GoalChatter: July 2012

Hiddink Meets Fellow Magician

4:37 PM

Photo: Official site of FC "Anji"

Set Pieces Give Hiddink's 10-Man Team the Edge

Rostov vs. Anzhi: 2-2

A group of a capella singers performed Russia's national anthem at Olimp - 2 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia to open the match between FC Rostov and FC Anzhi Makhachkala. Despite the steaming hot weather, neither team disappointed their fans. Hiddink's Anzhi was more dominant at the start of the first half, but the game evened out pretty quickly as both teams lacked the sharpness necessary to get shots on goal. On the 18th minute, referee Alexey Eskov gave an unfair yellow to Rostov's Kornel Salata. A minute later, Anzhi's Traore made a run, but his shot went wide of the upper left corner of the net thanks to Croatian goalkeeper Pletikosa. The latter was very attentive on Anzhi's set pieces and cannot be blamed for the two goals he conceded, one of which was a penalty kick. Traore bombarded the net twice on the 30th minute. The first time his shot was blocked by Sheshukov. Pletikosa was quick to react on the second. Rostov countered immediately, and Anzhi's Jucilei got his second yellow for apprehending the attack. Surprisingly, it was easy to forget that Anzhi was down to 10 men. Their game certainly did not reflect that, as their initiative stayed the same and even increased in the second half. Anzhi had a few more corners before half-time. Goalkeeper Gabulov did not get tested often. The refereeing was at times subpar - there was a false offside call against Rostov, as well as a corner that wasn't given. Anzhi had their share of bad luck as well, as Traore's injury forced Hiddink to sub in Yuriy Zhirkov right before half-time. Anzhi's best moments had come from Traore, so this was a great loss to the 10-man team.

Rostov began the second half and must have impressed Guus Hiddink, who got up to move a camera blocking his view. Anzhi opened the score on the 49th minute. A free kick delivered by Tagirbekov made it right into the net, and Pletikosa simply couldn't reach it. Captain Samuel Eto'o must have taken over for Traore - he had an amazing moment for his team that led to 2 corners. Hiddink was definitely more animated after his team got ahead. Another Anzhi corner was cleared away and became a throw-in for Rostov. Adamov's attempt was saved by Gabulov. Miodrag Bozovic made a vital substitution for Rostov on the 61st minute, having playmaker Kirichenko come on for Gatcan. It appears that Bozovic had taken on some of the psychic abilities Hiddink is so well-known for. The former Dynamo coach anticipated Zhirkov's booking for a handball in the box. A penalty was awarded, and Rostov's number 10, Kirichenko, scored the equalizer. Gabulov guessed where the shot would go, but couldn't reach the ball. The veteran player who had had a previous spell at Rostov when he was just 21 years old, Kirichenko is also known for having had a record of 22 consecutive penalty goals as well as for having scored the fastest goal at a European Championship when Russia played Greece in Euro 2004. Another veteran player who shone on the pitch today was none other than former Anzhi player Benoit Angbwa, who marked Eto'o. A controversial booking soon put yet another dampener on things - Sheshukov got a yellow for a supposed foul on Eto'o. An injury acquired last week forced Kirichenko to leave the pitch to Jan Holenda. Once again, the powers normally reserved for Hiddink were being toyed with. A former Anzhi player, Holenda scored a header for Rostov after a cross from Kalachev by positioning himself between Samba and another defender. Despite Rostov's lead, Anzhi kept up the attack and created a dramatic finish. Tagirbekov, who scored the first goal for Anzhi, got his double today in the last seconds of the match. Samba's free kick delivery and a head pass gave Tagirbekov the opportunity for a header. The match was undoubtedly one of the most interesting games of the start of the RPL season and set the stage for two powerful managers and teams to continue to go head-to-head and battle for the top spots in the league.

"It was a good, interesting match that must have been enjoyable to watch for fans of both teams," said Hiddink in a post-match interview. "We started off good and should have scored twice in the first twenty minutes. Then Jucilei got two yellow cards in moments that I would like to see again on video. Nevertheless, we were able to rebuild. But in the end the pressure by Rostov took its toll, although I think that the officials should differentiate when a hand finds a ball and and when the ball finds a hand. I'm proud that my team did not give up when they were conceding and was able to save the game. As for Traore, he had a hamstring injury. It's a huge loss - especially in light of the dense calendar that is ahead of us."

chelsea international mls

Right in the Jewels!

