Latest MLS News 09-05-2012

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Kick Off: Precedent set with rescinded red-card suspension






Tuesdays are typically reserved for word from the MLS Disciplinary Committee about the latest retroactive suspension over a rough tackle or errant elbow, but this week marked something a bit historic. For the first time, a club pulled one back. It was announced on Tuesday evening that the New England Revolution had successfully appealed the suspension for Fernando Cárdenas following the red card to him given during the team’s 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake last Saturday.

It turns out that the Revs coaching staff was aggressive in attempting to overturn the decision, clearly evidenced by head coach Jay Heaps’ comments: “We felt, out of principle, that we really should fight this one.”

Here’s Revolution beat writer Kyle McCarthy's thorough explanation of the appeal process, which was put in place by MLS during the offseason.

There was no such good news, however, in Seattle Sounders camp. The club learned on Tuesday that defender Leo González has been suspended one game for stomping on the foot of the Philadelphia Union’s Sheanon Williams during Seattle’s 1-0 win on Saturday. González will miss the team’s matchup against FC Dallas on Wednesday (8:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online).

The Dallas-Seattle matchup will also lack a few familiar faces on the Dallas side. With midfielder Daniel Hernandez and striker Blas Pérez already suspended for red cards received in a 2-0 loss to Colorado on Sunday, it appears defender and captain Ugo Ihemelu will miss Wednesday’s game due to injury.

How about someone welcomed back into the fray? New York Red Bulls midfielder Rafa Márquez returns from his three-game suspension on Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo (7 pm, watch LIVE online), but head coach Hans Backe was coy on Tuesday on whether or not his star player would actually see the field.

It appears that in light of Márquez’s latest suspension (doled out by the Disciplinary Committee last month for injuring the Quakes’ Shea Salinas), the Red Bulls brass spoke with the Mexican international about his importance to the team, and made it clear he “has to be able to stay on the pitch.”

Wednesday marks the end of the road, meanwhile, for the Dynamo, who will finally go home after a seven-game stretch of away matches. They will christen the brand new BBVA Compass Stadium this Saturday against D.C. United (4:30 pm ET, NBC Sports Network). Much of the attention this week has focused on some of the men who made the project happen, including current club president Chris Canetti and former club president Oliver Luck.

Here’s a second look at the role of Luck, and the news that his son Andrew, the first pick in the recent NFL Draft, will also be in attendance on Saturday.

The Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake are also busy with midweek action on Wednesday (8:30 pm ET, ), but not Nick Rimando. The RSL goalkeeper will miss the match while he nurses a sore shoulder suffered during the team’s win over the weekend, marking just the second time he’ll miss a regular season match since 2010. Kyle Reynish will take his place.

The news is a bit better for Chicago, who will see the return of suspended defender Jalil Anibaba and head coach Frank Klopas. But Chris Rolfe? The midfielder/striker/savior is still out with an ankle injury.

And one other noteworthy item in this match: RSL assistant coach C.J. Brown will be inducted into the Ring of Fire Hall of Fame on Wednesday, becoming the seventh member of the Fire's distinguished alumni club.

The semifinals of the Amway Canadian Championship conclude on Wednesday, and all eyes fall on the reigning champs, Toronto FC. The Reds are in dire straits these days and, if Tuesday’s practice session is any indication, hardly talking to the media about it.

Midfielder Eric Avila, who over the weekend told reporters that the team was looking for a place to "hide and cry" after an eighth straight loss to start the regular season, put the matchup against Montreal at BMO Field (8 pm, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet East, TVA Sport in Canada) in perspective: “We’re fighting for the shirt.”

Things are a bit rosier on the Montreal side, and the communication lines are open. That’s because head coach Jesse Marsch – a Wisconsin native who played in MLS before the Impact were even a glimmer in the league’s eye – is hard at work learning Quebecois French.

And that’s a very serious matter in Montreal, where fans were outraged last year when Randy Cunneyworth became the club’s first head coach who couldn’t speak French in four decades. Said Marsch: “I understand what that team means to this community and how its community takes pride in the uniqueness of it.”

