Bob Bradley, an American Coach in Europe

Photo credit: Stabaek

 

To say that Bob Bradley is a visionary American soccer coach might anger some. And yet today, when it was announced that Bradley would become the head coach of Stabaek of the Norwegian Tippeligaen, there was communal applause in American soccer circles. Bradley had become the first American head coach in a top division European league.  

Bob Bradley pushed the boundaries of American coaches abroad when he became head coach of the Egyptian national team in 2011. After a successful couple of years and going undefeated in qualifiers, a date with Ghana brought back memories of 2010 when his Team America failed to get past the Ghanaians in the round of sixteen. The team lost 6-1 abroad and won only by 2-1 at home, eliminating them from the competition.

Bradley was criticized by many for his ultra-defensive stance, his at-times unyielding 4-4-2, and his ill-fated faith on Jonathan Bornstein and Ricardo Clark. And yet, in the end, he brought much success to the national team. From winning the Gold Cup against Mexico in 2007, to booking a place in South Africa, to their unprovable win versus Spain at the Confederations Cup, to his come-from-behind games in the World Cup that brought the team to the round of 16.

Certainly, although his methods seemed odd at times, he had brilliant strategies for facing top teams like Mexico, England and Spain. One of the biggest compliments came at the World Cup in South Africa when the manager for the Swiss national team coach credited him for Switzerland's victory over Spain in the opening game of their group.

So now Bradley embarks on another adventure as a coach in Europe. Sure, he and so many others would have hoped that he would land in England for a Premier League team or a Championship side. But Stabaek is a good fit for him. An up-and-coming squad with potential. Bradley did always coach the underdogs and it fits him well.

Bob Bradley's new appointment in Norway goes a long way in elevating the stature of American soccer. This next step in his career opens up opportunity for other up-and-coming coaches like Jason Kreis, Caleb Porter and Mike Petke, among others, who might one day make the jump overseas. America has its own style of football now and it's making waves abroad. That's why Bob Bradley is a trailblazer and a path to the future.

Confederations win and the Unstoppable Brazil

Photo credit: FIFA

Brazil won its third consecutive Confederations Cup today, in style, and versus the World Cup champions Spain. Might they be on their way to their sixth championship at next summer's tournament? Considering that it will be based in Brazil and the strength of the current team, a degree of certainty is in the air.

The star is Neymar, that much is clear. His quick movements, fantasy and goals say it all. Oh, and his recent transfer to Barcelona pretty much seals it for him. Is he better than Messi, as Pele asserts? Not quite. Not yet. Maybe not ever but only time can be the judge.

The real strength and difference in this team is the midfield. The team's formation today was reminiscent of Spain's at last year's Euros. Four attackers and two holding mids. Of course you have Marcelo and Dani Alves patrolling and exploiting the flanks and suddenly there are 6 players attacking. It reminds us of formations in the early days of soccer, before the art of defense was introduced.

Hulk and Fred are two obvious forwards, yet Hulk is partially withdrawn to feed Fred--and it worked. Then there is Neymar as a Messi-esque number 10 and Oscar as a number 8 in a slightly more withdrawn position. Paulinho and Luis Gustavo act as an anchor in the back with good passing, even if not the box-to-box players we are used to like Michael Bradley. 

Brazil took it to Spain today with speed and aggressiveness and won the game. They won it by pushing their line all the way to the Spanish defense so that the tiki-taka could not commence. Xavi had no connection with Iniesta and Torres never got the ball. Luck and defense also played a part in this with David Luiz's save late in the first half and Sergio Ramos' missed PK. Things may have been different but we should also consider Brazil's extra day of rest and the fact that Spain went all the way to penalties in the semifinal versus Italy.

There is one other type of soccer that caught my eye today as I watched the Selecao play. Total Football. Were they playing Dutch soccer? Seemed so, especially in their recovery. Scolari has been studying his squad, which he rates lower than his World Cup champions of 2002. He has used its youth and speed to his advantage and introducing a more streamlined Brazil that is less defensive than Dunga's and lacks the jogo bonito of years past. 

