Lemire the lone Aviator on FC Edmonton… for now 30 Dec 2010 Chris Lemire doesn’t want to see another Edmonton soccer team fold.
De Rosario agent: This is not a trial 29 Dec 2010 The identity of Dwayne De Rosario's agent has been revealed. Wednesday's Scottish Sun quoted agent Dave Baldwin, stating his client was simply training with the club, not trialing. Toronto FC was publicly embarrassed when it claimed the club's all-time leading scorer was trialing with Celtic without the approval of the Reds' front office. But Baldwin said there is a distinction between "trainee" and "trialist." “One thing that has to be stressed here is that Dwayne is NOT on trial at Celtic as has been stated in some quarters.
Would U.K. rubber stamp a work permit for De Rosario? 29 Dec 2010 As the Dwayne De Rosario-to-Celtic drama plays on, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. And that’s the work permit. If Celtic was to make arrangements with Toronto FC and MLS to bring the Reds’ captain to the Bhoys, even though TFC is claiming that De Ro is in Scotland without the club’s permission, there is no guarantee that a 32-year-old Canadian forward would be quickly granted permission to work in Glasgow by the U.K. government.
TFC, MLS and De Rosario: A failure to communicate 28 Dec 2010 There have been more than a few embarrassing moments in the four-plus seasons of Toronto FC’s existence; but the fact that Dwayne De Rosario was training with Celtic —less than a full day after acting GM Earl Cochrane vehemently denied that the team’s all-time leading scorer would be leaving the club —has to go right to the top of the charts when it comes to egg dripping off the faces of those running the Reds. De Rosario checked into Celtic’s training session Tuesday morning, wearing shirt No. 19.
De Rosario to Celtic… To be or not to be? 27 Dec 2010 Celtic manager Neil Lennon was quoted in The Telegraph today, confirming that Toronto FC’s all-time leading scorer, Dwayne De Rosario, could be in Glasgow for a trial — and might sign with the Hoops in time for the next Old Firm derby against Rangers. De Rosario, TFC’s leading scorer in 2010, could join former Arsenal star and MLS Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg, who is already in Glasgow.
Stoke City fans the flames of Buddle rumour 23 Dec 2010 I don’t know of another team that fans the flames of speculation around the club quite like Stoke City. While so many other clubs distance themselves from newspaper reports and blog-fuelled rumours about transfers, Stoke embraces them. This week, the club’s transfer speculation page highlighted a report from the Daily Mail that suggested Stoke could be where American striker Edson …
EPL motive would explain Bunbury’s national team flip-flop 21 Dec 2010 If, despite Sporting Kansas City’s protests, Stoke City does sign Teal Bunbury after he finishes his week on what the Potters are calling a “trial,” there could be a chance that Canadian soccer fans could forgive the striker. Could is the key word. Is it coincidence that Bunbury received a look-see from Stoke manager Tony Pulis just weeks after he made his debut for the Stars and Stripes — after famously deciding against playing for Canada — in a friendly against South Africa?
MLS schedulemaker puts the pressure on Toronto FC 20 Dec 2010 The team still has an interim coach and interim general manager. But the heat on Toronto FC was turned up when MLS released its First Kick schedule Monday. As was widely expected, TFC kicks off its season in Vancouver against the Whitecaps on March 19. The game is exactly what CBC, which would love to expand its reach for soccer broadcasts, would need to create a new national brand that shows that it could create a soccer broadcasting franchise built on the Hockey Night in Canada model. The next week, Toronto FC returns to BMO Field to welcome the Portland Timbers for the home opener.
A World Cup in January? Now that’s an idea worth pursuing 20 Dec 2010 While the rotten smell left behind by the voting process for the 2018 and, especially, the 2022 World Cups is still strong in FIFA’s Swiss headquarters, there is one bit of good coming out of the Qatar bid. And that’s the continuing rumblings that the tournament will have to be held in January — to give the players and fans a reprieve from the Qatari summers, where temperatures regularly soar past 40 C. Because, once and for all, it would smash the notion of the “international calendar,” a large truck of snake oil that has been pushed onto the world’s footballing community by rich, European clubs.
Sinclair proves again that she deserves to be in Marta’s company 20 Dec 2010 When FIFA names the winner of the female World Player of the Year, Christine Sinclair doesn’t even have to bother going to the ceremony. Marta, her teammate with the 2010 WPS champion FC Gold Pride, will likely walk away with her fifth win in a row. And, FIFA has already stated that the other two contenders for the award are …