Soccer Capsules: U.S. nervously awaits Friday's World Cup draw
NEW YORK — Bruce Arena remembered his first World Cup draw as U.S. coach and the sinking feeling he had watching the Americans get plunked into a group with Portugal and host South Korea in 2002.
Then, four years later in Germany, the Americans were picked to play the Czech Republic, Italy and Ghana.
"I remember a famous coach coming up to me," Arena recalled. "He said two words to me: ‘I’m sorry."’
World Cup draws haven’t been kind to the United States, and Friday’s in Cape Town could go a long way to determining whether the Americans get out of the first round next June in South Africa or make a quick exit as they did in 2006.
FIFA, soccer’s governing body, put the U.S. in pot two on Wednesday, which means the Americans can’t play a team from Asia or New Zealand in the first round. The U.S. will be drawn into a group with one opponent from each of the other three pots:
— One (seeded teams): Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa.
— Three (Africa and South America): Algeria, Cameroon, Chile, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Paraguay, Uruguay.
— Four (Europe): Denmark, France, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland.
Teams from the same continent can’t be drawn into the same group except for Europe. The top two nations in each group advance to the knockout phase.
"Since we have no control over something that is by definition random, we’re just looking forward to the draw but we’re not making any predictions," U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said. "I’m sure secretly all of us have preferred opponents and a preferred sequence of games."
The most difficult draw for the U.S. might be top-ranked Spain, No. 5 Portugal and No. 11 Cameroon. Or perhaps No. 2 Brazil, No. 7 France and No. 16 Ivory Coast.
"I think we hope for a group where you feel like it gives a good opportunity to move forward," said Bob Bradley, who replaced Arena as U.S. coach after the Americans’ first-round elimination in 2006. "There’s always going to be, at the end, a ‘Group of death,’ and you say to yourselves, ‘Well, hopefully we’re not part of that.’ It’s out of your control."
At the opposite end, a relatively easy draw would be No. 86 South Africa, No. 34 Slovakia and No. 30 Paraguay.
"It’s one of those things — be careful what you ask for because you just might get it," American midfielder Clint Dempsey said. "Whoever we get, we get. If you are going to do well in the competition we are going to have to beat good teams."
FIFA made the curious decision to jettison its seeding format from the last three tournaments, which was a combination of the world rankings and finish in the previous two or three World Cups. Instead, it used the October rankings — not the latest ones from November.
Had the current rankings been used, France and Portugal would have been seeded, while England and Argentina would have dropped out.
Some speculated the decision was punishment for the hand ball by France’s Thierry Henry that led to the decisive goal against Ireland in last month’s European playoffs.
"It was purely sporting criteria," FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said. "There was never, never, a question of the France-Ireland game in the discussion."
In the wake of the France-Ireland controversy, FIFA’s executive committee rejected the use of extra match officials at the tournament and instead opened a disciplinary case against Henry. FIFA supports the experiment in this season’s Europa League of using five on-field officials instead of three.
However "an experiment must first be carried out globally before you can put it into action at the World Cup," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.
Host South Africa will play in the opener at Johannesburg’s Soccer City on June 11. The U.S. could open as early as that day or as late as June 16.
In addition to opponent, site makes a difference. Ten stadiums in nine cities are being used, with several at 4,000 feet or higher elevation.
"Mathematically, there is a good chance that you’ll play one game at altitude and then also the possibility of upon advancement the next game at altitude," Bradley said. "It’s not a problem if you’re prepared to play at altitude to now go and play a game at sea level."
American soccer fans are excited. According to organizers’ latest figures, 84,103 of 674,403 tickets sold thus far have gone to the U.S., the most of any country outside the host. The United Kingdom has the next most at 48,388.
The U.S. has qualified for the last six World Cups, one of seven nations to accomplish the feat along with Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain. The Americans best finish during that stretch was a quarterfinals loss to Germany in 2006.
Last summer, the U.S. upset European champion Spain at the Confederations Cup, an eight-nation warmup tournament in South Africa, then jumped out to a two-goal halftime lead against Brazil before losing the final 3-2.
American players are convinced they can do well and even win the tournament for the first time.
"We have belief in ourselves and there is always a chance," Dempsey said. "U.S. football is no longer a joke. If you believe in something and work hard, then you can always prove people wrong."
U.S. World Cup bid sets sales target of 5m tickets
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The United States' World Cup bid team is preparing to tell FIFA it can set an attendance record if awarded the 2018 or 2022 tournament.
