No tonight I wanted to quickly touch base on a couple interesting links. One surrounds the on-going USL issue, one is about the LA Galaxy’s post season tour in Europe and the last is about FC Dallas.

First up the USL. Apparently some folks are telling the angry USL owners to just suck it up and deal with what it happening. With the USL final this weekend players from both Montreal and Vancouver will more than likely be getting the same letter that a couple other club’s players got recently telling them they are no longer under contract with the USL. A nice parting gift especially to the club that actually wins the league (note Montreal is up 3-2 over Vancouver going into the final leg).

The Whitecaps and Impact are part of the Team Owners Association (TOA), a group of franchises, plus expansion Tampa, on-hiatus Atlanta and prospective St. Louis that are upset with the new USL ownership. Yes that is sugar-coating it but by now if have been keeping up you know the two sides just don’t get along.

Now apparently the new USL management is just telling the TOA to just suck it up and accept defeat.

You can bet after this weekend’s final there will be a load of stories that come out of the USL front office surrounding talks with the TOA. Okay, well it may be the other way around. Its the TOA who has been talking not the USL. Still whoever does talk next week will sure let us in on what is going on. I still believe that the USL and the TOA will come to terms before long. And yes I just don’t buy that MLS-2 stuff that people have been saying the TOA would turn into. They just don’t have the teams to do it unless a couple other USL clubs joined in with them, which probably won’t happen.

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LA Post-Season Tour News

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The last two years we’ve seen a crappy LA Galaxy team head off to Australia and other places like that for their post season tour. Now that the Galaxy are seemingly good again apparently so will be post-season tour. This time the club is cashing in on a trip to Germany to play Bundesliga-2 side Kaiserslautern on Thanksgiving day.

While I honestly don’t get the post season tour for MLS clubs, I do like the Galaxy going to Europe instead of New Zealand and Australia. Plus Kaiserslautern is really good this year so it should be a quality test for the Galaxy.

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The All-Hyndman Rejects Team

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FC Dallas manager Schellas Hyndman has made a lot of moves since becoming the front man for the Red Stripes. Buzz Carrick thought it would be nice to put a starting XI together of former Dallas players that left under Hyndman’s belt. While there is no keeper that has gone it still is an interesting collection of talent that has come and gone in the year and half that Hyndman has been in charge.

There’s even a couple guys that would be on the bench for this team as well. Some folks were quick to point out that Kenny Cooper and Juan Toja were no rejects. I’ll give them that but let’s face it they were both gonna be gone no matter who was in charge in Dallas. Plus that back-line would give up so many goals in this league it would be scary.

Now back to the task at hand for the evening dose of links and thoughts. I will first start with a letter that was posted over at 3rd Degree, the wonderful FC Dallas new source. This letter was penned by the man who has been dubbed the “first fan” of the FC Dallas/Dallas Burn.

This guy is a true fan, and even these last couple years has been driving over a 1000 miles to see the club. Yes a 1000! Dustin Christmann is that man that all MLS clubs need.

But that ends next year. This super-fan will no longer as he puts it enable “an incompetent organization in which performance is clearly optional.” Christmann went on to list a bunch of problems by the organization under the Hunts since their takeover of the club.

I can side a bit with Christmann in how the club treats the real soccer fans in Dallas. What’s really weird is I’ve heard the Hunts want to sell Columbus and not Dallas when it is all said and done. That just shows you how silly they really are.

If you read on in the comments you will notice some good suggestions by some folks of what the club should do. It’s nice to see people write letters like this but it really helps when people take it a step further and give the owners something to actually go on with to correct their issues.

Writing the club’s decision makers and letting them know what they can do is a good start if you ask me. Furthermore the club needs to get their brand out there more in the area. Its sad when I can find a DC United soccer ball at a local target and not a FC Dallas ball. Same goes at the airport when I cannot find even a keychain of the club’s logo.

What’s really sad is people working at this club don’t even realize the problems that surround the club in the area.

I don’t want to sound like I am ragging on my local side here but when you see it up close year after year you really start to see the little things that matter. Right now this club just doesn’t take care of the little things that clubs like Seattle, DC, Houston, etc. do. And by the way, Dallas isn’t the only one in this boat that sucks at the little things. I can think of at least three more that come in behind the Red Stripes.

