MLS Miami News! Don Garber to meet with the Miami Ultras Saturday January 8, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen, MLS is coming to South Florida!
Don't get too excited folks, it's not a soccer team yet. But, it's a start! MLS Commissioner Don Garber will be in town for the MLS combine and while he is here he wants to talk to the Soccer fans. More specifically the Miami Ultras who have spearheaded a campaign to bring MLS back to South Florida.

Our time is now! Here is the information:

WHAT: Don Garber / Miami Ultras Get-Together

WHEN: Saturday, January 8 @ 1 PM

WHERE: 3030 Restaurant @ Marriot Harbour Beach Hotel (3030 Holiday Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316)

NOTES:
-MLS plans to additionally invite a few key media members and local soccer community representatives.

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Malaysia will win the next World Cup thanks to new Laser technology! By Burrito

Hola Amigos, this just in from reliable news source Gizmodo!
Malaysia will now be Futbol Soccer power thanks to new Laser technology they just get from China! Funny how Chinese not think of it themselves!
Malaysia recently beat Indonesia 3-0 thanks to lasers being shot into face of Indonesian players who could not see and they cry like babies!
Malaysia used their secret weapon against Vietnam and also beat them by 2-0!
Expect this to be the new fad in Asia that will spread across the world! Malaysia will be new champion of the World very soon. Brazil, Spain and rest of the world beware of the Malaysian's and their lasers!

See video bitches!

Barcelona vs. AC Milan to play in Miami August 3, 2011

According to the Barcelona website Miami will be graced with a wonderful soccer game that will involve Barcelona of Spain versus A.C. Milan! Game is said to be scheduled for August 3, 2011.

Two of the best teams in the world in our backyard!

A.C. Milan's current roster includes
Italians Massimo Ambrosini,Gennaro Iván Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta, Filippo Inzaghi, German Kevin-Prince Boateng, Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, American Oguchi Onyewu Brazilians Alexandre Pato, Robinho, Ronaldinho, Dutch star Clarence Seedorf and Colombian Mario Yepes just to name a few.

Barcelona's current roster has stars such as French defender Eric Abidal, Spanish players Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Pedro, Gerard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Víctor Valdés, David Villa, Brazilians Daniel Dani Alves, Mali born Seydou Keita, Argentine Javier Mascherano, Lionel Andrés Messi, Gabriel Milito and so many more.

Stadium has not yet been named but it will likely be held at Sun Life Stadium.
We will give more information once it has been released.

Other games scheduled in the United States are set for July 30 Manchester United v FC Barcelona in Washington and August 6 America of Mexico v FC Barcelona in Dallas.

UPDATE:
For further information on venue and tickets for this event you can follow us at MLS MIAMI BID
or join the facebook event page HERE

UPDATE Tuesday April 12, 2011  
The game has been changed to FC Barcelona vs Chivas
Read more HERE
Join the new facebook page HERE

Get your Strikers 2011 season tickets!

You want to support soccer in South Florida? Start by getting season tickets for the new Strikers! It's the best deal in town. As you can see from the picture, I got the first seat in section 120 which is the area designated to the Miami Ultras and all (noisy) supporters groups. So if you want to be loud, bring your drums, horns and your voices and get ready to make some noise!For those that just want to enjoy the game without all the ruckus, there are other sections just for you.
Check out the Seating chart:Wondering how you can get your tickets?
Contact Tommy Knapp at 954-829-9213 or email him: tommy@miamifc.com
You can also buy them online. Go to www.miamifc.com

Players the Strikers need to sign.

The new Strikers have big shoes to fill. Their prior name sakes were for the most part powerhouses, with star players, great attendance and a record that boasts never missing the playoffs. Will this new incarnation be up to par?

Traffic (owners of the new Strikers) have given us quite a few quality players in Romario, Zinho, Christian Gomez, among others. We know they have connections and could sign great players for the 2011 season. Let's hope they can pull off a few good transfers and surprise us!

Here is my fantasy list followed by players that might realistically be in the teams budget.