The Vancouver Whitecaps hold a 2-0 aggregate-goal lead over FC Edmonton on the other side of the Canadian Championship bracket heading into Wednesday’s second leg (11 pm ET, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West in Canada). The focus there falls on ‘Caps midfielder Davide Chiumiento, who is working his way back into the mix after a strong outing last weekend.

In other news for the Whitecaps, goalkeeper Brad Knighton is expected to start against Edmonton, and rookie Darren Mattocks could see his first action after a recent cooking accident put his rookie season on hold for much of the spring.

One other match on the docket for Wednesday has some international flavor, as German side FC Schalke 04 are Stateside to face the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park. US international and Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones met the media on Tuesday, and admitted he’s looking into potentially moving to the Los Angeles area sometime in the future.

Let’s take a quick look at the latest injury news around the league, starting with some trouble for the Columbus Crew. It appears defender Chad Marshall still has some issues surrounding a recent concussion, and will likely miss the team’s matchup against FC Dallas this weekend.

There’s bad news in Colorado, too, where the club will evidently miss both striker Omar Cummings and defender Marvell Wynne for three weeks with injuries.

In the nation’s capital, there’s word that defenders Emiliano Dudar and Dejan Jakovic remain questionable for D.C. United’s road match in Houston on Saturday.

And there’s also some more injurious news for the San Jose Earthquakes, who will be without recent hero Marvin Chávez for 2-4 weeks. But the good news? The Quakes’ newest radio voice is going strong. Check out this profile of Gus Johnson, who’s enjoying his new gig worker soccer matches in the Bay Area.

How about a quick look at Americans abroad, starting with former MLSer Sacha Kljestan. Brian Straus of the Sporting News caught up with the USMNT midfielder to talk about his recent Belgian title with Anderlecht, and found out he still carries a chip on his shoulder about being an American on the best team in Belgium.

And here’s an article from the Missouri Sports Magazine on local boy Tim Ream, who says not long after his recent move to Bolton he found himself “questioning whether it was the right decision.”

And last but not least, there’s some drama surrounding David Beckham. Stunning, we know. The recent buzz surrounds Beckham’s potential spot on the Great Britain Olympic team, and just exactly where manager Stuart Pearce was supposed to sit during the Galaxy’s loss over the weekend to the New York Red Bulls.

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VANCOUVER, B.C. – John Thorrington has been around the block a few times, but one thing he’s never done is play in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Leading FC Edmonton 2-0 on aggregate going into the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinals on Wednesday (11 pm ET; Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Pacific in Canada), Thorrington and the Vancouver Whitecaps smell that possibility. The winner of the tournament gets to represent Canada in the region’s top competition, and the ‘Caps have reason to believe they’re well on their way.
“It’s huge,” Thorrington told MLSsoccer.com on Monday after a training session at BC Place. “To be able to qualify for the Champions League – to say you’re the best team in Canada. We lost the right to say that last year because we were bettered by Toronto in the cup and the league. That’s left a bit of hunger for us to go and do that, so I approach every game as seriously as it deserves to be treated.”
The 32-year-old has represented the United States four times, but the chance to experience international club competition is clearly something Thorrington wants to add to his résumé.
“This would be a first for me,” Thorrington said of the possibility of continental competition. “It’s something that would be fantastic. This club has goals of becoming a big club here in North America and the world. That’s the way to do it – to go and compare ourselves against the best teams from Central America and Mexico.
“There’s some fantastic players and a great opportunity for us as players to go up against internationals, national team players and big clubs from our region. Wednesday will be another step, hopefully, in getting there.”
Despite Vancouver’s 2-0 aggregate lead, the midfielder was preaching professionalism ahead of the match against second-tier Edmonton.
“We showed a good attitude and workrate [in the first leg in Edmonton] to come back here with two goals, but it will take just as professional and as good as a performance to get us through to the final,” Thorrington said. “We’ve put together a good run of wins here.
“I think it would be huge for our fans and the city to say we’re the best team in Canada – I know Vancouver is a very proud city, and to lay claim to being the best team in Canada is very important for us and our fans.”