11:55 PM

MLS All-Stars vs. Chelsea FC: 3-2

PPL Park

Chester, PA

Fireworks crowned the arena in Chester, Pennsylvania as the MLS All-Star Team faced Roberto Di Matteo's European Champions in a fiery friendly.

Chelsea's starting line-up had a handful of players from their friendly with the Seattle Sounders, Marko Marin and Lukaku among them. Chelsea had more possession during the first half, although both teams saw a slew of missed goal-scoring opportunities. The All-Star team fulfilled their potential on the 21^st minute when Thierry Henri gave a brilliant cross to Chris Wondolowski, who flicked the ball behind him and shot it in to the bottom right corner. John Terry, who, ironically, was one of the defenders unable to stop the magical Wondo, scored the equalizer on the 32^nd minute. Lampard's cross from a corner kick got Terry the header. The All-Stars were forced to make an early substitution, and the injured Aurélien Collin was replaced by native Philadelphia Union captain Carlos Valdes. Chelsea's attempts to test the keeper as well as to regain the initiative were not very effective. Marin's shot was easily taken by Nielsen. The All-Stars' counter by Thierry Henry was close and went just a bit wide of the top right corner.

As par friendly tradition, All-Star manager Ben Olsen produced a handful of subs at half-time, benching Nielsen for Kennedy and Pontius for Donovan. Even Henry was benched on the 57^th minute. But David Beckham remained for another half an hour, and his presence on the pitch as the set piece specialist was always appreciated. Lukaku, another star from the friendly against the Sounders, had an attempt at the start of the second half that went wide of the net. Eden Hazard came on for Michael Essien and got a half hour's worth of playing time. A bigger presence on the field, however, was Branislav Ivanovic, one of the best and most dynamic defenders in the world. Ivanovic had a 2-year stint at the RPL playing for Lokomotiv Moscow before coming to Chelsea in 2008. Besides being a terrific defender, Ivanovic had a goal attempt himself on the 54^th minute with a right-footed shot from a pass by Frank Lampard. Chelsea's lead started with a corner and ended with a goal by Lampard himself. Captain Dwayne De Rosario, who scored the game-winning goal in the MLS All-Star Game at Toyota Park against Chelsea eight years ago, took a through ball and passed it to D.C. United player Chris Pontius, who shot the ball through the middle of the net for the equalizer. De Rosario was responsible for three goals in the '06, '08, and 2010 All-Star Games. Becks kept up the free kick deliveries and received a standing ovation on the 74^th minute as he left the pitch to Farfan. Although he didn't have any goals or goal assists, Beckham played for 74 minutes at 37 years of age and proved time and time again that he is the master of set pieces for the MLS. De Rosario proved he's not that far off from Beckham when it comes to free kicks, as his 79^th minute shot flew inches above the net. After a series of passes outside the 18-yard box, Eddie Johnson made a furious run, and, making sure he wasn't in an offside position, netted the ball in, sealing the game for the All-Star Team. Chelsea wasn't given the chance to regroup after their free kick in stoppage time as Baldomero Toldeo blew the whistle. Toldeo's refereeing wasn't very good – he missed out on a number of handballs throughout the match.

The Philadelphia Union supporters drummed on and enjoyed the game just as much as the Chelsea fans who came to the arena.

This was the second time the All-Stars faced off against Chelsea FC, and the 7^th time they played against an English club. Last year, the All-Stars lost the trophy to Manchester United at Red Bull Arena. United scored four goals against the All-Star team. Perhaps if Kasey Keller had been the main keeper of that match (and Hans Backe had not been coach), the All-Stars wouldn't have conceded quite as many goals. Ben Olsen certainly did his part in coaching the All-Star team this year. The D.C. United manager led his club out of obscurity and into the finer realms of the leader board.

MVP: Chris Pontius, who scored the equalizer for the MLS All-Stars.

GoalChatter MVP: De Rosario, who captained the All-Star Team. Unlike Pontius, De Ro played a full 90 minutes.

