The last place Vancouver Whitecaps visit the first place Galaxy for the first time ever.
Kick off is at 7:30 p.m.; the telecast is delayed until 10:30 p.m. on FSN.
*Staff Writer Phil Collin has the game story.
*Former Galaxy striker Pete Vagenas can’t wait to face his former team.
*Here’s the Vancouver perspective.
Hands up if you are the fourth highest paid player in MLS. (AP Photo).
Ah, that would be you Mr. Robbie Keane, according to the latest data on MLS salaries released by the MLS Players union today. The full list is here.
Here’s more from the Associated Press:
BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) — Robbie Keane became the fourth-highest-paid player in MLS when he left Tottenham last month to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The Irish striker has a base salary this year of $2,917,741, according to figures released Friday by the MLS Players Union. His total compensation is $3,416,243, including a prorated share of his signing bonus and other guaranteed compensation.
Galaxy teammate David Beckham is first with $6.5 million in guaranteed compensation, followed by New York Red Bulls teammates Thierry Henry ($5.6 million) and Rafa Marquez ($4.6 million).
The Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, the highest-paid American-born player, was fifth at $2.3
million.Keane is the 10th-leading goal-scorer in Premier League history, but he played sparingly over the past two seasons. He became interested in MLS when Beckham trained with Tottenham several months ago. He scored in his debut game with Los Angeles last month.
Among other new MLS players, Dutch striker Danny Koevermans, who plays for Toronto, has a $999,996 salary and $1,413,319 in compensation, and his teammate, German midfielder Torsten Frings, has a $699,996 salary and $1,113,663 in compensation.
Midfielder Freddy Adu has a $475,884 salary and $594,884 in compensation with the Philadelphia Union; and German goalkeeper Frank Rost is at $545,460 with the Red Bulls.
Although it may not look like it in the photo at right taken during his second third game in charge of the USMNT against Belgium earlier this month.
Associated Press Sports Writer Tim Reynolds has the story:
MIAMI (AP) — Jurgen Klinsmann seems perfectly content with how he’s adjusting to life so far as the United States.
The Americans are winless in three matches since the former star German player was hired to replace Bob Bradley as coach, although those results are of little concern to Klinsmann.
For now, he sounds pleased just to be getting a better handle on things after a relatively
hectic opening few weeks leading the American side.“Every day you get a bit more settled,” Klinsmann said on a conference call Friday. “It’s been an interesting couple of weeks.”
Next up: A game against Honduras in Miami on Oct. 8, followed by a meeting with Ecuador three nights later in Harrison, New Jersey. The squad, which Klinsmann expects to feature many top U.S. players, will come out sometime during the last week of September.
“I want always the best players to represent their country,” Klinsmann said. “And if there’s
maybe an exception or two, OK. But in general, I want the players to understand that the most important thing is to show up and represent your country. It’s the same with the Argentinian or Brazilian players. So because I look at things differently and plan things differently, it’s been quite a challenge, the first couple of weeks.”Klinsmann took over July 29, less than two weeks before the Americans drew 1-1 with Mexico. The last two matches have ended in 1-0 defeats, against Costa Rica in California on Sept. 2 and in Belgium on Sept. 6.
Those matches were scheduled before Klinsmann arrived. And original plans called for the U.S. to use primarily MLS players against Costa Rica, followed by European-based players in Belgium. Klinsmann’s preference is to get the best players possible for any match, which would seem to be one of the reasons why these first few weeks may be more of a feeling-out process for the new coach than anything else.
By year’s end, he’ll have more of his own stamp on things, as would be expected. Sometime next month, Klinsmann expects the scheduling of two November matches in Europe to be completed.
“Going forward, the first two games where I have my hand involved will be November,” Klinsmann said. “I love to kind of get my hands around the program, building the first couple of weeks, build a lot of bridges.”
Klinsmann scored 11 goals in three World Cup appearances as a player, sixth equal in
tournament history. World Cup qualifying for the 2014 matches in Brazil starts next year.
*David Beckham is scheduled to appear at 4 p.m. today on NBC as a guest on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Bet she won’t ask him about the latest and most plausible transfer rumor involving him so far: Despite interest from QPR and Spurs, Beckham has said he doesn’t want to play for any other EPL club except Manchester United and they’re not interested in his return. But this latest rumor includes a former coach and a place that is a short train ride beneath the English Channel for a brand, um, soccer player interested in representing his country at the 2012 Olympics in London:
LONDON (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain has become the latest team to express an interest in signing David Beckham when his MLS contract with the Galaxy expires in November.
