Objectivo.com

The Poll Results are as follows:
Jose Mourihno- 47.54%
Fabio Capello- 27.23%
Jurgen Klinsman- 11.48%
Harry Redknapp- 8.2%
Louis Van Gaal- 6.56%

Jose Mourihno: The Winner of Our Poll

The knowledge and experience in England as a manager for Chelsea would help Jose Mourihno and suit him as the best man for the job. Jose has been quoted saying in the past that he loves the "day to day" operations of club football, which a national team manager doesn't get. And although it would be difficult to make the transition from club football to the national side, his ego, wonderful tactics, and managerial prowess is needed to help England become better. His children also miss England very much, and the money would be there to tempt Jose. Jose understands the media, the hype that the England job holds, and also speaks English. As long as Jose is serious, the FA should be just as serious in obtaining his managerial wisdom for the English National Team.
Have your say here!

By: Christopher Chantland

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The World Player of the Year Award has been narrowed to three players, Kaka, Christiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi.

Kaka, One of Three Finalists

In my opinion, it is always difficult to name a best player in the world, when each of these three players play in three different countries, and they all play a team game, with eleven players on the pitch. That said, I believe that Kaka has the inside track to the award. He has the most accomplishments with club and country, while his club has just won the 2006 Champions League. Without Kaka's influence on many matche's last year, Milan would had fallen in the earlier stages of the Champions League, and finished further down the table of the Serie A. Who do you believe should win the FIFA World Player of the Year?

By: Christopher Chantland

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Fellow Blogger, Nick Thomas who writes for "We Want Rapid Man", reviews this past weeks "From The Pitch, Radio Show". Click here to read the positive review.

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New Pan-Pacific Championship to feature top teams from MLS, J.League and Hyundai A-League

HONOLULU, HI - Major League Soccer (USA), the J.League (Japan) and the Hyundai A-League (Australia) today announced an unprecedented and innovative partnership in the creation of a new international soccer tournament to be hosted in Honolulu, Hawaii: the Pan-Pacific Championship (PPC), which will crown the top club from the Asian and North American soccer confederations. The inaugural edition of the competition will be held on February 20 and 23, 2008 at Aloha Stadium and will feature four clubs competing in a semifinals doubleheader followed by a doubleheader to determine the third-place finisher and the Pan-Pacific Champion. Representatives from Major League Soccer (MLS), Japan's J.League and Australia's Hyundai A-League gathered in Honolulu, Hawaii to unveil details of the new tournament.

The four teams to participate in the 2008 tournament are: reigning MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo and Haleiwa, Hawaii native Brian Ching; the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champion Gamba Osaka, with 19-year-old Japanese sensation Michihiro Yasuda and J.League star Yasuhito Endo; the 2007 SuperLiga finalists Los Angeles Galaxy, whose international roster includes English superstar David Beckham and perennial MLS all-star Landon Donovan; and a club to qualify from the Hyundai A-League Final Series, which concludes in February 2008 ahead of the Pan-Pacific Championship.

"This tournament will unite four terrific clubs from across the region to crown a true Pan-Pacific champion," said Doug Quinn, president of Soccer United Marketing, organizers of the event. "Honolulu was selected as the host not only for its geographical location in the center of the Pan-Pacific, but also for its community, its terrific infrastructure and its history of hosting top international sporting events. We will work closely with the local community to stage a world-class soccer tournament that will include festivities throughout the week."

The tournament will kick off with a semifinal doubleheader on Wednesday, February 20, with the Los Angeles Galaxy taking on Gamba Osaka in the opener, followed by the match between the Houston Dynamo and the A-League representative. The two winners will battle for the Pan-Pacific Championship on Saturday, February 23, preceded by the third-place match.

"The Pan-Pacific Championship is a great opportunity for MLS teams to compete against elite clubs from Japan and Australia and we are pleased to be partnering with the J.League and A-League to introduce this new exciting competition," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "The event will provide the participating teams with high level competition, while enhancing each league's exposure throughout the world."

