Country: Czech Republic

Manager: Karel Bruckner, Brucker announced he will be stepping down after Euro 2008, and will surely like to leave the country with silverware.

Euro 2004 Performance:  Four years ago, the Czechs found themselves in the game of the tournament as they crawled back from a two-goal deficit to claim victory over Holland in the group stages.  After the 3-0 trouncing of Denmark in the Quarterfinals, the Czechs ultimately lost to the eventual winner Greece in the Semis near the end of the first period of extra-time.

Euro 2008 Qualifier Performance:  In the two years of qualifying, the Czech Republic finished first in Group D, with Germany qualifying with them in second place.  The Czechs only suffered one loss in the group and finished with 29 points with a 9-2-1 record.

Key Attacking Player: Jan Koller is surely the attacking player in need of watching come start of the tournament.  His domineering height and ball skills will undoubtedly be one of the reasons the Czechs will advance to the knockout stages.  With his move from Monaco only months ago, Koller claimed two goals this half of the campaign but will be thirsty at goal come June.

Key Defensive Player: Petr Cech.  Although not technically part of the back four, the heart of the defense will revolve around Peter Cech.  His keeping and world-class prowess will give the Czechs the cushion they need to progress.  I would be surprised to see Cech give up more than 2 goals the entire group.

Breakout Player: With their aging side becoming more and more of a factor as well, a new star better be grown if they want to prevail two years from now in South Africa.

Predicted Group Finish: Second Given the circumstances of the setting for the tournament, finishing second will be a tough task as Switzerland will come under national unity and not be rolled over.

With the overwhelming experience on the Czech team, jitters and nerves should not even be mentioned as a problem.  As for this tournament, a strong squad could see them either go far, or barely leave the gate.  The news of Tomas Rosicky’s injury keeping him out of Euro ’08 is a big hit to the team, as their driving midfield force will be missing.  This injury could prove to be a giant shock to the psyche of the Czech team and its supporters.

Country: Portugal

Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Euro 2004 Performance:  Four years ago, Portugal was the host of the Euro Championships and commandeered themselves all the way to the final.  Yet, they fell in the final to the Greece in heartbreak.  That loss will just be more of an incentive for Portugal to be strong contenders come this tournament.

Euro 2008 Qualifying Performance: In Group A of qualifying, Portugal finished second behind Poland.  They finished qualifying with a 7-6-1 record.

Key Attacking Player: Cristiano Ronaldo will undoubtedly be the man to watch of the tournament.  Having been in formidable form the entire season, he will be looking for that first major international trophy, and will have the desire to do it after being apart of the team that was heart broken four years ago.  Look for Ronaldo to possibly be the top scorer in this tournament.

Key Defensive Player: Ricardo Carvalho is obviously a good defender, but his sometimes lackadaisical play as seen on numerous occasions this year has led to many missed chances for Chelsea.  His latest was the sloppy back pace right to Wayne Rooney in the crucial Man Utd game.  Although he was saved there, that kind of careless play would not be what Portugal are looking for if they plan to lift the trophy.

Breakout Player: Normally, I would have to say Nani.  But since his summer arrival to Manchester last year, he has already shown his capabilities.  Therefore, Miguel Véloso is the player I would guarantee is ready to sprout into his own.  The Sporting Lisbon player will be eager to show his class and use the tournament as a stage to show it off.

Predicted Group Finish: First With the world’s number one player on your team, it would be difficult not seeing Portugal reach at least the semis.  As well the teams natural ability to play fluid football, the chemistry in the Portugal locker room is reminiscent to that of your Sunday game every weekend.  With all of gears going for Portugal, this June should taste pretty sweet.

Thoughts:  With the exclusion of Maniche from the squad, the player that was so influential in both Euro ’04 and the last World Cup, it will be interesting to see who will step into those shoes and be the driving force.  With so much young talent on the Portugal bench, their only downfall may be the lack of experience.  With Figo out, Deco will have to assume the role of keeping the team a tight knit group.  Personally, Portugal is my favorite to win it all.