Bid leaders plan to set a sales target of five million match tickets when FIFA introduces the 10 candidates to the world's football media in Cape Town on Friday, when the draw for the 2010 event will be made.
The pitch also includes a promise to help develop football worldwide as the U.S. kicks off the second half of a 50-year plan to grow the sport's popularity at home.
"We're here to get our message across and however we may do that, we're happy to do it," David Downs, executive director of the U.S. bid, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Before the 32 competing teams — including the U.S. — find out Friday who and where they will play next June 11-July 11, the morning appetizer is a first official look at the would-be future hosts.
The U.S. is joined by Australia, England, Japan and Russia, plus combined bids from Belgium-Netherlands and Spain-Portugal in seeking hosting rights for 2018 or 2022. Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea are bidding only for the 2022 tournament.
FIFA has invited each bidder to screen a four-minute promotional film then meet the media, which will scrutinize the rival claims in a yearlong campaign before the governing body's 24-member executive committee chooses two winners next Dec. 2.
Downs said the six-member U.S. delegation arrived in Africa still buoyant from meetings last month with 27 cities that want to be part of the hosting package.
"The mood coming out of that was utterly tremendous," he said. "They are really, really gung-ho to be involved."
Only 12 stadiums can make the final cut to stage the 64-match event, but the cities have offered 32 existing arenas for consideration with an average capacity close to 74,000.
FIFA voters will know in one year's time that going back to the U.S. would shatter the 3.6 million stadium attendance mark set there at the 24-team, 52-match tournament in 1994.
However, Downs said the bid — which has none of the construction costs attached to most international sports events — was much more than an opportunity for profit.
"I would hate for the U.S. World Cup to be characterized simply by money," he said. "It would produce an astronomical record for the event in the short term, but we also think it would have long-term benefits for the sport.
"We can focus much more on the luxury aspects of hosting the World Cup."
Downs said priorities include promoting social projects globally and connecting more closely with Hispanic communities in the U.S. that identify with football as strongly as fans in England or Spain.
"We are trying to get across (in our message) the vast number of our fans who support soccer in many unique ways," he said.
Downs said a second World Cup could continue a success story begun 25 years ago at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Then, 101,000 spectators in the Pasadena Rose Bowl saw France beat Brazil 2-0 in the gold-medal match.
"That, I think, gave FIFA the first indication that a World Cup in the '90s was realistic," he said, before imagining what could be achieved in the next 25 years.
"If we could anchor that second half with a World Cup in 2022, or 2018 if we're lucky, we think it could impact the sport to yet another level in the States."
-- Graham Dunbar
New book ‘Soccernomics’ busts myths about the game
Prepare to be disappointed, South Africans. One of the world’s leading sports economists says you’re not going to get rich hosting next year’s World Cup.
There’ll be no economic bonanza, according to Stefan Szymanski, and if experience matches the last World Cup in Germany, spending by visitors will be much less than the South African government shelled out preparing for the tournament.
"The next World Cup will not be an airplane dropping dollars on South Africa," authors Stefan Szymanski and Simon Kuper write in their new book "Soccernomics."
The caveat comes just ahead of Friday’s World Cup draw in South Africa, six months before the long-awaited tournament begins.
Using data analysis, history and psychology, the book punctures dozens of cliches about what it takes to win, and who makes money in soccer — and in sports in general. The aim is to do for soccer what Bill James in his "Baseball Abstracts," and Michael Lewis in "Moneyball" did for baseball: examine the game from the outside, using social science and academic rigor.
"The problem for South Africa is that they have to spend quite a lot to build stadiums," Szymanski said in a telephone interview from London. "Germany could afford this, and it had stadiums anyway. But South Africa is a nation that can ill afford to fritter away a few billion on white elephants."
Following the 2002 World Cup, for instance, South Korea’s K-League had difficulties filling the 10 new stadiums built for the tournament at a cost of more than $2 billion.
The book’s argument is that hosting a World Cup or Olympics is an inefficient way to revitalize a city, or enrich a nation — especially one like South Africa, where a third of the population lives on under $2 a day. It can boost a nation’s morale or image, but not much else.
"If you want to regenerate a poor neighborhood, regenerate it," Szymanski and Kuper write. "If you want an Olympic pool and a warm-up track, build them. You could build pools and tracks all across London, and it would still be cheaper than hosting the Olympics."
Szymanski, an economics professor at Cass Business School in London, and Kuper, a sports writer living in Paris, do lots of myth-busting. They even talk of opening a consulting firm for leagues and clubs, promising to improve performance and save money.
