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I'm under a directive to burn some vacation hours so will take an extended break through next Tuesday.

That means no column next week, but one of this country's best soccer writers has stepped in with an apt Galaxy-centric column that breaks down the past and, hopefully, future sucess of the club.

In other local soccer news:

*No fewer than seven - yup, seven - MLS teams including the Portland Timbers, Houston Dynamo, Montreal Impact, Colorado Rapids and Chicago Fire (I'll let you guess the other two) are training at Home Depot Center this week.

Want to see some upcoming scrimmages?

Here's a (partial) schedule:

*10:30 a.m. Friday HDC Portland-Montreal
*Noon Saturday Oxnard College Chivas USA-Chicago Fire.
*10:30 a.m. Sunday HDC Portland-Houston
*11 a.m. Wednesday HDC Portland-Chicago.

Games involving the Galaxy are open to the media, but remain closed to the general public, BTW (the Galaxy and Dynamo meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the HDC).

*Rolling Hills Etates' Robbie Rogers reflects on signing for Leeds - and then seeing the coach that signed him promptly getting fired.

*No, Aston Villa you don't get to keep the Galaxy's Robbie Keane until a couple of days before the March 7 CONCACAF CL quarterfinal season opener (which isn't mentioned in this story). Villains, indeed.

*Guess which Galaxy player just got picked for their national team?

*If you only watch one game this weekend...make it Manchester United-Liverpool (4:30 a.m. Saturday ESPN2).

Also of note:

Landon Donovan and Everton against Chelsea (6:30 a.m. Saturday Fox Soccer)
Robbie Keane and Aston Villa against Manchester City ( 8 a.m. Sunday Fox Soccer)

*Finally, The U.S. exhibition game against Brazil will be played May 30 at Landover, Md., U.S. Soccer announced today.

Chelsea-Manchester United is live on Fox at 7:30 a.m.

A preview is here.

The "game before the game" marks the second live Barclays Premier League game in two weeks on Fox. On Jan. 22, Fox drew 1.3 million viewers nationwide for Arsenal's 1-2 loss to Manchester United, making it the most watched live EPL match ever on U.S. television.

Rob Stone, Eric Wynalda and the insufferable Piers Morgan host.

Also:
Arsenal-Blackburn Rovers is at 4:55 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2
Norwich City-Bolton Wanderers is at 11 a.m. Saturday (delayed) on Fox Soccer Plus.

Disher Donovan: The Galaxy's Landon Donovan, seen here tackling Manchester City's Aleksandar Kolarov, led Everton to another victory with yet another assist today against the Mancunians in England (AP Photo).

You remember that old "Seinfeld" episode about the proctologist with the license plate that read "Assman"? Maybe Landon Donovan should consider getting that vanity plate after his stellar goal-creating performances in England with Everton, although, of course, that would stand for Assist, in this case.

Former Manchester United man Darron Gibson, who left Old Trafford in January, scored the game's lone goal in the 60th minute off a short pass from the Galaxy playmaker. The MLS loanee has assisted on Everton's last three goals and four in seven games. Don't get too attached though Liverpudlians, the Galaxy want him back.

*Another Galaxy player making headlines in Europe is Edson Buddle, given his unconditional release by his second tier German club today in a money-saving move. The Galaxy still hold his MLS rights and if you follow my Twitter feed @LAsoccerblog you would have learned that former Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas tweeted earlier this afternooon: "I'm hearing Edson Buddle is coming back to @LAGalaxy."

Well, the Galaxy could do with offensive cover what with Robbie Keane heading off for what he hopes is a long time at Euro 2012 next summer and David Beckham presumably playing in the Olympics. Buddle, incidentally, has failed to hook on with a couple of European clubs who took a look, including West Ham United.

No word from the Galaxy yet on Buddle.

BTW, A.J. DeLaGarza, Brian Perk and Michael Stephens have returned to camp from national team duty meaning only Donovan and Robbie Keane are missing. The club has 34 players in camp.

