Yanks Abroad

[dena]

He really should go, I think he'd do really well in either Germany or the Premiership given his size.

[Scuba Steve]

Got a couple of things to show off here, most from Greg Seltzer from soccer365.com and noshortcorners.com

First, a bit on Jonathan Spector

Originally Posted by soccer365.com

S365 Exclusive: Spector Gives Return Thumbs Up

West Ham United defender Jonathan Spector reports that he thoroughly enjoyed his Premiership return against Stoke last week, which marked his first action since being sidelined with a hip injury last April.

The young American made a brief cameo to tidy up a 2-1 home victory over the Potters, and did so without any complications to end a long frustrating recovery. In addition to missing Hammers time, Spector was unable to marshal the United States backline at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The 23-year old did not leave the bench for Saturday's FA Cup victory, which fell on his birthday, but he is hoping to contribute as they attempt to climb from 10th place during the second half of the campaign and chase domestic silver.

"It felt great to return to playing in the Premier League after being sidelined for so long," Spector told Soccer365. "Although it was only a short appearance, it was nice to be part of the team's home victory."

"I have not had any adverse side effects, and my hip feels as good as can be expected at this stage."

The Illinois native is returning to a club on the rise; after a poor start that continued after Gianfranco Zola was installed as manager four games in (sans "A" coaching license, no less), the Hammers have notched three wins and two draws fro their last seven.

Spector claims the new gaffer's biggest impact has been with the offense. With the former Chelsea dazzler unsurprisingly encouraging flair in attack, the Irons have finally responded by striking hot six times in the last two outings.

"I think the team has been playing well for some time, we have just had some difficulty scoring, which now looks to be changing," said the U.S. international.

"The manager wants the players to play a style similar to which he played. He wants the players to play a passing game with some creativity in the final third. Mostly, he wants his players to enjoy the game."

Spector and West Ham get back to work Saturday at Newcastle.

Good to see this guy get back, I think he can make a big impact come 2010.

[Scuba Steve]

Next is a bit on Califf and the upcoming camp. Good to see him there, and hopefully, he can get a few more looks into the team this year (as in moving Boca out wide in place of Pearce).

Originally Posted by soccer365.com

S365 Exclusive: Califf Eyes Tough Camp

Veteran U.S. defender Danny Califf says the 25 players invited to the Home Depot Center Sunday to begin prep for this month's friendly against Sweden will be looking to show they deserve calls when the games get real again in February.

The 'Nats will welcome a weakened Swedish side on January 25th to begin the slate for the second straight year, but all involved will have one eye towards making the roster for the following affair.

As one of of only four camp participants jetting over from European day jobs, Califf says he relishes any chance to impress the USMNT boss - especially with a CONCACAF World Cup 2010 qualifying final round opener against arch rivals Mexico fast approaching.

"Yes," the former Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes stopper told Soccer365 before reporting for U.S. duty. "The more time in front of Bob, the better!"

"I think due to the upcoming qualifier things might be a little tougher (than the normal January camp). But for the most part, the roster will be very different (against Mexico) come February 11th."

As for club life, Califf and FC Midtjylland are on the Danish honor division's extended winter break. The Black Wolves stand fourth in the SAS Liga table through 17 games, a position that - when combined with an early Ekstra Bladet Cup exit - would leave them without a European invite for next fall.

Management is busy looking to add firepower during the pause, with the idea that FCM are one impact attacker away from threatening the top three.

"I think we need to score half of the chances we create," admitted Califf. "For the most part, the effort has been good, but we have been bitten by leaving things late and squandering chances."

"I think we need a striker who does nothing else but has the knack for being in the right spot and being able to finish. But doesn't every team need one of those?"

[Scuba Steve]

This one is kind of cool...... Best XI of American players. Pretty good team as well.

Originally Posted by soccer365.com

S365's 2008 All-American Squad

It's time to tab the finest American eleven we can for the year that has passed - but since the rules are normally a little too simple for these types of lists, we're throwing in a new factor.

While league strength will still play some part in rating performances, I've dialed that down to lend a bit more weight to how strong a player's year was relative to the quality of his championship.

