Greg Vanney reiterated Toronto FC’s position that it has heard nothing formally about a Chinese club interested in signing TFC star Sebastian Giovinco and he wasn’t worried aboutit happening. “It’s not totally surprising,” the TFC head coach toldSportsNet, “but until something gets into a real discussion then I take it for what it is. It’s […]
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Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: A.J. DeLaGarza
“My first thought was just shock with how it all went down. [Especially after] being in L.A. as long as I was and doing what I thought I did for the club.” — A.J. DeLaGarza,saying he was traded from the LA Galaxy, where he spent eight seasons and won three MLS Cups and two Supporters’ […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
MLS 2017: How Western Conference teams look on the eve of the SuperDraft
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) No more Robbie Keane or Bruce Arena in L.A., a coaching change inHouston, and a new champion in the Northwest cast the Western Conference in a very different light than in past years. Here are how the Western teams look on the eve of theSuperDraft, listed in order of 2016 finish: FC […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: Dynamo adds Leonardo to back-line makeover
Described by Houston general manager Matt Jordan as being “in the prime of his career,” ex-Galaxy defender Leonardo has been signed by the Dynamo. The seven-year MLSveteran comes via Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Draft, conducted by the league Dec. 22. He played just four games in 2016 behind the preferred central partnership of Jelle […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: Dynamo signs ball-winning midfielder
Houston Dynamo fans have another new player to evaluate. Colombian defensive midfielder Juan David Cabezas is bound for the club on loan from Deportivo Cali in his Colombianhometown. The signing has been facilitated by the use of Targeted Allocation Money. Cabezas, 25, has played 170 games during eight seasons in Colombia with Independiente Medellin andDeportivo Cali. […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
MLS Positional Rankings: TFC duo heads the pack at outside back
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) MLS teams don’t spend much on outside backs. They’ve been only marginallyaffected by increases in the salary cap, none are Designated Players permitted per team, and no team has yet spent any Targeted Allocation Money to sign one. The ideal outside back cantrack and tackle tenaciously, effectively protect the back […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
MLS Positional Rankings: Birnbaum and Van Damme command the centerback slots
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) The three-man back line is gaining favor in MLS as well as around the world, but the standardfour-back system prevails. Occasionally, a player will toggle between the central slots, but most players and coaches prefer to establish one side as their own. Steve Birnbaum hasplayed well enough to earn callups to […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: Sounders swap cash for firepower
The struggles of Will Bruin to regain his footing in Houston are done. Seattle has acquired the scorer of 50 goals in his six MLS seasons in exchange for general allocation money andtargeted allocation money. Three times in his career Bruin, 27, has hit double digits, but in 2016 he posted a career-low four goals […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: Leonardo heads quartet of Re-Entry draftees
Four players were selected in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft in a conference call conducted Thursday. The teams claiming players were Houston (Leonardo, defender), Columbus(Josh Williams, defender), San Jose (Olmes Garcia, forward), and Sporting Kansas City (Andrew Dykstra, goalkeeper). The total is the second-lowest in the seven-year historyof the Re-Entry Draft, though an […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: Saprissa captain Machado signed by Houston
Aldolfo Machado, an international teammate of Sounders centerback Roman Torres, has been acquired by Houston in a transfer from Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa. Machado, 31,has played 130 games for Saprissa and won the Costa Rican league’s foreign player of the year award three times since joining the club in December, 2013. He has also earned […]