Crew SC - All Around the World (map)

Columbus Crew SC have nine national team players in 16 international matches this week. Here are the locations where they will be traveling. You can click on each of the pins to get general info. Top toolbar has the link to a full window.



[Full map in image form]

Podcast: Red Cards in Helltown - Episode IV

[Listen on SoundCloud]


In this episode host Rick Gethin, David Burgin and I catch up with the World Cup, get ready for a Columbus Crew vs Indy Eleven Match, dig in to the NASL and their positive impact on the US Open Cup this year, World Cup matches - and much, much more.



 01:00  SEGMENT 1 - Headlines
• Franz Beckenbauer Suspension, what it means
• Larger FIFA picture, Qatar
• Unbalanced officiating, growing the game

 16:35  SEGMENT 2 -Columbus Crew
• NASLs early positive results vs MLS
• Big match for the Cosmos with win over MLS outlet NY Red Bulls
• Challenging "Division I"
• Look at the Crew vs Indy Eleven
• Will MLS spend and get into Copa Libertadores
• Crew interest still waning

 34:45  SEGMENT 3 - World Cup
• Spain vs. Netherlands match
• England vs. Italy, result not surprising, positives for England
• Costa Rica vs. Uruguay, opens possibility of 3 CONCACAF teams advance
• Growth of competitiveness in 'developing soccer nations' justifying FIFA?
• US preview, must win match changes group
• Klinsmann's approach changed over recent years
• More on Costa Rica

 53:30  SEGMENT 4 - Quick Hit, Wrap Up
• Further examination of FIFA
• FIFA now vs FIFA then
• Final update on Messi missing CL matches with other priorities

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Thanks for listening!

Hold up. Two Goal Scorers Sign with Crew?

Columbus is coming through on promises to sign attacking threats. Both of the players signed today are dangermen. They even have similar goal scoring records over the past two years in their respective leagues.

Milovan Petar Mirosevic Albornoz has signed with the Columbus Crew. Milovan Mirosevic. Or "Milo", as Warzycha is already calling him.

31 years old, Milovan appears to be an attacking mid in the Chile Primera División. No doubt that Miranda had a hand in this signing. Milovan is coming over from Univ. Católica where he has put in 1735 minutes this year and is scoring at a 0.36 p/GM rate. Last year, same team / league he was scoring at an astonishing 0.62 p/GM. From the looks of it he seems to be a enthusiastic player and is involved a lot.

Some questions have to be asked about his last knee injury, though. Sell, sell, sell(?).

Next up is 26 year old Olman Vargas López. Olman comes to the Crew from the Costa Rican team Herediano. He is listed as an attacking forward. His rate is in the 0.51 range over the past two seasons (37 games played).

No information on their contracts, yet. But I think both of them are high quality signings. Looks like a good bit of miles on Milovan's legs but at 31 and in a new league... I can see him becoming a dangerous threat. Vargas has the looks to be a star, for sure. From the little bit I've pulled from players coming from a league like his to MLS, it does look good (from a numbers standpoint).

Not making predictions yet, but a 0.50 goals per game in a league like the Costa Rican top division hopefully translates into a 0.30 type scorer in MLS with the Crew's current squad.

Now the Crew have Renteria, Vargas, Heinemann, and Horton up top as options with Milovan right behind them. Impressive. And I'm not talking about "impressive" from a goal scoring standpoint. I'm talking IMPRESSIVE from a Passion standpoint.

Passion over everything here at Helltown.

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Tar Heel and recent college title winner (or whatever you call it); Ben Speas is in talks right now with Brian Bliss and the Crew. Could it be that Columbus solved almost all her goal scoring issues in just a couple days?

Big day here in Columbus. Actually, exciting.

In other news... Brian Bliss (Technical Director of the Crew and a person I'm finding more and more fascinating) was called to be part of the U-20 staff.