PSG sporting director Leonardo worked with Beckham when the former England captain had a second loan to AC Milan last year.
Leonardo tells the BBC “the door is open. He is more than a football player — he’s a brand, a pop star. I would always consider him.” PSG has recently been taken over by wealthy Qatari backers and reportedly spent a club-record $60 million to sign Argentina midfielder Javier Pastore in August.
Premier League clubs Tottenham and Queens Park Rangers have already said they would like to sign the 36-year-old Beckham.
*The first place Galaxy play the last place Vancouver Whitecaps at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Carson (delayed until 10:30 p.m. on Fox Sports West).
According to the Elias Sports Bureau a major milestone will fall at Home Depot Center this weekend: When the Galaxy host Vancouver the game will be the 241st regular-season MLS game in Carson, surpassing Washington’s RFK Stadium for the highest number of games at any venue (remember, the HDC has two MLS teams playing there and RFK only one; RFK has hosted MLS games since 1996 and the HDC only opened in 2003).
Other random HDC factoids: Landon Donovan has played more regular-season league matches there than any other MLS player (93), has scored more goals there (53) than the next two players combined: former Galaxy forward Edson Buddle (28) and now-retired Chivas USA striker Ante Razov (24), while former Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has kept the most clean sheets at the venue (19).
*Chivas USA are on the road against the Chicago Fire in a 1 p.m. (live on Telefutura) game that is a six-pointer for two clubs in danger of missing the playoffs.
With six games left not only are Chivas USA in danger of missing the post-season again, with a 7-11-10 record so far, it’s possible they could finish with a worse record than the 8-18-4 mark that got Martin Vasquez fired as coach last season.
How bad are Chivas USA?
Chivas USA has lost and been shutout in the last three games – their longest losing streak of the season – and haven’t scored in 274 minutes.
*Two South Bay players – North (Torrance) High product Ryan Oster (South Bay Force FC/Cal State Dominguez Hills and Caio Gesuald (North High) – have been selected by U.S. Futsal National Team Coach Keith Tozer to participate in a training camp that starts Sept. 24 at Torrance’s South Coast Soccer City ahead of a tournament in Brazil.
*The college game of the weekend: No. 16 UCLA (2-2-1) hosting No. 6/9 UC Santa Barbara (4-0-1) tonight at 7 o’clock at Drake Stadium.
*For those who prefer the comfort of their couch, crisis club Arsenal plays winless Blackburn Rovers at 4:30 a.m. on ESPN2, winless Norwich City plays Bolton Wanderers at 9 a.m. on Fox Soccer Channel and Chelsea visits Manchester United in a delayed game on Fox at 1:30 p.m. Sunday (it’s also live on FSC at 8 a.m.) in a bid to convert pointy-ball football fans to the real thing.
Click the link at top right for a complete run-down of all games this weekend.
The Galaxy get the experienced Dasan Robinson, to bolster their defending corps for the run-in in a deal announced just after the 2 p.m. MLS trading deadline.
He was originally drafted by the Chicago Fire when current Galaxy Associate Head Coach Dave Sarachan was head coach there.
Robinson did not make an appearance for Toronto after being traded by the Fire in July for defender Dan Gargan and a second round 2012 draft pick.
Toronto get the inexperienced Kyle Davies, 22, who did not make an appearance with the Galaxy this season after joining the club in May in the wake of being waived by Dallas.
Toronto officials said they see the former U.S. U-20 captain as a “young central defender with leadership experience.”
*Learn more about this charity event here. It’s for a good cause.
Learn more about eligible bachelors that include goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, Michael Lahoud and Justin Braun.
I will say however, judging by those profiles, that Chivas USA players are doing nothing to dispel the reputation that soccer players have appalling taste in music (Dave Matthews Band? Justin Timberlake?) Sheesh. Someone take these guys on a date to listen to something a little more cutting edge will ya.
Oh well, at least Lahoud & Co., have an Old Spice sense of humor:
*Meanwhile, the Galaxy have their own charitable event on tap this weekend.
*Former Cal State Northridge striker Kristy Krohn, who has a Brazilian boyfriend, is playing professionally in Brazil with Santos Futebol Clube (yep, Pele’s former club). Krohn held the school’s all-time scoring record until last season.