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OBETZ, Ohio – Chris Birchall had been in Columbus less than 48 hours after an transatlantic flight, but he already felt at home when he awoke Tuesday for his first training session with his new club.
The Stafford, England, native was greeted by familiar rain and gray skies that only began to show a peek of sun by midday.
“When I landed on Sunday, and especially Monday, it was humid and hot and I was thinking, 'I’ve got to get used to this again,' because there was a training session here last year when we played Columbus with the Galaxy and it was boiling,” the former LA midfielder told MLSsoccer.com. “Today, I woke up and it was nice for me, but it seems to fluctuate from sunny one minute and rainy the next.”
Birchall shook off the jet lag and went through a full workout, a day after the club announced the signing of the 28-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international.
As much as Crew head coach Robert Warzycha would like to insert him immediately into the injury-ravaged lineup on Saturday against FC Dallas, Birchall has not played a competitive match since helping the Galaxy win the MLS Cup in November.

“We’ll see how he is tomorrow and Thursday,” Warzycha said. “He’s tired from the time change and he’s not game fit. We’re going to have to make a decision later on.”
Birchall said he can play Saturday if asked but that being at full strength will take time.
“I don’t think I would be doing myself justice and the team,” Birchall said. “Fitness is a major part of my game and if it’s not there I get frustrated. I don’t think [Warzycha] will be rushing me. I probably need two or three weeks of training every day.”
However, his routine will be temporarily interrupted when he returns to England to marry his longtime girlfriend, Lucy Mulroy, on June 9. They couple also have a 3-year-old son, Ashley.
Fortunately for Birchall, after Columbus play Chicago on May 26, they are idle until June 16. So his wedding plans slot in perfectly.
By the time he returns, the former Port Vale star is expected to compete for the Crew's defensive midfield spot, although he can also play out on the right flank.
“He helps the team on both sides of the game,” Warzycha said. “When you have to score a goal or defend a good result, he’s probably the guy you want on the field.”
Defender Julius James said Birchall will also be good for the locker room. He would know, as they're roommates with the T&T national team.
“It’s great that we know each other and are friends," said James, "but it’s even better for the team that he’s a good leader, a hard worker."
James promises to show Birchall around the city and help his family relocate when they arrive sometime in July.
So far, Birchall likes what he’s seen of the "Discovery City" and feels right at home.
“There are great neighborhoods; lots of greenery," he said. "It’s not dissimilar to England.”

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CHESTER, Pa. – It might seem too daunting of a task for teenagers to take the field opposite some of the world’s most famous soccer players.
But that’s exactly the position Philadelphia Union manager has put his youngsters in for international friendlies over the past two seasons. And that’s exactly what he’ll do again for Wednesday’s exhibition matchup against Bundesliga foe FC Schalke 04 at PPL Park (7:30 pm ET).
“We’ve never been shy over the past two-and-a-half years to give them a chance,” Nowak said. “I think this is a good chance for them to gain experience and a good chance to see firsthand what those teams are all about.”
In Schalke, the Union players will see a team that recently finished in third place in the Bundesliga to secure automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League. The German club is expected to play Spanish legend Raúl – in what will be his farewell game at Schalke – and US national team member Jermaine Jones, among other standouts, during Wednesday’s contest.
“This is a team that’s followed generation to generation,” said Nowak, whose own farther was a Schalke fan. “They have a very good tradition and are a very successful franchise. … It’s great to play against them. It’s a chance for all of us to see where we are and what we need.”
One of the things the Union need most, however, is rest for some starters, especially with an Eastern Conference battle against the rival Red Bulls looming on Sunday.
Nowak said that it’s “no secret” that they’ll give a few players off, specifically mentioning captain Danny Califf, defender Chris Albright, midfielders Freddy Adu and Gabriel Gómez and starting goalkeeper Zac MacMath.
Backup ’keeper Chase Harrison, who has yet to make an MLS appearance in his career, will man the net in MacMath’s place.
The Union will also likely give significant of playing time to Homegrown signings Zach Pfeffer (above, right), Jimmy McLaughin (above, left) and Cristhian Hernandez – which could very well help them win their fourth straight international friendly at PPL Park. In last year’s exhibition against Everton FC, the three teenagers led the attack in the second half with Hernandez – then an academy player – scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0 Union victory.
“It’s a great time to give most of the first team and some youngsters a good run against a team that is very successful in the Bundesliga,” Nowak said. “It’s good for these guys to be in the starting lineup.”

