World Cup Countdown: Will they, won’t they?

(Published in The Evening News & Tribune, March 30, 2010)

With just 73 days to go to the World Cup, focus this week turns to the United States national team and the race by some key players – three in particular -- to make the squad.

One receiving quite a bit of attention is Jermaine Jones, who -- believe it or not -- has never even played for the US.

Last year, the German based midfielder -- who plies his trade with Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga -- announced he wanted to play for the Americans.

His father’s from Mississippi and he lived in Greenwood briefly when he was young before moving back to Germany with his mother.

Having previously featured in three friendlies with the Germans, the 28-year-old officially got the green light from FIFA to play for the US last October.


Jermaine Jones: race against time.

Immediately, talk turned to Jones teaming up with Michael Bradley, who had also played in the Bundesliga and had helped facilitate the first discussions with his dad, who happens to be US coach Bob Bradley.

However, Jones still had a shin fracture to overcome, and as we edge ever closer to the South Africa, he is easing his way back into training, hoping to play for Schalke before the club season ends in May. Watch this space.

Meanwhile, striker Charlie Davies (23), who was involved in a serious car crash which killed another passenger five months ago, has returned to training with Sochaux in France, working on fitness and doing some work with a ball.

He too hopes to play for his club before season’s end in May, overcoming two broken bones in his right leg, a broken and dislocated left elbow, a broken nose, forehead and eye socket, a ruptured bladder and bleeding on the brain.

A third concern is the impressive Stuart Holden, who suffered a broken fibula in the recent friendly against the Netherlands. The Bolton Wanderers midfielder is expected to recover in time for the World Cup, but cannot afford any setbacks.

If the trio can prove their fitness before Bradley announces his 23 man roster in May (he doesn’t have to send his final squad to FIFA until June 1), it will be a great boost to United States ahead of its group games against England (June 12), Slovenia (June 18) and Algeria (June 23).

Incidentally, the time to do it would probably be US’s two send-off games, which are against the Czech Republic on May 25 and Turkey on May 29.


Red Bulls' stadium sprouts wings


With a players’ strike narrowly averted, Major League Soccer returned at the weekend.

This is the MLS’s 15th season and all eyes were on New York Red Bulls’ season opener against Chicago, which took place at its spanking new 25,000 capacity stadium, the Red Bull Arena.

The arena comprises a translucent roof, 300 flat-screen TVs, 1,116 premium seats and 30 skyboxes. Modeled on the Werthersee Stadium in Austria (Red Bulls is Austrian owned), the closest seat is just 21 feet from the pitch.

Described by the MLS as among the “best small stadiums in the world,” it is hoped the $200 million venue can convert, among others, the many Portuguese and Brazilian soccer aficionados in the Newark area into Red Bulls fans.

Last year it took the franchise a month to secure its first win. This time, it came in game one with Joel Lindpere scoring the lone goal.

In other games, LA Galaxy — with Landon Donovan back in tow following his successful stint with Everton — beat New England Revolution 1-0. Colorado Rapids overcame Chivas USA, also 1-0; Seattle Sounders beat new boys Philadelphia Union 2-0; reigning MLS champion Real Salt Lake had a comfortable 3-0 victory over San Jose; Dallas tied 1-1 with Houston; Columbus beat Toronto 2-0; and Kansas City beat DC United 4-0.

Red Devil Brian bounces back

A Jeffersonville freshman has bounced back from injury by helping his club team bring home some early hardware with game clinching goals.

Last August, Brian Fischer was looking forward to his first season with the Red Devils when he fractured his ankle in practice, requiring surgery. He would watch his school march toward a sectional championship from the sidelines on crutches.

It happened just after Fischer and his sister, Sarah, had won a trip to South Korea -- where they were adopted as infants – to meet the players of their favorite team, Manchester United.

He has since made a full recovery and was part of the Javanon ‘95 Red team which won the KSA Cincinnati Elite Spring Thaw tournament last week.

Fischer scored in the 1-0 victory over Cincinnati United Lakota Legends, before Red defeated the SCSA B94 Raptors by the same scoreline.

That was enough to see Javanon through to the championship game, where it defeated Canton Celtic of Michigan 1-0, thanks again to a goal by Fischer.



"It feels good being back on the field, even though I'm on a new team," said Fischer, formerly of Southern Indiana United. "I was lucky Javanon still had a spot open, and took me in. I'm excited to play for an elite club like this one.

"It's been difficult trying to return from my injury but it gave me a new perspective to the game, while watching from the pressbox from our high school games.