Outside the Maracana the people of this Amazon nation asked for equality. Their screams for justice carried into the stadium attached to tear gas. It infected the crowd and team in the opposite way, to grow beyond the despair and sadness for a better outlook of what Brazil can be. It's true that great economic injustices have occurred with the erection of new stadiums and infrastructure for the Confederations Cup and next year's World Cup. But it's also true that this is the game of the people and for the people. Surely there are ways the two worlds can coexist. Reality and sport. In life only athletes can live in both worlds. But let this tournament's non-sport incidents serve as a reminder for how much the sport owes the everyman.

American Breakthrough: Dempsey scores for Spurs

Photo credit: Action Images

Some dreams are worth dreaming. Some scores are bigger when the game ends. Some players are just special. That was US international Clint Dempsey today for his new team, Tottenham Hotspur. Dempsey scored the game-winner against Manchester United at the famed Old Trafford and re-wrote the role of Americans in premier club soccer.

Clint Dempsey's goal was special for several reasons. Besides the obvious significance of the rival, the very fact that the game was at Old Trafford and one that the Spurs had not won since 1989 elevates Dempsey's goal. Additionally, it brings Tottenham up to 5th place after a 3-game winning streak. It is a credit to Villas-Boas for acquiring the US international and starting him in important matches.

Dempsey has a knack for scoring important, if we may say, scavenger goals. He seems to always be at the right place at the right time and has the presence of mind to adjust the speed and strength of his shots in order to break the goal line. This is what has made him such a threat during his career. Dempsey took his time and remained focused during a transfer season that he saw as his last chance to play for a major team in Europe. An 11th hour move to Tottenham was what he deserved, and after starting 3 matches, he found the back of the net in style.

This is an American breakthrough because of who Clint Dempsey plays for, for his abilities on the pitch, and the path behind him. He elevates other Americans abroad playing for important teams like Michael Bradley (Roma) and Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar) and sets up higher expectations for future United States talent. Dempsey has given us his share of important goals, from recent games in World Cup qualifying, to his goals for New England and Fulham, to unforgettable strikes versus Egypt and Spain at the Confederations Cup 2009, versus England at World Cup 2010, and the winner versus Italy on Italian soil earlier this year. He has added to his repertoire today by scoring for his latest, and most impressive club in the best soccer league in the world. Dempsey is pure American magic and we haven't seen all he can do yet.

Altidore, reset and rekindled

Photo credit: twitter feed

It wasn't long ago that New York area fans watched with optimism as their teenage sensation, Jozy Altidore, scored his first goal for the Red Bulls against Columbus after just weeks since playing his first match for the team. The future looked bright and their young star was ready for the stage. He scored in the playoffs in 2006 and continued to be a stalwart for the Red Bulls until 2008, amassing 15 goals in 37 league games.

Altidore not only looked good in MLS action. He also excelled on the international stage. He broke through to the national team in February 2008 when he scored against bitter-rivals Mexico in a friendly match. After that, Altidore would be a permanent fixture in the forward rotation for the Stars and Stripes.

Success internationally also brought him a lucrative contract with Spanish giants Villarreal. His transfer was the most expensive in MLS history at $10 million. But he was low in the pecking order with the "Yellow Submarine" and only managed 1 goal in 6 appearances in his first semester with the Spanish team. A crippling loan to Xerez of the Segunda Division gave him no playing time during the winter-spring of 2009. But he did score with the national team--including a hat trick in World Cup Qualifying.

Things seemed to change overnight for Jozy when he scored against Spain at the Confederations Cup. He also forged a formidable striking force with Charlie Davies. This gave him another loan opportunity with Hull City. He scored for the English Premier League team once in Cup competition and once in league action. But his sparse scoring and diminished playing time took its toll on the youngster. He entered the 2010 World Cup with a degree of trepidation and many fans and soccer media started to think of him as another failed young star.

But let's give credit to what he did do at the World Cup: his header-pass to Michael Bradley against Slovenia meant the score was tied and a vital point was given for the United States. His low center pass to Dempsey at the end of the game against Algeria eventually led to Landon Donovan's iconic goal in stoppage time.