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AMSTERDAM — Former San Jose Earthquakes defender Bobby Burling is on an extended trial with recently relegated Belgian side Sint-Truiden, but can't say yet how it may turn out.
The 27-year-old, who recently auditioned with 3.Bundesliga outfit Kickers Offenbach, is now into his second week of training with the Canaries. With no set date for a decision from Sint-Truiden, he may still work out with other clubs in Europe.
"I trained and played a match last week, so they wanted me to come back for another week," Burling told MLSsoccer.com by phone on Wednesday. "It is a bit different timeframe because their season is over and they're looking forward to their holiday before next season.
"Looks like I may head to Denmark, as well, after my stay here. It has been great to experience different environments and travel around."
While in Belgium, Burling had the chance to reunite with old Chivas USA teammates Sacha Kljestan and Matt Taylor. The three celebrated Anderlecht's Jupiler League title — Kljestan's first championship as a pro.
"Sacha and his fiancée have been kind enough to let me stay at his place in Brussels during this time," said Burling. "I really had a great time watching two of his matches, and of course winning the title — different feeling over here and was cool to be in town to watch Sacha clinch the title.
"[It's] pretty cool to stay connected with friends you meet through different teams and was great to catch up with Sacha, as well as Matt Taylor, and see what life is like over here."
Originally a supplemental draft pick of the LA Galaxy in 2007, Burling quickly moved on to take part in 71 MLS contests for the Goats and Quakes. His MLS rights are currently held by the Montreal Impact, who selected the Texas native in the 2011 Expansion Draft.

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SANDY, Utah — Real Salt Lake will be missing a key component on Wednesday as they take on the Chicago Fire (8:30 pm ET, ).
They’ll be without the services of goalkeeper Nick Rimando. The 13-year veteran suffered a minor shoulder injury during last Saturday’s 2-1 win against the New England Revolution.
Rimando suffered the injury making a save, keeping the ball out of the back of the net but leaving himself vulnerable to injury. The injury, classified as a right shoulder impingement, is a minor one, but RSL aren't taking any chances with their diminutive goalkeeper.

“It was a really courageous play on Nick’s part, but when you leave your arm extended out there in a weak position you’re vulnerable to take knocks like he did,” goalkeeper coach Jeff Cassar said of the play.
Missing the veteran 'keeper could be a big loss, as Rimando has already won three Save of the Week awards this season and has two saves nominated for the award again this week. Still, the knock isn't considered serious, and RSL expect their rock in net could be back as soon as this weekend.
“Fortunately, the recovery is expected to be a quick one,” explained Cassar. “The doctors feel that this is something that with a few days is going to be fine, and he’s going to come back 100 percent, really quickly.”
However, Cassar is bullish on Reynish, Rimando’s backup. The reserve 'keeper, now in his sixth season, has not lost in his previous four starts.
“It’s funny how things work out,” said Cassar, who indicated that he feels Reynish is a goalkeeper capable of demanding a starting spot. “We’ve been trying to get Kyle a game in these stretches of three games in a week. We feel like we’re blessed to have that kind of player that can step in and start.”
Along with Rimando’s absence, the team will also look to fill in for missing midfielder Will Johnson, who will be serving a red card suspension. Luis Gil, Sebastian Velasquez and Jonny Steele are all possibilities to fill in on the left side against Chicago.

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WASHINGTON – When Ben Olsen was named interim head coach of D.C. United in August 2010, he took over the most anemic offense in the league. The club that once dominated MLS with prolific playmakers and aggressive goalscorers was barely recognizable, thanks to a franchise-low 21 goals and just nine assists during a tumultuous and ultimately terrible season.
One look at the stats now, and it’s no wonder D.C. are back in the mix among the best teams in the league. They’ve scored 20 goals through 11 games this season, returning them to their familiar ways as one of the best offensive outfits in MLS.
But the goals aren’t all necessarily coming from the expected places. United's defenders are doing their fair share of the heavy lifting these days, notching a combined five assists and one goal in the past three games for Olsen’s revitalized crew.

