pash

We'll find out more about him very soon - tomorrow (today for you Austrians) is the deadline for Carpi, before new bids can be entertained. If the rumors are right, we'll be set to splurge a bit on a striker - I doubt Verdi is splurge-worthy, however. Too young/inexperienced.

I think it's much more likely that we'd make an attempt for Verdi, personally. Either way, we need these three strikers. Can't keep playing wingers as CFs when cards/injuries/fatigue start to take over...

Klinsmann chose them for a reason. He surely also realizes, however, that average-level Europe-based players aren't going to carry the team to that next level. To me, it looks pretty obvious that he made a common sense choice to take advantage of Europe's better youth development to hold the US over until MLS starts producing actual players (who then - hopefully - find their way into the better leagues around the world). I'll also repeat my favorite line about how the US plays in comparison to Greece - the USMNT plays without fear, because they don't really realize how outmatched they are. Greece plays *only* with fear. As long as the US's players have that mentality, they will punch above their weight class. Long story short - this should be a fun match tonight, at least for a while.

A lot will be riding on what happens over the next few months - in an ideal world, we'd have five times make the group stages of their respective competitions, but it's likely. I remain hopeful that we'll actually gain some points this time around, hopefully at the expense of our direct competitors.

They need to make some moves this summer if they want any hope of making it to the group stage. This first round shouldn't be that tough for them; it's the playoffs that will hurt. I've read that they're looking for loans of a few marginal PAOK players (Antonis and Sabo), both of whom have the potential to be better than most of their current options...

Pereyra has reported for preseason training in Thessaloniki. I'm a bit surprised, but hopefully we can keep him. He's exactly the kind of player we needed last season.

ooooh s%$#! son shots fired!

The country itself is just shy of 80 million. If you count all of its various ethnic groups as Iranian, then I could def believe its diaspora would be over 100 million.

And there are, what, 425 Iranians on facebook?

Mak starting vs England. Currently scoreless in the 26th minute. Russia is down 0-2 vs Wales, which is a great result for Slovakia.

Can you elaborate on that? Do you mean in terms of...marketing? Why would an Iranian player be relevant at all for us?

Maybe grab some moisturizer, lean back, do what you gotta do

Seems we're offering 700k for that Milan GK, while Carpi still has right of first refusal on Verdi through the 22nd. If he's any good at all, then they'll surely snap him up.

Yeah his highlights looked atrocious. Fortunately, the team has denied being in contact with him. I know that Iranian site says it's probably one of PAOK or Oly, but I think this guy is way below the level of either. Much more likely he'd be going to a club at Asteras/Atromitos/Giannina level.

This time, extra tongue

Kpaps isn't a DM, and isn't fit to start...at all. Holebas may make a good wingback while he still has legs, but Torosidis does not. A 3-5-whatever does not play to our real-life strengths, only hypotheticals.

Seems we really want to spend some cash on a CF this summer. As long as Ivic will actually be able to use the guy, sure, why not. http://inpaok.com/309531

Inching ever closer to a loan at PAO

I'm drawing a blank here - was a Russia friendly supposed to go down before WCQ began? Or is it one of those potential ones posted above?

Playing for Portugal, he isn't going to be in his normal position any time soon. Same deal as with Wolfsburg, really.

The last I had read (which was a while ago, and doubtlessly is wrong) was that we were offering 500k and they wanted 1.5mm, with us likely settling for 1mm. Is he worth more than that? I really have no idea.

Igor Tudor will be taking his 3-4-2-1 over to Kardemir Karabukspor next season. It looks like they just got promoted to Turkey's first division.

Also a good move, and would harm us much less.

I read in passing that Jairo might be loaned to them too? Or that Giannina is requesting him? He'd be a notable improvement on the wing for them, assuming he stays healthy.

Ecuador was toothless until the last 20 or so minutes, when they really put on the pressure. At that point, though, they were already two down, and the writing was on the wall. US is going to have a hard time against Argentina (assuming Venezuela doesn't pull off a miracle).