So Jurgen Klinsmenn has been offered coaching positions by the United States and Mexico. As of yet, he has no idea whether or not he'll want to return to the sidelines. One thing is for sure, if either team gets lucky enough to have him as coach, they'll be in good hands!

It looks like the CONCACAF WCQ2010 has already started. Everyone knew that the US was interested in JK as head coach but I was surprised Mexico is interested in a non-Latin to coach the national team. They barely let naturalized Mexican players on the team. Luckily, the US advantage of having JK already living in LA bodes well for us but I think there is only one question - is the US willing to pay JK's asking price to coach the USMNT? I'm sure Mexico is.

HUGE potential setback for my Blues. Both starting goalie Petr Cech and back-up Carlo Coducini were injured in the same game against Reading.

Cech was seriously concused by Stephen Hunt when he chased a ball that had gotten within the box where Cech had a right to go for it. Doesn't seem to have been deliberate but Hunt made the error of laughing afterwards not realizing how seriously Cech was injured.

This is bad news for Chelsea and a pale on the game since I think Chelsea are one of the most exciting teams to watch (though I rarely see footage) and the only Euro team I've seen live.

Hope the guys ok, and makes a full recovery.

Wow -

I thought the board was getting a bit kinky again there for a moment!

R

Shocked I am! Instead of ESPN's usual daytime non-sports fare of poker, billiards, cheerleading or world's strongest man crap -- thy're actually showing actual games. Who would have thunk it?

Today: Manchester United FC v. FC København

Tomorrow: Chelsea v. Barcelona

When did this happen? Is it the regular ESPN or some supplemental pay station?

The hours of the matched are sometime between 1200 and midnight Greenwich I would think putting them at either prime time or the middle of the night here.Does this mean I have to become an insomniac again like 2002? I can't afford to do that again at my tender age of over 40.

Yeah-- no ESPN Deportes ... ESPN 360 ... ESPNU ...

The games are on ESPN 2 at 2:30 pm eastern. So most likely basic cable and most likely live??

I saw on a Danish site that the FC København game starts at 20:45 their time. Six hour difference makes it 14:45 (2:45) -- if I'm doing my math right this early in the a.m. But don't bank on that -- I'll need another cup of coffee.

Ta DCBucky.

Back to the Cech injury (I would start another thread but there doesn't seem to be much interest in things soccer on the Board, so I won't clutter), Arsenal goalie Jens Lehmann is kicking up a fuss about getting more rules protection for goalies, something he's been advocating for a while due some well-publicized injuries to that position.

Imagine American football without pads or rules to protect the quarterback and you get some idea of what goalies can face. They are pretty exposed going for the ball with their hands.

Elsewhere Didier Drogba, who knows a little bit about being a forward doubts that Hunt's knee to Cech's head was purely accidental. But threatening on-field retaliation could cause an escalation that could really sully the sport.

Hope this thing goes no further than better rules protecting the goalie.

Hunt should receive at least a one game suspension. When you look at the replay, it's evident that he has more than enough time to attempt a jump over Petr Cech in order to miss him...instead he ran right into his face.

What I do disagree with, is the fact that Jose Mourinho is comparing this incident to the Ben Thatcher/Pedro Mendes incident. There's no way they're even on the same level. What Thatcher did was a billion times worse and with obvious intent to injure.

As for Champions League...I know for a fact you guys get it on ESPN because here in Canada, TSN broadcasts two Champions League games on the Tuesdays, and Wednesdays using the ESPN feed.

At 2:30pm EST, we get a live game...yesterday was Man Utd x Copenhagen...today it's Chelsea x Barcelona.

At Midnight EST, we get a "live to tape" game...yesterday it was Steau Bucharesti x Real Madrid...today it's Bordeaux x Liverpool.

Yes, ESPN has been broadcasting the Champions League matches this year. I saw the Man U v. Celtic match a few weeks ago. I think it has something to do with the revised television contract over the summer. I'm not sure of all the details but it has allowed ESPN to show more European matches and FSC to show MLS matches.
So, the Barcalona v. Chelsea match is probably happening right now. Any updates??? How's Hilario (sp?) doing?
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Well, Chelsea has beaten Barcelona 1-0. Hilario did great I'm guessing. They were actually playing at Stamford Bridge. I originally stated at Camp Nou match.

Barcelona looked dreadful out on the pitch today. No communication, no passion, no heart and most importantly...no finish.

Chelsea outplayed, and outworked their long time rivals from beginning to end. With Dider Drogba's fantastic goal from outside the box, enough to seal the victory.

These two will meet again on Halloween Night in Barcelona. Should be a gooder!

I think it only fair that everyone have a chance to make up there on mine about Stephen Hunt's collision with Petr Cech.

Many like me were not able to see the original broadcast nor the endless replays that are probably showing on sports shows in most countries outside the USA.

This is the best angle I've found on YouTube. It has been a while since I played soccer but I don't think I would have gone for the ball with my knee rather than my foot, unless I had tripped and ended up with my knee that low.

I'm sure similar encounters happen often in soccer without that sort of knee to head contact when the goalies head is that low. I think Drogba's analysis is more accurate, even if his suggested response is not.

But the most reasonable and balanced response I've read so far has come, ironically, from Chelsea's second goalie Italian player Carlo Cucicini who contrasts the conventions and rules in continental Europe with those in England.

If the current rules and sportsmanlike conduct are insufficient to prevent such injury English soccer may pay.