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.Humpday Soccer: Galaxy & More
When you start the day with a 7 a.m. talk to Rotarians, things just go downhill from there.
So, to bring us up to speed, the Galaxy have announced their 21-player roster for their Asian tour: goalkeepers Steve Cronin, Josh Wicks; defenders Celestine Babayaro, Sean Franklin, Michael Gavin, Ante Jazic, Mike Randolph, Troy Roberts, Julian Valentin, Greg Vanney, Abel Xavier; midfielder Ely Allen, Alvaro, David Beckham, Chris Klein, Brandon McDonald, Josh Tudela, Peter Vagenas; forwards Alan Gordon, Bryan Jordan, Carlos Ruiz.
Goalkeeper Charles Alamo, forwards Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan and Israel Sesay and midfielders Kelly Gray and Kevin Harmse have all returned to Los Angeles.
Donovan has patella tendonitis in his right knee, although he's expected to be fit for the start of the MLS season; Buddle is expected to miss approximately six weeks after suffering a dislocation of his right collarbone during the second half of the Galaxy’s 2-1 win over Sydney FC; and as previously reported Alamo is out six months after suffering a serious knee injury in a scrimmage against the Dyanamo.
Are Izzy, Gray and Harmse all on the outs with new Coach Ruud Gullit? No reason was given for their early flight home.
Galaxy single game tickets go on sale Friday, incidentally.
By the way, MLS Commish Don Garber is expected to formally announce Thursday that Philadelphia will snag the next MLS team.
Comments
Nick, Any word on Jazic? He's still traveling with the team but I thought he wouldn't be close to playing for some time. Seems other injured guys aren't traveling.
Nick replies: Yeah, that's a little curious. I'll try to get an update via e-mail today. The Galaxy's blog isn't particularly informative with photos uploaded this morning showing rather dull practice photos (earlier it was pics of players frolicking in the ocean in Hawaii) instead of any actual news.
Posted by: Joe from MB | February 28, 2008 9:36 AM