*Former Galaxy defender and now Chivas USA assistant coach Greg Vanney and Los Angeles/Fontana native Ante Razov, who starred for Chivas USA before slouching moodily off into what turned out to be an unannounced retirement, are among a dozen former players eligible for the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, it was announced today. Among the veterans on the ballot: late former LA Aztecs ball wizard George Best.

*The Galaxy announced their English-language and Spanish-language radio schedules today, which can be found here.

From the Galaxy press release:

KTLK 1150 AM, the sister station of Fox Sports Radio, AM 570 KLAC, will return for their fifth consecutive season of broadcasting Galaxy games in English. Joe Tutino and Ralph Perez will once again call the games for KTLK, who will broadcast 24 of the club's 34 regular season games. In addition to being able to hear all games on KTLK across the Southland, the Galaxy will also make those games available to stream online at lagalaxy.com. Through their website, the club will also stream the 10 games that KTLK are not slated to cover this season, meaning that fans can listen to every Galaxy MLS game all season long in English either on the radio or online.

*Chivas USA announced today that they will will unveil their 2012 jersey on Feb. 12 - at 30,000 feet while flying between Guadalajara and LA on a flight by Mexican airline Volaris.

*San Jose announced Monday that former defender Chris Leitch, who retired rather than join the Galaxy, which took him in the Re-Entry Draft, has been named technical director of the Earthquakes' youth development academy.

*Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza and the U.S. plays Panama at 5:30 p.m. today live on Galavision.

*Mexico faces Chivas USA's Alejandro Moreno and Venezuela in Houston (live 6 p.m. KMEX). More here.

*FOX Soccer announced today it will air live the FA Cup showdown between Americans Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey when Everton and Fulham meet at noon Friday in the fourth-round game. JP Dellacamera and Eric Wynalda will commentate marking the first time Americans have called an FA Cup match on the channel.

*Individual tickets went on sale today for the Group B matches of 2012 men's Olympic qualifying in Carson.

Here's the details from the HDC: The group consists of Mexico, Honduras, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago. Doubleheader events involving these four teams will be held March 23, 25 and 27. The top two finishers from each group will advance to the elimination round in Kansas City.

Fans can order tickets online at ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, at local Ticketmaster ticket centers in the venue cities, and at the respective stadium ticket offices during their local business hours.

*USMNT goalkeeper Hope Solo is a doubt for the crucial Olympics qualification decider _ and her "Dancing with the Stars" stint was a contributing factor in the injury. AP Sports Writer Joseph White has more:

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Hope Solo has an ailing leg, the result of some extra work she was putting in to get back into playing shape after "Dancing With the Stars."

The timing isn't the greatest. The U.S. women's soccer team is about to play the game that determines whether it goes to the Olympics.

"We have to make a decision whether she is 100 percent to go or not," coach Pia Sundhage said Wednesday. "And if she isn't, we have a tremendous backup goalkeeper."

The United States plays Costa Rica on Friday in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament. The winner goes to London; the loser stays home for the summer.

Solo was clutching her right leg during the Americans' 4-0 win over Mexico on Tuesday and was wearing on ice pack on the leg after the game. She said she had a "little quad pull," suffered a few days earlier in practice and aggravated during the first half against the Mexicans.

Cold as Ice: U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo adjusts an ice pack on her leg following a 4-0 win over Mexico Tuesday in Olympic qualifying (AP Photo).

"Toward the end of the game I was a little worried that I was going to have to come out, but being qualifying and only having three subs, you don't really want to sub the goalkeeper," Solo said after the game. "So I definitely knew I could maintain for another 15 minutes."

Solo has said she lost some of her muscle strength during her two-month run on "Dancing With the Stars," an appearance that capitalized on the U.S. team's popularity following last summer's World Cup. She finished in fourth place with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, but the moves involved in executing the perfect cha-cha aren't the same as the ones needed to stop a header at the far post.

