* The Toronto organizers for the FIFA World Youth Championship tournament, made a real mess scheduling matches at BMO Field during the Indy Car Race on Sunday July 8th. After talk of resolution, and reassurances that fans should not be worried, Toronto ends up losing one of the matches on July 8th to Montreal.
So who gets to pay for the organizing committee's screw up? Well its the fans of course. The same fans the organizers have taken money from. Soccer fans were sold packages including a doubleheader for Sunday July 8th, and instead one of the matches gets moved. The explanation goes something like this - your still getting a game/event on that day so we've done nothing wrong. A bogus answer in my estimation. Had they not advertised the game as a doubleheader, this would be a non-issue, yet the schedule was released and many people relied on that information when purchasing tickets. Some have even made travel plans for that match, expecting to see their team play. What do fans get other than a poor excuse for the inept planning on the part of the organizing committee - a realization that some have little integrity in the way they go about doing business.
* By the way, I can't believe all the hype around town for the FIFA World Youth Championship draw on Saturday? Seriously, does anyone know or care that this event is taking place in Toronto? It will be televised live on the CBC apparently, if your interested.
* Lucky # 7 - 2007 is the 80th Anniversary of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and 30th Anniversary of the Toronto Blue Jays (or whatever their called now). Good year for Toronto FC to play their inaugural season.
MLS Player Moves & Rumours:
* Nick Rimando was traded back to Real Salt Lake by New York. This has pretty much ended the Jon Conway to Toronto trade rumours. For the time being anyway!
* Alex Zotinca, a Romanian Defender, who played for Bob Gansler in Kansas City for several MLS seasons, has signed with Chivas USA. Zotinca carries a coveted Green Card which allows him to count as a domestic player in MLS.
* Luciano De Bruno, an Argentinian midfielder currently playing in Israel, is rumored to be heading to Kansas City.
* Jamar Beasley, the older brother of Manchester City and USA International Demarcus Beasley, did not impress on trial for Chivas USA, and has returned to Indoor Soccer. This is not a name that will mean much to those of you new to MLS, however before Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu there was Jamar Beasley. Beasley was the first young hope for MLS after signing with the league while still in high school. He was said to be a can't miss prospect at the time being sent to the New England Revolution. Unfortunately, Jamar's young career took a turn for the worse when he moved in with a famous Boston Celtic player, and spent more time focused on late night partying than improving his soccer skills. After leaving the Revolution and trying to catch on with a couple of other MLS sides, Jamar found a niche in the indoor circuit where he has emerged as one of the top players. Of course the comparison to Demarcus, his less heralded brother at the time, will always be made. Demarcus went on to a great career in MLS, Holland, 2 World Cup Final Tournaments, and is now in the Premiership with Manchester City. For Jamar, the opportunity provided to him by Chivas coach Preki, was probably his last chance to catch on in MLS.
* Highly touted Maykel Galindo from Cuba, who defected a couple of years ago during a Cuban National team game in the United States, has signed with Chivas USA. Galindo had been playing for Seattle in the USL.
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