Therefore, it is much easier for MLS players to compete directly against European-based players - and has even allowed one second division defender to make our first team. Obviously, with all other things being equal, a player from the superior league will get the nod.

Before we dive in, let's lay down another pair of quick statutes: club form alone is key for this honor roll, yet I will use Bob Bradley's preferred 4-4-2 formation instead of picking one of my own.

Injuries and coach's disfavor have cost the likes of Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Adin Brown, Benny Feilhaber, Frank Simek, Jonathan Spector and Taylor Twellman a shot at this squad, but there is plenty of quality left over to salute.

In goal:

With so many top-notch netminders to choose from across the globe, picking the best one was always going to be difficult. In the end, Friedel edges out Howard (who was hurt by a brief slump at the beginning of this season) and Hahnemann (who spent half the year a level below in the Championship).

Brad Friedel (Blackburn/Aston Villa)

As consistent as can be and as intimidating as ever, Friedel moved home base for his traveling excellence show to Aston Villa in summer and is now breathing Premiership rare air. What's more, he is also busy mentoring Brad Guzan, whose future can surely only get brighter by the day.

Honorable mentions: Colin Burns (Ljungskile), Jon Busch (Chicago), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA/Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading), Tim Howard (Everton), Troy Perkins (Vålerenga), Luis Robles (Kaiserslautern)

On the backline:

Not quite as much deliberation here as one might expect, although it really was tough to have to leave Goodson out of a center back slot. For various reasons, the outside back basically picked themselves by putting in far more influential years than any of the competitors.

RB - Charles Kazlauskas (TOP Oss)

The only second flight man on our list, Kazlauskas is so crucial to TOP fortunes and was so outstanding while being shuffled between six positions on the three field lines nearly every week, he had to be named over an unusually weak right back field. Despite usually being stationed in defense, Kaz netted four times last year to match his career-best 2007 total.

CB - Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liège)

One of the obvious picks, Gooch is the solid base that the Belgian champs are built upon; he was massive in back-to-back do-or-die European ties against Liverpool and Everton. His year essentially ended with Standard begging him to stay and help them chase UEFA Cup glory.

CB - Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)

The MLS Defender of the Year beats out some strong contenders (Conrad, DeMerit, Goodson) to claim this spot. Dominant in the air and increasingly potent on set pieces in crunch time, Marshall has delayed his pond hop a little longer by staying with the Crew. I like the decision... just so we understand that it really is only 'a little longer' before he steps up a level or two.

LB - Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham/Rennes)

The National Team captain slides over to his French post, but it's really no charity move. The man they call 'Los has put in steady show after steady show in a new environment for Les Rouges et Noirs, who at the break, find themselves in a title race - something not seen much lately in Ligue 1 parts.

Honorable mentions: Gregg Berhalter (1860 Munich), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Michael Harrington (Kansas City Wizards), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Zak Whitbread (Millwall)

In the middle of the park:

This was the toughest line to call, with Bradley the only instant-pick and several more than solid choices at the other posts. It was extremely difficult to shun Kljestan, but in my opinion, this formation does not exactly lend itself to his inclusion.

CM - Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake)

I'm really stunned Beckerman wasn't called into January USMNT camp. His arrival signaled a change in that franchise's direction and he was again very influential in their breakthrough season, effectively forming a deadly partnership with #10 Javier Morales. Right now, he may be the most underrated American player going.

CM - Michael Bradley (Heerenveen/Borussia Moenchengladbach)

Most of the credit for Mikey's place here goes to his first six months of the year in Friesland. Playing an all-around game, Bradley was one of the leaders of a team finishing fifth in the Eredivisie, as well as its top scorer. Frankly, he has struggled mightily since moving to 'Gladbach, but the only American Abroad to outdo his 10 league goals in 2008 was Charlie Davies.

AMR - Clint Dempsey (Fulham)

Yeah, he wasn't a starter the entire year... but name another American attacker that pitched in for a Prem survival drive and resurrected his status under a new boss by netting four times in seven starts? Sorry, was that question too specific? As it stands, Deuce is our top field player in the top league in the world (says I). He's in.

