Commentary - Instant Replay in Soccer?

As with every sport, time and technology force new rules or rule changes. Some sports are quick to adapt to the new situation, and then some are ran by FIFA. Now I know there is a long standing history and tradition to upload with soccer. And that running a world wide sports play by millions around the globe is no easy feat. But often times it seems as though the most powerful body is soccer is afraid of making the necessary changes to keep the sport as fair and competitive as possible. One of the biggest topics discussed is the introduction of instant replay to soccer. I'd like to take a look at a few of the pros and cons of the idea:

Pros:
- Get the crucial decisions right. A game, a season or the World Cup is often defined by a single goal. But as we know all to well a hand ball, off-side or a foul can often go undetected by the referees.
- Decrease the bias in the decision. Often times refs can get away with dismissing or allowing a goal based on that split second viewing. However, with instant replay the ref would have to careful look at the play and make the decision knowing the entire world has seen the play in slow motion and knows that he has too.
- Open the door for additional technology. There are many more advancements which could be added to the game of soccer such as goal line technology, and instant replay would only help in introduce a new era of soccer advancement.

Cons:
- Stop the flow of the game. No one wants to see a timeout or instant replay every five minutes. That is what is great about soccer, the flow of the game. If I want a break every 90 seconds I can watch basketball.
- Undermine the referees. If FIFA were to add instant replay, how would the referee association react? Would there be a strike? They could try to insert additional influence into the game since deciding goal scoring has been partially taken away from them.
- Constant appeals for the refs to use instant replay. If replay is added the managers, players and fans will start to call on the refs to review everything incident that has gone against them.

So with all of that in mind, whats the best decision? In my opinion instant replay should be added for goals only (for now). Not fouls, the ball going out of bounds, off-sides, etc. Once the ball has been counted as a score the referee can use video evidence to determine whether or not the goal was scored legally - i.e. handball, offsides, etc. I don't think this would take away from the flow of the game as the players are usually celebrating for a minute after the score and we at home are watching the replay four times ourselves. Too much money is invested into soccer to not get this critical situations correct. Perhaps a league (MLS) or tournament (Euro or Olympics) can take on this challenge to help push FIFA in an overall acceptance.

What are your thoughts on this issue, should instant replay be added to soccer? For what plays? How often should it be used in a game? Lets hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Soccer TV Schedule for the Week of 1/30

A full weekend of EPL and Serie A action this weekend as a massive winter storm looks to trap the United States east coast in their homes. All the more reason to watch soccer though. On Saturday, Chelsea look to retain the top spot in England, while Fulham and Aston Villa have a top 10 battle of ESPN2. Sunday is the better day of the weekend, first with a massive EPL showdown between Arsenal and ManU who sit just one point apart for 2nd place. Also, AC Milan and Juventus both look to get back on the right path after losing last week. The week wraps up on Wednesday with a  FA Cup 4th round replay between Tottenham and this year's Cup giant killers - Leeds United.

Saturday (30th):
 - EPL: Fulham vs. Aston Villa - 9:55am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Birmingham City vs. Tottenham - 10am - FSC
 - EPL: Chelsea vs. Burnley - 12:30pm - FSC
 - Seria A: Napoli vs. Genoa - 2:30pm - FSC
 - Serie A: Palermo vs. Bari - 5pm - FSC
 - EPL: Wigan vs. Everton - 7pm - FSC

Sunday (31st):
 - Serie A: AC Milan vs. Livorno - 9am - FSC
 - EPL: Arsenal vs. Manchester United - 11am - FSC
 - Serie A: Juventus vs. Lazio - 2:30pm - FSC
 - Women's U-20 CONCACAF - Final - 5pm - FSC

Monday (1st):
 - EPL: Sunderland vs. Stoke City - 2:55pm - ESPN2HD

Wednesday (3rd):
 - FA Cup - 4th Round Replay - Tottenham vs. Leeds United - 2:30pm - FSC

David Beckham - Both Feet on the Ground: An Autobiography

I recently took a vacation and as always decide to catch up on some reading, or in this case go back into the vault. When I was looking into books for my trip I wanted to find a soccer book to gain some more insight on the game or its history. I came across the 2004 autobiography by David Beckham - Both Feet On The Ground, and decided this was the one. I've always been a fan of David Beckham since I started following soccer, but that wasn't until much later in Beckham's career and after some of his memorable moments with Manchester United and the England national team. Overall, I would say the book was a great read and would suggest it to anyone who has an interest in learning about the English star's life, a celebrated soccer career from the player's point of view, or some history around Manchester United and the England national team over 90s and early 2000s.

