Yallop looks for focus from forwards

Center Line Soccer’s Jay Hipps spoke to Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop after Thursday’s practice. Listen to the interview here.

Doyle’s green beauty to see action Saturday

Center Line Soccer managing editor Jay Hipps spoke to Earthquakes GM John Doyle on Friday about the team’s stunning new field at Buck Shaw Stadium. Listen here (MP3, 3:40)

Media quizzes Yallop on recent, upcoming matches

Center Line Soccer was on hand to record Frank Yallop’s comments to the media regarding the recent matches against New York and Salt Lake as well as tomorrow’s Buck Shaw Stadium opener against FC Dallas.

Listen here (MP3, 11:25)

Former Quake Alvarez stays the course

Alvarez with the U-23’s. Photo by isiphotos.com

The path to success for a young player is often full of detours and blind alleys. Opportunities for playing time can be scarce, and once they appear, form can be fickle, especially for attacking players. Nobody knows this better than FC Dallas forward Arturo Alvarez, whose up-and-down career has taken a decidedly upward trajectory in the last year.

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Jean Philippe officially signs; will travel to New York

Peguero Jean Philippe works out with the team in Santa Clara on Wednesday. Photo by Joe Santos/centerlinesoccer.com

The San Jose Earthquakes’ signing of Peguero Jean Philippe will be officially announced either late Thursday or Friday CLS has learned, with the Haitian international traveling to New York with his new teammates for this weekend’s game against the Red Bulls.

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Media day interviews from Yallop, Blanco

Center Line Soccer’s Jay Hipps attended the Quakes’ annual media day yesterday and captured audio from interviews with Earthquakes Coach Frank Yallop and Fire star Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Listen by clicking the links below. Read more

Cannon’s long wait nearly over

Joe Cannon’s last home game as a San Jose Earthquake came in 2002. Photo: John Todd, centerlinesoccer.com/isiphotos.com

When the San Jose Earthquakes kick off against the Chicago Fire this Saturday, it will be the culmination of a nearly 30-month wait for Quakes fans, for it has been that long since the previous incarnation of the team left for southern climes. But for goalkeeper Joe Cannon, the wait has been even longer, and given the affection he has for his hometown club, Saturday’s match figures to be an even bigger thrill for Cannon than it will be for the supporters. Read more

Old villain Grabavoy ready to play hero

Spend two minutes with Ned Grabavoy, and it becomes clear that one thing he doesn’t do is live in the past. Case in point was his goal against the San Jose Earthquakes on October 29, 2005. When he slipped the ball past then-Quakes’ goalkeeper Pat Onstad, it not only clinched the Los Angeles Galaxy’s playoff series victory over San Jose, but it would also prove to be the last live goal that most Quakes fans would see for a while, as their team was relocated to Houston during the subsequent offseason.

Two-and-a-half years later, Grabavoy now finds himself suiting up for the reconstituted Quakes ahead of Thursday’s opener against – you guessed it – the Los Angeles Galaxy. Yet it took some prodding from general manager John Doyle and head coach Frank Yallop for the irony of the move to be driven home. Read more

Salinas shows his mettle

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