Tickets for the Pan-Pacific Championship will go on sale in December, and further details will be shared as they become available. Fans are encouraged to visit the tournament's official website, www.PPChampionship.net, for further information.

"What a great pleasure it is that the winners of the 2007 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup, Gamba Osaka, now have this opportunity to play against such strong opponents from MLS and the A-League at the Pan-Pacific Championship," said J. League Chairman Kenji Onitake. "I sincerely hope that these Pan-Pacific games will promote still more exchange through football all around the Pacific."

"The Pan-Pacific Championships is a new high-quality competition in which Football Federation Australia is proud to participate," said Football Federation Australia CEO, Ben Buckley. "Partnering with clubs from the internationally respected and sophisticated competitions such as the MLS and J-League validates the massive advances that the Hyundai A-League and football in Australia has made over the past three years.

Pan-Pacific Championship 2008 - Calendar
(All times local)

Wednesday, February 20
Gamba Osaka (J.League) vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) (6:00 p.m.)
Houston Dynamo (MLS) vs. A-League representative (8:30 p.m.)

Saturday, February 23
Third-place match (6:00 p.m.)
Pan-Pacific Championship Final (8:30 p.m.)

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From The Pitch's very own Marcelo Balboa will be competing this weekend in a Celebrity Soccer Game in Clearwater, Florida. Click here for more details.

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AC Milan playmaker Kaka sees himself becoming an evangelical minister when he quits playing soccer.

"I would like that a lot," Kaka said in interview in the December issue of the Italian version of GQ, which was posted on the magazine's website Wednesday. "It's a difficult road - you have to study theology and deepen your study of the Bible."

The deeply religious Kaka nearly always raises both of his arms to the sky after he scores goals.

"An evangelical minister reads the Bible and conveys the duties," Kaka said. "It's not so easy to apply to today's society things that were written thousands of years ago. But that's exactly the job of a minister - to make the teaching of the Bible relevant."

After his team beat Liverpool in the final, Kaka revealed a T-shirt stamped with the words, "I belong to Jesus."
Kaka is widely expected to be awarded the Golden Ball as Europe's best player and FIFA World Player of the Year title this month.

"I'm aware that I'm among the best, but I haven't reached (my full potential)," Kaka said. "I can still improve. I'm 25 and therefore I still have room for improvement."

Kaka's wife Caroline is due to give birth to the Brazilian couple's first child in five months.

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Don Garber called David Beckham a "marketing machine". Los Angeles has style and Beckham is on pace to earn his $250 million deal over the next four years of his five year deal. The question Objectivo soccer fans have is, Can they have $uccess on the field?

Can these three return LA to the success Galaxy fans strive for?

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Leslie Osborne, USWNT star, will be a guest on Marcelo Balboa's From The Pitch radio show this coming Tuesday evening. Let's hope Balboa can get the Wisconsin Native talking about more than just cheese!

We'd like to hear thoughts on Brazils' Marta, opinion on fired Coach Ryan, and what city she'll play in for the new professional womens league.

What would you like Balboa to talk about? Submit questions below and tune in Tuesday at 5PM PST.

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Marcelo Balboa scores an MLS Goal of the Year! Now, Balboa currently hosts From The Pitch. FTP is a growing soccer radio talk show which can be heard every Tuesday.

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In case you missed it, here's the Beckham goal against Sydney FC. Sydney slayed LA 5-3.

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"Real Madrid is searching the international market for players who are young, talented and inexpensive, all qualities found in forward Jozy Altidore, the grand sensation of MLS.

Jozy Altidore

While I believe Altidore's move is neccessary and would lead to success for himself and for the national team, Real Madrid is the wrong place for him to start. Freddie Adu's success, although quite premature, has layed a blue print for Jozy to follow. Adu at Benfica, a big club in a smaller league, has allowed Freddie to blossom and grow accustomed to European football. Jozy should follow suit, and join a club that participates in their league and in Europe, and would give him plenty of first team chances in the squad.

Well as the owner of Norwich City said, quite famously while she was sauced up, "Let's be having you"! Give us some comments!

By: Christopher Chantland

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Former England Captain David Beckham & the LA Galaxy greet fans in Sydney and answering questions from the media.