AML - Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

Rogers was the champs' slash-and-burn man this season. Not only did he pitch in six goals from midfield, but the California native topped the team in shots on goal and finished a close second to Chicago agitant general Cuauhtémoc Blanco in free kicks won. He caused a lot of trouble, to be sure, but could do even more damage if his crosses regularly found the mark.

Honorable mentions: Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew) Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Ryan Guy (St. Patrick's Athletic), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Steve Ralston (New England Revolution), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Jeremiah White (Aarhus GF)

And finally, up front:

Perhaps the easiest line of all, though I did briefly consider Cooper against Donovan. It would be nice to see our foreign production increase in 2009. Fortunately, Donovan will try to help on that score this year - whether that's for three months or the full calendar, we shall see.

F - Charlie Davies (Hammarby)

One of the quickest picks of the bunch, Davies had a breakthrough year, both in Sweden's top flight and with the USMNT. Speed never slumps, but now he has regained his scoring touch. Fourteen league goals translates into any language.

F - Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

It would be hard to ignore any MLS guy with 20 goals and nine assists, much less its signature star. And yet, the numbers don't tell the whole story. Now, he takes his scintillating act overseas - maybe to finally gain that "world class" tag American fans desperately want him to earn one of these days.

Honorable mentions: Chad Barrett (Chicago Fire/Toronto FC), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas)

[Scuba Steve]

And finally, Donovan interviews with the Bayern Munich website.

Originally Posted by fcbayern.de

'I'm ready for the Bundesliga now'

Landon Donovan has arrived at the Säbener Strasse on loan from LA Galaxy, "and we're expecting great things of him,“ Jürgen Klinsmann told fcbayern.de. The 26-year-old USA star took up his new job in Munich on Friday, and is set to stay until 15 March before a decision on whether the deal may be extended for a longer period.

The attacker, who will wear the squad number 13 in Munich, tested the Bavarian waters in a ten-day spell at the club last November. "He showed he has the class,“ Klinsmann stated. The FCB coach rates the goal-getter as "an additional weapon“ in Bayern's trophy quest: "He's fired up and wants to prove himself with us.“

Donovan, who spent part of his apprenticeship with Bayer Leverkusen but never broke into the senior team there, exuded confidence and desire in conversation with fcbayern.de, as the five-time US Player of the Year gave an exclusive interview shortly after his first official squad workout.

Interview: Landon Donovan

fcbayern.de: Hello Landon, welcome back to Germany. What are you hoping to achieve here at Bayern?
Donovan: "I'm pleased and very excited to be here. My goal is to become part of the team as quickly as possible. I'm confident it'll work out. It was made very easy for me here at Bayern back in November. I was welcomed with open arms.“

fcbayern.de: What impression did you gain of Bayern from your spell here last November?
Donovan: "It was all wonderful – the coaching staff, the players, the medical unit, the performance centre, the training conditions, the whole club, the city. I'm delighted to be here.“

fcbayern.de: How did your wife react when you told her you wanted to go back to Munich?
Donovan: "She was really thrilled for me. Obviously, it's sad we're apart for a little while, but she knows it's a fantastic opportunity for me to play for a really big club.“

fcbayern.de: You were previously with Leverkusen and spent the ten days with Bayern. What are the differences between Germany and Major League Soccer (MLS)?
Donovan: "The people in Germany have much greater passion for football. Football's in their blood, as football has such a long history in Germany, but we've only had the MLS for 13 years. Bundesliga matches are obviously very high quality, every player at a club like Bayern has class, which is different to America. The playing styles are different too. You get more one-on-one situations in the Bundesliga, the players are technically strong and good on the ball - the MLS is faster and more physical.“

fcbayern.de: You're competing with Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski for a place in the team. How would you rate your chances?
Donovan: "Training with them back in November was a dream come true. Training with such classy players makes you a better player yourself. I can learn lots from them. At the same time, I do believe I can bring qualities of my own to the team. I'm a different type of player compared to Luca, Miro and Lukas. I do a lot of work off the ball and at a high pace.“

