After a solid 2007 U.S. college season, Stefan
Frei was poised to turn pro.
But in the end, he decided to spend one more
season tending goal at the University of
California-Berkeley, hoping to refine his game
both physically and mentally.
Smart move.
Frei, Toronto FC's 23-year-old goalkeeper,
credits that "big decision" to stay in school
for much of the success in his first season,
which has seen him go from third on the depth
chart at training camp to starter and a Major
League Soccer rookie-of-the-year candidate.
"I know it's very important to be confident in
goal and I decided I wanted to stay one more
year (in school) and get that confidence," said
Frei, who last season at Cal-Berkeley was
all-PAC 10 first team and on the "watch list"
for the MAC Hermann Trophy, NCAA soccer's
equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. "I think it
shows in my play."
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Frei, selected 13th
overall in the first round of January's draft,
has started 19 of TFC's 20 league games, posting
a 1.57 goals-against average and three shutouts.
Along the way, he replaced veteran Canadian
international Greg Sutton, who was eventually
deemed expendable and released, and last-year's
backup, Brian Edwards, who has not seen league
action this year.
Frei also went 3-0 with two shutouts in three
Canadian championship games and added another
clean sheet as TFC bowed out 1-0 on aggregate to
Puerto Rico in CONCACAF preliminaries.
But more than his solid statistics, Frei has
shown poise that often surprises his teammates.
"He's got a mature head on his shoulders," said
TFC captain Jim Brennan, a defender. "When you
play in front of him, sometimes you have to look
around and remember how old he is.
"You think he's in his 30s."
That maturity is most evident in the way Frei
communicates with his teammates on the field.
Whether it's barking at leading scorer Dwayne De
Rosario to pay attention to him and get in the
right spot in a defensive wall or yelling at
another player for missed coverage that led to
an opponent's scoring chance or goal, the
Swiss-born 'keeper makes himself understood.
That has been particularly important as TFC's
defence has undergone a host of personnel
changes due to injury, international absences
and numerous roster moves.
While admitting it's "kind of weird" sometimes
to be yelling at veteran teammates, Frei said
everyone recognizes that it's a vital part of
the goalkeeper's job.
"You're kind of like the chess player and you
move your pieces around," he said. "They know if
I help them out it makes their job easier and
they don't screw up."
As TFC enters the final third of the season and
pushes for its first playoff berth, Frei is
going into unknown territory. Last year in
college, he played 21 games. This season, he has
been in 24 and figures to get a lot more playing
time down the stretch.
NOTE: TFC yesterday released defender Marco
Velez, who became expendable with the signing
Wednesday of Haitian defender Lesly Fellinga.
The 23-year-old Fellinga, who has spent most of
his professional career in the Netherlands, is
expected to train with TFC today, but he isn't
expected to play tomorrow against D.C. United
MEXICO CITY (Aug. 12, 2009) — The U.S. Men’s
National Team took its first-ever lead at
Estadio Azteca in the ninth minute, but Mexico
quickly tied the game before striking for the
game-winner in the 82nd minute in front of a
sold-out crowd of more than 100,000.
U.S. forward Charlie Davies scored nine minutes
into his first FIFA World Cup qualifying start,
but Mexico came from behind with a rocket of a
goal by Israel Castro in the 19th minute and an
82nd-minute strike from substitute Miguel Sabah
“It was a tight game and a fair score,” U.S.
head coach Bob Bradley said. “It's a tough loss
to have so many guys work so hard and then give
up a late goal. The feeling inside is one of
great disappointment, because the idea that you
could still walk away today with a point after
everyone gave everything they had is important
for any team.
“Overall, our defending was very good. On the
other side, I think we could still connect some
more passes and hold the ball a little bit
better. I think that probably was the area that
let us down the most.” (more quotes)
With two of the MatchDay 6 games yet to conclude
tonight, the U.S. is still in second place with
10 points from six games, while Mexico has
passed Honduras for third place with nine
points. Honduras hosts Costa Rica and Trinidad &
Tobago hosts El Salvador in the other matches.
Mexico’s win means that the teams have now split
their final round qualifying games in each of
the last three World Cup cycles. Dating to 2001,
the U.S. has won the home leg 2-0 while losing
by one goal on the road for the third
consecutive game. The U.S. is still seeking its
first road win against Mexico, falling to 0-23-1
including 0-9-1 at Estadio Azteca.
Mexico got the action started in the second
minute when Andrés Guardado let a 23-yard shot
fly at Tim Howard in the first of seven shots on
goal on the day for Mexico.
The only U.S. shot on goal on the day was the
Davies tally in the ninth minute, and with the
strike he joined Willie Roy, Rick Davis and
Eddie Lewis as the only U.S. players to score
against Me xico at Estadio Azteca.
The scoring play started with a clearance by
Howard that a Mexican defender headed back to
Clint Dempsey. Dempsey touched the ball back
behind the midfield stripe to Michael Bradley,
who took a touch before playing the ball to
Donovan. Donovan came back to receive the ball
at the front edge of the center circle, and
quickly turned inside Guardado and dribbled
forward. He looked up and found Davies behind
the left side of the Mexico defense. Davies sped
in on Guillermo Ochoa’s goal and coolly curved a
right footed shot around the Mexico goalkeeper
from 16 yards.
The first ever lead against Mexico for the U.S.
at Estadio Azteca lasted just 10 minutes, as
Castro hit a bomb off the underside of the
crossbar in the 19th minute.
Castro tackled the ball away from Donovan in the
U.S. defensive half and popped up quickly to
play the ball to Guardado. He played the ball to
Cuauhtemoc Blanco on the left wing, and Blanco
brought the play inside where he drew the
attention of both Bradley and Ricardo Clark.
Blanco then found Castro wide open 28 yards from
goal in the middle of the field. After one
touch, he blasted a shot off the underside of
the crossbar that bounced across the goal line.
Five minutes later, Mexico nearly went ahead as
Giovanni dos Santos played a one-two with
Guillermo Franco and shot just wide of the post,
but Franco was correctly flagged offside.
For the remainder of the first half, Mexico put
on most of the pressure and referee Roberto
Moreno from Panama showed the U.S. three yellow
cards. Oguchi Onyewu will miss the next U.S.
qualifier after a handball in the 27th minute,
and two minutes later Jay DeMerit was booked for
a late challenge on dos Santos outside the U.S.
penalty area that led to a Blanco shot on goal
that was saved by Howard. In first half stoppage
time, Carlos Bocanegra went into the book for a
tackle on dos Santos at midfield.
In the second half after Mexico coach Javier
Aguirre replaced Blanco with Carlos Vela in the
56th minute, the U.S. countered by brining in
Benny Feilhaber for Brian Ching and Stuart
Holden for Ricardo Clark. For holding, it was
his first career appearance in a FIFA World Cup
qualifier.
Each team’s defense continued to stand strong,
as they had for much of the first half. Mexico
had pair of chances from dos Santos in the 59th
minute. On the first, Guardado crossed to a
wide-open dos Santos outside of the far post,
and his hard shot was saved by Howard at the
near post. On the ensuing corner, the 20 year
old again tried to find the near post but his
rolling shot was picked up by Howard.
Later, Davies injected himself into the best two
chances for the U.S. in the second half. The
first came when he was called offside as a pass
from Bradley came just as Davies passed the last
Mexico defender, and the second coming as he
narrowly missed a diving chance as Holden sent
in a driven cross from the right wing.
After a Mexico free kick in the 75th minute,
Davies went down injuried with leg cramps and
while on the ground was confronted by Mexico
captain Gerardo Torrado. Feilhaber came to
Davies’ defense, shoving Torrado away, and both
were shown yellow cards as Davies was carted off
the field and replaced by Jozy Altidore.
The Mexico game-winner came in the 82nd minute
with Mexico switching fields to find Efrain
Juarez on the right wing. Donovan gave chase and
Juárez passed Bocanegra on the way to the
endline, where his pass into the middle
deflected off DeMerit attempting a slide tackle
and found Sabah. The Mexico substitute, who had
come on just three minutes earlier, crushed a
shot into the goal over Howard from close range.
Mexico held on down the stretch, with Donovan’s
only corner of the second half punched away by
Ochoa in the 88th minute.
The final round of qualifying resumes on Sept.
5, when the U.S. hosts El Salvador at Rio Tinto
Stadium in Sandy, Utah, followed four days later
by a trip to play at Trinidad & Tobago. Tickets
for the El Salvador match, which kicks off at 6
p.m. MT, are on sale now at ussoccer.com. ESPN
Classic and Galavision will televise the game
live, and fans can follow online via
ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.
