Transfer Update

Some some quick bits:

*Eintracht Frankfurt have signed Ricardo Clark to a deal that will last until the end of the Bundesliga season with an option to extend until 2013.  Good Luck Rico!!

*So much for Holden going to Sporting Braga.  Now it seems that Holden has signed an agreement at Bolton until the end of the Premier League season.  Good Luck Iceman!

US vs Honduras Preview

The elder statesman of the January Camp circa 2010 is Benny Feilhaber.  Feilhaber, who burst on to the US scene in 2007 with two goals, including the infamous game winner in the 2007 Gold Cup Championship game vs Mexico, will be the undoubted leader on the pitch against Honduras tomorrow.  On a roster light on experience and heavy on youth but full of familiar faces, this could be the pedestal that players like Jeff Cunningham, Jimmy Conrad and other World Cup hopefuls need.  They all have had 30 days to impress Bob Bradley and the rest of the US staff and tomorrow they get to take on a fellow World Cup caliber squad.

What will the US need to do to win?  Sad to admit, I'm not entirely sure, because I'm pretty unfamiliar with some of the players on this roster, not to mention I can't find Honduras' roster for the match.  But lets assume that they bring their big shots.  With six subs allowed in friendlies, at least the US has some options should they fall behind.   The common denominator for this match should be the play of the forwards.  With Charlie Davies out until further notice, Clint Dempsey sidelined for a couple months, Kenny Cooper nursing a knee injury, and Jozy Altidore continuing to not find goals in the Premier League, at least two forward spots are probably up for grabs at this point. 

The strong point of this squad is in midfielder and central defense.  With "veterans" like Feilhaber, Kyle Beckerman, and Sacha Kljestan in midfield and Jimmy Conrad, Chad Marshall, and Clarence Goodson in central defense look for these guys to have the most impressive games. 

How about a gameday 18 and starting 11.

-----------------------Perkins

Wynne---------Marshall----Conrad---------Bornstein

-------------Beckerman-----Feilhaber

Kljestan--------------------------------------Rogers

--------------Casey---------Cunningham

Thornton
Alston
Goodson
Cameron
Bedoya
Pontius
Findley

Disclaimers:

*Alston has had a knock throughout camp, but he did have the more impressive 2009 season compared to Wynne.  I give the start to Wynne, but I'd really like to see Alston have a go and if he starts I won't be disappointed.

*I've always been a Heath Pearce fan, but he seems to have fallen out of favor with Bradley Sr. of late.  Jonny B, King of Honduras gets the nod.

*Bedoya and Cameron could get significant minutes.  I'm hearing that both had impressive camps but knowing Bob Bradley like I do, he'll go with the "vets" to start things off.

*Robbie Findley could get the nod over camp elder Cunningham.  Since both rely on speed to beat opponents, it doesn't really matter to me who starts, but anyone who thinks that they'll start together is crazy.  We all know Bob loves his big man up top and Casey is the only one who fits the bill.

Didn't see this one coming...

The Daily Mirror is reporting that Bolton have passed on signing rising US star Stuart Holden.  After fielding offers from Blackburn, Burnley, and Bolton in the EPL, most would expect Holden to continue his pursuit of an EPL contract.  Not true.  Later in the article, it claims that Sporting Braga, the Portuguese table toppers are set to sign Holden in the next few days.  Talk about a huge change of scene.  The Portuguese league is much quicker and less physical than is the EPL, but if Holden does sign he will be one of only four players on the entire roster not from South America or Portugal.  He probably has a better chance of getting playing time in a less competitive league, but it will certainly take more adjusting than would England.  If indeed this rumor is true, then best of luck to Holden.

Some quick hits:

*Ricardo Clark will have a trial with Eintract Frankfurt in the coming week, after rumors had him moving to Burnley and Celtic.

*Clint Dempsey's injury will be revealed in full tomorrow.  Let us all pray for a speedy recovery for whatever it is.  We REALLY need Clint to have any kind of success at the World Cup.  

*Landon Donovan wants to extend his stay at Goodison Park.  But will Everton pony up the money for the buy out clause?  Better start scoring Lando.

Coming up this week:

*USA-Honduras preview
*USL/NASL situation
*MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement Update
*First full length piece which will also be published over at theshinguardian.com , which will cover US players switching from MLS to Europe in a World Cup year. 

Stay tuned.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

Clint Dempsey limps of the field in Fulham's match against Blackburn Rovers in the 62nd minute.  Roy Hodgson fears it is PCL damage.  Hope and pray for a speedy recovery for Deuce.  Otherwise our chances of making a run in the World Cup just took a nosedive off of Mt. Everest.

What a sad last three months for US soccer.  First Jones, then Davies, then Onyewu, and now Dempsey...ARGHHHHHHHRARBHIF.

Apologies, being sick sucks.

There you have the final 18 candidates for the USA's World Cup bid in 2018/2022.  All cities have fantastic facilities and plenty of potential.  However, what bothers me most is that a city like Kansas City gets the invite over Chicago, which happens to be the third largest TV market in the US, not to mention the third largest city.  Is this fallout from the lost Olympics bid?  No one knows, but not having the city which is home to the USSF could throw some instability into the entire bid.  A couple more things:

• Is Atlanta really being considered?  Maybe its just me, but I'm not a fan of soccer games in domed stadiums.  While the Georgia Dome is a fine facility, soccer there just seems like a push, but Atlanta does boast the busiest airport in the US.
• LA really needs an NFL team back.  It's two "premium" stadiums (the Rose Bowl and the LA Coliseum) were built in 1922 and 1923 respectively.  While they have the potential to host huge crowds, they lack much of the finer aspects of the more modern stadiums in the bid, like say, Jerry World (Dallas), the Meadowlands (New York/New Jersey), and FedEx Field (Washington DC).

So my top 12:

1) New York (opening match)
2) Washington DC (final match)
3) Los Angeles (at least a semi-final)
4) Dallas (Jerry World)
5) Houston (super stadium)
6) Phoenix (super stadium)
7) Seattle (deserves it)
8) Miami (FL has to get in on this)
9) Boston (you just know that Boston will get some)
10) Philadelphia (lots goin on on the east coast, but Philly is too good to pass up)
11) Indianapolis (good stadium, plus Chicago fans need a place to go)
12) Nashville (personal bias)