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The Real American Football

From the MLS to the national teams to Americans abroad



NASL commissioner explains his blueprint for US football

Monday 04 February 2013, 15:22

“I was at a point in my life where I like to take on challenges. I like to grow and build things.” These are the words of Bill Peterson, and they explain why he decided to take up the role of Commissioner...
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Young Ben awakens sleeping giant with rejuvenating regime

Thursday 01 November 2012, 16:46

After a long dormant period, MLS giants DC United have awoken under young coach Ben Olsen. On the eve of the play-offs, Kris Heneage investigates the rejuvenation at the RFK Stadium... “Did I think I’d...
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America falls for Higuain (no, not that one)

Monday 10 September 2012, 16:08

Big name, big legacy, big expectations – and Colombus's new Designated Player is living up to the hopes, says Kris Heneage When people begin discussing a player as a potential candidate for the MLS...
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Financial transparency and MLS: what could the Premier League learn?

Friday 27 July 2012, 12:34

Given the considerable movement in world football towards financial regulation, you have to wonder if the Premier League could learn from their cousins in MLS. Unlike any league in Europe, Major League...
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Meet the forward who went from Hartlepool reserves to Puerto Rico

Thursday 19 July 2012, 16:58

“I didn’t know where it was at first. People think it’s all mud huts and shacks, I mean I did too, but it’s not. It’s like Newcastle but with nice weather.” This is how David Foley describes his adopted...
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Rafael Márquez: More issues than FourFourTwo

Friday 20 April 2012, 16:25

Where do you begin with Rafael Márquez? A fantastic career in Europe, only enhanced by a stellar international legacy with Mexico - the pinnacle of which saw him captain El Tricolor at the 2010 World Cup...
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Former hero Le Toux prepares to return to face Philly

Friday 30 March 2012, 15:02

There’s been something of a bad taste in the Philadelphia air the past few months, with changes aplenty and some of the club’s most respected players departing for pastures new – and not always willingly...
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Drugs 0, MLS 1: "They saved my life," says Real Salt Lake's new star

Friday 23 March 2012, 10:58

“They didn’t just save my dream, they saved my life.” That’s how Sebastián Velásquez perceives Real Salt Lake’s decision to select him during the MLS Superdraft in January. After a whirlwind few months...
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Western Conference preview: Pitchside log-cutting, questionable haircuts & the Honey Badger

Friday 09 March 2012, 14:23

Many see the MLS Western Conference as the stronger of the two, and the favourites at this stage have to be LA Galaxy, despite the 2011 MLS Cup winners losing centreback Omar Gonzalez to injury on the...
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Eastern Conference preview: Firefighters, Kenny Rogers and Bob Dylan

Thursday 08 March 2012, 16:12

The Eastern Conference wasn’t pretty last year. Each time a team looked like securing first place they invariably slipped up and aided their rivals, who in turn did the same. This makes the East difficult...
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Houston legend returns to help shape the future of MLS

Tuesday 06 March 2012, 12:02

At the dawn of a new MLS season, Kris Heneage explains how Houston Dynamo are welcoming back a true legend It's clear to see why Brian Ching was determined to stay at the Houston Dynamo. As the club...
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Eddie Johnson returns from the wilderness to Seattle

Friday 02 March 2012, 12:07

Former Fulham, Cardiff and Preston striker Eddie Johnson has ended up back in MLS at Seattle. Kris Heneage fills in the blanks Eddie Johnson may have returned home to MLS, but he’ll be keen to note the...
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Vancouver hope Robson signing can Cap off-season business

Wednesday 22 February 2012, 16:45

In amongst the mountains of Vancouver something is stirring. Having last week announced Scotland international Barry Robson had signed a pre-contract agreement to join in the summer, the Vancouver Whitecaps...
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Fan favourite Le Toux's trade highlights big changes at Philadelphia

Tuesday 14 February 2012, 16:53

According to Neil Sedaka, ‘breaking up is hard to do’. That doesn’t seem the case for the Philadelphia Union, who last month traded away Sébastien Le Toux to the Vancouver Whitecaps, much to the dismay...
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Kris Boyd's MLS move highlights the league's complexities

Thursday 09 February 2012, 13:36

Given Bill Shankly's professed admiration of socialism in relation to football, one would imagine he'd quite enjoy the financial regulations employed by Major League Soccer. While the economic...
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Beckham enjoys Hollywood ending with Galaxy - but will he ride into the sunset?

Tuesday 22 November 2011, 14:29

David Beckham celebrated the LA Galaxy's MLS Cup triumph in the most American way conceivable: chugging a bottle of Budweiser. The entire night must have been what the Anshutz Entertainment Group had...
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Uncle Jurgen Wants You (To Help Build The USA Team)

Tuesday 09 August 2011, 12:07

Six years ago, when Jurgen Klinsmann took over the German national team, he and assistant boss Joachim Loew asked three questions of any German player or coach they get their hands on: how they wanted...
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Mexico regain CONCACAF supremacy with Gold Cup triumph

Wednesday 29 June 2011, 12:40

With a 4-2 victory over the United States in the final, Mexico not only won the Gold Cup but also regained regional supremacy after a decade of American dominance. Like Scotland or Spain, CONCACAF (which...
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Mullan horror tackle underlines MLS identity crisis