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The results of the poll are as follows. The players took in 47% of the blame. McClaren took 27% of the blame. Injuries took in 15% of the poll. And the FA took in 11.7% of the vote.

My opinion is that it was a combination of all four that caused England to wilt. Although when I voted, I voted it was the FA's fault. The FA could be blamed for three of the issues, obviously, injuries is the one they couldn't have helped. Yet, the FA were the people who appointed Steve McClaren, the wrong man for the job. While the players, who didn't execute and played absolutely awful, could be attributed to their selection in the squad, and how the squad was put out in formation on the pitch. Thus, the FA, had the most impact on the disasterous Euro campaign.
Thank you all for voting, we look forward to further input from our users.

By: Christopher

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As England mourns the loss to Coatia, and it sinks in that they will miss the Euro 2008 tournament, the players between the friendly against Austria and last qualifier gainst Croatia, couldn't have been more optimistic. So optimistic in fact, they held a wild part for Shaun Wright-Phillips at a gentlemen's club for his birthday.

As the News of the World Reports, £50k on booze, lapdancers, begging for a threesome, and sex in the basement, and that was just the start. The report goes on to say these events all occured. Terry being so drunk he urinated on the floor and in a cup. Another player begging two lapdancers for a threesome. Some guests getting so drunk that they vomited on the floor. An ugly scuffle between Wright-Phillips and a female guest who dared to take his picture. Terry, missing from action through a knee injury, bouncing up and down on his bad leg with dancers.

John Terry Drunk, and Later Seen Bouncing on His Crocked Knee

I thought these incidents were only taking place in tv dramas like, Dream Team, and Footballers Wives on the BBC. From all the boozing, to all the losing, the entirety of England has a massive hangover, and the only cure is to find a manager that makes sense before the Qualifiers for the World Cup begin. What's your take?

By: Christopher

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Rooney Manor target practice.

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Midfielder David Beckham has no plans retire from his international football as England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 after losing to Croatia at Wembley. It seems to me that if David Beckham did retire, England would be a disaster, even more shambolic than their display today.

Becks To the Rescue

He was first left out at the begining of the Euro's, and England quickly went to shambles. Steve McClaren then decided to call Becks back up, and he promptly put in a cross that was measured and met by the head of John Terry for a goal. Then he was sat down after a injury plagued last few months for this last and must win qualifier. The first half, as Becks sat on the bench, the team went down 2-0 to Croatia. The team was woeful, and didn't poccess an identity or passion. Who did Steve McClaren turn to again, David Beckham. After putting in another great cross, which led to a goal from Peter Crouch, England had drawn level.

Although England lost the match, a match that they probably deserved to lose, "Ol Becks", said that he had no plans of retirement. All of England should be thanking the football gods, because without David Beckham in the side, they have looked horrible. If I were David Beckham, with all the scrutiny that he receives, I'd play my 100th game and quit. Lucky for England, Becks is a class act, and will go on and serve his country until they doubt him again and repeat mistakes they've committed before.

By: Christopher

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Check out Steve Nash's new commercial. The multi-talented basketball player shows why he's the best point guard in the game. Soccer players already new it had a lot to do with soccer. This is an athlete that opitimizes cross training, and how the beautiful game affects everyone. Check em' out! Could he play professional soccer and basketball? MLS needs a Phoenix team now, right?

By: Christopher

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The designated player rule allows for a team to have one player or exception to the salary cap in the MLS, though three teams have two. Last Friday, the league’s Board of Governors approved a one-year extension that will enable three teams to again retain more than one designated player, without attaching the DP tag to them.

DP's in the League David Beckham(LA), Landon Donavon(LA), Cuauhtémoc Blanco(Chicago), Claudio Reyna(NY), Juan Pablo Angel(NY), Denilson(FC Dallas), Carlos Ruiz(FC Dallas), Eddie Johnson(KC), Guillermo Barros Schelotto(Columbus)

DP exceptions Landon Donavon(LA), Carlos Ruiz(FC Dallas), Claudio Reyna(NY).
There were only five teams in the league that had one designated player, three of which, had two on their team
.

