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Know Your MLS Teams: Portland Timbers

 Posted by on June 18, 2013 at 12:55 pm  Blogs/Media, MLS, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, United States
Jun 182013
 
timbers dallas 27 300x200 Know Your MLS Teams: Portland Timbers

The Timbers Supporters Showing Their Allegiance in Portland

Founded: 1975. There have been four different incarnations of the Portland Timbers. The first team played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1982. The second team played from 1985 to 1990 in various leagues on the West Coast. The third team played from 2001 to 2010 in the A-League, the USL First Division, and the American Professional Soccer League. The fourth team started play in 2007 Major League Soccer after owner Merritt Paulson bought the rights to the Timbers name.)

Where they Finished Last Season: 7-18-9- Eighth Place in the Western Conference.

Pedigree: 2012 Cascadia Cup Champion, Runners Up Soccer Bowl 1975 (NASL,) 2009 USL Western Division Champions, 2004 A-League Western Division Champions.

Rivals: Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps (Cascadia Cup)

Supporters: The Timbers Army

Head Coach: Caleb Porter (First Season.)

Top Returning Players: GK Donovan Ricketts, DEF Mamadou Danso, MF Diego Chara, DEF/MF Jack Jewsbury, MF Diego Valeri, MF Darlington Nagbe.

Key Additions: DEF Michael Harrington (Sporting Kansas City,) DEF Mikael Silvestre (SV Weder Bremen-Germany,) MF Diego Valeri (Club Atletico Lanus- on loan,) MF Will Johnson (Toronto F.C.,) MF Ben Zemanski (Chivas U.S.A.,) FWD Ryan Johnson (Toronto F.C.,) FWD Frederic Piqiuionne (West Ham United F.C.)

Key Departures: DEF Steve Purdy (Chivas U.S.A.,) DEF Eric Brunner (Houston Dynamo,) DEF Lovel Palmer (Real Salt Lake,) DEF Kosuke Kimura (New York Red Bulls,) MF Eric Alexander (New York Red Bulls,) FWD Mike Fucito (San Jose Earthquakes,) FWD Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock F.C.) FWD Danny Mwanga (Colorado Rapids.)

Young Player to Watch: Darlington Nagbe

Outlook

What is there not to like about the Portland Timbers? A team with a ravenous fanbase (their average attendance is 20,000 people per game,) and rivalries with the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps that date back to the 1970s the Portland Timbers have helped this league grow immensely in the past three years. In a league that has struggled to make regular season matches noteworthy, anytime you go to a Timber’s match you are in for a show.  The support that the Timbers Army shows to the players, even during the last two seasons, gives hope that American soccer can prosper in this country. Oh, and I am pretty sure Timber Joey, the Portland Timber’s mascot, can beat up any other mascot in professional sports.

No one can take anything away from what the Portland supporters have done off the field. But on the field the club has struggled in its first two years. It would seem that because was already this Portland Timbers structure existed before they entered the league that they were not an expansion team. The problem is that they were an expansion team, and with being an expansion team comes growing pains. Last season was very difficult for the Timbers. The club had the third worst record in the league last season , ahead of the disasters that are Toronto F.C. and Chivas U.S.A. The club also scored only 34 goals last season and allowed 56, which were both third worst in MLS behind the previously mentioned Toronto and Chivas. When your team cannot score and you cannot stop giving up goals, you will not win in any league.

This club may have had its growing pains the past two season, but seems to have gone past them. Unbeaten in their last matches, Portland currently sits in 3rd place in the Western Conference. Credit for this turnaround begins with the hiring of Caleb Porter as their Head Coach. The former coach of the Akron Zips, the U.S. college soccer team that won the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, Porter has had a hand in developing some of the best young players in Major League Soccer. This list includes, among others, D.C. United Defender Perry Kitchen, Seattle Sounders Midfielder Steve Zakuani, Forward Darren Mattocks and current Portland Timbers midfielders Ben Zemanski and Darlington Nagbe. Porter may have had some difficulties coaching the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team, losing to El Salvador and missing out on the 2012 Olympics. But he is still one of the top American coaches and may have needed some more experience coaching in MLS before moving to the National Team.

There was also a complete overhaul of their roster starting with their defense. Adding a player like Michael Harrington to a line that includes Pah Modou Kah, Mamadou Danso, and Jack Jewsbury, who alternates between Midfield and Defense has given them some stability and some veteran leadership which they sorely needed last season. So far this season, the club has only allowed 16 goals, which is the third lowest in the Western Conference. While Donovan Ricketts is back in goal, he seems to be in better form than last season. It will benefit the Timbers down the stretch that Jamaica is essentially out of World Cup Qualifying and will probably be looking for a younger keeper other than Ricketts to start.

Though an improved defense is one of the reasons why this team has made many strides in their third season, this team’s strength is still their midfield. I rarely make public pleas to U.S. Men’s National Team Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, but this time I will make an exception. Jurgen: please figure out some way to expedite Darlington Nagbe’s Citizenship process because he is the most talented in MLS and probably the United States outside of Michael Bradley. Nagbe is a citizen of Liberia, but has lived in the United States since he was 11. Soccer is in his blood: his father Joe Nagbe was the captain of Liberia and played in Europe for PAOK Thessaloniki F.C. and A.S. Monaco. He is an excellent distributor, can blow past defenders like the wind, and has a knack for make impossible shots look easy. Watch this goal on Saturday against F.C. Dallas and be amazed. He is also the recipient of the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year, which may be one of the best goals I have ever seen.

Whereas Nagbe has always been a talent, it seems that the additions Will Johnson and Diego Valeri have eased the pressure on the 22 year old. Diego Valeri has thrived on the outside passes that he has received from his defenders, forcing crosses into the box for the likes of Will Johnson and Nagbe. Valeri, who is on loan from Lanus in the Argentine First Division, has thrived in his partnership with Jewsbury on the right side. His distribution skills help open the field for the Timbers attack. He also has a knack for the goal, scoring 4 goals in 12 matches this season. Will Johnson has also been a major asset on the attack, scoring five goals this season.