Ronaldinho: Yeah, I'm dreaming. If the Strikers were in MLS it could be realistic considering Traffic has the Brazil connection. Rumors have him going to the LA Galaxy or a return to Brazil.

Carlos Tevez: The Argentina striker has troubles with current club Manchester City and requested a transfer. Imagine watching Tevez at Lockhart Stadium...

Andres D'Alessandro: This Argentine has completed his stay at Internacional of Brazil and just got eliminated from the Club World Cup. Rumors have his sights on a likely return to River Plate in Argentina. A few European clubs are interested too.

Gianluigi Buffon: Wow, talk about dreaming... This Juventus goalkeeper would be any teams dream. He would likely be the reason the team would make it to the playoffs. A russian club is said to be after this 32-year-old shot stopper.

Clarence Seedorf: This Dutch player is a midfielder for Italian club A.C. Milan. The 34-year-old is said to be heading to MLS.

Juan Pablo Angel: Yeah, I know, the Galaxy are going to sign him, but this star was made for the Strikers. The huge Colombian population in South Florida would have flocked to see him.

Coming back to reality... Here is a list of players that could be within The Striker's reach.

Jaime Moreno: This former DC United star would be great for the Strikers. Speaking English fluently and originally from Bolivia he could be the face of the team on TV and radio. He is recognizable to most soccer connoisseurs.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto: Former Columbus Crew Designated Player, Schelotto was among the players not taken in the MLS Re-entry draft. He is still a great player and would be the perfect replacement for Christian Gomez if he doesn't return.

Dema Kovalenko: This rugged player will no doubt get carded every other game but no one can deny the man plays with spirit. Could play in midfield or as a back up striker.

Nick Garcia : Recently played for Toronto FC. Was not selected in the Re-entry draft. At 31 he is still a great defender.

Adrian Serioux: Former Houston Dynamo and Canadian international defender, currently a free agent. Would be great for our defense.

Gale Agbossoumonde: Played for Miami FC in 2009 for 6 games, went to Portugal on loan but didn't get playing time. It's time to bring him back and have him play regularly rather than sitting on some bench in Europe. Rumored to be heading to a Swedish team.

Pat Onstad : Canadian goalkeeper is a free agent and a member of the Canadian national team. Last played with the Houston Dynamo.

Franklin Salas: Out of favor at Ecuadorean Champions Liga de Quito, Salas is a skillful dribbling forward with an electrifying pace. His hard shot from 25 yards won the award for the goal of the tournament in the 2005 edition of the Copa Sudamericana.

Claudio Bieler: Forward from Racing Club in Argentina. A proven goalscorer. He is so good that this past February he was called up by then Argentina manager Diego Maradona, but ended up not playing because of an injury.

Diego Serna : Former Miami Fusion and Miami FC player. He was and forever will be a fan favorite. It could be his last hoorah! Wouldn't mind chanting "D-i-e-g-o" one last time!

Can you think of any other players? Suggest a few by leaving a comment below or flood the Miami FC/Strikers email with your player suggestions: fclavijo@trafficsports.com
(He might kill me for giving out his email)

Our Time - MLS Miami (Video)

A long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away, there were two MLS teams South of Washington DC... But that is no more.
Today South Florida soccer fans are still working to bring MLS back to our area by contacting potential investors and sponsors.
In a perfect world the Strikers would be headed to MLS.
As fans, all we can do is support local soccer and continue to push to make our dream eventually come true.

Here is a fan video:

Support our efforts in bringing MLS to South Florida. Follow our MLS Miami Bid. You can help by spreading the word. Email your friends and send them the information below.

Website: http://www.mlsmiamibid.com/

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Email us to: info@mlsmiamibid.com

Soccer legends meet to support the new Strikers. Player movements and Robert Scorca.

Miami FC was able to bring together some of South Florida's most notable soccer legends this past Thursday, December 2, 2010 at Chima Brazilian Steakhouse in Ft Lauderdale.