Beckham a Notable DP

All this said, the two teams that played in the final, didn't have one or two designated players. What are your thoughts on the designated player, and the likes of the LA Galaxy having two? Is it fair? it seems to be, looking at the Revs and Dynamo.

By: Christopher

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McClaren told Sky Sports News: "I had slipped to the bathroom, but heard a big scream from my two boys and gathered from that, unbelievably, that Israel had got the winner. It didn't seem like that when the game was poised at 1-1. But that's football, we are grateful. Israel are a proud nation."

MaClaren's packing Pepto Bismol against Croatia.

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LA Galaxy signed 30 year old Clint Mathis from the NY Red Bulls. Mathis is heading to his fourth MLS team in as many years. Mathis known for his McDonalds Diet and unprofessional commitment to the game joins a long list of 30 year olds & over for the Galaxy.

Inconsistency has defined his career and the Galaxy add another aged midfielder.

Mathis heads to LA in exchange for a 3rd Round Draft Pick.

Will Clint find the back of the net or find the waivers in LA?

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As we close another season of the MLS, this years growth and expansion has shown promise for the future of the league and soccer overall in the country. Here are some highlights and previews from this year and the years to come.

I still dislike the setup of the MLS. For one, I would like a single table, which has been rumored to be a next step. As well, the competition is still a cup competition, not an accumalation of points over an entire season, as the European leagues are set up. While I believe the Revs and Dynamo are the quality sides in the league, at the end of the year, there is still a playoff. As Sigi Schmid recently stated, "during a season the cream rises to the top; in a cup competition it is like Fantasy Island - everyone's dream can come true". I tend to agree with his statement.

I loved the so called "Becks" rule, and am hoping to have further injections of quality and expereinced players on the pitch with young and ambitious talent from America. Watching the likes of Juan Pablo Angel and Luciano Emilio playing with Americans can only help the game. Now, if the league can only obtain experienced coaches with good salaries for every side as well, this will really push the game on and off the pitch.

The expansion into Toronto was a great success. Toronto's atmosphere was absolute quality and what a football match is supposed to consist of. The passionate fans singing and chanting, all the while "taking the piss" at the opposing players. That is an attractive atmosphere that brings people into the game even more. As well, the expansion into Seattle will be another good stepping stone in improving the stadium enviornment. The fans in the Northwest are truly extraordinary, now if only we can agree on a team name. Seattle Veinte Latte's? Just a thought.

All in all, the MLS has grown and steadily improved every year. Higher salaries, bigger named players, better quality on the pitch, better stadiums, even better fans. For the first time in the MLS's short life, I can say I am looking forward to next year and what is to come. Do you feel the same way?

By: Christopher

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Our new blog format is currently in BETA (Testing/Development). Please keep coming back as we plan to bringing on more soccer writers to cover soccer news, culture, products and much more. Congrats to both the Revs and Dynamo. You guys played your tales off and gave us soccer fans a great match. Two teams that are class acts in MLS!

Thnx
Matt Lengkeek

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The match between the hosts of the next World Cup, and the USA, was characterized by a tale of two halves. In the First half, the United States dominated possession as well as the chances on goal. Good build up play through the midfield and some skill injected by Freddie Adu, Clint Dempsey, and DeMarcus Beasley helped the US in the first half. Steve Cherundolo scored a goal from a long run from his fullback position, and finding the back of the net from the tightest of angles.

Jozy debuts for USMNT.

In the second half, the US was on the back foot for almost all of the second half. Some good defending and goalkeeping be Brad Guzan, who came on for Tim Howard in the second half, allowed for the US to earn a one - nil win. Jozy Altidore, who came on in the second half didn't see much of the ball, but displayed some skill and maturity to hold the ball and kill of the game.

For his fine display of strong defending and getting forward while on attack, Steve Cherundolo, who played well in the back and scored the only goal, recieves Objectivo.com's player of the game. Who was yours?

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Soccer mom stole $80,000 from U-14 girls tournament to Hawaii.

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