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Soccerprose Stands By Ronaldinho Claim
Oct 15th
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Soccerprose.com stands by its early claim that Ronaldinho will be moving to the LA Galaxy this January. 
Rumors continue to populate the net, and the recent tweets from Kaka seem to confirm his move to AC Milan as well. The fact the rumors just won’t die, and that they have been commented on by figures from both the MLS, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Real Madrid lends further credibility to our assertions.
As you can see below, there have been rumor from trusted sources like Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts for sometime. He had hinted in July that AC Milan forward Ronaldinho will be joining MLS side L.A. Galaxy imminently. In addition, Goal.com have reported on Beckham’s conversations with Ronaldinho about Sky News have just reported that Ronadinho himself has denied it. If the rumor were truly outrageous, it wouldn’t have so many legs to stand on. When taken together with what we know about the name sets for either player no longer being available from suppliers, it all fits. 
Regardless of whats said, we still believe Ronaldinho will be moving the LA Galaxy, and Kaka will be playing for Real Madrid come February. And that will tell the tale.
Written by: Matthew Wall, editor in chief, soccerprose.com
Inception: Nigel De Jong
Oct 15th
Each week, we will explore a different player’s deepest thoughts by jumping inside their dreams. This time around, Manchester City and Dutch International defensive midfielder Nigel De Jong’s. Yes, we are going ‘Inception’ on his sorry butt. Maybe he’ll learn that’s what he gets for breaking legs and performing chest kicks that make Chuck Norris fill with jealousy. Since we are so close to De Jong, he has permitted us to call him Nigel.
(Scene opens with De Jong walking onto the Manchester City pitch. We are disguised as a reporter).
Nigel: Where is everyone?
Reporter: Fans were too afraid you may break their legs or karate kick them to death
Nigel: Now when have I ever done that?
(Reporter shows him this picture)
Nigel: Well, I mean he didn’t die. That’s what you claimed. He just had a very kickable looking chest. Come to think of it, your chest looks like it could use a foot in it’s life…
(Reporter starts running)
Reporter: Holden, Xabi Alonso, Ben Arfa, I choose you! Get ‘em!
(Stuart Holden, Xabi Alonso, and Hatem Ben Arfa come sprinting into the stadium on command. They look agitated)
Holden: Alright guys, you know the plan
Ben Arfa: It’s his time to learn what it’s like to break a fibia.
Nigel: I’ll break the other one too.
Xabi Alonso: Let’s call him in. We choose you, Norris!
(Chuck Norris appears as if out of thin air, performing various spectacular roundhouse kicks. He quickly pulls out a Total Gym and Christine Brinkley out of his back pocket and begins to go through a set of exercises. Brinkley begins commentating)
Brinkley: You can now get the Total Gym, which will provide you with a full body workout for only $199, and you can look like Chuck in no time.
Chuck: Nobody can look like me, I look like all people. Did you know Chuck Norris can roundhouse kick a home run 1,000 feet?
Brinkley: It’ true…
Xabi Alonso: Focus, Chuck! Nigel is right over there, challenge him to a fight.
Nigel: What is going on?
(Chuck blindsides Nigel with a roundhouse kick from the rear, even though Chuck had just been in front of him one millisecond earlier. Nigel is vaporized instantly).
Chuck: Looks like my work here is done.
(Chuck grows a pair of eagle wings and flies away majestically, swooping up his Total Gym and Christine Brinkley in the process. On the way out, he points his finger toward the reporter, Holden, Xabi Alonso, and Ben Arfa and they disappear. Each finds themselves 1 second later sitting at home working out on a Total Gym while watching the pilot episode of Walker: Texas Ranger ).
Puma v. 1.10 SL Review
Oct 13th
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The Puma v 1.10 SL is the lightest boot out right now. Weighing in at a super light 5.3oz the SL is designed for speed and touch. It’s great for those that favor a thin upper, which is made of a premium microfiber. Also, the Puma AptoLast makes the upper conform to the foot’s natural shape giving the SL a glove-like fit. Even though Puma has really lightened up the v1.10, the SL is still a very durable shoe. A ball feels nice against the microfiber. It has a bit of grip which makes it easy to control the ball when dribbling or shooting.
With a Pebax one piece frame, even more weight has been reduced. This has been done by constructing a Carbon Fiber plate for the midfoot. Not only has the weight been cut but the carbon fiber plate is also designed to increase the reaction from flexion while moving. In other words, the boot improves acceleration. The SL has pointed studs and a very small stud on each heel that provides great traction and aids the natural running motion.