“We are certainly better than last year, and most certainly better than two years ago,” Olsen told MLSsoccer.com. “[But] we got a long way to go. The East seems like it is good this year. A lot of teams in the [Eastern Conference] are finding their rhythm. We have a couple of games in hand, but I think the position we are in is favorable right now.”
That’s largely because of D.C.’s attempts at getting their outside backs forward and into the attack. With Perry Kitchen protecting the back four, it's easier for the likes of Daniel Woolard, Robbie Russell and Chris Korb to push up, a sign of the emphasis that has been placed on attacking just as much as defending.
Woolard has a goal and an assist in the last three games, and center back Brandon McDonald (above) has amassed three assists in that time. Even Andy Najar picked up an assist in the team’s wild 5-3 loss to San Jose last week while moonlighting as a defender.
“It creates issues for other teams,” Olsen said. “That plus one, in particular, out wide, has helped. [Woolard] is really growing into a guy that can get forward. And [Russell] has always been able to do it.”
While some of the goals have come from open play – think Woolard’s goal from Najar’s cross or Chris Pontius’ goal against Toronto from McDonald’s pass – others are coming indirectly from set pieces. Scoring goals directly from corners hasn’t improved yet under Olsen, but this season has seen United score several times right after an initial set piece.
“We have had a couple of set-piece orientated goals, which is nice,” Olsen said. “Not directly off the corner, but it is second and third bites of it, and that is promising. We are hungry, and set pieces are one of things that we want to improve on in the offensive end.”
D.C. United return to action on the road against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday (4:30 pm ET, NBC Sports Network).

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BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The Chicago Fire are feeling good about themselves after a stirring comeback victory against Chivas USA last Friday.
For the first time since 2009, they have more wins than ties or losses. They sit in the top half of the Eastern Conference despite having played fewer games than eight of their conference foes.
But Logan Pause knows the Fire are in no place to be overconfident heading into Wednesday’s bout with Real Salt Lake (8:30 pm ET, ).
“I think there’s definitely an element of confidence,” Pause told MLSsoccer.com. “But it’s so early in the season, we need to understand that [the stoppage-time victory over Chivas] is one win. We’re looking forward to really testing ourselves. Salt Lake is one of the best teams in the league.”
In their last four games, in which they’ve gone 2-1-1, the Fire have trailed at some point.
But playing from behind against winless Toronto, who Chicago beat 3-2 after trailing 2-1, and Chivas USA, who are winless at home, may be different than falling behind to RSL.
“It would be nice to have the lead for a while,” defender Gonzalo Segares said. “We had it in Toronto for a little while, and then [they scored] two quick goals and we gave it away.”
One player in particular that helped spur the Fire against Chivas was Austin Berry, who was filling in for the suspended Jalil Anibaba. Mirroring the Fire's propensity to come from behind, Berry conceded the penalty that handed Chivas USA the lead, but bounced back with a goal of his own and a strong defensive performance to boot.
While Klopas has been reluctant to make lineup changes, Berry may be able to work his way into a starting job.
“Austin did a very good job [against Chivas],” Klopas said. “Sometimes a guy misses out, a guy comes in and does well, you win, it’s difficult sometimes to change the team. You feel confident putting him in.”
The Fire are just beginning a busy month of May in which they’ll play six games, and it won't get any easier after Salt Lake, with Chicago hosting Eastern Conference leaders Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
However, wins against RSL and Sporting would no doubt help them build on the momentum they started to collect last Friday against Chivas USA.
“I think if we click with the same idea that we had against Chivas, that we should be able to create a lot of problems,” Segares said.
“For me, [Real Salt Lake is] probably, if not the best, one of the best teams in the league. They’re a team that has the ball, they win the ball, and they have a lot of patience moving it around. At the same time, it doesn’t mean that they’re invincible. “

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Former Chicago Fire general manager Peter Wilt and then-coach Bob Bradley already had their eye on San Francisco Bay Seals center back C.J. Brown when they arrived at the 1998 pre-draft combine.
Bradley, a former D.C. United assistant, had seen the tough center back when the Bay Seals made an improbable run to the US Open Cup semifinals the year before, where they lost to D.C. United. After Wilt and Bradley talked to Brown, they were sure they wanted to make him the first pick in the Supplemental Draft for the expansion team.
“I just remember being very impressed with how composed he was, and how polite and professional,” Wilt told MLSsoccer.com. “You could see right away he was a good fit for the type of team we wanted to put together.”
Brown will be inducted into the Chicago Fire’s Hall of Fame on Wednesday night, an honor for a definitive franchise player who retired in 2010 with a club-record 372 appearances for the Fire during 13 seasons. Brown, who is now an assistant coach with Real Salt Lake, becomes the seventh member of the Ring of Fire.
Not a bad ending for a guy who actually hoped he would end up with his hometown San Jose Clash during the early days of the league.