FC Dynamo Moscow FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod RPL

Dynamo Lose to 10-man Volga

7:00 PM

Shulenin scores the game-winning goal. Photo: fcdynamo.ru

Dynamo's Decline

Despite clearly having had more possession of the ball in the first half and over 20 shots throughout the game (only 6 of which were on target), Dynamo Moscow started off the 2012/2013 season near the bottom of the table. The team, which outnumbered Volga after the 52nd minute when Maksimov was red-carded for a dangerous foul, conceded one goal from a corner kick. A throw-in for Volga on the 69th minute resulted in Sapogov's cross to the right side, giving Shulenin the opportunity for a header.

It is clear why FC Volga won the match. It is a team that plays as one unit both in the attack and defense. When Volga had possession of the ball, all ten players went forward. When Dynamo had the ball, all ten Volga players receded to the 18-yard box to fend off the attack. One way or another, the team would have scored. Gadzhi Gadzhiyev, who took over as manager after Dmitri Cheryshev's unsuccessful stint at the club (he had a 30.56% win percentage), demonstrated his skill by leading the underdogs to a win despite the fact that they were playing with 10 men for nearly half of the game. The former Anzhi manager (Guus Hiddink recently took over), Gadzhiyev is infamous for his row with match officials during last season's win against none other than Dynamo Moscow. He broke the door to the referees' room during halftime to protest the controversial decisions the officials made during the match. It doesn't look like he needs to do any more door-breaking, though, as the refereeing in today's game was top-notch. You gotta take your hat off to this coach, not only for leading a 10-man team to victory but for making the right substitution and getting Shulenin into the game. Volga celebrated their well-deserved win as though they'd just won the Cup.

As much as you can talk about the success of Volga's new management, it's evident that their win was also due to Dynamo's poor playing style. Silkin's team had sloppy attacks and didn't make use of their opportunities. That's not to say they didn't come close to scoring on more than one occasion, and were only prevented from doing so by Volga's amazing goalkeeper, Ilya Abayev. The veteran keeper's best moment of the game was a fantastic save on the 86^th minute, when Dynamo captain Kevin Kuranyi stretched to tip the ball in about a foot from the net. Abayev acted quickly, getting down low and sending the ball in the opposite direction with an outstretched left leg. Many other keepers would have panicked in that situation. But Volga only had three shots on goal, and Dynamo could have easily won this game 3-0 or 4-0.

There were two evident precursors to Dynamo's failure – last season and the pre-season friendlies. While friendly matches do not affect a team's premier league standings and are often dubbed meaningless, these games do matter. The pre-season is a reflection not of the way a team will play all of their games in the league, but of that team's potential. Dynamo had two wins and a draw in Sweden, but played rather poorly. Their performance was not surprising – last season, the team catapulted from third place in the leader board to fourth. They were lucky enough to make the 2012-13 UEFA Europa League qualifying round. There are quite a few things wrong with the team. For starters, Assistant Manager Dmitriy Hohlov has left the main club and now manages the reserve team. No Andriy Voronin, Samedov, and Smolov means less talent on the team. As much as 17-year-old Panyukov can bring to the pitch, he's still an inexperienced player, and would do well by playing alongside Voronin and Samedov. All of these factors stem back to the root of the problem – Sergei Silkin. The saying goes “ask not what the club can do for you, but what you can do for the club”. Silkin has done a lot for Dynamo in terms of demolishing a team that was ready and able to make the Champions League. His attitude towards his players is more business-like than human. It is clear that he cares about flattering the club's president far more than flattering the club – his making Kuranyi captain was a direct result from the President's rather than the manager's preference for the player. What about having Anton Shunin as the main goalkeeper? Roman Berezovsky is not only far more experienced, but a far better keeper, holding the record for the greatest number of penalty saves in all of Russia. The talent is present, but the manager refuses to use it. When profit comes before merit, success is only fleeting. The manager can make all the promises he wants about getting the team to play an attack-oriented game. If he can't get along with the players, he can't lead his team to victory – end of story.

Nevertheless, pretending Volga is really FC Barcelona in disguise due to their red and blue striped kit won't make Dynamo fans feel any better.

A loss is a loss, whether it's 1-0 or 5-0. It's three points taken by someone else and, in this case, by the better team.

