Maybe this means less wild crosses throw in from the wings without the presence of kei's tallness

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Was that two assists for Espinoza? I know I counted one.

Good for him. Hoping he can help pull them out of relegation.

What a crazy time to be a Kansas City soccer fan.

My friend Andy and some other smart dudes have taken over the Sporting SBN site "The Daily Wiz" and there is a ton of quality on there now. Go to site for SKC news and analysis.

Real good article today about life after Kamara and what Kansas City might look like tactics wise.

How Sporting KC will still score goals until May without Kei Kamara

http://www.thedailywiz.com/2013/1/31...out-kei-kamara

Maybe in the MLS - KC will be the top tier team that free agents want to go to because of a top destination here...

But you need to realize the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga are head and shoulders where you want to end up in.

Boca Juniors (my club) - an Incredible team in Argentina (and considered a top 10 team in the world, is a Farm Team for these leagues)

Thats what I hope KC becomes - an amazing talented young team that exports their players to Europe. (winning as much as possible in the home leagues and cups)

Ok.

Bye.

There are less than ten clubs in the world that don't have to consistently worry about losing their top players. And even then only kind of.

This is the way soccer works. MLS just needs to get better at extracting better transfer fees, and reinvesting that money in new talent.

If you boys and girls are bored tonight SKC is taking on Portland in a pre season friendly. Mikey Harrington suiting up in green to take on his old team. Steamed live at 7 CT below...

http://www.sportingkc.com/live

nice, im guessing feilhaber/zusi/besler won't be there...or will they?

So what is the starting 11 going to look like this year?


Maybe..

--------------Neilsen

Myers-----Collin-------Besler-----Sinovic


----------------Uri
---------------------------Feilhaber

Zusi--------------------------------------Convey/Peterson

-------------Sapong----------Bieler

duke is starting?

myers wearing teh nike.... liking that.

nice flop

gotta be more creative than this... every move is predictable..

ike looks pretty bad....

Yes, I fully understand that there are top leagues around the world that are head and shoulders above the MLS. I also understand that soccer has been a tough sell in this country. I also realize this makes for an even tougher sell for the future of the sport if it is the only sport in the US that serves as a feeder to other more prestigious and better leagues. Especially in Europe.

The growth of soccer will hit a wall if the best league in the country cannot keep and attract top talent and is instead welcoming being seen as a farm or minor league here in the US as it already is in much of the world.

Gonna be a long year for SKC

Ah haha. What is your doom prediction. Missed playoffs?

You should find a new sport. All of these teams buying mls talent? They all sell their best players to better clubs. Some of them are quite new to the top league. Stoke is basically midtable mediocrity defined.

But transfers are a fact of life in the game. If you don't sell players, they'll leave for a free and with the club getting nothing. In a lot of leagues around the world the players and club have a tacit understanding that the player will sign a new contract and the club will let them go if any offer comes along. It protects the club and the player. Ajax has acted like that for years now.

People here just expect the same heavily unionized, bargained leagues that we have for our other sports. That's fine, but it doesn't work that way for soccer. Until mls can start making TV money, it'll be like this. Even then, there are tons of leagues in the world growing along with mls. In Brazil, Asia, and so on. There's no ten year plan to being a top league. Just embrace the club culture and have fun

Nope not after 35 years of watching the sport and waiting for it to catch on. I think there are two different issues here. One is how the sport operates worldwide. The other ihow it grows and operates in the US. I foresee an unhappy convergence as the MLS starts losing star players on a regular basis.

Listened to preseason action and it was nice.to see Mikey Lopez draw a foul that led to a goal.

How many leagues in the world are selling leagues? Pretty much every single one of them. If the expectation is that MLS compete with the financial clout of the BPL and La Liga, well we're not there and may never be. Leagues with 80 more years of history are sellers and with the currently necessary handicaps of single-entity and a salary cap, we can't really expect MLS to punch with the big boys yet.