Country: Switzerland

Manager: Kobi Kuhn

Euro 2004 Performance: Back in Portugal four years ago, Switzerland failed to make it out of the group stages of the competition, yet alone win a match. With a two losses and a draw, they will be looking to show their footballing capabilities now that they are hosting.

Euro 2008 Qualifying Performance: Due to the fact that they are one of the hosts this year, they did not have to qualify.

Key Attacking Player: Tranquillo Barnetta is surely one of the bright stars for Switzerland.  After first being called up in 2004, he was influential last World Cup but unfortunately had his penalty thump the crossbar, leading to the eventual 3-0 win on PK’s for the Ukraine.  However, he was shortlisted for the tournaments Best Young Player award.  In this current campaign, he has netted 6 goals for Bayer Leverkusen and more will come from him this June.

Key Defensive Player: Philippe Senderos will have to be the strong hold of the defense for Switzerland come June.  Many of us who watch his play in the Premier league might rush off to call him rubbish, yet he does possess quality, and it will be that quality that will see Switzerland put on a good performance.

Breakout Player: Gelson Fernandes has been hailed by Sven Goran Eriksson as the “best young player in Switzerland.”  Since his move to Manchester City last summer, he’s netted twice, but impressively scored his first goal within 40 seconds of his first appearance for the club.  Although he may not get many opportunities, his contributions will be greatly needed if Switzerland is to advance.

Predicted Group Finish: Third.  Although they are gaining talent at the national level, the hosts won’t be able to pull through and will unfortunately just miss out on the elimination rounds.

Thoughts:  Although Switzerland has a promising side, the experience of the Czech Republic will earn them the second qualifying spot, and leave the Swiss out of the tournament.  If the defense remains strong, the goals will just have to pour in for them, then the Swiss could very well sneak into the elimination rounds.

Country: Turkey

Manager: Fatih Terim

Euro 2004 Performance: Failed to Qualify

Euro 2008 Qualifying Performance: Turkey finished second in Group C of qualifying behind Greece.  They finished on 24 points with a 7-3-2 record.  

Key Attacking Player: Tuncay Sanli has given us wonder strikes in the Premier league for Middlesbrough.  If he can provide those electric goals, Turkey might just find the sparks needed to escape the group stages and climb to the elimination rounds.

Key Defensive Player: Emre Asik will be the holding force in the Turkish defense.  The captain will need to keep his line strong, as they will be faced with the tough task of beginning the tournament against one of the favorites, Portugal.   

Breakout Player: Kazim Kazim has proven his class since his move to the Turkish club Fenerbahçe.  He was highly instrumental in their progress in the Champions League and without a doubt will be scoring goals come this June.

Predicted Group Finish: Fourth.  

Thoughts: Hamit Altintop would be the Turkish star this June.  The Bayern striker however may miss the tournament after breaking a metatarsal bone in his right foot.  After being in fabulous form this campaign, his loss would be astronomical.  With Altintop gone, it is hard to imagine Turkey creating the same brilliance they managed back at the 2002 World Cup.  

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We here at American Soccer Reader are very pleased to announce that we will be expanding our coverage to Euro 2008, Serie A and the English Premiership. Since our public launch we have enjoyed steadily increasing traffic and have been able to be the first to report on a laundry list of Major League Soccer stories. We are planning to roll out our new coverage over the next few days, and will introduce the new additions to our staff accordingly. We will be providing a weekly group preview for Euro 2008, as well as daily match reports and analysis during the tournament. We will also be keeping you all up to date on all the latest transfers, rumors and other news concerning the Italian Serie A and English Premiership throughout the offseason and into next season. All of us hear at ASR would like to thank you all for making the past couple months so enjoyable, and we look forward to providing you with more in-depth coverage of the greatest sport in the world!Interested in writing for ASR? We’re looking for writers to cover the German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga, please send inquiries to jobs@americansoccerreader.com