"We are not trying to take the magic out of soccer," Szymanski said in the interview. "But we want to understand the patterns, because they are not completely random."
Some of the sometimes surprising findings are:
—The huge transfer fees spent in European club soccer bear little relation to where the club finishes in the league.
—By contrast, spending on player salaries explained very accurately where a club finishes.
—Researchers predicted how Chelsea players would take their penalties in the 2008 Champions League final, won by Manchester United in a shootout.
—On the soccer transfer market: teams shouldn’t buy after big tournaments like the World Cup.
—Contrary to popular belief, the word "soccer" originated in England, not the United States.
—Norway is the country that loves soccer the most. Per capita, it’s also the best in the world at sports.
—Tournaments such as the World Cup stop thousands from killing themselves — no one can stop watching.
—According to 21 years of data, taking into account national income and population size, Honduras is the most overachieving country in world soccer and Canada is the most underachieving.
The book suggests the United States, Japan, and Australia are rising powers on the world soccer scene. National teams in China, Iraq, Turkey and India could emerge as incomes rise and they pick up European expertise. African nations struggle because they are poor and can’t buy European help.
The United States, in particular, because of its population and wealth — two factors that explain success — could be the first of the nations on the rise to win a World Cup.
"I think the one missing link for the United States is the transfusion of European knowledge into the game, which has largely been resisted," Kuper said, speaking from Paris. "The idea remains that an American coach can do it alone. But the best coaching is in western Europe."
In fairness to American-born coaches, Bruce Arena led the U.S. to the World Cup quarterfinals in 2002, and current coach Bob Bradley’s team had a mostly easy run to South Africa.
Szymanski and Kuper point out that most soccer clubs are not only poorly run, but even giants like Real Madrid and Manchester United are small businesses dwarfed by the real titans of industry. In 2008 the average club in the English Premier league had revenue of $150 million, compared with $100 million for a single British Tesco supermarket.
Soccer clubs provide lots of entertainment: newspaper stories, reports on Internet sites, computer games, fodder for radio and TV talkshows, and soccer talk over dinner, at work or with a few beers.
"All this entertainment is made possible by soccer clubs, but they cannot appropriate a penny of the value we attach to it," the authors say. "Chelsea cannot charge us for talking or reading or thinking about Chelsea."
They cite a 2009 annual survey by the accounting firm Deloitte showing that Real Madrid led the "Soccer Money League" with revenues of about $475 million. Manchester United was No. 2 at $422 million. The rankings are based on how much the clubs sell, not on profits.
Ranking the clubs by profits would be embarrassing.
Watford, Reading and Arsenal — the last coached by Arsene Wenger, a trained economist — were the three most profitable in the Premier League, though Watford and Reading have since been relegated.
Chelsea and Manchester United, who have won the past five Premier League titles since Arsenal’s 2004 win? Among the least profitable.
-- Stephen Wade
France not seeded for World Cup draw
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — France will not be a seeded team for Friday’s World Cup draw, meaning Les Bleus could face powerful teams such as Brazil or Spain in the group stage.
Host South Africa will be seeded in Group A and open the World Cup at Soccer City on June 11. The United States will be in a group with one of the seeded teams, a European team and a team from either Africa or South America.
The other seeded teams — based on a mixture of current FIFA rankings and historical World Cup results — are Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Argentina and England.
France won the World Cup in 1998 and was runner-up in 2006 but struggled to qualify for the 2010 event, prevailing in a contentious playoff against Ireland on a goal set up by Thierry Henry’s hand ball in extra time.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said France was a victim of its lackluster qualifying campaign since the seedings were based on the October rankings.
In France, former national team coach Michel Hidalgo raised questions about the process.
"I am asking myself if this is not a sanction for the hand ball of Henry," he told RTL radio. "It is an injustice. It looks like France is being sanctioned."
Valcke denied such speculation, insisting the seedings were based on facts.
"It was purely sporting criteria. There was never, never, a question of the France-Ireland game in the discussion," Valcke said.
The French federation sought to avoid controversy.
"We had very little chance to get in the first pot," president Jean-Pierre Escalettes said. "So we will meet someone from the first pot, where there are a lot of great teams."
Organizers will draw the eight groups from four pots set up in an attempt to balance groups.
The first pot will have the seeded teams, and the three others will be based on geography. Pot 2 will have the Asian and CONCACAF teams, Pot 3 will have to the five other teams from Africa and South America, and the last pot will have the eight remaining European teams.