Everton's No1 Tim Howard will line up between
the posts for his first taste of FIFA World Cup™
qualifying at the fabled Azteca on 12 August,
when the USA renew their tense rivalry with
Mexico. The 30-year-old shot stopper will take
his position at the base of a wall of anger and
contempt, with approximately 110,000 animated
Mexican fans sending shockwaves of noise and
bile his way for a full 90 minutes.
Like Tony Meola, Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller
before him, Howard is preparing to accept one of
the toughest assignments in all of world
football: Mexico at their Estadio Azteca.
FIFA.com sat down for an exclusive chat with the
New Jersey native, who was recently voted top
keeper at the FIFA Confederations Cup, ahead of
this, the latest CONCACAF Clasico.
FIFA.com: Last time we spoke was over a month
ago after the loss to Brazil in the final of the
FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. Looking
back, with a bit more perspective, what are your
feelings about it?
Tim Howard: To be honest, my feelings haven't
changed much. We did some really good things
against some really good teams [beating Egypt
and Spain before surrendering a 2-0 lead against
Brazil]. But on the other side we learned some
harsh lessons. We played some of the best teams
in the world and when you make mistakes against
those kinds of teams, you get opened up in a
hurry.
Up next is a date with Mexico, currently
struggling in fourth place in the final round of
CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
South Africa™. What makes the USA-Mexico rivalry
so intense and so heated?
It's all about the passion of the fans. For so
long Mexico dominated our region, dominated us.
Now, and for some time, we have been the
dominant team. So there's a lot of anger and
hurt feelings between the two of us. Let's face
it, for they kicked our butts for a long time.
And when the tide turned, they didn't like it.
Why would they? It's just a pure and natural
rivalry.
Where would you rate this rivalry, this Clasico,
between the two nations in the scope of world
football?
Most people around the world, in Europe and
elsewhere, can't really understand just how big
this thing is here. It's quite simply massive.
That's the case with most of these great
rivalries. How can you really know how special
River-Boca or Celtic-Rangers or Barcelona-Real
Madrid is unless you've been there and felt it?
Mexico are a brash young team with a blend of
naivety and boldness. We're thinking 'why can't
we win?' I think we can do something special,
something no other team has done before.
Tim Howard
You were in goal the last time USA met Mexico, a
comprehensive 2-0 win in Columbus in February.
Does that game, and that result, matter now?
In some ways, yes, it does. It was the last time
we met with our full teams and we certainly got
the better of them on the day. Maybe the
Mexicans will feel that having won the CONCACAF
Gold Cup [Mexico beat an experimental USA squad
5-0 in the final in New Jersey last month] will
swing the balance back in their favour, but
that's more useful for a story or an article
than what's going to happen out on the field.
When you, as an experienced professional, walk
out of the tunnel on a big derby day, whether
it's Everton-Liverpool or USA-Mexico, does it
feel differently, or can you bury those
feelings?
As a human being, you can't completely control
your feelings. These are special days for
players. If games like this didn't have special
meaning then no one would get excited about
them; they'd just be like any other game. You
can't always put your finger on what it is
you're feeling, but it's a special thing.
Coach Bob Bradley brought a highly experimental
squad to the Gold Cup, and they were hammered in
the final by Mexico, a slightly less
experimental side. Do you think the El Tri
attackers will have grown in confidence as a
result?
There's no doubt that the Mexican players will
be feeling good about themselves. Our rivalry is
so tense, that every little thing is important.
It doesn't matter if it's the first team or the
second team; it's the shirt that's important.
But the ball's in our court now and we'll try to
set things right.
I don't need to tell you that no USA team has
ever won at the Estadio Azteca. Is the
possibility of making history something that
weighs on you and your teammates before a game
like this?
Practically no one but Mexico wins at the Azteca
[only Costa Rica, in 2001, have ever won a
qualifier in Mexico City]. But I've always had
this feeling that this group of players, this US
team, can do something special there. You might
hear me telling a different story on the 13th,
after the game, I'm not making any predictions,
but this group of players is bold and will put
history to the side.
Practically no one but Mexico wins at the Azteca
[only Costa Rica, in 2001, have ever won a
qualifier in Mexico City]. But I've always had
this feeling that this group of players, this US
team, can do something special there.
Howard
How do you do that?
We have a core group of experienced guys who can
push the younger players in the right direction.
But we, to a large extent, are a brash young
team with a blend of naivety and boldness. We're
thinking 'why can't we win?' I think we can do
something special, something no other team has
done before.
Altitude is always a problem in Mexico City...
Yeah, but I think we have the edge this time. In
South Africa at the Confederations Cup we played
at high altitude in nearly all of our games. Not
only that, but we played against the best teams
in the world, teams that move the ball and
punish your mistakes. This could give us the
edge. We're hungry, and if we can find the right
balance, anything is possible.
SANDY, Utah -- If one were to look at the
statistics from the 2009 MLS All-Star game
without knowing the final score, it would be
natural to assume that the MLS All-Stars won the
match handily. With a staggering 21-6 final
tally for total shots, the All-Stars clearly
created more offensive opportunities. So how,
then, were Everton FC able to maintain a 1-1
score through regulation and finally win the
match in a penalty shootout?
The answer: Tim Howard.
Howard, Everton's starting goalkeeper and the
top goalkeeper for the U.S. national team, made
six saves for the match -- several of the
spectacular variety -- and three more in the
shootout, and as a result was a nearly unanimous
choice for MLS All-Star Game MVP.
"It's awesome. It's an honor," Howard said.
All night Howard did exactly what everyone
expects a top-notch goalkeeper to do: make big
saves at key times. In the 38th minute, it
appeared the All-Stars would take a 2-1 lead
when Stuart Holden put a cross right onto the
head of Conor Casey who flicked it hard on goal.
Howard, moving with the ball, quickly dove back
to his left and pushed the shot aside.
The MLS All-Stars were quick to praise the
Everton 'keeper.
"He's a world-class goalkeeper. He's been doing
it for a bunch of years now. We expect nothing
less from him. He's an outstanding 'keeper,
that's why they love him at Everton," said Kyle
Beckerman.
He made another particularly remarkable save
deep into second-half stoppage time. With the
game still knotted at 1-1, Brad Davis hit Davy
Arnaud with another fine cross. Wide open and
from point-blank range, Arnaud nodded the ball
on goal, but Howard made an amazing reaction
save to push the ball over the crossbar and send
the game into a penalty shootout.
Everton manager David Moyes was quick to
recognize that he truly has a special player
between the posts.
"Once again Tim Howard has proved that he is
certainly the best goalkeeper in America, and if
he keeps playing the way he's doing at the
moment, it might not just be America," said
Moyes.
During the shootout, many fans of the U.S.
national team certainly noticed the symmetry of
Kasey Keller and Howard facing each other. With
Keller being the No. 1 keeper for the U.S. for
many years in the past, and Howard being the No.
1 'keeper currently, the stars almost seemed to
be aligned for a few minutes.
While both made amazing saves during the penalty
kicks, ultimately it was Howard who emerged
victorious when he saved Freddie Ljungberg's
final shot. But Howard was quick to recognize
Keller's seemingly ageless ability and to be
thankful for their relationship.
"Kasey has been a great mentor to me. He's a
good guy and I'm happy for him that he's still
playing at this level," said Howard.
Though Howard sent many of the heavily partisan
MLS fans home disappointed, those same fans will
likely be singing a different tune in September.
That is when Howard will make his next
appearance at Rio Tinto Stadium, this time
minding the nets for the U.S. national team as
they take on Honduras.
His national team teammates, several of whom
took part in the All-Star Game, are hoping that
the fine form he displayed in Utah and the
confidence it certainly brought him will carry
over into that match, and even beyond.
"If he plays like that [in the upcoming World
Cup qualifier], we're going to get through
qualifying relatively easily," said Landon
Donovan. "And we can do big things in the World
Cup if he is playing like that."
[WORLD CUP 2014] The price tag for Brazil's 2014
World Cup could top $40 billion. That's the
estimate of a report released Wednesday on
stadium and infrastructure spending projects
planned by the 12 cities that will host the
competition.
Globo's G1 Web site projected spending to reach
$41.7 billion. The money will come from a
combination of public and private forces.
Sao Paulo will be the big spender with plans to
spend more than $19 billion.
Other cities hosting matches are the capital
Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Porto
Alegre, Curitiba, Salvador, Recife, Natal,
Fortaleza, Manaus and Cuiaba.
One of the projects Brazil hopes to finish for
the World Cup is its first high-speed rail
project from Rio to Sao Paulo at a cost of $18
billion, 50 percent more than the government's
previously estimated price.
Joe Cummings (left) pictured with legendary
UConn Soccer Coach Joe Morrone (right)
July 23, 2009 - Paul Kennedy,
Soccer America Daily
[NSCAA] Longtime soccer executive Joe
Cummings is leaving his post as president and
general manager of WPS's Boston Breakers to
become the new CEO and executive director of the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Cummings, a former president of the NSCAA, will
assume his new duties in early September after
the conclusion of the WPS season.