Jozy returned to Villarreal and began to score for them in Cup competition. He enjoyed a few games in the Europa League but it was clear that he was too far down in the pecking order to be a starter. Another loan--this time to Turkish side Bursaspor--changed his surroundings and gave him more playing time. He only scored for them once, however.

Altidore returned to the national team during this past summer's Concacaf Gold Cup and scored twice before going down with an injury. It was the Jozy of old and it looked like we had him back. Soon after, it became known that he was joining AZ Alkmaar of the Dutch Eridivisie on an actual transfer.

AZ was what Altidore needed. He scored as a substitute in his first league match and scored twice more in league action. More importantly, he scored 4 goals in 4 games in Europa League play, helping his team advance to the group stage. That's 7 goals in just two months. Our prodigal striker is back.

Josmer Volmy Altidore is a different kind of player. He's a tall, fast striker that can hold the ball and can use his significant physical attributes to control his game. He may have joined the wrong team at the wrong time when he became a Villarreal player. Lack of playing time at just 18 is difficult to shake. A depletion in talent at the forward position for the United States also didn't aid in helping him regain confidence, as most of the pressure was on him to produce.

It was a series of unfortunate events in his soccer life that spurred Jozy's intermittent development. For Adu, young stardom came at a price. For Altidore, learning from past mistakes enabled him to overcome obstacles. And yet he still struggled abroad. But by continuing his play for the US national team and by finding an environment suitable for his skills, the 21-year old has finally found his place. Here's to a few more years in Holland. Here's to at least two more World Cup cycles with our star striker. Here's to you, Altidore. This is why we wear your jersey to soccer games.

Landon Donovan's Future

Landon Donovan is the prodigal son of a golden generation in US soccer. He came up the ranks, having grown up through the system in the U-17 and U-20 teams, winning the Golden Ball at the 1999 U-17 championship in which the US reached the semifinals. He also scored the second goal in the 2002 World Cup round of 16 versus Mexico that propelled the US to their best finish at a FIFA tournament since 1950.

Donovan is part of a "golden generation" that also includes Tim Howard, DaMarcus Beasley and Oguchi Onyewu. He had a rough start with Bayer Leverkusen of the Bundesliga in 2001 and after the 2002 World Cup and was loaned to the then-Earthquakes of San Jose for three years. He helped the Quakes win the 2001 and 2003 MLS cups. A subsequent transfer to LA Galaxy in 2005 translated into automatic success when the LA team won the MLS cup on that same year. Not to mention the fact that he has scored the most goals internationally than any other American (42 and counting). And he's only 27.

Recently, in 2008, he was loaned to Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich for a short 3 months whilst MLS was in temporary hiatus. He has seen his share of scorn with the media (Mexican, American, Beckham circus), and he has continued to be a scoring threat in MLS. Lately, during MLS's long winter break, he has been linked with Everton of the English Premier League. The Galaxy has said nothing is set yet. But where should he go?

1.) Europe. A common denominator for someone with his talent and potential. He's not terribly young, however, so it's unlikely that major teams such as Man U., Barcelona or AC Milan will try to snag the attacking midfielder/withdrawn forward US international. His stint with Bayern Munich failed to impress the established Bavarian side and his size isn't terribly suited for the Bundesliga.
Some argue that Italy or Spain may be better venues for the speedy American. Why not a team like Deportivo La Coruna, Almeria, or even Valencia or Atletico Madrid. And why not an Italian side like Atalanta or Bologna. Indeed, at one point Livorno came around asking for a transfer figure. This may be the Achilles heel of his career: he's just too good a player to go on a small transfer figure. And $10 million is enough to turn down even the more deep-pocketed teams in the old continent. Not when there are younger players from Brazil, Argentina or Cameroon waiting to be discovered.

2.) Mexico. Why is this not being discussed more often? I've heard enough rumors about Club America wanting to hire Donovan. Indeed, a team with the resources like this Distrito Federal side would be a great match for him. Why? He speaks fluent Spanish. He plays very fast, ground-based, passing-rich soccer. And the Mexican fans hate him. But if he turned that hate into love through a club jersey it would be the ultimate flip of a coin. Mexico gave us Blanco. We give them Donovan. Not to mention the fact that he would get to know Mexican players and style better (always a positive given the structure of Concacaf competition and the tug-of-war between the two nations).