I don't see any problem w/ the way the league is heading. I'm perfectly content to watch an ever increasing level of domestic play. Despite the dilution of expansion, I think the level of talent on teams is incomparably higher than it was in the early years. A consequence of this is teams in "better" leagues coming in for our players. I'm proud that MLS has players of that quality and has began to overcome the stigma in Europe that it's simply a retirement league.

Zusi and Besler both make the cut for the Honduras US Mens National Team game. Good stuff.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (World Cup qualifying Caps/Goals) – Detailed Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa - 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton – 22/9 SO), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire – 0/0)

DEFENDERS (9) : Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City – 0/0), Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander – 31/5), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City – 5/0), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana – 0/0), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg – 0/0), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders – 0/0), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy – 0/0), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim – 3/0), Michael Parkhurst (Augsburg – 3/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8) : Michael Bradley (Roma – 19/5), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo - 0/0), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor – 9/0), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04 – 5/0), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht – 12/0), Jose Torres (Tigres – 9/0), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim – 4/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City – 3/0)

FORWARDS (4 ): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar – 17/6), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur – 26/10), Herculez Gomez (Santos – 6/2), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders – 11/10)

Cauldron just released the opening day scarf available for order.

https://www.kccauldron.com/cauldron-...ning-Day-Scarf

https://www.kccauldron.com/images/pr.../OpenScarf.jpg

Also Episode 9 of Kick The Ball has been released. http://kicktheball.us/

https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net...68729015_a.jpg

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-...162819729.html

The road to the World Cup begins in earnest for the United States on Wednesday in an environment that, at least on paper, could scarcely be more hostile.

According to the U.S. State Department and reports from humanitarian groups, San Pedro Sula, the second biggest city in Honduras, is the most violent place on earth. The conclusion is derived from data that shows a homicide rate of 159 deaths per 100,000 citizens, with widespread thievery, drug-related violence and social unrest rife just four years removed from a bloody military coup.

Such a setting is a simple reality for the USA, for whom the good fortune of being in a relatively weak section of soccer’s global map brings an enhanced chance of reaching the World Cup in Brazil next year, yet also a series of tourist trials along the way.

Teams in the CONCACAF region that encompasses North and Central America and the Caribbean are no strangers to various forms of perfectly authorized skullduggery, plus annoyances such as erratic refereeing and less than pristine playing conditions. For example, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s players will know that their road games will be patronized by crowds fully prepared to hurl verbal hostility, often in venues and at kickoff times designed to provide maximum discomfort for the visitors.

Wednesday’s clash has been switched to mid-afternoon local time to ensure the temperature is at its highest, an advantage for the Honduran locals, with most of the Americans plying their trade in the chillier climes of Europe.
A presidentially decreed national day will ensure a packed crowd clad in Honduras’ light-blue colors, interspersed with a tiny pocket of hardy and loyal USA supporters.

The road has to start somewhere, though, and despite San Pedro Sula's nefarious reputation, things won’t get any easier as the U.S.'s campaign progresses throughout this year.

Visits to the lions’ den of Mexico City, to notoriously difficult Costa Rica and its awful playing surfaces, and to Panama, follow. A trip to Jamaica won't be all palm trees and cocktails either, with the Americans having been defeated there in the preliminary qualifying round that had little meaning and served only to cull a bunch of weaker teams from contention.


"Every continent has its tricky parts and difficult environments and San Pedro Sula definitely has its own difficult environment, but those are challenges that players need," Klinsmann told reporters. "They need to go through those games, they need to prove themselves and they need to find ways to get the job done.

"I will always welcome these opportunities, these matches, because that's what it's all about, going to these places that are not your home, cozy environment and proving a point. The players are ready for that."
As is generally the way, the wider American sports public has paid little attention to the side since its round of 16 defeat, under former head coach Bob Bradley, in the 2010 World Cup.

Expectations for next year then, will largely be dictated by how much difficulty Klinsmann's charges have in negotiating this round. Some signs, such as exhibition victories at Italy and Mexico, have been positive. Others, such as the Jamaica debacle, less so.

Personnel-wise, only Mexico has a stronger roster in CONCACAF than the USA. With Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley having developed into genuine stars, accompanied by an overall solid corps of players, the Americans are formidable.