"What Joe Cummings offers to the role of NSCAA
CEO and executive director is unique in its
tremendous diversity, its depth of experience
and the passion that he has for the
Association," said NSCAA President Randy Waldrum.
"We couldn't ask for someone more qualified to
assume the responsibilities of leading the
world's largest coaches association."
Cummings has worked in MLS (assistant general
manager of the New England Revolution, 1996-99),
the WUSA (president and general manager of the
Breakers, 2000-03), MLS again (technical
director of the New England Revolution, 2004-05)
and WPS (first as its chief operating officer).
He also worked as the director of operations for
the Birmingham venue of the 1996 Olympic Games
soccer tournament and the 1999 Women's World Cup
and as venue manager for the Boston and
Philadelphia venues for the 2003 Women's World
Cup.
Cummings, who has also coached high school and
college soccer, replaces longtime NSCAA
executive director Jim Sheldon, who retired.
FOXBORO - Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis always
has time for a snarky comment, even when he is
approaching a significant career milestone.
Reis is expected to make his 200th MLS
appearance when the Revolution play in Houston
tonight (8:30, Ch. 38) and foreshadowed the
moment with a dash of his trademark wit.
“A lot of people, like (Revolution midfielder
Steve) Ralston, id this five years ago,” Reis
said. “I spent a little time on the bench. I
figured that if I spent (six) years on the
bench, I could spend (six) years playing to even
it out.”
Ralston, the MLS record-holder with 368
appearances and counting, said the 34-year-old
keeper has been a big part of the Revolution’s
success since taking over the starting gig in
2004. The facts surely back up his assertion.
During his run as the Revs’ starter, Reis has
made four All-Star appearances, claimed every
significant club goalkeeping record and once
compiled a MLS-record streak of 7,975
consecutive minutes played.
Revolution boss Steve Nicol said Reis wouldn’t
have reached the 200 mark without being one of
the league’s standout keepers.
“The biggest thing is that, yeah, it’s 200
games, but it’s the quality that he’s produced
in the 200 games,” the Revs head coach said.
“He’s not a goalie that played a lot of games
and couldn’t catch a cold.”
Reis will likely have a chance to show off his
quality against the league-leading Dynamo as the
Revs try to maintain their unblemished record at
Robertson Stadium (2-0-1) against their two-time
MLS Cup adversary (2006 and 2007).
Both sides are depleted by injuries and
international callups, with the Revolution
looking particularly frail in the attack.
Edgaras Jankauskas will miss his second
consecutive match with a hamstring injury, while
Shalrie Joseph’s status is up in the air after
he felt pain in his injured right knee this week
while recuperating from his influential
second-half appearance in last Sunday’s 2-0 win
over Chivas USA.
“We have to find a way of getting our forwards
involved,” Ralston said. “We’ll have to find
their feet. We need to have better movement and
hold the ball when we do get (it).”
Summer brings the best weather
for soccer and across the
country SoccerPlus is educating
passionate and aspiring young players. During a
recent program at Suffield Academy in
Connecticut, the campers and staff traveled east
to Harvard to see the Boston Breakers in person.
Assistant Coach (and former SoccerPlus
camper) Katie Shields welcomed the group on the
bus. Following the Breakers victory, Head Coach
Tony DiCicco thanked the group for their support
and wished them well as they pursue their dreams
offering some insights into the mentality of
champions. Camp Director, Mariel Wilner
commented, “The game was a tremendously
educational and entertaining experience for the
students. There’s no doubt that one of the best
ways to improve as a player is to watch the game
at the highest level. Watching the Breakers was
a great opportunity and we look forward to
bringing SoccerPlus back soon.
Founded by former US National Team Head Coach
and current Boston Breakers Head Coach Tony
DiCicco, SoccerPlus Camps is in its 28th year of
running residential camps, day camps and
clinics. In addition, SoccerPlus Camps offers
custom programs. For more information, visit our
website at www.soccerpluscamps.com or call us
toll free at 1-800-KEEPER-1.
Independence
Day is an official kickoff to summer, and for
many, a taste of relaxation. But for the first
American to coach soccer abroad on a club level,
these days are busier than ever.
John Murphy is getting ready for his debut as
the head coach of Scotland’s Livingston Football
Club, which has made headlines in the United
Kingdom more for its financial difficulties than
its onfield play. On the brink of bankruptcy,
Livingston had the electricity turned off at its
Almondvale Stadium and owed the previous manager
back wages.
“I knew it’d be a difficult situation but I felt
comfortable as the coach if I’m allowed to focus
on the soccer side of it,’’ said Murphy, a
42-year-old Quincy native who was hired in
February as the goalkeepers coach.
Americans have been placed in charge of other
countries national men’s soccer teams before,
but never has a Yank landed a head coaching job
of another country’s domestic, club-level team.
Livingston plays in the Scottish First Division,
one tier below the Scottish Premier League that
includes the likes of famed Glasgow clubs Celtic
and Rangers.
A 1985 graduate of North Quincy High School,
Murphy will have to draw upon the knowledge
accumulated from a career that has taken him
from Massasoit Community College to the highest
levels of Major League Soccer.
After being unable to resist other clubs’ offers
for its top players, Livingstone will be forced
more than ever to identify and develop young
players - a talent that Murphy has honed in his
earlier stops. While scouting for the New
England Revolution, he helped discover Clint
Dempsey, Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan and Shalrie
Joseph - all of whom became MLS all-stars. Later
he was instrumental in starting the Revolution’s
youth academy and did the same in four seasons
with the Colorado Rapids.
“I still enjoy that part of it,’’ said Murphy,
who spent 13 years in the college ranks
recruiting, the last three as head coach at
Assumption. “You start meeting the agents and
the managers. It’s the same thing in the States:
it’s about your contacts and your relationships.
If they know you’re good at what you do, people
are willing to send people over.’’
When its Scottish First Division season opens on
Aug. 8 (Murphy formally makes his debut in two
Cup competitions later this month), Livingston
should be considered an underdog to finish atop
the table and gain automatic promotion to the
Scottish Premier League. Livi finished seventh
in the 10-team division last season with a
20-goal scorer as well as its captain, both of
whom were later sold to other clubs.
Being underestimated is not unfamiliar to
Murphy. He heard the whispers about his own
limitations - first as a coach without a playing
pedigree (he was a backup keeper at North Quincy
and Massasoit) and later pigeonholed as a
goalkeeping specialist.
“I’ve always had a strong drive,’’ Murphy said.
“I really react to people saying I can’t do
something. I’ve always been that way, even when
I was a little kid. Something inside me wants to
make me do it even more.’’
Murphy made himself a commodity by excelling at
courses for coaches through the US Soccer
Federation and National Soccer Coaches
Association of America. It was at an NSCAA
clinic that he met Craig Brown, the Scotland
national team coach. Upon learning that Murphy’s
mother, Maureen, hailed from Glasgow, Brown
encouraged Murphy to obtain his European badges.
“Yeah, it’s fair to say, without that, I might
not have been known in Scotland,’’ said Murphy,
who became the first American to earn the
prestigious UEFA Professional Badge through the
Scottish Football Association and UEFA’s top
goalkeeping badge through the English FA.
After being an MLS assistant at New England,
Columbus and Colorado the past nine years (in
which two of his bosses earned MLS Coach of the
Year honors), accepting his first professional
head coaching job was not without some
misgivings.
“You get one chance over here,’’ Murphy said.
“If you get fired, there’s a stigma with that.
In Europe, you have to make good on your first
job.’’
“With what’s hanging over the club right now, if
I can turn it into a better situation, that
would reflect very well on me. And if for some
reason things didn’t go as planned, maybe people
wouldn’t be as harsh.’’
Being a bit of a curiosity as a foreigner might
earn a little slack in the beginning but Murphy
is wise enough to know that he needs results.
“I want people to judge me on who I am as a
coach,’’ Murphy said. “The fact that I’m an
American and the fact I have Scottish heritage,
that’s part of who I am. But I want to be judged
on how I develop teams and, ultimately at this
level, about winning games and winning
championships.’’
FOXBOROUGH - By the time Michael Videira had to
leave the game with hamstring cramping early in
the second half, the Revolution could least
afford it. They needed his experience almost
desperately, even if he has only two years of it
in Major League Soccer.
The Revolution were left with a series of under
22-year-olds and lots of injury replacements.
But they also had a veteran goalie playing the
best statistical game of his life.
Matt Reis’s career-high 11 saves, a couple of
which were highlight reel-worthy, allowed the
Revolution to get out of Gillette Stadium with a
point yesterday, if not a goal. New England and
the Kansas City Wizards played to a 0-0 tie.