Ode To Dichio

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I love the passion up in Toronto about their players. You can hear it in the fans and even in those that cover the club. Sometimes I feel I don’t have the same passion as those out there that are much more connected to their clubs like those in Toronto. This is an interesting read about the crap that Danny Dichio is having to put up with in Toronto. Definitely worth a read if you’ve ever even cared about Dichio as a player. He’s been one of my favorites since Toronto joined the league a couple years back.

Sounders Going Retro?

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This is one thing I’ve been wanting to see for a year or so now. The league has been around long enough and some clubs have roots that go further back than 1996. Seattle is hoping to do just that with a retro style jersey. Some fans in Seattle are petitioning an old-school style kit and even have a mock-up of what it will look like.

Who wouldn’t want to see this look take the field?

Season Near An End For RSL?

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Some of my favorite writers covering this league are in Salt Lake. Its good to see some of them like Michael Lewis see the light surrounding RSL right now and their tiny playoff hopes. There’s a lot going on with this club right now that isn’t getting a lot of talk. Most of that surrounds Yura Movsisyan’s move to Europe. Its breaking this team up and Jason Kreis is having a tough time fixing it. If it doesn’t get it fixed soon he could very well be out of a playoff contention for real and even out of a job.

Youngsters Getting Time In Europe

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Two names I think we will hear more from in the coming years, striker Joseph-Claude Gyau and midfielder Charles Renken. Both are signed with German side 1899 Hoffenheim.

Yes, two kids from our country who aren’t even 18 are going to Europe.

For the next year the duo will split time between Hoffenheim and the Vancouver Whitecaps’ residency school to prepare for Germany. Which is kind of cool to hear that Vancouver has some links to clubs in Europe for when they enter the league in 2011.

Renken is a name most of us have already heard of by now. He’s been courted by big name clubs for the past couple years. Unlike past teenage players from the US, I hope these two pan out into big time stars.

In 2009, there has been pieces written on certain web sites and podcasts hosts on shows have said the American player is hurting because coaches within MLS are not up to standard. The big evidence is not one has gone overseas and been successful.

This analogy is completely wrong and I will speak out in Defense of American Coaches.

It took a long time for an American player to play in a top league in Europe and eventually Paul Caligiuri became the first to earn a contract in the Bundesliga in the 1980’s with Hamburg firstly, then Meppen and later Hansa Rostock and finally Freiburg before leaving to help kick start MLS in 1996. It was a milestone for American soccer and so were that generation of players. Now to compare that with American managers it is a completely different kettle of fish in that there are much more player opportunities then head coaching ones. The one similarity is that it’s a major stepping stone once the first coach can do it.

The next big argument that’s been vented against this subject is with the National Team in that some folks think that the USSF should hire a foreign coach instead of an American one. Why? They won’t know the system unless they’ve been in this country a number of years. Steve Nicol would be a perfect example of a foreign coach to take the National Team job because he’s been in the country since 1999 and clearly by looking back at his draft pick choices down the years he understands the American player. However, looking at current American coaches that could take the job there is plenty out there and once Bob Bradley’s reign comes to an end for one reason or another when it does, the top two choices are simple: Dominic Kinnear and Sigi Schmid.

Kinnear has demonstrated why he is arguably the top American coach around at the moment. His club is challenging for honors on a consistent basis, he has a system that is tried and trusted and has created a winning culture at the Houston Dynamo. Part of me wonders if Kinnear was the brains behind the San Jose Earthquakes two titles in 2001 and 2003 when he was the assistant to Frank Yallop? The Dynamo never seems to lack depth and for a club that competes on multiple fronts as they have done the last three or four years you need good depth where players know their roles. Kinnear also knows what type of player he wants in his team. Unlike some clubs in MLS who think signing a Designated Player will push them over the top, Kinnear just needs to add a piece to the puzzle and has publicly stated they don’t want to just sign a DP for the hell of it, only if he can help the Dynamo win.

As for Sigi Schmid, I think it’s fair to say the Galaxy haven’t been the same since he left although Steve Sampson did win the MLS Cup in 2005, but with Schmid’s team. Schmid getting fired when his club was top of the Western Conference is another topic for a another day. Schmid has been a winner wherever he’s been whether it’s at the college level with the UCLA Bruins or at the professional level at the Galaxy, Columbus Crew and now Seattle Sounders. He has also coached the U-20’s in between his stints at the Galaxy and Crew.