Incidentally, als helping Javanon to success was another southern Indiana player, Stephen Tuma of Pekin, who is the team’s captain and was part of the River City jaguars team which won a homeschool national title in the fall.

Rec soccer is back

The little ones take center stage this week with the start of Southern Indiana United’s recreational soccer program.

The opportunity is provided for all children of any skill level to learn and play the beautiful game between now and the middle of May.

The Church of the Nazarene fields near Floyd Central High School is the venue for the U5 and U6 children, who will play on Mondays and Thursdays respectively.

The U8 and U10 teams will also play their games at the same venue on Saturdays and some Sundays, starting April 3, while the U12s and older will play at Cannon Acres.

SIU registers approximately 550-700 children each season. As many teams as possible are set up based on the number of parent volunteer coaches and field availability.

For further information, visit the SIU website at: www.siusoccer.com.

World Cup countdown – aiming to hit the right opening notes

(Published in the Evening News & Tribune, March 23, 2010)

This week’s World Cup news has more to do with scantily clad popstars off the field than it does sweaty soccer players on it.

That’s because it’s just been announced that, for the first time, there is to be an opening gala concert, which will take place at Orlando Stadium, in Johannesburg's Soweto district, on June 10.

More than 30,000 people are expected to pack into the arena, with millions more tuning in around the globe to catch the curtain raiser to the tournament, which kicks off on June 11.


Black Eyed Peas: Gotta feelin' opening gala night's gonna be a good, good night.

Those penciled in to perform so far include the Black Eyed Peas, Shakira, John Legend and Alicia Keys.

Western acts will appear alongside fringe performers such as the Parlotones, indie rockers BLK JKS and Tinariwen at what organizers are calling the greatest entertainment event to date in Africa.”

There will also be feature appearances by soccer stars and celebrities from “other fields”.

All net proceeds from the concert will be donated to 20 Centers for 2010, which is aiming to build 20 centers across Africa offering education and healthcare services, as well as football training to disadvantaged communities.

Shannon set for Norway debut

Former Net-Surfers girls’ coach and University of Louisville graduate Shannon Smyth has joined Norwegian side FK Donn.

Smyth, from Wisconsin, has signed a one-year professional contract with the side from the laid-back city of Kristiansand, newly promoted to Norway’s top women’s flight.

And with their season ready to kick off against Kolbotn on April 5, preparations have been going quite well for the diminutive 5’ 3” attacker and her team.

Smyth, in Norway since January, scored twice in a 2-1 pre-season victory against Amazon last week to add to goals she has already bagged against Sola (two), Kolbotn and Gimeltroll.

She is joined at FK Donn by Kelsey Hood from Iowa, who she played with at the ODP regional level.

“We are truly coming together as a team,” Smyth told Kick It. “With seven foreigners hailing from America, Canada, Finland, and Serbia, some international flavor mixed with the Norwegian brand of soccer could prove to be a deadly force for our freshly promoted Donn team in the top league.”

Smyth, whose father is Irish, played for the Republic of Ireland at the World University Games and trained with the national squad when they spent time in the US last summer. She hopes the move to Norway will help her earn her first full cap with the Girls in Green by improving her game.

“I knew they had a top, competitive league in Europe and after a bit of research I sent my resume to some clubs and worked with the replies I got,” she said. “I came to find that FK Donn had exactly what I wanted to start my career.”

Smyth, who spent 2009 coaching Net-Surfers’ U17 girls while playing her final year at Louisville, said she wishes to keep those in the area that have been supportive of her career aware of the opportunities for their daughters.

“I want them to know they can have the same ambitions I have had for a career in sport and that while I understand it is rare, it is possible,” she said.

You can follow Shannon’s time in Norway on her blog, My Own Two Feet, at www.scsmyth.com.

Leah and Kady explode at Vulcan Cup

Two southern Indiana girls have gotten off to a great start this season with their Javanon U15 Black team.

Providence’s Leah Mattingly and Floyd Central’s Kady O'Farrell, rivals on the high school soccer field last fall as freshman, are team mates with the Louisville club as they chase hardware in 2010.

And its first success was at the Vulcan Cup soccer tournament in Birmingham, Alabama this month.

In the championship game of the Gold division, Javanon defeated North Carolina LNFC Eclipse 2-1 in overtime to bring home the championship trophy.

In pool play, the girls defeated Tennessee United FC (7-0) and Mississippi Brilla Juniors (5-1), before beating Mississippi Gulf Coast United FC 4-3 on penalty kicks.

Javanon, two time Kentucky State Open Cup champion in 2007 and 2008, agonizingly lost its crown last year to Lexington on penalty kicks in sweltering heat.