3.) MLS. Yes. Why not? Why can't our best player just stay here? He's not wasting his time. He's not "getting worse." He's not not scoring games internationally anymore. He's not losing his spot in the national team. The truth is that MLS, outside of its various faults, is a growing league with increasing potential. The league is more competitive than many others due to the nature of its salary cap. The Galaxy is an excellent squad with a bona fide coach in Bruce Arena and another superstar like Beckham. Given a few years and this team could become a superclub (albeit just in Concacaf). This, of course, would happen more easily if teams had more cash to spend. But it's not out of the question.

In the end, Landon Donovan is a world class player. He took his national team to great heights both as a youth (U-17) and as a senior (2002 World Cup, 2009 Confederations Cup). He plays for a world-renowned team (LA Galaxy) and is the top scorer for the national team. Wherever he ends up, he will be great. That's just the kind of player he is. I will calmly sit down and enjoy watching him play, wherever he is.

So close and yet so far: US vs Brazil

Early goals are so important. The US has had this problem for most of the games they have lost this year: Costa Rica, twice to Brazil. The turning point in a game that was close to being one of the biggest upsets of all time was Luis Fabiano's goal less than a minute into the second half. You give Brazil another 44 minutes and you are asking for it. A little overconfidence? Maybe. It's a hard lesson to learn but remember this.... 3-0 versus Egypt and 2-0 versus number 1 Spain. Losing 2-3 to Brazil in the final isn't so bad. They played with spirit, courage, grit, and goals. Two of them. This is a star-studded Brazilian side that boasts Luis Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho, Dani Alves, Luizao, Elano, Julio Cesar.

In fact, the US should probably have lost by more. A 5-2 would not have been surprising. A 4-2 would have been true if that goal counted that Howard miraculously saved. The ball went in. Replay shows it did. No doubts there.

So what do we take away from this experience? Close down in the early minutes of a game or a second half. Be smart in defense and don't give up unnecessary fouls that can lead to dangerous set pieces. No red cards, please. Bradley's absence today could have made a difference with some of the passes Kljestan and Clark wasted. His eye for goal may have changed things too. Sticking Torres and/or Adu could have brought something else to the game. At that point why not try your aces?

Still, a historic tournament. Now we regroup, re-energize with a deeper pool of players: Ching, Edu, Jermaine Jones, Cherundolo, Hejduk. I'd like to see Edu-Bradely in the midfield. There's still plenty of time before South Africa 2010. We must still qualify. Now we have the experience to do well into the tournament, getting those wins necessary to advance and playing smart to dismantle a top team's offense. Fabiano's goal early in the second half undermined the US's style of play. It opened up the game for Brazil since the US had to look for an insurance goal. Hunkering down and hoping/praying to stay up on the scoreboard isn't quite enough. Possession in the midfield, Michael Bradley's strength, is what was missing in the second half.

But we played great anyway.

Player ratings:
Howard....7
Onyewu....6.5
Bocanegra...6
DeMerrit....6
Spector....6.5
Dempsey...7.5
Donovan...8
Feilhaber...5.5
Clark...5
Altidore...5.5
Davies...6
Subs: Kljestan (4.5), Bornstein (4.5), Casey (n/a)

There's no fate but what we make: USA defeats Spain

Pure magic. USA wins in the Confederations Cup semifinal, beats Spain, the number 1 team in the world, and advances to its first international final outside of the Gold Cup. This is for all the naysayers, doubters, non-believers... and I count myself in. If Dempsey redeemed himself (in the eyes of many) then Jozy today proved why he is the future of soccer in this country. The game was full of class, composure, speed, gritty defense, great goal-keeping and also a bit of luck. (Yes, I'm guilty of not watching the game live, courtesy of a research trip to Boulder, Colorado.)

Crank up those vuvuzelas. And this is the team we were doubting after the Brazil match? Where's the Rossi hate now? Doesn't he wish he could be on this US team? There were so many positives today and not enough praises for what could be an historic moment in US soccer history. Never mind what happens on Sunday. The win today cements the US Soccer Federation and the American game in general as a new force in the world scene. There is a long way to go still, yes. But somehow a US presence in the latter stages on the World Cup within the next decade are no longer the stuff of dreams.

