Newman Will Lead MSL Stars Against National Team

After the the U.S. national team’s poor showing in the World Cup, Soccer America printed a letter from a reader in Orange County suggesting that the U.S. Soccer Federation fire Coach Bob Gansler and replace him with Ron Newman of the Sockers.

The letter was brought to Newman’s attention by a reporter.

“I don’t know why my dad wrote that,” he joked.

But seriously . . .

“I’ve got a lot of experience coaching different nationalities, different stars of the game and so on,” Newman said. “I certainly have had some interest in recent years to do such a thing. I can’t deny that.”

Well, Newman won’t be replacing Gansler, but he will be standing on the opposite sideline next month when a Major Soccer League select team goes against the U.S. national team in two exhibitions somewhere in the Midwest.

Newman was named as one of two coaches Tuesday by Commissioner Earl Foreman. Don Popovic of the St. Louis Storm will be the other coach.

Several MSL officials have said St. Louis will likely be the site of one of the games with the other still to be determined. Also yet to be determined is an MSL roster. Newman and Popovic will have to begin assembling a team immediately.

Newman said getting the players into shape on short notice shouldn’t be a problem considering many of them are now moonlighting in the outdoor American Professional Soccer League.