It was an electric atmosphere! Hearing the stories, laughter and watching these legends of the game reconnect was special. It's what the return of the Strikers is all about - family and passion. We take great pride in perpetuating the Strikers legacy and look forward to writing the next chapter of this storied franchise with the full support of those who embodied the Strikers spirit in South Florida," said Commercial Director Tommy Knapp.

You can read more at www.miamifc.com

We were able to gain inside information from 'sources' that the following ex players were present. Soccer greats Teofilo 'Nene' Cubillas, Arnie Mausser, Nico Bodonczy, Michael Ortiz-Velez, Ernst Jean Baptiste, Eric Eichmann, Branko Segota from the Strikers. Ian Bishop and Jim Rooney from the Fusion. There were also Traffic USA staff and other Soccer personalities.
Jeff Rusnak, of the Sun Sentinel, was present at the event and wrote a piece about the meeting.

The late conversation, as it almost does on such gatherings, centered on how to get more people to support the local pro team, in this case, the new Strikers. "Quality of play," Bishop said. "What you put on the field." Bingo.

Read more: HERE
Notable absences were that of GOL TV Commentator Ray Hudson, U.S. under 20 coach Thomas Rongen, ex coach Ron Newman, and former Ft Lauderdale Strikers owner Tim Robbie.

The most vocal of the group was said to be former Strikers Arnie Mausser and Nico Bodonczy, and Ex Fusion Ian Bishop. Discussions ranged from what the name of the team should be (Most agreed that if you bring the name back you should go all the way and name it Fort Lauderdale Strikers) to ways of bringing more people into the stands. No doubt that with the support of ex-players and fans the Strikers will be successful!

Strikers Announce new Historian.

If you didn't know his name you knew who he was just by looking at him. It seems a soccer game in South Florida is never the same if he is not there roaming the stadium. Robert Scorca is one of those people that you always see at soccer games, a character rivaled only by Hot Shot the team mascot himself. Robert missed maybe one or two games since the beginning of the Miami Football Club and I can remember him from back in the Miami Fusion days too. But Robert was at Lockhart during the old Striker days and even attended Miami Toros and Gatos games! Well folks, Miami FC /Strikers have recognized his commitment and named Robert the new team Historian.

"Robert's unparalleled passion and knowledge of South Florida soccer history and that of Fort Lauderdale's Lockhart Stadium, the home of the Strikers make him a natural for this position," stated NASL Communications Director Kartik Krishnaiyer, who has known Scorca for years.

Read more HERE
Robert has been a contributor to this blog as a photographer and writer, interviewing players and local soccer personalities for a couple of years now. He has also contributed to www.miamisoccerfan.com and other blogs. Robert was also a founding member of the Miami Ultras Soccer Fan club.
We wish Robert much success and we will miss his witty blogs. (Burrito, the blogging dawg will miss him the most).

Miami FC / Strikers players on the move.
Looks like Defender Aaron Holbein will not be back next season with Miami FC / Strikers. Holbein, played with Miami FC this past season on loan from Kansas City and contributed to the unbeaten streak at the end of the season which still stands. Turns out Aaron was selected in the MLS Re-Entry draft by the Columbus Crew. But Holbein still has options... read more HERE
JP Rodrigues (pictured at left) has had a busy year when it comes to his playing time. He has played for Miami FC, the Milwaukee Wave (MISL), DC United and the Guyana national team. But it seems he hasn't stopped there. JP is on his way to Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to be exact. More details will follow when we get it.
In case you missed it, the new Strikers have already confirmed 4 players. Forward Aaron Wheeler from FC Tampa Bay and Miami FC veterans defender Zach Kirby, Midfielder Paulinho Le Petit, and Goalkeeper Matt Glaeser.
We've heard rumors of a few more players that have been signed. If we hear a name we'll let everyone know!
Player picture by Robert Scorca.
Alumni meeting pictures courtesy of Miami FC.

Miami Marine Stadium, the new Soccer stadium of Miami?