The other player in the midfield worth mentioning is Diego Chara. The little Colombian (he is 5’7’) has one of the prettiest step over moves in the league. The only problem is that he needs to work on his finishing: during the F.C. Dallas match he had at least 3 golden opportunities to score and just could not finish his shots. What makes the Timbers midfield so dangerous is that they have so many weapons going forward, which makes them nearly impossible to defend against.

The one area that has done well so far this season, but could be an issue as the season goes on is at forward. So far this season, they have looked fantastic. They currently lead the league in goals with 25 tallies, 9 of which have come from starting forwards Ryan Johnson (5) and Rodney Wallace (4). With a team of midfielders that love to shoot, it leaves a lot of extra opportunities for their forwards if there are deflections or missed opportunities.

The problem is that it seems that the team is only two forwards deep. Frederic Piquionne is not the solution. While he has been a good influence on the attack by being able to push the ball on the left hand side and cross it into the center of the box, he still has not scored a goal yet this season. At 34, it does not seem like there is much left in him. He has 18 shots this season, but only four on goal and only four assists. He was not much better during his tenure with West Ham United F.C. either. “He wasn’t a success at West Ham,” says ESPN FC writer, host of the always entertaining ESPN F.C. podcast and noted West Ham United supporter Dan Mason.  “He originally signed from Portsmouth, where they suffered two relegations in two seasons. In the Championship he was rarely selected by [West Ham United F.C. coach Sam] Allardyce, who loaned him to Doncaster [Rovers.] He had almost a comic ability to arrive ever so slightly too late, or to only get a featherlight touch on the ball. A poor player.”

While they could replace him with one of their attacking midfielders, I am concerned that may disrupt the flow of their midfield which has been their source of their success this year. One player that may be a solution is by giving more minutes to Jose Adolfo Valencina. He has only played about 60 minutes this season, but I was impressed by his ability to control the ball in the May 18th match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He was able to trap the ball off of his chest, gain possesion and fire an excellent shot that evened the game up. He may not need to be their starting forward, but he should be an serviceable option off of the bench or for the occasional spot start.

The turnaround this team has had in under a year is phenomenal. It finally seems that the enthusasim that is shown in the stands is met on the pitch by a team that can impose their will on offense, and play lockdown defense. If they can find a decent third striker and avoid any cataclysmic injuries, they will certainly make the playoffs. Beyond that, it could be difficult. Clubs like the Houston Dynamo and the Los Angeles Galaxy have poached teams in the past who fit Portland’s bill. The Timbers success will depend on their veteran midfielders and whether or not Nagbe can continue his breakout season in the playoffs.

Beer of Choice:  Green and Gold Kolsch, Widmer Beer Company

Normally I would not go with a beer that is sponsored by the team  but as a fan of Widmer beers and a supporter of all things Kolsch (Except Grolsch, which is as my brother would say “Gross”) I have to give this beer my full endorsement for all Timbers matches. First, the brewer Abraham Goldman Armstrong actually won a beer making competition that was sponsored by the team.  And the fellow gets to sell it during Timbers? While some teams may sell awful things like giant Bud Lights or Coronas (I am looking at you RFK Stadium,) it is good to see a team that understand what makes soccer great. German beers and chainsaws.

Bring Back The Legend

 Posted by on June 12, 2013 at 10:06 pm  Blogs/Media, Columbus Crew, MLS, United States
Jun 122013
 

 

 

 

 

Those tweets should make those of us who follow the Crew closely (and have for a long time) giddy as a schoolboy.

Guillermo wants to come back!

Not that this is news to some of us. Schelotto has been saying this ever since he left Columbus and returned to Argentina to take the heading coaching job at Lanus. And speaking of Lanus, they finished third in the first of the split season that is Argentina’s first division.

Now before you get excited, it should be pointed out that they were the only club in the Top 10 who failed to score 20 goals. They also led the league with just nine goals conceded. So much like the current Crew, a GBS-coached team struggled to score but also played stout defense.

Why am I mentioning all of this?

Because right now the entire Columbus Crew organization is stuck in limbo; both literally and figuratively. As I write this, their 4th Round US Open Cup with Chicago has been postponed until Thursday June 13 at 1pm EST. Their last competitive match was a week ago and they got thrashed 3-0 by a mediocre Philadelphia Union side. The front office has said no reinforcements are coming during the international transfer window that opens on July 1. Robert Warzycha continues to make tactical blunder after tactical blunder and seems to have lost the confidence of his entire roster.

Then there’s the people who actually own and operate the Columbus Crew organization: Hunt Sports Group.

They’re latest big announcement was for a new music festival that will be hosted by Crew Stadium and FC Dallas Stadium, the home of the other Hunt-owned team. HSG continues to show complete disinterest in the Crew and at one point said they were actively looking to get out of Columbus if they can find a local owner. They later backtracked from that statement, but their lack of organization-altering changes speaks more than any actual words that come out of their mouths.

Then we hear the second hand comments that the greatest player in the history of this club wants to return to the United States of America.

Imagine if the front office were to pull the trigger on Robert Warzycha and bring in Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The man who elevated the Columbus Crew to elite level as a player the way Brian McBride, Frankie Hejduk, and Chad Marshall never could. He made Alejandro Moreno is formidable striker for crying out loud!

Suddenly there’s new, young blood at the helm of a roster that Mark McCullers (and myself) believe can contend for the Eastern Conference title. Federico Higuain finds new inspiration playing under his countryman. Some of the magic of 2008 rubs off on the team and they sneak into the playoffs where anything can happen. Sounds like a match made in heaven for both sides.

But as long as the Hunts are in charge, they’re going to continue trotting out Robert Warzycha because he’s safe. He’s steady. He’s cheap. He won’t question the front office and their considerable lack of resources, both on and off the field. Schelotto might speak out about a lack of money to pay for good players. He might say mean things about the Hunts and about Warzycha. He’ll want to put his stamp on things and that means change.

And the Hunts don’t like change. Even if it’s change that can return Columbus to its place atop Major League Soccer.

 

“Be MASSIVE!!!”

Know Your MLS Teams: Chivas U.S.A.

 Posted by on June 6, 2013 at 4:09 pm  Blogs/Media, Chivas USA, MLS
Jun 062013
 

 

 

chivasusa fans1 300x225 Know Your MLS Teams: Chivas U.S.A.

Founded: 2003

Where they Finished Last Season: 7-18-9 (Did Not Make the Playoffs)

Pedigree: First place in the Western Conference, 2007.