Now, however, five of that LFC team has joined Javanon, making it a force to be reckoned with this spring, both at the state championship at the end of May and in the Premier Division of the prestigious Midwest Regional League.


Leah Mattingly


Mattingly, chosen on the 2009 Evening News & Tribune’s Team of the Season, said she is looking forward very much to this year.

“I think we will do well with the addition of these new players,” she said. “I have now been able to move from defense to center midfield. Our goal is to regain the state title, and advance far in regionals.”

Although losing last year on penalties was a great disappointment, the Pioneer said it has motivated the team to push themselves even farther this year.

“We have worked hard and are coming together well as a new team, which was clearly evident in Birmingham,” said Mattingly.

The next big tournament for the girls is the Crossroads of America College Showcase in Carmel, Indiana on April 24 and 25.

World Cup Countdown – Beckham, Lennon and condoms

(Published by The Evening News & Tribune, March 16, 2010)




If you are a follower of World Cup news leading up to South Africa this summer, you can be forgiven for thinking US’s group opponent England is the only country playing at the tournament.

Last week, we featured the John Terry-Wayne Bridge saga. Now David Beckham’s achilles tendon is dominating the news after he ruptured it while playing for AC Milan on Sunday, ruling him out of what would have been for him a fourth consecutive World Cup.

Incidentally, the news – also in the past week -- that right wing team mate Aaron Lennon is unlikely to overcome a groin injury any time soon is probably more worrying to coach Fabio Capello than Beckham’s sad predicament, but this is the age of celebrity.

And in between we had the slightly bizarre story that the British government will be providing $1.5 million in aid so that South Africa can buy 42 million of a required one billion condoms in the lead up to the tournament to help the fight against the spread of HIV.

An estimated 5.7 million of South Africa's 48 million people have HIV, including 280,000 children, according to the UN AIDS agency.

"Obviously there's a big focus on the World Cup coming up and a huge increase in the number of people coming into South Africa," said British international development minister, Gareth Thomas. "The South Africans have identified themselves the need to get more condoms in place. South Africa specifically asked for British assistance and we are responding to that request."

The South African government estimates that up to half a million visitors could travel to the country, raising fears of a rise in prostitution and sex trafficking from neighboring countries and eastern Europe, and creating a potential HIV timebomb.
Next week’s World Cup countdown will be English free -- I think.

Bass and Stewart blazing a trail

Two southern Indiana players have been blazing a trail recently with Louisville club United 1996.

Defender Brett Bass and winger Gabe Stewart are members of the club’s ’94 Internationals team, which followed up its success at the Disney College Soccer Showcase in Florida last December with victory in the United Cup Classic in Louisville last week.

Bass is a sophomore at Providence, while Stewart, from Henryville, plays at St Xavier.

Now ranked as the top team in Kentucky, United added to its trophy haul by securing the U16 Gold title. It had wins over Evansville Classic (4-0) and Michigan Burn (2-0), before losing to Classic Hammers FC of Ohio South 1-0.

However, by that stage they had already done enough to reach the final, and went on to beat Metro FC, also from Ohio, 1-0 in the decider.

United 1996 looked set for more success at the weekend when it won its first game at the Jefferson Cup in Richmond by beating SYA Nova of Virginia 2-1 in the U16 Superior Division. Unfortunately, the remainder of the tournament was cancelled due to bad weather.

Brett Bass pictured above in action at the recent United Cup Classic

SIU has a spring in its step

The preparations are over and Southern Indiana United’s select teams have sprung into action.

This year, the club once again has two teams playing in the prestigious Indiana Soccer League – U16 Mavericks and U17 Rampage. Both of these teams, coached by Michael Dennis and Bruce Rigsby, will finish their spring campaigns at the Indiana State Cup, which starts on May14.

SIU also has eight teams from U10 to U18 playing in the Kentucky Select Soccer League, while its U9 Academy is playing in the Kentucky Youth Soccer Academy League.

And if the first games of the new season are a gauge to future success, then there’s much to look forward to.

The U11 Thunder, U13 Strikers and U14 Stingrays all had opening wins against teams from CKSC Lightning of Central Kentucky.

For some it’s all new, including the U10 Revolution team and its coach, Rob Stevens. This is Stevens’ first year at the club, and his first season coaching a competitive travel team. He recently earned his "E" license and has been working under the guidance of director of coaching, Dutch Vigar.

Stevens, who has coached at Clark County Youth Soccer, said his goal is to give his young players the fundamentals to become the best soccer players they can be.

“Winning for me comes later when, or if, they tryout for another club or their high school team and the coach says these kids had good coaching,” said Stevens.