The draw will also make sure that South Africa cannot play another African team in the first round. There are fears that the hosts might not make it past the first round, denting the chances of success for the first World Cup held in Africa.
Overall, FIFA decided it wanted to reward recent play more than past performances in the World Cup, hence its reliance on the latest ranking results.
"It is to recognize their qualifying campaign," Valcke said. "Holland had a great qualifying campaign (and) Spain is the first team having won all their matches."
The rankings were decided on the October standings and not the latest one from November to eliminate the advantage some teams might have had from additional games in the European playoffs.
In October, France was ninth, two places below England, the lowest seeded team. Had the November rankings been taken into account, France would have moved ahead of England and Argentina.
FIFA writes to Maradona to stay away from draw
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — FIFA has written to the Argentine football federation to make sure coach Diego Maradona stays away from Friday's World Cup draw.
FIFA has said Maradona's two-month suspension for an expletive-filled rant at a news conference extends beyond matches and also includes such activities as the draw.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Wednesday he sent a letter to the Argentine delegation to say "be aware that he is banned and we are asking you to make sure that he is not coming."
Maradona will miss Argentina's Dec. 16 friendly against the Czech Republic, but he avoided sanctions that would have kept him from coaching at the World Cup.
The coaches of the World Cup nations traditionally attend the draw, and FIFA had heard rumors that Maradona might somehow try to get entry to the proceedings, even as a media commentator.
"If Maradona appears now as a journalist for a media company, again, his accreditation will not be delivered by FIFA," Valcke said. "Maradona has been officially banned from all football activities. It is not just a ban for friendly matches or official matches. It is for all football activities.
"If he is asking for an accreditation, I can tell you — no way," Valcke said.
A FIFA disciplinary panel excluded him from football until Jan. 15.
"It is for two months only. He will be there for the World Cup," Valcke said.
The 1986 World Cup-winning captain launched his profane tirade at media critics after Argentina beat Uruguay 1-0 in its final qualifier last month in Montevideo.
Maradona is likely to return for a March 3 friendly against Germany in Munich.
-- Raf Casert
FIFA: No extra refs at WCup, investigates Henry
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — FIFA rejected the use of extra match officials at the 2010 World Cup on Wednesday, instead opening a disciplinary case against France’s Thierry Henry for a hand ball in the World Cup playoff against Ireland.
Henry’s hand ball in the World Cup playoff led to a goal and eliminated Ireland. The uproar following the non-call helped prompt Wednesday’s emergency meeting of its executive committee ahead of the World Cup draw in South Africa.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said there will be no change for referees at the World Cup from June 11 to July 11. He said plans to introduce more match officials or technology will come at a later stage, while keeping the current experiment in UEFA’s Europa League.
Henry twice handled the ball before passing to William Gallas, who scored the goal that gave France a 1-1 draw, allowing the team to advance on aggregate goals to the World Cup.
Blatter described Henry’s hand ball as "blatant unfair playing" that was seen around the world.
The world soccer governing body rejected an appeal by Ireland for the game to replayed or adding it as a 33rd team at the World Cup.
Blatter said no timetable has been set for a ruling on Henry from the panel, which is chaired by Swiss lawyer Marcel Mathier.
The independent disciplinary panel has the authority to impose a one-match suspension on Henry, which would take effect at the start of the World Cup in June.
In a similar case last year, Italian authorities banned Fiorentina forward Alberto Gilardino for two matches after he scored with his forearm in a Serie A match.
The league ruled that Gilardino was unsportsmanlike for not acknowledging the hand ball during a 3-1 win over Palermo.
Regarding more officials, there have been calls for several years for the use TV technology to clarify calls. Generally, 26 or more cameras are located around the field and could review incidents missed by the referee and two linesmen.
FIFA said it has set up a new working party to look at options.
"The experiments are still going on," Blatter said. "So it is the opinion — not only of the Referees Committee but of the Sports Committees, Football Committee, Technology Committee, former players such as Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer — that an experiment must first be carried out globally before you can put it into action at the World Cup 2010."
Blatter acknowledged that the issue of video technology was "a long story" but said two companies looking at goal-line technology would report back to soccer’s rule-making International Board in March.
Nicole Kidman lends star appeal to Aussie WCup bid
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Nicole Kidman is using her star power to help Australia’s bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
The Hollywood actress appears in a promotional film that will be shown to the world’s soccer media in Cape Town on Friday, just hours before the draw for the 2010 World Cup.
In the film, Kidman promises World Cup organizer FIFA that an Aussie-hosted event would be "fun, relaxed, safe and secure."