“It was a good day at the office for him,’’ said
Revolution coach Steve Nicol after Reis earned
his 51st career shutout. “They had a lot of
pressure, but we had a goalie staying tall and
back. He did well all day.’’
“Getting those 11 saves, it was one of my better
games,’’ said Reis. “But it was nice to be able
to get it when we needed it. We weren’t able to
shut them down completely, so they got some
chances.’’
Kansas City’s best chance came in the 62d
minute, when Jack Jewsbury tried to stuff in a
one-bounce pass, but Reis leaped to his right,
full extension, and barely gained control. A
couple of seconds later, Reis knocked away a
Jewsbury shot that looked like a sure goal.
But nothing got past the 34-year-old Reis the
whole afternoon.
“[Reis] was diving all over the place. Kudos for
him for playing a great game,’’ said Jewsbury.
“I just wish one of those would’ve slipped
through.’’
In the last 12 minutes, Reis knocked two
crossbar-bound shots out of bounds. One was from
Aaron Hohlbein, after a perfect Claudio Lopez
cross, another by Abe Thompson just outside the
box.
“He’s one of the best goalkeepers in the game.
He makes excellent decisions,’’ said Wizards
coach Curt Onalfo. “But we needed to be more
precise and get in the back of the net.’’
A minute after the Thompson shot, in the 81st
minute, Wizards defenseman Lance Watson was
given a red card for tripping Nico Colaluca, who
had come on for Videira in the 59th minute, and
the Revs played a man up. The Revolution
scrambled to score, but couldn’t get a worthy
effort in the final minutes.
The Revolution’s best chances came minutes
before the red card. Newcomer Edgaras Jankauskas,
who came on in the first minute of the second
half for Kheli Dube, almost had a cross graze
off his shin and behind goalie Kevin Hartman,
but it dribbled right of the net. Jeff
Larentowicz’s rebound sailed just wide.
“Some of our decisions weren’t the best. We’ve
got a bunch of babies playing,’’ said Nicol, who
didn’t mean it pejoratively. “They just don’t
know and that takes time. With that added
pressure, it’s sometimes hard to get things
done.’’
The Revolution roster was in such a dire
position - Taylor Twellman is recovering from a
concussion and new addition Gabriel Badilla
isn’t ready to play - that injured captain Steve
Ralston had to switch from midfield to defense.
Ralston wound up playing the whole game though
he was slated to play 45 minutes.
“He’s fit again. He missed a lot of training
[with his injury], but we decided he could do
it,’’ said Nicol. “But Badilla just wasn’t fit
enough. He’s not injured - he just hasn’t kicked
a ball for nine months and wasn’t ready.’’
The overall effect left a young team without
many options scrounging for opportunities.
“It’s hard to score when you don’t keep the
ball,’’ said Nicol. “That’s when you’ve got a
problem: when you don’t have the ball you’re not
going to be able to put them under pressure.’’
Instead, a Revolution team too young to take
advantage tied Kansas City for the second time
in three games this year
Allison
Lipsher posted her second consecutive shutout
last Wednesday in her newfound role as the
starting goalkeeper for the Breakers. The former
Duke standout has been working towards this goal
for years (see profile in The Keeper's Line 156
WPS or Bust!)“Right now Ali [Lipsher] is the
starter, and Kristin [Luckenbill] understands
that.,”said Boston Breakers Head Coach Tony
DiCicco.
“It wasn’t anything Kristin did wrong, I
had to replace a few positions just to shake it
up a little bit. And Ali seized the moment and
has played three pretty good games. I thought
her game on Sunday was fantastic.”
A soccer
player's 30th birthday isn't usually a cause for
celebration. In a sport where teenagers can make
a major impact and fitness is king, crossing the
threshold from the 20s to the 30s often signals
the beginning of the end for many players.
That is simply not the case for goalkeepers, a
position where old age isn't a limitation.
Experience is king for goalkeepers, and it
simply doesn't happen overnight.
There's evidence of this around the world, but
particularly here in Major League Soccer. The
top three keepers in the league in terms of
goals against average are in their mid-30s and
beyond, with Houston's Pat Onstad leading the
way at age 40.
Checking in at No. 4 is Real Salt Lake keeper
Nick Rimando, who celebrated his 30th birthday
on June 17 and is in the midst of a career year.
"Everybody says you mature and you get better as
you get older as a goalkeeper, and I think
that's something that's sinking in in the last
couple of years," said Rimando. "I'm a little
more patient and doing the simple things right,
and this year is one of those years the ball
seems a little bit bigger."
The result is a 0.97 goals against average, four
shutouts and a 5-4-3 record.
Onstad leads MLS with a 0.67 average, followed
by Chivas' Zach Thornton, 35, at 0.80 and
Seattle's Kasey Keller, 39, at 0.84.
Rimando's career-best goals against average is
1.00, which he achieved in 13 games in 2004 in
leading D.C. United to the MLS Cup. Half of the
2009 season remains for his 0.97 average to
potentially rise, but with Rimando seeing things
so clearly there's a better chance it will fall
in the second half of the season.
"He's one of the most solid goalkeepers in the
league," said RSL assistant coach Jeff Cassar.
"Athletically he's just as gifted as he was when
he was 18. What's going on now is his angle
play, his distribution and game management is at
another level. I think the team feels very
comfortable and very at ease when he's back
there."
Collectively, RSL's team defense is better than
it's ever been and Rimando has only saved 27
shots in 12 games this year, a pace that should
put him well below the 96 shots he saved in 30
games last year. Both seasons pale in comparison
to the 146 saves he made during his first season
with RSL in 2006, an equally impressive season
in its own right considering he finished with
seven shutouts.
"Experience plays a big role in being a good
goalkeeper. I've played against certain players
for a while, and being comfortable with our
backs and our system here I think that has a big
role with us doing so well in the back," said
Rimando.
Another keeper getting better with age is
30-year-old Tim Howard, a former teammate of
Rimando's during their playing days with the
under-17 and under-20 U.S. National Teams.
Howard has continued to flourish as a goalkeeper
playing overseas, and he was recently named the
most outstanding goalkeeper at the
Confederations Cup in South Africa.
"I think he's become confident playing overseas
with the big guys," said Rimando. "People listen
to him. If you see his character on the field
he's charismatic, very intense and people feed
off that. That's not my style but it works for
him."
Rimando has a style that works for him as well,
and it helps that he is continually pushed in
practice by promising youngster Chris Seitz. A
highly-touted rookie when he joined the league
three years ago, many believe Seitz would've
surpassed Rimando as the No. 1 keeper at Real
Salt Lake by now. Rimando's increasingly stellar
play has made playing time even tough to come by
for Seitz.
"It's a tough situation, because we are playing
well and we are doing well in the back. He knows
he's a good goalkeeper, I think he's a great
goalkeeper and know he can be a starter in this
league," said Rimando.
Considering that many of Rimando's best years
might be ahead of him, there's no telling when
if ever Seitz might surpass Rimando as RSL's No.
1 keeper.
-Altidore,
Dempsey Score U.S. Goals on Either Side of
Halftime
-Spain's Record 15-Game Winning, 35-Match
Unbeaten Streaks Come to an End
-Howard, U.S. Defense Hand Spain First Shutout
Since 2008 Euro Final
-U.S. to Face Winner of Brazil-South Africa
Semifinal on Sunday, June 28, at 2:25 p.m. ET,
Live on ESPN2 and Univision
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (June 24, 2009) — In
one of the greatest matches in U.S. Soccer
history, the U.S. got goals by Jozy Altidore and
Clint Dempsey to stun No. 1-ranked Spain 2-0 and
advance to the finals of the 2009 FIFA
Confederations Cup in South Africa. The U.S.
Men's National Team will face the winner of the
other semifinal match between Brazil and South
Africa in their first ever final in a FIFA
tournament on Sunday, June 28 in Johannesburg.
Altidore ignited the upset with a fantastic show
of strength and skill to score from the top of
the 18-yard box in the 27th minute, while
Dempsey surprised the Spaniards to provide the
insurance goal in the 74th minute en route to
earning his second consecutive ussoccer.com Man
of the Match award. Tim Howard, who returned to
goal after resting for the final group match
against Egypt, made eight saves to match an
impressive performance by the U.S. defense,
which shutout Spain to snap their world record
15-game winning streak and 35-game unbeaten
streak.
"For us it's a big night,” said U.S. Men’s
National Team head coach Bob Bradley. “The
players all work hard. We constantly talk about
reaching higher and trying to accomplish new
things. Spain is a team that we have the
greatest respect for. They are a super team.
Their ability to play, pass and move. We knew it
was a challenge, but we felt that we would have
a chance and that we could win this game.
