The UNITED STATES national team camp in January always is a great opportunity for players to impress manager Bob Bradley. As important is the opportunity for a coach to get to know a player over a longer time period. The player has an opportunity to earn the trust of a coach.
Saturday when the U.S. takes on SWEDEN all players will want to cap off this camp with a great game performance to leave the best impression they can on BRADLEY and company.
BRIAN CHING will look to maintain the mantle as the top target man, RICARDO CLARK will look to get himself in to the upper tier of the competition at holding midfield while STUART HOLDEN will make his push to get more call-ups.

ARTURO ALVAREZ is hoping to find out next week if he can play for El Salvador. U.S. soccer believes he is ineligible due to his participation with the Under 20 National team.
Alvarez is hoping to get a response from FIFA that will allow him to represent El Salvador. He obviously feels shunned by U.S. soccer at this stage.
He seemed a prime candidate to be called into this camp after his performance with Dallas in 2007 and with San Jose last year.
He is a uniquely skilled player that it would seem you would want to keep in the national team mix.
Do you think ARTURO ALVAREZ should have been called into the recent U.S. National team camp?

Recently NEVIN SUBOTIC of BORUSSIA DORTMUND and a player that came through the ranks of U.S. youth national team programs made the decision to play his senior football with SERBIA. A body blow to U.S. soccer? You bet.
Now we all know that player decisions come for a variety of reasons and the U.S. will not always secure all of the players that have options yet it still has to hurt.
Enter former MAYDE CREEK high school player ARTURO ALVAREZ who has been capped numerous times for U.S. youth national teams and is considering playing for EL SALVADOR. ALVAREZ was born in Houston to Salvadorian parents and has played at TEXAS PREMIER under Carlos Lessa. One year I worked with him and his team in a mens league in Houston trying to accelerate the development of his group because they were getting little competition within youth soccer.
Lets not forget that ALVAREZ was not selected to the Olympic squad under PETER NOWAK. The question is why? U.S. soccer , Olympic coach Peter Nowak and mens national team coach Bob Bradley have not seen Alvarez in the light of the next level from youth international squads yet the player is one of the most skilled and unique in MLS.
Wouldn’t ALVAREZ have been a good fit for the current camp after his work in San Jose last year or are there some bridges that have been burned. With his exceptional individual ability he is certainly the type of player that many have sreamed out to begin to be infiltrated into national team squads.
Do coaches feel he is a risk or a liability defensively or in other areas? Yes this is possible but why would anyone want to give up on this skill and individuality at only 23 years of age. My hope is that this proposed move to El Salvador is posturing because for me this would be a great loss of a potential national team contributor. One that has unique qualities.
El Salvador coach Carlos de Los Cobos is all over this.

*MANCHESTER UNITED injury crisis
Good news Man U fans, the squad has advanced to the CARLING CUP final after a 4-3 aggregate win over DERBY COUNTY but it came at a cost. It is feared that 18 year old defender RAFAEL is out with a hamstring injury for a month. ANDERSON was stretchered off with an ankle injury.
No surprise here that MANCHESTER UNITED shirt sponsor AIG will not return in 2010 and are trying to negotiate a way out of the current deal. Options abound apparently for UNITED in ASIA , INDIA and MALAYSIA.

*U.S. national team camp in California has had alot of change this month with players returning to clubs, injuries and trials. Sacha Kleijstan is on trial at CELTIC while CHAD MARSHALL and SEAN FRANKLIN have left with injuries.
The U.S. take on Mexico in Columbus, Ohio on February 11.

*The DYNAMO will hit the work trail beginning in February to prepare for the their CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP quarterfinal match-up against ATLANTE at the end of February. The Dynamo have a menu of matches prepared against various levels of competition including the AUSTIN AZTEX, FC DALLAS and games in LA vs. foreign competition.

I never wanted to see KAKA head to MANCHESTER CITY irregardless of how much money was being thrown at him. SILVIO BERLUSCONI AC MILAN owner mentioned on Italian television that KAKA would stay at AC MILAN.
KAKA has apparently “listened to his heart”. The pressure of the fans not wanted him to leave I would think somehow played into this you would think…….Meanwhile ROBINHO has apparently walked out of their winter pre-season training in TENERIFE…

LANDON DONOVAN has scored his second goal for BAYERN MUNICH in a friendly this time in front of 42,000 fans at Kaiserslauten. His near post header is a thing of beauty and you can view it in the above video. Something tells me this go around in GERMANY that DONOVAN is living up to the moment and won’t be around MLS for a long time…….Does DONOVAN success make you as an MLS fan proud?