fcbayern.de: You're here until 15 March for now, but the club may well want you to stay for longer. Is that a pressure situation for you?
Donovan: "Obviously there's pressure, but I like that. I'm at my best under pressure. I was being closely watched when I came here in November. If you can't cope with being watched in training, you'll never survive in a big stadium. Pressure is part of being a footballer.“

fcbayern.de: So your aim is to play for Bayern beyond 15 March?
Donovan: "Yes, I'd definitely like to stay for longer.“

fcbayern.de: What was Jürgen Klinsmann's role in your coming to Munich?
Donovan: "Jürgen has been very supportive. It was lucky for me that he spent a long time in Los Angeles and saw me play there. He knows my qualities. But I'm aware there'll be no gifts for me here at Bayern. I'll have to work hard for everything here, but that's what I'm really looking forward to.“

fcbayern.de: You started out in Leverkusen but ended up going home. How has Landon Donovan changed since then?
Donovan: "I've grown up, especially mentally. I'm more experienced and mentally stronger, and I know what to expect here. Back then in Leverkusen, I wasn't ready for Germany and the Bundesliga. I thought for many months about the decision to come back, and spoke to lots of people. I know I'm ready for it now.“

Good luck to the guy. I think we need for him to succeed over there.

[SubaruAdrian]

As usual, great posts. I especially like the 'Dream XI" American team. I might make a few changes myself, but agreed for the most part. I'm just not so sure about Beckerman.
Deuce and Gooch for sure though.

[Scuba Steve]

Here is part of an interview with Michael Parkhurst. This was done over at ESPN, and there will be a second part to it, coming tomorrow.

Originally Posted by ESPN Soccernet

After four outstanding seasons in MLS with the New England Revolution, Michael Parkhurst is set to begin the next chapter of his career in Denmark with Nordsjælland. Before joining up with his new teammates, the 24-year-old defender spoke exclusively to ESPNSoccernet.

ESPNSoccernet: What do you know about Nordsjælland and the Danish league in general?

Michael Parkhurst: I know a couple of guys from the U.S. that play [in Denmark] -- Danny Califf and Heath Pearce -- from meeting up with those guys in January camps [with the national team] and them talking about the league. I know Jeremiah White as well, but other than that, I didn't really know too much about it.

The more and more I have heard about it, the more I hear they play good football over there, as far as Scandinavia goes, from what I have heard and seen, [the Danish league] plays the best football. That is what has been said about the club I am going to. Everybody says they are one of the most technical teams, they like to keep the ball on the ground and work the ball through midfield and play it out of the back, which is obviously important for me and a team that I want to be a part of.

ESPNSoccernet: What did Nordsjælland coach Morten Wieghorst say about his expectations for you? What sort of system does the team play?

MP: I think we'll definitely be playing a four-man back. He gave me a few game tapes to look at and learn how they go about things. The do build the ball out of the back as much as possible and he said that he wanted center backs who are good on the ball and who want the ball. He said that that was something I could bring to the table.

Right now, they're a very young team. I guess the average age for their last few games was 22 or 21 so he is trying to bring in a couple of veterans, trying to bring in some leadership as well. Even though I'm pretty young, I do have a good amount of experience and hopefully can bring some of the leadership qualities that I have learned over the past few years to the team. [Wieghorst] thinks that is important as well.

ESPNSoccernet: Do you know how long had you been on Nordsjælland's radar as a transfer target?

MP: I'm not exactly sure. I didn't really want to know until after the MLS season was over. I told my agent that I wanted him to get on top of things and make sure teams were watching me and everything, but I was kind of staying out of it so I could focus on the playoffs and the end of the season.

I think they saw a game or two live but I don't know for sure. They did see a lot of tape on me as well. We were looking at other options too, but in the end, this one turned out to the best one.

ESPNSoccernet: What made Nordsjælland's the best offer?

MP: It was a combination of things. It is certainly tough, I think, coming from MLS with not a whole lot of international experience to try and get a good contract in a good league so I was really fortunate that Nordsjælland took a chance on me to sign me without a trial.

We had guys coming in [at New England] on trial and potential future teammates don't really treat you too well and you never really know what they'll be doing the week you're in. They can do a lot of tactical stuff, which makes things hard.

