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MLS Ticker: League denies Beckham report; Feilhaber won’t need surgery; and more

DavidBeckhamBooksigning1 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

It’s no secret that Major League Soccer is looking for a new ownership group for Chivas USA, but the league is adamant that David Beckham has never been a part of those plans.

In response to Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado nixing Beckham’s second stadium proposal, a report in Yahoo Sports stated that Beckham had been contacted by a group of Asian investors to see if he’d be interested in joining their group to purchase Chivas USA. On Friday, MLS flat-out denied the report.

“There is currently no discussion with David Beckham regarding potential ownership of Chivas USA,” said an MLS spokesperson on the league’s official website.

Due to the struggles to find a viable downtown stadium option, a spokesperson for Miami Beckham United has claimed to the Miami Herald that Beckham’s group is open to creating an MLS franchise in another city if Miami doesn’t work out.

“Miami is our preferred choice and we are working hard to give the people of the city what they want and deserve,” a spokesman said. “However, we have always said that there are other cities that would welcome an MLS club owned by David and his partners.”

Here are some more notes from around the league:

FEILHABER WON’T NEED SURGERY FOR INJURED SHOULDER

Sporting Kansas City received a rare good piece of news regarding one of their injured players.

Midfielder Benny Feilhaber was earlier this week diagnosed with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder, otherwise known as a separated shoulder, but the team learned on Friday that Feilhaber wouldn’t need surgery to fix the injury. Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes believes that if all goes well, Feilhaber could return to the field as soon as June 27 at the Portland Timbers.

“The situation now is how much pain he can tolerate, and how fast that happens,” Vermes told MLSSoccer.com. “The good thing is that we have a little bit of a break here, and we’re trying everything we can to get all the guys back for the next [MLS] game. I don’t know if that’s realistic, but that’s the goal. We’ll see where it goes.”

Sporting KC only play once between now and June 27. They face Minnesota United in the U.S. Open Cup next Wednesday.

FORMER UNION COACH NOWAK SUES LEAGUE

More than two years after being fired by the Philadelphia Union, former head coach Peter Nowak has filed suit against both MLS and the MLS Players Union.

The lawsuit seeks in excess of $1 million from the league and Player’s Union for two counts of “tortuous interference.” In the suit, Nowak is claiming that a directive from the league was the reason for his firing.

This isn’t the first time that Nowak has filed a lawsuit over his firing. Back in July 2012, a little more than a month after he was dismissed, Nowak sued the Union for wrongful termination and unpaid severance money. The suit was moved to arbitration, where it’s remained through the present time.

DEMERIT SUFFERS ANKLE INJURY

Jay DeMerit has been forced back to the sidelines for an extended period.

After overcoming his Achilles tendon injury from early last season and playing a big role in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ success this season, DeMerit was diagnosed on Thursday with a torn tendon in his left ankle, according to the club. The Whitecaps said that DeMerit has opted against having surgery and will spend six weeks rehabbing the injury.

The 34-year-old American defender has started 11 of the clubs 13 matches so far this season.

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What do you think of these reports? Do you see Beckham continuing with his efforts to start a franchise in Miami? Glad to hear Feilhaber’s shoulder injury isn’t serious? Do you see Nowak’s lawsuit getting to court?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Love Demerit. Whenever he decides to hang up his cleats Im positive there will be a place for him on someone’s coaching staff in MLS or Europe

    Reply
  2. The way it looks, Miami will end up being team number 25. Let’s be realistic, MLS will be a 26 28 team league, and Miami will be in it no matter what, but teams number 23 and 24 could be easily chosen.
    You have Vegas, Minnesota, Indy, Sacramento San Antonio.
    The bad part of texas, if garber goes for San Antonio, that’s it for texas.
    That’s why he’s waiting on San Antonio, and he knows Austin is way better.
    By the way, Dallas has to rebrand to Dfw united.

    Reply
    • I don’t get it.

      Please check out my new book, “Managing Work Relationships for Sustained Success”, with a foreword by my MLS-appointed prodigy, Freddy Adu. We are at the top of this field, or “pitch” as we like to call it in the unemployment industry.

      Reply
    • Nowak is acting the same as he did as a player – no holds barred, full steam ahead, who has the biggest —-

      Reply
    • Some people burn bridges. And some people blast out the mooring, pull down the tower and dig up the road for five miles on either side.

      Reply
  3. somehow I just cant see Beckham owning a club in LA that isnt the Galaxy. I bet he’d buy the Gals in a hearbeat though.

    Reply

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