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Evening Ticker: Grella’s goals propel Leeds, St. Louis names team and more

GrellaM1 (GettyImages) 

Mike Grella has had his ups and downs since signing with English League One side Leeds United out of Duke University, but his performance on Tuesday will certainly qualify as the highlight of his young career.

Leeds came on as a substitute in overtime and promptly scored two goals to help Leeds run away with a 5-1 FA Cup victory against Kettering on Tuesday.

The victory advances Leeds to the third round of the FA Cup.

Grella has struggled for steady playing time since joining Leeds, but he has enjoyed solid performances in cup competitions, making the 22-year-old one of the more promising young American prospects currently plying their trade in Europe.

Here are some other stories from Tuesday:

AC ST. LOUIS IS BORN

ACStLouisLogo

The new club set to begin play in St. Louis in 2010 will be called AC St. Louis, club organizers announced on Monday. Whether the team actually has a league to play in is still being sorted out.

St. Louis also introduced its new head coach, Frenchman Claude Anelka, brother of Chelsea start Nicolas Anelka, as well as the team's director of player development, former Manchester United Academy director Francisco Filho.

AC St. Louis will play in the newly-formed North American Soccer League, but not before the new NASL is formally recognized, either by U.S. Soccer or the Canadian Soccer Federation. As it stands, the on-going battle between the new NASL and the USL continues.

For the latest news on the NASL-USL tug-of-war, be sure to check out Inside Minnesota Soccer and The 24th Minute, which have been on the forefront of coverage of the battle.

CANADA INTRODUCES NEW HEAD COACH

The Canadian national team will have to wait at least until 2014 to have World Cup aspirations, but the underachieving soccer country has found the man to lead it toward the goal of qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil.

Stephen Hart was introduced on Tuesday as Canada's new head coach. He has spent most of the current year as Canada's interim head coach.

Hart will look to rebuild a Canadian side that saw its 2010 World Cup hopes dashed when it could not escape CONCACAF's qualifying Group of Death, which including World Cup qualifiers Mexico and Honduras, as well as Jamaica.

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What do you think of these stories? Excited to see Grella have such a great game? Like the name AC St. Louis? Starting to wonder if the USL and NASL will ruin each other, leaving North America without a second division?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. If that’s the explanation for the Galaxy, then yes I’d be embarrassed. No reason that soccer needs to conform to other American sports. Doesn’t have to get snobby, but pulling from where the game originated (Europe) is not that big of a deal to me.

    What gets me are the cookie-cutter names used in the NBA, MLB, NFL. Those shouldn’t cross over to the MLS or any pro soccer league here.

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  2. Dude…it’s DII soccer in the U.S. That seems a little over the top. All of us would probably be qualified, which isn’t saying much.

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  3. I’m fine with imitating European club names here. We still have our fair share of “American” style names. But as awareness of the game, and of European leagues, grows in the US we should reflect that in our leagues.

    The only one I disagree with is “Real”. What point is there to that? There is only one team in Salt Lake City. They could have just gone with “Salt Lake City” as the team name, following Manchester City, Hull City, etc. It also bugs me when commentators say “ray-al”. It’s an American team playing in America where the word is pronounced “reel”. Do they think saying “ray-al” makes it sound international and cool? News flash: it doesnt.

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  4. I was not a huge fan of AC St Louis initially, but would have prefered the Steamers/ Stars, or something, but I will say it is growing on me. Linking it back to the Missouri Athletic Club is cool, especially for St Louis residents.

    I LOVE the colors, especially if you recognize they are the same as the old St Louis Browns baseball team. St Louis is all about tradition and I cannot wait to buy one of the first AC St Louis jerseys when they are available.

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  5. I agree. Aping europeans is absurd. I can’t think of a single person who sprinted off to purchase a season ticket to a soccer club because they decided to name the team “FC”.

    It’s idiotic. The reason why they get big crowds for soccer in Europe/Africa/Latin America is because they’ve been watching for 100 years and its ingrained into the culture. Not because naming it “Futbal” will make people want to watch 22 guys kicking a ball around.

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  6. Yeah, imagine if a team called themselves the Spurs like San Antonio in that basketball league! Or instead of the Detroit Lions, Three Lions. Man that’s lame.

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  7. Also, remember where Americanm soccer has been in terms of team names. Washington DIPS. Chicago Sting. LA Aztecs. Dallas Sidekicks. New York Cosmos. Colorado Rapids.

    Blecccch. Dumb beyond belief.

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