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| Friday, September 14, 2001 24:16 EST |
A look around U.S. soccer
By Jeff Bradley
[ESPN The Magazine]
In Tight Space
The MetroStars sent out a statement Thursday night about how they would be making a decision on Lothar Matthaeus' future by next Wednesday. A team source says the club will meet with the league to discuss the different ways they can set Matthaeus free. Their first choice would be for Matthaeus to quit and void his contract, because they would then be able to seek a replacement. But even if that doesn't happen, it's likely that Matthaeus' days with the club are numbered, even if the club simply cuts him.
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THE FIRST XI
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Worst uniforms in MLS history:
11. Revolution's "Fourth of July" ensemble, 1997
10. Wizards' "Lifesaver Variety Pack" edition, 1997
9. MetroStars' "Court Jester" shirts, 1996
8. Burn's original red
7. Crew's "Yellow Vests," 1997
6. D.C. United's present "Third Strip"
5. Fire's "Green Letters," 2000
4. Wizards' "Charlie Brown," 1998
3. Rapids present uniforms
2. Mutiny's "Chlorophyll Green," 1996
1. Clash, 1996
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Mamadou Diallo's stint in MLS could be a short one. The French club Metz is interested in the Senegalese striker, who would like to stay in Tampa but will be asking for a hefty bump-up from the $100,000 he is making this season. Diallo is signed to a typical MLS contract, where the league owns his rights for this season plus two more.
San Jose is still seeking a player for the final allocation slot, even though that player will only be available for a short time. The player is believed to be a non-Portuguese player who is playing in the Portuguese league (so glad I could clear that one up for you.)
San Jose had former Leicester City striker Ian Marshall in camp this past week, but sent him packing. They were also offered Canadian striker Carlo Corizini (the MVP of the CONCACAF Gold Cup) but, again, had no interest.
Bulgarian Tony Velkov trained for a week with Chicago, but was then offered a contract he could not refuse to return to the German Regionalliga. The Fire then asked ex-D.C. player Mike Slivinski and ex-D.C. and Dallas player Mike Burke if they wanted to go on trial, but both players said they preferred to get regular minutes in the A-League.
Michael Blackwood, the Aston Villa reserve player who was supposed to get a tryout with D.C. United last month before he was injured in a car accident, signed with English side Wrexham. United would not commit to Blackwood on videotape alone.
Columbus may yet sign Australian sweeper Ante Kovacevic with the marquee relief they've been granted to fill the slot of injured Brian Maissoneuve.
The wheels are still in motion for Colorado to acquire Wilmer Lopez, the star midfielder for Costa Rican club Alajuela. But, it's not likely he'll be acquired before next season.
Pub Talk
Can you imagine Thomas Dooley, Mike Burns, Chad Deering, Brian Maissoneuve all started for the U.S. in the first game of France '98? Dooley, Burns and Deering have all had a tough time holding down starting positions in MLS in the Year 2000.
What's going to happen if the U.S. doesn't qualify for a World Cup? I don't mean this time around, but whenever. How many papers will trumpet the death of soccer in this country? I mean, this is the place, where the last World Cup was roundly characterized as "the low point in U.S. Soccer History."
"I remember before we played Italy in 1990," said Tab Ramos, "and they were predicting that a record would be set for the widest margin of victory ever in a World Cup game. I mean, to me, that was a lot lower than what happened in France."
Please, if you're looking for low points, should you be searching some time between 1950 and 1990, when guys had to get off work at the garage to play for the national team, and we wondered how we'd ever beat Canada and Haiti?
"The U.S. is known as a very good team in Central America," says Martin Machon. "Guys like Cobi Jones and Claudio Reyna, they are known in Guatemala, by the kids who play soccer. There was a time when the feeling would have been, we have better players than the U.S., but not any more. Now, everyone realizes it will be very tough for us to beat them."
Before I forget?
Would people please stop trying to draw conclusions from these international friendlies that MLS teams are playing? These are training games, nothing more, nothing less.
I mean, one GM in the league wanted his PR director to use the Chicago and Columbus victories over Hamburg as evidence that MLS was on par with the Bundesliga. Even though everyone who witnessed those matches said the Hamburg players were sweating lager from the opening whistle.
I was at the Fusion's 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest game on Wednesday night. The pace of the game was not full-tilt, there were a lot of extra substitutions, and, most of all, there was no sense of urgency on either team's part to win the game.
They're called friendlies for a reason.
National team notes
Tab Ramos, who hasn't played for the national team since France '98, was particularly sharp in the team's practice game with the Miami Fusion. He was a second-half sub for Arena up front with Ante Razov.
David Regis continues to impress Arena. In fact, the coach feels very good about the speed of his backline of Sanneh, Pope, Fraser and Regis. "We've got some juice back there," Arena said. "I don't think it will be easy for anyone to get behind those guys."
Regis, who played with FC Metz in France last year, is hoping to hook on with Leeds United of the English Premier League for the upcoming season.
Frankie Hejduk's two weeks with the U.S. national team could prove fatal to his chances of getting significant time with Bayer Leverkusen next season. The club nearly loaned him to Eintracht Frankfurt last month, and Hejduk's agents are beginning to put out feelers to see if there's any interest in Hejduk in other European countries.
If Cobi Jones is to end up in Europe next year, France seems the likely destination. Jones, who is in the final year of his MLS contract, is seeking a five-year, $5 million deal.
Eddie Lewis is also on edge a little bit about leaving his team, Fulham, for two critical weeks of preseason in England. "Our new coach is French," Lewis said, "and so far things have gone well. I think I'm in his plans, but the team's going to France and a lot of guys are nervous he's going to sign a few French players."
There's some talk that Brad Friedel could be making the cross-town trip from Liverpool to Everton this season, where he would join fellow UCLA grad Joe-Max Moore.
Jeff Bradley covers soccer ... among other things ... for ESPN The Magazine. Boot Room hits the web every Thursday evening.
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