Top Stories

Mid-day Ticker: Hahnemann considers MLS return, Bielsa quits Chile and more

Hahnemann (Getty)

By TRAVIS CLARK

Wolverhampton Wolves goalie Marcus Hahnemann could make a return to Major League Soccer in 2011.

The 38-year-old is currently in the final year of his contract with the English Premier League club, and is considering a return to MLS when his contract expires next summer. Hahnemann, who has been capped by the U.S. men's national team eight times, moved overseas to Fulham back in 1999, after a stint with the Colorado Rapids.

The Seattle native's professional career began with the Sounders in the A-League before switching to MLS. And while it would be a stretch to see him joining the MLS Sounders if Kasey Keller returns for next year, Hahnemann could be enticed to one of the new Northwest clubs in either Vancouver or Portland if he elects to return.

Here are a few other stories for Monday:

BIELSA LEAVES CHILE

Chilean national team coach Marcelo Bielsa quit his post over the weekend, after the Chilean football federation replaced his boss and president of the Chilean FA, Harold Mayne-Nicholls. Spanish businessman Jorge Segovia was elected in the stead of Mayne-Nicholls, and as promised, Bielsa has stepped down from his position. The Argentine led Chile to the knockout stages during this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

CLINTON TO APPEAR IN ZURICH

Former president Bill Clinton, the honorary chairman of the USA Bid committee, will appear in Zurich to speak in favor of the USA's bid to host the 2022 World Cup on December 1. Clinton will be a part of the USA delegation as they make their final presentation to the FIFA Executive Committee.

STAMMLER NAMED HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR

New York Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler earned recognition for his work in Haiti, as he was named the MLS Humanitarian of the Year on Monday. In addition to his work with Haiti, the 29-year-old has also put on several soccer clinics and done work with the New York community. He is leaving the Red Bulls to head to the business school at the University of Chicago.

CITY APPEALS BALOTELLI RED

While Italian striker Maroi Balotelli has accepted his red card from Sunday's 2-0 win over West Brom, his club Manchester City appealed the ruling of the ban in an effort to reduce the length of the suspension. Balotelli was already on a yellow card when he was given a straight red for kicking out at Youssouf Mulumbu, and sent off for violent conduct — which by rule, carries a three-match ban. The appeal will be heard on Tuesday.

GENOA FIRES COACH

Serie A strugglers Genoa have fired coach Gian Piero Gasperini after a 1-0 loss to Palermo over the weekend. Club officials were fed up with the side's slow start — on 11 points through 10 games — and Faspeini's four-year reign at the club came to an end. Davide Ballardini is expected to be named as a replacement.

—————-

Think Hahnemann will return to MLS? Will City's appeal prove successful? Where will Bielsa land?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I’m sure he’d love to go to Seattle but it depends on whether Keller is coming back or not. I could see him as a summer signing with Portland if Steve Cronin sucks as bad as he did with the Galaxy.

    Reply
  2. But for how much money he’ll probably expect is Hahneman a good addition? I feel the United States is the land of milk and honey for finding goalkeepers that are quality yet cheap. If I’m going to allocate money from an extremelly limited budget to fund my MLS side, I probably wouldn’t spend big in goal.

    Reply
  3. Hahaha! One can dream yes? Outstanding tecnico but too revolutionary for the unimaginative cretin powers that be at USSF. We play bunker bob ball baby !!!

    Reply
  4. it will be interesting to see where he chooses to play.. if he is really invested in the Seattle area he wont choose PDX or VAN and go to another team that really needs him like Philly or Houston. the truth is that there are a lot (surplus) of great keepers in MLS and from the US..

    Reply
  5. M.H went to Seattle Pacific and played with the Sounders.

    If they could I could see them finding a way to have him on the team for half a season with Keller. Not sure what impact an allocation could have on that.

    Reply
  6. Yeah I just read up on it and was wrong. I was thinking logically, which god forbid the MLS does. I figured that you could lose two players in the whole draft but that a given team could only take one player from the same team.

    Reply
  7. 2022 WC here we come.

    Imagine what it will be like.

    MLS will probably be as big as the NHL if not bigger by then. Probably 1 of the best soccer leagues on the planet. 12 years it’s definitely possible. Look how far MLS has grown since 96 and 98.

    Reply
  8. I agree. He’s their best option to avoid relegation. Kinda like he was with READING. But i feel he’ll go to Portland. Not as a DP but surely for no less than $300,000.

    Reply
  9. I believe you’re wrong about that – a team can’t lost more than two players. When one player is picked, the team gets the right to protect one additional player, but they still risk losing another. Pretty certain about that, although at times it seems MLS arbitrarily makes up the rules they go along so perhaps that has changed.

    Reply
  10. No screaming for Bielsa to take over the USMNT? Has this place gone soft?

    On another subject, good for Stammler. Classy guy, and going to a damn good school.

    Reply
  11. its impossible to get 2 players from one team, that is pretty basic knowledge in regards to expansion drafts. so good luck with that

    Reply
  12. Keller played at U of Portland, but is from the Seattle area. Hahnemann is from Washington as well.

    I watched Keller at UP back in the day hearing him being called the best keeper in the US. He certainly lived up to it.

    Reply
  13. Given that he never played against the Timbers while on the Sounders. No real problem.

    Timbers will most likely get one or two players from the Sounders in the Expansion Draft. So most have expressed understanding that since the “promotion” is happening we’re going to need MLS players, not all from Timbers’ 2010 are MLS-caliber.

    -PTFC STH since 2001

    Reply
  14. Keller should go to Portland and Hahnemann should go to Seattle–isn’t Kasey from Portland? Either way Hahnemann can still play and it would be good to have him in goal for any MLS team…

    Reply
  15. I am actually surprised that there has been no mention of the pending FA investigation into Tom Huddlestone’s nasty stomp on Elmander’s chest.

    Reply
  16. Do you think that a former sounder would go over well with Timbers fans? Just thinking it would be sweet to see Marcus add another layer of complexitiy to the I-5 rivalry.

    Reply

Leave a Comment