Thursday's big news was the takeover of Chivas USA by the league office. Jorge Vergara apparently took $25 million to walk away from his Mexi-separatist experiment, leaving it to Garber and Co. to figure out the way going forward.
In the conference call announcing the deal, Garber declared the ongoing discrimination lawsuits against the club ‘resolved', and in an open letter to CUSA fans, said the plan is for the club to play 2014 as-is prepatory to a 2015 rebrand under new ownership.
Yallop wants Ward to return
In a Fire preseason filled to bursting with promise, one of the most promising players has been Tottenham product Grant Ward - but the question is, will the club be able to secure the services of the 19-year-old flank player? Yesterday, Fire coach Frank Yallop made it perfectly clear: We want him. Now we wait and hope.
Galaxy sign pair of Homegrowns
Los Angeles is one of the true hotbeds of youth soccer development in the USA, and the Galaxy continue to mine that rich vein. Thursday the club announced the signing of two more Homegrown players: 17-year-old forward Bradford Jamieson and 19-year-old trequartista Raul Mendiola.
Trying again in St. Louis
St. Louis' rich soccer history has not included notable success for professional teams in recent history, but two local football entrepreneurs want to change that. The owners of the local PDL club and the local indoor club are joining forces to bring a USL-Pro club to the city, with the long-term goal of ‘going Orlando' and joining MLS.
ICC dates, matchups set
The routine for selling tickets to the International Champions Cup is pretty simple: List the teams - Liverpool, Manchester United, Roma, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan. The semi-annual cash-grab festival of football includes Liverpool vs. Olympiakos at Soldier Field on July 27, one day after the Chicago Fire play Tottenham at Toyota Park.
Beckham Miami hype tour continues
So Becks says he wants to bring in Xavi as Miami's first DP. And he's still looking for more investors. Whee!
Simms' career remembered
Lovely piece on The Bent Musket about retiring midfielder Clyde Simms. Well done, Nick Hemming.