The book dives into the following aspects of David's life:
 - his childhood growing up in London and his love for soccer
 - starting his youth career
 - being discovered and signed by Manchester United
 - the early struggles with professional soccer
 - become a star at Manchester United and for the English national squad
 - meeting and eventually marrying his wife Victoria, Posh Spice
 - having his kids and his thoughts on being a husband/father
 - the low points in his career including the red card at the World Cup
 - transferring to Real Madrid

You can order a copy of the book from Amazon for only about $10 and read more reviews. - Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground: An Autobiography (Paperback).

EA & FIFA announce 2010 World Cup video game

EA Sports announced today that they are teaming up with FIFA to release the first full World Cup tournament style video game. See below for the full press release. This game is sure to be a hot seller world wide as the anticipation for the big event draws closer. One interesting aspect is the inclusion of all 199 teams which started qualification. Now the disappointed fans sitting on the outside looking in will have the chance to re-write history and see their home country advance to the finals in South Africa.

Electronic Arts will celebrate the single largest sporting event on the planet with the only official and exclusively licensed videogame for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Now everyone can play in the 2010 FIFA World Cup on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, Wii, PSP (PlayStation Portable) and mobile in April 2010 in anticipation of the real-world tournament which begins in June.

EA SPORTS 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africawill feature all the emotion and passion of the fiercest national rivalries battling on the world's biggest stage, with all 199 national teams that took part in qualification, all 10 official stadiums to be used in South Africa and stadiums from each qualifying region. Gamers will be able to play as their home nation from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the FIFA World Cup Final and feel what it is like to score the goal that lifts a nation. Everything fans love about the World Cup will come to life in spectacular detail, including confetti rain, streamers, & fireworks--just like the official tournament.

For the first time ever in a videogame compete in a full and authentic online World Cup tournament. Carry the hopes and dreams of a nation into battle against fans from rival countries, from the group stage through the knockout rounds to the chance to be crowned 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa TM champion. For fans of nations that failed to qualify for South Africa this is the chance to replay and re-write history. Plus, gameplay innovations capture the journey from qualification to the final tournament with home and away strategies for every nation, situational tactics in-game, and altitude effects that fatigue players faster and even impact the flight of the ball.

Presented in an art style that celebrates the cultural vibrancy of the first FIFA World Cup TM to be held in Africa, EA SPORTS 2010 FIFA World Cup on the Wii is an action-packed soccer game that brings friends together in their living rooms to compete for the 2010 FIFA World Cup TM. Travel around the world virtually to take on all 32 nations competing in South Africa in head-to-head challenges in Zakumi's Dream Team mode. Start the journey with random players and then build your team by stealing an opposition player after each victory. Win a challenge and pick a player until you have conquered the world. Plus, take your team to a friend's house on your Wii Remote.

Visit http://www.easports.com for more information about features for each available platform, which will be revealed over the coming months.

2010 FIFA World Cup, developed by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C. will be in stores throughout North America on April 27, 2010 and in stores throughout Asia and Europe beginning April 30, 2010. The game has not yet been rated. 

Soccer Table Update as of 1/26

Well I am back from a two week break. I got married the Saturday before last and then went on a honeymoon to Curacao. Lovely trip, but lets get back to the action. Here is a recap of the past week's action and where the tables stand. Note: This is as of Tuesday morning (26th), so the EPL matches scheduled for this afternoon are not included and will be discussed in next week's table update on Monday (Feb 1st).