“We had a real confidence that we could try to
make it harder for them than some of the other
teams they have play against, and we had the
weapons that could cause them some trouble. We
have some speed up front. We have some guys that
come out of the midfield. I think that those are
all things that work for us." (More Quotes:
Bradley | Players)
The FIFA Confederations Cup final will be
broadcast live at 2:25 p.m. ET live on ESPN2 and
Univision, and fans can follow ussoccer.com’s
MatchTracker and at twitter.com/ussoccer. The
U.S. will find out their opponent after the
other semifinal between Brazil and South Africa
is played on Thursday, June 25, live on ESPN and
Univision at 2:25 p.m. ET.
After what will undoubtedly be considered one of
the greatest victories of all-time, the U.S.
Men’s National Team is now 2-7-1 against the top
team in the FIFA World Rankings and has a 2-2-0
overall record at the Confederations Cup with
six goals scored and six allowed. The U.S. was
the first team to shutout Spain since Italy did
so in the 2008 European Championship final. The
win was the first victory by a CONCACAF team
against Spain, and the match marked the first
time in 29 games that Spain allowed two goals.
Bradley made just two changes to the lineup that
started against Egypt, with Howard returning in
goal and team captain Carlos Bocanegra making
his first appearance of the tournament.
Bocanegra, making his first start at left back
since March 25, 2007, joined a back line of
Oguchi Onyewu, Jay DeMerit and Jonathan Spector.
The game began at a frenetic pace, with the U.S.
getting the better of chances in the first 10
minutes. Charlie Davies, starting two
consecutive games for the first time in his
national team career, nearly immortalized
himself with a bicycle kick off a Dempsey cross
that went wide left of the goal in the seventh
minute. One minute later, Davies directed a
Bocanegra cross just wide of goal. Shortly after
Dempsey had a dangerous shot bounce wide left
from the top of the penalty area.
Spain was not without chances, most coming
through the trio of Fernando Torres, David Villa
and Cesc Fabregas, who had a 10th-minute volley
sail over the crossbar. One minute later,
Fabregas hit a dangerous, low cross to the right
post where Bocanegra did well to force Torres to
shoot high.
As play moved back the other way, Donovan capped
a 35-yard run with a low shot that missed wide
left before Spain answered almost immediately
with Albert Riera bouncing a cross that was too
high for Torres at the near post.
The U.S. capitalized on the hectic pace through
Altidore in the 27th minute, ending Spain’s
shutout streak at 451 minutes, their last
allowed goal in an April 1 FIFA World Cup
qualifier against Turkey. The play started as
Bocanegra settled a blocked pass by Michael
Bradley, and played it back to Bradley in the
center of the field. The central midfielder
curled a ball up the left sideline to Davies,
who played the ball to Dempsey with his first
touch. Dempsey played a one-two with Davies to
get past his defender, and looked for Altidore
who was posting up against his Villareal
teammate Joan Capdevila. Dempsey’s pass was
deflected by Xabi Alonso who was tracking back,
but still found Altidore, who held off Capdevila
before hitting a left-footed strike that went
off goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ right hand and the
inside the left post before hitting the back of
the net.
A Villa shot set up by a lucky bounce of Torres’
heel sailed high in the 32nd minute, and then
once again it went back to the other end where
Dempsey nearly got his head to a Donovan free
kick to direct it toward goal. Spain closed the
first half with pressure, with DeMerit stopping
a shot off the foot of Sergio Ramos and then
Howard coming up with one of his clutch saves on
the night, a left-footed kick against Torres,
who had created the point-blank chance by
rounding Bocanegra as he entered the penalty
area.
Spain came out flying in the second half, and
Howard and the U.S. defense was up to the task,
absorbing pressure that included four shots in
the first 10 minutes. Just two minutes in,
Howard came off his line to parry away a cross,
and a minute later pulled out a world-class save
as Villa curled a shot that looked destined for
the right side netting with the outside of his
left foot from 16 yards.
Three more of Howard’s eight saves came up in
the 52nd minute (Villa after a corner kick),
56th minute (Villa shooting near post) and 64th
minute (Ramos shooting near post). In the 65th
minute, Ricardo Clark made the first of many
great hustle plays by the U.S. down the stretch
when he recovered on a ball switched to the far
post to slide and deny Ramos a clear shot.
In the 69th minute, the U.S. went to the bench
bringing on Benny Feilhaber for Davies. As he
did against Egypt, Dempsey moved to forward with
Feilhaber stepping into Dempsey’s slot in the
midfield.
Five minutes later, the move paid dividends as
Dempsey scored the insurance goal. Dempsey
checked back to break up Spain’s passing rhythm,
and his interception could not be controlled by
Xavi with Bradley stepping in to take the ball
and start the U.S. attack.
Bradley switched the ball to Feilhaber, who came
inside to keep Ramos from intercepting.
Feilhaber dribbled to the top of the penalty
area, and faked a shot to draw in defenders
before playing an entry pass to Donovan on the
right. Donovan’s low cross to the back post
deflected off the heel of Gerard Pique before
Ramos settled it at the far post. Dempsey,
unseen by Ramos, quickly recovered from the
defender’s goal side to turn and hit a sliding
shot into the net before Ramos could recover.
“It's huge for U.S. soccer,” said Dempsey. “I
think it's the first time for the men to be in
the final of a major international competition.
This is much sweeter because we were down and
out. We came back fighting in the Egypt game. No
one expected us to win this game. We fought
hard, showed a lot of heart playing compact
defensively, picked our moments to go forward
and got some goals. We're excited by the result,
and I think all the fans back home will be
excited as well.”
With the two-goal cushion, the U.S. put forth an
impressive defensive effort to keep the clean
sheet down the stretch. Two more confident saves
by Howard in the 79th and 81st minutes were his
last of the game as DeMerit, Spector, Onyewu,
Bocanegra, Jonathan Bornstein, Clark, Donovan
and Bradley all made key tackles and clearances.
In the 86th minute, the U.S. faced a major
setback when Bradley was shown a red card for a
slide tackle on Xavi Alonso on a 50-50
challenge, and the midfielder will now miss
Sunday’s final. It was the third time in four
games the U.S. has had a player sent off.
Dempsey continues to climb the all-time scoring
lists for the U.S., and by scoring his 15th
career goal, he is now tied with Cobi Jones for
eighth on the all-time goal list. He also
leapfrogged Claudio Reyna on the all-time points
list and is now tied at ninth with Eddie Lewis
with 36 points.
Following the Confederations Cup final, the team
switches gears immediately to returns to home
soil to defend the CONCACAF Gold Cup title from
July 3-26 in 13 venues across the United States.
Training camp for the Gold Cup opens on June 30
for the U.S. in Seattle, and Bradley will
announce the 23-player roster on Thursday, June
25.
U.S. Men's National Team Match Report
Match: United States vs. Spain
Date: June 24, 2009
Competition: FIFA Confederations Cup – Semifinal
Venue: Free State Stadium - Bloemfontein, South
Africa
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. local / 2:30 p.m. ET
Attendance: 35,396
Weather: Cool, 35 degrees
Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
ESP 0 0 0
USA – Jozy Altidore (Clint Dempsey) 27th minute
USA – Clint Dempsey 74
A few of my cousins played soccer, and while we
were growing in Northern California and got
together for holidays and other social
occasions, I'd be the target of barbs and snide
remarks regarding goalkeepers as a breed far
inferior to those in the field.
In the midst of insults about relative lack of
fitness, rare moments of action, glaring lack of
foot skills or touch or other abilities
essential to playing in the field - all of which
were true to some extent - I'd merely smile and
comment on the difficulty of winning a game
without someone of even moderate competence
between said sticks.
This absurdity is rooted in truth, of course,
but there are goalkeepers of many shapes and
forms, ages and personalities ("varying degrees
of stupidity," as per my cousins). Few keepers
who are any good are cowards and I would
occasionally suggest my smug cousins to put on
the gloves and take a stint in goal, even during
a scrimmage or training session, to face shots
and charges and breakaways and goalmouth
skirmishes and feet flailing at their faces in
an approximation of challenges and pressures
keepers encounter every day.
Everybody has his or her own idea of what
constitutes the ideal goalkeeper - assuming one
thinks there is such a beast - but among
players, executives, and coaches there are two
paramount characteristics: a reliability to
repel the shots that should be dealt with, thus
instilling confidence and security amongst
teammates that some trickling travesty won't
find its way into the net, and a knack for
making the big saves, those dramatic stops that
break opponents' hearts and secure whatever
points are already in hand.
The big saves aren't always late in the match,
though in a close game they are always critical.
Sometimes it's a tough save right after either
team has scored, to prevent an equalizer
canceling out a goal or a deficit from doubling.
Goals late in the first half are always a
psychological factor, so the prevention of same
can be vital.
A flurry of late-match goals - one MLS team
alone, D.C. United, has scored four goals in
stoppage time after the regulation 90 minutes -
has overshadowed a plentiful array of big saves,
and last weekend's games offered up a few
crucial examples along with those not made.