So I was not keen on going on trial and most of the other teams that were interested wanted me to go in on trial first. Nordsjælland was the exception so then it just came down to sorting out a contract, and it ended up being a good opportunity for me to further my career.

ESPNSoccernet: Do you feel any pressure after signing a three-year deal?

MP: I haven't yet. Any time you're put in that position to perform and help a team, then pressure comes with that. I've played with pressure before, though, as a rookie at the Revolution and in the Olympics. It doesn't bother me too much.

I think it's a good situation for me with the way they play and the coaching staff. I think I'll be able to show well and play well and help the team improve in the standings. I don't feel any pressure, just more excitement and looking forward to the new challenge.

ESPNSoccernet: In recent times, a lot of American players have gone to Europe, but many have returned soon afterwards. How do you make sure that your move works out?

MP: I think that, signing with the team we did, we definitely took into account other Americans and how they fared overseas. We didn't want to overshoot ourselves too much with a club where I would not have played too much. I am too young right now to be sitting on the bench and wasting good years trying to get into a team. I didn't want to waste my time playing reserve games; I want to be playing first-team ball. That was something that was very important.

Also, outside of football, standard of living was important. It can be tough, especially when you first move to Europe if you go to a place where they don't speak any English and they don't try and help you and you're not in a major city. Football is one thing, but you've also got to live there and I think that is where a lot of guys face difficulties.

Living in Copenhagen is a great fit because the people are very friendly and everybody speaks English as a second language. The team was very helpful in accommodating us, and I think that, off the field, it helps you to have no distractions on it. It lets you focus on playing.

ESPNSoccernet: Was there ever a chance you would stay in MLS?

MP: Minute, I would say. First and foremost, I wanted to get over to Europe. I have had a great four years in MLS with the Revolution and I loved my time there. I think I really developed as a player and thought the league was a great start for my career, but it is time to move on and challenge myself further to see how far I can take my career, rather than staying in MLS.

I think that, had I not moved right now, I never would have. It was a kind of a "now or never" to try out for Europe. My wife was up for the challenge of moving and starting something new, so that helped out a lot. If she didn't want to go then that would have been tough. So she was up for it and I was up for it, so we wanted to see if it could happen.

[Scuba Steve]

Freddy Adu played in a friendley match against Juventus yesterday for Monaco. He started and played 68 minutes in a 1-1 draw. Adu had a terrific move that saw him get by two defenders, before getting tripped up by a third in the box, earning a penalty for his team. You can view a bit of the match here, with Adu's run coming in at the 53 second mark.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material.

I AGREE

[dena]

Slick move by Adu there, the boy has loads of talent. Hopefully he made a good enough impression to get constant game time.

[Scuba Steve]

Here is a bit that Ives is reporting on this morning. Have not seen it else where yet, but I will look around to see if I can't find anymore details.

Originally Posted by Soccer By Ives

Villarreal says 'No Thanks' to Everton bid for Altidore




Everton's search for a striker has led them to none other than Jozy Altidore, but Villarreal isn't interested.

According to Sky Sports, Everton has had an initial offer for Altidore turned down, with Villarreal wanting the 18-year-old Altidore to settle in Spain.

Altidore has seen limited playing time for Villarreal, earning a pair of starts just before the winter break only to return to the bench, but he told SBI just last month that he was happy in Spain and enjoying his time with Villarreal.

If Everton could convince Villarreal to loan Altidore out, it would give the Toffees two Americans and a pair of New Jersey-born former Red Bulls/MetroStars along with Tim Howard.

Everton has several other transfer targets to fill its need for a forward, including Nigerian Olympic team standout Peter Odemwingie.

What do you think of Everton's interest? Would you like to see Altidore in the EPL? Think he's better off staying in Spain for now? Would Altidore joining Tim Howard and Everton make the Toffees your new favorite EPL team?

[Scuba Steve]

Here is the Sky Sports article that Ives quotes.

Originally Posted by Sky Sports

Toffees sweet on Altidore

Everton eye American starlet

Everton are interested in American starlet Jozy Altidore, skysports.com understands.

