Guzan on His Way to Hull City

Former University of South Carolina goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, is heading to Football League Championship side, Hull City. He goes to Hull City on a one-month loan deal from the English Premier League's, Aston Villa. It is definitely an improvement from his position in Aston Villa even though he is moving down a division. In 2009, Guzan lost his starting position to fellow American, Brad Friedel. The 2010 season has not gone much better for him; He hasn't started all year. Aston Villa is on the brink of relegation, but apparently a change in keeper is not needed. Guzan will probably be starting today against Leicester City.

With Guzan, Hull continues its theme of bringing in keepers on loan. Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone had been starting at Hull, but a thigh injury has put him out for a month, causing the need for Guzan. Last year Guzan's United States Men's National Team teammate Jozy Altidore played for Hull, but the team was relegated to the Championship. The main problem last year was a weak defense, which seems to be carrying over to this year. They are currently 16th in the 24 team league.

I think this is a great move for Guzan. Though the team is near the bottom of the League Championship, Guzan could make a big change and get noticed. Truthfully, Guzan can do miles better than Hull City, but he has to make an impact where he can. For now the impact needs to be made on the Tigers so they can escape relegation into League 1.

Top Ten South Carolina Soccer Stories of 2010: 10-7

Until the end of the year we're going to review the top soccer stories in South Carolina over the last year, and ranking them 1-10. Here's numbers 10-7:

• 10: Clemson Tops #18 Duke- On October 21st, the Clemson Men's Soccer team, which has been dwelling at the bottom of the ACC for the past couple of years, defeated the 18th ranked Duke Blue Devils in overtime. Clemson junior, Riley Sumpter scored a goal with 3:46 in the first overtime to lift the Tigers to a win. This was the biggest highlight of the year for the struggling tigers whose final record was 5 wins, 9 losses, and 4 draws.
• 9: CESA Sweeps South Carolina Challenge Cup- The Carolina Elite Soccer Academy won the South Carolina Challenge Cup, essentially the State Championship for youth soccer in South Carolina, in every age group. Bruce Murray, former United States Men's National Team player, led the U17 and U18 teams to victory.
• 8: College of Charleston Gains an At Large Bid to the NCAA Tournament- Though the College of Charleston Men's Soccer Team did not win the Southern Conference tournament, the Cougars did advance to the NCAA Tournament with an at large bid. They defeated East Tennessee State 3-2 in the first round and then lost to eventual championship runners-up, Louisville 3-1 in the second round of the tournament.

• 7:South Carolina Wins the Conference USA- The University of South Carolina's Men's Soccer Team won the Conference USA tournament this year and advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament, and were knocked out Michigan. The Gamecocks gained a bye for the first round of the tournament and defeated Duke 1-0 in the second round. South Carolina was defeated by the Wolverines 3-1. Michigan would go on to advance to the Final Four of the tournament.

USL Pro: 15 Teams So Far, What Will Be the 16th?

Fifteen teams have been announced for the future sixteen team league, the USL Pro. The league consists of four teams in the Caribbean, three in the Carolinas, five teams in the Northeast, and one team in Florida, Ohio, and California. The United Socer Leagues have said that they want to bring the league to 16 teams. So which team will it be?  In my opinion, there are three major competitors for the last team; Mayagüez FC, Fort Lauderdale, and San Antonio. I'll cover all three.

Mayagüez FC is a club that is located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It was founded in 2004 an seems like an experienced club with many youth teams. It is currently part of Puerto Rico Soccer League and formerly the Liga Nacional de Futbol de Puerto Rico. They would most likely be in a "Caribbean Division" along with Barracuda FC, Puerto Rico United, River Plate Puerto Rico, and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico. This would be a good fit geographically as it is close to all of the other four Caribbean clubs. This is a club with some history and would be helping the USL spread its wings farther out in the Caribbean.