A fun fact that might add some cheer to the lives of Dynamo fans: Luke Wilkshire has become the club's most popular player after unveiling his latest tattoo of the club's name at Dynamo's meet-and-greet session.

chelsea Fredy Montero Lukaku

Worthy Opponents

1:13 AM

Herbalife World Football Challenge: Chelsea FC vs. Seattle Sounders

After a disappointing Montreal-Revs game, I was looking forward to the friendly match that pitted European champions and one of MLS's front-runners. Needless to say, the game was full of surprises from both sides. The Sounders definitely played more as a team in this match than at the US Open Cup semi finals. Chelsea scored a third minute goal when Lukaku dribbled past Seattle's defenders as though they were a NASL team. On the 11^th minute, Eden Hazard scored a very different kind of goal, slicing through the defense, aiming for the back post and getting the ball where it needed to be. Fredy Montero came through for the Sounders in both halves of the match. His counter gave Seattle a corner, and though the set piece did not yield a goal, Montero's opportunity knocked again two minutes later, and he answered with a through ball into the net. Ivanovic saved Chelsea from Montero's double on the 16^th minute. Chelsea's 2-goal lead seemed to motivate not only the Sounders' fans but the team itself. Chelsea had ruffled the Sounders' feathers, and the latter were more eager than ever in setting up counters and taking advantage of Chelsea's erroneous plays. Johnson was brilliant both defensively and on the attack. His header on the 20^th minute went just a tad over the net. Fernandez had a lovely header as well. Ivanovic marked Montero, but it was about time that Fredy made it double. His left-footed shot on the 32^nd minute tied the match. Both teams were giving away the ball in a seemingly effortless manner because of how open a game they were playing. Chelsea's Marko Marin scored a 40th-minute goal with a deflection off of Jeff Parke, who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. A few minutes later came another midfield giveaway, courtesy of Leonardo Gonzalez, whose third gift to Chelsea yielded a double for Lukaku, who tactfully outplayed goalkeeper Meredith.

Though the score would remain, the crowd of 53,000 attendees at CenturyLink Park took in the sites of a dynamic Eden Hazard and Fredy Montero. The latter could have scored a hat-trick on many occasions. Chelsea newbie Kevin De Bruyne had a great counter that went high. Johnson was consistent in his defending, earning a corner for the Sounders right before veteran Roger Levesque came on to play his last professional game before retiring. Levesque, who started off his career by playing for the San Jose Earthquakes, ended up being loaned to Seattle, where he played for nearly 8 years. Among his accomplishments is helping Seattle attain three consecutive Lamar Hunt US Open Cups. He came quite close to scoring his last goal from a corner in the last minute of stoppage time. Nevertheless, Sounders fans honored the veteran player with banners as well as an ovation. Levesque bade his team farewell in a game that should make Sigi Schmid proud.

friendlies int friendly international

An Outpouring of Young Talent

1:13 AM

Mexico U-23 vs. Spain U-23: 0-1

Two teams, both talented in different ways, took to the pitch to showcase their talent on Wednesday in the port city of Cadiz, Spain. A sea of red jerseys took to the stadium to cheer on the home team, and Spain's U-23 didn't fail to deliver. In classic Spanish style, the team took to the lead early on in the game. Their first attempt was blocked by Mexico goalkeeper Corona, but seven minutes later, the Spaniards opened the score. Javi Martinez got a great cross from a corner kick, giving him the opportunity to jump just that bit higher than Corona and head the ball in. Commentator Pablo Ramirez was right to point out the presence of Barcelona players on the squad, as the players enhanced the game with the trademark Barca style of play. The Spaniards continued to be dangerous on set pieces, but failed to go beyond a 1-0 lead. Evidently, the opposition had quite a few things up their sleeves as well. One of Mexico's magic moments came from Cruz Azul's Javier Aquino. Only David De Gea's outstretched right leg prevented a Mexico equalizer on the 38^th minute. Corona's saves were right on the money. Adrian Lopez had a poor attempt at storming Mexico's net, and Corona calmly took the ball. Mexico was great on counters, and the team's defending was simply superb. There's something to be said about preventing any Spanish team from having a goal fest. The second half included a few more heroic saves from Corona. He took the ball in the air near the upper corner of the net on the 76^th minute, showing his great ability to control the ball after it is caught. With such a rare gift and lightning-fast reflexes, he has evidently surpassed his younger fellow goalie Memo Ochoa.