EPL:
- Past week's results - EPL action was minimized this past week due to FA Cup action. Two matches took place during the middle of last week with Arsenal defeating Bolton for the second time in four days, 4-2. Liverpool bounced back to expected form with a victory over Tottenham. On Saturday, Manchester United continued the push to defend their league title with a 4-0 rout over Hull City.
- Current EPL Table - (Note - This will change as games finalize Tuesday and Wednesday). With Chelsea on a break, Manchester United took over first place at 50 points, but having played two games more than the Blues. Arsenal at 48 points, with Chelsea, are the clear title runners. Fourth place is up for dispute between
Tottenham and Manchester City at 38 points. Liverpool's victory moved them back into UEFA CL contention, currently in 6th place with 37 points. Portsmouth continue to sit at the bottom of the table at 14 point, while the other two relegation spots seems up for battle between Burnley, West Ham, Wolverhampton, Hull City and Bolton.

Serie A:
- Past week's results - On Saturday AS Roma pulled off an impressive road victory against Juventus 2-1. Catania upset Parma as they try to pull out of the relegation zone. On Sunday the Italian action was headlined by Inter's 2-0 win over AC Milan. Inter went down to nine men by the end of the match but were able to hold on against their main league title competition. In a battle for UEFA CL or Europa League spots Palermo topped Fiorentina 3-0.
- Current Serie A Table - Inter's (49) win moved them 9 points clear of second place AC Milan (40). However, AC Milan still have one game in hand. AS Roma (38) and Napoli (37) sit in third and fourth waiting to make a move for second and looking for a spot in Europe next year. Juventus' (33) loss has dropped them to 6th place and are in danger of falling out of continental soccer completely.

FA Cup:
- Fourth Round Results - Some key results to note: Reading defeated Burnley 1-0. Stoke City upset Arsenal 3-1. WBA topped Newcastle 4-2. Everton lost 2-1 to Birmingham City. Aston Villa, Chelsea, Fulham, and ManCity all advanced as well. There were three ties which will be replayed - Wigan v. Notts County, Crystal Palace v. Wolverhampton, Leeds United v. Tottenham.
- Fifth Round Draw - The biggest match-ups of the fifth round appear to be Aston Villa vs. the Crystal Palace v. Wolverhampton winner - Manchester City vs. Stoke City, and Bolton vs. the Leeds United v. Tottenham winner.

Returning soon...

I will be back to blogging starting Tuesday with an update of EPL, Serie A and the latest FA Cup action.

Soccer TV Schedule for week of 1/16

The second half of the European season's begin to unfold. We have 10 matches this weekend on FSC and ESPN2, as well as a mid-week Arsenal match-up. With the news this week that FSC will be taking over the Setanta Sports broadcast rights and forming a second all soccer channel, Fox Soccer Plus, things are looking up for soccer fans in the US. Key match-up to watch this weekend in ManCity vs. the surging Everton and Landon Donovan. Also, Arsenal squared off against Bolton twice over the course of four days.

Saturday (16th):
- EPL: Stoke City vs. Liverpool - 7:45am - ESPN2
- EPL: Chelsea vs. Sunderland - 10am - FSC
- EPL: Everton vs. Manchester City - 12:30pm - FSC
- Serie A: Bari vs. Inter Milan - 2:30pm - FSC
- EPL: Portsmouth vs. Birmingham City - 5pm - FSC
- Serie A: Cagliari vs. Livorno - 7pm - FSC

Sunday (17th):
- Serie A: AC Milan vs. Siena - 9am - FSC
- EPL: Bolton vs. Arsenal - 11am - FSC
- Serie A: Napoli vs. Palermo - 2:30pm - FSC
- EPL: Blackburn vs. Fulham - 5pm - FSC

Wednesday (20th):
 - EPL: Arsenal vs. Bolton - 2:45pm - FSC

Thursday (21st):
 - CONCACAF U-20 Women: USA vs. Jamaica - 5:30pm - FSC

NASL Update - 1/13

Its been about a month since my last blog on the status of the NASL/USL dispute finally appears over, for this year at least. Lets catch up on all of the news since mid-December.