However, Landon Donovan's future involvement still remains a mystery, with the USA's most recognized player stuck in a kind of mental limbo as to what he wants from the rest of his career. Donovan has not made the trip to Honduras, but may be back soon.

Even so, with three of the six remaining CONCACAF teams guaranteed to reach the World Cup and a fourth bound for a playoff, USA fans will expect a relatively stress-free campaign, though Klinsmann is taking nothing for granted.

"There is no easy way, not for Mexico, not for the United States, not for anybody," he said. "You have to get your points, you have to win your games and you have to get the job done. You have to go into every game with the expectation that it's going to be difficult, that it will challenge you to the limits. That's our approach."

Predictions (finishing order):

1. Mexico: The class team in the region and reigning Olympic champion. Having seemingly conquered its previous habit of nagging inconsistency, Mexico is not just looking to cruise through this phase but make deep inroads at the World Cup itself.

2. United States: Should have little trouble qualifying, but mixed results under Klinsmann has split opinion on this team's true potential. Home form should be enough to comfortably clinch a spot in Brazil, but some early results on the road would ease any jitters.

3. Honduras: Could give the Americans a tough time and will like their chances of reaching a second straight World Cup. Not packed with skill but not afraid to grind out a result either and will be a force to be reckoned with at home.

4. Jamaica: Fourth place does not guarantee a trip to Brazil, merely a do-or-die playoff (likely against New Zealand). Such an outcome is a valid goal for the Reggae Boyz, who finally have a team capable of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

5. Panama: Patches of talent but probably not strong enough to put together a serious bid for a top-three finish, though capable of an upset on their day.

6. Costa Rica: A sorry shadow of its former position as one of the best teams in the region. Qualification cannot be discounted, but a poor start and a meek capitulation looks more likely on recent evidence.

Sweet, scarf looks awesome and the podcast has kept me sane during commutes.

You going to Johnny's @ P&L to watch tomorrow?

I will be...stop me and say Hi if you recognize me.

More great content from KickTV.

US vs HONDURAS — 2014 World Cup Qualifying in the Murder Capital: The Hex

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I'm at work. Really wish I could see this game. Have they announced the starting 11 yet?

Am hearing it is Howard; Chandler, Cameron, Bocanegra, Johnson; Williams, Jones, Bradley, Zusi; Dempsey, Gomez

Frustrating as all get out that in order to watch the USMNT you have to go to a sports bar or subscribe to a sports channel 99% of the US has never heard of. Meanwhile, ESPN will carry the Mexico games which makes me happy but what a terrible spot for USMNT soccer.

ESPN has the home games. And Honduras has the rights to this game. Its a weird situation but not all on USSF.

Very cool if Zusi does indeed get the start.

Yea, pretty sure that is a definite.

Anyone have a link to live stream for today's game?

gooooooooaaaaaal dempsey!!!!!!


man, we looked like horse crap till then, nice

and we give up a goal 9 secs later, like we always do....


jesus

Piss poor defense at the end cost the USMNT and Honduras wins 2-1.

Bummer. Got out hustled.

When will they finally fix television rights. It's absurd that the ussf has no say in this...

That said, I'm glad I didn't watch. Weird start to the hex. I want to qualify, mainly so I can go to Brasil, but this team is not good

Did Zusi or Besler get in at all?

Zusi came in 2nd half.

This is a bit long winded for this thread but I know there are some pretty dedicated Cauldron'ers that follow here. This is some news and perspective on the Cauldron in this coming year.

http://www.kccauldron.com/news-and-e...ws.cfm/NID/24/

NEWS: The Cauldron in 2013

I want to take a second or 10 minutes to elaborate on the need for the CCSA, what informed this decision, and what generally motivates my decision making other than a drunken vision of utopian supporters culture.

