LA Galaxy Galaxy sign Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts

CARSON, Calif. (AP)—The Los Angeles Galaxy have signed goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, a veteran of the Jamaican national team.

Ricketts, 31, will be added to the MLS team’s roster pending receipt of his visa and international transfer clearance. Terms of his contract were not disclosed.

The 6-foot-4 Ricketts has made 67 international appearances for Jamaica and has an 11-7-6 record in 24 World Cup qualifying matches, including appearances in all of his country’s games during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

A native of Montego Bay, Ricketts began his career in Jamaica and later played in 115 games for League Two side Bradford City in England before returning to Village United in Jamaica this summer.

Fulham stretched their unbeaten run to seven games

Fulham climbed to eighth in the Barclays Premier League with a 3-0 demolition of Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage. Goals from Jimmy Bullard, Danny Murphy (penalty) and Clint Dempsey. US star Clint Dempsey completed the scoring with a third goal, rifling the ball into the right-hand corner from just inside the penalty box.

Khano Smith sits down with Futbolr TV

Seattle Sounders new player Khano Smith was spotted in NYC for the holidays and sat down with Futbolr TV to discuss the Revolution 2008 season, SuperLiga, Seattle Sounders and his time spent in Boston. Bermuda National Team player Khano Smith previously played for New England Revolution before being selected in this years Expansion Draft by Seattle Sounders Fc.


Futbolr Clothing will like to wish Khano Smith all the best in Seattle!

WOW NEXT ROUND OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS HERE!

UEFA Champions League draw in Nyon!

First knockout round, to be played 24th, 25th February and 10th, 11th March
Team named first at home in first leg

Chelsea FC (ENG) v Juventus (ITA)
Villarreal CF (ESP) v Panathinaikos FC (GRE)
Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) v FC Bayern München (GER)
Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) v FC Porto (POR)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) v FC Barcelona (ESP)
Real Madrid CF (ESP) v Liverpool FC (ENG)
Arsenal FC (ENG) v AS Roma (ITA)
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) v Manchester United FC (ENG)


Liverpool will meet Real Madrid, Manchester United face Inter Milan, Chelsea tackle Juventus and Arsenal are up against Roma in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Friday's draw in Nyon, Switzerland, has produced a host of mouth-watering ties, with Rafa Benitez's men tackling nine-times European champions Real, who are now under the stewardship of former Spurs boss Juande Ramos.

Sir Alex Ferguson will lock horns with Jose Mourinho once again after the Champions League holders were drawn against Inter Milan. Ferguson and Mourinho enjoyed numerous managerial duels during the Portuguese's time at Chelsea, while his celebratory sprint along the Old Trafford touchline in 2004 while in charge of Porto remains an iconic image.

SOCCER ON TV THIS WEEK!

Soccer On TV This Weekend

Tuesday, December 16
2:30pm Blyth vs AFC Bournemouth, FSC, FA Cup

Wednesday, December 17
5:30am Pachuca (Mexico) vs Liga de Quito (Ecuador), FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP Semi-Final
11:00am Fiorentina vs Torino, ESPN 360, GolTv, Italy Coppa Italia
2:45pm Hamburg vs Aston Villa, Setanta Sports USA, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Portsmouth vs Heerenveen, ESPN 360, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Feyenoord vs Lech Poznan, ESPN 360, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Ajax vs Slavia Prague, ESPN 360, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Milan vs Wolfsburg, GolTv, UEFA Cup
3:00pm Roma vs Bologna, ESPN 360, Italy Coppa Italia

Thursday, December 18
2:30am Al Ahly vs Adelaide United, FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP Fifth Place
5:30am Gamba Osaka (Japan) vs Manchester U (England), FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP Semi-Final
2:30pm Tottenham vs Spartak Moskow, FSC, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Nec vs Udinese , ESPN 360, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Racing Santander vs Manchester City, GolTv, UEFA Cup
8:00pm Gamba Osaka vs Manchester United, FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

Friday, December 19
8:00pm TBA, FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

