Arsenal Cement Ties With Rapids as CEO Chosen

The Colorado Rapids and Arsenal appear to have taken a further step in deepening their relationship with the appointment this week of MLS deputy commissioner, Ivan Gazidis, as Arsenal's new CEO. Arsenal's long-standing chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has come a long way from dissing the likes of Stan "We don't want his sort on our board" Kroenke to actively seeking the Rapids' owner's guidance on Gazidis' suitability for the job. Hill-Wood speaks about Kroenke's role in the appointment and Arsenal's ambitions in the US on the Arsenal website but you have to pay GBP 45 a year for the privilege and I am not going to do that.
Who really knows if the relationship between the two clubs will be more than simply a business investment for Mr. Kroenke? If Gary Smith can use his links with Arsenal to bring over some young UK talent to play for the Rapids, that might be of more relevance to DSG Park fans. Nevertheless, it is an interesting appointment. Gazidis was born in South Africa but spent most of his formative years in the UK including studying at Oxford where he managed to pick up a soccer blue. For those who don't know what that is, it means representing the university at the top level against arch rivals Cambridge. No mean feat even if rugby, cricket and the boat race are better known. Here's a good piece from The Times on the appointment.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article5237074.ece

Rapids' Defenders Petke and Ward Waived

While the Colorado Rapids didn't lose anybody in the MLS Expansion Draft to Seattle Sounders, they did decide today to waive two defenders. Mike Petke, the 32-year old veteran and New York native, will be returning to his home state to play for the Red Bulls. Tim Ward, who didn't play for the first team this season after arriving from Columbus, is also waived. Ward is presumably a casualty of the apparent demise of the Reserve division. Petke, who returned to the team deep into the season after a long injury, played well for the Rapids in the closing stretch. It may just have been time for Gary Smith to look at some of his younger players at the back. The back four of Ugo Ihemelu, Cory Gibbs, Kosuke Kimura and Jordan Harvey now looks set to be the back four of choice next season though Smith has said he wants to being in another full back.
http://www.coloradorapids.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?NID=E0yCgaJsqzI=

Seattle Take No Rapids Players

The Seattle Sounders chose not to take any Colorado Rapids players in today's draft as they prepare for their entry into the MLS next season. Ten players from ten separate MLS teams were chosen in the MLS Expansion Draft. Here is a link including the complete list of the ten players selected in the draft today. http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=35400&pcid=115
The Sounders have already signed Swedish international and former Arsenal midfielder, Freddy Ljungberg, as well as former US goalkeeper, Kasey Keller, Sebastien Le Toux and Sanna Nyassi.

Cummings Nets But Reggae Boyz Not Dancing

I did ask you to spare a thought for Colorado Rapids' striker, Omar Cummings, who played for Jamaica last night in their crucial World Cup qualifier against Canada. Unfortunately, despite a fighting 3-0 victory in Kingston, the third straight win for the Reggae Boyz in World Cup qualifying, they have narrowly missed out on progressing to the final round of qualification. Honduras beat Mexico which meant that Mexico and Jamaica finished on the same points but El Tri go through by virtue of a better goal difference. Heartbreak for Omar and the boys. Cummings came on as a substitute in the 71st minute and managed a goal in the 85th. Probably little consolation for him but we look forward to welcoming him back next season at DSG Park where many feel he will have a big role to play for this club. Here is a link to more details on last night's game for Jamaica.
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/round=250468/match=300053874/report.html

US Team and Perfect Weather

I was at DSG Park this morning and it was pretty awesome. The US national team is in town for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Guatemala and I am covering it for www.goal.com. It is a thrill to be watching these gifted national team players and writing about them. This is made all the better when it is seventy degrees and the Rockies are snow-capped. I ended up speaking to Chicago Fire midfielder John Thorrington and the result was a feature on the goal.com website; the link is below.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/united-states/2008/11/18/969546/thorrington-puts-playoff-loss-behind-him-with-call-up.
I'll be at the game on Wednesday filing a match report as well as a post match story from the press conference and the locker room. Look forward to any comments you may have.

Rapids Trio Make It Into US Roster

Pablo Mastroeni, Cory Gibbs and Conor Casey are among the final roster for this week's US World Cup qualifying game against Guatemala. The Colorado Rapids trio made it into the final 20 man squad with teammates Colin Clark and Nick LaBrocca, in the US training camp for the first time, just missing out. Clearly, they will be better for the experience of just being in the national set-up. The US squad will train tomorrow and Tuesday before the game on Wednesday at DSG Park which kicks off at 6pm MT. Here is a link to the full squad. http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_11370500.html

Do or Die in Kingston for Cummings and Jamaica

I know all eyes will be on Commerce City for next Wednesday's US World Cup qualifier against Guatemala but spare a thought for Jamaica and Colorado Rapids' Omar Cummings as the Reggae Boyz take on Canada in Kingston in a crucial match. While the US has already qualified for the next round of World Cup qualifying, Jamaica have to beat Canada at home while hoping, in reality, that Mexico beat Honduras away. The Reggae Boyz are simply too far behind on goal difference for them to hope they will get through if there is any other result in Honduras. We wish Omar and the rest of the talented squad, which includes several Premier League players, the best of luck. I would personally love to see Jamaica in the World Cup, especially with former England great, John Barnes, at the helm and Omar playing. Here's a link to the full squad listed in one of Jamaica's premier newspapers.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20081114/sports/sports2.html