Rivals: Los Angeles Galaxy

Supporters: The Union Ultras, Black Army 1850

Coach: Jose Luis Real (Just took over for Jose Luis Sanchez Sola)

Top Returning Players: GK Dan Kennedy, DEF Bobby Burling, DEF Jorge Villafana,

Key Additions: MF Steve Purdy (Free Transfer,) MF Gabriel Farfan (New England Revolution,) MF Edgar Mejia (Loan- C.D. Guadalajara,) MF Carlos Alvarez (MLS SuperDraft,) FWD Julio Morales (Loan- C.D. Guadalajara.)

Key Departures: DEF James Riley (D.C. United,) MF Shalrie Joseph (Seattle Sounders,) MF Ben Zemanski (Portland Timbers,) FWD Alejandro Moreno (Retired,) FWD Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution.)

Young Player to Watch: Mejia

Outlook:

The point of this series has never been to talk down to any team. There are far too many people in the United States and the world, so-called “sports fans,” who will take anything negative that happens in football and MLS and spin it into their own narrative. The fans of MLS are some of the most loyal, knowledgeable fans in all of professional football, and they do not deserve to be treated like garbage. The whole point of this series is to articulate the positives and negatives of each team, to try and understand their club’s strategy, and to see where they are going with the direction of their franchise. For some teams it is pretty easy. For Chivas USA it is not. With the recent firing of Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, it is time to take a critical look at this club and try and figure out a path out of its current despair.

If you consider yourself a U.S. Soccer and MLS fan and have never heard about Chivas USA, you are not alone. Their actual name is not Chivas USA, but rather Club Deportivo Chivas USA. The team was originally founded 2004 and acts as a feeder club to Mexican League giant Club Deportivo Guadalajara. And no the team does not play in Mexico, but rather in the suburbs of Los Angeles sharing  StubHub stadium with Los Angeles Galaxy. While Los Angeles Galaxy has flourished winning numerous MLS Cups, developed a strong fanbase, and securing a large television contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, Chivas plays in relative anonymity with no television deal, a sparse fanbase, and no real direction for the club.

The original idea behind having C.D. Guadalajara buy an MLS squad was not a terrible idea. MLS has always had great difficulties in breaking in to the Hispanic market. With more and more people coming in from Guatemala, Honduras, and of course Mexico every year there is certainly a market for soccer in this country. I have seen that MLS has been able to break through to different Latin American nationalities by bringing in local stars on their teams. There are still some Salvadorean neighborhoods in Washington D.C. that consider Raul Diaz Arce a soccer god. So the idea of a team that caters to Mexican-American soccer fans is not a terrible one.

The main difference between previous smaller efforts that the league tried with Latin American fanbases and Chivas USA is that the league worked with nationalities and countries, not with specific teams. This was a very poor judgment by the league. Not all Mexican- American soccer fans like C.D. Guadalajara. In fact, many fans hate C.D. Guadalajara. “I’ve said this before, the name ‘Chivas’ has done more to divide fans than to unite them. That’s what I’ve learned from years of ownership futility,” said John “ELAC” Sandate Chivas USA fan and presenter on podcasts such as What the Flock, Chivas USA podcast  and Around the League, both of which can be found on the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

“In theory, we should have galvanized all Latinos since 2005. It really is a tragedy. Today, it all seems trite and fake.”  If you are a Monterrey fan or a Tigres fan and you are caught wearing the red and white of Chivas, you are going to be in trouble. Soccer is not a pastime in Mexico. It is life. And for MLS to think that all Mexican soccer fans would just drop their allegiances and support Chivas USA because they are a Mexican team is a foolish decision, and brings up some serious questions on what MLS thinks about their Latino fans.

One thing to note here, and it is fundamental to understanding Chivas’ current tailspin, is that their parent club has never had a non-Mexican player play on its team. There are only Mexican players in their youth academy, Mexican coaches, and an all Mexican starting eleven. So it should surprise no one that in 2012 and 2013, Chivas USA ownership slowly started to remove players who are not Mexican or of Mexican origin. It would also be important to note that the club is being sued by two former coaches for allegedly being fired for not being able to speak Spanish. While I am not going to go into much detail about these allegations because we do not know if they are true or not, it is just another blemish on this team and only further hurts the club’s image.

While the club had some difficulties early on, trying to employ the same system as their parent club, around 2005 their fortune started to change. From 2005 to 2009, Chivas USA was one of the top clubs in MLS. During this stretch, Chivas finished first in the Western Conference in 2007, made the playoffs in four successive seasons, and featured the likes of Brad Guzan, Jesse Marsch, Ante Razov, Sacha Kljestian, and Jonathan Bornstein. Chivas was also the launching pad that Bob Bradley used to coach the United States Men’s National Team. But the club started to flounder again as Guzan, Kljestian, and Bornstein all left for Europe and the club’s CEO Shawn Hunter stepped down. In his place, C.D. Guadalajara majority owner Jorge Vergara took over and the club’s true downfall began.

The unfortunate part of the plan is that it has left the team absolutely bare. It would be one thing if Chivas management was bringing over top class young talent or veteran players who are looking to get back into form. They are not. Most of the players coming in are players like Martin Ponce and Giovanni Casillas, players who may end up being good utility players but who are projects. I am going to save my wrath for Edgar da Luna later. When your team gets rid of quality players like Shalrie Joseph, Juan Pablo Angel, Juan Agudelo, James Riley, and Casey Townsend and you replace them with kids, then you are facing disaster. Chivas may not have been able to predict that Alejandro Moreno would be retiring, but that is no excuse for their lack of mismanagement. If Chivas thinks firing Chelis will change anything, they are sorely mistaken. Coaches need players.

With the cupboards bare, it is no coincidence that this team cannot compete in the Western Conference. Well they could until they traded Agudelo for allocation money. While I would hate to say that one player makes the difference, if you watch the New England Revolution match from earlier this year and the Seattle match from last weekend it feels like you are watching two different teams.  They cannot defend, they cannot score, and they have little to no chemistry. They have not had a single shutout this season, have only scored 13 goals, and have not won a game since March the 30th. It seems like Chivas’ problems stem from two things: one, they do not know very much about the style of play of MLS and two, they do not care.