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Greetings fans from cloudy and cool Los Angeles, CA.  No, that was not a type-o.  I am writing this weeks blog from my hotel room in LA as we prepare for our game this week against the Galaxy.  Or Beckham’s team, as some of you (especially the females) might refer to them as.  But all joking aside, the match will be a difficult one as Beckham and Donovan have formed a strong partnership this  year and have linked up for plenty of goals so far.  With Beckham you know you are always going to have the service and vision that he brings to the game, and Donovan is going to bring the speed, runs off the ball, and work rate.  I think that is why those two have gotten off to such a hot start this season because they are great compliments to one another.  For me the keys to the game for us are obviously going to be keeping an eye on Beckham and Donovan at all times and avoid committing silly fouls around the box (where Beckham provides great service and finishing).  Having said all that though, I think it is just as important that we not pay TOO much attention to those guys that it takes away from what we do well as a team.  So it will be a balancing act, but I believe if we keep passing the ball well, defending with urgency, and finish some chances we have a great chance to come back from LA with a good result.  More importantly, a chance to win the game!

Now I have looked ahead at our match this week, lets reflect a bit on last weeks match at Toronto.  Personally for me, it was GREAT to be back on the field.  I would be lieing if said that I didn’t have a few butterflies and nerves before the match started.  It was as if it were my rookie year all over again and I was about to make my debut.  Yet, after the whistle blew and I got my first few touches on the ball it was like riding a bike.  Oh, and about that foul!  I have to say that I have committed my fair share of fouls throughout my career, but the one that led to Toronto’s goal I have to say still boggles my mind.  I don’t want to say too much in fear of a fine, but I do not believe it was a foul.  However, that is soccer and things do not always go your way.  Unfortunately for us, that is exactly what happened, as I thought we had controlled play and had the better of possession and chances leading up to their goal.  However, we stayed strong and didn’t stray from what we were doing and it eventually paid off with a great free kick from DVB.  

And for those wondering what exactly his celebration is after every goal when he kicks his leg straight up in the air…as most of you know DVB is from Holland.  In the Austin Powers movie, Goldmember, if you remember Goldmember is from Holland as well.  In one particular scene, he kicks his leg over his head to show his flexibility.  That is why DVB does that after every goal….I get questions about it from my friends every time he scores wondering what he is doing.  So I thought I would share that little tid bit with all of you!

Back to the game….overall it was a good result for us on the road against a hot team (Toronto had won 3 in a row), but at the same time we were a bit disappointed because we felt that we had enough chances where we could have put one away and possibly got all 3 points.  It was good to play all 90 mins, although I could have used a sub at about the 75^th min mark!  I felt pretty good, and overall was pretty pleased with my first game back from injury.  There were definitely some things that I could have, and should have done better, but that will come with time and more games.  I’m looking forward to building on my performance this week against LA, and I’m especially looking forward to making my home debut next weekend in front of our fans!

Now for your questions:

1. Hey Hunter, hope all is well!, I saw you training on Sunday, was 

great to see you!, I was wondering if you had been following the 

presidential primaries and whether you supported any candidates. Thanks!

-Kimberly J

Kimberly,

To be honest I do not follow the presidential primaries too closely.  Obviously watching the news I will get updated enough to know what is going on and who is in the lead at the moment.  Other then that, I couldn’t tell you much else!

2. Hi Hunter, I’ve read that a lot of teams have initiation rituals for 

rookies/new players, do you guys have anything like that?

-Steve M

Steve, 

I think that all varies from team to team to be honest.  I know with Red Bull during the preseason the rookies had to do some skits and a dance off while the team was in Austria.  Unfortunately, I was not with the team for that trip, so I am not sure exactly what all went on and who won.  

3. Hello Hunter, what player(s) in MLS do you look forward to playing/ 

beating most?