“I think some parents have the wrong idea about travel soccer and winning. I am as competitive as anyone and I do not like to lose. However, I do not want to win at the expense of player development.”

For more information about the club, visit SIU’s website at www.siusoccer.com.

Pictured above at Southern Indiana United’s recent coaches’ meeting to discuss the upcoming spring season were (from left): Director of coaching, Dutch Vigar; Bruce Rigsby (U17 Rampage); Mike Campbell (U11 Thunder); Brandon Rogers (U11 Blast); Allen Krebs (U9 Academy); Michael Dennis (U16 Mavericks); Rob Stevens (U10 Revolution); Paul Duckworth (U13 Strikers); Dietrich Rudolph (U14 Stingrays); and Gaius Snyder (U18 Patriots). Not in picture: Tim Rice (U12 Storm) and Jonathan Eade (U15 Renegade).

World Cup Countdown - - No Bridge after English troubled waters

Published The Evening News & Tribune, March 9, 2010)

For those of you counting, there are now just 94 days to the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa on June 11.

So Kick It thought it would be a good idea in the lead up to the “greatest show on earth” to provide you each week with various tidbits of interest so as to get you in the mood.

We’ll kick off with a saga you might have already have heard about, but its questioned significance and possible benefit to Team USA is one that will be debated until tournament time.

England, the US’s first opponents on June 12, are going into this World Cup as joint second favorites (5/1) among a number of leading British bookmakers – behind Spain and level with Brazil – to win the whole kit and caboodle. The US, incidentally, are a general 66/1.

A few months ago, I fancied England because of the climate (which will be cool and to their liking), and because of Wayne Rooney (in simply unstoppable form at the moment), but you won’t find me scampering any time soon to some oddsmaker with my hard earned loot from the next neighborhood garage sale to lump on Fabio Capello’s gang of overpaid individuals. (Not that I can in the Hoosier State anyway!)

Firstly, England’s number one left-back, Ashley Cole of Chelsea, fractured his ankle (ironically in a tackle with US’s Landon Donovan while playing against Everton) and will be doing well to make the World Cup.

Then, his replacement, Wayne Bridge, announces his permanent withdrawal from the English team following the scandal which revealed that his former partner - - and mother of his child – was involved in an affair with ex-team mate and friend, England captain John Terry.

Mr Bridge didn’t take it very well, and despite Capello stripping Terry of the captaincy, said in a statement that his position in the squad would have been “untenable and potentially divisive.”

So will this all mean anything come showtime? You can bet the English tabloids will go to town on its effect, and will decide by June – in unison, I would imagine – that they are all united, that Terry is over it, and it won’t matter a jot.

However, it’s hard to believe it won’t take a toll. Not only has it unsettled the squad, as evidenced by its first half performance against Egypt last week, but it also weakens the team at left back. If Cole makes it, Bridge’s absence in itself won’t matter too much, but the feeling it has left amongst some of the players most likely will.

Such tension doesn’t disappear overnight, and England has never struck me as very united anyway. Not in the Republic of Ireland united sort of way when it tied with England at the 1990 World Cup (and beat them at the 1988 European Championships). And not the unitedness the US shows, and will continue to in South Africa.

Good for the US? I think so. Bob Bradley’s boys might have concerns with injuries right now, but barring Charlie Davis (involved a car accident), most first choice options should be firing come June 12. Playing England first may indeed be a blessing.

Draw made for State Cup

This year’s Indiana State and Challenge Cup tournament finals will be held at FC Pride’s Lawrence Park in Indianapolis from June 11-13.

But first up are the preliminaries from May 14-16, and for the second year in succession Southern Indiana United will be represented by two teams in the prestigious State Cup -- the U16 Mavericks and U17 Rampage.

The bracket draw has been made for the 16 team tournament and the Mavericks – now coached by former Jeff girls’ coach Michael Dennis -- will face Carmel United Elite, MSA Armory and Zionsville Eagles in Group C.

Meanwhile, U17 Rampage - - former Challenge Cup winners coached by Bruce Rigsby -- are in Group A with Westside United, Evansville SC and Indianapolis Premier SC.

Games will be played at Fort Wayne, Westfield and Evansville, and the champions will advance to the US Youth Soccer Region II finals being held this year at Beaver Creek, Ohio, on June 25-30. Regional winners will advance to the national finals being held in Overland Park, Kansas, from July 20-25.

The Challenge Cup, open to travel and recreational plus squads from Indiana, will also feature several teams from SIU and girls’ club Net-Surfers. The preliminary rounds will be held in South Bend, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Evansville from May 21-23.