Season tickets arriving
By Jay Hipps · March 31, 2008
We’ve had a couple reports of Quakes season ticket packages arriving today. We won’t give away the surprise, but we will say that the packaging is clever. We like the slogan they’re using, too: “Big History • Bright Future.”
Media anticipates Galaxy match
By Jay Hipps · March 31, 2008
As might be expected, the media is full of speculation following the Galaxy’s 4-0 loss to Colorado on Saturday night. Some are putting the poor performance down to the difficulty of playing at altitude, or the fact that both David Beckham and Landon Donovan played mid-week games in Europe. Almost all the pundits are ready to hit the panic button, though.
Take Yahoo’s Martin Rogers, for example. He writes:
Now, in the lead-up to Thursday night’s first home game against expansion outfit San Jose Earthquakes, (Galaxy coach Ruud) Gullit must go back to the drawing board – literally.
Does he stick with his preferred complex system which involves a three-man front line with another attacker in the hole behind the central striker? Or does he scrub that plan after only one game and revert to something more basic like a standard 4-4-2 format?
Great to see that the media has such faith in the strategies selected by the man who is supposed to bring sexy soccer to MLS.
As you might expect, the British press is also chuckling over the one-sided defeat of Team Beckham. The fact that they were outdone by another former ManUnited winger, Terry Cooke, only adds to their joy:
David Beckham was the former Manchester United player expected to dominate the headlines when LA Galaxy opened their Major League Soccer season at Colorado Rapids. But Terry Cooke, a less well known product of Old Trafford’s youth system, stole the limelight as Beckham’s campaign got off to miserable start.
Cooke, who shared digs with Beckham and made his United debut alongside him in 1995, scored the first goal and had a role in two others in the Rapids’ 4-0 win. He played only eight times for United before leaving in 1999, his hopes of making the grade there not helped by a knee injury.
What may be more surprising, though, is that Beckham’s star status may be starting to fade in Los Angeles. Martin Samuel of The Times of London notes that Galaxy ticket sales are lagging, too:
The Los Angeles Galaxy lost their opening match of the season 4-0 on the same day it was reported that season-ticket sales are down 15 per cent (the biggest fall in Major League Soccer). On Friday it was possible to buy ten together for the first home match, against the San Jose Earthquakes. The move could flatline if the Galaxy’s poor start continues and, professionally, playing for his country is the one bright spot on Beckham’s horizon. To those who still believe English football needs him, it could equally be said not as half as much as he needs us.
So, is the cause of this problem that the denizens of Los Angeles have suddenly lost interest in star quality and fame? Or is it more likely that fans want less circus and more soccer?
| Date | Opponent | Time | Location |
| Friday, April 4 | at Los Angeles Galaxy | 10:00 a.m. | Home Depot Center |
| Sunday, April 20 | at Colorado Rapids | 10:00 a.m. | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park |
| Sunday, May 4 | FC Dallas | 10:00 a.m. | Santa Clara University |
| Friday, May 23 | Houston Dynamo | 10:00 a.m. | Santa Clara University |
| Sunday, June 1 | at Real Salt Lake | 10:00 a.m. | Quinn’s Junction |
| Sunday, July 6 | at Chivas USA | 10:00 a.m. | Home Depot Center |
| Saturday, July 12 | Colorado Rapids | 3:30 p.m. | Santa Clara University |
| Sunday, Aug. 3 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 2:30 p.m. | McAfee Coliseum, Oakland |
| Sunday, Sept. 21 | at Houston Dynamo | 10:00 a.m. | Carl Lewis Field |
| Sunday, Sept. 28 | Real Salt Lake | 10:00 a.m. | Santa Clara University |
| Friday, Oct. 3 | at FC Dallas | 10:00 a.m. | Pizza Hut Park |
| Sunday, Oct. 12 | Chivas USA | 10:00 a.m. | Santa Clara University |
More from Portland, plus a look forward
By Jay Hipps · March 30, 2008
We’ve got one eye in the rear-view mirror and one eye on the road this morning.
Looking back to Friday night’s victory over the Portland Timbers, we note that the Oregonian has a match report online. It’s a pretty Timbers-centric story, though, so there’s really no need to read it unless you simply must read everything written about the Quakes.
Looking forward to the 2008 season, we’ll pass along a preview from the Miami Herald and another from Grahame Jones of the L.A. Times, who has this to say about the Quakes:
The San Jose Earthquakes, who open their season against the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center on Thursday night, will not be a typical expansion team.
Under the guidance of Coach Frank Yallop, the former Galaxy coach, the Earthquakes have compiled a 5-1-2 preseason record against professional opponents, the latest victory being a 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers on Friday night.