Bid chairman Frank Lowy told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Kidman’s message can add to Australia’s momentum in a race with nine rival bids.
"We have gone from nowhere to maybe among the top two or three or four," said Lowy, a businessman who made billions from retail malls.
Kidman’s film was premiered at a reception hosted by Australia’s high commissioner to South Africa and attended by several of the 24 members of FIFA’s ruling executive who will decide on the 2018 and 2022 hosts in December 2010.
"I think they were very impressed," Lowy said. "I must say that the sympathy for Australia is very good. I think our points are sinking in."
Australia and the other candidates will each present a four-minute film at a FIFA-organized exhibition Friday before officially meeting the media for the first time.
Australia is competing for hosting rights in 2018 or 2022 against the United States, England, Japan and Russia, plus joint bids from Belgium-Netherlands and Spain-Portugal. Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea are bidding only for the 2022 finals.
Australia’s bid focuses on the nation’s track record in staging the 2000 Sydney Olympics plus single-sport events such as the World Cup in cricket and rugby union.
It positions Australia as a home to many soccer-loving immigrants from Europe and a bridge between the regions of Asia and Oceania. FIFA voters also will be told about Football Federation Australia’s youth development programs in aboriginal communities.
"We can provide growth for the game and we can assure the world that the World Cup would be at least as good as the Olympics were," Lowy said. "All the ingredients are there but the world has to know it."
That is where it hopes Kidman — who was born in Hawaii to Australian parents — can help as an ambassador for the "No Worries World Cup" bid.
"She was delighted to be asked. She’s very proud of her country," bid spokeswoman Bonita Mersiades told the AP.
Mersiades said Australia can provide guarantees of government support required by FIFA with $42.6 million of state funding for the bid.
"FIFA can be assured that they don’t have to be concerned about anything. They would know it’s in a safe pair of hands," she said.
-- Graham Dunbar
Blatter apologizes to Irish for Henry comments
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologized to the Irish soccer federation for his comments on Ireland’s loss to France in a World Cup playoff.
Blatter had defended Thierry Henry, whose hand ball led to a goal that eliminated Ireland from the World Cup, saying it wasn’t the forward’s responsibility to tell the referee.
The federation also criticized Blatter for making public Ireland’s request to be allowed into the World Cup as an extra team.
Blatter says he’s "sorry about these headlines. It is a pity that it has been communicated in this way. Sorry again."
The federation wanted Blatter to "issue a clear statement that FIFA does not condone breaches of the laws of the game."
-- Raf Casert
FIFA boosts efforts for SAfrican WCup ticket sales
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — FIFA will invest in World Cup ticketing offices in all South African host cities to help boost sales to local fans.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Wednesday that FIFA will spend up to $4.1 million on ticket and call centers to accommodate local habits of buying tickets late and the minimal internet sales.
Valcke said he learned from this year’s Confederations Cup in South Africa, when organizers had to give away tickets to some games to boost crowd attendance.
He said the funds for the effort are being reallocated from less essential items in the World Cup budget.
MLS
Revs' defender Heaps retires after 11 MLS seasons
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jay Heaps retired Wednesday after having played a team-record 243 games for the New England Revolution.
Heaps, the second pick in the 1999 MLS draft and the league's rookie of the year that season, is moving from soccer defender to a career in finance after 11 seasons, the first 2½ with the Miami Fusion.
He plans to start work early next year as an associate in the private wealth management division for Morgan Stanley in Boston, where he has been an intern.
"I have no regrets," Heaps said. "This has been something I've always been preparing for. I just never knew when it was going to happen. And, after a season like we had, making the playoffs for the eighth year in a row, I always had a dream of walking away on my own. ... I just thought that it just was the right time."
The Longmeadow, Mass., native played in 314 games, eighth in MLS history, with 17 goals and 34 assists. For the Revolution, he had nine goals and 26 assists in a team record 21,619 minutes.
The 33-year-old Heaps is one of three Revolution players who started in all four of the team's MLS Cup championship games, all losses, in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In July, Heaps made his debut with the U.S. national team against Haiti in the CONCACAF Gold Cup then played three more games with the team.
"If I hadn't played on the national team, I would have felt a little void. I'd always been so close, (but) I'd never got into a game," he said. "It's like you can almost touch it, kind of like the MLS Cup. You can almost touch it but you just don't get it."
The Revolution nearly won it in 2006 but lost in a shootout to the Houston Dynamo. Heaps took the last shot and missed.