"I'm trying to get my quickness back, and my sharpness back, and my kicking back, so I've been focusing a lot on my kicking," she said. "And I think it just fatigued and it pulled a little bit."

Solo has played every minute of the Americans' three games at the tournament, but she hasn't had to do much. The U.S. team has outscored its opponents 31-0, and Solo didn't have to make a save against Mexico.

And, on paper at least, a less-than-100-percent Solo or backup Nicole Barnhart should be more than enough to hold off Costa Rica.

Las Ticas are ranked No. 41 in the world have never beaten the U.S., having been outscored 34-0 in seven meetings.

But the Americans are wary about the game because they slipped up in the semifinals of World Cup qualifying 14 months ago, losing to Mexico for the first time ever. The defeat forced the U.S. into a playoff to earn a trip to the World Cup in Germany.

There is no such playoff available in Olympic qualifying, so an upset on Friday would keep the world's top-ranked team out of the Summer Games.

Solo and her teammates got a needed day off Wednesday following a grueling stretch of three games in five days.

"Luckily going into the next game, the most important game, I'll have an extra day of rest,"
Solo said Tuesday night. "So I think things should be fine. I'm hoping things will be fine."

While Solo's dancing stint brought invaluable attention to women's soccer, Sundhage admits she was apprehensive after finding out that her goalkeeper was taking part.

"I was scared. High heels?" the coach said with a laugh. "It doesn't matter what I think.
Obviously she wanted to do it. Obviously it was fun for her, and a lot of attention to the
goalkeeper of the national team. But, honestly, I was scared. That outfit? It was so different from the soccer player Hope Solo I know."

So was the coach rooting against Solo, perhaps hoping for an early elimination?

"I didn't vote for her," said Sundhage, laughing again. "I'll tell you that."

*UCLA product Sydney LeRoux and Hermosa Beach resident Abby Wambach were named by U.S. Soccer as the Young Female Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year respectively. Brek Shea and Clint Dempsey won the corresponding awards for male players.

Here's more from the Associated Press:

CHICAGO (AP) -- Abby Wambach has been voted the U.S. Soccer Federation's female athlete of the year for the fifth time, matching Mia Hamm's record. Clint Dempsey has been voted top male athlete for the first time since 2007.

The USSF also said Friday that Brek Shea and Sydney Leroux were the top young athletes.

Wambach won previously in 2003, 2004, 2007 and last year. Hamm won from 1994 to 1998. Wambach scored four goals at the Women's World Cup, including one in the 122nd minute in the semifinals that forced penalty kicks and enabled the Americans to reach the final, where they lost to Germany.

Dempsey scored three goals at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Playing for Fulham, he passed Brian McBride to become the highest-scoring American in the Premier League.

Online votes counted for half the total, with the rest from media and USSF representatives.

*Toronto FC announced this morning that 35,000 tickets have been sold for the March 7 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal first leg against the Galaxy, who will make their only appearance in Toronto for the game this year. The indoor Rogers Centre holds 45,000, but ticket sales so far mean Toronto have already set a new home attendance record.

*The Galaxy open preseason training Monday, with all players undergoing physicals this weekend. Here's who is - and is not - in camp, according to a club press release:

A total of 16 players from last year's MLS Cup winning squad are expected to be on hand for the club's first day of training on Monday, while five players - A.J. DeLaGarza, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, Brian Perk and Michael Stephens - are currently away on international duty or on loan.

In addition to the 16 returning players that will be in attendance, new acquisitions Andrew Boyens, Nick Noble, Pat Noonan, Marcelo Sarvas and Jose Villarreal will all train with the club for the first time.

Additionally, all seven of the club's recent draft picks, as well as trialists, Bill Gaudette, a goalkeeper who played for the Columbus Crew, Puerto Rico Islanders and Montreal Impact, as well as defender J.T. Murray, a second round pick by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Louisville, will be with the club for Monday's training session.

I'll have more in Tuesday's column.