Both coaches know the system here in this country from the very depth’s of youth football to the very top level.

Other top American managers? Bob Bradley I will defend all day and all night and am happy the critics have gone into hiding for now. Bruce Arena is another one I am happy to defend because he’s accomplished so much and very quietly, at least until recently, has steadied the Galaxy ship by building from the back and adding steal to the spine of the team. All of a sudden, it seems Bruce hasn’t “lost it” since 2006 as critics have suggested.

Preki has seemed to make the transition from player to assistant to manager very well and has a good eye for players has he has proven this year with the additions of Mariano Trujillo, Bojan Stepanovic and Eduardo Lillingston. Curt Onalfo also seems a very good young up and coming manager who has done well in Kansas City. Lets also not forget Jason Kreis who is learning the ropes of club management in Salt Lake City pretty well and has Real Salt Lake competing every game which the same couldn’t be said under John Ellinger.

I also haven’t mentioned any managers in the USL which is a great exam for all young managers to learn the trade. If MLS has shown us anything as a league, it’s shown us what separate’s the good managers from the one’s who are less talented. It’s always easier as a manager when you have a massive load of money to spend, but with a salary cap involved, it takes a more creative mind to put your team over the top. This just shows a lot of American managers are better then a good number of their European counterparts. The scouting system needs to improve without a doubt and it is with some of the Latin players that have been signed in the last few years.

Eventually an American manager will manage in a top European division. It might be somewhere like the SPL first, and that’s fine. My money right now is on Kinnear.

Editor’s note: Geoff Reid appears each week on WVHooligan.com. This week he is tackling the great debate about who is the best US National team player

This is a question I’ve thought about the last few days. There can be cases made for a number of players depending on accomplishments achieved, trophies won, goals to matches ratio and list can go on and on. The big question here is who is the current best national team player? Four players come to mind in no particular order: Michael Bradley, Timmy Howard, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.

Landon is the top scorer of all time in the US Soccer program. He’s won more player of the year honors out of the current pool of players. Landon’s case could be a lot stronger if he goes to Europe and proves himself. Until he does that, he will always have his critics after his earlier stint at Bayer Leverkusen. The whole loan deal at Bayern Munich under Jurgen Klinsmann could have been better and also could have been worse. The problem Donovan had in Bavaria was that he didn’t have the time to impress. He started by being third choice striker behind Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose and ahead of soon to be outgoing Lucas Podolski. At the end of his loan, with Toni out injured, Podolski was starting up front with Klose and not Donovan.He  has the talent to succeed at a good European club. For his and for the National Team’s sake he should get picked up by a top 10 club in Germany, England or Spain after the end of the MLS season and in January during the European transfer window. Who knows, maybe David Beckham could give him a good reference and golden balls might help US Soccer in a different way!

Clint Dempsey has had to prove himself under three different managers in west London. First Chris Coleman who signed him and has a good history with American players by saying Brian McBride was the best 750,000 pounds spent in his managerial career. Just as it seemed he earned his place in Coleman’s side, Lawrie Sanchez took over the helm. The former Northern Ireland manager saved the club from relegation and “Deuce” became a vital part of his side. Not even half way through the next season Sanchez got the boot and was replaced by Roy Hodgson. Hodgson has one of the best resumes in world football having managed Inter Milan, Switzerland, and Finland amongst many other clubs and National Teams. Once again, Dempsey had to prove his worth and bide his time on the substitutes bench. He eventually cracked the starting lineup and never looked back. In all honesty, Dempsey’s game has improved massively under Hodgson as have all the Fulham players. Still being only 26, he can still improve more baring no injury setbacks or complete loss of form (touch wood).

Tim Howard’s story is a great one. In the recent ESPN small documentary on his life with the success and struggles he’s been through makes me even more proud he’s our top goalkeeper (unless Brad Friedel fancies another crack at the world cup in 2010?). He might not have succeeded by his standards at Manchester United, however, that experience certainly helped him become a better goalkeeper. I’m a firm believer in the only way you can get better at something is by getting more experience at what you do. Howard this year has better command in his goalmouth, claims crosses much better, and is not as mistake prone and doesn’t hesitate compared to the Tim Howard of 2003. Easily, he is in the top five goalkeepers in the Premiership right now and would easily be England’s number one if he were English.