-John B

John,

Good question!  In this league, you play one another a lot.  So you build up some good rivalries and matches between players.  Playing outside back, you are marked up 1v1 a lot with one particular player throughout most of the game.  So I have definitely had some good battles.  I don’t think there is one particular player that sticks out in my mind, but here are a few for you.  They all have their different reasons why and are in no particular order:  

Khano Smith: tall, lanky, and fast. We have had some good battles

Fred- clever, skillful and quick first step.  Tough match up

Arturo Alvarez- Good friend, played against one another growing up

Stuart Holden- another good friend 

Francisco Mendoza- small, shifty, and skillful.  Tough match up

4. Hunter, it was great to see you included in the Olympic qualifying 

squad. It must have been exciting to play with so many fellow young 

talented US players. Any good off-field stories/happenings? Do you 

keep in touch with any of the guys playing abroad?

-Roberto A

Robert,

It was great to be a part of that team, and to play with a great group of guys.  As far as funny off the field stories there were plenty.  We are always joking around and giving each other a hard time.  No particular moment or story sticks out in my mind, but there have definitely been a lot of good times with that team.  As far as keeping touch with the guys playing overseas, I do.  Particularly with Charlie Davies.  Its tough to keep in touch because of the time difference, but every now and then we will catch one another online at the same time.

5. Hey Hunter, I’ve got a few either/or questions for you! Coffee/Tea? 

Grass/Turf? DC United/New England Revolution?(which do you despise 

less) TV/Movie? Soccer/Golf? Red Bull/Rockstar Energy Drink? Grilled/ 

Fried? and finally, Any relation to Morgan?

-Anthony S

Anthony,

Coffee in the morning, Sweet Tea with meals, and Hot Tea at night.

Grass

DC

Movie

Cleary its soccer, but if we are talking about in my off time it is definitely golf!

What is Rock Star? 

I am from the south, FRIED!

No relation unfortunately.

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Ask A Quake is a new segment that I will be featuring in my blog this season. I gather questions from Earthquake fans for a particular player, and give the fans a chance to, in a sense, interview players and ask the questions that are burning in their brains. First up is defender Jason Hernandez.

ASR: With Cochrane out with an injury, how will it be filling in at the centre back position?

JH: In college ball, I played on the right, but as soon as I got to this level, I really became a centre back. My three previous years I was a centre back, so its not that foreign to me. I’m excited to be back there. With Nick and Joe behind me, they’ll do a good job of helping me to readjust. I’m just going to try to hold down the fort until Ryan Cochrane gets better. I think we should be alright.

ASR: Do you feel pressure being a young guy, the expectations from fans in San Jose who have been starving for soccer?

JH: I wouldn’t say I feel pressure, not any more than I put on myself to come out and perform each day. Soccer is a really big part of San Jose and the Bay Area in general. I’m just excited to be here, I want to prove myself, and show the fans that we’re a bunch of guys who are here for the right reasons and to show that we can play.

ASR: What are the primary differences in training between Chivas U.S.A. and the Earthquakes?

JH: Every team, every club, every coach has its own style. My previous coaches were Preki and Bob Bradley, who were very structured and we did the same thing each day of the week, really getting into a routine of things. Here, we make adjustments as we go depending on the team we face or how the guys are feeling. We make it a point to make adjustments in training based on whatever the team needs, and that’s something I’ve noticed to be a difference. Other than that, football is football, so we go after it the same way.

ASR: What do you see as the Quakes’ strongest and weakest points right now?

JH: Right now we’re struggling to establish ourselves as the force we did in preseason. We just need to step back a bit and really buckle down. We need to make sure we’re tough to play against and our scoring opportunities and our goals will come. I think we’re making strides in the right direction with Chicago and Colorado, we suffered a bit in New York away from home, but the eleven guys on the field and whoever comes in are going to make it a point to keep us going in the right direction.

ASR: Do you have a favorite team outside of the U.S.?

JH: Obviously you can’t be at this level without watching a lot of soccer. To see guys in Man U, Chelsea, Barcelona, they’re all really great. For me, I wouldn’t say I have a single squad, I just love to watch particular guys: Messi, obviously Ronaldo. Any EPL team or La Liga, that stuff is just great to watch because those guys are really at the highest level and its everything we strive for and we try to get to that level day to day.