"The infamous penalty kick," he said with a smile. "The goalie saved it and the championship was lost right there on that play."
But there were plenty of good times.
The Revolution won the U.S. Open Cup in 2007 and SuperLiga trophy in 2008. Last June, Heaps became the ninth player to play in 300 MLS games and had a goal and an assist in that 4-0 win over the New York Red Bulls.
The 5-foot-9 Heaps was drafted out of Duke, where he also made the basketball team as a walk-on and played in 30 games for coach Mike Krzyzewski.
"Jay was as good as any athlete that has ever played here at Duke," Krzyzewski said.
Revolution forward Taylor Twellman, the fifth leading goal scorer in MLS history, praised Heaps' off-field contributions.
"We've got a huge hole," Twellman said, calling Heaps "a leader in the locker room that does all the intangibles."
-- Howard Ullman
Vasquez hired as Chivas USA coach
CARSON, Calif. — Former Bayern Munich assistant Martin Vasquez has been hired as Chivas USA’s head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
Vasquez replaces Preki Radosavljevic, who resigned Nov. 12. The job is Vasquez’s first as a professional head coach.
"This is a very exciting time for me," Vasquez said. "I have special feelings, deep feelings, for this organization and this team. I feel confident and ready to do the job."
Shawn Hunter, Chivas USA’s president and CEO, said that making the decision to hire Vasquez was easy.
"At the end of the day, it was a no-brainer," said Hunter, who cited Vasquez’s "experience internationally, his knowledge of our club and his passion for the club."
Vasquez served as an assistant with Chivas USA from 2005-08 before joining Bayern Munich as head coach Juergen Klinsmann’s top assistant in July 2008.
"Having that experience was like taking a Ph.D," Vasquez said of his time with Klinsmann. "He helped me learn how to be a good coach, a good leader. Among the things I learned was the intensity of the competition and the professionalism.
"I will try to bring the same approach and the same philosophy but that’s because I believe in that approach, in being a team on and off the field. That approach brings success."
Vasquez said he plans no major roster changes.
"I know maybe 60, 70 percent of the players," Vasquez said. "I believe there’s a good base of players. We have to build on that. To talk about changes right now is premature. I have to do my homework."
Vasquez, who played 12 years in Mexico and the United States, began his professional coaching career in 2001 with the Women’s United Soccer Association’s San Diego Spirit. In 2004, Vasquez joined the Los Angeles Galaxy as an assistant.
During Vasquez’s previous tenure with Chivas USA, the team finished first in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference in 2007 and made the playoffs twice after beginning its first season in 2005 with MLS’s worst record.
As a player, Vasquez spent nine seasons in Mexico’s first division before signing with MLS in 1996. The midfielder played for the Tampa Bay Mutiny for two years, then went to the San Jose Clash in 1998.
Vasquez played in the 1996 MLS All-Star Game and made seven appearances for the U.S. national team in 1996 and 1997.
Born in Mexico, Vasquez moved to the United States at age 12. He played at Alhambra High School in suburban Los Angeles and Cal State Los Angeles.
News & Notes
Lippi: No prima donnas on my team
FLORENCE, Italy — Italy coach Marcello Lippi is content with not having a superstar on his team, preferring to build a squad featuring 11 unselfish players.
"Winning teams should be made up of players that prize the values of cohesiveness and offer themselves in service to others, not by players who think that they are phenomenons or prima donnas," Lippi said at an event in Florence on Wednesday before traveling to the World Cup draw in South Africa.
"Teams with these players — who are born with their talent and believe everyone should be at their service — can play well for periods but will never have continuity," added the coach who guided Italy to its fourth World Cup title in 2006.
En route to winning the title in Germany, Italy's 12 goals were scored by 10 different players.
Italy's top players are still Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro and Andrea Pirlo.
Lippi has made a point of not selecting the talented but temperamental Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano, despite enormous media pressure.
Lippi pointed out that three teams relying on superstars have struggled lately — Sweden (Zlatan Ibrahimovic), Portugal (Cristiano Ronaldo) and Argentina (Lionel Messi).
"We're talking about the three best players in the world," Lippi said. "That's a sign that the group is the most important thing."
Still, Lippi included Argentina on his list of teams to fear in South Africa, also naming Brazil, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
"But if we enter in great physical and psychological condition we won't have to fear anyone," the coach said.
Lippi said he has not made up his mind concerning his future, despite reports that he will take up a management position at his former club Juventus after the World Cup.