Over the years there have been multiple structures to this supporters group. There is an in depth account of the evolution of the Cauldron and its history on the website. Structurally the group has been in the form of LLC's and Non Profits. In the current structure the Cauldron is an LLC. We resurrected the use of the Cauldron organization prior to entering Sporting Park in order to unify all of the smaller supporter groups. Having one umbrella organization allows us to support those efforts in order to continue growing. The incredible growth of this organization is not because the effort of any one person. It is each of the individual supporter groups pulling in their friends, family or random people they saw playing soccer in a park. The diversity of these groups, their individual style of support, and united passion has turned this into something that amazes everyone involved and has created one of the best game day environments in the league. What you have built at Sporting Park has even impressed many that have come from overseas from the biggest clubs in the world.

Why do we need a Non-Profit?

This answer is simple. We operate as a Non-Profit and therefore we need to have the tax protection to support that model. This also requires us to be more structured organizationally.


Why do we need more structured leadership?


No one person is able to manage all the aspects of this organization and no one person should have to be responsible for everything. The strength of this group is and always will be having hundreds of people that step up to meet the challenges in front of us. The strength of those group empowering those that have crazy ideas that some think can't happen but somehow we pull off. Back to the question; having more people involved in the operations of the organization. Having more people able to work on different aspects of our organization and its goals is a good and necessary thing.

What will the leadership structure be?

There will be a board of directors that will be annually elected by the general membership. The board of directors will "Hire" or "Appoint" a CEO or more appropriately an official Cauldron Bitch. That person will deal with the day to day operations. They will be responsible for maintaining and cultivating a good working relationship with the Sporting front office, keeping the Board informed on upcoming projects, and generally act as the ringmaster in our crazy circus.

Who will be in this leadership brain trust?

In order to facilitate this structure in year one; the board will be made up of a representative or two from each supporters group along with a couple if independent appointees. It will include our accountant Kevin Shook, our merchandise liaison Nick Redell, and a couple others like the Molina twins. In year 2 these positions will be reauthorized via a general membership vote. Once the board is in tact they will select a Head Facilitator through an application process. Did you say application process? Yes I did. Have you ever gotten a job you did not apply for? Well I have but that’s not the point. Even though this is a fly by night organization we want to project a more professional appearance. We also want to make sure that the person in this position is able to manage the relationships we depend on in an effective manner. There are so many intelligent and highly motivated individuals that care passionately about this organization. They are also highly qualified in their own professions which makes for a wide range of exceptional pool of people to draw upon.

What kind of benefits can you expect for my $20 membership?

First is the access to purchase tickets in the section at a price that is substantially cheaper than you get through Ticketmaster. Additionally you will have free beverages at the tailgates, member discounts on merchandise, and special events that happen from occasionally that members will have priority to participate in.

Does being a member of the CCSA make me a better or more loyal fan?

No. It means that you have chosen to have more ownership in the supporters group. It means you are supporting bigger and better tifo displays. It means that you want to have access to supporter tickets. It is my belief that no fan is better than another. Nobody is more important because of a section or membership than anyone else in the stadium. We have always strived to be inclusive and open to all. This doesn't change that belief. It simply allows us to manage our growth and organization better.

What does the money go towards?

The funds generated by membership will pay for those beverages, increase our ability to subsidize travel for all fans, and fund the tifo displays we do. It helps us support the efforts of the smaller groups and stadium wide initiatives. Most of all IF we get around a million members maybe we can buy the team or at least be the jersey sponsor.

When will I be able to become a member?

Very soon. John Moore and 360Spin is working to setup the mechanism on the website and our crack legal team is getting all those affairs in order. We will launch all of this in time to get tickets well in advance of the first game.

What is my responsibility as a member?

First and most importantly it is to show up and support your team. For every minute of every game we are there to support our boys and make Sporting Park the most hostile environment for opposing teams that we can. We do this with our songs, drums, flags, but most of all our hearts. We should be ambassadors of the game and supporters culture. We need to be welcoming to those that are new while staying open minded to learn from the wisdom of those that have been working at this for many years. Most of all we need to have respect for each and every person in the stadium. You certainly don't have to like every person but you should treat them with respect. This community is best when as individuals we project its best qualities. It is a unique experience in the sports world, but one that has made this team and culture great. There is no need to tell others how they need to act in the stand, there is no additional rights that you are granted there is just more responsibility to be a good steward of this community to other fans.

