Just makes you wish for a home of your own, doesn’t it.

Programming change: DYNAMO ALL ACCESS with GLENN DAVIS in Sports Talk 790 AM airs this Thursday at 5pm and Friday at 3pm……

The Dynamo rolled over SMU in another pre-season warm-up today at Robertson Stadium in front of 1700 fans. It was an excellent turnout (I would guess about half of the season ticket holders) on a cold day. Then again come July and August we will all be longing for a bit of cool weather. So here are a couple of my thoughts:

1.) Trialists- Samuel Appiah out of Boston University at this moment seems to be the college player in poll position to get a roster spot. He hails from Ghana.
Khadim Diouf had some moments and it is a physical prescence, Leandre Griffit looks like he has nice feet but is he enough of a two way player to satisfy
manager Dominic Kinnear. I don’t know if he was carrying an injury but seemed he needed to be more dominant against a college side. Blessing Kaku has the
greatest name on the planet and seemed very confident, calm like an older player should but one would question the physical nature of MLS.
Disclaimer here is that these thoughts come after watching one game. It will be easy to tell if Dominic Kinnear has interest further if he brings them to
Florida where they will do more pre-season work.

2.) Fans- season ticket holders were awesome in support of their team and like I mentioned today, the attention, the pushing of the media, news stories and more are making the
politicians like Sylvia Garcia and El Franco Lee finally take notice and it seems new Mayor Annise Parker is expected to meet with THE FRANCO LEE, is that a stage name
or what? These politicians could blow what is an amazing business deal for the city of Houston. There are two very simple ways to support the stadium…………support your SPORT IN THE MEDIA, call in to radio shows, call tv networks, print media, radio
stations and demand more and better coverage. Don’t stand for the sport being ridiculed and quickly remind them that the soccer bloc has dollars and it is bad business to
ignore the sport and it’s fans who grow daily. Simply ask them if they are interested in earning the loyalty of new listeners, viewers and readers and increased sponsorship dollars.
Number two is to continue to support the Dynamo and bring new fans to games, we all have friends that we can turn on to this game and we must make the effort to do it.
Many of these also are Euro elitists and MFL fans that have yet to see the MLS light . Remind them of experiences they had growing up going to stadiums and that it is one big party at Robertson with like minded individuals. We must be more pro-active in this regard.

3.) It sound as though at this next rally lots of East End people, chamber of commerce, TSU (El Franco Lee and Sylvia Garcia are graduates) will all be attending the event and that will make it more impactful. Lets get some real numbers out to this event!! The more diversity of those in support the more it will raise eyebrows.
So what would you rather have on the East End, a soccer stadium to add to the landscape of sports structures that benefits all or a jail processing center. I am sure the townhome owners didn’t see that in their future.

4.) Thanks to all whom I met and chatted with at the game.

5.) Seems to me the pace of Dominic Oduro is something that is being more and more coveted by the Dynamo as a space maker for the likes of target type players in Ching, Landin and Weaver. Sure there will be games when going with twin target men might work but the pace is unsettling for opponents and can pull a defender or two out of the middle for Ching and others. Not good to see Luis Landin go down with an ankle injury…..no one is sure of the severity but lets hope he is not shelved for a long time period as he needs and entire pre-season to get his edge and fitness back. A pivotal moment in his career I have to believe.

In a Dynamo season ticket holders event only they will take on SMU tomorrow at UH’s Carl Lewis Track and Field Stadium. Man I would love to see that one guy put up a sign asking where division one soccer is at UH. What a benefit it could be for that school to lead the way. Yes, SMU and HBU remain remarkably the only two NCAA Division one programs in Texas.

Next Saturday the Intercollegiate Futbol Fiesta features matches and a free clinic for kids.

4:00 Free Clinic conducted by college coaches Dave Santesteban (San Jacinto), Steve Jones (HBU) and Aaron Champenoy (ST.Thomas) Now these are all local coaches trying to build their local programs so lets show some support. The clinic is free with two canned items and the items will be donated to a local food pantry. It is being called “Kick Hunger” and is supported by FIESTA.