Cheers, boys. Thanks for making us dream. Thanks for earning our game the respect it deserves. This is an incredible triumph, regardless of what the outcome may be on Sunday.

Player ratings:
Howard....9.5
Bocanegra....8
DeMerrit....8
Onyewu...7.5
Spector....8
Clark...6.5
Donovan....8.5
Dempsey....9
Bradley....6
Davies...6.5
Altidore....9
Subs: Feilahber (6.5), Casey (6), Bornstein (6)

PS: That was not a red for Bradley. Refs are being a bit dubious in this tournament with the US. He will be missed in the final.
And now the goals:

Redemption: US vs Egypt

Nobody likes to play the numbers game. Usually when you play it it doesn't go your way and you are left saying, "well, we almost had it but..." Not today. The score was USA 3 - Egypt 0. Wait, wasn't this the same Egypt that beat Italy in the last game and that almost tied Brazil in the first game? Wasn't this the same USA that got humiliated in the second half by Italy and that got outclassed and out played by Brazil? Yes and no.

Yes, Egypt had an amazing game against Brazil putting their chances away and conceding a late goal to a Kaka penalty. Yes, they blanked Italy and the Azurri were stunned by the African champs 1-0. But not today. Injuries count, yes, but you have to keep your composure in international football or you will get burned.

And what about USA? They played a great game against Italy until Clark was sent off. They held their own until the spaces in midfield opened up for two sensational long range shots from the "Rossi" boys. Things may have been different with Clark on the pitch. Against Brazil the US came out muted and got burned with an early goal (same thing happened against Costa Rica and Honduras). Brazil went up by 2 goals by halftime and Kljestan took the US down to 10 men with another silly foul. Brazil 3 - USA 0. But not today. No red cards. No silly fouls. That made the biggest difference. That plus heart, desire, teamwork, and yes, a bit of luck.

Redemption? Yes. Many out there have been calling for Bradley (the coach) to step down. Others say the US is just not that good. Many of us were somewhere in between. Hoping for the American spirit to shine through and show why the sport has evolved so much in our country. Today Jozy showed why he can cause problems for the other team, why Landon Donovan is an amazing player, why Michael Bradley belongs with the big boys, why Onyewu and Spector are constants in the back, why we have speedy forwards like Davies aching to show off, and why Dempsey is a world class player. He coughed up a lot of balls and was miscued in a lot of plays. But Bob Bradley was correct when he said that the reason he kept him a starter was because he alone has moments of brilliance that no one else can bring. And wow, that was such a moment of brilliance. It's up there with Pele's header in 1970 against Italy and Romario's versus Sweden in 1994. Yes, I know those are two amazing players but consider this.... The situation was important, the result was extraordinary, and the finish impeccable.

And in the end Italy lost to Brazil by the same score, 3-0. That was the magic number the US needed and that's what they got. Up next is Spain, and if you're gonna go down you, you should do it against the best. That's why we have dreams, no?

Player ratings:
Guzan...7
Spector...7.5
Onyewu...7.5
DeMerrit....7
Bornstein....6
Dempsey....8
Donovan....9
Clark....6.5
Bradley....7.5
Altidore....6
Davies....6.5
Subs: Feilahber (6), Casey (4)

Red card USA: National team almost out of Confederations Cup

Red cards, red cards, red cards. A 3-0 loss against a classy, albeit not awesome Brazil. What went wrong? Everything. If the game against Italy was a steal (not a red card for Clark, no reds for two Italian offenses) and a dignified game for most of the squad, then today's game made us look more like New Zealand or Canada in the last Confederations Cup. DeMerrit and Bornstein were often beaten whilst Spector (he should keep the job) and Onyewu held their own. I'm not sure why B. Bradley would start Beasley and Kljestan in favor of Feilhaber, Torres or even Adu. He had his reasons, and although I thought Beasley had a chance to redeem himself, he once again showed why his place with the nats may be expiring.