Sean, clearly you are a genius but what made you so passionate about this and so and so handsome?

Let me be clear that I am not the longest standing season ticket holder nor have I been passionately involved in the operations of this supporters group the longest. I came into this because one of my best friends and roommates started taking me to games. Jeff is his name and without him I would not be sitting here typing this today. He persuaded me to go to the Cauldron tailgate, drink, be merry, and meet new people. At that time it was a much smaller group and it was easy to connect with all of those that were passionately involved. There were some that were there from the beginning like Sam Pierron, Mike Kuhn, and Ben Cunningham as well as others as new as I was. We played in a terrible environment and were the laughing stock of the sports scene. In the face of all that there was a core group of people that did not care what anyone else thought, loved their team, their city, and this sport. I was captivated by their passion, dedication, and friendliness (Well most were friendly). There was tailgating and partying that would make any Chiefs tailgate pro proud. Years of drinking, talking, drinking, and being educated by those like George and Andrea Hanson, Kevin and George Shook, Matt Fulton, and many others made me fall in love with the community built around supporting this team. At some point I was not going just to see a game but going to enjoy the games with my Cauldron family. Over the years more people have come, some have gone but are not forgotten. The family has and continues to grow. Through the years this idea of a community has stayed prominent in my mind. Its also been continually reinforced by Jeff, Kevin and many others. Sam taught me the history of the supporters group, the history of the supporters as they relate to the league. Jeff opened my eyes to how supporters groups around the world function and bring a unique atmosphere in the sports landscape. No matter what form the supporters group took after all these years there have been those that have stepped up to lead, helping to continue the growth. Just before we left CAB I took on some of that leadership. With the help of Jeff, Kevin, and many others we continued to mold this vision of a utopianesque supporters community. With the opening of the stadium we gained a huge influx of fans that bought into this idea and have joined the family. The growth has been amazing and allowed us to start doing things we could previously only dream of. Without all of those people that instilled this in me I would not be sitting here writing this. Blame them or thank them. My vision is just a continuation of their vision. That vision will be continued by someone after me and someone after them. Am I just rambling at this point? Oh well, its what I do.

What was the point of that last section?

I just want people to know what drives me and what has been behind my vision of The Cauldron guided by many people and experiences over the years. It is important to let everyone know why I do this, why we do this. It is also important to inform the younger less attractive version of me that will replace me and take this from level 10 to 11, it is also important to know that I am the least important cog in this machine. I am like the hand on the clock that is driven by all the little pieces moving on the inside. Each playing an important role in shaping what this has become an incredible organization, and what it will be an even better organization in the future.

Why is this not littered with your usual typos and misuse of the English language?

That is because I have Zach editing this as I type it. A big thanks to him for making me sound smarter than I am.

Can I go back to looking at porn and drinking beer?

Yes, thanks for taking the time to read this.I look forward to what the future holds for this group. The state of the Cauldron is strong and resolute. Thank you for all of your support each of you is what makes this important and will continue to inspire others to put it the work this takes.

Kei Kamra came on in the 84th minute for Norwich City today against Fullham and looked really lively. Really made his presence felt in the small time he played...had two half chances for a game winner...got fouled by the keeper on one of them. Good appearance for him though...if he stays on that pace his days with KC are over.

Did you lose the beard? I thought I saw you but wasn't sure. I did sit with one of your co-podders for a bit.

Disappointing game, the field was shag carpet and the guys looked gassed 20 minutes in.

Besler. Zusi Falhaiber all playing today.

Zusi just crushed a ball from range 1-0 Sporting

I got there right about game time...must have missed eachother.

Zusi's goal was damn impressive.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/a...0_1670326a.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...46421067_n.jpg

New commercial. Was around for the filming of this and I would not be surprised if they made a number of different commercials in a similar format. This even features a CPer.

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Team is going to release the new 2013 Primary Kit at an event at the Nelson Atkins Museum on February 26th.

No idea why I haven't been in this thread before. Anybody else watching, I missed the first 10.

Full disclosure: I'm a United supporter.

