North America

• Things are very bad in LaLaLand — GM Alexi Lalas and the struggling LA Galaxy (winless in seven games) may well be parting ways, according to Greg Lalas: “A source close to Major League Soccer’s glamour franchise tells me that Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Galaxy, made an unannounced visit to the team’s locker room this past week and issued a grim ultimatum: Get things on the right track in the next two weeks or there will be dire consequences.”
• The MLS Players Union is stepping up their protest over the bonuses for winning the SuperLiga, as players from both teams agree to split the money, as the Union ramps up its public relations battle with the league by labeling the final an “exhibition”. MLS Commisioner Don Garber hit back right away at the Union.
• The Pali Blues beat Indiana FC in the W-League final at the weekend.
• The expansion fee for new MLS teams may be rising to $50 million.

Europe

• Just when you thought it was safe. . .Game 39 returns, albeit in a dramatically different format. Henry Winters writes in the Telegraph that “England’s elite clubs are determined to exploit their international popularity by staging mini-competitions in places like Asia, Australia, Africa and North America, during a 12-day winter break.” The Offside’s commentary is on the ball: whilst this removes much of the problem with Game 39, is it really good for English football to cram in more matches in the middle of winter?
• Yes, Peter Kenyon is the devil.
• The Guardian’s Louise Taylor says there’s substance to the claims an Indian company is lining up a bid of over $500M to take control of Newcastle United, with the Telegraph profiling the main man involved, billionaire Anil Ambani.
• Lilian Thuram retired last week, but Rob Hughes writes that his legacy as an advocate on social issues will go on.
• Extreme Groundhopping takes a stop in Suffolk.

Worldwide

• Reports from Malaysia are saying no foreigners will be allowed in their domestic league from next season.
• The Liberian league is facing standstill.
• Sam Kelly at Soccerlens focuses on Argentina’s stars as they head to the Olympics.

Photo Daily

Photo courtesy of photoreti on Flickr, via the Pitch Invasion photo pool.