ASR: Who on the team would you least like to get in a fight with?

JH: I would have to go with Jay Ayres. I don’t know if you saw, he took a knock in Salt Lake. He’s still ticking and if he can walk away from that, then that’s not a guy I’m trying to see one-on-one. [Laughs] I’d say our new guy, our young guy, Jay Ayres.

Got a question for a Quakes player? E-mail me at Ian@americansoccerreader.com or look for me on the BigSoccer boards where I will be gathering input. Coming up in the next weeks will be: Nick Garcia, Jean-Phillipe Peguero, and Ronnie O’Brien.

Popularity: 21%

Hello Fans,

Well it has been a while, but I am here to tell you that I am back training with the squad!  I know that may not sound too exciting to you, but trust me I am thrilled.  As well is my teammate, Dane Richards.  We both got back into the swings of things starting Tuesday (the team had Monday off).  Still trying to knock the dust off our boots, but with every new day we are both making progress.  I know for me, I am definitely looking forward to getting back on the field with the boys.  There is nothing worse as a player then having to watch your team and not be able to really help.  For those of you wondering when I will play in my first game, I unfortunately don’t have an answer for you.  For any of you that followed the team last year, the last thing I want to do is repeat what I did when I came back a bit too early from an ankle injury last year and struggled.  So we are going to make sure the time is right and everything makes sense.  I’m not ruling out that this weekend I couldn’t possibly be a sub for the San Jose game, but a more realistic date is probably the Toronto game the following Thursday.   

Competition in training has been good this week.  Today’s session was quite competitive with quite a few strong (and questionable) tackles.  But don’t worry fans, no one was hurt!  Some psyche’s might have been hurt, but that’s about it.  Training ended with a mini round-robin tourney with 4 teams of 5 players.  Two teams were off resting, while the others competed. Each player paid $2, and the winning team split the pot amongst its players.  The dark blue team was victorious on the day.  I’d tell you who was on that blue team, but to be honest I cannot remember.  Unfortunately I was not part of that squad, so I tried to forget about it ASAP. Coach tends to have all the guys pay a couple bucks when we are playing small-sided games.  It always makes the games a bit more competitive and definitely allows more room for trash talking.  At the end of the day its all fun and games and we are all out there to win, so going home the victor always makes your day a little bit better.

Since the weather has been so nice the past week or so, my roommate (Mike Magee) and I have been working on our golf game.  We have probably been to the driving range 3 times in the past week.  I started playing golf when I was about 13 or so, and I love it.  Golf is my favorite hobby, my second being hunting.  Magee has not played much, but he can hold his own.  As with anything, the more you practice the better you become.  Our typical visit to the range usually starts with us just hitting our own shots and practicing, but always ends in a friendly little wager.  We will pick a certain target and for every time you hit that target (in the air) the opponent owes you $1.  We switch up the targets from short pitch shots, to getting out the big boy (the driver) and letting it rip.  Once again, we are athletes and competition is in our blood.  It always makes for some good laughs, bragging rights, and every now and then a great story.  Those of you wanting to know my handicap, I would say its around 15 now.  When I  was younger (16-17yrs old) and played a lot, I was a 9-10 handicap.  However, I don’t play as often as I did back then, so its safe to say it has gone up a bit.  On a good day I might be able to get back to 10.  If anyone is every looking for a golf game, feel free to let me know.  Name the place and I will be there.  

I will close out this week’s blog as I do every week by answering your questions, but I hope to see you all this Sunday at our game against the San Jose Earthquakes.  We look forward to getting you a win and playing some good football for you fans.  San Jose will prove a tough match, but I think if we play to our strengths and finish our chances we can be victorious.  

Hello Hunter, hope the recovery is coming along! I was wondering, if you weren’t a professional soccer player, what do you think you’d be doing?

Jean T

Jean,

I would have to say that if I wasn’t playing soccer I would probably be coaching.  I would have just finished up college, and would have probably applied for a graduate assistant position at a University.  That way I could get my feet wet, and go from there.

