Good morning all. Plenty of subjects to touch on today, particularly in the wake of the U.S. Under-23 team qualifying for the Olympics, but I will touch on that later. Here is a roundup of news stories that have surfaced over the past day or so:
Beckham a future MLS owner?
Just when you thought David Beckham’s MLS contract was big enough, now comes word that Beckham has an option to buy an MLS team once his contract expires in 2011.
60 Minutes is set to report this as part of an upcoming interview with Beckham. Denials and non-denial denials have already come from MLS and Beckham’s people. It makes you wonder just where Beckham would put a team if he did decide to become an owner. Would he take over Chivas USA and turn it into Beckham FC? Would he take Real Salt Lake off Dave Checketts’ hands? Interesting story to say the least.
Copa Libertadores Roundup
Chilean champions Colo Colo beat Boca Juniors, 2-0, and Paraguayan squad Sportivo Luqeno earned an unlikely 1-1 draw against Sao Paolo in Copa Libertadores action on Thursday. Argentine side Lanus earned a tie on the road against Ecuadorian club Deportivo Cuenca.
Man City plotting big transfer moves
Manchester CIty will go into the summer transfer window ready to spend major money. Manager Sven Goran Eriksson stated that his team will consider bringing in an older, high-profile player. Seperate reports have Man City thinking younger and eyeing CSKA Moscow striker and former Brazil U-20 star Jo.
Mexico names squad vs. Ghana
Giovanni Dos Santos, Carlos Vela and Andres Guardado were among the players selected by Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez for Mexico’s upcoming friendly against Ghana in London on Thursday. Also selected was Aaron Galindo, earning his first call up since being kicked off the 2005 Confederations Cup squad for failing a pre-tournament steroid test.
Here is the roster:
Goalkeepers: Oswaldo Sanchez (Santos Laguna), Moises Munoz (Morelia), Jesus Corona (Tecos UAG)
Defenders: Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Ricardo Osorio (VfB Stuttgart), Aaron Galindo (Eintracht Frankfurt), Fausto Pinto (Pachuca), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Julio Cesar Dominguez (Cruz Azul)
Midfielders: Pavel Pardo (VfB Stuttgart), Andres Guardado (Deportivo Coruna), Fernando Arce (Santos Laguna), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Antonio Naelson (Toluca)
Forwards: Carlos Vela (Osasuna), Antonio De Nigris (Ankaraspor), Nery Castillo (Manchester City), Juan Carlos Cacho (Pachuca), Adolfo Bautista (Chiapas), Guillermo Franco (Villarreal), Giovani Dos Santos (Barcelona)
Cole apology for ugly tackle
Chelsea defender Ashley Cole issued an apology for his ugly challenge on Tottenham midfielder Alan Hutton in Wednesday’s 4-4 thriller. For those of you who missed it, Cole went in studs up on Hutton, then went off on referee Mike Riley even though Riley let him off the hook with just a yellow instead of a red card.