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Wednesday Kickoff: Stevenage hires Smith, Europe’s financial woes and more

Smith rapids getty

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Former Colorado Rapids head coach Gary Smith is headed back to England.

The man who took charge of the Rapids' surprising 2010 MLS Cup run has been hired as manager of League One side Stevenage FC. Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace said Smith's ability to produce success despite a low budget with the Rapids was a major reason for the hire.

Smith, who is one of the league's younger managers at 43, began his career as an assistant with Wimbledon, Wrexham and Arsenal before landing the Rapids job in late 2008. He became the first English coach to win the MLS Cup, but a falling out with team management led to his contract not being renewed after this past season.

Stevenage is currently in sixth place in League One and is in serious contention for a playoff promotion spot.

Here are some more stories to kick off your Wednesday:

EUROPEAN CLUBS REPORT $2 BILLION IN LOSSES

A UEFA report released Wednesday said that the top European clubs had lost a collective $2 billion in 2010, and the trend is expected to continue. The survey of about 650 clubs came as new financial fair play rules loom on the horizon. The report estimates over half of European clubs are losing money, with more than 75 percent of the top clubs in the Champions League spending more than they earn.

UEFA said that if the financial fair play rules were in effect today, 13 clubs would have failed to meet the criteria in 2010 and could theoretically be excluded from playing in European competitions. The clubs were not identified, but it is widely expected they come primarily from England, Spain and Italy. The record losses come in conjuncture with record revenues, with $16.6 billion being generated in 2010 alone.

GOETZE OUT FOR TWO MONTHS

Borussia Dortmund will be without star midfielder Mario Goetze for at least two months due to pubic bone injury.

It's a sizable blow to a Dortmund side that sits atop the Bundesliga along with Bayern Munich and Schalke. Dortmund is trying to defend the Bundesliga title after taking the league by storm last season. This also puts Goetze's place in the German national team in jeopardy if there is a setback in recovery. The 19-year-old already has 12 appearances and has scored two goals for Germany.

VAN PERSIE SAYS NO FALLOUT WITH WENGER

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has denied rumors that his relationship with manager Arsene Wenger is on thin ice. Van Persie appeared to voice dissent during Sunday's loss to Manchester United when Wenger subbed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Andrei Arshavin in a much-maligned move.

"The manager and I are fine and my relationship with the club is good," van Persie told reporters.

Arsenal, who are currently in fifth place and face the possibility of missing next season's Champions League, face a tough fight to hold on to the striker during the summer transfer window. The Dutch International has scored 19 league goals for the Gunners this season.

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What do you make of Smith's move to Stevenage? What's your take on the financial troubles across European soccer? Will Dortmund be able to maintain title challenge without Goetze? Do you think Arsenal can work its way into a Champions League spot?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. There are actual losses and then there are cooked up ‘losses’ that pro sports teams make, at least in the US. It’s in UEFA’s best interest to paint as gloom and doom a scenario as its possible to conceive with the numbers they were given.

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  2. Gary Smith, going to a league where his ilk truly belongs! Good riddance to the sort of bad-rubbish coach who did more to try to turn MLS into Major League Rugby than any other — and in a league that had long employed Steve Nicol, that’s a damning indictment indeed! Somewhere in Seattle, Steve Zakuani is no doubt doing the happy dance at this news…provided, of course, that he’s actually recovered enough to walk without assistance after his last encounter with Gary Capone and his clumsy band of hired thugs! Now, if Oscar Pareja can just turn the Crapids away from the Dark Side, and MLS refs (finally!) pull their heads out and start dealing cards Vegas-style to hideous goons like Larentowicz and Mullan as they so richly deserve, this goofy little experiment in Communism called MLS might actually be somewhere close to the right track once again!

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  3. Ummmm…”starting on the bench”….it’s either “starting” or “on the bench” but not together, lol !!!…cuz that part stinks !!! I knew what ya meant though.

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  4. Its not a silly assumption look at Greece look at France if their governments fail and unemployment sky rockets whose going to go to these games? How will the French owned teams be viable if their owners suddenly lose investment value? Its all connected the premise is a solid one. They need controls its inevitable.

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  5. NFL and MLB destroy European soccer in revenue. But this is why EPL teams were so worried about Americans buying their clubs because ticket prices are nuts sometimes. Plus the viewership is so exclusive to certain networks which drives a bidding war compared with even champions league that bids out their viewership to takers in every country. Americans are willing to pay more for their sports than the much poorer countries.

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  6. congrats Coach Smith! Stevenage should be a good fit for him and an opportunity to get in a move up in English football. Best of Luck!

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  7. I don’t have the numbers, but I have to think the biggest losses are actually in Italy. EPL teams spend outrageous sums, but I”m betting they have considerable income, enough to offset much of their expenses. They have amazing TV deals and draw sellout crowds. Of course, they do get in trouble when they face relegation — or, if they shell out lots of money like Liverpool but don’t get into Europe. In contrast, Italian teams do not draw sellout crowds for most games. Sometimes it seems they’re playing in half empty stadiums. They may not pay as much as the English teams, but their revenue is probably a fraction of those teams, too.

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  8. Hey Eurosnobs…great system ya got there. Hope your leagues still exist in another 10 years.

    Love, Revenue Sharing/Salary Cap Americans

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  9. So you mean paying a Guy who really is only wortg 100,00 in a year that in a week isn’t a good idea? European football is run by idiots loyal fanbase low competition and ridiculous TV revenue they should be balling its crazy look at the NFL with a limited market in relation to soccer they are killing them its crazy.

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