"Everything is wide open," he said. "The only thing I'm thinking about right now are the next six months of work with the national team, then I don't know what will happen."
Teenage striker Macheda signs new Man United deal
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United striker Federico Macheda signed a new contract Wednesday with the English champions, committing him to the club until June 2014.
The 18-year-old Italian, who joined United from Lazio on his 16th birthday, signed a new four-year deal after helping United win a third straight Premier League title in May by scoring late winners against Aston Villa and Sunderland.
"Everyone at the club recognizes the fantastic talent he has," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "We hope to see that develop in the next years, so he becomes a well rounded player."
Macheda made his fifth appearance of the season on Tuesday, coming on as a second-half substitute during the United's 2-0 victory over Tottenham in the League Cup.
He should also play in the semifinals, with Ferguson pledging to stick with his less-experienced players in England's second-tier knockout competition.
"I really enjoyed myself last season when I came on," Macheda said. "I hope to get more chances like that and contribute to the team's success."
Klinsmann: No more coaching in Bundesliga
FRANKFURT — Juergen Klinsmann says he is through coaching in the Bundesliga, although a job elsewhere is a possibility after the World Cup.
"No, I will not take another coaching assignment," Klinsmann told Wednesday's edition of Bild newspaper. "It's quite clear that there won't be another Bundesliga adventure (for me)."
The 45-year-old Klinsmann was fired in April after nine months in charge at Bayern Munich, his first club coaching job.
Klinsmann led Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup at home and will work as a television analyst for a German channel during next year's tournament in South Africa.
"After the 2010 World Cup I might work somewhere else," Klinsmann told Bild, without giving details.
Klinsmann said Germany's team was now more mature after reaching the final of last year's European Championship and could contend for the title in South Africa — "if it is ready to go beyond its limit."
Ghana coach eyes Balotelli for WCup squad
MILAN — Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac is hoping to recruit Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli for his World Cup squad.
The son of Ghanian immigrants, Balotelli was born and raised in Italy and is currently a member of the Azzurri's under-21 side.
Rajevac plans to visit with Balotelli after this week's World Cup draw in South Africa, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported Wednesday.
It could be a good time for such a pitch, with Balotelli the subject of racial taunts during games in Italy lately and unhappy with his lack of playing time at Inter.
Italy coach Marcello Lippi has showed no interest in selecting Balotelli, who could opt for Ghana since he has never appeared for Italy's senior national team.
"I'm content with the strikers we have, but Balotelli's skills are exceptional," Rajevac said, adding that he plans to bring Ghana captain Stephen Appiah along for the discussion with Balotelli.
Beckham’s grandfather dies at 83
LONDON — David Beckham’s grandfather has died and the England midfielder may leave South Africa before the World Cup draw.
Beckham spokesman Simon Oliveira said Joseph West died Wednesday after battling a serious illness for several months. He was 83.
Beckham found out about the death after landing Wednesday in Cape Town, and he will travel back to England if the funeral takes place Friday, the day of the draw.
Beckham continued with planned meetings on Wednesday, including with FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Without citing the death, Beckham told FIFA’s Web site that during the meeting they discussed how "family comes above anything we achieve in our careers and in our lives."
Spanish federation opens betting probe
MADRID — The Spanish football federation is investigating match-fixing claims involving seven lower-tier players.
The RFEF said it was investigating after being alerted by UEFA authorities.
The league will also investigate Las Palmas' 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano in the Segunda Division last season.
Of the seven players, only goalkeeper Javier Lopez is currently playing topflight football, with Real Zaragoza. The other players are: Francisco Suarez (Gramenet), Mario Gomez (Alcorcon), Juan Carlos Ceballos (Cordoba), Raul Lucha Hurtado (Amposta), Francisco Medina Luna (Rayo) and Javier Monteys (Gramenet).
Players could be banned for life or fined if guilty. Clubs could have points deducted, face relegation or also be fined up to €30,051 ($45,371).
Swiss prosecutors: Five teams in match fixing probe
BERN, Switzerland — Swiss prosecutors are investigating five clubs in Switzerland as part of European soccer’s biggest corruption scandal.
Jeannette Balmer, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutors’ office, said Wednesday that Swiss second-tier clubs FC Thun, Gossau, Wil 1900 and Schaffhausen along with third-tier Fribourg are under investigation.
Balmer said authorities are examining the second leg of the 2008-09 season and the first leg of the 2009-10 season. The Swiss soccer federation says a total of 17 league games and two test games were affected.
