A few things...

Just imagine Bayern 's attack if they'd also been able to land Wesley Sneijder from Real last summer...

#1 - I had a good chat with nice guy Kenny Cooper the other evening, and despite some struggles this season, he isn't giving up World Cup 2010 hopes just yet.

Those two stray Top 5 Lists are still on hold, but I will have a Champions League final four preview at S365 tomorrow.

I had also been planning to do a Wolfsburg v Fulham LIVE tomorrow... but Clint Dempsey will miss out with a thigh knock.

#2 - U.S. Soccer has appointed Captain America, Claudio Reyna, as youth technical director. I knew he had an "A" coaching license, but didn't see him getting into anything so soon. Good stuff.

#3 - S365 co-hort Richard Snowden advises that MLS would do well to beg its way into Copa Libertadores in order to take full advantage of all those new Designated player slots. I'd say that's a damn fine notion.

Meanwhile, Eben Lehman has his weekly look back at Mexico's Bicentario.

#3 - A few bits from the Houston Chronicle:

- As World Cup hopeful Brian Ching hits the shelf...
- Cam Weaver & Lovel Palmer are set for season bows
- Houston finally has a municipal stadium deal

Also, Joseph Ngwenya could be back with the club soon.

#4 - The New York Red Bulls could get even better before long; Chris Albright is nearing a long-awaited return to action.

#5 - What of Hamburg forward/slinger Paolo Guerrero's weekend fan bop? Well, the club has dipped hard into his wallet and the league is investigating. Ya know what? I bet his season is about to end prematurely.

#6 - The way Serie A is run is a total joke. I'm sorry, but is anyone surprised that Inter Milan are being hauled into the match fixing scandal of 2006?

I especially love how Juventus, who won the 1996 Champions League final super-doped to the gills, want the stripped title back. Har-dee-har-har.

#7 - Guardian tactician supremo Jonathan Wilson talks up a topic dear to my heart: high pressure.

As a hockey guy, one of my best and favorite attributes was the forecheck, to limit options and cause mistakes. And just think of how much better the 'Nats look when Jozy, Clint, Landon and Charlie are giving the opposition backline a hard time.


- Greg Seltzer

The Lionel Show

In case you missed last night's thrilling episode...





- Greg Seltzer

Uh oh. BigSoccer's gonna be maaaaad.

The good news is, now we have USMNT-eligible players looking down the soccer food chain for opportunities instead of up for better chances to win.

Of course, I'm also a bit worried about the Holden household now. I hope family dinners can stay civil.

--




- Greg Seltzer

Video Tuesday

You can thank K.C. Wizards press officer Alex Abnos for the sweet Cut of the Day...

Why wait when we can start with 2 Good 2 Bad?




Sticking with the Prem, two Americans (only two???) made Saves of the Week.




CNN World Sport has been going through all 32 World Cup teams, and they get Grant Wahl on the webcam to discuss the USMNT.




MLS Matchday 360 takes into and around the edges of the opening day clash between Philly Union and home side Seattle.




Finally, The Shin Guardian put together this stirring Charlie Davies clip, which I'm sure you'll enjoy.





- Greg Seltzer

A few things...

Still tending to home matters, still holding two partially filled-out Top 5'ers. I promise there won't be any Arrested Development movie-type delays...

#1 - An NSC reader brought this to my attention today: not only does the Liverpool Echo clearly long for the Everton days of Landon Donovan, but they reveal the wicked stat that Tim Howard became the first Prem keeper to stop three spot kicks in a season since 1989.

#2 - UK outlet Sport has a fresh Q&A with in-form Wolves netminder Marcus Hahnemann.

#3 - I got a quick word with Binh Duong newbie (say that fast three times) Lee Nguyen, who feels he has a better shot at silver than at HAGL.

#4 - MLSsoccer's Jonathan Yardley talks with Dynamo ace Geoff Cameron, who says he's ready to make plays upfield this season.

#5 - In case you hadn't heard about the slain white supremacist figure in South Africa, let me catch you up on the evolving World Cup 2010 climate down there: oi vey.

#6 - The Times' Gabrielle Marcotti reports on a La Liga strike threat over mass unpaid wages in Spain just in time for the Real Madrid v Barcelona title bout.


- Greg Seltzer

Barnburner of the Week

It's only too bad Ricardo Clark couldn't help Eintracht Frankfurt tackle Bayer Leverkusen - had a great seat, though.