6:00 pm University of St. Thomas(NAIA) vs. Houston Leones (PDL)
8:00 pm Houston Baptist University (NCAA DIV 1) vs. San Jacinto (Jr. College)

Expect some competitive games all for a good cause!!!!! A great night to take youth players to see the college level!

DAVIS PICK OF THE WEEKEND ON TV:

Sunday we have two great rivalries in Mexico with Club America hosting Cruz Azul at Azteca Stadium and Monterrey hosting Tigres at the Estadio Technologico. Now I have been to both of these stadiums so this has a little sentimental value but these are great classic match ups with alot of city emotion and joy at stake.
Don’t miss these two. Check your local listings for game times and channels.

On another note, my column tomorrow will be my final in the Houston Chronicle after 7 years and roughly 450 columns.
My gratitude to all who have supported my column.

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis airs tonight on Fox Sports Houston at 6pm brought to you by Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute aided by Danish Inspirations Contemporary Furniture!!!!!
This show has interviews with Brian Ching and Geoff Cameron prior to them leaving for national team camp plus the “look-alikes” where no one is spared. Now you may be wondering why yesterday’s show was a re-air and that is because we had technical problems with the tape. It is all sorted out now so get ready for 6pm tonight on Fox Sports Houston!!!
The show airs on the ATT UVerse and Comcast cable systems.

THOUGHTS ON CABANAS
As we know Club America and Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas was shot in the head a few weeks ago at a Mexico City nightclub. Cabanas remains hospitalized while the shooter is still at large and may never be found . This just doesn’t make sense except for the fact that lately in Mexico many are saying that Cabanas who is married may have been linked to a woman that was a girlfriend of a drug lord which might be a link to the tragic encounter.

DYNAMO vs SMU tomorrow at 11 AM
This might be interesting with the Dynamo currently entertaining trialists from Senegal, France and Nigeria. Brian Ching, Brad Davis and Geoff Cameron are at national team camp and my hope is that Cameron might be given the opportunity to play as a center-back. In the first camp he was being used by Bob Bradley as a right back. All in all, these are interesting times for both the U.S. National team and the Dynamo.

On the IPOD:
1.) Kings of Leon
2.) Gary Numan
3.) Led Zeppelin
4.) Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
5.) Jah Wobble

twitter.com: Soccermattersgd

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston this Friday at 6pm is brought to you by MEMORIAL HERMANN SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE and Danish Inspirations Contemporary Furniture…

The above show will be this weeks version. As you may have noticed we re-aired this weeks show today. The show with Dynamo and national team players Brian Ching and Geoff Cameron is tomorrow at 6pm. Head over to foxsportshouston.com for more……By the way you will love this weeks look alike segment plus hearing Ching on Landon Donovan in England and Cameron on adjusting to national team camp and being the “versatile” one.
It was just one of those days in the world of tv production but catch the show tonight!!

MLS and the Players association have extended their negotiations through February 25th due to the snow but I assume it would have happened anyway. This could go on for awhile but both sides realize they must continue to let teams prepare for the season for a variety of reasons. The product needs to be at it’s best when the season and thosenot that might be included in the World Cup squad must be training consistently in a professional environment.

Twitter: Soccermattersgd and my thanks to FIESTA, Space City Futbol Club, Zukowski Bresenhan and Sinex, San Jacinto College Coyote Soccer, Mark West Pinot Noir, Tesars Restaurant in the Woodlands, Soccertots who have all sponsored the show!!!!!! Support those who support the game!!!

INTERCOLLEGIATE FUTBOL FIESTA at San Jacinto College Saturday February 20th

4:00 Free soccer clinic by coaches (player must bring two canned food items or non-perishable food to be donated to local food pantry)

6:00 University of St. Thomas(NAIA) vs. Houston Leones (PDL)
8:00 pm Houston Baptist University (NCAA DIV 1) vs. San Jacinto College (JR College)

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston today at 4:30 pm brought to you by MEMORIAL HERMANN SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE

U.S. National team and Dynamo players Brian Ching and Geoff Cameron are interviewed on a variety of topics plus ever wonder who are look alikes similar to LA coach Bruce Arena and national team coach Bob Bradley. Some funny stuff here .
Top ten goals take us to Mexico, England and Spain plus we here from you in viewer mail. Bad tackles in MLS? Wait till you see this over the ball madness in England.
Catch the show on ATT Uverse cable system and COMCAST .