Hi Hunter, which of your teammates do you spend the most amount of time with off the field?

Stephanie C

Stephanie,

Off the field I spend the most time with Mike Magee.  We live together, and we have known one another since we were about 15.  We lived together down in Bradenton, FL and attended the US Soccer Residency program together. 

Hunter, what is your normal pre game buildup usually like? Any routines? Specific kind of tunes/food?

Jeff H

Jeff,

My pre game build up usually starts with a nice meal the night before the game.  Usually chicken, steak, or fish and pasta of some sort.  The day of the game, I usually sleep in and then go eat breakfast around 10-11am.  I like eating out because it gets me out of the house for a bit.  After that I usually come back and just lay around the house and watch TV until its time for my main meal before the game.  I usually eat that about 4 hours before each game and it is always some type of chicken and pasta combination. 

As for tunes, nothing really specific. It is usually something up beat and loud.  It has to get me in the mood to play, run around for 90 minutes, and focused.

HI Hunter, are there any team(s) that you’re looking forward to playing in particular?

Derek E

Derek,

Not really a team in particular, although I always look forward to playing in Dallas.  That is my hometown, so I always have a lot of family and friends attending the game.  Living far away from home, it is always nice to go back home and play in front of your family and friends.

Hey Hunter, are there any websites you visit daily? Whether its news, entertainment or soccer news?

Christian M

Christian,

Some of the websites I tend to check out regularly are any soccer website, yahoo,com, espn.com, Americansoccerreader.com (of course!), facebook.com, and google.com.  I am always googling something I feel like.  Not sure what I would do without those search engines.  It is not really a website, but I am always searching around the iTunes store online. 

Popularity: 37%

The New England Revolution have traded 31 year old defender Joe Franchino to the Los Angeles in exchange for a 2009 2nd round draft selection. The trade makes alot of sense, Los Angeles need help in defense, and Franchino had fallen out at New England.  Franchino left the galaxy in 2000, and will be reunited with the club as of today. Here’s the

Popularity: 13%

According to several MLS sources, Chivas USA are said to be in the market for a Designated Player spot. The club would need to trade to acquire a Designated Player spot, and who would be traded is still a topic of much discussion. The most mentioned player that Chivas USA are currently interested in signing is Mexican international and Jaguares de Chiapes Forward Adolfo “Bofo” Bautista. The club are said to be strongly considering approaching Bautista this summer, if they can acquire a Designated Player spot.   








What are your thoughts? Who can Chivas USA afford to trade for a DP spot? Would Bautista potentially be a good fit?

 Rating- 2(Possible)

Popularity: 13%

Tickets for the friendly between the United States Mens National Team and the Argentina Men’s National Team, will go on sale today at 12pm Eastern. Tickets range from $35-195, and are available via ussoccer.com. Roughly 20,000 tickets have been sold in the presale, so one would assume these will go quickly. The game is schedule for June 8th a 7:30pm eastern.

Popularity: 14%

Greetings fans,

What more can I say, other then you cannot ask for a better start to the season then we had last Saturday.  The weather was beautiful, the goals came early, and we earned three points.  Oh yes, the fans!!!!  There were 17,000 plus and as vocal as I can remember.  So from my teammates and I, you the fans earn a BIG “thank you!”  

Personally, it was great to see Dave and Goldy open up their accounts on opening day.  Two guys who have been doubted the most by fans and media definitely proved their worth on Saturday.  

This week we have a good test in Dallas.  It will be our first test on the road, and against a good opposition who definitely have some individuals that are capable of punishing you.  Like us, Dallas has switched its formation to a 3-5-2 as well.  Although, so far it looks as they still have some things to sort out in the back having given up 4 goals in 2 games.  Only time will tell, as we will know how things shake out on Saturday evening. 

