The Soccer Thread (IV)

What do you make of the Portsmouth takeover being completed?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/8160777.stm

 

I think they need players. And it doesn't even really matter who they are.

So he's got to start spending money pretty quickly, because they've been in limbo at the wrong time of year. And they seem keen to turn a quick quid on selling players -- 12 million for Crouch, 18 million for Johnson -- but not necessarily to recognize the reality that someone has to replace those guys.

This has to be a retrenching season, but they cannot get relegated.

 

On the fandom front (since that is somewhat a topic)… I think it is fairly well established that I’m about as local as it gets when it comes to my teams. Sure, I do have a foreign side, but I doubt anyone would accuse me of selecting them for, well, I don’t know.

I have also tried with the MLS talk though my team really sucks. Maybe that can come back some more…


In other news… Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints gives a nice little mention to the US National Team in this week’s Monday Morning Quarterback. For that, I may have to root for Mr. Payton (former Giants offensive coordinator) to do well this coming season!

 

League One Oldham Athletic are building a new stadium at a site called ... Failsworth.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/oldham_athletic/s/1127341_oldham_on_the_move

 

Grant Wahl's "The Beckham Experiment" is fantastic, too.
Piotr: Webster and Pastor both go to NYRB games all the time (I'd say, "poor blokes", but it just wouldn't fit for the purposes of this discussion).
I watch the Crew. Those are just off the top of my head.
If you're interested in more MLS talk, I think we could make that happen. Let's do it.

 

I admit that once the MLS shutdown my hometown team (Mutiny RIP) I stopped watching MLS. I've watched maybe a half dozen matches from beginning to end. I catch 5-10 minutes here and there. But I could've named the starting lineups for every team back in 1996-97.

Sigh.

 

Crew-TFC on Saturday. You in? Last time was a riot!

 

Alexi Lalas is doing color commentary on AC Milan v. Club America on ESPN2. He's worse than the vuvuzelas.

 

I go to as many Dynamo games as I can (which isn't many since my job requires me to work most Firday and Saturday nights) and I absolutely love it, but if Newcastle were to come over for a friendly I'd be in black and white.

 

Last Galaxy game I went to, sat in the $75 seats with comp tickets.

I know I mentioned that before, but it again bears saying: NO professional soccer team in the USA should presume to charge half that for its best seats. I don't care if David Beckham plays naked.

 

IJAG's ears just perked up.

 

Not to quibble, but shouldn't they charge what the market can sustain? I agree if they're not selling any of the $75 seats, but if people are going to pay for them, then why not?