Now this leaves us with Michael Bradley at Borussia Moenchengladbach. Last season, the Princeton, New Jersey born midfielder scored 17 goals for Heerenveen in the Dutch Erivedese and drew interest from a number of clubs last summer including Everton and Blackburn Rovers. He eventually moved to the Bundesliga and while he had a rough start with a few coaching changes, he settled down and started banging in a few goals for his new club and become a regular in the starting eleven. His tally was not as near as it was in Holland, but still very respectable for his first season at the club in a new country under three different managers.

Now, is Bradley currently the best American player? You can certainly argue his case, however, it’s important to realize that he’s only 21 and has so much more time and potential to grow. Because he is still young, it must also be defined which is his best position: a deep holding midfielder that does the dirty work, or a box to box player who scores a lot of goals in the Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard mold? It’s very useful for a manager to have players that can play a variety of positions, however, this does holdback players from sometimes maximizing their true potential. Could Donovan be better if he only played in one position instead of three or four? Possibly. The issue with Bradley is time is on his side and like Dempsey baring injuries (John O’Brien) or a complete loss of form (Clint Mathis) he can most definitely turn into the best player this country has ever produced until someone else comes along. What’s pleasing to see is the critics of both Michael and his father, US head coach Bob Bradley have quieted down since his performance against Mexico in Columbus. Michael gets playing time not because he’s the son of the coach, because he’s simply that good and the best option in that position, end of story.

Quick food for thought: Coming up later tomorrow will be a preview of the Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United. Later in the week an FA Cup Final preview between Everton and Chelsea will also be on the way.

Hope everyone had a good Memorial day weekend and a special thank you to our service men and women who have sacrificed themselves for this great country.

With Bayern head coach Juergen Klinsmann being a fan of Donovan, you may see this 10-day stay with Bayern turn into a more permanent fit. Some are even saying that it may be the best fit for Donovan.

Some will say why German again for Donovan? We know he wants to stay fit and we also know he wants to play in Europe again. Will it be Germany thtough is the bigger question because he talked about how much he hated the first two times he was there. Then again he was much younger then and maybe now he knows more than ever that he won’t have another shot at trying the European scene out.

Bayern is a good fit though for Donovan I think. Klinsmann is probably the most American person living in Germany right now and would be a great coach for Donovan. Not to mention the thoughts of him being a decent replacement for the possible exit of German striker Lukas Podolski.

Either way it will be very interesting to see what comes out of this trial with Bayern. A part of me still believes he won’t be leaving MLS anytime soon but the “never say never” kind of notion is really starting to ring true with situation.

What do you think will happen with LandyCakes? Will he stay or will he go? And if he goes where will it be?

If there are players I forgot to list feel free to list them below, also if anything is incorrect please let me know. Thanks to a couple readers who e-mailed in a couple players that I missed last week to add to this list.

England

• Bobby Convey (Reading): Dressed but did not play.
• Jay DeMerit (Watford): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 2-1 win vs. Ipswich.
• Clint Dempsey (Fulham): Club did not play this weekend.
• Brad Friedel (Aston Villa): Started, played a full 90 minutes, and made one save in a 0-0 tie vs. Liverpool.
• Brad Guzan (Aston Villa): Dressed but did not play.
• Marcus Hahnemann (Reading): Started, played a full 90 minutes and made two saves in a 4-2 win vs. Crystal Palace.
• Tim Howard (Everton): Started, played a full 90 minutes, and made four saves in a 3-0 loss to Portsmouth.
• Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City): Came off the bench and played five minutes in a 0-0 tie vs. Sheffield United.
• Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday): Did not dress in a 1-1 tie vs. Swansea.
• Jonathan Spector (West Ham): Did not dress in a 4-1 win vs. Blackburn.

Scotland

• DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers): Did not dress.
• Maurice Edu (Rangers): Dressed but did not play in a 4-2 win against Celtic.