- December 30 - After a quite few weeks following a USSF gag order, the US Soccer Board of Directors voted unanimously not to sanction either the NASL or the USL as the division two soccer league in America for 2010. Following that meeting U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati stated “In the best interest of soccer in the United States, we decided to not sanction either league at this point. However, we did encourage both leagues to come together in the next week and attempt to develop another plan which would allow a single league to be approved on a provisional basis. We are committed to finding ways to improve the long-term viability of all leagues and teams and continue the growth of soccer in the United States.”


 - December 31 - The next day the NASL responded to the USSF's actions with the following press release: "The North American Soccer League or “NASL” has been advised that its application to the United States Soccer Federation for membership as a Division II professional league was not granted. While disappointed with this outcome, NASL continues to believe that it and its member teams would, if sanctioned, make a significant positive contribution to soccer in the United States and Canada. NASL respects the Federation’s decision and its suggested course of action for obtaining sanctioning in 2010. NASL will continue during the next seven days to work in good faith towards an interim solution with United Soccer Leagues. NASL will have no further comment on this matter until a resolution has been reached or the negotiation period has expired. NASL and its eleven member teams are committed to building on their long tradition of providing quality soccer to fans across the United States and in Canada in 2010 and beyond."


- January 3 - The USL dropped their lawsuits against Rochester Rhinos, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Crystal Palace FC USA. 


- January 7 - The USSF announced and agreement between the NASL and USL to combines for a division two soccer league in 2010. The new league would be ran by the USSF and would only be a temporary one year solution. The league will consist of two six-team conferences – the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference will include teams from Austin, Minnesota, Portland, Puerto Rico, Rochester and Tampa Bay. The NASL Conference will consist of teams from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver.


- January 7 - Later in the day the USSF announced additional details around the future of division two soccer is America. Some of the key points revealed are (1) teams will be a 28-32 game schedule between the March/April to October/November time frame, (2) a future potential rule related to have four Under-23 players on the roster for each team, (3) the USSF would look into a 'farm' system behind the MLS and division two soccer, similar to MLB and the minor league baseball system. 


 - January 11 - The NASL unveiled their new logo. Block letter similar to the old NASL style lettering from the 70s. See above for the new logo.


So there you have it, a resolution that all US soccer fans can be satisfied with, even if its not the perfect solution. An entire year without division two soccer would have dramatically hurt the future of the NASL/USL. With the NASL having already lined up a potential 11 teams for the 2011 season it looks like the new league will take full control over division two soccer, while USL runs the third tier. Thoughts on the new league? 

Soccer Table Update as on 1/11

Even a massive snow storm in Britain could not fully stop the second half of the season starting. In southern Europe Serie A returned with a bang featuring two big AC Milan match-ups and a battle of first vs. last. Here is a recap of the past week's results and currentl table standings in the EPL and Serie A.

EPL:
- Past week's results - With the big winter freeze across England this past week, 7 of the 10 ten matches were postponed. That left all the attention on three key games. On Saturday, Landon Donovan debuted with Everton as they held high-flying Arsenal 2-2. Birmingham City continued their strong home run as they held the title holders, Manchester United, 1-1. On Monday the Mancini era stayed perfect with a 4-1 victory over Blackburn behind a Carlos Tevez hat trick.
- Current EPL Table - Even sitting out this weekend Chelsea retained the top of the table at 45 points with ManUnited sitting 1 point back, but a game behind. Arsenal sits in 3rd at 42 points with a game in hand over ManU. With their victory today ManCity (38) jumped Tottenham (37) for the 4th UEFA Champions League spot. The bottom of the table remains tight with 13th through 19th only three points apart.

