Photo by ISIphotos.com
Good afternoon folks. With another week in the rearview mirror, and another weekend upon us where we can relax and enjoy some soccer, here is a look back at some stories I missed during the week, some hot topics I wanted to touch on and some recommended reading:
The San Jose-Houston Dynamo match set for this weekend has been postponed as Houston recovers from Hurricane Ike. The match has been rescheduled for Oct. 15.
Rumors are swirling that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has his eye on U.S. national team prodigy Charles Renken. That’s all well and good but some people need to realize that Renken can’t sign a professional contract outside the United States until he turns 18. For those unfamiliar with Renken’s story, here is a great piece on Renken by ESPN.com colleague Justin Rodriguez.
Although you can’t watch Clint Dempsey play for Fulham these days since he’s been glued to the bench, you can read all about him in this amazingly in-depth piece on Dempsey by fellow Designated Player Adam Spangler of This Is American Soccer. It’s a must-read.
FC Dallas rookie and U.S. youth national team player Brek Shea is out for the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. He made just two first-team appearances this year, logging 17 minutes. Before the injury, FC Dallas had begun using Shea in central defense, moving him over from his previous wing midfield role. Whether that becomes a permanent move both on the club and country level remains to be seen and will be an interesting process to watch once he recovers and starts playing again.
Fans who are already stirring up the Macoumba Kandji hype machine can halt one theme I’ve already started to see. Kandji has made it clear that he plans on playing for Senegal once his asylum status in the United States is resolved. Right now Kandji cannot travel outside of the United States until his status is clarified, which is the only reason he hasn’t attended a Senegal national team camp yet, and the reason why he missed out on a chance to make the Senegalese Olympic team.
So no, Kandji isn’t in the U.S. national team mix, but he should make his MLS debut next Saturday for the Red Bulls against the Colorado Rapids, who interestingly enough will include Jamaican striker Omar Cummings. The Red Bulls made a major move for Cummings, but were rebuffed and eventually settled on Kandji.
That’s all for now. If some other stories or thoughts come to mind I will add them here. For now, share your thoughts on any of these subjects or stories in the comments section below.