I'm also questioning players' ability to show off for European teams. Besides Landon Donovan and Oguchi Onyewu I don't think the rest of the group merits a second look. Let's hope the Egypt game goes better for our national team. Pride alone is at stake. No red cards please. For once, as much as it pains me, I have to side with Trecker.

Player ratings:
Howard....5
Spector....4.5
Onyewu....5
DeMerrit....4
Bornstein....4
Beasley...3
Kljestan....2
Donovan...5
Dempsey...5
Altidore...4
subs: Feilhaber (6), Casey (5)

A hole in the middle: Italy 3 - US 1

I won't get into too much description of the game. For that you can go here or here. Instead, I want to focus on the central midfield and what went wrong. First, that was not a red card on Clark's challenge during the first half. If anything, a Benny Feilhaber foul in the second half merited it much more. Second, there was at least one foul that deserved a red if Clark's was deemed so offensive.. An elbow to Donovan's face that only got a yellow.

Donovan comes up big again and delivers a scintillating penalty. But the upset was not to be. An inspired supersub (and US born) Giusseppe Rossi ties it up from a distance with a splendid shot that outmatches Howard. This started with a careless play by Feilhaber. The second goal by de Rossi was also a long shot. What do these two goals have in common? They were generated by poor passing in the middle of the pitch. That's where Ricardo Clark (red card) would have been. That's where Mastroeni and Christ Armas used to shine and Edu would work wonders. I'm not saying Italy couldn't have won anyway but we have to take into account that the US defense, despite a few misskicks, was pretty stout except for these long-range shots.

Yes, let's remember that Italy are the world champs and that they have the luxury of having players like Luca Toni and Rossi on the bench. And the road does not become any easier. Up next is mighty Brazil. The "caraninha" fought hard for a 4-3 win against Egypt in a game that the "pharaohs" played extremely well and perhaps deserved better. So what happens with Clark's omission on Thursday? This will be a very difficult decision for Bob Bradley. He needs someone to partner up with Michael Bradley in the middle of the pitch to break up plays from the opposing team. Torres, Kljestan and even Beasley are options here. I would slide Beasley into the middle in favor of Kljestan or Torres due to his experience. Feilhaber is an option too but his skills are more creative and offensive. The same goes for Kljestan. Finally, there's the Torres option. The Pachuca man has shown effective ball-possessing technique. This is key when facing a squad like Brazil.

Aside from the devastating hole in the midfield due to a huge misscall by the ref, I thought team USA played courageously and with a certain amount of attitude.

Player ratings:
Howard...6
Spector...6
DeMerrit...5
Onyewu...4
Bornstein...5.5
Clark...3
Bradley...5
Feilhaber...5
Dempsey...5
Donovan...7
Altidore...6
Subs: Kljestan (5), Davies (4), Beasley (5)

Confederations Cup: Prelude to South Africa

Get your DVRs/Tivos ready. It's the best of the best (sort of) international teams on the planet facing off in South Africa for the FIFA confederations cup. This competition pits all the winners from all the confederations against one another plus the world champs and the host country. All complete squads. All new stadiums. Games will show on ESPN2, Galavision.... and the US is participating.

Group 1
Italia: Pirlo, Rossi (American-born), Cannavaro, Gilardino, Zambrotta, Iquinta are some of the highlights from the Italian squad. Lippi is once more the coach after Donadoni crashed out of the Euros last year. Expect gritty, defensive-minded soccer from the world champs. A rematch of World Cup 1970 and 1994 finals against Brazil in group play (next Sunday) should be fun to watch.

Brazil: Kaka, Robinho, Pato, Julio Cesar, Luis Fabiano are all in the mix. Ronaldinho is out for this one. The selecao is looking for more silverware after a disappointing Olympics last summer. This squad only seldom fails to entertain.

USA: The biggest test for the US before the World Cup (assuming they make it). What better than putting them with Italy and Brazil? Getting out of this group would be amazing. They fought for the spot in this competition against Mexico in Concacaf's only meaningful Gold Cup two years ago (for some reason they have an inconsequential one this summer too). Expect Spector and Bornstein to raise their stock and many other players looking to showcase their talents in the world's biggest stage yet. Jozy, Casey, Adu, Kljestan, Bradley are all looking to continue impressing.