Three idiot fans remind us of the responsibility that comes with being a supporter and that racism has no place in football. Three fans plead guilty to yelling indecent chants at Portsmouth defender SOL CAMPBELL during a match against TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR.
Reminds us of the ugly incident at ROBERTSON where a fan confronted LOUIS CRAYTON with racial taunts. Yes responsibility comes with being a fan. Racism can not be tolerated in any form.

Kudos to DYNAMOPLANET.COM for paving the way. Now on the scene is MYDYNAMO.net Both sites are excellent for connecting to like-minded individuals who are Dynamo fans. Hey, SEATTLE has nothing on HOUSTON!!

AMERCANISTAS I want to know. Is this version of CA going to turn things around.
A 2-1 win over SANTOS behind two goals from SALVADOR CABANAS gives hope….It better after all the off-season moves….CHIVAS and TECOS and a GUADALAJARA match-up this coming weekend.

GAME ON!!

With the DYNAMO now in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy the youth soccer pot has been stirred.
Of course if anyone did not believe the Dynamo were eventually going to take the lead in the youth community then you were asleep at the wheel. In fact I believe it is the responsibility of all MLS teams in their markets to lead and be accountable for taking the youth game up another level.
Finally with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy we see the governing body of the sport in the U.S. take the lead.
Here in Houston the DYNAMO will join TEXAS RUSH and TSC in the league for u18 and u15 squads.
The Dynamo will not charge players to play in this league and have the advantage of mixing their youth players with pros.
They will compete with other youth clubs for the top players in town yet there will not be a shortage of players to be coached.
REMEMBER that rarely do players end up in the professional ranks and the COLLEGE game still remains the goal for the top players to advance to. SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES that remain in TEXAS is the fact that schools like TEXAS AM, TEXAS, UH and UT to name a few do not have NCAA DIVISION 1 soccer. WHY is the youth community not outraged at this? It is time to consolidate and make a concentrated effort to bring this to the attention of regents at these Universities? It almost seems unethical that schools that call themselves international do not have a mens program and talented Texas youth players have to leave the state.
Lets not forget a few things. We are fortunate that we have a steady diet of professional soccer in our town not to mention a professional team that has won two cups and continues to strive to be the top MLS franchise.
The Dynamo if approached properly by youth clubs can be their greatest ally and not competition. After all their is no better why to light the fire of passion under a youth player than to bring them into a live environment to combine with training.
Youth players need to develop a deep love for the sport not just a participatory mind-set. Youth club’s that are doing their jobs are influencing young men and women for a life of enjoyment of soccer.
Your thoughts?

So much going on about the rumors of players moving on. It is fascinating right now in MILAN with the whole KAKA situation.
Manchester City are offering the insane amount of money that is somewhere between 140 million to 150 million. KAKA supposedly will get 15 million to play for City. So is this good for the future of football?
Ok, PATO is the obvious replacement for KAKA , life can go on and this can be a monster business deal yet it seems the player is reluctant to go. Is he being forced out of MILAN due to the price? Is Milan owner SILVIO BERLUSCONI inflating the price tag?
The fans certainly don’t want him to leave yet yesterday during their 1-0 win over FIORENTINA it seemed to be a farewell game for the BRAZILIAN as fans showered him with love and affection and pleaded for him essentially not to go…..In my opinion the 140 million should go to my new hero “Sully” who landed the plane in the Hudson River without breaking it up . Saving over 150 lives and the emotional carnage of so many others if they had lost loved ones. What value should be put on that pilot’s effort….So might say it was priceless.

I have gotten alot of emails about HDNET returning to cover MLS games and all I can say is that I have no idea.
I don’t even know if MARK CUBAN and DON GARBER have even discussed the possibility of it returning but it certainly doesn’t look positive. ESPN and FOX already have their deals in place while one wonders how much desire their is to bring the high def network that I have worked at for the last 6 years back. Finally this season HDNET would have acquired more “eyes” and it would have been nice to prove soccer out on the network.

MANCHESTER UNITED got a late game winner from DIMITAR BERBATOV to beat BOLTON and go to the top of the PREMIERSHIP.
What also is impressive is that it is the tenth straight shutout for the “RED DEVILS”…..Also was interesting to see ATALANTA smack INTER MILAN and the “great one” JOSE MOURINHO. ATALANTA brough on former INTER MILAN striker CHRISTIAN VIERI at the end of the match in a rare appearance. Were they rubbing it in a bit ?