Twitter.com Soccermattersgd
Foxsportshouston.com
Houstondynamo.com

Don’t forget Dynamo season ticket holder event this Saturday at UH as they take on SMU who along with HBU are the only two NCAA division one programs in the state of Texas which is almost as amazing as El Franco Lee the County Commissioner just not wanted to take or respect anyone on the stadium issue. Great show of support from Dynamo fans and pieces on local tv tell us the pot is beginning to boil. Elected officials are expected to take on issues, not run from them. It has been 19 months fanaticos since the city asked for their participation in the stadium issue. Respectfully these county commissioners need to make a statement or give the Dynamo a yes or no.

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on FOX SPORTS HOUSTON this Thursday at 4:30 pm brought to you by MEMORIAL HERMANN SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE and Danish Inspirations Contemporary Furniture……

As much as you are passionate about your favorite EPL teams lets face the real facts that no one is unbeatable this year.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are not guaranteed winners and it all makes it alot more interesting quite frankly.
How about teams that rebounded today in league play from poor results on the weekend?
Arsenal bounced back from the weekend’s Chelsea loss by bouncing Liverpool 1-0 who may still have been on the high of winning the Liverpool City Derby over rivals Everton this past Saturday. Chelsea meanwhile promptly lost to that same Everton and U.S. international Landon Donovan who shined against the “blues” and was a constant threat today 2-1 at Goodison Park. Louis Saha decided to play after being ghostlike against Liverpool and produced two goals not to mention missing a penalty. Donovan went the full 90 minutes set up a goal off the corner and drew a penalty kick in what his manager David Moyes termed his best game. Still surprised that so many did not feel Donovan would produce in the EPL.
So here are the results with the home team listed first as it should be and the minutes U.S. players got in the matches:

Arsenal 1 Liverpool 0 60,045
Aston Villa 2 Manchester United 1 42,788 (Brad Friedel 90 )
West Ham 2 Birmingham 0 34,458 (Spector 45 minutes as a sub)
Wolverhampton 1 Tottenham 0 27,992 (Marcus Hahnemann 90 Minutes)
Blackburn 1 Hull 0 23,518
Everton 2 Chelsea 1 36,411 (Donovan and Howard 90 minutes)

Thoughts on these results and Donovan ?

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston presented by Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute at 3pm (ATT Uverse and Comcast cable systems)
Danish Inspirations Contemporary Furniture also a sponsor of this show!!! Set your DVR!

Podcast of last night Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis features Toronto FC Dwayne DeRosario, Dynamo manager Dominic Kinnear, Dynamo midfielder Danny Cruz and Cory Ashe.
Got to Sportstalk790.com. click podcasts, click Glenn Davis

The Dynamo are expected to look at the following players at the end of this week at training:

Kadim Diouf- 26 year old from Sengal has been playing overseas and recently was on trial apparently at Birmingham City
Leandre Graffit- 25 year old from France has played for the French U23 national team, Southampton, Crystal Palace was his last club where he appeared 6 times, also has played at Rotherham, Southampton and Leeds.
Blessing Koku- Nigerian, 32 years old , member of 2000 Nigerian Olympic team, Genk in Belgium, Bolton , Derby….

Patrice Bernier- Dynamo have show interest in this player who has performed for the Canadien National team, Montreal Impact, 15 games Kaiserslauten, FC Nordsjaelland but he is not expected in to training this week.
Could the Dynamo find an addition out of this group of players?

INTERCOLLEGIATE FUTBOL FIESTA………Here is a great chance for youth players and their parents to get a sense of the college game as teams from the NCAA, NAIA and Jr. College level will be playing while donating canned food items to a great cause.

Date: Saturday February 20th

Location: San Jacinto College South (13735 Beamer Road, Houston, TX 77089)

Schedule of events:

4pm to 5:45 KICK FOR HUNGER CLINIC
Youth players can participate in free clinic with the donation of two canned food items or non-perishable goods. All items will be donated to local food pantry.