Friday 06 May 2011, 17:02

Americans love an athletic hard-worker. Perhaps, thinks Zac Lee Rigg , a little too much... Brian Mullan is perhaps the prototypical MLS player. The 11-year veteran makes up for natural ability with grit...
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The Expansion Draft - the greatest day in the MLS season

Wednesday 01 December 2010, 10:38

FC Dallas didn't have enough time between the MLS Cup final and the flight back to Texas to tell Dax McCarty he was likely leaving the club before the MLS Expansion Draft unprotected lists became public...
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Drew Moor proves his worth as Rapids 'Mess with Texas'

Tuesday 23 November 2010, 12:07

Colorado Rapids supporters had t-shirts made up after winning the 2010 MLS Cup which read “Messin' With Texas” . The text was a play on the slogan “Don't mess with Texas,” used by the Texas Department...
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MLS Cup final match-up: marketing nightmare, footballing dream

Friday 19 November 2010, 16:12

When Marvin Chavez stroked home to put FC Dallas up by three and remove any doubt that the Los Angeles Galaxy would crash out of the playoffs, you could hear the exasperated sighs all across Connecticut...
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Half-blind matchwinners & east-coast Californians: MLS is wack, yo!

Monday 08 November 2010, 13:06

North America's frequently bizarre top flight is oscillating its way towards its conclusion. Zac Lee Rigg shakes his head gently MLS is crazy. Take, for instance, the two-legged New York Red Bulls...
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Why play-offs are the best way to decide a champion

Thursday 04 November 2010, 15:47

For some of you, the idea of holding play-offs to determine a champion is probably a bit odd. A few of you might even find it offensive, or view it as an affront to the game. After all, champions are meant...
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No, Henry doesn't mean it's NASL 2.0

Friday 30 July 2010, 17:33

Thierry Henry, Nery Castillo, Blaise N'Kufo, Alvaro Fernandez and soon Rafa Marquez – all Designated Players signed up by MLS clubs during this new age of big spending and big splashes. Some will make...
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Altidore injury leaves US fans fearing the worst

Friday 04 June 2010, 17:29

Fear grips the U.S. National Team fan base. The one "established" striker the side has, a young and mostly unproven talent with just a few international goals to his name, sprained an ankle in...
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Bradley left with more questions than answers as US prepare for England opener

Wednesday 02 June 2010, 12:55

If it's not one thing, it's another. The United States headed into their friendly against Turkey on Saturday with plenty of questions; between Oguchi Onyewu's knee and Bob Bradley's unclear...
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Injury-wracked US face World Cup selection dilemmas

Wednesday 05 May 2010, 11:35

In each area of his team, US National Team head coach Bob Bradley has difficult decisions staring him coldly in the face. With only days to go before he calls in an expected group of 26 to 28 players for...
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The LA Galaxy are better off without David Beckham

Thursday 29 April 2010, 10:28

The above, for the marketing-obsessed owners of the club and a league leadership fully committed to Brand Beckham, is the uncomfortable truth. Without the distractions Beckham brings, with Bruce Arena...
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Despite the history, cup fever still hasn't quite gripped the US

Thursday 15 April 2010, 11:55

Thanks in part to the Wembley pitch and some dodgy work by English football’s finest match officials, the 129th FA Cup Final pairing is set. After months of competition, highlighted by a few shocks along...
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All systems go as MLS prepares for biggest ever matchday

Thursday 08 April 2010, 16:22

Major League soccer played their second round of matches since we last met, though the fixture list was rather short due to the Easter holiday. "Why?" you might have just asked, wondering why...
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Round 1: Fearsome Philly come out fighting

Tuesday 30 March 2010, 14:00

No one sets out to debut poorly, but sometimes these things can't be helped. Such was the plight of the Philadelphia Union on Thursday, when they took to the field for the first time as a real-life...
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MLS 2010 preview pt4: Rest of the West

Thursday 25 March 2010, 11:00

The MLS season starts tonight, and all week Jason Davis has been introducing the combatants. Here are the last four; enjoy the season! Yesterday you were introduced to the Houston Dynamo, formerly the...
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MLS 2010 Preview pt3: Classic Westerns

Wednesday 24 March 2010, 11:00

The MLS kicks off on Thursday; let our Stateside expert Jason Davis introduce the teams from way out West... So far, you've met the Eastern Conference teams. Now it's time to turn our attention...
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MLS 2010 Preview pt2: Shock of the new

Tuesday 23 March 2010, 11:00

With the MLS set to kick off on Thursday, FFT.com's Stateside expert Jason Davis introduces the rest of the Eastern Conference Yesterday we looked at four Eastern Conference teams: title contenders...
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MLS 2010 Preview pt1: Eastern promise

Monday 22 March 2010, 16:02

The new US football season starts on Thursday. Let our Stateside expert Jason Davis explain – and start to introduce the teams... There's nothing quite like the clouds lifting to suddenly give way...
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Landon Donovan: America's most wanted

Tuesday 09 March 2010, 15:18

Oh to be Landon Donovan. The most wanted American in England since David Bieber (and for much, much nicer reasons, though I'll admit to not having heard of him until he popped up in a Wiki search)...
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Why inferiority needn't lead to irrelevance

Friday 05 March 2010, 14:01

It's another new regular FourFourTwo.com feature, all about the USA – its teams, its imports and its exports. Meet your host Jason Davis ... I suppose I should start with an introduction, considering...
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