More from South Africa...

From the always worthwhile USMNT blog, we have a monster Saturday goodies basket: a free PDF download of the U.S. Confederations Cup media guide, a post from keeper Brad Guzan, a couple of spot-on movie reviews from Jonathan Bornstein and a new Studio 90 report.

Why am I being so lazy today? Wrist troubles, too much typing/mousing, had to rest it. I'll make it up with a special U.S. v Italy Top 5 List tomorrow.

- Greg Seltzer

Mr. Jones strikes up a conversation...

But not with a black-haired flamenco dancer. This time, anyway.

Rumour became news suddenly this morning when it was announced by the German F.A. that Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones is making a FIFA switch to the U.S. National Team.

Frankfurt-born with an American dad, the 27-year old is coming off a second consecutive fine season in the Bundesliga and formerly captained Eintracht Frankfurt. He is a two-way midfielder that appeared in three friendlies for Die Mannschaft, but never an "A" contest.

Sorry it took me a while to even get this up, but I've been trying to locate Jermaine. A loyal reader asked if I thought he would receive a Gold Cup call-up. Figuring that he had to have talked with USMNT Bob Bradley before making the switch, I replied: 'I can only imagine he would be'.

UPDATE: I've spoken to Jones' agent and filed a report at S365. As it reads, the rule does not go into effect until the beginning of August, meaning he obviously cannot take part in the Gold Cup. Thanks to a couple of NSC regulars for the reminder nudge.

To get you all excited, here is a winner he scored against Cologne in March...




- Greg Seltzer

O Guchi, where art thou... going?

Okay, I've been working on this transfer saga for a couple of days, and this is what I have learned:

U.S. backline cop Oguchi Onyewu now has three Prem offers (Birmingham, Fulham and mystery meat), two La Liga offers (shrug), one Bundesliga offer (der schrug), one Ligue 1 offer (presumably PSG or Marseille, though Lyon is a possibility) and the seemingly also-ran bid from Fenerbahçe.

As you may already know, Birmingham gave Gooch a weekend deadline to decide on their proposal, which I can only assume was a rather foolish thing to do. Frankly, I think the appearance of new EPL bids and the Ligue 1 offer is going to force the Brums to look elsewhere.

As you may recall, I warned you all a Fulham bid was in the air - I owe one super thanks to the "clock right twice a day" UK tabloids for nabbing that reveal from me this morning.

Isn't this fun?!

UPDATE: More fun, get this: one phone call later, and I believe the Ligue 1 team is... promoted Montpellier.

The S365 report is up. I think I have a line on one of the La Liga teams, but I have to make another call in the morning to be sure.

Fun, right?

UPDATE UPDATE: No luck on the Spanish lead yet. I'll keep trying.

On an unrelated note, Gooch talks about his reasons for taking Anderlecht defender Jelle van Damme to court over alleged racist remarks during a match.

- Greg Seltzer

United takes the Real bait

So in the end everyone has their price and in Man U's case it was $131m to send Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid don't take no for an answer and like a besotted lover, waited forever outside the Glazers' door at Old Trafford despite an official complaint to FIFA, regular rebuffs and ardent denials, Sir Alex Ferguson's "I wouldn't sell them a virus" being the most memorable of them.

At long last, Real's ever-enlarging carrot was too juicy for a once profitable English club now owing $1.15 billion, according to accounts released this month. This does not mean United had to sell Ronaldo to avoid meltdown; Real have made running a soccer club at a colossal debt an art form for years. Fergie was party to this too, opting to cash in after six years of hay for a player who doesn't want to play for him anymore and who was at the peak of his transfer value.

I never thought Ronaldo looked settled in England. He just seemed too Latin for Lancashire. For every sexy flick or feint, every wondrous dribble or jaw-dropping free kick, his defiantly petulant reactions to referees, or to being fouled or substituted, were always from a different culture and you always felt he wasn't going to see out his days in drizzly Manchester like Ryan Giggs. Fans recall his gamesmanship and tantrums as well as his flashes of brilliance; his EPL obituary remains one of sun and shadow.

Boys from the Iberian Peninsula, or the islands off it, dream of playing for Real or Barca, something the craggy Scot at Old Trafford would not accept, until now. A loss to the EPL, but in this digital age, it is not like England's soccer followers can never see Ronaldo again.

But a bigger loss for Man U, despite bagging $39m more than Milan got for Kaka: the English Champions have just sold the Ballon d'Or winner, FIFA World Player of the Year and a guy who scored 42 goals for them two seasons ago, from midfield!

Without an obvious marquee replacement, the Red Devils are in need of overhaul, while Real have a new crop of Galacticos to drool over.

-Sean O'Conor

USMNT gets to work in South Africa

The 'Nats have had their first training session to prepare for next week's Confederations Cup kickoff against world champions Italy. Of course, Studio 90 checks in, but the good ol' USMNT blog also has Jay DeMerit's thoughts on the trip so far. FIFA.com provides an interview with Italy boss Marcelo Lippi and the tourney squad lists, while the unmatchable Simon Kuper lets on how exciting this tourney and World Cup 2010 are for South Africa.





- Greg Seltzer

But Mommy, if it was a FIFA day, why did MLS only have one match going?

I kid, I kid.

Though the USMNT were off last night, a pair of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers were played, with Honduras and Mexico winning to pass El Salvador in the hex table.