Serie A:
- Past week's results - Serie A returned on Wednesday with victories by Inter, Napoli and Juventus. David Beckham returned to AC Milan to assist in a 5-2 rout of Genoa. On Saturday table leaders Inter Milan edged out relegation zone side Siena 4-3. Fiorentina defeated Bari 2-1. In the big match of the weekend, AC Milan proved the only true competition for Inter Milan with a 3-0 win over 3rd place Juventus. Sampdoria continued their slide with a 1-0 loss to Napoli.
- Current Serie A Table - Inter continue to cruise at the top of the table with 45 points. After AC Milan's victory they secured 2nd place with 37 points and a game in hand over Inter. Napoli's strong run has brought them even with Juventus for 3rd place at 33 points. Sampdoria, one time table leaders, have fallen all the way to 12th place. The bottom of the table sees Catania and Atalanta, ahead of last place Siena who put up a strong fight against Inter and did not look like the worst team in Serie A.

News & Rumors Update 1/10

Here are some of the big news stories and rumors across the globe this weekend:

• Landon Donovan debuted for Everton on Sunday in a match against Arsenal. Donovan helped setup a goal before being subbed in the second half. Overall, Donovan had a productive match and looks to get more opportunities to impress while in London. With snowy conditions, Landon quickly adjusted to the style of play in England.
  
• After back and forth reports over the weekend, the Togo national soccer team decided to return home and leave the Africa Cup of Nations. The Togo's Prime Minister called the team on Sunday and urged them to leave Angola before another incident took place. This entire story is sad for the Togo players, the African tournament, and soccer world wide. 
• In a major story for US soccer fans the AP is reporting that Fox is in talks to acquire Setanta Sports and the associated soccer rights. The deal would give Fox the rights to additional EPL games and the English League Championship. The report rumors that Fox would obtain the channel and name it 'Fox Soccer Plus'. Fox Soccer Channel is schedule to switch over to HD broadcast in Q1 of 2010.
• Adidas revealed the 2010 MLS home and away jerseys this past week. For most clubs the changes were minor for next year, with Houston and New England getting updates. The FanHouse also provides a look at the kits for the new franchise club, Philadelphia Union.
• In a story which could dominate the summer transfer market, Rafa Benitez has admitted that if the team does not make the UEFA Champions league the team could be forced to sell striker Fernando Torres. The team is in financial trouble and if a large bid from ManCity or Real Madrid came in Liverpool would most likely let the Spaniard go. The loss of Torres after letting Alonso go this off-season would be devastating for the Reds. 

Togo national team bus attacked on route to African Cup of Nations

Yesterday, as the Togo national soccer team headed into Angola the bus was attacked by gunmen. ESPN reports that at least three were killed and several more injured. Check out the full report here. Following that news several Premiere League clubs, and I'm sure others around the world, have called for the African Cup of Nations to be cancelled following this horrible incident. ESPN caught up with several EPL executives to get their thoughts on the shooting, the African Cup, and next year's World Cup. With the growing concern of safety for next year's World Cup in South Africa this will more definitely inflame the debate over whether or not players and fans will be safe to travel there in the summer.

Manchester City striker, and Togo captain, Emmanuel Adebayor comments on the team's thoughts and discussions concerning the attack and leaving the tournament. Talks will take place today to determine whether or not the tournament should move forward this year. But rest assured if this year's tournament takes place, next time European clubs will be very resistant to release their players for the cup. You can find all the coverage of the African Cup of Nations here at ESPN's tournament page.

Soccer TV Schedule for the Week of 1/9

Full league action returns this week with 6 games from the EPL and Serie A on Saturday, including an interesting Birmingham City vs. Manchester United match-up. Sunday features two marque games between top 4 contenders Liverpool and Tottenham, then 2nd place AC Milan takes on 3rd place Juventus. ESPN's La Liga coverage returns as well with a Barcelona match Sunday afternoon. ManCity takes on Bolton Monday afternoon on ESPN2, then the action wraps up with a FA Cup 3rd round reply between Portsmouth and Coventry City. 