From a defensive standpoint, they at least have a quality goalkeeper in Dan Kennedy. Kennedy, the nine year MLS veteran who has also spent some time in Chile with Municipal Iquique, has kept this team in most of their games this year. He has absolutely phenomenal vision, and seems to have a good understanding of his team’s defense. I think he also understands how young and inexperienced this team is and the need to educate his defenders and not yell at them.

Perhaps some teams would use their greatest strength in Kennedy to smart, compact defense and take their chances on offense on counter-attacks. That is not the method of their coach Chelis and C.D. Guadalajara. Chelis normally employed three backs and liked to bring defenders up on the attack. Unfortunately, with a defense that has 19 and 20 year olds and opposition that employs Robbie Keane, Obafemi Martins, Blas Perez, and Nigel Rio-Coker among others that is not a wise solution. This also makes the team very susceptible to chip shots, such as the goal that Seattle scored on them this past weekend. Also Mario de Luna’s own goal was the second worst own goal I have ever seen (which was somehow bested by the German goalkeeper’s in the USA-Germany match this weekend.)

If this team is to make anything out of this season, and not be bought out or folded, then there has to be some changes. Fortunately, there are some pieces on this squad to build around. Oddly enough after last season’s purge of non-Mexicans and influx of Mexican league-based players, their best addition did not actually come from C.D. Guadalajara. Joaquin Velasquez, who was picked up this offseason from Puebla, has been a godsend for a team needing veteran leadership in their backline and for a little bit of firepower from the defense. At 37, he is no spring chicken. But that is not what this club needs. They need leadership and someone to be able provide those short decisive passes to players who can drive the ball twenty-thirty yards down the field. I could also see Walter Vilchez getting more time as the season goes along.

I am really interested to see how his influence can rub off on a player like Jorge Mejia, who was shooting some rockets in the Chicago Fire earlier this year, but has been exposed on the counter-attack. I also like the raw talent and power of Jose Erick Coreia. The Colombian is a strong forward who was pushing around the Seattle defense for most of the game. He has to work on his finishing touch though.  He had multiple chances in the Seattle match, but just could not convert. I am also intrigued by their first round pick in the MLS Superdraft, Carlos Alvarez. Chivas has a very poor history with the draft, but it apeears that they may luck with Alvarez. He is a strong midfielder who has shown an ability to expand the field with his passing.

The real crux of the issue with this team is the image. It cannot be a team that is solely for the C.D. Guadalajara fans. There are not enough C.D. Guadalajara fans in Los Angeles and enough MLS fans that want to be treated like second class citizens to root for this team under its current marketing. Mr. Vergara needs to go. Even if the allegations of discrimination are proven to be unfounded, the self-destruction that he has willingly imposed on this team is a disgrace to football, to Major League Soccer, and most importantly the Chivas USA fans.

There is a market for a second Major League Soccer team in Los Angeles, and there is certainly one for a team that caters to the Latin American audience.  While the Galaxy are a great team, I am sure that there are plenty of hard working people in Los Angeles who want nothing to do with superstars. That is the nature of this game. For every River Plate fan, there is a Boca Juniors fan. For every Newcastle supporter there is a Sunderland douchebag. Local rivalries are built up because of economic and social differences. Los Angeles is large enough to support two quality teams.

While I always like to believe that every team has a chance to make the playoffs, I unfortunately do not see it in this team’s plans. I do see a team with a ton of heart, and with players like Kennedy, Velasquez, Steve Purdy, and Number Two Overall pick in this year’s MLS Super Draft Carlos Alvarez you get the feeling that this team will scrap in every game. But the Western Conference is just too strong and their Management is just a mess. My hope is that by the end of this year that this team will be on the rise and that the next time Jorge Villafana scores a goal, there will be somebody behind the goal to cheer for him.

Beer of Choice

Blue Moon Agave Nectar Ale, Blue Moon Brewing Company

“It’s crisp, refreshing, and smooth. All the things that Chivas USA is not. “

-          ELAC, Chivas USA Supporter and What the Flock, Chivas USA podcast  Presenter

Down, But Not Out

 Posted by on June 4, 2013 at 10:13 pm  Blogs/Media, Columbus Crew, MLS, United States
Jun 042013
 

Look, I get it: We all love Eddie Gaven.

He’s a hard working motherbear who never complains and never says the wrong thing. He’s the guy you want next to you in a foxhole. He fits the mold of the cliche perfect teammate.

But his season-ending ACL tear is not the end of the world.

Quick Tangent: It bothers me A LOT when people speak with a sad/grieving tone about athletes who tear their ACL. They aren’t dying. They aren’t dead. They WILL walk again. Too many people in the world are truly worthy of our sympathy and not one of them plays pro sports. 

Yes, Eddie scored nine goals last season and set up twice as many. You could even make the case that Columbus doesn’t advance in the US Open Cup against Dayton without him. But he is not a goalscorer or even a true “trequartista” playmaker like Guillermo. He wasn’t going to reach 10 goals or 10 assists this season and he probably would’ve been lucky to notch half of those numbers. His job was to advance the ball up the wing and open up space in the middle for Jairo Arrieta and Federico Higuain to run wild.

His was a very replaceable role.

In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that his injury can HELP the Crew long term. With Gaven out, suddenly both wide midfield positions are open for auditions.

(Actually this assumes Robert Warzycha won’t continue trotting out a 4-4-1-1 with Oduro as a wide midfielder…which is probably what we’ll wind up seeing for the rest of the season.)

Justin Meram, Ben Speas, Ethan Finlay, and even Bernardo Anor are all talented young players who need regular first team minutes to achieve their potential. Think about how much more dangerous Arrieta and Oduro can be when teams have to face the prospect of containing both Meram and Speas at the same time. Both are natural wide midfielders with pace and solid dribbling skills. Finlay is even faster than those two and Anor’s left foot is sorely needed in the attack so that Tyson Wahl can stay home and defend.

Just imagine what this team could (potentially) trot out…

Barson – Williams – Glauber – Wahl

Sanchez

Meram (Finlay) – Speas (Anor)

Higuain

Arrieta – Oduro

Suddenly “the goals will come” is no longer a hollow bumper stick for the future; it’s very much real. This is a lineup that can spend the rest of this season gelling and preparing for an actual Eastern Conference run in 2014, but without fielding a dull team incapable of entertaining the masses of Columbus even in defeat.