The use of the word OMINOUS may have been too strong when referring to FREDDY LJUNBERG and his surgery after being signed to fanfare for SEATTLE. But you can’t say that this is not a big question mark and story heading into the SOUNDERS first season. I want Seattle to do well because I think as an organization they are stirring the pot with new innovative ideas.
Not to mention 19,000 season tickets. Imagine the atmosphere in Seattle with everybody hitting the local coffee shop before the game.
These “bar raising” efforts from places like Seattle, Toronto, Houston, DC continue to expose clubs that are not getting people in seats and or creating atmosphere at games…..

NOT buying in to the ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO move to LA. He is still amazingly a pivotal figure at JUVENTUS and I believe unless he has some type of assurance from MARCELLO LIPPI that he is going to SOUTH AFRICA this would be considered a risk.
Not saying that LA has not approached him, just saying this is a long shot IMHO. DEL PIERO you will remember suffered a severe knee injury during his career that some say would have ended it. He adapted to the changes physically that occurred in his game amazingly to continue to produce. Also love his loyalty to the “old lady”.

REAL SALT LAKE and JAMAICA midfielder ANDY WILLIAMS wife MARCIA needs a bone marrow donor. Go to soccerunitesutah.com for more on MARCIA.

Yes it was TEAM MIA vs. NOMAR UNITED in another celebrity game . TONY HAWK, DULE HILL and the DYNAMO’s BRIAN CHING all on the scene for a great cause. The match yesterday benefitted the CHILDRENS HOSPITAL of LOS ANGELES specifically targeting bone marrow transplants. MIA HAMM and her husband NOMAR GARCIAPARRA giving back!!!

CRUZ AZUL and CHIVAS in a six goal thriller yesterday . The two sides drawing 3-3 in Mexican League play as the first weekend of CLAUSURA action got underway.

It’s not CRISTIANO RONALDO , nor is it LIONEL MESSI.
I am still in awe of the job pilot SULLY SULLENBERGER did landing a plane in the HUDSON river in New York . An absolute miracle and his expertise and professionalism and most likely his passion around his job made him the right man for that moment. Over 150 passengers are alive to live and see another day after his remarkable efforts.

INDIOS knocked off TECOS 2-1 on FRIDAY night to open up the MEXICAN CLAUSURA while SATURDAY brings us CHIVAS and CRUZ AZUL . Sunday CLUB AMERICA fans whom are pretty humbled these days takes on SANTOS in an interesting match-up………LETS not forget that the UNITED STATES /MEXICO match is right around the corner as well as the DYNAMO taking on ATLANTE……….Did you know that silently the WPS had their draft and BRANDI CHASTAIN was selected by the SAN JOSE franchise….She will be on DYNAMO ALL ACCESS with GLENN DAVIS on January 27 as will MARCELO CLAURE who is combining with BARCELONA to bid for an expansion team in 2010 in MIAMI.
So will the womens league be a success? Do you think MIAMI is a good choice for expansion? Seems it will be hard for the league to turn down this effort with BARCELONA involved, local ownership in MIAMI whom are willing to pay the $40 million dollar expansion fee plus they have already secured a solid deal at FIU to play in their new stadium.

With the MLS Superdraft over lets take stock of how many of these players will actually get signifcant playing time in MLS. The opinion on that is varied…….The FREDDY LJUNBERG signing in SEATTLE looks a bit ominous right now due to his surgery and the fact that they play on the “fake” stuff. DYNAMO have a new social networking system going where fans can connect …..More from U.S. under 20 coach THOMAS RONGEN on draft pick DANIEL CRUZ who played up front for UNLV. Rongen told me in a phone conversation that he is one of the greatest kids he has been around. He feels Cruz will be a legitimate MLS player when it is all said and done. He feels that Cruz will ultimately help the Dynamo a bit off the bench in year one and that wide midfield is where he will be most effective as a box to box midfielder. He calls CRUZ a steal for the Dynamo despite the fact that he feels he is a bit rough around the edges. A mentally strong kid.
Lets remember he is only 19 years old !

So what does your soccer weekend entail?

Today the Dynamo drafted DANIEL CRUZ a 19 year old midfielder from Glendale, Arizona and the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Wake Forest striker MARCUS TRACY.
This might sound a bit surprising especially in the case of Tracy who had already signed for Aalborg in Denmark on Thursday.
So why would the Dynamo pick a player that has already been signed in Europe?
The Dynamo will retain his rights over the next two years if for some reason he looked to return to MLS . Why would Tracy return? Most likely if he doesn’t adjust to Europe culturally and or his performance is not up to par basically.
The choice of Tracy by the Dynamo also may signify that coach DOMINIC KINNEAR was not really excited about the prospects left available at the time.
Tracy who won the HERMANN award as the nation’s top player could very well have been the number one draft choice if not for signing in Europe.
“We feel he is a good gamble to take, as he is widely regarded as on of the top players out of school this year,” said Dynamo CEO Chris Canetti.
“IT’s a bit of a gamble but we feel if he changes his mind, he can come and play for our club in the future, ” said Kinnear.

