By AVI CREDITOR
For much of the Philadelphia Union's inaugural season, the goalkeeper situation was tenuous and uncertain. That doesn't figure to be the case in 2011.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Colombian international Faryd Mondragon is set to sign with the Union on a free transfer from FC Cologne.
Mondragon, 39, wouldn't necessarily provide a long-term solution, but he would add a level of stability to the position next season. Neither Chris Seitz nor Brad Knighton performed well enough to claim the job outright, and both were left unprotected by the team for the MLS Expansion Draft. Seitz was pulled off the unprotected list during the draft, making it seem like he would win the battle over Knighton; however, the club then declined his option, making Seitz available to be claimed in the Re-Entry Draft.
Regardless, it appears as if Mondragon, a 20-year veteran and member of the 1998 Colombia World Cup team, will be the one standing between the pipes at PPL Park next season.
Here are a few more stories to get you through your Monday:
CERVI LOANED TO DUNDEE
Dominic Cervi has bided his time, waiting for the opportunity to show what he can do in goal.
That opportunity has potentially come in the form of an emergency, one-month loan, but it's hardly an ideal situation.
Cervi, part of Bob Bradley's roster for the United States' win over South Africa last month, was loaned from Celtic FC to Scottish First Division side Dundee FC over the weekend, where he'll step in for the club's injured backup keeper. Within 24 hours of him being with Dundee, he made the bench as starter Rab Douglas' backup, which is more than what his typical matchday routine has been recently. Time will tell if he'll earn some minutes for the first time all season at Dundee.
Cervi's situation at Celtic is complicated, as this feature from Scotland points out, as he's the third keeper, though both of the players ahead of him are tentatively slated to be elsewhere in the near future.
ALLARDYCE SACKED BY BLACKBURN
For the second time in as many weeks, a Premier League manager has been fired in shocking fashion.
Sam Allardyce was let go at Blackburn, a day after his side fell to his former club, Bolton (on account of Stuart Holden's late game-winning goal). Last week, Newcastle unceremoniously sacked Chris Houghton and replaced him with Alan Pardew, who guided the Magpies to a victory over Liverpool in his debut.
Assistant Steve Kean will reportedly take over for Allardyce on an interim basis until a full-time replacement is found. Blackburn is currently 13th in a very congested Premier League table. Although the club is just five points clear of the drop zone, it is also just three points out of seventh place.
CITY DOESN'T PLAN TO SELL TEVEZ
Despite reportedly submitting a written transfer request to Manchester City, Carlos Tevez may have to stay at the Eastlands long than he'd like.
Sky Sports reports that Manchester City has no plans to sell its star striker during the upcoming transfer window. Tevez, who still has three-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract, is expected to report to training with the club this week.
ESTUDIANTES WINS ARGENTINIA APERTURA
Estudiantes claimed its fifth Argentinian championship on Sunday, defeating Arsenal de Sarandi, 2-0, to clinch the Argentina Apertura on the final matchday.
Estudiantes, which received two goals late goals from Rodrigo Lopez, outlasted Velez Sarsfield by two points to win the title.
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Do you like the potential signing of Mondragon for the Union? Happy to see Cervi get loaned out? Do you hope that he stays at Celtic or would you rather him transfer elsewhere during the upcoming window? What do you think of Blackburn's decision to fire Allardyce? Where do you see him ending up? What do you think about the Tevez-Manchester City soap opera? Did you have Estudiantes in your Argentina Apertura pool?
Share your thoughts below.
Mondragon is apparently godfather to Juan Pablo Angel’s son. Maybe the Union reunite these friends via the re-entry draft?
Love to see him go elsewhere, but this should suffice for now.
SPL, outside of Celtic/Rangers, is a horrid league. Playing time is playing time, I suppose.
I heard he was hungry like a wolf.
any truth the Allardyce to LA Galaxy rumors?
probably true, but they did pretty darn well with their rookies. they have a great young core of players. mcinerney and mwanga are studs in the making
Looks like Wolverhampton Wanderers are going to wander out of the EPL by the end of this season. 😉
I heard a rumor that he was raised by Wolves.
Donovan is linked to Wolves………..
I wonder if Nowak is looking for someone to teach the young keepers a few things in training, as well as serve as a placeholder in goal for a season. Can’t imagine he will be around much longer than that. I think the Union’s early picks were focused on youth and building a strong team over several years. Much of that young talent has yet to pay dividends, particularly McInerney and Okugo, but that doesn’t mean at all that they won’t be fixtures in the coming seasons. Even Mwanga, who had a pretty good rookie season all in all, still has tons of room to grow. So while there were ineviably some decisions that didn’t pan out, I think your conclusion that the managers are regretting their early picks is either premature or just wrong.
Ugh. Next you’ll be telling me that Donovan is linked to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Uhh… what makes you say ‘El Fur’ is a timbers fan?
Cut the Timber fan a little slack. He is a little excited that his team is now in the big time MLS.
very interesting there, i’m interested to see how it’ll pan out. the fulhamerica name would only get even more intense, they’d be like our national team, relying on clint and landon haha
Do people not read the other headlines on SBI before they fly in here half-cocked and ready to enlighten us with the “latest” news?
LOL
Landon Donovan linked to Fulham anyone?
http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/850309-landon-donovan-could-opt-for-fulham-loan-transfer-over-everton-return
The Portland Timbers also signed Kerrea Gilbert from Arsenal today. He’s only 23 and has featured on a couple of occasions for Arsenal in Champion League games.
Interesting. What this says is that while Philly hit the jackpot by drafting Le Toux, the rest of their picks and initial MLS trades (like Seitz) are now ones they regret or don’t see much hope in (I believe that of their 8 expansion picks they’ve either cut or exposed 6 of them in this year’s expansion draft plus exposing both Knighton and Seitz and then exposing Seitz in the re-entry draft).
And to think–at one point Seitz was labeled the future USNT GK. Along with DJ Countess, those are the two poster children for “why it’s a mistake to try and project how good a GK will be as a young profesional.
any truth the the Bob Bradley to Blackburn rumors?
thanks for the scoop, fletch…
Mondragon, really!?!? I still remember that screamer Beckham blasted by him in WC ’98!
Little late there…
Mondragon = coolest name in soccer.
I suppose, but he is still behind someone. It’s only a month, so I don’t know how much in-game action he will see.
Just off the AP
The U.S. national team will play an exhibition soccer match against 10th-ranked Egypt in Cairo on Feb. 9.
The game announced Monday will be a rematch of the nations’ meeting at the 2009 Confederations Cup, when the Americans beat the Pharoahs 3-0 on goals by Charlie Davies, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey.
The 24th-ranked U.S. opens its 2011 schedule against Chile on Jan. 22 at Carson, Calif. The Americans also have been negotiating to host Argentina in March as they prepare for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June.
+1
Loan works to Cervi’s benefit…gets minutes and a chance to prove he should be Celtic’s starter next season. Here is hoping for an injury free adventure!
Stuart Holden is so talented that he managed to get another team’s coach fired. I like it.