Except for one breakaway that Besler dealt with SKC has had most the chances and posession.

Danke.

Apparently the weather is awful.

I'm watching on iPad so all I can really tell is the wind is nasty.

And now I'm hearing rain.

And they're cutting the feed.

This is why we can't have nice things.

Video was still up for a while, but they just cut it.

Last thing I heard on audio was some redneck (no offense, I'm a proud hillbilly) say "Oh I'll go up there and run the camera!"

God bless Notre Dame film interns.

Feed's back up, nil-nil in the 64th if you're not following the tweetering machine.

Damn Bobby you crazy.

I heard it was quite impressive. The feed is pretty much shite, so I can't see shit.

Fitting he got the goal, he's easily been the best player in the match.

It was a *really* nice goal.

I have never been that high on him but he has been getting rave reviews all season in regards to fitness and form.

Convey has the chops. Just never got to see what he could do. Thought he played well in Galaxy game last year.

From what I saw (could see) and heard from the broadcast last night he was VERY active.

How are you guys feeling about the SKC roster this year (especially until May)? I'd like to get to know more about them. Even though I'm from Missouri originally I was out of the area when MLS started up so I've spent time following the teams I've been near (RSL, Colorado, and now United). I'm considering coming out for the October match to see what a nice stadium actually looks like and enjoy a soccer-specific atmosphere. I'm hoping the new owners her can make good (and soon) on their promise to get United out of RFK and into a new stadium by Nats Park.

For DC, I'm concerned with depth all over, but especially on the wing and in the net where I'm not at all comfortable with anyone after the guys in the starting XI.

Najar will be hard to replace, but I'm not sure the falloff will be as drastic as a lot of people here are worried it will. Yeah, they're going to miss his ball skills and distance shooting (even though he didn't score last year) and certainly there's not another FB on the roster who can take over a game like he could from time to time. I think (hope) either Russel or Korb can hold down the position well enough. I hope...but last night Convey's activity pinned Korb back so his speed and overlapping were neutralized and Convey's impressiveness notwithstanding, that was disappointing. And, of course, Russel was who Convey abused on the goal.

For a team that needs to score more goals it feels like they are going backwards. They will be ok though. Besler sweeping and Nielson doing work
..

You should def come out it is a great experience.

I am personally feeling good I think it will take time to all come together but I think in the end they will be contenders again.

Kansas City didn't try to replace the two big pieces that are not going to be around...the attack is going to be quite different instead of relying on brute athleticism to win out and just lobbing ball after ball from the wing it seems this year the attack is going to be much more direct and composed. Composure is really the key word this year I don't think it is going to be so hectic. Our defense gave up by far the fewest goals in the league if they can keep up that strong play the offense will come into its own with time. There is too much talent for it not too...SKC also seems poised to the pull the trigger on a DP this summer if they feel a piece is missing.

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Highlights from the bad weather preseason game the other day.

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Great read on on a guy who will be in Kansas City for a long time.

Barca import Rosell ready to bring "la pausa" to Sporting KC


http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu...Rosy-v-Hou.jpg

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The first touch is immaculate, the ball massaged into position for the next pass without any wasted motion. A defender closes the space, but Oriol "Uri" Rosell shows no signs of panic, an instinctive deke opening up a lane to keep the ball moving.

He doesn’t think in the moment. He can’t. He’s a chess player, his next move determined one or two passes prior.

For all the international admiration surrounding tiki-taka – the immensely popular but nearly inimitable playing style that Rosell was immersed in for six years with Barcelona – it couldn’t fully prepare him for what awaited in sweltering Kansas City last summer.

Gone was that brief moment to think, to survey the field, to pick the next ball – la pausa, as Rosell explains in Spanish. Sporting’s players were big. They were fast. They were determined to close down the ball with an urgency that didn’t exist in Spain.

“When I was here my first time, I said, ‘Wow.’ It was difficult and different because all the time it is [go, go, go, go],” Rosell says. “In Barcelona, you have more time. If the team is tired, no problem. Touch, touch, touch and then you recuperate. Here it is quicker and more physical.”