- Greg Seltzer

Who likes goals?

It's going to be a couple of days at least until I can get those other two Top 5 Lists up and get things back to normal business. There is much to do here at the moment, so please bear with me...

We begin with Eintracht Frankfurt's Caio showing Bayer Leverkusen the old screwball (albeit from further than 60'6").




If first you don't succeed... pass to Porto's Falcao for a bicycle kick.




Rookie Ajax defender Toby Alderweireld fires this stoppage time laser to keep their title hopes alive.




Humberto Suazo finishes this dynamic Real Zaragoza move on the volley.




Our free kick prize this week goes to Shakhtar Donetsk's Darijo Srna, who gives a lesson on keeper positioning from the touchline.




Finally, Sunderland's Bolo Zenden plays us out with a nasty corner-seeking karate volley.





- Greg Seltzer

Seriously... what the hell was Paolo Guerrero thinking?

Please do note this incident took place between the Hamburg forward and the club's own fans, not opposing supporters. Good grief, man.





- Greg Seltzer

I am running out of snappy post headlines for you, Herc.

Yep, Puebla forward Herculez Gomez did it again on Saturday night, scoring for the seventh time in eight games to earn his side a share at Morelia.




- Greg Seltzer

Mo Edu, Mo Problems

Just ask Hamilton. Watch Mo Edu run behind the entire play, from the right side to the left... caused all sorts of problems in the 11th minute of Rangers' 1-0 victory.





- Greg Seltzer

Is there any intruder that's ruder than life?

There won't be anything today or much of tomorrow from me, a bit of an apartment disaster situation here. Sorry, guys and gals, I will get ya those two other Top 5 Lists when I can.


- Greg Seltzer

The last American standing

... in Europe, that is.

Clint Dempsey and Fulham took a 2-1 lead in their Europa League with a Cottage win over German champs Wolfsburg, and we may as well have a look.

Of course, NSC regulars will remember I did wildly predict that an American would feature in the Europa League final in Hamburg, and this result did little to harm that - though that last minute away goal leaked took some air out of the victory.




- Greg Seltzer

Michael Harrington got got. (updated)

April Fool's Day, courtesy of Kei Kamara. And I believe he's promised video, so watch this space.

UPDATE: Oh dear sweet Moses.




- Greg Seltzer

Some U.S. youth player auditioning for Der Club (updated)

I have confirmed that U.S. youth international forward Stefan Jerome is currently training with the first team of Bundesliga outfit FC Nuremberg with hopes of earning a contract offer.

The club is being a bit secretive over it, but have promised to put together a statement for me today, most likely from the coach or sport director... we hope, anyway.

I like this player a lot, I've made no secret of that. In fact, his name will turn up on the Top 5 List in the works for tomorrow (another strago suggestion).

UPDATE: Okay, let's start over. There was a misunderstanding with the earlier FCN gentleman on the phone, and he assented when he shouldn't have. The American player on trial is not Stefan Jerome.

Who is it? Well, we wait to see what they reveal. A German transfer forum (for what it's worth) says it is Amaechi Igwe.

UPDATE UPDATE: No reply by the close of FCN business... foilt ahgin by ze Germans!!


- Greg Seltzer

Another day, another USMNT recovery report

We start with good news: AGF midfielder Benny Feilhaber returned with 21 minutes in a 4-0 victory over Esbjerg on Wednesday night.

They were only up one when he entered, so I will add the highlights here once they surface and we can see how he contributed. In this interview done pre-game, the U.S. midfielder says he's feeling fine these days.

As Charlie Davies continues to work on the side in order to rejoin full training, Sochaux fans continue to show great support for the #9 shirt. In fans' Player of the Month voting for March, the sidelined American still got 7% of the vote.

Meanwhile, recovering AC Milan defender Oguchi Onyewu may not have so much backing at San Siro. Italian reports are again suggesting he could be part of a summer clear-out. Hmm... I know a club that would take on, no problem.

Though AaB forward Marcus Tracy has only had one abruptly-ended January call-up, we include him here and turn to bad news - or shall we call it hopeful news? The youngster has been shut down for the season to undergo platelet-rich plasma treatment. My chat on the topic with Aalborg boss Magnus Pehrsson is here.


- Greg Seltzer