Of course, this would require tactical flexibility from Warzycha, or perhaps even his outright dismissal. The point is that Eddie Gaven’s injury has opened up more opportunities than setbacks. Let’s hope the organization can take advantage.

Meet The New Show, Same As The Old Show

 Posted by on May 27, 2013 at 8:21 pm  Breaking News, GFT Special, Global Football Today, MLS, United States
May 272013
 

They have no permanent home. They have no coach. They have no official colors/uniforms. They won’t start playing for two more years.

But none of that stopped MLS from announcing that New York City FC (doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it?) will become the 20th franchise in 2015.

The league chose to pass on the newly revived New York Cosmos (and vice versa) as well as the fully functional Lions of Orlando City in the USL-Pro division. The team will be owned, in part, by Manchester City’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan as well as Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees. The move is being hailed as a saving grace for the young league, partly due to the reported $100 million franchise fee.

It’s somewhat appropriate (and perhaps not entirely coincidental) that this move first gathered steam in November after it was announced David Beckham would depart Los Angeles to join France’s Paris-Saint Germain in the international transfer window in January. Beckham, after all, was the last “sure thing” to hit MLS when he arrived in 2007. He brought about the creation of the Designated Player Rule (a player whose salary does not count against the $2.9 million salary cap) and produced a flurry of youth jersey sales and sellout crowds.

For one year anyway.

Yes, Beckham has had on the field success leading LA Galaxy to back-to-back MLS Cup titles but he was always a sideshow first and foremost; an excuse to get the casual sports fan in America to pay attention to the best MLS has to offer. During his first two season in Los Angeles, almost every road game he traveled to would sellout.

But then people lost interest. Suddenly teams like the Columbus Crew, a team in a “small” city with a lot of soccer moms and youth teams aching to see the star power of Beckham, couldn’t even sell out their home match with the Galaxy in advance. TV Ratings fell off the map; not that they were all that high to begin with. Suddenly the league found itself back at square one in need of more consistent national TV ratings and further increases in attendance.

This isn’t entirely Beckham’s fault though. Upon his arrival, new franchises like Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers entered the fray and briefly propped up TV ratings due to their boisterous fan bases. Half of MLS’s national TV audience simply wanted to hear drunk Pacific Northwestern-ers sing in unison. This was, after all, part of the appeal of watching teams in other countries play. The atmosphere was fun to take in, even on television.

Now there are loud whispers that NBC will not renew its current deal with Major League Soccer as it turns its attention to the English Premier League. These rumors, coupled with the departure of Beckham, have left MLS with nothing traveling circus act to make people pay attention. With no form of promotion/relegation and countless financial/personnel restrictions, teams cannot grow their presence organically. Everything must be force fed.

Enter New York City FC.

A team within the Five Boroughs of New York City will try to become the latest “attraction” for MLS. So powerful is this move, that it was announced without a permanent home for the team or even official colors and a logo. We know absolutely nothing about this mysterious new team other than they will have owners with deep pockets. But what good are said pockets under the MLS rules. Yes, they can go out and find 3 Designated Players, but will any of them garner the star power that Beckham brought? What aging international stars will come collect their pension from America’s top professional league?

These questions are all part of the “mystique” that will accompany NYCFC when they finally do take the field in 2015; reportedly at Yankee Stadium. The mystique may last for the first full season, but teams like Columbus, FC Dallas, Colorado Rapids, and Chicago Fire will not benefit directly from the existence of this 20th team. The money will not trickle down, even under the current single entity structure of the league as a whole. They may sell out their home match with the new guys from New York in 2015, but unless they bring the likes of a Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo with them the “effect” will only last for that one season. Houston and Kansas City soccer fans will not suddenly consider NYCFC “must-see TV” and tune in with increased numbers.

The league will continue be stagnant and there will be little overall growth.

This is what happens when the league and the people who run make short sighted decisions (like this sudden announcement of a 10% complete team) and try to grab short term success with a long term plan in place. These are the same men who thought it was a good idea to give “their” league rules and procedures (mandatory shootouts and backwards counting clocks) that were fundamentally different from the universal laws of the game that the rest of the world abides by. These are the same men who milked an aging superstar for a few jersey sales and a temporarily successful national TV deal.

Even if New York City FC takes over the Five Boroughs and has a “Cosmos Effect” on the city itself (something that is hardly a certainty) it won’t help promote the rest of the league. It won’t help New England Revolution and DC United find their own soccer specific homes. It won’t produce a lucrative national TV deal. It won’t help grow the game at a grassroots level.

It is a band aid for a league that is really in need of surgery.

But none of that will matter. The league will milk its latest sideshow attraction for a couple years and come right back to square one.

Then what?

Sporting Kansas City to have International Call-ups

 Posted by on May 23, 2013 at 5:38 pm  Blogs/Media, Sporting KC, United States
May 232013
 
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It is an example of how much Major League Soccer has progressed with the league taking a break for internationals and that is all to the good as no less than seven Sporting Kansas City players are going to join international outfits.

At the youth level is the lone 2013 MLS Draft pick Mikey Lopez who has been called up by the United States U-20 team for a tournament in Toulon, France in preparation for the FIFA U-20 tournament that will take place later this summer. As being part of the team during its qualification for the tournament during the CONCACAF U-20 tournament prior to the start of the MLS season. Lopez will miss out on his chance to make an appearance during the US Open Cup 3rd round match against USL PDL side Des Moines which would be the first time Lopez could make his Sporting debut.

The most interesting call-up must be the Lebanon national team calling up Soony Saad for a friendly against Oman on May 29. Having only recently qualified to be called up this will not permanently tie him to the country until he appears in a competitive match but considering his age and the possibilities he could be one of the better players for Lebanon, who are on the up internationally, who will look to use their improvement from making the final World Cup qualification round for Asia. Lebanon might be looking for Saad to bolster their Asian Cup qualifying campaign as has only started.

Kei Kamara has been called up by the new Sierra Leone manager Johnny McKinstry as the next round of World Cup qualifiers occur. Sierra Leone are currently in second place behind Tunisia and face the leaders at home on June 8 and then visit bottom of the table Cape Verde on June 15.

