CARSON, CA - Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Quavas Kirk and defender Nathan Sturgis will be representing Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Generation adidas program in December during a ten-day tour of England. Kirk and Sturgis will be part of a 20-man team that will play four games against top English clubs reserve teams as part of the Generation adidas Euro Tour. In addition, long-time Galaxy equipment manager Raul Vargas will join the staff for the Euro Tour.
Kirk, Sturgis, Vargas and the rest of the team will depart for London on Friday, Dec. 1 and return on Dec. 10 after playing games against Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers and Watford. In addition to the four games, the Generation adidas team, which will be coached by Columbus Crew Head Coach Sigi Schmid, will train at the Chelsea Academy, while also taking in a Champions League game and pair of Premier League games.
Generation adidas, which was established ahead of the 2005 MLS season, is Major League Soccer's youth player development program designed to identify and nurture the elite youth soccer talent in the United States. The youth players who join MLS as part of the Generation adidas program receive unprecedented opportunities to develop their game and hone their skills at the professional level in Major League Soccer. In addition to training and playing on a weekly basis with one of Major League Soccer's 13 professional clubs, Generation adidas players also receive educational grants to further their college education.
TENTATIVE PROGRAM ITINERARY
FRI. DEC. 1 Depart US for London
SAT. DEC. 2 Arrive London Airport
Training Chelsea Academy
SUN. DEC.3 Training at Chelsea Academy
MON. DEC.4 Match 1 - Generation adidas at QPR Reserve Team
TUE. DEC. 5 Match 2 - Generation adidas at Crystal Palace Reserve Team
Transfer to Stamford Bridge
Attend Champions League - Chelsea vs. Levski Sofia at Stamford Bridge
WED. DEC.6 Training at Chelsea Academy
Transfer to Upton Park
Attend West Ham vs. Wigan at Upton Park
THU. DEC. 7 Transfer to Watford
Match 3 - Generation adidas vs. Watford Reserve Team
Transfer to Cobham
FRI. DEC. 8 Transfer to Chelsea Academy
Match 4 - Generation adidas vs. Chelsea Reserve Team (TBC)
SAT. DEC.9 Transfer to Liverpool
Attend Liverpool vs. Fulham at Anfield</p>
SUN. DEC. 10 Return Flight to US
Generation adidas 2006 tour participants:
GOALKEEPER: Brad Guzan (Chivas USA)
DEFENDERS: Hunter Freeman (Colorado Rapids), Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Drew Moor (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Nathan Sturgis (Los Angeles Galaxy), Blake Wagner (FC Dallas), Tim Ward (Columbus Crew)
MIDFIELDERS: Nik Besagno (Real Salt Lake), Christian Jimenez (Real Salt Lake), Quavas Kirk (Los Angeles Galaxy), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS: David Arvizu (New York Red Bulls), Chad Barrett (Chicago Fire), Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew), Jacob Peterson (Colorado Rapids), Ryan Pore (Kansas City Wizards), Willie Sims (New England Revolution), Jamie Watson (Real Salt Lake)
COACH: Sigi Schmid (Columbus Crew)
ASSISTANT COACH: Brian Johnson (Real Salt Lake)
TRAINER: Jacob Joachim (Real Salt Lake)
EQUIPMENT MANAGER: Raul Vargas (Los Angeles Galaxy)
