Arena Selects Roster
Forward Brian McBride and goalkeeper Kasey Keller, key players for the United States in winning the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup, have been selected by Coach Bruce Arena to the 25-player roster that will defend the title.
McBride was the tournament’s most valuable player with four goals and Keller had four shutouts in five games. Neither was with the U.S. at the recent Confederations Cup in France, where the Americans were 0-2-1 and scored one goal.
In all, 16 players from the Confederations Cup roster were selected to this one, among them Galaxy defender Danny Califf. With the Gold Cup scheduled for July 12-27, Califf probably won’t be available for the Galaxy when it plays in the World Peace King Cup in South Korea July 15-22.
The U.S. opens Gold Cup play against El Salvador on July 12 and follows with a game against Martinique on July 14, both at Foxboro, Mass.
Other key players on the roster: goalkeeper Tim Howard, defenders Carlos Bocanegra and Frankie Hejduk, midfielders Chris Armas, DaMarcus Beasley, Eddie Lewis, Claudio Reyna and Earnie Stewart, and forwards Landon Donovan, Clint Mathis and Josh Wolff.
The players will report to Providence, R.I., on Monday for training camp, the day after the U.S. plays Paraguay in a friendly at Columbus, Ohio.
Oceania’s Future
Bill MacGowan, Soccer New Zealand’s chief, said FIFA’s weekend decision to withdraw Oceania’s automatic bid to the World Cup might lead to the region’s demise.
He also said the 11-nation region might have to consider pursuing an affiliation with Asia.
“I think the Oceania executive [council] meets in the next couple of days and they may have to look very carefully at the future of the region,” MacGowan said. “If there is no future, let’s look at world football geography and consider redrawing it. Maybe if we’re going to be treated like this, we have to look to a different part of the world.”
Oceania President Basil Scarsella said a move to Asia would be counterproductive.
“Before you knock down a house, you have to make sure you’ve got another one to go to first,” he said. “Oceania tried to get into Asia before but the reality is, they didn’t want us.”
Milutinovic Wavering
Former U.S. national team coach Bora Milutinovic might not be going home after all.
The Belgrade daily Blic, citing sources close to Milutinovic, reported he would reject a proposal to coach the national team of Serbia and Montenegro, his native country, because of family concerns.
Last week, the country’s top soccer officials announced that Milutinovic had agreed to a contract. A final decision is expected by Friday, according to Serbian media reports.
Quick Passes
Turkish international goalkeeper Rustu Recber passed the first part of his physical and is expected to be presented today as a Barcelona player. The Spanish club also announced that Dutch midfielder Philip Cocu had agreed to a one-year contract extension.
Former English international striker Teddy Sheringham, who played the last two seasons for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, has signed a one-year deal with newly promoted Portsmouth.
Former Arsenal goalie Alexander Manninger has signed a two-year deal with Bologna in the Italian league.... The Sun, a British tabloid, reported that Arsenal might sign Dutch international defender Japp Stam to an $11.58-million deal by Wednesday. The Daily Express reported that Arsenal would sign Colombian goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba from the Turkish club Besiktas for $2.32 million.
AS Monaco president Jean-Louis Campora has quit the financially troubled team after having been in charge for 28 years.... El Salvador tied host Honduras, 1-1, at San Pedro Sula on Sunday.
Times wire services contributed to this report.
