Anschutz Increases MLS Grip
The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) Friday acquired total control of its sixth Major League Soccer team when the company exercised its option to become the sole investor-operator of the San Jose Earthquakes.
The 2001 MLS champion was jointly operated by AEG and Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment in 2002, but Greg Jamison, president and chief executive of SVS&E;, said the company, which also runs the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, was ending its involvement with the Earthquakes “due to a variety of business factors.”
Don Garber, commissioner of the 10-team league, said he expected “a seamless transition” to AEG control, especially considering that the Earthquakes’ marquee player, U.S. forward Landon Donovan, has been re-signed and that the club this week extended its lease with Spartan Stadium on the San Jose State campus.
Along with the Earthquakes, AEG also operates the Galaxy, Colorado Rapids, Chicago Fire, D.C. United and the New York/New Jersey MetroStars.
Rowley Dies
Arthur Rowley, who scored more goals in English soccer than any other player but who never represented his country, has died at 76, the English Football Assn. announced. Rowley scored 434 goals in 619 league games and 30 more in cup competitions during an 18-year career between 1947-1965 with West Bromwich Albion, Fulham, Leicester City and Shrewsbury.
Poland’s Choice
Former Poland international and Legia Warsaw coach Pawel Janas, a member of the country’s silver medal-winning team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, was named Poland’s new coach.
Janas, 49, replaces Zbigniew Boniek, who quit two weeks ago after only five months in charge.
Lauren Retires
Cameroon World Cup defender Lauren, who helped the African nation win the gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and win the African Nations Cup earlier this year, announced his retirement from international soccer.
Lauren, 25, said he will concentrate on his career with English champion Arsenal.
Pumpido Denied
South American champion Olimpia of Paraguay has rejected, at least temporarily, Argentine Coach Nery Pumpido’s efforts to get a pay raise for leading the club to the Copa Libertadores title.
“Pumpido is planning to be paid more than he was this season and that’s impossible,” said Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb, the team’s president. “Everyone in Paraguay is suffering [financially] and Olimpia cannot avoid this reality.
“I explained to Pumpido that we could not increase his wages now unless we can negotiate a good transfer [of one or more Olimpia players].”
Briegel Chosen
Former international defender Hans-Peter Briegel, who played 72 games for Germany between 1979 and 1986 and was on its World Cup final losing sides at Spain ’82 and Mexico ‘86, has agreed to coach Albania’s national team through the end of qualifying for the 2004 European Championship in Portugal. Armando Duka, president of the Albanian soccer federation, said Briegel, 47, would be paid $170,000.
Quick Passes
The U.S. men’s national team will play Japan on March 29 at Seahawks Stadium in Seattle, U.S. Soccer said, confirming an earlier announcement by Japan.... U.S. defender Frankie Hejduk’s relegation-threatened Swiss club, St Gallen, named Austrian Heinz Peischl as its new coach.... Kazakhstan has named former Russia under-21 coach Leonid Pakhomov, 59, as its national coach.