The Toffees are keen to bolster their strikeforce in the January transfer window, but manager David Moyes has already insisted that he has no money to spend.

He has already been strongly linked with the likes of Russian-based strikers Peter Odemwingie and Pavel Pogrebnyak.

But now the Toffees have made an approach to Villarreal to take the highly-rated Altidore.

The 19-year-old, already a full international, is regarded as one of the finest striking prospects in world football and Villarreal beat a host of clubs to land him last summer when they paid the MLS over £7million to take him from New York Red Bull.

However, skysports.com understands that Villarreal have shunned Everton's initial approach as they want Altidore to settle further in Spain rather than try his hand in the Premier League.

[Scuba Steve]

Also, updated the front page to add Donovan at Bayern. And there are two bits of information now from Greg Seltzer at No Short Corners. Apparently Bobby Boswell in Turkey, and Marcus Tracy somewhere. Here is what he said.

Originally Posted by noshortcorners.com

• My Turkish birdie scored on the Bobby Boswell tip, and now he says that's all but a done deal. Unfortunately, I could not track down my English speaking contact at Antalyaspor before the close of business. We try again tomorrow, unless Glenn Davis or Bernardo Fallas gets the confirmation in Houston.

• I have a Marcus Tracy lead. As I'm sure you know by now, the Wake Forest power forward has rejected an MLS contract. I can't say anymore yet, but know I'm on it as if it was a lost pizza.

Will be very interested to see what he has to say about Tracy. I dont think that he is 2010 material, but he might be a viable option in 2014 if everything goes right for him. Also, he scored the winner last year against Virginia Tech in the semifinal of the cup, so I am a bit more interested in him. (Actually, he had both against us)

[Scuba Steve]

Eric Lichaj signed a two year extension at Aston Villa, that will keep him there until 2011. He has not featured yet, but plays right back for the reserves, who are currently topping the table. According to Seltzer, some teams have been interested in him, so a loan deal for 2009/2010 seems like a possibility (he is just 20 years old).

[Scuba Steve]

Alright..... we are about to put down another American going abroad, because it appears that Marcus Tracy is going to end up at ........... Aalborg BK in Denmark. Apparently there was also interest from Germany and Norway, but Aalborg beat them to it. He will be joining the six players already there, and rumours are that Andrew Jacobsen who currently plays for Lorient, might end up with Ebsjerg, where Tally Hall plays.

[Scuba Steve]

Also, I forgot to report this from a while back.

But Ajelandro Bedoya, who was a midfielder playing for Boston College, signed on for the Swedish club Orebro, passing up an opportunity to play for the MLS. So he will be added to our list as well.

[Scuba Steve]

Some transfer news about Altidore. Looks like he has the backing of his manager, which is terrific.

Originally Posted by ESPN Soccernet

Villarreal confirm that Altidore is going nowhere

Villarreal have confirmed there is interest in young American striker Jozy Altidore, but they have no intention of letting him leave.



It had been reported that Everton were keen on taking the highly-rated 19-year-old on loan for the rest of the season, but Villarreal want their summer signing from MLS to continue adapting to life in La Liga, despite only using him sparingly so far during his Spanish career.

Yellow Submarine coach Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that he told the club's directors that he wanted to keep Altidore, as they geared up for the second half of the season.

"The squad is prepared for the battles of the second part of the season," said Pellegrini. ''I have demanded the continuity of Altidore within our club, but the final decision lies with the directors."

The club admitted a number of other sides had asked about the American international - but revealed no bids were on the table after they confirmed they had no intention of letting him leave.

"Some clubs have asked about Altidore, but formally there is nothing on the table," said a spokesman. "Altidore is a player of the future and Villarreal is not interested in a sale."

[thuda1991]

Originally Posted by hokiegooner

Alright..... we are about to put down another American going abroad, because it appears that Marcus Tracy is going to end up at ........... Aalborg BK in Denmark. Apparently there was also interest from Germany and Norway, but Aalborg beat them to it. He will be joining the six players already there, and rumours are that Andrew Jacobsen who currently plays for Lorient, might end up with Ebsjerg, where Tally Hall plays.

