Transaction
A Roger Espinoza move to the English Premier League has seemed like a fait accompli ever since Honduras' impressive run in the London Olympics — one that ended with the Sporting KC midfielder receiving a standing ovation from the fans at St. James' Park after earning a controversial second yellow against Brazil in the quarterfinals.
Among those singing his praises the loudest was Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez. And now it looks like the outspoken Spaniard will get his man, as according to The Daily Mail, Espinoza is heading to Wigan once the winter transfer window opens.
Espinoza, who's spent his entire professional career with Sporting, is currently nursing a sprained ankle and is expected to miss this weekend's showdown with New York.
Highly caffeinated Seattle Sounders beat writer Jeremiah Oshan got confirmation from SSFC general manager Adrian Hanauer that former Chelsea, Barcelona, Tottenham, Monaco, Fulham, Stoke City, AEK Athens and (insert 10 more clubs here) attacker Eidur Gudjohnsen will be training with the team this week. No promises made beyond that yet.
Read all about it at Sounder at Heart. Or if you prefer the pure, untainted original, I hope your Icelandic's good.
Cette semaine, les trois mousquetaires de l’émission (à écouter ici) sont quatre, puisque Patrick Leduc, consultant sur la chaîne de télévision RDS, les accompagne pour un Coup Franc presque totalement consacré aux trois clubs canadiens :
- Tous ont fait le grand ménage : Montréal s’est départi de Braun, Wahl et Montaño, Toronto a envoyé De Guzman, Plata et Soolsma sous d’autres cieux, alors que Chiumiento et Le Toux ont quitté Vancouver. Lequel a réalisé les meilleures opérations ?
- Lequel des trois clubs est en meilleure posture, cette saison et à plus long terme ?
- Pourquoi le changement soudain de philosophie à Vancouver, qui prend un virage écossais ? Les amateurs de beau jeu doivent-ils s’inquiéter ?
- Martin Rennie est-il toujours maître à bord ?
- Toronto se portera-t-il mieux sans De Guzman ? Y attendait-on trop de lui ?
- La blessure de Koevermans n'est-elle finalement pas la plus grande perte pour le TFC ?
- Di Vaio n’a pas encore marqué pour Montréal (revoir sa grosse occasion à Philadelphie) : le doute s’installe-t-il ?
- Dans quelle logique s’inscrivent les récents départs à l’Impact ?
- Lequel des entraîneurs restera en poste le plus longtemps ?
- San José - Salt Lake : un sommet à sens unique.
De nombreuses questions auxquelles nous tentons de répondre, mais nous aimerions aussi recevoir votre opinion. N’hésitez pas à nous l’envoyer par courriel (coup.franc@MLSsoccer.com) ou sur Twitter (@CoupFrancMLS). N’oubliez pas non plus de nous envoyer vos compositions pour le générique de l’émission.
L'émission Coup Franc est disponible sur iTunes.
MLS is fast becoming a home away from home for Scottish players. First Kris Boyd inked a deal with Portland. Then his former Rangers teammate Steve Smith joined him in the Rose City. Ex-Celtic midfielder Barry Robson joined the Whitecaps last month, and now it looks like the rumored deal to bring international striker Kenny Miller to Vancouver is done.
“I told Kenny all about the club and he is excited about coming," Robson said, according to The Sun. “Kenny will be a great addition. He’s a top-quality player and everybody will be excited about his arrival. He is the type of player who would fit into any team. He is a goalscorer, he has talent and is intelligent. Kenny will offer a lot to the side with his pace, movement and goals. He is a top player."
Miller, who has spent time with Rangers, Celtic and Wolverhampton, among others, was most recently on the books at Cardiff City, where he scored 11 goals in 50 overall appearances.
“He’s a proven scorer at the highest level," Robson said, "and I’m looking forward to him becoming part of it all."
Cette semaine, Olivier Tremblay, collaborateur à MLSsoccer.com, se joint à l’équipe pour une émission à écouter ici et au menu encore très riche :
- Nick De Santis, directeur sportif de Montréal, nous parle des coulisses du transfert d’Alessandro Nesta, notamment du fait qu’il n’est pas joueur désigné. Il évoque aussi les renforts que son club cherche encore.