Graham Zusi and Matt Besler have been called up for the United States camp for the friendlies on May 29 and June 2 against Belgium and Germany as they prepare for the three World Cup qualifiers on June 7, 11, 18. Zusi has been part of the US set up for some time and is most likely to be called up for the qualifiers and extending his national team stay, with a rapreve during the Gold Cup to offer the opportunity for other players to make their mark. Besler made an impession against Mexico but might not make the squad for the qualifiers, if so he is a shoe in for the Gold Cup squad in July.

Mechack Jerome and Peterson Joseph have been called up by Haiti for friendlies against Spain in Miami, Florida on June 8 and Italy in Rio de Janeiro June 12. There is a strong chance that both will be called up for Haiti for the Gold Cup in July as they have been drawn into Group B along with Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Meet The Columbus Crew U-23 Squad

 Posted by on May 20, 2013 at 9:18 pm  Blogs/Media, Columbus Crew, MLS, United States, US Open Cup
May 202013
 

Let’s lay a few ground rules before we get this underway…

-The real U-23 squads in the US Open Cup (Portland, Seattle, Orlando, New York) are NOT professionals who also happen to be on the senior roster of their respective teams. I’m breaking that rule for Columbus.

-Unfortunately, there aren’t enough players 23 or younger on the Crew to fill an 18 man gameday roster.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s take a look at what the Crew have to work with. This exercise was inspired by the lack of creativity and ingenuity shown by Robert Warzycha, even when faced with a growing injury list.

Goalkeepers (2): Matt Lampson (23), Daniel Withrow (22)

Defenders (4): Chad Barson (22), Drew Beckie (22) , Kyle Hyland (22), Kevan George (23)

Midfielders (4): Wil Trapp (20), Shawn Sloan (22), Ben Speas (22), Ethan Finlay (22)

Forwards (3): Aaron Horton (21), Aaron Schoenfeld (23), Ryan Finley (22)

I know, I know…it’s going to be tough just to fill out a lineup. But what kind of fake coach would I be if I couldn’t mold this short handed bunch into a US Open Cup contender.

So what’s my starting formation? Have a look…

Lampson

Barson – Beckie – George – Hyland

Trapp

Speas               –               Finlay

Sloan

Schoenfeld  -  Finley

Matt Lampson is the easiest selection here and thankfully he has a decent backup in Marshall product Daniel Withrow. Homegrown signing Chad Barson is capable of playing on the right or in the middle, but Drew Beckie and Kevan George are more physically imposing and thus better suited for the center back pairing. Kyle Hyland already has a couple assists from the left side of the backline; the senior team’s most short handed position. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to trot him out there if Agustin Viana is out long term and Tyson Wahl doesn’t improve.

We know all about each wide midfielder, but Wil Trapp and Shawn Sloan haven’t been seen as much. Trapp is an excellent tactical fit as a holding midfielder. He’s calm, cool, and collected on the ball and is a good passer out of the back. Unfortunately, he may get run over with his diminutive stature. He’s only 20 though, so maybe he can squeeze in another inch or two in height. Shawn Sloan has played all over the midfield throughout his high school/college career, but he managed to scored 58 goals and serve 40 assists in high school. He also had seven assists as a junior in college and ten in his senior year so he’s more than capable of distributing.

And thankfully, he has two very stellar forwards to whom he can distribute. Ryan Finley is a clinical finisher with his head and both feet while Aaron Schoenfeld has already shown us (in limited first team action) that he can hang with MLS defenders.

So how will this side fair in the US Open Cup?

Here’s what the bracket looks like:

http://thecup.us/2013-us-open-cup-bracket/

So the U-23 Crew will get the winner of Dayton Dutch Lions and Dearborn Stars SC. Even though Dearborn pulled off a shocker over the USL’s Michigan Bucks, I still like Dayton Dutch Lions to win and set up the revenge match. Several guys on this squad have been on the fringe with the first team and most of the others have impressed in the Reserve League.

Crew U-23 2-1 Dayton Dutch Lions

Crew U-23 goals: Finley & Speas

On to the next one! Assuming this is the real bracket (I don’t know if the pairings are 100% accurate) the Crew U-23 team gets a date with the winner of the LA Galaxy and Carolina Dynamo/Carolina Railhawks. Even if the Galaxy take this one off, I still like them to get past the winner of the Carolina duel.

Crew U-23 1-2 LA Galaxy

Crew U-23 goal: Finley

Unfortunately this would be the worst possible draw for the Crew if it held up; especially if the U-23 squad has to go on the road to California. Even the scrubs at LA Galaxy have enough to beat this Crew U-23 side, but it would be a very close match. With a better draw this team would be more than capable of advancing to the quarterfinals over a “senior” MLS side (depending on who takes it seriously).

So even though the lads in black and yellow couldn’t break through to the quarterfinals, they’ve still shown us that Robert Warzycha has plenty of options in his back pocket that he will no doubt waste. Ryan Finley is the best (aka most MLS ready) player on this squad with Ben Speas right behind him. I really want to see what Chad Barson and Drew Beckie can do in defense. Beckie’s college highlights were solid and he showed Josh Williams-type athleticism. When Wil Trapp finally gets back from his national team duties, he’ll be well seasoned and hungry to prove himself. He’s already told his travel days off between USMNT U-20 and Crew duties to eff-off so we know he’s a hard worker.

Thoughts? Agree or disagree?

 

“Be MASSIVE!!!”

Know Your MLS Team: Seattle Sounders

 Posted by on May 18, 2013 at 10:49 pm  Blogs/Media, MLS, Seattle Sounders
May 182013
 

images Know Your MLS Team: Seattle Sounders

Club Founded:  1974 (NASL)

Where they Finished Last Season: 15-8-11 Semi-Finalists, Western Conference.

Pedigree: Three-time winners of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2009, 2010, 2011)

Rivals: Cascadia Cup (Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps;) Heritage Cup- To be decided from the teams who originate from the North American Soccer League (San Jose Earthquakes.)

Supporters Groups: Emerald City Supporters, SoCal Sound, Gorilla FC, North End Faithful

Coach: Sigi Schmid

Top Returning Players: GK Michael Gspurning, MF Mauro Rosales, MF Steve Zakuani, FWD Eddie Johnson.

