Things Are Happening

Hold the phone everybody, there was a transfer window move in MLS yesterday. Granted, it wasn't a very interesting transfer move, but it was a transfer move nonetheless, as defensive midfielder Marcelo Saragosa returns to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Also yesterday, the Galaxy traded midfielder/forward Jovan Kirovski to the Colorado Rapids, who in turn also signed former Galaxy/Miami Fusion forward Diego Serna. By moving Kirovski, the Galaxy will now likely move forward Herculez Gomez to the senior roster, a nice reward for a player who has contributed considerably to the Galaxy this season. This is what Galaxy coach Steve Sampson had to say about the Kirovski move:

"We're sorry to see him go. Jovan goes to a club that will place a high importance on his play. Not that we haven't or wouldn't, but I could not commit to any consistent starting time for him given the level of competition on the team right now."

The level of competition Steve? What level of competition? Joseph Ngwenya? Are you serious? Not that I don't think Sampson was right to trade Kirovski, but his comments are a bit perplexing, but not nearly as perplexing as the signing of Saragosa. The Galaxy already possess two starting defensive midfielders in Pablo Nagamura and sometimes-team-captain Pete Vagenas. The team could have used a quality central defender or a true left midfielder, but instead they sign Saragosa. One Bigsoccer poster made the best conjecture that I've seen, hypothesizing that Nagamura will be recalled at the end of the season and Saragosa is his long-term replacement. Still, the timing is curious.

In the Copa Sudamerica match last night, D.C. United tied CD Universidad Catolica 1-1 at RFK stadium in Washington. It's a disappointing result, especially since away goals are the aggregate tie-breaker. That said, United played well for long stretches, but their defense let them down. Does this mean that Bobby Boswell will be back in the starting eleven? Probably not. But shifting Erpen to the left and moving Boswell back into central defense would be a very wise move in my opinion. Boswell just is a threat on set pieces and has a presence in the back that without him, D.C. just doesn't possess. The second leg in Santiago will be an interesting one. But regardless of the series outcome, these matches can only be positive for D.C. and for MLS.

The September FIFA rankings came out today, and to some peoples' surprise, the U.S. fell one spot to seventh. To those who it did surprise, you probably need to step away from your computer, and get back into the real world. The only disappointment in all of this is that it'll make it practically impossible for the United States to be seeeded before the next World Cup. Oh well. (Oh, and England fell out of the top ten).

Other tidbits:

Steve Sampson reflects on World Cup 98:

"'One thing I would have changed (in my tenure) was I would not have brought in David Regis,' Sampson told The Star-Ledger. 'It set back the process. Him coming into the team at that late stage was a disruption and I take personal responsibility for that.'"

and (about "captain for life" John Harkes)

"Sampson, now the Galaxy coach, said he made the move because Harkes wouldn't switch from midfield to left back, a position the team was weak in."

There's also U.S. Open Cup action tonight with the USL's Minnesota Thunder facing the Galaxy in Los Angeles, and the Chicago Fire travelling down to so-far cursed Pizza Hut Park to face FC Dallas. Should make for some interesting chatter tomorrow.