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.
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I first I thought Kaka would stay, but the money and allure of playing in the best league in the world may be enough to change his mind.
Certainly a large question mark, it was a high risk/high reward signing. It is notable that the Freddie signing did not result in any bump in ticket sales. So while Freddie is marketable, and he has signed some advert deals, his DP status was not an issue of increasing ticket sales.
It may have been done to give the team increased identity. But his health and play on the field are more key to whether he is a success than the number of jersey’s he sells.
What’s intriguing is that Sounders FC drafted two players that are similar stylistically to Freddie in Zakuani and Fucito. Wingers in the ground game/running at defenders mold who can score, but aren’t target nor crossing types.
Hopefully if Freddie can’t play he can coach.
Glenn –
Like I said on your show last week, it would be a tremendous blunder for HDNET to let MLS get away. From the very inception of the network, it was a perfect match. Soccer is an ideal sport to fully realize the advantages of HD broadcasting.
That being said, with the launch of Fox Sports Houston, I wouldn’t be as disappointed if the Dynamo inked a deal to show the home games in HD. Of course, I would insist that the microphone go to you, otherwise, its a net loss.
And Kaka is not worth it. His girlfriend, on the other hand…
As the offer rises w/each passing day, the funny thing about the Kaka deal is watching Berlsuconi react publicly as if he truly wants him to stay when the reality is that he’s dying to line his pockets w/a few euros and get his hands on the funds that could conceivably transform Milan for the next decade.
I find it ironic that Kaka, a devout Christian and positive role model on and off the pitch is being tempted by what many refer to as an “unGodly” sum of money. The deal looks like its done but if there is one player mentally equipped to say no to mad money, it’s Ricky Kaka.
Bank on this. Del Piero to LA is rubbish. He’s far too important to Juve’s quest THIS SEASON for the Serie A title.
Memo to Seattle, Freddy Ljunberg was a BAD deal. He is still serviceable when healthy but he’s was in decline and rarely fit at Arsenal. West Ham…THAT’S WEST HAM… dumped him one year into a four year deal. He’s past his sell by date or he’s damaged goods, or both and anyone expecting him to shine in MLS is delusional. Get ready to add Freddy to MLS’s bust list”.
wren, I would love to see why you thinnk Freddy should have not wanted out of West Ham, probably the best story about an organization without a philosophy and now without money? Their owner is on the short list of people most singularly responsible for the global financial crisis.
In Freddy’s last season at Arsenal he played a total of 31 matches for club and country. Before that 38, year before that 48. While that is a decline, it is also right down to the number of matches top players in MLS play in a year.
If he’s healthy, and this is the first time he’s had this surgery, from a surgeon that created/maintained all-stars in other US sports, he will be a top 10 player. If he’s not healthy, than Seattle will have a low price to a billboard model (he’s guarunteed less than 2 M$).
Seriously, read up on that surgeon.
http://sounderatheart.com/2008/12/ljungberg-surgery
Ugh, sometimes I feel like a broken record on two things (Freddie and Field Turf).
As for Kaka, here’s an MLS related note. His CONTRACT would be enough to fund the roster of every non-DP in all of MLS. His transfer would pay for the next four expansion teams.
You’re kind of making my point Dave Clark. Thirty-one matches in his last season w/Arsenal (for club AND country) is pretty underwhelming when the league alone involves 38 fixtures. Fact is he played 18 premiership matches and that’s only half a season by anyone’s standards. His 25 appearances at West Ham was marginally better but then he didn’t have the add’l cup fixtures as w/the Gunners.
I also never said Freddy didn’t want out of West Ham which could have been the case. Its my position that West Ham wanted just as much out of Freddy because frankly, he didn’t deliver. Considering other clubs weren’t clamoring to sign him and he’s now gone under the knife before the ink was dry on his Sounders contract, if you’re trying to tell me his injuries shouldn’t have been a concern, then I have to respectfully call bollocks on that. I’ve watched Freddy since the pre-Invincibles days and his play has gone from world-class to wtf in two short years. It may well be a good PR move for Seattle but my point is that MLS clubs can’t afford to gamble DP designations on players that bring a high degree of risk.
Glenn, any chance you can give us updates on Dynamo personnel? What’s up with Ianni and Boswell? Is the Botero deal going to happen? Any news on a possible return of Ngwenya?