and the National Team, on Thursday night the red, white and blue take on South Korea in Red Bull Arena.  Here's hoping Sermanni sticks around New Jersey for a few more days and takes a look at Katy Freels, the creative midfielder for Sky Blue.  I think she would look good in the stars and stripes. 

11.  Jurgen Klinsmann has been proving a lot of his doubters wrong the last few weeks. Three wins a in a row including two World Cup qualifying matches.  A win on Tuesday against Honduras would just about secure a spot in the 2014 World Cup for the United States. 

12.  It looks like a good time to travel to Italy. The U21's play for the European Championship against Spain on Tuesday night while the senior side is off to a good start in the Confederations Cup. Maybe on Saturday I'll be in an Italian cafe in Venice wearing a Balotelli jersey...probably not. Ciao. 

4 Comments

Off the Ball

6/11/2013

2 Comments

 
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1.  The best story in World Cup Qualifying involves an American coach trying to lead a country to the World Cup for the first time since 1990.  Enjoy the "We Must Go" trailer, a documentary about Bob Bradley and Egypt. 

2.  Did Clint Dempsey play against Jamaica on Friday night?

3.  A new edition, Question of the Week, in hopes to get some people to comment in the section below. Will Landon Donovan appear in a World Cup Qualifier for USMNT again? The first person needs to be brave, others will follow. 

4. Robbie Keane has scored 59 goals in 126 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, but still people question his ability. 

5.  A word of advice to beIN sport: Don't cut away from a live soccer match to show highlights of another match.  We can all wait until halftime.


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6.  Maybe I'm being a little harsh on Dempsey with the earlier question, but it wasn't a good night for the United States best player. On the plus side, to win a game on the road without Dempsey playing well is a good sign. The United States will qualify for Brazil, most likely with a game or two to spare. 

7.  US Soccer media, please stop questioning if Seattle is truly a soccer city because they have ONLY sold 35,000 tickets to the USA v Panama match tonight.  In my opinion, it says more for the progress of soccer in America that the Sounders matches are more of a priority to supporters than the one-off World Cup qualifying match. 

8.  Any chance Liverpool can opt out of their Warrior contract? It's a serious question that should be investigated. 

9.  These signs should be placed at every youth soccer field in America. 


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10.  Do you remember Shane Walton? If he hadn't ditched soccer for football after being named Big East Freshman of the Year at Notre Dame, he might have been playing at CenturyLink tonight against Panama instead of in the Over-30 regional tournament at Starfire. What. An. Athlete. 

11.  Cheers to Brad Evans!

12.  If the "golden generation" of English players weren't able to win anything, the supporters shouldn't be to excited for the future of football in that nation.  The U21's have been eliminated from European Championship before even playing their third match.  Much of the blame is falling on Stuart Pearce, but maybe the players just aren't as good as the media builds them up to be. 


2 Comments

Off the Ball

6/5/2013

1 Comment

 
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1.  Some great goals this weekend, but Lisa De Vanna's of Sky Blue FC was easily the best one. Too bad only 1,312 people saw it happen live at the stadium. 

2.  Jurgen Klinsmann has been on the job for nearly two years and we are only a year away from the World Cup in Brazil. Outside of Howard, Bradley, Jones, and Dempsey, does he have any idea who the other 19 players will be?  That's my biggest concern as we continue with qualifying. There has been no consistency from one camp to the next.  It doesn't seem like any player knows where he stands.  

3.  The hits keep coming for Liverpool supporters. Another year without Champions League football. Luis Suarez wants out. But the real kicker is the away kit for next season. Best description so far - it's a Christmas jumper and Space Invaders all rolled into one. 

4.  Team A hosts Team B at their national stadium. Team A starting lineup is represented from the following clubs: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United. Team B starters play for these clubs: Milwall, Sunderland, Everton, Leicester City, Reading, Stoke City, Stoke City, Wigan, Spartak Moscow, Los Angeles Galaxy, and West Brom. Who won? 



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5.  Other players might get the headlines, but without Michael Bradley the United States wouldn't qualify for the World Cup. They might struggle to qualify with him!

6.  Mark Hughes < Tony Pulis.

7.  How about the Revolution?! Winners of three-straight league games, including a 5-0 thrashing of Los Angeles Galaxy this past Sunday. Picking up Juan Agudelo could end up being the transaction of the season, and it's fun to watch Jay Heaps put out an attacking lineup each game.  Revolution supporters can take a peak ahead at a favorable June schedule and start talking about the playoffs.  

8.  Imagine heading to coaching school and in your group is Joey Barton! Mr. Barton is currently in Northern Ireland finishing up his UEFA B. His post-match press conferences will become legendary. 

9.  The Special One officially returns to Stamford Bridge. With the changing of the guard at Manchester United, along with a first-time manager in the Premier League at Manchester City, and Arsenal destined to only finish in fourth...Cheslea could be the favorite to win the Premier League next season. 


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10.  My only observation in regards to the Sydney Leroux goal celebration controversy - if the exact same situation was replicated in the men's game, are we having this discussion? 

11. Team A and Team B played to a 1-1 draw. Maybe English players are overvalued in the Premier League. Or is it the  Irish players are undervalued? 

12.  Klinsmann's men scored 6 goals against two of the top sides in Europe last week. The problem was they gave up 7.  Look for more of the same in the next three matches in World Cup qualifying. 

13. On a side note losing a co-ed soccer game is never fun, but losing to a team wearing Chelsea jerseys is the absolute  worst. 


1 Comment

    Brendan Faherty

    Faherty is currently the Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at the University of Washington. He passionately supports four clubs, but is always following the game at many different levels. 



    Off the Ball
    Random observations from the last week of soccer. 



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Soccer Banter: Been Kicking Since March 1, 2011