Egypt: I wish I were more familiar with this squad. All I know is that they are struggling at the moment in world cup qualifying in a group that includes Algeria and Zambia, both of which have not advanced to the tournament for the past two decades or ever. Egypt last played in a world cup in 1990 but has repeatedly won the African Cup of Nations against more accomplished world class teams like Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana.

Group 2
Spain: This is an extremely talented squad, winners of last year's Euro. It includes amazing players like Torres, Iniesta, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Puyol, David Villa, etc. Whilst their back four may not be as strong as other teams like Italy and Brazil, their midfield can break up any team's attack. Spain is also undefeated since before the Euro competition. I pick them as winners.

New Zealand: After Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), New Zealand was left in sole possession of Oceania. I can't see Fiji or the Solomon Islands beating them out. The "kiwis" will have a play-in game against the 5th AFC team for the world cup. Don't expect too much from then at the CC.

Iraq: AFC champs and representatives. Bandwagon team for many. They had a nice run at the Olympics in Athens but should not pose any trouble to Spain or South Africa.

Sout Africa: I'm picking this team to go through from the group stage simply because they are the home team. Not much more after that. The Bafana Bafana are nowhere near as strong as their inaugural squad in 1998 (once Apartheid was abolished they were allowed into FIFA). Pineaar (Everton) is a bright spot.

There you have it. It all starts tomorrow so start enjoying a nice prelude to the World Cup 2010.

European seasons end, International summer begins

Club football around the world is winding down ahead of the busy summer international schedule. It seems that FIFA has finally gotten it right. If only USSF and MLS would follow along we would have a truly global, coherent schedule. Then again, we have to consider the boreal winter in regions like Scandinavia and Russia and Canada. Alas! The main tournaments in Europe have ended. Crowned again are Manchester United (second in a row) and Inter Milan (fourth in a row). Also on top are Barcelona (Spain), Rangers (Scotland) and the surprising Wolfsburg (German Bundesliga).

It was Germany that had the best soccer stories of the year. Mighty Bayern Munich could not perform even after the sacking of Juergen Klinsmann. It seems that maybe they should have kept Landon Donovan after his loan was up, right? But it was a decidedly Brazilian contingent (Josue, Grafite) in Wolfsburg that gave the first Bundesliga title to the franchise. All other stats aside, it was a nail-biting finish in the Bundesliga... and the same goes for one of our own--Michael Bradley, the US head coach's son who took his team (Moenchengladbach) out of the relegation zone to battle it out in the Bundesliga for one more year.

And that brings me to the next point... Relegation. People fear it more than anything in non-American circles. This year it was the Magpies turn to go down as Newcastle United crashed out of the Premier League in England. This is a storied team that rose to certain prominence in the 1990s, finishing second in the EPL in 1996 and 1997. Some of the more familiar names to have gone through its ranks include Alan Shearer, Coloccini, Les Ferdinand, Paul Gascoigne, Viduka and Michael Owen. Hull City, after an impressive run early in the EPL's first semester was actually in Champion's League zone thanks to magistry from Geovanni, among others. Fulham, home of Clint Dempsey actually didn't need to worry about dropping out of the EPL this season. They will now play in next season's Europa League (to replace Uefa Cup).

So what's next? Will Real Madrid snatch up C. Ronaldo and Mourinho? Will Inter Milan make it any farther in the Champion's League? Will Man U part ways with Tevez and give space to an up-and-coming Macheda?

First things first. Wednesday's Champions League clash of the titans between Manchester United and Barcelona. Then the FA Cup with Everton against Chelsea. In the new continent we have Mexican league winding down for its summer break as well as Argentina and other Latin American countries. Copa Libertadores has more of a Brazilian flavor this time around. For those of you who can't get enough of the king of all sports, there's the MLS. If you're not one convinced by the league then I suggest watching games with Chicago, Chivas, Seattle, DC, Columbus and Toronto. Always fun and a lot more quality than you may think. And then there is the international schedule. World Cup Qualifiers galore (starts June 3), the Confederations Cup that pits the US against Brazil, Italy and Egypt, and a (inconsequential) Gold Cup. I'll be back with more on the US's chances in qualifiers and international cups.