Steven Goff
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
12:00 PM
Washington Post soccer writer Steven Goff was online Wednesday, Oct. 18, at noon ET to chat about D.C. United, MLS, Europe and anything else soccer-related.
The transcript follows.
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Steven Goff: Greetings!
Thanks for crashing the soccer chat.
We've got three live bands, oysters, snacks, phe-nom-en-al finger food.
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn said they would stop by later.
Let the ceremony begin...
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Miami: What's going on with the search for the next coach for the U.S. National Soccer Team?
Steven Goff: Sunil Gulati told me he is planning trips to both South America and Europe to continue the interview process. He will not reveal his final three or four candidates, but the names remain the same: Klinsmann, Pekerman, Houllier, Eriksson, Bradley, Nowak, etc.
He said to plan for a press conference in late November.
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Washington, D.C.: Steven,
Is Grant Wahl as nice a guy in person as he appears to be from his writings?
Steven Goff: Great guy, great writer. Be sure to read his stuff in SI.
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Richmond, Va.: There will be 13 teams in MLS next year. Is it possible they might give themselves some international credibility and go to a single-table format?
Steven Goff: Yes, it is very possible there will be a single table with the top eight teams making the playoffs. Final decisions should be made at league meetings next month.
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Houston: Who do you see as the favorites for making it to the MLS championship? Why?
Steven Goff: Based on current form, I'll go with New England vs. Houston in the final. However, the playoffs always seem to offer a surprise or two.
Which brings us to DC United...
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Georgetown: I don't need to remind you Steven of how DCU has fallen off a cliff lately. Do you sincerely believe they can turn things around starting this weekend and make a championship run?
Steven Goff: Ah, great question.
After going so far ahead of everyone else midseason, they lost their rhythm and have not been able to regain it. The attack has been sluggish (other than Christian Gomez), the forwards haven't been finishing and the team defense has been highly suspect.
And now they've got to deal with the artificial turf at Giants Stadium in Game 1.
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John (Georgetown): What happened to United? Did they collectively forget how to play together? I'm extremely concerned about their chances of even getting out of the first round now.
Steven Goff: If the Red Bulls manage to win Game 1, United will be under enormous pressure at home to take the initiative from the start. With the experience of Guevara and Djorkaeff, the Red Bulls could become a dangerous counterattacking team.
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Sterling, Va: Steve, pester your editor for a weekly soccer column that allows you to opine.
Question: Should D.C. fans just root for New England, or do we have to exorcise the evil that is the Chicago Fire by beating them ourselves?
Thanks for taking these questions.
Steven Goff: If United advances to the conference final, they'll have a difficult time with either Chicago or New England. History tell us they'd rather face the Revolution in a big game.
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Arlington, Va.: When is the U.S. Men's National Team going to get in gear and play some games? I was hoping they would give Mooch Myernick a game at the helm before they named a permanent coach.
Can you share any memories of Mooch?
Steven Goff: If a friendly had been scheduled this fall, Mooch surely would have run the team. With his passing, I can't imagine a game will be held. The next event is a national team training camp in January.
I don't have any specific stories about Mooch, but I'll always remember him for his humor and perspective. U.S. Soccer lost a wonderful person.
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Fairfax Station, Va.: Is Esky ready for 90 minutes? He seems the only one who is willing to press?
Steven Goff: According to the story in today's paper, he says he's ready, and I imagine Nowak will give him a starting assignment.
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Fairfax, Va.: What are the chances of Nowak getting the U.S. Team job? Do you think he'll be good for the job?
Steven Goff: I would be very surprised if Gulati hires an MLS coach. As the new president of the federation, he wants to make a splash and bring in a big name who will shape the program for years to come.
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Stafford, Va.: Dare I ask whom you voted for in the MLS MVP race as well as for Coach of the Year?
Steven Goff: If I were to vote, I'd go with Christian Gomez for MVP and Peter Nowak or Bob Bradley for coach of the year (DCU has the best record, but Chivas turned things around dramatically)
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Baltimore.: Steven,
Some people are very high on University of Maryland goalie Chris Seitz. Do you share their optimism ?
Steven Goff: Outstanding. He should probably leave school after this season and head overseas or sign with MLS to further his development in a professional setting.
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East End, D.C.: I believe that if anyone asks about the stadium, God kills a puppy. Think of the puppies.
Steven Goff: What stadium?
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Silver Spring, Md.: Steven,
Any word on potential European club teams coming to the D.C. area next summer? Hopefully we can avoid another United vs. Real Madrid in Seattle fiasco.
Steven Goff: Much too early to say, but I'm sure you will see a major European club at RFK sometime next summer.
