The Run of Play has our favourite read of the day: a portrait of cult commentator Ray Hudson: “You’re never just watching Sevilla-Valencia with match commentary; you’re watching Sevilla-Valencia with Ray Hudson falling like a xylophone hammer all over your consciousness”

North America

• The Philadelphia Business Journal looks at the status of the city’s three soccer teams: their 2010 MLS expansion team, 2009 WPS expansion team, and the current indoor Kixx. The first two look set to succeed, the third might be in some trouble.
• The National Post in Canada says that though Steve Nash is getting all the attention as a backer of Vancouver’s MLS expansion bid, it’s investor Jeff Mallett who may be key to its success.
• Unproffessional Foul has an interesting interview with soccer journalist and former pro Greg Lalas, brother of Alexi, as they discuss what it will take for the States to develop world class players (and whether Landon is one already).
• Kenny Cooper is going nowhere, after all that fuss.

Europe

• Barney Ronay suggests that Newcastle’s decision to hold on to Joey Barton tells us something “grim” about the football industry. He might be right, but it’s hardly surprising, as Rob Hughes points out in the International Herald Tribune.
• Eddie Griffin of Soccerlens looks at the problems the Bundesliga has in competing in the European transfer market, but notes they’re still very competitive — and could also have added that their clubs offer fans lower ticket price and a superior supporter experience than the Premier League. I’d take that over a few stars.
• Uefa earned a tidy $394m from Euro 2008.
• EPL Talk has a handy guide to the Premier League’s referees this year.
• Several top flight Spanish teams are in danger of automatic relegation unless they sort out their debt issues.

Worldwide

• In another of his vituperating articles about Fifa, Andrew Jennings tells us “a Swiss court has ruled that football’s world governing body, Fifa, misled detectives investigating the disappearance of £45 million paid for World Cup television rights.”
• The new Womens Professional Soccer league in the States has gotten a lot of attention, but did you know Australia is also launching its own national professional league later this year? Though with a salary cap at $150,000 per team, don’t expect Marta to forego WPS in America for a job down under.
• Fifa.com looks at Mexico’s legendary team Chivas Guadalajara. They’ll be in Chicago this Sunday taking on Barcelona.

Photo Daily

Aberdeen ultras.

Photo courtesy of Aberdeen & Red Ultras on Flickr, via the Pitch Invasion photo pool.