Saturday, December 20
6:30am Hamilton vs Motherwell, Setanta Sports, Scotland Premier League
7:45am Birmingham vs Reading, ESPN 360, Setanta, England Championship
10:00am Bolton vs Portsmouth, FSC, England Premier League
10:00am Fulham vs Middlesbrough, Sky Sports, England Premier League
10:00am Hull City vs Sunderland, Setanta Sports, England Premier League
10:00am Falkirk vs Celtic, Setanta Premium, Scotland Premier League
10:00am Rangers vs Hibernian, Setanta Premium, Scotland Premier League
12:15pm Sheffield Utd vs Crystal Palace, Setanta Sports USA, England Champ
12:30pm West Ham vs Aston Villa, FSC, Setanta Sports, England Premier
2:30pm Siena vs Inter, FSC, Italy Serie A
3:00pm Caen vs Lyon, Setanta Sports, France
8:00pm Blackburn vs Stoke City, FSC, Delayed, England Premier League
8:30pm Fulham vs Middlesbrough, Setanta Sports, Delayed, England Premier

Sunday, December 21
2:30am TBA, FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP - Third PLACE
5:30am TBA, FSC, FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP - Final
8:30am West Brom vs Manchester City, Setanta Sports, England Premier
9:00am Torino vs Napoli, FSC, Italy Serie A
11:00am Arsenal vs Liverpool, FSC, England Premier League
12:15pm West Brom vs Manchester City, Setanta Sports, Delayed, England
2:30pm AC Milan vs Udinese, FSC, Italy Serie A
3:00pm Monaco vs Bordeaux, Setanta Sports, France
5:00pm Newcastle vs Tottenham, FSC, Delayed, England Premier League

VIERA CALL FOR END RACISM IN ITALY!

Patrick Vieira: Italian Football Is Racist
The Frenchman has raised his voice over certain attitudes in Serie A as he calls for more action against the offenders...

Patrick Vieira: Italian Football Is Racist

Internazionale midfielder Patrick Vieira has joined the chorus of voices coming out of Serie A by claiming Italy is a racist country; a month after teammate Christian Chivu said the same thing.

Vieira has been injured for most of the season but after making a recovery, he has returned to training.


Although the former Gunner enjoys his mega wage deal every week, he has come out to take a swipe at the country where he currently plies his trade.

"Being a black player in Italy is difficult compared to other countries because you always receive abuse," Vieira told Feelfootball.com.

"I have been in Italy for four years and fans have always given me trouble. The best response is to stay quiet and remain focussed on the pitch.

"Calcio and the authorities should do more to combat the problem of racism, the situation is getting better but there is still plenty to do.

"Football is important in our society and we can use it to launch important messages.

"Fifa needs to react because it's easy to see those who launch racist chants in the stands."


He continued: "I think the best thing is to stop them from coming into the stadium all together and make them understand through their clubs.

"It's also a shame that there aren't many black coaches in football. It's a mistake because we should have faith in them."

Vieira took part in Wednesday's training session but he is unlikely to feature against Siena this weekend.

His comments will no doubt raise a debate regarding the situation in Serie A.

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com

SAMS ARMY IS TAKING MEXICO TO THE COLD!

U.S.-Mexico Rivalry Returns to Columbus on Feb. 11 For First Final Round Qualifier For 2010 FIFA World Cup
# Sell-Out Crowd Expected at Columbus Crew Stadium Where the U.S. Remains Undefeated in Seven Matches

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USA-Mexico By The Numbers

CHICAGO (Dec. 15, 2008) — For the third consecutive time in final round qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, U.S. Soccer has selected Columbus Crew Stadium to host the home leg between the United States and Mexico. The USA’s most anticipated match of the final round will be played Wednesday, Feb. 11, with kickoff times and broadcast information to be announced at a later date. Fans will be able to follow the match live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

The match in Columbus is the first of five qualifiers in the Final Round to be played in the United States. Ticketing details will be announced in the near future.

“We are very excited about returning to Columbus,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley, who guided the U.S. to a 7-1-0 record through the first two rounds of FIFA World Cup qualifying. “The national team has enjoyed a great history there, and the team has always appreciated the fantastic support from the fans. We are looking forward to an incredible atmosphere as we continue the difficult task of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.”