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DB, Alexandria, Va.: Pollyanna or Chicken Little? Which would you side with for United's chances in the playoffs?
Steven Goff: Run for your lives!!
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Alexandria, Va.: Is Jamil Walker in Nowak's doghouse? He hasn't played much in recent matches.
Steven Goff: Jamil hasn't scored a league goal since April. Enough said.
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Go Penn State!: Steven,
Since people are always asking you about prospects for a new stadium, I hope you noticed that in Monday's editions of the Post, your colleagues on the commercial real estate beat provided an update, however slight, on the Poplar Point project.
washingtonpost.com:
Steven Goff: Things are progressing...
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Virginia: If the MLS goes to a single table will the team that finishes first be the league champion? I think it would be cool if the MLS did that and changed the playoffs to a postseason "best of the best" tournament.
Steven Goff: I'd imagine that, if MLS goes to a single table, the first-place finisher would still take home the Supporters Shield and perhaps second place would also earn a Champions Cup berth. The playoff format would remain the same, I'm guessing, although first-round matchups would no longer be defined by geography/conference. A DC-LA playoff would be fun, wouldn't it?
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Mount Pleasant, D.C.: Any more word on the sale of United? The Anacostia Waterfront folks aren't going to take the stadium proposal from the team seriously until they have new owners.
Baby steps, right?
Steven Goff: Itty-bitty baby steps.
The sale is on course to be announced within 30 days, Kevin Payne tells me. We'll see...
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Baltimore: If David Beckham were to come to the states, would he actually have an impact?
Steven Goff: Yes. Lots and lots of teenage girls would buy tickets.
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Washington, D.C.: If Jamil has not scored since April, has Rod Dyanchenko scored since April? Clearly Tom or Nowak think he has potential, but we're not seeing it in the bleachers.
Steven Goff: Dyanchenko has huge potential and needs playing time in order to be a contributor in the playoffs and gain confidence heading into next season. With Walker, what you see is what you get.
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Baltimore: Why are there are no stories or articles in the United States covering today's matchup between Chelsea and Barcelona? These are two of the biggest teams in all of sports in the entire world. Come on what, gives with the U.S. coverage of the Champions League? I am extremely disappointed. Also, what are your predications for the MLS playoffs? Thank you.
Steven Goff: There are plenty of stories about the match online (soccernet.com, bbc.com, etc.). For better coverage from local media, contact your favorite sports editors and sports directors.
Your point is well taken, though. Chelsea-Barcelona is the biggest sporting event in the world today. In this country, however, it's the Mets-Cardinals.
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Arlington, Va.: How would the single table work exactly? Do you just play every team home and away, which makes for a 24-match schedule? That would be fine with me. Then they could shorten the too-long season a little bit as well.
Steven Goff: Play every team twice (24 games) and add six games against geographical opponents (DC-NY, DC-NE, etc).
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Seattle (via DC): Hi Steven:
In the first half of the season, Gros played that hybrid position on the right between defense and midfield. With Donnet now manning the right side and Gros the left, has this changed his responsibility, and are United more of a strict 3-5-2 now? Also, if all are healthy, is Freddy purely a bench player now?
Thanks.
Steven Goff: I'm guessing Donnet will not start on Saturday. Gros and Adu on the wings, Moreno and Esky up top.
We'll have to wait and see what Nowak has in store...
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Washington, D.C.: Steve, in your honest opinion, what are the odds of seeing Beckham and/or Ronaldo in MLS next year? Would someone like Bruce Arena want them on his squad?
Steven Goff: MLS sure seems to be leaning that way -- finding salary exemptions to sign international superstars. If not next year, then 2008.
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D.C.: If Christian Laettner and friends buy the team, is he going to play for DCU like he is threatening to for the Grizzlies, assuming that sale goes through too? And would he be better or worse than Peter Crouch?
Steven Goff: Ha!
If that happened, I'd imagine UVA and UMD fans would have a hard time supporting United.
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Blacksburg, Va.: What do you make of Petr Cech's horrifying injury? Deliberate or accidental?
Steven Goff: Terrible, terrible injury (skull fracture).
I do not think it was deliberate.
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Re: Dyachenko: And next you're going to be telling us that David Stokes and John Wilson have a huge upside too, right?
Steven Goff: Um, no. As with Walker, what you see is what you get from Stokes and Wilson. Dyachenko COULD become a superb player; that's why they got him playing time before the playoffs to build his confidence and see what he could do at this early stage of his career.
