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Throw-Ins L.A. faces a Real tough task at club championship
During a conference call to discuss his team's draw in the FIFA Club World Championship on Tuesday, Los Angeles Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid put playing against world-renowned and high-salaried Raul and Luis Figo of Real Madrid into perspective. "Either one of those players makes more than our entire salary cap," he said. He was right. The combined Major League Soccer salary cap is $20.5 million -- $1.7 million for the Galaxy. Figo, on the other hand, cost Real $56.1 million in transfer fees and reportedly will earn in the neighborhood of $30 million over the next four years. Though I couldn't get an accurate amount on Raul's salary, there is little doubt his salary dwarfs that of the Galaxy roster. So, the line already has been drawn for the Aug. 3 match, as the eyes of not just Galaxy fans be focused on Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, but MLS supporters as well. (MLS must find a way to get the game televised back home).
While several members of the media moaned about how difficult the Galaxy's draw was and that the team will be forced to play Real Madrid, I say bring them on. What better way for the Galaxy or MLS to make a name for itself or using the game as a measuring stick than against arguably the world's best soccer club? And it's still a softer draw than that of Australian longshot Wollongong Wolves, who face two powerhouses in Deportivo La Coruna and Boca Juniors. The Galaxy's group is rounded out by Japan's Jubilo Iwata and Ghana's Hearts of Oak. Some of the most memorable moments in sports and soccer history are about those Davids upending the invincible Goliaths. Don't you think the 1980 ice hockey gold medal victory was sweeter for the U.S. because it toppled the supposedly unbeatable and ultimate Big Red Machine, aka the Soviet Union, in the semifinals in dramatic fashion? The same thing goes for some memorable matches in soccer as well when David beat Goliath. Isn't the United States' 1-0 triumph over England in the 1950 World Cup considered one of the greatest upsets in soccer history? How about that stunning 2-1 result the U.S. pinned on Colombia in the 1994 World Cup? Remember when goalkeeper Kasey Keller stood on his head in a 1-0 win over Brazil in 1998? And if my short term memory is correct, didn't the U.S. defeat Mexico in a World Cup qualifier last week 2-0, a result that has had the soccer community buzzing? You need these challenges to grow, to find out where you are in this world and sometimes even make some history. I decided to ask Tampa Bay Mutiny coach Alfonso Mondelo, a Real Madrid fan his entire life, to put the match into perspective. "It's a great moment for the Galaxy and MLS to play in a meaningful competition against Real Madrid," he said. "We're talking about playing on the world stage, and a lot of reputations are forged there. "I definitely have mixed emotions, because Real is in my heart. I would want to see American soccer do well. This tournament means more to the Los Angeles Galaxy than Real Madrid. A victory would show the progress of American soccer. That's why we're in the game." Yes, there is a potential downside to this -- something like a 5-1 slaughter by Real. That could be embarrassing. But you know, I'd rather take my chances against Real Madrid at its home ground even though it is a daunting task. But that's why they play the games on the field and not on computer, on paper or in sportswriter's columns. And that's why you follow sports -- you don't know what's going to happen next. Aug. 3 can't come soon enough! The American coaching curseStill no word on the fate of Mexican coach Enrique Meza after his side's loss to the U.S. last week. Rumors have been flying that Meza would be bounced as coach. That's what they've been -- only rumors, although his team allowed Brazil to score an injury-time goal to equalize in a 3-3 draw on home soil on Wednesday night. The Mexicans haven't won a match in seven tries under Meza. They're 0-5-2 since the fall. I think this should be regarded as a crisis. If history is any barometer, Meza will be history because the U.S. has played a role in the demise of three Mexican coaches over the past decade:
Will Meza fall to the curse of the Americans? We'll see. Another draft out of nowhereLost in the euphoria of the U.S. defeating Mexico last week was an opinion or two by yours truly about the Paul Grafer draft. Oh, you didn't know it was named that? To accommodate the late signing of Grafer, MLS held a special draft just for him. The San Jose Earthquakes selected him and promptly traded him to the MetroStars for defender Ramiro Corrales. Corrales was supposed to be dealt to the Earthquakes for a second-round pick at the MLS SuperDraft last month, but the trade fell through at the last minute. The league has too many unscheduled drafts. At least one team employee did not know a draft was scheduled that day. If the league wants to earn credibility, these type of practices must stop. Besides, couldn't have the MetroStars signed Grafer as a discovery player? From what I have been told about their salary cap from general manager Nick Sakiewicz, they don't have very much room in which to maneuver. So, signing a high priced player out of nowhere is probably out of the question. MetroStars chemistry on the lineThere's no doubt the MetroStars' chemistry is questionable after the departure of goalkeeper Mike Ammann to D.C. United. It certainly won't be helped when and if (it looks more and more like when) Billy Walsh is given his walking papers. Those two players were popular amongst their teammates and Ammann had a profound effect when push came to shove in the locker room. While Walsh will never be an MLS All-Star, he was a good role player. Sakiewicz said that Walsh was "untradeable" after the versatile player said he would honor his commitment to coach Manhattan College this fall. "He's rendered himself untradeable," said Sakiewicz, who added that he has talked to every MLS team about a deal. "He said he isn't moving. No one wants him... He's a good player who belongs in the league, preferably on our team." Several teams may want to wait for the MetroStars to release Walsh so they wouldn't have to give up anything. D.C. United general manager Kevin Payne and the Chicago Fire have expressed interest in the versatile player in the past, league sources said. Walsh, 25, who has been on injured reserve with a bone chip in his right foot, will see a doctor on Friday. If he is allowed to train, the team could release him. "Nothing's definite right now," Walsh said. "Something might shake out. We're hoping for the best." The MetroStars asked Walsh to take a whopping 70 percent salary cut from $70,000 to $31,000, according to league sources. Walsh received a substantial raise after being named team MVP by teammates and media after the 1999 season. Sakiewicz said the cut was necessary because the team has little room to maneuver under the $1.71 million salary cap. "Some people think it's personal," he said. "It's never easy with the salary cap. We're tight." Sack of the weekAleksander Stankov was given the heave-ho by CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria) after only one game -- a 4-1 away loss to Lovech last weekend. Former coach Enriko Katuzi who quit for personal reasons in December just before the winter break, was reinstated coach. CSKA trails first-place Levski Sofia by five points. Second place to Turkish club Besiktas dumped Italian Nevio Scala on Wednesday in favor of Christoph Daum, who was fired as Bayer Leverkusen coach and German national coach-in-waiting team after testing positive for cocaine, was named coach of Turkish club Besiktas on Wednesday after Scala was fired. The club said it had terminated the Italian's contract because of "health problems." Daum is signed through the 2001-2002 season. Loser of the weekThat has to go to an unidentified Real Madrid fan, who resigned as a member of the club on Thursday after he hit Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Manuel Reina in a 2-2 tie on Saturday. The supporter apologized in a radio interview after he hit Reina as the keeper tried to keep possession of the ball to stop Real striker Raul from taking a quick corner kick late in the match. Chip shots
Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News. He also has written three books about soccer.
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