And Rosell isn’t exactly built for midfield battles. Not yet anyway. At 20 years old and listed at 6 feet and 168 pounds, the frame is certainly there but his build is still slight, almost boyish. Sporting KC have him on a weight-training regimen to add practical strength, but there’s still a ways to go.

Fortunately, he won’t have to be a destroyer, as assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin puts it. Rosell is Sporting KC’s metronome –he’s also an amateur drummer in his free time – and he keeps the side in rhythm, swinging the ball from side to side and back and forth almost effortlessly.

Sporting have been known the past two seasons for a hectic, high-pressure style of play that values athleticism and fitness. But with both Roger Espinoza (Wigan Athletic) and Júlio César (Toronto FC) no longer in the fold, Rosell will be expected to bring la pausa to the game when the situation calls for it.

“We try to build the play and touch the ball – have the pause to the game,” Rosell says. “Here, not all the teams have the touches.”

But Sporting do, especially with their Catalan import circulating the ball as the anchor in head coach Peter Vermes’ three-man midfield. For now, Rosell is running with the first team, a position he’ll likely man when Kansas City open the season in Philadelphia at PPL Park on March 2.

“At the moment,” Vermes says, “it’s his position to lose.”

***

It came about like so many other deals before it. Someone passed word through the proper channels and one of Sporting’s contacts sent the message on to the staff in Kansas City.

There were players in Barcelona’s famed development system intrigued by a move to Major League Soccer, and more specifically, Sporting Kansas City and their 4-3-3 system.

Vermes’ reply? Send film. If he and his assistants liked what they saw, they’d extend a trial offer so the hopefuls – talented but unknown commodities in the States – could back up what the staff saw on tape.

“Obviously,” Vermes says, “we weren’t talking about Iniesta and Xavi.”

Following the conclusion of Barcelona’s season in May, Rosell and John Neeskens – the son of Barça legend Johan, who wasn’t fit at the time but may return again this summer for another shot – flew nearly 5,000 miles from Catalonia to middle America for a 10-day trial.

Rosell had made his Barcelona B debut as a 19-year-old in January, making six appearances in total. But he wasn’t satisfied by the opportunities coming his way after spending six seasons – the final two in residency at the world-renowned La Masia – with the club he still calls “his team for life.”

He’d been moved back to his “natural position” at defensive midfielder after spending the past few years as a center back, training with the likes of Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué and the rest of Barça’s once-in-a-lifetime squad.

“When you’re training, you’re not thinking, ‘That’s Messi,’” Rosell says. “You’re doing whatever you can to stay in rhythm. You try to block out that it’s Lionel Messi or Andrés Iniesta playing alongside you. You have to focus on the game, focus on the ball.”

He still had one more year on his contract with Barcelona, but Rosell wasn’t like the rest of his teammates. Simply training with the best team in the world wasn’t enough.

Perhaps it’s because he’s the son of two high school teachers, or maybe he was simply more mature than a typical 19-year-old. Either way, Rosell saw an opportunity with SKC to be an integral part of a team, to learn English, and to continue his education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

And as each day passed, Vermes and his staff were more impressed by his attributes – the ability to keep possession, a familiarity with their system and a hunger to fit into the group. They didn’t waste any time. The financials were right, Rosell’s contract was terminated early and on Aug. 2 he was unveiled holding a Sporting blue jersey with his nickname "Uri" on the back, the rare Barcelona youngster eager to move stateside.

“It’s not common for a player his age coming from the club he’s come from to actually have a desire to come to America and, specifically, Major League Soccer,” Zavagnin says. “The tide is slowly turning. We were very fortunate that all the pieces came together.”

Rosell considers himself fortunate as well. He may have left the club his peers play for in their dreams, but in Kansas City, he’s made a new life. One with everything the admittedly “simple man” could want.

“The truth is that I believed in the project. We weren’t talking about going to another team,” Rosell says. “The project was ambitious, and I could go to school and study. I could be part of the future of this team and the possession style they wanted to play.”

“You can always come back home,” he adds. “Now is the time to play, for the future.”