It's always interesting to watch young talent play outside of the club atmosphere, and an infrequent opportunity at that. Both teams have creative players capable of making one-on-one runs, and Mexico definitely played a worthy game against the Spaniards. Spain did have the team edge, but when it came down to individual talent, Mexico was always a step ahead. The man of the match was, without a doubt, goalkeeper Corona. He was great on short-range shots, and his performance overall was stunning. I can't wait to see him perform at the London Olympics!

Andrei Arshavin Arshavin breaking news

BREAKING NEWS: Player Leaks Capello Appointment

9:21 PM

Capello says, "Get back in the game!"

Thanks to modern technology and the invention of the internet, Andrei Arshavin was able to successfully leak Fabio Capello's appointment as head coach of Russia's National Football Team. What's brilliant, though, is how he did it. Arshavin reposted a fan's question from five years ago asking him who his favorite coach was, to which he obviously replied "Fabio Capello". Right above the q&a, he wrote:

Fabio Capello has been appointed as the new head coach of the Russian national team.

We wish him success in his new position.

So now we know Capello isn't signing the contract next week - he already did. Interestingly enough, Capello's alleged assistants won't be from England. 39-year-old Dmitri Alenichev recently began coaching FC Arsenal Tula, a fourth division (amateur league) team. During his playing career, Alenichev played for AS Roma and Perugia. The other aide, 43-year-old Igor Shalimov, coached the Russia Women's National Team, and had brief managerial stints at two clubs. Shalimov is familiar with all things Italian; as a player, he enjoyed a career at Inter, Udinese, and Napoli, to name a few. With deadlines on the horizon (the RFU still need to elect a president and finish preparations for the London Olympics, let alone select an NT for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers), it's no wonder all signs point to the appointment of the Italian specialist. Capello apparently agreed to live in Russia during his stay as manager, and to be actively involved in the development of footie in Russia. This includes communicating with RPL managers. Capello should have no trouble there, as he has a fellow Italian, Zenit's Luciano Spalletti, by his side. I recently discovered that if you Google the latter, the first thing that comes up is "Luciano Spalletti legendary 4-6-0 formation", which goes to show just how much authority he has in the world of football. Incidentally, another Italian by the name of Roberto Mancini was previously rumored as a candidate (though omitted from the RFU's official list). Maybe it's time to put Capello's past with England where it belongs - in the past. He has only managed one National Team, and we all know England has been infamous for failing at large-scale tournaments long before Capello's appointment. With a resume that includes successful spells at AC Milan and Real Madrid, and an attitude to get things done and ignore pesky criticism, there's no doubt he's a worthy coach for the job. Even though Capello, like any coach, has a set way of doing things, he's a professional chameleon and can easily adapt to any environment. He knows that every team is a different kind of animal. At the end of the day, though, his priorities are those of a determined and relentless human being. As he said in his interview for FFT, "the most important thing is results. That is not a philosophy, it's a fact."

There's something about Russia and Italians, and maybe that something includes a ticket to the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

RFU Russia Football Union Russian football

Oldest Pro Player is RFU's Presidential Candidate

8:15 PM

Andrey Kobelev Bielsa Byshovets

Russia's Candidates: An In-Depth Analysis

12:36 PM

Arsenal FC Arshavin Barclays Premier League

RVP - No Excuses

3:56 PM

Robin Van Persie's statements concerning his leave of Arsenal have had mixed reception. Some think he's being disloyal to his club while others wholeheartedly agree that as an aging, injury-prone player, he should find himself a cup-winning club to finish his career in style. As an Arsenal fan and avid follower of the EPL, I side with the first group, and make it a point to address the arguments made by my opposition:

Disloyalty is OK because football these days is just another business.
Football is definitely a big-money enterprise in the 21^st century, with many teams owned by multi-millionaire tycoons or sponsored by corporate giants. It is an industry, just like any other sport. Like other sports, though, football has its share of deeper, more meaningful qualities: the unforgettable emotions in victory and defeat, over-the-top talent, and a diehard fan base. There is one more quality worth mentioning, and arguably the most important of them all: team loyalty. There are players as well as managers who have been with their clubs from start to finish. While it's rare to find a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson, who has trained one club for over 20 years, there have been and still are players who have dedicated the majority of their careers to one club. My argument, however, would be redundant if I did not point out one-club players who were incredibly successful. Some one-club men worth mentioning: Manchester United's Gary Neville, Bobby Charlton's brother Jack Charlton (Leeds United), Sam Bartram of Charlon Athletic, and AC Milan's Paolo Maldini. Maldini is one of the longest-serving one-club players in history, having played for AC Milan for 25 years. The longest-serving one-club players in history are Istanbul's Sait Altinordu (27 years) and England's Bob Crompton, who played for the Blackburn Rovers for 24 years.

