November 9, 2006
SOCCER COMPLEX | A different financing proposal considered
On Tuesday, Johnson County voters shot down a ballot issue that would have funded a 24 field youth and amateur soccer complex with an increase in property taxes by a 64% to 36% margin. OnGoal LLC, the new owners of the Wizards, are now looking into a special sales tax incentive to fund the project.
Opponents of the ballot initiative felt that the Wizards were trying to get back door funding for a potential soccer specific stadium to house the MLS club. The new Wizards owners are hoping to get a new stadium built in the same Overland Park location as the proposed soccer complex. It is the same type of set up that FC Dallas has and the Colorado Rapids are currently building.
It will be interesting to see how this all works out for the Wizards in the long run.
Freddy Adu to train with Manchester United
Freddy Adu's next step to try and move to a big club in Europe will be a two week training session with Manchester United starting on November 18th.
Adu was also named to the US U-20 team that will face Guatemala on November 15th in advance of qualifying for the 2007 U-20 World Cup qualifying which will take place in January.
MLS has Freddy under contract for three more seasons and there are serious questions about whether Adu could obtain an English work permit should MLS sell him to a club like Manchester United when the transfer window opens in January. One theory being bounced around would be MLS selling Adu to a club like Manchester United and then Adu being loaned out to either another club in Europe or back to MLS for at least the 2007 season.
Personally, I don't see how Adu would be ready to make the jump to a big club in the EPL. And that's regardless of whether he can actually get a work permit and whether he would be allowed to play in Europe due to foreigner age restrictions.
Carolina RailHawks announce open try outs and player combines
The Carolina RailHawks will be holding an open try out on December 9th & 10th. Players will be vying to be invited back to the RailHawks pre-training camp player combine that will be held on March 15th through the 17th at SAS Soccer Park.
RailHawks head coach Scott Schweitzer and his staff will run both the open try out and the combine.
Puerto Rico Islanders to play in CONCACAF Champions Cup qualifying as host club
The USL 1st Division's Puerto Rico Islanders will host Group C of the first qualifying round of the 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup from December 8th to the 14th at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon, PR.
The Islanders, who advanced to the USL First Division playoffs for the first time in their third season in 2006, will face Fruta Conquerors of Guyana, W. Connection of Trinidad & Tobago, and Hoppers FC of Antigua in group play. It is the first time ever that Puerto Rico will host CONCACAF Champions Cup matches.
The Caribbean Tournament Champion will be joined at the 2007 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup by the 2006 Mexican League Torneo de Apertura (TBD) and Clausura (Pachuca CF) winners; two USA squads (DC United & TBD); and three Central American teams (CD Olímpia of Honduras, Puntarenas FC of Costa Rica, and TBD).
I wonder if the USL 2nd Division team based in the Bahamas will get an invite into qualifying for the 2008 Champions Cup?
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and
not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to
send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read
(but not to respond) to all of them.