Can you get me some info on those 2? I've never heard of them, but most Americans coming to our leagues usually do pretty well.

[Scuba Steve]

Well, Tracy is a strong, powerful striker. He is good in the air, but with his feet as well. He is probably one of the best players to come out from our collegiate system this year, so he should be pretty productive over there (or at least I hope so).

Can't comment too much about Jacobsen though. He came out of college, but decided to go to Lorient in France, but never played there due to injuries, and being unproven. So he is more of an unknown factor to me.

[Scuba Steve]

Troodi Videos - Al Jazeera Vs Bayern Munich 10 January 2009 Live Stream Highlights

Highlights from Bayern's game the other day. Donovan started, and played for all 90 minutes of the match. He was credited with an assist on the Bastian goal, although Schweinsteiger was a bit lucky to have scored that one. He also won the free kick that set up the second goal, but that is not really shown.

It was a nice performance by him, but can't read to much into it. They have another friendly today (Monday), so be on the lookout for highlights sometime today or tomorrow.

[thuda1991]

Originally Posted by hokiegooner

Well, Tracy is a strong, powerful striker. He is good in the air, but with his feet as well. He is probably one of the best players to come out from our collegiate system this year, so he should be pretty productive over there (or at least I hope so).

He'll be the new Prica for AaB. I hope.

Originally Posted by hokiegooner

Can't comment too much about Jacobsen though. He came out of college, but decided to go to Lorient in France, but never played there due to injuries, and being unproven. So he is more of an unknown factor to me.

Well. Apart from Robbie Russel, I can't think of an American coming to the Danish league and doing bad. Esbjerg also sold 2 of their best midfielders (Zimling and Vingaard), so it should be that hard for Jacobsen getting playing time.

[liverpooolbruuzz]

yanks
are
reasonably
good
id say

[Scuba Steve]

Donovan came on at halftime, and scored in injury time. Here is the write up from the Bayern site.

Originally Posted by FC Bayern Munchen

Donovan off the mark, Van Bommel injured

Bayern brought down the curtain on their winter training camp in positive style on Monday evening with a second victory in their second mid-season friendly. Two days after defeating Al Jazira 3-2 in Abu Dhabi, the German champions travelled to Saudi Arabian metropolis Jeddah and registered a 3-1 success over Al Wheda, one of the kingdom’s oldest clubs.

A boisterous 12,000 crowd at the Prince Abdullah Alfaisal Bin Abdulaziz Stadium saw Franck Ribéry (31), Tim Borowski (35) and Landon Donovan (90+1) net for Bayern, the latter opening his scoring account for the Bavarians. “It was a good goal and it’ll give him a boost,“ commented coach Jürgen Klinsmann.

In a match staged as a farewell to long-serving Hatim Khiyani, the hosts scored a not undeserved goal of their own on 53 minutes. Much worse from a Bayern point of view was an injury to Mark van Bommel, the captain hobbling off with a knee problem after half an hour. “We hope it’s nothing serious,” Klinsmann observed.

After ten gruelling days of training, the coach tried out most of his players for a half of the match each, Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm bucking the trend with 90-minute appearances. Number two keeper Hans Jörg Butt sat out the game, with Lukas Podolski, Toni Kroos and Willy Sagnol absent injured.

Bayern began brightly against the home team, weakened by call-ups to the Gulf Cup tournament, and the Germans were soon creating chances, but Luca Toni, Lucio and Ribéry all fired wide in the opening quarter of an hour.

Bayern eased back midway through the first half and the top Saudi outfit launched a string of forays into their opponents’ final third. Breno’s late intervention prevented the opening goal, before Michael Rensing twice saved well to preserve a clean sheet.

However, FCB always look the more accomplished team and were rewarded after 31 minutes when Ribéry fired his side into the lead after a sublime solo run, earning tumultuous applause from the crowd. Tim Borowski doubled the advantage just four minute later with an excellent first-time drive from the edge of the box. Toni and Klose then both declined openings to put their side further clear before half-time.

With nine new faces in the Bayern second-half line-up, and a number of subs also on for Al Wheda, the sides took a while to settle after the restart. FCB continued to control the play without creating as much in front of goal. Donovan twice came close before heading against the crossbar on the hour, while Jose Sosa also placed a drive wide.