“When you leave to go to that combine, you’re hoping your hometown team wants to pick you,” Brown told MLSsoccer.com. “It was a blessing in disguise.”
Brown was known for his tough on-field personality on the field throughout his career. His 296 regular-season appearances are tied for 15th all-time in MLS.
“He had his goatee and he looked like he wanted to eat you for dinner,” former teammate and fellow Ring of Fire inductee Chris Armas told MLSsoccer.com. “He understood how to roll up the sleeves and compete in every training, and in games.”
But his off-field persona was completely different. His willingness to connect with fans made him one of the most adored players in Fire history.
“People are paying money to watch us knock the ball around,” Brown said. “To go up to somebody and sign an autograph or an autograph for a kid shouldn’t be a big deal. If there are 100 kids out there, I’m going to sign autographs for 100 kids.”
Brown was named Chicago Fire Humanitarian of the Year from 2001-03 for his roles with the Chicago Fire Foundation, Teammates for Kids, his soccer academy and other charitable ventures.
His willingness to sign autographs and to make appearances on behalf of charities was unparalleled among Fire players.
“It wasn’t a show with him, it was real stuff, and the fans feel that,” Armas said. “His wife calls him ‘the mayor’ because when she’s getting tired, getting ready to leave at 10:30 at night after a game, ‘the mayor’ is shaking hands and talking to people.”
The Fire lost a fateful coin-flip in 1998, which allowed the Miami Fusion to have the first pick in the MLS College Draft. The Fire got the the first pick in the Supplemental Draft, where they picked Brown, starting a relationship that was one of the best in franchise history.
That’s not a bad consolation prize.
“C.J. represents to me, what the Chicago Fire should be,” Wilt said. “That’s a hard-working, talented athlete who is also a good teacher and a great representative in the community.”

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TUKWILA, Wash. — Considering how many injuries the Seattle Sounders have dealt with this season, the schedule couldn’t have been much kinder. They’ve played the fewest matches in the Western Conference (eight) and no MLS team has played fewer on the road (two).

As they get ready to face FC Dallas on Wedneday night (8:30 pm ET), the Sounders are poised to catch another scheduling break. FC Dallas will be without three key men, in Daniel Hernandez (suspension), Blas Pérez (suspension) and Ugo Ihemelu (concussion symptoms).
“Daniel is the guy who’s the brains in that operation,” Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said when asked about the absences. “He keeps everybody else organized, keeps everyone else disciplined as they need to be. He’s an important part of it.
“Pérez has done well for them,” Schmid continued. “He’s somebody they’re going to miss because they don’t really have another guy who can play up there like him. It changes how they play a little bit.”
As if that wasn’t enough, FC Dallas may also have to limit Brek Shea’s minutes (turf toe). Shea did not play in FC Dallas’ last game against Colorado, but will likely feature in this one. Those absences are in addition to the longer-term issues that have kept out David Ferreira (foot surgery), Ricardo Villar (foot strain) and Carlos Rodríguez (dislocated elbow).
Of course, that won’t affect the Sounders, who have no intentions of stepping off the gas after their franchise-best 6-1-1 start to the season.
“When you’re doing well you want to keep doing well,” Schmid said. “You don’t want to lose that momentum.
“For our team ambitions in terms of maybe moving ourselves to the top of the overall table, that’s something that’s there within grasp now. And I think the guys see that. They see our point total, they see how many games we’ve played, and they see what the other teams have.
"There’s a lot at stake, and the three prizes that we haven’t won yet in the league is winning our conference, winning the Supporters' Shield, and obviously winning MLS Cup. If we can knock off a couple of those this year we’ll be happy.”