Howard to ink new Everton deal

According to a report in the British tabloid The Daily Mirror, Tim Howard is close to signing a new contract with FA Cup runners-up Everton. The 37-time capped USA international goalkeeper is expected to put pen-to-paper on a deal that will see him pocket around 10 million in the process.

Way to go Tim!

Nowak to coach Philly Union and will sign Bouna Coundoul as first player

According to a report in The Philadelphia Inquirer and on soccerbyives.net, Peter Nowak will be the first coach of the Philadelphia Union.

Nowak is expected to have control of player personnel decisions in Philadelphia and his first signing could be a goalkeeper, Bouna Coundoul, a native of Senegal. Coundoul played last season for Colorado in M.L.S. and has also played for his national team.

DC United vs. NE Revs

I was shocked at how good the United looked in the first half and how bad the refs were in the second half. In the end the United could only blame themselves for not winning, but could blame the ref for not getting a draw.

You be the judge - was this a penalty?

Let me know what you think!

US Qualifiers this week!

For your calenders this week:

Wednesday - 10 pm EST at Costa Rica on ESPN

Saturday - 8 pm EST in Chicago vs Honduras on ESPN

Starting Soccer Fan USA Blog Back Up

It's been a little while since I've blogged about the state of soccer in America. I'm starting back up with the goal to keep it up and running for the foreseeable future. Please feel free to add comments and thoughts.

Thanks,
Soccer Fan USA

US Roster for Switzerland

The most surprising roster spot - Freddy Adu is back on the U.S. national team roster! He will join seven players on the roster have never played for the national team: forwards Preston Zimmerman, Sal Zizzo and Robbie Findley; midfielders Maurice Edu and Danny Szetela; defender Steve Purdy; and goalkeeper Tally Hall.

Adu has player for team US before - Adu made his international debut as an 81st-minute substitute against Canada on Jan. 22, 2006.

Adu has appeared in just two matches this season since transferring to Portugal's Benfica.

Here's US Roster for next week's exhibition game at Switzerland:

Goalkeepers: Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, England), Tally Hall (Esbjerg, Norway), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, England), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Dan Califf (Aalborg, Denmark), Jay Demerit (Watford, England), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege, Belgium), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany), Steve Purdy (1860 Munich, Germany)

Midfielders: Freddy Adu (Benfica, Portugal), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Michael Bradley (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Maurice Edu (Toronto), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburg SV, Germany), Eddie Lewis (Derby, England), Danny Szetela (Racing Santander, Spain)

Forwards: Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Preston Zimmerman (Hamburg SV, Germany), Sal Zizzo (Hannover, Germany).

MLS ambition burdens teams

Frank Dell'Apa of the Boston Globe on how Major League Soccer's increased ambition is placing an unrealistic burden on its best teams.

He points out that D.C. United will play 30 regular-season games, plus as many as four playoff matches, and also competed in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Copa Sudamericana, SuperLiga, and US Open Cup.

Read the rest its very interesting. Frank makes a very good case and good solutions how to deal with unrealistic burden on several teams.