“Shocking” and “appalling.”
Those are the words that Real Salt Lake manager Jason Kreis used to describe the firing of his coaching colleague, Teitur Thordarson, by the Vancouver Whitecaps. RSL will host Vancouver under their new head coach, Tom Soehn, this Saturday.
It’s just one game, but Soehn wasn’t able to rid the Whitecaps of the traits exhibited in the first 12 matches under Thordarson in a 1-1 tie at Chivas USA. Missed opportunities, an Eric Hassli red card and a furious fightback. (VIDEO)
It’s so similar to previous matches, Vancouver defender Jay DeMerit suggested to media: “You could just take my interview from last week and that's pretty much all I need to say.”
The theme for Chivas USA after the 1-1 tie, courtesy of Ben Zemanski: "Going up a goal and not being able to close out a lead.” It also happened to the Goats on the weekend in Columbus.
Defender Heath Pearce had even harsher criticism of his Chivas teammates’ passive attitude up until the Hassli red card: “I think it's a little bit too convenient that everyone starts wanting the ball when we're up a man. … We need to all want the ball all the time.”
Chivas USA may have a new reinforcement to help turn the corner. Reports from El Salvador indicate that former Chicago Fire player Julio Martínez is looking to latch on with the Goats. (SPANISH)
Just one week away from opening brand new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park next week, Sporting Kansas City players can reflect on the numerous trips and share a few stories. The club traveled around the earth and then some with the miles it has logged.
Sporting KC owner Robb Heineman says his club might be close to unveiling a jersey sponsorship, although he still calls it 50-50. He also talks about the job safety of Peter Vermes in light of the managerial moves made by Vancouver and Chicago earlier this week.
In Portland, forward Kenny Cooper is not only suffering through a goal-scoring drought but he also is still struggling to overcome Sunday’s penalty kick incident against D.C. United which forced Timbers manager John Spencer to take him out of the game. "It's a situation I may always feel bad about," he said.
Expect FC Dallas to be active on the player market this summer as manager Schellas Hyndman says he wants to add to his squad’s depth.
That may start with Honduran Jaime Rosales, who reports indicate is on the verge of signing with FC Dallas after two weeks on trial. (SPANISH)
Hyndman’s counterpart in Philadelphia promises much of the same. Peter Nowak says, “We need to open some doors, different doors.”
You have to be a deep squad if you have Fredy Montero coming off the bench. That’s the case of the Seattle Sounders and manager Sigi Schmid refuses to confirm how long the benching will last.
Will the Sounders really make a move for Marcus Hahnemann, now that he has officially left Wolves in England? GM Adrian Hanauer does not rule it out in a statement which came in response to rumors of Hahnemann’s potential return from the EPL.
Hahnemann is currently with the USA in training camp ahead of Saturday’s match against World Cup champions Spain at Gillette Stadium. US star Clint Dempsey recalls the last match against Spain, a 2-0 win in the FIFA Confederations Cup. “Maybe we got a little bit lucky,” he says of the win in 2009.
In Canada they feel they “lucked out” in a 2-2 draw against Ecuador with a controversial stoppage-time goal after Vancouver’s Terry Dunfield gave the Canucks the lead on Wednesday night. The media also points out how Ecuadorean fans outnumbered Canadians at BMO Field in Toronto.
In other international action, Mexico downed New Zealand 3-0 in Denver in their Gold Cup tuneup match on Wednesday night. Watch the highlights here. (VIDEO)
Staying in the world of international exhibitions, baseball’s New York Mets promise that the upcoming Ecuador vs. Greece matchup will not be a one-time fling for the club and its Citi Field stadium with the sport of soccer. They say they’re in talks about another friendly to be played in Queens, N.Y.
Later tonight Argentine side Vélez Sarsfield will host Uruguayans Peñarol in a Copa Libertadores semifinal second leg for the right to play Santos of Brazil in the final. Peñarol take a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg (8:30 pm ET, Fox Deportes).
Moving on to a debate that continues to take place across the United States: Parents and high school coaches are opposing plans for the US Soccer Development Academy to go to a 10-month schedule, essentially requiring players to give up high school sports. Two MLS players speak up on the topic here.
Lastly, here's something that young players can do without: adults getting into a brawl at one of their games. Check this video clip coming out of Bulgaria. (VIDEO)
MLSsoccer.com Must-Reads:
Colorado Rapids close to landing new shirt sponsor
DaMarcus Beasley set to go on trial with Mexican side Pachuca
Herculez Gomez is traded to Estudiantes Tecos in Mexico
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