* U.S. MNT vs. Mexico By the Numbers | Podcast With DaMarcus Beasley | all_access video: 2005 Recap | all_access video: 2001 Highlights | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Final Round Schedule

The Columbus Crew Stadium match will be the sixth World Cup qualifier hosted by the nine-year-old venue. The U.S. has a 3-0-2 record in qualifying and an unbeaten 4-0-3 all-time record in the stadium. In the first meeting on Feb. 28, 2001 – dubbed the “Guerra Fria (‘Cold War’)” because the game-time temperature topped out at 29 degrees - goals by Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart paced the U.S. to a 2-0 victory. Four years later on Sept. 3, 2005, goals by Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley earned the United States another 2-0 win and officially booked their place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

“Our first priority is to give our team the best chance to be successful and achieve the goal of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, and Columbus Crew Stadium has always been a great venue for the national team," said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “We carefully considered our options, and ultimately we felt that playing in Columbus is the right fit for this match.”

The match on Feb. 11 will mark the 55th meeting between the USA and Mexico. The U.S. has dominated the series of late, collecting an 8-0-2 home record against Mexico since 2000. During that span, the USA has netted 17 goals, while the Mexicans have scored only three on American soil in this decade.

Under head coach Bob Bradley, the U.S. has a 2-0-1 record against their border rivals, including a 2-1 victory in the 2007 Gold Cup final in Chicago that delivered the U.S. its second-consecutive regional championship and a place in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, where they will play current World Champion Italy, Brazil and Egypt.

The U.S., along with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, is competing in the 10-game round-robin format through Oct. 14, 2009, with the top three teams automatically advancing to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The fourth-place team will compete in a two-game playoff to be held Nov. 14/18 against the fifth-place finisher in South American qualifying.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will kick off a busy 2009 schedule when they face Sweden on Saturday, Jan. 24, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Kickoff for the USA’s only tune-up match prior to the start of final round qualifying is set for at 5:30 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Galavision. Fans can also follow the game live via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.
ussoccer.com is the official website of U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in the United States

USA'S GOOCH IS A WANTED MAN!

PSG Back Into Gooch Fray?
The French side have reportedly renewed their interest in signing Standard Liege defender Oguchi Onyewu, joining fellow Ligue 1 team Olympic Marsielle in the race for his signature.

Highly-sought after American defender Oguchi Onyewu has another suitor lining up for his signature come January, as Paris Saint-Germain have renewed their interest in bringing him back to France.

Previously, Olympique Marsielle have made it known they want the 26-year-old who currently plays his club football in Belgium with Standard Liege and the speculation was rife that they had the upper hand. But with the reports the PSG are taking a seriously look, his future has again become cloudy.

"These are two great clubs,” said Onyewu in an interview with the French newspaper 10Sport. “You can go to any country, and even people who do not know football can cite the names of OM and PSG. This is the mark of the big clubs, those with history, with passion all around."

(Discuss Oguchi Onyewu's possible move to Ligue 1 in the "Americans Abroad" forum in the new Goal.com Community).

Onyewu has made 155 appearances for Standard Liege since joining them in 2004 from Metz. Despite being with Metz from 2002-04 he only made three first-team appearances with the club before being loaned out to Liege in a deal which eventually became permanent.

"His first quality, his mindset of the competitor,” said Standard Liege head coach Laszlo Boloni. “When the game starts, he is not 100%, but 150%! Oguchi also has a real understanding of the game, which works wonders during the match. His adaptability at the tactical level is priceless. Of course, with his height (6'4"), he is excellent in the air. "

Given the type of player he is, and his obvious skill, the price has been set at around €3 million or about $4.1 million, with OM still being the favorite to sign him when the transfer window opens in just over two weeks.

-- Shane Evans, Goal.com

Dylan Greenberg is already turning heads at 13


For a just-turned-13-year old, Dylan Greenberg is pretty pragmatic.

Asked his goals as a soccer player, he gave an answer you don't hear so often from grownups, let alone new teenagers.

"To win and to not make mistakes," is what came to mind for Greenberg, a talented left-sided defender from Dix Hills SC on Long Island.

Pressed a bit more he specified playing professionally and with the national team, a bit more conventional of an answer, but his first instinct in responding tells you something about the young player's mindset.

Starting with his Dix Hills club team which has won four consecutive Eastern New York State Cup titles, Greenberg knows something about winning. Continuing on to his selection for the U14 Boys National Team at last month's U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Interregional in Florida, it is evident that the diminutive standout keeps mistakes at a minimum. In fact his club coach Bart Nason points to Greenberg's perfectionism as the closest thing he has to a flaw.

Dylan Greenberg (blue) competes for the U14 BNT.