The second possible expansion is a club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fort Lauderdale has quite a history with soccer. It had a successful North American Soccer League club, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, that lasted from 1977 until the league suspended its operations in 1984. The city also had a revival of the Strikers in 1988 in the American Soccer League and won a championship in 1989, until it folded in 1994. Then the third version of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers was brought back a year later in the United States International Soccer League (the predecessor to the USL). The teams all had successful campaigns, but the inconsistencies with the leagues can be a little misleading. I think a team in Fort Lauderdale would work well. With a potential rivalry with Orlando City S.C. and a strong population of people from soccer loving nations, a fourth revival of the Strikers could be the most successful yet.

The third potential candidate is San Antonio. San Antonio has a huge hispanic population which would give them a good chance. A battle will go on for the first franchise in San Antonio which has huge potential for a successful soccer franchise. Which begs the question; Will the MLS come calling? It would seem a solid candidate for at least a USL team, but I think that San Antonio could have a successful MLS franchise with natural rivalries with Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas. But as for a USL franchise, it would be a great hand into the west for the USL Pro which currently only has one team west of Ohio.

The United Soccer Leagues have made many smart decisions since the founding of the organization in 1986 as the SWISL, and the expansion to the USL Pro is a great move. I like the idea of having one big league instead of multiple smaller leagues, and it will be more interesting for the fans. Though it may be far off, a merge with the MLS to make a relegation system would be nice. But that would require the advancement of the USL into a league with teams that can compete on a consistent basis with MLS franchises; on the basis of teams and fan support. But even a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and expansion is that first step.

The Status of College Soccer in South Carolina

With soccer on the rise in the whole of the United States, South Carolina can be quickly left in the dust. With the lack of an MLS side within a 500 mile radius, soccer is not seeming like a priority to most sports fans in South Carolina. But then again, we should take a closer look. Where is the goldmine for soccer in the Palmetto State?

Colleges. The state has had some of the most prominent programs in the South. Many of the colleges have had players that went on to play at a professional level, not only in the U.S., but in Europe. The University of South Carolina has had former U.S. national team players Clint Mathis, Josh Wolff, and the backup keeper to Tim Howard, Brad Guzan. Clemson University, has current U.S. national team players, defender Oguchi Onyewu and midfielder, Stuart Holden. Furman University had two players that were on the United States World Cup Roster in Clint Dempsey and Ricardo Clark. 

Though many of the college sides in SC have had a down time in the late 2000's, this year was a solid one for college soccer in the state. South Carolina won the Conference USA championship for the first time since 2005 and advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament. Furman lost to UNC Greensboro in the Southern Conference Championship. The College of Charleston attained an at large bid to the NCAA tournament and lost to eventual runners up, Louisville, in the second round. Clemson had a mediocre season, with the highlight being a win over 18th ranked Duke.

As soccer grows in South Carolina, an integral part is college soccer. Most European nations do not have intercollegiate soccer and it could be special part of American soccer that the Palmetto State has the ability to dominate.

Former Furman Star Clint Dempsey Tearing Up the EPL

Former Furman University standout Clint Dempsey is becoming a strong force for his English Premier League side, Fulham. Dempsey is quickly turning into a fan favorite and star for the English club, and is on the way to setting his own personal record of goals in a season for Fulham (9).

Dempsey played three seasons for the Furman Paladins and started in 61 of 62 games. He scored 17 goals in all of his appearances. He played alongside his United States National team teammate, Ricardo Clark in the 2001 and 2002 seasons. This could be considered one of the greatest college soccer teams in the history of the state of South Carolina, taking into account it had two future national team players. The two have combined for 21 goals for the USMNT.

Fulham is on the brink of relegation, and Dempsey is trying to lead them through their eighth season in the top level of English football and on to their ninth. Fulham is currently 17th in the Premier league, and therefore safe from relegation for now. The club has held this streak of eight consecutive seasons in the Premier League since the 2001-2002 season, and hopes to carry this out for many years to come. Fulham gained top flight status for the first time since 1968 in 2001. Dempsey has scored 6 goals in 17 appearances for Fulham this season, which is first on the team. Not only is he leading in goals, but he is third on the team in assists with 2.