Mexico 2 T&T 1




Honduras 1 El Salvador 0




Meanwhile, in a wide open UEFA qualification, England abused Andorra to move to the brink of joining the Netherlands in the South Africa field and Sweden finally woke up.


England 6-0 Andorra - The most amazing home videos are here




Down in CONMEBOL, Brazil and Chile (who haven't qualified since France '98) scored victories that also have them close to clinching their World Cup places, while Argentina tumbled to fourth thanks to a galling loss at Ecuador.








- Greg Seltzer

A few things...

I'm busy watching video and putting together the new MLS Club Ladder for S365, so I will gradually build up this post a bit at a time. First up, a tasty Bernardo Fallas scoop...

#1 - Houston has dealt Chris Wondowloski to San Jose for Cam Weaver in a swap of forwards.

Folks, I think it's a terrific move, as they now have fine cover for Brian Ching. The Dynamo, ever solid at the back, have reinvented their strike force with a new "Ngwenya (Adi Akinbiyi) and a new "Jaqua" in Weaver - who can also strike a nasty free kick. This officially stamps them as my first bonafide MLS Cup contenders.

#2 - The Boston Globe's Monique Walker looks back at Taylor Twellman's big Sunday night. It's about time we had a St. Louis man in the MLS century club. I mean, the assist king is form there, so...

(hometown gloating over)

#3 - Freddie, complaining to refs gets you nowhere. Trust me, I have tested that theory for years.

#4 - The Examiner thinks about 10 players that Philly Union should try to lure. They obviously can't get them all and some will be out of reach, but there are a few good calls here.

#5 - I just caught the coldly casual knee-to-the-groin red card foul (WMP link, play with the incident starts at about 1:25) committed by Crew defender Chad Marshall, and I will now say that MLS is a gutless joke if it does not snap to it and hand him a fat multi-game suspension.

If Ricardo Clark got nine games, including playoffs, for kicking Carlos Ruiz in the arm after being punched, then under absolutely no circumstance should Marshall receive less than six games for that garbage maneuver.

Frankly, I think his moment of madness was far worse and completely unprovoked from a physical standpoint. Baby kicks can force testicular amputation and more, much less a grown man's knee. It's just plain pathetic behavior on a professional soccer field.

#6 - Another MLS trade is in: Toronto FC finally takes advantage of the depth in net by sending Greg Sutton to San Jose in exchange for defender Nick Garcia and the rights to Canada attack ace Ali Gerba...

#7 - It seems Setanta has gotten themselves in a fine mess. Corporate business people are really on my last nerve these days, always running game - and now this company is trying to give away their games. Could ESPN suddenly have Prem coverage? Hmmm.

#8 - FIFA talks to Bob Bradley and Carlos Bocanegra as the USMNT arrives in South Africa for Confederations Cup.

#9 - Some fun stuff from the Guardian blog today: the story of six transfers that didn't happen, plus season-end "awards for the Bundesliga and La Liga.

#10 - Almost forgot... this week's MLS Club Ladder is up.


- Greg Seltzer

Call me crazy...

... but I don't think David Beckham is going back to AC Milan in January. I really don't.

First, Carlo Ancelotti leaves and now this:

"I spoke to some friends, like Beckham, who has already played for Real. He said it's a fantastic place to play. I spoke to him this past week and he kept helping me, he said I made a positive choice for my career's growth," revealed new Real Madrid bonus baby Kaká.

Of course, the unexpectedly early end of his Rossoneri career wouldn't preclude Beckham from finding another needed Euro-challenge that just happens to last through the summer of 2010 (wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more). But, for now, I think Galaxy fans should just not try to drive him away.

After all... you don't want him suddenly whispering in Josh Tudela's ear about how great ManU is, do ya?


- Greg Seltzer

And then there were four...

I've meant to do this about four times since Sunday morning and kept forgetting (the most recent time because the oven dinged to tell me that brownies were now ready, which I think we can all understand), but here it finally is: the Netherlands became the fourth nation to clinch a place at World Cup 2010 in South Africa by winning at Iceland this weekend, joining Australia, Japan and South Korea in the field.

As you may know, Oranje were my original football true love and I admit to no shame in pausing my normal USMNT focus for a brief moment to say "HUP HOLLAND HUP!"




- Greg Seltzer

Who likes goals?

As promised, a special WCQ weekend edition...

Before we get into all that, let's check out the MLS weekly prize contenders.



Peru's Juan Vargas smashes home a nasty free kick.



Wayne Rooney acrobatically caps a fine England attack.



And finally, I know this is both annoying and from a friendly, but... Giuseppe Rossi threads the needle short side for Italy.



- Greg Seltzer

A job well done

Well, it will be a drastically more sunny U.S. Player Ratings up at S365 on Sunday. Despite suffering another very early deficit, the 'Nats fought back to top Chicago visitors Honduras 2-1 to retain firm hold of second place in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

All of the fundamentals and teamwork demanded of our boys was back out of the case on Saturday night, with Landon Donovan and skipper Carlos Bocanegra netting the goals. Then, on Sunday, coach Bob Bradley unveiled his Confederations Cup roster.

UPDATE: My U.S. Player Ratings are up.

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El Salvador 2 Mexico 1 (?!)



Costa Rica 3 T&T 2





- Greg Seltzer