Let's not forget the most notable one-club man, legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin, who spent his entire career playing for FC Dynamo Moscow. He led his club to numerous victories, including 5 Soviet Top League Championships and 3 Soviet Cups.

There are quite a few players today (not all of who are Englishmen) who have played for their club for over a decade, like 35-year-old Francesco Totti, who has been playing for A.S. Roma for 20 years. Then there are the veteran players who show no signs of stopping, like Barcelona's Xavi and (surprise!) USMNT right back Steven Cherundolo, who plays for Hannover 96. Xavi has had tremendous success at Barcelona, from winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey to the FIFA Club World Cup and 2010-11 UEFA Champions League.

A seasoned player who chooses to stick with his club regardless of whether they win a trophy every season has a greater chance of winning one at some point than if he leaves at the peak of his career. It is irrelevant that Arsenal weren't the EPL champs last season. Wenger's side finished in 3^rd place, behind Manchester United and City. Keep in mind that Arsenal reached the final of the UEFA Champions League only 6 years ago, and lost 2-1 to Barcelona. Arsenal is a great club; there are other clubs out there that are more technically skilled, which is why Wenger's team hasn't had much success outside the Premier League in the past several years.

2. The Money Question

If Robin Van Persie truly loves Arsenal, there's one place he shouldn't be going, and that's Manchester City. Can RVP sign a deal with Mancini's team for a different motive? Perhaps, but it's hard to tell when City are a) the reigning champions and b) one of the richest football clubs in the world. On the other hand, Van Persie can not only sign with City for a hefty sum, but get Arsenal a fair share as well. The question then turns to Arsenal's motives – how much do they value RVP in terms of talent? If Arsenal's management think they can get better players and that Van Persie's stellar moments are ancient history, it makes sense to transfer him. It should be noted that Arsenal's latest catch Lukas Podolski is a talented, though inconsistent forward, and only time will tell if he can step up and become one of the club's leading goal-scorers.

football futbol international

Mystery Manager Haunts NT

3:48 PM

Russia Football Union To Unveil List of Candidates

Tired of the growing rumor mill (this is football, not Hollywood!), the RFU will clear things up this coming Tuesday, ending speculation on the mystery manager by releasing an official list of candidates. Among the rumored available persons are ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and former England head coach Fabio Capello. The press has been insistent that one of these men will soon become the head coach of Russia's National Football Team. There have been mentions of less well-known candidates, including secondary NT manager Yuri Krasnozhan and several coaches in the RPL, but recent articles on the supposed signing of either Guardiola or Capello must have hit a nerve. The Russian Football Union issued an official statement clarifying the situation. The first point made by the RFU denies that any contract has been signed thus far for the National Team's managerial post. The second statement is the Union's attempt to take back the reins from the mass media by promising to publish the official list of candidates with whom the RFU will commence discussing a possible signing. Such information is not usually made public, though the head of the Department of Information Policy stated the list will “demonstrate the management's active involvement in the search for a new head coach”. A casting call or a cover-up? Russian news source Gazeta.ru makes a good point by reminding us of England's managerial signing. The FA left the list-making to the press, making Roy Hodgson's appointment completely unexpected. Like Hodgson, the new manager's number one priority will be preparing the team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Russia was drawn in Group F for UEFA's World Cup qualification matches, alongside Euro 2012 bronze medalists Portugal. The team's first match will be on October 16^th against Azerbaijan.

The last string of success of the Russia NT was with the Flying Dutchman and current Anzhi manager, Guus Hiddink. In 2008, Hiddink led the Russians to 3^rd place in the European Championship.

Whoever this new manager is, here's hoping he stays awhile and reshapes the team. He'll need a lot of patience and a whole lot of Borscht.

USA

Q&A With Wondo!

3:51 PM