The Puma SL is all around a top notch shoe but there is one drawback. Protection has been sacrificed in the SL. The shoe is very durable but has an extremely low profile, leaving the ankles exposed and tops of the feet are open to injury. For that reason alone, I recommend this boot to strikers and midfielders that like to attack. So, overall the SL is one of the best boots currently on the market. It fits great and breaks in very quickly. All in all, a shoe built for speed and looks, not for tackling.
Written by: Providence Tucker for soccerprose.com
Snoozefest Stalemate In US v Colombia Has Bright Spots
Oct 13th
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Last night’s pointless affair in Philadelphia between the US and Colombia was one of the most boring soccer games I’ve experienced in a while. Both sides seemed to not appear lively until about the 75th minute, and even then, chances were few and far between. However, US coach Bob Bradley did mix up things from Saturday’s friendly against Poland and inserted some fresh blood to the talent pool, which for the most part saw positive results or at least gave the Bradley some perspective for the future. World Soccer Reader has an excellent breakdown of all the players who participated in the contest.
One of the few bright spots included Eric Lichaj, who earned his first Cap for the USMNT by coming off the bench in the second half. The 21-year-old Aston Villa back looked confident from the beginning, playing more as a right winger or right wing back than a traditional outside back to which the US have become so accustomed. Lichaj’s cross to Altidore in the 86th minute created the best chance of the game and gave fans brief hope of a late goal. His defensive ability has something to be desired still, as he was caught too far forward and off his mark on more than on occasion. However, he looked like a well-seasoned veteran with his confident play as soon as he stepped on the pitch, making dashing runs on the wing and providing a new bit of creativity. Fans can look forward to seeing more of Lichaj’s brash play in the future.
Jermaine Jones also showed his worth for the second match in a row, playing the entire 90 minutes of the contest. Jones constantly played the “ball-winner” role quite well, hustling the entire game on both sides of the field.
His offensive spark may not have shown as brightly this game, however, he did link well with Altidore on 2 occasions, both through balls to the young striker. The work-horse midfielder, unfortunately, also showed his reckless style, receiving a yellow card late on in the contest for hacking at a Colombian midfielder running ragged on the outer edge of the US box. The Schalke midfielder wasn’t the best in distribution on the night, missing clear cut passes on more than one occasion, but his work rate was unparalleled. Jones defensive abilities should allow Michael Bradley to explore his attacking ability in more depth, something that Coach Bradley would love to explore.
Top 10 Reasons Liverpool Will Still Fail
Oct 7th
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1). Fernando Torres Can’t Find His Form: 
Whatever happened to Torres at the end of last EPL campaign has carried on for months and fans are getting impatient. Yes, his injury woes have not helped him get back into his stride and his most recent knock doesn’t help either. However, the Anfield faithful have expected that he score more than 1 goal in 9 appearances for the club, considering his previous goalscoring rate (22 goals in 32 appearances last season)
2). Liverpool lost to Blackpool: This was beyond shocking. Liverpool played easily the worst first half of football of any side thus far this season and Ian Hollaway’s men took full advantage of the struggling side. Give credit to Blackpool, they played their hearts out and deserved the win. But a side with Gerrard, Kuyt, and Carragher should be able to break through more easily than it did. The loss was a true embarrassment to the Reds.
3). Roy Hodgson is a Terrible Manager: 
Give credit for realizing Rafa Benitez was not the answer, however putting Hodgson in the drivers seat was no answer either. Hodgson is managing just like he did when he first arrived at Fulham when in a relegation battle. He scraped out draws and earned results the hard way to keep Fulham afloat. For some reason, that isn’t working here. Oh wait. It shouldn’t work with the amount of quality this side should have.
4). New American Owners Won’t Help: 
Word has just got out that New England Sports Ventures has agreed to the purchase of the club from current American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The Liverpool fans have been loving Americans so far. Imagine the love they’ll give to new American owners. Hooray America!
5).Skrtel is more of a Pokemon than a Player: It’s not just the fact that he looks like Squirtle
. Just take a look and tell me if you think he looks like a turtle. He’s playing like a wimpy turtle too and Roy Hodgson is more like Ash Ketchum than a real manager. Ketchum just needs his rival Gary to appear from nowhere and Team Rocket to steal all his Pokemon or money. Money in this case, I guess. Ah, the golden days of Pokemon.
6). 6 points in 6 Games: Have you seen who Liverpool have played? 1 win against opposition such as West Bromwich, Blackpool, Sunderland, and Birmingham City. And that’s pretty fortunate they have 6 points in 6 games, too. Sitting in 18th place, ever, is a travesty for the Reds.