Another intriguing choice comes in the form of CRUZ who is a veteran of U.S. Youth National teams at the u17 level and u20 level.
“I feel great; I’m excited to be a part of a good club,” said Cruz. “They are not going to regret selecting me in the draft. With my work ethic, I hope to contribute to the team and hopefully help it get back to another MLS CUP.”
Cruz has been called in to recent u20 national team camps and is a strong potential for the u20 World Cup in EGYPT this summer.

Sunday he will leave with the U20 national team under Thomas Rongen to play in friendlies in Trinidad and Tobago to prepare for Concacaf U20 World Cup qualifying.

“I think he (Kinnear) got a steal,” says RONGEN who was surprised to see Cruz last so long. “Is he Brad Davis? No. Is he more like Brian Mullan? Yes,” added Rongen.
“He finds ways to be effective, he will be a legitimate MLS player when he is done.”

“He’s a hard worker,” says Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. “He’s not afraid to run at people. He can play wide in the midfield or up front, so he’s versatile, and he’s got great pace.”

I particularly like the fact that CRUZ is just 19 years of age and barring injury will be a part of u20 World Cup qualifying and hopefully the experience of the u20 World Cup in Egypt. Rongen must be equally happy that this player can grow in the Dynamo organization and set-up. As for Marcus Tracy you have to like the Dynamo “thinking out of the box”.

*KAKA AT MILAN FOR LIFE ? NOT SO FAST….

After recently saying that he would like to grow old at AC MILAN the club is now saying they are “considering” an offer for the Brazilian Superstar. MILAN TELEVISION has confirmed the situation is ongoing. Manchester City has reportedly bid between 149 million and 159 million depending on what news source you listen to.
AC MILAN VICE PRESIDENT ADRIANO GALLIANI now has bodyguards after receiving threats of violence and extortion. It is not known if this has to do with the potential sale of Kaka.

*CLAUSURA KICKS OFF
TOLUCA has hardly had time to celebrate their title in Mexico and we are off to the races again tonite. TECOS will take on INDIOS to open up the new season.
Now don’t forget that the DYNAMO opponent ATLANTE will have a number of games under their belt before the two meet in CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE quarterfinals.
This will be a challenge for the DYNAMO who begin training the first week of February.
Do you like the format in Mexico where two champions are crowned yearly?

* ZAKUANI goes #1
A couple of little known facts about yesterday’s number one draft choice at the MLS SUPERDRAFT STEVE ZAKUANI. The 20 year old born in the REPUBLIC OF CONGO and raised in LONDON played with ARSENAL’s youth squad and his brother GABRIEL is at FULHAM.
Former MLS player CALEB PORTER is his coach at AKRON.

In the IPOD :

1. PETER TOSH- COMING IN HOT

2. ZZ TOP- BROWN SUGAR

3. LOST PROPHETS- EVERYDAY COMBAT

4. MOUNTAIN – MISSISIPPI QUEEN

5. SOUNDS OF AFRICA- SOCCER FAN

Here is what has happened so far at the MLS SUPERDRAFT IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

1. Seattle Sounders- STEVE ZAKUANI striker AKRON UNIVERSITY- So called best attacking player in draft.

2. Toronto FC- SAM CRONIN- WAKE FOREST- solid , should getting playing time his first year in the league.
Toronto need to keep this kid for insurance when Amado Guevara blows up.
Could become Dwayne Derosario’s Ricardo Clark.

3. LA Galaxy- OMAR GONZALEZ – MARYLAND Six foot five defender that could be groomed for future impact.
Will hope to get the same playing time as Sean Franklin did last year.

4. Toronto FC O’BRIEN WHITE UCONN A much needed Canadien player for Toronto FC. Recent ACL surgery yet
still selected shows you the belief in his ability.

5. FC Dallas- PERI MAROSEVIC Only 19 years of age but apparently a physical specimen that can translate
those qualities to MLS.