*Chelsea's Frank Lampard will not be there even though AEG head honcho Tim Leiweke is a huge fan. Who isn't? (current Chelsea management aside, apparently). But no one should hold their breath Lampard is coming to LA anytime soon.

*If you only watch one game this weekend: Make it Norwich City-Chelsea at 4:30 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2. Those of you not biased City fans (ahem) may want to see the U.S. play Chivas USA veteran Alejandro Moreno and Venezuela at 6 p.m. Saturday on Galavision. Thank heaven for soccer-loving Spanish-language channels.

*

*Post updated

Adman: Because, after all, if you had an H&M underwear ad running Super Bowl Sunday would you want to be stuck in France? (AP/H&M Photo).

*David Beckham has reportedly reached terms on a new contract with MLS and the Galaxy.

It's probably no coincidence the news comes ahead of Beckham's live interview on his YouTube channel at 9 a.m. Thursday, which also precedes his first Google+ "hangout."

*Update

Beckham's new contract is for two years.

"This was an important decision for me," Galaxy midfielder David Beckham said. "I had many offers from clubs from around the world, however, I'm still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy."

"I've seen first hand how popular soccer is now in the States and I'm as committed as ever to growing the game here," he added. "My family and I are incredibly happy and settled in America and we look forward to spending many more years here."

*Two suspects were arrested in the murder of El Camino High School goalkeeper Francisco Rodriguez.

*Former Real Salt Lake goalkeeper goalkeeper Tim Melia, 25, has signed with Chivas USA.

*Former Chivas USA striker Maicon Santos continues his grand tour of MLS, joining D.C. United, the club announced today. The 27-year-old Brazilian scored one goal and an assist in nine matches with Chivas USA in 2010 before moving on to Toronto and then Dallas.

* Fox formally announced today that the network will lead off NFC Championship Sunday with its first-ever live EPL game on a U.S. broadcast television, showing Arsenal and Manchester United from the Emirates Stadium. Coverage begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday from Los Angeles with former ESPN commentator Rob Stone making his debut with Fox accompanied by analyst Eric Wynalda and CNN talk show host and Arsenal supporter Piers Morgan.

Clearing up a few odds and ends before the weekend (that would have posted hours sooner had our soon-to-be-replaced blogging software not freaked out):

*Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens, Chivas USA's Jorge Villafaña (formerly Flores) and UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe were named today to the U-23 camp set for Sunday through Jan. 25 at Carson's Home Depot Center and in Costa Rica. All but four of the 22-player roster, including Rowe, were in the December U-23 camp in Florida. Full roster, camp details here.

*The increasingly unimportant MLS Combine, a precursor to the increasingly unimportant MLS Draft, is under way in Florida.

There are several Southern California-based players involved from the likes of UCLA and Cal State Northridge. The complete roster of combine participants is here. You can watch the combine here.

*Chivas USA President Jose Domene tweeted this morning that a new player signing was imminent.

The club has also released four players who won't be missed: starting midfielder midfielder Marcos Mondaini; defender Michael Umana, a second time wash-out in MLS after featuring for Steve Sampson's Galaxy back in 2005; striker and noted braggart Victor Estupiñán, who boasted he would score 25-plus MLS goals and ended up with one; and third choice goalkeeper Sergio Arias.

*Former Chivas USA coach Thomas Rongen has joined Toronto as Academy director, the club announced today.

*Toronto also announced today that tickets for the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal against the Galaxy will go on sale next Friday. Tickets start at $29. Anyone making the trek from LA?

*Hermosa Beach native Dan Tobias has joined the South Bay Force as director of coaching for the club's girls program. The Mira Costa High grad and was a two-time PAC-10 Coach of the Year at the University of Arizona during a seven-year tenure at the school.

*Glasgow Rangers manager Ally McCoist said the club turned down an inadequate offer from French club Sochaux for midfielder Maurice Edu of Fontana.

