US Soccer Players

Who Preceded Donovan As Everton's Number Nine?

In British soccer, the number nine takes on extra significance for an elite attacking player. Historically a center forward, at certain clubs the number has a legacy all its own. Previous Everton #9 Duncan Ferguson had a tattoo of the number and it's normally associated with the player most representative of the club.

That's why US National Team player Landon Donovan was so taken aback when he was introduced as Everton's new #9 for his ten-week loan with the club in 2010. Louis Saha last had the number full-time, but he asked to be switched to #8 to represent his birthday, August 8th. Since then, the number has been vacant.  When Donovan returned to Everton in 2011, he once again was given the #9 shirt.

Tell Me About: 2012 MLS SuperDraft

The 2012 edition of Major League Soccer's SuperDraft is scheduled for Thursday, January 11th at the NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.  Here's what you need to know in advance of the Draft.

Will it be televised?

Yes, the opening round of the SuperDraft will be shown live on ESPN2 starting at noon ET.  The later rounds will be on MLSsoccer.com  The first round of the draft has been televised since it moved to the NSCAA Convention in 2003. 

Tell Me About The 2012 Clausura

The Mexican Primera Division returns with the 2012 Clausura. Just like the Apertura, the Spring season is playing under a traditional single table. For those of you needing a brief refresher, that means 18 teams without the old groups that did very little to provide a better competitive picture for the Mexican League. The regular season runs through April 29th, with the top eight teams advancing to the playoffs (called the Liguilla). Jonathan Bornstein's Tigres are the Apertura champions.

It was Tigres making the most noise before the start of the Apertura season, bringing in several high profile players including Bornstein from Chivas USA.  That turned into a 3rd-place finish qualifying them for the Copa Libertadores.  In the playoffs, top seed Chivas was knocked out in the first round by bottom seed Queretaro.  Tigres had no trouble with Pachuca, shutting them out 4-0 and then beating Queretaro 1-0.  In the final, a dominant second-leg performance saw Tigres take the title 4-1 over 4th-seed Santos Laguna. 

Tell Me About: Chievo Verona

Michael Bradley becomes the next American to try to make a career for himself in Italy's Serie A after finding success in Holland and Germany.  Chievo is hardly a household name among the Italian clubs, so here's what you need to know about Bradley's new home. 

Why Are We Here?

After going on loan to Aston Villa for the second0half of the 2010-11 season, Bradley was unable to make the move permanent.  Borussia Moenchengladbach had moved on in his absence, building a midfield with the idea that Bradley would be leaving before the start of the season.  When that didn't happen, Bradley was left with little choice but to find a new club.  From the Bundesliga to Serie A, a league that has been tough to crack for US National Team players.

Tell Me About: Sporting

Oguchi Onyewu's high profile move to Milan might not have worked out as American fans would like, but he gets another opportunity at a storied European club. So what do we need to know about the Sporting that isn't playing in Kansas City but does have a date with Juventus at BMO Field on Saturday (7pm ET - ESPN Deportes).

Why Are We Here?

Oguchi Onyewu spent the second half of the 2010-11 season on loan with FC Twente in Holland's Eredivisie. With Milan accepting offers, he ended up signing with Portuguese Primeira Liga club Sporting. It's a new league and an opportunity for Onyewu, who has been in pursuit of regular playing time since leaving Standard Liege at the end of the 2009-09 season.

Tell Me About: AZ Alkmaar

Jozy Altidore has a new club and with it an opportunity for us to learn a bit more about Holland’s Eredivisie.  That’s the league where Oguchi Onyewu spent the second half of the 2010-11 season and where players like Earnie Stewart, DaMarcus Beasley, and Michael Bradley found success.  With an American behind the scenes and another on the field, here’s what you need to know about AZ.

Tell Me About: Leeds United

Another American is going on loan to a club associated with US National Team alum Eddie Lewis.  This time it's defender Eric Lichaj joining Leeds United for a one month loan. 

Why Are We Here?

In need of regular playing time, Aston Villa defender Eric Lichaj has joined Leeds United on a short-term loan.  Lichaj has shown well enough in his appearances with Villa this season, but he remains out of the first choice eleven.  The loan will give him game experience with a contending team in The Championship.

Tell Me About: Preston North End

For National Team fans of a certain age, Preston North End is a club mainly associated with Eddie Lewis. He had 111 appearances for PNE from 2002 to 2005. Another Eddie is now the American in Preston, with Eddie Johnson joining the club on loan from Fulham for the rest of the season.

Why Are We Here?

As is so often the story, an American needs more playing time than he's likely to get at the club that signed him. Eddie Johnson has been with Fulham since 2008, but only has 19 appearances. That's meant loan deals to Cardiff City, Aris, and now Preston North End. He joins the club at a tough time, with PNE currently bottom of The Championship table.

Tell Me About: Bursaspor

Jozy Altidore will spending the rest of the season on loan to the defending Turkish Super Lig champions.  Here's what you need to know about the Green Crocodiles.

Why Are We Here?

