The end of June only means one thing, the summer transfer window is near it’s due date for reopening for all clubs. After today MLS contracts go guaranteed for the year, so don’t be shocked to see a few more names be dropped along with DC’s Franco Niell and KC’s Eloy Colombano.

MLS clubs are turning to the tranfer window to improve rosters in hopes to make that final push towards the MLS Cup playoffs. Some clubs will make trades, others will add new players while dropping some dead weight.

Needless to say this is a busy time in Major League Soccer.

So, were does that take us for today? Well, let’s start with a couple quick rumors that are floating out there in the internet world.

First off, it looks like LA is indeed looking to move Carlos Ruiz (and his high salary) elsewhere this season. With the play of Edson Buddle, along with Landon Donovan the Galaxy are seeing that they could move The Fish to clear out some space to bring in some much needed defensive help.

Steve Goff briefly mentioned over the weekend that they could be looking to send him across the halls at the Home Depot Center to Chivas USA. The Red-and-White would need to clear some space first but look to be interested in bring him on to improve their offense, which has struggled this season due to injuries.

I wouldn’t be shocked to see another couple clubs get interested in Ruiz here if he is really on the trading block. It will come down to who is the most creative in dealing with Alexi Lalas.

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Happy Monday to all. I’m coming from my outpost in Silverton, Colorado for the week. So some posts may be few and far between for the week due to some computer trouble (my laptop decided to burn out this past weekend so I’m having to use the Lady Hooligan’s in the mean time). So, I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. There was plenty of quality soccer to go around for all. I had to catch up with all the highlights and clips from games across the weekend, including that wonderful Euro final.

But aside from catching up I was able to jot down some good notes from this weekend. I saw a couple eastern sides continue to barrell their way through their competition. Other western sides continue to struggle against eastern clubs and just quality competition in general.

The usual look at the butts-in-seats was no too shabby this past weekend. DC of course lead the way due to a Beckham-game. New England had some surprisingly decent numbers this past weekend. Aside from that it was still pretty so-so. KC sold out their baseball stadium like normal; Chicago posted a good but kind of low number against San Jose; Columbus was low but I think that is starting to be the norm with them anymore; and Chivas posted a better number for once.

So let’s get into the meat of the weekend. Continue Reading…

Just as I mentioned yesterday, I am on the road to Silverton, CO for the next week. I decided to put up a post for you all to make your own comments about this weekend’s action. Believe me there is plenty of soccer to go around for all to discuss. You can talk about your club’s game, a game your just watching online or on the telly, or you can talk about the big clash over in Europe between Spain and Germany.

Here’s what’s on tap for the weekend:
Saturday:
Colorado at Columbus (FSC)
Toronto at New England (DK, MLSnet.tv)
Real Salt Lake at Kansas City Wizards (DK, MLSnet.tv)
San Jose Earthquakes at Chicago Fire (DK, MLSnet.tv)
New York Red Bulls at Chivas USA (HDnet)
Sunday:
LA Galaxy at DC United (ABC)
EURO 2008 FINAL: Germany v. Spain (ABC)

Discuss, be merry and I will see you folks on Monday!

Yup, as mentioned earlier in the week I will be headed out of the Big D for a week of a nice vacation to the mountains of Colorado. I will be staying in a nice town (from what I hear) called Silverton (left). While I will have internet access at my spot in the mountains, my posts may be a little fewer for the next week.

I do think I will steal a page out of SBI and leave a post up for the weekend for your commentary (thanks to a couple readers for suggesting that, it could become a new thing if it works out even in the slightest).

I could have gotten together a guest blogger or two for the week but since it is only a week and I will be able to write some I decided against that. Maybe next time around, say when me and the lady Hooligan are on our honeymoon.

Anyways, hope everyone enjoys the weekend. Lots of soccer action, especially on Sunday with the double header on ABC with LA and DC and the Euro final with Germany and Spain.

I figured today would be a good day as ever to mention that I’ve posted a new page on this site. Its a quick guide to all things MLS Expansion. I’m going to try to continue to update it as news and rumors come in about the possible cities here. Feel free to give any suggestions on how to improve the page.

I’m going to be trying to add more sections to the site in the coming weeks. Next on the menu may be a quick guide to MLS Supporter’s Groups.

Also, if you have any other suggestions about new features you would like to see feel free to drop those in a comment or an email.

You know most of the time I don’t worry about a player seeing his time run out with a club unless I have a strong connection with him, know him, or have followed his career. Claudio Reyna actually doesn’t fit into any of those categories.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a fan of Captain America during his time with the National team and what not but anymore with the Red Bulls I find myself not being a fan.

I don’t know if it is the waste of money (and cap space to some) that the Red Bulls have done with Reyna. The fact that he may be on the same level in terms of being a DP-bust like Denilson. Or maybe it is because of little stunts like this past week where he doesn’t follow his club to a friendly and instead plays in a charity pick up game.

Now, I loved the charity game as much as the next guy but after reading some comments from some Red Bull fans it appears he has pulled the final straw with most of them. Lack of communication with the press and maybe his own club, not trying to work back from an injury in a proper manner seem to grow large with Red Bull fans.

I know if I were a Red Bull fan I would be tired of Reyna eating up a chunk of salary that could be used a little wiser.

I don’t see the guy going anywhere this summer in terms of getting cut or traded. But I am starting to wonder if this really is his final season of soccer. If that is the case it may be a sad one because its almost like he went into retirement well before he got to MLS. I saw him a couple months ago here in Dallas and saw little glimpses of the player I use to enjoy watching. But for the most part I saw an aged, tired and somewhat injured picture of what I had already become accustomed to since he joined the league last season.

So my question of the day to you all, or questions really. Are Reyna’s days in New York numbered? Is he really going down as one of the worst DPs that the league has seen so far? And what could happen to help him save face with his club, fans, and the league right now?

Let’s hear it.

Hard to believe we are nearly half way home in this season here. Hell a couple clubs after this weekend will have already played half of their 2008 slate. Then you have New England who are in that yearly boat of playing two or three more games earlier than everyone else. Weird how the schedule works out sometimes like that.

I know its mostly due to their light schedule next month during SuperLiga.

Anyways, week 14 folks, week 14. I look at the five games this weekend and just see one thing across the board for most of these clubs. This is a statement kind of weekend. Nearly every match-up has a “statement” kind of feel to it for me. Either one club is in need of making a push or one club is looking to continue their current form.

As we near that actual half way point this season, these kind of weekends will only help know just a little bit more as we go along here. Half way home will easily give us the clearest of pictures this year of who is a contender and who is not.

Now to the games…the usual kind of set up but thankfully, oh thankfully we are saved from Telefutra on Sunday as ABC is doing a wonderful double-header with the Euro 2008 Final. They got a good one too to lead off that coverage.

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