McCoist was quoted by the Associated Press as saying the bid, which he didn't disclose, "was so far away that I would be very surprised if they came back in."

Sochaux is already home to American forward Charlie Davies, who spent last year on loan with D.C. United.

"I can tell you that I want Maurice Edu to sign a new contract rather than go anywhere," McCoist said.

*There's yet more on the scandals involving FIFA and CONCACAF today:

ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA says former vice president Jack Warner peddled "inaccuracies and falsehoods" when he claimed last month that he got World Cup television rights for $1 in exchange for supporting Sepp Blatter's presidential campaigns.

FIFA confirms that Warner received Caribbean broadcasting rights for $1, though from 1986 and not -- as Warner claimed -- from 1998 when Blatter was first electe d.

FIFA says the deals had "nothing to do" with Blatter's election campaigns.

FIFA says World Cup rights were often sold until 1998 for nominal sums to maximize coverage in developing nations, and provide soccer bodies with extra revenue from selling on rights to broadcasters.

The governing body says Warner was expected to raise money for the Caribbean Football Union.

*Finally, if you only watch one game this weekend, I recommend the Manchester derby in the FA Cup third round that's set to air locally at 5 a.m. Sunday on Fox Soccer.

Enjoy what is shaping up to be another stunning winter weekend in Southern California.

Veteran ESPN soccer commentator Rob Stone has jumped to Los Angeles-based Fox Soccer, the latest switch in what has become something of a soccer media merry-go-round this offseason.

Already, Brit Arlo "the voice of the Seattle Sounders" White has joined new MLS home NBC Sports Network (formerly Verses) and ESPN dumped John "Brilliant!" Harkes.

Now the seemingly perpetually cherubic Stone has joined Fox Soccer as lead studio host for that channel as well as games shown on FX and the main Fox network. It's an obvious credibility-grabbing effort for a network that just lost MLS.

From the Fox Soccer press release:

National Soccer Hall of famer Eric Wynalda, the second-leading goal scorer in U.S. history, who has served Fox Soccer's primary studio host, shifts to become lead studio analyst.

Upon joining Fox, Stone's first assignment is to host Fox Sports' coverage of Arsenal vs. Manchester United prior to the NFC Championship Game, at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Jan. 22, the first-ever live Barclay's Premier League match on U.S. broadcast television. He'll also host Fox Soccer's signature studio programs including Goals on Sunday, wich focuses on the Premier League, Italy's Serie A and UEFA Champions League action and Match Day, two live studio shows bridging the network's Saturday morning Premier League matches.

Stone, a 1991 Colgate graduate, joined ESPN in 1997 and worked the last four World Cups for the network.

He will also host live coverage of the Chelsea-Manchester United game on Super Bowl Sunday and become lead anchor of the network's UEFA Champions League coverage.

A few items to pass along this evening include:

*MLS delaying today's roster compliance date, absent a new labor agreement. It has to, of course, because without a new labor agreement the old squad size of 20 senior and four developmental players essentially doesn't exist. The new roster compliance date will be set "in the next few weeks." That gives a breather to clubs who don't have to make decisions over players now.

*Tony Sanneh wasn't invited to Galaxy training camp, but he hasn't cut ties with the club; he's off to Haiti Tuesday with the Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation to deliver soccer equipment and supplies to the L'Athletique d'Haiti sports program.

The program gives poor children an opportunity to get off the streets, play a sport and receive a daily meal. The foundation will also provide food, soap, coolers and other items (such as 3,000 sticks of Degree Men deodorant, I kid you not).

From the Galaxy press release:

Following January's devastating earthquake, the children did not return to L'Athletique d'Haiti for almost ten days at which time 150 of the program's participants showed up at the field with their families. Currently, L'Athletique d'Haiti has approximately 500 displaced families living on their two fields that are being provided food, water and tents and more than 700 children returning for the soccer program each day.