Lots of talk about the draft these days on mainstream radio. The NFL draft that is.
As for the MLS Superdraft it is a day of importance and seriousness for MLS clubs. Sure the whole thing is modeled after the NFL draft like much has been modeled in MLS over the years.
Admittedly some MLS coaches and technical staffs will choose players today they really have little first hand experience watching. Coaches, gm’s and technical staff will have hoped to have actually watched them play live outside of the MLS combine but the fact remains teams have little budget for scouting.
College games are sporadic on television so coaches must go on the trust of others including coaches, agents, and trusted sources.
For these reasons alone today’s Superdraft (being called a lean group by many) could prove to be unpredictable as to whom actually is drafted, actually make MLS squads.
Having attended many of these events in the past the one thing that can never be over-looked is the excitement and youthfulness of the draftees.
Very few players will actually come out of this draft and get significant playing time. I have had to chuckle at some of these overall reports and bios on players with comments like “he scores from everywhere”.
Now I am not raining on the parade, the draft talk and excitment and want and desire to emulate the NFL draft and initiate discussion is a great thing. It would be enhanced if in fact we all saw more college games and were actually commented on these players after watching them first hand.

So what happens today? One thing is for sure is that Adidas Generation players that are already under contract to the league will go quickly as they do not count against the salary cap. Will SEATTLE use their overall first pick or will they trade it away?
Last year as an expansion team SAN JOSE traded away their first pick to acquire a veteran defender in NICK GARCIA from KC. Immediate help to the SOUNDERS will certainly come from trading away the pick to acquire a more experienced player.

As for the DYNAMO manager DOMINIC KINNEAR will get to make choices in the third and fourth round. As much as finding a player in this spot is a long shot the history of MLS has shown that later round picks have many times out-performed higher draft picks. Yes unpredictability can reign. No one is expected to find “gems” this late in the draft but lets all not forget the find of the year in GEOFF CAMERON last season. Cameron along with JONATHAN LEATHERS of KC, ROGER ESPINOZA of KC and SEAN FRANKLIN of LA actually got decent MLS playing time and experience in year one. Most out of the SUPERDRAFT will not get extensive playing time yet without the reserve league maybe a few more this year could see some action in 2009.
Remember JEFF PARKE out of DREXEL was the last pick in his draft class and went on to be a starter for NEW YORK a few years ago.

Many will select just the best player they can find that may have one quality that they like as opposed to filling a specific positional need.

So if it was a positional choice what do you think the Dynamo should do?

*KAKA PLEDGES TO GROW OLD AT AC MILAN WHILE MAN CITY SAY HE IS STILL AN OPTION

Not sure I am getting this from MARK HUGHES the Manchester City manager who says that negotiations are still taking place. City seems not to be taking no for an answer on KAKA. The city bid apparently was 100 million pounds and they are said to be willing to pay KAKA 500,000 pounds per week!!!!!!! Mind blowing.
Will City entice KAKA to the EPL?

*DYNAMO / ATLANTE is game on in 41 days
This will be a dramatic way to open the season with a crucial February 24th first leg against ATLANTE of Mexico. Now we all know what the DYNAMO did to them the last time they met at Robertson. Yes they dis-mantled ATLANTE 4-0 who didn’t take kindly to the drubbing. Something tells me they just might be looking for some revenge.
The first leg will be opportunity for the Dynamo to get a cushion before the return leg in CANCUN.
By the way…are you traveling to CANCUN for the 2nd leg?

FIFA WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United
2. Lionel Messi Barcelona
3. Fernando Torres Liverpool
4. Kaka AC Milan
5.Xavi Barcelona

Marta of Brazil won the award and now is a member of the LA SOL which is an AEG team.

More trouble at CHELSEA indicating that FELIPE SCOLARI’s management style may just be too autocratic.
Word from England has DROGBA not even in the traveling squad for tonite’s match against SOUTHEND in the F.A. Cup.
This must clearly put DROGBA’s future at CHELSEA in question not to mention the fact that it seems that SCOLARI has not got his star players behind him and his methods.

Meanwhile MANCHESTER UNITED continues to follow through on their plan to earn fans on all corners of the earth. It will be off to INDONESIA on as summer tour where United has throngs of fans. This popularity comes down in a large part to how ALEX FERGUSON has managed this club.

FC Dallas like many teams in MLS addressing their needs on the left side. Left sided players are not easy to come by but the “Hoops” have grabbed a good one in Dave Van den Berg of the New York Red Bulls. Van den Berg scored the lone goal for the RED BULLS in their 1-0 Western Conference upset of REAL SALT LAKE that sent them to the MLS CUP FINAL. Interesting move here as Van den Berg was one of the main providers in NEW YORK to striker JUAN PABLO ANGEL.
NEW YORK picks up “lightning in a bottle” DOMINIC ODURO who can fly. The question with ODURO is will he be able to score goals?

Listen to the podcast of DYNAMO ALL ACCESS with GLENN DAVIS to hear interviews with FC DALLAS striker Ken Cooper Jr. and Dynamo reps Dominic Kinnear and Chris Canetti.