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Arlington, Va.: In Walker's defense, he gets used in a completely ridiculous position out wide in the midfield when he has gotten playing time lately. I think we all know Jamil is no midfielder. Nowak set him up to fail if they are using the fact that he hasn't scored since April as the reason for keeping him out now.
Steven Goff: He missed too many scoring chances. That's why he's not playing.
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Bethesda, Md.: On a scale from 1-10 in terms of current performance and future potential, if 18-year-old Lionel Messi rates a 10, 17-year-old Theo Walcott rates a 9, where does 17-year-old Freddy Adu rate? Perhaps a 5 or 6?
Steven Goff: Hard to say because they play in vastly different leagues, but a 6 or 7 seems fair at the moment.
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Vienna, Va.: Can you shed some light on a U.S. player currently with Watford in the English Premier League, who I have heard may be a future star?
Steven Goff: Jay DeMerit, a Green Bay native who took the long road to English glory. Check out last week's SI story on him.
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Washington, D.C.: Rod Dyachenko seems to be getting a surprising amount of playing time for a rookie in an attacking position, especially on a deep and veteran team this year.
I wondered what you could tell us about the team's vision for him -- on TV, the announcers say that they are grooming him to replace Gomez eventually, but MLS teams generally don't put college-made players in that position and when they have (Kyle Martino, etc.) the results haven't been mind-blowing.
Also -- I believe he is Ukrainian born but his hometown is listed as Vancouver. What is his roster status as pertains to citizenship?
My take on Dyachenko, for what it's worth, is that he is a skillful player who still plays at "college speed." I could see him getting to another level in a year or two... but then, that's what we thought about Mark Lisi.
Steven Goff: Dyachenko was born in Russia and grew up in Georgia and Ukraine before moving to Vancouver, Wash. (just outside Portland, Ore., NOT Canada). Technically, his citizenship is Georgian, but he has a U.S. green card.
Check out the feature I did on him a month or so ago...
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Vince V.: Hi Steve. Great to be here. Owen will be along. He's touching up his makeup.
Jamil's probably gone after this lost season for him. Any chance that his speed will still bring some value back to the club in a trade?
Steven Goff: Vince! Or should I say, Jeremy? Hope the sensation has come back in your face after the touch football game.
Walker might be back next season; we'll see. Great guy, excellent speed. However, I don't believe he has very much trade value, perhaps a mid-round pick.
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washingtonpost.com:
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Falls Church, Va.: ACC Men's Tournament in two weeks at the Maryland SoccerPlex -- who wins it all and who has the best fans?
Steven Goff: I'm looking forward to this tournament. Nice to see it's finally in the immediate area. By far, the best college soccer conference in the country. The tournament will take place Oct. 31-Nov. 5. Any of five or six teams could win it. I like Virginia. Maryland's youthfulness might be a problem this year. Fans? Maryland's are rather, um, boisterous.
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McLean, Va.: Did I read that you wanted to vote for Nowak for Coach of Year? A team with arguably the most talent in the league (including an MVP candidate) manages to limp into the postseason for the second year in a row? That's the best manager in the league?
Steven Goff: You have to consider the full season, not just the end. Having said that, though, I believe Bradley will win.
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Washington, D.C.: Are you hearing any rumblings out of MLS or D.C. about the youth/underclass college players that the league might be interested in signing after this season?
Steven Goff: MLS typically signs a bunch of youth national team players, so I'm guessing that will occur again this winter. From the college ranks, a lot of people are talking about Boston College's Charlie Davies, who is only a junior.
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D.C.: Any news about how an expansion draft would work?
Steven Goff: Nope. But keep in mind Toronto will want to stock its lineup with Canadian players, so I would imagine the rest of the MLS teams will be at less risk of losing key players than in past expansion years.
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Washington, D.C.: Will this be Freddy Adu's last season with us? If so, what teams are interested? I've heard both CFC and Inter would sign for his rights. Thoughts?
Steven Goff: Good question. Freddy has another year on his MLS contract, so it's possible he could be back with DCU next season. I know he is eager to head overseas, but MLS is not going to agree to something unless it's just right.
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Seattle: Hey, we sold lots of tickets to that United-Real Madrid "fiasco" over here.
ANNND -- EPL question (or gripe): Is Newcastle the Baltimore Orioles of the EPL or are the Birds the Newcastle of the Major Leagues? (lots of money, screwy ownership, fanatical fans and a team loaded with highly paid failures)
Steven Goff: The scene in Seattle for that match was breathtaking. I'm sure United fans would like to see a similar arrangement at FedEx Field next year.
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Steven Goff: Time's up, folks.
Enjoy the dinner and dancing.
Be sure to thank Christopher Walken on your way out.
Peace,
SG
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