*Lynn Berling-Manuel, chief marketing officer with the South Bay-based American Youth Soccer Organization, has joined the advisory board of the newly formed National Association of Tournament Directors. Berling-Manuel, who was recently inducted into the California North Soccer Hall of Fame, has over 30 years of experience in the soccer media and marketing industry
*A former Chivas USA coach will soon meet King Tut.
Finally, now we know why David Beckham skipped the Galaxy game in Mexico earlier this week.
*The MLS trade deadline is 2 p.m. tomorrow, so clubs looking at adding to their roster for the final run-in to the season (we’re looking at you Chivas USA) had better pull the trigger quick.
From the MLS press release:
All player signings, trades, and transactions must be completed as of 5:00 p.m. ET. After the deadline, there may be no changes to the teams’ rosters until the day after MLS Cup. Any player that is not listed as available after the deadline will remain ineligible for selection through the remainder of the regular season and the MLS Cup Playoffs. This includes players that are on the Disabled List or on loan.
Players currently on the Disabled List that may recover from injury after September 15 must be removed from the Disabled List prior to the 5:00 p.m. ET deadline. The club must make all necessary moves to ensure roster compliance by the deadline.
*Meanwhile, Jesse Marsch, former Chivas USA hard man and USMNT assistant coach under Bob Bradley, is looking ahead to the MLS Expansion Draft as coach of the new Montreal Impact. (I hope you’re bracing yourself for a Quebec winter Jesse, because there’s a big difference between living on The Strand in Manhattan Beach and Montreal in mid-January, although if there’s anyone that can handle that, it’s a Wisconsin lad like Mr. Marsch.
*And Vancouver Whitecaps central defender Jay DeMerit is looking to make a good impression on Jurgen Klinsmann with a good showing this weekend against the Galaxy’s “World Cup” striker Robbie Keane. (Never mind that Ireland and Keane haven’t been to the World Cup finals since 2002 if memory serves).
With Donovan Ricketts in goal – the first choice Galaxy keeper sat out this one and was replaced by Josh Saunders – the Galaxy would arguably have won this game.
In fact the Galaxy came within 10 minutes of a famous away win at altitude in Mexico, but Saunders failed to hold shots that led to both goals in the last 10 minutes in Morelia’s come from behind victory.
You could quibble that Morelia’s first shouldn’t have counted because it appeared the whole of the ball failed to cross the whole of the goal line, but really the Mexicans deserved the equalizer after relentlessly attacking a bending but not breaking Galaxy back line for much of the game.
The Galaxy had an Omar Gonzalez goal disallowed for offside at the stroke of regulation time and played a controlled, well-managed game that frustrated the home side for most of the 90 minutes.
Still, the Galaxy will rue how closely they came to winning and Robbie Keane especially will regret that his brilliantly insouciant effort – he ran around a defender before his deadly finish – didn’t count for something because it was worthy of a game-winner.
Saunders actually started the move with a superbly distributed ball to Landon Donovan whose pinpoint pass found Keane and the Irishman showed exactly why he had been brought to MLS with an impudent finish few other strikers in the league could match.
The Galaxy missed regular midfield starters David Beckham and Juninho, but still came within a whisker of stealing the triumph.
More later.
Watch:
Home stretch: A.J. DeLaGarza and the Galaxy became the first MLS team to qualify for the post-season Friday against Colorado at Home Depot Center (AP Photo). Next stop: the CONCACAF Champions League tonight (AP Photo).
For once the stats don’t lie. The Galaxy are pretty good and getting better. But their biggest test to date lies ahead tonight.
Read the column here.
If, like me, you were otherwise preoccupied this weekend, here’s a quick recap of the MLS action to get you caught up:
*The Galaxy won (again), while Chivas USA lost (again)
*Here’s the latest MLS standings.
*A D.C. United beat writer told me this weekend that Charlie Davies is “not the same player he was.” Apparently, he’s still good enough to rip Chivas USA apart, however:
How bad is Chivas USA’s season going? According to Coach Robin Fraser, the latest showing was “as bad as it gets.”
Watch:
*The Galaxy are in Mexico preparing for Tuesday’s CONCACAF Champions League game against Morelia amid reports they’ve offered David Beckham a one-year contract extension.
Finally, the Galaxy announced over the weekend they will make a third trip to Australia in the last five years meeting Melbourne Victory Dec. 6 in Oz.