Soccer Spring Training in Mid-Season

School kids take a few weeks off around the Christmas-New Year's Day holidays for granted.  As reported by Sam Borden in today's New York Times, some soccer players get that time and more off when many of the European leagues take a break lasting as long as two months.  The reason is simply because of the cold weather in places like Switzerland.

“They say German teams have an advantage (against teams from other countries) because of the winter break, and you see it in the players’ legs in summer. Obviously, England has no break, and so a connection to the national team’s results is easy to make,” German author Uli Hess is quoted as saying.

It's not actually a full vacation for the players, Borden writes.  Many of the teams establish training camps in warmer climates during the break.  Switzerland's top team, FC Basel, for example, is working out on the southern coast of Spain to prepare for its next Champions League match, while Bayern München of the German Bundesliga practiced in Dubai.

It's sort of like baseball's spring training - a more relaxed atmosphere in warm weather where coaches can work on a few things and check out some new players - but in the middle of the season.

Solo Saga Rolls On

Just days after charges of assault against her were dismissed (see post below), U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper Hope Solo is back in the news, this time, as reported in today's New York Times, for allegedly "acting belligerent" when her husband was stopped during the wee hours and ultimately charged with drunk driving.  U.S. Soccer, which took heat for allowing Solo to continue playing while the assault charges were pending, suspended her for 30 days.

U.S. Soccer issued a brief press release that said Solo would be "eligible for reinstatement" after 30 days, subject to review by U.S. Soccer and Coach Jill Ellis.

Hope for keeper as charges dismissed

The charges of domestic assault against Women's National Team keeper Hope Solo near Seattle were dismissed when the alleged victims, a nephew who is 6'-9" and a half sister, refused to cooperate with prosecutors. However, prosecutors say the two were not served with subpoenas and there was not adequate time to notify them because of the New Year's holiday.  The prosecutor's office says it will appeal, so we may not have heard the last of the case.

Former U.S. star Julie Foudy writes that the team will welcome the five month run-up to the world Cup without the distraction of criminal charges against the starting goalie.