SEE UPDATE BELOW!
Closed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the Miami Marine Stadium could perhaps be the most spectacular Soccer Stadium in the United States if investors are found interested in such a project.
New life has already started to sprout as a group called Friends of Marine Stadium have dedicated themselves to reviving this architectural wonder.
I was able to contact Don Worth, Co-founder of the group leading the charge to bring the Stadium back to life. Here is his take on the Miami Marine Stadium and soccer.

Recently, there has been interest in using the Miami Marine Stadium for soccer. We here at Friends of Marine Stadium (website: www.marinestadium.org) are excited by the concept and believe that it is a very intriguing idea.

Actually, this has already been done. Check out the attached photograph of a floating soccer field in Singapore.Since our group formed in February of 2008, the effort to restore Miami Marine Stadium has gained a lot of momentum. The initiative is now endorsed by the World Monuments Fund, singer Jimmy Buffett, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Stadium, which was designated historic by the City of Miami in October 2008 is a key priority for Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. In April of 2010, the Miami Dade County Commission, under the leadership of Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, approved by a 12-0 vote an appropriation of $3 million for the restoration of the Stadium. We will need a lot more-and there are conditions attached to accessing this money-but it is a start.

Our group has been discussing the concept of soccer at the Marine Stadium with various groups and potential operators and the response is always positive. There are logistics to work through. The field would have to be movable and storable (due to the wide variety of events that will be held at the Stadium, flexibility is key) and we would have to figure a way to add more seats as the Stadium holds 6,500. Possibilities include floating barges or boats on the other three seats.

If we can solve these logistical issues, we would undoubtedly have the most spectacular setting for soccer in the world.

There are opportunities for other sporting events as well. The Stadium once hosted boxing and wrestling. Why not tennis and basketball? But soccer is undoubtedly the most exciting prospect.

For more information on Friends of Marine Stadium, please go to our website, www.marinestadium.org and sign up for our email list. Your support is vital to our success and getting on our email list is the best way to be involved. We send out updates about once a month. We welcome all ideas, contacts and suggestions. You can get also in touch with me directly by email at dontonton@gmail.com

Yours truly

Don Worth
Co-Founder, Friends of Marine Stadium

Following is the location of the Stadium on a map and a further depiction of how the stadium layout might look like.

Stadium Designs by Derek Reese

UPDATE: Monday December 6, 2010

After viewing the response to this blog and others that picked it up, Mr. Don Worth, of Friends of Marine Stadium wanted to make a few points. He hopes this will clear a few things up:

I appreciate that the Football In Miami blog posted my comments on the concept of a floating soccer field. I can see that other sports and soccer related blogs picked up the post-and assumed that the concept was absurd because....who would possibly build a Stadium on the water?

People should understand that the Miami Marine Stadium actually EXISTS now. It was built in 1963 primarily to watch boat racing-but featured many performers such as Jimmy Buffett on its floating stage.

Yes, the Miami Marine Stadium is a truly unique and remarkable structure. That's why it was named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "11 Most Endangered" list for 2009 and the World Monuments Fund watch list for 2010.

The Stadium was shuttered in 1992 and our group, Friends of Miami Marine Stadium (website: www.marinestadium.org) is working hard to bring it back. Check out the attached photographs of the Stadium in its heydey, the floating stage-and the Stadium as it looks today,(the current photo was taken by photographer Rick Bravo).

We know the soccer field could be built-as a marine related contractor has already approached us on this. It would have to be movable because of the wide variety of other events that will be held at the Marine Stadium.

The concept of a floating soccer field in Miami is not as far fetched as some may think.

This last picture is a view of the Stadium today.

Sites that picked this story up:

WVHooligan

The Offside Rules

SB Nation

UnProfessional Foul

UPDATE: Thursday December 9, 2010
The Miami Herald picked up this piece on their printed issue dated Monday December 6, 2010 on page 2B. Section "Best of Blogs". Click on picture to read.
Special thanks to Don Worth of Friends of Marine Stadium for spotting it in the Miami Herald and scanning a copy.
We ask anyone who reads this piece to please support the restoration of the Miami Marine Stadium by visiting their website www.marinestadium.org

More mentions this weeks:

South Florida Daily Blog

THE 305