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According to the Fox Soccer Report a certain section of the LA Galaxy fans have expressed their displeasure that David Beckham is putting his own interests over those of the team. This unease among fans started to surface when it came to light that the LA Galaxy will cancel their proposed friendly against Queensland Roar set for December 11.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Galaxy will cancel the proposed friendly because they cannot assure anybody that David Beckham (a tourist attraction these days) will be able to participate.

“The last thing we wanted to do was get going on a public sale and get hopefully 30,000, 40,000, 50,000 tickets sold and then realise we don’t have our full team when we arrive,” he said.

“So we’re trying to be proactive. We ended up having to make a decision based on that and that’s why this came about, and it came about pretty darn quickly to be honest.

“There is uncertainty about the timing so postponement is the word we’ve used.”

Despite this ‘uncertainty’, the Galaxy will still travel to New Zeeland on December 6th since tickets for that match have already gone on sale.

[Sources: Fox Soccer Report, Sydney Morning Herald]

CBC reports that Houston Dynamo striker Kei Kamara and FC Dallas midfielder Pablo Ricchetti have both received additional fines and suspensions.

Kamara was sent off during his team’s game against San Jose Earthquakes for elbowing while Richetti was dubiously sent-off after receiving two yellow cards in his team’s game against Real Salt Lake.

Both players will now have to pay a fine of $250 and serve an additional one match ban.

[Source: CBC]

After spending ten seasons with FC Dallas, utility man Bobby Rhine has announced that he will finally retire after his team’s final game of the season against the LA Galaxy, according to the FC Dallas official site.

Bobby Rhine has signaled his intention with the use of a public letter in which he said:

“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from Major League Soccer following our last game of this season, on Sunday in Los Angeles. I am proud of my ten year career with the Dallas Burn and FC Dallas; however, I am sad to be leaving the game and the team that I love.”

Bobby Rhine is one of 17 MLS players who have managed to play over 200 games for a single club and is the second most selected player in the franchise’s history – behind Jason Kreis;

[Source: FC Dallas official site]

Gustavo Varela and Carlos Grossmüller have been suspended from first team affairs at Schalke 04, according to Bundesliga.de. New sporting director, Andreas Müller commented on the situation:

 

“We were moved to make this decision for disciplinary reasons. As to what exactly they are, that’s not for the public domain.”

 

It remains unclear for how long the Uruguayan duo will be excluded from the first team, but they have been sent to train with the reserves until the situation is resolved.

 

So far this season Grossmüller has been selected twice, while Varela, who has been at the club since 2002 has not made any first team appearances.

 

[Source: Bundesliga.de]

The Los Angeles Galaxy benefit greatly from the presence of David Beckham, it seems. Although the team has not performed particularly well on the pitch and finds itself out of contention for a play-off spot, its global reputation continues to grow.

After the regular MLS season is over, the Galaxy will go to Australia for the second time in a year with the sole purpose of showing the world more of David Beckham. While in Australia, the Galaxy will play one friendly game against Queensland Roar at the end of the year, according to ABC.

“I think there’ll be a lot of people who have never come to a soccer match who are going to come and watch David Beckham play,” said Ms Spence, Queensland Sports Minister.

“It’s amazing to have someone like him in our own backyard. We don’t have to travel to America or England to see someone like him.

“And the fact that his coming here to Brisbane will attract people from all Queensland and probably all over Australia.”

[Source: ABC]

It has emerged this week that the Bundesliga is less affected by current world-wide financial crisis than the other football leagues across the world, according to The Earth Times.

“The Bundesliga may be a little less glamorous than other leagues, but definitely healthier and more reliable,” said Christian Seifert, the Deutsch football league managing director.

According to the report the scarcity of foreign owners in the league combined with its less glamorous nature and a lower salary level than in other leagues in Europe have contributed to this stability in the Bundesliga.

[Source: The Earth Times]

The MLS has previously received bids from potential teams in various regions in the USA and Canada for the 18th franchise; now Barcelona FC have entered the fray as they have found the perfect means of expanding their brand to North America.

“This is a very important day in our club’s 109-year history. We are a global brand and it is important to [be] present in the U.S. market and in the sport in America,” said Barcelona president Joan Laporta, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

The same report claims that the working name of the new team is Barca Miami, though that could change; the report also suggests that Barca Miami would reflect the parent team much in the same way that Chivas USA reflects Chivas de Guadalajara.

The MLS is unlikely to make a decision as to where the 18th MLS team (set to join the league in 2011) will be based until next year.

[Source: Los Angeles Times]

The New England Revolution were dealt a slight blow yesterday when it emerged that reserve back-up goalkeeper, Doug Warren would be out for the reminder of the season with an elbow injury, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

Warren is the second choice goalkeeper for Steve Nicol, the Revolution coach, but he only made three MLS appearances this season with Matt Reis standing between the posts in all the other league matches this season.

Now the Revolution will hope that Reis can remain healthy through to the end of the regular season and most of the post-season.

[Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer]

According to The Sports Network, Bayern Munich’s midfield dynamo Ze Roberto could be set for a move to the MLS after his contract with the Bundesliga champions expires this summer.

Ze Roberto has made his intentions to let his contract with Bayern run and seek out new challenges, according to The Sports Network:

“From my point of view, my time here is over. I would like to play for a further two years elsewhere. I’ve already played a number of years in the Bundesliga,” said Ze Roberto.

So far only FC Dallas have been linked with a move for the Brazilian midfielder.

Bayern Munich have a history of losing players under the Bosman ruling as in recent times, Michael Ballack and Claudio Pizzaro have left the club on a free.

[Source: The Sports Netwrok]

DC United’s Jaime Moreno was issued a straight red card in his team’s 3-0 loss to FC Dallas after he struck an opposing player. As a result, he was suspended for one match and fined $250. However, after a disciplinary committee met, the ban was extended to two games and the fine was increased to $500, according to ESPN.

DC United would have hoped that Moreno’s ban would not have been increased, as they are seeking all the help they can get to clinch a tightly contested play-off spot with only three games of the regular season remaining.

[Source: ESPN]