Yallop’s starting lineup showed strength in all areas. It featured Joe Cannon in goal, Jason Hernandez, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia and Eric Denton in defense, Ronnie O’Brien, Ned Grabavoy, Ramiro Corrales and Ivan Guerrero in midfield, and Kei Kamara and Shea Salinas up front.
We couldn’t help noticing that those words are distinctly more complimentary than what Jones wrote about the Galaxy’s 4-0 loss to the Rapids last night:
In a victory as surprising as it was comprehensive, the injury-riddled Rapids, missing half a dozen, toyed with and ultimately embarrassed Los Angeles, 4-0, in the opening match of the Major League Soccer season for both teams.
The Galaxy, embarrassed? Oh Grahame, we love it when you talk that way. Go on.
Colorado was faster to the ball, more lively and inventive in its approach, quick to close down defensively and, in the end, hungrier for the victory.
Mmm hmmm. Anything else?
Everything that could go wrong for the Galaxy did go wrong.
Defender Abel Xavier got a red card for “abusive language” and will sit out Thursday’s home opener against the San Jose Earthquakes at the Home Depot Center. “The ref was a disgrace,” the Portuguese veteran said afterward.
Forward Carlos Ruiz suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee near the end and is questionable for Thursday.
Things don’t seem to be going well for the Super Club, but we can only take so much pleasure from their travails. Still, missing Xavier could be a big problem for the Galaxy on Thursday. As last night’s score indicates, L.A. did not look solid in the back and taking away one of their top defenders is not likely to improve the situation. As for Ruiz, we’ve seen just enough horror movies to know that you can never believe the villain is out of the picture until the closing credits roll, so we’ll withhold judgment on that for now.
We can hardly wait for Thursday night, though. We’ll have complete coverage of the Quakes’ season opener from Home Depot Center in Carson. We won’t be able to do this for every Quakes road game, but we knew we had to be there for this one. See you then? Good!
Quakes wind up preseason with win over Timbers
By Jay Hipps · March 29, 2008
In their last preseason match of 2008, the Quakes overcame a rare Portland snowstorm to defeat the Timbers, 2-1, off goals from Kei Kamara and Shea Salinas.
The team’s press release on the match can be found here, on OurSportsCentral.com. The best match report we’ve found, though, is on the Timbers’ web site. (Speaking of which, the Timbers also report their signing of former Japan international Takayuki Suzuki, a forward who was on trial with the Quakes earlier this year.)
For more about Salinas, check out Jeff Carlisle’s feature on the speedy rookie here on Center Line Soccer.
Quakes set to acquire Cunliffe from Chivas
By Jeff Carlisle · March 28, 2008
The Quakes look set to bolster their frontline by acquiring Chivas USA attacker John Cunliffe in exchange for utility man Chris Pozniak, CLS has learned.
The deal would see San Jose acquire some badly needed frontline help while giving up a player in Pozniak who seemed surplus to requirements given the Quakes depth in defense and midfield.
Cunliffe was chosen seventh overall by Chivas in the 2007 SuperDraft, and recorded three goals and one assist in 15 matches, only five of which were starts. When injuries struck Chivas forwards Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo late last season, Cunliffe was one of the player the Goats hoped would pick up the slack, but that help didn’t materialize as they were bounced from the playoffs by Kansas City, 1-0 on aggregate. Since then, Chivas have acquired attackers Alecko Eskandarian and Atiba Harris, making Cunliffe expendable.
Cunliffe is a player who can play either in midfield or up top, and while he doesn’t have much pace, he is a player who is crafty on the ball and combines well with others.
Cunliffe has UK citizenship, making him an international player, but Pozniak was classified in the same way, meaning San Jose’s contingent of international players remains at one.
Links to video of Cunliffe’s three MLS goals are available on MLSnet.com.
Errors and omissions highlight today’s news
By Jay Hipps · March 28, 2008
Welcome SSV blog readers to the blog’s new home here on Center Line Soccer. The SSV Blog will continue to be the place to go for information related to SSV’s core mission (creating a permanent home for soccer in the Bay Area), but Quakes news will be found here.
So, on with today’s news. Since the season starts tomorrow, we’ve got a lot of MLS previews
to choose from today, plus some other items more specific to the Quakes. Sadly, most of it is flawed in some way, but there’s enough that’s worthwhile to pass along. We’ll start with the Quakes news first.
Over on Yahoo Sports, Martin Rogers interviews Frank Yallop for his pre-season story on the Quakes, imaginatively entitled “Yallop knows the way to San Jose.” Rogers goes out on a limb to pick Joe Vide as the “Key Man” for the ‘08 Quakes, an interesting choice since Vide hasn’t featured as a starter in the team’s post recent games.