With Jozy Altidore seeing playing time in Cup competitions but not La Liga, Villarreal decided a loan deal was in order. Altidore should see plenty of opportunity with a contending club in a strong league. With 19 games played, Bursaspor are currently second in the Super Lig, trailing Trabzonspor by two points.

Tell Me About: Blackburn Rovers

Best known to American fans as the one time home of former National Team goalkeeper Brad Friedel, Blackburn Rovers picked up US midfielder Jermaine Jones on loan for the rest of the 2010-11 season.

Why Are We Here?

After issues with his manager led to him being demoted to the reserves at Schalke 04, Jermaine Jones needed first team soccer. He found it through a six-month loan deal to Blackburn, his first opportunity with a club outside of Germany. Currently mid-table, Blackburn have given every indication that they believe they can finish in the top 10 this season.

Tell Me About: Copa Centroamericana

Though teams like the United States and Mexico qualify automatically for CONCACAF's Gold Cup, other countries have to enter through qualifying tournaments. For the seven nations that make up the Central American Football Union (UNCAF), that means participating in the Copa Centroamericana. That's the old UNCAF Nations Cup, getting a name change for 2011.

The UNCAF countries are: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Tell Me About: FC Twente

In our latest update on new clubs for National Teamers Abroad, we look at Oguchi Onyewu's loan move to FC Twente.

Why Are We Here?

It's not easy fighting for and keeping a place in the starting lineup of one of the World's biggest clubs. Losing most of a season to injury further complicated Oguchi Onyewu's chances at Milan. In search of playing time, he's been loaned to Twente (pronounced twenteh) for the rest of the season. He's joining a contending club with a shot at a second consecutive Eredivisie title.

Tell Me About: FC Ingolstadt 04

The new home of US National Team forward Edson Buddle, Ingolstadt are currently trying to find a winning combination in the 2.Bundesliga.

Why Are We Here?

Edson Buddle's exit strategy from the Los Angeles Galaxy and Major League Soccer has taken LA's MVP to the German second division. Ingolstadt is new to their league, winning promotion at the end of last season from Germany's 3rd Liga. They haven't had an easy time of it so far in the 2.Bundesliga, currently struggling for points at the wrong end of the table.

Tell Me About: Carling Cup

The Carling Cup enters the semifinal stage on Tuesday, with Jonathan Spector and West Ham United still alive. Here's what you need to know about this season's tournament as well as the history of England's other Cup competition.

Tell Me About: Tigres

We look at Jonathan Bornstein's new club and the Mexican Primera Division as the 2011 Clausura season kicks off.

Why Are We Here?

United States National Team defender Jonathan Bornstein is part of a group of players tasked with pushing Tigres into the playoffs this season after a disappointing 9th-place in the 2010 Apertura. The pressure on all involved is intense, with Tigres trying to prove on the field it belongs in the conversation when discussing elite Mexican and CONCACAF clubs.

Tell Me About: Hull City

With Brad Guzan joining Hull City on a month-long loan, we take a look at the former Premier League club.

Why Are We Here?

Most American fans associate Hull City with Jozy Altidore, who spent the 2009-10 Premier League season there on loan from Villarreal. Brad Guzan is now the American at Hull, spending the month of January on loan from Aston Villa.

Tell Me About: Anderlecht

In the latest edition of our Tell Me About series, Tony Edwards takes us through what we need to know about Belgian club Anderlecht.

Tell Me About: AS Saint-Etienne

Why Are We Here

United States National Team captain Carlos Bocanegra made a move to his second French club in the off season.  It’s also the name of an English band from the early 90’s that was named for the club not the city.

Where Are We

In the city of Saint Etienne in eastern central France, about 40 miles from Lyon. The city lists about 180,000 people within its limits, and an additional 140,000 in the metropolitan area. If you live there, you are referred to as a ‘Stephanois,’ with Etienne translating to Stephen. 

Soccer In Ballparks

By Tony Edwards – SAN JOSE, CA (Oct 28, 2010) US Soccer Players -- The link between soccer and baseball stadiums goes back a lot earlier than most would probably expect.  When the operators of hockey arenas founded the National Basketball Association in the late 1940’s, the idea was to fill any and all available dates.  It wasn’t a new concept. 

National League baseball owners started a short-lived Fall/Winter soccer league in the 1890’s for similar reasons.  With no equivalent of U2 or the Eagles to attract paying customers to their otherwise empty venues, they were looking for additional revenue generators.

Though many baseball owners would find that with professional and college gridiron football, soccer was an early option.

Tell Me About: Orebro SK

Why Are We Here?

For number 17, Alejando Bedoya, midfielder for Orebro Sportsklub. They are the team in the white shirts and black shorts at home.  Bedoya has been a regular with the club since joining them in 2009 from Boston College.  He has used the club as a platform to move up the depth chart with the United States National Team. 

Where Are We?

Orebro, Sweden. The logistical center of not only Sweden, but all of Scandinavia, according to the city's helpful website. Orebro is 200 km from Stockholm and 300 km from Gothenburg and Oslo. Let’s point out that at 1 km equals .6 mile, we’re still talking at least a couple of hours to get to these places, but its significantly a shorter trip than, say, San Jose to Los Angeles.