Chris Rolfe' s goal just before halftime of the
Red Bulls-Fire match eventually decided the 1-0
game, and no one accused keeper Jon Conway for
allowing a cheapie. Yet just imagine the
psychological jolt Conway had have given his
team, which outplayed Chicago during that first
half, if with a superb effort he could have
pushed the ball round the goalpost.
With about 10 minutes left, Conway kept his team
in the game by turning aside another good shot
by Rolfe and gave it a chance to get a result,
which it nearly did.
But in stoppage time, Fire keeper Jon Busch
pulled off the quintessential big save. Danleigh
Borman met a swerving cross with a glancing
header directed just under the crossbar until
Busch's desperation leap and reach flicked it
over the top. With a good play on a difficult
yet savable shot, Busch nailed down three
points.
D.C. United needed several major moments from
keeper Josh Wicks to fend off a determined
effort from Real Salt Lake, which earned its
first road point of 2009 with a 0-0 tie that
wouldn't have been goalless if not for Wicks. He
denied Robbie Findley on a clean breakaway five
minutes before halftime, and in the final minute
of the match deflected a long-range blast by
Kyle Beckerman , then smothered Findley's header
from the ensuing corner.
At Pizza Hut Park, a few stellar moments from
Ray Burse and a goal scored by Drew Moor after
FC Dallas had gone down a man in the 28th minute
enabled FCD to carve out a 1-1 tie with the
Galaxy. LA outshot FCD, 20-9, but Burse and his
backline held off everything generated after
Landon Donovan scored in the third minute.
All the world knows about Kasey Keller' s fine
work in goal as a key component for the early
success of expansion entry Seattle, and the guy
with the big feet came up big. He stabbed away a
point-blank header by the Rapids' Conor Casey in
the 34th minute, and when challenged by Rapids
midfielder Nick LaBrocca on a stone-cold chance
with the score, 1-1, in first-half stoppage
time, Keller turned away his low shot with an
incredible, elastic save. Counterpart Matt
Pickens did his part late in the second half
with the score, 2-2, thwarting Seattle's Steve
Zakuani on a close-range opportunity.
If Matt Reis had been his usual sharp self, New
England might have escaped BMO Field with a
point. Not that the Revs would have deserved it,
as they were outplayed, but they did take a 1-0
lead with a Shalrie Joseph header in the 13th
minute. Yet TFC struck back less than minute
later when Reis, screened, couldn't stop a
whistling first-time shot by Amado Guevara that
zipped just under the bar. He missed last week's
game with a concussion and sat out four games
earlier in the season due to a sore knee.
Reis really had no chance with TFC's second
goal, taken nicely by Dwayne De Rosario. Yet two
minutes later, a 40-yard free kick from Guevara,
delivered as Danny Dichio charged at the ball,
bounced past Reis into the net to kill off any
chance of the Revs getting a result. Was it a
tough situation for the goalie, who had to keep
an eye on the ball and be ready to react in case
it touched Dichio or somebody else? Absolutely.
But no keeper who lets a 40-yarder bounce into
his net untouched would claim to have done
everything he could to prevent it.
In a league as fraught with parity as MLS,
goalkeeping decides more than its fair share of
games. I'm thrilled, and I'm sure my cousins
are, too.
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University Women’s Soccer
Head Coach Robbie Church announced on Wednesday
the addition of Michael Crane as an assistant
coach in charge of the goalkeepers.
“First of all, we’re indebted to Nate Kipp with
the work he did with our goalkeepers for the
last three years, but we’re very, very excited
to have Michael Crane come in and join our
program,” said Church. “He brings a wealth of
experience at a very young age.”
Crane, who is a 2009 graduate of the University
of Indianapolis, Ind., received a degree in
exercise science/pre-physical therapy this
spring. He has been the Zionsville Youth Soccer
Association head coach since 2008, while serving
as the assistant director of the SoccerPlus
Goalkeeper School since 2006, along with being a
goalkeeper for the Akron and Indianapolis men’s
soccer programs the last four years.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to join a program
and a coaching staff with so much success and
national recognition,” said Crane. “Duke
University and the women’s soccer program has
produced some of nations top athletes and I am
excited to contribute to its success. I look
forward to working with Robbie, Billy, and Carla
and helping Duke women’s soccer to continue to
be successful on the national level.”
A two-year letterwinner in goal for the
Greyhounds, where he played in 25 games, totaled
a 1.02 goals against average and seven shutouts.
Crane was also a member of the Akron men’s
soccer squad but redshirted in 2005 and did not
see any game action in 2006.
“He’s a very impressive young man who when we
interviewed him, had a great passion for the
game,” commented Church. “He had a passion that
he wanted to bring to Duke University. He wanted
to build on what we’ve done at Duke over the
years.”
A native of Lexington, Ky., Crane is a 2005
graduate of Bellbrook H.S., in Ohio. He earned
two varsity letters in both soccer and
basketball at Bellbrook, while receiving the
All-Miami Valley Sportsmanship Award for varsity
soccer as a junior. He registered 11 shutouts in
goal as a senior on the way to earning first
team all-conference and first team all-district
accolades.
“We pride ourselves on our goalkeepers at Duke,”
said Church. “We feel that every single year
we’ve had a top-notch goalkeeper, and they’ve
been a very, very important part of our success
over the 20 years of the Duke Women’s Soccer
program. We think Michael can come in and keep
our goalkeepers at a high level. He’s going to
bring in a new set of eyes to look over our
program, which we’re excited to have. He has
high praise from all the people he’s worked with
in the past. He’s been connected with Soccer
Plus camps, and everybody that we’ve spoke to at
the camps has said that this is going to be a
big time coach. We’re just excited to have him
come and join our program and work with our
goalkeepers.”
Crane replaces Nathan Kipp who spent three
seasons at Duke before accepting a position with
the Chicago Red Stars of Women’s Professional
Soccer.
Houston, TX -
(Houston Chronicle) No matter how many
MLS players the Dynamo Academy produces, it’s
possible none of them will make people feel as
good as Tyler Deric. His is a story of growth,
discipline and the amazing healing power of the
second chance.
What’s that someone said about sports revealing
character instead of building it? Maybe that’s
the lesson of Tyler Deric. Regardless, he has
come a long way since that day last summer when
Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear threw him off the
team. “I’d never had anyone tell me to leave a
soccer field,” Deric said. “It was shocking.”
He took stock of his life. He was a 19-year-old
kid with a drinking problem and a shattered
dream. He had raw skills other kids can only
dream of, but he was lacking in commitment, work
ethic and conditioning.
In a tough-love meeting, Kinnear and academy
director James Clarkson challenged Deric to
change his life or to stop wasting their time.
“I don’t think he’d been completely clean with
us,” Kinnear said. “I wanted him to come back
only if he could be honest with us and with
himself.”
Crushing Moment
Deric remembers the long drive back to Spring
and how he delivered the news to his mother,
Sue. He’d been a star at Klein High School and
had played briefly at the University of North
Carolina. He left school because he believed it
was time to start his professional career. Now
that career was gone.
“It was really hard to hear what they were
saying,” he said. “I know now they cared about
me. I had to make some changes in my life. I
just let the drinking get to me. Playing
professional soccer had been my goal since I was
15 or 16 years old.”
He enrolled at Tomball Community College and got
a job hanging drywall and doing hurricane
cleanup. A small taste of the real world snapped
him back to reality. He stopped drinking, got
baptized and asked the Dynamo for another
chance. Clarkson and Kinnear decided to give him
one more shot and hoped he understood how close
to the edge he was.
“If he had screwed up one time, he could kiss it
goodbye,” Clarkson said. They laid out a
schedule that included soccer practice and
conditioning drills. And he’d be working
construction. “I thought he had potential,”
Kinnear said. “Potential gets you noticed.
Quality allows you to stay.”
Something clicked. “To his credit, he did
everything he was asked to do,” Clarkson said.
“We were extremely strict on him. We told
(conditioning guru) Danny Arnold he had our
blessing to kick his tail. Young men make
mistakes. Everybody needs a second chance. We
were in the fortunate position of offering him
that.”
At one point, Deric was working construction for
eight long, hot hours, then driving to Arnold’s
Plex complex for two hours of weightlifting and
conditioning. When Deric is tempted, he reminds
himself how far he has come and how much he has
to lose.
“I remember where my life was going to be if I
kept doing the things I’d been doing,” he said.
“I knew I’d be happy playing soccer, but to
play, I had to do the things they told me to do.
I don’t want to be a nobody.”
Last week, after three months of conditioning
and practice, Deric was summoned to the Dynamo
offices and signed to a pro contract.