Another writer named Rogers, this one Andrew, interviews Yallop for Soccer365.com. He asks Yallop if he can name any of the forwards the team is considering.
There are no names at the moments as they are all under contract and we can get in a lot of trouble but we do have a list and we are working very hard to try and bring the right player over from Europe. So we will see what happens.
Soccer365 has also apparently uncovered a major scoop: they say San Jose’s GM is someone named John Boyle. We did not know anyone had replaced John Doyle, so we’ve sent our crack research staff out to verify this breaking news. We expect them back next Tuesday — April 1st.
Turning to a story that’s a bit more careful with the facts, the Peoria Journal Star profiles Quakes forward Gavin Glinton. Writer Bill Liesse even interviews Glinton’s college coach for some added depth. It’s a nice little story although they also make a factual error, citing “Roger Yallop” as Glinton’s new coach. (That’s three Rogers today. What’s up with that?)
On to the MLS season previews and predictions. FIFA.com provides some international-governing-body-of-soccer love, although once again, they seemingly can’t be bothered to get the facts straight:
The return of the San Jose Earthquakes as a club will see a third team in California for the first time in the league’s history.
Or, uh, the first time since 2005. But hey, FIFA’s in Switzerland. Surely the folks closer to home will get things right. Right?
Well, if FoxSports.com is any indication, not really. Their MLS preview notes the Quakes’ new home in Buck Shaw, then adds, “The 11,500 seat ground should provide an intimate setting and plenty of atmosphere when San Jose takes on hated rivals L.A. again in the California derby,” which would be true if those games weren’t going to be played at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland.
Normally, we wouldn’t emphasize these little errors, but we do so today to make a statement about who we are and what we will be offering here at Center Line Soccer. As you can see if you check out our About Us page, we’ve assembled a crew of professionals who not only know soccer but also know the Quakes.
The Quakes are back and, thanks to dedicated owners, a tireless front office, and coaches and players who are hungry for success, they’re stronger than ever. Similarly, our goal and mission is to provide you with the best coverage the team has ever had.
Check out the rest of the site for examples. Enjoy the Photo Galleries from John Todd and his crew at International Sports Images, Jeff Carlisle’s interview with Shea Salinas, our video featuring reporters Harvey Rañola and Embele Awipi, columns from former Quakes assistant coach Tim Hanley, and all the rest.
We’ll also point out our own Jeff Carlisle’s stories today on MLSnet.com (a pre-season wrapup), his season preview for ESPN.com, and his MLS preview, also for ESPN.com.
Fortunately, there’s one other story today with which we can find no fault. Goal.com polled their staff for MLS predictions, and John Eskilson offered this succinct summary of MLS 2008:
Galaxy attack makes for entertaining soccer, so does the laughable Galaxy back-line.
Ah! So beautiful, it’s almost poetry.
Expectations and opening days
By Tim Hanley · March 27, 2008
You want to know one of the tougher things about the Quakes being gone for the last two years, for the fans at least? No Opening Day. Yes yes yes, plenty of other important reasons to miss the Blue-and-Black, but hear me out.
You see, my calendar is marked, highlighted if you will, with Opening Days; Giants, Sharks, Charity Shield, fishing, what have you. Nights spent oiling the glove, or rearranging my fly box, again. Where did I put my Man U scarf? Anticipation is everything right? Quakes fans haven’t had that. Sort of like living on the ocean. You don’t go to the beach much because you could wait and go tomorrow, the beach isn’t going anywhere. Read more…
Salinas shows his mettle
By Jeff Carlisle · March 27, 2008
Shea Salinas participates in drills prior to Friday’s exhibition with Portland. Photo: John Todd, centerlinesoccer.com/isiphotos.com
It didn’t take long for San Jose Earthquakes’ midfielder Shea Salinas to earn a new nickname. The rookie, who played with a broken cheekbone at the MLS Player Combine in January, sustained even more damage during last week’s Carolina Challenge Cup, breaking his nose on two different occasions, as well as earning a split lip.”My [teammates] call me ‘Glass Face’ now,” joked the Grapevine, Tex. native. “I think I’m at the perfect elbow height for people.” Read more…
Poland vs. U.S. men’s national team
By Editor · March 26, 2008
The U.S. men’s national team defeated Poland 3-0 Wednesday off goals by Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, and former San Jose star Eddie Lewis. Here’s our gallery of photos from the match. Click on the first photo to begin.
San Jose Earthquakes practice
By John Todd · March 26, 2008
Wednesday, the Quakes held their last practice before leaving for this weekend’s friendly in Portland against the Timbers. Click on the first photo to begin.