Al Wheda pulled one back on 53 minutes with a fine solo effort, but Bayern refused to be knocked out of their stride and continued their search for a decisive third. Martin Demichelis and Christian Lell both squandered promising openings in the final ten minutes.

The honour of rounding off the scoring fell ultimately to Donovan, controlling the ball with his back to goal before firing into the bottom corner of the net on the turn. Klose saw one final chance saved before the final whistle blew in Jeddah and the Bayern party set off to catch the plane home to Munich.

[Scuba Steve]

Also, here is the Yanks Abroad review from one of the guys at Ives from the past weekend:

Originally Posted by soccerbyives.net

Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind




by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
With only a handful of Americans participating in this weekend's soccer festivities, most fans might assume it was a relatively quiet weekend. It wasn't. The number of players may seem miniscule but there was plenty to talk about when the weekend came to a close.

It was more of the same in England. Tim Howard picked up three points and his eighth shut-out of the season for Everton while Brad Friedel's Aston Villa topped West Bromwich. The Villans are now dead even with Manchester United at 41 points and are just five back of league leaders Liverpool.

Clint Dempsey and Fulham had their game against Blackburn postponed due to a frozen pitch caused by frigid temperatures that would've probably been better suited for penguins and polar bears than a soccer game.

Yet the biggest news of the weekend came right from the United States.
Jose Francisco Torres (pictured) and Pachuca took on Atlas in one of two InterLiga finals held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Sunday night and a berth in the Copa Libertadores was on the line. The Mexican-American, who was being watched closely by Bob Bradley and the U.S. coaching staff from a press box, enjoyed a solid performance showing off his offensive creativity as well as his composure on the ball.

The game was an emotional roller-coaster ride and Pachuca led 3-0 at half-time thanks in part to some creative passing by Torres. Atlas was a man down but refused to give up and somehow managed to equalize before the end of regulation. The game went to penalty kicks and took 13 rounds before Pachuca came out victorious. Torres, who recently played in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, converted his spot kick.
Here's how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:


England



PREMIER LEAGUE

• Tim Howard started and played 90 minutes in Everton's 2-0 win vs. Hull City on Saturday.
• Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Aston Villa's 2-1 win vs. West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
• Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 2-1 win vs. West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
• Clint Dempsey and Fulham's game vs. Portsmouth on Saturday was postponed due to the weather.
• Jonathan Spector did not dress in West Ham's 2-2 draw vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

• Frank Simek did not dress in Sheffield Wednesday's 1-1 draw vs. Ipswich Town on Saturday. He is recovering from a hamstring injury.

• Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford's 4-0 loss vs. Reading on Friday.

• Eddie Johnson and Cardiff City did not play this week.

• Marcus Hahnemann did not dress in Reading's 4-0 win vs. Watford on Friday. He is recovering from a calf injury.

• Bobby Convey did not dress in Reading's 4-0 win vs. Watford on Friday.

Scotland

• DaMarcus Beasley and Rangers did not play this week.
• Maurice Edu and Rangers did not play this week.

Spain

• Jozy Altidore did not dress in Villarreal's 3-3 draw vs. Valencia on Saturday.

Italy

• Danny Szetela and Brescia did not play this week.

France


LIGUE 1

• Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes' 1-0 win vs. Grenoble on Saturday.
• Freddy Adu did not dress in AS Monaco's 2-1 loss vs. Nantes on Saturday.

LIGUE 2

• Quentin Westberg and Troyes did not play this week.

Mexico

• Jose Francisco Torres started and played 90 minutes in Pachuca's 3-3 draw vs. Atlas on Sunday in the InterLiga. Torres also scored his penalty kick in Pachuca's penalty shoot-out vs. Atlas. Pachuca won the shoot-out 10-9.

[thuda1991]

looks like Marcus Tracy will sign for AaB tomorrow, and get shirt #10.

[Scuba Steve]

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Highlights from Bayern's friendly. Donovan's goal is a 5:14, but right before that, he hit the bar with a header from a free kick.