It would be not only devastating for the club to be dropped Football League Championship, but for U.S. soccer itself. Clint Dempsey is one of the top players in U.S. soccer, and to keep form we need to have our top players playing against the best players in the entire world, in one of the top leagues in the world. Let's face it, playing against Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United is better than playing Leeds United, Queens Park Rangers, and Cardiff City.

With other United States players, like Stuart Holden, Tim Howard, Jonathan Spector, and Dempsey's teammate Eddie Johnson playing in the English Premier League, the U.S. can only improve. You know what they say, to be the best, you have to beat the best.

USL W-League Coming to Columbia

The 2010 W-League season consisted of 29 teams, and now they're adding a 30th in Columbia,  South Carolina. The team, named Central SC Cobras, will start play in the 2011 W-League season in the Eastern Conference. The team's home field has not been announced, but open tryouts have been held. With a successful USL-Pro franchise in the Charleston Battery, will the Central SC Cobras be able to be a long-lasting staple in Columbia?

With Columbia being one of the largest metropolitan areas in the state, attendance should be steady if the team can be successful and play their cards right. Stadium selection is the key. If the Cobras can find a stadium on either the Charleston side or the Greenville side of Columbia, the attendance will be maximized as many people would not be as willing to drive into the heart of Columbia. USL has created many opportunities for soccer growth and the women's side of this is just as important. The youth leagues in South Carolina are bursting at the seams with new teams every year, and the chance to see professional soccer will help the development of soccer in South Carolina.

Hopefully the support will be there for this new women's team, and they can be as successful as the other women's franchises in the southeast. Soccer is still in its infancy in SC, but signs of hope have been here since 1993. The Battery have proved that soccer can work in South Carolina, and the Cobras could drive the point home.

You can find out more about the Central SC Cobras at their website.

CONCACAF Gold Cup Venues in the Southeast: Possible Reason for MLS Expansion?

The venues for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup we're announced on December 17th. The tournament will be hosted by the United States and will bring in teams from all over North America and the Carribean. The winner will get an automatic bid to the Confederations Cup in Brazil in 2013. How does this affect the growth of soccer in South Carolina?

Simply put, the venues are close to home as opposed to the 2009 tournament that was also hosted in the U.S. The closest venue for the last edition of the Gold Cup was in Washington D.C. for the soccer fans here in South Carolina. This time around one of the venues of the tourny is Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The stadium, home of the professional American football team the Carolina Panthers, holds 73,778 spectators and is one of the larger stadiums hosting the tournament. The game that will be played is on June 9th in the summer of 2011.

This is a chance for the soccer fans not only in South Carolina, but the whole of the southeast United States to show that we deserve an MLS expansion. Though it seems the future is dim for an expansion team in the south. The MLS has a goal to reach twenty teams by 2012. With the 19th team in Montreal being added in the 2012 season only one potential spot is left. With Detroit and a revival of the former NASL team the New York Cosmos making strong bids for the 20th franchise, will a grassroots effort be enough to get a team in the southeast?

Don Garber, the Major League Soccer Commisioner, was quoted as saying, "You can’t be a national league unless you have teams in the South." Being a valid point and coming from the head man himself you would hope we could get the whole of the powers at be in on the idea of a southeastern team. And it raises the question: With teams in all corners of the United States, why does the southeast not have a team?

Well, originally there were teams in the southeast. When the MLS was created in 1996 it had ten teams with one in the south; the Tampa Bay Mutiny. The Miami Fusion was added in 1998 along with Chicago Fire S.C. This seemed like a hopeful effort to grow soccer in the south, but it was shortlived. Both teams folded in 2002 and left the south without an MLS franchise. So it seems that the MLS would have problems granting a franchise to any city in Florida. So what is the number one choice?

I think if we did get a team in the southeastern U.S. the number one choice would be Atlanta, Georgia. Owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, has shown interest in bringing an MLS franchise to Atlanta. Sadly, it seems his number one priority right now is getting a new stadium for the Falcons. If he doesn't show serious interest in bringing the beautiful game to Atlanta in the next year, we'll have to wait for an MLS franchise for a couple more years.