- Notre invité Aurélien Collin révèle les secrets de l’excellent début de saison de Kansas City, fait part de ses attentes en vue du Match des étoiles (All-Star Game) contre Chelsea et évoque aussi de sa passion, la mode.
- On analyse le Onze Populaire de la MLS, choisi par le public, avec Christian Schaekels de Vision du Jeu. Comment Ben Olsen doit-il compléter ce groupe, en fonction des qualités des joueurs choisis, du style qu’il prône et des qualités de l’adversaire, Chelsea ?
- Décevant sur le terrain, Portland limoge son entraîneur John Spencer.
- L’accolade entre Zakuani et Mullan après Seattle - Colorado.
- Les trois buts marqués par Saborio en un quart d’heure.
L'émission Coup Franc est disponible sur iTunes.
Joao Plata was at the "White House" on Friday afternoon and his former club in Toronto couldn't seem any farther away.
Although there has been no official word from Toronto FC, the Reds fan favorite was holding up a Liga de Quito jersey in a press conference held at the Ecuadorian club's Casa Blanca, where reports indicate he will remain through the end of the year.
Plata returned to Ecuador earlier this week unbeknownst to TFC, who were expecting him to show up to practice earlier this week although they admit they were investigating a potential loan deal with his former club.
The 20-year-old did not appear under new Toronto manager Paul Mariner, who took over for Aron Winter, and Plata told FutbolMLS.com earlier this week that he did not figure in the Englishman's plans.
But they were happy to have him in Ecuador, if this photo from Friday is any indication.
@theyorkies1812 we found Jimmy Plata twitter.com/DJJonniM/statu…
— Jonni Martinez (@DJJonniM) July 6, 2012
Other than to say it looks like Sporting KC's ambition knows no bounds, I'll let Peter Vermes do the talking on this one.
The Kansas City manager begins discussing the club's pursuit of the Mexican national team starlet around the 3:30 mark in the video below.
As they say, timing is everything.
On the same day the Houston Dynamo found out that they will face Honduran side Olimpia in the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League this summer, the MLS club has reportedly plucked one of Olimpia's most prized possessions.
Honduran international midfielder Oscar Boniek García is apparently heading to the Dynamo after rumors of the deal first surfaced several months back. Diez is reporting that the president of Honduran club Olimpia has confirmed the deal.
The article states that Boniek García, who was one of the stars of the 2011 Gold Cup, will be joining the Dynamo following the second of two World Cup qualifiers on June 12 in Toronto.
He's versatile enough to play in several of a number of positions from holding midfielder, to attacking midfielder and even on the right side of midfield, a position still in flux for Houston in 2012.
Being an English Premier League cast-off is no guarantee of success in MLS, but it sure is a good way to get a trial.
That's the case for American midfielder Anton Peterlin, who spent the 2009-10 season with Everton after a couple of distinguished seasons with the Ventura County Fusion stateside.
Peterlin never suited up in meaningful competition for the Toffees, and eventually spent the following two years with Plymouth Argyle and then Walsall in England's lower tiers.
Now he's giving it a go in MLS, apparently in camp with Vancouver:
CORRECTION: D.C. United has not yet clinched Carolina Challenge Cup championship. I apologize for the confusion. #MLS
— Andrew Wiebe (@AndrewWiebe_MLS) March 3, 2012
We haven't heard much about Bobby Burling in recent months, not since the onetime San Jose Earthquakes defender was selected by the Montreal Impact in last fall's expansion draft and declined to join the new club.
The 27-year-old obviously has plenty of playing years left, but for now he's been doing some traveling, including stopping in to visit his friend Sacha Kljestan.
With my American boys!! @bobbyburling @AndrewTheGhosttwitpic.com/9iugyz
— Sacha Kljestan (@SachaKljestan) May 8, 2012
So is Kljestan -- or should we call him Superman? -- going to help Burling get a gig somewhere in Belgium?