Saturday (9th):
- EPL: Chelsea vs. Hull City - 7:30am - ESPN2HD
- EPL: Wigan vs. Aston Villa - 10am - FSC
- EPL: Birmingham City vs. Manchester United - 12:30pm - FSC
- Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Siena - 2:30pm - FSC
- Serie A: Roma vs. Chievo - 5pm - FSC
- EPL: Sunderland vs. Bolton - 7pm - FSC

Sunday (10th):
- Serie A: Fiorentina vs. Bari - 9am - FSC
- EPL: Liverpool vs. Tottenham - 11am - FSC
- Serie A: Juventus vs. AC Milan - 2:30pm - FSC
- La Liga: Barcelona vs. Tenerife - 2:55pm - ESPNHD

Monday (11th):
- EPL: Manchester City vs. Blackburn - 2:55pm - ESPN2HD

Tuesday (12th):
- FA Cup: 3rd Round Replay - Coventry vs. Portsmouth - 2:30pm - FSC

World Soccer Magazine - January Issue

The first World Soccer issue of 2010 hit news stands, mailboxes and bookstores this week. This year is sure to be a big one for the top soccer magazine in the world, which will have plenty of coverage of the 2010 World Cup, African Nations Cup, UEFA Champions League, etc. Here is a preview of what this month's issue features:

• Cover Story: 2009 Awards Special - Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Team of the Year, and Player of the Decade
• World Cup Countdown: A look at the final qualifying position playoffs, team profiles for New Zealand, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, Greece, Slovenia, Portugal, France, Uruguay, and in-depth looks at Nicolas Anelka (France) and Rafik Saifi (Algeria).
• Opinion Pieces: Paul Gardner writes about respect and referees and Jim Holden explores cheating in the world's game.
• 2010 World Cup Draw: World Soccer takes a full in-depth look at the draw, including the full match schedule.
• African Nations Cup: Preview of each group, national team, and key players for each squad.
• Inside Football: Nick Bidwell investigates the German match-fixing scandal and corruption in soccer.
• Numbers: A look at the top 63 best supports national teams - 1:Mexico (81,599), 2:England (79,754), 49:USA (22,799).
• Dispatch Updates from Egypt, Sudan, Spain, Switzerland, Africa, Italy, Germany, and more.
• Talent Scout: Profiles of up and coming stars from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Holland, Spain, Uruguay, and stars of the U-17 World Cup.
• Interviews with Inter Milan's striker Samuel Eto'o, Emirati business man Sulaiman Al Fahim, and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor
• Travel spotlight city - Amsterdam, Holland

FA Cup Update

In lieu of the Premiere League and Serie A on a break this past weekend I thought I would give the Monday (or one day late - Tuesday) table update in regards to the 2009-2010 FA Cup. As a little background for the FA Cup, it is the world oldest knockout football competition, this year is the tournament's 129th edition. The 2009-2010 tournament this year featured 762 clubs from all levels of English soccer. In the 3rd round, 20 remaining teams are joined by the teams from the Premiere League and the Football League Championship for a total of 64 teams.

FA Cup 3rd Round Review Notable Match-ups:
 - Manchester City 1-0 Middlesbrough
 - Chelsea 5-0 Watford
 - Arsenal 2-1 West Ham
 - Aston Villa 3-1 Blackburn
 - Wigan 4-1 Hull City
 - Manchester United 0-1 Leeds United 


Six match-ups ended in draws and will go to a replay at the other teams stadium over the next two weeks, including:
 - Queens Park Rangers vs. Sheffield United
 - Birmingham City vs. Nottingham Forest
 - Portsmouth vs. Coventry City
 - Liverpool vs. Reading
 - Millwall vs. Derby County
 - Newcastle United vs. Plymouth Argyle

The fourth round games will be played over January 23rd and 24th and the draw was conducted on 1/3/09. Here are some of the marque match-ups:
 - Reading/Liverpool vs. Burnley
 - Stoke City vs. Arsenal
 - Tottenham vs. Leeds United
 - Wolverhampton vs. Crystal Palace

The fourth round of the FA Cup will air on Fox Soccer Channel and I will make sure to post the game times when they are available.