Key Additions: FWD Obafemi Martins (Levante.) MF Shalrie Jospeh (Chivas USA,) MF Djimi Traore (Marseilles.)

Key Departures: FWD Freddy Montero (Millionaros,) DEF Jeff Parke (Philadelphia Union)

Outlook:

While the Sounders may not be one of the founders of Major League Soccer, their history in American soccer makes them one of its most prestigious. Founded originally in 1974 as expansion club in the North American Soccer League (NASL,) the Sounders have existed in one form or another for close to 40 years. In a country that has largely ignored its soccer history outside of Pele and FIFA World Cup 1994, the Sounders fans have kept this team and its spirit alive playing in leagues like the American Professional Soccer League, United Soccer League, the A-League, and Major League Soccer. With an average attendance of 43,144 the Sounders easily have the largest attendance in MLS. According 2012 attendance figures, the Sounders fans should be considered one of the most respected and well organized groups in the world. But what about the team?

Since the club entered MLS in 2009, the club has never missed the playoffs and has been a perennial contender for the MLS Cup. But they have never won the title and they have never actually been a participant in the MLS Cup. While they are a three time winner of the U.S. Open Cup and are currently in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League, MLS Cup glory is what this team wants.

From a tactical standpoint, the team’s strength stems from the work of Midfielder Mauro Rosales. The diminutive Argentine, who comes from Newell’s Old Boys system in Argentina and has previously played for River Plate and Ajax, is quite an explosive midfielder who is also an excellent crossing midfielder. He has an excellent complement with Brad Evans, who is more of a defensive midfielder. The two are joined by the Democratic Republic of the Congo midfielder Steve Zakuani, an explosive player who is coming back from a terrible leg suffered in 2010. The addition of Djimi Traore, a former Liverpool product, should strengthen their backline immensely. Seattle’s biggest weaknesses was their defense year, and so far Mr, Traore has shown himself to be a very capable left back. I would  like to say that he is an under the radar player, but with his goal in Wednesday’s match Mexican side Tigre it appears that is no longer the case.

The major question that this team has coming into the year is how the duo of  Obafemi Martins and Eddie Johnson will work together and if either of them can replace the goals that Montero provided for this team. That will be difficult. Montero, who is Seattle’s all-time leading goal scorer with 47 goals, is about as close to a world class player that MLS has ever produced. As a Newcastle fan, my memories of Martins are not good. An immensely talented player, he never seemed like he ever grew up. Sure he would surprise teams with his speed and vertical leap. But when he would play the Arsenal’s, the Manchester United’s, or even a strong defensive team like Stoke City, he would be found out as a player of pure skill and nothing more. Players that solely rely on their talents and never developed the instincts and the strategy that this game requires can play for many years but never do much of anything. Since he left Newcastle in 2009, Martins has played for VFL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, Rubin Kazan of the Russian Football Championship, and Levante of La Liga scoring only 16 goals in 41 matches. While there is certainly a drop off in between the leagues listed and MLS, it will be difficult for him in a league that prides itself on defense and physical play.

Seattle has all of the tools to make a serious run at the MLS Cup this year. They have made some good adjustments along their midfield and their defense, and Gspurning is one of the top young Goalkeepers in the league. But their season will depend on whether or not Martins can adapt to the MLS and if Johnson can work off of his comeback season last year and finally become the player that American fans have thought he would be for the past five years.

Beer of Choice:


Pike XXXXX Stout, Pike Brewing Company. In order to appreciate a Sounders match properly, you need a beer that has a little bit of Seattle in it and enough kick to survive the frigid temperatures of the Bird’s Nest. Pike Brewing’s Stout is essentially a coffee stout with a hint of chocolate and licorice. With an alcohol by volume percent of 7.0% it gives you the heart and caffeine to sing with the Emerald City’s finest supporters.

Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen releases new book

 Posted by on May 15, 2013 at 8:38 pm  Global Football Today, MLS, Sporting KC
May 152013
 

Jimmy+Nielsen+New+England+Revolution+v+Sporting+ CxreTGgmaLl Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen releases new book

Major League Soccer’s Goalkeeper of the Year for 2012, Jimmy Nielsen has established himself as one of the best players in the League and a fan favorite in Kansas City. Yet while supporters are familiar with his achievements on the field and larger-than-life personality off it, few are aware of the remarkable story that led him to the Midwest. That story is now told in Nielsen’s new book, Welcome to the Blue Heaven, Don’t Bet Against the Goalkeeper from Ascend Books.

Compared from a young age to Denmark’s greatest ever goalkeeper – Peter Schmeichel – Nielsen was scouted by Manchester United and a host of other leading European clubs, but at the point when he should have been building a great career he was instead developing a ferocious gambling habit. In 1999 he was dropped from Denmark’s Under-21 team after missing curfew due to a lost night at the roulette table.

Nicknamed ‘Casino Jimmy’ by rival supporters, Nielsen continued to gamble – the stakes getting so high that he was able to win $500,000 on a single night at one casino, then throw more than half of that away at the same venue a day later. His losses finally caught up to him in 2004, when his inability to pay off a gambling debt helped put a major bookie out of business in his hometown.

Avoiding bankruptcy only with financial assistance from his soccer club and with the support of a family he feared would desert him, Nielsen gradually pieced his life back together. But in his playing career he remained unfulfilled. He had spent almost his entire career with Aalborg, the team he supported as a boy, starting a record 398 games and winning the Danish championship in 1999, but he dreamed of a fresh challenge.

That seemed at last to have arrived in 2007 when he was signed by the English club Leicester City. Instead he left after just six months and without playing a single game – frozen out by a coach who had never wanted to sign him in the first place. He returned to Denmark with a new team, Vejle, but never settled.

Were it not for a phone call from Kansas City in January 2010, that might have been the end of the story. Despite still performing to a high level, Nielsen was contemplating retirement when he was offered a contract by an American club that he didn’t even know existed. He said yes.

Nielsen could not even have pointed out Kansas City on a map at that stage but three years on he is the happiest he has ever been. Moving to America has not been without its challenges – from his daughter’s demand that their pet gerbil come with them, to having his face cut open by a bobblehead doll that was thrown at him by a fan during a game.

