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Throw-Ins: Women's league coming Metros' Matthaeus a world-class player, first-class baby
Posted: Friday January 14, 2000 06:01 PM
BALTIMORE -- Expect an announcement concerning the formation of a women's professional soccer league in the United States within the next several months. The league, which doesn't have a name yet, would kick off next spring in eight cities, mostly on the east and west coasts. "We are close to announcing the final details," said former U.S. national team coach Tony DiCicco, who attended a meeting of sponsors during the National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Thursday night. "The financial backing will be non-approachable. I'm very excited." While the details are sketchy, the group has put together a list of 12 possible franchise candidates. Those potential cities include New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, San Diego, Dallas, San Francisco and Raleigh. The launch of a women's pro league, which was fueled by the tremendous success of the Women's World Cup last summer, was put off until after the 2000 Summer Olympics so the U.S. women's national team players could concentrate on winning that tournament. "The nay-sayers say there is not enough players around the world to form a professional league," DiCicco said. "We have plenty of players." DiCicco said he would love to have a key role in the league. Asked if he was interested in being commissioner, DiCicco replied, "I'd be interested in the commissioner's post. I think it would be important to have someone who knows the women's game, where the pitfalls are and where the resources are."
Circle these dates!U.S. Soccer hasn't officially announced the dates of several key men's national team games, but here they are:
Rongen's lamentOne interested observer of the FIFA Club World Championship was D.C. United coach Thomas Rongen, who gave a seminar reviewing his team's championship season at the convention. "I shed a little tear watching Necaxa play Manchester United," said Rongen, whose team lost out on reaching the tournament in Brazil by being eliminated Necaxa in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, 3-1. Rongen added that United would have received $2 million (out of a $28 million purse) just for showing up. "It would make the team financially solvent," he said. Because United has aspirations of winning CONCACAF again and reaching the club championship -- assuming there is a second one -- Rongen realizes his team must play against tougher competition than MLS. United already has Newcastle United lined up for this summer.
Memo to MLS: Jettison Matthaeus ASAPYou know, this Lothar Matthaeus has become a royal pain in the know-you-what. His latest tirade, which exploded Friday, came after he discovered that Nick Sakiewicz had replaced Charlie Stillitano as general manager of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. Coupled with the October departure of coach Bora Milutinovic, Matthaeus accused the team of a "breach of contract" and Said that he doesn't have a contact number with the new GM or coach. Oh, my poor baby! Matthaeus might be a world-class soccer player, but he's a first-class baby. Before he uttered a word, Matthaeus should have been on the phone with MLS -- which signed him -- or the MetroStars, to whom he was allocated. If this is a preview of the attitude this prima donna has, then the MetroStars and MLS should want no part of him. Matthaeus has been nothing but a headache for the league, which should agree with the controversial German defender the first thing on Monday morning. You don't want to come to New York, great, here's your contract and by the way, we're sending you a pacifier as well. And oh, yes, Lothar, I will do this free public service for you, so you can have some contact numbers. The phone number for the MLS office is (212) 450-1200. Ask for Ivan Gazidis, the executive vice president in charge of player operations. I think you may have talked with him several times already. As for the MetroStars, give Nick a call at (201) 583-7000. His fax is (201) 583-7055. OK, now you have no excuses about a contact number. In fact, I've given you not one, not two, but three. Knowing Matthaeus' temper, he'll probably want to reverse the charges.
Division I men: Wait until AugustLike it or not, the Division I men's coaches and teams will have to wait until August to know whether their post-season tournament will expand from 32 to 48 teams. Blame it on NCAA bureaucracy. First, the NCAA championship committee, which meets next month, must approve the request. Then it's up to the executive committee, which meets in August. Don't ask why, although that meeting should be moved up several months to give the soccer coaches an earlier idea of how the tournament will be set up. In an informal straw vote on Thursday, Division I coaches voted overwhelmingly to play first-round games on Wednesday and the second-round match on the ensuing weekend.
Calling all high school soccer buffsDid you know that Sean Shapert scored a national and Pennsylvania record 88 goals for Moon High School in 1993? Unfortunately, the same information isn't available for high school soccer players from Arkansas, Missouri and Minnesota, and several other states as well. Joe Borrosh, coach of perennial boys soccer power Pittsford Mendon High School in the Rochester, N.Y. suburbs, has put together a list of high school records for the NSCAA that will be placed on the organization's Web site soon (www.nscaa.com). Borrosh admits it's not complete and that it's missing a number of states, and would love to fill in the blanks for such records as goals in season and career, shutouts in a career and consecutive victories. You get the point. If you are a high school state official and have records or know where they can be found, drop Borrosh a line at pmsoccer@frontiernet.net. Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News and is editor of Soccer Magazine. On Wednesday, Lewis was awarded first place in the college story category of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America writing contest. He won for his story about the problems facing University of Virginia men's coach George Gelnovatch. To submit a question or comment to Michael Lewis, click here.
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