10 Bold Predictions for 2010 - Part 2

Yesterday in Part 1 of my 10 bold predictions for 2010 I touched on the UEFA Champions League, the NASL/USL dispute, MLS champion and the EPL top 4. Today I will hit many of the same competitions including the 2010 World Cup. Here is part 2:

6) The MLS will announce the next round of expansion for the league, brining in the Montreal Impact as the 19th team to join the league in 2010. This will make the 3rd Canadian team in the MLS.

7) The MLS designated player position will continue to be a major source of media attention and league awareness with two big stars from Europe joined American teams. The most likely candidates would be Thierry Henry (NY), Seedorf (Philadelphia), Figo or Vierim.

8) A surprising team will make it in the final four of the World Cup in 2010. The team to knock off a major player and increase its status in the world game will be one of the following - Ivory Coast, Denmark or Serbia.

9) In the Champions League finale Chelsea will get revenge against Barcelona for last year's semi-final defeat in London. The Blues will travel to the Bernabeu in Spain and win the European crown against the defending champions.

10) The World Cup final will feature the five-time champions Brazil against the 1966 champions, England.

So there you go, the full list of my 10 predictions for 2010. Thoughts? Any you would like to add to the list?

10 Bold Predictions for 2010 - Part 1

The new year of soccer has kicked off with the 3rd round of the FA Cup. 2010 holds several exciting things to look forward to - World Cup in South Africa, Champions League final in Madrid, and the MLS expansion in Philadelphia. I'd like to take this opportunity to make my 10 bold predictions for 2010. Here is Part 1 of the list (in no particular order or importance):

1) In the 1st knockout round of the UEFA Champions League, AC Milan will upset Manchester United. The home-and-away series will feature David Beckham's first return to Old Trafford where he built his career. Pato and Ronaldinho will both score to help the Italian side advance.

2) By the end of 2010 a 10-team NASL will be fully formed, sanctioned by the USSF and operating as the 2nd tier division in US soccer. The USL-1 and USL-2 will combine and sit as the 3rd tier in American soccer. NASL currently has more teams under its operation, a better marketing program, and the public support.

3) Bordeaux will become the first French team to advanced in the UEFA Champions League final 4 since the 2003/2004 season.

4) The MLS will have another 1st time champion at the end of 2010 season - the Seattle Sounders. Seattle add to their strong inaugural season line-up, continue to have 30K plus crowds and will claim the MLS title in only their second year in the league.

5) The English Premiere League top 4 will be broken into for the first time since the 2004/2005 season. Liverpool will be removed from the English hierarchy of soccer, behind 5th place Tottenham and 4th place Manchester City. The ManCity team behind new manager, Mancini, will edge out Tottenham, Liverpool, and Aston Villa to grab the 4th spot in the UEFA Champions League for the 2010/2011 season.

Check back in tomorrow for the second half of my 10 bold predictions for 2010. What are your thoughts about these predictions? Any predictions you would like to add?

Soccer TV Schedule for week of 1/2

Another decade of great soccer has come to a close and the start of 2010 is here. The year starts off with the 3rd round of the FA Cup, as the EPL takes a one week break. Fox Soccer Channel has four 3rd round match-ups this weekend including defending Premiere League champ, Manchester United, versus the current table leaders in League One, Leeds United. Then on Wednesday Serie A returns from the winter break with three match-ups, including David Beckham's return to AC Milan as they take on Genoa.

Saturday (2nd):
- FA Cup: 3rd Round Preview Show - 9:30am - FSC
- FA Cup: 3rd Round - Middlesbrough vs. Manchester City - 10am - FSC
- FA Cup: 3rd Round - Milton Keynes vs. Burnley

Sunday (3rd):
- FA Cup: 3rd Round - Manchester United vs. Leeds United - 8am - FSC
- FA Cup: 3rd Round - Tranmere Rovers - Wolverhampton - 1pm - FSC

Wednesday (6th):
- Serie A: Parma vs. Juventus - 9am - FSC
- Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Chievo Verona - 11am - FSC
- Serie A: AC Milan vs. Genoa - 2:30pm - FSC