Germany

• Brian Arguez (Hertha Berlin): Did not dress in a 4-1 loss to Bayern Munich.
• Gregg Berhalter (1860 Munich): Dressed but did not play.
• Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Stuttgart.
• Grover Gibson (Ahlen): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 2-1 win vs. 1860 Munich.
• Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock): Came off the bench and played 45 minutes in a 1-0 loss to SC Freiburg.
• Luis Robles (Kaiserslautern): Dressed but did not play in a 3-1 win vs. FC Ingolstadt.
• Matt Taylor (TUS Koblenz): Started and played 69 minutes.
• David Yelldell (TUS Koblenz): Started, played a full 90 minutes and made three saves in 0-0 tie vs. SV Wehen.
• Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96): Did not dress.

Spain

• Jozy Altiore (Villarreal): Dressed but did not play in a 1-1 tie vs. Osasuna.

Italy

• Danny Szetela (Brescia): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 2-2 tie vs. Empoli.

France

• Freddy Adu (Monaco): Came off the bench and played nine minutes in Monaco’s 1-0 loss to Grenoble.
• Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 0-0 tie vs. Toulouse.
• Andrew Jacobson (Lorient): Did not dress in Lorient’s 2-0 loss to Auxerre.
• Quentin Westberg (Troyes): Dressed but did not play in a 1-0 loss to Nimes.

Belgium

• Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 1-1 tie vs. Roeselare.

Norway

• Adin Brown (Aalesund): did not dress in a 0-0 to Fredrikstad.
• Clarence Goodson (IK Start): Started and played a full 90 minutes, scored a goal and was named man of the match in a 3-1 over Loveham.
• Jay Needham (Alta):started, played a full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw to Sandes.
• Troy Perkins (Valarenga):Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Rosenborg.
• Kyle Veris (Hodd):Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 4-1 loss to Nybergsund-Trysil.
• Cam Weaver (Haugesund): Started, played a full 90 minutes and a 2-1 loss to Sarpsborg Sparta.

Denmark

• Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland): Started but got a red card in the 39th minute in a 1-1 tie vs. Vejle.
• Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus): Came off the bench and played 31 minutes.
• Lee Nguyen (Randers): Did not dress in a 2-1 loss to Odense BK.
• Jeremiah White (AGF Aarhus): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 3-0 loss to FC Nordsjaelland.

Sweden

• Charlie Davis (Hammarby): Started and scored his club’s lone goal in a 5-1 loss to Helsingborgs.

Mexico

• Daniel Hernandez (Chiapas): Started, played a full 90 minutes and earned a yellow card in a 1-1 tie with Puebla.
• Michael Orozco (San Luis): Did not dress in a 1-0 loss to Atlante.
• Jesus Padilla (Chivas de Guadalajara): Came off the bench and played 35 minutes, scoring a 90th minute equalizer in a 1-1 tie against Morelia.
• Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca): Started and played a full 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Indios to Ciudad de Jaurez.
• Marco Vidal (Indios de Ciudad de Juarez): Started and played 45 minutes.

Hopefully this will evolve a bit more over time but for now its just going to be a simple rundown of how everyone did this weekend in their respective leagues.

Some Yanks had the weekend off, some didn’t make it back to their respective clubs after the World Cup qualifier on Wednesday in Guatemala.

Biggest news may be out of France, Freddy Adu did make his debut for AS Monaco this weekend, playing just three minutes in place of Jeremy Menez. We could see Adu replace Menez at Monaco here real soon as from what I’ve been reading Menez is looking to transfer out. That could be a very good thing for Adu as we all want to see him get more playing time, wherever he is.

If there are players I forgot to list feel free to list them below. Or if something is incorrect, also please post it below. As much as I try to focus on everyone I know I will miss or slip up on someone, somewhere.

ENGLAND

• Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes, and made three saves in Everton’s 2-1 win against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Give this man an iron-man award for actually making the hustle back to England for this match, despite getting knocked in the head by Carlos Ruiz on Wednesday.
• Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes, and made zero saves in Aston Villa’s 3-2 loss to Stoke on Saturday. Ugly game really, I caught some of it and felt kind of bad for Friedel, his defense really looked bad in this one.
• Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in Reading’s 4-2 loss to Charlton on Saturday. Another ugly game, lots of goals though which was fun but defensively it was not pretty.
• Bobby Convey started and played 73 minutes for Reading.
• Clint Dempsey came off the bench and played 13 minutes in Fulham’s 1-0 win vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
• Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford’s 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
• Eddie Johnson did not dress in Cardiff City’s 2-2 tie vs. Norwich on Saturday. Might wanna cut Eddie a break, if you’ve seen this video you will know what I am talking about. The Grown-Ass Man clearly is a bit jet-lagged right now and knows very little of why he is playing in the Coca-Cola division.