"My heart goes out to the children of Haiti ," Sanneh said, who has also founded a nonprofit group, The Sanneh Foundation. "As soon as I heard of the disaster, I knew I had to help. I am pleased the Galaxy and Galaxy Foundation invited me to be a part of their outreach efforts.

More information on L'Athletique d'Haiti is here and The Sanneh Foundation is here.

*Enhanced soccer offerings from Foxsoccer.tv include England National Team games beginning with England-Egypt at noon Wednesday, EPL, UEFA Champions League et al. A monthly pass is $14.95; a 24-hour pass (available for limited time) $4.95.

*Finally, chew on this - Extra®, "El Chicle Oficial de la Selección Mexicana" (that's the Official Chewing Gum of the Mexican National Soccer Team, gringos) has invited us media types in a press release to an "African-themed night" Tuesday that will feature African dancers, mariachis (y'know, African mariachis) along with retired El Tri goalkeeper Jorge Campos as master of ceremonies and a "Countdown to South Africa Clock" at L.A. Live on the eve of the team's friendly against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl.

Luckily, "Jorge, along with representatives from Wrigley, makers of Extra gum will be available for interviews to discuss Mexico's chances and strategies for a successful bid at the 2010 World Cup™ in South Africa."

I have no idea what wisdom and insight Extra reps will provide on Mexico's World Cup chances. Nor do I know what flavors of gum (if any) they will serve.

Nor will I be going.

Busy today so I'll keep this brief:

*The USWNT beat Norway 2-1 today at the Algarve Cup and plays Sweden Sunday Monday with a berth in the championship game on the line. More details here.

*Chivas USA single game tickets for the upcoming MLS season went on sale today starting at $15. Galaxy single game tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Monday; their cheapest seat is $20.

*Here's one for Fantasy Island. David Beckham could have played for the world's oldest club, England's Notts County, now languishing in the lower divisions and almost penniless. Apparently Beckham is available in October. Read more here.

*Mexico has announced its roster for Wednesday's game against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl:

goalkeepers - Luis Ernesto Michel (CD Guadalajara), Jonathan Orozco (Monterrey)

defenders - Efraín Juarez (UNAM), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (PSV Eindhoven), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Hector Moreno (Az Alkmaar), Rafael Márquez (FC Barcelona)

midfielders - Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (UNAM), Andres Guardado (La Coruña), Jonathan Dos Santos (FC Barcelona), Luis Miguel Noriega (Puebla) Braulio Luna (San Luis)

forwards - Aldo Jesus De Nigris (Monterrey), Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Javier Hernandez (CD Guadalajara), Giovanni Dos Santos (Galatasaray), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Veracruz)

*Click to the right for complete TV listings; sadly no Landon Donovan on TV this weekend, but if you like drama don't miss Chelsea-Manchester City at 4:30 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2 where we'll see if Wayne Bridge and John Terry go in studs up if the two tackle each other.

*Fox Soccer Plus replaces Sentanta Monday. The channel announced Friday it has reached carriage agreements with DIRECTV, DISH Network, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon FiOS.

*Finally, wanna see even more EPL on U.S. TV? It could happen: LONDON (AP) -English Premier League channels are set to start broadcasting across the world next season when a new 24-hour service is launched, a league executive with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.

The league will provide a continuous international feed of programing for broadcast rights holders outside Britain to form their own Premier League channels, the executive said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because a public announcement is yet to be made.

International broadcasters are set to pay around $1.6 billion to show live Premier League matches for the three seasons starting in August 2010 - an 80 percent increase on the current TV deal.

Local networks will be able to pick and choose content from the league's official feed, which will include news and feature shows along with classic matches. The networks will be able to include local advertising and live matches.

While it is a de facto Premier League TV channel, the continuous feed officially is being called a "content service" so that it doesn't impede the ability of clubs, including Manchester United and MUTV, to sell their own channels around the world.

It will be run by Premier League Productions, a joint venture between the league and TWI, the sports production part of International Management Group. The Premier League is searching for a recognizable anchor to be the face of the content