But the warmth of the Midwest, the unique passion of Sporting Kansas City’s fans and the standard of Major League Soccer – easily as high, in Nielsen’s opinion, as that in Denmark – have given him a new lease on life. Now Nielsen wants to share his story with the fans who have taken him to their hearts, and who have made him feel that he is, at last, at home in blue.

Nielsen’s story comes to life in his new book, “Welcome to the Blue Heaven, Don’t Bet Against the Goalkeeper,” by Jimmy Nielsen with Paolo Bandini from Ascend Books. Available now at retailers such as Rally House, Kansas Sampler, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million (suggested retail $24.95); online at amazon.com and as an ebook on Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad and other popular platforms.

Excerpts from Welcome to the Blue Heaven, Don’t Bet Against the Goalkeeper

From Chapter 1: The World’s Most Expensive Gerbil

“This was no ordinary pet. Otto was, without a doubt, the most expensive gerbil ever to have lived. We didn’t know it when we bought him. Back then, Otto cost the same as any other gerbil, about $50 when you include the cage, the water bottle and other basic supplies. But getting him to America? That took thousands of dollars.”

From Chapter 13: Gambling Gets Serious

“I was only there for an hour and I lost $350,000, more than half of what I had won the night before… I was very good at hiding how much I had won or lost, to the point that not even my closest gambling buddies knew the extent of my betting… I risked too much, took my loved ones for granted and made too many bad decisions to ever recount.”

From Chapter 18: A Phone Call From Out of the Blue

“The message said it was from an agent I’d never heard of, asking whether I might be interested in playing for Kansas City. I texted him back saying yes, and asking when I might hear more… My phone rang two minutes later. Over the next hour (Peter Vermes and I) shared one of the most exciting and motivational conversations of my entire life.  He told me about the team, his vision for how it could get bigger, and how soccer was growing in America. He told me about Kansas City itself and what a great place it was to live…All I could think was…I want to play for this guy!”

SPECIAL BOOK DEBUT EVENTS:

Jimmy Nielsen will speak and sign books following the Sporting Kansas City versus Houston Dynamo game at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 26 in the Shield Club at Sporting Park.

He will also be appearing at Rally House in North Kansas City on June 8th (Noon-1:30 p.m. CT), Naomi’s Hallmark in Overland Park on June 8th (4-5:30 p.m. CT), Nebraska Furniture Mart on Saturday, June 15 (12:30-2 p.m. CT) and Kansas Sampler in Overland Park on June 27th (6-7:30 p.m. CT).

Jimmy will discuss his life and career as chronicled in his new book in a public conversation with Paolo Bandini, sportswriter and co-author of the book, on Thursday, June 20 at the Plaza Branch of The Kansas City Public Library (4801 Main St., Kansas City, MO). This event and reception are free to the public, with the reception starting at 6 p.m. CT and the program at 6:30 p.m. CT. Seating is limited and RSVPs are encouraged by calling (816) 701-3407.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Jimmy Nielsen is the captain of Sporting Kansas City and the 2012 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. He grew up in Denmark and spent 13 years playing for his hometown team, Aalborg BK – starting a club record 398 consecutive games and helping the club to win its second-ever national championship. During that time he was twice named as Danish Goalkeeper of the Year. After that he had brief spells with Leicester City in England and Vejle in Denmark before joining the Kansas City Wizards – as the team was then known – in 2010. He lives in Kansas City together with his wife and two daughters.

Paolo Bandini is a freelance sports writer and broadcaster, specializing in soccer and football. He spent six years on the full-time staff at the Guardian – one of Britain’s leading national newspapers – before deciding to branch out on his own, and has since worked for a variety of employers including ESPN, The Score, BBC radio and Talksport – as well as continuing to write for the Guardian. Paolo spent the 2012 NFL season covering the St Louis Rams for nfluk.com and has since relocated full-time to Missouri, where his wife is studying for her PhD.

FC Dallas Stadium to host June 30 friendly between 2013 Clausura semifinalists Cruz Azul and Club América

 Posted by on May 15, 2013 at 8:31 pm  FC Dallas, Global Football Today, Mexico
May 152013
 

785edd85fe54231dc60c169951ae3dfd FC Dallas Stadium to host June 30 friendly between 2013 Clausura semifinalists Cruz Azul and Club América

FC Dallas Stadium will play host to a “Clasico Joven” friendly between Liga MX sides Cruz Azul and Club América on June 30 at 2 p.m. CT, FC Dallas announced today. Mexican-based company Sports Marketing Monterrey is responsible for bringing the match to FC Dallas Stadium.

Both sides are still alive in the Clausura semifinals after advancing this past weekend. Cruz Azul defeated Morelia, 4-3, on aggregate to advance to the semifinal round, where it will play a home-and-home series against Santos Laguna. Club América defeated Pumas, 3-1, on aggregate to set up a semifinal series against Monterrey.

The head-to-head competition between Azul and América is known as “Clasico Joven.” During the most-recent Clausura, the rivalry was won by América, which defeated Cruz Azul, 3-0, on March 2. The teams also drew, 1-1, on April 3.

Cruz Azul and Club América are both expected to bring their first teams to Frisco in June, including América’s three-time Liga MX golden boot winner Christian “Chucho” Benítez and Cruz Azul’s leading scorer, Mariano Pavone. Mexican National Teamer, Gerardo “Borrego” Torrado of Cruz Azul is also expected to see time in the friendly.

Tickets start at $15 and will go on sale through FCDallas.com, Ticketmaster.com and Fiesta Mart on Thursday, May 16. There will be a pre-sale for FC Dallas season ticket holders beginning at 10 a.m., on Thursday.

About Cruz Azul
One of the biggest teams in Mexico, Cruz Azul have won the Mexican Primera Division eight times. Also known as “Maquina Azul,” Cruz Azul also holds the distinction of being the first team in the CONCACAF region to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores, when they lost on penalties to Argentine giants Boca Juniors.

About Club América
Based in Mexico City, Club América has won the Mexican Primera Division 10 times, second only to Guadalajara (11). América has also won a total of eight FIFA recognized international trophies, tying them with Bayern Munich (Germany), Santos (Brazil), Olimpia (Paraguay) and Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) worldwide.

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