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Just For Kicks
THE European leagues are finished for the season. That means Bruce Arena, United States national men's coach, has his strongest roster since taking the job in October, 1998. U.S. men strongest in years
The Americans host the Nike U.S. Cup, which starts Saturday and ends June 11.
Half of the 22-player U.S. roster is based in Europe. The rest comes from Major League Soccer teams.
Ireland, Mexico and first-time participant South Africa join the U.S. in the tournament.
The Americans won the first Cup in 1992 and again in 1995.
Mexico claimed titles in 1996, 1997 and 1999 while Ireland was runner-up in 1996.
"These games will give us the opportunity to test ourselves against some challenging opponents and we need to prepare ourselves as World Cup qualifying approaches," Arena said.
The Americans take on South Africa at Washington, D.C., Saturday, play Ireland at Foxboro, Mass., Tuesday and meet Mexico at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., June 11.
The next time D.C. United defender Jeff Agoos plays for the U.S., it will be his 100th national team appearance.
Marcelo Balboa has the most appearances (caps) for the U.S., 128, but is not now on the national team.
Cobi Jones, the fleet striker from the Los Angeles Galaxy, will have 129 caps if he plays in all three Cup matches.
Fernando Vacas was in town recently to check up on the progress of the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex being built by the City & County of Honolulu.
Vacas is president of the Board of Directors of an organization called Village of Dreams. The computer engineer lived in Hawaii for a couple of years and coached Kailua AYSO teams and at Kalani High School.
His nonprofit organization plans to submit a proposal to operate the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
Should Village of Dreams be selected, Vacas has ideas for the complex and surrounding land that go beyond the initial phase being constructed.
"I want to help the kids. That's the main priority," Vacas said. "I would like to see a facility that is open 365 days a year, a first-class sports complex for kids, a place they can bond to.
"It would be open to any youngster age 5-18, but not free. Parents who can't pay could contribute time on any number of jobs that would need doing to earn membership. I'd like to bring the elderly in to teach. They have information, trade skills, life-long lessons that could be passed on to the kids.
"I would want a full-time teacher there to help with academics. In time, a vocational school could be established. It would have to be an integrated effort and it's all for the kids."
Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina national team leading scorer, has agreed to a contract with Italy's AS Roma that should make him the world's highest-paid soccer player.
AS Roma offered Batistuta $5.2 million a year and will pay Fiorentina a $33 million transfer fee, according to Italian media reports.
Batistuta said at the end of the Italian season he was leaving Fiorentina. He is the team's leading career scorer with 168 goals in 269 matches.
"The offer is a a very strong one for a 31-year-old player and I hope to repay them with goals," Batistuta said.
Tony Meola, Major League Soccer's career shutout leader with 30, has signed a multiyear contract with the Kansas City Wizards.
Meola, 31, has nine shutouts in 12 matches this season. He also holds the league mark for consecutive wins by a goalkeeper with 12.