Third on the Depth Chart
This is just the beginning of the story. He’s
third on the Dynamo goalie depth chart, behind
Pat Onstad and [former SoccerPlus Staff Coach]
Tally Hall, and there’s a good chance he
won’t play a single minute this season.
“With the intensity the Dynamo train, he’s going
to get better, a lot better,” Clarkson said. “My
advice to him from the start has been that it’s
not about this year. Everything is great now
because it’s all new, and he’s in the mix. But
come August when he has been training constantly
and hasn’t played and the season is in full
flow, this is when his character will be tested.
He’s got to be looking two, three years down the
line.”
Deric, 20, might have overcome the largest
hurdle. He says he hasn’t had a drink in months
and that church and soccer are the focus of his
life. “I want to have a long career,” he said.
“I got to a point where I didn’t have soccer
anymore. I don’t ever want that to happen
again.”
Tallahassee, FL – Pia Sundhage, Head
Coach of the US Women's National Team, has once
again called on a SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School
Director to work with the nation's best
goalkeepers. Paul Rogers of Florida State
University will travel with the US National Team
to the prestigious Algarve Cup, held annually in
Portugal - this year from March 4-11.
The Algarve Cup invitation comes on the heels of
yet another successful year for Rogers and the
Seminoles. In just his second season at Florida
State, Rogers’ goalkeepers, led by junior and
SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School staff coach and
former student, Kate Milstead, set the
school record for lowest goals against average
in a single season (0.63). In 2007, Rogers
guided Erin McNulty in breaking three freshmen
goalkeeping records for most wins (18), shutouts
(8) and lowest goals against average (0.94).
McNulty’s stellar freshman campaign earned her a
spot on the Canadian U-20 National Team and
earned Rogers the opportunity to coach the
goalkeepers for the Canadian Women’s National
Team during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
“This will be a great opportunity to work with
the best athletes in the U.S. which are some of
the best athletes in the nation,” said
Rogers. “I’m looking forward to picking up ideas
from Pia (Sundhage), Erica (Walsh) and all the
other coaches on the National Team. It will be
nice to see how others view the game, not only
from a coaching aspect, but from the players as
well." Rogers will work with another former
SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School student, Hope
Solo.
Daily
Mail Exclusive Interview -
Manchester
United legend Peter Schmeichel has watched with
admiration as Edwin van der Sar has smashed
records on his way to 14 League games without
conceding a goal. Here, Old Trafford great
Schmeichel gives the Daily Mail his verdict.
To be a goalkeeper at Manchester United
you have to possess certain basic qualities. To
do what Edwin van der Sar has done — keep 14
Premier League clean sheets in a row — you have
to have something extra special.
Van der Sar has long been one of the world’s
best goalkeepers, in my view. On many occasions
before he arrived at the club, I pushed his name
through interviews and magazine articles. Now
I’m just glad the club signed him.
So what do you need to cope at Old Trafford?
Well, when you look at a potential United keeper
you need to ask yourself: Is he technically good
enough? Is he brave enough? Is he mentally tough
enough? Is he organized and confident enough?
Van der Sar answers all these questions
positively. I played against him at
international level and he always impressed me,
but it is important to look at him as much more
than a shot-stopper.
I must say it irritates me when people talk
about shot-stopping goalkeepers. They can all
stop shots. If they couldn’t, they would not be
playing at that level. Being a goalkeeper for a
top club, and especially at Manchester United,
is about more than that. One of the things that
makes Van der Sar stand out is the way he uses
his feet.
The way he will receive the ball confidently,
the way he deals with balls over the top and the
manner in which he distributes it allows his
team and his defenders to have absolute trust in
him. This is crucial. Everything builds from
that. Next time you watch United play just look
out for the way that Van der Sar and his
defenders work together. They know exactly where
he is and what he will be doing. It rarely
fails. That comes from trust.
Because Van der Sar is so good with his feet —
he was a groundbreaker in many ways — United
have the freedom and confidence to play high up
the field. They can impose their own football on
teams knowing that the back door is locked if
the other team break.
This is fundamental to United and keeper should
never really be viewed in isolation. A keeper
should not be separated from the rest of the
team. For example, when I played at Old Trafford
I had a great relationship with central
defenders Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce. We
trusted each other, we knew what each other were
doing and where we would be. It is the same with
Van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.
I have to say that I think Vidic has been
crucial. He is a defender who does the simple
things first and he has allowed Ferdinand to
develop in to one of the top three central
defenders in the world. He is also the reason
why Jonny Evans looks like he’s been playing for
the team for 100 years when he comes in.
Vidic gives the defence that quiet assurance and
that will be important to Van der Sar. Those
relationships are crucial. So, too, is Van der
Sar’s ability to concentrate. When you play for
United, there will be huge periods when you do
nothing, so concentration is king.
If you play for a team like West Bromwich as a
goalkeeper, you will make saves all the time.
You won’t switch off simply because you are too
busy. If you are United’s keeper, you will make
maybe five saves in a game. I used to go for 40
minutes without touching the ball. But the key
is to keep involved and Van der Sar does this
brilliantly. When is the last time you saw him
caught cold by anything, or taken by surprise? I
certainly can’t remember an example.
The way I used to keep my focus was by talking
and shouting, even though they couldn’t hear me!
All that was done for my benefit — to keep
involved. I’m not going to compare, or say who
is the better goalkeeper — me or him. Van der
Sar has his own way, he’s not as vocal as I was
but he is always alert. He is always ‘in the
game’. Mental application is huge in football
and especially so at the top level.
The pressure is immense at United. Everyone
wants you to lose, everyone wants you to make a
mistake. You have to be able to cope with that.
Some very high profile players have gone to
United and just haven’t been able to handle it.
But Van der Sar fitted in seamlessly and finally
brought to an end the problem the club had been
having with its goalkeepers.
When you look at him he is a very tall man and
that has its obvious advantages. But he is also
very strong, perhaps more so than he looks. That
is important in the Premier League, where the
football is so physical and demanding. What he
has done this season is incredible, it really
is. But that is what you get when you buy one of
the world’s best.
This article was originally published on
March 4, 2009 by
the Daily Mail.
Goalkeeper Clinics Announced in OHio
and texas
March 4, 2009 - SoccerPlus Goalkeeper
School News
OHIO: University of Dayton (NCR Fields)
-Friday, April 3rd - 5:15pm - 7:45pm
-Saturday, April 4th - 9:00am - Noon
with SPGS Director Sergio Gonzalez
TEXAS: Texas Christian University
(Garvey-Rosenthal
Soccer Stadium)
-Friday, April 10th - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
-Saturday, April 11th - 9:00am - Noon
with SPGS Director Adam Clementson
$50 for one session or
$90 for both!
APPLY NOW - LISTED UNDER NATIONAL CLINICS
Westwood, MA – The Boston Breakers
announced that Harvard Assistant Women’s Soccer
Coach Katie
Shields has joined the Breakers
coaching staff for the 2009 season. Shields
will continue to serve in her current position
with both the Crimson and as a director of the
SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School.
"I am thrilled to be a part of the Boston
Breakers and the inaugural season of WPS,” said
Shields. “Tony
DiCicco is one of the greatest coaches
in the women's game and I am excited to be a
part of his staff and vision for the Boston
Breakers. The combination of working with Tony
and helping to establish a permanent women’s pro
soccer league in this country is an opportunity
I could not pass up."
Shields was a standout goalkeeper for Harvard,
garnering All-Ivy League accolades all four
years, in addition to NSCAA First-Team
All-Northeast Region honors in 2005 after
recording a school-record 11 shutouts. She
finished her career ranked second all-time at
Harvard in minutes played (4,145), third in
total saves (272) and fifth in save percentage
(.863). She led the Crimson to an NCAA
Tournament appearance in 2004, and her .908 save
percentage in 2005 is the 10th-best
single-season performance in NCAA history.
After graduation, Shields held assistant
coaching positions at Arizona State and UC
Irvine before rejoining her alma mater as
goalkeeping coach in 2007. During her first
season, Shields helped coach Crimson goalkeeper
and SPGS Staff Coach
Lauren Mann
to Second-Team All-Ivy League honors. She
continued her coaching success this past year,
helping the Crimson to a 10-3-5 record, an Ivy
League title and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Shields becomes the fourth assistant coach in
the league along with Lisa Cole (Boston
Breakers),
Nathan Kipp (Chicago Red Stars) and Jay
Cooney (FC Gold Pride).
When Manchester United
goalkeeper Ben Foster recognized that the
Carling Cup final was about to go to penalty
kicks, he did not go to the bench for a quick
sip of water and a pep talk from his coach,
rather, United Goalkeeper coach Eric Steele
decided the time was right to do some last
minute video analysis. He showed Foster footage
of Jamie O'Hara taking a spot kick in a UEFA Cup
defeat to PSV Eindhoven last season. "I had been
told that if O'Hara took a kick...that he would
probably put the ball to my left." Foster saved
O'Hara's penalty and United went on to win their
first hardware of the season 4-1 in the
shootout. An spokesman for the English FA said,
"What happened was not against the rules so we
will not be investigating the matter further."