7).Where is the Replacement for Xabi Alonso or Mascherano? Nowhere: 
Christian Poulsen and Raul Meireles may be lined up to be replacements for the two former Liverpool greats, however, they aren’t destined to become greats themselves. Poulsen is past his prime and Meireles, while a solid player with excellent passing range and long-shot ability, is promising but probably won’t be too patient with Liverpool’s disaster start, despite just signing for the Reds.
8). No Money Available: Considering the club is going through an awful financial crisis and could easily go into administration as Portsmouth did last campaign, the possibility for securing new, quality players will be slim to none over the next year. Rumors have already put Torres and Reina out the door, which may free up some money. But by that time, what are the selling points of the club to bring quality players in? “We have Squirtle…?”
9). Anfield is falling apart: Another non-selling point for the Reds comes in their awful stadium at Anfield. Opened in 1884, Anfield has been due for a makeover for at least 30 years, and again, the money situation doesn’t help repairing it or replacing it even. Plans of replacing Anfield have been in the works since 2002, but obviously nothing has happened. Playing in a horrible stadium for a club with no money and few quality players doesn’t really help bring in the fans.
10). No Support from the Former Greats: 
Even old Liverpool legends have been bad-mouthing the team, not the greatest inspiration for the players of this dreadful squad. “Forget about history and tradition, forget about the owners, forget about the manager – that defeat against Blackpool is all about the players,” Alan Hansen, former Liverpool defender, ranted. “Liverpool fans might be thinking that things cannot get any worse than the current shambles – but believe me, regrettably they can.” exclaimed Ian Rush, even claiming Liverpool could go down the path of Leeds United. How sad of a fall.
written by Chris Behrens, soccerprose.com writer
Matty Burrows Insane 92nd Minute Backheel Winner
Oct 6th
Matty Burrows, a player for Glentoran, a relatively obscure Northern Irish League side scored this beauty in the 92nd minute to seal the victory against Portadown. Definitely a talent to watch for the future.
Morales Strikes a Low Blow
Oct 5th
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So the President of Bolivia, has been called many things, but all we can say for a fact is he loves his football. Recently, he was playing in a match for his political party against the opposition party and suffered a bad tackle. Morales, 50, is a former Aymara llama herder and coca farmer. He’s also not known for indulging critics, let alone people who foul him. He walked up to Cartagena, indicated his wound, then unceremoniously kneed him in the groin.
Here’s the video: Morales Knees Opposistion in the Groin
Here’s the story: Low blow Morales: Bolivian president knees football opponent in groin
Written by: Matthew Wall, editor, soccerprose.com
FIFA is Doing Something Right? It’s True.
Sep 30th
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In the shocker of all shockers, FIFA has decided to finally institute something that makes sense: a new online monitoring system for international soccer transfers. “This is a historic moment for football,” FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Wednesday. Blatter is spot on. The system will presumably rid the transfer market of money laundering, corruption, and those last minute transfer dramas that are simply ridiculous. Let’s give a little golf clap to FIFA on this one. 
Under the system, the clubs involved in the transfer will have to submit identical proofs of payment, identification of agents, and papers to ensure a player’s new employer. 3,500 clubs from 150 countries around the world will be required to adhere to the system or face the wrath of FIFA, which claims that the penalties for teams breaking the rules will be harsh (anything from large fines to transfer bans).
The system hopes to make the transfer market more transparent as well as have transfers become quicker and smoother in process. FIFA also claims the system will help hinder the international movement of underage players, especially in South American countries. With a login password, FIFA can inspect deals and search for instances of a team manipulating the system. However, “In an online system, you cannot cheat,” FIFA legal chief Marco Villiger said. For the most part, a completely valid statement. The online transfer management tool will also be eventually applied to national transfers so all player movements around the world can be watched.
The system has actually been in use since 2007, however, as of September 24th, teams have been required to use the system. An example of the system of use, as noted by FIFA, is the transfer of Rafael van Der Vaart from Real Madrid to Tottenham. With the system, the transfer process only took 90 minutes after negotiations began. With the transfer sagas that have gone on in the past that drag on for months, I couldn’t be more excited about many of these rumors being squashed simply by looking at the online system’s data. FIFA says they won’t specifically be releasing the data of the online transfer system, however, this does not teams from eliminating rumors by citing the system.
So, this is my rare “hats off to you, FIFA” moment. Enjoy it, for I see FIFA doing something very stupid in the near future just to make up for this moment of brief clarity.
Single Ladies – Seara (ROBINHO, NEYMAR e GANSO)
Sep 28th
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See Robinho, Neymar, and Ganso showing their samba skills in this remake of the Beyonce classic…Just don’t tell Kanye.