SCOTLAND

• DaMarcus Beasley came off the bench and played nine minutes in Rangers’ 1-1 tie vs. Aberdeen on Saturday.
• Maurice Edu completed his transfer to Glascow. Give him a week or so, you will see him play and contend for a spot with this club.

GERMANY

• Neven Subotic started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 tie vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday. Okay, Subotic isn’t exactly American (not yet at least)…he’s got an option to pick between the US and I believe Germany for National team play.
• Steve Cherundolo came off the bench and played 18 minutes in Hannover 96′s 0-0 tie vs. Energie Cottbus on Saturday.
• Sal Zizzo did not dress for Hannover 96.
• Heath Pearce dressed but did not play in Hansa Rostock’s 1-0 win vs. Alemania Aachen on Sunday.
• Brian Arguez did not dress in Hertha Berlin’s 1-1 tie vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday.
• Grover Gibson started, played 52 minutes and drew a yellow card in Ahlen’s 3-0 loss to FC Augsburg on Sunday.
• Gregg Berhalter started and played 77 minutes in 1860 Munich’s 2-1 loss to Mainz on Sunday.

FRANCE

• Freddy Adu came off the bench and played three minutes in Monaco’s 1-1 tie vs. Caen on Saturday.
• Carlos Bocanegra started and played 82 minutes in Rennes’ 2-1 win vs. Lille on Sunday. Another iron-man here. Nice to see Bocanegra doing well again these days.
• Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in FC Troyes’ 1-0 loss to Vannes OC on Friday.

BELGIUM

• Oguchi Onyewu came off the bench and played 16 minutes in Standard Liege’s 3-0 win against KVC Westerlo on Saturday. Will this man get a transfer to England soon? Let’s wait and see.

DENMARK

• Danny Califf, Jeremiah White and Lee Nguyen were off this week.

NORWAY

• Troy Perkins and Valarenga plays Stromsgodset today.
• Adin Brown did not dress in Aalesund’s 1-0 loss to Tromso on Sunda.
• Clarence Goodson started, played 45 minutes and drew a yellow card in IK Start’s 2-0 win against Hodd on Saturday.
• Cam Weaver started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Haugesund’s 1-1 tie vs. Honefoss on Sunday.
• Kyle Veris started and played 90 minutes for Hodd.
• Jay Needham started, played 90 minutes and scored a goal in Alta’s 4-1 win vs. Bryne on Sunday.

MEXICO

• Michael Orozco did not dress in San Luis’ win against Tigres on Saturday.
• Daniel Hernandez started and played 90 minutes in Chiapas’ 3-2 win vs. America on Sunday.
• Jose Francisco Torres came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Pachuca’s 3-1 loss to UNAM Pumas.
• Jesus Padilla did not play in Chivas de Guadalajara’s 5-3 loss to Santos Laguna. He was serving a red card suspension.

The German club will train in Commerce City while on their 10-day camp. No dates have been officially set yet but look for it to be between July 13-22 as their camp kicks off on the 13th.

This is all due to the partnership that MLS and the German Bundesliga agreed to last year. I would say this is going to be the start of more German clubs coming over in their preseason to train in the States.

While some may say “big deal” to this, I think its pretty cool. Mostly because in a way I benefit from this and should be able to see this club in action while here in Dallas.

More bits on the German club from the presser that was emailed to me a couple hours ago:

Moenchengladbach leads Germany’s second division by six points with five games remaining and appears set to be promoted back to the Bundesliga, which starts its 2008-09 season on Aug. 15.

No real big names that I know of, then again I don’t follow the German leagues nearly as much as I use to. I sometimes keep up with the bigger clubs like Bayern Munich but these lower club I know little about. Looks like I will have to do some homework before they come into town.

Once I get more dates on this I will pass it along to you all. I think its pretty cool to see some clubs come over here and train. Hopefully this will continue to lead to bigger and better things between MLS and the Bundesliga.