Switzerland is one of nine countries named in European soccer’s corruption scandal, which was uncovered during a German-led betting scam probe.
Roberto Carlos to play with Ronaldo in 2010
SAO PAULO — World Cup veteran defenseman Roberto Carlos says he has reached a deal to play for Brazilian club Corinthians in 2010, joining former Brazil teammate Ronaldo.
Roberto Carlos told Record radio Wednesday that he will leave Turkey’s Fenerbahce to play at least two seasons with Corinthians.
Brazil’s second-most popular club behind Flamengo, Corinthians signed Ronaldo this year and is expected to have the striker back next season. Roberto Carlos was Ronaldo’s teammate with Brazil at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
Roberto Carlos is expected to be officially introduced to Corinthians fans on Dec. 20.
The Brazilian played for Corinthians’ rival, Palmeiras, before moving to Europe in 1995 to join Inter Milan and then Real Madrid.
Bilbao signs teenage striker to contract extension
BILBAO, Spain — Athletic Bilbao has signed Iker Muniain to a long term deal that keeps the teenage striker with the Spanish club through 2015.
Athletic said that the 16-year-old's buyout clause was set between €36 and €45 million ($54 and $68 million), depending on his accomplishments.
Muniain became the youngest scorer in league history earlier this year with a goal against Valladolid.
He has featured in six games, helping the Basque club's strong early season form that has it joint seventh in the Spanish league standings. Muniain has also scored two goals in five Europa League games.
Striker Ailton signs for 6th-tier Uerdingen
KREFELD, Germany — Former Bundesliga striker Ailton, who was the league's top scorer in 2004, has signed for sixth-tier Krefeld.
The Brazilian striker scored 106 goals in 219 Bundesliga games for Werder Bremen, Schalke, Hamburg and Duisburg and won the German double with Bremen in 2004.
The 36-year-old striker last played in China. KFC Uerdingen spent 14 seasons in the Bundesliga until 1996 but then nose-dived into the lower ranks after losing sponsorship.
Agissilaos Kourkoudialos, a Greek real estate dealer who is Uerdingen's president, announced the deal Wednesday.
League Roundup
PSG beats Boulogne 5-2 in French league
BOULOGNE, France — Mevlut Erding scored twice Wednesday to help Paris Saint-Germain beat Boulogne 5-2 and rise to seventh place in the French league.
PSG moved to 22 points in its bid for a European spot, while Boulogne stretched its losing streak to five games and remained stuck in 19th place with nine points.
"We scored goals even though we didn't play very well," Erding told RMC radio. "At halftime, we told ourselves that we needed to run more. Now we will go to Bordeaux with more serenity."
Defending champion Bordeaux will host PSG on Saturday.
Bordeaux tops the standings with 28 points, two clear of Lyon and Auxerre.
Midfielder Guillaume Ducatel put Boulogne ahead with a long-range strike into the top corner in the 36th minute.
PSG coach Antoine Kombouare made a key substitution in the second half that turned the match, replacing Ludovic Giuly in the 58th with France international Peguy Luyindula.
Luyindula made an immediate impact, sending a cross for Clement Chantome to equalize with a diagonal shot three minutes later. Luyindula made it 2-1 with a penalty in the 63rd after Erding was fouled inside the area.
Erding headed home a cross from Younousse Sankhare in the 67th, and beat goalkeeper Jean-Francois Bedenik after an assist from Luyindula three minutes later to increase his team's lead to 4-1. The Turkey forward has now scored five goals this season.
Boulogne's Johann Ramare scored from a penalty in the 82nd, but PSG substitute Jean-Eudes Maurice made it 5-2 in the 86th off a cross from Sankhare.
"The coach gave us a pep talk during the break and we were much better in the second half," said PSG goalkeeper Apoula Edima Edel, who played because Gregory Coupet is out for at least three months after breaking his ankle last weekend.
"It's kind of weird to concede two goals because those are the first ones that I've allowed with PSG. But I don't mind conceding two goals in each match if we win."
PSG also missed suspended Benin playmaker Stephane Sessegnon, forward Guillaume Hoarau due to a knee injury and Brazilian fullback Marcos Ceara, who had gastroenteritis.
Boulogne played without Daniel Moreira because of a knee problem, Gregory Thil due to an ankle complaint and Laurent Agouazi and Alexandre Cuvillier because of thigh injuries.
The match was initially scheduled for Nov. 21 but was moved after another match pitting Marseille against PSG on Oct. 25 was postponed to Nov. 20 because three PSG players had contracted swine flu.