If you are a European soccer fan, this week Champions league games have been quite entertaining.  Although, I think it is safe to say that the hands down winner of match of the week has to be Arsenal vs Liverpool.  I wont go into detail on the match as I am sure most of you watched the match, but if you have not I suggest you do.  

As for my injury, it is progressing nicely.  Saw the Doc at the game this weekend and he was quite surprised to see how well my ankle has come along.  He is keeping me in the boot for at least another week.  I was not too happy about that, as the boot is annoying and my ankle feels good.  Yet, he knows more then I do so I will do what he suggest.  After my ankle injury last year, I learned not to rush back!  As I make more progress or get any more good news, I will definitely pass it on.

Once again as I did last week, I will end with answers to your questions.  It is always great reading your questions and seeing what is on your minds.  Some questions make me think, and some must make me laugh.  As always though, I will do my best to answer all them.  Enjoy your weekend, and look forward to seeing you back out at Giants Stadium on the 19^th.

Hello Hunter, we’ve all heard that Chris Innes is training with RBNY,  

have you had a chance to see him/talk with him? Any impressions/ 

thoughts on him/his play so far? 

Noah Z, 

I have met Chris as his has been training with the team since Tuesday.  I cannot give you my honest opinion about his play, as I have only seen him play in training for about 15 mins.  He looks as if he has some quality, is vocal, and good in the air.  

Hi Hunter, since we all know of your great talent on the field, do you have any hidden talents we may not know about? 

Alisha K,

Hidden talents huh?  Not sure I really do have any hidden talents.  I thought long and hard about this question, but cannot seem to come up with anything.  

Bonjour Mr. Freeman, big fan of the blog so far! Who would you say is the biggest jokester in the locker room, which player is the joker of the bunch? My guess is Conway or Woly. 

Steven S,

As you can probably guess, being in a locker room amongst teammates every day there are always jokes and pranks going on.  Usually the rookies catch the brunt of the jokes, but everyone is fair game.  As for who is the joker of the bunch????  I would have say Dave Van Den Bergh.  You are pretty close though with your two guesses, as Wolly is pretty neck and neck with Dave.  Wolly tends to lay low and just wait until you say something that makes absolutely no sense, and then he just murders you for it and makes sure everyone else in the locker room knows what you said as well.

Hey Hunter, I was at the opener on Saturday, I was happy with the result, and very impressed by the crowd, made alot of noise, 101 was amazing as usual! Are you enjoying being coach by JCO? He looks like a very passionate committed manager, definitely a night and day difference from Arena on the touchline.

Anthony S,

You hit it right on the nose; the crowd, atmosphere, and result were all amazing this past weekend.  As I mentioned last week and again this week, you the fans make all the difference in the world.  As for Juan Carlos, he is without a doubt fully committed to the task at hand.  I don’t believe I have ever seen a coach spend more time jotting down ideas, tactics, drills on a piece of paper then Juan Carlos.  Unfortunately, my time away with the Olympic Team and my recent injury have not allowed me to work with him very much.  For the few training sessions I have been able to train with the team I have been pleased.  The sessions are long and intense, but everything we do has a purpose.  There is no time wasted!

Hello Hunter, what sports do you follow very closely, other than soccer? Any favorite TV shows at the moment? Keep up the good work!

Dan G,

Being from Texas I am a huge Football (American Football) fan, and I love my Cowboys.  I know that probably will not sit well with a lot of you because of the Giants, but I stick with my team.  As I tell all my friends, they aren’t called “America’s Team” for nothing.  As far as a favorite TV show at the moment, no question it would have to be Rob and Big.

Thanks again to all of you for reading the blog and submitting questions.  Look forward to meeting some of you throughout the year at the games.  Until next week, take care and enjoy your weekend!

-Hunter

Popularity: 34%

Toronto FC have secured Amado Guevara on a 4 year contract. TFC traded undisclosed 2009/10 drafts picks to Chivas USA for his rights. Guevara is expected to joined the team in California in time for Sundays game with the La Galaxy. Amado left Chivas USA in 2007 after clashing with head coach Preki. 

Popularity: 13%