Columnist Nick Green has written 100 Percent Soccer
since 2005. A
native of England, he began writing about soccer in
the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat
in the stands for one in
the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home
Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas
USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer.
Married to a long-suffering soccer widow, he has a cat
named Pele.Friday Football Final: Camp Updates & More
Defender Jay Needham was cut from training camp today, Galaxy officials said. Although he plays in the USL his MLS rights were owned by D.C. United and the Galaxy obviously didn't feel he was much of an upgrade.
Brazilian defensive midfielder Alvaro, last seen playing in Russia, is in camp. Aussie goalkeeper Chris Sharpe, who played in Denmark and for the Vermont Voltage (is that a great name or what?), was let go earlier in the week.
Excellent camp update is here.
The Galaxy also announced today they have entered into a multi-year broadcasting agreement with ESPN Deportes Radio KWKW 1330 AM to provide coverage of all 30 Galaxy games this season including a weekly program Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Over at Chivas USA, draft pick El-Hadj Cisse (North Carolina State University) picked up a knock on Tuesday against the Red Bulls and hasn't trained the last couple of days. Chivas USA plays Saturday against the Japanese Under-23 National Team in a game in the main Home Depot Center stadium that's only open to the media.
U.S. Women's National Team update (such as it is) is here.
Mexican Olympic Team head coach Hugo Sánchez announced the roster for 2008 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifiying today as well as warm-up games against Australia March 2 in Oakland and against Finland March 6 at Pizza Hut Park.
The squad: goalkeepers Guillermo Ochoa (Club América), Jorge Villalpando (Puebla) y Jonathan Orozco (Monterrey); defenders Omar Esparza (Chivas), Luis Robles (Atlas), Julio César Domínguez (Cruz Azul), Rodrigo Iñigo (Club América), Luis Omar Hernández (Necaxa), Hugo Ayala (Atlas), Francisco Gamboa (Toluca) y Efraín Velarde (Pumas); midfielders Jorge Hernández (Atlas), Patricio Araujo (Chivas), Alan Zamora (Atlante), Gerardo Rodríguez (Pachuca), Juan Carlos Silva (Club América), Edgar Castillo (Santos), César Villaluz (Cruz Azul) Sergio Ávila (Chivas); forwards Enrique Esqueda (Club América), Pablo Barrera (Pumas), Edgar Andrade (Cruz Azul), Santiago Fernández (Toluca), Luis Ángel Landín (Morelia) y Omar Arellano (Chivas).
Finally, UCLA men's soccer coach Jorge Salcedo today signed seven players to national letters of intent: goalkeeper Joseph Scachetti (West Torrance High), midfielder/defender Chris Cummings (Chatsworth/Crespi High), midfielder Daren Flitcroft (Great Falls, Va.), defender Oscar Reyes (Santa Ana, Saddleback High), midfielder/defender Andrew Rose (Bristol City) and midfielder Christian Vazquez and defender Zach Zerrenner (both Santa Barbara High). In addition, striker Fernando Monge (Bellevue, Wash.) graduated from high school early and will join the 2008 freshman class.
Comments
Do you have any info on the scrimmage between the Galaxy and UCLA? Even just a score would be nice. There's been so little information, it's as if this game didn't happen. Did it happen?
Nick replies: I asked that very question Friday afternoon and was met with the response: "We had a game?"
I'm not kidding.
Consider this indicative of the management style of Ruud Gullit and European coaches in general. They're a secretive bunch. But it tells you just what kind of pressure Gullit is under. I know he was worried about whether the Galaxy's physical fitness will be sufficient at the Pan-Pacific Championships next week to enable them to compete.
But to answer your question, yes the game happened. Beckham played 90 minutes and I only know that because there was a rumor going around that he was hurt Tuesday in a similarly secretive scrimmage against Loyola Marymount and Galaxy folks are always quick to refute those rumors.
Posted by: Nell | February 16, 2008 6:18 AM