"If he makes mistakes sometimes he gets upset with himself and that can affect him," Nason said. "He's one of the hardest game and practice players you'll find anywhere. He always gives 200 percent. He's one of the most skilled players I've ever seen."

His father Scott also comments on Dylan's internal drive.

"He really has a special work ethic, like I've never seen," Scott said. "He wants to play at the highest level. He's such a perfectionist and sometimes he gets down on himself when he's not perfect. That's the only thing I have to work on, for him to just realize that it's OK if he can't juggle 8,000 times or that he can't kick the ball perfectly all the time."

For his part, Dylan agrees he can't "lose my head," but the reality is this player must be pretty composed, as his play at the Interregional was excellent. Despite giving away a lot of size he continually got stuck in on tackles. His work on the ball including his delivery of services was also excellent, and he can also run with the ball.

Scott Greenberg said Dylan will be out in the backyard or in the basement working on his skills nearly every day. Dylan also likes to watch a lot of high-level soccer on television and even had the chance recently to attend a Manchester United game in person.

"It was sick," was his succinct, albeit slangy reference to United's Old Trafford Stadium. "I want to be a Man United player someday. I love watching them and how they move the ball. I see how Patrice Evra, the left back gets up the field and I want to be aggressive and play just like him."

Dylan said the U14 BNT experience was a good one for him and that he learned a lot about speed of play, skills and conditioning. His dad said schoolwork is still emphasized with the future always uncertain, but look for this player to continue trying to do the things to give him an opportunity to make it at the next level.
Written by ESNN (Elite Soccer News Network)

---

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Soccer on TV this week

Monday, December 1
5:00pm TBA, ESPNU, 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

Tuesday, December 2
2:45pm Burnley vs Arsenal, Setanta Sports Canada, England Carling Cup

Wednesday, December 3
2:30pm Manchester City vs PSG, FSC, UEFA Cup
2:45pm Watford vs Tottenham, Setanta Sports, England Carling Cup
2:45pm Milan vs Lazio, ESPN 360, GolTv, Italy Coppa Italia

Thursday, December 4
2:00pm TBA, ESPNU, 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
2:45pm Aston Villa vs Zilina, ESPN 360.com, UEFA Cup

Friday, December 5
2:30pm Bayern Munich vs TSG Hoffenheim, GolTv, Germany Bundesliga
2:30pm USA U17 vs Brazil U17, FSC, Friendly, Repeat
4:30pm Notre Dame vs Stanford, ESPN2, ESPNU, NCAA Women's College Cup Semi-Finals
5:00pm USA U17 vs Australia U17, FSC, Friendly
7:00pm UCLA vs UNC, ESPNU, NCAA Women's College Cup SemiFinals
11:00pm USA U17 vs Australia U17, FSC, Friendly, Delayed

Saturday, December 6
1:30am Oceania All-Stars vs Los Angeles Galaxy, FSC, Friendly
7:30am Fulham vs Manchester City, Setanta Sports, England Premier League
9:30am Blackburn vs Liverpool, Setanta Sports, England Premier League
10:00am Arsenal vs. Wigan, FSC, England Premier League
10:00am Rangers vs Hamilton, Setanta Premium, Scotland Premier League
12:30pm Manchester Utd vs Sunderland, FSC, Setanta Sports, England Premier
2:30pm Lazio vs Inter Milan, FSC, Italy Serie A
2:45pm PSV Eindhoven vs FC Groningen, ESPN 360, Netherlands
3:00pm PSG vs Le Mans, Setanta Sports, France
4:30pm Chievo vs Roma, FSC, Delayed, Italy Serie A
5:00pm Bolton vs Chelsea, Setanta Sports, Delayed, England Premier League
6:45pm Newcastle vs Stoke, Setanta Sports, Delayed, England Premier League
8:00pm Hull City vs Middlesbrough, FSC, Delayed, England Premier League
8:30pm Blackburn vs Liverpool, Setanta Sports USA, Delayed, England
10:15pm Fulham vs Manchester City, Setanta Sports USA, Delayed, England

Sunday, December 7
10:00am West Brom vs Portsmouth, Setanta Sports, England Premier League
11:00am Everton vs Aston Villa, FSC, England Premier League
2:00pm Finals, ESPNU, NCAA Women's College Cup
3:00pm Nantes vs Lyon, Setanta Sports, France
5:00pm USA U17 vs Brazil U17, FSC, Friendly