6pm University of St. Thomas (NAIA PROGRAM) vs. Houston Leones (PDL)
8pm Houston Baptist University (NCAA Div 1) vs. San Jacinto College

The first three expected in Dynamo camp this week.

SOCCER MATTERS with GLENN DAVIS on FOX SPORTS HOUSTON presented by Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute tomorrow ……

Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis Monday night on Sports Talk 790 AM radio. Call in number is 713-212-5790, streaming live at MLSnet.com and can be accessed at Houstondynamo.com

Dominic Kinnear the Dynamo manager will be on the show and we are expecting both Danny Cruz and Cory Ashe two players that could prove pivotal in midfield this year.
Other guests to be added so check back. I did love seeing the Saints win the Super Bowl on Sunday night to go along with another killer type performance from Chelsea against Arsenal.

JUST ADDED: former Dynamo and current Toronto FC midfielder/striker DWAYNE DEROSARIO tonight on the radio

What was the most important happening in the world of soccer in your opinion this past weekend!! I personally, loved seeing Jozy Altidore get his first premier league goal while watch Landon Donovan produce good moments in the Liverpool vs. Everton match. I will have my thoughts on Arsenal and Chelsea on the radio Monday night.

SOCCER MATTERS WITH GLENN DAVIS ON FOX SPORTS HOUSTON PRESENTED BY MEMORIAL HERMANN SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE AND DANISH INSPIRATIONS CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE…………………

Now I was still ticked off last weekend when Hull manager Phil Brown inexplicably pulled Jozy Altidore off in the 70th minute.
Why you might ask? Simply because at the time he was the most dangerous player on the field and played a big part in setting up goal number one and drawing a penalty kick for goal number two in a 2-2 draw with Wolves.
After Brown took off Altidore the game became less interesting and in the end the spoils were shared. It is easy to question a manager from afar but one thing is for sure with goal scorers is that confidence is crucial and Altidore was in a confident zone so why not ride that out Phil and try to gain the full three points.
Which leads us to this weekend where Altidore continued his confident streak scoring his first premiership goal against Manchester City in a huge 2-1 win. Optimism for the young talent whom a few weeks ago technically looked lost.

On to Everton and Liverpool and in my prior post I wrote about how I thought I was watching two amateur sides with the crazed, reckless tackling that was going on. This was throwback to the 70’s and 80’s in the English First Division when a badge of honor was gained when someone went over the top on a talented player. Crazy during those times what players could get away with.
But the shining star was an American player at the end of this day despite being on the losing side , Landon Donovan provided the few glimpses of football from his right midfield position that pulled you out of your seat. If Everton can continue to get width in the future and find him a half dozen times in games where he has a bit of space it is clear that he can torment defenders in the EPL. As Everton grows in confidence with Donovan so shall his performance. Landon for your future, stay in England and continue to prove out your career as the best attacking player ever produced in the U.S.

RED CARD
Has to go to Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard who clearly was distracted by Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt who headed in a goal that Howard should have prevented by cutting off the cross. Rare you see Howard make a critical mistake. Of course Liverpool won a kickfest on this goal 1-0.

YOUTH FOCUS
I am sometimes saddened by how much attention is placed in the youth environment on marketing and promotion and the next greatest thing. Yes, I understand the clubs are money makers but from some it is clear that fund raising, marketing and image reign supreme over player development. How to achieve real balance is the key.
The Dynamo South Texas Academy branch is in town playing at a showcase in Conroe put on by the Texas Rush where 90 college coaches are in town.

FUTSAL AT LEGENDS
Legends in the Woodlands is organizing a Futsal tournment for youth player 6-16. These are great opportunities to play the game differently with the focus on the technical and not the physical. Also, it takes pressure off coaches who can put rosters together, make a few substitutions and sit back and enjoy. The perfect opportunity to allow youth players to experiment without the pressure of results that so often take priority to player development.

EUAN HOLDEN
Dynamo draft choice Euan Holden has signed in Denmark .

Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis Monday night on Sports Talk 790 AM from 7-9pm, call in at 713-212-5790, the show streams live at MLSNET.com