By AVI CREDITOR
Former Germany star Lothar Matthaus is back in international soccer after signing a one-year deal (with an option for two more) to become the manager of the Bulgarian national team.
The 49-year-old Matthaus had an infamous stint in Major League Soccer with the MetroStars in 2000 before concluding his playing career and entering the managing realm.
He has coached a few club teams, most recently Israeli side Maccabi Netanya, and he was also the manager of Hungary's national team from 2004-2005.
Matthaus inherits the seat vacated by Stanimir Stoilov, who resigned following Bulgaria's loss to Montenegro in Euro 2012 qualifying earlier this month.
Here are a few more stories to bridge the gap in your Tuesday:
HENRY RULED OUT FOR GALAXY GAME
MLS might not have suspended New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry in the aftermath of the Kevin Hartman incident, but he'll miss Friday's game against the Los Angeles Galaxy anyway.
Henry has been ruled out for the match with a knee injury that he reportedly suffered two weeks ago against Real Salt Lake.
"Despite the attention surrounding this Friday's match, we did not want to exacerbate Thierry's current injury that he has been playing and practicing with over the past two weeks," Red Bulls General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler told the team's Web site.
Henry was fined $2,000 but not suspended for Thursday's incident in which he kicked a ball in celebration after a goal and inadvertently struck FC Dallas keeper Kevin Hartman, injuring the goalie's knee in the process.
WENGER SUSPENDED ONE MATCH
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has received a one-match ban from the Football Association after being charged with improper conduct for his actions at the end of Arsenal's draw with Sunderland over the weekend.
Wenger berated officials after Darren Bent tied the game with a late goal. He has been fined £8,000 and is prohibited from being on the touchline for Tuesday's Carling Cup match against Tottenham.
FABREGAS OUT UP TO THREE WEEKS
Cesc Fabregas suffered a hamstring injury in Arsenal's draw with Sunderland, and the Gunners confirmed that he will miss two-to-three weeks of action while he recovers.
The oft-injured Fabregas will likely miss Arsenal's league matches with Chelsea and West Brom and it's Champions League group stage match against Partizan Belgrade.
COMMISSIONER GARBER INTERVIEW
MLS commissioner Don Garber is reportedly in Portland for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the renovations to PGE Park, and he did an interview with The Oregonian newspaper in which he shared his thoughts about all things Timbers. Among the topics discussed were the Timbers billboard in Seattle, roster expansion and future big events that may be held in Portland. Give it a read here.
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How do you think Matthaus will fare with Bulgaria? Smell conspiracy with the Henry situation? Disappointed that he's going to have to miss the star-studded match? Think Wenger was out of line? Do you see Fabregas ever having an injury-free season? What did you think about Garber's comments?
Share your thoughts below.
If Fabregas misses the Chelsea game, Arsenal will have a ready-made excuse for losing.
You’re an idiot.
Glad to see Matthaus take the post for the Bulgarian National Team. The country has several players in the EPL(Berbatov, S. Petrov, M. Petrov) and he needs to pull them together. Team has been a disappointment lately. Here is to hoping that can change!
How is a ball going against a guy’s arm still getting more play than people diving and willfully deceiving the referee? This crap is overplayed.
Um. You’re trying just a tad too hard there to find something to criticize him about.
Excellent point. The Irish cal it “luck” when they get the break & whine & moan when the call goes against them. They are like FC Dallas fans.
Agreed. I remember that game, it was awesome! Would like to see more games like that in the MLS.
So only two guys with champion league medals on friday instead of three.
The New York/LA game during Beckham’s first season remains one of the absolute best games I have ever seen. Huge crowd, LD, Jozy, Angel, tons of goals . . . a glimpse of what soccer could be in the US.
I don’t think that this game would have come close to replicating that night, but it’s too bad Henry won’t be there.
Bit of a sour sport then? Henry loves playing, highly doubt he’s faking it. He has nothing to gain from it. And it’s not purely his decision, I’m sure Backe has the final say.
And his on field behavior has been very professional bar his recent poor judgment.
I felt that he should have been suspended, because it was a pretty dumb move by Henry. That being said, I am going to miss him, because I am praying that the red bulls beat LA so that RSL can move into 1st place.
This just smells funny. If Henry was hurt, why did he play in Dallas? (After all, Backe had Angel available to play as the single striker he wanted in front of Ballouchy.) If he aggravated the injury, I didn’t see it. If sitting him is some way of atoning for the Hartment incident, it’s pretty silly.
$2000 fine for Henry … They need to pay these players more.
People like The Guy have no clue. A cheater? maybe if he knew something about Henry and European football, he would know what he spouts as laughable.
No need to try and poke holes in his argument, he is as biased as they come (claimed Shea’s challenge was clean)….
For those who didn’t know, vs, Georgia in qualifying, Ireland was down 1-0 in the 72nd minute and looking like they would lose, when out of nowhere the ref whistles for a penalty. A clear ref blunder let Ireland back into the game, which Ireland ended up winning 2-1. Without that win, Ireland would have probably not made the knockout round.
After the game Irish were praising how “luck” was on their side…. Then after the ref missed Henry’s handball they cry murder.
Funny how selective memory can be eh?
I’m sure a lot of Georgians must see the Henry handball as an act of divine justice or something for when the ref robbed them of a win vs Ireland…
cheaters get caught. and the referee’s are more to blame than him.
Lol, still can’t get over it?
Also, Ireland wasn’t qualified at the time of the handball, and nothing tells you France wouldn’t have won the game anyway.
So let it go geez. I didn’t see Ireland complain after an awful ref mistake vs. Georgia in group play that benefited Ireland. Did the Irish say: “let’s replay that game since the bad call changed the course of it”.
You can’t have it both ways man. Win some, lose some, at the end it balances out…
Rob an entire country of passionate supporters from a WC birth.
If he isn’t dirty he is for sure a cheat.
Those are facts.
Not a US citizen
Does anyone know if Rogelio Funes Mori, mentioned in here–> http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/timvickery/2010/09/why_the_argentine_rollercoaste.html is eligible to play for the US?
Wow one incident, learn a bit more about the man then his wiki page.
Clean? A lot of people in Ireland would disagree.
Grow even
I was wrong now people like k have found a new reason to whine… Damned if he does damned if he doesn’t…
The guy is one of the cleanest players of all time.. Get over yourself and grew up.
What a loser, MLS doesn’t suspend him because they want him in their sweethearts game they have promoted to death as the greatest game ever and he slaps them in the face by sitting with a secret injury sustained 2 weeks prior, the man is a joke as is his on field behaviour.
or he is scared of the galaxy! go galaxy!!!! AAAAAOOOHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA!!!!
Good sportsmanship by Henry. I’m sure there’s nothing actually wrong with him, he probably heard all the clamor and wants to stay on people’s good side.
Henry is out…. Now hopefully the whining and crying can stop.