In this issue of The Keeper's
Line you'll find a technical and tactical
discussion of the backpass, a list of the
Women's Professional Soccer goalkeepers, feature
articles from the goalkeeper news wire including
the Top 50 Goalkeepers of all-time. Who's your
number 1? Plus, staff and student updates and
more.
Washington, DC - DC
United Goalkeeper Zach Wells, 27, retires from
professional soccer following foot surgery.
Wells, a former All-Pac 10 Goalkeeper at UCLA,
played five seasons in Major League Soccer,
including last season with DC United.
Out of college, Wells was the 21st overall pick
in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by the NY/NJ
MetroStars. After two seasons in New York, he
was traded to the Houston Dynamo and was a
backup goalkeeper during their back-to-back MLS
Cup victories in 2006 and 2007. Overall, he
played in 40 regular season matches starting 39
of them compiling a 17-13-9 record with a 1.38
goals against average.
He earned one cap for the US National Team,
playing 10 minutes in a game against Guatemala
in 2006.
According to the Soccer Insider, DC United has
six goalkeepers in training camp: Louis Crayton,
Milos Kocic, James Thorpe, academy player Bill
Hamid and two players on trial Nic Platter
(USL-1 Minnesota) and Mike Graczyk. Gzaczyk is
the brother of former-SoccerPlus Connecticut and
current WPS hopeful
Kristen Graczyk.
(FIFA.com) "I’m not
the kind of guy who’s prepared to hang around
and be patient." In one curt phrase, Lutz
Pfannenstiel provides the neatest possible
summary of his remarkable career. At the age of
18, the budding shot-stopper rejected an offer
to join the Bayern Munich reserves. If
everything had gone according to plan, the
ambitious and inquisitive youth would have been
all but guaranteed trophies with Germany’s most
successful club.
But sticking to a plan has never been the
player’s forte. Nowadays, the 35-year-old looks
back on what even for the colourful world of
football is a genuinely unique career.
Pfannenstiel’s 'collection’ is astonishing, not
for its trophies and medals, but for its
continents: he has played professionally on all
six. The globe-trotting goalkeeper recently
joined his 24th professional club.
After stints in exotic destinations such as
Malaysia, Brazil, New Zealand, Albania, Canada
and South Africa, he currently calls Norwegian
capital Oslo home. As keeper and assistant
coach, he is aiming to win promotion to the top
flight with Manglerud Star. "Football is much
more to me than just a well-paid job. I’ve seen
the world thanks to football. That counts for so
much more," Pfannenstiel told
FIFA.com.
Real-life adventure yarn
"No-one can take my experiences away from me.
Obviously, I’d like to have played in the
Bundesliga, but I’ve achieved other things
instead. I’m in the Guinness Book of Records as
the first professional footballer to have played
on all six continents. The decision not to go to
Bayern back then can’t have been that bad after
all."
The 1.86m keeper speaks with true conviction and
almost boyish enthusiasm, his statements
containing not a trace of subterfuge. "My
boyhood dream was to play in Brazil. Believe me,
I’m so incredibly proud of achieving just that,
for Clube Atletico Hermann Aichinger."
The footballing odyssey undertaken by the man
from Zwiesel, a community of 10,000 souls in
Lower Bavaria, has included spells with Orlando
Pirates, Haka Valkeakoski, Geylang United and
Calgary Mustangs. But he is basically an unknown
in his country of birth. Almost inevitably, his
incredible journey has occasionally pushed him
to the limit of human tolerance, but that has in
turn contributed to a cast-iron personality.
Unhaltbar (Unstoppable) is the title of his
autobiography, to be published in October this
year. "It reads like an adventure novel – except
that it all actually happened."
There is no yardstick by which to measure this
unconventional, truly global goalkeeper: "When I
was younger, I was a bit of a living cliche. You
know the kind of thing, fast cars and beautiful
women. But I saw some terrible things, and it
forced me to reappraise my life. Nowadays, I’m
lucky enough to be able to see beyond the
immediate horizon. My career has made me a lot
more far-sighted."
As a result, success on the field of play,
stunning saves and trophy celebrations have
slipped a long way down Pfannenstiel’s list of
priorities. "I’ve discovered the importance of
social involvement. I want to use football as a
way of raising global awareness of climate
change, the number one issue facing the world
right now. And the world loves football. Using
this combination, I’m hoping to reach people who
would never normally confront the problem."
To this end, Pfannenstiel has established the FC
Global United project. The initiative aims to
gather former football stars for exhibition
matches in spectacular locations which are
threatened by climate change. All funds raised
will be donated to Klima-Allianz
(Climate Alliance), a grouping of some 100
political and aid organisations campaigning for
climate protection.
The likes of Giovane Elber, Krassimir Balakov,
Aldair, Fredi Bobic and Sergej Barbarez are
already on board, with many more to follow. The
planned highlight of the project is a match on
the Antarctic ice. "The game is already
scheduled for next December, but we’ll probably
have to move it, as it clashes with a match at
the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen."
Determined as ever
As his playing career slowly nears its end, the
world’s most restless pro appears to be
following a plan, possibly for the first time in
his life: "I’m 100 per cent committed to this
and I’ll see it through. FC Global United is my
life’s work." He intends Norway to be the last
stop in his career, ideally crowned by promotion
for Manglerud Star. The club coached by Kjell
Sverre Wold shares with its goalkeeper a
commitment to social and community action. "If
it all works out, it would be the perfect
farewell."
And after that? "I can imagine putting down
roots in Germany," Pfannenstiel suggests, before
drawing a deep breath, pausing for thought, and
adding a proviso: "Well, at least as my country
of residence!"
San Jose, CA -
Goalkeeper Joe Cannon agreed to a multi-year
contract Friday to stay with the San Jose
Earthquakes.
Cannon played every minute of every game last
season as the expansion Earthquakes rejoined
MLS, posting nine shutouts and leading the
league with 124 saves. He also played from
1998-2002 with the original Earthquakes. who
later moved to Houston and became the Dynamo.
The former
Santa Clara star won the MLS' top goalkeeper
award twice during his 10-year career with San
Jose, Colorado and Los Angeles. He ranks second
in MLS history with 65 shutouts and third with
245 starts in goal and 1,026 saves, while his 92
victories are fifth in league history. (AP)
A ball
is played in behind your back
line. Your central defender is
sprinting toward your goal and
the forward is right behind
him/her. You're in a good
position and realize that you
can come out and win the ball.
You take your first two or three
steps to evaluate and then
you're committed - you get a
nice loud "KEEP" call...
You defender, confused, looks up
to see if you're coming and in
that split second, the
opportunistic striker makes a
move and ducks inside your
defender, now you are out of
position, the striker takes a
touch to the side and passes the
ball into your empty net. You
and your defender just look at
each other wondering, "What
happened?"
When we communicate as
goalkeepers, we need to make it
as crisp, clear and concise as
possible, however, many young
goalkeepers eliminate the "ER"
from "KEEPER" and the result,
similar to the hypothetical
situation outlined above, can be
confusion. That defender may
think that you want him or her
to keep the ball or keep the
defender away from the ball.
Instead of "I GOT IT" "LEAVE"
"KEEP" or "MINE" (which always
makes me think of Finding
Nemo), try "KEEPER" and
avoid confusion with your
defenders. Remember it may only
happen once, but that goal that
you give up because of
miscommunication could be an
important one.
Columbus, OH -
Tim Howard played another very solid game for
the home side as the United States defeated
Mexico 2-0 in the first match of the final round
of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be
played in South Africa. Mexico's best chance
came early in the match; just three minutes in
Mexican forward Giovani Dos Santos was denied by
a Howard kick-save from 10 yards out, after a
poor defensive clear and some early
organizational issues.
The real
turning point of the match came when Mexican
Captain Rafael Marquez came in cleats up on
Howard, getting him squarely on the right thigh.
Without hesitation, the referee, Carlos Batres
of Guatemala showed a red card. However,
following the play, Howard was also shown a
yellow card for time wasting. The card, his
second in qualifying, will preclude him from
participation in the USA's next qualifier, March
28th in El Salvador. No word yet on who will get
the start, however, Aston Villa Goalkeeper Brad
Guzan was Howard's backup Wednesday night. Guzan
backs up fellow American Brad Friedel for the
Villans and has 11 caps for the USA.
Howard addressed the challenge after the game
with the media saying, "It was a 50-50 ball and
he came in a little bit late and, you know,
those things happen in these types of games. I
respect him a lot as a player and there are no
hard feeling, that's for sure."
Read Full Game Story at USSoccer.com