***

Puig-reig, Rosell’s hometown, is a sleepy Catalan municipality home to a little more than 4,000 people, tucked in the hills about an hour outside of Barcelona where la pausa is part of day-to-day life.

This is where Rosell lived until school and soccer took him south to the bustling streets of Barcelona, and to La Masia. Sitting at a high-topped table outside Sporting KC’s hotel in Orlando, where the team is competing in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, he doesn’t seem especially nostalgic describing his life in the Catalan capital compared to the United States.

“It’s just a different mentality,” he says, “coming from Europe, from Spain and from Catalonia, especially.”

Kansas City is calmer, more family oriented. He found an apartment in the Westport district of the city, known for 20-something artists and a vibrant music and restaurant scene, where he lives with his girlfriend, Aina Santasusana, who he’s known since childhood but only began dating two years ago.

They take walks on the Plaza or go for drives in Rosell’s Volkswagen, something he says he couldn’t do on the hectic, pedestrian-packed streets of Barcelona. He loves the carnivorous culture in Kansas City – “Oklahoma Joe’s is a must-go” – and they’ve already been to see Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jason Mraz, as well as the Gold Medal-winning US gymnastic team at Santasusana’s request.

She also shares his focus on education, enrolling in English classes at UMKC after arriving last season. Rosell is still waiting to enroll. He must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before he can begin at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management to study business.

His English is conversational, although he still lacks confidence and the vocabulary to truly express himself, and he flip-flops between his adopted and native tongue with a translator there to bridge the gaps. He was quiet, reserved and shy when he arrived in Kansas City, but he’s opening up quickly thanks to English lessons twice a week.

“Four months ago, we couldn’t talk,” he says, adding that he sometimes studies on the plane and he and Vermes still communicate in Spanish. “I still make a lot of mistakes, but I’m learning.”

Along with Santasusana, Spanish-speaking teammates like Paulo Nagamura, who will likely line up next to him in the midfield, have helped him transition to a new culture and a new way of life. Nagamura has a similar background – he came to MLS from Arsenal when it became clear chances would be scarce – and calls Rosell “a good kid with all the tools to be a great player.”

Would those tools have been enough to earn him a living playing the game in Spain? Almost certainly, though perhaps not with Barcelona’s first team, and many of his friends, teammates and coaches were quick to point that out when Kansas City came calling.

But he proved his worth last season, despite playing only 127 regular-season minutes, with a game-winning goal against Toronto FC and a standout performance against Houston in the playoffs. For now at least, he’s a starter on one of the league’s best teams, the man who’ll bring la pausa to a side accustomed to a breakneck pace.

“Some people in my life might have questioned why I was leaving Barça, the best team in the world, for Kansas,” Rosell says. “But Barça isn’t everything. This was the best thing for my career.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/league/files/Rosell.jpghttp://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu...s/Rosell_0.jpg

That's a good article on Uri.

I think Bobby will have a better year , at least in part due to the fact that he no longer rocks the comb-over.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2696102.html


he's young, too bad he's giving up soccer...

Preseason game vs NASL Tampa Bay right now. Start 11ish type squad save for not having Chance out there.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wJrdEd_FXdM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

**** preseason. Tired of this. May change the thread to in season mode soon.

Episode 11 of Kick The Ball is out. There is an interview with Teal, some preseason talk, as well as a Robbie Rogers discussion.

http://kicktheball.us/

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...68729015_n.jpg

Zusi threw out the first pitch for an MLB preseason game in Orlando the other day. The videos of him preparing for it and then doing it are pretty funny. Him and Chance and Benny were out there.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu...G_5058.jpg.jpg


http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/mls-in...un-graham-zusi

Watching the Norwich City/Everton game, and the announcers are really loving Kei. He's looked very strong in the air, and the fans have really taken to him (which is to be expected, of course)

KEI WITH THE EQUALIZER!!!!!

STRONG header -- over FELLAINI of all people-- to equalize in the 84th minute. Heart shape to the crowd

<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="240" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xxqbub"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxqbub_nor1-1eve_sport" target="_blank">NOR1-1EVE</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/Samu21213" target="_blank">Samu21213</a></i>